Idiot formed in 1977, at Westcliff High School For Boys which all the members where attending, studying for their 'A' Levels. The band existed until early 1979, when, accompanying a wait for a recently recorded single and simultaneously undergoing a line up change, they moved in a more Mod direction and became known as Speedball. Idiot though, were Rob Paveley (Beulo) on Vocals / Guitar, Barry Godwin on Guitar, Paul 'Blue' Dunne on Bass and Dave Dyke on Drums.

Speaking about their first gig to Surrey Vomet fanzine, Rob said "It was at a Sunday School in front of these 10 -11 years olds, y'know little kids, and the singer, who I'd already figured out was a bit of a nutcase, was screaming into the mike and lashing out with his foot into the crowd! He had to go and I took over the singing!"

The group started playing around Southend a lot, especially with Deeno's Marvels, sometimes playing four concerts a week. However, in 1978 Dave left to join Deeno's Marvels and so they got John Dee of The Machines in on drums to help them record a demo, a track from which 'Ging Gang Gooley' appears on the Sonet Records Compilation LP 'Southend Rock', as compiled by Peter Eden in 1979.

Barry, Blue and Robin decamped to London, to Wood Green then Acton, in October / November 1978, and considered changing the name of the group to 'The Bright Boys'. Fed up with the squalor of their flat in London, they moved back to Southend in December and Robin joined Deeno's Marvels on Bass, and was reunited with repentant drummer Dave Dyke. This led to them reforming Idiot, leaving Deeno and ultimately forming a new band - Speedball.

Many Idiot songs would go on to be used by Speedball, but the only officially released song under the original name of Idiot was the aforementioned Ging Gang Gooley.

Discography

'Southend Rock' - Features The Idiot song 'Ging Gang Gooley' - LP (Sonet Records SNTF 806- 1979)