About the band
Billy Nomates was formed by Tristan Lambeth in the summer of 1996. They went through a variety of names, including ‘Mohican Wu Wu’, ‘The E Numbers’ and ‘The Handbags’.
The band play a variety of music from old traditional rock songs through punk to modern day. Whilst writing their own material they take time to ensure that the songs they cover lose none of the vitality of the originals. With various personnel changes during the years, the long time line up was Tristan on vocals and rhythm guitar, Lesley-Ann New on drums, Darren Wingate on lead guitar, Steve Bradford on bass and Sarah Cooper on keyboards and backing vocals.
This changed when Steve left to join local blues based band ‘Alive on Arrival’ and Darren and Sarah left to spend more time with their families. Nigel Godden, who also played with Horsham based band ‘Kodie’, joined on bass and Bob Farrell who played in various European bands, joined on lead guitar.
November 2000 saw Lesley Ann leave and be replaced by Carl Brooker who gave the band a much heavier sound.
After a slight lull the band resurfaced in 2002 with Darren back on lead guitar, John Hiles from ‘Alive on Arrival’ on drums and Alan Wise from various Guildford based bands such as ‘The Revivals’, and ‘The Flying Tigers’ on bass. In August 2004 the band flew to Boston in the U.S. to undertake a ten day American tour.
In September 2010 the band, in their current line up, did their 300th gig together.
After Alan left the band in 2012 Bob Farrell rejoined the band on bass.
John Hiles left in 2014, to be replaced for a year by Charlie Hart. A young drummer who deps occasionally for Willie Austen.
When Charlie left, Alan Moore, who previously played in the function band “ Bak to Skool “, who brought a tight sound and extra backing vocals to the band.
Alan left in the Spring of 2018, and was replaced by the excellent Jake Valentine O’Connell, son of Deeply Purple drummer, and regular Billy Nomates stand in, Pete O’Connell.
Bob and Tristan continue to write songs together as Nomates 5. The last few years have seen Billy do more weddings and parties than ever before, whilst still managing to capture the essence of being a pub rock band whenever possible.
Credits
Billy Nomates
The eponymous song “Billy Nomates”, a song written by Tristan, featured in the Kenneth Branagh and Helena Bonham-Carter film ‘The Theory of Flight’.
Nomates5
Tristan and Bob Farrell, Nomates’s ex-guitarist’, continue to write and produce songs.
Mystics’, a film set in Ireland. was released in the Spring of 2003, and included “Billy Nomates” and another song called “Dallas” written about an American girlfriend of Tristans.
A song, “Sold As Seen” featured in the Linda La Plante detective series ‘The Commander’.
The TV series, ‘William and Mary’, with Martin Clunes, was another TV play which featured some of their music, this time a song called “Green Side Up”.
Another film, aired in September 2005 called ‘Floating’ again featured “Green Side Up”.
In June 2013, Bob and Tristan,now writing under the name Nomates5, have another song, “Traitors Gate”, in the latest Robert Redford film, “The Company You Keep” with Nomates5 getting another written credit.