The Ant Hill Mob were formed in 1989 by Tom Palmer (vocals) and Tony Parsons (guitar), the original line up also featured Steve Agutter (drums), Steve Munroe (rhythm guitar) and Alan (bass). After a series of rehearsals the band made their first public appearance in 1990, gigging at various pubs and clubs along the south coast from their base in the Worthing area of West Sussex. In 1994 founding member Tony Parsons left to pursue other interests to be replaced by Jimmy Niccol, Tony was to later rejoin the band in 1998 when Jimmy moved away from the area. Over the years the band has had half a dozen bass players, Dave Smallbone, Mark 1 & Mark 2, Mick Power, Kevin (now playing with Mad Max), as well as several drummers and other guitarists including Geoff Eagle (ex Quarterpounders), Angus Wigg, ex-Desperate Dan band member Fraser Wigg on keyboards and Wandering Wilf Taylor (ex Blackjacks and Ray Guns) on harp and keyboards.
The line up of Tom Palmer, Tony Parsons, John Dawes (drums) and Joe Allenby-Byrne (bass), where together from December 1998 until spring 2008, when Tony retired to the Les Paul rest home ( and continues to perform severe ear bashings with the blind lemons).. Tonys replacement, Efrem Brynin has brought a new lease of life to the band and the set list with his slightly rockier stance, both Efrem and Joe have played in bands together over the last 20 years, most noticably the revered 'Shoreham Beach Experience.
The band have always gigged regularly and are continually reinventing the set lists to try and capture essence of good Rhythm and Blues without succumbing to the clichéd and overplayed blues that some outfits fall prey to. Picking more obscure tracks by Blues artists such as Ike Turner, Savoy Brown and the Fabulous Thunderbirds as well as blues oriented/influenced numbers by less obvious artists such as Ian Dury and the Blockheads. Recent outings have seen good crowds at the Dark Stars Duke of Wellington in Shoreham, the band performed at the 2006 Adur festival with Dr Feelgood, and 2007 supporting the superb Blockheads.
