Masterswitch

The band consisted of four members:^[1]

• Jimmy Edwards (vocals, guitar)^[2]
• Stephen Wilkin (guitar)
• Mark Steed (bass guitar)
• Martin Lee (drums)

Lifelong friends Ray Simone and Martin Lee, together with Dave Sumeray (who was the bass player with Simone and Lee in a band called Woodfog)^[3] placed an advert in Melody Maker in an attempt to recruit bandmates at an open audition. An astounding number of enthusiastic musicians queued patiently waiting their turn to prove their worth; ultimately Edwards' natural vocal flair, Wilkin's 'Wilkey Fingers' and, after Dave Sumeray decided to quit the band and the music business, Steed's conquering bass prevailed to form Masterswitch.

In 1977, the band signed to the Epic record company and in the following year released their only studio release Action Replay/Mass Media Meditation. Despite talent and the intelligent social commentary (notably That's Light Entertainment), Masterswitch only picked up a small cult following playing regularly at the Marquee Club in Soho, London. With The Clash grabbing all attention of Epic's marketing combined with poor management, Masterswitch split in 1978.^[4]

Jimmy Edwards and Mark Steed went to record as Jimmy and The Profiles and later Edwards and Ray Simone went on to form Time UK with former The Jam drummer Rick Buckler. After three singles they split, although Jimmy and Buckler formed the short-lived band Sharp with Buckler's ex-Jam bandmate Bruce Foxton.