RESTRAINT formed after Craig and Rich's first band, MOSHARD, ended in early 1996 due to everyone else joining the police*. Wanting to try something other from MOSHARD's pummeling hardcore aggression, we recruited guitarist Rich Gollings and bassist Brett Wareing to write much groovier, more rap-metal (even nu-metal) material, influenced by the likes of DOWSET, DEFTONES, and LIFE OF AGONY.

We initially sounded what could kindly be called diverse, but was probably quite sporadic in genre. Releases such as 'Of Being Whole' (1997) and 'Articles of War' (1999) betray a band trying to find our stylistic feet one song at a time.

After the departure of Wareing (who went on to join a funk band before it was trendy, and then work in banking) and Gollings (who went on to do impressions of Michael Jackson in front of wealthy retired people), we were joined by F. Lee "Quick Cakey" Calcott on guitar, and Mat Hocking on bass. It was this line-up who would eventually write 'Reach The New' - the final RESTRAINT release, which undoubtedly included our strongest material. Gone was the rap-metal, ditched in favour of a more Victory Records/NYHC-influenced sound (there is clearly some SNAPCASE, HATEBREED, EARTH CRISIS etc in there) whilst also showing us becoming more confident with our own style. Ironically, by 'Reach The New' we probably had more in common with MOSHARD than anything we had done so far.

Around the album's release, we were lucky enough to share stages up and down the country (including Reading!**) with many legendary UKHC names at the time, such as FREEBASE, ASSERT, STAMPIN' GROUND, UNDERULE, CONSUME, DISSENT, dBh, and MEDULLA NOCTE amongst others. We also all went to watch 'Eyes Wide Shut' on its opening night together; such is the rock n' roll lifestyle we led.

After we broke up later in 2000, Craig and Quick Cakey would continue writing music together in THE HOLLOW EARTH THEORY. Over the years Craig has continued writing music in bands such as VOTIVE, ARCEYE, and SEVENTH LAW.

As well as still writing and playing music, today Craig paints pictures of Arnold Schwarzenegger for charity.

Mat became a tour manager for many years (owning three vans) before opening a French crêperie.

Quick Cakey used to mind the doors at HMV and now works in social care.

Rich used to work in a library, then taught swimming, then wrote a computer game, and drives his dad's van around building sites.



*not the band
**not the festival

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Proceeds from the sale of 'Reach The New' will be donated to
THE DONKEY SANCTUARY
Liscarroll
Mallow
Co Cork
Ireland P51 PH29

www.thedonkeysanctuary.ie