NETWORK formed in 1986 with then FASTWAY (& ex MR. BIG) drummer STEVE CLARKE teaming up with TED EMMET (ex 64 SPOONS) from LOOSE TUBES on trumpet, PETE JACOBSEN (THEN WITH MORRISSEY MULLEN) on keyboards, TIM CROWTHER (ex DAVID CROSS BAND) on guitar, finishing the nucleus of the group.
The first line-up, a 6 piece with STEVE TOPPING (ex ALLAN HOLDSWORTH) on guitar and PAUL ROGERS (ex RPM) on bass began an 18 month residency at the plough in Stockwell on an improvising basis following in the footsteps of mentors JON STEVENS (ex AWAY) and ALLAN HOLDSWORTH (ex TONY WILLIAMS). On these dates NETWORK were, on occasions joined by NICK STEPHENS on bass (ex JON STEVENS), STEVE, LEWISON (bass), JIMMY ROCHE (ex MAJOR SURGERY) on guitar, DAVID CROSS (ex KING CRIMSON), SIMON PICKARD (ex STINKY WINKLES) on saxophone, STEVE BUCKLEY on saxophone (ex LOOSE TUBES). These gigs formed the basis of the first NETWORK album THE BIBLE SAYS, recorded live in 1 day in Surbiton in November 1989.

CORRODED PATH, the 2nd NETWORK album saw a more stable NETWORK line-up with LAURENCE COTTLE coming in on bass to complete a 5 piece line-up on an album of tunes reminiscent of early 70's Jazz/Rock fusion numbers penned by STEVE CLARKE and JIM CROWTHER, the album was a minor success story in the USA, selling over 10,000 copies on its release in 1993. The band made a video of the STEVE CLARKE composition L21 which was extensively serviced throughout the U.S. on late night television.
Jon Newey from Tower Records Top Magazine noted : "NETWORK are a Godsend, a bridge between MAHAVISHNU ORCHESTRA/RETURN TO FOREVER days and tough contemporary units like TRIBAL TECH played with a maximum enthusiasm and minimal budget."
Praise indeed for a band who started out purely as an impsovising unit in a pub 6 years earlier.
Of course demand for the NETWORK members as session players had reached it's zenith. LAURENCE COTTLE with ERIC CLAPTON, TED EMMETT with CHARLIE WATTS and PETE JACOBSEN flat out with TIM MULLEN & DICK MORRISSEY. During this period STEVE CLARKE, who had now left FASTWAY, began work on a side project with TREV THOMS (ex HAWKWIND) on guitar and ALGY WARD from TANK on bass.
The project financed by TOM DOHERTY (MOTORHEAD) was based on Fusion colliding with Death Metal. Featuring an ad-hoc collection of musicians from both genres. JOHN CLARK (ex BRUFORD), TIM CROWTHER (NETWORK), BILL LEISENGANG (JACK BRUCE), KEITH MORE (ASIA), FAST EDDIE CLARKE (MOTORHEAD) & STEVE FAIRCLOUGH (KORG), formed a spearhead of lead guitarists soloing over the rhythm section of WARD, THOMS & CLARKE. Entitled "NECROPOLIS - The End Of The Line", the album was greeted with rave reviews and immediately licensed to Pony Canyon records in Japan and reached No. 44 in the Japanese Rock chart.
Next up, the third NETWORK album again penned 50/50 by CLARKE & CROWTHER was awaiting recording. This time due to touring commitments, the band was stripped to a trio with ALGY WARD turning many surprised heads in the heavy metal world by churning out a stunning performance on bass; - for the album REFUSAL TO COMPLY. Recorded in November 1993, at Pathway studios - the home of punk over 70 minutes of pure energy gained the band Radio notoriety, particularly the Clarke composition SOS which surprisingly featured a drum solo - something that would become a regular on all NETWORK albums.
1994 saw the band return to an improvising basis -momentarily- only for the aptly named PPRECISELY THE OPPOSITE album with ex-SOFT MACHINE bassist HUGH HOPPER turning out in a surprise combination that lucked out on the day for the bend's fourth album.
Following the recording, the band hit the road with JEFF GASCOYNE on bass in addition PETE JACOBSEN and TED EMMETT firmly back in the band for a successful European tour, this effectively promoted the 4 albums to date.
At this point TIM CROWTHER departed from the band and KEITH MORE came in on guitar, a vocalist was added and ALGY WARD came back on bass. This led to the metal oreintated L.N.C. album which featured none other than JAN HAMMER (ex-MAHAVISHNU ORCHESTRA) on the track "Looking Into Space".
This album was written totally by STEVE CLARKE, who even found time to write the acoustic guitar trio piece for STEVE TOPPING, IAN AITKIN (ex-BRIAN MAY) and KEITH MORE. TIM CROWTHER returned for his finale with STEVE CLARKE and ALGY WARD in what turned out to be noted as a classic guitar solo of all time. At the end of the session, engineer Justin Underhill noted "They saved the best till last". Gigs in America followed and the band met up with LARRY CORYELL in N.Y.C., Larry listened to the band's material and suggested a return to more familiar grounds. Larry is one of the pioneers of jazz/rock, possibly 'THE' pioneer in many opinions.
STEVE CLARKE returned to London and wrote the HIGHLY COMMITED MEDIA PLAYERS album with this in mind. The result is the latest album from NETWORK featuring LARRY CORYELL (ELEVENTH HOUSE, MILES DAVIS) on guitar, PETE JACOBSEN on keyboards, TED EMMETT on electric trumpet, WOLFGANG SCHMID (BILLY COBHAM & PARADOX) on bass and STEVE CLARKE on drums. This album is a return to seventies style fusion tunes with maximum energy throughout and features LARRY CORYELL's return to the solid body guitar.
CORYELL's hook up with NETWORK is an interesting one. Firtsly he re-formed THE ELEVENTH HOUSE with ALPHONSE MOUZON (drums), RANDY BRECKER (trumpet) and JEFF BERLIN on bass in late 98. The concerts went so well and the band just kept getting better ! Secondly, and album of heavy fusion with STEVE SMITH and TOM COSTER (both from VITAL INFORMATION) entitled CAUSE AND EFFECT. Now the new NETWORK album "HIGHLY COMMITED MEDIA PLAYERS" again with a heavyweight fusion theme. CORYELL says he "WANTS TO PICK UP WHERE HE LEFT OFF IN THE 70'S AND TAKE FUSION TO THE NEXT LEVEL".
Meantime CORYELL has found the time for a new straight edged effort "MONK TRANE, MILES AND ME" making life even more difficult for musicologists with a view for pigeonholing.
WOLFGANG SCHMID needs no introduction in Germany, artist of the year by the Phonoackademic, co-leader of PARADOX with BILLY COBHAM he has perfomed on over 300 albums including LOUIE BELLSON, BUDDY GUY, LONNIE LISTON SMITH, SIMON PHILLIPS and COZY POWELL, his latest album, entitled KICK sold in excess of 100,000 copies.