Misty's Big Adventure are an English eight-piece band from Birmingham. Their music is an eclectic mix of jazz, lounge, psychedelia, 2 tone, pop and punk. The band is composed of singer and sole songwriter Grandmaster Gareth (real name Gareth Jones), drummer Sam Minnear, bassist Matt Jones, guitarist Jonathan Kedge, trumpet player Hannah Baines, saxophone player Lucy Baines, keyboardist Lucy Bassett and dancer Erotic Volvo. Drummer Sam Minnear's father is Kerry Minnear, who played keyboards, cello and vibes for British progressive rock band Gentle Giant during the 1970s. On 19 May 2022, it was announced via social media that frontman Grandmaster Gareth had died on 16th May 2022, two days after the band had headlined the Hare & Hounds in their home town of Birmingham. No further announcement was made concerning the future of the band. About the band A long time fixture on the Birmingham experimental music scene, Grandmaster Gareth formed the band in 1996 with his friend Sam Minnear. The name was taken from a story in the 1968 children's book The Magic Roundabout Annual about a kitten, Misty, who meets a dog with whom she becomes friends. Misty's songs typically consist of Grandmaster Gareth singing in a deadpan, maudlin style accompanied by lively guitar, keyboards and brass players. They occasionally include samples and toy instruments in their songs. Contrasting with Gareth's dour lounge-singer act is the dancer Erotic Volvo. Dressed in a loose, full-body red sack with numerous stuffed blue gloves attached, and his face painted purple, he dances continuously and in a frantic manner, often moving around the audience. He occasionally also performs as a human beat box. All members of the band are trained musicians, and are predominantly based in the Moseley suburb of Birmingham. The band's home venue was the Jug of Ale in Moseley, where they played regularly until it was shut down in 2008; fittingly, Misty's played the last ever gig held there. They have played widely outside Birmingham too and since 2005 they have toured extensively around the UK with forays into Europe, and supported The Zutons and The Magic Numbers. During the early 2000's they were managed by Mathew Priest, the drummer with Dodgy. Their debut album, Misty's Big Adventure and Their Place in the Solar Hi-Fi System, was released in 2004, produced by Richard March of Bentley Rhythm Ace and Matthew Eaton of Pram. Their follow-up albums, The Black Hole