User:Kev McDempster/sandbox

Mark Owers / Steve Owers

Musicians and song writing twins Mark and Steve Owers, hailing from the south coast of the UK, formed FURY, their first band, in 1980, signing with Jet records the same year,

The brothers then went on to form their next outfit, XS and signed their first publishing deal with Martin Wyatt and Bright Music.

During a live showcase of XS on TVS television. the south coast UK independent television franchise, the brothers met producer/engineer Robin Black a meting which led to Black producing the debut XS album.

Although happy with the songs created for the XS album, the brothers were keen to explore a harder, more aggressive sound, while maintaining the melodic influences that signified their writing. To do this, they realised that they would need put together a new outfit.

Under the name TOUCHE, the new band featured Mark and Steve on guitars and bass respectively, drummer Anthony Christmas, Graham Collett on keyboards and Mark Thompson-Smith completing the line up on vocals. This version of the band performed a showcase gig in front of the legendary Atlantic Records mogul, Ahmet Ertegun.

Ertegun was quick to offer the young band his advice, as he believed the music they were creating required a style of vocal different to that of the then frontman. Therefore, the twins began searching for a voice that was a better match for their music, eventually settling on Midlander Steve Grimmett. A set of demo tracks were recorded and a new band, named LIONSHEART was formed. This band secured a deal with specialist rock label, Music For Nations.

The debut 'Lionsheart' album was released in 1993, selling particularly well in Germany and especially in Japan.

Following the release of the album, the band continued to play live and make plans for the future. However, all was already not well within the Lionsheart camp.

Things came to an ugly head during an ill-advised and illness ravaged tour alongside then label mates Lillian Axe, the shows only serving to highlight already strained relationships within the band and with the management.

The brothers decided enough was enough, quit the tour and headed for home. As far as they were concerned, bearing in mind that the brothers had put together Lionsheart and wrote all the material, and that Grimmett had been a late arrival, it was the end for the band.

Ultimately that proved not to be the case.

What entailed was a legal process that shone an unwelcome bright light on the unpalatable side of the business of music. Wrapped in a battle with former bandmate Grimmett and management, they were prevented from playing or performing for over two years before, eventually, judgement in regard of their songs and publishing credits finally came down on their side.

By then, however, the damage was done and both Mark and Steve found themselves dispirited and with no urge to put themselves at the mercy of the music industry again.

And so it remained for some 15 years until the twins, armed with a batch of new songs, again in the classic rock style, decided they were ready to enter the music world again with their new project, The Psychics.

This time around it was Steve fronting the band as vocalist, with the line up completed by bassist Ian Corlett and drummer John Manners. The debut, self-titled album containing 10 tracks, released initially in Japan on Marquee/Avalon and elsewhere via the UK based Krescendo label.

Buoyed by the response from those who welcomed them back into music, The Psychics released Second Sight on the same labels with the same line-up, this time augmented by keyboards courtesy of old friend Rob Drayson.

2014 saw the completion of two years work by Mark and Steve Owers, in association with rock broadcaster Kevin McDempster, with the launch of the Portrait project.