"...playing melodic and anthemic AOR. And boy do they do it well." (Evening Post)

"If tight and original anthemic rock is your game, praise doesn't come more pleasurably than from Supertramp's Carl Verheyen or Rod Argent, afgm must be mighty chuffed then ..." VENUE MAGAZINE DEC.2002

afgm has been described as "fresh, intelligent rock played with conviction". It is original material - sometimes melodic, always full of dynamics and always tight. Importantly the band seem to put as much energy into song-writing and arranging as they do into the live performance, and it's obvious they enjoy what they are doing, too. Band members' experience includes working with quite a few household names in the industry. They are: Mike Dawe (drums), Tim Martin (bass), Chris Melhuish (guitars, vocals) and John Telfer (lead vocal, keyboard). Their third CD, entitled Radio Play, was launched in October 2004. Work begins on their new album early in 2006

Walking into the Fleece last Saturday was a little like going to a family gathering. Familiar faces in the gloom, handshakes and hugs and a general feeling of belonging filled the old place. The extended family that is the fan base of AFGM is still growing, unlike the band, who lost David James to other projects during the winter. 

I have been lucky enough to hear some snatches of rehearsal recordings and was eager to hear the way the songs would sound with only four players on the big stage.

The band have been rehearsing to the point of exhaustion all through the winter, and boy did it show. They have always been noted for their musicianship but losing the acoustic guitar has given the sound a much harder edge while retaining the melodic craftsmanship that is evident in all of Chris Melhuish's compositions. 

  As usual, the show was full on from the first note of You're the Best, right through to the heartrending If I lose you. Several of the crowds favorites have been re-worked, to take account of having one less band member, the most striking being Thank you, which has been slowed down slightly and given a more sincere feel which suits John Telfer's voice to a tee. John was right on the money throughout the set, but how he manages to play piano and/or organ and sing his heart out at the same time always amazes me.

Mike Dawe's  drums and Tim Martin's bass provided the heartbeat that drove the evening and had feet tapping and hands clapping all around the Fleece, not to mention some frenzied dancing toward the end of the night. 

  Chris Melhuish never looked like he was working hard, but then he never does, however, the loud applause and shouts for more at the end of the evening told a different story. The sound of his guitar work makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand up. 

It could have been a different evening, after all, when you re-work tunes that the fans are so familiar with it could so easily end in disaster. Not AFGM though, everyone wanted more at the end of the set but we only got two encores which I felt was not quite enough. Listening to conversations around the room as the guys packed up, all I could hear was praise for the latest stage in the evolution of AFGM.