the Balham Alligators

The band came together by chance at a London pub in 1983. The original line-up consisted of Geraint Watkins, Robin McKidd,{{Cite web |last=Craig |first=Rab Noakes and Davie |date=2016-06-12 |title=Robin McKidd obituary |url=http://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/jun/12/robin-mckidd-obituary |access-date=2022-11-07 |website=the Guardian |language=en}} Kieran O'Connor, Arthur Kitchener, and Gary Rickard.

The Alligators played a hybrid blend of musical styles, including rock 'n' roll, blues, R&B, Celtic folk, swamp-pop, country, swing, Cajun and zydeco.Larkin, Colin (1998) The Virgin Encyclopedia of Country Music, Virgin Books, {{ISBN|0-7535-0236-4}}, p. 26Lawrence, Pete & Howard, Vicki (2004) Crossfade: a Big Chill Anthology, Serpent's Tail, {{ISBN|978-1-85242-875-4}}, p. 52

The Balham Alligators performed in venues around Europe. Early albums included The Balham Alligators and Life in a Bus Lane. The pressure of constant touring began to take its toll with the continued ill-health and eventual death of Kieran O'Connor (d. 1991), the departure of Kitchener and Ron Kavana, and despite the recruitment of Pete Dennis to replace Kitchener convinced the remaining members it was time to call it a day.{{Cite web |last=Bayles |first=Rick |date=2021-11-15 |title=Whatever Happened to…The Balham Alligators |url=https://americana-uk.com/whatever-happened-tothe-balham-alligators |access-date=2022-11-07 |website=Americana UK |language=en-GB}}

The following years were spent pursuing individual projects with Watkins and Rickard working with Charlie Hart as, Rickard, Watkins & Hart, with Watkins eventually leading his own outfit, The Wobblers, in 1992. Robin McKidd formed The Companions of The Rosy Hours a western-swing band. Despite the four years since the original band's demise, McKidd was still receiving offers of work for the Alligators, persuading Watkins and Rickard to try out a few gigs with The Wobblers as a backing band, it became apparent that the Alligators were still a viable concern. Bolstered with morale and momentum they recruited session musician Bobby Irwin{{Cite web |date=2015-05-17 |title=Bobby Irwin: Drummer, producer and songwriter who worked with Van |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/bobby-irwin-drummer-producer-and-songwriter-who-worked-with-van-morrison-nick-lowe-and-bryan-ferry-10256128.html |access-date=2022-11-07 |website=The Independent |language=en}} on drums and ex-Chilli Willi and the Red Hot Peppers' bass guitarist Paul Riley and, by the latter half of 1995, they recorded Gateway to the South (1996) and followed by Cajun Dance Party (1997).

• Balham Alligators
• Life in the Bus-Lane
• Live Alligators
• Gateway to the South
• Cajun Dance Party
• A Po'boy 'n' Make It Snappy
• Bayou-degradable

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Works cited

• Shane K. Bernard, The Cajuns: Americanization of a People – Page 136, Univ. Press of Mississippi, 2003, {{ISBN|1-57806-523-2}}

• {{Discogs artist|1354240}}

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Category:English rock music groups

Category:English country music groups

Category:Rock music groups from London

Category:Proper Records artists

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