Although I'm the founder member of this band, I can't tell you exactly when this band first came to life, but here's a rough idea.
It all started about four years ago.
Myself (Tommo), Eugene and Jim (of Crackerknacker Karaoke) , got together at the Cherry Tree on Oundle Road in Peterborough, and thought it was time for us to get a band together. About one month after that meeting, Adam (Faith, EscapeUK, now Leon) arrived on the scene playing keyboard and doing some backing vocals. So with me on lead vocals, Jim on drums, Eugene on lead guitar and Adam on keyboard we only needed a bass player. He arrived soon after Adam, a slightly insane guy called Dave Russell (Osrick Tentacles, Paradox and Night Flight to name a few), those of you who know him will know this guy as a pretty fantastic lead guitarist, and the fact he is a bald cockney sounding American mad man.
It didn't take to long to find that Eugene wasn't going to cut it with the likes of Dave in the band, so we turned to another ex Night Flight band member, John. He was a bass player, so Dave went back to the lead guitar. This meant this line up was left with only four weeks until the big opening gig, the Cherry Tree at Oundle road.
Everything was going fine, until one night before the now famous gig bass player John was taken ill. What do we do now...? We had to cancel the gig surely? But no, to the rescue came Escape UK (Leon) bassist Franco. So with no rehearsal time available it was on with the gig.
I can't remember the date, it was that long ago, but it was a Thursday night so we thought at least it will be a quite night. We shortened the set and had Howard (Billy Bragg style) opening the first set. After he had finished we checked to see if anyone was left and to our amazement the pub was starting to fill. Next up came Escape UK (Leon) to give them a little taste for it. This is where the fun started; our guitarist played drums that night for Escape, as he sat down at the drum's he twisted and broke a rib bone, but managed to get through it. Then came the big moment, The Mary Hinge Experience were on, the pub by now was heaving, It was the beginning of the end for us. It became one of the most talked about gigs in the Peterborough area for months, and not for the wrong reasons. The gig went so well it surprised us all. It was the best Thursday night at the Tree ever, and we soon had venues trying to book us, but despite this success we only did one more gig. Again at The Cherry Tree on a bank holiday Monday, in the old barn playing to the patio area. We were so loud that we had complaints from the Nene Valley Railway and Asda!
This is where it all came to a halt for two and a half years, when we tried again with a new line up.
Adam and Franco had gone their own way, because Escape was just to busy and John had disappeared (again), so we found a new keyboard player in David Astell and Karin (who had started dating Tommo) on backing vocals.
This line-up then didn't work out, as Dave Russell (guitarist) was just to busy, so we looked for a new lead guitarist. Along came Miles and he brought Mick Castellano (bass) along with him.
This was a disaster, I won't go in to it, but if you have ever tried to play in the same band as one of the last two names you will know the problem, as I found out. The problem seemed to have finished the band off for good, but from it came the Doctor A's Blues Consortium (Mick Castellano, Tommo, Dave Astell, Karin and two non-Mary Hinge members).
After a month away from it all. it was decided to try the rock band again. We renamed the band 'THE HINGE' as some venues wouldn't book us under our old name, as they thought it was rude (I have no idea what they mean...?).
Jim couldn't come along this time, which left me as the only original member.
We decided to try it one last time, David Astell on bass and Karin and myself on vocals, our good friend (and soon to be our sound engineer) Derrick Barnes, got us Paul Oakley on lead guitar, and  on a visit to Sawtry with the Blues band we met a small quiet chap called Neil Mcbride (thats the only time ive known him  to be quiet), we also took on a young guy called Simon Piper, it was his first band and he played keys and some guitar( we had to thank Derrick for him too), and away we went.
Jon Coupland, came to our rescue when Paul started having problems coming to some of our gigs, and it wasnt  too long before Jon was playing full time. Simon left the band after we had an enforced break  after Neil was ran over by a hit and run driver in London, and thats when we had the return of one of our original members.
Dave Russell  Joined us briefly last year(2005) on keys and guitar in before Andy Hackett joined us on Keys and Guitar (not at the same time). At the time of writing Dave Astell has now left the band, Jon has gone back on bass guitar and we have a new member on lead guitar...........WATCH THIS SPACE.
THE NEW LINE-UP IS:
Tommo; Lead vocal.
Jon; Bass.
???????; Lead guitar.
Andy;Guitar, Keyboard.
Neil; Drums.
Karin van Driel (now Mrs Tommo); Vocals
Ian Carey; Sound eng.

Best wishes to Paul Oakley (our old lead guitarist), Simon Piper (ex Guitar and Keyboard) and Dave R (Guitar and Keyboard), Dave Astell (Bass guitar), Derrick Barnes (Sound Guy). They are our very good friends and will be be missed by me, and the rest of the band.