Small Fakers crowd at the 2010 Mathew Street Festival, Liverpool

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The cavern club last night is the best night out ive had in a long time. I could watch the small fakers play every night of the week and never tire of watching you play...
Matt.. Unbelievably so much like marriott,i still cant put my finger on it, ive seen loads of people copy steve marriott.... (some get the stage moves of to a tee) but matt just HAS steves mannerisms theres no trying with him its just there.....even the smile.

thank you so much all of the small fakers making some poeples dreams come true, i never got to see the small faces, and would never have witnessed anything like it in my life time (or the next) but thanks to you guys i have. dont stop what your doin ;-)
- mitch xxxxx

**********************************************************'"Truly a reborn Marriott' - www.makingtime.co.uk/rfr/

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I started going to see the Small Faces play from the age of about 12 so I know what they sounded like live. The Fakers are the closest thing. I closed my eyes for a moment, while the Fakers were playing, and I was taken back to those beautiful, long gone days.

Penny

**********************************************************The Small Fakers were 'kin awesome...not an easy band to pull off by any stretch of the imagination, but they made it look easy. Great to meet the lads too.

Mark – The Jam Restart

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I just wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed your performance last night. I had heard you were good so I was really looking forward to seeing you but you were better than good I thought you were fan bleeding tastic and I cant wait to see you in Leicester again.
Thanks for a wonder full night .

Graham

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Keep on keeping on guys. You've got the support of all of the North Herts Scooter Collective.
 
Regards, Nadmod

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Matt......you're bloody gorgeous.....oooh aahhhhhhhhhhhhhh.......x

Sally Simpson!

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Like Stan says "as good as it..s gonna get". you lot brought a tear to my eye in Carnaby st. I was taken back over 40 years. well done boys, you..re really good

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I thought the Small Faces had come back from the other side when I heard you!

Karin Grönberg/Umeå/Sweden

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Thanks for a great night, one of the best we have ever had at the Barn in over 5 years. You are welcome back anytime!
Kind Regards,
Nick

The Barn, Milton Arms, Portsmouth

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The biggest shock and the biggest WOW was for the Small Fakers.
What a fantastic band. I couldn't believe my ears or my eyes. When
John Hellier (and later Stan Lane) said they were the closest to the real thing as you can get. Well, yes ..... 'you better believe it'. Amazing and awesome band.

Matt looked, acted and sounded just like a Steve Marriott clone. Michele said "even his hair moves like Steve's". Charlie Magri thought that was really funny but I knew exactly what Michele meant ... must be a girlie thing !

Jan/Dangermouse xxx

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Your sound is so authentic. Matt your vocals are terrific. Like Marriott himself, you have this huge soulful voice. It was just like the first time I saw the band at Bluesville in my native Ipswich.

Colin

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Well i nearly fell of my own feet... i thought steve marriott had turned up himself and decided to do a spot on stage, honest ive never seen anything like it, THE SMALL FAKERS, the guy not only looks like
him, he has the same mannerisms, moves everything down to a fine art, even his hair flowed perfectly, it was steve marriott colour me pop.
reborn......

Michelle Stanfield

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We thought that you were the spirit and the sound!!!! Phenominal Band!

Kel

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Although we didn't have the best of views it was still fantastic and the bands were great. Once again.... and no disrespect to the other acts.... but I have to say the Small Fakers stole the show. They were every bit as good as they'd been at Carnaby Street. What a very
special treat for us all. It was Dan the drummer's birthday ... I bet he won't forget that weekend in a hurry.

It was the end of a long and magical day..... and I can't wait to do it all again.

Anonymous

**********************************************************Another memorable performance from Small Fakers. This was the fourth time that we have seen you in a short time and things continue to get better.
 
We were delighted for you all with the endorsements you received on the night and trust that these will contribute to your continued success and popularity with Small Faces fans everywhere.
 
For our part we thought that you were the highlight of the day along with a brief cameo from CF. People we spoke to on the way out felt that you were the headline band. We look forward to seeing you in Swindon.
 
Best wishes Colin and Sharon Lay

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I had the privelige of being at the Small Fakers debut gig last night in central London and witnessed the launch of possibly the first ever Small Faces tribute band.

Just the one word describes them...AWESOME!
As far as tribute bands go they're better than anything i've seen before and i've seen a lot of 'em. The sound is authentic and the visuals excellent with definately the best 'Steve Marriott' i've ever seen. Not only does he look like Steve circa 1967, he's got the mannerisms off to a tee.
If we ever get film rights to 'All Too Beautiful' we would need look no further than this guy (Matt Bond).
With bands like Who's Who and the Jamm doing so well on the circuit there was a conspicuous space out there for a Small Faces tribute which has now been filled.

Check 'em out, you won't be disappointed!

John Hellier - Editor of Small Faces fanzine 'Darlings of Wapping Wharf', Author of Steve Marriott biography 'All Too Beautiful' and organiser of the annual Small Faces convention.
www.wappingwharf.com

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Small Fakers crowd in Rimini, Italy 2008

At last - what the Mod world has been waiting for:

A credible Small Faces tribute!

It's not often we do a feature on a band on the homepage of vespa.org.uk, (especially when no one's died), but this is a special occasion.

The Small Fakers have exploded onto the scene so suddenly that you'd be forgiven for asking "Where the hell did they spring from?" Well dear readers, they evolved from a Reading-based collective of musicians known in Mod circles as Dan's People, the cornerstone of which being drummer Dan Taylor. Regular scooter rally-goers, in particular to the Isle of Wight and Mersea, may already be familiar with Dan's People and some of their incarnations, Who's Faces, Caine or Ye Gods. But it was Mod covers band Caine that added the missing link in the chain that would one day inevitably produce The Small Fakers.

Providing the catalyst, in addition to Taylor's boundless enthusiasm, undoubtedly has to be lead singer/guitarist Matt Bond. It was while moonlighting with Caine that his uncanny resemblance, both physically and in playing style, to Steve Marriott was getting noticed. In fact, after a Caine gig at the Ryde Theatre I told Dan myself that their rendition of All Or Nothing was the best live version I had ever seen or heard. Now I'm not claiming that this had anything to do with the eventual outcome, but make of it what you will people.

After the band's launch gig in London earlier this year, Small Faces uber aficionado John Hellier described them as "AWESOME", saying "as far as tribute bands go they're better than anything I've seen before and I've seen a lot of 'em". High praise indeed.

Alongside Matt and Dan, The Small Fakers consist of Dan's People/Caine stalwart, and all-round musical Swiss army knife, John Gray on Hammond and piano, and Plonk-a-like Neil Runalis on bass. Their aim is to be as authentic as possible in their recreation of the Small Faces sound and look, which they achieve without resorting to cabaret-style gimmickry, just with sheer talent and a genuine passion for what they're doing.

Matt Bond is set to do for Steve Marriott what Paul Kemp of Who's Who has for Keith Moon; and that's something no one else has managed, not with a defib machine, not with a séance, not even with magic pixie-dust. I implore you to track down a Small Fakers gig, and make every effort to attend. Do it. Do it now. Oh, and stay cool won't you?

www.vespa.org.uk - May 2007

Small Fakers crowd in Carnaby Street, London 2010