The rise of Unknown Pandas
In the coastal breeze of Weston-Super-Mare, where the sea meets the sand and the pier lights flicker into the night, something was stirring beyond the usual holiday hustle. Not in the arcades or the fish and chip shops, but in a dark rehearsal room in 13 Sound Studios – where five friends were turning up the volume and chasing their goal.
We call ourselves Unknown Pandas.
No one could quite remember who came up with the name – it might have been Jake, the lead guitarist, after a night of dodgy takeaway and music documentaries or Alex the BIG beat drummer while smashing out the intro to Money for Nothing by Dire Straits.
But it stuck. It feels right. A little mysterious, a little ridiculous. Just like the band members.
The Band Members
At the front of the band there’s Colin, the lead singer – charismatic, fierce, with a voice that could hush a pub crowd mid-pint or raise goosebumps during a cover of she sells sanctuary by the Cult. Then there’s Jake, who shredded solos like he had been born holding a Stratocaster. Jon Junior plays rhythm guitar and quietly holds the whole thing together, the calm in our chaotic rehearsals. Jonny Boy is on bass – laying down smooth, effortless grooves that make every track come alive. And Alex, the drummer, a blur of sticks and passion, producing the heartbeat of it all. Everyone starts somewhere…
The Start
A bit of a get together fun music session formed The Unknown Pandas of today. We decided to practice some covers like Foo Fighters, The Cult, Oasis and even the odd classic like Billy Idol so we could possibly one day gig. After an offer to do a first live gig last year at Raddy’s Café Bar, which was nerve racking to say the least, we gave it a shot with only nine covers. The energy was high, the music was loud and the audience were great! We returned a couple of months later with more songs and more confidence. Since then we’ve played at The Coach House in Locking, The Borough Arms and The Windsor Castle pubs in W-s-M to full crowds, as well as a couple of private events.
We’ve said farewell to our original Bass Player Kev, as he moved across seas to start a new life, and said hello to Jonny Boy, who has fit in with the band as if he were always there! He can often be spotted playing in a full panda mask, bringing the fun to our live gigs. We have several gigs lined up for 2026, and are available to play at local pubs, birthday gigs, festivals and anywhere that want our collection of sounds.
But it’s not just about covers.
The Future
Hopefully late-night jam sessions will turn into some new ideas. We are working on mastering covers for our gigs and hope to produce some of our own original tracks soon. It’s fun to cover some of the greats, however, becoming one of them seems more appealing. Hard work is the answer to success and Unknown Pandas are not frightened of hard graft. Our own material needs to be raw, emotional, buzzing with energy and promise so we will keep you all updated on our journey throughout.