AFTER years in the shadows, one man is finally realising his dream of stepping into the spotlight and achieving music stardom… of a sorts.

Steve Oram, 66, will be performing with his band The Ohs in Newton Abbot next month, and from what he says the public won’t have seen anything quite like it.

Despite a life working in banking, Steve’s has managed to retain his creative side. Describing himself as a performance poet and stand-up comedian, he said: ‘I’ve done comedy clubs – and survived – and I’ve long had a dream of doing something like this. I’ve got to the age when I realised if I don’t do it now I’ll never do it. I lost my best friend a few years ago and I realise time is finite... you’ve got to do things while you can.’

‘I’m not a musician but for the last 50 years I’ve channelled Johnny Rotten.

‘I’ve done stand-up in the past, but not telling jokes in the traditional sense, and performance poetry. I tell everyone I don’t know much about Keats and Shelley – all I want is old Chuck Berry!

‘I began to think my poetry could be set to music. John Cooper Clarke and John Otway have been a great influence, and seeing how they have done I thought I could have a go.’

He has appeared alongside two musicians as a three-piece, supporting bands at gigs and small festivals, but now with a fourth member, Alan Haden, joining, he’s aiming for higher things, the first of which is a gig at the Jolly Farmer pub in Newton Abbot.

‘The landlord’s been very welcoming and they’ve got a decent stage so it’s an ideal venue for the first proper gig.’

Explaining the band’s name Steve, from Kingskerswell, said he used to call himself Steve O when doing performance poetry, but then he learned about the Jackass daredevil who goes by the same name. ‘I started calling myself Steve Oh and the band’s name just grew from that,’ he said.

The Ohs comprise Steve on vocals; Martyn Rollings on electric percussion; Jay Brown, guitarist, who also plays with punk band Stench; and Alan Haden on bass.

The songs are short and fast, like The Ramones. ‘If you wanted to describe us you could say we’re a bit of punk, a bit of unorthodox pop and a lot of comedy. I’m not a singer in the normal sense, I have a terrible voice. I guess I’m more like an Ian Dury or Mark E Smith. There’s a lot of comedy and audience participation, and I’m especially looking forward to them hearing our song about a sinister teddy bear.

‘We make the Sex Pistols sound like Doris Day. I can’t say we’re any good, but we are different!’ And I can promise the audience won’t have seen anything quite like it.’

Another first is the gig will be recorded and put on YouTube... ‘I’ve heard that’s what to do nowadays,’ Steve said. ‘We’re hoping to have CDs of our music available on the night as long as we can get them pressed in time.’

The Ohs make their debut on Thursday, September 14 at 8pm in The Jolly Farmer, Newton Abbot, entry is free.