The Story

During their time together Turnstone wrote and recorded over 75 songs. Some were officially released, ‘Postcards EP’, ‘Triangles and Squares’, ‘Cool and Slow’, and ‘Six Songs about Being Human’, but many more were left unfinished or sat on a shelf marked ‘rough mix’. Now, 25 years after their formation, a start has been made to curate every known Turnstone recording, in part to celebrate their existence, but more importantly as a lasting legacy to, and in memory of, our drummer, songwriter and lyricist Mark Thomas who so sadly passed away in May 2024. This website, which will grow and evolve over time, is dedicated with love and moonlight, to Mark.

In 2000, Sheila Brook and Rob Parry renewed their songwriting and performing partnership – which dated back to circa 1975 – and together with Mark (affectionately known as ‘Sticks’ to many) on drums and good friend John Cratchley on bass, Turnstone came into being. The band name was born out of a shared love of birds, the Turnstone being a rather attractive but elusive shoreline bird, and the idea that the Earth was a turning stone.

The first recordings took place in John’s basement studio in Bethesda in the spring of 2001 and was released as a four song EP, ‘Postcards’. Later that year John left for France to join his partner Catherine; however the future of Turnstone was assured by the eternal Humphrey R. Davies who made it known he would be happy to fill the bass position. The first gig with this line up was in December 2001 at ‘The Heights’ in Llanberis. In the spring of 2002 John returned briefly and with a sense of urgency some recordings were made with the new line up, with John engineering and producing. Rarely heard they feature here as a celebration of the first iteration of Turnstone, and as a final farewell to John.

The songs now came thick and fast and by the autumn of 2002 the album ‘Triangles and Squares’ was recorded at Laurie’s studio at Bryn Derwen, Bethesda, engineered by Dave Wrench and produced by Alan Holmes. The recording and mixing process took just 29 hours. This album also featured Benno Boeckh on cello and for several years Turnstone were a 5-piece

A session for the Adam Walton radio show followed, recorded at Melys’s studio in Betws-y-Coed. These recordings – not heard since their slot on the show in 2003 – are planned to feature here if permission is granted. By 2007 a third bass player, Roger Hughes, was present for the next recording sessions which ultimately produced the album ‘Cool and Slow’, all recorded in the band room at Sheila and Mark’s house in Bethesda. This album was mastered by Dave Wrench and produced by John Lawrence.



John Lawrence became the fourth and final bass player in October 2009. Benno had by this time returned to Hamburg and Turnstone, a 4 piece once more, proceeded to record many sessions at John’s house at Nant y Benglog, Nant Ffrancon, and played gigs galore in Bangor, Bethesda, Capel Curig and many Full Moon parties at Pandy farm, Tregarth. Some of these recordings surfaced as ‘Six Songs about Being Human’, released in 2012 on LawrenceMusic, but the rest have rarely been heard. Benno returned briefly and guested on some of the final Turnstone recordings which were made in 2014-15. Many of these final sessions have been sensitively re-mastered by our good friend, the mercurial Chris Ellis.

Also dating from this time is the only known footage of the band playing live with a version of ‘Wonderful’ which was recorded spontaneously by John at Nant y Benglog. See the gallery page to view the video.

Turnstone played what would become their final gig at the Tabernacle Chapel in Llandudno (with thanks to Roger Hughes) on July 1st 2018, the final song of the set being the above mentioned ‘Wonderful’, in retrospect, a fine ending. That elusive shoreline bird had flown, and the world was turning.

Rob Parry & Sheila Brook

November 2025.