A film about a Birmingham post-punk band that has survived under the radar for more than four decades with its lead singer, Robert Lloyd, is set to premiere this weekend.

And it has a wonderful link to Bridport.

John Nester, owner of The Dorset Pedlar, played bass in The Nightingales in the early 80s and although he doesn't appear in the film, you can hear him.

John had been involved with various bands in Birmingham but joined The Nightingales in 1982 until 1984.

"Robert moved into a little house I lived in," he said, "I knew him already because I had played in bands in Birmingham, there was a load of little bands - I played on the same bill as UB40 once. I also played on Dexys Midnight Runners, the first gig we supported them was our first gig and their first gig."

He says that The Nightingales have done almost more John Peel sessions than anybody else, with just a couple of acts ahead of the band. Robert Lloyd also did a lot of sessions with his previous band, The Prefects.

John added: "John Peel is the biggest factor in The Nightingales longevity, John Peel was keeping them going until he died - he used to play everything - so Marc Riley has taken over the mantle and he plays a lot of The Nightingales on Radio 6. They get good air play and get good reviews, it's just that they have never made any money.

"The Nightingales did seven I think and I did a couple of them in my time. We toured Holland, Germany and the UK, I made one full LP but there's a whole compilation LP of other stuff. There's three singles I was on.

"The band don't play old material from my era, they only write new stuff and play that. There are hundreds of songs, there's never a greatest hits. That's what's unusual about the band.

"But The Nightingales has always churned out records, I think the band is on its 10th album, which considering they have never made any money is quite an achievement.

"Part of the film is how they have survived all this time when it really doesn't make much money.

"None of the records have ever sold a lot, enough to get us in the Indie Charts which was a new thing back in the 80s. The Nightingales has always been well reviewed - 'you must go out and see them, you must go out and buy their record' - and the reviews never worked, they never translated into sales."

He praises the band as it is now and its latest record, 'Four Against Fate', as the best one they have done.

Some of their old records are being remastered and released, including 'Pigs on Purpose' and John's LP, 'Hysterics'.

John said: "The first Nightingales album is coming out first, I am on the last two tracks of the reissue, it was just as I was joining, so all of these songs I used to play at gigs but I wasn't there when they were recorded.

"I am on the next one, which is going to be the next refurbished re-release, I will be on all of that, so that's something to look forward to.

"It's nice because I thought all of that would disappear into obscurity forever. I'll be pleased to hear it again."

For a band so under the radar, how did this film come about?

"Stewart Lee, the comedian is in it, he's one of the main people behind it," said John.

"Back in my day and before, we used to have a stand-up comic called Ted Chippington and he used to get up and do his set before The Nightingales. He toured with us and often got up.

"Stewart Lee said that 'without seeing Ted Chippington, I would not be a stand-up comedian', so he attributes what he makes a living out of now to seeing Ted in the early days.

"That's how the Stewart Lee connection came about. He got to see The Nightingales and thought, 'these are good'.

"The director, Michael Cumming, who was responsible for Toast of London and Brass Eye years ago, he was also a Nightingales fan and as it turned out, he met Stewart Lee. That's how it came about.

"Robert himself said, 'It's weird because I don't think I'm important enough to make a documentary about, I honestly don't think I'm interesting enough'.

"It's a really nice film, I have had a preview of it and it is very endearing. Even if you don't like the music you still might like the film - it's well done, it's very good.

"It's really nice. I'm particularly pleased that all my stuff is going to be re-released because the record gets worn out after all that time."

King Rocker premieres on Saturday, February 6 at 9pm on Sky Arts.

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