The name Norman Espeut created a stir on the local music scene in the 1980s when he took over lead duties for the group Kotch. Kotch has been inactive since 2002, but Espeut continues to do what he says has been a lifelong hobby for him - music.

Former Kotch singer Norman Espeut

Espeut has released two singles on the Buss Out label, namely Mr Fix It and Thursday. The former has began to make strides on the local music charts, thus prompting Espeut, who is presently a realtor by profession, to step up plans to release a solo album later this year.

"Music had always been a hobby for me as well as the other members of Kotch. We always had our own professional careers even while the group was performing all over", Espeut revealed in an interview recently. "We invested so much in Kotch, but I have no regrets about those days", Espeut added.

Espeut's musical journey began in the late 1970's when he took up lead duties for the Mighty Titans band. He left to join Fourth Harmonic with businessman Noel Francis, Clive Francis and surveyor Patrick Bailey. Interestingly, singer Paul Blake who is now a born-again Christian, and who gained fame as the lead singer of the Blood Fire Posse, replaced Espeut as lead singer in the Mighty Titans Band.

"My time with Fourth Harmonic was short lived. I moved on to join Kotch which had already formed by the time I became a member. At the time we had people like Paul Stewart (lead guitarist), Steven Lee (drummer and son of Neville Lee), Dwight Lyseight (keyboardist and cousin to Ibo Cooper) and Chris Chin (whose family owned Lane Plaza). From time to time we would engage a horns section working with the likes of Tony Green, Dean Fraser and, Everald and Owen Gayle (trombones)", Espeut recalled.

Kotch was at one time signed to Chris Blackwell"s Island Records. The group took three songs to number one on RJR's Top 40 and JBC Radio One's Top 30 Charts. Jean (the role of "Jean" in the music video was played by model Carol Orane Andrade, sister of Douglas Orane CEO of Grace Kennedy) hit number one in 1986; covers of Tears and Cruisin were number one on the charts in 1988. The group hit the top 10 with Wonderful Tonight.

In The Hills and Me &Me Crew were also popular. Wonderful was featured on a compilation from Island Records.
Sticks and Stones (1986); Eastern Cay (1987) and the self-titled Kotch (1988) were the albums that Kotch released during its years of activity. "While we were signed to Island Records, we wrote and produced most of the material for our albums", said Espeut.

Espeut doesn't rule out the possibility of a Kotch reunion. "Kotch really took a backseat after the death of Paul Stewart from cancer. Steven Lee and Chris Chin both relocated to Miami. But I can tell you that Kotch might be having a reunion soon. Maybe in three to four months time", Espeut revealed.

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