a witness

In September 1986 A Witness toured Germany and Holland with labelmates Big Flame and on return released the I Am John's Pancreas. That went straight into the NME album charts again with the band supporting big-name American acts like Sonic Youth and Swans on dates across the UK. It was also licensed in Greece.

The independent record market was in recession, Ron Johnson slowly went bust and money was short. John Peel kept the band alive by offering more sessions so former Big Flame bassist Alan Brown was drafted in on drums to replace the drum machine. Keith took advantage of slack periods to play second guitar for the Membranes.

The eight songs written with Alan Brown span the third and fourth A Witness sessions for John Peel, and appear on the Double Sessions CD released by Strange Fruit (1989). The sound is lighter, poppier and more melodic. Studio versions of some of the tracks made up the 4-track 12" "One Foot in the Groove" (May 1988.)

"One Foot in the Groove" sold out of its initial 1,000 pressing within days of release, but Ron Johnson could not afford a re-press and it dropped out of the charts quickly. A compilation LP for the USA, Sacred Cow Heart - a compilation LP of Pancreas and One Foot - was released to good reviews, but fell victim to the recession. A planned American tour collapsed and Ron Johnson folded soon after.