Category Archives: Essex

The Whirlwinds from Canvey Island

Whirlwinds Photo By George Rousell
The Whirlwinds, photo By George Rousell. Can anyone ID the members of the group?

Graham Rousell sent in this photo taken by his father George, of a band he believes to be the Whirlwinds from Canvey Island in Essex. Can anyone please confirm this or identify the musicians in the photo?

The Whirlwinds played the Casino Ballroom among other venues.

Members were:

Ron Gent- lead vocals
Bert Pulham – lead guitar
Peter Gosling – guitar
Fred Ford – bass and piano
Dave Scates – drums

I don’t believe they recorded. The Whirlwinds were rivals to Southend-on-Sea’s Monotones.

In 1965, Ron Gent, Bert Pulham and Dave Scates formed the Force Five which also included Pete James and Dave Osborne. The Force Five would release five singles on United Artists in 1965 and 1966, including such excellent cuts as “Baby Let Your Hair Down”, “Don’t Know Which Way To Turn”, and “Yea, I’m Waiting”.

Bert (or Brett) Pulham and Dave Scates (listed as Dave Skates) then joined with members of the Fingers to form the Crocheted Doughnut Ring for singles on Polydor and Deram in 1967 and 1968.

Note, this Whirlwinds was not the group from Manchester that included Graham Gouldman and recorded “Look At Me” / “Baby Not Like You” for His Masters Voice.

I believe Bert Pulham passed away in March of this year (2019).

Info on the Whirlwinds from CanveyIsland.org.

Special thank you to Graham Rousell for sending the photo taken by his father, George Rousell.

Tony Rivers & The Castaways gigs 1963-1968

Welcome to another posting of a series of gig listings for 1960s bands. None of these lists is exhaustive and my idea is to add to them in the comments section below over time. They are here for future researchers to draw on.  I have also added a few interesting bits of information and will add images in time.

I’d like to encourage band members to get in touch to share memories, or for anyone to send corrections/clarifications to my email: Warchive@aol.com 

Equally important, if you attended any of the gigs below or played in the support band, please do leave your memories below in the comments section for future historians to use. If you know of any missing gigs, please add them too, if possible, with the sources.

TONY RIVERS & THE CASTAWAYS

Image may be subject to copyright: Tony Rivers & The Castaways in mid-1968 just before changing name to Harmony Grass. Featured in Record Mirror

Tony Rivers – lead vocals

Vic Larkins – lead guitar

Mickey Johnson – rhythm guitar

Ray Brown – bass

Brian Talbot – drums

Formed as The Cutaways in Dagenham, Essex in 1960 without Tony Rivers (real name: Tony Thompson), the band backed singer Bobby Rio before Rivers joined as new lead singer in late 1961. They changed name not long afterwards.

1963

16 January 1963 – Hi-Fi Hop, Walton Playhouse, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey (Woking Herald)

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26 January 1963 – Hi-Fi Hop, Walton Playhouse, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey (Woking Herald)

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6 February 1963 – Walton Hop, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey with Shane Fenton & The Fentons (Woking Herald)

 

16 March 1963 – Hi-Fi Hop, Walton Playhouse, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey (Woking Herald)

 

6 July 1963 – Hi-Fi Hop, Walton Playhouse, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey (Woking Herald)

Sometime before signing a record deal with EMI, John Lyons (rhythm guitar) and Ricky West (lead guitar) took over from Johnson and Larkins respectively.

West didn’t stay long and joined The Tremeloes. Steve Scott took over lead guitar. The new formation recorded a string of singles, released on Columbia Records.

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3 August 1963 – Civic Hall, Guildford, Surrey with Gene Vincent & The Outlaws (Surrey Advertiser)

18 August 1963 – New Central Ballroom, Aldershot, Hampshire with The Stormers (Aldershot News)

 

23 November 1963 – Hi-Fi Hop, Weybridge Hall, Weybridge, Surrey (Woking Herald)

Photo: Harrow Weekly Post. Image may be subject to copyright

8 December 1963 – Civic Hall, Guildford, Surrey with The Searchers, Patrick Dane & The Quiet Five and Bob Charles Combo (Surrey Advertiser)

1964

4 January 1964 – Royal Star Ballroom, Maidstone, Kent with The Strangers Five (Kent Messenger)

11 January 1964 – Civic Hall, Guildford, Surrey with The Le Roys (Woking News & Mail)

17 January 1964 – Cast Off, Hemel Hempstead, Herts with Hully-Gullys (Hertfordshire and Hemel Hempstead Gazette and West Herts Advertiser)

24 January 1964 – Long’s Ballroom, Bishop’s Stortford, Herts with The Dinos (Steve Ingless book: The Day Before Yesterday)

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1 February 1964 – Walthamstow Assembly Hall, Walthamstow, north London with two supporting groups (Leyton and Leytonstone Guardian/Walthamstow Guardian)

15 February 1964 – Town Hall, Clacton, Essex with Red and Carolyn Plus Four (Essex Chronicle/Essex County Standard)

 

22 February 1964 – Hi-Fi Hop, Walton Playhouse, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey with The Hop Mimers (Woking Herald)

25 February 1964 – High Wycombe Town Hall, High Wycombe, Bucks (Bucks Free Press)

29 February 1964 – Long’s Ballroom, Bishop’s Stortford, Herts (Steve Ingless book: The Day Before Yesterday)

 

11 April 1964 – Dreamland Ballroom, Margate, Kent with The Beatfinders (East Kent Times)

14 April 1964 – High Wycombe Town Hall, High Wycombe, Bucks (Bucks Free Press)

18 April 1964 – Public Hall, Heacham, Norfolk with Ricky Lee & The Hucklebucks (Lynn News)

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25 April 1964 – Walthamstow Assembly Hall, Walthamstow, north London with The Costers and The Beat Syndicate (Leyton, Leytonstone and Waltham Forest Guardian/Walthamstow Guardian)

28 April 1964 – Hi-Fi Hop, Weybridge Hall, Weybridge, Surrey (Woking Herald)

 

1 May 1964 – 03 Beat, Ovaltine Ballroom, Kings Langley, Herts (Hertfordshire and Hemel Hempstead Gazette and West Herts Advertiser)

3 May 1964 – Hermitage Ballroom, Hitchin, Herts with The Hideaways (Hertfordshire Express)

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16 May 1964 – Harpenden Public Hall, Harpenden, Herts with The Vincents (Welwyn & Hatfield Advertiser)

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29 May 1964 – Town Teen, Adeyfield Hall, Hemel Hempstead, Herts with The Forerunners (Hertfordshire and Hemel Hempstead Gazette and West Herts Advertiser)

30 May 1964 – Long’s Ballroom, Bishop’s Stortford, Herts (Steve Ingless book: The Day Before Yesterday)

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13 June 1964 – Civic Hall, Guildford, Surrey with The Worryin’ Kind (Woking News & Mail)

18 June 1964 – Breaks Youth Club, Hatfield, Herts with The Cortinas (Paul Griggs’ book: Diary of a Musician)

 

11 July 1964 – Clacton Town Hall, Clacton, Essex with The Kinks and The Trends (Essex County Standard)

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13 September 1964 – Cooks Ferry Inn, Edmonton, north London (Leyton & Leytonstone Guardian/Wood Green & Southgate Weekly Herald)

22 September 1964 – Ilford Town Hall, Ilford, east London with The Concords (Redbridge & Ilford Recorder)

29 September 1964 – Dreamland Ballroom, Margate, Kent with Mike Stevens & The Dolphins (East Kent Times & Mail)

30 September 1964 – Elm Hotel, Southend, Essex (Southend Standard and Essex Weekly Advertiser)

 

3 October 1964 – The Dolphin, Marine Court, St Leonards, East Sussex with The King Bees (Roger Bistow’s research at Dizzy Tiger Music website)

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17 October 1964 – Walthamstow Assembly Hall, Walthamstow, north London with The Candles (Leyton, Leytonstone and Waltham Forest Guardian/Walthamstow Guardian)

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24 October 1964 – Hi-Fi Hop, Walton Playhouse, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey (Woking Herald)

 

7 November 1964 – Rhodes Centre, Bishop’s Stortford, Herts with Chuck & The Dyaks (Steve Ingless book: The Day Before Yesterday)

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21 November 1964 – Hi-Fi Hop, Walton Playhouse, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey (Woking Herald)

During a Scottish tour, drummer Brian Talbot is killed in a road accident on 6 December. Drummer/singer Brian Hudson takes over the drum stool during early 1965

12 December 1964 – Public Hall, Heacham, Norfolk with The Devil’s Coachmen (Lynn News)

1965

1 January 1965 – Woodhall Community Centre, Welwyn Garden City, Herts (website: http://www.coda-uk.co.uk/60’s_music_scene.htm)

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9 January 1965 – Whitehall, East Grinstead, West Sussex with The Alexanders (Sussex Evening Express)

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10 January 1965 – Sunset Ballroom, The Sandringham, Hunstanton, Norfolk (Lynn News)

17 January 1965 – Cast off, Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire with The Hully-Gullys (Berkhamsted Gazette)

 

1 February 1965 – The Hop, Welwyn Garden City, Herts with The Cortinas (Paul Griggs’ book: Diary of a Musician) According to Griggs’ book, guitarist Steve Scott announced he was leaving and the band offered him the lead guitar position, which he declined. 

13 February 1965 – Rhodes Centre, Bishop’s Stortford, Herts with The Emeralds (featuring Daniel Boone) (Steve Ingless book: The Day Before Yesterday)

 

20 March 1965 – Barking Assembly Hall, Barking, east London with The Corsairs and the Galleons (Redbridge & Ilford Recorder)

21 March 1965 – Royal Star Ballroom, Maidstone, Kent with The Medway Folk Trio (Maidstone Gazette)

 

10 April 1965 – California Ballroom, Dunstable, Bedfordshire with The Four Pennies and Cannibals Sollet (website: www.california-ballroom.info/gigs/)

12 April 1965 – The Hop, Welwyn Garden City, Herts with The Cortinas (Paul Griggs’ book: Diary of a Musician)

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18 April 1965 – Rocky Rivers’ Top 20 Club, Conservative Club, Bedford (Ampthill News & Weekly Record)

19 April 1965 – Dreamland Ballroom, Margate, Kent with Wainwright’s Gentlemen (East Kent Times & Mail)

24 April 1965 – Hi Fi Hop, Shepperton Village Hall, Shepperton, Middlesex (Woking Herald)

 

15 May 1965 – The Dolphin, Marine Court, St Leonards, East Sussex with The Eccentrics (Roger Bistow’s research at Dizzy Tiger Music website)

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29 May 1965 – Rhodes Centre, Bishop’s Stortford, Herts with Them and The Concords (Steve Ingless book: The Day Before Yesterday)

 

3 June 1965 – Clay Pigeon, Eastcote, northwest London with Wainwright’s Gentlemen (Melody Maker)

10 June 1965 – Clay Pigeon, Eastcote, northwest London (Melody Maker)

11 June 1965 – The Avenue R&B Club, Green Pond Road, east London (Leyton, Leytonstone and Waltham Forest Guardian)

18 June 1965 – Guildhall, Axminster, Devon with support (Bridport News)

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20 June 1965 – Whitehall, East Grinstead, West Sussex with The Dagoes (Sussex Evening Express)

 

11 July 1965 – Agincourt Ballroom, Camberley, Surrey (Aldershot News)

16 July 1965 – California Ballroom, Dunstable, Bedfordshire with The Mark Leeman Five and The Dennisons (website: www.california-ballroom.info/gigs/)

17 July 1965 – Civic Theatre, Bedford with King James, Lloyd Williams, The Triads and The En-Devers (Ampthill News & Weekly Record)

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25 July 1965 – The Downs, Hassocks, West Sussex with The Web (Mid Sussex Times)

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29 July 1965 – Rocky Rivers’ Top 20 Club, Conservative Club, Bedford (Ampthill News & Flintwick Record)

31 July 1965 – Town Hall, Clacton, Essex with Sons of Fred and The Charades (Essex County Standard)

 

1 August 1965 – Sunday Club, Adelphi Ballroom, Slough, Berkshire (Windsor, Slough & Eton Express)

4 August 1965 – Locarno, Swindon, Wiltshire with Georgie Fame & The Blue Flames (website: http://www.swindonmusicscene.co.uk/swindon_music_scene_gigs_of_note.html)

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7 August 1965 – Slough Adelphi, Slough, Berkshire with The Byrds, Kenny Lynch, Tommy Quickly, Elkie Brook, Boz and The Bozmen, The Remo Four, Peter Jay & The Jaywalkers and The Slade Brothers (Staines and Egham News/Windsor, Slough & Eton Express)

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21 August 1965 – Public Hall, Heacham, Norfolk with The Invaders (Lynn News)

30 August 1965 – Dreamland, Margate, Kent with The Herd (East Kent Times)

 

5 September 1965 – Sunday Club, Adelphi Ballroom, Slough, Berkshire (Windsor, Slough & Eton Express)

12 September 1965 – Co-op Hall, Addlestone, Surrey (Woking Herald)

25 September 1965 – Gaiety Ballroom, Ramsey, Cambridgeshire with The Ends (Cambridgeshire Times)

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26 September 1965 – The Downs, Hassocks, West Sussex (Mid Sussex Times)

 

2 October 1965 – Il Rondo, Leicester (Leicester Mercury)

3 October 1965 – Sunday Club, Adelphi Ballroom, Slough, Berkshire (Windsor, Slough & Eton Express)

15 October 1965 – King George’s Hall, Esher, Surrey (Caterham Weekly Press & Advertiser)

16 October 1965 – Rhodes Centre, Bishop’s Stortford, Herts with The Ketas (Steve Ingless book: The Day Before Yesterday)

 

3 November 1965 – Top Hat, Littlehampton, West Sussex (Littlehampton Gazette)

6 November 1965 – Clacton Town Hall, Clacton-on-Sea, Essex (Essex County Standard)

7 November 1965 – The Downs, Hassocks, West Sussex (Mid Sussex Times)

13 November 1965 – Witchdoctor, Catford, southeast London (South East London Mercury)

14 November 1965 – Whitehall, East Grinstead, West Sussex with The Mike Stuart Span (Sussex Evening Express)

19 November 1965 – Queen’s Ballroom, Cleveleys, Lancashire plus two supporting groups 6 (Lancashire Evening Post)

26 November 1965 – Regency Ballroom, Bath with Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Titch (Western Scene)

 

6 December 1965 – Woodhall Community Centre, Welwyn Garden City, Herts (see website above)

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12 December 1965 – Kirklevington Country Club, Kirklevington with John Lee & The Groundhogs (Middlesbrough Evening Gazette)

18 December 1965 – Public Hall, Heacham, Norfolk with The Utopians (Lynn News)

19 December 1965 – Sunday Club, Adelphi Ballroom, Slough, Berkshire (Windsor, Slough & Eton Express)

24 December 1965 – Star Ballroom, Maidstone, Kent with support (Kent Messenger/Maidstone Gazette)

31 December 1965 – Dill Hall, Bedford, Bedfordshire with Bryan & The Brunelles (Bedfordshire Times)

1966

21 January 1966 – 400 Ballroom, Torquay, Devon (Herald Express)

29 January 1966 – Witchdoctor, Catford, southeast London (South East London Mercury)

 

5 February 1966 – Starlight Room, Boston Gliderdrome, Boston, Lincolnshire with Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mich and Titch and Brian & The Brunelles (Lincolnshire Standard)

6 February 1966 – Cooks Ferry Inn, Edmonton, north London with Ed Williams Sound System (Tottenham Weekly Herald)

19 February 1966 – Gaiety Ballroom, Ramsey, Cambridgeshire with The Cascades (Cambridgeshire Times)

22 February 1966 – Ready Steady Go Club, Borough Assembly Hall, Aylesbury, Bucks (Bucks Advertiser)

26 February 1966 – The Dolphin, Marine Court, St Leonards, East Sussex with Blues Syndicate (Roger Bistow’s research at Dizzy Tiger Music website)

 

2 March 1966 – Stonehouse Church Hall, Stonehouse, Gloucestershire (Gloucester Citizen)

5 March 1966 – Co-Op, Rainbow Suite, Birmingham (Birmingham Evening Mail)

18 March 1966 – West End, Rushden, Northamptonshire with support (Northamptonshire Evening Telegraph)

20 March 1966 – Sunday Club, Adelphi Ballroom, Slough, Berkshire (Windsor, Slough & Eton Express)

27 March 1966 – Jigsaw, Manchester (Manchester Evening News & Chronicle)

 

3 April 1966 – Dreamland, Margate, Kent with The Gaylords (East Kent Times) Trend and Boyfriend magazine has this also on 11 April

6 April 1966 – Market Hall, St Albans, Herts (Welwyn Advertiser)

15 April 1966 – Glenlyn Ballroom, Forest Hill, southeast London (South East London Mercury)

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22 April 1966 – Parkside Hall, Ampthill, Bedfordshire with The Angelo Six (Luton News)

23 April 1966 – Farnborough Technical College Students’ Union, Farnborough, Hampshire with The Paramounts (Aldershot News)

Around this time, singer Kenny Rowe who has previously fronted The Fifth Avenue joins on second lead vocals. Tony Harding also takes over lead guitar from Steve Scott.

The band now comprises:

Tony Rivers – lead vocals

Kenny Rowe – lead vocals

Tony Harding – lead guitar

John Lyons – rhythm guitar

Ray Brown – bass

Brian Hudson – drums/vocals

The group records a version of The Beach Boys’ “God Only Knows”

13 May 1966 – Axminster Guildhall, Axminster, Devon (Bridport News)

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14 May 1966 – Marine Theatre, Lyme Regis, Dorset (Bridport News)

27 May 1966 – Gaiety Ballroom, Grimsby, Humberside (Grimsby Evening Telegraph)

28 May 1966 – Starlight Room, Boston Gliderdrome, Boston, Lincolnshire with The Sons of Fred, Tom Thumbs and The Omruds (Lincolnshire Standard)

 

9 June 1966 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with The Summer Set (Tony Bacon’s book: London Live)

20 June 1966 – Haymarket Lounge, Basingstoke, Hampshire (Hampshire & Berkshire Gazette)

24 June 1966 – Unknown venue, Hastings, East Sussex with Georgie Fame & The Blue Flames, Unit 4 Plus 2 and The Defiants (Roger Bistow’s research at Dizzy Tiger Music website)

25 June 1966 – Witchdoctor, Catford, southeast London (South East London Mercury)

26 June 1966 – Central R&B Club, Central Hotel, Gillingham, Kent (Chatham, Rochester and Gillingham News)

 

2 July 1966 – Rhodes Centre, Bishop’s Stortford, Herts (Steve Ingless book: The Day Before Yesterday)

3 July 1966 – Rocky Rivers’ Top 20 Club, Conservative Club, Bedford (Ampthill News & Weekly Record)

7 July 1966 – Thorngate Ballroom, Gosport, Hants (Portsmouth News)

9 July 1966 – California Ballroom, Dunstable, Bedfordshire with supporting groups (website: www.california-ballroom.info/gigs/)

15 July 1966 – Civic and Wulfrun Halls, Wolverhampton, West Midlands with The New Merseys, Dave Berry, The Move, The Montanas and The Californians (Express & Star)

17 July 1966 – Toft’s, Folkestone, Kent (Folkestone, Hythe & District Herald)

21 July 1966 – Winter Gardens, Cleethorpes, North East Lincolnshire with The Illusions (Grimsby Evening Telegraph)

30 July 1966 – St George’s Ballroom, Hinckley, Leicestershire with Legay (Nuneaton Evening Tribune)

 

5 August 1966 – Paradise Club, Wigan, Greater Manchester (Warrington Guardian)

7 August 1966 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with The Factotum (Tony Bacon’s book: London Live)

9 August 1966 – The Cavern, Liverpool (Phil Thompson’s Story of the Cavern book)

13 August 1966 – Town Hall, Clacton, Essex with The Symbols (Essex County Standard)

22-24 August 1966 – Club Cedar, Birmingham with support (Birmingham Evening Mail)

27 August 1966 – Mick’s Flamenco, Folkestone, Kent (Kentish Express)

30 August 1966 – Flamingo,  Wardour Street, Soho, central London with Fleur De Lys (Keith Guster’s diary) The group didn’t turn up so The Fleur De Lys played all evening

Around this time Brian Hudson leaves to form The Parking Lot and former Sugarbeats drummer Geoff Swettenham replaces him

24 September 1966 – Starlight Room, Boston Gliderdrome, Boston, Lincolnshire with Jimmy James & The Vagabonds, Lord Sutch & The Savages, The Intruders and The Ferryboys (Lincolnshire Standard)

 

9 October 1966 – Stoke Hole, Stoke Hotel, Guildford, Surrey (Surrey Advertiser)

14 October 1966 – Glenlyn Ballroom, Forest Hill, southeast London (South East London Mercury)

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22 October 1966 – Disc Club, St Martin’s Centre, Colchester, Essex (Essex County Standard)

28 October 1966 – Conservative Club, Finchley, north London (Fabulous 208)

30 October 1966 – Rocky Rivers’ Top 20 Club, Conservative Club, Bedford (Ampthill News & Weekly Record)

About now Tony Harding and Kenny Rowe depart and former Sugarbeats lead guitarist John Perry joins. The group also bring in another singer Martin Shaer to replace Rowe

14 November 1966 – Dancing Slipper Ballroom, West Bridgeford, Nottingham (Nottingham Evening Post)

23 November 1966 – Civic Hall, Wolverhampton, West Midlands with The Montanas and Harvey’s Team (Express & Star)

Geoff brings in his brother Pete on rhythm guitar/vocals from The Sugarbeats

3 December 1966 – The Cavern, Liverpool with The Kids, The Defenders, The Twilites, The Tatters and T D Backhus and The Powerhouse (Phil Thompson’s Story of the Cavern book)

16 December 1966 – West End, Rushden, Northamptonshire with The Heretics (Northamptonshire Evening Telegraph)

17 December 1966 – Hermitage Ballroom, Hitchin, Herts with Section A (Hertfordshire Express)

24 December 1966 – St George’s Hall, Exeter, Devon with The Son Set (Express & Echo)

1967

1 January 1967 – Matrix Hall, Coventry, West Midlands with The Spencer Davis Group, Jigsaw and Lovers Lot (Coventry Evening Telegraph)

3 January 1967 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with The Syn (Tony Bacon’s book: London Live)

 

6 February 1967 – Sunday Club, Adelphi Ballroom, Slough, Berkshire (Windsor, Slough & Eton Express)

13 February 1967 – The Park Hall Hotel, Goldthorn Park, Wolverhampton, West Midlands with The Staffords and The Pines (Express and Star)

14 February 1967 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with The Syn (Tony Bacon’s book: London Live)

18 February 1967 – Baillie Club, Glasgow, Scotland (Fabulous 208)

19 February 1967 – Palais, Dundee, Scotland with Cat Stevens (Fabulous 208)

20 February 1967 – Dhabi Hall, Larbert, Scotland with Cat Stevens, The Pathfinders and The Squad (Fabulous 208)

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26 February 1967 – Bluesette Club, Bridge Street, Leatherhead, Surrey (Caterham Weekly Press)

 

4 March 1967 – Victoria Cross Gallery, Wantage, Oxfordshire with These They Are (Wiltshire Gazette/Didcot Advertiser)

5 March 1967 – Beau Brummel Club, Alvaston Hall Hotel, Nantwich, Cheshire with The Sound Society (Crewe Chronicle)

7 March 1967 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with Wynder K Frog (Tony Bacon’s book: London Live)

8 March 1967 – 7 Club, Shrewsbury, Shropshire (Shropshire Star)

17 March 1967 – Glenlyn Ballroom, Forest Hill, southeast London (South East London Mercury)

29 March 1967 – Queen’s Ballroom, Wolverhampton, West Midlands with The Californians (Express and Star)

31 March 1967 – Tiger’s Head, Downham, southeast London (South East London Mercury)

 

2 April 1967 – Bluesette Club, Bridge Street, Leatherhead, Surrey (Caterham Weekly Press)

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13 April 1967 – Embassy Suite, Colchester, Essex with The Time (Essex County Standard)

14 April 1967 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with Time & Motion (Tony Bacon’s book: London Live)

19 April 1967 – Hull College of Commerce Students’ Union, Skyline Ballroom, Hull with Geno Washington & The Ram Jam Band, The Amboy Dukes, The Locomotion and The Jamm (Hull Daily Mail)

22 April 1967 – Parkside Hall, Ampthill, Bedfordshire with The Angelo 6 (Bury Free Express)

26 April 1967 – Hemel Hempstead Pavilion, Hemel Hempstead, Herts with The Enders Ltd (Berkhamstead Gazette, Tring & District News)

27 April 1967 – Sherwood Rooms, Nottingham with Six Across and Stevenson’s Rockets (Nottingham Evening Post)

 

13 May 1967 – The Union, Manchester with The Mud (Manchester Evening News and Chronicle)

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14 May 1967 – The Embassy, Colchester, Essex with The Chalfont Movement (Essex County Standard)

16 May 1967 – Winter Gardens, Penzance, Cornwall (Fabulous 208)

17 May 1967 – Gaerleon College of Education, Swansea, Wales (Fabulous 208)

18 May 1967 – Ritz Ballroom, Skewen, Wales (Fabulous 208)

20 May 1967 – Rhodes Centre, Bishop’s Stortford, Herts with The Breed (Steve Ingless book: The Day Before Yesterday)

22 May 1967 – Park Hall Hotel, Goldthorn Park, Wolverhampton, West Midlands with The Maize and The Valets (Express & Star)

25 May 1967 – Elizabeth Hall, Dagenham, east London (Fabulous 208)

28 May 1967 – 76 Club, Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire (Fabulous 208)

 

1 June 1967 – Summer House, The Portway, Kingswinford, West Midlands (Express & Star)

4 June 1967 – Sunday Club, Adelphi Ballroom, Slough, Berkshire (Windsor, Slough & Eton Express)

5 June 1967 – Park Hall Hotel, Goldthorn Park, Wolverhampton, West Midlands with Screaming Lord Sutch & The Roman Empire, Finders Keepers and Sons and Lovers (Express & Star)

8 June 1967 – Youth Centre, Ellesmere Port, Cheshire (Fabulous 208)

9 June 1967 – West End, Rushden, Northamptonshire (Northamptonshire Evening Telegraph)

10 June 1967 – St Mary’s College, Twickenham, west London (Fabulous 208)

14 June 1967 – Blue Lagoon, Newquay, Cornwall with The Dissatisfied (Fabulous 208/West Briton & Royal Cornish Gazette)

21 June 1967 – Cook Elite Hall, Cook, Bishop Auckland, County Durham (Fabulous 208)

22 June 1967 – Locarno Ballroom, Sunderland, Tyne & Wear (Fabulous 208)

25 June 1967 – Tabernacle, Stockport, Greater Manchester (Fabulous 208)

30 June 1967 – Tiger’s Head, Downham, southeast London (South East London Mercury)

 

6 July 1967 – Guildford School of Art, Guildford, Surrey with PP Arnold, Whisker Davies Blues Stormers and Tony Bennett (Surrey Advertiser)

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8 July 1967 – California Ballroom, Dunstable, Bedfordshire with supporting groups (website: www.california-ballroom.info/gigs/)

13 July 1967 – Waggon & Horses, Wall Heath, West Midlands with Pride & Pashion (Express & Star)

15 July 1967 – Dorothy Ballroom, Cambridge (Cambridge News)

16 July 1967 – Sunday Club, Adelphi Ballroom, Slough, Berkshire (Windsor, Slough & Eton Express)

17 July 1967 – Civic Theatre, Bedford, Bedfordshire with Soul Caravan, The En-Devers, King James and Lloyd Williams, The Triads (Bedfordshire Times)

22 July 1967 – Garrison Ballroom, Millport, Scotland (Fabulous 208)

24 July 1967 – Town Hall, Whiting Bay, Isle of Arran, Scotland (Fabulous 208)

26 July 1967 – Pier Bandstand, Weymouth, Dorset (Fabulous 208) Unlikely with Flamingo gig later

26 July 1967 – Flamingo, Wardour Street, Soho, central London (Melody Maker)

 

4 August 1967 – White Lion Hotel, Edgeware, north London (Fabulous 208)

4 August 1967 – Corby Civic Centre, Corby, Northamptonshire with The Minor Portions (Northamptonshire Evening Telegraph)

4 August 1967 – Flamingo, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with Bobby Johnson & The Atoms (Melody Maker)

5 August 1967 – Civic Hall, Corby, Northamptonshire (Fabulous 208)

7 August 1967 – Blue Lagoon, Newquay, Cornwall (West Briton & Royal Cornwall Gazette)

9 August 1967 – Vallance Ballroom, Tenby, Wales (Fabulous 208)

10 August 1967 – Ritz Club, Skewen, Wales (Port Talbot Guardian)

11 August 1967 – Glanmore Club, Swansea, Wales (Fabulous 208)

12 August 1967 – Town Hall, Aberystwyth, Wales (Fabulous 208)

17 August 1967 – Blue Lagoon, Newquay, Cornwall (Cornish Guardian)

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18 August 1967 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with Ten Years After (Tony Bacon’s book: London Live)

29 August 1967 – Lotus Ballroom, Forest Gate, east London (Newham & Stratford Express)

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1 September 1967 – Queens Rink Ballroom, Hartlepool, County Durham with The Tony King Sound (Hartlepool Mail)

10 September 1967 – Kettering Working Men’s Club, Kettering, Northamptonshire with The Crawdadds (Northamptonshire Evening Telegraph)

16 September 1967 – Leas Cliff Hall, Folkestone, Kent (Folkestone & Hythe Gazette)

18 September 1967 – Broadway Club, Dudley Zoo, West Midlands with The Wanted (Express & Star)

22 September 1967 – Civic and Wulfrun Halls, Wolverhampton, West Midlands with The Californians, Dual Purpose, The Staffords and The News (Express & Star)

29 September 1967 – Floral Hall, Belfast, Northern Ireland (Cityweek)

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30 September 1967 – Club Rado, Belfast, Northern Ireland (Cityweek)

 

6 October 1967 – Cragburn Pavilion, Gourock, Scotland (Fabulous 208)

7 October 1967 – Carioca Club, Town Hall, Bearsden, Scotland (Fabulous 208)

8 October 1967 – Cesar’s Club, Bedford, Bedfordshire with Plastic Dream (Ampthill News & Flintwick Record)

12 October 1967 – Kingfisher Country Club, Wall Heath, West Midlands with The Modernairs and Barmy Barry Show (Express & Star)

13 October 1967 – Birmingham City College, Birmingham (Fabulous 208)

14 October 1967 – Gaiety Ballroom, Ramsey, Cambridgeshire with The Friction (Cambridgeshire Times)

15 October 1967 – Sunday Club, Adelphi Ballroom, Slough, Berkshire (Windsor, Slough & Eton Express)

16 October 1967 – Top Rank Suite, Cardiff, Wales with Simon Dupree & The Big Sound and Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick and Tich (Fabulous 208)

21 October 1967 – Wimbledon Palais, Wimbledon, southwest London with Jo Jo Gunne (Streatham News)

22 October 1967 – Clay Pigeon, Eastcote, northwest London (Harrow Weekly Post)

23 October 1967 – Park Hall Hotel, Goldthorn Park, Wolverhampton, West Midlands with People’s People and Barmy Barry Show (Express & Star)

27 October 1967 – Tabernacle Club, Stockport, Greater Manchester (Manchester Evening News and Chronicle)

30 October 1967 – Lyceum, Strand, central London (Fabulous 208)

 

4 November 1967 – Witchdoctor, Catford, southeast London (South East London Mercury)

11 November 1967 – Ilford Baths Hall, Ilford, east London with The Aldgate Pump (Redbridge & Ilford Recorder)

12 November 1967 – Kettering Working Men’s Club, Kettering, Northamptonshire with The Tiles Big Band (Northamptonshire Evening Telegraph)

19 November 1967 – Saville Theatre, Shaftsbury Avenue, central London with The Bee Gees, Flowerpot Men and Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band (Melody Maker)

23 November 1967 – RAF Club, Uxbridge, west London (Fabulous 208)

24 November 1967 – Bradford University, Bradford, West Yorkshire (Fabulous 208)

25 November 1967 – Shaftsbury Hall, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire (Fabulous 208)

Around this time, the Sweetenham brothers and John Perry leave to form Grapefruit and Martin Shaer also departs. Disc & Music Echo’s 16 December issue confirms the split.

Tony Rivers rebuilds the group, retaining Ray Brown and bringing Tony Harding and Kenny Rowe (who has recently produced The Playground) back

Tony Rivers – lead vocals

Kenny Rowe – lead vocals

Tony Harding – lead guitar

Ray Brown – bass

Bill Castle – drums/vocals

16 December 1967 – Lotus Club, Forest Gate, east London (Newham, West Ham & East Ham, Barking and Stratford Express)

17 December 1967 – Embassy Suite, Colchester, Essex with The Shell Shock Show and The Martells (Essex County Standard)

30 December 1967 – Civic Hall, Nantwich, Cheshire with Phil Ryan & The Scorpions (Evening Sentinel/Crewe Chronicle)

1968

Image may be subject to copyright

6 January 1968 – The Dolphin, Marine Court, St Leonards, East Sussex with The Hustling Kind (Hastings & St Leonards Observer)

26 January 1968 – Civic and Wulfrun Halls, Wolverhampton, West Midlands with The Alan Price Set, The Soul Seekers, Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac and Barmy Barry Show (Express & Star)

 

5 February 1968 – Rhodes Centre, Bishop’s Stortford, Herts (Steve Ingless book: The Day Before Yesterday)

13 February 1968 – Pyjama Dance, Glen Ballroom, Llanelli, south Wales with Simon Dupree &The Big Sound, The Spencer Davis Group, Fleetwood Mac and The Dream (South Wales Evening Post)

23 February 1968 – Avery Hill College, Eltham, southeast London with The Information and The Joker 5 (South East London Mercury) This may be a different date

23 February 1968 – California Ballroom, Dunstable, Bedfordshire with The Tykes (website: www.california-ballroom.info/gigs/)

Image may be subject to copyright

28 February 1968 – Tangerine Club, Forest Gate, east London (Newham, Barking and Stratford Express)

 

2 March 1968 – Plaza, Handsworth, West Midlands with Terry Reid’s Fantasia (Birmingham Evening Mail)

Image may be subject to copyright

15 March 1968 – Club Rado, Belfast, Northern Ireland with Neat Change and Taste (City Week)

15 March 1968 – Floral Hall, Belfast, Northern Ireland (City Week)

Image may be subject to copyright

29 March 1968 – The Plaza, Bedford with Spell, Acceleration, Spectre Powerhouse, Tribe Five, John Williams and Jackson Mornay (Ampthill News & Weekly Record)

Image may be subject to copyright

30 March 1968 – Glastonbury Town Hall, Glastonbury with Fusion (Somerset County Gazette)

 

4 April 1968 – Flying Fox Club, RAF Cottesmore, Rutland with Max Baer & The Chicago Setback and Privy Seal (Grantham Journal)

7 April 1968 – New Regis Club, Bognor Regis, West Sussex (Evening Argus)

Image may be subject to copyright

13 April 1968 – Blue Lagoon, Newquay, Cornwall with The Provokers (Cornish Guardian)

15 April 1968 – Queen’s Ballroom, Wolverhampton, West Midlands with Happy Magazine and Glass Menagerie (Express & Star)

17 April 1968 – Central Hall, Kettering, Northamptonshire with Marmalade (Northamptonshire Evening Telegraph)

20 April 1968 – The Cobweb, St Leonards, East Sussex with Penny Peeps (Roger Bistow’s research at Dizzy Tiger Music website)

29 April 1968 – Rhodes Centre, Bishop’s Stortford, Herts (Steve Ingless book: The Day Before Yesterday)

The Hillingdon Mirror ran a story and a photo of Tony in its 30 April 1968, page 11. The article mentions the new formation with Kenny Rowe (vocals); Tony Harding (lead guitar/vocals); Tom Marshall (rhythm guitar/vocals); Ray Brown (bass); and Bill Castle (drums/vocals)

 

3 May 1968 – Brighton Students’ Festival Ball, Hotel Metropole, Exhibition Hall, Brighton, West Sussex with Adge Cutler and The Wurzels, Washington DCs, John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers, Manfred Mann and P P Arnold (West Sussex Gazette)

18 May 1968 – Hoffman Apprentices’ Association, Hoffman Ballroom, Chelmsford, Essex with The Roulettes (Essex Chronicle)

24 May 1968 – Top Rank Suite, Swansea, south Wales with Simon Dupree & The Big Sound and The Love Sculpture (South Wales Evening Post)

31 May 1968 – Wellington Manor House, Crowthorne, Berkshire (Fabulous 208)

 

6 June 1968 – Mayfair Ballroom, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne & Wear (Fabulous 208)

7 June 1968 – California Ballroom, Dunstable, Bedfordshire with supporting groups (website: www.california-ballroom.info/gigs/)

8 June 1968 – Dudley Teachers’ Training College, Dudley, West Midlands (Fabulous 208)

15 June 1968 – Wolverhampton College of Technology Students Union, Wolverhampton, West Midlands with Backdenkel Purists (Express & Star)

Around this time Tony Ferguson took over lead guitar from Tony Harding

25 June 1968 – Fishmongers Arms, Wood Green, north London (Fabulous 208)

27 June 1968 – Royal College of Art, Chelsea, southwest London (Fabulous 208)

28 June 1968 – Lady Spencer Churchill College of Education, Oxford (Fabulous 208)

29 June 1968 – 76 Club, Burton-on-Trent, Derbyshire (Fabulous 208)

 

6 July 1968 – Mayfair Ballroom, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne & Wear (Fabulous 208)

Image may be subject to copyright

6 July 1968 – Institute Braintree, Braintree, Essex with Purple Haze and Ben Truman (Essex Chronicle/Essex County Standard)

22 July 1968 – Park Hall Hotel, Goldthorn Park, Wolverhampton, West Midlands with Obs-Tweedle (Express & Star)

22 July 1968 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with Duster Bennett (Tony Bacon’s book: London Live)

 

August 1968 – Scene and Herd Club, St Thomas Hall, Brentwood (Essex Chronicle)

1 August 1968 – Alsagar College, near Crewe, Cheshire (Fabulous 208)

2 August 1968 – RAF Cranwell (Fabulous 208)

22 August 1968 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London (Tony Bacon’s book: London Live)

24 August 1968 – Archer Hall, Billericay, Essex (Southend Standard)

Image may be subject to copyright

28 August 1968 – Redcliffe Hotel, Caswell Bay, south Wales with Yellow featuring Paul Rogers (South Wales Evening Post)

 

8 September 1968 – Sunday Scene, Silver End, near Witham, Essex (Essex Chronicle)

14 September 1968 – Birdcage, Harlow, Essex (Fabulous 208)

21 September 1968 – Plaza Ballroom, Old Hill, West Midlands with Fox & The Vision (Express & Star)

24 September 1968 – Hatchetts Playground, Piccadilly, central London (Melody Maker/Mick Capewell’s Marmalade Skies)

29 September 1968 – Clay Pigeon, Eastcote, northwest London (Uxbridge Weekly Post)

Around this time, the band becomes Harmony Grass, but the gigs below are billed as Tony Rivers & The Castaways

26 October 1968 – Leeds University, Leeds, West Yorkshire (Fabulous 208)

28 October 1968 – Rhodes Centre, Bishop’s Stortford, Herts (Steve Ingless book: The Day Before Yesterday)

 

3 November 1968 – Clay Pigeon, Eastcote, northwest London with Acceleration (Uxbridge Weekly Post)

14 November 1968 – Sloopy’s Scoop, Middlesbrough (Middlesbrough Evening Gazette)

17 November 1968 – Sunday Scene, Silver End, near Witham, Essex (Fabulous 208)

22 November 1968 – Bangor University, Bangor, Wales (Fabulous 208)

23 November 1968 – California Ballroom, Dunstable, Bedfordshire with supporting groups (website: www.california-ballroom.info/gigs/)

29 November 1968 – Staines Town Hall, Staines, Middlesex (Staines & Egham News)

30 November 1968 – Leeds University, Leeds, West Yorkshire (Fabulous 208)

 

6 December 1968 – Club Lafayette, Wolverhampton, West Midlands (Express & Star)

Copyright © Nick Warburton. All Rights Reserved. No part of this article may be reproduced or transmitted in any from or by any means, without prior permission from the author

The Paramounts’ gigs 1964-1966

Welcome to another posting of a series of gig listings for 1960s bands. None of these lists is exhaustive and my idea is to add to them in the comments section below over time. They are here for future researchers to draw on.  I have also added a few interesting bits of information and will add images in time.

I’d like to encourage band members to get in touch to share memories, or for anyone to send corrections/clarifications to my email: Warchive@aol.com 

Equally important, if you attended any of the gigs below or played in the support band, please do leave your memories below in the comments section for future historians to use. If you know of any missing gigs, please add them too, if possible, with the sources.

Fabulous 208, July 1965, clockwise from top left: Brooker, Derrick, Wilson and Trower. Image may be subject to copyright

Formed in 1959, The Paramounts’ line-up comprised the following by late 1963:

Gary Brooker – keyboards/lead vocals

Robin Trower – lead guitar

Graham ‘Diz’ Derrick – bass

Barry J Wilson – drums

1962

5 May 1962 – Hi-Fi Hop, Walton Playhouse, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey (Woking Herald) Replaced Neil Christian & The Crusaders who cancelled

Image may be subject to copyright

26 May 1962 – Hi-Fi Hop, Walton Playhouse, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey (Woking Herald)

1963

30 November 1963 – Ricky Tick, Reading St John Ambulance Hall, Reading, Berkshire (David Else’s research)

1964

19 January 1964 – Ricky Tick, Olympia Ballroom, Reading, Berkshire (David Else’s research)

22 January 1964 – Cromer Olympia, Cromer, Norfolk with Denny Raven & The Sabres (North Norfolk News)

Image may be subject to copyright

The Middlesex Chronicle ran an article and photo (see above) on the band in its 31 January 1964 issue, page 2

21 February 1964 – Palace Dance Hall, Pier Hill, Southend, Essex (Southend Standard & Essex Weekly Advertiser)

 

18 March 1964 – Bristol Corn Exchange, Bristol (Western Scene)

Image may be subject to copyright

26 March 1964 – Hillside Ballroom, Hereford (Gloucester Citizen)

29 March 1964 – Agincourt Ballroom, Camberley, Surrey with Danie Boone & The Emeralds (Aldershot News)

30 March 1964 – California Ballroom, Dunstable, Bedfordshire with The Puppets and Margo & The Marvelletes (website: www.california-ballroom.info/gigs/)

 

4 April 1964 – Rhodes Centre, Bishop’s Stortford, Herts with Johnny & The Starliners (Steve Ingless book: The Day Before Yesterday)

6 April 1964 – Weybridge Hall, Weybridge, Surrey (Woking Herald)

 

9 May 1964 – West Cliff Cavern, Ramsgate, Kent (East Kent Times)

15 May 1964 – Ricky-Tick, Plaza Ballroom, Guildford, Surrey (Aldershot News)

18 May 1964 – Clacton Town Hall, Clacton, Essex with The Contrasts and The Deepbeats (Essex County Standard)

23 May 1964 – Dreamland Ballroom, Margate, Kent with The Del Rio Four (East Kent Times)

 

5 June 1964 – Wimbledon Palais, Wimbledon, southwest London with Demons and Chantons (Streatham News)

13 June 1964 – Wilton Hall, Bletchley, Bucks with Jeannie & The Diamonds (Bletchley District Gazette)

14 June 1964 – Plaza Ballroom, Newbury, Berkshire with Ricky & The Gamblers (Newbury Weekly News)

 

4 July 1964 – Civic Hall, Guildford, Surrey with Phil & The Stormsville Shakers (Surrey Advertiser)

10 July 1964 – Winchester Lido, Winchester, Hampshire with Kerry Rapid & The Seltones (Hampshire & Berkshire Gazette)

Image may be subject to copyright

16 July 1964 – Assembly Hall, Worthing, West Sussex with The Kinks and The Creatures (Worthing Gazette) This Worthing Herald (below pic) lists The Preachers instead of The Creatures 

Image may be subject to copyright

24 July 1964 – Locarno Ballroom, Basildon, Essex with Manfred Mann and The Monotones (Southend Standard and Essex Weekly Advertiser)

 

22 August 1964 – Leas Cliff Hall, Folkestone, Kent (Kentish Express)

Image may be subject to copyright

4 September 1964 – Greenwich Town Hall, Greenwich, London with The Renegades (South East London Mercury)

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6 September 1964 – ABC Great Yarmouth, Norfolk with Freddie & The Dreamers, Barry St John, Tom Jones & The Playboys, The Rustiks and Clifford Davis (Eastern Evening News)

10 September 1964 – Modern Jazz Studio, Westcliffe, Essex (Southend Standard & Essex Weekly Advertiser)

Image may be subject to copyright

11 September 1964 – Ilford Town Hall, Ilford, east London with The Coronets and The Marvettes (Ilford & Redbridge Recorder)

25 September 1964 – The Starlite Ballroom, Greenford, Middlesex with Alexis Korner’s Blues Inc (Harrow Observer & Gazette)

27 September 1964 – Queen’s Theatre, Blackpool, Lancashire with The Kinks, Marianne Faithful, Jerry Stevens, The Quotations, The Puppets and The Rustiks (Poster from Mick Downer)

Image may be subject to copyright

3 October 1964 – Corn Exchange, Cambridge with The Loose Ends (Cambridge News)

10 October 1964 – Hi-Fi Hop, Walton Playhouse, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey (Woking Herald) The group replaced The Herd

11 October 1964 – 76 Club, Burton on Trent, Staffordshire (website: http://www.76club.org.uk/gigs.html)

Around this time B J Wilson left to join Jimmy Powell’s Five Dimensions and Phil Wainman joined beating Mick Underwood to the job. Wainman had recently returned from Sweden where he’d played with British band, The Hi-Grades

Image may be subject to copyright

31 October 1964 – Gala Ballroom, Norwich, Norfolk with The Preachers (Eastern Evening News)

 

7 November 1964 – Gaiety Ballroom, Ramsey, Cambridgeshire with Bobby Leroy & The Freeman (Cambridgeshire Times)

20 November 1964 – Borough Assembly Hall, Market Square, Aylesbury, Bucks with The Pagans (Bucks Advertiser)

Image may be subject to copyright

10 December 1964 – Rocky Rivers Top 20 Club, Conservative Club, Bedford with top supporting group (Ampthill News & Weekly Record)

17 December 1964 – Modern Jazz Studio, Westcliffe, Essex (Southend Standard & Essex Weekly Advertiser)

Image may be subject to copyright

20 December 1964 – Alley Club, Cambridge (Cambridge News)

1965

2 January 1965 – Civic Hall, Guildford, Surrey with The King Bees (Surrey Advertiser)

10 January 1965 – Dungeon Club, Nottingham (website: https://dungeonmods.wordpress.com/)

14 January 1965 – R&B Studio, Westcliffe, Southend, Essex (Southend Standard & Essex Weekly Advertiser)

21 January 1965 – Civic Hall, Guildford, Surrey with The King Bees (Surrey Advertiser)

31 January 1965 – Agincourt Ballroom, Camberley, Surrey with Daniel & The Emeralds (Aldershot News)

According to Ron Wood’s book ‘How Can I Be? A Rock & Roll Diary’, Phil Wainman deputised for Pete McDaniels in The Birds for a gig at London Polytechnic on 6 February 1965

11 February 1965 – R&B Studio, Westcliffe, Southend, Essex (Southend Standard & Essex Weekly Advertiser)

Image may be subject to copyright

14 February 1965 – Cromer Olympia, Cromer, Norfolk with The Statesmen (North Norfolk News)

27 February 1965 – Winter Gardens, Bournemouth, Dorset with Adam Faith, Sandie Shaw, The Barron Knights, The Roulettes, Freddie Searle and Patrick Kerr (Dorset Evening Echo)

Image may be subject to copyright

3 March 1965 – Granada, Kingston upon Thames, Surrey with Adam Faith, Sandie Shaw, The Barron Knights and The Roulettes (Woking Herald)

7 March 1965 – Walthamstow Guardian, Walthamstow, north London with Adam Faith, Sandie Shaw, The Barron Knights, The Roulettes, Patrick Kerr and Freddie Earle (Leyton, Leytonstone and Waltham Forest Guardian)

Around this time B J Wilson returned to the band. Wainman later became a noted producer but spent the mid-late 1960s backing Jimmy Cliff with The New Generation, playing with Hamilton & The Hamilton Movement and then working with The Quotations, supporting Jack Hammer

27 March 1965 – Lion Hotel, Warrington, Cheshire with The Tributes and The Aarons (Warrington Guardian)

Image may be subject to copyright

8 April 1965 – Waterfront, Southampton, Hants (Southern Echo)

Image may be subject to copyright

11 April 1965 – Tavern Club, Sunshine Floor, East Dereham, Norfolk with The Rocking Roosters (Lynn News)

17 April 1965 – Hastings Pier, Hastings, East Sussex with The Searchers (Roger Bistow’s research at Dizzy Tiger Music website)

19 April 1965 – Studio, Westcliffe, Essex (Southend Standard and Essex Weekly Advertiser)

21 April 1965 – Studio, Westcliffe, Essex (Southend Standard and Essex Weekly Advertiser)

22 April 1965 – Birdcage, Kimbells Ballroom, Southsea, Hampshire (Dave Allen research)

Image may be subject to copyright

30 April 1965 – Haslemere Hall, Haslemere, Surrey with Chic Henderson (Farnham Herald)

 

6 May 1965 – Birdcage, Kimbells Ballroom, Southsea, Hampshire (Dave Allen research)

10 May 1965 – Blue Moon, Hayes, west London with Poison Ivy (Dorothy Bullock list) This could be another year

14 May 1965 – Cricketers Inn, Westcliff, Southend, Essex (Southend Standard and Essex Weekly Advertiser)

20 May 1965 – Birdcage, Kimbells Ballroom, Southsea, Hampshire (Dave Allen research)

Image may be subject to copyright

21 May 1965 – Beat Room, South Benfleet, Essex (Southend Standard & Essex Weekly Advertiser)

Image may be subject to copyright

28 May 1965 – Cricketers Inn, Westcliff, Southend, Essex with The Ray Martin Group (Southend Standard and Essex Weekly Advertiser)

29 May 1965 – Princess Ballroom, Halifax, West Yorkshire with The Misfits (Halifax Daily Courier & Guardian)

 

2 June 1965 – TA Centre, Andover, Hampshire with The Men Friday (Andover Advertiser)

Image may be subject to copyright

16 June 1965 – Dorothy Ballroom, Cambridge with Bob Kidman & His Orchestra and Barry Noble & The Sapphires (Cambridge News)

Image may be subject to copyright

16 July 1965 – Tarpots Public House, Benfleet, Essex (Southend Standard & Essex Weekly Advertiser)

23 July 1965 – Tarpots Public House, Benfleet, Essex (Southend Standard & Essex Weekly Advertiser)

Image may be subject to copyright

20 August 1965 – Cricketers Inn, Southend, Essex (Southend Standard and Essex Weekly Advertiser)

28 August 1965 – Rhodes Centre, Bishop’s Stortford, Herts with The Cortinas (Steve Ingless book: The Day Before Yesterday)

 

4 September 1965 – Cricketers Inn, Southend, Essex (Southend Standard and Essex Weekly Advertiser)

4 September 1965 – Harpenden Public Hall, Harpenden, Herts with The Mob (Welwyn & Hatfield Advertiser)

9 September 1965 – Orchid Ballroom, Purley, Surrey (Chris Broom book: Rockin’ and Around Croydon) They backed Sandie Shaw

Image may be subject to copyright

24 September 1965 – Locarno Ballroom, Basildon, Essex with The Transalantics and The Pentads (Southend Standard & Essex Weekly Advertiser)

 

27 November 1965 – Starlight Ballroom, Boston Gliderdrome, Boston, Lincolnshire with Sandie Shaw, The Quiet Five and The Basic Five (Lincolnshire Standard)

 

24 December 1965 – Bromley Court Hotel, Bromley, southeast London (Boyfriend magazine)

Image may be subject to copyright

24 December 1965 – Cricketers Inn, Westcliff, Southend, Essex with The Orioles (Southend Standard and Essex Weekly Advertiser)

31 December 1965 – Cricketers Inn, Westcliff, Southend, Essex (Southend Standard and Essex Weekly Advertiser)

1966

3 January 1966 – Woodhall Community Centre, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire (website: http://www.coda-uk.co.uk/60’s_music_scene.htm)

4 January 1966 – Birdcage, Eastney, Hampshire (Dave Allen research)

25 January 1966 – Hut Hall, Westcott, Surrey (Caterham Weekly Press)

 

1 February 1966 – Ready Steady Go Club, Aylesbury, Bucks (website: http://aylesburymusictown.co.uk/)

12 February 1966 – Lion Hotel, Warrington, Cheshire with The Inmates and The Shades (Warrington Guardian)

19 February 1966 – Birdcage, Eastney, Hampshire (Dave Allen research)

Photo: Boyfriend magazine. Image may be subject to copyright

4 March 1966 – Rink Ballroom, West Hartlepool (Boyfriend magazine)

5 March 1966 – Bowes Lyon House, Stevenage, Herts (Boyfriend magazine)

11 March 1966 – White Knight’s Hall, Reading University, Reading, Berkshire (Boyfriend magazine)

12 March 1966 – King’s Hall, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire (Boyfriend magazine)

18 March 1966 – Ritz Ballroom, Bournemouth, Dorset (Boyfriend magazine)

19 March 1966 – Bath’s Hall, Northampton (Boyfriend magazine)

Photo: Boyfriend magazine. Image may be subject to copyright

1-2 April 1966 – Pink Panther Club, Glasgow, Scotland (Trend & Boyfriend)

4 April 1966 – Town Hall, Bridgwater, Somerset (Trend & Boyfriend)

22 April 1966 – Birdcage, Eastney, Hampshire (Dave Allen research)

23 April 1966 – Farnborough Technical College Students’ Union, Farnborough, Hampshire with Tony Rivers & The Castaways (Aldershot News)

Photo: John Treais

24 April 1966 – Bluesette Club, Leatherhead, Surrey (Poster from John Treais)

27 April 1966 – Bromley Court Hotel, Bromley, southeast London (Melody Maker)

Image may be subject to copyright

29 April 1966 – Cricketers Inn, Westcliff, Southend, Essex with The Fugitives (Southend Standard)

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30 April 1966 – Hermitage Ballroom, Hitchin, Herts with Jeff & The Exiles (Hertfordshire Express)

 

14 May 1966 – Legion Hall, Amersham, Bucks with The Cherries (Buckinghamshire Advertiser)

Image may be subject to copyright

14 May 1966 – Starlight Club, Ilford, east London (Redbridge & Ilford Recorder)

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21 May 1966 – The Place, Hanley, Staffordshire (Evening Sentinel)

Image may be subject to copyright

22 May 1966 – Tavern Club, Dereham, Norfolk with The Sullivan James Band (North Norfolk News)

Image may be subject to copyright

30 May 1966 – Town Hall, Clacton, Essex with The Quiet Five and Marvin Lois Enterprise (Essex County Standard)

 

11 June 1966 – Starlight Ballroom, Boston Gliderdrome, Boston, Lincolnshire with The Cryin’ Shames, The Dyaks and The Ferryboys (Lincolnshire Standard)

19 June 1966 – Ship & Rainbow, Wolverhampton, West Midlands with The Soul Seekers (Express & Star)

25 June 1966 – Dorothy Ballroom, Cambridge with Bob Kidman & His Band, Wainwright’s Gentlemen, Mood Indigo and The Astrobeats (Cambridge News)

26 June 1966 – Rocky Rivers’ Top 20 Club, Conservative Club, Bedford (Ampthill News & Weekly Record)

In late June/early July Robin Trower left to form his own group, The Jam and Martin Shaw joined on guitar from Freddie Mack & The Mack Sound

Image may be subject to copyright

14 July 1966 – Bamboo Club, Farnborough, Hampshire (Aldershot News/Camberley News)

16 July 1966 – Bamboo Club, Farnborough, Hampshire (Aldershot News/Camberley News)

Saxophone player Jimmy Jewell, who played with Martin Shaw in Freddie Mack’s band joins The Paramounts for a short German tour backing singer Chris Andrews but leaves after it’s completed

30 September 1966 – Glenlyn Ballroom, Forest Hill, southeast London (South East London Mercury)

Image may be subject to copyright

7-8 October 1966 – Scotch of St James, Mayfair, central London (London Life)

29 October 1966 – Scotch of St James, Mayfair, central London (London Life)

 

4 November 1966 – University of Warwick, Coventry with Cream (Poster)

The Paramounts split in November 1966 and B J Wilson briefly joined George Bean & The Runners before joining Freddie Mack and The Mack Sound before the year was out. He then worked with Sands before he reunited with Brooker and Trower in Procol Harum in June 1967

Copyright © Nick Warburton.  All Rights Reserved. No part of this article may be reproduced or transmitted in any from or by any means, without prior permission from the author.

Nigel Basham (Mark Loyd of the Monotones)

Westcliff High School for Boys circa 1958: Nigel Basham, Arthur Walker, Martin Bayley, Chris Winch, Selwyn, Ian Crawshaw.
Westcliff High School for Boys circa 1958. Nigel Basham is third from the left, with Arthur Walker on Nigel’s right doing the V-sign. Others in the group include Martin Bayley, Chris Winch, Selwyn, and seated, smoking, Ian Crawshaw.

Tim Wainwright sent in this photo of Nigel Basham with school friends at at Westcliff High School for Boys, circa 1958. Not bad quality from a worn 3″ x 2″ print. Tim wrote the caption above and adds, “the pic is a group from the school having a smoke by the bike sheds, totally against school rules.”

Nigel Basham was part of the Monotones, covered extensively on this site in a main post and a second focused on photos of their early days. In the Monotones, Nigel took the professional name of Mark Loyd, sometimes spelled Mark Lloyd.

As Mark Loyd, he released three singles on Parlophone, timeless British soul music that is highly valued now. Mark Loyd passed away on April 4, 2012 in Sydney, Australia, where he ran a successful event and performance management company called Popset.


The Monotones – early years 1960-1962

The Monotones’ first rhythm guitarist Ian Middlemiss sent these photos and clippings of his time in the band from 1958-1962.

The photo captions are by Ian:

Earliest photo of the Monotones at St Cedds Church gig early in 1960 From left: Pete Stanley, Brian Alexander, Ian Middlemiss, Nigel Basham, and Barry Davis
Earliest photo of the Monotones at St Cedds Church gig early in 1960
From left: Pete Stanley, Brian Alexander, Ian Middlemiss, Nigel Basham, and Barry Davis
Ian Middlemiss with a Hofner Club 50 (?), never stayed in tune for more than 10 mins. June 1960, venue cannot remember
Ian Middlemiss with a Hofner Club 50 (?), never stayed in tune for more than 10 mins. June 1960, venue cannot remember
A clip from the local paper, gig at St Cedds in May 1961
A clip from the local paper, gig at St Cedds in May 1961
St Cedds May '61. Clearly this is in open E. Middlemiss has got a Strat copy, Alexander exploring the possibilities of the Mixolydian mode in position 1? This I doubt. Alexander's thrashing about trying to find notes that roughly match the melody.
St Cedds May ’61. Clearly this is in open E. Middlemiss has got a Strat copy, Alexander exploring the possibilities of the Mixolydian mode in position 1? This I doubt. Alexander’s thrashing about trying to find notes that roughly match the melody.
April 1962, from left: Jim Eaton, Barry Davis, Paul Dunning, Brian Alexander and Ian Middlemiss. Stanley got fed up and had a six month sabbatical. He did come back eventually.
April 1962, from left: Jim Eaton, Barry Davis, Paul Dunning, Brian Alexander and Ian Middlemiss. Stanley got fed up and had a six month sabbatical. He did come back eventually.
From left: Nigel Basham, Barry Davis, Paul Dunning, Brian Alexander and Ian Middlemiss. A half decent shot of Stanley's bass made by his Dad. Basham and Eaton shared the vocals or should I say Mark Lloyd and Thurston Crane (tee-hee). In 1962 to sing vocals you had to wear a suit and tie and pretend that you were a gentleman.
From left: Nigel Basham, Barry Davis, Paul Dunning, Brian Alexander and Ian Middlemiss. A half decent shot of Stanley’s bass made by his Dad. Basham and Eaton shared the vocals or should I say Mark Lloyd and Thurston Crane (tee-hee). In 1962 to sing vocals you had to wear a suit and tie and pretend that you were a gentleman.
Monotones early gig notices White Hall, Westcliff; Essex Bowling Club, Wentworth Youth Centre
200 people at 2/6 a pop = £50 divided by 5 = £10 per member which is more than a 1960s weekly wage. Remember most of us were at WHSB and you get a 5 gallons of petrol for £1, pie and chips for 1/6d and get trousered for £2. No small wonder that Brian A. hired the White Hall for our debut performance. The downside of the White Hall was that they had no alcohol license.
Brian hired the dance hall at the Elms which was much bigger (300). An immediate success but the manager saw the potential and in the end got the beer money and the gate. We were not too bothered, the ladies were more important.
Monotones early gig notices, Middleton Hotel, St. Cedds, Castle Hotel Thorpe Bay
Who were the Strangers, Ebonies and O B Swing 5?

Mark Lloyd and the Monotones early gig cards, Leigh Wesley Youth Club, Cricketers Inn, Elms Hotel

The Monotones and the Treetops

The Monotones in Holland, 1964: Brian Alexander, Gary Nichols, Jim Eaton and Pete Stanley
The Monotones in Holland, 1964
from left: Brian Alexander, Gary Nichols, Jim Eaton and Pete Stanley

If you’ve ever seen Michael Apted’s 1964 documentary Seven Up! you may have wondered what song the kids are dancing to during the party scene towards the end of the film. I learned from my friend Michael Lynch that the song was “What Would I Do” by the Monotones, a group from Southend-on Sea in Essex, about 45 miles directly east of London.

Monotones Pye 45 What Would I Do

Mark Lloyd and Jim Eaton singing the Everly's
Mark Lloyd and Jim Eaton singing the Everly’s
“What Would I Do” was the first of four singles they released on Pye in ’64 and ’65. To say this song has charm would be an understatement, even more so if you’ve seen Seven Up. The bridge is especially fine, with tremolo guitar behind the vocals “if I say that I love you, and you know that it’s true …”

The band gives a sharp performance on the flip, “Is It Right” though the song is less distinctive than the top side. Both songs on their first 45 were written by ‘Stanley Alexander’, actually Brian Alexander and Stanley Peter Frederick according to the BMI database. I didn’t know anything else about the band until Phil T. contacted me with the newspaper clipping and the following info:

During their early years, the group line-up changed many times but by 1964, it comprised Brian Alexander (lead), Jim Eaton (vocals and rhythm), Pete Stanley (bass) and Gary Nichols (drums) and I believe that it was these four who made the recordings. Their original vocalist, Nigel Basham also performed separately under the name Mark Loyd and was backed from time to time at local gigs by another Southend band, The Mustangs, who also originated at Westcliff High.

Sadly, I understand that The Monotones’ drummer, Gary Nichols, died in April 2007.

Photos of the band’s early years sent to me by guitarist Ian Middlemiss can be seen on this separate page.

Much more information about the band came when Jim Eaton and Peter Stanley left detailed comments about the band. To read the full history of the group and it’s change to the Treetops, read through the comments below. Jim also sent the photos seen here with this comment:

I have attached some photos of The Monotones in the early sixties and also some of The Treetops (our new name when we joined Mecca at the Wimbledon Tiffanys). You will note we added a female to our lineup, a great vocalist Martha Smith. We cut several records as The Treetops when the lineup comprised Brian Alexander (lead guitar and backing vocals), Jim Eaton (rhythm guitar and lead vocals), Pete Stanley (bass guitar and backing vocals), Mark Lloyd (lead vocals, vibes and harmonica), Martha Smith (lead vocals and piano) and Pete Trout our very fine drummer.

In the article about the band for The Southend Standard Jim Eaton also noted their appearance on Ready Steady Go, Thank Your Lucky Stars and Juke Box Jury, clips I’d love to see if they still survive.

The Monotones, 1962
The Monotones, 1962

Monotones Hickory 45 When Will I Be LovedThe Monotones had two U.S. releases on the Hickory label, one of which, “When Will I Be Loved” / “If You Can’t Give Me All” was not released in the UK. It turns out to be a demo recorded before their first Pye 45, released in the U.S. without the group’s knowledge!

Monotones Hickory 45 If You Can't Give Me AllJim Eaton recently heard these songs again for the first time in about 47 years! He wrote to me:

I received and played the record yesterday and it is definitely us. I now recall cutting both sides as a demo in 1963 at the Regent Sound Studio in London’s famous Denmark St. (also known as Tin Pan Alley due to the large number of studios, record publishers and musical instrument shops.)

Monotones 45 releases:

UK:
Pye 7N 15608 – What Would I Do / Is It Right (February 14, 1964)
Pye 7N 15640 – It’s Great / Anymore (1964)
Pye 7N 15761 – No Waiting / Like A Lover Should (1965)
Pye 7N 15814 – Something’s Hurting Me / A Girl Like That (1965)

US:
Hickory 1250 – What Would I Do / Is It Right
Hickory 1306 – When Will I Be Loved / If You Can’t Give Me All

Monotones promo photo for "Now Waiting", from left: Jim Eaton, Brian Alexander, Gary Nichols and Pete Stanley
Promo shot for “Now Waiting”, from left: Jim Eaton, Brian Alexander, Gary Nichols and Pete Stanley
Mark Loyd backed by the Monotones with session musicians:

Parlophone R 5277 -I Keep Thinking About You / Will It Be the Same (1965)
Parlophone R 5332 – Everybody Tries / She Said No (1965)
Parlophone R 5423 – When Evening Falls / When I’m Gonna Find Her (March 1966)

Note that all his solo releases spell his last name “Loyd”

Treetops 45 releases:

Parlophone R 5628 – Don’t Worry Baby / I Remember (1967 – also released in the U.S. on Tower 388)
Parlophone R 5669 – California My Way / Carry On Living (Feb. 1968)

Columbia DB 8727 – Mississippi Valley / Man Is a Man (1970)
Columbia DB 8799 – Without the One You Love / So Here I Go Again (1971)
Columbia DB 8934 – Why Not Tonite / Funky Flop-Out (Oct. 13, 1972)
Columbia DB 9013 – Gypsy / Life Is Getting Better (Aug 3, 1973)

Mark Lloyd, 1964
Mark Loyd, 1964
Postscript, February 2011:

Jim Eaton: “I have just returned from Australia where I caught up with Mark Loyd who was for many years part of The Monotones before he pursued a solo career.

Update, April, 2012

I’m sorry to report that Mark Loyd (born Nigel Basham), the lead singer with the Monotones and Treetops passed away on April 4, 2012, after fighting cancer for seven years. Mark had been living in Sydney, Australia where he ran a successful event/management company. My condolences to his family, friends, and band mates.

Thanks to Phil for sending in the article from The Southend Standard, January 2006 and to Jim Eaton for his help with songs, photos and information for this page.

The Monotones at the Elms, 1964: Pete Stanley, Brian Alexander, Jim Eaton and Gary Nichols
The Monotones at the Elms, 1964
from left: Pete Stanley, Brian Alexander, Jim Eaton and Gary Nichols

Monotones Hickory 45 What Would I Do

Monotones at The Elms, l-r: Brian Alexander, Jim Eaton, Gary Nichols and Pete Stanley
At The Elms, l-r: Brian Alexander, Jim Eaton, Gary Nichols and Pete Stanley
The Treetops, 1966
The Treetops, 1966
The Treetops, 1967
The Treetops, 1967
The Treetops promo for "Don't Worry Baby"
The Treetops promo for “Don’t Worry Baby”
The Treetops, 1968
The Treetops, 1968