Here is the finest collection of ’60s photos I’ve seen in ages, taken mainly at the Mouse Trap Club in the Vernon Hills suburb of Chicago. The Riddles are featured in four of them, the PK-5 in one, and there is an unknown group to be identified. If anyone has information or news clips on the club, please write to me or comment below.
These photos are the property of Philip Metzler, former host of The Mouse Trap, sent to me by his daughter.
The Mouse Trap ClubAudience at the Mouse Trap ClubPhilip Metzler: “A Better Mouse Trap Club”A Better Mouse Trap Club – Where the Elite MeetThe Riddles at the Mouse TrapThe Riddles at the Mouse Trap ClubThe Riddles at the Mouse TrapThe Riddles at the Mouse Trap ClubThe PK-Five with Dex Card at the Mouse Trap Club
Info on the PK-5 came from James Terry Smith’s comment below, which I’ll quote here:
The amazing PK5 … all cousins from Deerfield, Illinois. Drums John Hackmiester, lead guitar Bill Pekara, vocalist and saxophone Ron Pekara, bass Rich DuLoft, lead and rhythm Dan Gora. They played all over Chicago and won many battle of the band contest … I saw them at Mccormick Place twice and they were hard working … R&B mostly.
Bill Pekara’s son posted this video of the group doing a great version of “I Ain’t Got You” to Youtube with a few additional photos of the group:
Unknown BandUnknown group & dancer at the Mouse Trap ClubThe Tydes at the Mouse Trap Club, January 1966The Tydes at the Mouse Trap Club, January 1966
The Virgil Caine album was ignored outside Southern Virginia on its initial release in 1971. But the low-tech masterpiece has finally gained an audience through the internet and the LP has become one of the most sought-after artifacts by collectors of private pressings.
Roger Mannon, 1968
I first heard the songs around the summer of 1971 at the Euphoria Music Emporium, a record/head shop in my hometown of Danville, Va. My best friend and I were regulars and owner Steve Wilson motioned for us to step to the turntable one afternoon, saying he wanted us to listen to the strangest album he had ever heard. He played us “Swamp Witch,” and the chorus stuck in my head for days.
The stark photo on the cover was black and white and none of these guys looked like any rock band I’d ever seen. The short man in the middle could pass for a banker or a college professor and was wearing Buddy Holly glasses. He was flanked by a scruffy looking dude dressed like a house painter and a tall teenager in an ill-fitting hat who looked strangely out of place.
Copies of the album sat in the store on consignment for several months, but there were few takers.
Paul Talley Senior Portrait, 1970
I had all but forgotten about it until I chanced upon a water-damaged copy at a yard sale 20 years later. But the jacket yielded few clues and my search for the band’s origins continued for another 20 years, when a blog posting led me to the group’s surviving songwriter and the man who recorded the album, both linked by a tiny town in the Blue Ridge Mountains.
While Floyd, Va. has become a regional destination for bluegrass music and a large counter-culture movement, the town of today bears little resemblance to the Floyd where the members of Virgil Caine — Roger Mannon, Larry Janney, Eddie Eanes and Paul Talley — grew up in the sixties. Jim Scott moved to Southwest Virginia from Connecticut in 1966. All attended Floyd County High — the only high school in the County, which today has a population of just 15,000 — in a community where Talley says “everybody knows everybody.” Mannon, Eanes and Scott graduated in 1968, Janney and Talley two years later.
Paul Talley (right) with the Electric Theater
Paul knew Larry casually in elementary school, but the two became fast friends in 8th grade when Larry ended up with two tickets to a Beach Boys concert and asked Paul to tag along. At the time, Paul was learning the guitar and Larry was already playing. When Jim moved to Floyd, he joined the Crypt Kickers with Larry, who also played the drums. As Scott recalls, his involvement started when “one of the guys in the band brought his guitar on the bus one day and we started playing songs and he said: ‘Hey, you can play. Could you join us?’ And so we kind of played around and just a little garage band and did some local rock and roll at the time, the Beatles and that sort of thing that was popular for dances. And seems like we played a couple of sock hops up at the high school and we may have played either a senior dance or a prom up there as well. This would’ve been around 1966-’67.” Scott was in school with the other three and would later play bass on the album, but says he “barely knew them” then.
Talley, who engineered the album, played rhythm guitar in another Floyd band, “The Electric Theater,” a seven-piece group with horns.
Mannon played on the basketball team but is best remembered for the poetry he wrote for the school magazine.
Eddie Eanes, who died in 1995, co-wrote almost all of the songs on the album and is listed as the sole writer of one of the LP’s most memorable tracks, “Swamp Witch,” although Mannon says the group added the refrain without his knowledge. Roger says the two were best friends in high school and Eddie took up guitar when the Beatles hit. The pair collaborated on songs but Roger says that “about the time we were ready to do something, he finished school and moved away.”
Eddie Eanes, 1968
After graduation, Eddie moved for a job to Maryland and later to New Orleans. Roger recalls that one of those early jobs was the inspiration for “Swamp Witch,” which was about voodoo and his time “on an oil rig (where) he got in a lot of that Southern Louisiana kind of backdrop with the Bayous and the country down there and that was primarily inspired by his time being down there, right after he left Floyd.”
Paul remembers Eddie as a “real wild child.” Jim calls that a fair assessment, describing Eddie as “a child of the sixties before the rest of Floyd caught on to it. Floyd, when I moved there in the mid-60s seemed to be about ten years behind the New England towns that I grew up in. You know, mini skirts weren’t popular yet. Nobody was smoking dope yet; they were just back ten, fifteen years earlier. And Eddie seemed to be more on tune with the rest of civilization at that time.”
Eddie lived down the street from Larry, but Janney had no idea Eanes had co-written the songs on the album until he saw the finished product.
By 1970, Roger was a student at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, where he met Mike Campbell, an English professor at Tech who played lead guitar on the album. Roger remembers that Mike “was an avid musician and anytime you went to class and you asked something about a Beatles album or a Bob Dylan album, he’d spend the whole class time talking about music rather than English Literature. So, it was a fun class in that it essentially turned into a music appreciation rather than an English class.” When Roger started talking about recording an album, Mike mentioned that he played guitar and “would like to sit in.”
Larry Janney Senior Portrait
Larry and Paul graduated from high school in June 1970 and both enrolled at Danville Community College in the fall, Larry as a Computer Science major and Paul in Business.
It was during this period that sessions for the album began in Christiansburg (twenty miles north of Floyd) where Janney’s family had moved following his father’s death. Larry says all of the recordings were made in “a glassed-in back porch” that was big enough to accommodate all of the equipment. Jim Scott became involved and remembers “Larry’s brother, Teddy, had a bass guitar and we used to jam at that house almost every weekend. We’d bring in guest musicians and the back porch turned into a stage, actually drew quite a neighborhood crowd through a couple of summers.”
But Janney insists he had no idea that the music they were recording would ever see the light of day. He says “the idea was for us to do kind of a sound tape to send to recording studios, hoping that they would sponsor this and provide studio musicians and studio time and all the rest it takes to make a record. So, we were just using what we had, using the microphones and equipment and amplifiers that we had. The reel-to-reel player was a really poor quality. But at any rate, we did all the takes and ended up with a finished product.”
Paul was recruited to record the band because he “just happened to be the guy with the better of two tape recorders,” a then new Webcor Model 5100dr, which he still owns today.
Paul says the songs were written by the time he was brought on board and some had been taped on an older Sears and Roebuck recorder. At the time, Paul and Larry were roommates at DCC and Larry “asked me to help them out and do some recording. I think they were trying to get some studio time and couldn’t. I don’t know exactly what was going on there but I started going over to Larry’s house in Christiansburg and they played a little bit and I’d record it. Larry and I would spend the week sometimes messing around with the tapes.” He says much of his work involved transferring the tapes, then overdubbing and mixing the music. While some of the recording was done live to tape, Paul says “we recorded on two channels and you know did a little bit of playing around with the channels and sometimes something wouldn’t be exactly right and I would take those two channels and record ’em into one channel and then have somebody record on the other channel… kind of a sound-on-sound type of thing.”
Effects were “by accident” and Paul says the older machine is “probably the reason some of the songs sound the way they do.” He notes that “going from one recorder to another (and) the heads not exactly aligned tended to do some strange things to the music.” The band “wasn’t heavy on equipment,” working with two microphones, “always patching a wire with some tape or something, trying to get the thing to quit humming.”
Paul believes the sessions started in the fall or winter of 1970 and were conducted mostly on weekends when the band members would travel home from school. He recalls one night in particular when they had finished recording and he had to crawl under his car on “a sheet of ice” to repair a starter before he could make the return trip home.
Roger says the whole process took about three months and believes everything was recorded live, adding: “If we got an acceptable take we’d go with it and if not we’d just record it again.” He says the band got together a couple of times to practice original songs “until we got them the way that we wanted them and then recorded ’em.”
Recollections differ as to wo played what on the album. It’s agreed that Larry played drums and some rhythm guitar, Mike lead guitar and that Roger handled all of the lead vocals. But Larry says he may have added a bass line or two and possibly some background vocals. He says there are definitely songs where “Roger harmonized with himself,” adding that he (Larry) did sing at the time and that “there might be places where I may have done some back-up harmony.”
Jim Scott
But he has no recollection of Jim Scott participating in any of the album sessions and says he was surprised to see him credited as a “guest artist, courtesy Bogus Records” on the album jacket. Jim concurs, noting that his contribution to “Swamp Witch” was “an afterthought,” if it occurred at all. He says his “40-something-year-old-memory” is “too foggy” to remember much but recalls visiting with Larry as the recordings were being made and “he was showing me how they were dubbing the tapes.” Jim points out that he “had a little bit of knowledge of dubbing because my dad had taught Gene Pitney how to play guitar and we had gone to some of his recording sessions.” Jim says the two “played around with it and I may have laid down the bass track for them that day, or they may have given me credit simply because I was the only one that was gonna go out and sell the album for them.”
Roger remembers that Jim happened to stop by the day the band recorded “Swamp Witch” and played the bass line.
Jim, who would soon leave for Vietnam, was then selling insurance and traveling through Southwest and Southside Virginia. As he traveled, he would carry boxes of the Virgil Caine album on his route, stopping at mom-and-pop music stores where they were sold on consignment. He even placed the LP in stores in the Richmond area and got a radio station in Rocky Mount to play some of the songs, but admits sales were flat and “we didn’t much more than break even on the cost of producing the album.”
While the sessions were progressing, Jim and Larry were also performing the college circuit as a duo, singing Simon and Garfunkel and the Everly Brothers, with Jim sharing an apartment with Larry and Paul when his insurance calls brought him through Danville. The two were offered regular work and could have quit their day jobs, but Jim says they decided against it because he was already traveling and had met too many musicians with “just as much or more talent” who “were lucky to make $10,000 a year.”
Roger says Virgil Caine never performed live and the members never aspired to be a touring band. With conflicting schedules and their scattered lifestyles “our idea was to kind of be like the Band… we just go to a farm house and make a record every once in a while, kinda be above the fray I guess, and we never did get into the playing in small clubs and trying to work at it that way. So, basically we were just a studio band for one recording.”
Larry says he has few memories of the sessions and never met Mike Campbell until he showed up at his house on Roger’s invitation. He describes Mike as “a very talented musician, much more so than comes out on the album.” Mike’s ad-libbed fretwork is featured prominently on “Biscuit High,” which Roger describes as “the instrumental highlight of the album.” He now wishes they had featured Mike’s guitar work on more of the songs.
Once the sessions were completed, Roger sent the master tapes to Capitol Records and agreed to pay $2,000 to have 1,000 copies of the album pressed. But Capitol engineers were unimpressed with the finished product and contacted Mannon, saying “the quality of the music needed to be bumped up” and offering to do “some studio work” on the tapes. When he enquired as to the total cost of the makeover, Roger was told there would be “a straight fee of $25 an hour,” with no guarantee of how long the sweetening might take. He declined and — in retrospect — believes he made the right decision, adding: “I’m not sure they could’ve done a whole lot to improve it.” Larry agrees, saying it would have “never come (out) quite right if it was just a little bit better quality.”
Roger cites “The Great Lunar Oil Strike, 1976” as his favorite recording, pointing out that it remains topical given the subsequent Valdez and Deepwater incidents. Jim likes “Swamp Witch” because it strikes him as being “almost mystical,” with references to cypress roots, armadillo meat and “where only dead men walk the swamps at night.” Larry prefers “Blackfoot Boojy,” a song about a barnyard cat, because of its shuffle rhythm and Mannon’s vaudevillian vocal.
With the recording finished, Roger began searching for a location for the album photos. He was looking for “an antiquarian setting” in keeping with the music. He found it on his grandfather’s farm off of Route 8, in Floyd. The three stood in front of an old clapboard building for the group shot. Larry remembers it was muddy that day and he wanted to look different, so he borrowed Paul’s hat. The back cover photo is a chicken house patched up with some windows from an old country store. The photographer was Bill Sumner, who was then editor of the Floyd Press.
Virgil Caine was selected as the name of the group and album. Virgil Caine was the fictional character of Robbie Robertson’s “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down” from the Band’s second LP from 1969. The song describes the defeat of the South at the end of the Civil War. In the song, Caine rides “on the Danville train.” The Richmond and Danville Railroad was the main supply route into Petersburg where Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia held their defensive line to protect Richmond. The Danville supply train ran until General Stoneman’s Union cavalry troops tore up the tracks, as immortalized in the song.
The liner notes were sparse and listed only the members first initials and last names. Mannon says this was by intention and was designed to add to the “mystique” of the LP.
Euphoria Music Emporium August, 1971
When the albums finally arrived, the group began distributing boxes to stores and selling copies to “aunts, uncles and in-laws.” Paul and Larry were in Danville at the community college and left a box at Euphoria Music. Months later, they retrieved the albums and were told that “none had been sold.”
Both made flyers promoting the album, which they posted around campus. Paul says they took typing paper and smeared one side with cooking oil, turned it over and used a hot iron to scorch it, which made the paper look like parchment. Then they added a picture of the album and a brief ad before burning the edges. This gave the effect of an Old West wanted poster.
Roger says the group considered recording a second album, but those plans were shelved because it took so long to break even on the first. He had written a “couple of songs” for the follow-up but they were never recorded by the band. He says when Virgil Caine “didn’t become rich and famous, we were just kind of satisfied with what we’d accomplished and moved on from there.”
While none of the members became professional musicians, all still play and four still live in Virginia.
Larry Janney still works with computers and is now the senior systems manager with a medical insurance company. He is bemused by the album’s sudden recognition and finds it hard to fathom. In fact, he deleted my initial telephone message, thinking it was a practical joke. He admits “the songs were a little weird but everything was weird about the seventies, so the fact that it sounded a little funny — well — that was okay, I guess. And the songs were a little mysterious, that was okay, too. Like I say, it was the 70s.” In retrospect, he wishes they had spent more time on the album and is unimpressed with the quality of the recordings, adding, “I think the songs were worth a lot more attention than we gave it, frankly.” He doesn’t own a copy of the album, having tossed his box when they warped in his truck on a hot summer’s day.
After 28 moves in 40 years, Jim Scott has come full circle, returning to Southwest Virginia as a circuit-riding preacher. Ironically, the four Methodist churches he pastors are based in Cripple Creek. Jim and Larry are step-brothers and still get together for family jam sessions on holidays. He remains proud of the album, saying “what little small part I played was wonderful.”
Paul Talley managed a True Value Hardware store for much of the past decade and hasn’t seen any of the members in more than twenty years. While the recordings are primitive and he never made a dime for his efforts, Paul says “it was all done for fun and we enjoyed it.”
Mike Campbell moved from Blacksburg to Salem, Va., where he continued teaching at Roanoke College. All of the other band members have lost touch with him, although Larry says years ago he ran into Mike “somewhere,” although he doesn’t recall the time or place.
Roger Mannon still lives in Floyd and works for the Floyd Press, a weekly newspaper owned by the Media General conglomerate. He points out that “you’re quick to see the genius in your own work,” but believes the album has finally found its rightful place. Roger was responsible for a limited reissue of the LP in 2011 and sees the recent acclaim as a “kind of a vindication of some of the songs, to learn that maybe it had reached the audience it was intended for, but I guess due to distribution and other issues it never really accomplished that at the outset. And you know, even if it’s decades later, I’m pleased that some people have heard it and appreciate it.”
The 4, from left: George Parks, Greg McCarley, Larry Rains and Paul Crider
Here’s an obscure one that isn’t in Teen Beat Mayhem, though it certainly deserves to be. I didn’t know anything about the group, called simply, The Four, but then I found their photo in Ron Hall’s The Memphis Garage Rock Yearbook, 1960-1975.
The band were:
George Parks – guitar Greg McCarley – guitar Paul Crider – bass Larry Rains – drums
“Now Is the Time” is a good mid-tempo song with harmonies and Beatles-type changes. It was written by George Parks.
“Lonely Surfer Boy” is an original by Paul Crider and Greg McCarley. As comments state below, the group came from Brownsville, Tennessee, about 60 miles northeast of Memphis.
SoN 15101/15102 indicates it was mastered by Sound of Nashville, while the ZTSB 99962-A / 99963-A in the deadwax indicates it was pressed at the Columbia Records plant in Nashville. I’m not sure the date on this one but early 1965 seems about right.
Both songs were published by Lonzo & Oscar Music, BMI and produced by Jack Logan, who was A&R director of Nugget Records of Goodlettsville, Tennessee which also seemed to own the Clark label.
In late 2013 two acetates surfaced of a group called “The 4” from Sam Phillips Recording of Memphis, “69” / “I Gotta Go” and “When Ever Your Down” (sic) / “Midnight Hour”.
“69” opens with one of the most intense screams ever committed to vinyl, and it is now on the shortlist for Back From the Grave vol 9! it was backed with an uptempo pop number “I Gotta Go”. It’s such a different sound that I thought it must be a different group, but both songs were written by George Parks. I haven’t heard “When Ever Your Down” yet, but it was written by Greg McCarley.
The Memphis Garage Rock Yearbook notes The Four “cut three singles, all in Nashville in the late ’60’s. After they broke up, Greg McCarley released two singles on the local Klondike label as ‘Beau Sybin.’ George Parks had a release on Epic that he cut in New York and was also a staff writer at Stax.”
A late ’60s release by the Four on the Nashville North label is likely by another group. “Good Thing Going” (B. Carlton, H. Adams, D. Johnson) / “Cy’s Been Drinking Cider” was produced by Vern Terry and Len Shafitz, out of Massillon, Ohio, just west of Canton. Teen Beat Mayhem lists that band as from Elyria, Ohio. They cut a later 45 on Epic as the Sunny Four “Why Not (Be My Baby) / “Goodie Goodie Ice Cream Man”.
The Clark label had two other garage releases that I know of. On Clark CR-235 is the Ebb TIdes “Little Women” (by Donald Kyre, Michael Wheeler, Michael Whited, and Waldron), which sounds something like the Beatles “You Can’t Do That”. The Ebb Tides came from Columbus, Ohio. Their Clark 45 may have come about as part of a deal to do a summer tour of the Ohio Valley area. The flip is “What I Say”, by Gene McKay & the Ebb Tides. McKay was another singer on the tour and though the Ebb Tides backed him on the cover of Ray Charles’ “What’d I Say”, they did not otherwise work together.
The Ebb Tides had a second 45, the spooky novelty “Seance” (Benny Van, M. Wheeler) b/w a mystical spoken vocal, “Spirits Ride the Wind” (Benny Van) that I really like. This 45 was produced by Rudy Varju on Jar 106 from early 1967. Benny Van of the Ebb Tides became J.D. Blackfoot.
The other is the Jades “You Have to Walk” / “Island of Love”, both written by Paul Helms and released on Clark CR-262 from May of ’67. That group was from Herrin, Illinois, a small city southeast of St. Louis and almost 200 miles northwest of Nashville, but the publishing is also Lonzo & Oscar, and the label states that it was produced and distributed by Nugget Sound Studios, Goodlettsville.
Other songs on the Clark label seem to be country, such as CR-266, Charlie Haggard’s “Throw Me Out the Door”.
Lonzo & Oscar were Johnny and Rollin Sullivan, whose family had started the Nugget Record company in Tampa, Florida in 1959, but Lonzo & Oscar Music Publishing had a Nashville base from the start. They bought or built Nugget Sound Studios in Goodlettsville, just north of Nashville. Most releases they recorded are on the Nugget label, and most are country.
History of the Nugget label from 45-sleeves.com. Thank you to Buckeye Beat for the info on the Ebb Tides 45.
As far as I can tell, Calcutta-16 only released this one 45, but what a record it is. Ed Nadorozny has the record and provided the music and scans here. When I heard Calcutta-16’s “Ballad of the Purple Inn” I asked Ed if I could cover it on Garage Hangover and he kindly said yes
I love everything about the song: Brinnand’s insolent delivery of the lyrics, the full bass line, the excellent sounds they get out of the guitars and echo, the drumming, all of it.
The flip “One Eyed Woman” has a great break halfway through with a pounding snare drum that just gets louder, war whoops, and a solo the segues so nicely back into the song. The bassist and the sound of the group in general remind me somewhat of the Great Society.
The band were:
John Brinnand – lead vocals (spelled John Brinand on the labels) Peter Yeti – lead guitar Romit Bhattaharya – rhythm guitar Devdan Sen – bass guitar Nondon Bagchi – drums
Devdan Sen and John Brinand “wrote the lyrics and composed and arranged the music” according to the notes on the back cover.
Dubby Bhagat of the Junior Statesmen produced the record and wrote the notes, and J.P. Sen engineered it. The record was released on His Master’s Voice NE. 1003 in 1969.
Dubby’s notes on the back also thank the band’s manager Jimmy Chaudhuri and “Colonel Bose of the ‘Living Sound’ Studio and his daughters Rita and Mita, who first recorded the group. Jack Dantes who christened the group. Sumit Bhattacharya and Rangam Mitra who gave time and equipment aplenty. The Surayas for their quiet but wholehearted support. Mr. Rafiq and Mr. A.C. Sen of H.M.V., who gave the boys this chance. Desmond Doig of the Junior Statesmen who encouraged the project. And Ananda Mitter and Jonathan Mason without who the group would never have got to Dum Dum for the recording!”
Next up from Ed will be a couple tracks from a very rare early EP by the Savages, better known for their Black Scorpio LP.
From Hamilton, New Zealand, Tomorrow’s Love is known now for an excellent version of Love’s “7 And 7 Is” on their only 45. Guitarist Ron Jenkins contacted me and told me about the group and sent the scans of the record seen here. He also sent me a transfer of “What Shall I Do”, which the band learned from the Artwoods, though the original version was the very fine “I’ve Got The Blues (What Shall I Do)” written and sung by Marvin Jenkins and released on Palormar 2208. I am one of the few to have heard Tomorrow’s Love version in almost 50 years!
I formed Tomorrow’s Love a long time ago. Max Fletcher was the bass player from Timaru. I arranged for Kevin [Toneycliffe] and Max to come to Hamilton and join a group with me and an organ player [Derek Allan].
New Zealand was a strange country back in the sixties with import and currency regulations. Foreign exchange was what we thought impossible to get other than in 50P British Postal notes available one per person a day. So on Friday nights we used to get into my car and rush around as many post offices as we could running into a post office and buying a 50P postal note each. We used these Postal Notes to buy packages of records that we thought would not be available here in New Zealand from a British Record Shop. We chose these via a Britsh music publication Melody Maker, and one record we chose was Love’s version of “7 And 7 Is”.
I recall another record we got was The Sparrow, “Tomorrows Ship”, so we just used Tomorrow’s Love as our name.
When we first heard “7 And 7 Is” we thought it was unique and bound to create interest. Of course we never ever anticipated the New Zeland Broadcasting Corporation banning the record and that is what really killed it. We had the New Zealand Broadcasting Corporation’s #1 disk jockey running our dances and we know we would have got a fair go with airplay BUT he played it once and was jumped upon and that’s when we found out it was banned. It never entered our minds that the lyrics were drug related.
I believe there were two pressings with “7 And 7 Is” being the A side in the first pressing and then they made “What Shall I Do” the A side on the second pressing. I should have bought more than one copy. I do not think any of us got a cent in royalties. I have a first pressing which I was told there were 500 (but I had no way of verifying that). If correct it indicates the record sold over 500 copies.
I actually hated the fuzz box on “7 and 7 Is” but after listening to some other versions in later years I have grown to like our version. To be honest going by memory, I do not think it went over live, I mean “Ha Ha Said the Clown” was probably more acceptable!
The guitar was double tracked on “What Shall I Do”. I never knew that there was an original prior to the Artwoods. Looking back I wish we had tried to change the arrangements instead of just a copy of the originals.
I recall Keith Ashton (a disk jockey in Hamilton who ran the dances) refusing to call the Saturday dance off like we wanted as the Starlight Ballroom had the Avengers or some Wellington band that had a record at the top of the charts playing there. He said he would get a second band from Rotorua (who incidently never turned up). Anyway we played and by 10 o’clock the Old Folks Hall was packed and friends of the group were telling us that nobody was at the Starlight! I understand they pulled the pin about 11pm. The Old Folks Hall had amazing acoustics, no matter how the band was performing it always sounded good.
One of our last gigs was in Auckland at Hauraki Radio’s nightspot. We never went down well until we played The Creations “Making Time” which we had hoped to record. We played it last because the guitar riff was played using a violin bow and because of the resin my guitar had to be properly cleaned up. It went down well and I can recall a comment from one of the people there that they had never heard an “outside” group being clapped as we were! Of course it could have been because it was our last number? but maybe not as they never knew it was …
When we broke up the drummer/vocalist (Kevin) of Tomorrows Love joined a group The Chapta. He was the vocalist for them on “Say a Prayer” which reached #1 on the NZ hit parade. I got a shock a few years ago to find that Kevin had died in Australia of a heart attack.
I think Max and myself realised that Tomorrow’s Love had done its dash at about the same time. I was trying to arrange gigs, etc and it simply wore me down, plus it was my car and my money that was keeping things going. Looking back it was stupidity, we never got the money from our dances, I think $60 was topline split between four. It never covered costs. Since the group broke up I have had no contact with any of them.
Bishop Mora Salesian High is a Catholic school at the intersection of Whittier Boulevard and South Soto Street in the Boyle Heights neighborhood of Los Angeles. In 1964, the school’s band director W.A. Taggart began producing concerts at East Los Angeles City College, where the auditorium would hold over 2,500 attendees, and at least three of these were recorded and released through Century Custom Recording Service in 1964 and ’65..
The Salesian High School Rock ‘n Roll Show LPs are little known outside of collectors of Los Angeles r&b and rock’n’roll. I’ve seen three volumes, one each from concerts on April 19, 1964, October 18, 1964 and May 16, 1965 at the auditorium of East Los Angeles City College (ELACC) in Monterey Park. I’ve read there is a fourth volume, but haven’t seen it yet. I only own Volume 2, so if anyone has the music from Volume 3 please get in contact with me.
Volume 1 (Century Custom 19070, recorded April 19, 1964):
Bobbie and the Esquires – “You’ll Lose A Good Thing” John Gamboa Sextet – “Down at The Chicken Shack”, “Moody’s Mood For Love” Sal Padilla and the Leggeriors – “Night Train” Thee Midnighters – “Chinese Checkers”, “For Your Love” The Vesuvians – “The Fugitive,” “Hand Clapping” Blue Satins – “Summertime”, “Love Lights”, “My First Love” The Salesian Mustang Swing Band – “Theme For Rock ‘n Roll”
Volume 2 (Century Custom 20069, recorded October 18, 1964):
Art and the Nite Liters – “Tuff Talk” The Velvetones – “Tenderly” Ronnie and the Casuals – “20.75” The Rhythm Playboys – “This Is My Prayer”, “One Degree North” Thee Midniters with Li’l Willie G. vocalist – “And I Love Her”, “So Far Away”, “I Need Someone”, “Darling Forever”, “Sad Girl” The Blue Satins – “Help Yourself”, “Oh-Pu-Pi-Do” (featuring The Sisters Trio), “The Bounce”
Notes by George L. Pineda.
Volume 3 (Century Custom 21995, recorded May 16, 1965):
The Goofy Six Plus One – “I Need Someone” The Relations – “I Do Love You” The Invaders – “Sad Girl”, “Darling Forever” The Etalons – “Out Of Sight” The Little Heartbreakers – “Cradle Rock” The Enchanters – “Try Me” The Parley Brothers – “Uncle Sam’s Men” The Emeralds – “Wooly Bully” The Precisions – “I Been Trying” The Counts – “Girl of My Dreams” Clarence Playa – “I Wake Up Crying” The Velvetones – “Gloria” The Progressions – “Twine Time” Li’l Ray – “Oooh Baby Baby” The Ambertones – “Ebb Tide”
Produced by W.A. Taggart, directed by Gilbert Pineda, photography by R. Ruiz.
Volume 4 (Century Custom 22972, recorded Oct. 10, 1965 at East Los Angeles City College)
Thee Vandells – “Get Down With It” The Entertainers – “Double 00 Soul” The Fabulons – “I’ll Go Crazy” The Four J’s – “My Girl Sloppy” The Executives – “High Heel Sneakers” The Relations – “Heat Wave” The Impalas (Thee Impalas) – “Treat Her Right” The V.I.P.’s – “Davids Mood” Frankie Valens – “Gee Whiz” The Emeralds – “So Far Away” The Enchanters – “Midnight Hour” The Enchantments – “Try Me” The Etalons – “Ask Me Why” The Noblemen – “To Be Loved” The Ambertones – “I Need Someone/My Prayer” The Four By Fours – “Roll Over Beethoven”
The first volume is less than half an hour long, consisting mostly of r&b covers, instrumentals and ballads. It includes Thee Midniters first recordings, a cover of Booker T & the MGs “Chinese Checkers” and “For Your Love” (a ballad, not the Yardbirds song). Larry Rendon and Romeo Prado of Thee Midniters were students of Bill Taggart.
Dominic Priore gives a concise early history of the group in the liner notes to the Norton Records compilation In Thee Midnite Hour!:
“Ex-Gentiles Little Willie G and Larry Rendon had first clicked with Benny Ceballos as Benny & the Midniters. This early lineup was know for wearing Lone Ranger style masks, which they would throw into the audience, driving the girls wild. The usual band lineup swaps (including a period with two lead singers, Little Willie G and Little Ray Jimenez) resulted in the solid recording band Thee Midniters, Willie, together with George Dominguez (lead guitar), Roy Marquez (rhythm guitar), Ronny Figueroa (organ), Larry Rendon (tenor sax), and trombone blaster Romeo Prado formed the core of the group with the drummer George Salazar and bass player Benny Lopez being succeeded by Danny La Mont and Jimmy Espinoza, respectively, Jimmy coming to the group via the Vesuvians and the Crowns, led by local legend Johnny Gamboa. Romeo too had entered the Midniters fold via the Crowns.”
Another notable performance is the Blue Satins, who do a rockin’ extended version of “Turn on Your Love Light”. The Blue Satins included Mike Gomez (vocals), Louie Lopez (vocals), Pete Ventura, Raul Suarez (lead guitar), Frank Estrella, Frank Mezquita (bass guitar), Bobby Loya (trumpet), Charles Lueras (sax), Robert Perez (sax), John Betancourt (drums). They had one 45 single, “You Don’t Know Me” / “My Wife Can’t Cook on Scarlet 501. More info on the Blue Satins is at the excellent site, You Found That Eastside Sound.
You can hear the album in its entirety at East LA Revue Radio, where Steven Chavez writes “the concert admission price was $1.25 and only $1 if you were a high school student with a valid school ID. I was one of the 2,000 in attendance that Sunday afternoon. It was initially sold at the high school book store for a hefty $3.25. This is the first concert record produced by ‘The Prof’ Bill Taggart’s team at the Boyle Heights parochial school for boys. Another person that was instrumental in the production and recording of this event is Tony Garcia.”
The October 18, 1964 concert is especially interesting to me because part of it was released as Thee Midniters’ first single, “Land of a Thousand Dances” (parts 1 & 2) on Chattahoochee 666. The rest of their performance from that concert is on “Rock ‘n Roll Show Volume 2”, including a version of the Beatles “And I Love Her” and Hank Jacobs’ “So Far Away” along with a few ballads.
Thee Midniters were supposed to be backing Cannibal & the Headhunters who were known locally for their version of Chris Kenner’s “Land Of A Thousand Dances.” But with Cannibal & the Headhunters stuck in Fresno with bad weather, Thee Midniters had the starring spot and did their own version of the song. Richie Unterberger recounts the story in more depth in “Urban Spacemen and Wayfaring Strangers”.
The obvious appeal of their performance somehow led concert producer W.A. Taggart to let the group bring the recording to Ruth Contes of Chattahoochee Records in Hollywood, who quickly released it in the month following the concert. In fact, it seems Thee Midniters released their version within weeks of Cannibal & the Headhunters cutting their own, recorded live at the Rhythm Room. In an interview, Headhunters member Richard “Scar” Lopez said their Rampart single was released in May, 1964 but this date is too early, as it wouldn’t have taken nine months to start showing up on local charts. Thee Midniters’s single turns up in radio station playlists beginning in December of ’64, then goes head to head in competition with Cannibal & the Headhunters’ single beginning in mid-January of ’65. The Headhunters’ Rampart single has a Monarch pressing # of 54957, indicating a November, 1964 mastering and pressing date. I would guess Cannibal & the Headhunters saw Thee Midniters were about to make a hit out of their signature song and rushed their own version out.
No one seems to dispute the legend that Headhunter lead vocalist Frankie Garcia came up with the “Na, Na Na Na Na…” hook spontaneously during a performance when he forgot a verse, though Thee Midniters include the Na Na Na Na hook in their version at the concert. In any case, Cannibal & the Headhunters won out in the national charts and the song is now associated with them, while Thee Midniters went on to record many great singles.
Other highlights on Volume 2 are the Blue Satins again who do a great trio of “Help Yourself”, “Oh-Pu-Pi-Do” (featuring The Sisters Trio) & “The Bounce”. Ronnie & the Casuals get only one song, the fine “20-75”; they had many releases on Donna and Mustang as Ronnie & the Pomona Casuals, including a version of “Land of a Thousand Dances” on their LP Everybody Jerk. The Rhythm Playboys had been Frankie Garcia’s group before joining Cannibal & the Headhunters. Their instrumental “One Degree North” is one of the best cuts on the LP.
Volume 1 and 2 have similar front covers, with band photos on the back, while Volume 3 has band and audience photos on both front and back covers (unfortunately without identifying which band is which).
Volume 3 has an expanded lineup with all new acts except the Velvetones, each receiving one song on the album with the exception of the Invaders. Many Eastside legends show up on this LP, including the Invaders (likely Mickey Aversa & the Invaders), the Heartbreakers (brothers Benny & Joe Rodriguez, with several singles on Donna, Brent and Linda labels), The Counts aka Thee Counts: Johnny Joe Ramos, bass; Bobby Gurrola, guitar; Bobby Rodriguez, trumpet; Don Viray, guitar; Charlie Montijo, lead singer; Albert Barron, sax; Ronnie Wheat, drums; Arnold Serafin, keyboards; and Joe Vasquez, sax; with a great single on Highland, “Someday I’m Gonna Get You” / “So Far Away”), and the Ambertones, who I’ve covered on this site. Clarence Playa was in the Progressions, who are probably backing Li’l Ray on “Oooh Baby Baby” on the Volume 3 LP, as they were his backing for a single on Donna as Little Ray, “I Who Have Nothing” / “I Been Trying”.
Salesian continued producing shows for decades, but no others were released to my knowledge. If anyone has scans of the cover or music from the reputed Volume 4 release, please contact me!
Thank you to Van Bryan for the track list and label scans of the very rare Volume 4.
Burton’s in Uxbridge was an important music venue in West London throughout the 1960s.
I have started to compile a list below and would welcome any additions, particularly where there are gaps. Also, artists didn’t always appear despite being advertised so it would be great to hear from anyone who has any corrections.
Judging by the entries, bands played every Saturday with occasional gigs on other nights of the week.
1961
8 July – Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers (Uxbridge Post)
The band was billed as The Rebel Rousers for early gigs in 1961
15 July – Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers (Uxbridge Post)
22 July – Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers (Uxbridge Post)
12 August – Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers (Uxbridge Post)
26 August – Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers (Uxbridge Post)
9 September – Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers (Uxbridge Post)
23 September – Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers (Uxbridge Post)
30 September – Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers (Uxbridge Post)
11 November – Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers (Uxbridge Post)
2 December – Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers (Uxbridge Post)
24 December – Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers (Uxbridge Post – this was a Sunday)
31 December – Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers (Uxbridge Post –this was a Sunday)
1962
24 March – Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers (Uxbridge Post)
1963
25 May – Brian Poole & The Tremeloes (Beat Monthly) Needs confirmation
8 June – Brian Poole & The Tremeloes (Beat Monthly) Needs confirmation
22 June – Brian Poole & The Tremeloes (Beat Monthly) Needs confirmation
13 July – Brian Poole & The Tremeloes (Beat Monthly) Needs confirmation
10 August – Brian Poole & The Tremeloes (Beat Monthly/Harrow Weekly Post)
7 September – Brian Poole & The Tremeloes (Beat Monthly)
19 October – The Federals (Beat Monthly)
14 December – Brian Poole & The Tremeloes (Beat Monthly)
1964
11 January – The Federals (Beat Monthly)
1965
30 January – Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers (Beat Instrumental)
9 February – The Birds (Ronnie Wood’s book, How Can It Be? A Rock & Roll Diary)
23 March – The Yardbirds (Alan Clayson’s book, The Yardbirds – the band that launched Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page)
6 April – The Birds (Ronnie Wood’s book, How Can It Be? A Rock & Roll Diary)
8 June – Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers (Beat Instrumental)
29 June – The Who (Andy Neill’s research)
6 July – The Birds (Ronnie Wood’s book, How Can It Be? A Rock & Roll Diary)
31 July – Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers (Beat Instrumental)
28 August – Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers (Beat Instrumental)
14 December – Zoot Money’s Big Roll Band (Record Mirror)
24 December – Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers (Boyfriend magazine)
31 December – Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers (Boyfriend magazine)
1966
15 January – Zoot Money’s Big Roll Band (Record Mirror)
18 January – Chris Farlowe & The Thunderbirds (Record Mirror – this was a Tuesday)
15 February – Zoot Money’s Big Roll Band (Beat Instrumental)
12 March – Georgie Fame & The Blue Flames (Record Mirror)
19 March – Chris Farlowe & The Thunderbirds (Beat Instrumental)
8-9 April – Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers (Beat Instrumental)
7 May – Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers (Beat Instrumental)
10 May – Georgie Fame & The Blue Flames (Beat Instrumental)
14 May – Jimmy James & The Vagabonds (Record Mirror)
11 June – Zoot Money’s Big Roll Band (Beat Instrumental)
2 July – Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers (Fabulous 208)
9 July – Geno Washington & The Ram Jam Band (Melody Maker)
12 July – The Birds (Fabulous 208 – this was a Tuesday)
30 July – Geno Washington & The Ram Jam Band (Fabulous 208)
6 August – Zoot Money’s Big Roll Band (Fabulous 208)
I have Geno Washington & The Ram Jam Band also playing on 6 August
20 August – Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers (Fabulous 208)
26 August – Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers (Fabulous 208 – this was a Friday)
27 August – Jimmy James & The Vagabonds (Fabulous 208)
30 August – Geno Washington & The Ram Jam Band (Melody Maker – this was a Tuesday)
17 September – The Alan Bown Set (Fabulous 208)
1 October – The Fenmen (Fabulous 208)
22 October – Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers (Fabulous 208)
26 November – Jimmy James & The Vagabonds (Fabulous 208)
20 December – Geno Washington & The Ram Jam Band (Fabulous 208 – this was a Tuesday)
24 December – Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers and The Army (Fabulous 208 and Tony Tacon’s memories)
Fabulous 208 also has The Amboy Dukes on 24 December
31 December – The Amboy Dukes (Fabulous 208)
1967
7 January – Geno Washington & The Ram Jam Band (Melody Maker)
3 March – The Alan Bown Set (Fabulous 208 – this was a Friday so wondering if it was 4 March)
11 March – The Amboy Dukes (Fabulous 208)
14 March – Geno Washington & The Ram Jam Band (Melody Maker – this was a Tuesday)
17 March – Marmalade (Fabulous 208 – this was a Friday)
18 March – Carl Douglas & The Big Stampede (Ken Baxter’s diary)
21 March – Geno Washington & The Ram Jam Band (Melody Maker – this was a Tuesday)
24 March – Jimmy James & The Vagabonds (Fabulous 208 – this was a Friday, so wondering if was 25 March)
22 April – Jimmy James & The Vagabonds (Fabulous 208)
12 May – The Coloured Raisins, King Ossie and Honey Darling (Melody Maker – this was a Friday so wondering if it was 13 May)
20 May – Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers (Fabulous 208)
3 June – Jeff Beck Group (Melody Maker)
9 June – The Gnomes of Zurich and Guy Darrell (Melody Maker – this is a Friday)
Tom Brennan’s Iveys’ gigs website (Badfinger) has The Iveys and Guy Darrell on the same date as The Gnomes of Zurich
10 June – Marmalade (Melody Maker)
16 June – The Alan Bown Set (Melody Maker – this is a Friday)
17 June – Jimmy James & The Vagabonds (Melody Maker)
24 June – Carl Douglas & The Big Stampede (Ken Baxter’s diary)
1 July – The Freddie Mack Sound (Melody Maker)
5 August – Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers (Fabulous 208)
12 August – The Washington DCs (Melody Maker)
19 August – The Freddie Mack Show (Melody Maker)
26 August – The Amboy Dukes (Melody Maker/Hillingdon Mirror)
2 September – The Alan Bown Set (Melody Maker/Hillingdon Mirror)
9 September – The Coloured Raisins (Melody Maker/Hillingdon Mirror)
16 September – The Amboy Dukes (Fabulous 208, Melody Maker and Hillingdon Mirror)
23 September – Carl Douglas & The Big Stampede (Ken Baxter’s diary)
30 September – Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers (Fabulous 208/Hillingdon Mirror)
7 October – Marmalade (Melody Maker/Hillingdon Mirror)
14 October – The Gass (Melody Maker)
21 October – The Amboy Dukes (Melody Maker)
28 October – Jimmy James & The Vagabonds (Melody Maker/Hillingdon Mirror)
4 November – The Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band (Melody Maker)
11 November – Ronnie Jones & The Q-Set (Melody Maker)
18 November – The Shell Shock Show (Melody Maker/Hillingdon Mirror)
25 November – The Cat Show (Melody Maker)
2 December – The Alan Price Set and The Army (Melody Maker)
9 December – The Ebony Keys (Melody Maker)
16 December – The Alan Bown Set (Melody Maker)
23 December – The Amboy Dukes (Melody Maker)
24 December – Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers (Melody Maker)
30 December – Jimmy Cliff & The Shakedown Sound (Melody Maker)
31 December – Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers (Fabulous 208 and Melody Maker)
It is possible that Steve Priest’s group The Army may have supported Cliff Bennett on new year’s eve but it needs confirmation
1968
All the entries for this year are from Melody Maker unless otherwise noted.
6 January – The Shell Shock Show with Owen Grey
13 January – Marmalade
20 January – The Amboy Dukes
27 January – Ronnie Jones & The Q-Set
3 February – Cat Soul Band with US Flat Top
10 February – Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers
17 February – The Jimmy James Show
24 February – The Freddie Mack Show
2 March – Joe E Young & The Toniks
9 March – The Joyce Bond Revue
16 March – The Coloured Raisins
23 March – The Amboy Dukes
30 March – Jimmy Cliff and Wynder K Frog
6 April – The Skatalites
12 April – The Amboy Dukes (this was a Friday)
13 April – Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers
20 April – The Alan Bown
27 April – Jimmy Cliff and Wynder K Frog
4 May – The Shell Shock Show
11 May – Jimmy James & The Vagabonds
18 May – The Joyce Bond Revue
25 May – The Amboy Dukes
1 June – The Skatalites
8 June – The Coloured Raisins
15 June – The Amboy Dukes
22 June – The Joyce Bond Revue
29 June – The Counts
6 July – The Skatalites
13 July – The Coloured Raisins
20 July – Jimmy Cliff and Wynder K Frog
27 July – Cliff Bennett & His Band
3 August – The Amboy Dukes
10 August – The Coloured Raisins
17 August – The Joyce Bond Revue
24 August – Jimmy James & The Vagabonds
31 August – The Counts
7 September – The Coloured Raisins
14 September – Simon K & The Meantimers
21 September – Jimmy Cliff and Wynder K Frog
28 September – Root and Jenny Jackson
5 October – The Joyce Bond Revue
12 October – The Counts
19 October – The Coloured Raisins
26 October – Little John & The Shadrocks
2 November – The Sharrons
9 November – The Amboy Dukes
16 November – The Alan Bown
23 November – The Counts and The Coloured Raisins (Melody Maker and Uxbridge Weekly Post)
30 November – Simon K & The Meantimers (Melody Maker and Uxbridge Weekly Post)
7 December – The Skatalites (Melody Maker and Uxbridge Weekly Post)
14 December – The Spectrum (Melody Maker and Uxbridge Weekly Post)
21 December – The Joyce Bond Revue (Melody Maker and Uxbridge Weekly Post)
24 December – The Amboy Dukes (Melody Maker and Uxbridge Weekly Post – this was a Tuesday)
28 December – Simon K & The Meantimers (Melody Maker and Uxbridge Weekly Post)
31 December – The Amboy Dukes (Melody Maker and Uxbridge Weekly Post – this was a Tuesday)
1969
4 January – Marmalade (Uxbridge Weekly Post)
Melody Maker has The Coloured Raisins on 4 January and considering Marmalade also played on 18 January, it’s possible Melody Maker is correct
11 January – The Rebel Rousers (Melody Maker)
18 January – Marmalade (Melody Maker and Uxbridge Weekly Post)
25 January – Little John & The Shadrocks (Uxbridge Weekly Post)
Melody Maker has Jimmy James & The Vagabonds on 25 January
1 February – Simon K & The Meantimers (Melody Maker and Uxbridge Weekly Post)
8 February – Jimmy James & The Vagabonds (Melody Maker and Uxbridge Weekly Post)
15 February – The Joyce Bond Revue (Melody Maker and Uxbridge Weekly Post)
22 February – The Coloured Raisins (Melody Maker and Uxbridge Weekly Post)
1 March – The Amboy Dukes (Melody Maker and Uxbridge Weekly Post)
8 March – The Rebel Rousers (Melody Maker and Uxbridge Weekly Post)
15 March – US Flat Top and the Cat Road Show (Melody Maker and Uxbridge Weekly Post)
22 March – Simon K & The Meantimers (Melody Maker andUxbridge Weekly Post)
Melody Maker has Desmond Dekker on 22 March as well
29 March – The Joyce Bond Revue (Melody Maker and Uxbridge Weekly Post)
5 April – Timebox (Melody Maker and Uxbridge Weekly Post)
12 April – Jimmy James & The Vagabonds (Melody Maker and Uxbridge Weekly Post)
19 April – The Coloured Raisins (Melody Maker and Uxbridge Weekly Post)
26 April – The Amboy Dukes (Melody Maker and Uxbridge Weekly Post)
3 May – Springfield Park (Melody Maker and Uxbridge Weekly Post)
Melody Maker appears to stop advertising Burton’s after this date
10 May – US Flat Top and The Cat Road Show (Uxbridge Weekly Post)
17 May – The Joyce Bond Revue (Uxbridge Weekly Post)
24 May – Chris Shakespeare & The Globe Show (Uxbridge Weekly Post)
31 May – The Amboy Dukes (Uxbridge Weekly Post)
7 June – Simon K & The Meantimers (Uxbridge Weekly Post)
14 June – The Coloured Raisins (Uxbridge Weekly Post)
I am missing entries for the rest of the year and would welcome any additions
1970
31 October – Czar (Bob Hodges’ gig diary)
I am missing entries for 1970 and would welcome any additions
Many thanks to Rolf Hannet for providing gigs from Beat Monthly and Beat Instrumental
Frankie Reid & The Casuals at Botwell House, 1964. Thank you to Frankie Reid for use of the photo.
Botwell House played host to many of the leading British bands during the early to mid 1960s. I would be grateful for any additions to the list below. Gigs were sourced from the Harrow Weekly Post and the Hayes Gazette. Thanks also to Brian Mansell and Andy Neill
4 August 1962 – Frankie Reid & The Casuals
1 September 1962 – Frankie Reid & The Casuals
18 January 1963 – The Checkmates (Says at the Peppermint Stick) Advert in the Harrow Weekly Post says that future Fridays feature The Amusing Flintstones, The Viscounts and Jimmy Crawford and The Ravens
19 February 1963 – The Spotnicks (Says at the Peppermint Stick)
3 June 1963 – Brian Poole & The Tremeloes
5 August 1963 – The Rolling Stones
19 February 1964 – The Spotnicks (Says at the Peppermint Stick)
Photo: Ruislip & Northwood Gazette
18 May 1964 – Open Air Beat Festival with The Searchers, Eden Kane & The Downbeats, The Migil Five, The Animals, Chris Sandford & The Coronets, The Undertakers, The Interns, Georgie Fame & The Blue Flames, Screaming Lord Sutch & The Savages, The Gamblers, Julie Grant, Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers, Daniel Boone & The Emeralds, The Sorrows, The Hawks, Adam Faith and Dusty Springfield (Ruislip & Northwood Gazette)
3 June 1964 – Pop Festival with Del Shannon, Eden Kane, Kenny Lynch, Shane Fenton, Brian Poole & The Tremeloes, Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers, Robb Storme & The Whispers, Jimmy Crawford & The Ravens, Tony Holland & The Pack-A-Beats, Vince Taylor & The Playboys, Gerry & The Pacemakers, Rey Anton & The ‘M’ Squad, Jackie Lynton & The Teenbeats, Freddie & The Dreamers, Billy J Kramer & The Dakotas, Cherry Roland and Screaming Lord Sutch & The Savages (Says at the Peppermint Stick)
Photo: Ruislip & Northwood Gazette
19 February 1965 – Georgie Fame & The Blue Flames and Hogsnort Rupert
Not far from Twickenham’s more famous Eel Pie Island, the Nurses Club, based in the Jolly Gardeners pub in Isleworth, was a popular music venue with local bands.
I would be interested to hear from anyone that can add any further dates or memories below.
18 February 1964 – Two groups
3 March 1964 – Alexis Korner’s Blues Incorporated
17 March 1964 – Two groups (possibly one was The Tridents, see comments below)
1 April 1964 – Two groups
5 May 1964 – The Bo Street Runners, The Soul Messengers and The Mark Leeman Five
12 May 1964 – The Bo Street Runners, The Soul Messengers and The Mark Leeman Five
19 May 1964 – The Bo Street Runners, The Soul Messengers and The Mark Leeman Five
26 May 1964 – The Bo Street Runners, The Soul Messengers and The Mark Leeman Five
2 June 1964 – The Bo Street Runners, The Soul Messengers and The Mark Leeman Five
9 June 1964 – Two groups
16 June 1964 – Two groups
23 June 1964 – The Bo Street Runners
30 June 1964 – The Mark Leeman Five and Frankie Reid & The Casuals
14 July 1964 – The Bo Street Runners and The Others
28 July 1964 – The Mark Leeman Five and Ray Martin & The Corvettes
4 August 1964 – The Bluebottles
11 August 1964 – The Senators
18 August 1964 – The Habits
25 August 1964 – The Tramps and The Miston-Tuac
1 September 1964 – Group isn’t listed
8 September 1964 – The Second Thoughts
29 September 1964 – The Birds and The Wailbones with Flat-top
6 October 1964 – The Bo Street Runners and The Celts
13 October 1964 – Chris Farlowe & The Thunderbirds with Preacher Brown & The Witnesses
3 November 1964 – The Peeple
10 November 1964 – The Roosters and The Coveners
17 November 1964 – Lester Square & The GTs
24 November 1964 – PM2 and Sheiks of R&B
1 December 1964 – The Modern Blues Six and The Little People
5 January 1965 – The Modern Blues Six
12 January 1965 – The Second Thoughts
19 January 1965 – The Runaways (ex-Bo Street Runners)
26 January 1965 – The Modern Blues Six
2 February 1965 – Johnny Smith & Co and Raving Flat-top & The Big Boss Men
9 February 1965 – Beaux Oddlot
16 February 1965 – Alexis Korner’s Blues Incorporated
2 March 1965 – The Blue Ravens and The Impalas
9 March 1965 – The Blue Ravens and The Just Blues
16 March 1965 – Brothers Grimm and The Turnkeys
30 March 1965 – The Mark Leeman Five and The Tribe
13 April 1965 – The Blue Ravens and The Peeple
20 April 1965 – The Tramps and The Muscrats (Peter Green was guitarist for a while)
27 April 1965 – The Mark Leeman Five and Group Survival
4 May 1965 – The Blue Ravens and Jeff Elray & The Boys Blue
11 May 1965 – The Diaks and The Eyes
18 May 1965 – The Dillingers and The Crowd
1 June 1965 – The Modern Blues Six and The Senate Four
8 June 1965 – The Blue Ravens and The Ones
13 July 1965 – The Crowd with The Blues Etc
20 July 1965 – The Blue Ravens (Harrow Observer & Gazette) (Needs confirmation) Says Tuesdays
27 July 1965 – The Blue Ravens
3 August 1965 – D J Blues Band with The Minor Birds
10 August 1965 – The Senate Four
17 August 1965 – The Characters
24 August 1965 – The Dae-b-Four
31 August 1965 – The Kiko Six
7 September 1965 – Brothers Grimm
14 September 1965 – The Bo Street Runners and The Blue Ravens
21 September 1965 – The Blue Ravens and The Shondells
28 September 1965 – The Modern Blues Six and The Ikon
5 October 1965 – Jo Jo Gunne with The Road Agents
12 October 1965 – Norman & The Conquers and Blues Etc
26 October 1965 – Blues Folk with The Ferinos
2 November 1965 – The Nature Boys
18 January 1966 – The Miston-Tuac with The In-Tacks
25 January 1966 – The Flamingos with The Uncertain
1 February 1966 – The Sultans with The Debtors
The above gigs are from the Middlesex County Times & West Middlesex Gazette, Melody Maker and the Middlesex Chronicle (Hounslow Edition)
Beside Southall Community Centre, another popular venue in the west London suburb was the White Hart.
According to Terry O’Connor, The Chris Barber Band and Johnny Dankworth played the White Hart regularly during the 1950s. He also remembers Acker Bilk played here regularly.
O’Connor also remembers that Pat Cresswell & The Crestas were regulars at the White Hart.
The Statesmen, who later changed name to The Statesides and Jean & The Statesides had a regular residency at the White Hart in the early 1960s (see below). Future Animals’ guitarist Vic Briggs was briefly a member in 1962.
The Who played the venue quite a few times and Jimmy Royal & The Hawks were also regulars. Mike Dee & The Jaywalkers who featured Ritchie Blackmore on guitar also played here.
Frankie Reid & The Casuals (with future Jimi Hendrix drummer Mitch Mitchell and Danny McCulloch, who was later in The Animals) also played frequently.
During 1964, future Deep Purple singer Ian Gillan’s band The Javelins performed at the club quite a few times.
Later in the 1960s, future Queen guitarist Brian May’s band 1984 played at the White Hart.
The gigs below are incomplete so I would be interested to hear from anyone that can add any further dates in the comments section.
1960
12 September (Monday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
This west London band morphed out of The Rocking Versatiles (formed September 1957) and included long-standing member Jeff Sturgeon (lead guitar), who remained with the group throughout its various incarnations (and name changes) until finally splitting on 1 July 1966. The band had regular residencies at this club as the huge number of bookings below show.
At this point, The Statesmen comprised Ray Heath (vocals), Jeff Sturgeon (lead guitar), Bob Kendall (rhythm guitar), Terry Crook (bass/piano) and Dave Evans (drums).
17 September (Saturday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
19 September (Monday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
24 September (Saturday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
26 September (Monday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
1 October (Saturday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
3 October (Monday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
10 October (Monday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
17 October (Monday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
24 October (Monday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
31 October (Monday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
7 November (Monday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
14 November (Monday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
21 November (Monday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
29 November (Tuesday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
5 December (Monday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
26 December (Monday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
The Statesmen’s singer Ray Heath left on 28 December.
1961
2 January (Monday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
9 January (Monday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
16 January (Monday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
23 January (Monday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
30 January (Monday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
Keyboard player and sax player Bill Stemp joined in time for the above gig and, like Jeff Sturgeon, remained with the band until its demise in July 1966.
6 February (Monday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
13 February (Monday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
20 February (Monday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
6 March (Monday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
13 March (Monday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
18 March (Sunday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
20 March (Monday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
27 March (Monday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
1 April (Saturday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
3 April (Monday) (Monday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
10 April (Monday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
17 April (Monday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
27 April (Thursday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
1 May (Monday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
8 May (Monday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
13 May (Saturday) – Mike Dee & The Jaywalkers (Brian Mansell’s gig diary)
Ritchie Blackmore had joined Mike Dee & The Jaywalkers on lead guitar by now.
15 May (Monday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
22 May (Monday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
29 May (Monday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
Jeff Sturgeon notes that Paul Clarke from James Royal & The Hawks played lead guitar on 29 May gig.
5 June (Monday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
12 June (Monday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
The 12 June was rhythm guitarist Bob Kendall’s final gig with The Statesmen.
19 June (Monday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
27 June (Monday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
10 July (Monday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
17 July (Monday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
22 July (Saturday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
24 July (Monday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
31 July (Monday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
7 August (Monday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
14 August (Monday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
21 August (Monday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
From 18 October to 1 December, numerous (and notable drummers) covered for Dave Evans, who left at the end of the year: Micky Waller, Eddie Thorpe, Terry Sealy and Carlo Little.
The Statesmen’s bass player Norman Merchant left on 22 December followed six days later by drummer Dave Evans. Steve Frankel took Evans’ place behind the kit.
Future Animals’ guitarist Vic Briggs, whose first significant band was The Cruisers Rock Combo (formed mid-late 1960), says his next group (after a brief stint with The Echoes), Mike Allen & The Sidekicks played regularly at the White Hart after forming around October 1961.
1962
New bass player Mick Tobias joined on 30 January.
23 February (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
Vic Briggs joined on rhythm guitar and debuted on 2 March at the White Hart. Briggs had recently been playing with another White Hart regular, Mike Allen & The Sidekicks. The band had split when singer Mike Ledger and drummer Mick Underwood joined The Crescents.
2 March (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
9 March (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
16 March (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
23 March (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
Mick Tobias left The Statesmen on 25 March.
30 March (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
Mick Tobias’ replacement Mick Wilkinson joined on 4 April. Wilkinson had played in Mike Allen & The Sidekicks with Vic Briggs.
6 April (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
13 April (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
14 April (Saturday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
Vic Briggs left The Statesmen on 18 April. His replacement was David Hinds. Briggs next joined Peter Nelson & The Travelers and then in September 1962 worked with The Shel Carson Combo, turning fully pro. He left this band in May 1963.
Shortly after Briggs left, Derek Bridges took over vocal duties. Bridges had previously worked with Briggs in The Cruisers Rock Combo.
4 May (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
11 May (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
18 May (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
25 May (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
26 May (Saturday) – Frankie Reid & The Casuals and The Statesmen (Brian Mansell’s gig diary and Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
Frankie Reid & The Casuals’ line up at this time features future Animals bass player Danny McCulloch and future Jimi Hendrix Experience drummer Mitch Mitchell.
1 June (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
8 June (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
9 June (Saturday) – Frankie Reid & The Casuals (Brian Mansell’s gig diary)
15 June (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
22 June (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
Jeff notes that Micky King (aka Borer) from James Royal & The Hawks played lead guitar on 22 June in his place.
23 June (Saturday) – Frankie Reid & The Casuals and The Statesmen (Brian Mansell’s gig diary and Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
29 June (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
2 July (Monday) – Frankie Reid & The Casuals (Brian Mansell’s gig diary)
6 July (Friday) – Frankie Reid & The Casuals and The Statesmen (Brian Mansell’s gig diary and Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
7 July (Saturday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
13 July (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
20 July (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
21 July (Saturday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
27 July (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
28 July (Saturday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
3 August (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
10 August (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
11 August (Saturday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
17 August (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
18 August (Saturday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
24 August (Friday) – Frankie Reid & The Casuals and The Statesmen (Brian Mansell’s gig diary and Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
Terry Mabey had replaced Mitch Mitchell in The Casuals by now. Mitchell will deputise in The Statesmen in October 1962.
25 August (Saturday) – Frankie Reid & The Casuals and The Statesmen (Brian Mansell’s gig diary and Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
31 August (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
1 September (Saturday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
7 September (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
8 September (Saturday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
14 September (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
15 September (Saturday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
Recent additions Mick Wilkinson (bass) and David Hinds (rhythm guitar) and drummer Steve Frankel all departed on 16 September.
Mick Wilkinson recalls that David Hinds tried to put together a new band that he believes included Mitch Mitchell. Wilkinson was briefly involved but left to work with several other bands, including an Ealing group called The MI5.
21 September (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
22 September (Saturday) – Frankie Reid & The Casuals (Brian Mansell’s gig diary)
New bass player Mick Bloomfield and rhythm guitarist Dave Hovington debuted on 28 September. Both will remain with the group until its demise in July 1966 and both had previously been members of The Cruisers Rock Combo with Vic Briggs and Derek Bridges.
28 September (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
29 September (Saturday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
5 October (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
New drummer Ian Walker debuted on 6 October and will remain with the band until its demise in July 1966. Walker is another former member of The Cruisers Rock Combo.
12 October (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
13 October (Saturday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
Future Jimi Hendrix drummer Mitch Mitchell subbed for Ian Walker on 12-13 October gigs.
19 October (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
20 October (Saturday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
26 October (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
27 October (Saturday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
2 November (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
9 November (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
10 November (Saturday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
16 November (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
23 November (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
24 November (Saturday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
30 November (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
1 December (Saturday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
7 December (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
8 December (Saturday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
14 December (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
15 December (Saturday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
21 December (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
24 December (Monday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
28 December (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
29 December (Saturday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
1963
Dave Wigginton, bass player with Jeff Curtis & The Flames, remembers the band played at the White Hart a couple of times, most likely in 1963.
4 January (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
5 January (Saturday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
11 January (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
Future Jimi Hendrix drummer Mitch Mitchell subbed for Ian Walker on 11 January gig.
18 January (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
25 January (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
1 February (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
After former Outlaws drummer Mick Underwood has filled in Ian Walker who has gone into hospital for one gig, Terry Sealy stepped in for 1 February gig.
2 February (Saturday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
Carlo Little from Screaming Lord Sutch’s band deputised on drums for 2 February gig.
8 February (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
15 February (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
16 February (Saturday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
22 February (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
1 March (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
2 March (Saturday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
8 March (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
15 March (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
16 March (Saturday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
22 March (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
29 March (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
30 March (Saturday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
5 April (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
6 April (Saturday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
12 April (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
13 April (Saturday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
19 April (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
26 April (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
27 April (Saturday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
Jean Hayles joined the band at this point after Derek Bridges left on 28 April and they worked as The Statesmen featuring Jean Hayles until 15 June.
Former member Mick Wilkinson remembers seeing Derek Bridges singing with The Fleerekkers after he left The Statesmen.
3 May (Friday) – The Statesmen featuring Jean Hayles (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
10 May (Friday) – The Statesmen featuring Jean Hayles (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
11 May (Saturday) – The Statesmen featuring Jean Hayles (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
17 May (Friday) – The Statesmen featuring Jean Hayles (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
18 May (Saturday) – The Statesmen featuring Jean Hayles (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
24 May (Friday) – The Statesmen featuring Jean Hayles (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
31 May (Friday) – The Statesmen featuring Jean Hayles (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
1 June (Saturday) – The Statesmen featuring Jean Hayles (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
7 June (Friday) – The Statesmen featuring Jean Hayles (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
8 June (Saturday) – The Statesmen featuring Jean Hayles (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
14 June (Friday) – The Statesmen featuring Jean Hayles (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
21 June (Friday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
The band is now called Jean & The Statesmen.
22 June (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
28 June (Friday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
5 July (Friday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
6 July (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
12 July (Friday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
19 July (Friday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
Ian Walker went on holiday and Mitch Mitchell filled in for two gigs, including 19 July before Charlie Chapman from James Royal & The Hawks covered for 20 July.
26 July (Friday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
2 August (Friday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
3 August (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
9 August (Friday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
10 August (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
16 August (Friday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
17 August (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
23 August (Friday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
24 August (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
30 August (Friday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
31 August (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
6 September (Friday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
7 September (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
13 September (Friday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
14 September (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
20 September (Friday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
21 September (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
27 September (Friday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
28 September (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
30 September (Monday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
4 October (Friday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
11 October (Friday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
12 October (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
18 October (Friday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
25 October (Friday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
26 October (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
1 November (Friday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
8 November (Friday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
9 November (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
16 November (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
23 November (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
29 November (Friday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
30 November (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
6 December (Friday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
7 December (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
13 December (Friday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
14 December (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
20 December (Friday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
24 December (Tuesday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
27 December (Friday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
28 December (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
31 December (Tuesday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
1964
3 January (Friday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
4 January (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
11 January (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
13 January (Monday) – Art Wood Combo (Ruislip & Northwood Gazette)
17 January (Friday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
24 January (Friday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
1 February (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
7 February (Friday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
8 February (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
14 February (Friday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
15 February (Saturday) – The Javelins and Jean & The Statesmen (Tony Tacon’s gig diary and Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
Future Deep Purple singer Ian Gillan was the singer with The Javelins. He left in November to join Wainwright’s Gentlemen.
21 February (Friday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
22 February (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
28 February (Friday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
7 March (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
13 March (Friday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
14 March (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
20 March (Friday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
21 March (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
27 March (Friday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
28 March (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
3 April (Friday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
4 April (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
10 April (Friday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
17 April (Friday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
18 April (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
Carlo Little subbed for Ian Walker on drums on 18 April gig.
24 April (Friday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
1 May (Friday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
2 May (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
8 May (Friday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
9 May (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
16 May (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
The band had changed name to Jean & The Statesides on 15 May.
22 May (Friday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
23 May (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
30 May (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
5 June (Friday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
6 June (Saturday) – The Who and Jean & The Statesides (Andy Neill’s research and Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
12 June (Friday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
13 June (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
15 June (Monday) – The Javelins (Tony Tacon’s gig diary)
18 June (Thursday) – The Who (Andy Neill’s research)
19 June (Friday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
20 June (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
22 June (Monday) – The Javelins (Tony Tacon’s gig diary)
25 June (Thursday) – The Who (Andy Neill’s research)
27 June (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
29 June (Monday) – The Javelins (Tony Tacon’s gig diary)
3 July (Friday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
4 July (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
6 July (Monday) – The Javelins (Tony Tacon’s gig diary)
17 July (Friday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
24 July (Friday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
25 July (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
6 August (Thursday) – The Who (Andy Neill’s research)
7 August (Friday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
8 August (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
14 August (Friday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
21 August (Friday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
22 August (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
28 August (Friday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
29 August (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
4 September (Friday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
5 September (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
11 September (Friday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
12 September (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
18 September (Friday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
25 September (Friday) – Jimmy Royal & The Hawks and Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary and Middlesex County Times and West Middlesex Gazette)
26 September (Saturday) – Jimmy Royal & The Hawks and Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary and Middlesex County Times and West Middlesex Gazette)
2 October (Friday) – Jimmy Royal & The Hawks and Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diaryand Middlesex County Times and West Middlesex Gazette)
3 October (Saturday) – Jimmy Royal & The Hawks (and Middlesex County Times and West Middlesex Gazette)
10 October (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
17 October (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
23 October (Friday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
30 October (Friday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
31 October (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
6 November (Friday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
13 November (Friday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
20 November (Friday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
21 November (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
27 November (Friday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
4 December (Friday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
5 December (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
18 December (Friday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
24 December (Thursday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
Pete Ross, guitarist with The Flexmen, says that his group played at the White Hart quite a bit between mid-1964 and early 1965 (see photo at the very end).
Jean & The Statesides 1965. Left to right: Bill Stemp, Ian Walker, Dave Brogden, Jean Hayles, Jeff Sturgeon, Mick Bloomfield and Dave Hovington. Photo from Jeff Sturgeon.
1965
1 January (Friday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
2 January (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
8 January (Friday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
22 January (Friday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
5 February (Friday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
12 February (Friday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
19 February (Friday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
5 March (Friday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
26 March (Friday) – Mike Dee & The Prophets (Don Martin’s gig diary)
9 April (Friday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
30 April (Friday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
8 May (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
29 May (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
This gig was held at International Aeradio instead of the Southall venue.
4 June (Friday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
Jean left the band on 26 June and the musicians carried on as The Statesides with rhythm guitarist Dave Hovington singing lead. Former Wainwright’s Gentlemen and Ian Gillan & The Dragsters’ sax player Dave Brogden started playing with the band from 17 June but joined as a full-time member in mid-July.
The Statesmen, March 1966. Photo: Stan Thomas and Jeff Sturgeon
23 July (Friday) – The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
7 August (Saturday) – The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
12 November (Friday) – The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
Singer Pat Richards covered for Dave Hovington for the 12 November.
19 November (Friday) – The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
27 November (Saturday) – The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
4 December (Saturday) – The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
17 December (Friday) – The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
31 December (Friday) – The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
1966
8 January (Saturday) – The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
15 January (Saturday) – The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
11 February (Friday) – The Chain Gang (Middlesex Chronicle)
26 February (Saturday) – The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
The Statesides on tour with Wilson Pickett, March 1966. Photo: Stan Thomas and Jeff Sturgeon
23 September (Friday) – C-Jam Blues (Middlesex County Times & West Middlesex Gazette)
30 September (Friday) – C-Jam Blues (Middlesex County Times & West Middlesex Gazette)
7 October (Friday) – C-Jam Blues (Middlesex County Times & West Middlesex Gazette)
16 December (Friday) – The Ray Martin Group (Harrow Observer)
17 December (Saturday) – The Flamingos (Harrow Observer)
24 December (Saturday) – Jeep Rongle (Harrow Observer)
1967
20 January (Friday) – Jeep Rongle (Middlesex County Times & West Middlesex Gazette)
21 January (Saturday) – The Lost Legends (Middlesex County Times & West Middlesex Gazette)
27 January (Friday) – Torque (Middlesex County Times & West Middlesex Gazette)
28 January (Saturday) – Jeep Rongle and Kenny Bishop (Middlesex County Times & West Middlesex Gazette)
4 February (Saturday) – Torque, The Smoke Bombs and Kenny Bishop (Middlesex County Times & West Middlesex Gazette)
17 February (Friday) – Jeep Rongle (Middlesex County Times & West Middlesex Gazette)
18 February (Saturday) – The Lost Legends and Ray Peterson (Middlesex County Times & West Middlesex Gazette)
25 February (Saturday) – Gene & The Cossacks (Middlesex County Times & West Middlesex Gazette)
28 February (Tuesday) – Jeep Rongle (Middlesex County Times & West Middlesex Gazette)
3 March (Friday) – Torque (Middlesex County Times & West Middlesex Gazette)
4 March (Saturday) – The Outer Limits (Middlesex County Times & West Middlesex Gazette)
10 March (Friday) – Albert Square (Middlesex County Times & West Middlesex Gazette)
11 March (Saturday) – The Outer Limits (Middlesex County Times & West Middlesex Gazette)
17 March (Friday) – C-Jam Blues (Middlesex County Times & West Middlesex Gazette)
18 March (Saturday – Jeep Rongle (Middlesex County Times & West Middlesex Gazette)
2 April (Sunday) – The Hot Peppers (from France) (Melody Maker)
7 April (Friday) – Albert Square (Middlesex County Times & West Middlesex Gazette)
8 April (Saturday) – Night Train (Middlesex County Times & West Middlesex Gazette)
14 April (Friday) – Chances Are (Middlesex County Times & West Middlesex Gazette)
13 May (Saturday) – Albert Square (Melody Maker)
20 May (Saturday) – Albert Square (Melody Maker)
14 July (Friday) – Themselves (Hounslow Post)
This group soon morphed into Virgin Sleep
15 July (Saturday) – 1984 (Hounslow Post)
Future Queen guitarist Brian May was a member of 1984
17 July (Monday) – Locomotion (Hounslow Post)
1968
6 September (Friday) – The Greatest Show on Earth (Melody Maker)
Massive thank you to Jeff Sturgeon and Dave Brogden for sharing gigs. Also huge thanks to Vic Briggs for adding some further details.
This site is a work in progress on 1960s garage rock bands. All entries can be updated, corrected and expanded. If you have information on a band featured here, please let me know and I will update the site and credit you accordingly.
I am dedicated to making this site a center for research about '60s music scenes. Please consider donating archival materials such as photos, records, news clippings, scrapbooks or other material from the '60s. Please contact me at rchrisbishop@gmail.com if you can loan or donate original materials
