Tag Archives: Scrugg

400 Ballroom, Torquay, Devon

This is the start of an entry on a popular music venue located in Torquay’s harbour that hosted many important visiting bands during the 1960s.

The gigs below and images are all from the Herald Express newspaper

For most of the year, gigs are only on Fridays and Saturdays with occasional gigs on other days in the week, such as Mondays and Wednesdays

2 October 1964 – The Secrets

3 October 1964 – The Master Sounds

5 October 1964 – The Dictators

9 October 1964 – The Telstars

10 October 1964 – The Mon-Keys

12 October 1964 – The Hunters

16 October 1964 – The Cyclones featuring Johnny Carne

17 October 1964 – Kevin & The Kinsmen

Photo may be subject to copyright

19 October 1964 – The Townsmen

23 October 1964 – The Fortunes

24 October 1964 – Mike Allard & The Tremors

26 October 1964 – The Buccaneers

30 October 1964 – The Tycoons

31 October 1964 – The 007

 

1 November 1964 – The Southbeats

2 November 1964 – The Harlequins

6 November 1964 – The Telstars

7 November 1964 – The Avengers

9 November 1964 – The Cossacks

Photo may be subject to copyright

13 November 1964 – The Vikings

14 November 1964 – The Soul Agents

16 November 1964 – The Starfires

20 November 1964 – Steve Bradley & The Sounds Unlimited

21 November 1964 – The Impact

23 November 1964 – Tony Just & The Orbits

27 November 1964 – The Bossmen

28 November 1964 – The Chevrons

30 November 1964 – Bobby & The Blue Diamonds

 

3 December 1964 – The Buccaneers

4 December 1964 – The Master Sounds

7 December 1964 – The Harlequins

11 December 1964 – The Buccaneers

12 December 1964 – The Initials

14 December 1964 – The Starfires

18 December 1964 – Steve Bradley & Sounds Unlimited

19 December 1964 – The Companions

21 December 1964 – The Harlequins

Photo may be subject to copyright

24 December 1964 – The Jellys

26 December 1964 – The Southbeats

28 December 1964 – The Ebonies

31 December 1964 – Dek Dooley & The Dominators and The Buccaneers

 

1 January 1965 – The Plymouth Sounds

2 January 1965 – Dek Dooley & The Dynamic Dominators

8 January 1965 – The Merry Knights

9 January 1965 – Four Hits & a Miss

15 January 1965 – The Better Days

16 January 1965 – Steve Brett & The Mavericks (future Slade guitarist/singer Noddy Holder was a member until late 1965)

22 January 1965 – The Starfires

23 January 1965 – The Master Sounds (replaced by The Impacts)

29 January 1965 – The Better Days

30 January 1965 – The Strollers

 

5 February 1965 – The Tycoons

6 February 1965 – The Blues Syndicate (Bass player Geoff Penn says that the group opened for The Yardbirds this evening).

12 February 1965 – The Telstars

Photo may be subject to copyright

13 February 1965 – Les Fleur De Lys

17 February 1965 – The Montanas

19 February 1965 – The Royals

20 February 1965 – The Southbeats

26 February 1965 – The Better Days (replaced by Gary Kane & The Tornados)

27 February 1965 – Ricky Vernon & The Pathfinders

 

1 March 1965 – The Montanas

5 March 1965 – Four Steps Beyond

6 March 1965 – The Tallmen (replaced by The Dynacords)

8 March 1965 – The Secrets

12 March 1965 – The ‘N Betweens (this band evolved into Slade)

13 March 1965 – The Nite People

15 March 1965 – The Better Days

Photo may be subject to copyright

19 March 1965 – The Better Days

20 March 1965 – The Soul Agents (Rod Stewart was singer at this point)

22 March 1965 – The Better Days

26 March 1965 – The Better Days

27 March 1965 – The 007s

29 March 1965 – The Buccaneers

 

2 April 1965 – Tony Just & The Orbits

3 April 1965 – The Freebooters (replaced by The Palmer James Group)

5 April 1965 – The Tacits

9 April 1965 – The Emeralds with Daniel Boone

10 April 1965 – The Emeralds with Daniel Boone

12 April 1965 – Clive Richie & The Couriers

17 April 1965 – Zuider Lee (could be Zuyder Zee, a popular Dutch band)

19 April 1965 – The Southbeats

23 April 1965 – The Better Days

24 April 1965 – The Hoboes

26 April 1965 – The Guild

28 April 1965 – The Emeralds

30 April 1965 – The Condors

 

1 May 1965 – The Big T Show

3 May 1965 – The Better Days

5 May 1965 – The Guild

7 May 1965 – The Tac Tics

8 May 1965 – The Riots

10 May 1965 – The Better Days

12 May 1965 – The Telstars

Photo may be subject to copyright

14 May 1965 – The Undertakers

15 May 1965 – The Primitives

17 May 1965 – The Tic Tacs

19 May 1965 – Peter & The Wolves

21 May 1965 – The Applejacks

22 May 1965 – The Cougars

24 May 1965 – The Hunters

Photo may be subject to copyright

28 May 1965 – Johnny Kidd & The Pirates

29 May 1965 – The Diplomats

30 May 1965 – Robin & The Four Hoods

Photo may be subject to copyright

4 June 1965 – The Loose Ends and The Buccaneers

This is roughly the start of the summer season each year (the same applies for subsequent years) when certain artists play the entire the week from Saturday through to Friday. However, it’s not always clear whether they also played the Sunday

5 June 1965 – George Washington & His Congress Men

7-11 June 1965 – George Washington & His Congress Men

12 June 1965 – The ‘N Betweens

14-18 June 1965 – The ‘N Betweens

19 June 1965 – Mike Raynor & The Condors

21-22 June 1965 – Mike Raynor & The Condors

23-25 June 1965 – The Dynamos

26 June 1965 – The Emeralds

28 June-2 July 1965 – The Emeralds

 

3-9 July 1965 – Steve Brett & The Mavericks

10-16 July 1965 – Johnny Carr & The Cadillacs

17 July 1965 – Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick and Tich

19-23 July 1965 – Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick and Tich

23 July 1965 – The Dowlands and The Sound Tracks

25-30 July 1965 – The Dowlands and The Sound Tracks

31 July 1965 – The Marauders

 

1-3 August 1965 – The Marauders

4-6 August 1965 – The King Pins with Roy Grant

7 August 1965 – The Spectres (this may be the same group that evolves into Status Quo)

9-13 August 1965 – Plain & Fancy

14-20 August 1965 – The Emeralds

21-27 August 1965 – The Quiet Five

28-31 August 1965 – The Big T Show

 

1-3 September 1965 – The Big T Show

4-10 September 1965 – Steve Brett & The Mavericks (Noddy Holder is still a member at this point)

11-12 September 1965 – Bern Elliott & His Clan

13-14 September 1965 – The Emeralds

15-16 September 1965 – The Rock-A-Fellows

18 September 1965 – The Emeralds

20-24 September 1965 – The Emeralds

25 September 1965 – The ‘N Betweens

27-30 September 1965 – The ‘N Betweens

 

1 October 1965 – The ‘N Betweens

2 October 1965 – Peter Fenton & The Tasty Mob

4-6 October 1965 – The Hi-Jackers

8 October 1965 – Tommy Quickly & The Remo Four

9 October 1965 – The Alleycats

11 October 1965 – The Better Days

15 October 1965 – Sounds Incorporated

16 October 1965 – The In-Sect

Photo may be subject to copyright

18 October 1965 – The Cherokees

22 October 1965 – Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers

23 October 1965 – The Condors

25 October 1965 – The Prophets

29 October 1965 – The Checkmates

30 October 1965 – The Kingpins

 

1 November 1965 – The Telstars

5 November 1965 – The Applejacks

Photo may be subject to copyright

6 November 1965 – The Hellions

8 November 1965 – The Blackjacks

12 November 1965 – The Swinging Blue Jeans

Photo may be subject to copyright

13 November 1965 – The Emeralds

15 November 1965 – Gary Kane & The Tornados

19 November 1965 – Rob Storm & The Whispers

Photo may be subject to copyright

20 November 1965 – The Wheels

22 November 1965 – The Cordettes

26 November 1965 – Eden Kane with supporting group

27 November 1965 – Pete de Witt & The Magic Strangers (Dutch band)

29 November 1965 – The Spartans

 

3 December 1965 – The Dedicated Men’s Jug Band and support

4 December 1965 – The Montanas

6 December 1965 – The Telstars

10 December 1965 – The Mojos

11 December 1965 – The Montanas (replaced by Trendsetters Limited)

13 December 1965 – The Royals

17 December 1965 – Johnny Carr & The Cadillacs with support

18 December 1965 – Finders Keepers (replaced by The Candles)

Photo may be subject to copyright

24 December 1965 – The Deltas

27 December 1965 – The Riots

31 December 1965 – Dave & The Diamonds

Photo may be subject to copyright

1 January 1966 – The Mike Stuart Span

7 January 1966 – The Power House Six

8 January 1966 – Zuyder Zee (a popular Dutch band)

14 January 1966 – The Emeralds

15 January 1966 – The Symbols

21 January 1966 – Tony Rivers & The Castaways

22 January 1966 – Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich

28 January 1966 – Steve Brett & The Mavericks (Noddy Holder had recently left)

29 January 1966 – The Cougars

Photo may be subject to copyright

4 February 1966 – The Nite People

5 February 1966 – The Manchester Playboys

11 February 1966 – The Quiet Five

12 February 1966 – The Trendsetters Limited

18 February 1966 – The Meddyevils

19 February 1966 – The Condors

23 February 1966 – The Maurice Price Seven

25 February 1966 – Johnny Carr & The Cadillacs

26 February 1966 – The Vibros

 

2 March 1966 – The Trendsetters Limited

4 March 1966 – The Symbols

5 March 1966 – The Mike Stuart Span

9 March 1966 – The Trendsetters Limited

11 March 1966 – The Hot Springs (formerly The Riots)

12 March 1966 – The Majority

16 March 1966 – Carnaby 1 Plus 4

18 March 1966 – The Tennessee Teams

19 March 1966 – Ray Anton & The Profoma

23 March 1966 – The Couriers

25 March 1966 – Cops ‘N’ Robbers

26 March 1966 – The Vogue

Photo may be subject to copyright

1 April 1966 – The Alan Bown Set

2 April 1966 – Steve Brett & The Mavericks

9 April 1966 – The Bystanders

Photo may be subject to copyright

11 April 1966 – The Emeralds

15 April 1966 – Kris Ryan & The Questions

16 April 1966 – The Big Sound with Karol Keyes

22 April 1966 – The Statesmen

23 April 1966 – The Kingpins

29 April 1966 – The Couriers

30 April 1966 – The ‘N Betweens

 

6 May 1966 – The First Lites

7 May 1966 – Johnny Carr & The Cadillacs

13 May 1966 – Carnaby 1 Plus 4

14 May 1966 – The Deltas

20 May 1966 – Peter Fenton with Him & The Others

21 May 1966 – George Bean & The Runners

27 May 1966 – The Silhouttes

Photo may be subject to copyright

28 May 1966 – Davey Sands & The Essex

30 May 1966 – The Gaylords (this band became Marmalade)

 

3 June 1966 – The Anzaks

4 June 1966 – The ‘N Betweens (Noddy Holder may have joined by now)

6-10 June 1966 – The ‘N Betweens

11 June 1966 – The Vogue

13-17 June 1966 – The Vogue

18-24 June 1966 – The Bystanders

25-30 June 1966 – Steve Brett & The Mavericks

 

1 July 1966 – Steve Brett & The Mavericks

Photo may be subject to copyright

2 July 1966 – John Bull Breed (Bass player John Lodge joined The Moody Blues in October 1966)

4-8 July 1966 – John Bull Breed

9 July 1966 – The Powerhouse Six

11-15 July 1966 – The Powerhouse Six

16 July 1966 – The Nite People

18-22 July 1966 – The Nite People

23 July 1966 – Ray Grant & The Kingpins

25-29 July 1966 – Ray Grant & The Kingpins

30 July 1966 – The Powerhouse Six

 

1-5 August 1966 – The Powerhouse Six

6 August 1966 – Steve Brett & The Mavericks

8-12 August 1966 – Steve Brett & The Mavericks

Photo may be subject to copyright

13 August 1966 – The Noblemen (Guitarist Martin Barre joined Jethro Tull in late 1968)

15-19 August 1966 – The Noblemen

Photo may be subject to copyright

20 August 1966 – Ray Anton & The Proform

21-22 August 1966 – The Symbols

Photo may be subject to copyright

23-24 August 1966 – The Quiet Five

25-26 August 1966 – Trendsetters Limited

27 August 1966 – Steve Brett & The Mavericks

29 August-2 September 1966 – Steve Brett & The Mavericks

 

3 September 1966 – Johnny Carr & The Cadillacs

4 September 1966 – Steve Brett & The Mavericks

5-9 September 1966 – Johnny Carr & The Cadillacs

Photo may be subject to copyright

10 September 1966 – Cops ‘n’ Robbers

12-16 September 1966 – Cops ‘n’ Robbers

Photo may be subject to copyright

17 September 1966 – The ‘N Betweens (this Wolverhampton band later became Slade)

19-23 September 1966 – The ‘N Betweens

24 September 1966 – The Beau Oddlot

Photo may be subject to copyright

26-27 September 1966 – The Mike Stuart Span

 

28 September 1966 – The ‘N Betweens

29-30 September 1966 – The Mike Stuart Span

 

1 October 1966 – Giorgio & Mario’s Men

Photo may be subject to copyright

7 October 1966 – Listen (possibly Robert Plant’s band)

8 October 1966 – Blaises

14 October 1966 – The Voids

15 October 1966 – The Combine

21 October 1966 – The Anzaks

22 October 1966 – Mr Hip Soul Band

28 October 1966 – The Onyx Set

Photo may be subject to copyright

29 October 1966 – The Palmer James Group

 

4 November 1966 – The Rage

5 November 1966 – The Kingpins with Ray Grant

12 November 1966 – The Lonely Ones

19 November 1966 – The Raging Storms

26 November 1966 – The Talismen

 

2 December 1966 – The Reason Why

3 December 1966 – The Palmer James Group

Photo may be subject to copyright

10 December 1966 – Grand Union

16 December 1966 – Guest Group

Photo may be subject to copyright

17 December 1966 – The ‘N Betweens

Photo may be subject to copyright

23 December 1966 – The Onyx Set

24 December 1966 – The Mike Stuart Span

Photo may be subject to copyright

30 December 1966 – Lord Caesar Sutch & The Roman Empire

31 December 1966 – Mr Hip Soul Band

 

7 January 1967 – Trendsetters Limited

Photo may be subject to copyright

14 January 1967 – The Albert Square

20 January 1967 – The Undertakers

Photo may be subject to copyright

21 January 1967 – The Bystanders

27 January 1967 – The Onyx Set

28 January 1967 – The Upliners

 

4 February 1967 – The ‘N Betweens

10 February 1967 – The Jaguars

11 February 1967 – The Ziggy Turner Combo

18 February 1967 – The Lonely Ones

25 February 1967 – The Raging Storms

 

4 March 1967 – Mr Hip Soul Band

Photo may be subject to copyright

11 March 1967 – The Palmer James Group

17 March 1967 – The Last-Tik Band

18 March 1967 – The Shannons

Photo may be subject to copyright

25 March 1967 – Paul Young’s Toggery

27 March 1967 – The Anzaks

31 March 1967 – Johnston McPhilby Five

 

1 April 1967 – The Measles

7 April 1967 – The Last-Tik Band

Photo may be subject to copyright

8 April 1967 – Heart & Souls

14 April 1967 –The Jaguars

15 April 1967 – The Vogues

21 April 1967 – The Jigsaw

22 April 1967 – The Delroy Good Good Band

28 April 1967 – The Last-Tik Band

29 April 1967 – The Sunspots

 

5 May 1967 – The Hoboes

6 May 1967 – The ‘N Betweens

Photo may be subject to copyright

12 May 1967 – The Onyx Set

13 May 1967 – The Outer Limits

19 May 1967 – The Last-Tik Band

20 May 1967 – Johnny Carr & The Cadillacs

26 May 1967 – The Jaguars

Photo may be subject to copyright

27 May 1967 – The Lemon Line

 

2 June 1967 – The Hoboes

Photo may be subject to copyright

3 June 1967 – The Worrying Kynde

9 June 1967 – The Children

10 June 1967 – The Ray King Soul Band

Photo may be subject to copyright

16 June 1967 – The Parchment People

17 June 1967 – The Five Proud Walkers

23 June 1967 – Omega Plus

24 June 1967 – Dual Purpose

30 June 1967 – Pentworth’s People

Photo may be subject to copyright

1-7 July 1967 – The Mike Stuart Span

8 July 1967 – The Raging Storms

10-12 July 1967 – The Raging Storms

Photo may be subject to copyright

15-21 July 1967 – The ‘N Betweens

22-28 July 1967 – Mr Hip Soul Band

29 July-4 August 1967 – Wellington Kitch Band

Photo may be subject to copyright

5-11 August 1967 – The Heart and Souls

12-18 August 1967 – The Delroy Good Good Band

19-21 August 1967 – The ‘N Betweens

Photo may be subject to copyright

22 August 1967 – The Tremeloes and The ‘N Betweens

23-25 August 1967 – The ‘N Betweens

26 August-1 September 1967 – The Ziggy Turner Combo

 

2-8 September 1967 – The Real McCoy

Photo may be subject to copyright

9 September 1967 – The Colour Supplement

Photo may be subject to copyright

14 September 1967 – Wynder K Frog

15 September 1967 – The Jaguars

16 September 1967 – The Strange Fruit

23 September 1967 – The Shame (Greg Lake was the band’s bass player)

30 September 1967 – The Workshop

 

7 October 1967 – Johnny Carr & The Cadillacs

Photo may be subject to copyright

13 October 1967 – Scots of St James (rebooked for 17 November)

14 October 1967 – The ‘N Betweens

21 October 1967 – The Dreaded Spectres

28 October 1967 – The Omega Plus

 

3 November 1967 – The Last-Tik Band

4 November 1967 – Mr Hip Soul Band

11 November 1967 – The Vogues

Photo may be subject to copyright

17 November 1967 – The Scots of St James

18 November 1967 – The Shiralee

Photo may be subject to copyright

24 November 1967 – The Cat Soul Packet

25 November 1967 – The Shame

Photo may be subject to copyright

1 December 1967 – The Shell Shock Show

2 December 1967 – The ‘N Betweens

8 December 1967 – The Foundations

Photo may be subject to copyright

9 December 1967 – Robert Plant & The Band of Joy

15 December 1967 – The Lamb Bros & Co

16 December 1967 – Dual Purpose

22 December 1967 – Sounds Incorporated

23-24 December 1967 – The Mike Stuart Span

Photo may be subject to copyright

26 December 1967 – Pinkerton’s Colours

29 December 1967 – Simon Dupree & The Big Sound

30-31 December 1967 – Mr Hip Soul Band

 

5 January 1968 – The Calgary Stampede

Photo may be subject to copyright

6 January 1968 – The Maze (singer Rod Evans and drummer Ian Paice co-founded Deep Purple)

12 January 1968 – The Clockwork Orange

13 January 1968 – The Go Show

19 January 1968 – The Tremeloes

20 January 1968 – John Drevar’s Experience

26 January 1968 – The Gods

27 January 1968 – The Purple Dream

 

2 February 1968 – Purple Art

3 February 1968 – Heart & Souls

9 February 1968 – The Vigilantes

10 February 1968 – Blossom

16 February 1968 – The Albie

17 February 1968 – The ‘N Betweens (the band became Slade)

Photo may be subject to copyright

23 February 1968 – Simon Dupree & The Big Sound

24 February 1968 – Cat Soul Show

Photo may be subject to copyright

1 March 1968 – The New York Public Library

2 March 1968 – The Firestones

8 March 1968 – The Bunch

9 March 1968 – The Maze

15 March 1968 – Freddie Mack Show

16 March 1968 – Lamb Bros & Co

Photo may be subject to copyright

22 March 1968 – Status Quo

23 March 1968 – The Shell Shock Show

29 March 1968 – The Big T Sound

30 March 1968 – The Vogues

 

5 April 1968 – The Onyx

Photo may be subject to copyright

6 April 1968 – Wishful Thinking (formerly The Emeralds)

13 April 1968 – The Ebonites (no Friday artist)

15 April 1968 – Locomotive

19 April 1968 – New World

20 April 1968 – John Drevar’s Experience

Photo may be subject to copyright

26 April 1968 – The Shy Limbs (Greg Lake on bass)

27 April 1968 – Delroy Williams & The Sugar Band

 

3 May 1968 – My Dear Watson

Photo may be subject to copyright

4 May 1968 – The Mike Stuart Span

10 May 1968 – The Late

11 May 1968 – Fanny Flickers Rock ‘N’ Roll Band

17 May 1968 – The Firm

18 May 1968 – The Extreme Sound

20 May 1968 – The Mike Westbrook Band

25 May 1968 – Gerry Temple & The Storm (no Friday artist)

Photo may be subject to copyright

31 May 1968 – The Penny Peep Show (Martin Barre joined Jethro Tull)

 

1 June 1968 – The Epics

3 June 1968 – The Ebonites

8 June 1968 – George Bean & The Runners (no Friday artist) (says they are Lulu’s backing band)

10 June 1968 – Breakthru

14 June 1968 – The Merseys

Photo may be subject to copyright

15 June 1968 – Floribunda Rose (John Kongos was singer)

17 June 1968 – Locomotive

21 June 1968 – Mud

22 June 1968 – Traction

24 June 1968 – Youngblood

25 June 1968 – Marmalade

28 June 1968 – Pepper

29 June 1968 – Cat Road Show starring US Flattop

There may be missing gigs during July as it wasn’t clear if artists played for the entire week

1 July 1968 – The Ebonites

3 July 1968 – The Ebonites

5 July 1968 – The Ebonites

6 July 1968 – The Jasper Stubbs Gloryland Band

8-10 July 1968 – The Mike Stuart Span

Photo may be subject to copyright

12 July 1968 – The Mike Stuart Span

13 July 1968 – Finders Keepers

15 July 1968 – Finders Keepers

17 July 1968 – Finders Keepers

19 July 1968 – Finders Keepers

20 July 1968 – The Shiralee

22-24 July 1968 – Lamb Bros & Co

26 July 1968 – Lamb Bros & Co

27 July 1968 – Spectrum

Photo may be subject to copyright

29 July 1968 – Spectrum

30 July 1968 – Reperata & The Delrons, Clouds and Spectrum

31 July 1968 – Spectrum

 

3 August 1968 – The Californians

5-9 August 1968 – The Californians

10 August 1968 – The Light Fantastic (formerly The Vogues)

12-16 August 1968 – The Light Fantastic

17 August 1968 – Wishful Thinking

19 August 1968 – The Onyx

20-23 August 1968 – Wishful Thinking

24 August 1968 – Bubblegum

26-27 August 1968 – Bubblegum

30 August 1968 – Bubblegum

Photo may be subject to copyright

31 August 1968 – The Gods

 

2 September 1968 – The Gods (they may play all week but it is not clear)

6 September 1968 – The Gods

From this point onwards, it looks like gigs only took place on Saturdays

7 September 1968 – Traction

Photo may be subject to copyright

14 September 1968 – The ‘N Betweens

21 September 1968 – Jason Cord and First Chapter

28 September 1968 – Mike Raynor & The Condors

 

5 October 1968 – The Luddy Sammes Soul Packet

Photo may be subject to copyright

12 October 1968 – Scrugg (formerly Floribunda Rose)

19 October 1968 – Scrugg

26 October 1968 – Finders Keepers

Photo may be subject to copyright

2 November 1968 – Mud

9 November 1968 – Hopscotch

15 November 1968 – Indiana Highway (Friday)

16 November 1968 – The Swamp with Jon & James

23 November 1968 – Breakthru

30 November 1968 – Ebony Blush

 

7 December 1968 – Cardboard Replica

14 December 1968 – Palmyra Stock

Photo may be subject to copyright

19 December 1968 – Bandwagon and The Grand Union

21 December 1968 – Bubblegum

24 December 1968 – The Mike Stuart Span

26 December 1968 – Mud

Photo may be subject to copyright

28 December 1968 – The Epics

31 December 1968 – The Ebonites

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

Top Ten Club, Hamburg

Top Ten Club, Hamburg
Top Ten Club, Hamburg, photo courtesy of K&K Hamburg

Apart from the Star Club, the Top Ten Club on the Reeperbahn in St. Pauli was arguably the most important rock music venue in Hamburg during the 1960s.

Opened in 1960 by Peter Eckhorn and operated by Iain Hines, the Top Ten Club was where The Beatles played and also backed singer Tony Sheridan in the group’s first recording sessions during early-mid 1961.

Throughout the 1960s, the Top Ten Club played host to a huge number of British bands, some of which featured future stars such as Elton John, Ritchie Blackmore (later in Deep Purple) and Ray Thomas and Mike Pinder (later in The Moody Blues).

Initially, there was only one band each month but from the mid-1960s onwards, there would be several groups sharing the bill each month. Singer Isabella Bond was a regular fixture and saxophone player Ricky Barnes helped run the club during the mid-late 1960s.

I have started to compile a list of bands that played at the Top Ten Club during this period but would welcome any additions and corrections in the comments below.

October 1960:

The Beatles: John Lennon (rhythm guitar/lead vocals), Paul McCartney (rhythm guitar/lead vocals); George Harrison (lead guitar/lead vocals), Stuart Sutcliffe (bass/lead vocals) and Pete Best (drums).

1961?:

The Jets: Iain Hines (keyboards), Colin Meander (lead guitar), Tony Sheridan (rhythm guitar), Rick Hardy (guitar), Peter Wharton (bass) and others.

27 March-2 July 1961:

The Beatles: John Lennon (rhythm guitar/lead vocals), Paul McCartney (rhythm guitar/lead vocals); George Harrison (lead guitar/lead vocals), Stuart Sutcliffe (bass/lead vocals) and Pete Best (drums).

1 November 1961-January 1962:

Wayne Gibson & The Dynamic Sounds: Wayne Gibson (lead vocals), Mick Todman (lead guitar), Ray Rogers (bass), Pete Gillies (rhythm guitar) and Larry Cole (drums).

 

March 1963:

The Blackjacks: Pat Harris (lead vocals), Don Callard (lead guitar), Robbie Williams (rhythm guitar/vocals), Bob Wilkinson (bass) and Pete James (drums).

August 1964:

The Mastersounds: Mal Jefferson (lead vocals/bass), Adrian Lord (lead vocals), Tony Cockayne (lead guitar), Gerry Stewart (tenor sax), Mike Price (drums) and others.

February 1965:

The Krew, Paddy, Klaus & Gibson, London Beats (plus Isabelle Bond and Beryl Marsden)

The Krew: Robert Fielden-Nicholls (lead guitar), Howie Casey (tenor saxophone), John Bradley (bass) and Eddie Sparrow (drums).

Paddy, Klaus and Gibson: Paddy Chambers (lead guitar), Klaus Voorman (bass) and Gibson Kemp (drums).

The London Beats: Frank Bennett (rhythm guitar/lead vocals), Mick Tucker (lead guitar/lead vocals), Sam Coaffee (bass) and Jim Smith (drums)

??? 1965:

Next of Kin: Frankie Allan (lead vocals), Dai Johns (lead guitar), Mike Ashman (rhythm guitar), Robert Evans (bass) and Alan Snell (drums).

March 1966:

Frank Sheen Sound: Frank Sheen (lead vocals), T J Huggett (keyboards), John Cushen (bass), John Herridge (drums) and Jeff Condon (trumpet) plus others.

March 1966:

Bluesology and Linda Laine & The Sinners

Bluesology: Stewart Brown (lead guitar/lead vocals), Reg Dwight (aka Elton John) (keyboards/lead vocals), Rex Bishop (bass) and Mick Inkpen (drums).

Linda Laine & The Sinners: Linda Laine aka Veronica Lake (lead vocals), Del Hidden (lead guitar), Peter Bellotte (rhythm guitar), Russ Maxwell (bass) and Len Crawley (drums).

April 1967:

The Copycats: John Stewart (lead guitar), Iain Lyon (rhythm guitar/vocals), Billy Cameron (bass/vocals) and Rob Lawson (drums/vocals).

July/August 1967 (THIS IS MORE LIKELY TO BE MARCH 1968):

Bluesology and The Manchester Playboys

Bluesology: Alan Walker (lead vocals), Stewart Brown (lead guitar/vocals), Reg Dwight (aka Elton John) (keyboards/lead vocals), Caleb Quaye (guitar), Marc Charig (cornet), Fred Gandy (bass) and Pete Gavin (drums) (not sure this is the correct formation)

Manchester’s Playboys: Kerry Burke (lead vocals), Stuart Fahey (lead guitar/Trumpet), Graham Sclater (keyboards), Alan Watkinson (bass), Malcolm Tagg-Randall (saxophone) and Peter Simensky (drums).

Circa September 1967:

The Berkley Squares: Barry Wade (lead vocals), Ray Martinez (lead guitar/vocals), Dave Eldredge (keyboards/vocals), Leigh Catterall (bass/vocals) and Terry Abbs (drums).

December 1967:

Floribunda Rose: John Kongos (rhythm guitar/lead vocals), Chris Demetriou (keyboards/vocals), Pete Clifford (lead guitar/vocals), Jack Russell (bass/vocals) and Nick Dokter (drums).

March 1968:

Scrugg (possibly billed as Floribunda Rose) 

Scrugg (two weeks from 1 March): John Kongos (lead guitar/lead vocals), Chris Demetriou (keyboards/vocals), Jack Russell (bass/vocals) and Henry Spinetti (drums).

The Manchester Playboys: Kerry Burke (lead vocals), Stuart Fahey (lead guitar/Trumpet), Graham Sclater (keyboards), Alan Watkinson (bass), Malcolm Tagg-Randall (saxophone) and Peter Simensky (drums).

Thanks to the following for contributing to the timeline: Mick Tucker, Jim Smith, Frank Bennett, Graham Sclater, Jack Russell, Nick Dokter, Len Crawley

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.

Sibylla’s, 9 Swallow Street, Mayfair

Sibylla’s nightclub was situated at 9 Swallow Street in Mayfair, W1 and was opened on 23 June 1966 after a pre-opening celebration party the night before.

Beatle George Harrison was one of the investors in the nightclub, which featured up and coming bands like Family, Amen Corner and Robert Plant & The Band of Joy.

Sibylla’s was rarely advertised in the music papers so it’s been difficult to find gigs. The list below is a start but I’d welcome any additions and corrections plus any photos of the venue and posters of advertised gigs as well as band photos (all credited accordingly).

Mickey Finn circa July 1966. Photo: London Life magazine

1966

London Life magazine ran an in-depth article on Sibylla’s in its 30 July to 5 August issue (pages 26-30). At the time, The Mickey Finn were photographed playing at the club.

Future Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour’s Cambridge band Jokers Wild were another group to perform at the club shortly after it opened. South coast band The Bunch also played the venue (possible in late 1966 and/or during 1967).

London Life magazine’s 6-12 August 1966 issue (and subsequent issues until the magazine closed that December) notes that there is a live group performing every night.

22 August 1966 (Monday) – The Carl Douglas Set (Ken Baxter’s gig diary)

23 August 1966 (Tuesday) – The Carl Douglas Set (Ken Baxter’s gig diary)

24 August 1966 (Wednesday) – The Carl Douglas Set (Ken Baxter’s gig diary)

25 August 1966 (Thursday) – The Carl Douglas Set (Ken Baxter’s gig diary)

26 August 1966 (Friday) – The Carl Douglas Set (Ken Baxter’s gig diary)

According to the South East London Mercury, The Coffee Set played at Sibylla’s before 16 September and The Rolling Stones were in the audience.

20 September 1966 (Tuesday) – The Fleur De Lys (Keith Guster’s gig diary)

24 September 1966 (Saturday) – The Iveys (Tom Brennan’s research at: http://www.badfingerlibrary.com/)

26 September 1966 (Monday) – The Artwoods (needs confirmation)

 

11 October 1966 (Tuesday) – The VIPs (Fabulous 208)

12 October 1966 (Wednesday) – The VIPs (Fabulous 208)

13 October 1966 (Thursday) – The VIPs (Fabulous 208)

25 October 1966 (Tuesday) – Wynder K Frog (Fabulous 208)

26 October 1966 (Wednesday) – Wynder K Frog (Fabulous 208)

27 October 1966 (Thursday) – Wynder K Frog (Fabulous 208)

27 December 1966 (Tuesday) – The Shevelles (Fabulous 208)

28 December 1966 (Wednesday) – The Shevelles (Fabulous 208)

31 December 1966 (Saturday) – Herbie Goins & The Night-timers (Disc & Music Echo)

Photo: London Life magazine

1967

7 February 1967 (Tuesday) – The Shevelles and Herbie Goins & The Night-timers (Fabulous 208)

8 February 1967 (Wednesday) – Herbie Goins & The Night-timers (Fabulous 208)

13 February 1967 (Monday) – The Shevelles (Fabulous 208)

 

23 March 1967 (Thursday) – Family (website: https://www.familybandstand.com/)

31 March 1967 (Friday) – Moon’s Train (Malcolm Penn’s diary – thanks to Peter Gosling for sharing)

 

5 April 1967 (Wednesday) – Moon’s Train (Malcolm Penn’s diary – thanks to Peter Gosling for sharing)

18 April 1967 (Tuesday) – The Shevelles (Fabulous 208)

19 April 1967 (Wednesday) – Bo Diddley (backed by The Canadians) (Melody Maker)

The Canadians’ keyboard player is David Foster.

25 April 1967 (Tuesday) – The Soul Sisters (backed by The Trend) (Newham & Stratford Express)

26 April 1967 (Wednesday) – Moon’s Train (Malcolm Penn’s diary – thanks to Peter Gosling for sharing)

27 April 1967 (Thursday) – Moon’s Train (Malcolm Penn’s diary – thanks to Peter Gosling for sharing)

 

12 May 1967 (Friday) – Moon’s Train (Malcolm Penn’s diary – thanks to Peter Gosling for sharing)

13 May 1967 (Saturday) – Moon’s Train (Malcolm Penn’s diary – thanks to Peter Gosling for sharing)

18 May 1967 (Thursday) – Moon’s Train (Malcolm Penn’s diary – thanks to Peter Gosling for sharing)

20 May 1967 (Saturday) – Moon’s Train (Malcolm Penn’s diary – thanks to Peter Gosling for sharing)

13 June 1967 (Tuesday) – Amen Corner (Melody Maker)

 

7 July 1967 (Friday) – Moon’s Train (Malcolm Penn’s diary – thanks to Peter Gosling for sharing)

10 July 1967 (Monday) – Family (website: https://www.familybandstand.com/)

11 July 1967 (Tuesday) – Moon’s Train (Malcolm Penn’s diary – thanks to Peter Gosling for sharing)

13 July 1967 (Thursday) – Sam & Bill (backed most likely by Hamilton & The Hamilton Movement) (Disc & Music Echo)

18 July 1967 (Tuesday) – Amen Corner (Melody Maker)

26 July 1967 (Wednesday) – Family (website: https://www.familybandstand.com/)

 

3 August 1967 (Thursday) – Ferris Wheel (Fabulous 208)

8 August 1967 (Tuesday) – Ferris Wheel (Fabulous 208)

25 August 1967 (Friday) – Moon’s Train (Malcolm Penn’s diary – thanks to Peter Gosling for sharing)

29 August 1967 (Tuesday) – Moon’s Train (Malcolm Penn’s diary – thanks to Peter Gosling for sharing)

30 August 1967 (Wednesday) – Ferris Wheel (Fabulous 208)

 

21 September 1967 (Thursday) – Ferris Wheel (Fabulous 208)

 

6 October 1967 (Friday) – Moon’s Train (Malcolm Penn’s diary – thanks to Peter Gosling for sharing)

11 October 1967 (Wednesday) – Ferris Wheel (Fabulous 208)

13 October 1967 (Friday) – Moon’s Train (Malcolm Penn’s diary – thanks to Peter Gosling for sharing)

20 October 1967 (Friday) – Moon’s Train (Malcolm Penn’s diary – thanks to Peter Gosling for sharing)

21 October 1967 (Saturday) – Moon’s Train (Malcolm Penn’s diary – thanks to Peter Gosling for sharing)

25 October 1967 (Wednesday) – Carl Douglas & The Big Stampede (Ken Baxter’s gig diary)

26 October 1967 (Thursday) – Carl Douglas & The Big Stampede (Ken Baxter’s gig diary)

27 October 1967 (Friday) – Moon’s Train (Malcolm Penn’s diary – thanks to Peter Gosling for sharing)

 

1 November 1967 (Wednesday) – Family (website: https://www.familybandstand.com/)

23 November 1967 (Thursday) – Ferris Wheel (Fabulous 208)

 

15 December 1967 (Friday) – Cats Pyjamas (Rik Gunnell agency bookings – thanks to Colin Pullen for sharing)

19 December 1967 (Tuesday) – Robert Plant & The Band of Joy (Fabulous 208)

30 December 1967 (Saturday) – Katch 22 (Mike Eastman’s gig diary)

1968

9 January 1968 (Tuesday) – The Warren Davis Monday Band (Del Paramor’s gig list)

11 January 1968 (Thursday) – Cats Pyjamas (Rik Gunnell agency bookings – thanks to Colin Pullen for sharing)

12 January 1968 (Friday) – Cats Pyjamas (Rik Gunnell agency bookings – thanks to Colin Pullen for sharing)

17 January 1968 (Wednesday) – Cats Pyjamas (Rik Gunnell agency bookings – thanks to Colin Pullen for sharing)

25 January 1968 (Thursday) – Cats Pyjamas (Rik Gunnell agency bookings – thanks to Colin Pullen for sharing)

26 January 1968 (Friday) – Cats Pyjamas (Rik Gunnell agency bookings – thanks to Colin Pullen for sharing)

 

2 February 1968 (Friday) – Cats Pyjamas (Rik Gunnell agency bookings – thanks to Colin Pullen for sharing)

7 February 1968 (Wednesday) – James and Bobby Purify (New Musical Express)

15 February 1968 (Thursday) – Barclay James Harvest (Barclay James Harvest website)

23 February 1968 (Friday) – Cats Pyjamas (Rik Gunnell agency bookings – thanks to Colin Pullen for sharing)

 

1 March 1968 (Friday) – Moon’s Train (Malcolm Penn’s diary – thanks to Peter Gosling for sharing)

26 March 1968 (Tuesday) – Ray King Soul Band (Melody Maker)

 

6 April 1968 (Saturday) – Tuesday’s Children (Bob Hodges’ gig diary)

Malcolm Penn’s diary also has Moon’s Train on 6 April.

23 April 1968 (Tuesday) – JJ Jackson (Melody Maker)

 

6 May 1968 (Monday) – Ray King Soul Band (Melody Maker)

14 May 1968 (Tuesday) – The Warren Davis Monday Band (Del Paramor’s gig diary)

22 May 1968 (Wednesday) – James and Bobby Purify (Melody Maker)

 

7 June 1968 (Friday) – Moon’s Train (Malcolm Penn’s diary – thanks to Peter Gosling for sharing)

19 June 1968 (Wednesday) – Ray King Soul Band (Melody Maker)

26 June 1968 (Wednesday) – Omega Red Star (Melody Maker)

Omega Red Star were a Hungarian band on tour in the UK.

 

2 July 1968 (Tuesday) – Ray King Soul Band (Melody Maker)

10 July 1968 (Wednesday) – Ray King Soul Band (Melody Maker)

12 July 1968 (Friday) – Patti La Belle & Her Bluebells (Melody Maker)

18 July 1968 (Thursday) – Patti La Belle & Her Bluebells (Melody Maker)

26 July 1968 (Friday) – Reparta & The Delrons (Fabulous 208)

30 July 1968 (Tuesday) – Tim Rose (Melody Maker)

Tim Rose’s show on 30 July was cancelled.

 

6 August 1968 (Tuesday) – The Greatest Show on Earth (Melody Maker)

7 August 1968 (Wednesday) – The Greatest Show on Earth (Melody Maker)

8 August 1968 (Thursday) – The Greatest Show on Earth (Melody Maker)

9 August 1968 (Friday) – The Greatest Show on Earth (Melody Maker)

Bob Hodges, keyboard player with Tuesday’s Children, has his band listed for 9 August in his diary so perhaps both groups played on that night?

10 August 1968 (Saturday) – Scrugg (Jack Russell’s gig diary)

22 August 1968 (Thursday) – Ben E King (Melody Maker – needs confirmation)

23 August 1968 (Friday) – Tuesday’s Children (Bob Hodges’ gig diary)

 

4 September 1968 (Wednesday) – Ben E King (Fabulous 208)

7 September 1968 (Saturday) – Moon’s Train (Malcolm Penn’s diary – thanks to Peter Gosling for sharing)

According to Malcolm Penn, this was Moon’s Train’s final gig.

20 September 1968 (Friday) – The Iveys (Tom Brennan’s research at: http://www.badfingerlibrary.com/)

21 September 1968 (Saturday) – The Iveys (Tom Brennan’s research at: http://www.badfingerlibrary.com/)

Future Cressida guitarist Peter Jennings remembers playing at the club with White Rabbit (after Linda Lewis had left), which would have been September or October.

4 October 1968 (Friday) – The Iveys (Tom Brennan’s research at: http://www.badfingerlibrary.com/)

Jack Russell, bass player with Scrugg, has his band also booked for 4 October so perhaps both bands played?

9 October 1968 (Wednesday) – The Iveys (Tom Brennan’s research at: http://www.badfingerlibrary.com/)

14 October 1968 (Monday) – Ferris Wheel (Fabulous 208 and Time Out)

19 October 1968 (Saturday) – Tuesday’s Children (Bob Hodges’ gig diary)

28 October 1968 (Monday) – The Iveys (Tom Brennan’s research at: http://www.badfingerlibrary.com/)

Bob Hodges also has his band Tuesday’s Children booked for 28 October so perhaps both bands played on this night?

29 October 1968 (Tuesday) – The Iveys (Tom Brennan’s research at: http://www.badfingerlibrary.com/)

30 October 1968 (Wednesday) – The Iveys (Tom Brennan’s research at: http://www.badfingerlibrary.com/)

31 October 1968 (Thursday) – The Iveys (Tom Brennan’s research at: http://www.badfingerlibrary.com/)

1 November 1968 (Friday) – The Iveys (Tom Brennan’s research at: http://www.badfingerlibrary.com/)

2 November 1968 (Saturday) – The Marble Arch Movement (Sibylla’s gig poster for November 1968)

4 November 1968 (Monday) – Scrugg (Sibylla’s gig poster for November 1968)

5 November 1968 (Tuesday) – Jo Jo Gunne (Sibylla’s gig poster for November 1968)

This was the (original) UK version of Jo Jo Gunne, formed in Feltham in 1965.

6 November 1968 (Wednesday) – Charlie & Inez Foxx (Sibylla’s gig poster for November 1968)

7 November 1968 (Thursday) – Chris Shakespere Show (Sibylla’s gig poster for November 1968)

8 November 1968 (Friday) – Angel Pavement (Sibylla’s gig poster for November 1968)

9 November 1968 (Saturday) – Angel Pavement (Sibylla’s gig poster for November 1968)

11 November 1968 (Monday) – Ray King Soul Band (Sibylla’s gig poster for November 1968)

12 November 1968 (Tuesday) – Ray King Soul Band (Sibylla’s gig poster for November 1968)

13 November 1968 (Wednesday) – The Shevelles (Sibylla’s gig poster for November 1968)

14 November 1968 (Thursday) – The New Formula (Sibylla’s gig poster for November 1968)

15 November 1968 (Friday) – Garnet Mimms (backed by Village Green) (Sibylla’s gig poster for November 1968)

16 November 1968 (Saturday) – Ferris Wheel (Sibylla’s gig poster for November 1968)

18 November 1968 (Monday) – The Perishers (Sibylla’s gig poster for November 1968)

19 November 1968 (Tuesday) – The Perishers (Sibylla’s gig poster for November 1968)

20 November 1968 (Wednesday) – The Perishers (Sibylla’s gig poster for November 1968)

New Musical Express lists The Show Stoppers on 20 November.

21 November 1968 (Thursday) – The Ronnettes (Sibylla’s gig poster for November 1968)

22 November 1968 (Friday) – The Perishers (Sibylla’s gig poster for November 1968)

23 November 1968 (Saturday) – High Tension (Sibylla’s gig poster for November 1968)

25 November 1968 (Monday) – Jo Jo Gunne (Sibylla’s gig poster for November 1968)

26 November 1968 (Tuesday) – Hansen and Karlson (Sibylla’s gig poster for November 1968)

This was a Dutch duo.

27 November 1968 (Wednesday) – The Chiffons (Sibylla’s gig poster for November 1968)

28 November 1968 (Thursday) – The New Formula (Sibylla’s gig poster for November 1968)

29 November 1968 (Friday) – Granny’s Intentions (Sibylla’s gig poster for November 1968)

30 November 1968 (Saturday) – Granny’s Intentions (Sibylla’s gig poster for November 1968)

 

5 December 1968 (Thursday) – JJ Jackson (Sibylla’s gig poster for November 1968)

10 December 1968 (Tuesday) – Ray King Soul Band (Melody Maker)

11 December 1968 (Wednesday) – Ray King Soul Band (Melody Maker)

12 December 1968 (Thursday) – Bandwagon (New Musical Express)

1969

 Guitarist/violinist Mike Piggott says Gass played here during 1969-1970.

 23 January 1969 (Thursday) – Junior Walker & The All Stars (New Musical Express)

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 Scotch of St James, 13A Masons Yard, Mayfair

Listing for October-November 1967. See below

The Scotch of St James, situated at 13A Masons Yard, Mayfair, London was a notable music venue in the 1960s and a popular hang out for rock musicians, notably The Beatles and The Rolling Stones.

Jimi Hendrix also made his first UK appearance at the Scotch in September 1966.

Scotch of St James, 31 December 2023

The Scotch of St James was rarely advertised in the music papers so it’s been difficult to find confirmed gigs. The list below is a start but I’d welcome any additions and corrections plus any photos of the venue/posters of advertised gigs/photos of bands who appeared there (all credited accordingly).

This exclusive Mayfair establishment was primarily a late night members club with gambling but did put on live music occasionally (see The Stormsville Shakers gigs immediately below). It was officially opened as a late night club offering regular live music from 14 July 1965.

1965

Drummer Tony Richard says that his band The Fetish Crowd played at the Scotch of St James, which would have been the 1965-1966 period.

Singer James Nairn (aka James Royal) notes that his bands James Royal & The Hawks and The James Royal Set both performed at the club.

 

7 May (Friday) – The Stormsville Shakers (website: http://www.stormsvilleshakers.com/bandhistory.html)

Phillip Goodhand-Tait kept diaries from 1961 onward and notes that his band The Stormsville Shakers were paid to play the Scotch on the above date. They arrived at 7.30pm and finished at 2am on the Saturday morning after playing three spots of 35 minutes. They were re-booked at the Scotch for the two dates below.

14 May (Friday) – The Stormsville Shakers (website: http://www.stormsvilleshakers.com/bandhistory.html)

15 May (Saturday) – The Stormsville Shakers (website: http://www.stormsvilleshakers.com/bandhistory.html)

 

According to London Life magazine’s 9-15 October issue, The Marionettes were the resident band during this week. They were also listed for 16-22 October, 23-29 October and 30 October-5 November.

22 October (Friday) – The Riot Squad (website: http://brunoceriotti.weebly.com/the-riot-squad.html)

 

 

The Krew (who backed Beryl Marsden and Steve Aldo) played at the Scotch of St James around the middle-to-end of the first week of November, according to keyboardist Alan Reeves’ book. The Krew featured sax player Howie Casey who later did sessions for Paul McCartney & Wings.

9 November (Tuesday) – Wilson Pickett (backed either by The Links or The Maroons) with The Krew (Alan Reeves’s book Sex, Booze & Blues)

Bruno Ceriotti says that Wilson Pickett’s guitarist Jimmy Owen was joined by three members of The Animals.

 

3 December/4 December (Friday/Saturday) – The Krew (an advert in the Middlesbrough Evening Gazette has the band playing at Kirklevington Country Club on Sunday, 5 December and says the band came direct from the Scotch Club)

8 December (Wednesday) – Major Lance (Record Mirror)

21 December (Tuesday) – Joe Tex (Melody Maker)

Record Mirror lists the Joe Tex gig as 16 December.

1966

Sometime during January 1966, The Krew backed US soul singer Fontella Bass for one night, according to Alan Reeves’s book Sex, Booze & Blues.

5 January (Wednesday) – Patti LaBelle & The Bluebells with Bluesology (Melody Maker)

Bluesology’s keyboard player was Reg Dwight, who became famous as Elton John.

11 January (Tuesday) – The Exciters (Record Mirror)

 

3 February (Thursday) – Stevie Wonder (probably backed by The Sidewinders) (Melody Maker)

According to an advert in the Middlesbrough Evening Gazette for a show at the Kirklevington Country Club on 13 February, it says The Gass were residents at the Scotch of St James around this time.

According to the South East London Mercury, The Loose Ends began playing at the Scotch of St James three times a week for three months in the week starting 21 February (see clipping above).

The Alderley & Wilmslow Advertiser lists a gig for The Manchester Playboys at the Club Creole in Wilmslow, Cheshire on 25 February 1966 and says the band are direct from the Scotch of St James.

 

17 March (Thursday) – Irma Thomas with The Sons of Adam (website: https://dungeonmods.wordpress.com/2020/04/16/life-of-a-local-band/)

30 March (Wednesday) – The Nite People (Barry Curtis’ gig diary)

Melody Maker and Record Mirror both report that Martha & The Vandellas played at the Scotch of St James on 30 March.

 

1 April (Friday) – Episode Six (audition) (Brian Long’s research)

 

According to London Life magazine from 14-20 May, the three resident bands for this week were The VIPs, Gass and The Chavelles (The Caravelles?)

20 May (Friday) – Ben E King (London Life magazine)

According to London Life magazine for the week 28 May to 3 June, the three resident bands for this week were The VIPs, Gass and The Chavelles (The Caravelles?)

The same magazine notes that the three resident bands for the week 11-17 June were The VIPs, The Loose Ends and The Chavelles (The Caravelles?)

26 June (Sunday) – The Loose Ends (Fabulous 208)

This may be July not June so needs confirmation. However, The Loose Ends played in Stockton-on-Tees on Saturday, 25 June according to the Middlesbrough Evening Gazette and the advert notes they came from the Scotch of St James so it’s possible they played the week leading up to 25 June.

 

7 July (Thursday) – Norma Tanega (Record Mirror)

26 July (Tuesday) – The Loose Ends (London Life magazine)

29 July (Friday) – Joe Tex (London Life magazine)

According to London Life magazine, The Loose Ends, together with The VIPs and The Paramounts were the three resident bands playing at the Scotch of St James during the week 30 July to 5 August.

 

10 August (Wednesday) – The Fleur De Lys (Keith Guster’s gig diary)

Guster says that Alan Price invited him to join his band at this gig.

The Westminster & Pimlico News’ 12 August 1966 issue notes that Gass played the club 6-7 nights a week around this time.

 

11 September (Sunday) – The Iveys (Tom Brennan’s research: http://www.badfingerlibrary.com/)

18 September (Sunday) – The Vibrations (needs source and confirmation but probably Melody Maker)

22 September (Thursday) – Jimi Hendrix solo (needs source and confirmation)

Apparently on the evening he’d arrived in the UK, Jimi Hendrix played a couple of songs as a solo act at the club.

23 September (Friday) – The VIPs (Fabulous 208)

24 September (Saturday) – The VIPs (Fabulous 208)

26 September (Monday) – The VIPs (Fabulous 208)

Jimi Hendrix sat in with The VIPs on 26 September – see Terry Ellis comment in the comments section below.

27 September (Tuesday) – The VIPs (needs confirmation)

28 September (Wednesday) – The Brian Auger Trinity (Fabulous 208)

Guitarist Vic Briggs says that Chas Chandler and Jimi Hendrix came into the Scotch of St James and sat in with the band. Brian Auger invited the American guitarist to sit in with the band at Blaises the following night, 29 September.

30 September (Friday) – The VIPs (Fabulous 208)

The Derby Evening Telegraph’s 1 October 1966 issue notes that Pepper’s Machine played the club recently.

3 October (Monday) – The Raylettes (London Life magazine)

7 October (Friday) – The Paramounts (London Life magazine)

Robin Trower had left The Paramounts in late June/early July and formed The Jamm, so Martin Shaw (no relation to the actor) was on lead guitar.

8 October (Saturday) – The Paramounts (London Life magazine)

13 October (Thursday) – The Trend (London Life magazine)

14 October (Friday) – The Trend (London Life magazine)

15 October (Saturday) – The Loose Ends (London Life magazine)

17 October (Monday) – The Loose Ends (London Life magazine)

18 October (Tuesday) – The Loose Ends (London Life magazine)

19 October (Wednesday) – The Paul Butterfield Blues Band jams with Cream (needs source and confirmation)

It has been noted that The Paul Butterfield Blues Band jammed with Cream at the Scotch of St James on 19 October (the alternative location was the Cromwellian). However, according to Christopher Hjort’s excellent book on the British blues boom, “Strange Brew”, Cream were playing at the Blue Moon in Cheltenham on this day.

 

According to London Life magazine, Tony & The Defenders played at the Scotch of St James during the week 22-28 October.

24 October (Monday) – Edwin Starr (possibly backed by The Guests) (London Life magazine)

25 October (Tuesday) – The Jimi Hendrix Experience (band’s debut as private showcase at the venue) (Website: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Scotch_of_St._James)

29 October (Saturday) – The Paramounts (London Life magazine)

This was one of the band’s final gigs before splitting in November 1966. Gary Brooker formed Procol Harum the following spring.

31 October (Monday) – The Brian Auger Trinity (London Life magazine)

 

1 November (Tuesday) – The Brian Auger Trinity (London Life magazine)

2 November (Wednesday) – The Loose Ends (London Life magazine)

3 November (Thursday) – The Loose Ends (London Life magazine)

4 November (Friday) – The Loose Ends (London Life magazine)

5 November (Saturday) – The Loose Ends (London Life magazine)

11 November (Friday) – Ben E King (London Life magazine)

18 November (Friday) – The Impressions (London Life magazine)

The Impressions featured future soul star Curtis Mayfield.

According to Disc & Music Echo on 26 November, Deep Feeling made their debut at the Scotch of St James around the week starting 21 November. Chris Curtis, Giorgio Gomelsky, Robert Stigwood, Speedy Acquaye and Beryl Marsden were among the guests.

 

According to Melody Maker, Bobby Darin sat in with Deep Feeling around early-to-mid December and played the drums.

London Life magazine reports that The Checkmates played at the Scotch of St James during the week 3-9 December.

The Manchester Independent notes that Manchester band The Powerhouse played at the venue during December.

7 December (Wednesday) – The Vibrations (London Life magazine)

8 December (Thursday) – The Young Rascals (Disc & Music Echo)

The magazine reports that Paul McCartney, Chas Chandler, Eric Burdon, Keith Moon, Brian Epstein and Bill Wyman are among the guests.

13 December (Tuesday) – The Brian Auger Trinity (Fabulous 208)

14 December (Wednesday) – The Brian Auger Trinity (Fabulous 208)

15 December (Thursday) – Bobby Hebb (Record Mirror)

The magazine says that Bobby Hebb came on at 1am. This is confirmed by London Life magazine, which notes the 14 December so it looks like Hebb came on stage after The Brian Auger Trinity had finished. Future Deep Purple bass player Nick Simper was in his backing band.

19 December (Monday) – The Brian Auger Trinity (Fabulous 208)

20 December (Tuesday) – The Brian Auger Trinity (Fabulous 208)

21 December (Wednesday) – The VIPs (Fabulous 208)

22 December (Thursday) – The VIPs (Fabulous 208)

23 December (Friday) – The VIPs (Fabulous 208)

24 December (Saturday) – Eric Burdon & The New Animals (London Life magazine)

28 December (Wednesday) – The VIPs (Fabulous 208)

29 December (Thursday) – The VIPs (Fabulous 208)

31 December (Saturday) – Eric Burdon & The New Animals (Disc & Music Echo and London Life magazine)

1967

Guitarist Doug Ayers says that The All Night Workers played at the Scotch of St James (most likely in early 1967).

Jim Cregan, guitarist with Blossom Toes, remembers playing at the club and The Beatles and The Rolling Stones were there on the same night to catch his band performing.

Drummer Chris Hunt says The Good Time Losers played the club in the first half of 1967.

Tony Glyde remembers playing at the Scotch of St James with Simon K & The Meantimers in 1967-1968.

2 February (Thursday) – Edwin Starr (Evening Standard)

The Loose Ends were playing at the venue in late March/early April when the Stax-Volt show tour came in. This is where Otis Redding picked up singers Alan Marshall and Bob Saker and took them back to the US to record tracks at Fame Studios during June.

23 April (Sunday) – The Wages of Sin (Melody Maker)

28 April (Friday) – Moon’s Train (Malcolm Penn’s gig diary – thanks to Peter Gosling for sharing)

 

Drummer Phil Wainman, who went on to produce The Sweet, remembers playing the club in May 1967 with Jack Hammer & The Hammer Jammers.

Keyboard player Mick Ketley says The Motivation/Penny Peeps played at the Scotch of St James on two occasions which would have been from May 1967 onwards.

7 May (Sunday) – The Marshall Scott Etc (Hounslow Post)

 

The Loose Ends were performing at the Scotch of St James in early June 1967 when former Ram Jam guitarist Pete Gage brought singer Kenny Bernard into see the musicians. This led to the formation of Cats Pyjamas with some of the group members.

16 June (Friday) – Vince Edwards (Del Paramor’s gig diary)

 

The Manchester Playboys performed at the Scotch of St James and July seems the most likely period as they were in London gigging. Also Peter Simensky, who had joined the band recently, was a member at the time and he recalls singer Billie Davis working at the Scotch at the time.

Frank Torpey, who was lead guitarist with London band, The Tribe (and would go on to become the original lead guitarist in The Sweet), says that when the group was playing regular Saturday nights at the Marquee in Wardour Street between July-September, the Marquee’s owner John Gee would get a call from the Scotch of St James asking what band was on and would they like to double up? He says The Tribe always said yes as it was a great top up. Torpey adds that they never had another band on with them. He thinks they may have played at the Scotch maybe three or four times.

It sounds like The Tribe may have played the Scotch in the early hours of the Sunday morning after finishing up at the Marquee but this would need confirmation.

This insight is interesting as it might mean other groups that played the Marquee went on and played the Scotch of St James after finishing up.

1 July (Saturday) – The Tribe (Tony Bacon’s book, London Live)

The Tribe (which changed name to The Dream in late August 1967) played at the Marquee every Saturday from 1 July to 30 September according to Tony Bacon’s excellent book on the London music scene and its Marquee listings, so it’s impossible to know what Saturday evenings/early Sunday mornings The Tribe went on to play at the Scotch of St James afterwards. It’s also quite possible that the other band sharing the billing at the Marquee with The Tribe may have been asked as well (see Torpey’s recollections above).

7 July (Friday) – Vince Edwards (Fabulous 208)

8 July (Saturday) – The Manchester Playboys (Graham Sclater’s diary)

 

1 August (Tuesday) – The Manchester Playboys (Graham Sclater’s diary)

Timebox played at the Scotch of St James during August 1967. They had a Tuesday night gig at the Marquee so possibly played afterwards. Former Felders Orioles drummer John Halsey advertised in Melody Maker for a new band on Thursday, 17 August and auditioned with Timebox shortly afterwards at the Scotch.

29 August (Tuesday) – Marmalade (Fabulous 208)

 

According to the poster below for the Gloucester YMCA, The Official Receivers played at the Scotch of St James around October 1967.

Photo: Richard Goddard

30 October (Monday) – The Dave Davani Five (Poster from Barry Monks on Patto website)

31 October (Tuesday) – Ben E King (Poster from Barry Monks on Patto website and Disc & Music Echo)

1 November (Wednesday) – The Anglians (Poster from Barry Monks on Patto website – see above)

2 November (Thursday) – The Anglians (Poster from Barry Monks on Patto website)

3 November (Friday) – The Anglians (Poster from Barry Monks on Patto website)

4 November (Saturday) – Mud (Melody Maker)

6 November (Monday) – The Web (Poster from Barry Monks on Patto website)

Melody Maker lists The Downliners Sect.

7 November (Tuesday) – The Web (Poster from Barry Monks on Patto website)

Melody Maker lists The Downliners Sect.

8 November (Wednesday) – The Web (Poster from Barry Monks on Patto website)

Melody Maker lists The Downliners Sect.

9 November (Thursday) – Ben E King (Poster from Barry Monks on Patto website)

10 November (Friday) – The West Coast Consortium (Poster from Barry Monks on Patto website)

Melody Maker lists The Downliners Sect.

11 November (Saturday) – The West Coast Consortium (Poster from Barry Monks on Patto website)

13 November (Monday) – Timebox (Poster from Barry Monks on Patto website)

14 November (Tuesday) – Timebox (Poster from Barry Monks on Patto website)

15 November (Wednesday) – Timebox (Poster from Barry Monks on Patto website)

16 November (Thursday) – Timebox (Poster from Barry Monks on Patto website)

17 November (Friday) – Mud (Poster from Barry Monks on Patto website)

18 November (Saturday) – Mud (Poster from Barry Monks on Patto website)

20 November (Monday) – Wishful Thinking (Poster from Barry Monks on Patto website)

21 November (Tuesday) – Wishful Thinking (Poster from Barry Monks on Patto website)

22 November (Wednesday) – Wishful Thinking (Poster from Barry Monks on Patto website)

23 November (Thursday) – The Web (Poster from Barry Monks on Patto website)

24 November (Friday) – The West Coast Consortium (Poster from Barry Monks on Patto website)

25 November (Saturday) – The West Coast Consortium (Poster from Barry Monks on Patto website)

27 November (Monday) – The Bystanders (Poster from Barry Monks on Patto website)

28 November (Tuesday) – The Bystanders (Poster from Barry Monks on Patto website)

29 November (Wednesday) – The Bystanders (Poster from Barry Monks on Patto website)

30 November (Thursday) – The Bystanders (Poster from Barry Monks on Patto website)

 

30 December (Saturday) – Kaleidoscope (Melody Maker)

1968

Iain Pitwell, Brian Mansell and Geoff Glover confirm that The All Night Workers played at the Scotch of St James regularly during the 1968-1969 period.

Mo Umansky says his band Mr Mo’s Messengers played at the venue, most likely in 1968.

26 January (Friday) – The Magic Roundabout (audition) (Geoff Chinnery’s gig diary)

 

3 February (Saturday) – Katch 22 (Mike Eastman’s gig diary)

6 February (Tuesday) – James & Bobby Purify (Melody Maker and New Musical Express)

8 February (Thursday) – Edwin Starr (New Musical Express)

According to Melody Maker, Rupert’s People played at the Scotch of St James around the week starting 19 February.

27 February (Tuesday) – Tim Rose (Melody Maker)

According to Melbourne music magazine, Go-Set, Australian band The Groop played the Scotch of St James between early March and mid-April.

8 March (Friday) – Katch 22 (Mike Eastman’s gig diary)

23 March (Saturday) – Katch 22 (Mike Eastman’s gig diary)

 

4 April (Thursday) – Ray King Soul Band (Melody Maker)

 

1 May (Wednesday) – Ike & Tina Turner and Ray King Soul Band (Melody Maker)

2 May (Thursday) – Ray King Soul Band (Melody Maker)

9 May (Thursday) – Tuesday’s Children (Bob Hodges’ gig diary)

16 May (Thursday) – Edwin Starr & The State Express (Melody Maker and Fabulous 208)

20 May (Monday) – Katch 22 (Mike Eastman’s gig diary)

 

5 June (Tuesday) – The Coasters (New Musical Express)

17 June (Monday) – Ray King Soul Band (Melody Maker)

18 June (Tuesday) – Ruby & The Romantics (New Musical Express)

30 June (Sunday) – The Crystals (New Musical Express)

 

16 July (Tuesday) – Katch 22 (Mike Eastman’s gig diary)

20 July (Saturday) – Moon’s Train (Malcolm Penn’s gig diary – thanks to Peter Gosling for sharing)

3 August (Saturday) – Scrugg (Jack Russell’s gig diary)

5 August (Monday) – The Dave Davani Five (Melody Maker)

6 August (Tuesday) – Tim Rose (Melody Maker and New Musical Express)

Rose’s gig was cancelled. 

13 August (Tuesday) – Elmer Gantry (Melody Maker and Fabulous 208)

19 August (Monday) – Ben E King (Melody Maker and New Musical Express)

21 August (Wednesday) – The Dave Davani Five (Melody Maker)

22 August (Thursday) – Timebox (Melody Maker and Fabulous 208)

26 August (Monday) – Timebox (Melody Maker and Fabulous 208)

 

7 September (Saturday) – Scrugg (Jack Russell’s gig diary)

10 September (Tuesday) – Ben E King (New Musical Express)

14 September (Saturday) – Scrugg (Jack Russell’s gig diary)

27 September (Friday) – Scrugg (Jack Russell’s gig diary)

28 September (Saturday) – Scrugg (Jack Russell’s gig diary)

 

16 October (Wednesday) – The New Formula (Melody Maker and Fabulous 208)

The New Musical Express lists Brook Benton for the 16 October.

 

12 November (Tuesday) – The New Formula (Melody Maker and Fabulous 208)

18 November (Monday) – The New Formula (Melody Maker and Fabulous 208)

28 November (Thursday) – Jimmy Witherspoon (Melody Maker)

 

12 December (Thursday) – The New Formula (Melody Maker and Fabulous 208)

17 December (Tuesday) – Bandwagon (New Musical Express)

18 December (Wednesday) – The Barrier (Melody Maker and Fabulous 208)

1969

Guitarist/violinist Mike Piggott confirms that Gass played the Scotch of St James during the 1969-1970 period.

21 January (Tuesday) – Ray King Soul Band (Melody Maker)

31 January (Friday) – The N’ Betweens (later became Slade) (Don Powell’s website)

 

24 February (Monday) – Ben E King (Melody Maker)

New Musical Express reports that Ben E King is backed by Chris Shakespeare Globe Show for his UK tour in February 1969.

 

10 March (Monday) – The Tymes (Melody Maker)

29 March (Saturday) – Ben E King (Time Out)

 

14 April (Monday) – JJ Jackson (Fabulous 208)

21 April (Monday) – Turnstyle and Steamhammer (Fabulous 208)

 

19 May (Monday) – Bob & Earl (John Warburg research)

 

16 June (Monday) – Yes (Peter Banks website: http://www.peterbanks.net/archive/bands/yes/)

24 June (Tuesday) – Girl Talk (Melody Maker)

 

21 July (Monday) – Jimmy Ruffin with Sweet Blindness (New Musical Express)

 

25 August (Monday) – JJ Jackson (Time Out)

 

1 September (Monday) – Katch 22 (Mike Eastman’s gig diary)

4 September (Thursday) – Sir Percy Quintet (Melody Maker)

8 September (Monday) – Sir Percy Quintet (Melody Maker)

9 September (Tuesday) – Sir Percy Quintet (Melody Maker)

11 September (Thursday) – Katch 22 (Mike Eastman’s gig diary)

1970

28 January (Wednesday) – Lucas & The Soul Sounds (Melody Maker)

 

28 October (Wednesday) – Tear Gas (Melody Maker)

29 October (Thursday) – Czar (Bob Hodges’ gig diary)

 

5 November (Thursday) – Legend (Melody Maker)

6 November (Friday) – Charge (Melody Maker)

7 November (Saturday) – Clear Blue Sky (Melody Maker)

8 November (Sunday) – Merlin (Melody Maker)

9 November (Monday) – Calum Bryce (Melody Maker)

Ted Hare’s gig diary for bands he managed, including Calum Bryce, have this group listed at the Scotch of St James on 10 November not the 9 November so possible there is a mistake here.

10 November (Tuesday) – Dave Davani (Melody Maker)

12 November (Thursday) – Fairfield Parlour (Melody Maker)

13 November (Friday) – Clear Blue Sky (Melody Maker)

14 November (Saturday) – Renea (Melody Maker)

16 November (Monday) – UFO (Melody Maker)

17 November (Tuesday) – Dave Davani (Melody Maker)

18 November (Wednesday) – Bubastis (Melody Maker)

19 November (Thursday) – Clear Blue Sky (Melody Maker)

20 November (Friday) – Mataya (Melody Maker)

23 November (Monday) – Clear Blue Sky (Melody Maker)

24 November (Tuesday) – Merlin (Melody Maker)

25 November (Wednesday) – Aquila (Melody Maker)

26 November (Thursday) – Dave Davani (Melody Maker)

27 November (Friday) – Clear Blue Sky (Melody Maker)

30 November (Monday) – Nick Twilley (Melody Maker)

 

1 December (Tuesday) – Merlin (Melody Maker)

2 December (Wednesday) – Clear Blue Sky (Melody Maker)

1971

15 April (Thursday) – Octopus (Paul Griggs’ gig diary)

 

6 May (Thursday) – Octopus (Paul Griggs’ gig diary)

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 Cromwellian, 3 Cromwell Road, South Kensington

Located at 3 Cromwell Road in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, SW7, the Cromwellian Club was a notable London rock venue that was opened in late 1964 by entrepreneur Tony Mitchell and part owned and managed by Bob Archer, who later established the Pantiles club in Bagshot, Surrey. The club’s opening was reported in The Stage in its 8 October 1964 issue.

Brian Auger who played here with The Trinity claims that the Cromwellian is where Jimi Hendrix first jammed with his band after arriving in London in late September 1966, although others point to the Scotch of St James.

At its height in 1966-1967, it also hosted numerous jam sessions, featuring the likes of Chris Farlowe, Georgie Fame, Long John Baldry, Eric Burdon and Eric Clapton among others.

Like other exclusive clubs like Blaises and the Scotch of St James, the entrance fee was expensive and therefore catered less for music fans and more for the celebrities of the day and wealthy clientele.

The Cromwellian was rarely advertised in the music papers so it’s been difficult to find gigs. The list below is a start but I’d welcome any additions and corrections plus any photos of the venue and posters of advertised gigs as well as band photos (all credited accordingly).

1965

Although it’s not been possible to find exact dates the following musicians confirmed their bands played at the Cromwellian during 1965-1966:

Singer Jim Nairn (aka James Royal) says that James Royal & The Hawks and The James Royal Set played there throughout this period.

Tony Richard who drummed and sang with The Fetish Crowd says that his group performed there during 1965-1966.

Singer Alan Chamberlain says that The Just Four, which became The Guests, played at the venue in 1965-1966.

Guitarist/singer Stuart Cowell says he was working with Ralph Denyer’s Rockhouse Band when they performed at the Cromwellian in late 1965 before he left to join Gass.

Ray Lovegrove, who DJ’d at the venue, remembers seeing Stevie Wonder and also The Groundhogs at the club during 1965 when he was there. However, the Stevie Wonder gig could have been 26 January 1966 (see below).

The following list for 1965 is incomplete so I’d welcome additions:

Photo: Melody Maker

1 April 1965 (Thursday) – The Drifters (Melody Maker)

Photo: Melody Maker, 10 April 1965

5 June 1965 (Saturday) – The Soul Sisters (Melody Maker)

8 June 1965 (Tuesday) – Donnie Elbert (Melody Maker)

15 June 1965 (Tuesday) – Solomon Burke (Melody Maker)

23 June 1965 (Wednesday) – Doris Troy (Melody Maker)

Photo; Melody Maker

13 July 1965 (Tuesday) – Georgie Fame & The Blue Flames (Melody Maker)

23 July 1965 (Friday) – Inez & Charlie Foxx (Melody Maker)

 

6 August 1965 (Friday) – The Stormsville Shakers (website: http://www.stormsvilleshakers.com/bandhistory.html)

14 August 1965 (Saturday) – The Stormsville Shakers (website: http://www.stormsvilleshakers.com/bandhistory.html)

30 August 1965 (Monday) – The Mark Leeman Five (Martyn Hanson’s Hang on to a Dream: The Story of the Nice book)

According to Hanson’s book, this was keyboard player Terry Goldberg’s final gig with Mark Leeman’s band.

 

8 September 1965 (Wednesday) – The Stormsville Shakers (website: http://www.stormsvilleshakers.com/bandhistory.html)

11 September 1965 (Saturday) – The Stormsville Shakers (website: http://www.stormsvilleshakers.com/bandhistory.html)

15 September 1965 (Wednesday) – The Loose Ends (South East London Mercury)

16 September 1965 (Thursday) – The Stormsville Shakers (website: http://www.stormsvilleshakers.com/bandhistory.html)

23 September 1965 (Thursday) – Dave Anthony’s Moods (Kevin Cann’s research – thanks to Andy Neill for sharing)

Guitarist Tim Large says that Dave Anthony’s Moods had a regular Wednesday night gig at the Cromwellian but most of the 1965 gigs below are Thursdays.

25 September 1965 (Saturday) – The Stormsville Shakers (website: http://www.stormsvilleshakers.com/bandhistory.html)

 

1 October 1965 (Friday) – The Stormsville Shakers (website: http://www.stormsvilleshakers.com/bandhistory.html)

7 October 1965 (Thursday) – The Stormsville Shakers (website: http://www.stormsvilleshakers.com/bandhistory.html)

London Life magazine for the week 9-15 October, and for subsequent issues running to December 1966 when it closed, notes that several groups played each week.

20 October 1965 (Wednesday) – Dave Anthony’s Moods (Kevin Cann’s research – thanks to Andy Neill for sharing)

28 October 1965 (Thursday) – Dave Anthony’s Moods (Kevin Cann’s research – thanks to Andy Neill for sharing)

Photo: West Surrey Advertiser

Boz & The Boz People played at the Cromwellian sometime before 4 November, according to the West Surrey Advertiser (see pic)

 

4 November 1965 (Thursday) – Dave Anthony’s Moods (Kevin Cann’s research – thanks to Andy Neill for sharing)

11 November 1965 (Thursday) – The Mark Leeman Five (Kevin Cann’s research – thanks to Andy Neill for sharing)

 

2 December 1965 (Thursday) – Georgie Fame & The Blue Flames (Record Mirror)

9 December 1965 (Thursday) – The Mark Leeman Five (Kevin Cann’s research – thanks to Andy Neill for sharing)

10 December 1965 (Friday) – The Beatstalkers (Kevin Cann’s research – thanks to Andy Neill for sharing)

13 December 1965 (Monday) – The Beatstalkers (Kevin Cann’s research – thanks to Andy Neill for sharing)

14 December 1965 (Tuesday) – The Nite People (Barry Curtis’ gig diary – thanks to John Warburg for sharing)

15 December 1965 (Wednesday) – Major Lance (Record Mirror)

16 December 1965 (Thursday) – Bluesology (Melody Maker)

Elton John (then known as Reg Dwight) was Bluesology’s keyboard player.

Photo: Record Mirror

20 December 1965 (Monday) – Joe Tex (Record Mirror)

1966

Although it’s not been possible to find exact dates the following musicians confirmed their bands played at the Cromwellian during 1966:

Keyboard player Stan Marut, who worked with Julian Covey & The Machine from late 1965-mid-1966 says the group had a regular Saturday night residency at the club in early 1966 (and also possibly late 1965 when John McVie was briefly a member when Jack Bruce filled his spot in John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers). He remembers Sands were playing at the venue around the same time.

According to Chris Groom’s excellent book “Rockin’ and Around Croydon”, Croydon group The Kingpins played at the Cromwellian in early 1966.

Singer Alan Chamberlain says that The Guests played at the venue during 1966 (possibly with The Shevelles).

Jim Nairn (aka James Royal) says The James Royal Set played at the club this year.

Guitarist Frank Torpey, who later became an original member of The Sweet, confirms his group The Tribe played at the Cromwellian (most likely this year and possibly also 1967).

Guitarist Jim Cregan says that Blossom Toes performed at the venue (but this might have been 1967).

Ray Brown, who played bass with Jeff Curtis & The Flames from mid-1965 to late 1967 when they became The Kool, says that the band played at the Cromwellian a few times, most likely in 1966 (but also possibly early 1967).

Drummer Rocky Browne confirms that The Summer Set had a weekly residence at the Cromwellian during 1966.

Drummer Tony Richard says The Fetish Crowd played at the club during 1966.

The following list for 1966 is incomplete so I’d welcome additions:

 

4 January 1966 (Tuesday) – The Mike Cotton Sound with Lucas (Melody Maker)

11 January 1966 (Tuesday) – Pattie La Belle & The Bluebells with Bluesology (Melody Maker)

Elton John (then known as Reg Dwight) was Bluesology’s keyboard player.

13 January 1966 (Thursday) – The Exciters (Record Mirror)

Record Mirror originally billed this show for 19 January.

15 January 1966 (Saturday) – The Riot Squad (website: http://brunoceriotti.weebly.com/the-riot-squad.html)

19 January 1966 (Wednesday) – Lee Dorsey (Record Mirror)

Record Mirror also listed this for 31 January so this may not have happened. Dorsey was most likely backed by The Krew featuring sax player Howie Casey. I also have The Sidewinders, so probably shared. They were back the following Wednesday to back Stevie Wonder.

26 January 1966 (Wednesday) – Stevie Wonder (Record Mirror)

Stevie Wonder was backed by The Sidewinders (confirmed by drummer Malcolm Penn).

31 January 1966 (Monday) – Lee Dorsey (Record Mirror and Rave Magazine)

Lee Dorsey was most certainly backed by The Krew.

 

5 February 1966 (Saturday) – Bobby King & The Sabres (Clive Chase’s gig diary)

This was 2-6am on the Sunday morning after a show at the Glenlyn Ballroom in Forest Hill on the Saturday night. Chase says The Searchers came in and watched them.

9 February 1966 (Wednesday) – Doris Troy (Record Mirror)

16 February 1966 (Wednesday) – Steampacket (website: http://thebritishsound.blogspot.com/2011/07/steam-packet-family-tree-performance.html)

Record Mirror lists Rufus Thomas for 16 February. Steampacket did perform at the Cromwellian and it’s possible that Rufus Thomas shared the billing. Rod Stewart co-fronted Steampacket with Long John Baldry and Julie Driscoll.

19 February 1966 (Saturday) – Bobby King & The Sabres (Clive Chase’s gig diary)

23 February 1966 (Wednesday) – Ben E King (Record Mirror and Rave Magazine)

25 February 1966 (Friday) – The Nite People (Barry Curtis’ gig diary – thanks to John Warburg for sharing)

 

2 March 1966 (Wednesday) – Solomon Burke (Record Mirror)

3 March 1966 (Thursday) – Episode Six (Brian Long’s research)

Future Deep Purple members Ian Gillan and Roger Glover were members.

5 March 1966 (Saturday) – Julian Covey & The Machine (needs confirmation)

10 March 1966 (Thursday) – Episode Six (Brian Long’s research)

12 March 1966 (Saturday) – Julian Covey & The Machine (needs confirmation)

19 March 1966 (Saturday) – Julian Covey & The Machine (needs confirmation)

Cromwellian, London, March 1966. Photo: Melody Maker

26 March 1966 (Saturday) – Julian Covey & The Machine (Melody Maker)

 

1 April 1966 (Friday) – The Sidewinders (Malcolm Penn’s gig diary)

 

5 May 1966 (Thursday) – Betty Everett (Record Mirror)

Christopher Hjort’s excellent book “Strange Brew: Eric Clapton & The British Blues Boom 1965-1970” notes that Eric Clapton attended the Cromwellian on 9 May after a gig at the Star Hotel in Croydon with John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers.

The 9 May marks the inception of SLAGS (Society of Looning Alcoholic Guitarists) whose members include Jeff Beck, Stevie Winwood, Vic Briggs, Pete Townshend, Steve Marriott, Andy Somers, Alan Roskams and Dave Wendels. The members will meet regularly at the Cromwellian.

 

In early June Melody Maker prints a “Guide to Good Raving” which lists the “in” clubs of the London scene. The Cromwellian is featured and the magazine notes that Gary Farr & The T-Bones, The Mark Leeman Five, Dave Anthony’s Moods, The Shevelles, Sands and The Peter B’s (actually The Shotgun Express) have recently played at the venue (performing until 2am).

10 June 1966 (Friday) – Mike Cotton Sound with Lucas (Melody Maker)

According to the Nottingham Evening Post, The Five Proud Walkers who play at the Beachcomber Club on 18 June came from the Cromwellian.

According to the Southern Evening Echo (Southampton), The Move, who play the Adam & Eve in Southampton on 12 July, came from the Cromwellian (see above)

According to the Nottingham Evening Post, The Cromwellians who play at the Beachcomber Club on 23 July came from the Cromwellian.

Photo: London Life magazine

27 July 1966 (Wednesday) – The Shevelles (Fabulous 208)

30 July 1966 (Saturday) – The Riot Squad (website: http://brunoceriotti.weebly.com/the-riot-squad.html)

 

The Eyes of Blue, who have won Melody Maker’s National Beat Contest, celebrate with a party at the club on 7 August. Eric Clapton, Alan Price, Chris Farlowe and others attend.

According to the Nottingham Evening Post, The Coletrane Union, who play at the Britannia Rowing Club on 13 August came from the Cromwellian

According to this Moody Blues site, John Lodge’s band The Question were regulars at the Cromwellian during August/September 1966 before he took up the bass slot in The Moody Blues in October.

31 August 1966 (Wednesday) – The Mike Cotton Sound with Lucas (Melody Maker)

 

20 September 1966 (Tuesday) – Dave Anthony’s Moods (Melody Maker)

Guitarist Tim Large says that Dave Anthony’s Moods had a regular Wednesday night gig at the Cromwellian but the gigs in September are Tuesday nights.

21 September 1966 (Wednesday) – The Mike Cotton Sound with Lucas (Melody Maker and Fabulous 208)

27 September 1966 (Tuesday) – Dave Anthony’s Moods (Melody Maker)

30 September 1966 (Friday) – The Brian Auger Trinity (Jimi Hendrix website)

According to this site, Brian Auger was playing at the Cromwellian on a Friday night and had invited Jimi Hendrix to sit in with his band at this venue earlier in the week. Auger insists that this was the first place that Hendrix jammed with his band.

However, Auger did play at Blaises on Thursday, 29 September and Hendrix did sit in on that occasion, having arrived in the UK on Thursday, 22 September. According to Vic Briggs (and other sources), Hendrix also turned up and jammed with the band at the Scotch of St James on Wednesday, 28 September. 

 

8 October 1966 (Saturday) – Bobby King & The Sabres (Clive Chase’s gig diary)

11 October 1966 (Tuesday) – The Shevelles (Fabulous 208)

It has been noted that The Paul Butterfield Blues Band jammed with Cream at the Cromwellian on 19 October (the alternative location was the Scotch of St James). However, according to Christopher Hjort’s excellent book on the British blues boom, “Strange Brew”, Cream are playing at the Blue Moon in Cheltenham this evening.

22 October 1966 (Saturday) – Bobby King & The Sabres (Clive Chase’s gig diary)

 

2 November 1966 (Wednesday) – The Mike Cotton Sound with Lucas (Melody Maker)

Photo: London Life magazine

16 November 1966 (Wednesday) – The Mike Cotton Sound with Lucas (Melody Maker)

18 November 1966 (Friday) – Carl Douglas & The Big Stampede (Ken Baxter’s gig diary)

According to Disc & Music Echo’s 26 November issue, Eric Burdon, Chas Chandler and Bill Wyman attended the club on this date.

30 November 1966 (Wednesday) – The Mike Cotton Sound with Lucas (Melody Maker)

According to Bruno Ceriotti, Bluesology (featuring Reg Dwight aka Elton John) played at the Cromwellian regularly during December 1966, which is where Long John Baldry saw them and took them on as his new backing group.

 

7 December 1966 (Wednesday) – Carl Douglas & The Big Stampede (Ken Baxter’s gig diary)

14 December 1966 (Wednesday) – Carl Douglas & The Big Stampede (Ken Baxter’s gig diary)

According to Disc & Music Echo, The Magic Lanterns visited the club the week starting 19 December but it is not clear whether they performed or just attended.

24 December 1966 (Saturday) – Carl Douglas & The Big Stampede (Ken Baxter’s gig diary)

1967

According to Disc & Music Echo, Ray Hunter and Paul Lincoln, who had previously run The Two I’s Coffee Bar in Soho, co-ran the Cromwellian this year.

Rob Tolchard says his band Sands played the Cromwellian in January where they were spotted by Brian Epstein who hired them for his Saville Theatre show on 5 February. 

Bass player Bruce Usherwood says The Warren Davis Monday Band performed at the venue several times between December 1966 and February 1967 just before they signed with Columbia Records.

The Warren Davis Monday Band’s guitarist Rob Walker concurs and notes that one of the gigs was when the band was called The Boardwalkers.

Disc & Music Echo, 14 January 1967 issue, talks about Georgie Fame’s fiancé Carmen’s 21st birthday fancy dress party, which was held at the venue on 8 January. The guests include Jane Asher, Ringo Starr, Paul McCartney, John Lennon and Georgie Fame.

The following list for 1967 is incomplete so I’d welcome additions:

17 January 1967 (Tuesday) – The Mike Cotton Sound with Lucas (Melody Maker)

28 January 1967 (Saturday) – Bobby King & The Sabres (Clive Chase’s gig diary)

Disc & Music Echo reported that Del Shannon, Johnny Rivers, Edwin Starr and Dave Davies of The Kinks were guests at the club during the week starting 30 January. 

According to Martyn Hanson’s excellent book Hang on to a Dream: The Story of the Nice, Lee Jackson was part of the house band at the Cromwellian, The House of Usher during February and March 1967.

2 February 1967 (Thursday) – The Fleur De Lys (Keith Guster’s gig diary)

6 February 1967 (Monday) – The Web with John L Watson (Melody Maker)

9 February 1967 (Thursday) – Long John Baldry & Bluesology (Fabulous 208)

11 February 1967 (Saturday) – Bobby King & The Sabres (Clive Chase’s gig diary)

Bobby King & The Sabres perform from 2am to 6am after playing at the Greenford Hotel, Greenford, west London on the Saturday night, so this would probably be the early hours of the Sunday, 12 February.

20 February 1967 (Monday) – Carl Douglas & The Big Stampede (Ken Baxter’s gig diary)

23 February 1967 (Thursday) – The Mike Cotton Sound with Lucas (Melody Maker)

25 February 1967 (Saturday) – The Good Time Losers (needs confirmation)

The Good Time Losers had a residency at the club around about now, according to Melody Maker. Disc & Music Echo reported that they were managed by the club. Pretty certain it was a Saturday but needs confirmation.

 

4 March 1967 (Saturday) – The Good Time Losers (needs confirmation)

11 March 1967 (Saturday) – The Good Time Losers (needs confirmation)

18 March 1967 (Saturday) – The Good Time Losers (needs confirmation)

25 March 1967 (Saturday) – The Good Time Losers (needs confirmation)

 

3 April 1967 (Monday) – The Mike Cotton Sound with Lucas (Melody Maker)

8 April 1967 (Saturday) – Prince Buster & The Bees (Disc & Music Echo)

12 April 1967 (Wednesday) – Ben E King (Disc & Music Echo)

Disc & Music Echo report that Tom Jones attended. This may have been 5 April so needs confirmation

14 April 1967 (Friday) – Motivation with The James Garnet Soul and Roll Band (Swindon Advertiser) (cancelled)

Motivation (featuring future Jethro Tull guitarist Martin Barre) are advertised to play the venue. Keyboard player Mick Ketley says they did play the Cromwellian. However, sax player Chris Rodger confirms they were in Italy until mid-May before returning home so this didn’t happen.

16 April 1967 (Sunday) – Disc and Music Echo says that The Bee Gees hold a reception at the club today

18 April 1967 (Tuesday) – Bo Diddley with The Canadians (Melody Maker)

The Canadians feature future producer and music executive David Foster on keyboards.

Disc & Music Echo’s 22 April issue says that US actress Jayne Mansfield attended the Cromwellian the previous Tuesday but the date might have been 11 April instead.

Drummer Phil Wainman, who later produced The Sweet and was playing with Jack Hammer & The Hammer Jammers in May 1967, says Jack Hammer played at the club, which would have most likely been this month.

1 May 1967 (Monday) – Prince Buster & The Bees (Melody Maker, Fabulous 208 and Disc & Music Echo)

4 May 1967 (Thursday) – The Web with John L Watson (Melody Maker)

8 May 1967 (Monday) – Prince Buster & The Bees (Record Mirror)

Photo: Melody Maker

15 May 1967 (Monday) – The Mike Cotton Sound with Lucas (Melody Maker)

17 May 1967 (Wednesday) – The Web (Melody Maker)

22 May 1967 (Monday) – The Web (Melody Maker)

24 May 1967 (Wednesday) – The Mike Cotton Sound with Lucas (Melody Maker)

26 May 1967 (Friday) – Tuesday’s Children (Fabulous 208)

27 May 1967 (Saturday) – Tuesday’s Children (Fabulous 208)

31 May 1967 (Wednesday) – The Web (Melody Maker)

 

11 June 1967 (Sunday) – Vince Edwards (Del Paramor’s gig diary)

13 June 1967 (Tuesday) – The Mike Cotton Sound with Lucas (Melody Maker)

20 June 1967 (Tuesday) – The Mike Cotton Sound with Lucas (Melody Maker)

Irish band Granny’s Intentions played around July 1967

4 July 1967 (Tuesday) – The Mike Cotton Sound with Lucas (Melody Maker)

11 July 1967 (Tuesday) – Vince Edwards (Fabulous 208)

13 July 1967 (Thursday) – The Mike Cotton Sound with Lucas (Melody Maker)

18 July 1967 (Tuesday) – Vince Edwards (Del Paramor’s gig diary)

29 July 1967 (Saturday) – Tuesday’s Children (Fabulous 208)

31 July 1967 (Monday) – The Mike Cotton Sound with Lucas (Melody Maker)

 

9 August 1967 (Wednesday) – The Mike Cotton Sound with Lucas (Melody Maker)

16 August 1967 (Wednesday) – Marmalade (Fabulous 208)

According to Disc & Music Echo’s 16 September issue, Long John Baldry keeps fit by running up the club’s stairs. Does this imply that he performed here with Bluesology during September?

1968

Guitarist/singer Paul Brett says that he played this venue during 1968, which was probably with Tintern Abbey but could have been with Elmer Gantry and/or Fire.

Drummer Paul Maher says that Jo Jo Gunne performed at the venue (possibly this year and/or 1969).

The following list for 1968 is incomplete so I’d welcome additions.

Judging by the dates below in January and February, it looks like jazz bands played on Mondays.

4 January 1968 (Thursday) – The Mike Cotton Sound with Lucas (Melody Maker)

Mike Eastman notes in his diary that his band Katch 22 played on 4 January.

8 January 1968 (Monday) – Bill Nile’s Delta Jazzmen (Melody Maker)

Photo: Melody Maker

10 January 1968 (Wednesday) – The Web featuring John L Watson (Melody Maker)

11 January 1968 (Thursday) – The Shevelles (Melody Maker)

12 January 1968 (Friday) – Garnet Mimms (Melody Maker)

15 January 1968 (Monday) – The Red Onion Jazz Band (Melody Maker)

17 January 1968 (Wednesday) – The New Formula (Melody Maker)

18 January 1968 (Thursday) – The New Formula (Melody Maker)

19 January 1968 (Friday) – The New Formula (Melody Maker)

22 January 1968 (Monday) – Ken Colyer’s Jazzmen (Melody Maker)

23 January 1968 (Tuesday) – The Shevelles (Melody Maker)

24 January 1968 (Wednesday) – The Shevelles (Melody Maker)

Photo: Melody Maker

25 January 1968 (Thursday) – Tuesday’s Children (Melody Maker and Bob Hodges’ gig diary)

26 January 1968 (Friday) – Jigsaw (Melody Maker)

29 January 1968 (Monday) – Spencer’s Washboard Kings (Melody Maker)

30 January 1968 (Tuesday) – The Mike Cotton Sound and Lucas (Melody Maker)

31 January 1968 (Wednesday) – Wee Willie Harris and The Shevelles (Melody Maker)

 

1 February 1968 (Thursday) – The Web featuring John L Watson (Melody Maker)

Mike Eastman notes in his diary that his band Katch 22 played on 1 February.

2 February 1968 (Friday) – Clyde McPhatter and The Trend (Melody Maker)

5 February 1968 (Monday) – Alex Welsh & His Jazz Band (Melody Maker)

6 February 1968 (Tuesday) – Wishful Thinking (Melody Maker)

8 February 1968 (Thursday) – Taste (Rory Gallagher’s Fandom site: https://concerts.fandom.com/wiki/Rory_Gallagher)

14 February 1968 (Wednesday) – The Tremeloes (Fabulous 208)

15 February 1968 (Thursday) – Tuesday’s Children (Bob Hodges’ gig diary)

26 February 1968 (Monday) – Jethro Tull (Melody Maker)

Photo: Melody Maker

4 March 1968 (Monday) – Fleetwood Mac (Melody Maker)

5 March 1968 (Tuesday) – The Mike Cotton Sound and Lucas (Melody Maker)

11 March 1968 (Monday) – Spirit of John Morgan (Melody Maker)

18 March 1968 (Monday) – Ten Years After (Melody Maker)

25 March 1968 (Monday) – Champion Jack Dupree (Melody Maker)

26 March 1968 (Tuesday) – Jethro Tull (Melody Maker)

 

22 April 1968 (Monday) – The Showstoppers (Melody Maker)

25 April 1968 (Thursday) – Nepenthe and Jigsaw (Melody Maker)

26 April 1968 (Friday) – My Dear Watson (Melody Maker)

29 April 1968 (Monday) – Duster Bennett (Melody Maker)

30 April 1968 (Tuesday) – Timebox (Melody Maker)

 

1 May 1968 (Wednesday) – O’Hara’s Playboys (Melody Maker)

2 May 1968 (Thursday) – Timebox (Melody Maker)

3 May 1968 (Friday) – Duane Eddy with The Quotations (Melody Maker)

6 May 1968 (Monday) – Wishful Thinking (Melody Maker)

7 May 1968 (Tuesday) – The Jeff Beck Group (Melody Maker)

8 May 1968 (Wednesday) – The New Formula (Melody Maker)

9 May 1968 (Thursday) – The New Formula (Melody Maker)

10 May 1968 (Friday) – Hopscotch (Melody Maker)

11 May 1968 (Saturday) – Merlin Q (Melody Maker)

13 May 1968 (Monday) – The Fantastics (with The House of Orange) (Melody Maker)

14 May 1968 (Tuesday) – The Embers (Melody Maker)

15 May 1968 (Wednesday) – O’ Hara’s Playboys (Melody Maker)

16 May 1968 (Thursday) – The New Formula (Melody Maker)

17 May 1968 (Friday) – Timebox (Melody Maker)

18 May 1968 (Saturday) – Brass Tacks (Melody Maker)

20 May 1968 (Monday) – Wishful Thinking (Melody Maker)

21 May 1968 (Tuesday) – Wishful Thinking (Melody Maker)

22 May 1968 (Wednesday) – Timebox (Melody Maker)

27 May 1968 (Monday) – Duane Eddy (Melody Maker)

 

3 June 1968 (Monday) – Bill Haley & The Comets (Melody Maker and New Musical Express)

14 June 1968 (Friday) – Ruby & The Romantics (Melody Maker)

18 June 1968 (Tuesday) – Ray King Soul Band (Melody Maker)

27 June 1968 (Thursday) – The Mike Cotton Sound with Lucas (Melody Maker)

 

8 July 1968 (Monday) – Ray King Soul Band (Melody Maker)

20 July 1968 (Saturday) – The Mooche (Melody Maker)

Photo: Melody Maker

2 August 1968 (Friday) – Dave Davani Five (Melody Maker)

3 August 1968 (Saturday) – Timebox (Melody Maker)

8 August 1968 (Thursday) – Dave Davani Five (Melody Maker)

9 August 1968 (Friday) – Moon’s Train (Malcolm Penn’s diary – thanks to Peter Gosling for sharing)

10 August 1968 (Saturday) – The Pathfinders (Melody Maker)

12 August 1968 (Monday) – Katch 22 (Mike Eastman’s gig diary)

15 August 1968 (Thursday) – Dave Davani Five (Melody Maker)

16 August 1968 (Friday) – Scrugg (Melody Maker and Jack Russell’s gig diary)

17 August 1968 (Saturday) – Alexander Bell & The Flies (Melody Maker)

20 August 1968 (Tuesday) – Timebox (Melody Maker and Fabulous 208)

22 August 1968 (Thursday) – Katch 22 (Mike Eastman’s gig diary)

23 August 1968 (Friday) – Dave Davani Five (Melody Maker)

24 August 1968 (Saturday) – Scrugg (Melody Maker and Jack Russell’s gig diary)

27 August 1968 (Tuesday) – Timebox (Melody Maker and Fabulous 208)

28 August 1968 (Wednesday) – Dave Davani Five (Melody Maker)

30 August 1968 (Friday) – Dave Davani Five (Melody Maker)

Photo: Melody Maker

31 August 1968 (Saturday) – Timebox (Melody Maker)

 

6 September 1968 (Friday) – Moon’s Train (Malcolm Penn’s diary – thanks to Peter Gosling for sharing)

Photo: Melody Maker

7 September 1968 (Saturday) – Timebox (Melody Maker)

14 September 1968 (Saturday) – The New Formula (Melody Maker)

16 September 1968 (Monday) – The New Formula (Melody Maker)

17 September 1968 (Tuesday) – Little John & The Shaddocks (Melody Maker)

18 September 1968 (Wednesday) – Timebox (Melody Maker)

19 September 1968 (Thursday) – Katch 22 (Melody Maker and Mike Eastman’s gig diary)

21 September 1968 (Saturday) – The New Formula (Melody Maker)

 

19 October 1968 (Saturday) – The Maddening Crowd (Melody Maker)

 

16 November 1968 (Saturday) – The Maddening Crowd (Melody Maker)

21 November 1968 (Thursday) – The Nite People (Melody Maker)

 

5 December 1968 (Thursday) – Ray King Soul Band (Melody Maker)

19 December 1968 (Thursday) – Ray King Soul Band (Melody Maker)

1969

Sax player Geoff Glover says his band The All Night Workers played at the Cromwellian when Clyde Barrow took over lead vocals from Iain Pitwell, which would have been from early 1969.

Guitarist/violinist Mike Piggott says that his band Gass played here during 1969/1970.

The following list for 1969 is incomplete so I’d welcome additions:

20 January 1969 (Monday) – Ray King Soul Band (Melody Maker)

 

8 February 1969 (Saturday) – The Maddening Crowd (Melody Maker)

 

1 March 1969 (Saturday) – The Maddening Crowd (Melody Maker)

 

3 November 1969 (Monday) – Sky (Melody Maker)

10 November 1969 (Monday) – She Trinity (Melody Maker)

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.

Floribunda Rose and Scrugg

Scrugg live, left to right: Chris Demetriou, Jack Russell, Henry Spinetti (hidden) and John Kongos
Scrugg live, left to right: Chris Demetriou, Jack Russell, Henry Spinetti (hidden) and John Kongos

G-Men with Johnny Kongos news clipping

Johnny Kongos news clip October 1966
Johnny Kongos news clip October 1966

Buried in the welter of superlative singles issued in September 1967 was an intriguing release by an Anglo-South African group with a suitably ‘flower power’ name, Floribunda Rose. A forgotten gem, ‘One Way Street’ c/w ‘Linda Loves Linda’, should have been a resounding hit but despite being plugged incessantly by several notable radio stations, it barely made a ripple. Floribunda Rose may have been lost to a bygone age but its lead singer and principal songwriter remains one of South Africa’s most successful exports and would years later become synonymous with one of Brit Pop’s most enduring anthems, The Happy Monday’s ‘He’s Gonna Step On You Again’.

Johnny Kongos

Born in Jo’burg on 6 August 1945 to Greek parents, aspiring singer/songwriter and guitarist Johnny Kongos had formed his first group, The Dukes, when he was 15 years old and began carving out a local following playing at his mother’s club, the Fireplace in Boksburg.

Joined by former Mickie Most & The Playboys guitarist Hank Squires in 1962, the group morphed into Johnny Kongos & The G-Men and over the next three years released nearly twenty singles and half a dozen albums for the Teal and RCA labels.

In late 1963, Kongos made his first exploratory visit to the UK but despite auditioning for a couple of major labels, and running into Hank Squires’s former band leader, Mickie Most, now a fledgling producer, Kongos failed to make an impact.

Empty handed, he returned to Jo’burg and reformed The G-Men. Plans to consolidate his earlier successes, however, were soon thrown in the air when the singer was called up for national defence training in late 1964.

Returning to civilian life six months later, Kongos picked up where he’d left off and recorded a final single with The G-Men, ‘Until It’s Time For You To Go’, which secured a release on Teal, the South African distributor for the Pye label.

Record Express, July 1966
Record Express, July 1966

Thanks to these connections, Kongos elected to return to the UK in April 1966, where he befriended Pye’s manager/producer John Schroeder. Sufficiently impressed by Kongos’s audition tape, Schroeder secured a solo deal with Pye’s subsidiary label, Piccadilly.

The fruits of the ensuing sessions turned up on the singer’s debut UK single – the folky, self penned ‘I Love Mary’, backed with the poppy Kongos/Leroy number, ‘Good Time Party Companion’, released that September. Credited to John T Kongos, the single was well received but did nothing chart-wise.

004 in Personality, November 1965
004 in Personality, November 1965

Johnny Kongos, 004, Ian & Ritchie at Germiston City Hall

Chris Demetriou, 1967
Chris Demetriou, 1967

004

Soon after the single’s release, Kongos was back in South Africa beginning work on a fresh clutch of songs with the intention of recording an album. One night in April 1967, he dropped into the 505 club in Jo’burg’s trendy Hillbrow district and caught British group, The 004 entertaining the crowds (see The 004 page for a closer inspection of this fascinating group). Suitably impressed, he approached the band members after they’d finished their set and asked them to help him cut the planned album as paid musicians.

A hugely popular live act, The 004 had arrived in South Africa by boat in July 1965 on the back of a contract offered to the group’s lead guitarist, Pete Clifford (b. 10 May 1943, Whetstone, London). A former member of Dusty Springfield’s backing group, The Echoes, Clifford had first visited South Africa during 1964 and participated in the singer’s infamous tour where she was deported for refusing to play to segregated audiences.

While the tour had been a PR disaster, Clifford had been promised some lucrative work by Trevor Boswell, husband of South African 1950s star, Eve Boswell, and co-owner of the Keleti Artist Agency, if he could return from London with a new group.

Clifford sought around for suitable musicians and quickly recruited Welsh rhythm guitarist and singer Brian Gibson from The Laurie Jay Combo, who in turn recommended fellow countryman, bass player and singer Jack Russell (b. 29 April 1944, Caerleon, Wales).

Gibson and Russell had known each other for years, having first worked together in The Victors, resident band at the Latin Quarter, one of London’s top theatre restaurants.

“I had a call on the Monday from Brian,” remembers Russell, who was working as a manager for Vox in Dartford at the time. “He asked me if I fancied joining him in a band that was going to South Africa. I said, ‘Yes’ and asked, ‘When do we go?’ He said, ‘Thursday!’”

With Londoner Peter Stember (today a successful US-based photographer) completing the line up on drums, The 004 sailed for Durban and soon shot to local fame as one of the top groups working the clubs, so much so that they landed jobs supporting Gene Vincent and The Ivy League.

During 1966, the band released a handful of singles for CBS, including ‘The In Crowd’ and a decent album, It’s Alright, before Stember returned to the UK in August.

In his place, The 004s recruited Dutch-born, South African raised drummer Nick ‘Doc’ Dokter (b. 24 July 1945, Kampen, Overijsel, The Netherlands), who possessed an impressive musical CV, including a stint with The Leemen Limited alongside South African guitar legend, the late Ken E Henson.

Originally a bass player, Dokter moved to drums early his career after the sticksman in the garage band he was playing in gave up music for a regular job. Working with future A-Cads singer Sammy Evans in a factory making boilers, the pair struck up a friendship and in an interesting turn of events both ended up joining Johnny Kongos’ group The G-Men after the singer was called up for military service.

“We all went and played at John’s place, the Fireplace,” recalls Dokter. “From there I met Kenny Henson, who needed a drummer, so I moved to Durban to join Leemen Limited.”

After two rare singles on the Continental label, including a great version of ‘In The Midnight Hour’ backed by John Mayall’s ‘Heartaches’, it was time to move on again.

“I was just hanging around and Pete Clifford approached me. Peter Stember was leaving The 004 and he just said, ‘Why don’t you just come out and play with us?’ I was really a young kid and I had no experience of playing big clubs. They kinda took me under their wing.”

With Dokter filling the vacant drum stool, The 004 spent the remainder of 1966 consolidating their live reputation. When Gibson handed in his notice in early 1967 (later joining progressive rock band, Abstract Truth, alongside Henson), The 004 briefly recruited guitarist Barry Mitchell from rival band, The In Crowd, but the line up never gelled and when Kongos dropped into the 505, the group had been stripped to a trio.

“John originally offered a job to Jack and Pete,” says Dokter. “I wasn’t included in this. Eve Boswell’s son was originally going to be the drummer. He did some demos with Pete and Jack but it didn’t work out. I happened to be in one of the sessions and just took over.”

As Kongos recalls, he always intended to employ a Farfisa organ sound on his album so when Clifford, Dokter and Russell took up the offer to record with him, they were joined in the studio by a fifth member, Chris Demetriou (more commonly known as Chris Dee).

Chris Demetriou

Former keyboard player with Johannesburg’s finest R&B group, John E Sharpe & The Squires (see the Chris Demetriou interview page for more information on this band), Cyprus-born Demetriou had appeared on all of The Squires’ classic singles, including covers of The Kinks’ ‘Stop Your Sobbing’ and Paul Simon’s ‘I Am A Rock’, as well as the highly sought after Maybelline album.

“John located me through the Jo’burg Greek club,” remembers Demetriou. “I was invited to his house and the next thing I knew we were planning to leave the country and seek fame and fortune in London.”

As Kongos relates, his plan had always been to return to the UK with a band as soon as possible and use the recordings to secure further work. Looking back on the sessions, he dismisses most of the material as forgettable.

“I had written a bunch of songs and I basically wanted to do demos. I went into the studio with all of the guys and wound up taking that ‘album’ of demos to the UK.”

As events panned out, the band got half way through the recording when Kongos made a proposition: rather than pay the musicians for the sessions, he would cover everyone’s fares to UK.

The as-yet unnamed Floribunda Rose in Jo'burg, May 1967. Left to right: Pete Clifford, Jack Russell, John Kongos, Chris Demetriou and Nick Dokter
The as-yet unnamed Floribunda Rose in Jo’burg, May 1967. Left to right: Pete Clifford, Jack Russell, John Kongos, Chris Demetriou and Nick Dokter

Floribunda Rose

According to Russell, it made sense to return home and crack the British market, especially when Kongos had connections in the music industry. “He would have been a fool not to do that,” he says. “He had a contract in his back pocket with Pye and a contract with Maurice King who ran the Walker Brothers among others; it was a stable worth getting into.”

Before setting off by boat in May 1967, the newly formed group posed for some publicity photos in Kongos’s Jo’burg house. Then, a few days’ later, set sail for England, writing and rehearsing material, including the Kongos-Russell collaboration, ‘Linda Loves Linda’, in preparing for the assault on the British market.

Throughout the long journey the group struggled to come up with a suitable name. “I wanted to call it Kongos’s Magic Dragon but [John] wouldn’t have it,” says Russell.

In fact, as the bass player explains, the musicians only agreed on Floribunda Rose on the way to their first gig! Having arrived at Maurice King’s office during their first week in London, the manager calmly informed the musicians that they had a gig the next day and studio time booked a few weeks later.

A second hand camper van was hastily purchased in Earl’s Court and the band set off for its debut gig – a small club in Castleford, West Yorkshire on 14 July, stopping off in central London on route to pick the elusive name.

“John and I walked across the street in Baker Street to a book shop, desperate to find a name for the band,” recalls Russell. “Flower power was at its zenith, so we plumped for Floribunda Rose. A bloody daft name but that was where people were at.”

After a handful of gigs in the north and the midlands, including shows in Tadcaster, Burnley and Tamworth, Floribunda Rose made their London debut at Tiles on Oxford Street on 19 August.

Around this time, the group also cut its debut single under Schroeder’s watchful eye – the poppy ‘Linda Loves Linda’ – supposedly a tale of female narcissism, backed by Kongos’s infectious, and rather Beatlesque, ‘One Way Street’. The plug side, with its ‘Everyone is Loving Everywhere’ lyric, ‘fairground’ organ and free-form ending, chimes perfectly with the ‘peace, love vibe’.

Released in September 1967 on Pye’s Piccadilly subsidiary and the same week that Radio 1 aired, ‘Linda Loves Linda’ benefited from its publicity and was heavily plugged by Tony Blackburn and Pete Murray.

“We were very lucky,” says Russell. “Maurice King was an operator. He knew his stuff and employed a plugger who would go round the BBC with new releases.”

“In those days you had to get on the BBC play-list. We were on the first week of Radio 1. Only three singles a week out of the 80 releases used to get on that, which was fantastic.”

To coincide with the station’s launch, the group recorded a BBC Radio 1 session with Brian Matthews on 25 September for a show that was replacing Saturday Club, cutting new versions of ‘Linda Loves Linda’ and ‘One Way Street’, along with covers of Paul Simon’s ‘Bright Green Pleasure Machine’ and ‘59th Bridge Street Song’. None of the tracks have been released and remain buried somewhere in the BBC archive.

Yet despite getting on to the new play list, recording a live session and having a Juke Box Jury appearance as ‘mystery band’ (on 8 September) and being voted a hit, the single stiffed.

The group returned to the daily grind of touring, often travelling hundreds of miles to play small clubs and sharing the bill with the likes of The Zombies, Dave Berry and Lonnie Donegan to name a few.

“Most of our gigs were up and down the M1 at less prestigious venues,” recalls Demetriou. “We did play some university events and supported more well known acts.”

“There are lots of little funny things that happened with Floribunda Rose,” adds Kongos. “It was really corny actually – attempting to jump on the ‘Flower Power’ bandwagon. We did dumb things like throw out flowers to the crowd at the end of a the gig [which] went down really well in Workingmen’s clubs (not!)

“I think the best thing about the band was that we did really intricate medleys of known songs – a little like Vanilla Fudge, in the sense that the versions were very different.”

Book-ending the year, Floribunda Rose spent a month playing at the Top Ten in Hamburg, grafting for six hours a night to a largely unappreciative crowd. While there, Dokter remembers rubbing shoulders with the musicians that would later go on to form the nucleus of heavy rock band, Deep Purple.

Exhausted, the group drove home non-stop, heading straight for the Scottish Highlands in the first week of January where the first cracks in the band’s precarious line up surfaced.

“We did one [10-day] tour of Scotland [and] that was the last thing I did with them,” remembers Clifford, who left after the final gig on 14 January. “I then flew out from the freezing cold to the humid heat of Durban and nearly died. I had a pair of leather jack boots and a Scottish hiking jacket!”

Pete Clifford returns to South Africa and joins the Bats

Back in South Africa, the guitarist joined The Bats, appearing on the highly sought after Image album (which includes the superb ‘Money Ain’t Worth a Dang’) and also playing numerous sessions, most notably providing bouzouki on Freedom Children’s debut album, Battle Hymn of The Broken Hearted Horde. During the late 1960s and 1970s, he became one of South Africa’s most respected guitarists and continues to tour with The Bats.

“[Pete] and John just butted like rams,” explains Russell on the guitarist’s dramatic exit. “Pete was very experienced. He had worked with some major people. He knew his stuff and was a good guitar player but basically John didn’t want a lead guitarist.”

“Pete Clifford was an incredible guitar player and so was John,” adds Dokter. “They were both very talented. It was good for Pete to actually go on his own and work with The Bats and John had the freedom to do what he wanted to do.”

Kongos has the last word: “Pete was not satisfied with the lack of progress in the band – it wasn’t easy travelling hundreds of miles to little gigs and winding up almost out of pocket at the end of the day. Musically too, it was not satisfying for us because we had different ideas. We got on each others’ nerves and could have been the model for Spinal Tap if we’d made it.”

Nick Dokter departs

With Clifford gone and Kongos assuming lead guitar duties, it wasn’t long before Dokter also bailed. “Nick was married and his wife was getting bored with the difficulties of not making money,” explains Kongos on the drummer’s departure in late February after a 10-day stand at the Nova club in Kensington, West London.

A qualified boilermaker, Dokter briefly returned to South Africa where he worked a day job while playing with various local groups. In the late 1960s, he moved to his country of birth, Holland, and returned to school to study engineering. Turning down an offer to join The Golden Earring, he subsequently emigrated to Canada in 1969.

During the early 1970s, he got back into playing and recorded an unreleased album with 5 Man Cargo, which later morphed in Cross Town Bus. Through this group he met promoter Bruce Allan and ended up working for his agency for nearly two decades, although Dokter did make occasion trips back to South Africa where he played with his old buddy Kenny Henson in his duo, Finch & Henson among other projects.

“Needless to say, being on the road for 20 years, six-to-nine months at a time, took its toll and I became a studio/session drummer,” says Dokter, who retired from playing full-time in 1989 and currently lives in Vancouver. In the summer of 2009, he plans to visit the UK and catch up with Jack Russell, who he hasn’t seen since early 1968.

Scrugg, 1968, left to right: Jack Russell, Chris Demetriou, John Kongos and Henry Spinetti
Scrugg, 1968, left to right: Jack Russell, Chris Demetriou, John Kongos and Henry Spinetti

Monmouthshire's link with Scrugg article

Scrugg Pye 45 Lavender PopcornScrugg

With Dokter out of the picture, the remaining members returned to London where Russell and Demetriou found themselves caught up in a police raid at their shared flat. “Unbeknown to us, while we were away in Germany and Scotland our road manager had been renting our rooms out,” says Russell, recalling the tragic event.

“People had been using our place as a doss house and these guys had been dealing. We hadn’t a clue the police had been watching the place and we arrived back the morning they hit the place. We were fitted up and forced to plead guilty. We were fined £50 and got front page of The Sun.”

Putting the loss of Dokter behind them, Russell returned to the Welsh valleys and brought back 16-year-old wonder kid, Henry Spinetti (b. 31 March 1951, Cwm, Wales), younger brother of Victor Spinetti and today Katie Melua’s drummer.

With two weeks’ work lined up at the Top Ten in Hamburg, kicking off on 1 March, the group headed for the continent bearing a new name – Scrugg. “I chose the name because we wanted a more earthy image and I was a fan of Earl Scruggs the banjo player,” admits Russell.

“That was a suggestion that we all made,” chips in Clifford, who believes the name was discussed while he was still a member. “We were all trying to think of a new image and I think I left on the verge of Scrugg because I’ve got a picture of Floribunda Rose and then in brackets it says ‘Scrugg’.”

Under its new guise, Scrugg returned to the studios with John Schroeder to work on the first of three classic singles, which, as David Wells rightly points out in the liners for the John Kongos’s compilation album, Lavender Popcorn, “remain exquisite examples of the psychedelic pop sound.”

Scrugg’s debut outing, released on Pye in April 1968, coupled two John Kongos numbers – ‘Everyone Can See’ backed with ‘I Wish I Was Five’. The latter is undoubtedly the stronger of the two and is notable for Lew Warburton’s stirring string arrangement (based directly on Russell’s bass line) and Demetriou’s moody organ playing, which heightens the tension, building to a dramatic climax. A yearning for the innocence and honesty of youth, ‘I Wish I Was Five’ should have been the side to plug and perhaps not surprisingly the single went nowhere.

Two months later, Pye rushed out a follow up, a cover of Scott English’s poppy ‘Lavender Popcorn’, backed by the Kongos penned ‘Sandwich Board Man’, which the singer says was inspired by said character who he used to see regularly on Oxford Street.

A noted songwriter, English, had serious pop credentials and had scored hits with covers of ‘Hi Ho Silver Lining’ and ‘Bend Me Shape Me’, but the group was uncomfortable recording such a blatant teeny-bopper, bubblegum track. The band’s producer, however, overruled any objections and even contributed to the recording by playing piano with a plectrum! “John Schroeder said, ‘You’re doing it’,” remembers Russell. “‘You’ve had two of your own and you’re doing one of mine now, so shut up!’”

Tailor-made for the pop market, ‘Lavender Popcorn’ should have been Scrugg’s commercial breakthrough but like its predecessors faded into obscurity.

Scrugg on stage, left to right: Chris, Henry (hidden on drums), Jack and John
Scrugg on stage, left to right: Chris, Henry (hidden on drums), Jack and John

Forced to make a living on the road, Scrugg resumed their busy touring schedule travelling the length and breadth of the country and taking in towns as far as field as Newcastle, Birmingham and Penzance. Debuting on 3 August 1968, the band also became regulars at London’s renowned nightclub, Scotch of St James, returning again for shows on 7 and 14 September and culminating with a two-night stand on 27-28 September. During this hectic period of touring, Scrugg participated in a historic moment in rock history, opening for a “mystery” band of superstars at a show at Sheffield University on 23 November.

“We opened for them and then watched their show,” says Kongos. “We all agreed that these guys would probably not make it because ‘who needed another Cream?’ so we gave them the thumbs down. They were called Led Zeppelin!”

With Zeppelin’s star in the ascent and Scrugg’s future looking bleak, the end was in sight.

John Kongos and Jack Russell on tour in Scotland
John Kongos and Jack Russell on tour in Scotland
Clockwise from top left: John Kongos, Henry Spinetti, Chris Demetriou and Jack Russell
Clockwise from top left: John Kongos, Henry Spinetti, Chris Demetriou and Jack Russell

In early January, Scrugg’s final single was released and coupled the Kongos’s rave up, ‘Will The Real Geraldine Please Stand Up and Be Counted’ (a song originally recorded for the album session in Jo’burg in 1967), with the singer’s ‘Only George’, a kitchen sink tale about break-up and divorce, introduced by Russell’s freakily distorted vocal.DJ John Peel remained a huge fan and opened his show numerous times during its first week of release but despite the publicity, it failed to chart. Dispirited, the musicians decided to call it a day, bowing out with a two-night stand in Margate, Kent on 18-19 January.

In the aftermath of Scrugg’s split, Kongos went on to establish a successful solo career in the early Seventies, scoring hits with ‘He’s Gonna Step On You Again’ (co-written with Demetriou) and ‘Tokoloshe Man’. He currently resides in Arizona and is preparing material for a new album.

The others meanwhile maintained a less visible, albeit rewarding careers. Spinetti became a top session drummer, working with the likes of Roger Chapman, Bill Wyman and Eric Clapton while Demetriou co-wrote several songs for Kongos’s debut album, Confusions of a Goldfish, and later oversaw recordings for Mike D’Abo and Cat Stevens among others. He currently lives in Esher, Surrey and is a pastor in a local church.

Russell, who gave up playing music in 1969, later ran a successful specialist advertising agency before retiring in 2005. Aside from a brief reunion with Pete Clifford and Brian Gibson where they played at a theatre in Hampton Hill, Middlesex to celebrate Russell’s 6oth birthday, he currently plays solo sets at the Rising Sun pub in Twickenham.

Aficionados can expect to pay hefty prices for Floribunda Rose and Scrugg singles. Mercifully, Castle compiled an excellent CD in 2001 called Lavender Popcorn, pulling together all of the recordings, including the previously unreleased Scrugg track, ‘Patriotic’, although regrettably the BBC radio sessions were omitted.

Despite that small oversight, the CD is recommended to anyone who feels the urge to savour some of the most exquisitely recorded British psychedelic pop.

A huge thanks goes to Jack Russell for his generous assistance in pulling the story together and for offering the use of his private photo collection and live gig list. Thanks also to John Kongos for his insights into the group, Chris Demetriou, Nick Dokter, Pete Clifford and David Wells.

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.

Releases:

Floribunda Rose:
Linda Loves Linda / One Way Street, Picadilly 7N.35408

Scrugg:
Everyone Can See / I Wish I Was Five, Pye 7N.17492
Lavender Popcorn / Sandwichboard Man, Pye 7N.17551
Will the Real Geraldine Please Stand Up and Be Counted / Only George, Pye 7N.17656

 

Floribunda Rose gigs (thanks to Jack Russell for diary dates):

14 July 1967 – Crystal Ballroom, Castleford , West Yorkshire

15 July 1967 – Boulevard, Tadcaster, North Yorkshire

18 July 1967 – Burnley, Lancashire (no venue listed)

22 July 1967 – Brierfield, Lancashire (no venue listed)

4 August 1967 – Crow’s Nest, Tamworth, Staffordshire

19 August 1967 – Tiles, Oxford Street, London

26 August 1967 – The Boogaloo, Crystal Ballroom, Castleford, West Yorkshire (according to the Sheffield Star and Wakefield Express this was with The Magic Lanterns)

29 August 1967 – Luton, Bedfordshire (no venue listed)

 

2 September 1967 – The Rover, Solihull, Warwickshire

3 September 1967 – Cromer, Norfolk (most likely Olympia Ballroom)

8 September 1967 – Clouds, Derby, Derbyshire

9 September 1967 – Cesar’s Club, Bedford, Bedfordshire (according to the Bedfordshire Times)

15 September 1967 – Tiles, Oxford Street, central London with Simon Dupree & The Big Sound

22 September 1967 – Crystal Ballroom, Castleford, West Yorkshire

23 September 1967 – Wellington (near Hull, Humberside, no venue listed)

24 September 1967 – Cosmo, Carlisle, Cumbria with Root and Jenny Jackson and The Hightimers

25 September 1967 – Radio 1 recording

29 September 1967 – Wigston, Cumbria (no venue listed)

30 September 1967 – Boulevard, Tadcaster, North Yorkshire (according to the Yorkshire Evening Post, this was with The Flowerpot Men)

 

1 October 1967 – Clayton Lodge Hotel, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire with The Pink Variety

7 October 1967 – Cleveland Arms, Wolverhampton, West Midlands (according to Express & Star)

12 October 1967 – Penny Farthing, Hanley, Staffordshire

12 October 1967 – Crystal Ballroom, Newcastle Under Lyme, Staffordshire

13 October 1967 – St Helens, Lancashire (possibly The Co-Op)

14 October 1967 – Leicester University, Leicester, Leicestershire

20 October 1967 – Kendall Town Hall, Kendall, Cumbria

21 October 1967 – Royal Ballroom, Ripley, North Yorkshire

22 October 1967 – Cofton Country Club, Birmingham (listed in Fabulous 208 but not in Jack’s gig list)

28 October 1967 – Barrow, Cumbria (most likely Barrow Public Hall)

29 October 1967 – New Tredegar, Wales (no venue listed)

 

2 November 1967 – Nottingham (no venue listed)

5 November 1967 – Sutton in Ashfield, Nottinghamshire (possibly The Revolution)

7-13 November 1967 – Birmingham, West Midlands area gigs (booked through the Astra Agency) (see below)

9 November 1967 – Kingfisher Country Club, Wall Health, West Midlands with The Californians and The Barmy Barry Show (according to Express & Star)

10 November 1967 – Waggon and Horses, Wall Health, West Midlands (according to Express & Star)

15 November 1967 – Hucknall, Nottinghamshire (no venue listed)

18 November 1967 – Walton Playhouse, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey

 

December 1967 – Month in Hamburg, West Germany (Top Ten Club on Reeperbahn)

 

5-14 January 1968 – Ten-day trip to Scotland (see below)

12 January 1968 – Ballerina Ballroom, Nairn, Scotland with The Rebel Sounds

13 January 1968 – Victoria Hotel, Forres, Scotland (Forres Elgin & Nairn Gazette) This is missing from Jack Russell’s gigs

Peter Clifford left Floribunda Rose in Scotland after the final gig and flew to Durban, South Africa to join The Bats

20 January 1968 – Dreamland Ballroom, Margate, Kent with The Amboy Dukes

3 February 1968 – Barrow Public Hall, Barrow, Cumbria with 4th Coming

16-25 February 1968 – Nova Club, Kensington, London

Nick Dokter left immediately afterwards and the musicians brought in Henry Spinetti. At some point the group changed name to Scrugg but did also continue to be billed as Floribunda Rose for some shows.

1-15 March 1968 – Top Ten, Hamburg, Germany

31 March 1968 – Sunderland, Tyne & Wear (no venue listed)

 

1-6 April 1968 – Sunderland, Tyne & Wear (possibly gigs at various clubs in the area)

7-13 April 1968 – Wolverhampton, West Midlands area gigs (see below)

The following are confirmed from the Express & Star newspaper (and billed as Floribunda Rose):

7 April 1968 – Albrighton WMC, Albrighton, West Midlands

8 April 1968 – Civic Hall, Wolverhampton, West Midlands with The News

11 April 1968 – Essington WMC, Essington, West Midlands

12 April 1968 – Oasis Club, Wolverhampton, West Midlands with The Dunes

13 April 1968 – 3 Men in a Boat, Walsall, West Midlands

 

20 April 1968 – Mr Smith’s Club, Winsford, Cheshire with T Bunkum Band and The Hideaways (billed as Floribunda Rose)

21 April 1968 – Coventry (no venue listed)

Around about now, they change name to Scrugg

3 May 1968 – ‘Tik Tok’ Discotheque, Grimsby (billed as Floribunda Rose) (according to Grimsby Evening Telegraph)

4 May 1968 – Dorothy Ballroom, Cambridge with Bob Kidman & His Band, The Break Thro’, Jubilee & The Sacremento “B”, Mildenberg Jazz Band (billed as Floribunda Rose)

10-19 May 1968 – Elgin area gigs in Scotland (see below)

10 May 1968 – Ballerina Ballroom, Nairn, Scotland (Forres Elgin & Nairn Gazette)

19 May 1968 – Red Shoes Theatre, Elgin, Scotland

24 May 1968 – Victoria Hall, Selkirk, Scotland

25 May 1968 – Miners Wallace Institute, Kirkonnell, Scotland

31 May 1968 – Ringway, Birmingham, West Midlands

 

1 June 1968 – Sheffield, South Yorkshire (no venue listed)

2 June 1968 – Club Cedar, Birmingham, West Midlands

14 June 1968 – Milnthorpe, Cumbria (no venue listed)

15 June 1968 – 400 Ballroom, Torquay, Devon (Herald Express)

16 June 1968 – Jack’s diary says Birmingham 6 Ways but confirmed as Queen’s Head Beat Club, Six Ways, Erdington, West Midlands (billed as Floribunda Rose; see below too)

21 June 1968 – Eastbourne, East Sussex (no venue listed)

25 June 1968 – Oxford (no venue listed)

29 June 1968 – Queen’s Head Beat Club, Six Ways, Erdington, West Midlands (billed as Floribunda Rose)

3 July 1968 – Olympia, Scarborough, North Yorkshire with The Minority Soul Sound and The Urge

26 July 1968 – Sunderland, Tyne & Wear (not sure this happened as I have found Scrugg billed to play Steering Wheel, Weymouth on this day)

27 July 1968 – Newcastle (no venue listed)

 

1 August 1968 – Bolton, Lancashire (no venue listed)

2 August 1968 – Reading, Berkshire (no venue listed)

3 August 1968 – Scotch of St James, Mayfair, London

5 August 1968 – Birmingham (possibly Queens Beat Club, Erdington, West Midlands)

10 August 1968 – Sibyllas, Swallow Street, London

11 August 1968 – Abercarn, Wales (no venue listed)

16 August 1968 – Lon Crom (most likely Cromwellian, South Kensington, London)

17 August 1968 – 6 Ways (most likely Queen’s Beat Club, Erdington, West Midlands)

18 August 1968 – Sutton in Ashfield, Nottinghamshire (no venue listed)

24 August 1968 – Crom Lon (most likely Cromwellian, South Kensington, London)

 

7 September 1968 – Scotch of St James, Mayfair, London

8 September 1968 – Ilford, London (possibly The Angel)

14 September 1968 – Scotch of St James, Mayfair, London

15 September 1968 – Playboy, Hyde Park Corner, London

16-18 September 1968 – Wales gigs TBA

21 September 1968 – King’s Hall, Aberystwyth, Wales with The Shakedown Sounds (this is missing from Jack’s gigs and comes from the Cambrian Times but may not be the same band)

26 September 1968 – Crom Bolton, Lancashire (most likely Cromwellian)

27-28 September 1968 – Scotch of St James, Mayfair, London

29-30 September 1968 – Wales gigs

 

1-4 October 1968 – Wales gigs

5 October 1968 – Sutton in Ashfield, Nottinghamshire (no venue listed)

10 October 1968 – Commall Hebton (not sure this is correct)

11 October 1968 – Penzance, Cornwall (possibly Winter Gardens)

12 October 1968 – 400 Ballroom, Torquay, Devon (Herald Express) It is missing from Jack’s diary but they also play here on 19 October 

21 October 1968 – Quaintways, Chester, Cheshire with The Pearlettes, The Elastic Band and Wall City Jazz Men

 

2 November 1968 – Ilford, London (possibly The Angel)

4 November 1968 – Sibs London (most likely Sibyllas, Swallow Street)

15-17 November 1968 – Scotland dates

23 November 1968 – Sheffield University, Sheffield, South Yorkshire with Led Zeppelin

 

7 December 1968 – Ilford, London (possibly The Angel)

14 December 1968 – Rotherham (no venue listed)

28 December 1968 – Stage Club, Oxford

 

18-19 January 1969 – Margate, Kent (most likely the Dreamland Ballroom)

The gig list cuts off here so not sure if there are any others

 

Interview with Chris Demetriou

John E. Sharpe & the Squires on the cover of Pop Gear S/A, February 7, 1966. Chris Demetriou is seated at left.
John E. Sharpe & the Squires on the cover of Pop Gear S/A, February 7, 1966. Chris Demetriou is seated at left.

Chris Demetriou is best known for co-writing the UK top 5 hit “He’s Gonna Step On You Again” with fellow South African John Kongos and for producing Cat Stevens and former Manfred Mann singer Mike D’Abo. He talks to Nick Warburton about his South African years, working with UK-based groups Floribunda Rose and Scrugg and becoming a pastor.

Chris Demetriou, October, 1966
Chris Demetriou, October, 1966

Q) Hi Chris, I gather from your surname that your heritage is Greek? I know that you grew up in South Africa so what is the connection?I was born in Cyprus but my parents immigrated to South Africa and I stayed there until John Kongos and I moved to the UK in 1967.

Q) You started out as a keyboard player. Was John E Sharpe & The Squires your first group and how did you come to join them?

In fact I started playing guitar, moved on to bass guitar, and ended up playing a Farfisa organ out of necessity. I’m not sure, but I think Les Goode brought me into The Squires.

John E. Sharp and the Squires CBS 45 Stop Your Sobbing
Q) Besides John E Sharpe and yourself, the other original members were bass player Les Goode, guitarist Barry Saks and drummer Mervyn Harris. The group has a reputation for being one of the best groups on the Johannesburg live scene in the mid-1960s. What do you remember about recording with the band?

We played as more of an R&B band when doing gigs but somehow changed styles in the recording studio. Hence, the cover version of “I am a rock” (by Paul Simon). The band was South Africa’s answer to The Rolling Stones.

Q) You co-wrote a few songs for the band with John E Sharpe. What prompted you to start composing material?

Although I had been writing lyrics since I was twelve and experimenting with different musical styles, it was very natural for me to write with someone else. I chose songwriting partners because that’s what worked for me.

Q) John E Sharpe & The Squires were managed by Clive Calder, who later went on to become one of the richest men in the music industry. What was he like to work with?

I found Clive to be very focused and extremely astute as a musician. You could see that he had a future beyond South Africa.

Q) The band’s lone album “Maybelline” is now almost impossible to find but is regarded as one of the best South African records from that period. What do you remember of the album’s sessions?

Hey I’d love to hear it again! We recorded it at Gallo Studios on a four-track machine. Not many overdubs or clever tweaking. A nearly “live” recording in a true R&B style.

Floribunda Rose in Johannesburg, May 1967 before setting off for England. Left to right: John Kongos, Chris Demetriou, Pete Clifford (foreground), Jack Russell and Nick Dokter. Courtesy of Jack Russell.
Floribunda Rose in Johannesburg, May 1967 before setting off for England. Left to right: John Kongos, Chris Demetriou, Pete Clifford (foreground), Jack Russell and Nick Dokter. Courtesy of Jack Russell.

Q) In mid-1967, you left the group to join fellow countryman, John Kongos in London for his new group Floribunda Rose alongside Dutch-born Nick Doktor, Welshman Jack Russell and English guitarist Pete Clifford. How did you make the connection with John and how did you know the other players?John located me through the Jo’burg Greek club. I was invited to his house and the next thing I knew we were planning to leave the country and seek fame and fortune in London. The other players were already in place.

Q) What were you first impressions of London and where did you all end up living? Also, do you have any memories of playing live on the local scene? I found one date for the band playing at Tiles in London in September 1967 with Simon Dupree & The Big Sound.

Wow! You have sourced some interesting information. The Tiles Club! I remember playing the Tiles Club more than once. However, most of our gigs were up and down the M1 at less prestigious venues. We did play some university events and supported more well known acts, but it’s so long ago, I wouldn’t be able to confirm if we were just in the crowd or on the actual bill. I remember seeing Joe Cocker and Jethro Tull.

Q) The group signed to Piccadilly Records and worked with John Schroeder on the single “One Way Street” c/w “Linda Loves Linda”, both sides of which are great tracks. What do you remember about recording this single? Were there are any other songs recorded that were subsequently scrapped?

John Schroeder was very organised when it came to booking studio time. We were in and out as quickly as was necessary to lay down the backing tracks. No real freedom to create on our own.

Q) What was the decision to change the band’s name from Floribunda Rose to Scrugg? Was it the same line up of musicians? I read that Henry Spinetti played some drums?

The “flower power” thing was on its way out and we thought a name change would help us re-focus and take a slightly different direction. Also, Henry had just joined the band.

Q) Scrugg issued three hopelessly rare singles for Pye, none of which seem to have sold that well. What do you remember about these tracks and why do you think the group never got the success it deserved?

We were managed by The Walker Brothers’ manager and had reasonable exposure on radio and some TV, so I do not really know why we didn’t make more of an impact. I suppose that this is just the way the music business runs.

Q) When Scrugg folded in early 1969, you elected to stay in England and continue to work with John Kongos on his solo material. What happened to the other members? I believe that Pete Clifford returned to South Africa to join The Bats?

John and I had burnt our bridges after leaving South Africa. Going back was not an option. John and I were very close – like brothers. Therefore, continuing to work together was natural.

Q) How did you come to move into production work? Did you still continue to perform?

Before “He’s Gonna Step On You Again” became a hit (and after the group had disbanded), I answered an ad in Melody Maker for a production assistant. It was GEM Productions, which was set up by Laurence Meyers and Tony Defries. Tony took me under his wing and I got to help their artists and producers in the studio and out. Sometimes mixing singles, other times helping with promotion. David Bowie, Gary Glitter, Johnny Johnson and the bandwagon, and Mike d’Abo were all part of the team. Right after the successes with John Kongos’ recordings on the Fly label, I seized the opportunity to get into production. I was introduced to Barry Krost (Cat Stevens’ manager) and he took me on board and immediately introduced me to A&M Records. I then established a strong connection with the label and recorded four albums with different artists (including “Down at Rachel’s Place” with Mike d’Abo).

Q) Tell me about your work with Cat Stevens. How did that come about?

As I was being managed by Barry Krost (BKM) it was only a matter of time before Stevens and I would work together. I first helped out on some live recording and then worked with him on the “Budda and the Chocolate Box” album. But it was not a good combination. Two Greek boys in the studio! I eventually had to back out in order to preserve the relationship. We are still friends.

Q) You also worked with Mike D’ Abo on his album “Down At Rachel’s Place”. What were those sessions like?

This is my finest recording. Even now I listen to it and enjoy every moment. We had the best of everything – musicians, arranger and engineer. Ken Scott was my engineer (he went on to produce David Bowie, Supertramp and Chris de Burgh).

Q) You are probably best known for co-writing “He’s Gonna Step On You Again” with John Kongos which became a huge hit in the UK, South Africa and the States and became a hit for The Happy Mondays years later. Tell me about the inspiration for that song and how you and John came up with it?

I had written the first part of the lyric in South Africa in protest of the political situation and the mistreatment of the black population. I had seen similarities between this and the abuse of the Red Indians. John liked the theme and we started writing a song with the guitar riff as a strong lead. John and I could write five songs a day if necessary but when we started writing this song it was different – we knew something truly unique was taking place.

Q) When did you give up a career in music to become a pastor? What prompted that change in career?

I had already moved away from the music business and into the media industry. The career change never took place, rather, I evolved. However, there was a distinct heart change. My career in the media is still very active, even though I am a pastor. Business is what I do – a pastor is who I am. The difference between “calling” and career. I trust you understand.

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.

Many thanks to Jack Russell for the use of photos from Pop Gear SA and his personal collection.

The as-yet unnamed Floribunda Rose in Jo'burg, May 1967.
The as-yet unnamed Floribunda Rose in Jo’burg, May 1967.