Category Archives: London

Elton John and Bluesology

November 25, 2015 Nick Warburton 18 Comments

Today, Elton John is one of rock music’s most revered artists but during the early-mid 1960s he struggled for recognition, learning his trade as Reg Dwight with west London R&B outfit, Bluesology.

Below, I have started to piece together a timeline on this band’s history, including the period after Reg Dwight/Elton John left in March 1968 to start his solo career.

In particular, I need to credit the invaluable work carried out by Keith Hayward, who has written the excellent book, Tin Pan Alley: The Rise of Elton John, for some of this material. He has been a huge help. I have also reference below sources that I have drawn on for live dates.

I would welcome any additions and corrections in the comment box below.

Bluesology was formed in 1962 after Reg Dwight and Stu Brown had played in Pinner, Middlesex group, The Corvettes. The original line up comprised:

Stu Brown – guitar/vocals

Reg Dwight – keyboards/vocals

Geoff Dyson – bass

Mick Inkpen – drums

2 April 1965 – St Alban’s Church, Northwood, Middlesex (Harrow Observer & Gazette)

13 April 1965 – 100 Club, Oxford Street, central London with The Bo Street Runners (Melody Maker)

20 April 1965 – Elms Club, Corbins Lane, South Harrow, northwest London with The Dae-b-Four (Harrow Weekly Post)

29 April 1965 – Elms Club, Corbins Lane, South Harrow, northwest London with The Dae-b-Four (Greenford Weekly Post)

Photo: Melody Maker, 8 May 1965. Image may be subject to copyright

Circa April/May 1965 – Reg Dwight’s ‘Come Back Baby’ recorded

6 May 1965 – Elms Club, Corbins Lane, South Harrow, northwest London (every Thursday) (Harrow Weekly Post)

13 May 1965 – Elms Club, Corbins Lane, South Harrow, northwest London (every Thursday) (Harrow Weekly Post/Harrow Observer & Gazette)

20 May 1965 – Elms Club, Corbins Lane, South Harrow, northwest London (every Thursday) (Harrow Weekly Post)

27 May 1965 – Elms Club, Corbins Lane, South Harrow, northwest London with The CC Riders (every Thursday) (Harrow Weekly Post)

The newspaper stopped advertising after the above date

June 1965: Dyson leaves to join The Mockingbirds

+ Rex Bishop – bass

+ Terry Patterson – saxophone

Circa June 1965 – ‘Times Are Getting Tougher Than Tough’ recorded

3 June 1965 – Elms Club, South Harrow, northwest London with The Equals (Harrow Observer & Gazette)

15 June 1965 – 100 Club, Oxford Street, central London with The Bo Street Runners (Melody Maker)

23 July 1965 – ‘Come Back Baby’ c/w ‘Times Are Getting Tougher Than Tough’ released (http://www.45cat.com/artist/bluesology)

There is a great article on Bluesology in the Coventry Standard, dated 29 July 1965, page 20

Hillingdon Mirror, 24 August 1965, page 24. Image may be subject to copyright

4 September 1965 – The Place, Hanley, Staffordshire (Evening Sentinel)

Circa November 1965:

– Terry Patterson – saxophone

+ Pat Higgs – trumpet

+ Dave Murphy – saxophone

3-20 December 1965 – Major Lance tour with Bluesology

3 December 1965 – Flamingo, Wardour Street, Soho, central London and In Place, central London with The Rockhouse Band (Melody Maker) Doesn’t not mention Bluesology

4 December 1965 – Jigsaw, Manchester with Alex Harvey Mockingbirds (Manchester Evening News & Chronicle)

4 December 1965 – Oasis, Manchester with The Crestas (Manchester Evening News & Chronicle)

5 December 1965 – Dungeon, Nottingham (website: https://dungeonmods.wordpress.com/) Billed as Bluesology Incorporated

6 December 1965 – Gig in Rochester, Kent (Melody Maker)

7 December 1965 – Birdcage, Southsea, Hants (Melody Maker)

8 December 1965 – Bromley Court Hotel, Bromley, southeast London (Melody Maker)

9 December 1965 – Paddington (most likely Cue Club), central London (Melody Maker)

10 December 1965 – Gig in Durham (most likely the university) (Melody Maker)

11 December 1965 – Mr McCoys, Middlesbrough (Evening Gazette Middlesbrough)

14 December 1965 – Gig in Harlow, Herts (Melody Maker)

16 December 1965 – Cromwellian, South Kensington, west London (Melody Maker)

16 December 1965 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with Alan Price Set (London Live: Tony Bacon)

17 December 1965 – Domino Club, Openshaw, Greater Manchester and Princess Theatre, Chorlton, Greater Manchester with Major Lance and Manchester Playboys and Jonathan Good Tweed (Manchester Evening News & Chronicle) Billed as Bluesology Incorporated

17 December 1965 – Gig in Stockport, Greater Manchester (most likely Tabernacle) (Melody Maker)

18 December 1965 – New All-Star Club, 9 Artillery Passage, E1, London (Melody Maker)

19 December 1965 – El Partido, Lewisham, southeast London with Duke Lee (Melody Maker)

19 December 1965 – Flamingo, Wardour Street, Soho, central London (Melody Maker)

20 December 1965 – Cooks Ferry Inn, Edmonton, north London (Melody Maker)

5-19 January 1966 – Patti La Belle & The Bluebelles first tour with Bluesology

5 January 1966 – Scotch of St James, Mayfair, central London (Melody Maker)

6 January 1966 – Cue Club, Paddington, central London (Melody Maker)

8 January 1966 – Oasis, Manchester with The Checkpoints (Melody Maker)

9 January 1966 – Flamingo, Wardour Street, Soho, central London (Melody Maker)

11 January 1966 – Cromwellian, South Kensington, West London (Melody Maker)

14 January 1966 – New All-Star Club, 9 Artillery Passage, London, E1 and Flamingo, Wardour Street, Soho, central London (Melody Maker)

15 January 1966 – Dungeon, Nottingham (Melody Maker)

15 January 1966 – Mojo, Sheffield, South Yorkshire (according to The Star, the billing also included Fontella Bass, The Stormsville Shakers and The Just 5 x 2. Bluesology were credited as Bluesology Inc and Pattie La Belle was billed as Tattie Rebelle & Her Belles!)

16 January 1966 – Plaza, Birmingham, West Midlands (Handsworth?) (Melody Maker)

19 January 1966 – Dancing Slipper, West Bridgford, Nottinghamshire (Nottingham Evening Post) Says Wilson Pickett’s backing group

22 January 1966 – Starlight Room, Boston Gliderdrome, Boston, Lincolnshire with Pinky & The Phellows and The Triads (Lincolnshire Standard) Billed as Bluesology Incorporated

February 1966 – Reg Dwight’s ‘Mr Frantic’ c/w ‘Every Day I Have The Blues’ released

February 1966 – Doris Troy tour with Bluesology

5 February 1966 – Club Cedar, Birmingham, West Midlands with The Move (Birmingham Evening Mail) Billed as Bluesology Incorporated

7 February 1966 – Cavern, Liverpool with Earl Preston’s Realms and The Fix (Liverpool Echo)

11 February 1966 – Cue Club, Paddington, central London with Herbie Goins & The Nightimers (Melody Maker)

11 February 1966 – El Partido, Lewisham, southeast London with Duke Lee (Melody Maker)

12 February 1966 – Oasis, Manchester with The Manchester Playboys (http://www.manchesterbeat.com/features/gig_guides/gig_diary.php)

13 February 1966 – Flamingo, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with The Chessmen (Melody Maker)

18 February 1966 – Club West Indies, Stonebridge, northwest London with Caribbean Show Band (Melody Maker)

According to an article in the Neath Guardian, dated 11 February 1966, Bluesology Incorporated backed Ben E King on a tour that ran from 18 February through to 6 March 1966.

18 February 1966 – Golders Green Refectory, Golders Green, north London (Melody Maker)

19 February 1966 – New All-Star Club, 9a Artillery Passage, London, E1 with Captain First (Melody Maker)

20-21 February 1966 – Club Cedar, Birmingham, West Midlands (Birmingham Evening Mail) Billed as Bluesology Incorporated

22 February 1966 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with Spencer Davis Group (London Live: Tony Bacon)

26 February 1966 – Beachcomber Club, Nottingham (Nottingham Evening Post)

March 1966 – Bluesology travels to Hamburg to play Top Ten Club with Linda Laine & The Sinners

3 April 1966 – The Hive Club, Wooden Bridge Hotel, Guildford, Surrey (Surrey Advertiser)

9 April 1966 – Trinity Hall, Coventry (Coventy Evening Telegraph)

12 April 1966 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with Manfred Mann (London Live: Tony Bacon)

22 April 1966 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, London with Sands (London Live: Tony Bacon)

Late April/early May 1966: Inkpen leaves

+ Paul Gale – drums

Late April/early May 1966: Bishop departs

+ Freddy Gandy (aka Freddie Wonder) – bass

3 May-circa 21 May 1966 – Patti La Belle & The Bluebelles second UK tour

3 May 1966 – Birdland, London (Melody Maker)

4 May 1966 – Scotch of St James, Mayfair, central London (Melody Maker)

5 May 1966 – Ram Jam, Brixton, south London (Melody Maker)

6 May 1966 – Ricky Tick, Windsor, Berkshire (Melody Maker)

7 May 1966 – New All-Star Club, 9a Artillery Passage, E1, London (Melody Maker)

8 May 1966 – Oasis, Manchester with Patti La Belle & The Bluebelles and Polecatz (http://www.manchesterbeat.com/features/gig_guides/gig_diary.php)

9 May 1966 – Whisky A Go Go, Wardour Street, Soho, central London (Melody Maker)

13 May 1966 – Flamingo, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with The Gass (Melody Maker)

14 May 1966 – Twisted Wheel, Manchester with Patti La Belle & The Bluebelles and The Ram Jam Band ( http://manchestersoul.co.uk/TWheel/1966.html) Manchester Evening News & Chronicle has Alan Bown instead of Bluesology for this gig

17 May 1966 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London (Patti La Belle & Her Belles) and The Clayton Squares (London Live: Tony Bacon) (probably with Bluesology backing Patti La Belle)

17 May 1966 – Whisky A Go Go, Wardour Street, Soho, central London (Melody Maker)

19 May 1966 – Rocky Rivers’ Top 20 Club, Conservative Club, Bedford with Patti LaBelle & Her Belles and John Williams & Tomorrow’s People (Ampthill News & Weekly Record)

21 May 1966 – Cue Club, Paddington, central London (Melody Maker)

21 May 1966 – Rhodes Centre, Bishop Stortford, Hertfordshire (Patti La Belle & The Bluebelles with Bluesology) and The Ultimates (The Day Before Yesterday: Steve Ingless)

3-19 June – Ink Spots tour

3 June 1966 – RAF West Ruislip, northwest London (Melody Maker)

4 June 1966 – Assembly Hall, Aylesbury, Bucks with The Ironsides (Bucks Advertiser)

4 June 1966 – US servicemen’s club, Douglas House, Lancaster Gate, west London (Melody Maker)

4 June 1966 – New All-Star Club, 9a Artillery Passage, E1, London with Admiral Ken Sound System (Melody Maker)

5 June 1966 – Plaza Ballrooms, Birmingham, West Midlands (Melody Maker)

7 June 1966 – Whisky A Go Go, Wardour Street, Soho, central London (Melody Maker)

10 June 1966 – Orchid Ballroom, Purley, Surrey (Melody Maker)

10 June 1966 – New All Star Club, 9a Artillery Passage, E1, London with Admiral Ken Sound System (Melody Maker)

11 June 1966 – Twisted Wheel, Manchester (Inkspots with Alan Bown Set) (Source: http://manchestersoul.co.uk/TWheel/1966.html)

12 June 1966 – Riverboat, Gainsborough, Salford, Greater Manchester (Melody Maker)

13 June 1966 – US servicemen’s club, Douglas House, Lancaster Gate, west London (Melody Maker)

15 June 1966 – Riverboat, Gainsborough, Salford, Greater Manchester (Melody Maker)

16 June 1966 – Streatham Locarno, Streatham, southwest London (Melody Maker)

17 June 1966 – Royal Tottenham, Tottenham, north London (Melody Maker)

18 June 1966 – Plaza Ballroom, Old Hill, West Midlands (Express & Star) Billed as Bluesology Incorporated and backing Billy Stewart

18 June 1966 – Marcam Hall, March, Cambridgeshire (Lynn News/Melody Maker)

The Hammersmith & Shepherd’s Bush Gazette notes that Bluesology played at the White Hart in Southall, west London during June 1966.

Circa June 1966:

+ Neil Hubbard – guitar (joins around this time)

25 June 1966 – Mojo Club, Sheffield, South Yorkshire with The Soul Agents and introducing Ian LeRoy and His Spring Collection (Melody Maker/Sheffield Star) Backing Billy (Fat Boy) Stewart

25 June 1966 – Latin Quarter, Leicester with The Train (Leicester Mercury)

25 June 1966 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London (London Live: Tony Bacon)

3 July 1966 – Rivertboat Club, Salford, Greater Manchester (Manchester Evening News & Chronicle) Backing Fat Boy Billy Stewart (says by public demand)

8 July 1966 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with The VIPs (London Live: Tony Bacon)

9 July 1966 – Assembly Hall, Aylesbury, Bucks with The Gates of Eden (Bucks Advertiser) Backing The Orlons

10 July 1966 – Toft’s, Folkestone, Kent (Folkestone, Hythe & District Herald) Backing Rufus Thomas

14 July 1966 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with The Move (London Live: Tony Bacon)

15 July 1966 – Beachcomber Club, Nottingham with Ralph Denyer’s Uptown Band (Nottingham Evening Post) Backing Solomon Burke

21 July 1966 – Thorngate Ballroom, Gosport, Hampshire (Portsmouth News) Replaced Summer Set

The Kent Messenger‘s 22 July 1966 (Friday) issue, page 12, lists the band appearing at Coronation Hall in Ramsgate today and refers to Freddy Gandy as Freddie Wonder on bass! It says they are off to the South of France in August

Photo: Kent Messenger, 22 July 1966. Image may be subject to copyright

23 July 1966 – Cellar Club, Latin Quarter, Leicester with The Amboy Dukes (Leicester Mercury)

30 July 1966 – The Co-op, Rainbow Suite, Birmingham, West Midlands with Raynor’s Secrets (Birmingham Evening Mail)

31 July 1966 – 6^th National Jazz and Blues Festival, Windsor, Berkshire with Georgie Fame, The Action, Cream, Dick Morrissey, Stan Tracey, Diane and Nicky, Ernestine Anderson, Alan Brown, Ronnie Scott and Harry South Orchestra (Reading Evening Post)

6 August 1966 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with The Soul Agents (London Live: Tony Bacon)

11 August 1966 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with The Move (London Live: Tony Bacon)

Mid-August-mid-September, Bluesology travels to St Tropez for a month (Papagayos).

17 September 1966 – Britannia Rowing Club, Nottingham with The Broodley Hoo (Nottingham Evening Post)

18 September 1966 – Britannia Rowing Club, Nottingham with The Summer Set (Nottingham Evening Post)

26 September 1966 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with Jimmy James & The Vagabonds (London Live: Tony Bacon)

7 October 1966 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with Gary Farr & The T-Bones (London Live: Tony Bacon)

8 October 1966 – Lion Hotel, Warrington, Cheshire with The Fix, The Connoisseurs and The Tabs (Warrington Guardian)

15 October 1966 – 2 ‘B’s Club, Ashford, Kent with The Guests (Kentish Express)

20 October 1966 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with The Move (London Live: Tony Bacon)

21-22 October 1966 – ISOW’s restaurant, Brewer Street, central London (Fabulous 208)

28 October 1966 – Midnight City, Digbeth, West Midlands (Birmingham Evening Mail)

29 October 1966 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with The Herd (London Live: Tony Bacon)

29 October 1966 – Shoreline, Bognor Regis with Long John Baldry, The Action and David Bowie & The Buzz (Bognor Regis Post/Melody Maker)

5 November 1966 – Flamenco, Folkestone, Kent (Folkestone, Hythe & District Herald)

5 November 1966 – Starlight Ballroom, Crawley, West Sussex with Deadly Nightshade (billed as Long John Baldry – not sure if they have linked up with Baldry yet?) (Crawley Advertiser)

12 November 1966 – Beachcomber Club, Nottingham (Nottingham Evening Post)

12 November 1966 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with The Herd (London Live: Tony Bacon)

Mid-November 1966:

– Neil Hubbard departs

In mid-late November – Bluesology travel to Sweden for a mini tour where they met The Zombies (see comments)

Thanks to Mats Jarl for research from Dagens Nyheter newspaper

17 November 1966 – Gyllene Cirkeln, Stockholm, Sweden with Bernt Rosengren Kvartett (Thanks to Mats Jarl for research from Dagens Nyheter newspaper)

19 November 1966 – Gyllene Cirkeln, Stockholm, Sweden Bernt Rosengren Kvartett, Carla Bley and Mike Mantler Quintet (Thanks to Mats Jarl for research from Dagens Nyheter newspaper)

20 November 1966 – Nalen, Stockholm, Sweden with Sooner or Later, Few, Crowds, Lynx (Thanks to Mats Jarl for research from Dagens Nyheter newspaper)

21 November 1966 – Hit-House, Stockholm, Sweden with The Wizards, The Quints, Guards, Sooner or Later, Tumble Downs (Thanks to Mats Jarl for research from Dagens Nyheter newspaper)

22 November 1966 – Gyllene Cirkeln, Stockholm, Sweden (Thanks to Mats Jarl for research from Dagens Nyheter newspaper)

Late November 1966:

– Paul Gale departs while the band is in Sweden

+ Pete Gavin – drums (ex-Soul Pushers)

1 December 1966 – Burton Manor, Stafford, Staffordshire (Stafford Newsletter)

Around this time, Bluesology become Long John Baldry’s back-up band

+ Long John Baldry – vocals

+ Alan Walker – vocals (ex-Roadhogs)

4 December 1966 – Redcar Jazz Club, Coatham Hotel, Redcar with The Bluecaps (Billed as Long John Baldry with Alan Walker, Stewart Brown and Bluesology) (Middlesbrough Evening Gazette)

8 December 1966 – Thorngate Ballroom, Gosport, Hants (Portsmouth News)

9 December 1966 – Flamenco, Folkestone, Kent (Folkestone, Hythe & District Herald)

11 December 1966 – Saville Theatre, Shaftsbury Avenue, central London with Little Richard and Alan Price Set (Melody Maker)

14 December 1966 – Bolton College of Arts Ball, Rivington Barn, Horwich, Bolton, Greater Manchester with Mike Stevens & The Big Tickle, The Chasers and The North Side Six (billed as The Long John Baldry Show) (Bolton Evening News)

18 December 1966 – Beau Brummell Club, Alvaston Hall Hotel, Nantwich, Cheshire with The Raynes (The Chronicle)

20 December 1966 – Guildford Civic Hall, Guildford, Surrey with The Alan Price Set (Surrey Advertiser)

24 December 1966 – White Bicycle, Maple Ballroom, Northampton (billed as Long John Baldry Show plus Bluesology) (Northampton Chronicle)

27 December 1966 – Concorde, Basset Hotel, Southampton, Hants (Southern Evening Echo)

30 December 1966 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London (billed as Long John Baldry Show) with The Good-Goods (London Live: Tony Bacon)

31 December 1966 – Blue Moon, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire (billed as Long John Baldry featuring Alan Walker, Stuart Brown & Bluesology) (Gloucestershire Echo/Gloucester Citizen)

1 January 1967 – Hotel Leofric, Coventry (billed as Long John Baldry and His new group Bluesology) (Coventry Evening Telegraph)

7 January 1967 – Glastonbury Town Hall, Glastonbury, Somerset with Deep Line (billed as Long John Baldry and his fabulous backing group Bluesology with Alan Walker and Stewart A Brown) (Western Gazette)

7 January 1967 – Matlock Bath Pavilion, Matlock, Derbyshire with Memphis Blues (billed as Long John Baldry with Alan Walker, Stewart Brown and Bluesology) (Derby Evening Telegraph)

8 January 1967 – Union Rowing Club, Nottingham (billed as Long John Baldry with Alan Walker, Stewart Brown and Bluesology) (Nottingham Evening Post)

Circa early January 1967:

– Pat Higgs and Dave Murphy both leave with Higgs joining Hamilton & The Hamilton Movement

+ Marsha Hunt – vocals

+ Elton Dean – saxophone (ex-Soul Pushers)

+ Marc Charig – saxophone (ex-Sidewinders and Sonny Childe & The TNT)

15 January 1967 – Gyro Club, Troutbeck Hotel, IIlkley, West Yorkshire (billed as Long John Baldry with Bluesology) (Yorkshire Evening Post)

31 January 1967 – Klooks Kleek, West Hampstead, north London (billed as Long John Baldry) (Decca Studios and Klooks Kleek: Dick Weindling and Marianne Colloms)

4 February 1967 – Blue Moon, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire (billed as Long John Baldry Show featuring Alan Walker, Stuart Brown and The Bluesology) (Gloucester Citizen)

10 February 1967 – Il Rondo, Leicester (billed as Long John Baldry with Bluesology) (Leicester Mercury)

12 February 1967 – Kirklevington Country Club, Kirklevington, North Yorkshire (billed as Long John Baldry plus The Bluesology) (Middlesbrough Evening Gazette)

18 February 1967 – Royal Links Pavilion, Cromer, Norfolk with The Soul Concern (North Norfolk News)

19 February 1967 – Oasis, Manchester (billed as Long John Baldry and Bluesology) (Manchester Evening News)

25 February 1967 – Glastonbury Town Hall, Glastonbury with The Generation (billed as Long John Baldry with Bluesology featuring Alan Walker and Stuart A Brown) (Western Gazette)

26 February 1967 – Black Prince Hotel, Bexley, southeast London (PACE magazine)

3 March 1967 – Club A Go Go, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne & Wear (Newcastle Evening Chronicle)

9 March 1967 – New Locarno Ballroom, Sheffield, South Yorkshire (billed as Long John Baldry Show) (The Star)

12 March 1967 – Union Rowing Club, Nottingham (billed as Long John Baldry Show featuring Stewart A Brown, Alan Walker with Bluesology) (Nottingham Evening Post)

17 March 1967 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with The Long John Baldry Show and Timebox (London Live: Tony Bacon)

19 March 1967 – Redcar Jazz Club, Coatham Hotel, Redcar with The Panthers (Middlesbrough Evening Gazette)

24 March 1967 – Sinking Ship Clubland, Stockport, Greater Manchester (billed as Long John Baldry plus Bluesology) with Baron (Manchester Evening News)

25 March 1967 – 2 ‘B’s Club, Ashford, Kent with The Silhouettes (billed as Long John Baldry Show) (Kentish Express)

26 March 1967 – Place, Hanley, Staffordshire (billed as Long John Baldry Show with Stuart Brown, Alan Walker and Bluesology) (Staffordshire Newsletter)

1 April 1967 – Matlock Bath Pavilion, Matlock (Nottingham Evening Post)

3 April 1967 – Feathers, Ealing, Middlesex (billed as Long John Baldry & Bluesology) (Melody Maker)

7 April 1967 – Il Rondo, Leicester (billed as Long John Baldry and Bluesology) (Leicester Mercury)

8 April 1967 – Spa Royal Hall, Bridlington, North Yorkshire with The Sons of Witch (billed as Long John Baldry and Bluesology) (Hull Daily Mail)

16 April 1967 – Starlite Ballroom, Greenford, West London (billed as Long John Baldry Show) (Melody Maker)

21 April 1967 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London (billed as The Long John Baldry Show) with Timebox (London Live: Tony Bacon)

22 April 1967 – Blue Moon, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire (billed as Long John Baldry featuring Alan Walker) (Gloucester Citizen)

24 April 1967 – Broadway Club, Dudley Zoo, West Midlands (billed as Long John Baldry Show) (Express & Star)

2 May 1967 – Klooks Kleek, West Hampstead, north London (billed as Long John Baldry) (Decca Studios and Klooks Kleek: Dick Weindling and Marianne Colloms)

11 May 1967 – Klooks Kleek, West Hampstead, north London (billed as Bluesology) (Decca Studios and Klooks Kleek: Dick Weindling and Marianne Colloms)

12 May 1967 – The Cavalier Club, Golders Green, north London (billed as Long John Baldry Show) (Melody Maker)

21 May 1967 – Co-op, Warrington, Cheshire (billed as Long John Baldry Show) (Manchester Evening Post)

1 June 1967 – Clouds, Derby ‘for Derby College Students’ Rag Week’ (billed as Long John Baldry Show with Bluesology and Pepper’s Machine) (Derby Evening Telegraph)

5 June 1967 – Quaintways, Chester, Cheshire with The Waterboard, The Chymes and Wall City Jazzmen (billed as Long John Baldry with Stewart A Brown, Alan Walker and Bluesology) (Chester Chronicle)

9 June 1967 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London (billed as The Long John Baldy Show) with C-Jam Blues (London Live: Tony Bacon)

12 June 1967 – Broadway Club, Dudley Zoo, West Midlands (billed as Long John Baldry Show, Bluesology, Stewart A Brown, Alan Walker) (Express & Star)

17 June 1967 – Royal Links Pavilion, Cromer, Norfolk with Soul Concern (billed as The Long John Baldry Show with Alan Walker, Stuart A Brown and Bluesology) (North Norfolk News)

17 June 1967 – Union Rowing Club, Nottingham (Billed as Long John Baldry with Bluesology featuring Stewart A Brown and Alan Walker) (Nottingham Evening Post)

1 July 1967 – Wulfrun Halls, Wolverhampton, West Midlands with Th Chequers and Boston (billed as Long John Baldry) (Express & Star)

16 July 1967 – Starlite Ballroom, Greenford, west London (billed as Long John Baldry Show) (Melody Maker)

28 July 1967 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London (billed as The Long John Baldry Show) with The Workshop (Melody Maker)

11 August 1967 – Bluesville ’67, Manor House, north London (billed as Long John Baldry Show) (Melody Maker)

14 August 1967 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London (billed as The Long John Baldry Show) with Jimmy Powell & The Dimensions (Melody Maker)

20 August 1967 – Carlton Ballroom, Erdington, West Midlands (billed as Long John Baldry Show) (Birmingham Evening Mail)

26 August 1967 – New All Star Club, 9a Artillery Passage, E1, London (Melody Maker)

29 August 1967 – Nottingham Blues Festival, Sherwood Rooms, Nottingham with Jimi Hendrix Experience, Jimmy James & The Vagabonds, Jimmy Cliff & The Shakedown Sound and Wynder K Frog (Derby Evening Telegraph)

2 September 1967 – Leas Cliffe Hall, Folkestone, Kent (billed as The Long John Baldry Show) (Folkestone & Hythe Gazette)

3 September 1967 – Beau Brummel Club, Nantwich, Cheshire (billed as Long John Baldry, Bluesology, Stewart A Brown, Marsha Hunt and The Scorpions) (Northwich Chronicle)

10 September 1967 – Hotel Leofric, Coventry, West Midlands (billed as Long John Baldry Show with Stuart A Brown and Marsha Hunt and Deuce Coupe) (Coventry Evening Telegraph)

12 September 1967 – Klooks Kleek, West Hampstead, north London (billed as Long John Baldry) (Melody Maker)

15 September 1967 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London (billed as The Long John Baldry Show with Marsha Hunt, Stuart Brown and Bluesology) (Melody Maker)

16 September 1967 – Glastonbury Town Hall, Glastonbury (billed as Long John Baldry Show with Bluesology) (Somerset County Gazette)

27 September 1967 – Liverpool College of Building Students’ Union, Grafton Rooms, West Derby, Liverpool with The Fix, The Undertakers and Magic Lanterns (billed as Long John Baldry with Bluesology) (Liverpool Echo)

5 October 1967 – ‘Since I Lost My Baby’ c/w ‘Just A Little Bit’ released (http://www.45cat.com/record/56195)

8 October 1967 – Warmingham Grange Country Club, Warmingham, Cheshire with Life ‘N’ Soul and Harry Brown Sound with Val (The Chronicle)

19 October 1967 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London (billed as The Long John Baldry Show) with Timebox (London Live: Tony Bacon)

3 November 1967 – G-Ranch Discotheque, Maidstone, Kent (billed as The Long John Baldry Show with Marsha Hunt, Stuart Brown and Bluesology) (Maidstone Gazette)

6 November 1967 – Staffordshire Yeomen, Stafford, Staffordshire (billed as Long John Baldry and Marsha Hunt) (Staffordshire Newsletter)

Early-mid November 1967:

– Stu Brown leaves around this time to record as solo artist

+ Caleb Quaye – lead guitar/vocals

23 November 1967 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London (billed as The Long John Baldry Show) with The Nite People (London Live: Tony Bacon)

14 December 1967 – Penthouse, Birmingham, West Midlands with Skip Bifferty (Express & Star)

16 December 1967 – Imperial, Nelson, Lancashire with Granny Intentions and The Ways & Means (Burnley Express & Burnley News) Does not list Bluesology

4 January 1968 – Tito’s, Stockton-on-Tees, Teesside (billed as Long John Baldry) (Middlesbrough Evening Gazette)

17 February 1968 – Pier Pavilion, Felixstowe, Suffolk with Sheridan Eight (Ipswich Evening Star) Does not list Bluesology

23 February 1968 – Clockwork Orange, Chester, Cheshire (billed as Long John Baldry and the Long John Baldry Show and Soul Finger) (Northwich Chronicle)

3 March 1968 – Redcar Jazz Club, Coatham Hotel, Redcar with The Skyliners (Middlesbrough Evening Gazette)

Just before Reg Dwight and Caleb Quaye left, Bluesology may have played at the Top Ten in Hamburg again

March/April 1968:

– Reg Dwight and Caleb Quaye leave Bluesology

+ Bernie Holland – guitar (ex-Jam)

(Source: Georgie Fame – There’s Nothing Else To Do. Life and Music: Uli Twelker)

+ Jimmy Horowitz – keyboards (ex-Five Proud Walkers and Robert Hirst & The Big Taste)

16 March 1968 – George Ballroom, Hinckley, Leicestershire with Pandora’s Box, The Sun Trolley and Tommy T & Scrubby (billed as Long John Baldry plus The Bluesology) (Leicester Mercury)

23 March 1968 – Locarno, Derby (billed as Long John Baldry Show) (Derbyshire Evening Telegraph)

26 March 1968 – Mr Smith’s Club, Winsford, Cheshire (billed as Long John Baldry) with Look Twice (Northwich Chronicle)

1 April 1968 – Matlock Bath, Matlock, Derby with The Screen (billed as Long John Baldry Show: Alan Walker, Stuart Walkers (sic) and Bluesology) (Derbyshire Evening Telegraph)

30 April 1968 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London (billed as Long John Baldry (London Live: Tony Bacon)

In late 1968 the group backed The Paper Dolls before splintering.

16 November 1968 – Royal Links Pavilion, Cromer, Norfolk with Music Hath Charms and Barries Magazine (North Norfolk News) This was The Paper Dolls backed by Bluesology

Huge thanks to Keith Hayward for help with some of the narrative.

Categories: England, London

Sketto Rich and Sonority

November 20, 2015 Nick Warburton 7 Comments

Sketto Rich – lead vocals

Bobby Morris – keyboards

Johnny Wright – lead guitar

Eric Wilmer – bass (ex-Kindness and The Fenmen)

Don Shepherd – baritone sax

Del Paramor – tenor sax (ex-Warren Davis Monday Band)

Jack Drew – trumpet

Roy Peen – drums

This soul R&B outfit was formed in early 1968 and played until early 1971 when Sketto Rich and Roy Peen left. Johnny Wright was succeeded by Dennis Brown during this period as well.

Bobby Morris joined around April 1968 and rehearsed with the band throughout May and June at the Railway Tavern, Plumstead.

Morris’s first gig with the band took place on 3 August 1968 at the Aurora Hotel in Gillingham, opening for Unit 4+2. The musicians also played regularly at the Harrow Inn in Abbey Wood.

Jack Drew very kindly provided this 1969 list which does miss out quite a few from the period

Sketto Rich & Sonority also began to play further afield. Morris recalls playing at the Locarno Ballroom in Swindon on two occasions – 9 August 1969 with The Red Squares and 27 December 1969 with Spectrum. He also remembers playing at Queen Mary’s College in Mile End Road with Clarence “Frogman” Henry on 18 October 1969.

Del Coverley joined briefly in 1971 as new lead singer alongside incoming drummer Pete Mole (also ex-Warren Davis Monday Band) and they became Brass Lungs, performing jazz rock similar in style to Chicago and Blood, Sweat & Tears in Soho clubs.

When Coverley departed, the musicians linked with Freddie Mack and played their debut show at the Thomas A Beckett Pub on the Old Kent Road in London.

However, as the band started picking up more regular work, the line-up became increasingly fluid with only Brian Morris and Don Shepherd staying the course.

Musicians that joined throughout 1971-1973 included:

Johnny Orlando – lead vocals

Dave Newman – drums (ex-Sounds Incorporated and The Fenmen)

Ray Lewis – bass (ex-Barbette and Memphis Mail)

Dave Roffey – lead guitar (ex-Barbette and Lee Hawkins)

Mel Day – lead vocals (ex-Orange Rainbow)

Roy Edwards – trumpet (ex-Johnny Jackson & The Band Wagon, J J Jackson, Del Vikings, Otis Redding, The Temptations)

Mick Eve – tenor sax (ex-Georgie Fame, Alan Price, Zoot Money)

Eddie Thornton – trumpet (ex-Georgie Fame)

Buddy Bownes – trumpet (ex-Roy Orbison)

Carl Douglas – lead vocals

Huge thanks to Brian Morris for providing the band information.

Please email me at Warchive@aol.com if you can add or correct any information.

Photo: Mid Sussex Times. Gig on 22 not 23 May 1969

Categories: England, London

Simon K & The Meantimers

November 19, 2015 Nick Warburton 16 Comments

West London six-piece horn band Simon K & The Meantimers recorded a Hammond-drenched dance-floor classic called “Bring Your Love Back (To Me)”, which was coupled with “You Know I Do” for a UK single on the B&C label in November 1969.

Fronted by current Hot Chocolate lead singer Kenny Simon, The Meantimers had originally formed around mid-1964 in West Hampstead before linking with Simon.

Managed by Arthur Armes, father of the band’s drummer Michael, the original Meantimers also comprised lead guitarist Rick Thomas, classically trained organist Bill Pitt, bass player Warwick Rose and an Irish rhythm guitarist called Tony, who also handled lead vocals (sometimes with the group’s roadie Mick Eagan).

According to Michael Armes, his father turned the basement of his shop on Belsize Road in Kilburn into a rehearsal and recording room. It may well have been here that Simon cut some demos with West London band, The Tribe, including future Sweet guitarist Frank Torpey, that were picked up by Arthur Armes.

Former Overlanders’ bass player Paul Hewson had already taken over from Warwick Rose, who’d moved on to join The Soul Survivors, an early incarnation of The Love Affair, sometime before Kenny Simon joined on vocals.

It is not clear when Kenny Simon joined The Meantimers but he was definitely on-board by May 1966. Initially, they continued to be billed as The Meantimers but in early 1967 starting going out as Simon K & The Meantimers.

Selected gigs:

20 May 1966 – Club De Danse, Colchester, Essex (billed as The Meantimers)

30 May 1966 – Tiles, Oxford Street, central London with The New Jump Band and Rey Anton & The Profam (billed as The Meantimers)

9 July 1966 – House of Aden, Witham Public Hall, Witham, Essex with The Keith Powell Billie Davis Soul Package

30 July 1966 – Corn Exchange, Maidstone, Kent with The Creation

1 August 1966 – Drill Hall, Newmarket, Cambridgeshire (billed as The Meantimers) Says direct from the Pontiac, Putney, London

7 August 1966 – Sunday Club, Adelphi Ballroom, Slough, Berkshire (billed as The Meantimers)

15 August 1966 – Drill Hall, Newmarket, Cambridgeshire (billed as The Meantimers)

21 August 1966 – Adelphi Ballroom, Slough, Berkshire (billed as The Meantimers)

27 August 1966 – House of Aden, Witham Public Hall, Witham, Essex with The Graham Bond Organization (billed as The Meantimers)

31 August 1966 – Pavilion, Hemel Hempstead, Herts with The Falling Leaves (billed as The Meantimers)

24 September 1966 – Town Hall, High Wycombe, Bucks with Clockwork Shots

9 October 1966 – Sunday Club, Adelphi Ballroom, Slough, Berkshire (billed as The Meantimers)

14 October 1966 – Royal Albion Hotel, Walton-on-Naze, Essex with support (billed as The Meantimers)

30 October 1966 – Tavern Club, Dereham, Norfolk with Ian & Danny Eves and The Reformation (billed as The Meantimers)

3 November 1966 – Club De Danse, Colchester, Essex

5 November 1966 – Assembly Hall, Aylesbury, Bucks with Ironsides

9 November 1966 – Tiles, Oxford Street, central London (billed as The Meantimers)

13 November 1966 – Toft’s, Folkestone, Kent (billed as The Meantimers)

21 November 1966 – Newmarket Memorial Hall, Newmarket, Cambridgeshire (billed as The Meantimers)

26 November 1966 – Newmarket Memorial Hall, Newmarket, Cambridgeshire with The 13^th Floor (billed as The Meantimers)

Michael Armes, 1967 — Michael Armes, 1966/1967

A bass player called Terry briefly took over from Hewson in early 1967 but soon left to work in the West End as a scenery mover. Around the same time, former Quiet Five drummer Ray Hailey succeeded Michael Armes.

Selected gigs:

1 January 1967 – 2 ‘B’s Club, Ashford, Kent (billed as The Meantimers)

6 January 1967 – Fiesta Hall, Andover, Hampshire (billed as The Meantimers)

14 January 1967 – Toft’s, Folkestone, Kent (billed as The Meantimers)

19 January 1967 – Tiles, Oxford Street, central London (billed as The Meantimers)

21 January 1967 – Winter Gardens, Banbury with Phase III (billed as The Meantimers)

22 January 1967 – Sunday Club, Adelphi Ballroom, Slough, Berkshire (billed as The Meantimers)

29 January 1967 – Embassy Club, Colchester, Essex with Lee Shelby Federation (billed as The Meantimers)

11 February 1967 – Witch Doctor, Marine Court, St Leonards, East Sussex with The Unloved (billed as The Meantimers)

19 February 1967 – Kettering Working Men’s Club, Kettering, Northamptonshire with The Neat Change

23 February 1967 – Embassy Suite, Colchester, Essex with The Tender Trap (billed as The Meantimers)

26 February 1967 – Adelphi Ballroom, Slough, Berkshire (billed as The Meantimers)

11 March 1967 – Legion Hall, Amersham, Bucks (billed as Simon Dee & The Meantimers)

12 March 1967 – Upper Cut, Forest Gate, Essex with Pussyfoot (billed as The Meantimers)

1 April 1967 – Memorial Hall, Newmarket, Suffolk with The Sales Collection (billed as The Meantimers)

7 April 1967 – Fiesta Hall, Andover, Hampshire (billed as The Meantimers)

9 April 1967 – Embassy Suite, Colchester, Essex with Rick and Us (billed as The Meantimers)

11 April 1967 – Ritz, Bournemouth, Dorset (billed as The Meantimers)

12 April 1967 – Flamingo, Wardour Street, Soho, central London

16 April 1967 – Klue J Klub, Saracens Head Hotel, Chelmsford, Essex (billed as The Meantimers)

22 April 1967 – Union Rowing Club, Nottingham (billed as The Meantimers)

28 April 1967 – Witchdoctor, Catford, southeast London with The Groove (billed as The Meantimers)

6 May 1967 – Memorial Hall, Newmarket, Cambridgeshire with The Strangers (billed as The Meantimers)

12 May 1967 – Co-Op Hall, Chesham, Bucks (billed as Simon Kay)

13 May 1967 – Town Hall, Clacton, Essex with Just Friends, The Fugitives and The Martells

17 May 1967 – Industrial Club, Norwich, Norfolk

20 May 1967 – London Hotel, Southend-on-Sea, Essex (Billed as Simon K & The Meantimers)

21 May 1967 – Adelphi Ballroom, Slough, Berkshire (billed as Meantimers)

Simon K & The Meantimers, circa spring 1967. Photo: Michael Armes — The Meantimers, May 1966. Photo: Michael Armes

However, the changes did not end there and in early-to-mid-1967 an entirely new line up came together, starting with lead guitarist George Teo.

Originally, from Singapore, Teo had migrated to the UK in the early 1960s with friends Sam Young on bass and brothers Andrew and John Gwee on guitar and drums respectively and formed The Etceteras. After two singles on the Oriole label in 1964, Teo next joined the Ying Tongs before hooking up with The Meantimers.

Also on board were siblings, bass player Mick Glyde and drummer Tony Glyde (brothers of Major Glyde, the lead sax player from Sounds Incorporated) and sax players Brent Carter, Alan Wherry and Ken Hendy, who was later replaced by former Cliff Bennett Rebel Rousers’ baritone sax player Sid Phillips in late 1967/early 1968.

Tony Glyde had previously worked with Southeast London bands, Bob ‘N’ All, The Loose Ends and Bern Elliott’s former group, The Fenmen while Alan Wherry had come from The Richard Henry Sensation (with David O’List) and Harlem Shuffle (with Alan Shacklock). Brent Carter had also been a member of Harlem Shuffle.

Wherry remembers that the group also had a keyboard player but it wasn’t Bill Pitt. Mick Glyde confirms that the keyboard player’s name was Terry Vandenburgh. Vanenburgh however had left before Sid Phillips joined in late 1967/early 1968 and the group recruited a Russian Hammond organist.

Wherry left in early 1968 and later moved in to publishing, as director of Corgi, Penguin and then as co-founder of Bloomsbury in London in 1986.

The remaining members stayed until about late spring/early summer 1968, during which time former Quiet Five drummer Roger “Tex” Marsh took over the drum stool from Tony Glyde.

Simon K & The Meantimers, late 1967. Left to right: George Teo, Brent Carter (shades), Mick Glyde, Kenny Simon, Alan Wherry, unknown organist, Tony Glyde. Ken Hendy is not pictured. Photo: Alan Wherry — Simon K & The Meantimers, late 1967. Left to right: George Teo, Brent Carter (shades), Mick Glyde, Kenny Simon, Alan Wherry, Terry Vandenburgh, Tony Glyde. Ken Hendy is not pictured. Photo: Alan Wherry

Selected gigs:

3 June 1967 – Witch Doctor, Marine Court, St Leonards, East Sussex with The Groove

4 June 1967 – Klue J Klub, Saracens Head Hotel, Chelmsford, Essex (billed as The Meantimers)

6-7 June 1967 – Industrial Club, Norwich, Norfolk

10 June 1967 – Victoria Cross Gallery, Wantage, Berkshire (Meantimers)

24 June 1967 – Witchdoctor, Catford, southeast London (billed as The Meantimers)

1 July 1967 – London Hotel, Southend-on-Sea, Essex

2 July 1967 – Adelphi Ballroom, Slough, Berkshire (billed as Meantimers)

22 July 1967 – Witch Doctor, Marine Court, St Leonards, East Sussex with Poor Boys Soul Band

29 July 1967 – Memorial Hall, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk with The Blueprints (billed as The Meantimers)

5 August 1967 – Industrial Club, Norwich, Norfolk

6 August 1967 – Union Rowing Club, Trent Bridge, Nottingham (billed as The Meantimers)

9 August 1967 – Penny Farthing Club, Southend, Kent

11 August 1967 – Windmill Club, Upminster, east London

20 August 1967 – El Grotto, Ilford, east London

25 August 1967 – Witchdoctor, Catford, southeast London (billed as The Meantimers)

2 September 1967 – Industrial Club, Norwich, Norfolk

8 September 1967 – London Hotel, Southend-on-Sea, Essex

9 September 1967 – Framlingham Assembly Hall, Framlingham, Suffolk with The Wild Oats

17 September 1967 – Sunday’s Flower Scene, Adelphi Ballroom, Slough, Berkshire with Jeanette and Abee

23 September 1967 – Legion Hall, Amersham, Bucks

24 September 1967 – Elm Hotel, Southend-on-Sea, Essex

28 September 1967 – Wexham Lea Youth Club, Slough, Berkshir with Rick Marston

7 October 1967 – Industrial Club, Norwich, Norfolk

8 October 1967 – Elm Hotel, Southend-on-Sea, Essex

10 October 1967 – Elm Hotel, Southend-on-Sea, Essex

22 October 1967 – Upper Cut, Forest Gate, east London

28 October 1967 – Ritz, Bournemouth, Dorset

29 October 1967 – Embassy, Colchester, Essex

4 November 1967 – Industrial Club, Norwich, Norfolk

10 November 1967 – Kennet School, Thatcham, Berkshire with The Roosters

11 November 1967 – Casino, Leicester

12 November 1967 – Elm Hotel, Southend-on-Sea, Essex

19 November 1967 – Elm Hotel, Southend-on-Sea, Essex

26 November 1967 – Elm Hotel, Southend-on-Sea, Essex

28 November 1967 – Ritz, Bournemouth, Dorset

2 December 1967 – Industrial Club, Norwich, Norfolk

3 December 1967 – Elm Hotel, Southend-on-Sea, Essex

10 December 1967 – Elm Hotel, Southend-on-Sea, Essex

17 December 1967 – Elm Hotel, Southend-on-Sea, Essex

24 December 1967 – Elm Hotel, Southend-on-Sea, Essex

31 December 1967 – Elm Hotel, Southend-on-Sea, Essex

20 January 1968 – Industrial Club, Norwich, Norfolk

21 January 1968 – Embassy Suite, Colchester, Essex with The Huckle Bucks (billed as The Meantimers)

27 January 1968 – Cesar’s, Bedford, Bedfordshire

13 February 1968 – Public Hall, Witham, Essex

17 February 1968 – Chelmsford Corn Exchange, Chelmsford, Essex with Geno Washington & The Ram Jam Band

24 February 1968 – Chelmsford Corn Exchange, Chelmsford, Essex

14 April 1968 – Embassy Suite, Colchester, Essex with The Foursome

20 April 1968 – Locarno Ballroom, Swindon, Wiltshire

27 April 1968 – Industrial Club, Norwich, Norfolk

11 May 1968 – Locarno Ballroom, Swindon, Wiltshire

25 May 1968 – Memorial Hall, Newmarket, Cambridgeshire with Mr Lucifer (billed as The Meantimers)

1 June 1968 – Tin Hat, Kettering, Northamptonshire

8 June 1968 – Beachcomber, Nottingham

14 June 1968 – Supreme Ballroom, Ramsgate, Kent

21 June 1968 – Victoria Ball, Dartford, Kent (billed as The Meantimers)

22 June 1968 – Gig in Brighton, West Sussex (billed as The Meantimers)

23 June 1968 – Central Hotel, Gillingham, Kent (billed as The Meantimers)

24 June 1968 – Samantha’s, New Burlington Street, central London (billed as The Meantimers)

6 July 1968 – Industrial Club, Norwich, Norfolk

13 July 1968 – Tin Hat, Kettering, Northamptonshire with The Trax

2 August 1968 – Samantha’s, New Burlington Street, central London (billed as Meantimers)

3 August 1968 – Town Hall, Clacton, Essex (billed as Meantimers)

4 August 1968 – Surrey Rooms, Oval, south London (billed as Meantimers)

6-7 August 1968 – Hatchetts Playground, Piccadilly, central London (billed as Meantimers)

24 August 1968 – Savoy Rooms, Catford, southeast London

31 August 1968 – St Albans City Hall, St Albans, Hertfordshire with The Rocky Rivers

14 September 1968 – Burton’s, Uxbridge, west London

21 September 1968 – Industrial Club, Norwich, Norfolk

28 September 1968 – Embassy Suite, Colchester, Essex with Faux Pas

29 September 1968 – Silver End Hotel, near Witham, Essex

By the autumn of 1968, Kenny Simon had reshuffled the pack, bringing in Marsh’s former band mate from The Quiet Five, Roger McKew on lead guitar. Sid Phillips had already left by this point to go on to Redwind and his place was taken by Tony Hall, whose CV including Peter’s Faces, Wainwright’s Gentlemen and Rupert’s Spoon.

The new formation then comprised:

Kenny Simon – lead vocals

Roger McKew – lead guitar

Tony Hall – saxophone

Brent Carter – saxophone

Mick Glyde – bass

Roger ‘Tex’ Marsh – drums

The new-look formation resumed gigging. In March 1969, Brian Johnston from The Fantastics’ backing band, The House of Orange joined on Hammond organ. Two months later, however, Mick Glyde left and was replaced by another bass player.

Later that year, original keyboard player Bill Pitt returned to take over from Johnston. Simon also added Irish trumpet player Ron Carthy, who’d previously worked with The Blue Aces and Wynder K Frog (among others) to the six-piece line up that came together in time to cut the group’s lone ‘45 in November 1969.

In March 1970, however, Brent Carter and Tony Hall also departed at this point and joined Geno Washington & The Ram Jam Band.

When the band finally splintered in the early 1970s, Pitt ended up working with Espirit de Corps, while Carthy joined Gonzales and also did a multitude of sessions for artists like Freddie King, Slade and Suzi Quatro.

Selected gigs:

5 October 1968 – Tin Hat, Kettering, Northamptonshire with Cuby & The Blizzards

18 October 1968 – St Albans City Hall, St Albans, Hertfordshire with Amen Corner and Plagel Cadence

19 October 1968 – Elms Court, Botley, Oxford with Granny’s Intentions

19 October 1968 – Dreamland Ballroom, Margate, Kent with The Showstoppers

26 October 1968 – Locarno Ballroom, Swindon, Wiltshire

16 November 1968 – Union Rowing Club, Nottingham

17 November 1968 – Fellowship Inn, Eltham, southeast London

23 November 1968 – Fellowship Inn, Eltham, southeast London

30 November 1968 – Burton’s, Uxbridge, west London

8 December 1968 – Embassy Suite, Sunday Club, Colchester, Essex with The Outcasts

10 December 1968 – Black Prince Hotel, Bexley, southeast London with Olaf Groups Kneed

14 December 1968 – Corn Exchange, Bedford with Luther Morgan & JD with The Red Russo

21 December 1968 – Industrial Club, Norwich, Norfolk

22 December 1968 – Le Metro, Birmingham

28 December 1968 – Burton’s, Uxbridge, west London

29 December 1968 – Byron, Greenford, west London

5 January 1969 – Embassy Sunday Club, Colchester, Essex with Peach Umbrella

11 January 1969 – Savoy Club, Catford, southeast London

18 January 1969 – St Albans City Hall, St Albans, Hertfordshire

1 February 1969 – Burton’s, Uxbridge, west London

16 February 1969 – Welcome Inn, Eltham, southeast London

22 February 1969 – Starlight Room, Boston Gliderdrome, Boston, Lincolnshire with Jon James & The Swamp and The Western Kind

14 March 1969 – Maxi Scene, Angel Hotel, Godalming, Surrey

22 March 1969 – Burton’s, Uxbridge, west London

4 April 1969 – Walton Hop, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey

12 April 1969 – John D’Milton’s Discotheque, Birmingham

19 April 1969 – Starlight Room, Boston Gliderdrome, Boston, Lincolnshire with Sir Percy Quintet

20 April 1969 – New Union Rowing Club, Nottingham

26 April 1969 – Savoy Room, Catford, southeast London with Lee Hawkins

2 May 1969 – St Albans City Hall, St Albans, Hertfordshire with The Consortium and Octopus

17 May 1969 – Alex’s Disco, Salisbury, Wiltshire

22 May 1969 – Klook’s Kleek, West Hampstead, north London

6 June 1969 – Chelmsford City Stadium, Chelmsford, Essex

7 June 1969 – Burton’s, Uxbridge, west London

14 June 1969 – Il Rondo, Leicester

28 June 1969 – Cue Club, Paddington, central London

6 July 1969 – New Union Rowing Club, Nottingham

11 July 1969 – The Crown, Marlow, Bucks

26 July 1969 – Walton Hop, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey

28 July 1969 – Soul Club, Plaza Ballroom, Newsbury, Berkshire with Herbie Goins & The Night-Timers

30 July 1969 – The Place, Hanley, Staffordshire

2 August 1969 – Starlight Room, Boston Gliderdrome, Boston, Lincolnshire with Sir Percy Quintet

4 August 1969 – Quaintways, Chester, Cheshire with The Original Principals, The Headline News and Wall City Jazzmen

5-6 August 1969 – Samantha’s, New Burlington Street, central London

9 August 1969 – Savoy, Catford, southeast London

17-19 August 1969 – Samantha’s, New Burlington Street, central London

23 August 1969 – Trocadero Ballroom, Hamilton, Scotland (Wishaw Press says that the band are straight from a continental tour)

25 August 1969 – Samantha’s, New Burlington Street, central London

31 August 1969 – Up The Junction, Crewe, Cheshire with Scotch Corner

6 September 1969 – Walton Hop, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey

7 September 1969 – Le Metro, Birmingham

19 September 1969 – Plaza Ballroom, Newbury, Berkshire with J J Jackson & The Greatest Little Soul Band in The Land and The Ray King Soul Band

4 October 1969 – Savoy, Catford, southeast London

8 October 1969 – The Place, Hanley, Staffordshire

11 October 1969 – Ritz, Bournemouth, Dorset

20 October 1969 – Quaintways, Chester, Cheshire with Freedom Train, Pendulum and The Wall City Jazzmen

25 October 1969 – Starlight Room, Boston Gliderdrome, Boston, Lincolnshire with The Lovin’ Spoonful

8 November 1969 – Alex’s Disco, Salisbury, Wiltshire

21 November 1969 – The Place, Hanley, Staffordshire

23 November 1969 – Le Metro, Birmingham

25 November 1969 – Walton Hop, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey

29 November 1969 – Walton Hop, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey

7 December 1969 – Swan, Yardley, West Midlands

13 December 1969 – Blue Lagoon, Newquay, Cornwall with The Acoustics

31 December 1969 – Walton Hop, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey

7 February 1970 – Cloud 9, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire

Many thanks to Kenny Simon, Michael Armes, Tony Hall, Alan Wherry, Ken Hendy, Sid Phillips, Mick Glyde and Bruce Welsh for their help. Thank you Michael Armes and Alan Wherry for the photos.

Very little is known about the personnel in Simon K & The Meantimers. The author would be interested to hear from anyone that can provide more detail on the group for a future, updated version. Please email the author, Nick Warburton at Warchive@aol.com

Categories: England, London

Freddie Mack’s bands March 1968-February 1969

August 14, 2015 Nick Warburton 10 Comments

Cover of Freddy Mack's Live album, re-released by Acid Jazz — Cover of Freddy Mack’s Live album, re-released by Acid Jazz

Retired American light-heavyweight boxer Freddie Mack, sometimes spelt Freddy Mack and also known as Mr Superbad, relocated to the UK in 1965 and established a second career as a soul singer and disc jockey.

Between late 1965 and the mid-1970s, Mack fronted a succession of bands featuring a staggering number of notable British R&B and soul musicians. Originally called The Mack Sound, the singer’s bands also worked under the names The Freddie Mack Sound, The Fantastic Freddie Mack Show and the Freddie Mack Extravaganza.

Thanks to tenor sax player Geoff Driscoll, it’s possible to pin down the line-up for Freddie Mack’s band from about early March 1968 through to around February 1969.

According to Driscoll, drummer Colin Davy left shortly before he joined (later playing with Joe Cocker among many others). The band, he adds, had just returned from playing the Blow Up Club in Munich (from mid-to-late March) which Davy’s replacement Pete Hunt had played.

When Driscoll hooked up with Freddie Mack around early April, the band comprised:

Freddie Mack – lead vocals

Tony Morgan – lead vocals

Sonny Gibbons – lead vocals

Tony St Clair (Sinclair) – lead guitar

Roy Davies – organ

Alan Cartwright – bass

Sonny Corbett – trumpet

Phil Kenzie – tenor saxophone

Dave Potter – tenor saxophone

Geoff Driscoll – tenor saxophone

Dave Coxhill – baritone saxophone

Pete Hunt – drums (took over from Colin Davy in mid-to-late March in time for Munich trip)

Of the new line-up, Pete Hunt came from the Southampton area and had worked with a number of bands, most notably The Quik, The Meddyevils and The Soul Agents.

Tony St Clair, who came from Hackney, had joined Phil Wainman’s band literally a few weeks after they’d played the Christmas/New Year show with Freddie Mack in 1965. He would remain with Wainman’s band as it became The New Generation and backed Jimmy Cliff during 1966. The formation then joined forces with Gary Hamilton and became The Hamilton Movement. When St Clair left in late 1967, it’s reported that he played with Lace.

Phil Kenzie of course had worked with Freddie Mack in 1966 and had gone on to play with Sonny Childe & The TNT, Tuesday’s Children and PP Arnold & TNT in the interim.

Dave Coxhill had played with Tony Knight’s Chessmen and would also spend time with The Cat Soul Packet in late 1967 (and possibly early 1968).

According to the band’s roadie Martin James Lumley, Nigerian conga player Jimmy Scott was also a member during this period.

Geoff Driscoll recalls that the new line-up soon returned to the Blow Up Club in Munich via a gig in Belgium and then travelled to Rome to play at the famous Piper Club for three weeks. Some of the band met an RCA record executive who informed the musicians that the label was about to release a single by an actor that was going to be an enormous hit – it was Richard Harris’ “MacArthur Park”.

However, after nearly a year of playing with Mack and moaning about not getting paid, the band split from the singer (around February 1969) whereupon they were approached by Dave Hadfield to work as the house band (The Breed) at his Maximum Sound Studio on the Old Kent Road. The Breed backed a few reggae singers on Hadfield’s label before Manfred Mann got involved and lured the horn section away for Manfred Mann Chapter 3.

While Dave Coxhill and Sonny Corbett remained with Manfred Mann Chapter 3, Geoff Driscoll and Phil Kenzie reunited with Roy Davies and Alan Cartwright in Sweet Water Canal. Pete Hunt later worked with The Jess Roden Band among many others.

Selected gigs:

Melody Maker notes in its 2 March issue that the group was playing in Salisbury (not Alex’s Disco unless they replaced the advertised act) and Tony Morgan was taken to hospital with a knife wound.

8 March 1968 – Bradford University, Student Union with The Attack, The Quick Selection and The Collection

15 March 1968 – 400 Club, Torquay, Devon

16 March 1968 – Impsella Club, Chateau Impney, Droitwich, Worcestershire

16 March 1968 – Loughborough University, Loughborough with The Nice (The Pretty Things don’t show)

It was around now that Pete Hunt replaced Colin Davy on drums (not clear if it was before or after the Munich gigs below). Davy would reunite with former member Dave Tedstone in Geno Washington & The Ram Jam Band in mid-August 1968.

Del Paramor says his group The Warren Davis Monday Band finished at the Blow Up Club in Munich (see Driscoll’s comment above) on 17 March and that Freddie Mack took over. The residency was probably for two weeks, starting on 18 March.

22 March 1968 – Park Hall Hotel, Goldthorn Park, Wolverhampton, West Midlands (unlikely considering Munich gig)

Norwich newspaper The Eastern Evening News notes that the group is in Germany the week that they are due to play a show on 27 March at the University of East Anglia (which is rearranged for 15 June).

31 March 1968 – Carlton Ballroom, Erdington, West Midlands (may not have happened if they were still in Germany)

Geoff Driscoll would have joined The Mack Sound around the first week of April.

5 April 1968 – Grand Ballroom, Leicester with Chalky & The Decoys

6 April 1968 – Hermitage Ballroom, Hitchin, Herts

9 April 1968 – Maidstone Corn Exchange, Maidstone, Kent

12 April 1968 – Flamingo Ballroom, Penzance, Cornwall (listed as 7-piece Mac Sounds)

13 April 1968 – Winter Gardens Ballroom, Penzance, Cornwall

14 April 1968 – Flamingo Ballroom, Penzance, Cornwall (listed as 15-piece)

15 April 1968 – Blue Lagoon, Newquay, Cornwall with The Vigilantes (listed as 15-piece)

19 April 1968 – Top Rank Suite, Leicester with Johnny Wollaston and His Band

25 April 1968 – Flying Fox Club, Cottesmore, Rutland with Symbolin and A Mystery Group

It’s probably around late April that the band plays in Belgium on its way to a second residency at the Blow Up Club in Munich.

The group would probably have started its three-week residency at the Piper Club in Rome around 6 May, heading back to the UK around the last week of May.

7 June 1968 – Civic Hall, Wolverhampton, West Midlands with Dual Purpose

8 June 1968 – Bull’s Head, Yardley, West Midlands

9 June 1968 – Cosmo, Carlisle, Cumbria with Jasper Stubbs Gloryland Band

10 June 1968 – Quaintways, Chester, Cheshire with Shady Lane

15 June 1968 – East Anglia Rag, University of East Anglia’s Student Union, Norwich, Norfolk (originally booked for 27 March but rearranged as they were in Germany)

16 June 1968 – Mothers, Erdington, West Midlands

17 June 1968 – Park Hall Hotel, Goldthorn Park, Wolverhampton, West Midlands with Barmy Barry

19 June 1968 – Mistrale Club, Beckenham, London

25 June 1968 – Droitwich Winter Gardens, Droitwich, Worcestershire with Breakdown

26 June 1968 – Top Rank Birmingham Suite, Birmingham (Birmingham Evening Mail)

30 June 1968 – Mistrale Club, Beckenham, south London

30 June 1968 – Whisky A Go Go, Wardour Street, Soho, London with Keef Hartley

4 July 1968 – Concorde, Basset Hotel, Southampton, Hampshire

6 July 1968 – The Swan, Yardley, West Midlands with Soul Express

19 July 1968 – Torquay Town Hall, Torquay, Devon with The Emotions

20 July 1968 – Flamingo Ballroom, Redruth, Cornwall (the group may have played gigs in Europe immediately after this date)

Melody Maker‘s 27 July issue, page 20, says that the band is back after a series of continental gigs.

28 July 1968 – Whisky A Go Go, Wardour Street, Soho, London

8 August 1968 – Fishmonger’s Arms, Wood Green, London

14 August 1968 – Winter Gardens Ballroom, Penzance, Cornwall

15 August 1968 – Blue Lagoon, Newquay, Cornwall with Fire and Sons and Lovers

16 August 1968 – Pavilion Ballroom, Bournemouth, Dorset with Jamies Jyg Saw

17 August 1968 – New King’s Bay, Herne Bay, Kent

23 August 1968 – The Factory, Birmingham, West Midlands

24 August 1968 – Tin Hat, Kettering, Northamptonshire

25 August 1968 – Whisky A Go Go, Wardour Street, Soho, London

31 August 1968 – St George’s Ballroom, Hinckley, Leicestershire

2 September 1968 – Bluesology Festival, Chateau Impney, Droitwich, Worcestershire with Fleetwood Mac, Chris Farlowe & The Thunderbirds, Family, The Move and others

7 September 1968 – Princess Pavilion, Falmouth, Cornwall with The Mood

10 September 1968 – Black Horse, Kidderminster, Worcestershire

23 September 1968 – Quaintways, Chester, Cheshire with Cleo’s Mood and Systems Five

25 September 1968 – Whisky A Go Go, Wardour Street, Soho, London (cancelled due to illness)

26 September 1968 – Blue Pacific, Bristol Hotel, Gloucester

28 September 1968 – Civic Hall, Guildford, Surrey

Around this time, the band was joined by Jamaican singer Owen Grey.

3 October 1968 – Samantha’s, New Burlington Street, London

5 October 1968 – Walsall Town Hall, Walsall, West Midlands with John McFlare Band

6 October 1968 – Bull’s Head, Yardley, West Midlands

6 October 1968 – Whisky A Go Go, Wardour Street, Soho, London (this was pushed back to 13 October)

13 October 1968 – Whisky A Go Go, Wardour Street, Soho, London (this was pushed back from 6 October and marks the group’s third anniversary)

19 October 1968 – Shrewsbury Music Hall, Shrewsbury, Shropshire

24 October 1968 – Concorde, Basset Hotel, Southampton, Hampshire

25 October 1968 – Spinning Wheel Discotheque, Great Hall, Isle o Ely College, Wisbech, Cambridgeshire

25 October 1968 – Victoriana, Liverpool (9.30pm) and then Mardi Gras Club, Liverpool (11.30pm)

26 October 1968 – The Factory, Birmingham, West Midlands

30 October 1968 – Elbow Room, Aston, West Midlands

1 November 1968 – Queen Mary’s College, Mile End Road, London with Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band, Fairport Convention, Blossom Toes, The Web and Black Cat Bones

2 November 1968 – Chelmsford Corn Exchange, Chelmsford, Essex

4-6 November 1968 – Hatchettes Playground, Piccadilly, London

9 November 1968 – Dreamland Ballroom, Margate, Kent with The Sweetshop

15 November 1968 – Shrubbery Hotel, Ilminster, Somerset with Fascination

16 November 1968 – Elms Court, Botley, Oxford

22 November 1968 – Co-op Hall, Nuneaton, Warwickshire with Legay

13 December 1968 – The Factory, Birmingham, West Midlands with The Gun

14 December 1968 – Glastonbury Town Hall, Glastonbury, Somerset with Sandy’s People

16 December 1968 – Park Hall Hotel, Goldthorn Park, Wolverhampton, West Midlands with Barmy Barry

21 December 1968 – The Swan, Yardley, West Midlands

By January 1969, the band was starting to be billed as The Freddy Mack Extravaganza.

17-18 January 1969 – Birmingham’s First 1969 Extravaganza, Birmingham Town Hall, Birmingham, West Midlands with The Locomotive, The Fantastics, The Flirtations, The Californians, Ivan Chin Steel Band, Liz Christian and The Ebonites

23 January 1969 – Club Cedar, Birmingham with ‘Fat Boy’ Billy Stewart

23 January 1969 – Whisky A Go Go, Wardour Street, Soho, London

27 January 1969 – Shipley Boat, Shipley, Eastwood Nottinghamshire with Fatboy Billy Stewart (this is probably one of the final gigs by the current formation)

Melody Maker‘s 8 March issue notes that Freddie Mack is forming a new 11-piece band to debut on 11 April in Bristol at the New Market Hotel.

GARAGE HANGOVER WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM ANYONE THAT CAN PROVIDE INFORMATION ABOUT THE 1969-1970 PERIOD.

I would personally like to thank Geoff Driscoll for helping to piece together this part of the band’s story. Thanks also to Greg Russo and Bruce Welsh.

PLEASE LEAVE COMMENTS BELOW TO ADD/CORRECT INFORMATION

Live gig sources:

During my research on Freddie Mack from 1965-1969, I have found gigs from the sources that include:

The Cornish Guardian, Derby Evening Telegraph, Evening Sentinel, Melody Maker, Gloucester Citizen, West Briton & Royal Cornwall Gazette, Lincolnshire Guardian, Birmingham Evening Mail, NME, Northwich Chronicle, Sheffield Star, Warrington Guardian, Wrexham Leader, Express & Star, Nottingham Evening Post

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. To contact the author, email: Warchive@aol.com or nick_warburton@hotmail.com

Categories: England, London

Freddie Mack’s bands: April 1967-February 1968

August 10, 2015 Nick Warburton 7 Comments

Thanks to the recollections of former Doc Thomas Group lead guitarist Dave Tedstone, who took over from Stuart Taylor (himself deputising for Ged Peck) the band’s formation included the following when he joined on 5 April 1967:

Freddie Mack – lead vocals

Derry Wilkie – lead vocals

Tony Morgan – lead vocals, congas

Kenneth Harry – lead vocals

Kookie Eaton – lead vocals

Dave Tedstone – lead guitar

Roy Davies – organ

Alan Cartwright – bass

Dick Morrisey – tenor saxophone

Bernie Wehrman – tenor saxophone

Chris Dawe – trumpet

Jeff Bridge – tenor saxophone

Sonny Corbett – trumpet

Roger Truth – drums

As Tedstone explains, his guitar playing was closer in style to ex-Pirate Mick Green than Ged Peck’s, who Taylor had been covering for.

Tedstone remembers that Dick Morrisey departed during the early half of the year (although he would return in late November). Also, Derry Wilkie left during May or June 1967 to pursue a solo career.

In mid-June Roger Truth announced his decision to move on and auditions were held later that month (see below in gig listing). Two drummers were brought in to replace him.

The first was Terry Stannard, who had previously played with The Pack and The Flowers of Wisdom and would go on to work with White Rabbit, The Mirrors, One and Kokomo among others. The other drummer was Ron Berg, who succeeded him in White Rabbit before playing with Blodwyn Pig.

Mistakenly credited to 1966, it was this formation (minus Derry Wilkie and Dick Morrisey) that appeared on the album, The Fantastic Freddy Mack Show – ‘Live’ at ‘Toft’s Club’ Folkestone. Tedstone says that not many venues at the time had stages that were large enough to accommodate a dual drum set up.

As a result, Terry Stannard played the first set and Ron Berg played the second. On the album, which was cut in mid-July (see the gig listing below but most likely date is 15 July), Stannard appears on side one while Berg is on side two.

Selected gigs:

5 April 1967 – Birmingham gig (marks Dave Tedstone’s debut)

Tedstone says his debut was in Birmingham but I’ve looked in the newspapers and there is no listing. I wonder whether he mistakenly attributed this to Freddie Mack and not Jimmy James & The Vagabonds who he joined in early 1968.

6 April 1967 – Overseas Visitors Club, west London (This was most likely Earl’s Court)

8 April 1967 – St George’s Ballroom, Hinckley, Leicestershire

12 April 1967 – Hemel Hempstead Pavilion, Hemel Hempstead, Herts with The Cortinas (Says 14-piece band)

14 April 1967 – George Inn, Wilby, Northamptonshire

15 April 1967 – Matlock Bath, Matlock, Derbyshire

19 April 1967 – Steering Wheel, Weymouth, Dorset (Around this time Melody Maker advert says it’s a 10-piece band)

20 April 1967 – Gig in Stafford, Dorset

21 April 1967 – Steering Wheel Club, Dorchester, Dorset

22 April 1967 – Beachcomber, Nottingham

23 April 1967 – Cromer, Norfolk (most likely the Olympia)

24 April 1967 – BBC recording (according to Melody Maker)

25 April 1967 – Concorde, Southampton, Hampshire

Derry Wilkie left around now or in June. Dick Morrisey most likely left around the same time but returned in late November.

5 May 1967 – Upper Cut, Forest Gate, east London with The Bohemians

6 May 1967 – California Ballroom, Dunstable, Bedfordshire with Two of Each and New Jump Band

11 May 1967 – Overseas Visitors Club, west London (most likely Earl’s Court)

12 May 1967 – Kinkotab, Hitchin College of Further Education, Hitchin, Herts with The Triads

13 May 1967 – Gaiety Ballroom, Ramsey, Cambridgeshire with The En-Devers

13 May 1967 – Nite Owl, Leicester with The Executive

14 May 1967 – Garden Club (location not known but most likely Covent Garden, London)

16 May 1967 – High Wycombe Town Hall, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire

17 May 1967 – Eel Pie Island, Twickenham, west London

18 May 1967 – Tiles, Oxford Street, central London

19 May 1967 – King Alfred’s College, Winchester, Hampshire

20 May 1967 – Maple Ballroom, Northampton

21 May 1967 – Swan, Yardley, West Midlands

22 May 1967 – Carlton Club, Erdington, West Midlands

23 May 1967 – Melody Maker says this is a day of rest. However, I’ve found references to gigs in Warrington and also Bournemouth (the latter with The Mike Cotton Sound with Lucas and The Pill)

24 May 1967 – Hemel Hempstead Pavilion, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire with The Associates

26 May 1967 – Golden Diamond, Sutton-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire

27 May 1967 – Toft’s, Folkestone, Kent

29 May 1967 – Belfry Hotel, Wishaw, West Midlands with The Monopoly and The Exception

30 May 1967 – Beachcomber, Nottingham

31 May 1967 – RANS Lossiemouth, Moray, Scotland

1 June 1967 – RANS Arbroath, Arbroath, Scotland

2 June 1967 – Gig in Hawick, Scotland

3 June 1967 – Gig in Kelso, Scotland

4 June 1967 – Cosmo Club, Carlisle, Cumbria

5-8 June 1967 – Gigs in Paris, France

9 June 1967 – Cesar’s, Bedford, Bedfordshire

10 June 1967 – Jazz & Blues Festival ’67, Norwich, Norfolk with The Small Faces, The Ronnie Scott Quartet, Spencer’s Washboard Kings, The Settlers, Mike Daniels’ Big Band and The Broads City Blueblowers

11 June 1967 – Beachcomber, Nottingham

11 June 1967 – Britannia Rowing Club, Nottingham

12 June 1967 – Three Horseshoes, Letchworth, Herts

13 June 1967 – Concorde Club, Southampton, Hampshire

14 June 1967 – Eel Pie Island, Twickenham, west London

16 June 1967 – Il Rondo, Leicester

17 June 1967 – Bath Pavilion, Matlock, Derbyshire

18 June 1967 – Le Metro, Birmingham

19 June 1967 – Carton Club, Warrington, Cheshire

20 June 1967 – Ritz, Bournemouth, Dorset

21 June 1967 – Princess Pavilion, Falmouth, Cornwall with Blood & Sand

22 June 1967 – Blue Lagoon, Newquay, Cornwall with The Vigilantes

23-24 June 1967 – Winter Gardens Ballroom, Penzance, Cornwall

Melody Maker reports that Freddie Mack auditioned for a drummer and 74 turned up after he’d advertised in the music paper. This seems the most plausible point at which Roger Truth announces he is leaving.

25 June 1967 – Steering Wheel, Dorchester, Dorset

26 June 1967 – Cook’s Ferry Inn, Edmonton, north London

26 June 1967 – Orford Cellar, Norwich, Norfolk

27 June 1967 – Sherwood Rooms, Nottingham with Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick and Titch

28 June 1967 – De Valance Ballroom, Tenby, Wales

30 June 1967 – Pavilion, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire with Force Four

Roger Truth left around about now and Terry Stannard and Ron Berg joined.

1 July 1967 – Burton’s, Uxbridge, northwest London

2 July 1967 – Central Hotel, Gillingham, Kent

4 July 1967 – Concorde, Southampton, Hampshire

6 July 1967 – Huntington Youth Centre, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire

7 July 1967 – California Ballroom, Dunstable, Hertfordshire with The Shell Shock Show

8 July 1967 – St George’s Ballroom, Hinckley, Leicestershire

9 July 1967 – Britannia Rowing Club, Nottingham

10 July 1967 – Melody Maker says they are recording

11 July 1967 – High Wycombe Town Hall, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire

12 July 1967 – Industrial Club, Norwich, Norfolk

14 July 1967 – Grammar School, Gravesend, Kent

15 July 1967 – Toft’s, Folkestone, Kent (this is the most likely date for the recording of the LP)

16 July 1967 – Golden Torch, Tunstall, Staffordshire

18 July 1967 – Assembly Hall, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire

19 July 1967 – Blue Lagoon, Newquay, Cornwall

21 July 1967 – Town Hall, Torquay, Devon

22 July 1967 – Purple Fez, Devonport, Plymouth, Devon

23 July 1967 – Eel Pie Island, Twickenham, west London

25 July 1967 – Carlton Club, Erdington, West Midlands

27 July 1967 – RAF Witham, Lincolnshire

28 July 1967 – Hemel Hempstead Pavilion, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire with The Beachcombers

29 July 1967 – Memorial Hall, Barry, Glamorgan, Wales

30 July 1967 – Swan, Yardley, West Midlands

Terry Standard left around about now (most likely to join Herbie Goins & The Night-Timers but then subsequently White Rabbit).

1-2 August 1967 – Gigs in Paris, France

5 August 1967 – Britannia Rowing Club, Nottingham

9 August 1967 – Princess Pavilion, Falmouth, Cornwall with Modesty Blues

10 August 1967 – Blue Lagoon, Newquay, Cornwall with The Californians

11 August 1967 – Winter Gardens, Penzance, Cornwall

12 August 1967 – Flamingo Ballroom, Redruth, Cornwall

14 August 1967 – Whisky A Go Go, Wardour Street, Soho, central London

15 August 1967 – High Wycombe Town Hall, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire (billed as Freddy Mack & The Mack Sound featuring Hon-ey!)

16 August 1967 – Gig in Scotland (needs confirmation)

18 August 1967 – Gay Tower Ballroom, Edgbaston, West Midlands with Bobby Johnson Big Band

19 August 1967 – Burton’s, Uxbridge, northwest London

20 August 1967 – Beau Brummel, Alvaston Hall Hotel, Nantwich, Cheshire

21 August 1967 – Carlton Club, Warrington, Cheshire

22 August 1967 – Concorde, Bassett Hotel, Southampton, Hampshire

25 August 1967 – Cesar’s, Bedford, Bedfordshire

26-27 August 1967 – Toft’s, Folkestone, Kent

28 August 1967 – Hemel Hempstead Town Hall, Herts (needs confirmation)

29 August 1967 – Ritz Ballroom, Bournemouth, Dorset

30 August 1967 – Tropicana Club, Croydon, south London

31 August 1967 – Scottish tour commences today and runs until 12 September

1-2 September 1967 – Two Red Shoes, Elgin, Scotland

L-R: Terry Stannard, Alan Cartwright, Roy Davies and Dave Tedstone

8 September 1967 – Ballerina, Nairn, Scotland with The T-Set

9 September 1967 – Civic, Wrexham, Wales with Dynamic Honey and System 5 (not possible considering other Scottish dates)

9 September 1967 – Gig in Aberdeen, Scotland

10 September 1967 – RNAS Lossiemouth, Moray, Scotland

11-12 September 1967 – More gigs in Scotland

13 September 1967 – Travel to Belgium for gigs

17 September 1967 – Central R&B Club, Central Hotel, Gillingham, Kent with Honey

24 September 1967 – Black Prince Hotel, Bexley, southeast London

29 September 1967 – Flamingo, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with The Gabb and The Scots of St James

30 September 1967 – Tin Hat, Kettering, Northamptonshire with The Survivors

1 October 1967 – Co-op Hall, Warrington, Cheshire

2 October 1967 – Park Hall Hotel, Goldthorn Park, Wolverhampton, West Midlands with The Californians and Barmy Barry’s Show

4 October 1967 – Hemel Hempstead Town Hall, Hemel Hempstead, Herts

6 October 1967 – Il Rondo, Leicester

7 October 1967 – Enfield College of Technology, Enfield, north London

8 October 1967 – Le Metro, Birmingham

9 October 1967 – Bluesville ‘6 Clubs, St Matthew’s Bath Hall, Ipswich, Suffolk

12 October 1967 – Brays Grove Youth Club, Harlow, Essex

13 October 1967 – Pavilion Ballroom, Weymouth, Dorset with Pink Floyd and Denis Scott & The Soundsmen

14 October 1967 – Toft’s, Folkestone, Kent

15 October 1967 – Corn Exchange, Maidstone, Kent

16 October 1967 – 100 Club, Oxford Street, central London

17 October 1967 – Concorde, Bassett Hotel, Southampton, Hampshire

18 October 1967 – Travel to Paris, France

19-30 October 1967 – Gigs in Belgium

31 October 1967 – Shenley Green Youth Club, Shenley Green, West Midlands

2 November 1967 – Golden Torch, Tunstall, Staffordshire

3 November 1967 – Apex Club, Ashford, Kent

4 November 1967 – Earlham Park, Norwich, Norfolk with Elmer Gantry’s Velvet Opera

5 November 1967 – Cosmo Club, Carlisle, Cumbria with The Reg Jones Explosion

6 November 1967 – Quaintways, Chester, Cheshire

7 November 1967 – Ritz, Bournemouth, Dorset

8 November 1967 – Skyline Ballroom, Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire with The Gospel Garden, Delroys Good Good Band and The Disturbance

10 November 1967 – Mayfair Ballroom, Smallbrook Ringway, Birmingham

10 November 1967 – Digbeth Civic Hall, Digbeth, West Midlands

11 November 1967 – Bradford University, Student Union, Bradford, West Yorkshire

11 November 1967 – Industrial Club, Norwich, Norfolk (needs confirmation)

12 November 1967 – South Bank Jazz Club, Grimsby

13 November 1967 – 100 Club, Oxford Street, central London

14 November 1967 – Ritz, Bournemouth, Dorset

15 November 1967 – The Catacombs, Eastbourne, East Sussex

17 November 1967 – Top Spot Ballroom, Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire with The Dipps (Gloucester Citizen)

18 November 1967 – Royal Lido, Prestayn, Wales with The Rayners

19 November 1967 – Beau Brummel Club, Alvaston Hall Hotel, Nantwich, Cheshire with The Jaytree Organisation

20 November 1967 – Bamboo Club, Stockport, Greater Manchester

Around this time, Dick Morrisey rejoins on tenor sax (according to Melody Maker‘s 25 November issue, page 3).

21-26 November 1967 – Gigs in Scotland (Aberdeen gigs may not have happened)

21 November 1967 – Two Red Shoes, Elgin, Scotland (billed as Freddie Mack & His Road Show) (advert lists 16-piece band) (Source: https://tworedshoes.wordpress.com/)

23 November 1967 – RNAS Lossiemouth, Moray, Scotland

24 November 1967 – Ballerina, Nairn, Scotland with The Brown Heart Federation

25-26 November 1967 – Gigs in Aberdeen, Scotland

25 November 1967 – West Runton Pavilion, West Runton, Norfolk with The Sonics (probably rescheduled to 2 December gig below)

27 November 1967 – Carlton Club, Warrington, Cheshire

29 November 1967 – Reading Town Hall, Reading, Berkshire with The Beachcombers and Memphis Gents

Ron Berg left around this time and subsequently joined White Rabbit. Colin Davy, who’d worked with Georgie Fame in late 1967 joined.

1 December 1967 – Industrial Club, Norwich, Norfolk

2 December 1967– West Runton Pavilion, West Runton, Norfolk

6 December 1967– Hemel Hempstead Pavilion, Hemel Hempstead, Herts with Tramline ’67

7 December 1967 – Medway College of Art, Rochester, Kent

8 December 1967 – Southampton University, Southampton, Hampshire

9 December 1967 – Clacton Town Hall, Clacton, Essex with Lee Shelby Federation

10 December 1967 – Samantha’s, Bournemouth, Dorset

11 December 1967 – St Matthew’s Bath Halls, Ipswich

12 December 1967 – Keele University, Keele, Staffordshire

14 December 1967 – RAF Whitton (assuming this is Whitton, London)

15 December 1967 – Red Spot Club, Whetstone, Leicester with The Changing Scene

16 December 1967 – Night Prowler, Yarmouth, Norfolk with Combined Achievement

17 December 1967 – Leofric Hotel, Coventry, West Midlands

19 December 1967 – Queen’s Hotel, Grays, Essex

22 December 1967– Aurora Hotel, Gillingham, Kent

23 December 1967 – St James’ Spectacular, Chesterfield, Derbyshire with Joe Cocker’s Grease Band

26 December 1967 – Mayfair Ballroom, Smallbrook Ringway, West Midlands with The Fabulous Invaders

29 December 1967– Aurora Hotel, Gillingham, Kent

Around early January 1968, the group most likely included the following musicians:

Freddie Mack – lead vocals

Tony Morgan – lead vocals, congas

Kenneth Harry – lead vocals

Dave Tedstone – lead guitar

Roy Davies – organ

Alan Cartwright – bass

Dick Morrisey – tenor saxophone (may not have stayed long)

Bernie Wehrman – tenor saxophone

Chris Dawe – trumpet

Sonny Corbett – trumpet

Colin Davy – drums

Selected gigs:

7 January 1968 – Maidstone Corn Exchange, Maidstone, Kent with Formula Six

8 January 1968 – 100 Club, Oxford Street, central London

11 January 1968 – Concord, Basset Hotel, Southampton, Hampshire

12 January 1968 – Exeter University, Exeter, Devon

Melody Maker reports in its 13 January issue, page 13, that a continental tour is planned but does not say when.

13 January 1968 – Winter Gardens Ballroom, Penzance, Cornwall

14 January 1968 – Central R&B Club, Central Hotel, Gillingham, Kent

15 January 1968 – Koups Klub, Laker’s Hotel, Redhill, Surrey

19 January 1968 – Gari Ballroom, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk with Somethin Else

20 January 1968 – Gaiety Ballroom, Ramsey, Cambridgeshire with Out of Sight Blues

21 January 1968 – Black Prince Hotel, Bexley, southeast London

22 January 1968 – Whisky A Go Go, Wardour Street, Soho, central London

23 January 1968 – Gig in Aberystwyth, Wales (The Cambrian Times has no record of any shows in the town this day)

24 January 1968 – Gig in Cardiff, Wales

25 January 1968 – Gig in Epsom, Surrey (possibly Ewell Tech College)

25 January 1968 – Gig in Birmingham, West Midlands

27 January 1968 – Gig in Southport, Lancashire (most likely Floral Hall)

28 January 1968 – The Place, Hanley, Staffordshire

30 January 1968 – Whisky A Go Go, Wardour Street, Soho, central London

31 January 1968 – Hemel Hempstead Pavilion, Hemel Hempstead, Herts with The Lamb Bros and Co

3 February 1968 – Leeds University, Leeds, West Yorkshire

4 February 1968 – Cosmo, Carlisle, Cumbria

5 February 1968 – Quaintways, Chester, Cheshire with Kaspers Engine and Perfurmed Garden

5 February 1968 – Howard Platt Discotheque Show, Jazz and Blues Festival, Norfolk with The Kinks and Geno Washington & The Ram Jam Band

6 February 1968 – Gig in Birmingham, West Midlands

7 February 1968 – Gig in Grays, Essex

9 February 1968 – Gig in Leicester

10 February 1968 – Starlight Ballroom, Boston Gliderdrome, Boston, Lincolnshire with The Informers Plus 2

11 February 1968 – Gig in Manchester

14 February 1968 – Ship & Rainbow, Wolverhampton, West Midlands

Around the start of the second week in February, Freddie Mack advertised for three reed players suggesting he was looking to rebuild the band. Chris Dawe was among the horn players leaving and later joined Swegas.

19 February 1968 – Cosmo, Carlisle, Cumbria with Joe E Young & The Tonicks

23 February 1968 – Birmingham University Students’ Union, Edgbaston, West Midlands with Elmer Gantry & The Velvet Opera

24 February 1968 – Burton’s, Uxbridge, northwest London

28 February 1968 – Ship & Rainbow, Wolverhampton, West Midlands

Around this time Dave Tedstone left to join Jimmy James & The Vagabonds and would then reunite (briefly) with Colin Davy in Geno Washington & The Ram Jam Band in August 1968.

Kenneth Harry also left about now and Sonny Gibbons took over on vocals.

STORY CONTINUED

I would personally like to thank Dave Tedstone for helping to piece this part of the story together.

PLEASE LEAVE COMMENTS BELOW TO ADD/CORRECT INFORMATION

Live gig sources:

During my research on Freddie Mack from 1965-1969, I have found gigs from a huge range of newspapers. These include the following sources:

The Cornish Guardian, Derby Evening Telegraph, Evening Sentinel, Melody Maker, West Briton & Royal Cornwall Gazette, Lincolnshire Guardian, Birmingham Evening Mail, NME, Northwich Chronicle, Sheffield Star, Warrington Guardian, Wrexham Leader, Eastern Evening News, Maidestone Gazette, Ipswich Evening Star, Bournemouth Evening Telegraph, Nottingham Evening Post, Cambridgeshire Times and Express & Star, Forres, Elgin & Nairn Gazette, Derbyshire Times.

Categories: England, London

The Five Embers

August 6, 2015 Nick Warburton 14 Comments

Gary Boyle – guitar/vocals

Roger Sutton – bass/vocals

Ray Deville – organ/vocals

Ron Foster – saxophone

Clive Thacker – drums

Lead guitarist Gary Boyle, bass player Roger Sutton, keyboard player Ray Deville, drummer Clive Thacker and sax players Dave Quincy and Ian Thomas had backed singer Brian Bentley as Brian Bentley & The Kingsmen during 1962.

In early 1963, the remaining members (minus Quincy and Thomas) became The Five Embers after ditching Brian Bentley and recruiting sax player Ron Foster. Initially, the musicians played under their own name and then in March 1964 started backing Jamaican singer Millie.

Notable gigs as The Five Embers:

22 March 1964 – Star & Garter, Windsor, Berkshire

24 March 1964 – Café Des Artistes, Fulham, London

Notable gigs with Millie Small:

25 March 1964 – Bromley Court Hotel, Bromley, Kent

28 March 1964 – Café Des Artistes, Fulham, London

29 March 1964 – Star & Garter, Windsor, Berkshire

31 March 1964 – Peter’s Club, High Wycombe, Bucks

5-11 April 1964 – Cavern, Liverpool

16 May 1964 – City Hall, Salisbury, Wiltshire with The Initials

17 May 1964 – Blackpool ABC, Blackpool, Lancashire

18 May 1964 – Scarborough Futurist, Scarborough with others

5 June 1964 – Palace Ballroom, Maryport, Cumbria with The Defenders

16 June 1964 – Locarno, Swindon, Wiltshire with The Soul Agents

27 August 1964 – ABC Theatre, Plymouth, Cornwall with Rolling Stones and others

After splitting with Millie, The Five Embers continued to gig into 1965 before breaking up that spring and at some point backed Barry St John.

In August 1966, Clive Thacker joined Julie Driscol, Brian Auger & The Trinity and was joined two months later by Roger Sutton.

While Thacker remained with Brian Auger and Julie Driscol throughout the late 1960s, Sutton left in May 1967 and played with several groups before briefly joining The Krew in August 1968.

Roger Sutton subsequently played with a number of notable bands, including The Aynsley Dunbar Retaliation, Nucleus, Mark-Almond and Riff Raff.

Gary Boyle initially played with Lulu’s backing band during 1965. Then, in 1966, he worked with Dusty Springfield’s support group, The Echoes before reuniting with Roger Sutton and Clive Thacker in Julie Driscol, Brian Auger and The Trinity in January 1967.

After leaving in November of that year, Boyle subsequently played with Eclection in March 1969 and then returned to Julie Driscol and The Brian Auger Trinity that June.

Ray Deville meanwhile joined The Missing Links in February 1966 and stayed with this band when it took on the name, The All Night Workers in October 1967. He left in January 1968 and is rumoured to have worked with Dusty Springfield. Deville died in 2013.

Please note: this is a very brief overview of the band and its history. Garage Hangover would welcome any additional material and corrections.

Mike Collins’s interviews with Roger Sutton and Gary Boyle were really useful resources. Please see above links to his work.

Categories: England, London

Magic Roundabout

August 4, 2015 Nick Warburton 7 Comments

Dave Martin Group, 1966. Left to right: Dave Martin, John Chinnery, Roger Flavell and Albert Woodward. Photo credit: John Chinnery — Dave Martin Group, 1966. Left to right: Dave Martin, John Chinnery, Roger Flavell and Albert Woodward. Photo credit: Roger Flavell

This West London band’s roots can be found in The Dave Martin Group, which was formed around September 1966.

The original formation comprised:

Martin Thomas (aka Dave Martin) – lead vocals

John Chinnery – guitar/vocals

Roger Flavell – bass/vocals

Albert Woodward – drums

The Dave Martin Group was managed by John Chinnery’s older brother Geoff, who’d played with Mike Forde & The Fortunes in the late 1950s and early 1960s and briefly managed The Tridents (with a young Jeff Beck).

Guitarist John Chinnery had started out in a Hillingdon school band with Richard Walker and John Morgan. Albert Woodward, who attended another local school, completed the group.

Woodward introduced Martin Thomas and Roger Flavell and together with John Chinnery, the quartet began rehearsing at Ickenham Hall near Ruislip, Middlesex.

According to John’s brother Geoff Chinnery’s detailed gig list (complete with earnings for each performance), the new outfit’s debut show appears to have taken place on 28 October 1966 (most likely) at the Fisheries in Harefield, Middlesex. The gig list notes that The Dave Martin Group played at the same venue on 11, 18-19 and 26 November and also 3-4, 11 and 17 December.

The following gigs are then listed (during which period Roger Flavell was briefly replaced on bass while he had his tonsils out. John Chinnery suspects it was his school friend John Morgan, who covered Flavell’s absence).

Dave Martin Group gigs:

21 December 1966 – Ickenham Hall, Ickenham, northwest London

23 December 1966 – Warburton Arms, Hackney, north London

24 December 1966 – Harefield Football Club, Harefield, northwest London

30 December 1966 – Warburton Arms, Hackney, north London

31 December 1966 – the Fisheries, Harefield, northwest London

6 January 1967 – Warburton Arms, Hackney, north London

7 January 1967 – the Fisheries, Harefield, northwest London

14 January 1967 – the Fisheries, Harefield, northwest London

21 January 1967 – the Fisheries, Harefield, northwest London

24 January 1967 – Kew Boathouse, Kew, west London

28 January 1967 – the Fisheries, Harefield, northwest London (Roger Flavell returns after this show)

29 January 1967 – Hesden Hall, Ruislip, northwest London

31 January 1967 – Kew Boathouse, Kew, west London

4 February 1967 – Warburton Arms, Hackney, north London

5 February 1967 – the Fisheries, Harefield, northwest London

8-9 February 1967 – Kew Boathouse, Kew, west London

10 February 1967 – Warburton Arms, Hackney, north London

11 February 1967 – the Fisheries, Harefield, northwest London

13-16 February 1967 – Kew Boathouse, Kew, west London

17-18 February 1967 – Warburton Arms, Hackney, north London

19 February 1967 – the Fisheries, Harefield, northwest London

20-23 February 1967 – Kew Boathouse, Kew, west London

26 February 1967 – the Fisheries, Harefield, northwest London

27 February-2 March 1967 – Kew Boathouse, Kew, west London

4 March 1967 – Hanwell Sports Club, Hanwell, west London

5 March 1967 – the Fisheries, Harefield, northwest London

6-9 March 1967 – Kew Boathouse, Kew, west London

12 March 1967 – the Fisheries, Harefield, northwest London

13 March 1967 – Kew Boathouse, Kew, west London

Dave Martin Group, 1967. Left to right: Lindsey Bex, Roger Flavell, John Chinnery and Dave Martin. Photo credit: John Chinnery — Dave Martin Group, 1967. Left to right: Lindsay Bex, Roger Flavell, John Chinnery and Dave Martin. Photo credit: Roger Flavell

At this point, Lindsay Bex replaced Albert Woodward on drums, who later became a percussion lecturer.

Older than the others, Lindsay Bex had worked with Geoff Chinnery in Mike Forde & The Fortunes during the late 1950s and early 1960s. In early 1964, Bex joined Chiswick band, The Tridents (who were managed by Geoff Chinnery). He remained with the group until about September 1964 during which time Jeff Beck joined on lead guitar.

In early 1965, Bex went to Germany for three months with The Redcaps and then played with various scratch bands before returning to Germany in 1966 to play American air bases with The Kathy Sampson Set. When Albert Woodward left suddenly, he accepted the call to join.

Dave Martin Group gigs (continued):

14-16 March 1967 – Kew Boathouse, Kew, west London

18 March 1967 – Wedding reception, Teddington, west London

20-23 March 1967 – Kew Boathouse, Kew, west London

24 March 1967 – Blue Coat Boy, Bishopsgate, City of London

25 March 1967 – Wedding reception, Old Kent Road, south London

26 March 1967 – the Fisheries, Harefield, northwest London

27-30 March 1967 – Kew Boathouse, Kew, west London

31 March 1967 – All Stars Club, Artillery Passage, Liverpool Street, east London (audition)

2 April 1967 – the Fisheries, Harefield, northwest London

3-6 April 1967 – Kew Boathouse, Kew, west London

7 April 1967 – West Dulwich Sports Club, West Dulwich, south London

8 April 1967 – Derwentwater Club, Acton, west London

9 April 1967 – the Fisheries, Harefield, northwest London

15 April 1967 – The Pheasant, South Oxhey, Watford

17 April 1967 – Whisky A Go Go, Wardour Streets, Soho, central London (audition)

22 April 1967 – Saracens Rugby Club, Finchley, north London

23 April 1967 – the Fisheries, Harefield, northwest London

27 April 1967 – Byron Hotel, Greenford, west London (audition)

30 April 1967 – the Fisheries, Harefield, northwest London

7 May 1967 – the Fisheries, Harefield, northwest London

8 May 1967 – St Moritz Club, Wardour Street, Soho, central London (audition)

13 May 1967 – Rank Xerox private party, Denham, Buckinghamshire

14 May 1967 – the Fisheries, Harefield, northwest London

19 May 1967 – Kew Boathouse, Kew, west London

20 May 1967 – Rank Xerox, Denham, Buckinghamshire

27 May 1967 – Civic Hall, Guildford, Surrey with Five Proud Walkers

28 May 1967 – the Fisheries, Harefield, northwest London

3 June 1967 – Wedding Reception, Tea Rooms, Kenton, northwest London

4 June 1967 – Byron Hotel, Greenford, west London

8 June 1967 – RAF Northwood

9 June 1967 – Unknown venue, Purfleet, Essex

10 June 1967 – Clay Pigeon, Eastcote, northwest London

12-15 June 1967 – Kew Boathouse, Kew, west London

16 June 1967 – ILI Co, Wembley, west London

17 June 1967 – Pavilion, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire

19-23 June 1967 – Kew Boathouse, Kew, west London

23 June 1967 – UKAEA, Harwell, Oxfordshire with Brian Poole & The Unity

24 June 1967 – Wedding reception, Hendon, north London

26-29 June 1967 – Kew Boathouse, Kew, west London

30 June 1967 – Greenway School, Uxbridge, west London

During 1967, the band recorded a couple of demos at a studio in Denham, Buckinghamshire comprising Martin Thomas/Roger Flavell co-writes.

Dave Martin Group gigs (continued):

3-6 July 1967 – Kew Boathouse, Kew, west London

8 July 1967 – Rank Xerox, Denham, Buckinghamshire

20 July 1967 – Pinn Club, RAF Uxbridge, West London

28 July 1967 – Epsom Youth Club, Epsom, Surrey

29 July 1967 – Pavilion, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire

5 August 1967 – Thames Boat Trip, Westminster to Teddington

6 August 1967 – Clay Pigeon, Eastcote, northwest London

12 August 1967 – Thing-a-me-jig, Reading, Berkshire

31 August 1967 – Sword & Wheel Club, RAF Northolt, northwest London

At midnight, immediately after finishing the gig at RAF Northolt near Ruislip, the band had to pack up in order to drive down to Dover to catch the ferry to the continent and only just made the boat by the ‘skin of their teeth’. Having just turned professional, The Dave Martin Group changed its name to The Magic Roundabout and headed to Germany and then Switzerland.

Magic Roundabout in Bad Vilbel. Left to right: Roger Flavell, Dave Martin, John Chinnery and roadie Stuart Cook. Photo credit: John Chinnery — Magic Roundabout in Bad Vilbel. Left to right: Roger Flavell, Dave Martin, John Chinnery and roadie Stuart Cook. Photo credit: Roger Flavell

The Magic Roundabout gigs:

1-30 September 1967 – Ritterkelleer (9 performances) and Western Club (11 performances), Bad Vilbel, Frankfurt, West Germany

1-15 October 1967 – Haus Der Music, Wuppertal, West Germany with The Berkeley Squares (15 performances)

Arriving in Zurich, Switzerland, the band now briefly includes organist Dave Eldredge, a musician from Leicester group The Berkeley Squares, who split up after the shows in Wuppertal. Eldredge remains with the group until mid-November.

16 October-1 November 1967 – ‘Beat Club’, Hotel Hirschen, Zurich, Switzerland (17 performances)

3-6 November 1967 – ‘Taverns Bar’, Ingolstadt, West Germany (4 performances) (the band’s final night is cancelled; a fight had broken out the previous night between US servicemen and German police and the club was wrecked. The club is closed for refurbishment and The Magic Roundabout head home to the UK.)

On the band’s return to the UK, organist John Elliott joined after Eldredge left. Geoff Chinnery had convinced the organist to join The Effect but this proved short-lived. Eldredge subsequently joined Pussyfoot.

Elliott had previously played with Ealing band, Magnus Pike with lead guitarist/singer Jerry Smith, bass player Roger Searle and drummer Tony Haslam. Searle and Haslam will later go on to work with The Who’s road crew.

Magic Roundabout’s new line up comprised:

Martin Thomas (aka Dave Martin) – lead vocals

John Chinnery – lead guitar/vocals

John Elliott – organ/vocals

Roger Flavell – bass/vocals

Lindsay Bex – drums

The Magic Roundabout gigs (continued):

17 November 1967 – Women’s teachers’ training college (location not known)

18 November 1967 – Young Conservative’s Club, Twickenham, west London

25 November 1967 – YMCA, Baldock, Hertfordshire

4-7 December 1967 – Kew Boathouse, Kew, west London

8 December 1967 – Guild Hall, Ilford, east London

9 December 1967 – The Pavilion, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire

15 December 1967 – Gillettes, Great West Road, west London with Fortunes and Episode Six

16 December 1967 – RAF Feltwell

23 December 1967 – Rugby Club, Upton Park, Slough, Berkshire

26 December 1967 – Halfway House, Dunstable, Hertfordshire

31 December 1967 – Sword & Wheel Club, RAF Northolt, northwest London

1-4 January 1968 – Kew Boathouse, Kew, west London

5 January 1968 – Youth Club, West Drayton, west London

6 January 1968 – Baker’s Row Club, Cardiff (Bex’s bass drums falls off the roof rack on the way)

12 January 1968 – USAF Woodbridge, Suffolk

13 January 1968 – Hanwell Community Centre, Hanwell, west London

20 January 1968 – Mildway Tavern, Highbury, north London

24-25 January 1968 – Mildway Tavern, Highbury, north London

26 January 1968 – Scotch of St James, Mayfair, central London

27 January 1968 – Kodak Hall, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire

30 January 1968 – BBC Maida Vale (audition)

31 January-1 February 1968 – Mildway Tavern, Highbury, north London

Magic Roundabout, spring 1968. Left to right: Miki Anthony, Lindsey Bex, John Elliott, John Chinnery and Roger Flavell. Photo credit: John Chinnery — Magic Roundabout, spring 1968. Left to right: Miki Anthony, Lindsay Bex, John Elliott, John Chinnery and Roger Flavell. Photo credit: Roger Flavell

2 February 1968 – Northcote Arms, Southall, west London

3 February 1968 – Queen’s Hall, Halstead, Braintree, Essex

10 February 1968 – Thing-a-me-jig, Reading, Berkshire

12-15 February 1968 – Kew Boathouse, Kew, west London

16 February 1968 – Northcote Arms, Southall, west London

17 February 1968 – Rank Xerox, Denham, Buckinghamshire

21 February 1968 – Club A Go Go, Newcastle Upon Tyne

29 February 1968 – Bluebell Inn, Hackenthorpe, Sheffield, South Yorkshire

1 March 1968 – County Ballroom, Carlisle, Cumbria

2 March 1968 – Sheridan Rooms, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire

3 March 1968 – Woodhouse WMC, Sheffield, South Yorkshire

8 March 1968 – RAF Club, Tredegar, Wales

9 March 1968 – Howard Winstone Club, Merthyr, Wales

10 March 1968 – Beech Grove, Pengham, Wales

13 March 1968 – Faculty of Technology, Manchester

14 March 1968 – Bluebell Inn, Hackenthorpe, Sheffield, South Yorkshire

15 March 1968 – Northcote Arms, Southall, west London

18 March 1968 – Quaintways, Chester, Cheshire

24 March 1968 – The Pheasant, South Oxhey, Watford, Hertfordshire

25-27 March 1968 – Kew Boathouse, Kew, west London

29 March 1968 – Brighton Tech College, Brighton, West Sussex

After the above gig, singer Michael Derrick (aka Miki Anthony) took over from Martin Thomas and brought his own manager with him (which would see the band split with Geoff Chinnery).

The Magic Roundabout gigs (continued):

20 April 1968 – Northcote Arms, Southall, west London

21 April 1968 – Warmingham Grange Country Club, Sandbach, Cheshire

26 April 1968 – Kiosk Ballroom, Castleford, West Yorkshire

27 April 1968 – Sheridan Rooms, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire

28 April 1968 – The Pavilion, Bournemouth, Dorset

29 April-2 May 1968 – Kew Boathouse, Kew, west London

3 May 1968 – Bluebell Inn, Hackenthorpe, Sheffield, South Yorkshire

4 May 1968 – Morley Town Hall, Morley, West Yorkshire

5 May 1968 – Woodhill, WMC, Normanton, West Yorkshire

11 May 1968 – Bradford University with Jeff Beck Group

17 May 1968 – Board of Trade, Eastcote, northwest London

18 May 1968 – Faculty of Technology, Manchester with Fleetwood Mac

19 May 1968 – Warmingham Grange Country Club, Sandbach, Cheshire

23 May 1968 – Arundel WMC, Sheffield, South Yorkshire

24-25 May 1968 – Raven Club, RAF Waddington

26 May 1968 – Kiosk Ballroom, Castleford, West Yorkshire

30 May 1968 – Kimbleworth Park Social Club, Rotherham, South Yorkshire

31 May 1968 – 270 Discotheque, Barnsley, West Yorkshire

Sometime around this time, the group recorded a cover of The Bee Gees’ “I Am The World”, which is never released.

Magic Roundabout, 1968. Left to right: Roger Flavell, John Elliott, John Chinnery, Miki Anthony and Lindsey Bex. Photo credit: John Chinnery — Magic Roundabout, 1968. Left to right: Roger Flavell, John Elliott, John Chinnery, Miki Anthony and Lindsay Bex. Photo credit: Roger Flavell

The Magic Roundabout gigs (continued):

1 June 1968 – Manchester University

8 June 1968 – The Pavilion, Weymouth, Dorset

14 June 1968 – The Place, Hanley, Staffordshire

15 June 1968 – Alexander Hall, Halifax, South Yorkshire with Jackson Union

20 June 1968 – Kimbleworth Park Social Club, Rotherham, South Yorkshire

21 June 1968 – Woodhill, WMC, Normanton, West Yorkshire

22 June 1968 – Morley Town Hall, Morley, West Yorkshire

24-27 June 1968 – Kew Boathouse, Kew, west London

28 June 1968 – Shades, Sheffield, South Yorkshire

29 June 1968 – University of Aston, Birmingham

30 June 1968 – Arundel WMC, Sheffield, South Yorkshire

1 July 1968 – Wilbeck Country Club, Hatfield, near Doncaster, South Yorkshire

2 July 1968 – Top Ranke Suite, Southampton, Hants

5 July 1968 – Cossack Club, Sir James Altham School, Oxhey, Watford, Hertfordshire

6 July 1968 – Bellpunch, Uxbridge, west London

14 July 1968 – Industrial Club, Norwich, Norfolk

18 July 1968 – Cossack Club, Sir James Altham School, Oxhey, Watford, Hertfordshire

19 July 1968 – Victoria & Bull, Dartford, Kent

20 July 1968 – Bourne School, Ruislip Manor, northwest London

25 July 1968 – Oasis Club, RAF Biggin Hill, Kent

26 July 1968 – Catacombe, Eastbourne, East Sussex

28 July 1968 – A Train, Hayes, west London

29 July-1 August 1968 – Kew Boathouse, Kew, west London

2 August 1968 – Harrow Inn, Woolwich, south London

3 August 1968 – Thing-a-me-jig, Reading, Berkshire

10 August 1968 – Airman’s Club, USAF, West Ruislip, northwest London

11 August 1968 – Wake Arms, Epping, Essex

16 August 1968 – Kiosk Ballroom, Castleford, West Yorkshire

17 August 1968 – Black Swan, Sheffield, South Yorkshire

18 August 1968 – Manor House, near Skipton, North Yorkshire

20 August 1968 – Almonbury WMC, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire

21 August 1968 – Ponderose, Barnsley, West Yorkshire

22 August 1968 – Blue Bell, Sheffield, South Yorkshire

24 August 1968 – Morley Town Hall, Morley, West Yorkshire

30 August 1968 – RAF Whitton, Whitton, west London

Michael Derrick’s manager informed the band that he would take the singer away unless he can assume sole management and the musicians begrudgingly agreed as Geoff Chinnery had been managing them from the outset. Soon afterwards, Lindsay Bex and John Elliott both departed following the RAF Whitton gig, which (ironically) Chinnery believes was the band’s best performance to date.

Two weeks later, it was clear that the group’s career had ground to a halt and the band broke up. While Chinnery briefly abandoned a musical career and returned to work in insurance, Flavell subsequently joined Grand Union, the backing band for US soul act, Johnny Johnson & The Bandwagon in 1969.

In late 1970, Flavell briefly played with Geno Washington before working with Tony Hazzard/Richard Barnes, Judd, Kris Ife and The Tommy Hunt Band. In the early Seventies, Flavell joined Christie and then went on to Johnny Wakelin & The Kinshasha Band, The Lonnie Donegan Band and The David Byron Band.

Miki Anthony meanwhile established a highly successful solo career.

John Chinnery and drummer Roger Willis, who have known each other since childhood and are Arsenal FC fans, decided to reform The Magic Roundabout around February 1969 with John Elliott, who has been working in a bank since the band’s break up in September 1968.

The Kool, 1967, featuring Ray Brown (far left). Photo credit: Ray Brown

Ray Brown, who had previously played with Jeff Curtis & The Flames and The Kool agreed to join after his next band, Champagne appeared on the same bill as The Magic Roundabout.

Ray Brown (centre) with Champagne in 1968. Photo credit: Ray Brown

Lead guitarist Ian Hollands, who had previously played with Frankie Reid & The Casuals and The Legends answered an advert in the music press and completed the new formation.

The new Magic Roundabout formation now comprised:

Ian Hollands – lead guitar/vocals

John Chinnery – rhythm guitar/vocals

John Elliott – organ/vocals

Ray Brown – bass/vocals

Roger Willis – drums/vocals

The Magic Roundabout gigs (continued):

9 May 1969 – Harefield Youth Club, Harefield, northwest London

17 May 1969 – R&B Club, Feltham, Middlesex

18 May 1969 – Cooks Ferry Inn, Edmonton, north London

23 May 1969 – Lorraine Club, Chingford, east London

31 May 1969 – Wake Arms, Epping, Essex

6 June 1969 – Salvatorian College, Wealdstone, northwest London

7 June 1969 – White Hart, Tottenham, north London

13 June 1969 – Lorraine Club, Chingford, east London

21 June 1969 – Greenford Hotel, Greenford, west London

27 June 1969 – Woodford Youth Club, St Barnabos School

28 June 1969 – St Annes School, Hanwell, west London

3 July 1969 – New Penny Disco, Watford, Hertfordshire

4 July 1969 – Pinkwell Youth Centre, Hayes, west London

6 July 1969 – Cambridge Hotel, Edmonton, north London

12 July 1969 – Bourne School, Ruislip Manor, northwest London

13 July 1969 – the Cherry Tree, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire

18 July 1969 – King’s Head Disco, Harrow, northwest London

19 July 1969 – Wake Arms, Epping, Essex

26 July 1969 – King’s Head, Harrow, northwest London

1 August 1969 – Lorraine Club, Chingford, east London

2 August 1969 – King’s Head, Harrow, northwest London

7 August 1969 – Top Rank Suite, Watford, Hertfordshire

15 August 1969 – El Grotto, Ilford, east London

16 August 1969 – Oldfield Tavern, Greenford, west London

22 August 1969 – King’s Head, Harrow, northwest London

23 August 1969 – Spa Ballroom, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire

24 August 1969 – Cambridge Hotel, Edmonton, north London

30 August 1969 – Links Pavilion, Cromer, Norfolk

31 August 1969 – Industrial Club, Norwich, Norfolk

26 September 1969 – Greenford Hotel, Greenford, west London

27 September 1969 – New Penny Disco, Watford, Hertfordshire

28 September 1969 – Oldfield Tavern, Greenford, west London

3 October 1969 – King’s Head, Harrow, northwest London

4 October 1969 – Oldfield Tavern, Greenford, west London

10 October 1969 – Grange Youth Centre, Hayes, west London

11 October 1969 – King’s Head, Harrow, northwest London

24 October 1969 – Greenford Hotel, Greenford, west London

25 October 1969 – Industrial Club, Norwich, Norfolk

1 November 1969 – King’s Head, Harrow, northwest London

2 November 1969 – Oldfield Tavern, Greenford, west London

7 November 1969 – King’s Head, Harrow, northwest London

8 November 1969 – Oldfield Tavern, Greenford, west London

9 November 1969 – Hunter’s Club, Horn Hotel, Braintree, Essex

14 November 1969 – Lorraine Club, Chingford, Essex

21 November 1969 – Kettering WMC, Kettering, Northamptonshire

28 November 1969 – Greenford Hotel, Greenford, west London

5 December 1969 – King’s Head, Harrow, northwest London

6 December 1969 – Oldfield Tavern, Greenford, west London

7 December 1969 – Headstone Hotel, North Harrow, northwest London

11 December 1969 – Oldfield Tavern, Greenford, west London

12 December 1969 – Harefield Youth Club, Harefield, northwest London

13 December 1969 – Greenford Hotel, Greenford, west London

19 December 1969 – Greenford Hotel, Greenford, west London

Magic Roundabout in 1969. Left to right: Ian Hollands, Ray Brown, John Chinnery and John Elliott. Photo credit: Ray Brown

2 January 1970 – King’s Head, Harrow, northwest London (Hollands ill)

8 January 1970 – Oldfield Tavern, Greenford, west London (Hollands ill)

16 January 1970 – King’s Head, Harrow, northwest London

17 January 1970 – Oldfield Tavern, Greenford, west London

23 January 1970 – El Grotto Disco, Ilford, east London

24 January 1970 – King’s Head, Harrow, northwest London

30 January 1970 – Greenford Hotel, Greenford, west London

7 February 1970 – Gillettes, Isleworth, Middlesex

8 February 1970 – Cambridge Hotel, Edmonton, north London

12 February 1970 – Oldfield Hotel, Greenford, west London

13 February 1970 – Cook’s Ferry Inn, Edmonton, north London

14 February 1970 – King’s Head, Harrow, northwest London

20 February 1970 – King’s Head, Harrow, northwest London

22 February 1970 – Oldfield Hotel, Greenford, west London

24 February 1970 – Civic Hall, St Albans, Hertfordshire

27 February 1970 – Greenford Hotel, Greenford, west London

6 March 1970 – King’s Head, Harrow, northwest London

7 March 1970 – Spotlight Club, RAF Brize Norton

12 March 1970 – Oldfield Hotel, Greenford, west London

14 March 1970 – Civic Hall, St Albans, Hertfordshire

20 March 1970 – King’s Head, Harrow, northwest London

21 March 1970 – Airmen’s Mess, USAF Wethersfield

26 March 1970 – Oldfield Hotel, Greenford, west London

28 March 1970 – King’s Head, Harrow, northwest London

Ray Brown (left) and Roger Willis on stage with Magic Roundabout. Photo credit: Ray Brown

3 April 1970 – AYA USAF West Ruislip, northwest London

4 April 1970 – Andromeda Club, Colchester, Essex

10 April 1970 – King’s Head, Harrow, northwest London

11 April 1970 – Oldfield Hotel, Greenford, west London

16 April 1970 – Oldfield Hotel, Greenford, west London

18 April 1970 – King’s Head, Harrow, northwest London

19 April 1970 – Links, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire

24 April 1970 – West Ham College, West Ham, east London

2 May 1970 – Airmen’s Club, USAF Mildenhall

9 May 1970 – Oldfield Hotel, Greenford, west London

14 May 1970 – Oldfield Hotel, Greenford, west London

26 May 1970 – Oldfield Hotel, Greenford, west London

29 May 1970 – King’s Head, Harrow, northwest London

30 May 1970 – NCOs Club, USAF High Wycombe

1 June 1970 – King’s Head, Edmonton, north London (audition)

The band auditioned for the John Edwards Agency (most likely the above date), performing three songs, including a cover of The Moody Blues’ “Ride My See-Saw”.

The Magic Roundabout gigs (continued):

4 June 1970 – Galaxy Club, RAF Northwood, northwest London

6 June 1970 – King’s Head, Harrow, northwest London

13 June 1970 – Oldfield Hotel, Greenford, west London

18 June 1970 – Oldfield Hotel, Greenford, west London

19 June 1970 – King’s Head, Harrow, northwest London

20 June 1970 – Braintree College, Braintree, Essex

26 June 1970 – Oases Club, RAF Biggin Hill, Kent

1 July 1970 – NCOs Club, USAF High Wycombe

3 July 1970 – Beaconsfield Youth Club

4 July 1970 – Airmen’s Annexe, USAF Upper Hayford

9 July 1970 – Angelique, King’s Road, southwest London

10 July 1970 – King’s Head, Harrow, northwest London

11 July 1970 – North Park, WMC, Kettering, Northamptonshire

15 July 1970 – Winston Churchill Hall, Ruislip, northwest London

16 July 1970 – RAF High Wycombe

24 July 1970 – Spotlight Club, RAF Brize Norton

25 July 1970 – Pavilion, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire

31 July 1970 – The Pheasantry, King’s Road, southwest London

PLEASE NOTE: There are some missing gigs from this list. John Chinnery believes that the group played until at least November 1970.

Sometime in 1970, the new line up got the opportunity to record two tracks at Abbey Road, which are never released. One is a cover of a song called “Everything Under The Sun”. The other is an early cover of Neil Diamond’s “Red, Red Wine”.

Around October 1970, John Elliott was invited to sing lead on a backing track – the Findon, Shelley, Hazelwood and Hammond collaboration, “Dark Side of the Moon”. Incidentally, Elton John had earlier cut a version.

Not long after, the rest of the band was brought into the studio and recorded an instrumental track composed by Ian Hollands. For some reason, Ray Brown was not available and former member Roger Flavell, who named the track “Black Boots”, provided bass. However, the song was later credited to producers Ben Findon and Pete Shelley.

Tragically, the band’s career then came to a dramatic halt after returning from a gig in Bedford around late October/early November 1970. Stopping off at Toddington Services on the M1, the band’s roadies went into the service station to get some food and someone broke into the van and stole much of the band’s equipment. Only John Chinnery was insured!

All of the remaining the gigs were cancelled but The Magic Roundabout did play its final gig on 31 December 1970 on borrowed gear because the money (£100) was too good to give up.

In the meantime, Findon and Shelley brought John Elliott back into the studio to add more vocals to “Dark Side of the Moon”.

With the band no longer active and unable to use The Magic Roundabout name, the producers released the single on Decca in May 1971 under The Outer Limits name.

Ian Hollands later played with a group called Mobius. Ray Brown briefly played with a harmony group from Tooting from January-February1971 before joining Easy Virtue and then Crackers.

Roger Willis meanwhile joined Capability Brown in 1972. After several albums, Willis and two other band members joined Christie, which featured original Magic Roundabout bass player Roger Flavell in the group.

Willis later played with a number of groups, including Crazy Kat, before reuniting with Ray Brown in Crackers.

In recent years, John Chinnery, Roger Flavell, John Elliott and Lindsey Bex have held four reunions.

A huge thanks to John Chinnery and Lindsay Bex for providing the gig lists (from Geoff Chinnery) and to Roger Flavell, John Chinnery, Lindsey Bex, John Elliott, Ray Brown and Ian Hollands for helping with the group’s history. Thank you Roger Flavell, Lindsay Bex and Ray Brown for photos.

Categories: England, London

Freddie Mack’s bands: December 1965-April 1967

July 27, 2015 Nick Warburton 16 Comments

Freddy front copy — Freddy Mack’s album recorded in 1967 (not 1966). Thanks to Dave Tedstone for image

Between late 1965 and the mid-1970s, Mack fronted a succession of bands featuring a staggering number of notable British R&B and soul musicians.

Originally called The Mack Sound, the singer’s bands also worked under the names The Freddie Mack Sound, The Fantastic Freddie Mack Show and the Freddie Mack Extravaganza.

The first line-up of this band must have been formed in October 1965 because an advert in Melody Maker from October 1968 says that the group was due to play at the Whisky A Go Go in Wardour Street on 13 October 1968 to mark the band’s third anniversary.

Sometime in November, Freddie Mack was briefly paired with The Phil Wainman Band and female singer Cleo Sylvester (aka Sylvestre). The group’s line up at the time comprised lead guitarist Tony Sinclair; bass player Ron Thomas; organist Mick Fletcher; sax players Mel Wayne and Dave Mahoney; and drummer Phil Wainman.

According to Wainman, Mack was resident DJ at Dolly’s Club in Soho and they shared a brief residency there. The group was then lined up to play a Christmas/New Year show at Count Suckle’s Cue Club in Paddington with Mack.

Mel Wayne says that Mick Fletcher was staying with him in Twickenham and the pair had problems with the trains and arrived late. Mack was going to fine them but the rest of the band rallied and said they’d leave if he did.

Unfortunately, the show proved to be the end of their relationship and Wainman’s band went on to work with West End Promotions, backing a succession of Jamaican artists, including Millie Small, Owen Grey, Jackie Edwards and most notably Jimmy Cliff.

Around February 1966, Mack asked sax player Roger Warwick, who’d done some rehearsals with Phil Wainman’s band, to become part of a new, larger stage show that drew on musicians from two bands and subsequently became known as This ‘N’ That. The new formation retained singer Cleo Sylvester.

Mack had also asked American singer Ronald Bertram Greaves (aka Sonny Childe) to join the new stage show but Warwick doesn’t think he stuck around long.

Originally from Ealing, Warwick had attended Walpole Grammar School and was in the year below (and was friends with) John McVie. Studying sax under Don Rendell, he had previously played on The Tornados’ single “Early Bird”, produced by Joe Meek.

He then worked with Screaming Lord Sutch & The Savages and played a few gigs with The Lower Third (with David Bowie on sax) before backing singer Bobby Rio on a German tour in December 1965 with future Mack Sound bass player Alan Cartwright.

Back in England, Warwick joined a short-lived group based in Fulham, which also included an Irish singer called Leon, tenor sax player Nobby Clarke and a Welsh Hammond organist, who was possibly Mike Vaughn-Jones. When Warwick joined Freddie Mack, Leon, Clarke and Vaughn-Jones also came onboard. (Ed. Hammond organist Paul Abrahams says he had played with Warwick previously and was involved with the band by early June.)

The other group that Mack drew on for musicians were Screaming Lord Sutch’s latest version of The Savages, Liverpool outfit, Derry Wilkie & The Others.

Lord Sutch had been using the musicians as a backing group for several months but by April 1966 the players were keen to break away from Sutch and try something new.

The entire outfit – singer Derry Wilkie; lead guitarist Ernie Hayes; tenor sax player Phil Kenzie; baritone sax player Ashton Tootell; bass player Derek Bond; and drummer Billy Adamson accepted Mack’s offer and signed up.

Photo: Melody Maker. Image may be subject to copyright

Joining forces with Warwick’s Fulham players, the new formation debuted at the Ram Jam in Brixton on 22 April 1966 under the name Freddie Mack’s This ‘N’ That.

Warwick remembers that sax player Jimmy Jewell, a former member of Kris Ryan & The Questions, played some gigs with the band during this time.

Jewell confirms that he briefly played with Mack around April 1966 together with former Jimmy Powell & The Dimensions guitarist Martin Shaw and an American singer called Richard Lanham, who’d recently lived in Milan, Italy.

Jewell and Shaw did not stay long and would take part in a German tour with The Paramounts in September 1966 backing singer Chris Andrews.

The excellent Derry Wilkie website also lists a number of other players that became part of this larger show during mid-1966: singer Jo Baker; lead guitarist Geoff Krivit; trumpet player Mark Charig; and percussionist Eddie Lincoln.

Krivit, incidentally, had briefly been a member of John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers in 1965 and Julian Covey & The Machine in early 1966. He would go on to play with Dr K’s Blues Band. Charig meanwhile had been a member of The Sidewinders (recently playing at Count Suckle’s Cue Club in Paddington) and later worked with Bluesology (alongside Elton John).

Billed as This ‘N’ That, the line-up recorded a lone single, “Get Down With It/I Can’t Get No Satisfaction” c/w “I Care About You” for the Strike label, which was released on 10 June 1966.

Judging by an advert printed in 11 June 1966 edition of Melody Maker, the single features singers Derry Wilkie, Sonny Childe, Cleo Sylvester and Leon plus “the explosive sound of TNT and Mack Sound”.

The Redbridge & Ilford Recorder lists the band playing at Oscar’s Grotto in Ilford, east London on 11 June 1966.

Photo: Redbridge & Ilford Recorder. Image may be subject to copyright

The same newspaper also lists the band, billed as The TNT Show with The Youth (born Trevor Sutherland and later future reggae artist IJahman Levi), Derek and Cleo playing at the same venue on 9 July 1966.

Most of the musicians left immediately afterwards to work as Sonny Childe & The TNT. According to Ernie Hayes, when Sonny Childe returned to the US around August 1967, the guitarist, plus organist Mike Vaughn-Jones and drummer Billy Adamson joined forces with bass player Jet Harris and singer Pete Gage for a few months. Phil Kenzie meanwhile joined Tuesday’s Children for four months.

In November 1967, Ernie Hayes, Mike Vaughn-Jones, Billy Adamson and Phil Kenzie reunited in TNT to back American singer PP Arnold with former Creation’s member Eddie Phillips on bass. Adamson later played with The Searchers while Kenzie returned to Freddie Mack’s band in spring 1968 (see entry).

In the meantime Roger Warwick helped Freddie Mack put together a new version of The Mack Sound, retaining Cleo Sylvester, The Youth and Derry Wilkie. He brought in his old friend Alan Cartwright on bass plus some new players.

The band rehearsed extensively that summer and Warwick remembers the new line up playing a day long show at Douglas House at Lancaster Gate with Georgie Fame & The Blue Flames (Ed. Fame played here on 29 May 1966 but this would have been too early in the timeline unless Warwick meant an earlier version.)

The Redbridge & Ilford Recorder lists the band, billed as The Mac Sounds, playing at Oscar’s Grotto, Ilford, east London with The TNT on 30 July 1966.

Youth photo. Fabulous 208, 12 November 1966 issue. Image may be subject to copyright

Photo: Fabulous 28, 12 November 1966 issue. Image may be subject to copyright

Around this time, Warwick and Cartwright were among the musicians who backed The Youth on a lone single for Polydor Records, a cover of Smokey Robinson’s “As Long As There Is Love” backed by Otis Redding’s “Your One and Only Man” at Abbey Road.

Freddie Mack live. Thanks to Miguel Terol for sharing this image sent to him by Ged Peck I would be grateful if anyone can identify any of the musicians shown here.

Drawing on a number of web sources, and accounts from several musicians, it looks like the new line up’s formation, which signed to Dumont Associates (as advertised in Melody Maker’s 15 October 1966 issue), comprised the following players at some point between September 1966 and January 1967:

Freddie Mack – lead vocals

Derry Wilkie – lead vocals

Tony Morgan – lead vocals, congas

Kenneth Harry – lead vocals

Kookie Eaton – lead vocals

Ged Peck – lead guitar

Billy Davidson – organ

Alan Cartwright – bass

Roger Warwick – baritone saxophone

Clarence Jackson (aka JJ Johnson) – trombone

Bernie Wehrman – tenor saxophone

Chris Burdett – alto saxophone (possibly joined later in 1966)

Eddie Thornton – trumpet (joined October 1966)

B J Wilson – drums (replaced by Roger Truth in November 1966)

Clarence Jackson was a member of Otis Redding’s touring band when the singer had made his UK debut in September 1966, so it’s probably safe to assume he joined after the tour had finished.

Eddie Thornton, however, was still working with Georgie Fame & The Blue Flames until October 1966, and therefore it’s possible that another trumpet player was there before.

Thanks to recollections from Ged Peck, it appears that the first keyboard player was Billy Davidson (who later worked with The Flowerpot Men among others) but he was replaced by Art Regis at some point in early 1967 (possibly start of February).

Unknown horn players, Ged Peck (guitar) and Billy Davidson (keyboards). Thanks to Miguel Terol for sharing this image sent to him by Ged Peck

Of the other musicians listed above, lead guitarist Ged Peck had been a member of The Favourite Sons before briefly playing with Chris Lamb & The Universals.

Ged Peck far right in the early 1960s. Thanks to Miguel Terol for sharing this image sent to him by Ged Peck

B J Wilson had played with The Paramounts and George Bean & The Runners. He was an old friend of Alan Cartwright’s.

BJ Wilson centre with Alan Cartwright (left). Thanks to Miguel Terol for sharing this image sent to him by Ged Peck

One thing is clear from tracing Freddie Mack’s bands during the 1960s, the line-ups tended to be pretty fluid and (particularly) horn players appeared to come and go on a regular basis, making pinning down definitive formations almost impossible. There were often around 15 musicians in the group at one time.

Throughout this period, musicians appear to have come and gone on a regular basis. According to Nick Simper’s excellent website, Roger Truth, who had played with the future Deep Purple bass player in Johnny Kidd & The Pirates, took over the drum stool from B J Wilson in late November 1966.

Roger Warwick left in December 1966 while the band were playing at the Upper Cut in Forest Gate, east London. Warwick moved to Turin, Italy to join a band being formed to back Lebanese singer Patrick Samson.

He remembers that when he left, singer Richard Lanham was with the band.

Roger Warwick (back left with white shirt) with The Patrick Samson Set

West Indian trumpet player Sonny Corbett joined during early 1967 as did English trumpet player Chris Dawe.

In January 1967, it’s possible The Mack Sound comprised the following (plus other unknown musicians):

Freddie Mack – lead vocals

Derry Wilkie – lead vocals

Tony Morgan – lead vocals, congas

Kenneth Harry – lead vocals

Kookie Eaton – lead vocals

Ged Peck – lead guitar

Billy Davidson – organ

Alan Cartwright – bass

Clarence Jackson – trombone

Bernie Wehrman – tenor saxophone

Chris Dawe – trumpet

Sonny Corbett – trumpet

Eddie Thornton – trumpet

Roger Truth – drums

Hammond organist Art Regis, who’d previously performed with Mel Turner & Rupert and The Red Devils, Dutch band The Defenders, The Arthur Brown Union and Ralph Denyer & The Uptown Band, remembers Derry Wilkie, Tony Morgan, Kookie Eaton, Dick Morrisey, Bernie Wehrman, Clarence Jackson and Eddie Thornton being in the band at the same time as him.

Art Regis recalls Freddie Mack coming to his flat in Portobello Road and discussing the possibility of forming “an extravagant international soul show”. The Hammond organist also remembers playing at Silver Blades Ice Rink in Streatham and a trek down to Cornwall to play an air sea rescue base in Falmouth.

More importantly, Art Regis also recalls performing with Freddie Mack at Billy Walker’s The Upper Cut in Forest Gate, which opened on 21 December 1966. According to Melody Maker, Mack’s band was the resident support band at this notable venue until early February 1967.

The New Pirates in February 1967. Mick Stewart (far left) who played with Mack in December 1965 and Nick Simper (far right) who briefly played with Mack in early 1967. Photo: John Kerrison — The New Pirates in February 1967. Mick Stewart (far left) who played with Mack in December 1965 and Nick Simper (second from right) who briefly played with Mack in early 1967. Photo: John Kerrison

Nick Simper also spent a week with the band when it was resident support act at the Upper Cut (most likely mid-January 1967) after working with Bobby Hebb’s touring band. However, Alan Cartwright was soon back and Simper formed The New Pirates the following month.

During the first few weeks of February Roger Truth dropped out briefly to reform The New Pirates with Simper but had a change of mind and returned to Freddie Mack after some early rehearsals. B J Wilson filled the drum stool in the interim.

Art Regis would reunite with Nick Simper and Ged Peck in June 1967 in Billie Davis & The Quality before working briefly with Engelbert Humperdinck. Regis confirms that he then joined Jimmy James & The Vagabonds on 27 July 1967.

The Loose Ends in 1966 with Roy Davies (far left). Photo: Alan Whitehead

Another keyboard player that is often associated with Freddie Mack during this time is future Gonzalez member Roy Davies, who’d previously been a member of Southeast London band, The Loose Ends. It looks most likely that Davies came on-board when Art Regis left (around mid-February).

In late February 1967, B J Wilson joined Sands and then Procol Harum. Roger Truth returned to the drum stool.

Ged Peck playing live. Thanks to Miguel Terol for sharing this image sent to him by Ged Peck

Ged Peck certainly was gone sometime in late March 1967 and joined Nick Simper in Billie Davis & The Quality that May before going on to a number of notable acts, including Warhorse (alongside Simper). His temporary replacement was former Tornados and Echoes guitarist Stuart Taylor.

Lead guitarist Dave Tedstone, who had previously been a member of The Doc Thomas Group, remembers going to Eel Pie Island to see Freddie Mack’s band and subsequently joined. Tedstone also recalls that Stuart Taylor was on guitar at the time. Thanks to Pete Watt’s excellent research this gig can be confirmed as 4 April 1967.

Selected gigs:

Photo: Aldershot News. Image may be subject to copyright

2 September 1966 – Carousel Club, Farnborough, Hants. Billed as Freddie Mack Sounds and His Show

9 September 1966 – The Place, Hanley, Staffordshire. Billed as The Mack Sound (ten-piece band)

10 September 1966 – The Cavern, Liverpool with Eddie Cave & The Fix, The Kop, The Hideaways, The Seftons and The Rocking Vicars

Photo: Evening Sentinel. Image may be subject to copyright

16 September 1966 – Beachcomber, Nottingham

22 September 1966 – Golden Torch, Tunstall, Staffordshire Billed as The Mack Sound

1 October 1966 – Flamingo Ballroom, Redruth, Cornwall with The Jaguars

13 October 1966 – Burton Manor, Stafford, Staffordshire

15 October 1966 – Drill Hall, Dumfries, Scotland with The Misfits

Photo: Birmingham Evening Mail. Image may be subject to copyright

19 October 1966 – Elbow Room, Aston, West Midlands. Billed as The Mac Sound

20 October 1966 – Black Horse, Northfield, West Midlands with The Visuals Billed as Mack Sound (11-piece)

21 October 1966 – The Royal Oak, Hockley Heath, West Midlands Billed as Mack Sound (11-piece)

22 October 1966 – Bromsgrove Baths, Bromsgrove, West Midlands with The Exchequers

Photo: City Week. Image may be subject to copyright

28 October 1966 – Cavalier Club, Belfast, Northern Ireland with Tony G Ford & The Crescendos. Billed as Derrie Wilkie & The Mack Sound

29 October 1966 – Cavalier Club, Belfast, Northern Ireland with The King Bees. Billed as Derrie Wilkie & The Mack Sound

City Week, 27 October 1966. Image may be subject to copyright

5 November 1966 – Jigsaw, Manchester with Alan Bown Set

8 November 1966 – The Place, Hanley, Staffordshire Billed as Mack Sound (ten-piece with Derrie Wilkie)

26 November 1966 – Toft’s, Folkestone, Kent

27 November 1966 – Toft’s, Folkestone, Kent

4 December 1966 – Douglas House, Lancaster Gate, Central London (listed as 13-piece band) with Herbie Goins & The Nighttimers

5 December 1966 – Whisky A Go Go, Wardour Street, Soho, central London

10 December 1966 – King’s Hall, Stoke-on-Trent with In-Betweens and Lonnie’s Few

11 December 1966 – Golden Torch, Tunstall, Staffordshire (Staffordshire Weekly Sentinel article, dated 16 December, page 13, lists 16 band members)

11 December 1966 – Esquire Club, Sheffield with The Orginators Creed, The Hobo Flats and The Chicago Line

16 December 1966 – Tofts, Folkestone, Kent

17 December 1966 – Hotel Leofric, Coventry

21 December 1966-12 February 1967 – Upper Cut, Forest Gate, east London:

21 December 1966 – Upper Cut, Forest Gate, east London with Who

22 December 1966 – Upper Cut, Forest Gate, east London with Easybeats

23 December 1966 – Upper Cut, Forest Gate, east London with Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick and Titch

24 December 1966 – Upper Cut, Forest Gate, east London with Eric Burdon & The Animals

26 December 1966 – Upper Cut, Forest Gate, east London with Jimi Hendrix Experience (day)

26 December 1966 – Upper Cut, Forest Gate, east London with Pretty Things (evening)

27-29 December 1966 – Upper Cut, Forest Gate, east London

30 December 1966 – Upper Cut, Forest Gate, east London with Spencer Davis Group

31 December 1966 – Upper Cut, Forest Gate, east London with Geno Washington & The Ram Jam Band (This may not have happened if gig below took place)

Photo: Dumfries and Galloway Standard. Image may be subject to copyright

31 December 1966 – Assembly Rooms, Dumfries, Scotland

1 January 1967 – Upper Cut, Forest Gate, east London with The Move (This may not have happened if above gig took place)

Photo: Wigtownshire Free Press & Galloway Advertiser. Image may be subject to copyright

2 January 1967 – Newton Stewart, Galloway, Scotland Second Scottish gig suggests not all Upper Cut shows in January happened

2-5 January 1967 – Upper Cut, Forest Gate, east London (This may not have happened due to Scottish tour)

6 January 1967 – Upper Cut, Forest Gate, east London with The Small Faces

7 January 1967 – Upper Cut, Forest Gate, east London with The Bitter End Singers

8 January 1967 – Upper Cut, Forest Gate, east London with The Mindbenders (Nick Simper’s website says Pink Floyd replaced The Mindbenders. Simper attended and saw Syd Barrett’s group perform. He filled in for Alan Cartwright for a week at this venue, possibly the following week)

9-12 January 1967 – Upper Cut, Forest Gate, east London (possibly with Nick Simper

13 January 1967 – Upper Cut, Forest Gate, east London with Four Pennies (possibly with Nick Simper)

14 January 1967 – Upper Cut, Forest Gate, east London with Terry Lightfoot’s Jazzmen (possibly with Nick Simper)

15-19 January 1967 – Upper Cut, Forest Gate, east London

20 January 1967 – Upper Cut, Forest Gate, east London with Sounds Incorporated

21 January 1967 – Upper Cut, Forest Gate, east London with The Fourmost

22-26 January 1967 – Upper Cut, Forest Gate, east London

27 January 1967 – Upper Cut, Forest Gate, east London with Jimmy James & The Vagabonds

28 January 1967 – Upper Cut, Forest Gate, east London with Jimi Hendrix Experience

29-31 January 1967 – Upper Cut, Forest Gate, east London

Possible that Art Regis took over from Billy Davidson around about now. Not long after Roger Truth dropped out to reform The New Pirates with Nick Simper. B J Wilson returned to the drum kit.

1-2 February 1967 – Upper Cut, Forest Gate, east London

3 February 1967 – Upper Cut, Forest Gate, east London with Winston’s Fumbs (now listed as 15-piece band)

4 February 1967 – Upper Cut, Forest Gate, east London with Herbie Goins & The Night-Timers, The Satin Dolls and The Avalons

5-9 February 1967 – Upper Cut, Forest Gate, east London

10 February 1967 – Upper Cut, Forest Gate, east London with The Rockin’ Berries

11 February 1967 – Gaiety Ballroom, Ramsey, Cambridgeshire with The Fire Flies

12 February 1967 – Upper Cut, Forest Gate, east London

It’s possible that Roy Davies took over from Art Regis around about now

13 February 1967 – Winter Gardens Ballroom, Penzance, Cornwall with The Jaguars (The Sheffield Star says they also play the Esquire in Sheffield in South Yorkshire on this day which seems more likely with the Cleethorpes gig later this week)

14 February 1967 – Flamingo Ballroom, Redruth, Cornwall with The Dissatisfied (this was probably cancelled in light of the northern gigs)

15 February 1967 – The Village, Cleethorpes

16 February 1967 – Golden Torch, Tunstall, Staffordshire

18 February 1967 – Beachcomber, Nottingham with The Children (10-piece band)

After this gig, Roger Truth returned when B J Wilson left to join Sands

22 February 1967 – The Village, Cleethorpes

23 February 1967 – Black Horse, Northfield, West Midlands

25 February 1967 – Toft’s, Folkestone, Kent

8 March 1967 – Cromwell Club, Chesford Grange, Kenilworth, Warwickshire with Umpteenth Time

9 March 1967 – Concorde, Southampton, Hants

10 March 1967 – Beachcomber, Nottingham

13 March 1967 – Golden Torch, Tunstall, Staffordshire (back by demand)

17 March 1967 – Domino Club, Openshaw, Greater Manchester and Princess Theatre, Chorlton, Greater Manchester

Photo: Lincolnshire Standard. Image may be subject to copyright

18 March 1967 – Starlight Ballroom, Boston Gliderdrome, Boston, Lincolnshire with The Kool Combination, The Bone and The Caribbean Steel Band and Ray Bones

Photo: Leicester Mercury. Image may be subject to copyright

18 March 1967 – Nite Owl, Leicester with The Executives

19 March 1967 – Britannia Rowing Club, Nottingham

23 March 1967 – The Village, Cleethorpes

24-25 March 1967 – Kelvin Hall, Glasgow, Scotland with Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick and Titch, Unit 4 Plus 2, Screaming Lord Sutch and The Roman Empire and The New Pirates

27 March 1967 – Kelvin Hall, Glasgow, Scotland with Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick and Titch, Unit 4 Plus 2, Screaming Lord Sutch and The Roman Empire and The New Pirates

Ged Peck left around about now and Stuart Taylor took over lead guitar duties for a week. Possible Art Regis may have done the Cornwall gigs below

30 March 1967 – RNAS Culdrose, Cornwall

31 March 1967 – Penzance, Cornwall (most likely Winter Gardens Ballroom)

1-2 April 1967 – Flamingo Ballroom, Redruth, Cornwall with The Hoboes

CONTINUED HERE

I would personally like to thank the following for helping to piece this story together: Mel Wayne, Phil Wainman, Roger Warwick, Art Regis, Dave Tedstone and Nick Simper.

PLEASE LEAVE COMMENTS BELOW TO ADD/CORRECT INFORMATION

Live gig sources:

During my research on Freddie Mack from 1965-1969, I have found gigs from many newspapers. Here are some of the sources:

The Cornish Guardian, Derby Evening Telegraph, Evening Sentinel, Melody Maker, West Briton & Royal Cornwall Gazette, Lincolnshire Standard, Birmingham Evening Mail, NME, Northwich Chronicle, Sheffield Star, Warrington Guardian, Wrexham Leader, Grimsby Evening Telegraph, Aldershot News, Manchester Evening News & Chronicle, Nottingham Evening Post, Dumfries and Galloway Standard, Stafford Newsletter and Cambridgeshire Times

Categories: England, London

Tapestry

July 23, 2015 Nick Warburton 5 Comments

Mike Hutson – lead vocals

Pete Frolich – guitar (replaced original guitarist)

Martin Woodward – keyboards

Dave Moses – bass

Chic – drums

This five-piece harmony band was formed at Warlingham School in Surrey during 1968. The group recorded two singles for NEMS, kicking off with “Like the Sun” c/w “Florence”, which was released in September 1968. Both sides were produced by guitarist Pete Gage, who co-wrote “Like the Sun” with the band. “Florence” was written by Mike Hutson with a school friend.

A second single, “Heart and Soul” c/w “Who Wants Happiness” came out on 24 January 1969 by which point the band had split up. Produced again by Pete Gage, “Heart and Soul” was composed by R MacDonald and M Green while Dave Moses penned “Who Wants Happiness”. Pete Gage made the decision that Pete Frolich rather than Mike Hutson should sing on “Heart and Soul”.

Martin Woodward joined The Fantastics’ backing group, The House of Orange and later recorded with Aquila before working with the Tommy Hunt Band. Mike Hutson subsequently took up a post in promotions at United Artists and RCA.

Thank you Martin Woodward for providing information about this band and also to Pete Gage. Garage Hangover would be interested to hear from anyone that can add more information about the group.

Categories: England, London

The Fantastics – British tours 1967-1970

July 16, 2015 Nick Warburton 22 Comments

Comprised of singers John Cheatdom, Jerome Ramos, Donald Haywoode and Richard Pitts and originally known as The Velours, US soul band, The Fantastics had enjoyed US chart success before being brought to the UK by promoter Roy Tempest in late 1967.

Billed as the “Fabulous Temptations” (even though there was no connection with the more famous Motown act), the group’s debut British tour took place in August/September 1967.

Bournemouth 65-67 — The Sovereigns, circa 1966. Sitting on elephant, left to right: Mich Tomich, Freddie Tillyer, Pip Williams and Keith Franklin. Standing: Roy St John-Foster (pic: Pip Williams)

To support the soul act on the road, Roy Tempest’s agency hired west London band, The Sovereigns, who had been formed in mid-1965 and comprised singer Roy St John-Foster, lead guitarist Pip Williams, bass player Mick Williams, tenor sax player Freddie Tillyer (ex-Eddie King & The Chequers) and drummer Keith Franklin.

When the band turned professional, Pip’s brother Mick dropped out and Mick Tomich took over on bass. In October 1966, the band supported US soul singer Alvin Robinson on some British gigs.

In late 1966, The Sovereigns were signed to King Records and recorded a lone 45 which was issued in January 1967. The release combined Freddie Tillyer and Pip Williams’ “Bring Me Home Love” with a cover of “That’s the Way Love Is”.

Just before the band got picked up by Roy Tempest’s agency, Scotsman Brian Johnson, keyboard player in The Senate came on board.

Billed as The Clockwork Orange (although this may well be another band), the musicians appear at Barnsley Civic Hall, Barnsley, West Yorkshire with The Discounts.

Pip 65-67 — Pip Williams, circa 1966. Photo: Pip Williams

Selected gigs (see end for other sources not listed here):

31 August 1967 – The Place, Hanley, Staffordshire (Evening Sentinel) Billed as “The Fabulous Temptations”

1 September 1967 – California Ballroom, Dunstable, Hertfordshire Billed as “Fabulous Temptations”

2 September 1967 – Nite Owl, Leicester with Pesky Gee (Leicester Mercury) Billed as “The Fabulous Temptations”

2 September 1967 – Starlight Room, Boston Gliderdrome, Boston, Lincolnshire with The Equals, The Sovereigns and The Rubber Band (Lincolnshire Standard) Billed as “Fabulous Temptations”

3 September 1967 – King Mojo, Sheffield, South Yorkshire (Sheffield Star) Billed as “Temptations”

5 September 1967 – Whisky A Go Go, Wardour Street, Soho, central London (Melody Maker) Billed as “Temptations”

6 September 1967 – The Place, Hanley, Staffordshire (Evening Sentinel) Billed as “The Temptations”

11 September 1967 – New Century Hall, Manchester with The New Rave (Manchester Evening News & Chronicle) Billed as “The Temptations”

12 September 1967 – Dungeon, Nottingham (Nottingham Evening Post) Billed as “The Temptations”

16 September 1967 – The Place, Wakefield, West Yorkshire (Wakefield Express) Billed as “The Fabulous Temptations”

16 September 1967 – The Hub, Barnsley, West Yorkshire (The Barnsley Chronicle & South Yorkshire News) Billed as “The Fabulous Temptations”

17 September 1967 – Plaza Ballroom, Handsworth, West Midlands (Birmingham Evening Mail) Billed as “The Temptations”

17 September 1967 – Club Cedar, Birmingham with The Ray King Soul Band (Birmingham Evening Mail) Billed as “The Temptations”

18 September 1967 – Ritz Ballroom, King’s Heath, West Midlands (Birmingham Evening Mail) Billed as “The Temptations”

19 September 1967 – Sloopy’s, Manchester with The Measles (Manchester Evening News & Chronicle) Billed as “The Fabulous Temptations”

Motown advert published in Melody Maker. Photo may be subject to copyright

After the first tour with The Fabulous Temptations (aka Fantastics), the band (now called The Clockwork Orange) backed US singer Garnet Mimms.

On 29 September 1967, The Clockwork Orange also played a solo gig at Princess Ballroom, Halifax, West Yorkshire.

According to Barnsley Chronicle & South Yorkshire News, Garnet Mimms played at the Hub, Barnsley, West Yorkshire on 8 October 1967. Although the support band isn’t listed, it is likely it was The Clockwork Orange.

Half way through the Garnett Mimms tour, Mick Tomich departed and Ron Thomas was brought in from Hamilton & Hamilton The Movement. Tomich went on to play with Pickettywitch among others.

They also did some gigs backing The Soul Sisters, including a show at the Boston Gliderdrome on 14 October.

Soon after, the group started to use the name The House of Orange (although they were also still billed as The Clockwork Orange occasionally).

On 22 October 1967, The House of Orange played two shows backing The Soul Sisters. These took place at the Hub, Barnsley, West Yorkshire with The Pitiful Souls and The Place, Wakefield, Barnsley, West Yorkshire with Randy Dandy Band.

Selected gigs (see end for other sources not listed here):

In November, The Fabulous Temptations (aka The Fantastics) returned for a second British tour.

12 November 1967 – Domino Club, Openshaw, Greater Manchester and Princess Club, Chorlton, Greater Manchester (Manchester Evening News & Chronicle) Billed as “The Temptations” (backing band billed as The Senate) The Senate also backed Garnet Mimms

13 November 1967 – Bluesville ’67 Club, St Mathew’s Baths Hall, Ipswich, Suffolk with The Clockwork Orange (Ipswich Evening Star) Billed as The Fabulous Temptations

14 November 1967 – Clay Pigeon, Eastcote, northwest London (Harrow Weekly Post) Billed as “The Temptations”

14 November 1967 – Whisky A Go Go, Wardour Street, Soho, central London (Melody Maker) Billed as “Fabulous Temptations”

15 November 1967 – Savoy Ballroom, Southsea, Hampshire with Clockwork Orange and Nepenthe with The Trend (Portsmouth News)

17 November 1967 – California Ballroom, Dunstable, Bedfordshire Billed as “Fabulous Temptations”

18 November 1967 – Plaza Ballroom, Old Hill, Bearwood, West Midlands (Birmingham Evening Mail) Billed as “The Temptations”

18 November 1967 – Plaza Ballroom, Handsworth, West Midlands (Birmingham Evening Mail) Billed as “The Temptations”

19 November 1967 – The Hub, Barnsley, West Yorkshire with The Clockwork Orange and Nepenthe with her Soul Men backing group (most likely The Trend) (Barnsley Chronicle & South Yorkshire News) Billed as “The Fabulous Temptations”

25 November 1967 – Gaiety Ballroom, Ramsey, Cambridgeshire with The Gates of Eden (Cambridgeshire Times)

26 November 1967 – Purple Onion Club, Cleethorpes with The Roll Movement and The Clockwork Orange (Grimsby Evening Telegraph) Billed as “The Temptations”

27 November 1967 – King Mojo, City Hall Ballroom, Sheffield, South Yorkshire (The Sheffield Star)

30 November 1967 – Winter Gardens, Malvern, Worcestershire with The Clockwork Orange Billed as “Fabulous Temptations”

1 December 1967 – Palais Ballroom, Worksop, Worksop, Nottinghamshire with The Priscilla Juke Box with The Clockwork Orange (Doncaster Evening Post) Billed as “The Temptations”

2 December 1967 – New Century Hall, Manchester with other acts (Manchester Evening News & Chronicle) Billed as “The Fabulous Temptations”

2 December 1967 – Sloopy’s, Manchester with The Clockwork Orange (Manchester Evening News & Chronicle) Billed as “The Fabulous Temptations”

3 December 1967 – Starlight Ballroom, Crawley, West Sussex with The Army Billed as “Temptations”

5 December 1967 – Klooks Kleek, West Hampstead, north London (Melody Maker) Billed as “Fabulous Temptations”

9 December 1967 – Flower Pot Club, Digbeth, West Midlands (Birmingham Evening Mail) Billed as “The Temptations”

9 December 1967 – Plaza Ballroom, Old Hill, Bearwood, West Midlands (Birmingham Evening Mail) (tour ends today?)

13 December 1967 – Steering Wheel, Weymouth, Dorset (House of Orange only gig)

During January 1968, The House of Orange gigged in its own right. They also backed Garnet Mimms on some gigs. Like this one:

19 January 1968 – King Mojo, City Hall Ballroom, Sheffield, South Yorkshire (Sheffield Star)

In early February, The Fantastics returned for another tour

2 February 1968 – King Mojo, City Hall Ballroom, Sheffield, South Yorkshire (Sheffield Star)

3 February 1968 – The Place, Wakefield, West Yorkshire with The House of Orange (Wakefield Express)

3 February 1968 – Plebians, Cheapside, Halifax, West Yorkshire (Huddersfield Daily Examiner) Says formerly known as “The Fabulous Temptations”

9 February 1968 – Clifton Hall, Rotherham, South Yorkshire (Sheffield Star) Says ex-“Fab Temptations”

10 February 1968 – Tinned Chicken, Castleford, West Yorkshire (Sheffield Star)

11 February 1968 – The Hub, Barnsley, South Yorkshire (Sheffield Star)

14 February 1968 – St Valentine’s Dance, Victoria Ballroom, Chesterfield, Derbyshire (Sheffield Star) Says ex-“Fab Temptations”

17 February 1968 – Princes Pavilion, Falmouth, Cornwall with Peace & Quiet (Cornish Guardian)

23 February 1968 – Big C Club, 1 Camp Road, Farnborough, Hampshire (Aldershot News) Billed as The Fantastics

24 February 1968 – Tavistock Town Hall, Tavistock, Devon with Cousin Jacks (Cornish Guardian)

25 February 1968 – Beau Brummel Club, Nantwich, Cheshire (bills backing group, The House of Orange) with The Jaytree Organisation

26 February 1968 – Golden Torch, Tunstall, Staffordshire (Evening Sentinel)

2 March 1968 – Starlight Ballroom, Boston Gliderdrome, Boston, Lincolnshire with Gospel Garden, The Reformation (Lincolnshire Standard) (bills backing group, The House of Orange)

2 March 1968 – Brave New World, Portsmouth, Hampshire (billed but replaced by Mike Cotton & Lucas)

3 March 1968 – Ram Jam, Brixton, south London (Melody Maker)

17 March 1968 – Beau Brummel Club, Nantwich, Cheshire (bills backing group, The House of Orange) with The Jaytree Organisation

18 March 1968 – King Mojo, City Hall, Ballroom, Sheffield, South Yorkshire (Sheffield Star) Replaced The Impressions as no connection with Curtis Mayfield

24 March 1968 – Kirklevington Country Club, Kirklevington (Middlesbrough Evening Gazette)

25 March 1968 – King Mojo, City Hall Ballroom, Sheffield, South Yorkshire (Sheffield Star) Not sure if this happened as they stepped in the previous Monday. They may have played both Mondays

27 March 1968 – Bluesville ’68 Club, St Matthew’s Baths, Ipswich, Suffolk (Ipswich Evening Star) Says formerly The Fabulous Temptations

28 March 1968 – El Grotto, Ilford, east London (Redbridge & Ilford Recorder)

14 April 1968 – City Hall Ballroom, Barkers Pool, Sheffield, South Yorkshire (Sheffield Star)

15 April 1968 – Plebians, Cheapside, Halifax, West Yorkshire with The Clockwork Orange (Halifax Evening Courier and Guardian)

21 April 1968 – Clifton Hall, Rotherham, South Yorkshire (Sheffield Star)

20 April 1968 – Glastonbury Town Hall, Glastonbury with The House of Orange and Chris Shakespere Globe (Somerset County Gazette/Western Gazette)

26 April 1968 – Clockwork Orange, Chester, Cheshire (bills backing group, The House of Orange)

27 April 1968 – Ram Jam, Brixton, south London with The Duke Reid Sound (Melody Maker)

28 April 1968 – Central R&B Club, Central, Gillingham, Kent (Chatham, Rochester & Gillingham News)

5 May 1968 – Kirklevington Country Club, Kirklevington, North Yorkshire (Middlesbrough Evening Gazette)

6 May 1968 – Belfry, Wishaw, West Midlands with Immediate Pleasure (Birmingham Evening Mail)

10 May 1968 – Il Rondo, Leicester with House of Orange (Leicester Mercury)

13 May 1968 – Cromwellian, South Kensington, west London (Melody Maker)

17 May 1968 – El Grotto, Ilford, east London (Redbridge & Ilford Recorder)

19 May 1968 – Wake Arms, Epping, Essex (Melody Maker)

19 May 1968 – Central R&B Club, Gillingham, Kent (Chatham, Rochester & Gillingham News)

25 May 1968 – Brave New World, Eastney, Hampshire

2 June 1968 – Clouds, Derby (Derby Evening Telegraph)

3 June 1968 – Queen’s Hall, Leeds with The Herd, Bill Haley & The Comets, Alan Bown, Edwin Starr, Amboy Dukes, Gospel Garden, The Clockwork Orange and others

3 June 1968 – Blue Lagoon, Newquay, Cornwall with The Action (Cornish Guardian) (unlikely with gig in Leeds on the same day but was advertised)

9 June 1968 – Starlite Ballroom, Greenford, west London (Melody Maker)

10 June 1968 – Carlton Club, Warrington, Cheshire (Warrington Guardian)

11 June 1968 – Klooks Kleek, West Hampstead, north London (Melody Maker)

15 June 1968 – Bulmershe College of Education, Woodley, Berkshire

22 June 1968 – Wolverhampton College of Technology, Wolverhampton, West Midlands with The Scarab (backed by The House of Orange)

23 June 1968 – Kirklevington Country Club, Kirklevington, North Yorkshire (Middlesbrough Evening Gazette)

8 July 1968 – Orchid Ballroom, Purley, Surrey

13 July 1968 – Civic Hall, Dunstable, Bedfordshire with The Sun (Welwyn & Hatfield Advertiser)

20 July 1968 – Spa Royal Hall, Bridlington, North Yorkshire with The Scarlet Farmyard and The Little Dedication (Scarborough Evening News)

30 July 1968 – Concorde, Southampton, Hampshire (Southern Evening Echo)

3 August 1968 – El Grotto, Ilford, east London (Redbridge & Ilford Recorder)

5 August 1968 – Kirklevington Country Club, Kirklevington, North Yorkshire (Middlesbrough Evening Gazette)

9 August 1968 – Derby Locarno, Derby, Derbyshire (Burton Daily Mail)

11 August 1968 – Black Prince Hotel, Bexley, southeast London (Melody Maker)

16 August 1968 – Fishmonger’s Arms, Wood Green, north London (Melody Maker)

22 August 1968 – Klooks Kleek, West Hampstead, north London (Melody Maker)

23 August 1968 – New Market Discotheque, Bridgwater, Somerset (Bridgwater Mercury)

24 August 1968 – “Middle Earth”, Torquay Town Hall, Torquay, Devon (bills backing group, The House of Orange) with The Royals and Howard Stephen Shape

26 August 1968 – Orchid Ballroom, Purley, Surrey

31 August 1968 – Tees Pop ’68, Recreation Ground, Eston, Teesside with Traffic, Ben E King, Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band, Alan Bown, Family, Amboy Dukes, Joe Cocker & The Grease Band, The Tramline, Rivers Invitation and Chelfont Line (Newcastle Evening Chronicle)

1 September 1968 –Queen’s Hall, Leeds with Ben E King, Clyde McPhattter, The Flirtations, (the former The Gypsys, booked as The Fabulous Marvelettes and backed by The Trend), Tim Rose, Timebox and The World of Oz

2 September 1968 – Brave New World, Eastney, Hampshire

10 September 1968 – Concorde, Southampton, Hampshire (Southern Evening Echo)

11 September 1968 – Nottingham Boat Club, Nottingham (Nottingham Evening Post)

13 September 1968 – Braintree Corn Exchange, Braintree, Essex with The Shannons (Essex Chronicle)

14 September 1968 – Blue Lagoon, Newquay, Cornwall with Same Brothers and Confusion (Cornish Guardian)

16 September 1968 – Chesford Grange, Kenilworth, Warwickshire with The Ray King Soul Band (Warwick Advertiser/Coventry Evening Telegraph)

17 September 1968 – Hatchettes Playground, Piccadilly, central London

18 September 1968 – Hotspot, Madison Club, Torquay, Devon (Herald Express)

21 September 1968 – Soul Club, Plaza Ballroom, Newbury, Berkshire with Just Us (Reading Evening Post)

23 September 1968 – Carlton Club, Warrington, Cheshire (Warrington Guardian)

3 October 1968 – Scotch Discotheque, Torquay, Devon (Herald Express)

6 October 1968 – Black Prince Hotel, Bexley, southeast London (Melody Maker)

8 October 1968 – Cheltenham Spa Lounge and Ballroom, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire (Gloucester Citizen)

11 October 1968 – Nottingham Boat Club, Nottingham (Nottingham Evening Post)

12 October 1968 – Links, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire with Fragrant Blend

18 October 1968 – George Ballroom, Hinckley, Leicestershire with The Chase and The Midnights (Nuneaton Evening Tribune)

25 October 1968 – New Market Discotheque, Bridgwater, Somerset (Bridgwater Mercury)

26 October 1968 – Tin Hat, Kettering, Northamptonshire with The Trax (Northamptonshire Evening Telegraph)

29-31 October 1968 – Rum Runner, Birmingham with Catz (Birmingham Evening Mail)

31 October 1968 – Birdcage, Harlow, Essex

1 November 1968 – Bird Cage, Harlow, Essex with Chuck Jackson and Carla Thomas

2 November 1968 – Rawtenstall Baths, Rawtenstall, Lancashire

3 November 1968 – Crystal Palace Hotel, Crystal Palace, south London (South East London Mercury)

5 November 1968 – Concord, Southampton, Hampshire (Southern Evening Echo)

8 November 1968 – Public Baths, Sutton-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire with Inez & Charlie Foxx and The House of Orange Band (Derbyshire Times)

8 November 1968 – Arts-Tech Rag Ball, Nottingham with Charlie and Inez Foxx

9 November 1968 – Gaiety Ballroom, Ramsey, Cambridgeshire with Generous Earth (Cambridgeshire Times)

14 November 1968 – Oak Leaf Hotel, South Bank (Middlesbrough Evening Gazette)

15-16 November 1968 – Scene Two, Scarborough, North Yorkshire (Scarborough Evening News)

17 November 1968 – Tudor Club, Mercers Arms, Coventry (Coventry Evening Telegraph)

22 November 1968 – California Ballroom, Dunstable, Bedfordshire

23 November 1968 – Odeon Manchester (or was this Manchester Free Trade Hall?) with Diana Ross & The Supremes and others

24 November 1968 – London Palladium, central London with Diana Ross & The Supremes and others

29 November 1968 – Cue Club, Paddington, central London (Melody Maker)

30 November 1968 – New Century Hall, Manchester (Manchester Evening News)

1 December 1968 – Princes and Domino clubs, Greater Manchester (Manchester Evening News)

3 December 1968 – The Place Club, Henley, Berkshire (could this be the Place, Hanley, Staffordshire?)

6 December 1968 – City Hall, Sheffield, South Yorkshire (Sheffield Star)

7 December 1968 – Elms Court Ballroom, Botley, Oxford with Gentle Influence (Oxford Mail)

8 December 1968 – Crystal Palace Hotel, Crystal Palace, southeast London (South East London Mercury)

9 December 1968 – Ramsgate Coronation Ballroom, Ramsgate, Kent

10 December 1968 – Spa Lounge and Ballroom, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire (Gloucester Citizen/Stroud News)

12 December 1968 – Pavilion, Worthing, West Sussex

13 December 1968 – Top Rank, Doncaster, South Yorkshire

15 December 1968 – RAF Mildenhall

16 December 1968 – Tithe Farm, Harlow, Essex

19 December 1968 – South Dorset Technical College, Students’ Association, Weymouth Pavilion, Weymouth, Dorset with Alan Bown (replaced Traffic) and The Package Deal (Dorset Evening Echo) Says backed by The Colourful Orange

20 December 1968 – Tabernacle, Stockport, Greater Manchester

21 December 1968 – Cliffs Pavilion, Southend, Essex

22 December 1968 – Black Prince Hotel, Bexley, southeast London

23 December 1968 – Golden Torch, Hanley, Staffordshire (Evening Sentinel)

24 December 1968 – Soul Club, Plaza Ballroom, Newbury, Berkshire with The House of Orange, The Joyce Bond Show and Barley Mo (Reading Evening Post)

26 December 1968 – Imperial Ballroom, Nelson, Lancashire

27 December 1968 – New Market Discotheque, Bridgwater, Somerset

28 December 1968 – Civic Hall, Nantwich, Cheshire with The Hideaways

29 December 1968 – Mercers Arms, Coventry, West Midlands (Coventry Evening Telegraph)

30 December 1968 – Belfry Hotel, Wishaw, West Midlands

31 December 1968 – Morecambe Pier, Morecambe, Lancashire

The Trend featuring future members Peter Cole and Norman Cummins — The Trend. Left to right: John Connolly, Peter Cole, Frankie Morgan and Norman Cummins

At the outset of the 1969 tours, Peter Cole (known as ‘Spam’) the bass player from The Trend, who had recently disbanded, became The Fantastics’ road manager.

2 January 1969 – Sloopy’s, Middlesbrough

3 January 1969 – Nottingham Boat Club, Nottingham (Nottingham Evening Post)

4 January 1969 – Civic Hall, Winsford, Cheshire

5 January 1969 – New Revolution, Baths, Sutton-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire (Nottingham Evening Post)

5 January 1969 – Clouds, Derby (Derby Evening Telegraph)

17 January 1969 – Birmingham’s first 1969 Extravaganza, Town Hall, Birmingham with Freddie Mack Show, The Locomotive, Ivan Chin Soul Band and Liz Christian

18 January 1969 – Town Hall, Glastonbury, Somerset

19 January 1969 – Surrey Oval Rooms, Kennington, south London

21 January 1969 – King’s Hall, Aberystwyth, Wales

24 January 1969 – White Lion, Edgware, north London

25 January 1969 – Winter Gardens Pavilion, Weston-Super-Mare, Somerset

26 January 1969 – Surrey Rooms, Kennington, south London

1 February 1969 – New Astoria Ballroom, Rawtenstall, Lancashire and Bin Lid Club, Dewsbury, West Yorkshire

2 February 1969 – The Place, Hanley, Staffordshire

7 February 1969 – Nottingham Boat Club, Nottingham

14-15 February 1969 – Scene 2 Club, Scarborough

16 February 1969 – Black Prince Hotel, Bexley, southeast London

22 February 1969 – Cliff’s Pavilion, Southend, Essex

23 February 1969 – Good Companion’s Hotel, Slough, Berkshire

3 March 1969 – Orchid Ballroom, Purley, Surrey

In early March, Roy St John-Foster, Keith Franklin and Brian Johnson all departed. Pip Williams, Freddie Tillyer and Ron Thomas brought in drummer James Smith from The Nashville Teens and organist Martin Woodward from Tapestry.

Selected gigs (see end for other sources not listed here):

19 March 1969 – The Lyceum, the Strand, central London with The Move (debut show with new line up)

23 March 1969 – Black Prince Hotel, Bexley, southeast London

Martin Woodward and Peter Cole remember playing the following venues but they can’t recall the dates:

Civic Hall, Winsford, Cheshire

400 Ballroom Torquay (at least twice)

Scene 2 Club, Scarborough (two or three times)

The Place, Hanley, Staffordshire

Lyceum, Sheffield

Clouds, Derby

The Plaza Ballroom, Handsworth, Birmingham

The Penthouse, Birmingham

The Starlite Ballroom, (Greenford?) west London

The Skyline, Hull

The U.S.A.F. Base Alconbury near Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire

The Dungeon, Nottingham

The Princess Theatre Club, Greater Manchester

The Domino Club, Greater Manchester

The King Mojo, Sheffield

Mecca, Derby (at least twice)

Mecca, Plymouth

Winter Gardens Pavilion, Weston-Super-Mare, Somerset

Dunstable (possibly California Ballroom)

Middlesbrough Showboat for a week plus one night stands

Middlesbrough City Hall (possibly with Three Dog Night)

Kenilworth Grange

Bolton Casino, Wigan Casino, Garrick Lea (for seven days)

Sheffield University for last two nights

April – US airbases in Frankfurt Germany and then to Zurich (Black Out club), Switzerland with Gun.

Selected gigs (see end for other sources not listed here):

25 April 1969 – Nottingham Boat Club, Nottingham (Nottingham Evening Post)

26 April 1969 – Dreamland Ballroom, Margate, Kent with The Candy Choir (Folkestone & Hythe District Herald)

27 April 1969 – Crystal Palace Hotel, Crystal Palace, south London (South East London Mercury)

18 May 1969 – Surrey Room, Kennington, south London (South East London Mercury)

24 May 1969 – Leas Cliff Hall, Folkestone, Kent (Folkestone & Hythe District Herald)

25 May 1969 – Skegness Seaside Soul Festival, Skegness, Lincolnshire with Amen Corner, Inez and Charlie Foxx, Geno Washington & The Ram Jam Band and Jimmy James & The Vagabonds

21 June 1969 – Broken Wheel, Retford, Nottinghamshire (Retford Times)

29 June 1969 – Surrey Room, Kennington, south London (South East London Mercury)

Ron Thomas, hotel, Frankfurt, 1969 (Pic: Peter Cole)

According to James Smith, The Fantastics had problems with UK work permits around this time and had to live and work outside of the UK for six months. While playing the US military air bases in and around Frankfurt Germany, Ron Thomas left later to play, most notably, with The Heavy Metal Kids.

Peter Cole, The Fantastics’ road manager (and known as “Spam”), who had started out as bass player with The Trend took over after playing rhythm guitar on the European gigs. The Trend had worked for the Roy Tempest Agency in the mid-1960s backing artists like The Drifters, Garnett Mimms and Ben E King, The Soul Sisters, Clyde McPhatter, The Flirtations (then The Fabulous Marvelettes), The Platters and Buddy Holly’s Crickets among others. When The Trend folded Spam became road manager for The Fantastics.

Jimmy Smith and Ron Thomas (just before Ron left) in Frankfurt, 1969 (Pic: Peter Cole)

July 1969 – US airbases in Germany (Ron Thomas departs in Frankfurt)

Pip Williams, who wasn’t long married and needed to return home, left while the band was in Naples and returned home, subsequently joining Jimmy James & The Vagabonds. Pip Williams later became a top session player, working with producer Phil Wainman among others. Later on, he became a successful producer, and is best known for producing Status Quo and The Moody Blues.

Peter Cole, Jimmy Smith and Martin Woodward in Cannes, France (photo: Peter Cole)

Initially, Peter Cole’s former band mate from The Trend, Norman Cummins took over to play the US air base gigs in Naples and after a subsequent return to Frankfurt stayed to play in a club in Cannes. Cummins then departed and moved to South Africa.

The rest of the band travelled to Majorca where former Tony Knight’s Chessmen and Magicians guitarist Fred D’Albert was flown over to join the remaining backing group. D’Albert had also played with Smith backing a soul act in Essen, West Germany during mid-1968 (possibly Owen Grey).

Selected gigs (see end for other sources not listed here):

July 1969 – NATO airbase in Naples, Italy (Pip Williams left and Norman Cummins joined as lead guitarist).

Norman Cummins in Frankfurt before heading to Cannes (Pic: Peter Cole)

July – Frankfurt and then Cannes, France (Cummins leaves)

August 1969 – Sloopy’s, Palma, Majorca (for one month) (Fred D’Albert joins on guitar)

Fred at Sloopy's, Palma, Majorca (Pic: Peter Cole) — Fred D’Albert at Sloopy’s, Palma, Majorca (Pic: Peter Cole)

While in Majorca, the musicians met Tina (Christine Sykes) who danced with The House of Orange before The Fantastics came on stage. Tina at a later date joined up with Herbie Goins & The Night-Timers. The musicians returned to the UK afterwards but eventually split up. It’s not clear whether they backed The Fantastics on a spring 1970 tour. Fred D’Albert joined Sweetwater Canal in late 1969.

18 January 1970 – Broken Wheel, Retford, Nottinghamshire with J J Jackson & The Greatest Little Band In The Land and The United Nations (Retford Times)

9 March 1970 – Orchid Ballroom, Purley, Surrey with Booker T & The MGs, Johnnie Walker, The Globe Show and Blue Mink

13 March 1970 – Castle Soul Club, Tooting Broadway, southwest London

22 March 1970 – Broken Wheel, Retford, Nottinghamshire with James & Bobby Purify, Edison’s Phonograph, The Globe Show and Midnight Express (Retford Times)

24 March 1970 – Rebecca’s, Birmingham (Birmingham Evening Mail)

When the band folded in March 1970, Martin Woodward and James Smith formed Aquila who recorded a lone album. They then teamed up again in The Tommy Hunt Band. According to Woodward, The Fantastics tried to hire The Tommy Hunt Band but couldn’t afford them.

Aquila (L-R: Phil Childs, Ralph Denyer, George Lee, Martin Woodward, James Smith)

Peter Cole meanwhile replaced Philip Chen on bass in The Joyce Bond Review, who recorded an album, Winds of Change, as Joyce Bond and The Colour Supplement. Bond enjoyed number one hits in the West Indies on Island Records with “Do The Teasy” and a cover of The Beatles’ “Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da”.

One early morning Tina met Pete Cole in the M1 services The Blue Boar after a gig with Herbie Goins. He invited Tina to join the Colour Supplement who undertook a tour in the West Indies. British Guiana, Surinam and Barbados.

Gig sources include:

Fabulous 208 Magazine, Lincolnshire Standard, Melody Maker, Crawley Advertiser, West Briton & Royal Cornwall Gazette, Birmingham Evening Mail, Northwich Chronicle, Sheffield Star, Warrington Guardian, Express & Star, Yorkshire Evening Post, Reading Evening Post

A huge thanks to Pip Williams, Martin Woodward, Ron Thomas, James Smith and Peter Cole for their help piecing the band history together. Thank you to Pip Williams for the Sovereigns photos and Peter Cole for the band images.

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