Monthly Archives: May 2021

Categories: England, Surrey

The Classics

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The Classics in 1964. Photo: Malcolm Penn. Left to right: Len Neldrett, Malcolm Penn (front), Nicky Graham, Dave Atkey and Mick Brill

Drummer Eddie Patterson says that he played regularly with this band from September 1961 through to April 1962.

According to an advert publicising the Grand Final of The Surbiton Borough News’ Rock & Rhythm Group Competition, which was held at Surbiton Assembly Rooms on 27 April 1962 (see below), The Classics line-up at the time comprised:

Headley Leate (lead vocals)

Dave Atkey (lead guitar)

John Kent (rhythm guitar)

Keith Sutton (bass)

Ken Bright (sax)

Eddie Patterson (drums)

Eddie Patterson (b. 16 April 1942, Epsom, Surrey) says that The Classics came joint second with The Presidents with 249 points, with The Electrons winning the competition with 262 points.

Thanks to Malcolm Penn from The Electrons for the photo

After the competition, Patterson left to join The Presidents, with whom he remained until July 1965. He then toured with The End briefly before hanging up his drumsticks and taking up a permanent job in December of that year. He says that Keith Sutton also played with Del Grant & The Roamers.

In 1963, The Classics (with a revised formation) entered the competition for a second time, billed as Dave Curtis & The Classics. John Kent and Keith Bright were still members.

However, in February 1964, Dave Atkey, who appears to have been the only member to remain throughout the band’s entire career, assumed lead vocal duties and put together an entirely new version, comprising:

Dave Atkey (vocals)

Len Neldrett (lead guitar)

Nicky Graham (organ)

Mick Brill (bass)

Malcolm Penn (drums)

Photo: Mick Brill. The Classics in 1964

Len Neldrett and Mick Brill (b. 21 June 1945, Tolworth, Surrey) joined from The Gremlins and Nicky Graham (b. January 1945, Durban, South Africa; 3 February 2024) and Malcolm Penn came in from Dene Lincoln & The Topics.

Neldrett remembers that the new line-up’s debut performance was in Guildford, Surrey, opening for Tommy Bruce. When the curtain opened, he recalls original members John Kent and Keith Bright were there and hadn’t been told that Atkey had formed a new version!

However, the new formation was short-lived and in April 1964, Mick Brill departed to join The Outsiders.

With Dave Atkey resuming bass duties, the remaining members brought in sax players John Horton (b. 14 November 1945, Surbiton, Surrey; d. 25 September 2023) from The Outsiders and Bernie Greenwood and became The Original Topics.

In November 1964, the musicians were joined by singer Dickie Pride (b. 21 October 1941, Thornton Heath, Surrey; d. 26 March 1969).

A huge thanks to Malcolm Penn, Eddie Patterson and Mick Brill for providing the background notes and photos for The Classics.

Thanks to John Warburg for some further details

 

Categories: England, Surrey

The Gremlins

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The Gremlins at Hook Community Centre

Howard (Len) Neldrett (lead guitar)

Tony Carter (rhythm guitar)

Mick Brill (bass)

Phil Webster (drums)

Formed by pupils from Surbiton County Grammar in Surrey in 1961, The Gremlins were an instrumentals band that played Shadows and Ventures’ covers.

Mick Brill (b. 21 June 1945, Tolworth, Surrey) says that the group didn’t have a singer, but an advert publicising the Grand Final of The Surbiton Borough News’ Rock & Rhythm Group Competition lists Dave Burton as the band’s vocalist (see below).

The competition, which was won by rival band The Electrons, was held at Surbiton Assembly Rooms on 27 April 1962 and also featured The Classics.

Thanks to Malcolm Penn for the photo

In February 1964, Neldrett and Brill both departed to join a new version of The Classics.

Many thanks to Mick Brill and Len Neldrett for the information on the band and thanks to Mick Brill for the group photo.

 

Categories: Iowa, Sears Recording Studios (Omaha), Sioux City

The Last Chapter “It’s Only When I’m Lonely”

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Last Chapter Skip 45 It's Only When I'm LonelyThe Last Chapter came from Sioux City, Iowa, and would evolve into a group called Freight. In late 1969 the Last Chapter cut their only record, released on Skip Records 2758.

“It’s Only When I’m Lonely” has a crunching rhythm, a great bridge and stinging guitar solo. “Words For You” features acoustic and electric guitar and a catchy vocal melody. It was the A-side of the single.

Russ Gill wrote both songs, and the Sears Pub credit indicates they were cut at Sears Recording Studios in Omaha.

Last Chapter Skip 45 Words for YouThe first mention of the Last Chapter that I can find comes from the Sioux City Sunday Journal from August 3, 1969, mentioning the band came in second place at the River-Cade Festival of Bands after being together only two weeks.

Members of the Last Chapter at this point were:

Russell Gill
Bob Werkmeister
Dave Schultz
Dave Wenberg

Russell Gill had been in the Restrictions.

The winner of the festival was the Cellophane Spectacle from LeMars, who had also won the year before. Members of that group were Randy Hoyt, Jack Toth, Jim Weiler, Al Schrank, Timothy Hauff, Tom Ross, Mark Moeller, Fred Juhl and Jim Luense. The Cellophane Spectacle cut one single at Sears Recording in Omaha for release on Spectacular SR61968, “It’s Not Unusual” / “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg”. Another is mentioned but I haven’t seen it yet: “Going Back to Miami” / “Exodus”.

The third-place band was the Instant Blues Machine, “led by Richard Samore backed by Alan Vellinga, Charlie Larimor, Norm Reitsma, Harry Kantrovich and John Wimmer”.

Other bands were the Evolution, Wind, and the Purple Haze.

On June 24, 1970, the Last Chapter participated in a concert for 2,000 at Grandview Park, emceed by KSJC DJ Rick Anthony. The Sioux City Journal ran a couple articles on the concert, noting Jim Wentworth was from Laurel, Nebraska, 44 miles west of Sioux City. The first article quoted both Russell Gill and Jim Wentworth, and noted “A contract is pending between The Last Chapter and a Nashville, Tenn., recording company.”

The local bands were Fox, Evolution and the Last Chapter. A review titled “Young, Old Concur: First Rock Festival ‘Beautiful'” gave the names of the groups and their members:

The Last Chapter consisted of Russell Gill, Dave Schultz, Dave Wenberg, and Jim Wentworth replacing Bob Werkmeister.

Members of the Evolution were Chuck Pope, John Young, Ralph Goldheim, Neil Rollison, Dan Weigel and Kim Treiber.

The Fox included Steve Lewis, John Bartle and Russell Bizzett.

Freight – a band with three members of the Last Chapter. Article from August 15, 1971

Gill and Wentworth are mentioned again as organizers of the July 1971 “People’s Music Forum” at the Grandview Park bandshell. That concert included the London Bridge, Big Toe, Bittersweet, Stonewell, Freight, Fat Cat, Sinn, Dr. John Cook, and Prairie (formerly Danny and the Velaires), with folk music by Glen Reitsma and Ted Falk.

Finally in August, 1971 the Journal ran a photo of Gill and Wentworth’s band, now called Freight, with members Jim Wentworth, Mike Yandrich, Russell Gill and Dave Schultz. Other bands included Fat Cat, Sinn, and Bitter Sweet.

Anyone have photos of the Last Chapter?

Categories: IGL, IGL (Iowa Great Lakes Recording), Iowa, Sioux City

The Restrictions from Sioux City, IA

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Restrictions IGL 45 Down on the Corner
The Restrictions came from Sioux City and cut one single on IGL 147, “Down on the Corner” / “She’s Gone Away” in September, 1967. Russell Gill wrote “Down on the Corner” and co-wrote “She’s Gone Away” with Rob Molden.

The Restrictions members were:

Russell Gill
Rob Molden
Donald Pinney
Dave Mettleton
George Lauresen

The Sioux City Journal ran a notice about the August, 1967 River-Cade Festival of Music band competition, and listed the members of the top three groups.

The winner of the competition was the Shags, who would receive a session at Sears Recording Studio in Omaha. Russell Gill of the Restrictions wrote the song that would be the top side of the Shags’ single, “You’re a Loser”.

The Restrictions would cut their own record, traveling the hundred miles northeast to IGL Recording Studios in Milford, Iowa. I actually haven’t heard “She’s Gone Away” yet.

Russell Gill would go on to form the Last Chapter in 1969.

The other finalist was the Psychedelic Hangmen, with members Jame Polimeni, Phil Polimeni, Dave Stokes, Larry Means, and Stanley Sawienski. I’m not sure if they ever recorded.

Anyone have a photo of any of these bands?

Categories: Iowa, Sears Recording Studios (Omaha), Sioux City

The Shags from Sioux City, IA

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The Shags featured in the Sioux City Journal, Nov. 21, 1967

The Shags came from Sioux City, Iowa. In August, 1967 they won a battle-of-the-bands at the River-Cade festival, beating out the Restrictions and the Psychedelic Hangmen. Their prize was a session at Sears Recording Studios in Omaha, Nebraska, 100 miles to the south.

Members of the Shags were:

Larry Schlines – guitar
Mark Renfro – organ
Roger Tryon – saxophone
John Primm – bass
Tom Renfro – drums

The second pressing of the Shags 45, with the title misspelled
At Sears they cut “You’re a Loser” / “Crying” for release on Rocky SR103167 in November, 1967. “Crying” is the Roy Orbison song.

It must have done well locally, as the band repressed the record on Jo-Jo Records 101 in February 1968, though the A-side was mistitled “Your a Loser”, and the publishing switched from Sears Pub. to Lightswitch Music.

Interestingly, Russell Gill of the Restrictions wrote “You’re a Loser”. I’d like to know how the Shags came to cut his song.

The Restrictions cut their own record in September, 1967, traveling a similar distance to Milford to cut it at IGL Recording Studios.

Categories: CEI, Havre de Grace, Maryland

The Runabouts from Havre de Grace, MD “Way of Life” & “All Is All”

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The Runabouts, photo taken November 17, 1967
Runabouts CEI 45 Way Of LifeThe Runabouts came from Havre de Grace, Maryland, about 40 miles northeast of Baltimore. The two sides of their single have very different sounds. “Way of Life” is fast-paced with horn arrangements. I’m partial to the slow, moody flip, “All Is All”.

The Runabouts formed in 1966 and expanded into an octet by the time they broke up in 1968.

Members included:

Jim Skrivanek – guitar
Joe Pascuzzi – guitar
Dennis Trimble – keyboards

Don Laye
Lew Rothlisberger
Mike Lynch
Ed Kelly
Tom Vincenti

The Baltimore Sun gave a short history of the group when the Runabouts had a reunion on May 19, 2012:

The Runabouts was originally formed by Havre de Grace area high school students as a five-piece guitar, bass and drum combo in 1966. The Runabouts played local teen dances at venues such as Teen Town at Aberdeen Proving Ground and Fiddler’s Green at the old Bainbridge Naval Training Center.

After a couple of lineup changes and the addition of horn, sax and keyboard players, the eight-piece version of the Runabouts was active in 1967 and 1968 playing local dances and events and even cutting one 45 rpm record: “Way of Life,” written by guitarist Jim Skrivanek, backed by “All in All,” written by guitarist Joe Pascuzzi and keyboardist Dennis Trimble, on the independent CEI label out of Ohio.

With graduation, military service and work commitments taking members to far flung locations, the band split up after two years but then got back together for a successful reunion concert in Havre de Grace in 2006.

Runabouts CEI 45 All Is AllRobert T. Brown came from Fremont, Ohio, where he had a recording studio, releasing records on his Courier label. From 1966 to 1968 he was in the Army, stationed in Aberdeen. He continued to record bands, changing the name of the label to CEI Records.

Released on CEI Records CE127, the code RI2521 indicates Recordings, Incorporated in Baltimore pressed the single, published through Bro-Nik. Nashville Matrix did the plating.

The Runabouts had a website that is long defunct, but parts of it are available on the Wayback Machine, where I found the photo at top.

Info on CEI Records from Buckeye Beat.

Categories: California, Hollywood

Hex “You Cry and I’ll Laugh” on Hexx

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Hex Hexx 45 You'll Laugh and I'll Cry“You Cry and I’ll Laugh” / “Doubt” by Hex was recorded in 1967 but only existed on acetate until someone pressed it to vinyl on Hexx HR-101. The vinyl is dark brown, translucent when held to light. The U-37756 in the dead wax indicates it was done in by United Record Pressing in 1995.

Both sides are fine hard rock, with some crushing lead guitar.

The band would be a complete mystery but luckily Preston Fong wrote a comment on Youtube:

This was recorded by our high school band (Hollywood High School). I think we recorded this as a demo for Dot Records. We did one other demo called “A Drop of Color” and another song on the flip side. I was the lead singer, George “Fidel” Bell on lead guitar and vocals … Mike Levy on drums, Mark Lewis (Rain – Beatles Tribute Band) on organ. Don’t remember who played bass on this … We were going to be developed by Dot Records at the time with producer Ray Ruff.  The company opted to record the group “Colors” something like that and we didn’t want to wait around to be developed by them.

Another person commented with the list of members: Fidel Bell (guitar, vocals), Mark Lewis (organ), Lee Imes (bass), Mike Levy (drums), and Oden Fong (lead vocals). Also that the band either had no name, or “their real name is Unknown (not Hex). Hex was the name of the album, and Hexx was the name of the record company.”

I’d like to know more about the band, and how the record eventually saw release.

Categories: England, Surrey

Dene Lincoln & The Topics

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Thanks to Malcolm Penn for the photo

Dene Lincoln (aka Jim Turner) (vocals)

Pete Cottage (lead guitar)

Tony Humphrys (bass)

Nicky Graham (rhythm guitar)

Malcolm Penn (drums)

Formed in the Tolworth, Surbiton and Chessington area of Surrey in August 1962, Dene Lincoln & The Topics morphed out of earlier band The Electrons, who had included Tony Humprhys, Nicky Graham and Malcolm Penn.

Humphrys, however, didn’t stay long and Ricky Ball took over the bass in January 1963.

The musicians continued to gig locally until February 1964 before splitting at which point Graham and Penn joined a new version of local rivals The Classics.

Graham would later play with The End and Tucky Buzzard while Penn worked with The Sidewinders and Moon’s Train.

Many thanks to Malcolm Penn for providing the background notes and band photo.

Found this gig for the band:

23 February 1963 – Jazz Cellar, Kingston upon Thames, Surrey (Surrey Comet)

Categories: England, Surrey

The Electrons

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Thanks to Malcolm Penn for the photo. The Electrons with Nicky Graham (bottom right) line up

Tony Humphrys aka Tony Lane (vocals)

Baz Hewson (lead guitar)

Malcolm Penn (drums)

Mike Morley (bass)

Pete Moseley (rhythm guitar through to December 1960)

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Nicky Graham (rhythm guitar from January 1961)

Formed in May 1960 by musicians from the Tolworth, Surbiton and Chessington area in Surrey, The Electrons evolved out of the ashes of The Grumbling Men, who were formed in March 1959 and had included singer Tony Humphrys, drummer Malcolm Penn, bass player Mike Morley, and rhythm guitarist Pete Moseley.

With the exception of Mike Morley and Pete Moseley, all were pupils at Surbiton County Grammar.

Photos of the original band. Thanks to Miles Moseley

The Grumbling Men featured another guitarist called Keith who was replaced by Baz Hewson when the group became The Electrons.

Nicky Graham, who took over from Moseley on rhythm guitar in January 1961, was a student at Surbiton Grammar School (and later Kingston School of Art) and had recently arrived from Durban, South Africa where he was born in January 1945.

Malcolm Penn says that The Electrons never got to play at Tolworth Toby Jug as they predated its band nights. (Ed. Originally a jazz venue, the Toby Jug did briefly operate as a club for R&B in early 1964 but its owners soon stopped putting rock bands on. It reopened in early March 1968 and became a significant music venue in the area.)

Penn recalls that the band venue in the early 1960s was Kingston Coronation Hall. The hall housed a swimming pool, which was boarded over and turned into a dance venue.

He adds that all the big traditional jazz and dance bands performed there, including Ted Heath, Johnny Dankworth, Eric Delaney, Chris Barber and Kenny Ball. The Electrons, together with a few other local bands, did warm up and interval spots.

Penn remembers The Electrons also played at the Jazz Cellar in Kingston, which was run by Hugh O’Donnell, the Swan in Mill Street, Kingston, the Foresters Hall in Epsom, the Organ Inn on the Ewell Road and Surbiton Assembly Rooms.

In April 1962, The Electrons made the Grand Final of The Surbiton Borough News’ Rock & Rhythm Group Competition, which was held at Surbiton Assembly Rooms on 27 April. Up against local bands, The Gremlins and The Classics, The Electrons won the competition.

Interestingly, over the next few years, members of The Electrons would join up with players from both The Gremlins and The Classics to form a new version The Classics in February 1964.

In August 1962, Malcolm Penn, Nicky Graham and Tony Humphrys recruited Jim Turner (stage name Dene Lincoln) on vocals and Pete Cottage from the Streatham area in southwest London to form a new group called Dene Lincoln & The Topics.

In later years Penn would work with Moon’s Train while Graham played with The End and Tucky Buzzard. Graham died on 3 February 2024.

A huge thanks to Malcolm Penn for providing the background notes and photos for The Electrons.

Thanks also to John Warburg for more information

Brian Dullaway’s 21st birthday party, 1964. The Electrons play at New Addington, Surrey. Copyright: Brian Dullaway

 

Categories: England, London

Tony Charman’s post Carl Douglas & The Big Stampede band

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Bass player Tony Charman (at the time Tony Webb) left Carl Douglas in late 1968 when he got married on 14 September.

However, during 1969, he returned to the music scene and played with a south London group whose name he cannot recall. As the two images here reveal, the band was a five piece but Tony can’t remember any of the musicians’ names.

If anyone can help provide more information, we’d love to hear from you in the comments section below.