Rex Brayley – lead guitar/vocals

Brian Brayley – rhythm guitar

Roger Sidey – bass

Kenny Slade – drums

Jimmy Trimmer – lead vocals

Bob Carpenter – drums

Bobby Dean – drums

Iain Pitwell – lead vocals

Malcolm Randall – drums

John Kerrison – drums

Brothers Rex and Brian Brayley had first come to prominence with Tony Liddle & the Lads, a Hounslow band formed in 1962. The band also comprised singer Tony Liddle, bass player Roger Sidey and drummer Yan Kuttlevasher.

In mid-1964, Sheffield drummer Kenny Slade replaced Kuttlevasher after playing with Dave Berry & The Cruisers. When Tony Liddle left soon after, the group became The Dae-b-Four.

Not long after the name change, the musicians were joined by new lead singer Jimmy Trimmer. Then in early 1965, Bob Carpenter took over from Kenny Slade on drums. Slade joined The Sheffields and later worked with Joe Cocker.

Carpenter didn’t stay very long, however, and Bobby Dean from rival Hounslow band, The Stringbeats took over that spring. Dean introduced his friend, singer Iain Pitwell, who took over from Jimmy Trimmer when he departed.

However, Dean left in August 1965 to work with another local group, The Valkeries. Malcolm Randall from Rey Anton & The Peppermint Men took his place briefly. The line-up remained steady until November 1965 when John Kerrison came in on drums after playing in Germany with The Horizons. Kerrison had previously been a member of Frankie Reid & The Casuals and The Rocking Eccentrics.

Malcolm Randall later reunited with Pitwell in The All Night Workers in October 1967 after working as a freelance drummer and The Missing Links in the interim.

The new line up lasted until about August 1966 when Kerrison departed and subsequently joined Mick Liddell & Gli Atomi in Rome, Italy. The band recorded the track “La Mia Inghilterra”, after which Kerrison returned to the UK. By February 1967, Kerrison had linked up with Johnny Kidd’s former band, The Pirates. He then played with Episode Six and The Beachcombers. The Dae-b-Four carried on with another drummer.

In March 1967, Rex Brayley struck gold when he joined The Love Affair.

Iain Pitwell meanwhile reunited with Malcolm Randall in The All Night Workers in October 1967.

Notable gigs:

30 March 1965 – Elms Club, South Harrow, Middlesex with Distortion

20 April 1965 – Elms Club, South Harrow, Middlesex with Bluesology (featuring future Elton John on piano)

2 July 1965 – London Cavern, Holland Park, west London with The Initial Four (Kensington Post)

6 July 1965 1965 – London Cavern, Holland Park, west London with The Tribe (Kensington Post)

24 August 1965 – Jolly Gardeners, Isleworth, west London

Many thanks to Rex Brayley for the photos and input. Thanks also to Iain Pitwell, John Kerrison and Malcolm Randall. Thanks to Don Hughes too for his help in piecing the story together.

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.

Don Hughes is selling a three-track picture sleeve single, with three previously unreleased tracks. For more information, email: donhughes345@btinternet.com