Mike Tinsley (vocals)
John Stewart (lead guitar, vocals)
Tony Cockayne (rhythm guitar)
Ray Honeyball (bass)
Leslie Dash (drums)
1963
November Former Electrons lead singer Mike Tinsley (b. 16 December 1940, Portsmouth, Hants), guitarists John Stewart (b. 18 March 1941, Torphins, Kincardineshire, Scotland) and Tony Cockayne; bass player Ray Honeyball (b. 6 June 1941, Whickham, County Durham) and drummer Leslie Dash (b. 3 April 1943, Hillingdon, Middlesex) are all Royal Air Force ground crew based at RAF Wittering in Cambridgeshire, England. Captivated by the beat scene exploding in the UK, they decide to form a band, The Trendsetters. The quintet performs initially in the officers’ mess at RAF Wittering but then ventures out, debuting at the White Lion pub in Whittlesey, Cambridgeshire. After receiving a positive reception, they play at the Dorothy Ballroom and the Corn Exchange in Cambridge.
1964
The band changes its name to The Hedgehoppers; a nickname for the “V” bombers, which can fly a few hundred feet above the ground, under enemy radar to avoid detection and ground-to-air missiles. A local agent spots The Hedgehoppers playing the local pub scene and arranges live gigs to showcase the band at weekends. By June, The Hedgehoppers have opened for Unit Four Plus Two, The Hollies and The Kinks among others.
November (22) The Hedgehoppers make their first appearance in Cambridge, playing at the Alley.
December (26) The band performs at the Corn Exchange, Cambridge with The Cascades.
1965
February (7) The Hedgehoppers play at the Alley Club in Cambridge.
March (6) The Hedgehoppers appear at the Victoria Ballroom in Cambridge.
(14) The band returns to the Alley Club for another show.
April (1) The group performs at the Victoria Ballroom in Cambridge.
(17) The Hedgehoppers open for The Primitives at the Corn Exchange, Cambridge.
May (8) The group plays at the Victoria Ballroom, Cambridge.
(22) The Hedgehoppers open for Brian Poole & The Tremeloes at the Corn Exchange, Cambridge.
July (3) The band returns for another show at the Victoria Ballroom in Cambridge.
(17) The Hedgehoppers appear at the Dorothy Ballroom in Cambridge with Bob Ludman and His Orchestra, The Seminoles and Ben Elliot and The Klan. Alan Laud (b. 13 March 1946, Whittlesey, Cambridgeshire), who is a civilian living near the RAF base takes over from Cockayne on rhythm guitar after meeting the musicians in a local pub.
August The Hedgehoppers are playing at the Corn Exchange in Cambridge when they are spotted by Trinity College student Kenneth King (aka Jonathan King), who is working as a producer for Decca Records through his own company “Jonathan King Enterprises”. The aspiring producer is about to release the single “Everyone’s Gone To The Moon” under his recording name Jonathan King and approaches The Hedgehoppers to see if they will record another of his songs – “It’s Good News Week”. King, who is keener on becoming a producer than a singer, suggests that they add the Anonymous tag so that they can keep their fan base but protect their anonymity from the RAF, which is unaware of the recording. The band records “It’s Good News Week” under the musical direction of Arthur Greenslade, who adds session players, including guitarist “Big” Jim Sullivan, to back Tinsley on the track.
(14) Still billed as The Hedgehoppers, they play at the Victoria Ballroom in Cambridge.
September King’s tongue-in-cheek protest song, “It’s Good News Week” backed by “Afraid of Love” is released. The single’s success generates a huge amount of publicity but also creates problems with the RAF, which has not given the musicians the proper authority to find employment outside the Armed Forces. Hedgehoppers Anonymous make their debut TV appearance on ITV’s Ready Steady Go! They also appear on BBC TV’s Top of The Pops to plug the single.
(11) Billed as The Hedgehoppers, they play at the Victoria Ballroom in Cambridge.
October Tinsley successfully submits an application to the RAF for a discharge.
(1) Still billed as The Hedgehoppers, they appear at Bassingbourn Village College, Bassingbourn, Cambridgeshire with The Hornets.
(15) NME reports that Dash, Honeyball and Stewart have applied to the RAF for a discharge but it is not known whether these will be accepted. Behind the scenes, London session musician Glenn Martin (b. 22 January 1946, Wembley Park, Middlesex), who is the resident drummer at the Ad-Lib club and has been playing with Ayshea Brough, takes over from Leslie Dash for live gigs while the drummer tries to gain a discharge.
(29) With Martin onboard, the new line up plays at the YOR Club, Parr Hall, Warrington, Cheshire with The Boys in support . On the same day, NME reports that the future of Hedgehoppers Anonymous is still in the balance as it is uncertain whether Dash, Honeyball and Stewart’s applications will be accepted. Soon after, Stewart successfully gains a release from the RAF. Meanwhile, the group is forced to turn down an offer to join the Gene Pitney tour because of the travelling involved.
(30) Hedgehoppers Anonymous perform at Altrincham Stamford Hall in Altrincham, Greater Manchester.
(31) The group makes an appearance at Peter Stringfellow’s Sheffield Mojo club, Yorkshire.
November (2) The band performs on Rediffusion’s Five O’Clock Funfair.
(3) Hedgehoppers Anonymous play at the Kingston Cellar in Kingston-upon-Thames, Surrey.
(4) They perform at the Swindon Locarno Ballroom in Swindon, Wiltshire.
(5) Hedgehoppers Anonymous play at Leighton Baths, Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire.
(6) “It’s Good News Week” peaks at UK #5 and also reaches #48 in the US Billboard chart. On the same day, the band are billed to appear at Rawtenstall Astoria, Rawtenstall, Lancashire.
(7) Hedgehoppers Anonymous perform at the Carlton in Slough, Berkshire.
(8) The following day, the band plays at the Atalanta Ballroom in Woking, Surrey.
(10) Following a show at High Wycombe Town Hall the previous day, the group performs at the Stevenage Locarno in Stevenage, Hertfordshire.
(11) They perform at Wisbech Rose and Crown, Wisbech, Cambridgeshire.
(13) The Grantham Journal lists the band appearing at Drill Hall, Grantham, Lincolnshire with Them Dogs and The Scene.
(16) Hedgehoppers Anonymous appear at an All-nighter session at the Cavern in Liverpool with The Baskerville Hounds, The Verbs, The Drifting Sands, The Richmond Group, The Dresdens, The Almost Blues, The Harpos, The Masterminds and The Fourmost.
(18) The band plays at the 100 Club in Oxford Street, London.
(26) NME reports that Dash and Honeyball are likely to be temporarily replaced because their applications to buy themselves out of the RAF have been turned down a second time. The magazine goes on to say that Dash and Honeyball will return to RAF Wittering today and their availability for appearances – as close as next week – is still uncertain. The band’s agent Chris Peers tells NME that the two musicians will work on as many dates as possible, but for some bookings replacements will have to be brought in. Behind the scenes, however, Dash decides not to continue with the band and will later move out to South Africa where he currently resides. Glenn Martin takes over but will not be officially announced as Dash’s replacement until December. On the same day, the band appears Hillside Ballroom, Hereford with The Alan Walker Group .
December Decca rush releases a second single to capitalise on the success of “It’s Good News Week” but the Kenneth King written “Don’t Push Me” c/w “Please Don’t Hurt Your Heart for Me” sells poorly. Like Dash, Ray Honeyball cannot get a release from the RAF. Former Von Dykes bass player Lee Jackson is brought in and put on a retainer. The idea is that he will fill in for Honeyball whenever the bass player cannot honour an engagement. While on a retainer, Jackson plays some shows with John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers.
(1) The band plays at Stourbridge Town Hall, Stourbridge, West Midlands.
(2) Hedgehoppers Anonymous perform at the Blue Moon club in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire with The Alan Walker Group.
(3) They appear at Trowbridge Town Hall in Trowbridge, Wiltshire.
(4) The group plays Redhill Market Hall in Redhill, Surrey.
(6) Hedgehoppers Anonymous appear at Bridgewater Town Hall, Bridgewater, Somerset.
(8) They play at Kidderminster Town Hall, Kidderminster, Worcestershire.
(11) Hedgehoppers Anonymous appear at Nelson Imperial in Nelson, Lancashire.
(12) The group plays a show at Manchester Oasis club.
(16) The band appears at the Pier Pavilion in Worthing, West Sussex.
(17) NME announces that Keith Jackson and Glenn Martin have formally replaced Ray Honeyball and Leslie Dash who have been unable to obtain discharges from the RAF.
(22) Record Mirror announces the new line up, introducing Lee Jackson. However, Jackson only appears in a few publicity photos before finding work elsewhere. He subsequently joins Gary Farr & The T-Bones and then The Nice. Londoner Tom Fox takes over on bass from The Beat Boys and Barry Edwards and The Semi-Tones.
(27) The group plays at Bath Pavilion, according to Western Scene.
1966
January Having signed up to Chris Peers Promotions the previous year, the new line up starts to pick up steady work around the country.
(15) Boyfriend magazine lists the group appearing at the George Ballroom, Hinckley, Leicestershire.
(21-26) Boyfriend magazine reports that the band is touring Scotland.
(29) Boyfriend magazine has the group playing at the Town Hall in Bishop’s Stortford, Herts.
April Martin suggests that Hedgehoppers Anonymous cut a version of Chip Taylor’s “Wild Thing”, which is recorded and prepared for release. However, according to Martin, Kenneth King is not convinced about the song’s merit and persuades the musicians to record “Baby (You’re My Everything)” (a Little Jerry Williams ballad that Jonathan King had the rights to) instead. Shortly afterwards, The Troggs top the charts with their own version of “Wild Thing”, allegedly after hearing Hedgehoppers Anonymous’ unreleased version. However, Jonathan King relates “the demo of Wild Thing was first played to me by the publishers; I loved the song and allowed the guys to play on it but their version wasn’t even as good as the demo so I passed and the song was given to Larry Page who produced it with the Troggs.”
(22) The Southend Standard lists the band playing at the Cricketers Inn, Westcliff, Southend, Essex with Bubbles & Co.
May Having appeared on ITV’s Ready Steady Go! Hedgehoppers Anonymous return with a third single, “Baby (You’re My Everything)” c/w “Remember”. The band’s poppy sound, however, increasingly sounds dated, and the single does not chart.
June (10) Hedgehoppers Anonymous play at the California Ballroom, Dunstable with The Felders.
(11) Melody Maker reports that Mick Tinsley has been ordered to rest for a week after being injured by fans at the Star Rink Ballroom, West Hartlepool last weekend. The band appears on BBC Radio’s Saturday Club this weekend.
July (23) They appear at St Mary’s Hall in Bognor Regis, West Sussex with Listen.
August (26) The band moves towards a more harder-edge rock sound, which culminates in the mod/freakbeat classic “Daytime” which is backed by “That’s The Time”. Unfortunately, the single is not a chart success. “Daytime” is an adaption of Les 5 Gentlemen’s “Dis-Nous Dylan” (originally co-written by Jean Fredenucci of Les 5 Gentlemen and T. Saunders) with English lyrics by John Stewart. Les 5 Gentlemen also record “Daytime” with Stewart’s lyrics for a release on the Major Minor label as Darwin’s Theory.
September (10) Hedgehoppers Anonymous record for BBC Radio’s Saturday Club with Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick and Tich, The Fortunes and Glen Dale.
October The band plays at the Lyceum Ballroom in London on a bill that includes Tom Jones.
(12) Hedgehoppers Anonymous appear at Tiles nightclub on Oxford Street in central London with The Excels.
(15) The band plays at Leyton Baths Hall, Leyton, east London with The Plague.
(22) Hedgehoppers Anonymous play at Bedford Corn Exchange, Bedford with The Day-Stroms and The Tone Benders.
November (26) The band appears at Leas Cliff Hall, Folkestone, Kent with The Kingpins.
December (9) Final single Alan Laud’s “Stop Press” c/w “Little Memories” is another chart failure.
(17) Hedgehoppers Anoymous perform at Wilton Hall, Bletchley, Bucks with The Addix.
(23) The band appears Lewes Town Hall, Lewes, East Sussex with The Zombies and The Teen Team.
1967
January (6) The band plays at the Winter Gardens, Droitwich, Worcestershire.
(7) Hedgehoppers Anonymous appear at the Marine Ballroom, Morecambe Pier, Lancashire.
(14) NME reports that the current Hedgehoppers Anonymous will split up on 11 February but that Martin and Fox are planning to form a new group, which will probably use the same name. On the same day, Mike Tinsley releases his debut solo single, “Let It Be Me”, produced by Kenneth King, on Decca. The publication also announces that Alan Laud and John Stewart will be forming a trio with ex-Overlanders’ member Terry Widlake but the collaboration never happens. Alan Laud later moves to Spain where he runs a bar in Torremolinos while John Stewart, who is intent on pursuing a career as a songwriter, subsequently relocates to the United States. He currently works in a recording studio in Tennessee. Rather than keep the Hedgehoppers Anonymous name going, Glenn Martin and Tom Fox get a job with blues singer Kenny Barnard, who is opening at the Bag O’Nails club after resident band The Peddlers have moved on.
(22) Martin (on his 21st birthday) and Fox back Kenny Barnard at the Bag O’Nails club. Soon after The Peddlers return to the Bag O’Nails and Barnard’s band finds itself without any work. The musicians go their separate ways. Tom Fox disappears from the music scene but allegedly commits suicide years later.
February (2) The band is advertised to play at the Embassy Suite, Thursday Club, Colchester, Essex with Hap and Unit 4.
(11) Hedgehoppers Anonymous officially disbands.
March Having moved to Halifax, West Yorkshire in February, Martin revives The Hedgehoppers Anonymous name and brings in lead guitarist Ian Atkinson from The Morton Fraser Harmonica Gang. Atkinson recommends his friend from Leeds, bass player Howard Livett. Keyboard player Vincent Crane joins for a few gigs but soon leaves to form The Crazy World of Arthur Brown. Atkinson contacts his friend organist/singer Chris Lazenby, who has previously worked with the guitarist in Bradford band, The Del Rio 4. They also recruit a second lead guitar player from Oldham. The new version mixes band originals – “It’s Good News Week”, “Don’t Push Me” and “Daytime” with covers material.
April The new line up embarks on a busy schedule of nation-wide gigs that takes in venues as far flung as Glasgow and Leicester.
August Lazenby and the second lead guitarist depart when Martin convinces original singer Mick Tinsley to return to front the band. Lazenby joins the house band at Butlins in Minehead and reunites with Glenn Martin in 1970 when their band works the summer and winter seasons at the Butlins Hotels in Cliftonville near Margate, Kent.
(25) With Tinsley back onboard, the band performs at the Boogaloo, Castleford, West Yorkshire with The Move.
September (16) Hedgehoppers Anonymous appear the Top Spot Ballroom, Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire with The Knack .
October Hedgehoppers Anonymous featuring Mick Tinsley, Glenn Martin, Howard Livett and Ian Atkinson embark on a short tour of Sweden and Lapland.
(6) While playing at the Cue Club in Gothenburg, Stoke-on-Trent band The Colour Supplement open the show. The band’s singer Phil Tunstall will join a new, completely unrelated, version of Hedgehoppers Anonymous in December 1968.
(18) Liseberg Pop In Club in Gothenburg.
November On their return to the UK, Tinsley resumes a solo career. He later becomes a co-writer for songs covered by Joe Dolan and Kelly Marie. In the late 1960s/early 1970s, Livett works on the Mecca scene with the band Huckleberry and spends over 10 years playing the Leeds City Varieties but passes away in August 2005. Martin joins Sandie Shaw’s backing group, The Streamliners, featuring Stoke-on-Trent musicians Tony Kaye (guitar), Dave Birkenhead (organ) and John Askey (bass). While with Sandie Shaw & The Streamliners, Martin will appear at the MIDEM Festival in Cannes in January 1968. When Martin leaves The Streamliners in February, Tony Kaye decides to use the Hedgehoppers Anonymous name for a new, completely unrelated, band, which with a modified line up will continue into the early 1970s, recording in South Africa as Hedgehoppers. Mick Tinsley sings “Wrap Me in Love” co-written with Peter Hawkins of Pickettywitch as a soloist for the UK at the Yamaha World Song Festival in Tokyo 1976. He co-writes songs with Peter Yellowstone for Joe Dolan and Kelly Marie.
2009
October Tinsley’s solo album My Surival is released on the British Academy Songwriters Composers Authors’ label. The album is produced by Tony Swain, who has previously worked with Spandau Ballet, Alison Moyet and Bananarma among others.
2010
June Prism Leisure Records re-release two CDs featuring Tinsley singing on the songs “Songs That Won The War” and “English Street Party” recorded in the 1990s. Glenn Martin, who has worked as a session drummer over the last 40 years is drum chair at the Surrey Jazz Orchestra.
December (4) Tinsley will be appearing at the Amersham Rock and Roll Club with Chris Farlowe, Vanity Fair, The Searchers and Honeybus.
Sources:
The Best of The Cellars – The Story of the Cavern Club by Phil Thompson, Tempus Publishing Limited, 2007.
New Musical Express, 1 October 1965 (page 9), 15 October 1965 (pages 9 and 13), 29 October 1965 (pages 6, 9 and 10), 26 November 1965 (page 9), 17 December 1965 (page 6), 14 January 1967 (page 8).
Many thanks to Mick Tinsley, Glenn Martin, Jonathan King, Chris Lazenby, Mick Cockayne, Lee Jackson, Jenni Livett, Christopher Hjort, Tertius Louw, Paul Green and Tony Walter for providing further details. Thank you to Paul Tinsley for the photo of Mick Tinsley in May 2010. Thanks also to Samuel Coomans for one of the sleeve scans and to Hans Olof Gottfridsson.
Mike Tinsley’s “My Survival” is available on the BASCA Academy Recording Digital label and can be purchased on Amazon.
Newspapers including Cambridge News.
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.
I have tried to ensure the accuracy of this article but I appreciate that there are likely to be errors and omissions. I would appreciate any feedback from anyone who can provide any additions or corrections. Email: Warchive@aol.com
While looking through the Bradford Telegraph and Argus for gig listings, I stumbled across this one for Hedgehoppers Anonymous: Queen’s Hall, Bradford on 27 January 1967. It suggests that Martin had a new version of the band with Ian Atkinson, Howard Levitt and possibly Vincent Crane planned before the originals split, unless this was with Tinsley before the first break up.
Hedgehoppers Anonymous played at TA Hall in Kingston, Surrey on the 2nd April, 1966
The band appeared at the above venue on 13 December 1965
According to the Camberley News, the band appeared at the Agincourt Ballroom in Camberley on 31 October 1965 but they were also booked to play another venue on this day unless they did two shows.
That is correct. As their then Manager I was with them and met the owner Bob Potter
Was going through the Fabulous 208 magazine this weekend and found tons and tons of gigs for the first incarnation. These two popped up as some of the last ones with Mike Tinsley
21 January 1967 – Rainbow Suite, Birmingham
2 February 1967 – Embassy Suite, Colchester
Found an article in the Southeast London Mercury newspaper from 13 August 1965, which details Glenn Martin’s pre-Hedgehoppers band at the Ad-Lib club.
Kenny Bernard & The Wranglers:
Kenny Bernard – vocals
Alan Reeves – organ
Trevor West – rhythm guitar
John Taft – lead guitar
Colin McKie – bass
Ian Saunders – tenor sax
Glenn Martin – drums
Found this gig in Birmingham Evening Mail for the line up that Glenn Martin put together in 1967.
12 July 1967 – Mackadown, Kitts Green
Another gig from 1967 with only Glenn Martin from the originals:
29 April 1967 – Warmingham Grange Country Club with Harry Brown and His Band of Renown (Northwich Chronicle)
Found some interesting information in regional newspapers:
MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS:
Hedgehoppers Anonymous played at Sbycsuperscene in Withington on 16 June 1967
WARRINGTON GUARDIAN:
Billed as Hedgehoppers, they played at Warrington’s Carlton Club with the Expressions on 18 August 1967
YORKSHIRE EVENING POST:
Hedgehoppers Anonymous opened for The Move at the Boogaloo in Castleford on 25 August 1967
According to an article in the same newspaper on Saturday, 19 August, page 3, the Mike Tinsley, Glenn Martin, Ian Atkinson and Howard Livett line up came together in August and not September 1967. They apparently had a single due out.
I met Mike Tinsley while I was working in Purchasing for a company in Northants. He was a salesman for a well known national company with a mass of cheaper competitors, but he did a great selling job on me. He established in no time that one of my great passions was music, and that I lived as a youngster through the sixties, associated with a band. He also found that I met my wife in Norfolk, where her father was stationed in the RAF at Marham. This led to him telling me he was in HA and of course I didn’t believe him. The proof, I said would be in him standing on my desk in a well staffed office, and singing IT’S GOOD NEWS WEEK!!! I never believed for a minute that he would do it, but on his next visit, there he was on my desk, with all the girls swooning! Great guy, hope he’s still gigging!
Some more missing gigs from Eastern Evening News:
10 February 1966 – Washington Club 400, Washington, Norfolk with Helen Shapiro, Unit 4 Plus 2 and others
30 March 1966 – Tower Balllroom Great Yarmouth with Continentals
4 September 1966 – Orford Cellar, Norwich
I am trying to locate Les Dash. We were both 35th Entry at RAF Cosford, and then served together at RAF Valley. I understand that he now resides in South Africa. I would be most grateful if anyone knows of his current whereabouts and contact details.
JR.
Looks like the Glenn Martin line-up prior to Mike Tinsley rejoining played around the Wolverhampton area a fair bit in the summer of 1967. These are all from the local paper, the Express and Star:
6 July 1967 – 3 Men in a Boat, Walsall
9 July 1967 – Staffs Volunteer, Wolverhampton
15 July 1967 – Hednesford Civic Centre, Hednesdford with Birds ‘n’ Bees and British Standard
17 July 1967 – Civic Centre, Wolverhampton with 7/8 Set
22 July 1967 – Bridgenorth RFC, Swancote Pavilion
26 July 1967 – Watersplash Night Club, Walsall Wood
Hello, I am trying to locate any information on a band called The Pines from approx 1966-1968. My Dad was the drummer and according to my Mom they opened for Hedgehoppers anonymous, the Moody Blues and Mud. She remembers them playing at the Wolverhampton civic hall and the Hen and Chickens in Langley.
If anyone has any info at all it would be so gratefully appreciated!
Many thanks.
Hi there
Will see what I can dig up
John Stewart last seen in the USA do you know if Christen came home with the family? Ex RAF mate now in OZ.
Found some more missing gigs from the Glenn Martin led band in summer-autumn ’67.
Hartlepool Mail lists the following:
Queens Rink Ballroom, Hartlepool on 28 July 1967 with Sky Type and The Tony King Sound
Peter Lee Jazz and Folk Club, Hartlepool on 20 August 1967 with Turm
From the Middlesbrough Evening Gazette:
The South Bank, Middlesbrough on 5 September 1967
From Redditch Indicator:
Warwick Arms, Redditch, Worcestershire with The Motivation on 7 July 1967
Cofton Club, Rednal, West Midlands with Samantha’s Moods on 21 July 1967
From Northampton Chronicle & Echo:
Rave Nite, Irchester on 8 July 1967
Mick Tinsley played with my band called Unit Six from Milton Keynes as a cabaret artist at some of our bookings back in the 70s, plus we backed him on some demo records he did at local recording studios
Thankyou Glanville,
Pleased to tell you that you can view my website…….theres a new single out in the next few weeks ……..miketinsley.co.uk and Im on Facebook…….so funny that I remember singing on the table…….I worked as a salesman during my efforts to write songs and had a great deal of success with RED BUS RECORDS and AMI /SONY/ATV with songs for Joe Dolan and Kelly.. Marie which charted around the world. Many are on youtube. You can also
view me singing under my own solo name of Mike Tinsley
Hi Mike
During the 1960s and 1970s I collected weekly record charts (surveys) from CHUM Radio 1050 in Toronto, Ontario.
Now that I am a retired teacher living near Toronto, I am collecting autographs of music stars listed on my charts. Would it be possible to mail a chart featuring “Hedgehoppers Anonymous” for you to autograph? The chart will come with a return envelope and postage.
Richard Mills
Milton, Ontario
Canada
e-mail: rmills4@cogeco.ca
The Bolton Evening News has the group at the Cromwellian in Bolton on 30 August 1967. This would have been with Tinsley back fronting the group.
According to Northamptonshire Evening Telegraph, the group played at the Rave Nite in Irchester, Northamptonshire with the Deep Line on 8 July 1967
Nick, you may be interested to know John Stewart (aka John James Stewart) had a very successful career as an engineer and producer in Canada in the 1970s (he moved there around 1970/1971) – most notably he engineered Elton John’s “Blue Moves” album including the hit single with Kiki Dee “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart” at Phase One in Toronto. He seems to have left for Nashville in the late 1970s/early 1980s but split his time between Tennessee and Canada managing Canadian country acts whom he would record in Nashville.
Check his profile on Discogs, there is a large amount of sources for his 70s career there.
What a small world!!! I am mates with Stan Endersby and he says he met John in England who produced the Mapleoak LP. When Stan returned to Toronto in early 71 and got involved with Heaven and Earth with Rick James, he found out John had emigrated to Toronto and asked him to produce the two 45s for RCA Victor. I had no idea it was the same John Stewart!!!
I recall that Hedgehoppers Anonymous played at a dance at my local village hall in Metheringham a village about 8 miles south of Lincoln. I thinl it was some time in the late 1960s and afew years after the big hit Good News Week. I know so because my older brother attended it. Does any one have any further information and record of this?
Few more gigs for the band
3 July 1967 – Mercers Arms, Coventry (Coventry Evening Telegraph)
11 July 1967 – Casablanca Club, Sportsman’s Arms, Allesley, Coventry (Coventry Evening Telegraph)
The Hedgehoppers played at the Victoria Ballroom in Cambridge on 11 September 1965
this is Les Dash now just turned 77. A couple of things guys. No 1 who got my drum kit made for me by Premier having signed a three year contract with them. It should have been a black set. i never saw it or was contacted about it. No2. The guy stayingin S.Africa has the original demo record of Good News Week. I have seen it on the internet. It was loaned to him and never returned. Enjoy it mate your a thief and you know how you got it. No3 i was trreatened with lawyers if i did not give up all rights to royalties after leaving the band . this i took up with my lawyers and the nonsense stopped. i presumed that whoever took my place was responsible. i have no proof of that . No 4. some of the dates are wrong as myself and Ray did the Radio Luxemburg show in London with the Small Faces..Tom Jones, Unit four plus 2. Barry Magiire {Eve of Destruction } fame etc. Plus the Cavern and a show in Manchester the night before travelling to the Cavern from Manchester. Also we did the kids show on ITV in Bristol before doing top of the Pops with Jimmy Saville. WE did several other gigs as the dates are wrong . Somewhere i have a list of all bookings of late 65 issued by West end Promotions. No 5 I went to Malaysia in 1966 and S.Africa in 1975. having lived here since. I came here with the South African Broadcasting Corporation having been with them basically ever since. on the Transmission side and now known as Sentech.No6 The original photo of the band was taken in front of a Handley Page Victor not a Vulcan as stated. Wittering was a Victor base and indeed converting from high Level to Low level resulting in the conversion from all white to Camoflauge.
Hey Leslie Dash you probably won’t remember me I am Ray’s eldest daughter I am so pleased to see that you have set the record straight with your comments. It really pisses me off that other members that joined the group that were not part of the original group that actually made the early songs famous ,have taken the glory from you Dad alan laud J Stewart and M Tinsley I still have the original pre professional and post professional photos of THE ORIGINAL LINE UP
Just wondered how life has treated you over the years. We used to work together at Dingli cliffs transmitter site in Malta. Not sure of the years but a long time ago!
Hi Leslie
During the 1960s and 1970s I collected weekly record charts (surveys) from CHUM Radio 1050 in Toronto, Ontario.
Now that I am a retired teacher living near Toronto, I am collecting autographs of music stars listed on my charts. Would it be possible to mail a chart featuring “Hedgehoppers Anonymous” for you to autograph? The chart will come with a return envelope and postage.
Richard Mills
Milton, Ontario
Canada
e-mail: rmills4@cogeco.ca
Hi Les. Greetings from Michael O’Halloran. Wittering 62/63. GRSF.
HI les. Its good to see your comments. I am pleased to read the Truth. SO MUCH RUBBISH written about the group. I took the phone calls from ATV requesting the group appear on the Sunday Night at the London Palladium plus calls to do a 6 week tour with the Beatles ( if you remember the group paid 100gns to Apple for them to help with your stage presentation and in return it was reported to their management just how good you were so the offer was made and because I was still in the RAF I passed both offers on to John Martin who had assumed your management without my permission. Two days later I got a call requesting HA do a 6 week Gene Pitney tour which I also passed on. I told my immediate boss that I needed to urgently go to London and sort it out and the next moment I was instructed to report to the Wing /Co Admin at HQ where I got a severe dressing down and threatened with jail as I was reminded I was in the RAF and therefore must not leave camp. I phoned Martin who was very rude and just said the group were not available on the many dates offered. Then my future calls were blocked. NEXT I receive notice that I was sacked as manager??? Which caused undo stress as I had purchased my release from the RAF so no income and three children and my wife to look after
I remember Les Dash in Penang, Malaysia in 1966. As well as a drummer, Les is an accomplished guitarist, and taught me to play. He formed a group called Project 4, and played many gigs on Penang. I hope he is keeping well and still playing.
22 July 1967 – Bridgnorth RFC, Swancote Pavilion, Shropshire (Shropshire Star)
Hi Les. Greetings from Michael O’Halloran. Wittering 62/63. GRSF.