Arthur Brown (lead vocals)
Heather Swinson (vocals)
Paul Brett (lead guitar)
Art Regis (keyboards)
Tony Priestland (aka Tony Crane) (alto sax)
Derek Griffiths (tenor sax)
Roy Stacey (bass)
Jim Toomey (drums)
While still studying at Reading University and recording with The Diamonds, Arthur Brown joined The Swinging Machines around April 1965 (Ed. Arthur Brown says he had previously sung with The South West Five).
Adapting the band’s name to Arthur Brown & The Machines, the band gigged incessantly until November/December, changing name to The Arthur Brown Union in July. During this period, the band was photographed on Putney Heath.
Stacey remembers that the group opened for The Spencer Davis Group at the Ricky-Tick in Hampshire (possibly Basingstoke) and went down a storm. (Ed. This gig is likely to be at the Galaxy Club at Basingstoke Town Hall on 27 August 1965.)
“There were lots of foreign students. Spencer opened the first and closing sets with The Arthur Brown Union in the middle,” he recalls.
“Once Spencer started up the students left the dance floor moving into the bar. When The Union opened the middle set old ‘Brownie’ introduced us in French then went into medley of up-tempo soul and funk. The dance floor was heaving. They loved us. When Spencer returned for the closing set the students vacated the dance floor.”
The bass player also remembers that Don Arden booked the band for a gig near Manchester but failed to tell them that he’d booked the gig under the name The Echoes, Dusty Springfield’s backing band.
“When we arrived, the promoter looked somewhat puzzled,” remembers Stacey. “To our surprise, Arden had booked us out as Dusty Springfield & The Echoes. We said, ‘Dusty’s ill’, couldn’t come’. Less than pleased he was. We did the gig and didn’t get paid.”
Sometime around late November (possibly mid-December), Arthur Brown departed and Dave Terry (aka Elmer Gantry) from The Impacts took over as front man. The group then briefly worked as The High Society before reverting to the name, The Union.
Notable gigs as Arthur Brown & The Machines:
8 May 1965 – Galaxy Club, Victoria Hotel, Basingstoke, Hampshire (Hampshire and Berkshire Gazette) Spelt Machenes (says seven piece)
15 May 1965 – Co-op Rainbow Suite, Birmingham with The New Tones and The Taverners (Birmingham Evening Mail)
29 May 1965 – New Brompton Football League, Kent Alloys Canteen, Strood, Kent (Chatham, Rochester & Gillingham News) Billed as Arthur Brown and his band so may be a different group
5 June 1965 – Galaxy Club, Town Hall, Basingstoke, Hampshire (Hampshire and Berkshire Gazette) (Says eight piece)
6 June 1965 – Galaxy Club, Addlestone, Surrey (Woking Herald) Opening night
Notable gigs at The Arthur Brown Union:
27 August 1965 – Plug Hole, Tottenham Court Road, central London (Melody Maker)
3 September 1965 – Plug Hole, Tottenham Court Road, central London (Melody Maker)
13 September 1965 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with Jimmy James & The Vagabonds (Melody Maker)
6 October 1965 – 100 Club, Oxford Street, central London (Melody Maker)
9 October 1965 – Galaxy Club, Town Hall, Basingstoke, Hampshire (Hampshire and Berkshire Gazette)
13 October 1965 – 100 Club, Oxford Street, central London with The Downliners Sect (Melody Maker)
20 October 1965 – 100 Club, Oxford Street, central London with The Downliners Sect (Melody Maker)
25 October 1965 – Pavilion Ballroom, Bournemouth, Dorset (website: https://bournemouthbeatboom.wordpress.com/)
31 October 1965 – Whitehall, East Grinstead, West Sussex (Sussex Evening Express)
11 December 1965 – Galaxy Club, Town Hall, Basingstoke, Hampshire (Hampshire and Berkshire Gazette) This may have been with Dave Terry although it is billed as with Arthur Brown
Thanks to Paul Brett, Arthur Brown, Roy Stacey, Art Regis and Elmer Gantry (aka Dave Terry) for helping with the story
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