Formed in early 1967, the original line up played regularly at the Railway Hotel, Greenford on Sunday mornings. Tony Bramwell had previously played with The Fantoms.
The Hum Drum Band also performed regularly at the White Bear in Hounslow where they often ran into Dave Cousins who played there before The Strawbs became famous.
When John Iggleden left (possibly to join The Downliners Sect), the group subsequently brought in a sax player called Brian (Marshall?).
The Hum Drum Band broke up in 1969 and Steve Dunkley went on to play with several local bands before drumming on cruise ships. He later ran his own roofing firm.
Jon Guyett, who was an industrial chemist, went on to run his own business. Tony Bramwell, who subsequently married Jan Ball, qualified as chartered quantity surveyor.
Norman Rowe became a well-respected draughtsman in an architect’s practice.
Garage Hangover would be interested to hear from anyone who can provide more information on this group.
Thanks to Tony Bramwell for the information and photos.
The Sugar Band was formed in late 1966 out of the ashes of West London R&B/soul outfit, Colin Shane & The Shannons. Coxon had joined the outfit that summer after working with Hampton, Middlesex group, The Others.
Around September 1967, the group’s agent linked the band with Jamaican singer Delroy Williams and they worked initially as Delroy Williams & The Sugar Band before becoming The Delroy Williams Show. Go go dancers Una and Paula joined them on stage.
During late 1968, Dave Mumford and Dick Merrit departed and were replaced by new members.
However, a combination of poor management and artistic differences led to a split in early 1969 when Coxon left to join The Kool. He subsequently reunited with Dave Mumford in Calum Bryce alongside sax player Mel Wayne, who had been Colin Shane & The Shannons from 1962-1965.
Mumford had recorded the track ‘Love Maker’ under the name Calum Bryce and needed a group to tour to promote the single. The band recorded a second single, “In My Valley”, which was never released.
Notable gigs:
30 September 1967 – Hertford Corn Exchange, Hertford, Hertfordshire with Coloured Chicks (and 10-piece Sugar Band) (Welwyn Times) Billed as The Delroy Williams Show
8 October 1967 – Flamingo, Wardour Street, Soho, central London (Melody Maker)
14 October 1967 – High Wycombe Town Hall, High Wycombe, Bucks with Granny’s Show (Bucks Free Press) Billed as The Delroy Williams Show
20 October 1967 – Flamingo, Wardour Street, Soho, central London (Melody Maker)
25 November 1967 – Victoria Hotel, Forres, Scotland (Forres, Elgin & Nairn Gazette)
Photo may be subject to copyright
1 December 1967 – Ballerina, Nairn, Scotland with Keith Taylor (Forres, Elgin & Nairn Gazette)
25 December 1967 – Pink Flamingo, Wardour Street, Soho, central London (Melody Maker)
30 December 1967 – Garrison Theatre, Graven Hill, Bicester, Oxfordshire with The Amorous Prawns (Bicester Advertiser)
Photo may be subject to copyright
13 January 1968 – Gloucester Dance YMCA, Gloucester with The Intrepids (Gloucester Citizen)
19 January 1968 – Ritz, Bournemouth, Dorset (Bournemouth Evening Echo) Billed as The Delroy Williams Show
Photo may be subject to copyright
24 January 1968 – St Matthew’s Baths Hall, Ipswich, Suffolk with The Herd, James Brown, The Healers and The Stax (Ipswich Evening Star)
27 January 1968 – Sheridan Rooms, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire (Huddersfield Daily Examiner)
29 January 1968 – Rhodes Centre, Bishop’s Stortford, Herts (Steve Ingless book: The Day Before Yesterday)
2 February 1968 – Tiger’s Head, Downham, southeast London (South East London Mercury)
4 February 1968 – Sunday Club, Addlestone, Surrey (Woking Herald)
10 February 1968 – Blue Lagoon, Newquay, Cornwall with Spirit of John Morgan (West Briton & The Royal Cornwall Gazette) Billed as The Delroy Williams Show
1 March 1968 – Gig in Galashiels, Scotland
2 March 1968 – Gig in Glasgow, Scotland
3 March 1968 – Gig in Edinburgh, Scotland
4 March 1968 – Gig in Aberdeen, Scotland
5 March 1968 – Gig in Elgin, Scotland (probably Red Two Shoes)
6 March 1968 – Gig in Stonehaven, Scotland
7 March 1968 – Gig in Dundee, Scotland
8 March 1968 – Gig in Forfar, Scotland
9 March 1968 – Victoria Ballroom, Forres, Scotland (Forres Elgin & Nairn Gazette)
9 March 1968 – Gig in Edinburgh, Scotland
10 March 1968 – Gig in Glasgow, Scotland
11-16 March 1968 – Playboy Club, Park Lane, central London
17 March 1968 – Gig in Leytonstone, Essex
18-23 March 1968 – Playboy Club, Park Lane, central London
24 March 1968 – 76 Club, Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire (Burton Daily Mail)
25 March 1968 – Recording
26 March 1968 – Bournemouth, Dorset (probably the Ritz)
27 March 1968 – Catford, southeast London
28 March 1968 – Ealing, west London
29 March 1968 – Flamingo, Wardour Street, Soho, London
30 March 1968 – Gloucester, Gloucestershire
31 March 1968 – Gillingham, Kent
1 April 1968 – Rhodes Centre, Bishop’s Stortford, Herts with the D C Dancers (Steve Ingless book: The Day Before Yesterday)
11 April 1968 – Colchester, Essex (Melody Maker)
12 April 1968 – Eastbourne, East Sussex (Melody Maker)
Photo may be subject to copyright
13 April 1968 – Princes Theatre & Ballroom, Yeovil, Somerset with The Generation (Western Gazette)
14 April 1968 – Stockport, Greater Manchester (Melody Maker)
15 April 1968 – Leeds, West Yorkshire (Melody Maker)
16 April 1968 – Hanley, Staffordshire (Melody Maker)
17 April 1968 – Revolution, Mayfair, central London (Melody Maker)
18 April 1968 – Abingdon, Oxfordshire (Melody Maker)
19 April 1968 – Perton (Melody Maker)
20 April 1968 – Waddington (Melody Maker)
21 April 1968 – Silver Ends (Melody Maker)
22-23 April 1968 – London (Melody Maker)
26 April 1968 – Steering Wheel, Weymouth Pavilion, Weymouth, Dorset with Jimmy James & The Vagabonds, The New Trend and The Continuity Big D Show (Dorset Evening Echo/Western Gazette) Billed as Delroy Williams and The Sugar Band
Photo may be subject to copyright
27 April 1968 – 400 Ballroom, Torquay, Devon (Herald Express)
29 April 1968 – London (Melody Maker)
4 May 1968 – Hastings Pier, Hastings, East Sussex with Unabridged Telephone Directory (Roger Bistow’s research at Dizzy Tiger Music website)
1 June 1968 – Savoy, Catford, southeast London (Melody Maker)
8 June 1968 – Town Hall, Clacton, Essex (Essex County Standard)
22 June 1968 – Savoy, Catford, southeast London (Melody Maker)
6 July 1968 – Roaring 20’s Club, Carnaby Street, central London (Melody Maker)
27 July 1968 – Roaring 20’s Club, Carnaby Street, central London (Melody Maker)
Photo may be subject to copyright
2 August 1968 – El Grotto, Ilford, east London (Redbridge & Ilford Recorder)
10 August 1968 – Princes Theatre & Ballroom, Yeovil, Somerset with Tomorrow’s Children (Western Gazette)
12 August 1968 – Dreamland Ballroom, Margate, Kent with The Cortinas (East Kent Times & Mail)
16 August 1968 – Ballerina Ballroom, Nairn, Scotland with The New Jacobeats (Forres Elgin & Nairn Gazette)
Photo may be subject to copyright
31 August 1968 – Blue Pacific, Bristol Hotel, Gloucester (Gloucester Citizen)
2 September 1968 – Weymouth Pavilion Theatre, Weymouth, Dorset with Unruly Members (Dorset Evening Echo)
Photo may be subject to copyright
14 September 1968 – Alex Disco Club, Salisbury, Wiltshire (Western Gazette)
Photo may be subject to copyright
23 November 1968 – Chard Guildhall, Chard, Somerset with The Storm (Western Gazette)
Photo may be subject to copyright
21 December 1968 – Bedford Corn Exchange, Bedford with Rudi’s Rock and Steve Young Sounds (Bedfordshire Times)
22 December 1968 – Central R&B Club, Central Hotel, Gillingham, Kent with The Amboy Dukes (Chatham, Rochester & Gillingham Evening Post)
Many thanks to Geoff Coxon for background information on the Sugar Band.
Garage Hangover would love to hear from anyone who can provide more information on the band and its members.
Johnny Eaton – lead vocals Dave Thompson – lead guitar Louis McKelvey – rhythm guitar Dave Wigginton – bass Alan Worrell – drums
Johnny & The Pursuers was a short-lived R&B outfit from Twickenham, Middlesex, formed around 1961. Drummer Alan Worrell had gone to Spring Grove Grammar School in Isleworth and was classmates with future Small Faces keyboard player Ian McLagan. They had previously worked together in a skiffle group with Terry Munro.
According to Worrell, Ian McLagan designed and produced the group’s business cards in black and silver (see bottom).
On 28 April 1962, the band took part in the Twickenham Rhythm contest alongside local rivals Colin Shane & The Shannons and The Bullets. They also played at Wimbledon Theatre for a week in the Tommy Trinder variety show.
In early 1963, Dave Wigginton and Louis McKelvey departed to join Jeff Curtis & The Flames while Worrell went on to play with Colin Shane & The Shannons.
Garage Hangover would be interested to hear more about this band and what happened to its members.
Thanks to Alan Worrell for the information and images.
E Biggs – vocals P Ravenill – lead guitar B Brown – rhythm guitar J Bennett – bass Keith McGregor – drums
The Bullets were a little known West London R&B band who participated in the 1962 Borough of Twickenham Rhythm contest on 28 April 1962 alongside Johnny & The Pursuers and Colin Shane & The Shannons.
Keith McGregor later played with Nightshift who had featured Jeff Beck on guitar before he had joined.
Garage Hangover would be interested to hear more about this band and what happened to its members.
London Beats in Poland, 1965. Left to right: John Carroll, Jimmy Smith, Peter Carney and Mick Tucker
The London Beats were the first Western rock band to tour behind the Iron Curtain, releasing an ultra-rare LP in Poland and three Polish-only EPs.
Significantly, its members also went on to such notable bands as Geno Washington’s Ram Jam Band, Fortes Mentum, Hamilton & The Hamilton Movement, The Flower Pot Men, The Nashville Teens, Aquila, Cressida and Tranquility.
Moonriders, left to right: Mick Godfrey, Simon Coaffee, Tony Terry, Mick Tucker and Tony Jones
Lead guitarist/singer Mick Tucker, rhythm guitarist/singer Tony Terry and bass player Simon Coaffee (aka Sam Clifton) first came together in Horley, Surrey outfit, The Moonriders, in early 1963, alongside singer Tony Jones and drummer Mick Godfrey. Not long after, the band changed name to The Pete Chester Combo after Chester took over the drum stool.
“For a while [Pete] became the band leader, because to us he was nationally famous,” explains Tucker. “His dad was a big radio star. Charlie Chester was a household name in the 1960s.”
Tony Jones, however, didn’t stay long and Mick Tucker poached lead singer Frank Bennett from local rivals, The Rockatones. Paired with producer Mickie Most, who introduced South African singer Jackie Frisco (later Gene Vincent’s wife) and his brother Dave Hayes as guest singers, The Pete Chester Combo recorded “Love Comes Only Once”, which was subsequently shelved.
Pete Chester Combo, 1963. Left to right: Tony Jones, Mick Tucker, Simon Coaffee, Pete Chester and Tony Terry
When Pete Chester retired that autumn, original sticks man Mick Godfrey briefly re-joined, just in time for an aborted six-day tour of Israel.
Reverting to The Moonriders, the quintet cut a private demo disc comprising five songs – “Da Doo Ron Ron”, “Every Day”, “Love Potion No 9”, “Memphis Tennessee” and “Talk About You”, and this landed the band a contract with Johnnie Jones’s London City Agency. The agent suggested a new name.
“The London Beats was his [Johnnie Jones’s] idea, particularly in Europe because it said where we were from and what sort of music we played,” explains Tucker.
London Beats, early 1964, left to right: Mick Tucker, Tony Terry, Frank Bennett, Jimmy Smith, Simon Coaffee
Jones arranged a six-month deal with a promoter in West Germany, kicking off in January 1964, but Mick Godfrey bailed. Shuffling the pack, Frank Bennett recommended drummer Jimmy Smith from Lewes band, The Shades.
The London Beats shortly after James Smith joined. Photo: Mid Sussex Times
“Frank used to turn up to quite a few late ’63 gigs; he’d come up on stage and do a few numbers with us,” says Smith. “I remember being really impressed by his R&B voice.”
Departing for Frankfurt in March 1964, The London Beats worked the German club scene and American bases until mid-December, by which point Tony Terry had returned home (later forming The Pack).
In London, Mickie Most played the musicians a pre-release master tape of The Animals’ “House of The Rising Sun”. “We knew straight away that it would be a hit record,” remembers Coaffee.
That December, the quartet recorded a cover of Ian Tyson’s “Four Strong Winds” with producer Terry Kennedy, possibly credited as Bennett Tucker.
According to Tucker, Kennedy was putting the final touches to ‘Funny How Love Can Be’ by The Ivy League, and ‘Catch The Wind’ by Donovan,” around the same time. He hired Simon Coaffee to play bass on The Ivy League’s “Tossin’ and Turnin’”.
Then, in January 1965, it was back to Germany for two months to play at the Funny Crow and Top Ten in Hamburg, the latter alongside Howie Casey’s band, Beryl Marsden and Paddy, Klaus & Gibson.
“We did some recordings at the Top Ten, which became a studio during the day,” remembers Tucker.
“Frank Bennett and I did some backing vocals for Isabelle Bond, the resident singer at the Top Ten club – German versions of ‘Bread and Butter’ and also ‘Downtown’. Klaus [Voorman] was also one of the backing singers.”
Back home, Jones offered them a three-month contract in Poland as part of a musician union exchange with the Polish Modern Jazz Quartet. However, Frank Bennett and Simon Coaffee weren’t interested.
“The Polish national agency wanted us because they’d heard through a third party at some trade fair in Poznan in Poland that we were making shed loads of money for our manager in Germany and so the Poles thought we’d like to get in on this,” explains Tucker. “They asked specifically for us even though they’d never heard of us.”
“My father wouldn’t let me go,” explains Bennett on his decision to bail out. “You couldn’t bring the money out, which was a problem. That was the reason. Also, I went back to Germany and joined The Statesmen, an American five-piece harmony band.”
In 1967, Bennett joined Fortes Mentum. The band later released three singles for Parlophone and enough material for an album, which has recently been issued on a CD with Pussy.
Keen to see behind the Iron Curtain, Tucker and Smith recruited an organist and bass player who would join them alongside a female vocalist, a specification in the Polish contract.
Through Melody Maker, they hired Hammond organist John Carroll, who recommended his band mate from Ealing group, The Flexmen – bass player Peter Carney.
Later on, Johnny Jones also recruited a female vocalist – Birmingham-based club singer Linda Crabtree (Linda Fortune) as a solo artist with her own contract.
The musicians headed to Poland in March 1965 and soon after recorded an ultra-rare LP for the Polskie Nagrania Muza label in a church hall in Wroclaw.
“The record company had trucked in a twin-track mobile studio from Warsaw because our itinerary was full and they didn’t want to wait,” says Smith.
“The equipment was pretty old and they didn’t seem to have any experience of recording rock/pop music, resulting in the sound quality and balance leaving a lot to be desired.”
Something of a collector’s item, the album features a fascinating choice of covers, including Sam Cooke’s “Bring It On Home To Me”, Buddy Holly’s “Maybe Baby” and Burt Bacharach and Hal David’s “Walk On By”.
The London Beats in Poland, 1965. Left to right: John Carroll, Jimmy Smith, Peter Carney and Mick Tucker
With the initial contract nearing its end, Pagart (the Polish agency) offered to extend the group’s stay.
“We negotiated our own contract with the Polish authorities because we were fed up with the London City Agency, which had done nothing really to help us,” confesses Tucker.
“In the whole three months we were there [initially] we didn’t hear from them once. We were a bit pissed off with that, so we negotiated the next thing, which is why the name slightly changed to The Original London Beat. That was just for legal reasons.”
Left to right: John Carroll, Peter Carney and Mick Tucker
The quartet returned to Poland in late June but after about two months, John Carroll and Pete Carney returned to home, both joining Tony Knight’s Chessmen.
Carney would subsequently become a long-standing member of Geno Washington’s Ram Jam Band while Carroll would hook up with Herbie Goins & The Night-Timers and later join The Flowerpot Men.
Also back in the UK, Mick Tucker recruited bass player Kevin McCarthy from Tolworth, Surrey outfits The Trends (later The 4 Degrees) and The Peasants, and Australian rhythm guitarist Tony Stanton.
“Mick Tucker contacted me, came over and told me about The London Beats,” remembers McCarthy. “I played him a recording of the 4 Degrees, which must have been good enough for him to consider me for the job. We got together at his house in Horley to rehearse, where I met the new singer Sterry Moore.”
New line up. Left to right: Mick Tucker, Tony Stanton, Kevin McCarthy and Jimmy Smith
The female singer (no relation to actor Roger Moore) was brought in to take over from Linda Crabtree on both the recording and touring front. However, as McCarthy points out, Tucker’s decision to bring in another guitarist was a last minute decision.
“He found [a keyboardist] in Melody Maker and we went to meet him. He had a brand new Vox Continental organ and he could really play it. This was Eddie Hardin, who later joined Spencer Davis. Alas, he did not want to go to Poland with The London Beats for six months.”
On 25 October 1965, the musicians flew to Warsaw where they were reunited with Jimmy Smith.
“We began rehearsals and the agency organised photos and posters,” continues McCarthy. “They took our names straight off our passports and printed them on the posters…
“Mick was a tall guy, well-built with very long hair. I’m 5 ‘2” and was still suffering from a butchered haircut I’d gotten for The Peasants so we must have looked very strange together. However, we were treated like VIPs.”
That winter, the reconfigured line up recorded 12 tracks on four-track at Polskie Nagrania Muza’s studio in Warsaw Old Town, which were released over the next six months over three EPs. In recording terms and quality they were far superior to the earlier recordings.
With singer Sterry Moore
The first EP, entitled The Original London Beat, and featuring Mick Tucker on all lead vocals, came out in late 1965 and comprised the tracks, “Walking The Dog”, “Wanna Walk In The Sunshine”, “Hang on Sloopy” and Scarlet Ribbons”.
This was followed in early 1966 by I’ll Go Crazy, which featured Mick Tucker on lead vocals on two tracks – “I’ll Go Crazy” and “If You Gotta Go, Go Now” and Polish singer Mira Kubansinka on the remaining tracks, “Walking In The Sand” and “You’re No Good”.
The final EP, Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood, also released in 1966, featured Sterry Moore on lead vocals on all four tracks – “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood”, “I Had a Talk With My Man”, “The Biggest Players” and “Won’t Be Long”.
Joined by Mira Kubansinka (third left)
Joined by Mira Kubansinka for a nationwide tour, the musicians traversed the country in a bus, right in the dead of winter.
“Snow was often piled high on the side of the road,” remembers McCarthy. “In the country, there were horse-drawn carts everywhere and people working very hard to survive. Cities were stark, cold and old-fashioned with foreboding-looking statues and shrapnel damage still visible on the walls of buildings leftover from the war.”
McCarthy adds that while The London Beats were touring in Poland, other UK groups like The Hollies and Lulu & The Luvvers started arriving.
However, with the extended contract coming to an end in late January 1966, and the opportunities to work in Poland exhausted, the musicians lost interest.
On 15 March 1966, most of the band flew to London. No longer celebrities the musicians had to start from scratch.
“I was fed up with living out of a suitcase by then and we had no feeling of going forward,” admits Tucker.
“We’d been for want of a better word, big stars in Poland and wherever else we’d play from there on, we’d have to work from the bottom up again. After five or six years at it, I thought I’d quit and have some happy memories.”
Tony Terry and Mick Tucker
Tucker reunited with former member Tony Terry and worked the folk club circuit from 1967-1968.
The pair then set up a travel business driving mini buses all over Europe and North Africa. Tucker was offered the opportunity to return to Poland but declined.
Four Ovus, August 1966. Photo: Mid Sussex Times
Jimmy Smith, Sterry Moore and Kevin McCarthy formed Forovus with guitarist Ken Ali. Having started calling herself Mary McCarthy, Moore then recorded the single “People Like You” with singer Mickey Clarke, which was released on CBS in January 1967. She recorded two solo singles – “The Folk I Love” and “Happy Days and Lonely Nights”– that same year.
Jimmy Smith, who nearly joined The New Pirates (alongside John Carroll), replaced Phil Wainman in Hamilton & The Hamilton Movement. After a brief reunion with Carroll in Germany, a short spell with The Nashville Teens and The Fantastics, he recorded an album with Aquila in 1970.
Kevin McCarthy hooked up with R&B outfit, Ivan St Clair & System Soul Band, before landing on his feet: “Sometime in 1968 I answered an ad in Melody Maker and met John Heyworth and Angus Cullen; we would eventually become Cressida and record two albums for Vertigo with producer/manager Ossie Byrne.”
When Cressida split in November 1970, McCarthy joined Tranquility and appeared on two albums and some unreleased tracks before moving to Los Angeles in 1976. He has participated in several Cressida reunions and continues to play guitar and write songs.
“Interestingly, one of my songs recorded by another artist was ‘One Way Ticket’, which appeared on The Hollies’ Then, Now, Always, album released in 2010.”
The first reunion on 21 March 2015. Left to right: Mick Tucker, Simon Coaffee, Jimmy Smith and Tony Terry. Photo credit: Pam Terry
As for the original London Beats, Mick Tucker, Jimmy Smith, Simon Coaffee and Tony Terry reunited on 21 March this year with plans for a second reunion with Frank Bennett on 11 July.
Huge thanks to Mick Tucker, Jimmy Smith, Frank Bennett, Peter Carney, Simon Coaffee, John Carroll and Kevin McCarthy.
Top Ten Club, Hamburg, photo courtesy of K&K Hamburg
Apart from the Star Club, the Top Ten Club on the Reeperbahn in St. Pauli was arguably the most important rock music venue in Hamburg during the 1960s.
Opened in 1960 by Peter Eckhorn and operated by Iain Hines, the Top Ten Club was where The Beatles played and also backed singer Tony Sheridan in the group’s first recording sessions during early-mid 1961.
Throughout the 1960s, the Top Ten Club played host to a huge number of British bands, some of which featured future stars such as Elton John, Ritchie Blackmore (later in Deep Purple) and Ray Thomas and Mike Pinder (later in The Moody Blues).
Initially, there was only one band each month but from the mid-1960s onwards, there would be several groups sharing the bill each month. Singer Isabella Bond was a regular fixture and saxophone player Ricky Barnes helped run the club during the mid-late 1960s.
I have started to compile a list of bands that played at the Top Ten Club during this period but would welcome any additions and corrections in the comments below.
October 1960:
The Beatles: John Lennon (rhythm guitar/lead vocals), Paul McCartney (rhythm guitar/lead vocals); George Harrison (lead guitar/lead vocals), Stuart Sutcliffe (bass/lead vocals) and Pete Best (drums).
1961?:
The Jets: Iain Hines (keyboards), Colin Meander (lead guitar), Tony Sheridan (rhythm guitar), Rick Hardy (guitar), Peter Wharton (bass) and others.
27 March-2 July 1961:
The Beatles: John Lennon (rhythm guitar/lead vocals), Paul McCartney (rhythm guitar/lead vocals); George Harrison (lead guitar/lead vocals), Stuart Sutcliffe (bass/lead vocals) and Pete Best (drums).
1 November 1961-January 1962:
Wayne Gibson & The Dynamic Sounds: Wayne Gibson (lead vocals), Mick Todman (lead guitar), Ray Rogers (bass), Pete Gillies (rhythm guitar) and Larry Cole (drums).
March 1963:
The Blackjacks: Pat Harris (lead vocals), Don Callard (lead guitar), Robbie Williams (rhythm guitar/vocals), Bob Wilkinson (bass) and Pete James (drums).
August 1964:
The Mastersounds: Mal Jefferson (lead vocals/bass), Adrian Lord (lead vocals), Tony Cockayne (lead guitar), Gerry Stewart (tenor sax), Mike Price (drums) and others.
February 1965:
The Krew, Paddy, Klaus & Gibson, London Beats (plus Isabelle Bond and Beryl Marsden)
The Krew: Robert Fielden-Nicholls (lead guitar), Howie Casey (tenor saxophone), John Bradley (bass) and Eddie Sparrow (drums).
Paddy, Klaus and Gibson: Paddy Chambers (lead guitar), Klaus Voorman (bass) and Gibson Kemp (drums).
The London Beats: Frank Bennett (rhythm guitar/lead vocals), Mick Tucker (lead guitar/lead vocals), Sam Coaffee (bass) and Jim Smith (drums)
??? 1965:
Next of Kin: Frankie Allan (lead vocals), Dai Johns (lead guitar), Mike Ashman (rhythm guitar), Robert Evans (bass) and Alan Snell (drums).
March 1966:
Frank Sheen Sound: Frank Sheen (lead vocals), T J Huggett (keyboards), John Cushen (bass), John Herridge (drums) and Jeff Condon (trumpet) plus others.
March 1966:
Bluesology and Linda Laine & The Sinners
Bluesology: Stewart Brown (lead guitar/lead vocals), Reg Dwight (aka Elton John) (keyboards/lead vocals), Rex Bishop (bass) and Mick Inkpen (drums).
Linda Laine & The Sinners: Linda Laine aka Veronica Lake (lead vocals), Del Hidden (lead guitar), Peter Bellotte (rhythm guitar), Russ Maxwell (bass) and Len Crawley (drums).
April 1967:
The Copycats: John Stewart (lead guitar), Iain Lyon (rhythm guitar/vocals), Billy Cameron (bass/vocals) and Rob Lawson (drums/vocals).
July/August 1967 (THIS IS MORE LIKELY TO BE MARCH 1968):
Bluesology and The Manchester Playboys
Bluesology: Alan Walker (lead vocals), Stewart Brown (lead guitar/vocals), Reg Dwight (aka Elton John) (keyboards/lead vocals), Caleb Quaye (guitar), Marc Charig (cornet), Fred Gandy (bass) and Pete Gavin (drums) (not sure this is the correct formation)
Manchester’s Playboys: Kerry Burke (lead vocals), Stuart Fahey (lead guitar/Trumpet), Graham Sclater (keyboards), Alan Watkinson (bass), Malcolm Tagg-Randall (saxophone) and Peter Simensky (drums).
Circa September 1967:
The Berkley Squares: Barry Wade (lead vocals), Ray Martinez (lead guitar/vocals), Dave Eldredge (keyboards/vocals), Leigh Catterall (bass/vocals) and Terry Abbs (drums).
December 1967:
Floribunda Rose: John Kongos (rhythm guitar/lead vocals), Chris Demetriou (keyboards/vocals), Pete Clifford (lead guitar/vocals), Jack Russell (bass/vocals) and Nick Dokter (drums).
March 1968:
Scrugg (possibly billed as Floribunda Rose)
Scrugg (two weeks from 1 March): John Kongos (lead guitar/lead vocals), Chris Demetriou (keyboards/vocals), Jack Russell (bass/vocals) and Henry Spinetti (drums).
The Manchester Playboys: Kerry Burke (lead vocals), Stuart Fahey (lead guitar/Trumpet), Graham Sclater (keyboards), Alan Watkinson (bass), Malcolm Tagg-Randall (saxophone) and Peter Simensky (drums).
Thanks to the following for contributing to the timeline: Mick Tucker, Jim Smith, Frank Bennett, Graham Sclater, Jack Russell, Nick Dokter, Len Crawley
A notable rock music venue in the South of France, the Voom Voom Club in St. Tropez was frequented regularly by French actress Brigitte Bardot and her husband, the late Gunter Sachs.
During the mid-late 1960s, many notable British bands performed at the Voom Voom, including Carl Douglas & The Big Stampede, Jimmy Cliff & The Shakedown Sound, The Soft Machine, The New Formula, Mickey Finn & The Blue Men and The Ray King Soul Band.
I have started to compile a list of bands that played at the Voom Voom Club but would welcome any additions and corrections in the comments below.
March 1967 (Melody Maker lists 16 days in St. Tropez but may not be Voom Voom):
The Herd: Peter Frampton (lead vocals/lead guitar), Gary Taylor (bass), Alan Bown (keyboards/lead vocals) and Andrew Steele (drums)
May 1967:
Carl Douglas & The Big Stampede: Carl Douglas (lead vocals), Del Grace (lead guitar), Mike Manners (keyboards), Tony Charman (bass), Mel Wayne (sax), Verdi Stewart (trumpet) and Del Coverley (drums)
New Formula: Mike Harper (lead vocals), Martin Fallon (lead guitar), Bruce Carey (bass), Ricky Dodd (vocals/saxophone) and Tommy Guthrie (drums)
July 1967:
Jimmy Cliff & The Shakedown Sound: Jimmy Cliff (lead vocals), Kevin Gammond (lead guitar), Terry (Verden) Allen (keyboards/vocals), John Best (bass) and Sean Jenkins (drums)
August 1967:
Ray King Soul Band: Ray King (lead vocals), Roger Dean (lead guitar), Terry Leeman (keyboards), Paul Slade (bass), Jim Lang (tenor saxophone), Ken Horton (baritone saxophone) and Malcolm Jenkins (drums)
August 1967:
Mickey Finn & The Blue Men: Alan Mark (lead vocals), Micky Waller (lead guitar), Rod Clark (bass/lead vocals), John Cooke (keyboards) and Richard Brand (drums)
Circa August/September 1967:
The Soft Machine: Daevid Allen (lead guitar/lead vocals), Kevin Ayers (bass/lead vocals), Mike Ratledge (keyboards/vocals) and Robert Wyatt (drums/lead vocals)
Ray King and Malcolm Aldridge (see below). Photo: Malcolm Aldridge
21 May-11 June 1968:
Ray King Soul Band: Ray King (lead vocals), Paul Price (lead guitar), Malcolm Aldridge (Hammond organ), Frank Farrell (bass), Tim Whelan (sax) and Malcolm Jenkins (drums).
Big Wheel, Switzerland, late 1966, left to right: Paul Stroud, Del Coverley (front), Andy Clark (wearing glasses), Mick Holland and Ron Bryer (aka Ron Spence)
Paul Stroud – lead vocals
Del Grace – lead guitar (replaced by Ron Bryer)
Mike Manners – organ (replaced by Andy Clark)
Barry Nicholls – bass (replaced by Mick Holland)
Del Coverley – drums
Formed in southeast London in late 1965, the original line-up included former Epitaphs Soul Band guitarist Del Grace, who joined forces with longstanding lead singer Paul Stroud, bass player Barry Nicholls and organist Mike Manners after meeting at Music Land in Bexley Heath, a shop owned by Tom Jennings, founder of Jennings Musical Instruments Ltd.
Before the turn of the year, former Scimitars sticks man Del Coverley replaced the original drummer, Rick Dyett.
Photo: Del Grace. Left to right: Del Coverley, Barry Nicholls, Paul Stroud, Del Grace and Mike Manners, 1966
Big Wheel gigged incessantly around the London area and played regularly at the Black Prince Hotel in Bexley, working with notable acts like John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers and The Graham Bond Organisation. In February 1966, the musicians played at Berlin Jazz Festival (see below).
Around April 1966, Mike Manners dropped out and Andy Clark from The Epitaph Soul Band took his place.
Photo: Del Grace. Left to right: Del Coverley, Andy Clark, Del Grace, Barry Nicholls and Paul Stroud, circa April 1966.
On 6 June, the new formation left England to tour Germany and Switzerland. On the band’s return, both Del Grace and Barry Nicholls both departed.
Photo: Del Grace. Left to right: Mike Manners, Mick Holland, Barry Nicholls, Del Coverley (car roof), Paul Stroud and Del Grace, spring 1966
Del Grace joined The Carl Douglas Set in July 1966, which morphed into Carl Douglas & The Big Stampede. Barry ‘Baz’ Nicholls, years later, joined heavy metal band, More, with whom he continues to gig.
With further gigs lined up in Switzerland, Andy Clark recommended former Carl Douglas Set guitarist Ron Bryer (aka Ron Spence), who’d previously worked with The Loose Ends and bass player Mick Holland from The Epitaph Soul Band.
The new configuration developed quite a following in Switzerland, playing at the Tanzrad in Basel before moving on to Zurich. Big Wheel even issued a hopelessly rare (Swiss-only) mod single, Andy Clark’s “Don’t Give Up That Easy” c/w “You’re Only Hurting Yourself”, released on the Eurex label in February 1967.
However, in early November 1966, Del Coverley left to join Del Grace and original Big Wheel organist Mike Manners in Carl Douglas & The Big Stampede.
It’s likely that the remaining Big Wheel members stayed in Switzerland until at least spring 1967 whereupon all of the musicians except Ron Bryer returned to the UK.
Bryer joined Berry Window & The Movements before forming Brainticket in 1968. The band cut a lone album “Cottonwoodhill” in 1971. Bryer later returned to the UK and briefly worked with One (led by his old Loose Ends singer Alan Marshall) but died of a drug overdose around 1973.
Back in the UK, Andy Clark reunited with Del Coverley in The Fenmen (aka Kindness). This proved to be short-lived and after working with Sam Gopal’s Dream and Vamp, he formed Dogs Blues (with Coverley) and then Clark-Hutchinson, which brought Coverley in for its 1970 and 1971 albums, “Retribution” and “Gestalt”. In the interim, Coverley had played with Fat Daughter during 1969.
Original member, Mike Manners would record two singles with Johnny Young in 1967 after leaving Carl Douglas in July 1967. Del Grace, meanwhile, would record solo material for United Artists and Liberty before moving to Spain and cutting solo CDs.
Many thanks to Del Coverley, Del Grace and Mike Manners for helping to piece this story together. Thanks also to Rolf at Feathered Apple Records in Switzerland for the use of the Eurex single scans
February 1965 ad courtesy of Peter Cornwell of Phaethon’s Brethren
The Bromel Club was initially a jazz venue that was located in the Bromley Court Hotel on Bromley Hill in south east London. During the 1960s, it hosted most of the top British bands of the day, including Cream, Pink Floyd and The Jimi Hendrix Experience.
I’ve started to compile a gig list and would welcome any additions and corrections as well as memories of the venue. These are advertised gigs so it’s quite possible that artists may have changed at the last minute.
If you played in one of the group, it would be great if you could provide some history of your band too in the comments below.
Also, if you have any old posters you can share, I would love to hear from you and will ensure you are credited.
1964
I don’t have many gigs listed for this year and earlier and would welcome any contributions.
Judging by the gigs below, rock artists performed on Sundays, Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. Jazz artists played on Tuesdays (my list is incomplete).
The gigs are all from Melody Maker unless otherwise noted.
3 January – The Moody Blues
4 January – The South West Five
6 January – Sonny Boy Williamson with Shorty & Them
7 January – Billy Woods Combo
Photo: Melody Maker
10 January – Chris Farlowe & The Thunderbirds
11 January – Their Lordships
13 January – The Stormsville Shakers
14 January – The Billy Woods Combo
Photo: Melody Maker
17 January – The Spencer Davis Group
18 January – Themselves
20 January – The Yardbirds
21 January – The Billy Woods Combo
Photo: Melody Maker
24 January – Zoot Money’s Big Roll Band
25 January – The Loose Ends
27 January – Alex Harvey’s Soul Band
28 January – The Copains
31 January – John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers
1 February – Phaethon’s Brethren
3 February – Long John Baldy
4 February – The Cheminoes
7 February – Screamin’ Jay Hawkins
8 February – The Black Jacks
10 February – Ronnie Jones & The Night-Timers
11 February – The Second Thoughts
14 February – Chris Farlowe & The Thunderbirds
15 February – The Westsiders
17 February – Zoot Money’s Big Roll Band
18 February – Blues by Knight
Photo: Melody Maker
21 February – The Animals
22 February – The Britons
24 February – Alexis Korner Blues Incorporated
25 February – The Loose Ends
Photo: Melody Maker
28 February – The Falling Leaves
1 March – The Dissatisfied
3 March – The Spencer Davis Group
4 March – The Cops ‘N’ Robbers
7 March – Manfred Mann
8 March – Brothers Grim
10 March – Davy Jones & The Manish Boys
11 March – The Drovers
14 March – The Mike Cotton Sound
15 March – missing entry
17 March – Champion Jack Dupree with The Sheffields
18 March – missing entry
21 March – Alex Harvey Soul Band
22 March – missing entry
24 March – The Animals
25 March – missing entry
Photo: Melody Maker
28 March – The T-Bones (Gary Farr’s band)
29 March – The Ingoes
31 March – The Who
1 April – The Bumps in the Night
Photo: Melody Maker
4 April – The Pretty Things
5 April – Paul & The Travellers
7 April – Zoot Money’s Big Roll Band
8 April – The Tribe
11 April – The Spencer Davis Group
12 April – The Exits
14 April – Long John Baldry
15 April – The Pilgrims
Photo: Melody Maker
18 April – Zoot Money’s Big Roll Band
19 April – The Moaners
21 April – The Yardbirds
22 April – Isaiash’s Prophets
25 April – The Nashville Teens
26 April – The Toys
28 April – The Who
29 April – The Impacts
Photo: Melody Maker
2 May – Chris Farlowe & The Thunderbirds
3 May – The Vandals Blues
5 May – Zoot Money’s Big Roll Band
6 May – The Five Proud Walkers
9 May –The Moody Blues
10 May – The Lawlers Legs
12 May – John Lee Hooker (was this with The Cops ‘N’ Robbers backing?)
13 May – The Hammond K Four
16 May – The Loose Ends
17 May – The Heart and Souls
19 May – The Spencer Davis Group
Photo: Melody Maker
20 May – The Board Walkers
Photo: South East London Mercury
23 May – Manfred Mann
24 May – The Pineapple Chunks
26 May – Zoot Money’s Big Roll Band
27 May – The Bumps in the Night
Photo: Melody Maker
30 May – (Jimmy James &) The Vagabonds
31 May – The CC Riders
2 June – The Soul Sisters with Brian Auger Trinity
3 June – The Solar Sounds
6 June – Alex Harvey (Soul Band)
7 June – The Peasants
9 June – Long John Baldry
10 June – The Desperados
Photo: Melody Maker
13 June – Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers and The Preachers
14 June – The Five Road Runners
16 June – Graham Bond Organisation
17 June – The Epitaph Soul Band
20 June – The Five Dimensions
21 June – The Trees
23 June – Zoot Money’s Big Roll Band
24 June – Modern Blues Six
27 June – Ronnie Jones & The Blue Jays
28 June – The Doons
30 June – The Epitaphs with supporting group
Photo: Melody Maker
1 July – The Board Walkers
4 July – Graham Bond Organisation
5 July – The Planets
7 July – John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers
8 July – The CC Riders
11 July – The Artwoods
12 July – The Equals
14 July – (Jimmy James &) The Vagabonds
15 July – The Spurleeweeves
18 July – Inez and Charlie Foxx with (Geno Washington &) The Ram Jam Band
19 July – Red, Whites, Blues (according to Bob Hodges, this band soon changed name to The New Jump Band)
21 July – Georgie Fame & The Blue Flames
22 July – The Bo Bo Links
Photo: Melody Maker
25 July – Chris Farlowe & The Thunderbirds
26 July – The Brethren
28 July – The Spencer Davis Group
29 July – The Ancient Britains
Photo: Melody Maker
1 August – John Lee’s Groundhogs
2 August – The Medieval Sounds
4 August – The Mike Cotton Sound
5 August – The Eyes
8 August – missing entry
9 August – missing entry
11 August – missing entry
12 August – missing entry
15 August – Club is closed
Photo: Melody Maker
16 August – The Five of That
18 August – Steampacket
19 August – The Equals
21 August – Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers and The Preachers (Saturday night)
22 August – (Jimmy James &) The Vagabonds
23 August – The Prophets
25 August – The Graham Bond Organisation
26 August – The Planets
29 August – Ronnie Jones & The Blue Jays
30 August – The Bungle Fins
1 September – Zoot Money’s Big Roll Band
2 September – Red, Whites, Blues
Photo: Melody Maker
5 September – John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers
6 September – The Worrying Kind
8 September – (Jimmy James &) The Vagabonds
9 September – Red, Whites, Blues (according to Bob Hodges, this band soon changed name to The New Jump Band)
Photo: Melody Maker
12 September – Chris Farlowe & The Thunderbirds
13 September – The Creepers
15 September – The Graham Bond Organisation
16 September – Leslie Gantzer
19 September – (Geno Washington &) The Ram Jam Band
20 September – The Five Aces
21 September – Alan Elsdon Jazz Band (Tuesday night – does that mean jazz was on Tuesdays?)
22 September – The Spencer Davis Group
23 September – The Byrd-Herd
26 September – The Small Faces
27 September – Steve & The What 4
28 September – Terry Lightfoot (Tuesday night)
29 September – Bo Diddley
30 September – The Image
3 October – Georgie Fame & The Blue Flames
4 October – The Changing Times
5 October – Ken Colyer (Tuesday night)
6 October – The Alan Price Set
7 October – The Bumps in the Night
Photo: Melody Maker
10 October – The Graham Bond Organisation
11 October – The Five Road Runners
12 October – Alex Welsh (Tuesday night)
13 October – Zoot Money’s Big Roll Band
14 October – Planet Six
Photo: Melody Maker
17 October – The Herd
18 October – The Motivation (original version from Norbury, south London)
19 October – Chris Barber (Tuesday night)
20 October – The Graham Bond Organisation
21 October – The Bungle-Finns
24 October – John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers
25 October – The Prowlers
26 October – Eric Silk’s Southern Jazzband and Brian Green’s New Orleans Stompers
27 October – Steampacket
28 October – The Sons of Fred
31 October – Ben E King
1 November – The Classics
2 November – The Keith Smith Band (Tuesday night)
3 November – The Spencer Davis Group
4 November – The Changing Times
Photo: Melody Maker
7 November – The Train (aka Moon’s Train), The Preachers – Lew Rich with The Other Two
8 November – Junco’s Jump Band
9 November – Closed this week
10 November – The Alan Price Set
11 November – The Rick ‘N’ Beckers
Photo: Melody Maker
14 November – Zoot Money’s Big Roll Band
15 November – The Squires (this might be Tom Jones’ backing band)
16 November – Alan Elsdon (Tuesday night)
17 November – Wilson Pickett (with backing band)
The Riot Squad may also have played on 17 November but needs confirmation
18 November – Marshall Scott Etc
21 November – (Jimmy James &) The Vagabonds
22 November – The End of Part One
23 November – Monty Sunshine (Tuesday night)
24 November – The Graham Bond Organisation
25 November – The Spectres (evolved into Status Quo)
28 November – The Mike Cotton Sound
29 November – The Minor Birds
30 November – Terry Lightfoot (Tuesday night)
1 December – Steampacket
2 December – The Prowlers
5 December – Chris Farlowe & The Thunderbirds
6 December – The Kingbeats
7 December – The Back O’Town Syncopants (Tuesday night)
8 December – Major Lance
9 December – The Squires (Tom Jones’ backing band?)
12 December – Zoot Money’s Big Roll Band
13 December – The Shylos
14 December – Ken Colyer (Tuesday night)
15 December – The Spencer Davis Group
Photo: Melody Maker
16 December – The Board Walkers
19 December – The Paramounts
20 December – The Name
21 December – Kenny Ball (Tuesday night)
22 December – Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers
23 December – The Alex Lane Group
24 December – The Train (aka Moon’s Train) and The Changing Times (Boyfriend magazine has The Paramounts on this date)
26 December – Georgie Fame & The Blue Flames
27 December – K N Star & The Ricochets
28 December – Eric Silk (Tuesday night)
29 December – Ronnie Jones (& The Blue Jays)
30 December – The Habits
Clive Chase, bass player with Bobby King & The Sabres notes in his diary that his group played here on 30 December
1966
Judging by the gigs below, rock artists performed on Sundays, Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. Jazz musicians played on Tuesdays.
The gigs are all from Melody Maker unless otherwise noted.
2 January – The Train (aka Moon’s Train)
3 January – The Partisans
3 January – Alex Welsh (Tuesday night)
5 January – Chris Farlowe & The Thunderbirds
6 January – Victor Brox Blues Band
9 January – The Mike Cotton Sound
10 January – The Deck Hands
11 January – Terry Lightfoot (Tuesday night)
12 January – Steampacket
13 January – The Minor Birds
16 January – John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers
17 January – The Disciples
18 January – Monty Sunshine (Tuesday night)
19 January – Lee Dorsey (with The Krew backing?)
20 January – The Showtimers
23 January – The Alan Price Set
24 January – The Way
25 January – Alan Elsdon (Tuesday night)
26 January – The Mark Leeman Five
27 January – KN Starr & The Ricochets
29 January – David Bowie & The Lower Third (Saturday night) (South East London Mercury)
30 January – (Jimmy James &) The Vagabonds
31 January – The Breed (South East London Mercury)
1 February – Ken Colyer (Tuesday night) (South East London Mercury)
2 February – Zoot Money’s Big Roll Band (South East London Mercury)
3 February – The Alex Lane Group
6 February – The Untamed (South East London Mercury)
7 February – The Soul System (South East London Mercury)
8 February – The Back O’Town Syncopaters (Tuesday night) (South East London Mercury)
9 February – The Action
South East London Mercury lists Crispian St. Peters for 9 February
10 February – The Board Walkers (South East London Mercury)
13 February – Chris Farlowe & The Thunderbirds and The Alan Price Set (Beat Instrumental)
14 February – The Name (South East London Mercury)
15 February – Eric Silk & The Southern Jazz Band (Tuesday night) (South East London Mercury)
16 February – The Soul Show (according to Record Mirror this was Elkie Brooks, Keith Powell, The Marionettes and The Excels) (South East London Mercury)
17 February – The Deck Hands (South East London Mercury)
Photo: Melody Maker
20 February – The Loose Ends
21 February – The Mixed Feelings
22 February – Spencer’s Washboard Kings (Tuesday night)
23 February – The Pretty Things
24 February – The Prowlers
27 February – John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers (South East London Mercury)
28 February – L Henderson’s Soul Band (South East London Mercury)
1 March – Chris Barber (Tuesday night) (South East London Mercury)
2 March – The Action (South East London Mercury)
3 March – The Subjects (South East London Mercury)
6 March – The VIPs (South East London Mercury)
Melody Maker lists The Train (aka Moon’s Train for 6 March)
7 March – The In-Action
8 March – Ken Colyer (Tuesday night) (South East London Mercury)
9 March – Zoot Money’s Big Roll Band (South East London Mercury)
10 March – The Alex Lane Group
12 March – Them (Saturday night) (South East London Mercury)
13 March – The Alan Price Set (South East London Mercury)
14 March – System Four (South East London Mercury)
15 March – Alan Elsdon (Tuesday night) (South East London Mercury)
Melody Maker lists Monty Sunshine for 15 March
16 March – The Loose Ends
20 March – St Louis Union (South East London Mercury)
21 March – Group night (South East London Mercury)
22 March – Kenny Ball (Tuesday night) (South East London Mercury)
23 March – Gary Farr & The T-Bones
24 March – Group night (South East London Mercury)
Melody Maker lists The Objects for 24 March
26 March – The Kinks (Saturday night) (South East London Mercury)
27 March – Georgie Fame & The Blue Flames (South East London Mercury)
28 March – Group night (South East London Mercury)
Melody Maker lists The Name for 28 March
29 March – Mike Daniels (Tuesday night) (South East London Mercury)
30 March – The Action (South East London Mercury)
31 March – Group night (South East London Mercury)
3 April – The Graham Bond Organisation
4 April – The Keys
5 April – The Back O’Town Syncopants (Tuesday night)
6 April – Chris Farlowe & The Thunderbirds
7 April – Earl Henderson Soul Band
10 April – The Shevelles (South East London Mercury)
11 April – Group night (South East London Mercury)
Melody Maker lists The Scuttlebugs for 11 April
12 April – Ken Colyer (Tuesday night) (South East London Mercury)
13 April – Zoot Money’s Big Roll Band
14 April – Rachel’s Revenge (South East London Mercury)
16 April – The Candles (Saturday night) (South East London Mercury)
17 April – The Loose Ends (South East London Mercury)
18 April – Group night (South East London Mercury)
Melody Maker lists John Brown’s Bodies for 18 April
19 April – Brian Green (Tuesday night) (South East London Mercury)
20 April – (Jimmy James &) The Vagabonds (South East London Mercury)
21 April – Deacon Lewis and The Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band (South East London Mercury)
24 April – John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers (South East London Mercury)
25 April – The Kind (South East London Mercury)
26 April – Monty’s Sunshine (Tuesday night) (South East London Mercury)
27 April – Steampacket (South East London Mercury)
Melody Maker lists The Paramounts on 27 April
28 April – Rachel’s Revenge (South East London Mercury)
Melody Maker lists The Board Walkers on 28 April
1 May – The Kinks (South East London Mercury)
2 May – Group night (South East London Mercury)
3 May – Eric Silk & His Southern Jazz Band (Tuesday night) (South East London Mercury)
4 May – The Dixie Cups with Alvin Robinson (South East London Mercury)
5 May – The Prowlers (South East London Mercury)
7 May – Earl Henderson’s Soul Band and The Coffee Set (Saturday night) (South East London Mercury)
8 May – The Loose Ends (South East London Mercury)
9 May – Group night (South East London Mercury)
10 May – Ken Colyer (Tuesday night) (South East London Mercury)
11 May – The T-Bones (Gary Farr’s band) (South East London Mercury)
12 May – Group night (South East London Mercury)
14 May – Johnny Kidd & The Pirates (Saturday night) (Nick Simper’s diary)
15 May – The Shevelles (South East London Mercury)
16 May – Group night (South East London Mercury)
Melody Maker lists The Kenetis on 16 May
17 May – Ken Colyer (Tuesday night) (South East London Mercury)
18 May – Steampacket (South East London Mercury)
19 May – The Board Walkers (South East London Mercury)
Melody Maker lists John Brown’s Bodies for 19 May but this could actually refer to the following Thursday, 26 May
22 May – Chris Farlowe & The Thunderbirds (South East London Mercury)
23 May – C-Jam Blues (South East London Mercury)
23 May – The Temperance Seven (South East London Mercury)
24 May – Lucas and The Mike Cotton Sound (South East London Mercury)
26 May – John Brown’s Bodies (South East London Mercury)
29 May – The Bo Street Runners (South East London Mercury)
30 May – Miss Named (South East London Mercury)
31 May – Ken Colyer (Tuesday night) (South East London Mercury)
1 June – Zoot Money’s Big Roll Band (South East London Mercury)
2 June – Five Steps Beyond (South East London Mercury)
5 June – John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers (South East London Mercury)
6 June – Dawn & The Rising Sons (South East London Mercury)
7 June – Back O’Town Syncopaters (Tuesday night) (South East London Mercury)
8 June – Roy C (South East London Mercury)
9 June – In-Action (South East London Mercury)
Photo: Melody Maker
12 June – The Loose Ends (South East London Mercury)
13 June – Luther Morgan Relationship (South East London Mercury)
14 June – Charlie Galbraith’s All Stars (South East London Mercury)
15 June – The Moody Blues (South East London Mercury)
16 June – Sammy Samwell’s Record Show (South East London Mercury)
19 June – Steampacket (South East London Mercury)
20 June – The Midnites (South East London Mercury)
21 June – Brian Green’s New Orleans Stompers (Tuesday night) (South East London Mercury)
22 June – The Action (South East London Mercury)
23 June – Sammy Samwell Record Show (South East London Mercury)
Photo: Melody Maker
26 June – The Shotgun Express (South East London Mercury)
27 June – The Bo-Men (South East London Mercury)
28 June – The Eyes (South East London Mercury)
29 June – The Yardbirds (South East London Mercury)
3 July – missing entry
4 July – The Classics (South East London Mercury)
6 July – The Loose Ends (South East London Mercury)
Melody Maker lists The Squires (Tom Jones’ band?) for 6 July. Beat Instrumental meanwhile lists Chris Farlowe & The Thunderbirds
7 July – Sammy Samwell Record Show (South East London Mercury)
10 July – The Downliners Sect (South East London Mercury)
11 July – The Outcasts (South East London Mercury)
13 July – The Loose Ends and The Good Things (South East London Mercury)
14 July – Raymond Hayes Record Show (South East London Mercury)
17 July – George Bean & Loopy’s Lot (South East London Mercury)
18 July – The Borough of Bedrock (South East London Mercury)
20 July – The Loose Ends and The Squires (South East London Mercury)
Beat Instrumental lists Zoot Money’s Big Roll Band for 20 July
21 July – missing entry
24 July – John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers (South East London Mercury)
25 July – The Kind (South East London Mercury)
27 July – Zoot Money’s Big Roll Band (South East London Mercury)
Fabulous 208 lists The Loose Ends on 27 July
28 July – Micket Nut Record Show (South East London Mercury)
31 July – Chris Farlowe & The Thunderbirds (South East London Mercury)
1 August – Group and records (South East London Mercury)
3 August – Georgie Fame & The Blue Flames (South East London Mercury)
4 August – Micket Nut Record Show (South East London Mercury)
7 August – The Tribe (South East London Mercury)
8 August – Lee Hawkins Four (South East London Mercury)
10 August – The VIPs (South East London Mercury)
11 August – Records (South East London Mercury)
12 August – Cream (South East London Mercury)
14 August – The Raisins (South East London Mercury)
Fabulous 208 lists The Downliners Sect for 14 August
15 August – Group and records (South East London Mercury)
17 August – The Alan Price Set (South East London Mercury)
18 August – Records (South East London Mercury)
21 August – The Subjects (South East London Mercury)
22 August – Records (South East London Mercury)
24 August – The Creation (South East London Mercury)
25 August – Records (South East London Mercury)
28 August – Wynder K Frog (South East London Mercury)
29 August – Records (South East London Mercury)
30 August – The Shotgun Express (South East London Mercury)
31 August – Records (South East London Mercury)
4 September – Lee Hawkins Group (South East London Mercury)
5 August – Records (South East London Mercury)
7 September – Geno Washington & The Ram Jam Band (South East London Mercury)
8 September – Records (South East London Mercury)
Missing some entries for the rest of September. This is what I do have:
14 September – The Alan Bown Set and Zoot Money’s Big Roll Band
18 September – The Amboy Dukes (South East London Mercury)
19 September – Ray Browns’ record show (South East London Mercury)
21 September – The VIPs (South East London Mercury)
22 September – Records (South East London Mercury)
25 September – The Combine (South East London Mercury)
26 September – Ray Brown’s record show (South East London Mercury)
28 September – Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers (South East London Mercury)
2 October – John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers (South East London Mercury)
3 October – Ray Brown’s record show (South East London Mercury)
5 October – The Herd (South East London Mercury)
6 October – Records (South East London Mercury)
9 October – Felders Orioles (South East London Mercury)
10 October – Ray Brown’s record show (South East London Mercury)
12 October – Geno Washington & The Ram Jam Band (South East London Mercury)
13 October – Records (South East London Mercury)
16 October – Unit Four Plus 2 (South East London Mercury)
17 October – Ray Brown’s record show (South East London Mercury)
19 October – Zoot Money’s Big Roll Band and Bobby & The Crims (South East London Mercury)
20 October – Records (South East London Mercury)
23 October – The Loose Ends (South East London Mercury)
24 October – Ray Brown’s record show (South East London Mercury)
26 October – The Crying Shames (South East London Mercury)
27 October – Records (South East London Mercury)
30 October – The Searchers (South East London Mercury)
31 October – Ray Brown’s record show (South East London Mercury)
2 November – Ronnie Jones & The Blue Jays (South East London Mercury)
3 November – missing entry
5 November – The Tribe (South East London Mercury)
7 November – Ray Brown’s record show (South East London Mercury)
9 November – missing entry
10 November – missing entry
13 November – The Fortunes (South East London Mercury)
14 November – Ray Brown’s record show (South East London Mercury)
16 November – The Graham Bond Organisation (South East London Mercury)
17 November – missing entry
20 November – The Loose Ends (South East London Mercury)
21 November – Ray Brown’s record show (South East London Mercury)
23 November – The Herd (South East London Mercury)
24 November – missing entry
27 November – The Good Thing (South East London Mercury)
28 November – Ray Brown’s record show (South East London Mercury)
30 November – The Herd (South East London Mercury)
1 December – Records (South East London Mercury)
4 December – Lee Hawkins Group (South East London Mercury)
5 December – Ray Brown’s record show (South East London Mercury)
7 December – The Shotgun Express (South East London Mercury)
8 December – missing entry
11 December – missing entry
12 December – missing entry
14 December – Cream (Christopher’s Hjort’s book Strange Brew)
15 December – Records (South East London Mercury)
18 December – EL Henderson’s Soul Band (South East London Mercury)
19 December – Ray Brown’s record show (South East London Mercury)
21 December – Eric Burdon & The Animals (South East London Mercury)
22 December – Records (South East London Mercury)
24 December – The Outrage and The New Jump Band (South East London Mercury)
26 December – The New Loose Ends (South East London Mercury)
28 December – Long John Baldry and Bluesology (South East London Mercury)
29 December – Records (South East London Mercury)
1967
Judging by the gigs below, rock artists performed on Sundays and Wednesdays with gigs on other days occasionally.
I have very few gigs for 1967 so would welcome any additions.
1 January – Brian Something and The What’s Its (South East London Mercury)
Hatchetts Playground, located at 67 Piccadilly, was one of the happening clubs in central London during the late 1960s and played host to rock bands every night.
According to an article in the Kensington Post (see comments below), Hatchetts was one of London’s oldest restaurants but was closed in April 1966 for a £200,000 face-lift.
Re-opened on Tuesday, 6 June 1967, the venue was transformed into a three-level entertainment centre. One of its partners was Tony Vinnicombe who also ran Sands in Bond Street.
According to an article in The Stage, dated 29 June 1967, the opening weeks line up included: The Symbols, Errol Daniels & The JJ Band, Sands (named after Vinnicombe’s Bond Street club), The Shevelles, 1-2-3, The Frugal Sound, The New Formula and The Bystanders.
The Stage‘s 14 September 1967 edition ran an advert, which showed that The Peddlers held a residency at the club from 8 September through to 6 October (excluding Sundays).
1967
9 June 1967 (Friday) – Errol Daniels & JJ Band (Evening Standard) Says opening night for live music
Gigs are missing for Saturday, 10 June, Sunday 11 June and Monday, 12 June 1967
13 June 1967 (Tuesday) – Timebox (Evening Standard)
14 June 1967 (Wednesday) – The 1-2-3 (Evening Standard)
Gigs are missing for Thursday, 15 June and Friday, 16 June 1967
17 June 1967 (Saturday) – The 1-2-3 (Evening Standard)
Gig is missing for Sunday, 18 June 1967
19 June 1967 (Monday) – The Frugal Sound (Evening Standard)
Gig is missing for Tuesday, 20 June 1967
21 June 1967 (Wednesday) – Ferris Wheel (Evening Standard)
22 June 1967 (Thursday) – The 1-2-3 (Evening Standard)
Gig is missing for Friday, 23 June 1967
24 June 1967 (Saturday) – Sands (Evening Standard)
Gig is missing for Sunday, 25 June 1967
26 June 1967 (Monday) – The Frugal Sound (Evening Standard)
27 June 1967 (Tuesday) – Errol Daniels & The JJ Band (Evening Standard)
Gigs are missing from Wednesday, 28 June through to Sunday, 2 July 1967
3 July 1967 (Monday) – Sands (Evening Standard)
4 July 1967 (Tuesday) – The Chanters (Evening Standard)
5 July 1967 (Wednesday) – Granny’s Intentions (Evening Standard)
6 July 1967 (Thursday) – Ferris Wheel (Evening Standard/Fabulous 208)
7 July 1967 (Friday) – The Summer Set (Evening Standard)
8 July 1967 (Saturday) – Robb Storme Group (Evening Standard)
Gig is missing for Sunday, 9 July 1967
10 July 1967 (Monday) – The Chanters (Evening Standard)
11 July 1967 (Tuesday) – The Bystanders (Evening Sentinel)
12 July 1967 (Wednesday) – Errol Daniels & The JJ Band (Evening Standard)
13 July 1967 (Thursday) – The Bystanders (Evening Standard)
Gigs are missing from Friday, 14 July 1967
15 July 1967 (Saturday) – The Chanters (Evening Standard)
Gig is missing for Sunday, 16 July 1967
17 July 1967 (Monday) – The Powerhouse (Evening Standard)
18 July 1967 (Tuesday) – Wynder K Frog (Evening Standard/Fabulous 208)
Gig is missing for Wednesday, 19 July 1967
20 July 1967 (Thursday) – New Formula (Evening Standard)
21 July 1967 (Friday) – The Web (Evening Standard)
22 July 1967 (Saturday) – The Chanters (Evening Standard)
Gig is missing for Sunday, 23 July 1967
24 July 1967 (Monday) – Marmalade (Evening Standard)
Gigs are missing from Tuesday, 25 July through to Wednesday, 23 August 1967
24 August 1967 (Thursday) – Timebox (Evening Standard)
Gigs are missing from Friday, 25 August through to Tuesday, 29 August 1967
30 August 1967 (Wednesday) – Geranium Pond (Evening Standard)
31 August 1967 (Thursday) – Timebox (Evening Standard)
Gigs are missing from Friday, 1 September through to Thursday, 7 September 1967
8 September 1967 (Friday) – The Peddlers (The Stage)
9 September 1967 (Saturday) – The Peddlers (The Stage)
10 September 1967 (Sunday) – The Manchester Playboys (Graham Sclater’s diary)
11 September 1967 (Monday) – The Peddlers (The Stage) Graham Sclater’s diary also has The Manchester Playboys on this date
12 September 1967 (Tuesday) – The Peddlers (The Stage)
13 September 1967 (Wednesday) – The Peddlers (The Stage)
14 September 1967 (Thursday) – The Peddlers (The Stage)
15 September 1967 (Friday) – The Peddlers (The Stage)
16 September 1967 (Saturday) – The Peddlers (The Stage)
Possibly missing gig for Sunday, 17 September 1967
18 September 1967 (Monday) – The Peddlers (The Stage)
19 September 1967 (Tuesday) – The Peddlers (The Stage)
20 September 1967 (Wednesday) – The Peddlers (The Stage)
21 September 1967 (Thursday) – The Peddlers (The Stage)
22 September 1967 (Friday) – The Peddlers (The Stage)
23 September 1967 (Saturday) – The Peddlers (The Stage)
Possibly missing gig for Sunday, 24 September 1967
25 September 1967 (Monday) – The Peddlers (The Stage)
26 September 1967 (Tuesday) – The Peddlers (The Stage)
27 September 1967 (Wednesday) – The Peddlers (The Stage)
28 September 1967 (Thursday) – The Peddlers (The Stage)
29 September 1967 (Friday) – The Peddlers (The Stage)
30 September 1967 (Saturday) – The Peddlers (The Stage)
Possibly missing gig for Sunday, 1 October 1967
2 October 1967 (Monday) – The Peddlers (The Stage)
3 October 1967 (Tuesday) – The Peddlers (The Stage)
4 October 1967 (Wednesday) – The Peddlers (The Stage)
5 October 1967 (Thursday) – The Peddlers (The Stage)
6 October 1967 (Friday) – The Peddlers (The Stage)
Gig is missing from Saturday, 7 October and possibly Sunday, 8 October 1967
9 October 1967 (Monday) – The Manchester Playboys (Graham Sclater’s diary) Graham says this needs confirmation
10 October 1967 (Tuesday) – The Manchester Playboys (Graham Sclater’s diary) Graham says this needs confirmation
11 October 1967 (Wednesday) – The Manchester Playboys (Graham Sclater’s diary) Graham says this needs confirmation
12 October 1967 (Thursday) – The Manchester Playboys (Graham Sclater’s diary) Graham says this needs confirmation
13 October 1967 (Friday) – The Manchester Playboys (Graham Sclater’s diary) Graham says this needs confirmation
14 October 1967 (Saturday) – The Manchester Playboys (Graham Sclater’s diary) Graham says this needs confirmation
Gigs are missing from possibly Sunday, 15 October through to Wednesday, 1 November 1967
2 November 1967 (Thursday) – The Web (Evening Standard)
Gigs are missing from Friday, 3 November through to Tuesday, 7 November 1967
8 November 1967 (Wednesday) – Timebox (Evening Standard)
Gig is missing for Thursday, 9 November 1967
10 November 1967 (Friday) – Timebox (Evening Standard)
11 November 1967 (Saturday) – Timebox (Evening Standard)
Gigs are missing from Sunday, 12 November through to Tuesday, 14 November 1967
15 November 1967 (Wednesday) – Coopers Climax (Evening Standard)
Gig is missing for Thursday, 16 November 1967
17 November 1967 (Friday) – Coopers Climax (Evening Standard)
Gigs are missing from Saturday, 18 November through to Tuesday, 21 November 1967
22 November 1967 (Wednesday) – Remo Four (Evening Standard)
23 November 1967 (Thursday) – Ebony Keyes and Chris Shakespeare Movement (Evening Standard)
Gig is missing for Friday, 24 November 1967
25 November 1967 (Saturday) – Ebony Keyes and Chris Shakespeare Movement (Evening Standard)
Gigs are missing from Sunday, 26 November through to Wednesday, 29 November 1967
30 November 1967 (Thursday) – New Nadir (Evening Standard)
Gigs are missing from Friday, 1 December through to Wednesday, 6 December 1967
7 December 1967 (Thursday) – New York Public Library (Evening Standard)
8 December 1967 (Friday) – New York Public Library (Evening Standard)
9 December 1967 (Saturday) – New York Public Library (Evening Standard)
Gigs are missing from Sunday, 10 December through to Tuesday, 12 December 1967
13 December 1967 (Wednesday) – The Anglians (Evening Standard)
14 December 1967 (Thursday) – The Anglians (Evening Standard)
Gig is missing for Friday, 15 December 1967
16 December 1967 (Saturday) – The Anglians (Evening Standard)
Gigs are missing from Sunday, 17 December through to Tuesday, 19 December 1967
20 December 1967 (Wednesday) – Mud (Evening Standard)
Gig is missing for Thursday, 21 December 1967
22 December 1967 (Friday) – Mud (Evening Standard)
23 December 1967 (Saturday) – Mud (Evening Standard)
Gigs are missing from Sunday, 24 December and from Tuesday, 26 December through to Thursday, 28 December 1967
29 December 1967 (Friday) – Big Pete Lancaster and The Upsetters (Evening Standard)
Gig is missing for Saturday, 30 December 1967
31 December 1967 (Sunday) – Big Pete Lancaster and The Upsetters (Evening Standard)
1968
For the 1968 dates listed below, I have found multiple sources that have confirmed the same date for when an artist appeared. However, I have tended to list only one source, usually from the music press such as Melody Maker or NME (New Musical Express).
Jonathan Marks’ gigs have been invaluable as they are the official gigs that were advertised by the club itself. As his flyers don’t cover all of the 1968 months, I’ve only listed them where there are gaps in the music press entries. I haven’t listed them if they concur with the music press entries.
Where there are conflicting entries, I have listed the artists and the sources that list them in italics after the main entry.
12 January 1968 (Friday) – Ray King Soul Band (Melody Maker)
13 January 1968 (Saturday) – The Quotations (Melody Maker) Evening Standard suggests that Ray King Soul Band, Timebox and Ferris Wheel play on this date
Possibly a gig on Sunday, 14 January 1968 missing
15 January 1968 (Monday) – The New Formula (Melody Maker) Jonathan Marks lists The Quotations on this date
16 January 1968 (Tuesday) – The New Formula (Melody Maker)
17 January 1968 (Wednesday) – Timebox (Melody Maker)
18 January 1968 (Thursday) – The New Formula (Melody Maker)
19 January 1968 (Friday) – The Three Sounds (Melody Maker)
20 January 1968 (Saturday) – Timebox (Melody Maker)
Possibly a gig on Sunday, 21 January 1968 missing
22 January 1968 (Monday) – The New Formula (Melody Maker)
23 January 1968 (Tuesday) – The Web (Melody Maker)
24 January 1968 (Wednesday) – The New Formula (Melody Maker)
25 January 1968 (Thursday) – The Web (Melody Maker)
26 January 1968 (Friday) – The Three Sounds (Melody Maker)
27 January 1968 (Saturday) – The Three Sounds (Melody Maker)
Possibly a gig on Sunday, 28 January 1968 missing
29 January 1968 (Monday) – The New Formula (Melody Maker)
30 January 1968 (Tuesday) – The New Formula (Melody Maker)
31 January 1968 (Wednesday) – Timebox (Melody Maker)
Gigs from Thursday, 1 February to Monday, 5 February 1968 missing
6 February 1968 (Tuesday) – James & Bobby Purify (Melody Maker)
Gigs from Wednesday, 7 February to Wednesday, 14 February 1968 missing
Melody Maker
15 February 1968 (Thursday) – Timebox (Melody Maker)
16 February 1968 (Friday) – The Copycats (Melody Maker)
17 February 1968 (Saturday) – Pussyfoot (Melody Maker)
Possibly a gig on Sunday, 18 February 1968 missing
19 February 1968 (Monday) – Timebox (Melody Maker)
20 February 1968 (Tuesday) – Jo Jo Cooke & The Racket (Melody Maker)
21 February 1968 (Wednesday) – Little John & The Shadocks (Melody Maker)
22 February 1968 (Thursday) – Timebox (Melody Maker)
23 February 1968 (Friday) – Jo Jo Cooke & The Racket (Melody Maker)
24 February 1968 (Saturday) – Jo Jo Cooke & The Racket (Melody Maker)
Possibly a gig on Sunday, 25 February 1968 missing
26 February 1968 (Monday) – The New Formula (Melody Maker)
27 February 1968 (Tuesday) – Rainy Day Women (Swedish band) (Melody Maker)
28 February 1968 (Wednesday) – Rainy Day Women (Swedish band) (Melody Maker)
29 February 1968 (Thursday) – Rainy Day Women (Swedish band) (Melody Maker)
5 June 1968 (Wednesday) – Sonny Burke’s Outfit and The Flowerpot Men (Jonathan Marks’ Hatchetts monthly gig listing) The Flowerpot Men were ‘Top of the Pops Party’ – Invitation only)
28 June 1968 (Friday) – Jo Jo Gunne (Jonathan Marks’ Hatchetts monthly gig listing)
29 June 1968 (Saturday) – Lemon Tree (Jonathan Marks’ Hatchetts monthly gig listing)
30 June 1968 (Sunday) – Strawberry Jam (Jonathan Marks’ Hatchetts monthly gig listing)
Jonathan Marks’ gig cards for the club have Junior Walker & The All Stars and Patti La Belle & The Bluebells as forthcoming attractions for July.
1 July 1968 (Monday) – Tuesday’s Children (Bob Hodges’ diary) Jonathan Marks has Indiana Magnum and Julian Kersh
2 July 1968 (Tuesday) – The Greatest Show on Earth (Jonathan Marks’ Hatchetts monthly gig listing)
3 July 1968 (Wednesday) – The Greatest Show on Earth (Jonathan Marks’ Hatchetts monthly gig listing)
4 July 1968 (Thursday) – The Coloured Raisins (Jonathan Marks’ Hatchetts monthly gig listing)
5 July 1968 (Friday) – Two of Each (Jonathan Marks’ Hatchetts monthly gig listing)
6 July 1968 (Saturday) – Two of Each (Jonathan Marks’ Hatchetts monthly gig listing)
7 July 1968 (Sunday) – The Cedars (Jonathan Marks’ Hatchetts monthly gig listing)
8 July 1968 (Monday) – July plus guest artists (Jonathan Marks’ Hatchetts monthly gig listing) Members party
9 July 1968 (Tuesday) – The Coloured Raisins (Jonathan Marks’ Hatchetts monthly gig listing)
10 July 1968 (Wednesday) – The Coloured Raisins (Jonathan Marks’ Hatchetts monthly gig listing)
11 July 1968 (Thursday) – The Chanters (Jonathan Marks’ Hatchetts monthly gig listing)
12 July 1968 (Friday) – The Chain Gang (NME)
13 July 1968 (Saturday) – Gala night with Dominic Grant, Vanity Fair, The Flirtations and Strawberry Jam (NME) Jonathan Marks has Strawberry Jam on 13 July
14 July 1968 (Sunday) – Cherry Smash (NME) Jonathan Marks has The Cedars on 14 July
15 July 1968 (Monday) – Impulse (NME)
16 July 1968 (Tuesday) – The Groop (Australian band) (NME) Melody Maker has Tim Rose also playing this date with The Groop
17 July 1968 (Wednesday) – Two of Each (Melody Maker)
18 July 1968 (Thursday) – The Groop (Australian band) (Melody Maker)
19 July 1968 (Friday) – The Groop (Australian band) (Jonathan Marks’ Hatchetts monthly gig listing)
20 July 1968 (Saturday) – Tim Rose and Impulse (NME) Fabulous 208 also has Tim Rose
23 July 1968 (Tuesday) – Moon’s Train (Melody Maker)
24 July 1968 (Wednesday) – The Groop (Australian band) (Melody Maker)
25 July 1968 (Thursday) – The Penny Peep Show (Melody Maker) Jonathan Marks has The Penny Pieces but this is The Penny Peeps aka The Penny Peep Show with future Jethro Tull guitarist Martin Barre
26 July 1968 (Friday) – Birds and Fellas and Two of Each (NME) Jonathan Marks only lists Two of Each
27 July 1968 (Saturday) – Two of Each (NME)
28 July 1968 (Sunday) – Fourth Floor (NME) Jonathan Marks lists The Cedars on 28 July
29 July 1968 (Monday) – Strawberry Jam (NME)
30 July 1968 (Tuesday) – Unit 4 Plus 2 (Melody Maker)
31 July 1968 (Wednesday) – Moon’s Train (Melody Maker)
1 August 1968 (Thursday) – The Greatest Show on Earth (Melody Maker)
2 August 1968 (Friday) – The Sweet Sops (NME)
3 August 1968 (Saturday) – The Sweet Sops (NME)
4 August 1968 (Sunday) – Bruce Channel and Strawberry Jam (Melody Maker) Jonathan Marks only lists Strawberry Jam on this date
5 August 1968 (Monday) – The Greatest Show on Earth and Bruce Channel (Melody Maker)
6 August 1968 (Tuesday) – Simon K & The Meantimers (Melody Maker)
7 August 1968 (Wednesday) – Simon K & The Meantimers (Melody Maker)
8 August 1968 (Thursday) – Coloured Raisins (NME)
9 August 1968 (Friday) – The Jackie Edwards Show (NME)
10 August 1968 (Saturday) – Circus (Melody Maker) Jonathan Marks has Zion de Gallier & The Unicorn on this date
11 August 1968 (Sunday) – The Flirtations (NME) Jonathan Marks has Impulse on this date
12 August 1968 (Monday) – Pepper (NME) Jonathan Marks has Julian Kersh on this date
13 August 1968 (Tuesday) – Katch 22 (NME)
14 August 1968 (Wednesday) – Katch 22 (NME)
15 August 1968 (Thursday) – The Ike & Tina Turner Show (Melody Maker) VIP members and members only
16 August 1968 (Friday) – Memphis Express (NME)
17 August 1968 (Saturday) – Memphis Express (NME)
18 August 1968 (Sunday) – The Motion (NME)
19 August 1968 (Monday) – Skip Bifferty (Melody Maker) Jonathan Marks also lists special gala party night guests
20 August 1968 (Tuesday) – Sweet Sops (Melody Maker)
21 August 1968 (Wednesday) – Zion de Gallier & The Unicorns (Melody Maker)
22 August 1968 (Thursday) – Julian Kersh (Melody Maker)
23 August 1968 (Friday) – Memphis Express (NME)
24 August 1968 (Saturday) – Toast (Melody Maker)
25 August 1968 (Sunday) – Motion (NME)
26 August 1968 (Monday) – The Greatest Show on Earth (Melody Maker)
27 August 1968 (Tuesday) – The Greatest Show on Earth (Melody Maker)
28 August 1968 (Wednesday) – The Greatest Show on Earth (Melody Maker)
29 August 1968 (Thursday) – The Greatest Show on Earth (Melody Maker)
30 August 1968 (Friday) – Mud (Melody Maker) Jonathan Marks has The Mooch
31 August 1968 (Saturday) – Jasper Stubbs Gloryland Band (Melody Maker) Jonathan Marks has The Mooch
1 September 1968 (Sunday) – Cherry Smash (Melody Maker)
2 September 1968 (Monday) – Cherry Smash (Melody Maker)
3 September 1968 (Tuesday) – Soul Committee (NME)
4 September 1968 (Wednesday) – Orange Seaweed (Melody Maker)
5 September 1968 (Thursday) – Strawberry Jam and Johnny Nash (NME) Jonathan Marks has only Strawberry Jam on this date
6 September 1968 (Friday) – Wild Uncertainty (Melody Maker) Jonathan Marks has The Chants on this date who could have been backed by The Wild Uncertainty
7 September 1968 (Saturday) – Strawberry Jam (NME)
8 September 1968 (Sunday) – Pepper (Melody Maker)
9 September 1968 (Monday) – Dr Marigold’s Prescription (NME) Jonathan Marks has The Stacks on this date. The gig card also notes special guest artistes for the member party, featuring a group managed by The Move
10 September 1968 (Tuesday) – The Flirtations (Melody Maker) Jonathan Marks has Tuesday’s Children on this date. This is confirmed by Bob Hodges’ diary
11 September 1968 (Wednesday) – The Flirtations (Melody Maker) Jonathan Marks has Tuesday’s Children on this date. This is confirmed by Bob Hodges’ diary
12 September 1968 (Thursday) – Dr Marigold’s Prescription (NME) Jonathan Marks has The Groop on this date
13 September 1968 (Friday) – Horace Faith (Melody Maker) Jonathan Marks has The Soul Committee on this date
14 September 1968 (Saturday) – Marble Arch Movement (NME) Jonathan Marks has The Soul Committee on this date
15 September 1968 (Sunday) – Strawberry Jam (NME)
16 September 1968 (Monday) – Circus (Melody Maker) Jonathan Marks has Zion de Gallier & The Unicorn on this date
17 September 1968 (Tuesday) – The Fantastics (with The House of Orange) (NME)
18 September 1968 (Wednesday) – Dr Marigold’s Prescription (NME) Jonathan Marks has The Stacks on this date, who are managed by The Move
19 September 1968 (Thursday) – The Groop (Australian band) (Jonathan Marks’ Hatchetts monthly gig listing)
20 September 1968 (Friday) – Horace Faith & The Wild Uncertainty (NME) Jonathan Marks has The Groop on this date
21 September 1968 (Saturday) – Tuesday’s Children (Melody Maker and Bob Hodges’ diary)
3 November 1968 (Sunday) – The Lions of Judea (Israeli band) (Melody Maker)
4 November 1968 (Monday) – Freddie Mack & The Mack Sound (Melody Maker)
5 November 1968 (Tuesday) – Freddie Mack & The Mack Sound (NME)
6 November 1968 (Wednesday) – Freddie Mack & The Mack Sound (NME)
Melody Maker
7 November 1968 (Thursday) – The Lions of Judea (Melody Maker)
8 November 1968 (Friday) – The Lions of Judea (Melody Maker)
9 November 1968 (Saturday) – The Lions of Judea (Melody Maker)
10 November 1968 (Sunday) – The Lions of Judea (Melody Maker)
11 November 1968 (Monday) – The Lions of Judea (Melody Maker) Members party night
12 November 1968 (Tuesday) – The Lions of Judea (Melody Maker)
13 November 1968 (Wednesday) – Youngblood (NME)
14 November 1968 (Thursday) – Charlie & Inez Foxx (NME)
15 November 1968 (Friday) – The Lions of Judea and Gilded Cage (Melody Maker) Jonathan Marks has The Sea on this date
16 November 1968 (Saturday) – The Lions of Judea and Gilded Cage (Melody Maker) Jonathan Marks has The Sea on this date
17 November 1968 (Sunday) – The Lions of Judea (Melody Maker)
18 November 1968 (Monday) – The Shadrocks with Little John, Watson T Brown & The Explosives (NME)
19 November 1968 (Tuesday) – The Lions of Judea (Melody Maker) Jonathan Marks has The Ray King Soul Band on this date
20 November 1968 (Wednesday) – The Lions of Judea (Melody Maker) Jonathan Marks has The Ray King Soul Band on this date
21 November 1968 (Thursday) – Garnett Mimms (with The Village Green Band) (NME)
22 November 1968 (Friday) – Julian’s Conquests and Lions of Judea (NME) Julian’s Conquests was Junior’s Conquest (Junior Marvin’s band). Jonathan Marks has only Julian’s Conquests on this date
23 November 1968 (Saturday) – Julian’s Conquests (NME)
24 November 1968 (Sunday) – The Lions of Judea (Melody Maker)
25 November 1968 (Monday) – Sonny Bushe (NME) This is Sonny Burke
26 November 1968 (Tuesday) – Ray King Soul Band (NME) Jonathan Marks has The Sea on this date
27 November 1968 (Wednesday) – The Iveys and The Greatest Show on Earth (Melody Maker) Jonathan Marks has only The Iveys on this date
28 November 1968 (Thursday) – The Mojos and The Greatest Show on Earth (Melody Maker) Jonathan Marks on only The Mojos on this date
29 November 1968 (Friday) – The Lions of Judea (Melody Maker) Jonathan Marks has Sleepy on this date
30 November 1968 (Saturday) – The Lions of Judea (Melody Maker) Jonathan Marks has Sleepy on this date
1 December 1968 (Sunday) – Toast (Melody Maker)
2 December 1968 (Monday) – Katch 22 (NME)
3 December 1968 (Tuesday) – Katch 22 (NME)
4 December 1968 (Wednesday) – The Flirtations (Melody Maker and Fabulous 208)
5 December 1968 (Thursday) – Mint Tulip (Melody Maker)
6 December 1968 (Friday) – Moving Finger (NME)
7 December 1968 (Saturday) – Mint Tulip (NME)
8 December 1968 (Sunday) – Mint Tulip (NME)
9 December 1968 (Monday) – Moving Finger (Melody Maker)
10 December 1968 (Tuesday) – Moving Finger (Melody Maker) Says final London appearance before US tour
11 December 1968 (Wednesday) – Circus (NME and Time Out)
12 December 1968 (Thursday) – The Drifters (NME)
13 December 1968 (Friday) – The Boston Crabs (NME)
14 December 1968 (Saturday) – The Boston Crabs (NME)
15 December 1968 (Sunday) – The Boston Crabs (NME)
16 December 1968 (Monday) – Jo Jo Gunne (Melody Maker) Members party night
17 December 1968 (Tuesday) – The Peddlers and Soul Package (NME)
18 December 1968 (Wednesday) – Toast and The Peddlers (Melody Maker)
19 December 1968 (Thursday) – Electric Gramophone (NME) Jonathan Marks has The Shirelles on this date
20 December 1968 (Friday) – Julian Kersh (NME) Jonathan Marks has Modes Mode on this date
21 December 1968 (Saturday) – Julian Kersh (NME) Jonathan Marks and Time Out both have Circus on this date
22 December 1968 (Sunday) – Zion de Gallier & The Unicorn (NME) Jonathan Marks and Time Out both have Circus on this date
23 December 1968 (Monday) – The Dream Police (Jonathan Marks’ Hatchetts monthly gig listing)
24 December 1968 (Tuesday) – Unit 4 Plus 2 (Jonathan Marks’ Hatchetts monthly gig listing) Xmas party
No artists on Christmas Day
26 December 1968 (Thursday) – Unit 4 Plus 2 (Jonathan Marks’ Hatchetts monthly gig listing)
27 December 1968 (Friday) – Unit 4 Plus 2 (Jonathan Marks’ Hatchetts monthly gig listing)
28 December 1968 (Saturday) – Unit 4 Plus 2 (Jonathan Marks’ Hatchetts monthly gig listing)
29 December 1968 (Sunday) – Unit 4 Plus 2 (Jonathan Marks’ Hatchetts monthly gig listing)
30 December 1968 (Monday) – Unit 4 Plus 2 (Jonathan Marks’ Hatchetts monthly gig listing)
31 December 1968 (Tuesday) – Unit 4 Plus 2 plus special guests (Jonathan Marks’ Hatchetts monthly gig listing)
26 May 1969 (Monday) – Jo Jo Gunne (Jonathan Marks’ Hatchetts monthly gig listing) This definitely did not happen as the band had a residency at the House of Lords club in the Bahamas at this time
14 October 1969 (Tuesday) – March Hare (Jonathan Marks’ Hatchetts monthly gig listing)
Missing gig for Wednesday, 15 October 1969
16 October 1969 (Thursday) – Joyce Bond Revue (Jonathan Marks’ Hatchetts monthly gig listing)
Missing gigs for Friday, 17 October to Sunday, 19 October 1969
20 October 1969 (Monday) – Bitter Suite (Jonathan Marks’ Hatchetts monthly gig listing)
Missing gigs for Tuesday, 21 October to Wednesday, 22 October 1969
23 October 1969 (Thursday) – Geno Washington & The Ram Jam Band (Jonathan Marks’ Hatchetts monthly gig listing)
Missing gigs for Friday, 24 October to Sunday, 26 October 1969
27 October 1969 (Monday) – Billy J Kramer (Jonathan Marks’ Hatchetts monthly gig listing)
Missing gigs for Tuesday, 28 October to Wednesday, 29 October 1969
30 October 1969 (Thursday) – Marv Johnson (Jonathan Marks’ Hatchetts monthly gig listing)
Missing gig for Friday, 31 October 1969
Missing gigs for Saturday, 1 November to Sunday, 2 November 1969
3 November 1969 (Monday) – Dave Amboy (Jonathan Marks’ Hatchetts monthly gig listing) This is credited as Dave Amboy but most likely this is The Amboy Dukes
Missing gigs for Tuesday, 4 November to Wednesday, 5 November 1969
This site is a work in progress on 1960s garage rock bands. All entries can be updated, corrected and expanded. If you have information on a band featured here, please let me know and I will update the site and credit you accordingly.
I am dedicated to making this site a center for research about '60s music scenes. Please consider donating archival materials such as photos, records, news clippings, scrapbooks or other material from the '60s. Please contact me at rchrisbishop@gmail.com if you can loan or donate original materials
Jan Ball – lead vocals
Formed in early 1967, the original line up played regularly at the Railway Hotel, Greenford on Sunday mornings. Tony Bramwell had previously played with The Fantoms.
Around April 1966, Mike Manners dropped out and Andy Clark from The Epitaph Soul Band took his place.
