US soul singer Big Maybelle was booked to arrive in Britain on 8 September1967 for a two-week tour. Disc & Music Echo, however, reported she was due to fly directly to Manchester but ended up in Paris, so that may have meant the first gigs in Manchester had to be rearranged?
For this tour, she was predominantly backed by Glasgow band, The Senate (https://grokipedia.com/page/the_senate_band), although Hull outfit The Majority did back her at Blaises in Kensington. This may have been due to the fact that The Senate also backed Garnet Mimms around this time on a British tour as well as Ben E King.
The Senate comprised Sol Byron (lead vocals); Alex Ligertwood (lead guitar/vocals); Bob Mather (saxophone); Anthony Rutherford (trumpet); Mike Fraser (keyboards); Bill Irving (bass); and Robbie McIntosh (drums).
The following gig list is probably incomplete:
8 September 1967 – Princess Theatre, Chorlton, Greater Manchester with The Senate (Manchester Evening News & Chronicle) Need to confirm this happened
8 September 1967 – Domino Club, Openshaw, Greater Manchester with The Senate (Manchester Evening News & Chronicle) Need to confirm this happened
9 September 1967 – Starlight Ballroom, Boston Gliderdrome, Boston, Lincolnshire with James & Bobby Purify, Ferris Wheel and The Senate (Lincolnshire Standard/Nottingham Evening Post)
10-11 September 1967 – Club Cedar, Birmingham with Ben E King and The Senate (Birmingham Evening Mail)
14 September 1967 – Blaises, Kensington, west London with The Majority (Melody Maker) It looks like The Majority backed her on this gig
17 September 1967 – Dungeon, Nottingham (Nottingham Evening Post)
17 September 1967 – Cue Club, Praed Street, Paddington, west London (Melody Maker)
24 September 1967 – Princess Theatre, Chorlton, Greater Manchester with The Senate (Manchester Evening News & Chronicle) This may have replaced the gig earlier in the month
24 September 1967 – Domino Club, Openshaw, Greater Manchester with The Senate (Manchester Evening News & Chronicle) This may have replaced the gig earlier in the month
We’d welcome any comments, particularly around the songs performed and other standouts from the tour in the comments section below
As the first female Motown artist to tour Britain, singer Mary Wells had been invited by The Beatles to join them for a nationwide tour from 9 October to 10 November 1964 alongside The Rustiks, Michael Haslam, Bob Bain, The Remo Four and Tommy Quickly.
For what was Wells’s first British tour, she was backed by Sounds Incorporated, who comprised John St John (lead guitar); Wes Hunter (bass); Barrie Cameron (organ/baritone sax); Alan “Boots” Holmes (baritone sax/tenor sax); “Major” Griff West (tenor sax/flute); and Tony Newman (drums).
In March 1967, Wells returned for her second (but first headlining) British tour and was backed by Scottish band O’Hara’s Playboys featuring John O’Hara (vocals/sax); Peter Green (tenor sax); Pete Campbell (lead guitar); Bobby Campbell (keyboards/guitar/vocals); Bill Mathieson (bass); and Davy McHarg (drums).
Source: Melody Maker, 26 November 1966, page 4
Judging by an article in Melody Maker, she was originally due in January 1967.
The following list is incomplete but includes:
30 March 1967 – Locarno, Bristol with The Playboys (Bristol Evening Post)
1 April 1967 – Twisted Wheel, Manchester (Manchester Evening News & Chronicle)
2 April 1967 – Top Rank Astoria Ballroom, Oldham, Greater Manchester (Manchester Evening News & Chronicle)
4 April 1967 – High Wycombe Town Hall, High Wycombe, Bucks with guest group (Bucks Free Press)
7 April 1967 – Gaiety Grimsby, Grimsby, North East Lincolnshire with John O’Hara’s Playboys (Grimsby Evening Telegraph)
8 April 1967 – Starlight Ballroom, Boston Gliderdrome, Boston, Lincolnshire with supporting band, The Sect, The Group and The Steel Band (Lincolnshire Echo)
9 April 1967 – Beau Brummel Club, Alvaston Hall Hotel, Nantwich, Cheshire with O’Hara’s Playboys and Phil Ryan & The Scorpions (Runcorn Guardian)
9 April 1967 – 7 Club, Wyle Co-op, Shrewsbury with support group (Shropshire Journal)
13 April 1967 – Ram Jam, Brixton, south London with The Playboys (Melody Maker)
14 April 1967 – Marine Ballroom, Central Pier, Morecambe, Lancashire with Five of a Kind and MBQ (Morecambe Visitor)
15 April 1967 – California Ballroom, Dunstable, Bedfordshire with The Apex R&B All Stars and Night Train (Melody Maker/California Ballroom website)
15 April 1967 – Cue Club, Praed Street, Paddington, west London (Melody Maker)
20 April 1967 – Clouds, Derby, Derbyshire (Derby Evening Post)
21 April 1967 – Club A Go Go, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne & Wear (Newcastle Evening Chronicle)
22 April 1967 – Nite Owl, Leicester with Sonny Childe & The TNT (Leicester Mercury)
22 April 1967 – Gaiety Ballroom, Ramsey, Cambridgeshire with The Fireflies (Cambridgeshire Times)
23 April 1967 – Starlite Ballroom, Greenford, northwest London with The Gods (Melody Maker)
It was another two years before Mary Wells returned to Britain for her second solo British tour. On this one she appears to have been backed, at least on some gigs, by Glasgow band, Sir Percy Quintet who comprised Ian Wright (vocals); Jim Fraser (guitar/vocals); John Thompson (guitar/vocals); Colin Wright (bass/vocals); and Ray Gibson (drums).
The following list is incomplete but includes the following. I think some of the Melody Maker gigs listed in the image below may be slightly off.
2 May 1969 – Flamingo, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with Clam (Melody Maker)
2 May 1969 – White Lion, Edgware, north London (Melody Maker)
Source: Melody Maker, 3 May 1969, page 4
3 May 1969 – Civic Hall, Nantwich, Cheshire with Cleveland Fox Soul Band (Evening Sentinel)
3 May 1969 – Clockwork Orange, Chester, Cheshire with Familiarity Breeds (Liverpool Echo)
8 May 1969 – Hatchetts Playground, Piccadilly, central London (Evening Standard) The Flirtations attended this
In early March 1966, American soul singer Irma Thomas arrived in England to participate in a nationwide tour organised by Roy Tempest who hired Nottingham band, The Sons of Adam, to back her.
In some of the adverts, the group appears to be listed as The Excitements (or Exciters) unless this was another band that played on some of the tour dates?
The Sons of Adam line-up for the tour was Paddy Flynn (lead guitar), Harry Hopewell (bass), Barry Heald (tenor sax), John Sanderson (tenor sax) and Mick Franks aka Mick Maltby (drums).
The dates below (and band line-up) are listed on the Dungeon Mods website (https://dungeonmods.wordpress.com/2020/04/16/life-of-a-local-band/) and from advertised sources. After this tour with Irma Thomas, The Sons of Adam backed Screaming Jay Hawkins on a handful of gigs.
4 March 1966 – New All-Star Club, Artillery Passage, Bishopsgate, east London (Melody Maker) Doubtful this happened even though it was advertised
Morning and afternoon rehearsals took place at the Roebuck on Tottenham Court Road. Apparently, The Sons of Adam had to wait until Stevie Wonder had finished rehearsing before starting tour preparations with Irma Thomas and were introduced to him by Thomas. Evening rehearsals took place at the Titanine Sports & Social Club in Colindale.
17 March 1966 – Whisky A Go Go, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with The Excitements (Melody Maker). In the early hours Irma Thomas and The Sons of Adam played the Scotch of St James in Mayfair on an all-nighter.
18 March 1966 – ITV’s Ready Steady Go at 12.30pm and Flamingo, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with Ralph Denyer’s Rockhouse Band at 7pm (Melody Maker) From midnight Irma Thomas and The Sons of Adam played the El Partido in Lewisham, southeast London on an all-nighter.
19 March 1966 – Twisted Wheel, Manchester (Manchester Evening News & Chronicle)
19 March 1966 – Twisted Wheel, Manchester (late session) with Wilson Pickett (Manchester Evening News & Chronicle)
20 March 1966 – Roaring ‘20s, Carnaby Street, Soho, central London with The Powerhouse Six, The Excitements and Duke Lee (Melody Maker/Poster)
23 March 1966 – Catacombe Club, Eastbourne, East Sussex (Melody Maker)
24 March 1966 – The Rialto, Derby with The Sidewinders and The Tommy Owen Quintet (Derby Evening Telegraph) This was reviewed in the press
24 March 1966 – The Penthouse, Birmingham (Birmingham Evening Mail)
25 March 1966 – Canterbury Union Ball, Eliot College, Kent University, Canterbury, Kent with Manfred Mann and full supporting groups (InCant /Melody Maker/Poster)
25 March 1966 – New All-Star Club, Artillery Passage, Bishopsgate, east London (Melody Maker)
26 March 1966 – Caribbean All Star Club, Sheffield, South Yorkshire with The Excitements (Sheffield Star) The Sons of Adam gigs also list a second show at the King Mojo in Sheffield.
27 March 1966 – Flamingo, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with The Chessmen (Melody Maker)
“I had no one looking after things for me and found myself singing night after night – and some matinees – for around three weeks,” she recalled.
“I had a very basic British backing band and went everywhere in an old van. It was exhausting and debilitating. I was told by a voice doctor that if I ever wanted to sing again, I couldn’t speak for three months. So, I didn’t. Which was really difficult, especially when you have small children.”
27 June 1966 – Whisky A Go Go, Wardour Street, Soho, central London (Melody Maker) Although this was advertised, it is probably a printing error and was actually Rufus Thomas who was touring Britain at the time.
If you can add anything, please leave a comment below. We would particularly like to hear about the songs performed and any other standouts.
Welcome to another posting of a series of gig listings for 1960s bands. None of these lists is exhaustive and my idea is to add to them in the comments section below over time. They are here for future researchers to draw on and, where possible, I have added the sources used, whether they are newspapers or websites. I have also added a few interesting bits of information and will add images in time.
I’d like to encourage band members to get in touch to share memories, or for anyone to send corrections/clarifications to my email:Warchive@aol.com
Equally important, if you attended any of the gigs below or played in the support band, please do leave your memories below in the comments section for future historians to use. If you know of any missing gigs, please add them too, if possible, with the sources.
Photo: Fulham and Hammersmith Chronicle. Image may be subject to copyright. Left to right: Derek, Tony, Jim, Ian and John.
Derek Savage – Lead vocals
Tony Noble – Lead guitar
Ian Milne – Organ
John Turner – Bass
Jim Van Sickle – Drums
According to an article in the Fulham & Hammersmith Chronicle from 10 March 1967 (page 8), Derek Savage formed this group in late 1965 with drummer Jim Van Sickle after leaving another band (Ed. Although the press says Jim was American, Tony Noble confirms he was born and raised in Fulham, southwest London).
Photo: Fulham and Hammersmith Chronicle. Image may be subject to copyright
Tony Noble arrived having responded to a newspaper advertisement and introduced his friend John Turner, with Ian Milne completing the formation.
The band played extensively at the Flamingo in Wardour Street in Soho, central London from late 1966 through to early 1967 and signed with Date Records, which issued a lone single – ‘Stop the Wedding’ c/w ‘Breakin’ Through’.
Photo: Fulham and Hammersmith Chronicle. Image may be subject to copyright
The musicians were also pictured, with a short article, in the Fulham and Hammersmith Chronicle, in the newspaper’s 17 March 1967 issue (page 4).
The Derek Savage Foundation continued to gig until late 1967 before splitting up.
We’d love to hear from anyone that can add further information below
Notable gigs:
Image may be subject to copyright
23 September – Flamingo, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with The VIPs (Melody Maker)
7 October 1966 – Tiles, Oxford Street, central London with Freddie & The Dreamers (Melody Maker)
Image may be subject to copyright
8 October 1966 – Flamingo, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with Remo Four (Melody Maker)
14 October 1966 – Flamingo, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with Ike & Tina Turner Show (Melody Maker)
22 October 1966 – Club Continental, Eastbourne, East Sussex (Eastbourne Herald Chronicle)
5 November 1966 – Flamingo, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with The Soul Trinity and Tina and Johnny Glover (Melody Maker)
12 November 1966 – Flamingo, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with Makin Sound and Tina and Johnny Glover (Melody Maker)
Image may be subject to copyright
15 November 1966 – Flamingo, Wardour Street, Soho, central London (Melody Maker)
19 November 1966 – Flamingo, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with The Soul Trinity and Tina and Johnny Glover (Melody Maker)
26 November 1966 – Flamingo, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with Alex Harvey & The Mox and Tina and Johnny Glover (Melody Maker)
3 December 1966 – Club Continental, Eastbourne, East Sussex (Eastbourne Herald Chronicle)
4 December 1966 – Toft’s, Folkestone, Kent (Folkestone, Hythe & District Herald)
9 December 1966 – Flamingo, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with O’Hara’s Playboys and Tina and Johnny Glover (Melody Maker)
Image may be subject to copyright
17 December 1966 – Flamingo, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with Locomotive and Tina and Johnny Glover (Melody Maker)
13 January 1967 – Flamingo, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with Jo Jo Gunn (Melody Maker)
L-R: Roger Smith (rhythm guitar); Ron Prior (vocals); Jess Hodges (drums); Graham Bradley (vocals); Keith Greaves (bass); and Roger Tinkler (lead guitar). Photo: Ron Prior
Ron Prior – lead vocals
Graham Bradley – lead vocals
Roger Tinkler – lead guitar
Roger Smith – rhythm guitar
Keith Greaves – bass
Jess Hodges – drums
This northwest Surrey band evolved out of The Black Arrows and featured two lead singers – Ron Prior and Graham Bradley.
Invited by Cyril Stapleton to record a demo recording at Radio Luxembourg in central London, the sextet cut two tracks, including a cover of Solomon Burke’s ‘Stupidity’ via Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers (featuring Prior on lead vocals), but it was never released.
Prior and Tinkler subsequently joined Jeep Rongle in March 1966.
Ron would love to hear from any surviving band members in the comments section below
Selected gigs:
6 December 1964 – Sunday Club, Addlestone, Surrey with The Applejacks (Woking Herald)
26 January 1965 – Walton Playhouse, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey (Woking Herald)
26 February 1965 – The British Legion Hall, Virginia Water, Surrey (Staines & Egham News)
5 March 1965 – Co-op Hall, Addlestone, Surrey (Woking Herald)
8 May 1965 – Egham Hythe Social Club, Egham Hythe, Surrey with The Roosters (Staines & Egham News)
12 June 1965 – St Paul’s FC, Social Centre, Egham Hythe, Surrey (Staines & Egham News)
19 June 1965 – Social Club, Egham Hythe, Surrey with the Cherokees (Staines & Egham News)
21 August 1965 – Egham Hythe Social Centre, Egham Hythe, Surrey with The Stormsville Shakers (Staines & Egham News)
19 September 1965 – Co-op Hall, Addlestone, Surrey (Woking Herald)
Clockwise from front: Roger Smith (rhythm guitar), Alan Smith (lead guitar), Keith Greaves (bass) and Ron Prior (drums). Photo: Ron Prior
Alan Smith – lead guitar
Roger Smith – rhythm guitar
Keith Greaves – bass
Ron Prior – drums
Former Highlights and Magnets singer/turned drummer put this band together in 1962 with Chertsey, Surrey-raised brothers Alan and Roger Smith.
Like Prior’s previous band The Magnets, The Black Arrows played extensively throughout Surrey, including appearing frequently at the Walton Playhouse (see 1962 on that entry).
Although The Black Arrows did not record, all of the members (with the exception of Alan Smith) stayed on when the group became The Legends (not to be confused with the west London band of the same name) in 1965.
Ron would love to hear from any surviving band members in the comments section below
L-R: Roger Smith, Ron Prior, Keith Greaves and Alan Smith. Photo Ron Prior
L-R: Craig Collins (drums), Paul Baxter (lead guitar), Ron Prior (lead vocals), Mick Angel (rhythm guitar). Ronnie Knight not pictured. Photo: Ron Prior
Ron Prior – lead vocals
Paul Baxter – lead guitar
Mick Angel – rhythm guitar
Ronnie Knight – bass
Craig Collins – drums
Formed in 1960 by Virgina Water, Surrey-raised singer Ron Prior, who’d started out with The Highlights, a group that briefly included future Kinks drummer Mick Avory.
The group played extensively throughout Surrey for the best part of two years before Prior departed to form The Black Arrows.
Ron would love to hear from any surviving band members in the comments section below
L-R: Ron Prior (hands at the microphone), Paul Baxter, Mick Angel and Ronnie Knight. Photo: Ron Prior
Photo may be subject to copyright (from Pacific Northwest Bands website). Left to right: John Simpson, Danny O’Keefe, Clyde Heaton and Paul Goldsmith.
Very little is known about Seattle rock group Calliope so Garage Hangover would welcome any additional information in the comments section below
Lead guitarist, singer and writer Paul Goldsmith formed the group after his previous band The Emergency Exit disbanded in late 1967. He also recruited Clyde James Heaton (b. 13 July 1949, Seattle; d. 2 November 2005) and drummer Paul Simpson.
Heaton had previously been a member of The Dimensions while Simpson had worked with The Bumps.
According to singer/guitarist and writer Danny O’Keefe (b. 20 May 1943, Spokane, Washington), he was the last to join (see our interview below).
O’Keefe had worked as a solo artist for several years and, like his colleagues, issued some previous recordings.
The band signed to Buddah Records around June 1968 and recorded a lone eclectic LP in Los Angeles, which was issued around November/December that year. They also opened for Cream and Iron Butterfly at the Eagles Auditorium in Seattle.
O’Keefe dropped out soon after the LP’s release to establish a prolific solo career and bass player Luther Rabb (b. 7 September 1942; d. 21 January 2006), who’d worked with Goldsmith in The Nitesounds and The Emergency Exit joined. Rabb, incidentally, had been a sax player in Jimi Hendrix’s early group, The Velvetones.
When the band fell apart in 1969, Goldsmith subsequently played with Soldier and wrote “Southern Celebration”, which was recorded by Genya Ravan.
Heaton apparently played with The Sunday Funnies while Simpson worked with Christopher. The drummer tragically died in a plane crash in 1973.
Rabb meanwhile recorded with Ballin’ Jack and West Coast Revival. He also later worked with War and Santana.
Garage Hangover would welcome any more information plus photos, which we will credit.
Nick Warburton interviewed Danny O’Keefe by email on 31 May 2024 about his time with the group.
Prior to the formation of Calliope in 1968, you’d been working as a solo artist and had recorded quite prolifically – a 1966 LP on the Panorama label and a clutch of singles for Piccadilly. Your songs had also been covered by other artists, such as “Blackstone Ferry”, which The Daily Flash recorded. Most, if not all, of these recordings subsequently appeared on The Seattle Tapes LP and tracks like “Baby” and “Graveyard Pistol” sound like they were recorded with a band. Did any of the other soon-to-be members of Calliope appear on any of these recordings?
Danny O’Keefe: No. Calliope was a band that Paul Goldsmith put together with Clyde Heaton and John Simpson. They needed a singer and I needed a gig. I hadn’t known them before I joined the band.
The LP that you did for Buddah Records only lists the four of you, but I understand that bass player Luther Rabb, who’d worked with Paul Goldsmith in his previous bands, was also involved with the group?
Danny O’Keefe: Luther Rabb joined after I left the group, and wasn’t involved in the Buddha recording.
I have read somewhere that Calliope was very well received on the local Seattle live scene. Did you play extensively in Seattle and the Washington state before landing the record deal with Buddah Records and were there any shows that stand out, perhaps opening for better known bands?
Danny O’Keefe: I think we opened for Iron Butterfly and I notably threw out a lid’s worth of joints to the audience before we started. We also opened for Cream on one of their last shows. Both shows were at the Eagles Auditorium. I think we were only together for a few months before we got the Buddha deal.
How did the deal with Buddah Records come about? It looks like the LP came out around November 1968, so I guess the recording sessions took place that summer?
Danny O’Keefe: Denny Rosencrans was a local record promoter who took an interest in the group, largely because he was Paul Goldsmith’s friend. He contacted Neil Bogart at Buddah who came out to see a performance at the Seattle Center, I believe.
What can you recall of the recording sessions? Buddah is a New York label, but I presume they didn’t fly you to the Big Apple to record? Also, it’s a very eclectic album that showcases a huge breadth of styles. Did the final product reflect what you all envisaged for it from the outset?
Danny O’Keefe: The recording sessions were produced by Lew Merenstein for Buddah. I don’t remember the name of the studio but it was a well-known studio in LA that Jimi Hendrix had recorded in. I don’t remember much about the sessions, of which there were three, I think. I had throat problems during the sessions and have always felt my vocals could have been much better. I didn’t like the recording when it came out, as it wasn’t really what I was interested in at the time, and I quit the band after I heard it. I went back to LA (from Seattle) to pursue a different route and eventually landed on Atlantic Records.
You were clearly a very prolific writer, even during this period, but only two of your original songs (and two from Paul) appear on the LP. How did you come to choose “The Rainmaker’s Daughter”, which had already been demoed and later surfaced on The Seattle Tapes, and “Atlas” and what were they about?
Danny O’Keefe: I liked “The Rainmaker’s Daughter”. It was only a demo on The Seattle Tapes, which were never intended for release except for a couple of singles. “Atlas” was a performance song and was the number we closed our sets with. “Atlas” was always assumed to have been about the Ayn Rand book. When those who uphold the world shrug their obligations the Earth becomes chaotic. “The Rainmaker’s Daughter” was from a short story by Hermann Hesse. Both early attempts to learn the craft of songwriting.
Did the band members have any say in the choice of covers, which, in themselves, are quite varied – everything from a raunchy version of “Hound Dog” to brilliant interpretations of Bob Dylan’s “Like a Rolling Stone” and Lee Michaels’ “Hello, Hello”, the latter released as a US and Dutch single?
Danny O’Keefe: The material was picked by Paul Goldsmith. Again, I was only the vocalist in the band, which was Paul’s.
From this writer’s perspective, the production on the LP is very punchy and the arrangements are dynamic; I particularly love the horns and strings on “Atlas”. What role did Lewis Merenstein have on the final recordings?
Danny O’Keefe: He took the tapes back to Chicago and put the strings on and mixed the recordings. I had virtually no say in any of the production and, as I said, I quit the band when I heard the final recording.
By 1968, you’d already written and recorded such classics as “3.10 Smokey Thursday”. Did you record any more of your songs that were never issued at the time or perform them live? I heard rumours that a second LP was cut but subsequently shelved. Is that true?
Danny O’Keefe: I didn’t record any more songs for Buddha and asked Neil Bogart for release from my contract. He was hopeful I would stick around for another record, but I had other interests. I wasn’t involved in any recordings except those on the “Steamed” recording.
The back cover also credits your road manager. Was there any significance in listing him?
Danny O’Keefe: His name was Scott Strong, and he was a member of the band in every sense, and also a good player.
The LP came out late 1968 and one 45 was issued. Did you do much promotion of the release in Seattle or play elsewhere in the US or did the band pretty much fall apart as soon as the LP came out?
Danny O’Keefe: I left the band when the recording came out. The band persisted in the Northwest for a while, but eventually the members went their own ways.
What prompted the band’s split in early 1969 and did you keep in touch with the other band members, who all appear to have kept a relatively low profile in the aftermath?
Danny O’Keefe: John Simpson went to Alaska and worked in his grandmother’s bank. He was with his twin brothers (if I remember correctly) in a small plane that crashed in the Alaska bush. He tried to go for help but never made it. I don’t believe his body was found, but it’s a long time ago and I’m not sure of all the facts. I lost touch with the other members of the band. I’ve tried to find out what happened to Paul Goldsmith but haven’t been successful. I don’t think he’s still alive.
Fans of your music will probably be surprised that you worked with a heavy rock band in the 1960s, but when you look back at Calliope, what are your best memories of that brief period in your career?
Danny O’Keefe: A couple of shows at the Eagles Auditorium where I got to do a couple of “art rock” pieces, and smoking a joint in the stairwell with Clapton when we opened for Cream in an afternoon show. Other than that, as I mentioned, it was just a gig and I left as soon as I had other prospects.
Welcome to another posting of a series of gig listings for 1960s bands. None of these lists is exhaustive and my idea is to add to them in the comments section below over time. They are here for future researchers to draw on and, where possible, I have added the sources used, whether they are newspapers or websites. I have also added a few interesting bits of information and will add images in time.
I’d like to encourage band members to get in touch to share memories, or for anyone to send corrections/clarifications to my email:Warchive@aol.com
Equally important, if you attended any of the gigs below or played in the support band, please do leave your memories below in the comments section for future historians to use. If you know of any missing gigs, please add them too, if possible, with the sources.
Photo may be subject to copyright. Clockwise from top: Wil Malone, Gary Hooper, John Bachini and Robert J Scales
Robert J Scales (aka Robb Storme) – lead vocals
Gary Hooper – keyboards/guitar
John Bachini – bass/vocals
Pete Wilson (aka Wil Malone) – drums/keyboards/vocals
In September 1967, The Robb Storme Group changed name to Orange Bicycle.
Halifax Evening Courier and Guardian, 7 September 1967, page 4
24 September 1967 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with Pandemonium (Melody Maker)
30 September 1967 – The Pilgrim, Haywards Heath, West Sussex with supporting group (Mid Sussex Times) Billed as Robb Storme & The Orange Bicycle
6 October 1967 – Klik, Brighton, Sussex (Brighton Evening Argus/Mid Sussex Times) Billed as Robb Storme & Orange Bicycle
27 October 1967 – Top Rank Suite, Brighton, East Sussex (Brighton Evening Argus)
9 November 1967 – The Pilgrim, Haywards Heath, West Sussex with The Switch (Mid Sussex Times) Billed as Robb Storme & The Orange Bicycle
20 December 1967 – Top Rank Suite, Brighton, East Sussex (Brighton Evening Argus)
21 December 1967 – The Pilgrim, Haywards Heath, West Sussex (Mid Sussex Times) Billed as Robb Storme & The Orange Bicycle
23 December 1967 – Lion Hotel, Warrington, Cheshire with The Beachwoods (Warrington Guardian) Billed as Robb Storme & The Whispers
1968
6 January 1968 – The Place, Hanley, Staffordshire (Evening Sentinel) Billed as Robb Storme & The Whispers
19 January 1968 – Winter Gardens, Morecambe, Lancashire with The Good Tone and The All Jump Kangaroo Band (Morecambe Visitor)
27 January 1968 – The Pilgrim, Haywards Heath, West Sussex (Mid Sussex Times) Billed as Robb Storme & The Orange Bicycle
10 February 1968 – Faculty of Tech Union, Students’ Union Building, Manchester University, Manchester with The Pretty Things (Manchester Evening News)
24 February 1968 – The Place, Hanley, Staffordshire (Evening Sentinel) Billed as Robb Storme & The Whispers
29 February 1968 – The Pilgrim, Haywards Heath, West Sussex with The Inspirations (Mid Sussex Times) Billed as Robb Storme & The Orange Bicycle
Photo: Bill Wilson
15 March 1968 – Eastbourne College of Education, Eastbourne, East Sussex with The Skatalites (Poster from Bill Wilson)
29 March 1968 – Freshwater East Club & Golden Sands Restaurant, Freshwater East, Pembrokeshire, west Wales (Pembroke County & West Wales Guardian)
3 April 1968 – Grand Spa Ballroom, Bristol (Bristol Evening Post)
4 April 1968 – Caesar’s Discotek, Arno’s Court Country Club, Bristol (Bristol Evening Post)
13 April 1968 – Pier Ballroom, Hastings, East Sussex with Pete Kelly’s Solution (Melody Maker)
15 April 1968 – The Pilgrim, Haywards Heath, West Sussex with The Too Much (Mid Sussex Times) Billed as Robb Storme & The Orange Bicycle with The Too Much
11 May 1968 – The Place, Hanley, Staffordshire (Evening Sentinel) Billed as Robb Storme & The Whispers
26 May 1968 – Crawdaddy, Reading, Berkshire (Reading Evening Post)
1 June 1968 – Rainbow Suite, Co-op, Birmingham with Ultra Sounds (Birmingham Evening Mail)
3 June 1968 – The Pilgrim, Haywards Heath, West Sussex (Mid Sussex Times) Billed as Robb Storme & The Orange Bicycle
7 June 1968 – Georgian Club, Manchester with The Choice (Manchester Evening News)
8 June 1968 – Domino Club, Openshaw, Greater Manchester (Manchester Evening News) Billed as Rob Storm & The Orange Bicycle
8 June 1968 – Princess Club, Chorlton, Greater Manchester (Manchester Evening News) Billed as Rob Storm & The Orange Bicycle
Orange Bicycle featured in the Mid Sussex Times, 13 June 1968 p18
6 July 1968 – St Joseph’s College, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire with The Reg James Explosion (Evening Sentinel)
20 July 1968 – The Place, Hanley, Staffordshire (Evening Sentinel) Billed as Robb Storme & The Whispers
1 August 1968 – The Pilgrim, Haywards Heath, West Sussex (Mid Sussex Times) Billed as Robb Storme & The Orange Bicycle
7 August 1968 – Top Rank Suite, Brighton, East Sussex with Coloured Raisins (Brighton Evening Argus)
10 August 1968 – Le Metro, Birmingham (Birmingham Evening Mail)
25 August 1968 – The Place, Hanley, Staffordshire (Evening Sentinel) Billed as Robb Storme & The Whispers
31 August 1968 – Isle of Wight Festival, Ford Farm near Godshill, Isle of Wight with Jefferson Airplane, The Move, The Crazy World of Arthur Brown, T-Rex, Fairport Convention, The Pretty Things and others (poster)
2 September 1968 – The Pilgrim, Haywards Heath, West Sussex (Mid Sussex Times) Billed as Orange Bicycle with Robb Storme
5 September 1968 – The Pilgrim, Haywards Heath, West Sussex (Mid Sussex Times) Billed as Robb Storme & The Orange Bicycle
11 September 1968 – The Grand, Frome, Somerset with The Derek Jones Discotheque (Somerset Standard)
Melody Maker advert says they appear on BBC Dave Cash Show on 3 October
4 October 1968 – Sydenham Community Centre, Bridgwater, Somerset (Melody Maker)
5 October 1968 – The Place, Hanley, Staffordshire (Evening Sentinel) Billed as Robb Storme & The Whispers
6 October 1968 – Maerdy Workingmen’s Club, Maerdy, Rhondda, Wales (Melody Maker)
10 October 1968 – The Pilgrim, Haywards Heath, West Sussex (Mid Sussex Times) Billed as Orange Bicycle with Robb Storme
11 October 1968 – Owens Park College, Manchester (Melody Maker)
Melody Maker advert lists gig in Barnsley on 12 October
13 October 1968 – Redcar Jazz Club, Coatham Hotel, Redcar (Melody Maker)
Melody Maker advert lists gig in Newport, Wales on 16 October
17 October 1968 – RAF St Athan, Wales (Melody Maker)
Melody Maker advert lists gig at East Club, Freshwater on 18 October and a gig in Crewe on 19 October
20 October 1968 – Dugout Club, Bristol (Melody Maker)
23 October 1968 – Grand Spa Ballroom, Bristol (Bristol Evening Post)
24 October 1968 – RNAS Yeovilton, Ilchester, Somerset (Melody Maker)
25 October 1968 – Woolaston Memorial Hall, Woolaston, Gloucestershire (Melody Maker)
26 October 1968 – Lafayette Club, Wolverhampton, West Midlands (Melody Maker)
27 October 1968 – Golden Diamond Club, Sutton-In-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire (Melody Maker)
28 October 1968 – Exeter College, Exeter, Devon (Melody Maker) This cannot be correct
6 March 1969 – Red Balloon, Haywards Heath, West Sussex (Mid Sussex Times)
15 March 1969 – Ritz, Bournemouth, Dorset (needs source)
10 April 1969 – The Pilgrim, Haywards Heath, West Sussex (Mid Sussex Times) Orange Bicycle with Robb Storme
31 May 1969 – The Place, Hanley, Staffordshire (Evening Sentinel) Says ex-Robb Storme
2 June 1969 – Regal Cinema, Ringwood, Hampshire with Wedgewood Wing (needs source)
7 June 1969 – Room at the Top Club, Redruth, Cornwall with Hopscotch (West Briton)
27 June 1969 – Exeter University, Exeter, Devon with The Moody Blues, Colosseum, The Pyramids, Alex Walsh, Bob Kerr’s Whoopee Band and others (Melody Maker)
28 June 1969 – Room at the Top Club, Redruth, Cornwall (West Briton)
3 August 1969 – Sunday Club, Top Rank, Bristol (Bristol Evening News)
14 August 1969 – In Place, Newport, south Wales with Electric Circus (South Wales Argus)
16 August 1969 –Room at the Top Club, Redruth, Cornwall (Cornish Guardian)
31 August 1969 – Top Rank, Bristol (Bristol Evening Post)
Welcome to another posting of a series of gig listings for 1960s bands. None of these lists is exhaustive and my idea is to add to them in the comments section below over time. They are here for future researchers to draw on and, where possible, I have added the sources used, whether they are newspapers or websites. I have also added a few interesting bits of information and will add images in time.
I’d like to encourage band members to get in touch to share memories, or for anyone to send corrections/clarifications to my email:Warchive@aol.com
Equally important, if you attended any of the gigs below or played in the support band, please do leave your memories below in the comments section for future historians to use. If you know of any missing gigs, please add them too, if possible, with the sources.
Robb Storme – lead vocals
Tony Ollard – lead guitar
Jim St Pier – saxophone, keyboards
Gary Hooper (aka Garry Peterson) – bass
Pete Wilson – drums, keyboards
Previously known as Robb Storme & The Whispers, this north London band changed name around June 1966 but was billed under its former name from time to time.
1 July 1966 – Gig in Rushton, Northamptonshire (Jim St Pier’s gig diary)
3 July 1966 – Princess Theatre, Torquay, Devon with Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich and Billie Davis (Jim St Pier’s gig diary) Backing Paul & Barry Ryan
9 July 1966 – Gig in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire (Jim St Pier’s gig diary)
10 July 1966 – Oasis, Manchester (Jim St Pier’s gig diary)
10 July 1966 – Warmingham Grange Country Club, Sandbach, Warmingham, Cheshire (Evening Sentinel) Backing Paul & Barry Ryan (not listed as backing them on Jim St Pier’s gig diary)
14 July 1966 – The Pilgrim, Haywards Heath, West Sussex (Jim St Pier’s gig diary)
16 July 1966 – Flamingo, Redruth, Cornwall (Jim St Pier’s gig diary)
17 July 1966 – Princess Theatre, Torquay, Devon with Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick &Tich, The Emeralds and Kim Davis & The Del Five (Jim St Pier’s gig diary) Backing Paul & Barry Ryan
20 July 1966 – Gig in Hemel Hempstead, Herts (Jim St Pier’s gig diary)
22 July 1966 – Gig in Bath (Jim St Pier’s gig diary)
23 July 1966 – Boston Gliderdrome, Boston, Lincolnshire with The Action, The Ferry Boys and The James Royal Set (Jim St Pier’s gig diary) Backing Paul & Barry Ryan
24 July 1966 – ABC, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk with Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick and Tich, The Koobas, Billie Davis & The End (Jim St Pier’s gig diary) Backing Paul & Barry Ryan
27 July 1966 – Locarno Ballroom, Stevenage, Herts (Jim St Pier’s gig diary) Backing Paul & Barry Ryan
30 July 1966 – New Century, Manchester (Jim St Pier’s gig diary)
31 July 1966 – Olympia Ballroom, Cromer, Norfolk with The Barry Lee Show (Jim St Pier’s gig diary) Backing Paul & Barry Ryan
6 August 1966 – Victoria Gallery, Wantage, Oxfordshire (Jim St Pier’s gig diary)
7 August 1966 – Gigs in Sandown and Shanklin, Isle of Wight (Jim St Pier’s gig diary)
8 August 1966 – Gig in Cardiff, Wales (Jim St Pier’s gig diary)
12 August 1966 – City Hall, Perth, Scotland (Jim St Pier’s gig diary)
13 August 1966 – Market Hall, Carlisle, Cumbria (Jim St Pier’s gig diary)
14 August 1966 – Top Rank, Preston, Lancashire (Jim St Pier’s gig diary)
19 August 1966 – Hotel Metropole, Brighton, Sussex with Weston Gavin, Graham Bond Organisation, The Mike Stuart Span and The Mercats (Jim St Pier’s gig diary) Backing Paul & Barry Ryan
20 August 1966 – Corn Exchange, Leicester (Jim St Pier’s gig diary)
21 August 1966 – ABC, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk (Jim St Pier’s gig diary)
Photo may be subject to copyright. Left to right: Lewis Collins, Pete Wilson (aka Wil Malone), Robb Storme, Jim St Pier, Tony Ollard
This is the most likely point that Lewis Collins from The Mojos started on bass, taking over from Gary Hooper. The Lancashire Evening Telegraph’s 27 August issue, has a photo of him and mentions him as the newest member
24 August 1966 – Fiesta Ballroom, Stockton-On-Tees, Teesside (Jim St Pier’s gig diary)
25 August 1966 – Astoria, Oldham, Greater Manchester (Jim St Pier’s gig diary)
26 August 1966 – Floral Hall, Hornsea, Humberside with The Strollers (Hull Daily Mail) Backing Paul & Barry Ryan (not listed on Jim St Pier’s gig listing as backing them)
27 August 1966 – Glen Ballroom, Llanelli, Wales (Jim St Pier’s gig diary)
28 August 1966 – The Downs, Hassocks, West Sussex (Jim St Pier’s gig diary)
Photo: Mid Sussex Times
14 September 1966 – One week doubling at the Cavendish Club in Newcastle Upon Tyne and Wetheralls in Sunderland (Jim St Pier’s gig diary) Backing Paul & Barry Ryan
14 September 1966 – Town Hall, Stourbridge, West Midlands (Jim St Pier’s gig diary) Backing Paul & Barry Ryan
15 September 1966 – Locarno Ballroom, Burnley, Lancashire (Jim St Pier’s gig diary)
17 September 1966 – Oasis, Manchester (Jim St Pier’s gig diary)
17 September 1966 – Warmingham Country Club, Warmingham, Cheshire (Jim St Pier’s gig diary)
18 September 1966 – One week doubling at La Bamba in Darlington and Marimba in Middlesbrough (Jim St Pier’s gig diary) Backing Paul & Barry Ryan (Ed. I have Flamingo Club in Darlington and with Johnny Kidd & The Pirates). Billed as Robb Storme & The Whispers
30 September 1966 – Strand Ballroom, Port Stewart, Northern Ireland (Jim St Pier’s gig diary)
1 October 1966 – Arcadia, Bray, Republic of Ireland (Jim St Pier’s gig diary)
2 October 1966 – Abbey, Drogheda, Republic of Ireland (Jim St Pier’s gig diary)
2 October 1966 – TV show, Dublin, Republic of Ireland (Jim St Pier’s gig diary)
6 October 1966 – Palais, Ashton-under-Lyne, Greater Manchester (Jim St Pier’s gig diary)
7 October 1966 – Gaiety Ballroom, Grimsby, Lincolnshire (Jim St Pier’s gig diary)
8 October 1966 – Leas Cliff Hall, Folkestone, Kent (Jim St Pier’s gig diary)
10 October 1966 – Silver Blades, Streatham, southwest London (Jim St Pier’s gig diary)
15 October 1966 – ABC Cinema, Aldershot, Hampshire with The Hollies, Paul Jones, Peter Jay & The New Jayhawks and The Nashville Teens (various sources) Backing Paul & Barry Ryan and billed as Robb Storme & The Whispers
16 October 1966 – ABC Cinema, Romford, Essex with The Hollies, Paul Jones, Peter Jay & The New Jayhawks and The Nashville Teens (various sources) Backing Paul & Barry Ryan and billed as Robb Storme & The Whispers
18 October 1966 – Odeon Theatre, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire with The Hollies, The Small Faces, Paul Jones, Peter Jay & The New Jayhawks and The Nashville Teens (various sources) Backing Paul & Barry Ryan and billed as Robb Storme & The Whispers
19 October 1966 – Capitol Theatre, Cardiff, Wales with The Hollies, The Small Faces, Paul Jones, Peter Jay & The New Jayhawks and The Nashville Teens (various sources) Backing Paul & Barry Ryan and billed as Robb Storme & The Whispers
20 October 1966 – Gaumont, Taunton, Somerset with The Hollies, The Small Faces, Paul Jones, Peter Jay & The New Jayhawks and The Nashville Teens (various sources) Backing Paul & Barry Ryan and billed as Robb Storme & The Whispers
21 October 1966 – Gaumont Cinema, Wolverhampton, West Midlands with The Hollies, The Small Faces, Paul Jones, Peter Jay & The New Jayhawks and The Nashville Teens (various sources) Backing Paul & Barry Ryan and billed as Robb Storme & The Whispers
22 October 1966 – ABC Theatre, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire with The Hollies, The Small Faces, Paul Jones, Peter Jay & The New Jayhawks and The Nashville Teens (various sources) Backing Paul & Barry Ryan and billed as Robb Storme & The Whispers
23 October 1966 – ABC Cinema, Kingston upon Hall, East Riding of Yorkshire with The Hollies, The Small Faces, Paul Jones, Peter Jay & The New Jayhawks and The Nashville Teens (various sources) Backing Paul & Barry Ryan and billed as Robb Storme & The Whispers
24 October 1966 – Gaumont Theatre, Ipswich, Suffolk with The Hollies, The Small Faces, Paul Jones, Peter Jay & The New Jayhawks and The Nashville Teens (various sources) Backing Paul & Barry Ryan and billed as Robb Storme & The Whispers
26 October 1966 – ABC Cinema, Northampton with The Hollies, The Small Faces, Paul Jones, Peter Jay & The New Jayhawks and The Nashville Teens (various sources) Backing Paul & Barry Ryan and billed as Robb Storme & The Whispers
27 October 1966 – Regal Cinema, Cambridge with The Hollies, The Small Faces, Paul Jones, Peter Jay & The New Jayhawks and The Nashville Teens (various sources) Backing Paul & Barry Ryan and billed as Robb Storme & The Whispers
28 October 1966 – ABC Cinema, Lincoln, Lincolnshire with The Hollies, The Small Faces, Paul Jones, Peter Jay & The New Jayhawks and The Nashville Teens (various sources) Backing Paul & Barry Ryan and billed as Robb Storme & The Whispers
29 October 1966 – ABC Cinema, Chester, Cheshire with The Hollies, The Small Faces, Paul Jones, Peter Jay & The New Jayhawks and The Nashville Teens (various sources) Backing Paul & Barry Ryan and billed as Robb Storme & The Whispers
30 October 1966 – Gaumont Theatre, Coventry with The Hollies, The Small Faces, Paul Jones, Peter Jay & The New Jayhawks and The Nashville Teens (various sources) Backing Paul & Barry Ryan and billed as Robb Storme & The Whispers
1 November 1966 – Gaumont Theatre, Worcester with The Hollies, The Small Faces, Paul Jones, Peter Jay & The New Jayhawks and The Nashville Teens (various sources) Backing Paul & Barry Ryan and billed as Robb Storme & The Whispers
2 November 1966 – ABC Cinema, Wigan, Lancashire with The Hollies, The Small Faces, Paul Jones, Peter Jay & The New Jayhawks and The Nashville Teens (various sources) Backing Paul & Barry Ryan and billed as Robb Storme & The Whispers
3 November 1966 – Odeon Theatre, Manchester with The Hollies, The Small Faces, Paul Jones, Peter Jay & The New Jayhawks and The Nashville Teens (various sources) Backing Paul & Barry Ryan and billed as Robb Storme & The Whispers
4 November 1966 – Odeon Theatre, Leeds, West Yorkshire with The Hollies, The Small Faces, Paul Jones, Peter Jay & The New Jayhawks and The Nashville Teens (various sources) Backing Paul & Barry Ryan and billed as Robb Storme & The Whispers
5 November 1966 – Sheffield City Hall, Sheffield, South Yorkshire with The Hollies, The Small Faces, Paul Jones, Peter Jay & The New Jayhawks and The Nashville Teens (various sources) Backing Paul & Barry Ryan and billed as Robb Storme & The Whispers
6 November 1966 – Newcastle City Hall, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne & Wear with The Hollies, The Small Faces, Paul Jones, Peter Jay & The New Jayhawks and The Nashville Teens (various sources) Backing Paul & Barry Ryan and billed as Robb Storme & The Whispers
18 November 1966 – Corn Hall, Diss, Norfolk (Jim St Pier’s gig diary)
19 November 1966 – Gaiety Ballroom, Ramsay, Cambridgeshire with The Original Dyaks (Jim St Pier’s gig diary) Backing Paul & Barry Ryan
20 November 1966 – Twist Club, Clifton Hall, Rotherham, South Yorkshire with Paul & Barry Ryan and The Kodiaks (Jim St Pier’s gig diary/Sheffield Star)
25 November 1966 – High Wycombe College, High Wycombe, Bucks (Jim St Pier’s gig diary)
26 November 1966 – Plaza Handsworth, Birmingham (Jim St Pier’s gig diary) Backing Paul & Barry Ryan
27 November 1966 – One week doubling Dolce Vita, Newcastle upon Tyne and Latino, South Shields (Jim St Pier’s gig diary) Backing Paul & Barry Ryan
9 December 1966 – Grand Ballroom, Coalville, Leicestershire with Ignition (Leicester Mercury/Hinckley Times) Backing Paul & Barry Ryan (Jim St Pier’s gig diary does not list them backing them)
10 December 1966 – Civic Hall, Barnsley, South Yorkshire (Jim St Pier’s gig diary)
11 December 1966 – “Beat ’66 Club”, Working Men’s Club, Kettering, Northamptonshire with The Symbols and The Barry Lee Show (Jim St Pier’s gig diary/Northamptonshire Evening Telegraph) Backing Paul & Barry Ryan
13 December 1966 – Clarence Pier, Southampton, Hampshire (Jim St Pier’s gig diary)
16 December 1966 – Gig in Shrewsbury (Jim St Pier’s gig diary)
17 December 1966 – Winter Gardens, Weston-Super-Mare, Somerset (Bristol Evening Post) Backing Paul & Barry Ryan (Jim St Pier’s gig diary does not list backing them)
18 December 1966 – Belle Vue, Manchester (Jim St Pier’s gig diary)
23 December 1966 – Top Rank Suite, Brighton, Sussex with Syd Dean and His Music (Jim St Pier’s gig diary)
24 December 1966 – Public Hall, Harpenden, Herts (Jim St Pier’s gig diary)
26 December 1966 – Keys Hall, Brentwood, Essex (Jim St Pier’s gig diary)
30 December 1966 – Dungeon, Nottingham (Nottingham Evening Post) Billed as Robb Storme & The Whispers
31 December 1966 – Hilton, Park Lane, central London with Tom Jones (Jim St Pier’s gig diary)
1967
7 January 1967 – Beachcomber, Nottingham (Jim St Pier’s gig diary/Nottingham Evening Post)
14 January 1967 – The Place, Hanley, Staffordshire (Jim St Pier’s gig diary)
18 January 1967 – Church Hall, Stonehaven, Scotland (Jim St Pier’s gig diary) This looks very unlikely unless it’s Stonehouse in Gloucestershire
19 January 1967 – The Pilgrim, Haywards Heath, West Sussex (Mid Sussex Times)
20 January 1967 – Philippa Fawcett College, Streatham, southwest London (Jim St Pier’s gig diary)
21 January 1967 – Town Hall, Lewes, East Sussex (Jim St Pier’s gig diary)
27 January 1967 – Hereford Training College, Hereford (Jim St Pier’s gig diary)
28 January 1967 – Leeds Training College, Leeds, West Yorkshire (Jim St Pier’s gig diary)
4 February 1967 – Colchester University, Colchester, Essex (Jim St Pier’s gig diary)
5 February 1967 – Dungeon, Nottingham (Nottingham Evening Post) Billed as Robb Storme & The Whispers
12 February 1967 – Oasis, Manchester (Jim St Pier’s gig diary)
18 February 1967 – Bal Tabarin, Bromley, southeast London (Jim St Pier’s gig diary)
23 February 1967 – The Pilgrim, Haywards Heath, West Sussex (Mid Sussex Times)
24 February 1967 – Dancing Slipper, West Bridgford, Nottingham (Jim St Pier’s gig diary/Nottingham Evening Post)
25 February 1967 – Aberystwyth University, Aberystwyth, Wales (Jim St Pier’s gig diary)
3 March 1967 – Astoria, Finsbury Park, north London with Roy Orbison & The Candymen, The Small Faces, Paul & Barry Ryan, The Jeff Beck Group, The Settlers and Sonny Childe & The TNT (Hackney Gazette) Backing Paul & Barry Ryan
4 March 1967 – ABC, Exeter, Devon with Roy Orbison & The Candymen, The Small Faces, Paul & Barry Ryan, PP Arnold & Four of a Kind, The Settlers and Sonny Childe & The TNT (needs source) Backing Paul & Barry Ryan
5 March 1967 – ABC, Plymouth, Devon with Roy Orbison & The Candymen, The Small Faces, Paul & Barry Ryan, PP Arnold & Four of a Kind, The Settlers and Sonny Childe & The TNT (needs source) Backing Paul & Barry Ryan
7 March 1967 – Kingsway, Hadleigh, Suffolk with Roy Orbison & The Candymen, The Small Faces, Paul & Barry Ryan, PP Arnold & Four of a Kind, The Settlers and Sonny Childe & The TNT (needs source) Backing Paul & Barry Ryan
8 March 1967 – Birmingham Odeon, Birmingham with Roy Orbison & The Candymen, The Small Faces, Paul & Barry Ryan, PP Arnold & Four of a Kind, The Settlers and Sonny Childe & The TNT (Birmingham Sunday Mercury) Backing Paul & Barry Ryan
9 March 1967 – Bolton Odeon, Bolton, Lancashire with Roy Orbison & The Candymen, The Small Faces, Paul & Barry Ryan, PP Arnold & Four of a Kind, The Settlers and Sonny Childe & The TNT (Bolton Evening News) Backing Paul & Barry Ryan
10 March 1967 – Odeon, Manchester with Roy Orbison & The Candymen, The Small Faces, Paul & Barry Ryan, PP Arnold & Four of a Kind, The Settlers and Sonny Childe & The TNT (Manchester Evening News) Backing Paul & Barry Ryan
11 March 1967 – ABC Chesterfield, Chesterfield, Derbyshire with Roy Orbison & The Candymen, The Small Faces, Paul & Barry Ryan, PP Arnold & Four of a Kind, The Settlers and Sonny Childe & The TNT (needs source) Backing Paul & Barry Ryan
12 March 1967 – Empire Theatre, Liverpool with Roy Orbison & The Candymen, The Small Faces, Paul & Barry Ryan, PP Arnold & Four of a Kind, The Settlers and Sonny Childe & The TNT (needs source) Backing Paul & Barry Ryan
15 March 1967 – Ritz Cinema, Luton, Bedfordshire with Roy Orbison & The Candymen, The Small Faces, Paul & Barry Ryan, PP Arnold & Four of a Kind, The Settlers and Sonny Childe & The TNT (needs source) Backing Paul & Barry Ryan
16 March 1967 – Gaumont, Southampton, Hampshire with Roy Orbison & The Candymen, The Small Faces, Paul & Barry Ryan, PP Arnold & Four of a Kind, The Settlers and Sonny Childe & The TNT (needs source) Backing Paul & Barry Ryan
17 March 1967 – Tooting Granada, southwest London with Roy Orbison & The Candymen, The Small Faces, Paul & Barry Ryan, PP Arnold & Four of a Kind, The Settlers and Sonny Childe & The TNT (needs source) Backing Paul & Barry Ryan
18 March 1967 – Gaumont, Wolverhampton, West Midlands with Roy Orbison & The Candymen, The Small Faces, Paul & Barry Ryan, PP Arnold & Four of a Kind, The Settlers and Sonny Childe & The TNT (needs source) Backing Paul & Barry Ryan
19 March 1967 – City Hall, Newcastle upon Tyne, Newcastle, Tyne &Wear with Roy Orbison & The Candymen, The Small Faces, Paul & Barry Ryan, PP Arnold & Four of a Kind, The Settlers and Sonny Childe & The TNT (Newcastle Sunday Sun) Backing Paul & Barry Ryan
20 March 1967 – ABC Cinema, Edinburgh, Scotland with Roy Orbison & The Candymen, The Small Faces, Paul & Barry Ryan, PP Arnold & Four of a Kind, The Settlers and Sonny Childe & The TNT (needs source) Backing Paul & Barry Ryan
21 March 1967 – Odeon, Glasgow, Scotland with Roy Orbison & The Candymen, The Small Faces, Paul & Barry Ryan, PP Arnold & Four of a Kind, The Settlers and Sonny Childe & The TNT (needs source) Backing Paul & Barry Ryan
22 March 1967 – ABC Cinema, Carlisle, Cumbria with Roy Orbison & The Candymen, The Small Faces, Paul & Barry Ryan, PP Arnold & Four of a Kind, The Settlers and Sonny Childe & The TNT (needs source) Backing Paul & Barry Ryan
23 March 1967 – Odeon, Leeds, West Yorkshire with Roy Orbison & The Candymen, The Small Faces, Paul & Barry Ryan, PP Arnold & Four of a Kind, The Settlers and Sonny Childe & The TNT (needs source) Backing Paul & Barry Ryan
24 March 1967 – Gaumont, Doncaster, South Yorkshire with Roy Orbison & The Candymen, The Small Faces, Paul & Barry Ryan, PP Arnold & Four of a Kind, The Settlers and Sonny Childe & The TNT (needs source) Backing Paul & Barry Ryan
25 March 1967 – Lincoln ABC, Lincoln, Lincolnshire with Roy Orbison & The Candymen, The Small Faces, Paul & Barry Ryan, PP Arnold & Four of a Kind, The Settlers and Sonny Childe & The TNT (Lincolnshire Echo) Backing Paul & Barry Ryan
26 March 1967 – Coventry Theatre, Coventry with Roy Orbison & The Candymen, The Small Faces, Paul & Barry Ryan, PP Arnold & Four of a Kind, The Settlers and Sonny Childe & The TNT (David Else research) Backing Paul & Barry Ryan
27 March 1967 – Odeon, Blackpool, Lancashire with Roy Orbison & The Candymen, The Small Faces, Paul & Barry Ryan, PP Arnold & Four of a Kind, The Settlers and Sonny Childe & The TNT (needs source) Backing Paul & Barry Ryan
29 March 1967 – Capitol Theatre, Cardiff, Wales with Roy Orbison & The Candymen, The Small Faces, Paul & Barry Ryan, PP Arnold & Four of a Kind, The Settlers and Sonny Childe & The TNT (needs source) Backing Paul & Barry Ryan
30 March 1967 – Colston Hall, Bristol with Roy Orbison & The Candymen, The Small Faces, Paul & Barry Ryan, PP Arnold & Four of a Kind, The Settlers and Sonny Childe & The TNT (needs source) Backing Paul & Barry Ryan
31 March 1967 – Cheltenham Odeon, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire with Roy Orbison & The Candymen, The Small Faces, Paul & Barry Ryan, PP Arnold & Four of a Kind, The Settlers and Sonny Childe & The TNT (Melody Maker) Backing Paul & Barry Ryan
1 April 1967 – Winter Gardens, Bournemouth, Dorset with Roy Orbison & The Candymen, The Small Faces, Paul & Barry Ryan, The Creation, PP Arnold & Four of a Kind, The Settlers and Sonny Childe & The TNT (needs source) Backing Paul & Barry Ryan
2 April 1967 – De Montfort Hall, Leicester with Roy Orbison & The Candymen, The Small Faces, Paul & Barry Ryan, PP Arnold & Four of a Kind, The Settlers and Sonny Childe & The TNT (needs source) Backing Paul & Barry Ryan
5 April 1967 – Gaumont, Ipswich, Suffolk with Roy Orbison & The Candymen, The Small Faces, Paul & Barry Ryan, PP Arnold & Four of a Kind, The Settlers and Sonny Childe & The TNT (needs source) Backing Paul & Barry Ryan
6 April 1967 – Adelphi, Slough, Berkshire with Roy Orbison & The Candymen, The Small Faces and The Settlers (Windsor, Slough & Eton Express) Backing Paul & Barry Ryan
7 April 1967 – ABC Aldershot, Aldershot, Hampshire with Roy Orbison & The Candymen, The Small Faces, Paul & Barry Ryan, PP Arnold & Four of a Kind, The Settlers and Sonny Childe & The TNT (needs source) Backing Paul & Barry Ryan
9 April 1967 – ABC Cinema, Romford, east London with Roy Orbison & The Candymen, The Small Faces, Paul & Barry Ryan, PP Arnold & Four of a Kind, The Settlers and Sonny Childe & The TNT (needs source) Backing Paul & Barry Ryan
Jim St Pier thinks the shows on 7 and 9 April may have been cancelled
13 April 1967 – The Pilgrim, Haywards Heath, West Sussex with Eddie Singh & The West Indian Tornados (Mid Sussex Times)
15 April 1967 – Town Hall, Lewes, East Sussex with Peter Jay & The New Jaywalkers featuring Terry Reid and The Beachcombers (Jim St Pier’s gig diary)
16 April 1967 – Dungeon, Nottingham (Nottingham Evening Post) Billed as Robb Storme & The Whispers
19 April 1967 – Church Hall, Stonehouse, Gloucestershire (Jim St Pier’s gig diary)
20 April 1967 – RAF St Athan, Vale of Glamorgan, Wales (Jim St Pier’s gig diary)
21 April 1967 – Discotheque, Bristol (Jim St Pier’s gig diary)
22 April 1967 – St George’s Hall, Exeter, Devon (Jim St Pier’s gig diary)
23 April 1967 – Khyber Club, Taunton, Somerset (Jim St Pier’s gig diary)
29 April 1967 – St Mark and St John, Chelsea, southwest London (Jim St Pier’s gig diary)
5 May 1967 – Top Rank, Brighton, Sussex (Jim St Pier’s gig diary)
6 May 1967 – Hereford Teaching Training College, Hereford (Jim St Pier’s gig diary)
Melody Maker’s 13 May issue, page 14, features an advert for the band looking for a new bass player/singer so this must be when Lewis Collins departed and John Bachini from The Symbols and Davey Sands & The Essex took over bass.
25 May 1967 – The Pilgrim, Haywards Heath, West Sussex (Mid Sussex Times) Jim St Pier’s gig diary says this was cancelled and the band Camp replaced them
1 June 1967 – The Pilgrim, Haywards Heath, West Sussex with support (Mid Sussex Times)
3 June 1967 – St George’s College, Winchester, Hampshire (Jim St Pier’s gig diary)
Jim St Pier departed at this point
8 July 1967 – Hatchetts Playground, Piccadilly, central London (Evening Standard)
20 July 1967 – The Pilgrim, Haywards Heath, West Sussex (Mid Sussex Times)
29 July 1967 – Witchdoctor, Catford, southeast London with The Amboy Dukes (South East London Mercury)
24 August 1967 – The Pilgrim, Haywards Heath, West Sussex with Precisely This (Mid Sussex Times)
28 August 1967 – Festival of Music, Hastings Stadium, Hastings, East Sussex with The Kinks, Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Titch, Geno Washington & The Ram Jam Band, The Crazy World of Arthur Brown, Winston’s Fumbs and The Hip Hooray Band (Melody Maker) Billed as Robb Storme & The Whispers
9 September 1967 – Witchdoctor, Catford, southeast London with The Fireballs (South East London Mercury)
Sometime around now Tony Ollard left, subsequently to work with The Creation and The Warren Davis Monday Band among others and was replaced by former bass player Gary Hooper on guitar. The group changed name to Orange Bicycle.
29 September 1967 – Witchdoctor, Catford, southeast London with The Outrage (South East London Mercury) Billed under the old name but this would have been Orange Bicycle
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
