All posts by Nick Warburton

Categories: England, Surrey

The Original Topics (with Dickie Pride)

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Photo: Malcolm Penn

Dave Atkey (bass and lead vocals)

Len Neldrett (lead guitar)

Nicky Graham (organ)

John Horton (baritone sax)

Bernie Greenwood (tenor and alto sax)

Malcolm Penn (drums)

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Dickie Pride (lead vocals)

Formed from musicians drawn from the Tolworth, Surbiton and Chessington area of Surrey in April 1964, The Original Topics evolved out of the final version of The Classics and added John Horton (b. 14 November 1945; d. 25 September 2023) from The Outsiders.

Len Neldrett and Malcolm Penn had both attended Surbiton County Grammar and had earlier played in rival local bands The Gremlins and The Electrons.

In November 1964, Dickie Pride (b. 21 October 1941, Thornton Heath, Surrey; d. 26 March 1969), one of the late 1950s home-grown English rock stars from the Larry Parnes stable, including, among others, Marty Wilde, Billy Fury, Vince Eager, Georgie Fame, Lance Fortune, Duffy Power and Johnny Gentle (John Askew), joined as their new front man. Tragically, he later died of a heroin overdose in 1969

However, around March 1965, Nicky Graham (b. January 1945, Durban, South Africa; d. 3 February 2024) (quickly followed by  John Horton) departed to form The End, a band that developed close links with Rolling Stones’ bass player Bill Wyman.

Wyman would oversee many of that group’s recordings. He would also remain friends with Nicky Graham who later formed Tucky Buzzard and worked with David Bowie in the early 1970s.

Stan Marut briefly took over from Graham and remembers playing at the Cromwellian while with the group.

In May 1965, Dickie Pride, Len Neldrett and Malcolm Penn  joined a new central London-based outfit called The Sidewinders. Marut meanwhile joined The Jynx Pack and then Julian Covey &  The Machine.

Photo: Malcolm Penn

Selected gigs:

17 July 1964 – Wimbledon Palais, Wimbledon, Surrey with The Searchers and Cats Whiskers (Kingston & Malden Borough News)

Image may be subject to copyright

25 July 1964 – King George’s Hall, Esher, Surrey with The Yardbirds (Kingston & Malden Borough News)

 

8 August 1964 – Flamingo, Soho, Wardour Street, central London with The Cheynes (Record Mirror)

29 August 1964 – Flamingo, Soho, Wardour Street, central London with Chris Farlowe & The Thunderbirds (Record Mirror)

 

12 September 1964 – Galaxy Club, Town Hall, Basingstoke, Hampshire with The Westsiders (Hampshire & Berkshire Gazette)

19 September 1964 – Flamingo, Soho, Wardour Street, central London with Dave Davani (Record Mirror)

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21 September 1964 – Moonlighter Club, Weybridge Hall, Weybridge, Surrey (Woking Herald)

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29 September 1964 – Central Club, Farnham, Surrey (Farnham Herald)

 

10 October 1964 – Flamingo, Soho, Wardour Street, central London with The Supremes and The Chessmen (Record Mirror)

14 October 1964 – Flamingo, Soho, Wardour Street, central London with Georgie Fame & The Blue Flames (Record Mirror)

17 October 1964  – Flamingo, Soho, Wardour Street, central London with Tony Colton (Live Music website)

31 October 1964 – Le Disque A Go Go, Bournemouth, Dorset with The Nite People – (website: https://bournemouthbeatboom.wordpress.com/)

 

4 November 1964 – Flamingo, Soho, Wardour Street, central London with Georgie Fame & The Blue Flames (Record Mirror)

Dickie Pride joins now

29 November 1964 – North Warnborough Village Hall, North Warnborough, Hampshire (Hampshire & Berkshire Gazette)

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13 December 1964 – Alley Cat Club, Hersham, Surrey (Woking Herald)

14 December 1964 – Galaxy Club, Town Hall, Basingstoke, Hampshire with Tommy Quickly & The Remo Four (Hampshire & Berkshire Gazette)

18 December 1964 – Flamingo, Soho, Wardour Street, central London with Rufus Thomas (Record Mirror)

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19 December 1964 – Disque a Le Go Go, Landsdowne, Dorset (Bournemouth Evening Echo)

Photo: Malcolm Penn

2 January 1965 – Flamingo, Soho, Wardour Street, central London with John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers (Record Mirror)

9 January 1965 – Flamingo, Soho, Wardour Street, central London with Zoot Money’s Big Roll Band (Live Music website)

17 January 1965 – Ricky Tick, Windsor, Berkshire (David Else research)

 

3 February 1965 – Flamingo, Soho, Wardour Street, central London with Screaming Jay Hawkins (Record Mirror) Billed as The Topics with Dickie Pride

12 February 1965 – Ricky Tick, Windsor, Berkshire (Poster) Billed as The Topics with Dickie Pride

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22 April 1965 – Whitehall, East Grinstead, West Sussex with The Plus Three (Sussex Evening Express)

Thanks to Malcolm Penn for the photo

31 August 1965 – Co-op Hall, Halstead, Essex with Heinz & The Wild Boys, Cops ‘N’ Robbers, The Fairies and Soul Foundations (Essex Chronicle) This is very unlikely unless it was a different band (possibly The Sidewinders?)

Left to right: Len, Dave and Nick. Photo: Malcolm Penn

A huge thanks to Malcolm Penn for providing the background notes and all of the photos for The Original Topics. Thanks to David Else for helping with some gigs from Record Mirror.

Copyright © Nick Warburton. All Rights Reserved. No part of this article may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without prior permission from the author.

Categories: England, London

The Mode

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Jim Henderson (lead vocals)

Terry Taylor (lead guitar)

Graham Bircumshaw (Hammond organ)

? (bass)

Bob Thackway (drums)

British band The Mode arrived in Spain during 1966 and cut a lone (rare) 45 for Sonoplay: “What You Been Doing” c/w “Love is to Blame, Not You”, composed by Henderson and Taylor.

Although Colin Giffin of The End, who the musicians befriended while in Spain, is sometimes credited for appearing on the recording, the single’s picture sleeve shows a five-man group (and not including Giffin), so it looks like there was a bass player whose name is missing from the list above.

It’s not clear when the band split up but Taylor did sessions for The End in late 1967 and joined the group back in London in March 1968 as a permanent member. Jim Henderson also joined The End (but in spring 1970) just before the band changed name to Tucky Buzzard.

He is also rumoured to have recorded some solo material before joining The End but it’s not clear if it was as The Jimmy Henderson Set.

Both Bircumshaw and Thackway stayed in Spain. Bircumshaw went on to join Canarios and appeared on their LP Libérate!

Thackway also stayed in Spain and went on to play with La Mosca among others as well as Miguel Rios. He was last heard of teaching English.

We would love to hear from anyone who can add more information about the band and its origins.

Categories: England

Edwin Starr’s September-October 1968 British tour

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This was Edwin Starr’s third tour of the year, such was the demand for his music in Britain in the late 1960s.

Little is known about who provided support for the soul legend but it appears that The State Express, who’d backed him on his previous tour, did play some dates on this one (notably the Retford gig at the Broken Wheel Scene on 29 September).

Quite a few of the bookings also list a group called The National Hot House as the singer’s backing band. I’ve not been able to find anything on this group and we’d welcome any information from readers in the comments below.

The Reading Evening Post from 21 December 1968 does list a gig for The National Hot House at St Matthew’s Hall, Southcote and says they are ex-Memphis Gents. It looks like they might have moved on to back London-based black soul outfit The Sound Casters.

Interestingly, an advert in the North Wales Weekly News from 3 October lists a band called The Pure Medicine which it says is playing at the Ritz Ballroom, Rhyl direct from their recent tours with Edwin Starr and Ben E King. It’s not clear if this means The Pure Medicine were the backing band or just happened to be on the same tours.

Melody Maker lists the group quite a bit in the latter half of 1968 and its 7 September 1968 issue has an advert which notes that they are France’s Number One group.

I have found the following gigs and would welcome any further information in the comments below:

10 September 1968 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with Terry Reid (Tony Bacon’s book: London Live)

21 September 1968 – Twisted Wheel, Manchester (website: http://www.45worlds.com/live/artist/edwin-starr/uk/3)

21 September 1968 – Clockwork Orange, Chester, Cheshire with The National Hot House and Beryl Marsden and Sinbad (Cheshire Observer) Backed by The National Hot House

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21 September 1968 – Civic Hall, Nantwich, Cheshire with The National Hot House and Benedict Arnold (Crew Chronicle) Backed by The National Hot House

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23 September 1968 – Orchid Ballroom, Purley, Surrey (Chris Broom book: Rockin’ and Around Croydon/Beckenham & Penge Advertiser)

24 September 1968 – Hatchetts, Piccadilly, central London (Poster at Jonathan Marks’ website: https://imgur.com/a/sWtBd#0)

25 September 1968 – Falcon Hotel, Eltham, Kent (Record Retailer)

25 September 1968 – Samantha’s, Burlington Street, central London (Record Retailer)

26 September 1968 – Spinning Disc, Leeds, West Yorkshire (Record Retailer)

27 September 1968 – Victorianna, Liverpool (Record Retailer)

27 September 1968 – Mardi Gras, Liverpool (Record Retailer)

28 September 1968 – Top Ten, Oldham, Greater Manchester (Record Retailer)

29 September 1968 – Broken Wheel Scene, Retford, Nottinghamshire (Melody Maker) Backed by The State Express

29 September 1968 – Clouds, Derby (Record Retailer)

30 September 1968 – Golden Torch, Tunstall, Staffordshire (Record Retailer)

30 September 1968 – Club Cedar, Birmingham (Record Retailer)

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5 October 1968 – Royal Links Pavilion, Cromer, Norfolk with Music Hath Charms and Django’s Castle with The National Hot House (Julie Fielder book: What Flo Said Next) Backed by The National Hot House

5 October 1968 – Gaiety Ballroom, Ramsey, Cambridgeshire with Eyes of Blond (Cambridgeshire Times) Most likely backed by The National Hot House

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6 October 1968 – El Grotto, Ilford, east London (Redbridge & Ilford Recorder)

6 October 1968 – 76 Club, Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire (Record Retailer) This clashes with Ilford one above

7 October 1968 – Pavilion, Bath (website: http://www.45worlds.com/live/artist/edwin-starr/uk/3)

10 October 1968 – Assembly Hall, Worthing, West Sussex (website: http://www.45worlds.com/live/artist/edwin-starr/uk/3)

10 October 1968 – Hatchetts, Piccadilly, central London (Melody Maker/Mick Capewell’s Marmalade Skies)

Image may be subject to copyright

11 October 1968 – Lion Hotel, Warrington, Cheshire with The National Hot House and Motovation (Warrington Guardian) Backed by The National Hot House

12 October 1968 – Imperial Ballroom, Nelson, Lancashire (Steve Chapples research: www.lankybeat.com)

13 October 1968 – Union Rowing Club, Nottingham (Record Retailer)

If you can add anything, please leave a comment below.

Categories: England, Kingston Upon Thames, Surrey

The Outsiders

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Thanks to Alan Collins for the photo

Dutch Mills (real name: Nigel Reevely Mills) (harmonica/vocals)

Mick Wayne (lead guitar/vocals)

Alan Collins (organ)

John Horton (sax/flute)

Mac Mclldowie (bass)

Tim Easton (drums)

Formed sometime in 1962/1963 in the Tolworth area in Surrey, The Outsiders included guitarist Mick Wayne (b. 7 October 1943, Hammersmith, west London; d. 26 June 1995, Michigan, USA), who subsequently played with The Hullabaloos, The Bunch of Fives (with Viv Prince) and The Tickle. Wayne formed Junior’s Eyes in early 1968 and later appeared on David Bowie’s “Space Oddity”.

Collins (b. 22 November 1944, London) and Wayne had met at Kingston School of Art after Wayne had attended Wimbledon Grammar School. Tim Easton (b. 26 August 1943, Tolworth, Surrey) was the original drummer.

Apparently, the band split for a while at Christmas in 1963.

Mick Brill (b. 21 June 1945, Tolworth, Surrey) joined the group in April 1964 after he left The Classics, taking over from McIlldowie. Horton (b. 14 November 1945; d. 25 September 2023) left the same month to join The Original Topics.

Dutch Mills (real name: Nigel Reevely Mills) was close friends with Eric Clapton and had started out with The Dustbowl Refugees.

He adds that Jimmy Page was always around and convinced him to join Bedford band The Authentics sometime in 1964 with whom he recorded a cover of Jackie DeShannon’s “I Don’t Wanna Be Without You”, which was shelved. The Authentics were regulars at the Marquee.

Mills moved to Canada in 1966/1967 and worked with folk singer Vicky Taylor and later Jesse Winchester and Willie Dunn before moving back to the UK in 1990.

With Mills gone, The Outsiders recorded a lone 45 for Decca Records – “Keep On Doing It” c/w “Songs We Sang Last Summer”, which was released on 20 August 1965. Both sides were written by session player Jimmy Page with Mick Wayne. Page also produced the sessions for the single.

Photo may be subject to copyright

 

Brill says The Outsiders started doing sessions for Immediate Records in 1965, which is where he and Collins met singer Doug Gibbons, a singer from Shepherd’s Bush. Gibbons subsequently changed his name to Thane Russal.

Interestingly, Doug Gibbons and The Outsiders were billed to play at the Top Twenty in Bridgwater, Somerset on 5 July 1965.

To clear up one confusion, Mick Wayne was from the Kingston upon Thames area not Hull as is often falsely reported. Brill says that when Wayne joined The Hullabaloos he had to dye his hair blond.

Thanks to David Else for the photo

Together with new drummer Pete Huish and new guitarist Bob Johnson, Thane Russal, Mick Brill and Alan Collins recorded “Security” as Thane Russall & Three.

Brill adds that when the single was released, it was rumoured that Jimmy Page had played on the recording to try and drum up some interest in the single’s release.

However, he explains that it was Bob Johnson. The solo on the recording was achieved by Huish hitting the neck of Johnson’s guitar with a drumstick.

Johnson, who joined in 1966 after Wayne had moved on to The Hullabaloos, departed when Thane Russal & Three landed a contract to travel to Italy in June 1966 and later joined Steeleye Span.

The remaining members added Martin Fisher from local band The Cavedwellers and decamped to Rome. You can read about the band’s career in Italy here at this excellent site.

A massive thank you to Mick Brill and Alan Collins for providing background notes and band photo. Thanks also to Dutch Mills for further information.

Thanks to David Else for helping with some of the research and providing additional material. 

John Warburg provided this link with more information: www.45cat.com/record/f12213

Copyright © Nick Warburton. All Rights Reserved. No part of this article may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without prior permission from the author.

Categories: England, London

The Cast

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Photo: Terry Gore. The band outside the Greenford Hotel

Ian Stalker (lead vocals)

John Gater (lead guitar)

Terry Gore (bass/vocals)

Terry Toothill (keyboards/vocals)

John Warwick (drums) 

After The Trekkers split up in early 1965, Terry Gore, Terry Toothill and John Warwick stuck together and formed The Cast.

Photo: Harrow Weekly Post. Photo may be subject to copyright

According to the Harrow Weekly Post, the group played at Acre Hall in Northwood, Middlesex on 9 April 1965.

The Evening Tribune lists the band playing at the Co-op Ballroom, Hinckley, Leicestershire on 1 October 1965.

Photo: Evening Tribune. Photo may be subject to copyright

The band signed with the Bob Druce Agency and played in the circuit of clubs that the agency ran, most notably the Glenlyn Ballroom in Forest Hill and the Goldhawk Social Club in Shepherd’s Bush where on one occasion, the band opened for The Who on 3 December 1965. The Cast also played here on 31 December 1965.

Photo: Melody Maker. Photo may be subject to copyright

During 1967, the band changed name to Tangerine Peel.

Many thanks to Terry Gore for providing the information. If you can add to this, please leave a comment below

South East London Mercury, September 1966. Photo may be subject to copyright
Categories: England, Surrey

The Classics

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The Classics in 1964. Photo: Malcolm Penn. Left to right: Len Neldrett, Malcolm Penn (front), Nicky Graham, Dave Atkey and Mick Brill

Drummer Eddie Patterson says that he played regularly with this band from September 1961 through to April 1962.

According to an advert publicising the Grand Final of The Surbiton Borough News’ Rock & Rhythm Group Competition, which was held at Surbiton Assembly Rooms on 27 April 1962 (see below), The Classics line-up at the time comprised:

Headley Leate (lead vocals)

Dave Atkey (lead guitar)

John Kent (rhythm guitar)

Keith Sutton (bass)

Ken Bright (sax)

Eddie Patterson (drums)

Eddie Patterson (b. 16 April 1942, Epsom, Surrey) says that The Classics came joint second with The Presidents with 249 points, with The Electrons winning the competition with 262 points.

Thanks to Malcolm Penn from The Electrons for the photo

After the competition, Patterson left to join The Presidents, with whom he remained until July 1965. He then toured with The End briefly before hanging up his drumsticks and taking up a permanent job in December of that year. He says that Keith Sutton also played with Del Grant & The Roamers.

In 1963, The Classics (with a revised formation) entered the competition for a second time, billed as Dave Curtis & The Classics. John Kent and Keith Bright were still members.

However, in February 1964, Dave Atkey, who appears to have been the only member to remain throughout the band’s entire career, assumed lead vocal duties and put together an entirely new version, comprising:

Dave Atkey (vocals)

Len Neldrett (lead guitar)

Nicky Graham (organ)

Mick Brill (bass)

Malcolm Penn (drums)

Photo: Mick Brill. The Classics in 1964

Len Neldrett and Mick Brill (b. 21 June 1945, Tolworth, Surrey) joined from The Gremlins and Nicky Graham (b. January 1945, Durban, South Africa; 3 February 2024) and Malcolm Penn came in from Dene Lincoln & The Topics.

Neldrett remembers that the new line-up’s debut performance was in Guildford, Surrey, opening for Tommy Bruce. When the curtain opened, he recalls original members John Kent and Keith Bright were there and hadn’t been told that Atkey had formed a new version!

However, the new formation was short-lived and in April 1964, Mick Brill departed to join The Outsiders.

With Dave Atkey resuming bass duties, the remaining members brought in sax players John Horton (b. 14 November 1945, Surbiton, Surrey; d. 25 September 2023) from The Outsiders and Bernie Greenwood and became The Original Topics.

In November 1964, the musicians were joined by singer Dickie Pride (b. 21 October 1941, Thornton Heath, Surrey; d. 26 March 1969).

A huge thanks to Malcolm Penn, Eddie Patterson and Mick Brill for providing the background notes and photos for The Classics.

Thanks to John Warburg for some further details

 

Categories: England, Surrey

The Gremlins

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The Gremlins at Hook Community Centre

Howard (Len) Neldrett (lead guitar)

Tony Carter (rhythm guitar)

Mick Brill (bass)

Phil Webster (drums)

Formed by pupils from Surbiton County Grammar in Surrey in 1961, The Gremlins were an instrumentals band that played Shadows and Ventures’ covers.

Mick Brill (b. 21 June 1945, Tolworth, Surrey) says that the group didn’t have a singer, but an advert publicising the Grand Final of The Surbiton Borough News’ Rock & Rhythm Group Competition lists Dave Burton as the band’s vocalist (see below).

The competition, which was won by rival band The Electrons, was held at Surbiton Assembly Rooms on 27 April 1962 and also featured The Classics.

Thanks to Malcolm Penn for the photo

In February 1964, Neldrett and Brill both departed to join a new version of The Classics.

Many thanks to Mick Brill and Len Neldrett for the information on the band and thanks to Mick Brill for the group photo.

 

Categories: England, Surrey

Dene Lincoln & The Topics

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Thanks to Malcolm Penn for the photo

Dene Lincoln (aka Jim Turner) (vocals)

Pete Cottage (lead guitar)

Tony Humphrys (bass)

Nicky Graham (rhythm guitar)

Malcolm Penn (drums)

Formed in the Tolworth, Surbiton and Chessington area of Surrey in August 1962, Dene Lincoln & The Topics morphed out of earlier band The Electrons, who had included Tony Humprhys, Nicky Graham and Malcolm Penn.

Humphrys, however, didn’t stay long and Ricky Ball took over the bass in January 1963.

The musicians continued to gig locally until February 1964 before splitting at which point Graham and Penn joined a new version of local rivals The Classics.

Graham would later play with The End and Tucky Buzzard while Penn worked with The Sidewinders and Moon’s Train.

Many thanks to Malcolm Penn for providing the background notes and band photo.

Found this gig for the band:

23 February 1963 – Jazz Cellar, Kingston upon Thames, Surrey (Surrey Comet)

Categories: England, Surrey

The Electrons

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Thanks to Malcolm Penn for the photo. The Electrons with Nicky Graham (bottom right) line up

Tony Humphrys aka Tony Lane (vocals)

Baz Hewson (lead guitar)

Malcolm Penn (drums)

Mike Morley (bass)

Pete Moseley (rhythm guitar through to December 1960)

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Nicky Graham (rhythm guitar from January 1961)

Formed in May 1960 by musicians from the Tolworth, Surbiton and Chessington area in Surrey, The Electrons evolved out of the ashes of The Grumbling Men, who were formed in March 1959 and had included singer Tony Humphrys, drummer Malcolm Penn, bass player Mike Morley, and rhythm guitarist Pete Moseley.

With the exception of Mike Morley and Pete Moseley, all were pupils at Surbiton County Grammar.

Photos of the original band. Thanks to Miles Moseley

The Grumbling Men featured another guitarist called Keith who was replaced by Baz Hewson when the group became The Electrons.

Nicky Graham, who took over from Moseley on rhythm guitar in January 1961, was a student at Surbiton Grammar School (and later Kingston School of Art) and had recently arrived from Durban, South Africa where he was born in January 1945.

Malcolm Penn says that The Electrons never got to play at Tolworth Toby Jug as they predated its band nights. (Ed. Originally a jazz venue, the Toby Jug did briefly operate as a club for R&B in early 1964 but its owners soon stopped putting rock bands on. It reopened in early March 1968 and became a significant music venue in the area.)

Penn recalls that the band venue in the early 1960s was Kingston Coronation Hall. The hall housed a swimming pool, which was boarded over and turned into a dance venue.

He adds that all the big traditional jazz and dance bands performed there, including Ted Heath, Johnny Dankworth, Eric Delaney, Chris Barber and Kenny Ball. The Electrons, together with a few other local bands, did warm up and interval spots.

Penn remembers The Electrons also played at the Jazz Cellar in Kingston, which was run by Hugh O’Donnell, the Swan in Mill Street, Kingston, the Foresters Hall in Epsom, the Organ Inn on the Ewell Road and Surbiton Assembly Rooms.

In April 1962, The Electrons made the Grand Final of The Surbiton Borough News’ Rock & Rhythm Group Competition, which was held at Surbiton Assembly Rooms on 27 April. Up against local bands, The Gremlins and The Classics, The Electrons won the competition.

Interestingly, over the next few years, members of The Electrons would join up with players from both The Gremlins and The Classics to form a new version The Classics in February 1964.

In August 1962, Malcolm Penn, Nicky Graham and Tony Humphrys recruited Jim Turner (stage name Dene Lincoln) on vocals and Pete Cottage from the Streatham area in southwest London to form a new group called Dene Lincoln & The Topics.

In later years Penn would work with Moon’s Train while Graham played with The End and Tucky Buzzard. Graham died on 3 February 2024.

A huge thanks to Malcolm Penn for providing the background notes and photos for The Electrons.

Thanks also to John Warburg for more information

Brian Dullaway’s 21st birthday party, 1964. The Electrons play at New Addington, Surrey. Copyright: Brian Dullaway

 

Categories: England, London

Tony Charman’s post Carl Douglas & The Big Stampede band

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Bass player Tony Charman (at the time Tony Webb) left Carl Douglas in late 1968 when he got married on 14 September.

However, during 1969, he returned to the music scene and played with a south London group whose name he cannot recall. As the two images here reveal, the band was a five piece but Tony can’t remember any of the musicians’ names.

If anyone can help provide more information, we’d love to hear from you in the comments section below.