Beryl Marsden (lead vocals)

Steve Aldo (lead vocals)

Tommy Murray (lead guitar)

Howie Casey (tenor saxophone)

Alan Reeves (keyboards)

Archie Legget (bass)

Eddie Sparrow (drums)

This fascinating, yet short-lived, band had its roots in an early 1960s rock ‘n’ roll outfit known as The Krewkats (for the full story and how the musicians formed The Krew, click here.)

In August 1965, Liverpool musicians Howie Casey and Tommy Murray, together with Yorkshireman Eddie Sparrow (who’d previously worked with Casey in The Krewkats) moved to London where they were signed by Beryl Marsden’s manager Tony Stratton-Smith to back the popular Liverpool singer.

Bringing in Glaswegian Archie Legget from The Bobby Patrick Big Six and another Liverpudlian singer, Steve Aldo (who’d briefly worked with Casey in The Steve Aldo Quintette), the new band picked up a residency at the King’s Head on Blackfriars Road in Southwark during September.

Not long after, Casey expanded the band with former Kenny Bernard & The Wranglers’ keyboard player Alan Reeves, who had sat in with group at Rik Gunnell’s Flamingo on Wardour Street on 23 October.

The previous day, The Daily Mirror had run a story on the band with a picture on page 3 (see photo above).

The band gigged throughout England in the latter half of 1965 and were regulars at the Scotch of St James. In January 1966, The Krew were hired to back Lee Dorsey on his British tour.

The following gigs are drawn from a number of music papers and local newspapers and we would welcome any additions.

11 September 1965 – Galaxy Club, Basingstoke, Hampshire (billed as Beryl Marsden with Steve Aldo & The Krew-Cuts)(Hants and Berks Gazette)

7 October 1965 – Garden of Eden Club, Bridge Hotel Ballroom, Wheatley, Oxfordshire (billed as Beryl Marsden and Steve Aldo with The Crewcuts) (needs source)

9 October 1965 – Harvest Moon, Guildford, Surrey (billed as The Crewcats band show with Beryl Marsden and Steve Aldo) (Surrey Advertiser)

23 October 1965 – Flamingo, Soho, Wardour Street, central London (Melody Maker) This is when Alan Reeves sat in

3 November 1965 – Gala Ballroom, Norwich, Norfolk with Malcolm & The Jetblacks (billed as Beryl Marsden and the Steve Aldo Crew) (Eastern Evening News) The group played at the Scotch of St James in Mayfair this week

7 November 1965 – Colchester Odeon, Colchester, Essex with The Animals, The Small Faces, Tommy Quickly, The Soul Mates and The Rustics (billed as Beryl Marsden and The Crewcats) (possibly Essex County Standard)

9 November 1965 – Scotch of St James, Mayfair, central London with Wilson Pickett (Alan Reeves’ book Sex, Booze & Blues)

13 November 1965 – Harpenden Public Hall, Harpenden, Herts with The Beat Six (billed as Beryl Marsden & The Steve Aldo Crew) (Welwyn & Hatfield Advertiser)

13 November 1965 – Bowes Lyon House, Stevenage, Herts with Soul 5 (Hertfordshire & Bedfordshire Express)

18 November 1965 – Gloucester ABC, Gloucester with The Walker Brothers, The Soul Mates, The Jet Set, The Tremors and Johnny B Great & The Quotations (The Stage)

19 November 1965 – Westhoughton Casino, Westhoughton, Greater Manchester with The Senators (Bolton Evening News) Billed as Howie Casey & The Seniors

19 November 1965 – Peterborough Embassy, Peterborough with The Walker Brothers and others (possibly Cambridgeshire Times)

20 November 1965 – House of Aden, Witham Public Hall, Witham, Essex with The Senates (billed as Beryl Marsden & The Crewcats with Steve Aldo) (Essex County Standard)

28 November 1965 – Guildford Odeon, Guildford, Surrey with The Walker Brothers, The Small Faces, The Soul Mates, Peter Quinton, Johnny B Great & The Quotations and The Jet Set (billed as Beryl Marsden & The Crewcats) (Surrey Advertiser)

5 December 1965 – Kirklevington Country Club, Kirklevington, North Yorkshire (Middlesbrough Evening Gazette) Says direct from the Scotch Club (aka Scotch of St James)

7 December 1965 – Ardwick ABC, Ardwick Greater Manchester with The Beatles, The Moody Blues, The Marionettes, The Paramounts, The Koobas and Jerry Stevens (Manchester Evening News) No mention of The Krew but it does mention Steve Aldo

28 December 1965 – Macroom Montrose, Cork, Republic of Ireland with The Regal (Cork Evening Echo) Billed as Beryl Marsden with The Crewcats

During January 1966, The Krew also backed Lee Dorsey on a British tour (see entry on this site)

22 January 1966 –  Dungeon Club, Nottingham (billed as Beryl Marsden & The Crew) (website: https://dungeonmods.wordpress.com/welcome/diary/1966-2/)

14 February 1966 –  De La Warr Pavilion, Bexley-on-Sea, East Sussex with The Overlanders and The Merseybeats (Hastings and St Leonards Observer)