From the Bexley area in southeast London, The South East Blues Band were formed in 1966 after Pete Hicks had left The Down & Outs.
Formed in 1965, The Down & Outs also comprised guitarist/singer Alan Johnson; keyboard player Alan Fuller; guitarist Clive Brown; bass player Mick Robinson; and drummer Geoff Bassett.
Like Hicks’ previous band, The South East Blues Band also played regularly in the Bexley area, filling in for The Peddlers at the Black Prince in Bexley in early 1967 (their appearance was covered by the Kentish Times).
Taking on a more psych bent, the group then moved up to central London and played the burgeoning underground scene, appearing regularly at the Happening 44 in Gerrard Street in Soho.
When the band split in 1968, Hicks worked with the band Promise. The promotional photo also showed bass player Barry Nicholls who was a very brief member (and would join Hicks in Big Wheel).
Melody Maker lists Promise playing at the New Concorde Club in Oxford Street on 7 February 1969.
Promise with Hicks (centre) and Nicholls (far right)
In June 1969, Hicks started to play with Fat Daughter alongside future Clark-Hutchinson drummer Del Coverley. Fat Daughter opened for Fleetwood Mac and Pink Floyd among others.
At some point (most likely earlier in 1968) Pete says he also joined Coverley in a revamped version of Bexley group The Big Wheel alongside guitarist Del Grace; bass player Barry Nicholls; and keyboard player Mike Manners, who was subsequently replaced by Alan Fuller from The Down & Outs.
Hicks’ continued to perform in the Seventies and is still active. You can read more about him at his website. This page has some more information on Promise and his earlier bands.
Thanks to Pete Hicks for the information and images. We’d love to hear from anyone who could add more information in the comments section below.
The photo that appeared in the Daily Mirror story. Clockwise from top left: Tommy, Beryl, Steve, Archie, Eddie and Howie, October 1965
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)
Incorrect date. Should be November not December
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)
When Lee Dorsey arrived in Britain in January 1966, promoter Roy Tempest recruited The Krew (sometimes billed as The Crew or Crewcats), who backed him on the subsequent tour. The band had been working with singers Beryl Marsden and Steve Aldo since September 1965.
November 1965 gig
According to keyboard player Alan Reeves in his book, Sex Booze & Blues, the band rehearsed at the Marquee on Wardour Street for the 19-day tour, which appears to have ended on 31 January. Reeves was ill part of the way through the tour and missed some of the dates.
The Krew:
Tommy Murray (lead guitar)
Howie Casey (tenor saxophone)
Alan Reeves (keyboards)
Archie Legget (bass)
Eddie Sparrow (drums)
I’ve found the following dates and would welcome any additions and memories:
Photo: Melody Maker
14 January – Flamingo, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with Gass (Melody Maker)
14 January – Roaring ‘20s, Carnaby Street, Soho, central London (Melody Maker)
15 January – Carousel Club, Farnborough, Hampshire with Johnny B Great & The Quotations (Camberley News)
19 January – Bromel Club, Bromley, southeast London (Melody Maker)
19 January – Cromwellian, South Kensington, west London (Record Mirror/The Stage)
20 January – The Cavern, Liverpool with Earl Preston’s Realms and The Fix (Liverpool Echo)
21 January – Fender Club, Harrow, northwest London (possibly Harrow Weekly Post)
21 January – New All-Star Club, Liverpool Street, east London (Melody Maker)
The Western Scene which covers bands and music in the west country ran a short story on The Krew in its 4 February 1966 issue on page two. It said that Dorsey was so impressed with The Krew that he was hoping to take them back to the States. It also added that Steve Aldo was in France with The Remo Four and that Beryl Marsden was heading to Frankfurt shortly to play with The Quotations.
Dorsey would return to Britain later in the year for another tour. The Krew meanwhile would split with Beryl Marsden (who joined The Shotgun Express) and Steve Aldo (who joined The Fix) and link up with Jamaican singer Owen Gray in April 1966.
In late November 1966, after he’d recuperated from the car crash that had killed Johnny Kidd the previous month, Nick Simper re-joined New Pirates members Mick Stewart and drummer Roger Truth with plans to revive the group’s name.
However, as Nick Simper recounts on his website, the band was first offered a job backing American soul singer Bobby Hebb, who had arrived for a December tour.
Truth, however, dropped out to join Freddie Mack & The Mack Sound before the tour commenced. Simper and Stewart found a new drummer – Kenny Slade, a Sheffield player who’d worked briefly with west London band The Dae-b-Four and also with future rock star Joe Cocker. The line-up was completed with keyboard player Johnny Goodison who’d led his own band, Johnny B Great & The Quotations (backing band for The Walker Brothers).
1 December 1966 – Streatham Locarno Ballroom, Streatham, southwest London
1 December 1966 – Blaises, 121 Queen’s Gate, Kensington, west London (started at 11.30pm)
2 December 1966 – Tiles, Oxford Street, central London with The Little People (Melody Maker/Record Mirror)
3 December 1966 – Nottingham University, Nottingham (Record Mirror)
3 December 1966 – Britannia Rowing Club, Nottingham (Record Mirror)
3 December 1966 – King Mojo, Sheffield, South Yorkshire with The Eyes of Blue, A New Happening and Chapter 5 (Sheffield Star)
4 December 1966 – The Cavern, Liverpool with Lynn Randell, The Beechwoods, the States, The Hideaways, The Avengers, The Prowlers, Chapter Five and The Kids (Phil Thompson’s book “The Best of Cellars – The story of the Cavern club” and Liverpool Echo)
4 December 1966 – Top Rank, Preston, Lancashire (Record Mirror)
5 December 1966 – Pavilion Ballroom, Bath
8 December 1966 – Glenn Club, Llanelli, Wales (Record Mirror)
9 December 1966 – Gaiety Theatre, Rhyl, north Wales with The Dancing Angels, Johnny Kidd’s Original Pirates (straight from the Cavern), The Signs, The Kids and The Questions (North Wales Weekly News) Bobby Hebb billed as Bobby Hebb & His Orchestra
10 December 1966 – Imperial Ballroom, Nelson, Lancashire with The Spectres and The Inmates (Burnley Express & News)
10 December 1966 – Queen’s Hall, Widnes with The SOS and The Unknown (Record Mirror/Runcorn Weekly News)
Photo: Nick Simper. Left to right: Johnny Kidd, Mick Stewart, Roger Truth, Nick Simper and Ray Soper at Kingsbury Odeon on 21 May 1966
Johnny Kidd (lead vocals)
Mick Stewart (lead guitar/vocals)
Nick Simper (bass/vocals)
Ray Soper (keyboards)
Roger Truth (drums)
When legendary British singer Johnny Kidd decided to part with the original Pirates after a gig on 19 April 1966, he had some outstanding gigs to honour and hired several, temporary, groups to fulfil the bookings, one of which was west London R&B outfit Jeff Curtis & The Flames.
The band’s drummer, Pete Burt, younger brother of Dave Burt in Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers, was a window cleaner and was cleaning Kidd’s windows one day when they got talking. The group played a couple of gigs with Kidd, including a naval base in Chatham, before keyboard player Ray Soper was fired.
Unknown group back Kidd as The New Pirates. Image may be subject to copyright
Interestingly, Johnny Kidd & The Pirates played at the annual Festival Gardens Gala in Battersea on 7 May but it’s very doubtful that his backing band were The Flames on this occasion as they were performing at the Locarno Ballroom in Swindon on this date.
Soper decided to form a new group to carry on as Kidd’s new version of The Pirates and got hold of his friend, bass player Nick Simper, who he’d previously worked with in Buddy Britten & The Regents and Cryano & The Bergeracs during late 1964-mid-1965. Roger Truth was the drummer in both groups.
In need of a guitarist, they brought in Mick Stewart who’d, previously played with a number of west London bands, notably The Redcaps and The All-Nite Workers (who briefly backed singer Simon Scott).
?? July 1966 – Gig in Seaton, Devon (most likely Seaton Beat Club at Seaton Town Hall)
Ray Soper left at this point and joined The Denims/Headline News
?? August 1966 – Winter Gardens, Weston-Super-Mare, Somerset with Eden Kane (with Peter Sarstedt on bass)
?? August 1966 – Gig in Grimsby, Lincolnshire
19 August 1966 – Caird Hall, Dundee, Scotland (first date on Scottish tour) with The Red Hawks, Dunfermline Boys, The Ivy League, The Jay-Birds, The St Louis Union and David and Jonathan (http://www.adiebarrett.co.uk/johnnykidd/timeline/timeline.htm)
Image may be subject to copyright
26 August 1966 – The Leys, Clacton, Essex with Hap & Unit Four and Buzz Inc (Essex County Standard)
Image may be subject to copyright
29 August 1966 – Civic Hall, Nantwich, Cheshire with The Outer Limits (Nantwich Chronicle)
29 August 1966 – Regal Ballroom, Ripley, Derbyshire (Derbyshire Evening Telegraph) Also booked to play 12 November 1966 but cancelled
3 September 1966 – Birmingham Flower Show, Handsworth Park, Birmingham with Tony Jackson & The Vibrations (Sports Argus)
3 September 1966 – Gig in Orpington, Kent
19-25 September 1966 – Cabaret dates at Flamingo Club, Darlington with Robb Storme & The Whispers (with former Mojos member Lewis Collins on bass)
1 October 1966 – Raven Club, RAF Waddington, Lincolnshire
6 October 1966 – Gig in Oldham (some source say Bolton), Lancashire (cancelled)
7 October 1966 – Tried to get gig at Nelson Imperial, Nelson, Lancashire but not successful
Kidd and Simper were involved in a car crash on the return journey to London in the early hours of 8 October, a few miles south of Bury, Lancashire. Simper was seriously injured. Kidd, however, was pronounced dead on his arrival at Bolton Royal Infirmary.
In the aftermath, Mick Stewart participated in a Jerry Lee Lewis tour. Then, once Simper had recuperated, Simper and Stewart hooked up with Bobby Hebb for a UK tour, debuting on 1 December 1966 while Truth joined Freddie Mack & The Mack Sound.
The New Pirates:
Mick Stewart (lead guitar/vocals)
Nick Simper (bass/vocals)
John Carroll (keyboards/vocals)
Roger Truth (drums)
Sometime in early February, Simper and Stewart decided to reform The New Pirates. Truth, who’d been playing with Freddie Mack & The Mack Sound, agreed to re-join and they brought in keyboard player John Carroll, who’d recently left Tony Knight’s Chessmen.
According to Melody Maker, The New Pirates played at the Upper Cut in Forest Gate, east London on 17 February 1967 with The Afex and The Trekkas.
Image may be subject to copyright
However, the Newham, West Ham & East Ham, Barking and Stratford Express lists The Apex and Jo Jo Gunne as support.
Photo: Nick Simper. Left to right: John Carroll, Roger Truth, Nick Simper and Mick Stewart, February 1967 prior to Cornwall tour
Truth played the London show and then, a few days before a short tour of Cornwall commenced, he returned to Freddie Mack’s band, possibly for that group’s gig at the Village in Cleethorpes on 22 February.
James Smith, who’d worked with Carroll in The London Beats in 1965, auditioned but turned the job down and subsequently joined Hamilton & The Hamilton Movement in March (replacing Phil Wainman).
John Kerrison, who’d previously drummed with a number of bands, notably Frankie Reid & The Casuals and The Rockin’ Eccentrics, took his place.
The revised line-up undertook the Cornwall tour and played a couple of gigs in England before heading to Scotland.
Notable gigs:
23 February 1967 – Royal Naval Air Station, Helston, Cornwall
Image may be subject to copyright
24 February 1967 – Winter Gardens, Penzance, Cornwall with The Hoboes (West Briton & Royal Cornwall Gazette)
Image may be subject to copyright
25 February 1967 – Blue Lagoon, Newquay, Cornwall with The Other Five (West Briton & Royal Cornwall Gazette)
3 March 1967 – Gig in Welwyn Garden City, Herts (possibly Woodhall Community Centre)
24-25 March 1967 – Kelvin Hall, Glasgow, Scotland with Unit 4 Plus 2, Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick and Titch, Screaming Lord Sutch and The Mack Sound
27 March 1967 – Kelvin Hall, Glasgow, Scotland with Unit 4 Plus 2, Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick and Titch, Screaming Lord Sutch and The Mack Sound
Returning to London, the band found there was little demand for The New Pirates and the members started to look around for other work.
Thanks to his contacts with bass player Peter Carney who he had worked with in The Flexmen and The London Beats (and briefly Tony Knight’s Chessmen), Carroll played with Geno Washington & The Ram Jam Band for a few weeks (debuting on 26 April in Croydon) before Dave Greenslade was taken on as a permanent member.
According to Nick Simper’s website, The New Pirates met on 1 May 1967 to discuss their future and decided to go their separate ways.
Later that month, Simper would join Billie Davis & The Quality. However, when work dried up, he became a member of Screaming Lord Sutch & The Savages during July. Next he signed up with The Flowerpot Men (September 1967-February 1968) before forming the original Deep Purple.
After his brief time with Geno Washington, John Carroll worked with Herbie Goins & The Nightimers from August 1967 through to March 1968. He then played with The Flowerpot Men briefly (just after Simper had departed). In early 1969, he was part of the backing band appearing on Stevie Wonder’s UK tour.
In late August, 1967, John Kerrison joined Episode Six who featured future Deep Purple members Ian Gillan and Roger Glover and remained until August 1968.
After working on a few projects (including working with Don Arden’s son David), Mick Stewart joined Hamilton & The Hamilton Movement around October 1967 and stayed until April 1968. He then worked with The James Royal Set before working briefly with The Flowerpot Men in late 1968 (after Carroll had departed). During 1969, he replaced Frank Torpey in The Sweet.
Interestingly, a band called themselves The New Pirates was billed to perform the following dates, but it’s not clear who the musicians were.
2 July 1967 (for two weeks) – Blue Lagoon, Newquay, Cornwall (West Briton & Royal Cornish Gazette)
Roger Truth might have been one of the members as he left Freddie Mack at the end of June 1967.
Big thank you to Adrian Barrett, Nick Simper, Ray Soper, John Carroll, Mick Stewart and John Kerrison.
I have to give a great big thank you to David Else for supplying most of the information on this very obscure band, who featured some fascinating musicians during their short time together.
David Else believes that the original line-up may have come together towards the end of 1965 and may have been formed as a “pick-up” band to play odd gigs.
He has the following line-up and we’d welcome any further information from readers:
Pat Willoughby – vocals
Bobby Harrison – vocals
Keith DeGroot – vocals
Vince ? – vocals
Alan Spenner – guitar
Tex Makins – bass
Roy Edwards – trumpet
Rudy Jones – saxophone
Barry ? – organ
Red Reece – drums
Pat Willoughby, Bobby Harrison and Alan Spenner had previously played together in The Golden Apples of The Sun, recording a lone 45 issued in October 1965. Before that, they had worked together in The Jimmy Ritchie Combo.
Tex Makins and Red Reece meanwhile had been with Georgie Fame & The Blue Flames.
Keith DeGroot had previously worked as singer Gerry Temple.
I believe that Roy Edwards and Rudy Jones may have been from the Caribbean originally and were probably recruited from the London club scene. Edwards may have been with The Del Vikings.
Else notes that Makins left in December 1965 to join The Sidewinders while Harrison formed The Powerpack, who recorded for CBS and was then an original member of Procul Harum. He adds that Reece joined Graham Bond. I’ve read that he worked briefly with south London band, The Kingpins.
A revised line-up of the band comprised the following musicians who were responsible for the band’s lone 45, “Precious Words” c/w “Ba Boo”, released on Island Records in 1966.
Pat Willoughby – vocals
Keith DeGroot – vocals
Alan Spenner – guitar
Roy Edwards – trumpet
Rudy Jones – saxophone
Mike O’Neill – organ
Billy Law – drums (replaced by Bruce Rowland)
Of the new members, Mike O’Neill had previously been a member of Nero & The Gladiators while Billy Law had drummed for Long John Baldry.
David Else found the following gigs for the band, either credited as Creepers, Leapers, Sleepers Band or Leepers Weepers Sleepers Band:
11 September 1966 – Cue Club, Paddington, London (Melody Maker)
23 September 1966 – Cue Club, Paddington, London (Melody Maker)
16 October 1966 – Cue Club, Paddington, London (Melody Maker)
4 November 1966 – Ricky Tick, Hounslow, west London
It’s not clear when the band split, but during 1967 Alan Spenner and Bruce Rowland ended up with Wynder K Frog and later worked with The Grease Band backing Joe Cocker.
DeGroot meanwhile went solo and recorded for RCA Records.
Roy Edwards and Rudy Jones stuck together and somehow ended up in either France or Spain where they worked and recorded with US soul singer Eddie Lee Mattison during 1968. It’s possible that before that, they may have worked with Otis Redding during his 1967 UK tour.
After Eddie Lee Mattison they both spent a very short period playing with Berry Window & The Movements, a Swiss-based international band who were recording in Italy when Edwards and Jones briefly joined them.
Edwards subsequently returned to the UK where he recorded with J J Jackson and then played with Bandwagon and Sonority among others. Jones also returned to the UK and later played with The Trojans among others after working as a noted session player.
Topaz were a vocal harmony group formed in 1969 after Robert Valentine left The Button Hole Band.
The band comprised (left to right): Ian Edlin (vocals), Roy Burchell (drums), Jan Edlin (vocals), Keith Richard (lead guitar) and Robert Valentine (bass/vocals).
The Stardusters went professional in 1963 when they changed name to Unit 4 (no relation to the Ealing band nor the better known Unit 4 Plus 2) to back HMV recording artist Ricky Bowden.
The band comprised (as shown in the above photo, left to right):
Robert Valentine (rhythm guitar)
Brian Ranger (bass)
Graham Willeard (drums)
Richard Miles (lead guitar)
In 1964, Valentine went on to form The Clockwork Oranges.
Photo: Robert ValentinePhoto: Robert ValentinePhoto: Robert ValentinePhoto: Robert Valentine
Formed by Valentine and Parish in early 1968 when The Clockwork Oranges broke up, Brian Brockie had previously played with The Honey Band. The group played at the Witchdoctor in Catford and on one occasion (most likely 17 February), they supported Marmalade.
Thanks to Robert Valentine for the photo and history
Roger Cotton (lead guitar/keyboards/vocals), Robert Valentine (rhythm guitar/vocals), John Parish (drums) and Harry Blakey (bass/vocals). Thanks to Robert for the photo.
Robert Valentine (rhythm guitar/vocals)
Roger Cotton (lead guitar/keyboards/vocals)
Harry Blakey (bass/vocals)
John Parish (drums)
The Clockwork Oranges were formed in early 1964 and were based in southeast England, playing various ballrooms, clubs and dances. When the band split up in 1967, Roger Cotton went on to join Johnny Johnson’s Bandwagon, Brothers Grimm, Peter Green’s Splinter Group, and Buddy Whittington, playing keyboards. Robert Valentine and John Parish formed The Button Hole Band. Cotton passed away in 2016 but the remaining three are still around and Valentine continues to perform.
Late 1967 gig in Hastings, East Sussex. Thanks to Robert Valentine
Many thanks to Robert for providing information about the band
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
