Category Archives: Hayes

Categories: England, Hayes, London

Malcolm & The Countdowns

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At St Bernadettes school in Hillingdon. Steve Priest is far left

Malcolm Sargeant – lead vocals

Richard Herring – lead guitar

Steve Priest – bass

Gez Lee – rhythm guitar (replaced by Raymond Thompson on keyboards)

Eddie Richards – drums

Malcolm Sargeant very kindly provided the following information and photos about the group, which included future Sweet member, Steve Priest.

Joe Meek promo photo
At the Martin Baker club in Denham, Buckinghamshire

I started singing with the school band at Mellow Lane, Hayes, west London and when I left I joined The Countdowns around 1962/63. I was always known as “Sadge”.

Their singer Bernard Powell was leaving. I auditioned at Eddie Richards’ (the leader of the band) house in Hayes and got the job. I joined Eddie who played drums, Richard Herring on lead guitar, Steve Priest on base and Gez Lee on rhythm (later replaced by Raymond Thompson on keyboards) who all sang backing vocals. Raymond Thompson was with us until the group disbanded around mid-1966.

Steve went on to join The Army and later Sweet with Brian Connolly (Mac) and Eddie went with First Class and then later Edison Lighthouse.

Gez Lee had left to continue his studies and Richard went on to work with many different bands (including reuniting with Priest in The Army) and the last I heard he was still gigging.

Ray Thompson emigrated to Canada with his parents and had a brilliant career in writing and broadcasting. He now lives in New Zealand and owns the Tirohana vineyards. His autobiography is called Keeping The Dream Alive.

I joined The Carltones (made up of members of the RAF central band) on the dinner and dance circuit; this fitted in with my career at British Gas.

The Countdowns played all the local venues, including cinemas, Burton’s club in Uxbridge, Botwell and Wistowe House run by the Fripps in Hayes, the A Train, various community centres, the Attic club in Hounslow, the Martin Baker Club in Denham, Buckinghamshire, and St. Bernadettes in Long Lane, Hillingdon where one of the promo photographs was taken.

Our band was friendly rivals of The Javelins (Ian “Jez” Gillan’s group) and Paul & The Alpines on the local circuit. We supported Steve Marriott’s band, The Pretty Things, The Rolling Stones, Wayne Fontana, The Outlaws (Ritchie Blackmore) and many more.

A gig under the temporary name of Malcolm James & The Callars

Richard and Eddie’s dads used to transport us and our gear all over the place: Margate Dreamland was a regular gig, The Kursaal in Southend too as well as a venue in Clacton and Crayford Town Hall in Kent among others.

I don’t recall where the temporary change of band name to Malcolm James & The Callers came from, maybe when we were recording with Joe Meek?

1965 gig from Sussex Express

We got picked up by Phil Jay (ex-pirate DJ and local management agent in Hounslow). He got us the opportunity to record several covers with the legendary Joe Meek at his studio in Holloway Road. One of which recently made it onto a CD of undiscovered recordings found in the “tea chests” that Joe had stored in a lock up garage.

Categories: Country, England, Hayes, London, Middlesex

Four Point Five/The Soul System

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Photo: Keith Jellows. Clockwise from 12 O’clock: Duncan Wilkes, Rik Jones, Dave Horn, Keith Jellows, Keith Kendall, John Bartovski and Geoff

A west London band formed in mid-1966 and not to be confused with David O’List’s short-lived group of the same name who morphed into The Attack, The Soul System were originally called Four Point Five.

Formed by friends at Mellow Lane School in Hayes, the original formation comprised:

Geoff ? – lead vocals

Keith Kendall – lead guitar

John Bartovski – bass/harmony vocals

Rik Jones – organ/harmony vocals (after Bartovski departed)

Dave Horn – tenor sax

Duncan Wilkes – trumpet

Keith Jellows – drums

Kendall had started out with another Mellow Lane School group, Brian & The Fantoms but had left in 1964 to join The First Impressions (aka The Legends). In late 1965/early 1966, he departed to join Four Point Five.

Four Point Five (and later The Soul System) gigged extensively but never released any recordings.

As Four Point Five:

9 August 1967 – Drayton Hall, West Drayton, west London (Uxbridge and West Drayton Chronicle)

The Hillingdon Mirror ran an article and photo in its 15 August 1967 issue, page 2 (see above)

30 August 1967 – Hayes Town Hall, Hayes, west London (Uxbridge and West Drayton Chronicle)

The Hillingdon Mirror ran a photo of the band playing at the Town Hall Park in its 5 September 1967, page 7 (see above)

14 October 1967 – California Ballroom, Dunstable, Bedfordshire with Georgie Fame and The Army (website: www.california-ballroom.info/gigs/)

 

Changing name to The Soul System around late 1967/early 1968, former All Night Workers’ baritone sax player Johnny Baker joined the formation in January/February 1969.

The following month John Bartovski left and future Strawbs’ bass player Chas Cronk briefly covered the bass slot until the summer.

Rick Eagles, who’d worked with Keith Kendall in the First Impressions and The Legends during 1964-1965, and had subsequently worked with Tony Knight’s Chessmen and The Good Earth, assumed the bass position until the end of the year.

Just before Eagles’ arrival, however, Dave Horn departed to focus on his ‘A’ Levels. The group line-up remained steady until late 1969 when Baker re-joined The All Night Workers. He subsequently suggested Keith Kendall on lead guitar (who had briefly returned to Brian & The Fantoms in the interim).

Keith Jellows later played with The New Mud and also The Sweet.

Gigs at The Soul System (see comments section for more)

25 January 1969 – Club LaBamba, Tunbridge Wells, Kent (Kent & Sussex Courier)

28 January 1969 – Town Hall, High Wycombe, Bucks with Rod Welling and guest group (Bucks Free Press)

Thanks to Keith Kendall, Dave Horn, Keith Jellows and Rick Eagles for information about the band. We’d love to hear from anyone who can add more information.

Categories: England, Hayes, Middlesex

Botwell House, Hayes, west London

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Frankie Reid & The Casuals at Botwell House
Frankie Reid & The Casuals at Botwell House, 1964. Thank you to Frankie Reid for use of the photo.

Botwell House played host to many of the leading British bands during the early to mid 1960s. I would be grateful for any additions to the list below. Gigs were sourced from the Harrow Weekly Post and the Hayes Gazette. Thanks also to Brian Mansell and Andy Neill

4 August 1962 – Frankie Reid & The Casuals

 

1 September 1962 – Frankie Reid & The Casuals

18 January 1963 – The Checkmates (Says at the Peppermint Stick) Advert in the Harrow Weekly Post says that future Fridays feature The Amusing Flintstones, The Viscounts and Jimmy Crawford and The Ravens

19 February 1963 – The Spotnicks (Says at the Peppermint Stick)

 

3 June 1963 – Brian Poole & The Tremeloes

 

5 August 1963 – The Rolling Stones

 

19 February 1964 – The Spotnicks (Says at the Peppermint Stick)

Photo: Ruislip & Northwood Gazette

18 May 1964 – Open Air Beat Festival with The Searchers, Eden Kane & The Downbeats, The Migil Five, The Animals, Chris Sandford & The Coronets, The Undertakers, The Interns, Georgie Fame & The Blue Flames, Screaming Lord Sutch & The Savages, The Gamblers, Julie Grant, Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers, Daniel Boone & The Emeralds, The Sorrows, The Hawks, Adam Faith and Dusty Springfield (Ruislip & Northwood Gazette)

 

3 June 1964 – Pop Festival with Del Shannon, Eden Kane, Kenny Lynch, Shane Fenton, Brian Poole & The Tremeloes, Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers, Robb Storme & The Whispers, Jimmy Crawford & The Ravens, Tony Holland & The Pack-A-Beats, Vince Taylor & The Playboys, Gerry & The Pacemakers, Rey Anton & The ‘M’ Squad, Jackie Lynton & The Teenbeats, Freddie & The Dreamers, Billy J Kramer & The Dakotas, Cherry Roland and Screaming Lord Sutch & The Savages (Says at the Peppermint Stick)

Photo: Ruislip & Northwood Gazette

19 February 1965 – Georgie Fame & The Blue Flames and Hogsnort Rupert

Photo: Ruislip & Northwood Gazette

19 March 1965 – Them

 

19 April 1965 – The Who

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

Categories: England, Hayes, London, Middlesex

Blue Moon, Hayes, west London

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The Nashville TeensThe Blue Moon in Hayes was an important music venue in west London.

Bob Danks recalls Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers playing at the Blue Moon in Hayes regularly in the early 1960s (see comments section). He also thinks Ritchie Blackmore played his first show with Screaming Lord Sutch & The Savages at the Blue Moon after leaving Mike Dee & The Jaywalkers.

I have started to collate a comprehensive gig list and would welcome any additions and memories of the club in the comments below.

1963

27 January 1963 (Sunday) – Brian Poole & The Tremeloes (Harrow Weekly Post)

3 February 1963 (Sunday) – Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers (Harrow Weekly Post)

14 April 1963 (Sunday) – Julie Grant & The Citizens (Harrow Weekly Post)

9 June 1963 (Sunday) – Sounds Inc with Bruce Welsh & The High Five (Harrow Weekly Post)

16 June 1963 (Sunday) – Mike Berry & The Innocents (Harrow Weekly Post)

23 June 1963 (Sunday) – Johnny Kidd & The Pirates (Harrow Weekly Post)

30 June 1963 (Sunday) – Wee Willy Harris and High Five (Harrow Weekly Post)

7 July 1963 (Sunday) – The Big Three with The Riversiders (Harrow Weekly Post)

14 July 1963 (Sunday) – Screaming Lord Sutch & The Savages (Harrow Weekly Post)

21 July 1963 (Sunday) – Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers (Harrow Weekly Post)

28 July 1963 (Sunday) – Russ Sainty & The Nu-Notes and The High Five (Harrow Weekly Post)

 

4 August 1963 (Sunday) – Robb Storme & The Whispers (Harrow Weekly Post)

25 August 1963 (Sunday) – Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers (Harrow Weekly Post)

 

8 September 1963 (Sunday) – Rikki Rand & The Soundsmen and Bruce Lloyd & The Hi-Fi’s (Harrow Weekly Post)

15 September 1963 (Friday) – Malcolm Clark & The Cresters (Harrow Weekly Post) Needs confirmation

22 September 1963 (Sunday) – The Swinging Blue Jeans and The Robb Charles Combo (Harrow Weekly Post)

29 September 1963 (Sunday) – Malcolm Clark & The Cresters (Harrow Weekly Post)

6 October 1963 (Sunday) – The Undertakers and The High Five (Harrow Weekly Post)

13 October 1963 (Sunday) – The Federals (Beat Monthly)

20 October 1963 (Sunday) – Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers (Harrow Weekly Post)

17 November 1963 (Sunday) – Chris Farlowe & The Thunderbirds (Harrow Weekly Post)

24 November 1963 (Sunday) – Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers (Harrow Weekly Post)

1964

5 January 1964 (Sunday) – Manfred Mann (Ruislip & Northwood Gazette)

12 January 1964 (Sunday) – Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers (Ruislip & Northwood Gazette)

19 January 1964 (Sunday) – The Contrasts (Beat Monthly)

 

2 February 1964 (Sunday) – Manfred Mann (Greg Russo’s research)

 

5 April 1964 (Sunday) – The Downliners Sect (Don Craine’s gig diary)

19 April 1964 (Sunday) – Chris Farlowe & The Thunderbirds and The Impacts (Dorothy Bullock’s membership card)

26 April 1964 (Sunday) – Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers (Dorothy Bullock’s membership card)

 

3 May 1964 (Sunday) – The Downliners Sect (Don Craine’s gig diary)

10 May 1964 (Sunday) – The Paramounts (Dorothy Bullock’s membership card)

24 May 1964 (Sunday) – Alex Harvey Soul Band (Dorothy Bullock’s membership card)

27 May 1964 (Wednesday) – Georgie Fame & The Blue Flames (Dorothy Bullock’s membership card)

31 May 1964 (Sunday) – The Downliners Sect (Don Craine’s gig diary)

 

10 June 1964 (Wednesday) – The Yardbirds (Alan Clayson’s book The Yardbirds: the band that launched Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page)

 

26 July 1964 (Sunday) – The Downliners Sect (Don Craine’s gig diary)

 

16 August 1964 (Sunday) – The Downliners Sect (Beat Monthly)

 

7 September 1964 (Monday) – The Birds (needs source but most likely Harrow Weekly Post)

 

29 November 1964 (Sunday) – The Stormsville Shakers (band website: http://www.stormsvilleshakers.com/bandhistory.html)

20 December  1964 (Sunday) – Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers (Beat Instrumental/Ruislip & Northwood Gazette)

1965

3 January 1965 (Sunday) – Ronnie Jones & The Nightimers (Ruislip and Northwood Gazette)

10 January 1965 (Sunday) – Georgie Fame & The Blue Flames (Ruislip and Northwood Gazette)

17 January 1965 (Sunday) – Chris Farlowe & The Thunderbirds (Harrow Weekly Post)

24 January 1965 (Sunday) – John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers (Harrow Weekly Post)

Roger Dean is the lead guitarist with The Bluesbreakers at this stage.

31 January 1965 (Sunday) – Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers (Greenford Weekly Post)

 

7 February 1965 (Sunday) – The Graham Bond Organisation (Harrow Weekly Post)

14 February 1965 (Sunday) – The Chessmen (Greenford Weekly Post)

21 February 1965 (Sunday) – Ronnie Jones & The Night-timers and The Brian Auger Trinity (Harrow Weekly Post)

 

7 March 1965 (Sunday) – The Spencer Davis Group (possibly Harrow Weekly Post)

 

4 April 1965 (Sunday) – Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers (Harrow Weekly Post)

11 April 1965 (Sunday) – John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers (Harrow Weekly Post)

Eric Clapton had joined earlier this month replacing Roger Dean.

18 April 1965 (Sunday) – Ronnie Jones & The Night-timers (Harrow Weekly Post)

25 April 1965 (Sunday) – John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers (Harrow Weekly Post)

 

2 May 1965 (Sunday) – The Graham Bond Organisation (Harrow Weekly Post)

9 May 1965 (Sunday) – The Spencer Davis Group and (Jimmy James &) The Vagabonds with Count Prince Miller (possibly Harrow Weekly Post)

16 May 1965 (Sunday) – The Spencer Davis Group (Harrow Weekly Post)

23 May 1965 (Sunday) – Long John Baldry (Harrow Weekly Post)

30 May 1965 (Sunday) – Geno Washington & The Ram Jam Band (possibly Harrow Weekly Post)

 

7 June 1965 (Monday) – John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers (Christopher Hjort’s Strange Brew book)

20 June 1965 (Sunday) – The Who (Harrow Weekly Post)

27 June 1965 (Sunday) – The Spencer Davis Group (possibly Harrow Weekly Post)

4 July 1965 (Sunday) – Ronnie Jones & The Night-timers (Harrow Weekly Post)

11 July 1965 (Sunday) – John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers (Harrow Weekly Post) This gig is missing from Christopher Hjort’s book below so may not have happened. Also advert above suggests Georgie Fame instead

25 July 1965 (Sunday) – John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers (Christopher Hjort’s book Strange Brew)

 

1 August 1965 (Sunday) – Geno Washington & The Ram Jam Band (possibly Harrow Weekly Post)

22 August 1965 (Sunday) – Zoot Money’s Big Roll Band (Harrow Weekly Post)

25 August 1965 (Wednesday) – Steampacket (Bruno Ceriotti’s research: http://thebritishsound.blogspot.com/2011/07/steam-packet-family-tree-performance.html)

 

5 September 1965 (Sunday) – The Spencer Davis Group (Harrow Weekly Post)

19 September 1965 (Sunday) – Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers (Harrow Weekly Post and Beat Instrumental)

26 September 1965 (Sunday) – Zoot Money’s Big Roll Band (Harrow Weekly Post)

 

3 October 1965 (Sunday) – Steampacket (Harrow Weekly Post)

10 October 1965 (Sunday) – T-Bone Walker (Harrow Weekly Post)

17 October 1965 (Sunday) – Steampacket (Harrow Weekly Post)

24 October 1965 (Sunday) – Ben E King (Harrow Weekly Post)

31 October 1965 (Sunday) – Zoot Money’s Big Roll Band (Harrow Weekly Post)

 

7 November 1965 (Sunday) – The Graham Bond Organisation (Harrow Weekly Post)

14 November 1965 (Sunday) – The Alan Price Set (Harrow Weekly Post)

21 November 1965 (Sunday) – John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers (Harrow Weekly Post)

Both Eric Clapton and Jack Bruce are members of The Bluesbreakers during this period.

28 November 1965 (Sunday) – Steampacket (Harrow Weekly Post)

 

5 December 1965 (Sunday) – Wilson Pickett (Harrow Weekly Post)

19 December 1965 (Sunday) – The Spencer Davis Group (Harrow Weekly Post/Ruislip & Northwood Gazette)

Blue Moon Club Membership card 1966,, Church Road, Hayes, Middlesex

1966

2 January 1966 (Sunday) – Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers (Harrow Weekly Post)

23 January 1966 (Sunday) – Lee Dorsey (most likely backed by The Krew) (Uxbridge Weekly Post)

30 January 1966 (Sunday) – Steampacket (Bruno Ceriotti’s research: http://thebritishsound.blogspot.com/2011/07/steam-packet-family-tree-performance.html

 

6 February 1966 (Sunday) – Zoot Money’s Big Roll Band (Melody Maker)

13 February 1966 (Sunday) – The Alan Walker Group (Melody Maker)

27 February 1966 (Sunday) – The Nashville Teens (Hayes Gazette)

 

6 March 1966 (Sunday) – The Shevelles (Melody Maker)

13 March 1966 (Sunday) – Jimmy James & The Vagabonds (Melody Maker)

27 March 1966 (Sunday) – Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers (Melody Maker)

 

3 April 1966 (Sunday) – John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers (Christopher Hjort’s book Strange Brew)

17 April 1966 (Sunday) – Georgie Fame & The Blue Flames (Melody Maker)

22 April 1966 (Friday) – Dee Dee Warwick (Melody Maker)

 

1 May 1966 (Sunday) – Steampacket (Melody Maker)

8 May 1966 (Sunday) – Herbie Goins & The Night-timers (Melody Maker)

15 May 1966 (Sunday) – Zoot Money’s Big Roll Band (Melody Maker)

 

12 June 1966 (Sunday) – John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers (Christopher Hjort’s book Strange Brew)

Eric Clapton will leave the following month and Peter Green takes his place.

19 June 1966 (Sunday) – Jimmy James & The Vagabonds (Melody Maker)

 

18 September 1966 (Sunday) – Cream (Christopher Hjort’s book Strange Brew)

 

Thanks to Rolf Hannet for helping with Beat Monthly and Beat Instrumental gigs

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