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.  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.

TONY KNIGHT’S CHESSMEN:

Tony Knight (aka Tony Brown) – drums/lead vocals

Lol Coxhill – tenor/soprano saxophone

John Gummer – baritone saxophone/trumpet

Terry Martin – bass/vocals

Jeff Reed – organ

Formed in 1964 by Tony Knight and Terry Martin, who were from Wolverhampton. Lol Coxhill was a seasoned jazzer

1964

2 May 1964 – Hazell’s Hall, Aylesbury, Bucks (Bucks Advertiser) Billed as The Chessmen

23 May 1964 – Assembly Hall, Aylesbury, Bucks with The Redcaps and The Telstars (Bucks Advertiser) Billed as The Chessmen featuring Jeff Read on organ

3 October 1964 – Central Club, Farnham, Surrey (Farnham Herald)

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

16 November 1964 – Klooks Kleek, West Hampstead, London (Geoff Williams’ research: Decca Studios and Klooks Kleek book) Billed as The Chessmen

15 December 1964 – Ricky Tick, Aylesbury Borough Assembly Hall, Market Square, Aylesbury, Bucks with Rufus Thomas (Bucks Advertiser)

19 December 1964 – Corn Exchange, Chelmsford, Essex with Rufus Thomas (Essex Chronicle)

26 December 1964 – Ricky Ticky Club, Plaza Ballroom, Guildford, Surrey with The Cheynes (Surrey Advertiser)

1965

5 January 1965 – Bluesville, Aylesbury, Bucks (website: http://aylesburymusictown.co.uk/)

16 January 1965 – Le Disque A Go Go, Landsdowne, Dorset (Bournemouth Evening Echo)

17 January 1965 – Black Prince Hotel, Bexley, southeast London (Melody Maker)

29 January 1965 – Lynx Club, Boreham Wood, Herts (Melody Maker)

30 January 1965 – Victoria Ballroom, Cambridge (Cambridge News) Billed as The Chessmen

2 February 1965 – Lorain Club, Royal Forest Hotel, Chingford, east London (Walthamstow Guardian) Club’s opening night

5 February 1965 – New Fender Club, Fenton, Middlesex (Greenford Weekly Post)

12 February 1965 – Ricky Tick, Guildford Civic Hall, Guildford, Surrey (Ricky Tick website: https://www.rickytick.com/)

14 February 1965 – Blue Moon, Hayes, Middlesex (Greenford Weekly Post) Billed as The Chessmen

16 February 1965 – Klooks Kleek, West Hampstead, north London (Geoff Williams’ research: Decca Studios and Klooks Kleek book) Billed as The Chessmen

20 February 1965 – New Georgian Club, Cowley, Middlesex (Greenford Weekly Post)

27 February 1965 – Victoria Ballroom, Cambridge (Cambridge News) Billed as The Chessmen

5 March 1965 – Ricky Tick, Guildford Civic Hall, Guildford, Surrey (Ricky Tick website: https://www.rickytick.com/) Billed as The Chessmen

16 March 1965 – Klooks Kleek, West Hampstead, north London (Geoff Williams’ research: Decca Studios and Klooks Kleek book) Billed as The Chessmen

27 March 1965 – El Partido, Lewisham, south east London with The Mankinde (need to find source)

Around this time, Johnny Almond joined on baritone sax and John Gummer moved to trumpet

18 April 1965 – Redcar Jazz Club, Redcar, North Yorkshire with Cops ‘N’ Robbers (Dennis Weller, Chris Scott Wilson and Graham Lowe’s book)

19 April 1965 – Victoria Ballroom, Cambridge (Cambridge News) Billed as The Chessmen

23 April 1965 – Dungeon Club, Nottingham (website: https://dungeonmods.wordpress.com/)

24 April 1965 – Twin Town Youth Ball, Lynx Club, Maxwell Park Youth Centre, Borehamwood, Herts (Simon Gee research)

1 May 1965 – New Georgian Club, Uxbridge, northwest London (Ruislip & Northwood Gazette)

8 May 1965 – Flamingo, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with Geno Washington & The Ram Jam Band (Melody Maker)

15 May 1965 – Victoria Hotel, Basingstoke, Hampshire (Hampshire & Berkshire Gazette)

29 May 1965 – Corn Exchange, Cambridge with The Dyaks (Cambridge News)

30 May 1965 – Agincourt Ballroom, Camberley, Surrey (Aldershot News)

7 June 1965 – Redcar Mini Festival, Redcar Jazz Club, Redcar, North Yorkshire with Long John Baldry & The Hoochie Coochie Men, Zoot Money & The Big Roll Band, The Crawdaddies (Dennis Weller, Chris Scott Wilson and Graham Lowe’s book)

13 June 1965 – Dungeon Club, Nottingham (website: https://dungeonmods.wordpress.com/)

15 June 1965 – Klooks Kleek, West Hampstead, north London (Geoff Williams’ research: Decca Studios and Klooks Kleek book) Billed as The Chessmen

11 July 1965 – Dungeon Club, Nottingham (website: https://dungeonmods.wordpress.com/)

25 July 1965 – Galaxy Club, Woburn Park Hotel, Addlestone, Surrey (Woking Herald)

27 July 1965 – Klooks Kleek, West Hampstead, north London (Geoff Williams’ research: Decca Studios and Klooks Kleek book) Billed as The Chessmen

31 July 1965 – Milford R&B, Strutt Arms, Milford, Derbyshire (Derby Evening Telegraph)

6 August 1965 – Pontiac, Zeeta House, Putney, south west London with The Fetish Crowd (NME)

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

Around this time, Terry Martin and John Reed departed

Former London Beats members Peter Carney (bass) and John Carroll (Hammond organ) filled the vacant spots. Terry Edmunds also joined on lead guitar

30 August 1965 – Dungeon Club, Nottingham (website: https://dungeonmods.wordpress.com/)

30 August 1965 – Redcar Jazz Club, Redcar, North Yorkshire with Long Joh Baldry, Rod Stewart, Julie Driscoll and Brian Auger Trinity, The Mike Cotton Sound and The Crawdaddies (Dennis Weller, Chris Scott Wilson and Graham Lowe’s book)

14 October 1965 – Bowes Lyon House, Stevenage, Herts with The Jimmy Brown Sound (Hertfordshire & Bedfordshire Express)

16 October 1965 – Blue Moon, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire (Gloucester Citizen)

23 October 1965 – Agincourt Ballroom, Camberley, Surrey (Aldershot News)

29 October 1965 – Penthouse Club, Bromley South, southeast London with The Penthouse Sound System (Melody Maker)

5 November 1965 – Redcar Jazz Club, Redcar, North Yorkshire with The Artwoods, Chris Farlowe & The Thunderbirds and The Crawdaddies (Dennis Weller, Chris Scott Wilson and Graham Lowe’s book)

14 November 1965 – Beachcomber, Nottingham (Nottingham Evening Post)

26 November 1965 – Hermitage Halls, Hitchin, Herts with Alan Wade & The Hawkers and The Rising Sons (Hertfordshire & Bedfordshire Express)

28 November 1965 – The Place, Hanley, Staffordshire (Evening Sentinel)

Around this time, Johnny Almond left to join Zoot Money’s Big Roll Band and John Gummer reverted to baritone trumpet

4 December 1965 – Zambesi Club, Hounslow, west London (Middlesex Chronicle)

10 December 1965 – Beachcomber, Nottingham (Nottingham Evening Post)

16 December 1965 – Redcar Jazz Club, Redcar, North Yorkshire with Ronnie Jones & The Blue Jays and Steampacket (Dennis Weller, Chris Scott Wilson and Graham Lowe’s book)

18 December 1965 – The Zambesi, Hounslow, west London (Ruislip & Northwood Gazette)

24 December 1965 – King Mojo Club, Sheffield, South Yorkshire with Herbie Goins & The Night-Timers (Melody Maker)

27 December 1965 – Star Hotel, Croydon, south London (Chris Broom book: Rockin’ and Around Croydon)

1966

2 January 1966 – Ricky Tick, Guildford Civic Hall, Guildford, Surrey (Ricky Tick website: https://www.rickytick.com/) Billed as The Chessmen

9 January 1966 – Nottingham Boat Club, Nottingham (Down at the Boat book)

16 January 1966 – Flamingo, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with Fontella Bass (Melody Maker)

22 January 1966 – Milford R&B, Strutt Arms, Milford, Derbyshire (Derby Evening Telegraph)

6 February 1966 – Hive Club, Wooden Bridge Hotel, Guildford, Surrey (Surrey Advertiser)

17 February 1966 – Burton Manor, Stafford, Staffordshire (Stafford Newsletter)

5 March 1966 – Ram Jam, Brixton, south London with The Loose Ends (Melody Maker)

5 March 1966 – Flamingo, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with The Rockhouse Band (Melody Maker)

1 April 1966 – The Refectory, Golders Green, London (Melody Maker)

4 April 1966 – Woodhall Community Centre, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire (Welwyn Times)

12 April 1966 – Ricky Tick, Borough Assembly Hall, Aylesbury, Bucks (website: http://aylesburymusictown.co.uk/)

6 May 1966 – Ricky Tick, Harvest Moon Club, Guildford, Surrey (Ricky Tick website: https://www.rickytick.com/) Billed as The Chessmen

28 May 1966 – Toft’s, Folkestone, Kent (Folkestone, Hythe & District Herald)

29 May 1966 – Nottingham Boat Club, Nottingham (Down at the Boat book)

24 June 1966 – Latin Quarter, Leicester with Five Minus One (Leicester Mercury)

2 July 1966 – New Spot, Gosport, Hampshire (Portsmouth News)

9 July 1966 – Bowes Lyon House, Stevenage, Hertfordshire with The Shevells (Welwyn Times)

16 July 1966 – The Dolphin, Marine Court, St Leonards, East Sussex with King Bees (Roger Bistow’s research at Dizzy Tiger Music website/Hastings and St Leonards Observer)

24 July 1966 – Nottingham Boat Club, Nottingham (Down at the Boat book)

29 July 1966 – Latin Quarter, Leicester (Fabulous 208)

31 July 1966 – Central Hotel, Gillingham, Kent (Fabulous 208)

In late July Peter Carney left to join Geno Washington & The Ram Jam Band and Liverpudlian Steve Lucas, who’d also worked with Bluesology, came in on bass briefly before Rick Eagles joined permanently

5 August 1966 – Flamingo, Wardour Street, Soho, central London (Melody Maker) Billed as The Chessmen

Eagles, who had played with west London band, The Legends, debuted at the Witchdoctor in Catford on 6 August. 

6 August 1966 – Witchdoctor, Catford, south east London (South East London Mercury/Fabulous 208)

6 August 1966 – Flamingo, Soho, Wardour Street, central London (Melody Maker) Billed as The Chessmen

7 August 1966 – Casino Ballroom, Leicester (Fabulous 208)

12 August 1966 – Beachcomber Club, Nottingham (Nottingham Evening Post)

14 August 1966 – Flamingo, Wardour Street, Soho, central London (Melody Maker) Billed as The Chessmen

18 August 1966 – Ricky Tick, Harpenden Public Hall, Harpenden, Hertfordshire (Poster) Billed as The Chessmen

Future Procol Harum keyboard player Matthew Fisher briefly stepped in for John Carroll in time for the gig below. Fisher’s most recent band was The Hi-Fi Sounds, who’d played at Butlin’s Holiday camp in Minehead, Somerset.

29 August 1966 – Redcar Jazz Club, Coatham Hotel, Redcar, North Yorkshire with Zoot Money & His Big Roll Band, John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers and The Crawdaddies (Dennis Weller, Chris Scott Wilson and Graham Lowe’s book/Middlesbrough Evening Gazette)

Fisher departed after this and briefly joined The Downliners Sect and John Carroll returned.

2 September 1966 – Flamingo, Wardour Street, Soho, central London (Melody Maker) Billed as The Chessmen

About this time, Lol Coxhill departed to join The Gass. John Gummer also left and former Mike Rabin Band/Rockhouse members Dave Coxhill (no relation to Lol) and Stan Sulzmann came in on saxophones. 

Record Mirror’s 10 September issue noted that Dave Coxhill had joined but no mention of Stan Sulzmann.

23 September 1966 – Beachcomber, Nottingham (Nottingham Evening Post)

23 September 1966 – Flamingo, Wardour Street, Soho, central London (Melody Maker) Billed as The Chessmen

24 September 1966 – Britannia Rowing Club, Nottingham (Nottingham Evening Post)

2 October 1966 – Nottingham Boat Club, Nottingham (Down at the Boat book)

3 October 1966 – Aylesbury Social Club, Aylesbury, Bucks with Patterson’s People (Ric Eagles’ gig card)

8 October 1966 – Chelmsford Corn Exchange, Chelmsford, Essex with The Verdict (Essex Chronicle)

24 October 1966 – Agincourt Ballroom, Camberley, Surrey with The Voids (Aldershot News/Camberley News)

12 November 1966 – Club A Go Go, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear with The Elcort (website: http://www.readysteadygone.co.uk/club-agogo-newcastle-2/)

17 November 1966 – New Yorker Discotheque, Swindon, Wiltshire (Reading Evening Post) Says direct from the Marquee

19 November 1966 – Ricky Tick, Bridge House, Bracknell, Berkshire (Ricky Tick website: https://www.rickytick.com/)

During November, the band opened the Bag O’Nails in Kingley Street, Soho. 

17 December 1966 – Afan Lido, Port Talbot, Wales with The Cheatin’ Hearts (Port Talbot Guardian)

According to the Stage magazine, the band played the Bag O’Nails over the Christmas period with The Brian Auger Trinity and Ronnie Jones & The Blue Jays

1967

5 January 1967 – Golden Torch, Tunstall, Staffordshire (Evening Sentinel)

7 January 1967 – Nite Owl, Leicester (Leicester Mercury)

22 January 1967 – Golden Torch, Tunstall, Staffordshire (Evening Sentinel)

Later this month, John Carroll landed a job with The New Pirates after Rick Eagles told his old friend Nick Simper about the keyboard player. 

4 February 1967 – Roaring ‘60s, Leicester (Leicester Mercury) This was the club’s opening night

15 February 1967 – Waltham Forest Technical College and School of Art, Waltham Forest, London with The Washington DCs (Poster)

18 February 1967 – Manhole, Redhill, Surrey (Crawley Advertiser)

Soon after Rick Eagles departed and later played with The Good Earth, which later became Mungo Jerry 

Starting in early March, Tony Knight’s Chessmen started working with Jamaican singer Owen Gray who’d worked with The Krew in France during 1966.  Not all the shows below are billed as with Owen Gray but he was with the band until about early September  1967.

9 March 1967 – Roaring 20’s, Carnaby Street, central London (Melody Maker) Billed as with Owen Gray

11 March 1967 – Blue Moon, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire (Gloucester Citizen)

11 March 1967 – Roaring 20’s, Carnaby Street, central London (Melody Maker) Billed as with Owen Gray

18 March 1967 – Gaiety Ballroom, Ramsey, Cambridgeshire with The Friction (Cambridgeshire Times)

19 March 1967 – Roaring 20’s, Carnaby Street, central London (Melody Maker) Billed as with Owen Gray

25 March 1967 – Beachcomber, Nottingham (Nottingham Evening Post) Billed as with Owen Gary

27 March 1967 – Clouds, Derby (Derby Evening Telegraph)

2 April 1967 – Beachcomber, Nottingham (Nottingham Evening Post) Billed as with Owen Gray

3 April 1967 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with The Herd (Tony Bacon’s book: London Live)

8 April 1967 – Beachcomber, Nottingham (Nottingham Evening Post) Billed as with Owen Gray

8 April 1967 – Britannia Rowing Club, Nottingham (Nottingham Evening Post) Billed as with Owen Gray

15 April 1967 – Blue Moon, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire (Gloucestershire Echo) Billed as with Owen Gray

29 April 1967 – The Thing-a-me-jig Club, Reading, Berkshire (Reading Evening Post)

6 May 1967 – Lion Hotel, Warrington, Cheshire with The Escorts and The Beechwoods (Warrington Guardian)

7 May 1967 – Carlton Club, Warrington, Cheshire (Warrington Guardian)

8 May 1967 – 100 Club, Oxford Street, central London (Melody Maker) Billed as with Owen Gray

20 May 1967 – The Embassy, Colchester, Essex with Mind Excursion (Essex County Standard)

21 May 1967 – Kirklevington Country Club, Kirklevington, North Yorkshire (Middlesbrough Evening Gazette)

26 May 1967 – Stoke Hole Club, Stoke Hotel, Guildford, Surrey (Surrey Advertiser) Advert says they are an eight-piece

2 June 1967 – Clockwork Orange, Chester, Cheshire with The Raynes (Cheshire Observer) Billed as with Owen Gray

4 June 1967 – Hobmoor Carnaby Club, Yardley, West Midlands with The Monopoly and The Exception (Birmingham Evening Mail) Billed as with Owen Gray

In mid-June Terry Edmunds left to briefly work with John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers but it only lasted a few weeks. Fred D’Albert joined on lead guitar. Around the same time, Stan Sulzmann left

17 June 1967 – California Ballroom, Dunstable, Bedfordshire with The Apex R&B All Stars and The Gods (website: www.california-ballroom.info/gigs/)

The group undertook some dates in Cornwall (late June) and played at the Piper Club in Viareggio, Italy (July).

Tenor sax player Terry Ede (ex-Jeff Elroy & The Blue Boys) remembers both and was a member during this time with Tony Knight, bass player Keith Tillman (ex-Stone’s Masonry), guitarist Fred D’Albert and Dave Coxhill. He says that Owen Gray was with them.

28 June 1967 – Princess Pavilion, Falmouth, Cornwall with Time, Soul & Motion (West Briton & Royal Cornish Gazette)

29 June 1967 – Blue Lagoon, Newquay, Cornwall with The Crestas (West Briton & Royal Cornish Gazette)

30 June-1 July 1967 – Winter Gardens Ballroom, Penzance, Cornwall with support (West Briton & Royal Cornish Gazette)

Keith Tillman leaves after Italian dates and subsequently joins John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers after playing with Aynsley Dunbar. Alan Rowell from several East Anglian bands takes his place.

6 August 1967 – Cue Club, Paddington, central London (Melody Maker) Billed as with Owen Gray

12 August 1967 – The New All-Star Club, 9a Artillery Passage, east London (Melody Maker) Billed as with Owen Gray

14 August 1967 – Carlton Club, Warrington, Cheshire (Warrington Guardian)

19 August 1967 – Cue Club, Paddington, central London (Melody Maker) Billed as with Owen Gray

9 September 1967 – 007 Sun Valley Club, Dalston, north London with Sir Dees Sound (Melody Maker)

In September, Tony Knight, Fred D’Albert, Alan Rowell and Dave Coxhill joined The Cat Soul Packet and worked with the group until November.

By early 1968, the following line-up performed as The Magicians who cut a lone single for MCA ‘Painting on Wood’ c/w ‘Slow Motion’

Dave Watkins – piano/vocals

Fred d’Albert – guitar

Terry Martin – bass

Tony Brown (aka Tony Knight) – drums/vocals

Huge thanks to David Else for his input

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.