Due to the success of earlier British tours, notably the one in October 1966, promoter Roy Tempest brought American soul singer Edwin Starr over for a second British tour in mid-1967.
Led by singer Sol Byron (aka Billy Lochart), Glaswegian soul outfit, The Senate, who’d backed Starr on some of the dates during the October 1966 tour, were brought back to provide backing on many of the dates during this tour.
However, The Senate also backed Garnet Mimms during spring 1967, so other groups helped out with some of the tour dates. We’d be interested to hear from any readers who can provide more information in the comments section below.
It looks like Cool Combination, who’d provided backing on the early 1967 tour, weren’t involved for some reason. However, it does look like The Warren Davis Monday Band did back Edwin Starr on some of these dates.
In mid-1967, The Senate also featured Alex “Ludgie” Ligertwood (aka Alex Jackson) on lead guitar and vocals; Brian Johnson on keyboards; Bill Irving on bass; Bob Mather on sax; Antony Rutherford (aka Tony Mimms) on trumpet; and Tam Frew on drums.
However, later this year, Johnson left to join The House of Orange (The Fantastics’ backing band) and was replaced by Michael Brandon Fraser. Robbie McIntosh took over from Tam Frew on drums and Dave Agnew (aka Mark David) succeeded Sol Byron on lead vocals.
The Senate had just completed a tour with Garnet Mimms before taking up the offer to work with Edwin Starr again.
I’ve found the following dates so far but would welcome any additions:
31 May 1967 – Clouds, Derby (Derby Evening Telegraph) Billed as Edwin Starr & The Senate
2 June 1967 – Starlite, Greenford, west London (Melody Maker) Most likely The Senate
3 June 1967 – Clouds, Derby with The Headline News (Derby Evening Telegraph) Billed as Edwin Starr & The Senate
5 June 1967 – Club Cedar, Birmingham with The Warren Davis Monday Band and The Band of Joy (Birmingham Evening Mail) Billed as Edwin Starr and The Warren Davis Monday Band
6 June 1967 – Dungeon Club, Nottingham with The Warren Davis Monday Band (Nottingham Evening Post and website: https://dungeonmods.wordpress.com/) Billed as Edwin Starr and The Warren Davis Monday Band
8 June 1967 – Whisky A Go Go, Wardour Street, Soho, central London (Melody Maker) Most likely backed by Warren Davis Monday Band
9 June 1967 – Beachcomber, Nottingham (Nottingham Evening Post) Billed as Edwin Starr and The Warren Davis Monday Band
9 June 1967 – Britannia Rowing Club, Nottingham (Nottingham Evening Post) Billed as Edwin Starr and The Warren Davis Monday Band
10 June 1967 – Starlight Ballroom, Boston Gliderdrome, Boston, Lincolnshire with Manfred Mann, The Warren Davis Monday Band, The Darlings and Ray Bones (Lincolnshire Standard) Most likely with The Warren Davis Monday Band as backing band
10 June 1967 – Nite Owl, Leicester (Disc & Music Echo/Leicester Chronicle) Most likely The Senate
11 June 1967 – King Mojo, Sheffield (The Star) Billed as Edwin Starr & The Senate
12 June 1967 – Atlanta Ballroom, Woking, Surrey with The Warren Davis Monday Band (Aldershot News) Most likely with The Warren Davis Monday Band as backing band
15 June 1967 – Golden Torch, Tunstall, Staffordshire (Evening Sentinel)
18 June 1967 – Warmingham Grange Country Club, Warmingham, Cheshire with The Foundation and Life and Soul (Nantwich Chronicle)
18 June 1967 – Beat Centre Discotheque Club, Co-op Hall, Warrington, Cheshire (Liverpool Echo)
If you can add anything, please leave a comment below.
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.
When British promoter Roy Tempest brought American soul legend, Edwin Starr, over in January 1967, the popular singer had already toured Britain several times in the previous year, supported by bands like Bluesology (featuring future star Elton John), The Senate, The Noblemen and The Guests.
Tempest, however, was also well known for bringing over tribute acts and passing them off as the real thing, so not all of the following gigs (covering January-March 1967) may have been performed by the real Edwin Starr.
We’d be interested to hear from anyone who can throw more light on this tour, which may, in fact, have been two separate tours running from late January to mid-February and mid-February to mid-March.
Most of the gigs below appear to have featured Cool Combination as Edwin Starr’s backing band but there may have been other groups that helped fulfil the engagements. Again, we’d be interested to hear from readers.
According to the website on Nottingham’s Dungeon Club, Cool Combination (aka Kool Combination) were a West Indian group and we’d love to hear in the comments section below any further information on this fascinating outfit and its personnel.
The following is a list of gigs that I’ve found so far:
28 January 1967 – Starlight Ballroom, Boston Gliderdrome, Boston, Lincolnshire with The Small Faces, 6-Across and Ray Bones (Spalding Guardian) Advert suggests that 6-Across may have been his backing band for this gig
29 January 1967 – Cavern Club, Liverpool with The Hideways, The Klubs, The Beechwoods, Cool Combination, Tyme & Motion and Crazy Chains (Liverpool Echo) Looks like Cool Combination backed him
Guitarist Wendell Richardson, who later played in The Sundae Times, Osibisa and Free, said that he backed Edwin Starr with The Skatelites and they played at Saville Theatre, Shaftsbury Avenue on a bill with Cream which took place on 5 February 1967. He remembers the band’s singer was Vick and Big George played keyboards. It seems likely that The Skatelites played the London gigs in early February before The Kool Combination resumed support.
2 February 1967 – Scotch of St James, Mayfair, central London (Evening Standard)
3 February 1967 – Cue Club, Paddington, central London (Melody Maker) Billed as Edwin Starr Show
5 February 1967 – Saville Theatre, Shaftsbury Avenue, central London with Cream and Sands (Poster/Wendell Richardson’s recollections) Backed by The Skatelites
7 February 1967 – Whisky A Go Go, Wardour Street, Soho, central London (Melody Maker)
7 February 1967 – Klooks Kleek, West Hampstead, north London with C-Jam Blues (Geoff Williams’ research: Decca Studios and Klooks Kleek book/Melody Maker)
10 February 1967 – Starlite, Greenford, northwest London (Melody Maker)
11 February 1967 – Rawmarsh Baths Hall, Rotherham with The Omega Miners and The Strangers (South Yorkshire and Rotherham Advertiser) Billed as backed by Kool Combination
11 February 1967 – King Mojo, Sheffield, South Yorkshire with Mr Sweetman and Johnny O’Hara & The Playboys (The Star)
13 February 1967 – Victoria Ballroom, Chesterfield, Derbyshire (The Star) The Cool Combination played at the Dungeon Club in nearby Nottingham on 14 February so could have played this gig with Edwin Starr
Photo: Melody Maker. The Kool Combination play a gig between working with Edwin Starr
24 February 1967 – California Ballroom, Dunstable, Bedfordshire with The Unchained and Bluesology (website: www.california-ballroom.info/gigs/) Bluesology backed Edwin Starr for some dates in 1966 so may have backed him here
24 February 1967 – New All-Star Club, 9a Artillery Passage, Liverpool Street, east London (Melody Maker)
Photo: Melody Maker. Cool Combination play two London gigs between working with Edwin Starr
26 February 1967 – Saville Theatre, Shaftsbury Avenue, central London with Garnett Mimms (Melody Maker) The Senate, who’d backed Starr on part of his October 1966 tour, worked with Garnet Mimms during 1967 so could have doubled up
2 March 1967 – Roaring ‘20s Club, Carnaby Street, Soho, central London (Melody Maker)
4 March 1967 – Dungeon Club, Nottingham (website: https://dungeonmods.wordpress.com/) Billed as backed by Cool Combination who are listed as a West Indian band
4 March 1967 – Starlight Ballroom, Boston Gliderdrome, Boston, Lincolnshire with Chris Farlowe & The Thunderbirds, The Cool Combination and Root & Jenny Jackson and The Hightimers (Spalding Guardian) Cool Combination were his backing band
5 March 1967 – Hotel Leofric, Coventry (Coventry Evening Telegraph)
10 March 1967 – Gaiety Ballroom, Grimsby, Humberside (Grimsby Evening Telegraph) Billed as backed by Cool Combinations
12 March 1967 – Saville Theatre, Shaftsbury Avenue, central London with Duane Eddy (Fabulous 208)
If you can add anything, please leave a comment below
The Respect (left to right), Mick Grant, Jon Rich and Graham Chandler
This High Wycombe band was formed in December 1966 but later began playing in the Chiswick area and played regularly at Kew Boathouse during 1967.
Mick Grant playing bass at Kew Boathouse
The band’s original formation comprised:
Dave Bowden – lead vocals
Mick Grant – lead guitar
Paul Russell – rhythm guitar
Jon Rich – bass
Graham Chandler – drums
Paul Russell later left the band and Keith Hills took his place.
Thanks to Mick Grant for supplying the band photos
Mick Grant on lead guitar at Kew BoathouseJon Rich on bass at Kew BoathousePhoto: Graham Chandler at Kew Boathouse with the band advertised on the poster behind
In October 1966, British promoter Roy Tempest brought over American soul singer Edwin Starr for an extensive tour. Judging by advertisements in Melody Maker and regional newspapers, Starr had already visited Britain at least twice before.
Melody Maker lists a gig at Count Suckle’s Cue Club in Paddington on 10 February 1966, backed by west London band, Bluesology, who featured a certain Reginald Dwight (aka Elton John) on keyboards. This was most likely part of a wider tour but it’s not certain whether Bluesology were the backing band on all of the dates. We’d be interested to hear from readers below in the comments section.
Fast forward to late September and Edwin Starr was advertised on a promotional flyer performing at the Twisted Wheel Club in Manchester (again with Bluesology). The date in question was 29 September. It’s not clear whether this was part of a wider tour, but, whatever the case, Edwin Starr was back in Britain about two weeks later for a full-scale tour.
Roy Tempest employed quite a few bands to perform backing duties for the soul artists he brought over (see Lee Dorsey’s January 1966 British tour as an example). More often than not, the groups weren’t mentioned in the advertisements.
For this reason, it’s been difficult to pinpoint exactly who supported Edwin Starr during this tour and subsequent ones throughout the rest of the 1960s, although the obscure group The State Express did the duties during May 1968 (and some later dates).
However, for the October 1966 tour, we do know that at least three bands backed Edwin Starr.
The most high-profile one was Glaswegian soul outfit, The Senate led by singer Sol Byron (aka Billy Lochart). At the time of this tour, the rest of The Senate comprised Alex “Ludgie” Ligertwood (aka Alex Jackson) on lead guitar and vocals; Brian Johnson on keyboards; Bill Irving on bass; Bob Mather on sax; Antony Rutherford (aka Tony Mimms) on trumpet; and Tam Frew on drums.
The Senate would back Edwin Starr on some dates during a May-June 1967 tour and there are quite a few gigs below which mention the Scottish group on the billing, so it seems quite likely that they fulfilled a large number of the engagements on this tour.
However, Roy Tempest also employed Beau Brummell’s former backing band, The Noblemen, led by Bognor Regis musicians Bryan Stevens (bass) and Mick Ketley (keyboards).
By October 1966, The Noblemen had been completely reshuffled and also featured west London musicians Jimmy Marsh (vocals) and Malcolm Tomlinson (drums), together with Birmingham players Chris Rodger (saxophone) and future Jethro Tull guitarist Martin Barre. The Noblemen had previously backed The Vibrations and The Drifters.
The final group that we know who definitely did back Edwin Starr was Dalston, north London group, The Guests led by singer Alan Chamberlain. This little known group also comprised guitarist Bernie Jory (who went on to The Mickey Finn); bass player John Towell; drummer Hans Herbert (who went on to play with Geno Washington) plus two saxophone players, one of whom might have been Kenny Power who’d worked with Herbert in The Flexmen and joined the drummer in The All Night Workers in late 1966.
Chamberlain remembers the band played with Edwin Starr over a week period. Although the group was working for the Charles Kray entertainment agency, he believes that Roy Tempest may have requested for them to fill in when the other groups couldn’t honour the Edwin Starr gigs. He remembers the band rehearsing over a pub on Tottenham Court Road opposite Kray’s offices, based at the Clark Brothers dance studio.
I’ve listed the gigs I have found for the October 1966 tour below and would welcome any comments from readers and any clarification on the bands that did the honours in supporting Edwin Starr. It’s quite possible, for instance, that there were other groups who helped out on this tour. There also likely to be some missing gigs from this list.
14 October 1966 – Domino Club, Openshaw and Princess Theatre, Chorlton, Greater Manchester (Manchester Evening News and Chronicle) This was billed as Edwin Starr & The Senate featuring Sol Byron
15 October 1966 – Cue Club, Paddington, central London (Melody Maker) Billed as The Edwin Starr Show – possibly The Senate considering last night’s gig
16 October 1966 – Beachcomber, Nottingham with John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers (Nottingham Evening Post) The Noblemen were billed for this gig but Alan Chamberlain from The Guests insists they backed Edwin Starr as he got into an altercation with John Mayall. Chris Rodger, saxophone player with The Noblemen, confirms that it wasn’t his band as this was his birthday and he remembers The Noblemen playing in West Germany for a week, including on his birthday.
17 October 1966 – Queen’s Ballroom, Wolverhampton (Express & Star) If The Guests played the previous night, this is most likely them again
19 October 1966 – Mecca Ballroom, Royal Pier, Southampton, Hants (Southern Evening Echo) Billed as Edwin Starr & The Senate featuring Sol Byron
21 October 1966 – Sleaford Mabern Club, Sleaford, Lincolnshire (Grantham Journal) Billed as Edwin Starr & The Senate
21 October 1966 – Midnight City, Birmingham with Timebox, The Night People and Johnnie Neal (Birmingham Evening Mail) As this was the same evening and close to Leicester, it seems most likely this was The Noblemen but it could have been The Night People who were billed or The Senate as they played above gig on the same evening
21 October 1966 – Granby Halls, Leicester with The Ike & Tina Turner Revue with The Kings of Rhythm Band, Prince Albert, Jimmy Thomas, The Ikettes, Alvin Robinson and Family (Leicester Chronicle) Bryan Stevens, Mick Ketley and Martin Barre confirm this was definitely The Noblemen who switched to backing Alvin Robinson soon after
21 October 1966 – New All-Star Club, 9a Artillery Passage, Liverpool Street, east London (Melody Maker) Possibly The Noblemen but could have been The Guests as Liverpool Street wasn’t far from their Dalston base or The Senate as they played earlier gig
22 October 1966 – Rhodes Centre, Bishop’s Stortford, Herts with Rhythm and Soul (Steve Ingless book: The Day Before Yesterday/Herts & Essex Observer) This was billed as Edwin Starr & The Senate
22 October 1966 – Reading University, Reading, Berkshire (Melody Maker) Alan Chamberlain says The Guests played with Edwin Starr for a week, so this is quite possibly them but also could have been The Senate who played with Starr at the Rhodes Centre above on the same night
23 October 1966 – Starlite, Greenford, northwest London (Melody Maker) Possibly The Guests
24 October 1966 – Scotch of St James, Mayfair, central London (London Life/Tatler) Possibly The Guests
24 October 1966 – Tiles, Oxford Street, central London with Jeff Curtis & The Flames (Melody Maker) Possibly The Guests
28 October 1966 – Twisted Wheel, Manchester (Manchester Evening News) Judging by the gig below, this is most likely The Senate
29 October 1966 – Cavern, Liverpool with The Signs, The Times, The Fix, The B-Jays, The Prowlers and The Talismen (Liverpool Echo) This was Edwin Starr & The Senate
We’d be interest to hear from anyone who has any photos and/or concert advertisements. Please email: Warchive@aol.com
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.
Little is known about this Bristol band, which was originally known as The Denims.
Keyboard player Ray Soper, who hailed from London, remembers that the singer was called Rick. He also recalls that Dudley, the lead guitarist, had previously auditioned for The Small Faces in late 1965.
Soper had worked with several bands before, notably Jeff Curtis & The Flames, but had left in May 1966 to form a new version of The Pirates.
The New Pirates (as they were called) supported Johnny Kidd throughout the summer but Soper stopped playing with the band in August.
Two months later, he joined The Denims who were playing US bases in France. After working in Strasbourg for two months as The Headline News, he returned to the UK in December 1966 and left the band, which carried on working (presumably with a replacement).
In July 1967, Soper found work playing in a band on the Cunard Cruise liner Carmania, which travelled between Southampton and Montreal on a six-week passage.
Marrying a Canadian, he subsequently immigrated to Canada in 1970 and later played with The Dusty Roads Band from his home in Ontario.
We would be interested to hear from anyone who can add more information about The Denims/Headline News in the comments below.
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
