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.
I have photos of a group called the Sect according to their drum head. I don’t know the names of any members, or where they were from other than possibly the Los Angeles area.
Two of the photos feature actress Deborah Walley. Someone suggested it was her husband John Ashley in the white suit in one shot, but Chas Gibson informs me this is Jimmy Hawkins, who had roles in TV shows like The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, Leave It to Beaver, and The Donna Reed Show. Hawkins and Walley were in the Elvis movie Spinout, which would date these photos to about 1966.
Arizona is another possible location. There was a group called the Sect from Mesa, Arizona, just east of Phoenix & Tempe, that included J.R. Lara, Tom Smith, Buford “Corky” Allred, Brad Reed and Rusty Martin. That Sect recorded two songs at Audio Recorders that were not released until 2003, “Simply Sunday” / “Just Can’t Win”.
Two people have identified the guitarist in the white hat as Kenny Vaughn of the Superlatives, Marty Stuart’s band. Perhaps someone can confirm or refute this possibility.
If it is Kenny, it is possible these photos were taken in Denver, Colorado, where he was based in the ’60s.
I like their look that mixes western and rock styles. Any info on the Sect would be appreciated.
This isn’t the first time Deborah Walley crops up in Garage Hangover. She and John Ashley appeared at an opening of Sergeant Deadhead with the Jerks in Birmingham, Alabama.
Thank you to Chas Gibson for help with identifying Jimmy Hawkins.
Two people have identified this guitarist as Kenny Vaughn of the Superlatives, Marty Stuart’s band.
Is this actress Deborah Walley ?
Jimmy Hawkins in white suit at left, and actress Deborah Walley in front of him.
The Piper Club in Via Tagliamento, Rome was arguably Italy’s most famous rock music venue during the Sixties, with headlining acts like The Who (26 February 1967), The Spencer Davis Group (24-25 January 1968), The Small Faces (6-7 March 1968), Pink Floyd (18-19 April 1968) and The Byrds (2 May 1968) performing on its stage.
However, for all its significance in rock music history, there is surprisingly very little detail about the club on the internet and very little in-depth information about the many fascinating groups that performed on its stage between the years 1965-1969. The club grew in popularity in the Seventies and is still going strong today!
Drawing on a large number of sources, I’ve tried to provide a bit more of a timeline below for the Sixties period, but would welcome any information in the comments section at the end from musicians who played or attended the club during those golden years. This is very much a work in progress.
Giancarlo J Flores, an Italian graphic artist, designer and illustrator, has put together a superb webpage on the Piper Club, which provides a wealth of information and is definitely worth exploring. He also notes that during the Sixties, top British acts like The Merseybeats and Procol Harum also played at the club.
According to Flores, the Piper Club was opened by owners Albergio Crocetta (a lawyer) and entrepreneur Giancarlo Bornigia on 17 February 1965.
Bass player Bryan Stevens, who played the Piper Club twice, the first time in October 1965 with Beau Brummell & The Noblemen and the second time in March/April 1967 with Motivation, remembers that the club was an abandoned cinema that had been converted into a high-vaulted, large auditorium. He recalls that the two stages were set high up at one end and the under-floor lit dance floor was surrounded by tables with a full width bar at the other end.
This excellent CD lists some of the bands that played at the Piper Club. This website also has some great material on the club.
Giancarlo J Flores notes that the first two house bands were British expats The Rokes (formerly The Shel Carson Combo) and Italian outfit Equipe 84.
The Rokes’ leader Norman Shapiro had previously worked with Rob Storme & The Whispers before playing with Gene Vincent’s Blue Caps. Shapiro says that The Rokes opened the club and played the entire month but never performed at the Piper Club again.
If you can get hold of it, there’s a great article on The Rokes by Francesco Ficco in Misty Lane magazine (issue 19) from 1989.
The Rokes (February 1965)
Norman David “Shel” Shapiro (guitar/vocals); Johnny Carlton (guitar/vocals); Bobby Posner (bass/vocals); and Mike Shepstone (drums/vocals)
Equipe 84 (February 1965)
Romano Morandi (guitar/vocals); Victor Sogliani (bass); Franco Ceccarelli (rhythm guitar); and Alfio Cantarella (drums)
Drummer John Kerrison who later played with future Deep Purple singer Ian Gillan in Episode Six, wrote about his band, The [Rocking] Eccentrics, who played at the Piper Club in June 1965, in his book It Ain’t Rock & Roll. They were the first English band to play after The Rokes and the first who weren’t based in Italy.
Kerrison notes that the Ealing group’s agency The Ashley Sinclair Enterprises Ltd had arranged for The Eccentrics to participate in a competition at the Ad Lib Club in Leicester Square with about 20 bands competing for the prize – a month-long residency at the Piper Club. The Eccentrics won and The Bad Boys from nearby Northholt came second (see this excellent website).
The Eccentrics at the Piper Club. Photo may be subject to copyright
The drummer adds that while The Eccentrics were playing at the Piper Club, the other group sharing the month-long residency was Italian group Equipe Ottanta Quattro (aka Equipe 84). They would become regulars at the venue.
Kerrison also recalls that another Italian group, IL TIGRE played while they were there plus a South African outfit who played for only a few nights.
The drummer says that The Bad Boys took over from The Eccentrics at the Piper Club after they had finished in July.
Kerrison adds in his book that as The Eccentrics were about to finish their contract at the Piper Club in late June, they were offered a gig at the sister Piper Club in Viareggio in northern Italy. However, the club’s owner turned them down and the drummer returned to England. Singer Mick Liddell also departed and formed Gli Atomi, who also became regulars at the Piper Club.
Maggs and Robinson also headed back to England but soon returned to Italy with former Second Thoughts and Tomcats drummer Speedy Keen (later famous in Thunderclap Newman) and toured Italy over the next few months with singer Romano Morandi from Equipe 84 as “Romano & The Eccentrics”. Morandi was replaced by Maurizio Vandelli.
The Eccentrics (June 1965)
Mick Liddell (lead vocals); Peter Maggs (lead guitar); Bruce Watts (rhythm guitar); Roy Robinson (bass); and John Kerrison (drums)
Equipe 84 (June 1965)
Romano Morandi (guitar/vocals); Victor Sogliani (bass); Franco Ceccarelli (rhythm guitar); and Alfio Cantarella (drums)
As noted earlier when The Eccentrics finished at the Piper Club, The Bad Boys, featuring future Quiet Five and White Plains drummer Roger “Tex” Marsh took their place. The group would remain in Italy but Marsh would return to England in late 1965.
The Bad Boys (July 1965)
Wally Scott (guitar/vocals); Ron Hanson (guitar); Tom Jordan (bass); and Roger “Tex” Marsh (drums)
On 1 October 1965, South African singer Beau Brummell and his backing band, The Noblemen from Bognor Regis, West Sussex started a month-long residency at the Piper Club.
Bass player Bryan Stevens remembers that the band arrived in two open coaches with Beau, Miss Italy, Giancarlo Bornigia and one of the Noblemen in one coach and the remaining Noblemen in the other coach.
The entire group wore its stage gear, including scarlet lined capes. He remembers that a lot of press and TV cameras were there to capture the event and that there were invited celebrities from Cincinatti Film Studios.
One of the band’s sax players, Keith Gemmell, later went on to play with Audience and Sammy.
Beau Brummell & The Noblemen (October 1965)
Beau Brummell (lead vocals); Chuck Fryers (lead guitar/vocals); Mick Ketley (keyboards/vocals); Bryan Stevens (bass); Keith Gemmell (saxophone); Jem Field (saxophone); and Bernie Smith (drums)
The Noblemen at the Piper Club. Thanks to Bryan Stevens and Mick Ketley for the photo
On 25 November 1965, Italian singer Rita Pavone played at the club backed by The Talismen who, according to this website were from Portsmouth (although other sources say Cheltenham).
Rita Pavone & The Talismen (25 November 1965)
Rita Pavone (lead vocals); Steve Outwaite (guitar/vocals); George Rainsford (guitar/harmonica/vocals); Clive Devine (bass/vocals); and Trevor Cook (drums)
Chris Hunt from Dave & The Diamonds at the Piper Club. Thanks to Chris for the photo
Formed in Bognor Regis, Dave & The Diamonds travelled to Italy in spring 1966 according to drummer Chris Hunt and played at the Piper Club during April. You can read more about this interesting group in Mike Read’s excellent book The South Coast Beat Scene of the 1960s
Dave & The Diamonds (April 1966)
Dave Hooper (lead vocals); Ray Flacke (lead guitar); Ron Fudge (bass); Peter Green (sax); Mick Brookes (sax); and Chris Hunt (drums)
Dave & The Diamonds. Thanks to Chris Hunt for the photo
Giancarlo J Flores notes on his superb website that the Piper Club was featured in British publication Town and Country magazine in June 1966.
The article entitled “Where to Howl in Rome” by Ted Burke lists the following bands who would have played between February 1965 and May 1966: The Rokes, The Eccentrics, The Echoes, The Bushmen, The Missiles, The Primitives, The Honey-combs, The Meteors, The Bad Boys and The African Beavers.
This superb website suggests that Thane Russal & The Three played at the Piper Club around June/July 1966. They played at the other sister Piper clubs during this period.
Thane Russal & The Three (circa June/July 1966)
Thane Russal (lead vocals); Martin Fisher (lead guitar); Mick Brill (bass); Allan Collins (Hammond organ); and Peter Huish (drums)
According to this brilliant site, Screaming Lord Sutch & The Savages toured Italy in July 1966, performing on the Piper Club circuit (Rome, Milan and Viareggio). They took part in the opening night of the Viareggio Piper Club on 17 July 1966 with Patty Bravo and The Patrick Samson Set. The group were playing the Rome Piper Club when England won the World Cup on 30 July 1966.
Screaming Lord Sutch & The Savages (July 1966)
Dave “Screaming Lord” Sutch (lead vocals); George Smelly (lead guitar); Ronnie Harwood (bass); Pete Philipps (drums); Pete Newman aka Mundy (saxophone); and Pete Green (saxophone)
According to this superb website on The Primitives, the band played at the Piper Club in Viareggio during the summer of 1966 before moving on the Rome club and later became regulars. They backed some headlining British acts in the late Sixties.
Mal Ryder & The Primitives (circa August/September 1966)
Paul “Mal” Bradley Couling (lead vocals); Dave Sumner (lead guitar); Jeffrey Robert “Jay” Farthing (bass); and David “Pique” Withers (drums)
According to Mike Read’s superb book The South Coast Beat Scene of the 1960s, Bognor Regis band The Warren J Five played at the Piper Club after working at the Top Ten Club in Hamburg in late 1966, performing alongside Tony Sheridan.
Chuck Fryers convinced the group to take the Piper Club gig having previously played there in October 1965 with Beau Brummell & The Noblemen.
The Warren J Five (circa December 1966/January 1967)
John Read (lead vocals); Chuck Fryers (lead guitar); Geoff Prior (bass); Colin Madeley (trumpet); and Terry Slade (drums)
Motivation’s bass player Bryan Stevens and keyboard player Mick Ketley had already played at the Piper Club in October 1965 with Beau Brummell & The Noblemen.
Sax player Chris Rodger wrote letters back to his future wife and says the band left England on Wednesday, 8 March. After driving for 60 hours, they arrived in Rome on Saturday, 11 March. The group checked into a flat in Via Tevere and went on stage that evening after a quick sound check.
Singer Jimmy Marsh recalls Ray Charles’ dancers came in when they were performing and danced to their music. He also recalls some of The Rolling Stones’ entourage being in the club while Motivation played. The Stones did play in Rome on 6 April.
Marsh damaged his vocal chords and left the group to return to England before the residency finished. On 14 April, the group (with Ketley handling lead vocals) headed for Livorno to play its Piper Club for three weekends, returning to Rome on 1 May.
Guitarist Martin Barre, who went on to fame with Jethro Tull, remembers Motivation visiting the Piper Club in Viareggio and saw Dave Anthony’s Moods while in Livorno.
Back in Rome, Motivation played at the Cabala Club from 2-14 May before returning home on 19 May.
Motivation (11 March-13 April 1967)
Jimmy Marsh (lead vocals); Martin Barre (lead guitar); Mick Ketley (keyboards/vocals); Bryan Stevens (bass); Chris Rodger (sax); and Malcolm Tomlinson (drums)
Apparently, Herbie Goins & The Night-Timers played in Italy (between June and August 1967) but it’s not clear what the dates are (and whether they played the Piper Club) and who the musicians were at the time that backed Herbie Goins.
However, longstanding sax player Mick Eve, bass player Dave Price and conga player Speedy Acquaye would have been there. It also seems likely that backing singers and dancers Cassie & Candy (aka The Satin Dolls) were too. The most likely remaining members on this tour are Junior Kerr (keyboards); Alan Rickell (lead guitar); and Terry Stannard (drums).
Apart from the specific gig dates listed below for 1968, I have virtually nothing for this year.
Friendship. Photo: Julia Ferarri and David Lowe
Scottish band Friendship played the Piper Club sometime in 1968/1969. according to this excellent website.
Friendship (1968/1969)
Dave Waugh (lead vocals); Billy Hastings (lead guitar); Frank Ferrari (keyboards); Charlie Dye (bass); and Hamish Millar (drums)
Friendship. Photo: Julia Ferarri and David Lowe
This superb site on Sopworth Camel notes that the band debuted at the Piper Club in spring 1969. All of the musicians had previously played in bands that worked at the Piper Club; Ligertwood had been with Scottish soul legends The Senate; Sumner with The Primitives and Fisher and Huish with Thane Russal.
Sopworth Camel (spring 1969)
Alex Ligertwood (vocals); Dave Sumner (lead guitar); Martin Fisher (bass); and Pete Huish (drums).
Nevil Cameron & The Groove, 1969. Thanks to Allen Gaz Gaskell for the photo
According to Alan Reeves excellent book, Sex, Booze and Blues, The Clinic played at the Piper Club after moving to Rome from Japan.
The Clinic (circa June 1969)
Alan Reeves (keyboards/vocals); Phil Trainer (bass/vocals); and Derek Wilson (drums) replaced by Freddie Smith
In the summer of 1969, Herbie Goins moved his band to Italy after playing a tour here.
Herbie Goins & The Night-Timers (circa July 1969)
Herbie Goins (lead vocals); Kelvin Bullen (lead guitar); Hugh Bullen (bass); Mick Eve (saxophone); Eddie Thornton (trumpet); Speedy Acquaye (congas).
Below I’ve started to put together some specific concert dates but would welcome more from readers:
17 February 1965 – The Rokes and Equipe 84 (opening night)
18 April 1967 – Dave Anthony’s Moods (research by Luca Mathmos)
24-25 January 1968 – The Spencer Davis Group, Mal Ryder & The Primitives, The Senate, The Noise, Boom 67, Le Orme and The Four Kents (website source: http://www.beatsessanta.it/Primitives.htm)
Photo may be subject to copyright. Thanks to Luca Mathmos for sharing
6-7 March 1968 – The Small Faces with Mal Ryder & The Primitives, Boom 67, Calipop, The Noise, Nevil Cameron and Wess & The Airedales (website source: http://www.beatsessanta.it/Primitives.htm)
Photo may be subject to copyright. Thanks to Luca Mathmos for sharing
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)
A band that may have the name Stitch in Time (Stuck in Time or Stich in Time? It’s difficult to read the writing) cut a four-song demo acetate at Fiesta Studio in Hartford, CT.
Two of the songs are “Visions of a Dream” and “Darkness of My Mind”. The other label only has “Wayne” written along the edge. The acetate is in terrible condition, with severe flaking on those two songs, but I was able to salvage one track on the other side. I don’t know the name of the song, maybe “I Want to Live”. Hear an excerpt below:
Fiesta Recording Studio was located at 922 Main Street in Hartford, Connecticut. The best thing cut at Fiesta that I know of was the Bends “If It’s All the Same to You”.
Fiesta also seems to cut a number of polka LPs by Johnny Menko, Ted Nowack’s Harmony Kings, and Ed Podolak & his Polka Cats.
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
