Category Archives: Country

Jo Jo Gunne

October 1, 2020 Nick Warburton 4 Comments

Readers will be familiar with the American early 1970s rock band Jo Jo Gunne, helmed by former Spirit members Jay Ferguson and Mark Andes.

However, the first band to use the name Jo Jo Gunne was in fact a little known British R&B outfit, formed at Debrome school in Feltham, Middlesex in early-to-mid 1965.

The original line up comprised:

Ronny Butterworth – lead vocals

Simon Spackman – lead guitar

Don Bax – rhythm guitar

Alan Townsend – bass

Doug Gordon – drums

However, later that year the musicians made the decision to move in a more soul direction and took on a new lead singer, Pete Pennycate, to accommodate the new configuration.

Spackman moved from lead guitar to keyboards to allow newcomer Renwick MacDonald to join from local rivals Themselves. Butterworth and Townsend focused on trumpets and Bax took up the bass.

By early 1966, Jo Jo Gunne comprised:

Pete Pennycate – lead vocals

Renwick MacDonald – lead guitar

Simon Spackman – organ

Don Bax – bass

Alan Townsend – trumpet and trombone

Ronny Butterworth – trumpet

Doug Gordon – drums

During June 1966, the band won Melody Maker’s National Beat Competition, which was held at Brighton’s Regent Ballroom. Also, during August, they took part in the London Palladium competition.

Over the next 18 months, this line up (minus Butterworth who dropped out around November 1966 to play with Twickenham band, The All Night Workers) played the following gigs:

Photo: Middlesex Chronicle. Image may be subject to copyright

5 October 1965 – Nurses Club, Jolly Gardeners, Isleworth, west London with The Road Agents

25 February 1966 – Cavern Club, Burnley, Lancashire with The Fruitdrops May not be the same band

Photo: Melody Maker. Image may be subject to copyright

19 March 1966 – London Cavern, Holland Park, west London with supporting group

25 March 1966 – Cellar Club, Kingston upon Thames, southwest London

2 April 1966 – Cellar Club, Kingston upon Thames, southwest London

12 April 1966 – 100 Club, Oxford Street, central London with The Pretty Things

17 April 1966 – Imperial Ballroom, Nelson, Lancashire with The Generation

14 May 1966 – Cellar Club, Kingston upon Thames, southwest London

28 May 1966 – Zeeta House, Pontiac, Putney, southwest London

11 June 1966 – Cellar Club, Kingston upon Thames, southwest London

18 June 1966 – Zeeta House, Pontiac, Putney, southwest London with The Roger Harris Show

Photo: Bletchley District Gazette. Image may be subject to copyright

22 July 1966 – Bletchley Young Conservatives, Coronation Hall, Bletchley, Buckinghamshire

Photo: Middlesex Chronicle, 15 July 1966. Image may be subject to copyright

6 August 1966 – Cellar Club, Kingston upon Thames, southwest London

12 August 1966 – Cellar Club, Kingston upon Thames, southwest London

13 August 1966 – Bletchley Carnival Week, Bletchley, Buckinghamshire with The Future Set

17 September 1966 – Borough Assembly Hall, Aylesbury, Bucks with The Future Set

10 October 1966 – Borough Assembly Hall, Aylesbury, Bucks with The Future Set and The Choozey Beggars (this needs confirmation as this may be December instead)

11 November 1966 – Chesham Co-op Hall, Chesham, Bucks

6 January 1967 – Tiles, Oxford Street, central London with Alvin Cash & The Crawlers (billed as Jo Jo Gunn)

13 January 1967 – The Flamingo, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with Derek Savage Foundation (billed as Jo Jo Gunn)

Photo: Brackley Advertiser. Image may be subject to copyright

27 January 1967 – Brackley Town Hall, Brackley, Northamptonshire

Photo: Northampton Chronicle. Image may be subject to copyright

28 January 1967 – White Bicycle, Maple Ballroom, Northampton with The Crew (billed as Jo-Jo-Gunn)

Photo: Newham, East and West Ham, Barking and Stratford Express. Image may be subject to copyright

17 February 1967 – Upper Cut, Forest Gate, east London with The New Pirates and The Afex (billed as Jo-Jo Gunns)

18 February 1967 – Flamingo, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with The All Night Workers

22 February 1967 – St Michael’s Youth Centre, Sydenham, southeast London (billed Jo Jo Gun)

24 February 1967 – Upper Cut, Forest Gate, east London with David Essex and Mood Indigo (billed as The Jo-Jo Gunns)

25 February 1967 – Rub-a-Dub, Reading, Berkshire

5 March 1967 – New Yorker Discotheque, Swindon, Wiltshire with The Iveys and The Inspiration

10 March 1967 – The New All Star Club, 9a Artillery Passage, E1, east London

According to an article in the Hounslow, Brentford and Chiswick Post, dated 5 May, Jo Jo Gunne split up in late April with Simon Spackman joining McDonald’s former band Themselves in early May while Pete Pennycate went solo.

The newspaper’s 16 June issue adds more information. It notes that bass player Don Bax was working with The Penny Blacks, the same band that would feature soon-to-be-joining members Alan Barratt, Paul Maher and Tom Marshall.

In late August 1967, Jo Jo Gunne reformed with Alan Barratt replacing Pete Pennycate on lead vocals.

The Penny Blacks, 1967. Alan Barratt (second left), Paul Maher (second right) and Tom Marshall (far right).

Barratt had started out singing with The Penny Blacks, which also included lead guitarist Tom Marshall; rhythm guitarist John Day; bass player Dave Arnold; and drummer Paul Maher.

When Barratt joined Jo Jo Gunne that summer he also brought Paul Maher with him (who took over from Doug Gordon) and recent recruit Don Bax.

Simon Spackman and Renwick MacDonald joined the new version (presumably both from Themselves, who soon changed name to Virgin Sleep). Original member Alan Townsend also rejoined.

According to Alan Barratt, the new version debuted on 8 September 1967 at the California Ballroom in Dunstable, Bedfordshire.

In late 1967, Jo Jo Gunne signed a deal with Don Arden’s Starlight Agency after Amen Corner’s singer Andy Fairweather-Low recommended the band to the infamous promoter.

Amen Corner and Jo Jo Gunne had shared a billing at the California Ballroom in Dunstable on 29 September 1967 alongside rival west London band, The All Night Workers.

The All Night Workers would maintain a close link with Jo Jo Gunne and several musicians would play with both bands.

The first of these was original member, trumpet player Ronny Butterworth, who re-joined Jo Jo Gunne from The All Night Workers around late September/early October 1967.

The revamped line up now comprised:

Alan Barratt – lead vocals

Renwick MacDonald – lead guitar

Simon Spackman – organ

Don Bax – bass

Alan Townsend – trumpet and trombone

Ronny Butterworth – trumpet

Paul Maher – drums

However, around late October lead guitar player Renwick MacDonald left and another former Penny Blacks member, lead guitarist Tom Marshall joined the line up for the rest of 1967 and into spring 1968.

Jo Jo Gunne, Hampton Court Palace, circa October 1967. Left to right: Tom Marshall, Alan Barratt, Alan Townsend, Ronny Butterworth, Paul Maher, Simon Spackman and Don Bax. Photo: Tom Marshall

When Marshall left around February/March 1968 to join The Playground (and subsequently Harmony Grass and Capability Brown), Spackman moved from organ to lead guitar and keyboard player Ken Carroll joined Jo Jo Gunne.

Carroll had spent the past few months playing with a band called Deep Purple, which had been formed in late 1967, some six months before the more famous version (although there were a few other local groups across England that used the name before 1968).

The following concert dates are taken from this period:

8 September 1967 – California Ballroom, Dunstable, Bedfordshire with James and Bobby Purify and The Yum Yum Band

Photo: Berkhamsted Gazette and Tring and District News. Image may be subject to copyright

23 September 1967 – Hemel Hempstead Pavilion, Hemel Hempstead, Herts with The Chris Allen Band

29 September 1967 – California Ballroom, Dunstable, Bedfordshire with Amen Corner and The All Night Workers

Photo: Crawley Advertiser. Image may be subject to copyright

1 October 1967 – Starlight Ballroom, Crawley, West Sussex with The Move (spelt Jo Jo Gun)

14 October 1967 – Luton Boys Club, Luton, Bedfordshire with The Vistas (spelt Jo Jo Gunn)

15 October 1967 – Starlight Ballroom, Crawley, West Sussex with The Jimi Hendrix Experience (they may have been replaced by The Doves at short notice)

20 October 1967 – Pavilion, Southend, Essex with The Mindbenders and Tiles Big Band (Southend Standard lists this gig as 21 October 1967)

21 October 1967 – Wimbledon Palais, Wimbledon, southwest London with Tony Rivers and The Castaways (possibly one of MacDonald’s final gigs)

27 October 1967 – London School of Economics, central London with Elmer Gantry’s Velvet Opera (possibly one of Marshall’s first gigs)

Photo: Northamptonshire Evening Telegraph. Image may be subject to copyright

5 November 1967 – Kettering Working Men’s Club, Kettering, Northamptonshire with The Barry Lee Show (billed as Jo Jo Gunn)

11 November 1967 – California Ballroom, Dunstable, Bedfordshire with The Symbols and The Fifth Dynasty (spelt Jo Jo Gunn)

12 November 1967 – Starlight Ballroom, Crawley, West Sussex with Modes Mode

17 November 1967 – Southlands College, Roehampton, southwest London with The Nashville Teens

Photo: Eastbourne Herald Gazette. Image may be subject to copyright

18 November 1967 – The Catacombe, Eastbourne, East Sussex

24 November 1967 – California Ballroom, Dunstable, Bedfordshire with The Shevelles and The Crew

Photo: Stratford upon Avon Herald. Image may be subject to copyright

25 November 1967 – Bagatelle Club, Ettington Park Hotel, Alderminster, Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire

8 December 1967 – Boston Gliderdrome, Lincolnshire with Jimmy James & The Vagabonds and Reformation (billed as Jo-Jo Gun Band)

Photo: Woking Herald. Image may be subject to copyright

16 December 1967 – Walton Hop, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey

19 December 1967 – Boston Gliderdrome, Lincolnshire with Jimmy James & The Vagabonds, Reformation and Ray Bones (billed as Jo Jo Gunn)

24 December 1967 – Starlight Ballroom, Crawley, West Sussex with The Exits

31 December 1967 – Starlight Ballroom, Crawley, West Sussex with Precisely This

9 January 1968 – Walton Hop, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey

21 January 1968 – Starlite Ballroom, Greenford, west London with Ronnie Jones & The Q Set

26 January 1968 – Elbow Room, Aston, West Midlands

28 January 1968 – Carlton Club, Erdington, West Midlands with Chris Farlowe & The Thunderbirds

10 February 1968 – Starlight Ballroom, Crawley, West Sussex with The Doves

11 February 1968 – Starlight Ballroom, Crawley, West Sussex with The Who

13 February 1968 – Walton Hop, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey

24 February 1968 – Cliffs Pavilion, Southend, Essex with The Human Instinct and Almond Marizpan (billed as Jo Jo Gunn)

25 February 1968 – Starlight Ballroom, Crawley, West Sussex with The Human Instinct

28 February 1968 – Hemel Hempstead Pavilion, Hemel Hempstead, Herts with The Herd

Photo: Possibly Northamptonshire Evening Telegraph. Image may be subject to copyright

2 March 1968 – Nags Head, Motown Club, Wollaston, Northamptonshire with Mick’s Soulotek (billed as Jo Jo Gunn)

9 March 1968 – Locarno Ballroom, Swindon, Wiltshire (billed as Jo Jo Gunn)

9 March 1968 – Starlight Ballroom, Crawley, West Sussex with Modes Mode

10 March 1968 – Starlight Ballroom, Crawley, West Sussex with The Fabulous Temptations (this is The Fantastics)

23 March 1968 – Feltham R&B Club, Feltham, Middlesex

25 March 1968 – Kettering Working Men’s Club, Kettering, Northamptonshire with The Crusaders (billed as Jo Jo Gunn)

Photo: Derby Evening Telegraph. Image may be subject to copyright

30 March 1968 – Clouds, Derby (billed as Jo-Jo Gunn Group)

30 March 1968 – Walton Hop, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey

31 March 1968 – Starlight Ballroom, Crawley, West Sussex with The Original Drifters (Paul Maher filled in for The Original Drifters’ ill drummer)

11 April 1968 – Walton Hop, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey

13 April 1968 – Clouds, Derby (billed as Jo Jo Gunn)

15 April 1968 – Ship Hotel, Weybridge, Surrey

8 May 1968 – Hemel Hempstead Pavilion, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire with Captain Beefheart & The Magic Band

Photo: Greenford Post. Image may be subject to copyright

25 May 1968 – Starlite Ballroom, Greenford, west London

1 June 1968 – Walton Hop, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey

3 June 1968 – Hatchetts Playround, Piccadilly, central London

Having signed to Decca Records, Jo Jo Gunne recorded their debut single, R & H Barter’s “Every Story Has An End” c/w Don Bax and Alan Townsend’s “Should Live Like That” (Decca F 12807), which was released on 12 July 1968 but failed to chart.

Just after the recording, Carroll introduced a second singer in to the band, Mick Wheeler, who’d previously worked with Ronny Butterworth in The All Night Workers during 1966-1967 and then in Carroll’s short-lived Deep Purple in late 1967-early 1968. When Wheeler joined, he also doubled up on congas.

Jo Jo Gunne, spring 1968, just before Mick Wheeler joined. Left to right: Simon Spackman, Alan Barratt, Ronny Butterworth, Ken Carroll, Alan Townsend, Paul Maher and Don Bax

The revised line up comprised:

Alan Barratt – lead vocals

Mick Wheeler – lead vocals, congas

Simon Spackman – lead guitar

Ken Carroll – organ

Don Bax – bass

Alan Townsend – trumpet and trombone

Ronny Butterworth – trumpet

Paul Maher – drums

Around mid-July, Jo Jo Gunne were offered the opportunity to play some gigs in Saint-Tropez in France but Ronny Butterworth didn’t participate and dropped out just before the continental trip.

The line-up on the band’s debut single before Mick Wheeler joined. Photo: Record Mirror. Image may be subject to copyright

From 2 August to 5 September 1968, the band (minus Butterworth who has since died) played a nightly residency at the Club St Hilaire de la Mer in Saint-Tropez before returning to the UK.

On their return Ken Carroll left the band and went on to play with Johnny Johnson & The Bandwagon. He currently works with Samtana.

The following gigs were advertised with the above line up:

12 June 1968 – Samantha’s, Bournemouth, Dorset (possibly one of Wheeler’s first gigs)

15 June 1968 – Clouds, Derby (billed as Jo-Jo Gunn Group)

22 June 1968 – Locarno Ballroom, Swindon, Wiltshire with Hoffman’s Biscuits (billed as Jo Jo Gunn)

28 June 1968 – Hatchetts Playground, Piccadilly, central London

29 June 1968 – Broken Wheel, Retford, Nottinghamshire

6 July 1968 – St Albans City Hall, St Albans, Hertfordshire with The Rocky

Photo: Possibly East Kent Times & Mail. Image may be subject to copyright

12 July 1968 – Supreme Ballroom, Ramsgate, Kent (billed as Jo Jo Gunn)

Photo: Possibly Newbury Weekly News. Image may be subject to copyright

19 July 1968 – Soul Club, Plaza, Newbury, Berkshire with J J Bender & SOS

Photo: Eastbourne Herald Chronicle. Image may be subject to copyright

20 July 1968 – Eastbourne Town Hall, Eastbourne, East Sussex with The Soul Stars

27 July 1968 – Red Cross Hall, East Grinstead, West Sussex

28 July 1968 – Beau Brummel Club, Nantwich, Cheshire with The Scorpions (billed as Jo Jo Gunn) (one of Butterworth’s final gigs)

3 August 1968 – Walton Hop, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey (unlikely to have happened if they went to France)

Photo: Chester Chronicle. Image may be subject to copyright

10 August 1968 – Clockwork Orange, Chester, Cheshire with Headline News (billed as Jo Jo Gunn) (unlikely to have happened if they went to France)

11 August 1968 – Victorian Club, Liverpool (unlikely to have happened if they went to France)

31 August 1968 – Walton Hop, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey (unlikely to have happened if they went to France)

7 September 1968 – Walton Hop, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey (one of Carroll’s final gigs)

Photo: Redbridge & Ilford Recorder. Image may be subject to copyright

12 September 1968 – El Grotto, Ilford, east London (billed as Jo Jo Gunn)

13 September 1968 – El Grotto, Ilford, east London (billed as Jo Jo Gunn)

18 September 1968 – Samantha’s, New Burlington Street, central London (billed as Jo Jo Gunn)

20 September 1968 – Victoria Hall, Falkirk, Scotland (billed as Jo Jo Gunn)

22 September 1968 – Kinema Ballroom, Dunfermline, Scotland (this needs confirmation) (billed as Jo Jo Gunn)

2 October 1968 – Hatchetts Playground, Piccadilly, central London

6 October 1968 – Drokiweeney, Manchester (billed as Jo Jo Gunn)

12 October 1968 – St Albans City Hall, St Albans, Hertfordshire

26 October 1968 – Hermitage Ballroom, Hitchin, Herts

Around mid-November 1968, Simon Spackman also left (and has since died) and west London guitar hero Dave Wendels (ex-Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers, Lulu’s backing band, The Luvvers, Tom Jones’s backing band, The Squires and The Krew) joined the band.

This new line up transformed the group and played dozens of successful gigs around the UK, including Mr Smiths in Manchester, Bournemouth Winter Gardens, Pantiles in Bagshot, Surrey plus London venues like Hatchetts Playground in Piccadilly, the Valbonne Club, Samantha’s, the Scotch of St James and Sibylla’s.

They also supported Three Dog Night on a Scottish tour. In Scotland they supported Geno Washington and the Ram Jam Band, as well as playing The Electric Garden (Radio 1 club) in Glasgow.

The new line up played the following:

3 November 1968 – Cosmo, Carlisle, Cumbria with Pete Kelly Solution (Paul Maher says it was cancelled)

5 November 1968 – Sibylla’s, central London (billed as Jo Jo Gunn)

7 November 1968 – 100 Club, Oxford Street, central London with PP Arnold (billed as Jo Jo Gunn)

7 November 1968 – Willesden College of Technology, Willesden, northwest London with PP Arnold (possibly one of Spackman’s final gigs)

9 November 1968 – Clouds, Derby

11 November 1968 – Bamboo Club, Wilmslow, Cheshire (billed as Jo-Jo Gunn)

11 November 1968 – Chesham Jump Club, Co-op Hall, Chesham, Bucks

16 November 1968 – Fellowship Inn, Eltham, southeast London (possibly one of Wendels’ first gigs)

22 November 1968 – El Grotto, Ilford, east London

Photo: Eastern Evening News. Image may be subject to copyright

23 November 1968 – Cromer Links Pavilion, Cromer, Norfolk with Kiss (billed as Jo Jo Gunn)

Re: North Norfolk News. Image may be subject to copyright

24 November 1968 – Crystal Palace Hotel, Crystal Palace, south London

25 November 1968 – Sibylla’s, central London (billed as Jo Jo Gunn)

8 December 1968 – Mr Smith’s, Manchester (billed as Jo Jo Gunn)

14 December 1968 – Walton Hop, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey

16 December 1968 – Hatchetts Playground, Piccadilly, central London

23 December 1968 – Corby Civic Centre, Corby, Northamptonshire with Size Seven and State Express (billed as Jo Jo Gunn)

24 December 1968 – Walton Hop, Walton on Thames, Surrey (billed as Jo Jo Gunn)

29 December 1968 – Bull’s Head, Yardley, West Midlands (billed as Jo Jo Gunn)

However, around January 1969 longstanding member Alan Townsend departed (and has since died) and Dennis Fisher came in on trumpet from the group, Mothers Ruin.

Townsend spent several months working with The All Night Workers before subsequently working with The Roy Young Band later in the year and doing a multitude of sessions.

Clockwise from top left: Dennis Fisher, Dave Wendels, Paul Maher, Mick Wheeler, Alan Barratt, Don Bax.

By now, the line up comprised:

Alan Barratt – lead vocals

Mick Wheeler – lead vocals, congas

Dave Wendels – lead guitar

Don Bax – bass

Dennis Fisher – trumpet

Paul Maher – drums

This configuration recorded the band’s second single – Potter and Dee’s “Beggin’ You Baby” c/w “Bad Penny” (Decca F 12906), which was released on 25 April 1969.

The band played the following dates:

4 January 1969 – Clouds, Derby

7 January 1969 – Whisky a Go Go, Wardour Street, Soho, London (billed as Jo Jo Gunn)

11 January 1969 – Royal Lido Ballroom, Prestatyn, Wales with Strawberry Cartoon (billed as Jo Jo Gunn Soul Band)

15-16 January 1969 – Hatchetts Playground, Piccadilly, central London

25 January 1969 – St Albans City Hall, St Albans, Hertfordshire

27-28 January 1969 – Hatchetts Playground, Piccadilly central London

1 February 1969 – Blue Lagoon, Newquay, Cornwall with The Vigilantes

17 February 1969 – Hatchetts Playground, Piccadilly central London

18 March 1969 – Alex’s Disco, Salisbury, Wiltshire

27 March 1969 – Hatchetts Playground, Piccadilly central London

5 April 1969 – Le Metro, Birmingham (billed as Jo Jo Gunn Soul Show)

5 April 1969 – St Albans City Hall, St Albans, Hertfordshire

When “Beggin’ You Baby” flopped, Jo Jo Gunne split with Don Arden. According to Barratt, the singles were too poppy and did not represent the band’s live set, which was funkier/soul orientated material.

After the band proposed an album of its own material and Decca turned the opportunity down, Jo Jo Gunne split from the label.

Around Easter, Jo Jo Gunne signed with Laurie O’Leary who landed them a three-month residency in Freeport, Grand Bahamas, where they played nightly in the House of Lords club, returning in July. Wheeler has kept the outgoing flight from England, which was on the 10 April.

The following dates were advertised but were not possible as they weren’t in the UK:

9 May 1969 – Rush Common House, Abingdon, Oxfordshire with Status Quo and Fire (billed as Jo Jo Gunn)

24 May 1969 – Il Rondo, Leicester

25 May 1969 – Railway, Wealdstone, northwest London

26 May 1969 – Hatchetts Playground, Piccadilly, London

5 June 1969 – Blaises, Kensington, west London (billed as Jo Jo Gunn)

11 June 1969 – Revolution, central London (billed as Jo Jo Gunn)

21 June 1969 – Pavilion Ballroom, Bournemouth, Dorset with Finnians Fogg

3 July 1969 – Revolution, central London

6 July 1969 – El Grotto, Ilford, east London

10 July 1969 – Blaises, Kensington, west London

Left to right: Dave Wendels, Alan Barratt, Dave Booker and Mick Wheeler, summer 1969

On their return in early-to-mid July, Dennis Fisher and Don Bax departed and the remaining quartet of Alan Barratt, Mick Wheeler, Paul Maher and Dave Wendels formed a short-lived version with Manchester bass player Dave Bowker (now David Booker) who’d previously worked with Ivan Meads, The Richard Kent Style, Kirk St James and Sponge among others. Booker had met the musicians in the Bahamas while playing with Sponge.

Left to right: Mick Wheeler, Alan Barratt, Dave Wendels and Dave Booker

The group travelled to Cologne in July/August and played the Storyville Club but on their return, Wendels and Booker both left and played with Billy J Kramer, a week-long engagement at Batley Variety Club.

Left to right: Dave Booker, Dave Wendels and Mick Wheeler, Cologne, summer ’69. Photo: Mick Wheeler

Wendels then joined The Roy Young Band while Booker joined O’Hara’s Playboys after auditioning unsuccessfully for Badfinger (Joey Molland got the job).

The short-lived line-up played the following dates:

23 August 1969 – Marine Court, St Leonards, East Sussex with Sunshine Sky

Photo: Surrey Advertiser. Image may be subject to copyright

6 September 1969 – Civic Hall, Guildford, Surrey with Marshall Hammond

12 September 1969 – El Grotto, Ilford, east London

19 September 1969 – Winter Gardens, Penzance, Cornwall

Longstanding lead singer Alan Barratt was offered a backing vocal spot with The Roy Young Band but declined. He also departed around this time and later went on to sing with The Good Old Boys with Nick Simper from the original Deep Purple.

Mick Wheeler and Paul Maher then put together an entirely new version of Jo Jo Gunne.

Mick Wheeler – lead vocals

George Williams – lead guitar

Barney Barnes – organ

Billy Ball – bass

Paul Maher – drums

In early 1970, Wheeler’s former band mate from The All Night Workers, Malcolm Randall briefly took over the drum stool before Phil Chesterton came in full-time.

This new line up continued into the early 1970s and returned to Saint-Tropez for a residency. The group subsequently morphed into a later version of The Love Affair, long after its lead singer Steve Ellis had left.

Pantiles, Bagshot, Surrey, 1971. Photo: Martin H Samuel

Huge thanks to Alan Barratt, Paul Maher, Mick Wheeler, Ken Carroll, Tom Marshall, Ronny Butterworth, David Booker and Dave Wendels for their help in piecing the story together.

I’d like to thank Alan Barratt, Tom Marshall, Mick Wheeler and Paul Maher for providing photos.

Thanks also to Jason Barnard at Strange Brew who originally posted this article. This is a substantially revised and updated version.

Concert dates were taken from a number of sources, mainly local and regional newspapers. Thanks to Alan Barratt for providing some live dates from late 1967-early 1968 from his personal diary. Most of the London dates were taken from Melody Maker.

To contact the author, email: Warchive@aol.com

Categories: Arizona, Audio Recorders (Phoenix), Phoenix

Sleepy Hollow “Feelin’ Glad” – Al Quinlan of Thackeray Rocke

September 29, 2020 Chris Bishop 3 Comments

Sleepy Hollow released their only single on ECI (Entertainment Consultants Inc.), probably in 1969. “Feelin’ Glad” / “Missed You So” are originals by Alan Quinlan. Both sides are good rock performances with commercial pop touches.

The single is a Wakefield pressing, SJW-11238. Alan Quinlan registered these songs with the Library of Congress in February, 1969, using his full name, William Alan Quinlan.

Sleepy Hollow included at least one member of the Pheonix group Thackeray Rocke, bassist Al Quinlan.

Thackeray Rocke included:

Frank Lacey – lead vocals
Mike Kessler – lead guitar (spelled Keslar on copyright registration)
Sheldon Skinkle (aka Bunker Huddle/Jr. Ellis) – guitar
Al Quinlan – bass and vocals
Paul Buys – drums and vocals
Vince Welnick – keyboards

Quinlan co-wrote “Bawling” with lead guitarist Michael Keslar, recorded by Thackeray Rocke on Castalia Productions ARA 10671, and “Can’t You See” with Paul Buys, released on Castalia Prod., ARA 268. Both of those were cut at Audio Recorders in Phoenix and produced by Michael Wood, and Renda Music, Inc shows up in the publishing.

I suppose Thackeray Rocke split and some of the members continued as Sleepy Hollow.

Alan Quinlan has a number of other registered copyrights. From May of 1969, there are “It’s Wonderful to Love Her”, “Miss Merriwether”, and “Puzzles”, then “Good John” registered in November. In October, 1970 he registered an album’s worth of songs, including “Bottle of Wine”, “Gilted Quean” (sic – also registered as “Jilted Queen (Have You Seen My Love?)”, “Merry-Go-Round” and “Seasons”, among other titles. As far as I can tell, none of these songs saw release; perhaps demos still exist.

Categories: B-Rod, Kentucky, Lebanon Junction, Louisville, Music Mountain

Teachers Pet “Trying to Get Back to You” on B-Rod Records

September 24, 2020 Chris Bishop 1 Comment

The obscure group Teachers Pet cut this one single on the equally obscure B-Rod Records. “Trying to Get Back to You” is crude swampy boogie. The A-side was the comparatively sleepy “Say You Love Me”. Both songs were originals by Larry Sims and Mike Zimmerman.

BMI lists Sims’ full name as Larry Clifton Sims, but it may be confusing him with the bassist and vocalist with the Sunshine Company and Loggins & Messina. BMI also lists two other original songs by the duo, “Seven Days a Week” and “Yes I Do”. I’m not sure either song was recorded.

Kingsbury-Wilson published the songs, now listed as Kingsbury-Wilson Enterprise of Louisville in BMI’s database. Mountain Music did the production. Released on B-Rod Records, without a catalog number on the label. The runout has “1269 – 1948”, I suspect the 1269 could mean December of 1969, but it’s just a guess.

I know of two other releases on B-Rod Records. Don Woolett’s “Rock to Kentucky” / “Ballad of Abraham Lincoln” is on a blue label similar to the Teachers Pet single, released in May, 1971.

A different red label design has Robin Kay Waggoner’s “We’ve Got to Try” / “Your Friend”, with “product of MMP in Lebanon Junction, KY”. Music Mountain Productions also recorded the Sound of the Zounds 45, covered previously on Garage Hangover.

Teachers Pet may have been from Lebanon Junction, Kentucky, or possibly Louisville, a half-hour’s drive north.

Categories: Chicago, Dunwich, Illinois

The Shadows of Knight’s original pressings of “Gloria” without Atco

September 23, 2020 Chris Bishop 4 Comments

Shadows of Knight Dunwich 45 Gloria gold label, no Atco — Gold label, no Atco distribution, D-116 A

One of the most famous ‘garage’ singles has to be the Shadows of Knight’s version of “Gloria”. As a national hit distributed by Atlantic Records (Atco), the 45 rpm single exists in over 15 U.S. variations pressed at plants around the country.

My post today concerns two of those, the original pressings on Dunwich from January and February 1966, without any Atco credit on the labels.

General agreement is that the first release has a gold label with the outlined lettering, a box around “A Dunwich Production” and “D-116”.

Teen Beat Mayhem notes that total quantity pressed is only several hundred. This pressing quantity has been repeated in online sources, but I feel it is incorrect. A pressing of a few hundred would have quickly sold out, and been worn out, but I’ve found two VG+ copies without much effort or expense.

The liner notes to If You’re Ready! The Best Of Dunwich Records…Volume 2 state that Bill Traut put together that first gold label design and ordered 4000 copies. He also used the cheapest local pressing plant he could find. Thank you to Jeff Jarema for looking that up for me. I suspect that the initial order may have been for less, and that 4,000 was the total pressed at that small plant over the first couple weeks of release. The Dunwich lettering is similar to other Chicago releases.

Shadows of Knight Dunwich 45 Gloria yellow label, no Atco — Yellow label, no Atco credit, DX-116 A

The first yellow label without Atco has the same credits as the gold, but a different label design, and has the release code DX-116, a number which would be used on most of the subsequent national releases. Since the small unknown Chicago plant couldn’t do the quantity needed, Traut ordered from Plastic Products in Nashville.

I asked people on the Chicago Rock Bands 1960s and 1970s Facebook group which label they had first, and by far most remembered the yellow label version. Later gold and yellow label versions exist that include Atco distribution credit, so this survey is not definitive.

I constructed this early 1966 timeline for “Gloria”:

February 18: 1st appearance on the WLS “Silver Dollar Survey. Chicago’s Official Radio Record Survey” at #18, having been played for three weeks on the station, which would put its first WLS airplay in very late January or early February.

February 25: reaches #7 on WLS

March 4: reaches #6 on WLS

March 5: Billboard reviews it and lists it as a breakout single. Enters Billboard’s Chicago singles chart at #15

March 12: rises to #8 in Billboard’s Chicago singles chart. Billboard notes 40,000 sold in Chicago and additional sales in other cities. “Kent Beauchamp acted as a kind of co-ordinator in getting the first record out and has been handling local distribution.” [ Kent Beauchamp owned Big Town Distributors and, along with Ed Yalowitz, Royal Disc Distributing.] Cash Box reports that it is “a recent master purchase” by Atlantic”. Dunwich co-owner George Badonsky had been working for Atlantic and Atco as a Midwest sales and promotion rep since February, 1965, which may explain the connection with Atlantic.

March 19: rises to #4 in Billboard’s Chicago singles chart and enters Billboard’s Hot 100 national chart at #78. In a detailed article, Billboard reported:

… the single has sold 60,000 legitimately in Chicago to date …
Local distribution by Royal Disc Distributing …
The group is managed by suburban record store and teen nightclub owner Paul Sampson, who found the quintet singing in a Veterans of Foreign Wars Club. He installed the group in his own spot, The Cellar, where they were heard by Royal Disc’s Kent Beauchamp, who recommended them to Dunwich Records.
The group is comprised of Joe Kelley, lead guitar; Gerald McGeorge, rhythm guitar; Warren Rogers, bass guitar; Tom Schiffour, drums, and lead singer Jim Sohns.
“Gloria” is getting played and starting to sell in Milwaukee, Detroit, Cleveland, St. Louis, Cincinnati and Atlanta …
“They are a super-tight group,” said Sampson. “They have everything live they have on record and they are competent musicians.”

March 26: rises to #2 in Billboard’s Chicago singles chart and #10 in Detroit. Full page ad (shared with George Edwards) in Billboard on page 7.

April 1: reaches #1 on WLS
 
May 7: “Gloria” reaches its peak Billboard national chart position at #10. It would remain at 10 the following week before dropping off.

High-quality scans of WLS surveys can be found  here.

Shadows of Knight Gloria Billboard March 26, 1966 — Full page ad in Billboard March 26, 1966

Categories: B&4 Records, Columbus, Ohio

Dennie Mosley “Love Me, Love Me, Love Me” out of Columbus Ohio

September 19, 2020 Chris Bishop Leave a comment

Dennie Mosley seems to have only cut this one single, the cool rockabilly “Love Me, Love Me, Love Me” backed with the pleading lament, “I Tried”. It’s not really a garage style record, but the late recording date and crude quality of the production gives it something of a garage feel. The guitar break on “Love Me” is excellent.

The RCA custom pressing code, U4KM-9220/1 indicates an early 1967 pressing.

Released on B & 4 Records out of Columbus, Ohio. Bill Caito wrote “Love Me, Love Me, Love Me” and arranged that side, while Dennie Mosley wrote and arranged “I Tried”.

Other names on the label include M. South, G. Kirk, L. Newsome and F. Smith who must be the backing musicians. B&4 Records typically list the singer of the group as the artist, so it is possible they had a group name not listed on these labels. Any further info would be appreciated.

Publishing by E.C. Baugess Publishing Co.

Chad Baugess ran a home studio and owned the B & 4 Records label. Buckeye Beat has a list of other records on the label, but not this one.

Categories: Andover, Eastern Sound Studios, Lawrence, Massachusetts, Methuen, Salem

The Fabulous Frauleins on Onyx “Practice of Evil” / “Days Gone By”

September 18, 2020 Chris Bishop 6 Comments

The Frauleins on stage, from left: Ann Duquette, Michelle Fereira, Lynda MacLeish, Linda Murphy and Linda Duquette

Fabulous Frauleins Onyx 45 Practice of Evil

The Fabulous Frauleins only recorded this one single in 1967, “Practice of Evil” / “Days Gone By”. Both are original songs by Duquette and Duquette, two sisters who were members of the group.

Members were:

Michelle Fereira – lead vocals
Linda Duquette – guitar
Linda Murphy – guitar
Ann Duquette – bass
Lynda MacLeish – drums

“Practice of Evil” concerns the Salem witch trials. Bill Borelli from WCCM 800 radio did the voice of the judge in the middle part of the song. “Days Gone By” is slower but also a very good original.

Lynda MacLeish was from Andover, MA where she attended Andover High School. I’m not sure where the other members of the group came from, but Andover or the Lawrence / Methuen / Salem area are likely.

The Frauleins recorded at Eastern Sound Studios in Metheun, Massachusetts. Onyx Studios at the time was located in the basement of the label owner’s home at 33 Taylor St.

Guy Sammartano arranged both sides, with production by Pague Prods. Other staff at Onyx at this time included Pat Costa, Rom Messina, Jim Manganno, Sally Giaquinta, Angela Blatti and Jim Minchello.

Publishing through Atsoc Pub. Co., but I can’t find any record of copyright registration or a listing in BMI’s database for the company or the songs. Someone named Lon Duquette copyrighted a song called “Back Bay Blue” in 1969, but I have no idea if he was connected to the Frauleins.

In 1968, “Practice of Evil” was chosen to be on a Pepsi flexi giveaway, with the band called simply “The Frauleins”. A live recording of the group may exist.

The Frauleins broke up after a final show in Derry, New Hampshire around 1968. Though they kept in contact through the years, the band never reunited on stage.

Michelle Fereira married and became Michelle Barrow.

Lynda MacLeish married and became Lynda Murphy, not to be confused with Fraulein guitarist Linda Murphy! Lynda was a huge Beatles fan, having attended one of their US shows as a teen. She became a chapter president of the Rascals fan club, and long-time friend of Felix Cavaliere. Lynda never joined another group, but sat with other musicians including Pete Best, who was also a friend of hers. Lynda passed away on July 28, 2017.

Thank you to John Van Horn for the photos and information seen in this article. John and his wife were friends of Lynda Murphy (MacLeish).

Categories: Canada, Ontario, Sudbury

Debbie Lori Kaye at Cambrian College

September 16, 2020 Chris Bishop 3 Comments

Debbie Lori Kaye on stage at Cambrian College. Photo courtesy of Joe Spina.

Debbie Lori Kaye had about a dozen singles, mostly on Columbia Records, starting in 1965 until about 1972.

Joe Spina was promoter for Cambrian College, Sudbury, Ontario, in 1966-7 and sent these photos of Debbie. Some feature the Rogues, who had a great single “Girl” / “Wish I Could See You Again” on Algoma as (Those) Rogues.

See the article on the Sound Sett for more photos from Joe Spina.

Debbie Lori Kaye on stage with the Rogues at Cambrian College. Photo courtesy of Joe Spina.

Debbie Lori Kaye with her father Dave Carter, and Joe Spina, Cambrian College — Debbie Lori Kaye with her father Dave Carter, and Joe Spina in the control room at Cambrian College

Categories: Canada, Ontario, Sudbury

The Sound Sett at Cambrian College

September 16, 2020 Chris Bishop 10 Comments

Sound Sett on stage at Cambrian College, Bruce MacGregor, Bob Coulombe, Ken Cartmill, Chuck Wesley, Jim Bagshaw, and Jerry Siegfried (not sure if the order of these IDs is correct)

Joe Spina, program director at Cambrian College in 1966 and 1967, sent in these photos of the Sound Sett. Members of the Sound Sett were:

Ken Cartmill – lead singer
Bob Coulombe – lead guitar
Bruce MacGregor – rhythm and lead guitar
Church Wesley – rhythm guitar
Jerry Siegried – bass guitar
Jim Bagshaw – drums

The article below describes the band and their ambitions:

Joe Spina on CJIC FM, 1969. All photos from the collection of Joe.
Three months ago, six Cambrian College students got together and formed the Sound Sett …Jerry Siegried, an electronics student, and bass guitar player, spent some time playing professionally for a group in British Columbia.
Bob Coulombe, a machine shop technologist student, is the Sound Sett’s lead guitar man. Bob is one of the top lead guitarists north of Toronto. He is an avid fan of jazz and good “rock” music.
Bruce MacGregor, a senior electronics student, plays rhythm and lead guitar, as well as being the leader of the group…
Bruce, Bob and Jerry played together in the Lakehead area as The Strangers before coming to the Sault …
Chuck Wesley, another electronics student, plays rhythm guitar. Before coming here, Chuck played for the Bee-Jays in his home town of Marathon…
Jim Bagshaw, drummer for the band, has had considerable experience in his home town of Sudbury, playing for The Talismen, The Inferno 5 plus a number of other groups.
Marlen Baker on stage with the Sound Sett
Included in the band’s repertoire are a number of selections written by Bruce and Ken…
Joe Spina manages the group. He is another senior electronics student.
The Sound Sett will be travelling north in mid-April for a weekend which includes Marathon and Manitouwadge. A tour of Western Canada beginning in June, will take the group to Vancouver and back.
Manager Joe Spina will be travelling to Detroit later this month with audition tapes of the band.

I am not sure if the group ever recorded. There was another group called the Sound Set who came from South Burnaby, outside of Vancouver.

Thank you to Joe for contributing the photos and article. Other groups he booked include the Rogues and Debbie Lori Kaye.

Categories: England, London

Owen Gray’s soul years

September 9, 2020 Nick Warburton 5 Comments

Born in Kingston, Jamaica on 5 July 1939, Owen Gray (aka Grey) is one of the true reggae and ska greats but was also the author of a handful of superb soul/mod 45s, recorded in the UK and France between 1965-1969.

Very little is known about this period and so we’d welcome any additional information that readers can provide in the comments section below, particularly around the recording of these individual singles, any unreleased recordings and the personnel on the tracks.

Owen arrived in England in May 1962 and was a prolific recording artist. Like Jimmy Cliff, he’s best known for his reggae recordings but he was an exceptionally gifted soul performer and worked with some top British musicians during the mid-to-late 1960s. His backing bands included The Sound System, The Krew, Tony Knight’s Chessmen and Maximum Breed.

His first venture into soul appears to have been with two singles on the small Aladdin label (see below).

Released on 12 March 1965, Owen Gray’s “Gonna Work Out Fine” c/w “Dolly Baby”, was the first of two 45s on the label, the first produced by Denny Cordell.

His second release “Lindy Lu” was backed by a great version of “Can I Get a Witness”, which has since become a Northern Soul favourite.

In mid-to-late 1965, he moved labels and to Island Records for three singles. The first coupled “Shook, Shimmy & Shake” with “I’m Going Back” and was followed by “Paradise” c/w “Bye Bye Love”. Little is known about the background to both of these releases and the personnel on the recordings.

Initially, the singer worked with The Soul Sets, including a gig at the Cue Club in early January 1966.

However, in January/February 1966, Chris Blackwell linked Owen with west London Mod outfit, The Sound System.

The band had morphed out of The All-Nite Workers and featured guitarist Tony St Clair; bass player Ron Thomas; keyboard player Mick Fletcher; sax players Mel Wayne and Dave Mahoney; and drummer Phil Wainman, who later went on to produce The Sweet among others.

Together, they backed Owen on a lone 45, a rousing version of “You Don’t Know Like I Know” backed by “Take Me Serious”, which appears to have been penned by Ron Thomas, who later went on to work with The Heavy Metal Kids, among others.

Owen Gray & The Sound System also gigged around the London club circuit in the first few months of 1966 before Blackwell linked them up with Jimmy Cliff and renamed them The New Generation. Later that year, the group became singer Gary Hamilton’s second version of The Hamilton Movement.

Left without a band, Owen joined forces with The Krew who’d just lost their two lead singers Beryl Marsden and Steve Aldo.

Led by scouser and future Wings sideman Howie Casey on sax, the group also featured fellow Liverpudlian Tommy Murray on lead guitar (who was later replaced by Ted Tunnicliffe); Glaswegian Archie Legget; Yorkshireman Eddie Sparrow on drums; and Londoner Alan Reeves on keyboards.

Photo: Alan Reeves. Left to right (back), Eddie Sparrow, Archie Legget, Howie Casey, Alan Reeves. Front, left to right: Owen Gray and Tommy Murray

Owen Gray and The Krew moved to France in April 1966 and played several clubs in the ski resorts, notably the Bus Palladium in Courcheval, before landing a residency at exclusive Paris nightclub Le Bilboquet.

While playing in Paris in July that year, the musicians recorded an EP for Barclay Records’ subsidiary label, Riviera, comprising popular soul covers and strong Owen Gray originals, “Everything’s Alright” and “Somebody Stole My Girl”.

However, by the end of 1966, Owen Gray was back in London and back on the soul circuit, playing the clubs that were popular with the burgeoning Caribbean community such as Paddington’s Cue Club.

Back on Island Records, he recorded one of his finest soul outings, the stupendous “Help Me” coupled with “Incense”, which were produced by Chris Blackwell and Jimmy Miller respectively.

Issued in January 1967, the single should have been a massive hit but inexplicably it failed to chart and is now a much sought-after collectors’ item.

A few months later, Owen was back with another London band, this time Tony Knight’s Chessmen, led by drummer Tony Brown. The singer remained with the group until about September 1967.

During Owen’s time with The Chessmen, the musicians passing through included noted sax players Dave Coxhill and Stan Sulzmann and future John Mayall’s Bluesbreaker Keith Tillman.

Photo: Fred D’Albert. Left to right: Terry Ede, Dave Coxhill (hidden), Owen Gray, Tony Brown (hidden), Keith Tillman and Fred D’Albert in Italy.

In July 1967, the band travelled out to Italy to play the Piper Club in Viareggio.

Little is known about his soul projects from this point on, although he did work with singers Ruby and Youth backed by The Shell Shock Show during late 1967 and early 1968.

However, during 1968, he started to do studio work on the Old Kent Road with producer David Hadfield.

For the recordings, he was backed by Freddy Mack’s former band, The Mack Sound, who were going by the name Maximum Breed.

Future Butts Band and Gonzalez keyboard player Roy Davies was among the musicians in this talented band.

Several singles were issued during this period, including “Sitting in the Park” and “Dream Lover” but by now, Owen was starting to focus his efforts on the reggae audience.

I have tried to ensure the accuracy of this article but I appreciate that there are likely to be errors and omissions. I would appreciate any feedback from anyone who can provide any additions or corrections. Email: Warchive@aol.com

Categories: Alabama, Florence, Huntsville, Sonic Recording Service (Memphis), Sonny

The Bobbies “(She) Put Me Down” and the In on Sonny Records

September 5, 2020 Chris Bishop 1 Comment

The Bobbies came from Florence, Alabama, cutting this one fine single, “(She) Put Me Down” parts 1 and 2 in June, 1966. Members included:

Bobby Heathcoat – lead vocals (Bobby Heathcote ?)
Richard Hahn – organ
Glenn Hall – bass

– but I don’t know the other names of the group. Scans of an autographed 45 include these names:

Duck Hempil or Henpil?
Randy Wills
“Angel”

Sonny Limbo (real name Robert Limbaugh, I believe) was a DJ at WAAY in Huntsville, Alabama, about 72 miles east of Florence. I am not sure how he found the Bobbies, but Sonny had been hipped to local Huntsville group the In. The In recorded a demo of “Just Give Me Time” at Bobby Land’s studio in Huntsville and asked Sonny to produce a finished version. Sonny brought both groups, the In and the Bobbies to Sonic Recording in Memphis to share a four hour session.

Autographed copy of the Bobbies 45, courtesy of Brandi Garrison.

The bands, who did not know each other before, became friendly and helped out on each other’s session. The Bobbies and their friends contributed to the crowd noise on the In’s version of “Midnight Hour”, plus Bobby Heathcoat contributed backing howls and Richard Hahn played organ on the song. Eddie Burton of the In added some lead guitar to the Bobbies recording.

The In’s session would lead to a national release on Hickory of “Just Give Me Time” / “In the Midnight Hour”. In an interesting twist on the usual sequence of local-to-national release, Hickory dropped the group (supposedly because their session was non-union), and Limbo released the songs locally on his own label, pairing “‘Live’ in the Midnight Hour” with “You’re So Fine” for Sonny 45-1002, and “Just Give Me Time” with Eddie Burton’s original “You’re Not Gonna Live Forever” for Sonny 45-1004.

Limbo released the Bobbies single on Sonny Records 45-1001. I’m not sure what songs the Bobbies planned on recording when they went into the session, but Sonic Recording owner Roland Janes gets writing credit for “(She) Put Me Down”.

I expect there is a Sonny 45-1003 out there but if so, I haven’t seen it.

The A-side of the Bobbies received a B+ in the July 30, 1966 issue of Cash Box.

Richard Hahn would go on to join the In.

In Wessex Combo Decatur Daily April 28, 1965 — The Wessex Combo (before the “In”), from the Decatur Daily April 28, 1965

I couldn’t find any news clippings for the Bobbies, but did turn up this interesting mention of an early version of the In, calling themselves the Wessex Combo for the 14th birthday party of Miss Jeannie Sharpe, the band featuring Bill Peck, George Vail, Chet Nolette, Eddie Burton and Fred Sanders. It was published in the Decatur Daily (Decatur Alabama that is), on April 28, 1965.

By the time of their Memphis recordings, Chet Nolette was out of the group and the In consisted of Bobbie Land – lead and backing vocals and organ, Eddie Burton – lead and backing vocals and lead guitar, Bill Peck – lead and backing vocals and rhythm guitar, Fred Sanders – lead and backing vocals and bass, and George Vail – drums. Later on Jackie Tiller of the Rocks would play bass for the group.

Anyone have a good photo of either group?

Info for this article comes from Jeff Jarema’s interviews with Eddie Burton of the In on the Sundazed and 60sgaragebands.com sites, both now defunct.

The site for '60s garage bands since 2004