Chris Simmons (vocals)

Stuart Cowell (lead guitar/vocals)

Tom Tierney (bass)

Ron Reynolds (Hammond organ)

Jim Toomey (drums)

Jon was formed around October 1966 (possibly even early September) after Stuart Cowell left Gass. He’d previously worked with Ralph Denyer in The Rockhouse Band.

Tom Tierney had been a member of Lulu’s backing band, The Luvvers while Jim Toomey had been in The Arthur Brown Union and The Union (with Brown’s replacement Dave Terry) and finally The Uptown Band.

Chris Simmons was the band’s original lead singer but he’s not pictured in either of the adverts featured in Melody Maker, to promote the release of Jon’s debut 45, which was issued in June 1967.

A second 45 appeared in August before Simmons departed and Stuart Cowell assumed lead vocals.

Notable gigs: 

19-20 September 1966 – Mick’s Flamenco, Folkestone, Kent (Kentish Express)

11 November 1966 – Mick’s Flamenco, Folkestone, Kent (Folkestone, Hythe & District Herald)

14 January 1967 – Flamingo, Wardour Street, Soho, London with The Amboy Dukes (Melody Maker)

27 January 1967 – Harvest Moon, Guildford, Surrey with The Great Expectations and Mood Indigo (West Surrey Advertiser)

23 February 1967 – Witchdoctor, Catford, southeast London (South East London Mercury)

13 April 1967 – Upper Cut, Forest Gate, London with Episode Six (Melody Maker)

2 June 1967 – Dolphin, Marine Court, St Leonards, East Sussex (Hastings & St Leonards Observer) Billed as John

23 June 1967 – Witchdoctor, Catford, southeast London plus supporting group (South East London Mercury)

8 July 1967 – Central R&B Club, Central Hotel, Gillingham, Kent (Chatham, Rochester & Gillingham News)

An article in the Westminster & Pimlico News, dated 25 August 1967, says the group is nine months old and are residents at the Cafe des Artistes in Fulham

22 September 1967 – New Trades Club, Kettering, Northamptonshire (Northamptonshire Evening Telegraph)

24 September 1967 – Whisky A Go Go, Wardour Street, Soho, central London (Melody Maker) Billed as John

7 October 1967 – Silver Blades, Streatham, London (Coulson & Purley Advertiser)

9 October 1967 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, London with Robert Hirst & The Big Taste (Melody Maker)

11 November 1967 – The Catacombe, Eastbourne, East Sussex (Eastbourne Herald Chronicle)

11 December 1967 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, London with Simon Dupree & The Big Sound (Melody Maker)

6 January 1968 – Luton Boys Club, Luton, Bedfordshire with Canal Street Philharmonic (Luton News)

23 January 1968 – North Park Club, Kettering, Northamptonshire (Northamptonshire Evening Telegraph)

1 February 1968 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, London with Marmalade (Melody Maker)

17 February 1968 – Walton Playhouse, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey (Woking Herald)

In late February, the band changed name to Still Life

After changing name, the group released a lone 45 as Still Life in February 1968 before Tierney switched over to rhythm guitar and Con Byrne joined on bass.

2 March 1968 – Hastings Pier, Hastings, East Sussex with Thackery (Hastings & St Leonards Observer)

9 March 1968 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, London with The Open Mind (Melody Maker)

On 25 March, Still Life performed at the Marquee (supporting The Nice) where they were spotted by singer Warren Davis, who invited the band to joined forces with him in a new version of The Warren Davis Monday Band soon after.

1 April 1968 – Top Rank Suite, Watford, Herts with The Foundations (Harrow Observer & Gazette) This may have been under The Warren Davis Monday Band performing under this name

Although the gig below was billed as Still Life, this was in fact performed by The Warren Davis Monday Band.

20 April 1968 – Hastings Pier, Hastings, East Sussex with Web Foundation (Hastings & St Leonards Observer)

You can read more about the band here.

Copyright © Nick Warburton. All Rights Reserved. No part of this article may be reproduced or transmitted in any from or by any means, without prior permission from the author. To contact the author, email: Warchive@aol.com