The Limeys were Andrea Gennard and Stephen Gennard, a sister and brother duo who arrived in Miami, Florida from London about 1962. While students at Rockway Junior High, they made this great single “Come Back” / “Green and Blue” with the London Sounds.
Released on Sherwood 1715, a Miami News notice gave the exact release date, Monday, April 25, 1966. Printed sleeves included a small photo of the duo.
An February 25, 1966 ad for the Palmetto Bandstand featured the Limey’s backed by the Outcasts, on a bill with the Dirt Merchants. (The following night featured the Invaders, the Impacts and the Hares.)
The Miami News profiled the band on March 15, 1966, including:
Here are two down-to-earth teens with an out-of-this-world singing talent. They have no set style, but their music lends itself mostly to folk-rock …
Stephen and Andrea, together with their parents, Mr. and Mrs. Eddie Gennard, of 1715 SW 97th Pl., arrived from London almost four years ago …
Usually they are coupled with a five-member band, the Outcasts.
With the Outcasts, the Limeys have appeared on Florida Bandstand, the Miami-Dade Junior College campus, on Chuck Zinc’s TV program and at the Cloverleaf Center.
The entire Gennard family has become involved: Dad is business manager, Mom a critic and booster.
They also appeared on the Rick Shaw show on May 27.
On the single, the backing band is called the London Sounds, and includes horn players and strings. I’m not sure if the Outcasts were involved, or even who was in the Outcasts – if anyone knows please contact me.
Stephen and Andrea wrote “Come Back”, and co-wrote “Green and Blue” with Pat Tallis, publishing by Chalfont Music Publishing.
Copyright registration from February 1966 shows three other songs: “Take It Easy”, “I Love You”, and “Melonie”, the last two co-written with Pat Tallis.
In June both the Miami News and the Herald mentioned the duo signing to Scepter Records, I wonder if anything came of that.
They must have been unaware of the English group the Limeys, releasing singles on Amcan in the U.S. and Decca and Pye in the UK.
Back in England, Record Mirror profiled the duo on May 11, 1968, providing different last names, Andrea Gerome and Steve Gerome.
The article mentions they did work in America “but, as ever, work permits for artistes so young (Anna is 17, Steve 16) proved difficult. Anna used to be apprenticed to hairdresser Vidal Sassoon, abandoning haircutting for disc-cutting.”
Anna and Steve made two singles for Fontana under the artist name Too Much, “Wonderland of Love” / “Mr. Money” (written by Gerome) in 1967, then “It’s a Hip Hip Hippy World” / “Stay in My World” in February 1968.
As Anna Hamilton with Stephen they made another single on Fontana in April 1968, “Everybody Wants to Go to Heaven (But Nobody Wants To Die)” / “You Laughed When I Cried” (b-side writing credited to Gerome). Their version competed with the Karlins, (triplets Linda Wilson, Elaine Wilson and Evelyn Wilson) who released their 45 on Columbia (UK) about the same time.
Thank you to Ansgar for pointing me to the Record Mirror article (which I never would have found considering they had changed their name!).
Andrea and Steve Gerome in Record Mirror, May 11, 1968
The Manchester Playboys, Hamburg, 1967. Photo from Graham Sclater. Left to right: Malcolm Tag-Randall, Stuart Fahey, Graham Sclater, Peter Simensky, Alan Watkinson and Kerry Burke
The Manchester Playboys (line up from July/August 1965)
Kerry Burke – vocals
John Denson – organ/lead guitar/vocals (left mid-1966)
Stuart Fahey – rhythm guitar/trumpet
Malcolm Tag-Randall – saxophone
Alan Watkinson – bass
Mel Preston – drums (left May 1967)
Jim Warhurst – lead guitar (joined mid-1966, left June 1967)
Peter Simensky – drums (joined May 1967)
Graham Sclater – organ (joined June 1967)
Kenny Anders – lead guitar (joined early 1969)
This tragically overlooked British soul/R&B outfit were authors of the infectious, horn driven soul classic, “I Feel So Good” c/w “I Close My Eyes”, which was released on Fontana Records in September 1966.
The group’s roots can be found in St Helens, Lancashire band, [Mike] Cadillac & The Playboys, who included Stuart Fahey and Alan Watkinson from around 1963. Both hailed from nearby Newton-le-Willows in Lancashire.
Former Classics’ drummer Mel Preston had joined during 1964 and when singer Mike Cadillac departed, another former Classics member John Denson came in on keyboards and vocals. They also added singer/guitarist Les Stocks.
In spring 1965, the band briefly backed singer Lorraine Gray but the partnership was short-lived. Soon after Gray and Stocks (who later got married) emigrated to Australia. By this point, they had adopted the name The Manchester Playboys as the city had become their base and that’s where their management was based.
During July 1965 while playing in Duisberg, West Germany, The Manchester Playboys crossed paths with Beau Brummell & The Noblemen and their sax player Malcolm Randall (aka Tag-Randall), who was originally from Harrow-on-the-Hill, Middlesex, jumped ship. Tag-Randall had started out with Twickenham band, Jeff Curtis & The Flames in early 1963.
Later that month (back in England), they finally persuaded Kerry Burke to join as lead singer, within days of a return trip to West Germany. Like drummer Mel Preston, Burke was originally from St Helens. Burke had started out as singer/harmonica player with St Helens band The Denims and had been earmarked for the group several months before.
“I was an apprentice electrician,” remembers the singer. “The Playboys were out looking for a lead singer and approached me after watching me at a local gig. I turned them down as I already had a good band and apprenticeship. They wouldn’t let go and in the end I joined up. In no time at all, I had a passport, no work permit and we were off to Frankfurt for a month at the Storyville Club.”
As Burke recalls, the band made a number of trips to Germany over the next few years, appearing at Hamburg’s Star Club and Top Ten Club, the Savoy Club in Hanover and the Liverpool Hoop in Berlin to name just a few (see gig list below for more details).
At the end of October 1965, The Manchester Playboys became the second British band to tour Romania after The Federals and spent six weeks there. While in Romania, the band recorded an ultra-rare 10″ album with Carol Kay (aka Karol Keyes) and Bobby Shaftoe, which was released as The Playboys on the Electrecord label.
“Romania was a hard place to live in those times,” says Burke. “Although we were being employed by the Government, they would try and undermine us at any opportunity via photos and articles in the press. We were deemed to be a bad example from the West. They would jam Radio Luxembourg on a regular basis and would greatly restrict the amount of tickets made available to the young people. I didn’t witness much joy there at all.”
Back in England in mid-December, the group met session drummer Bobby Graham who took over the band’s management. Graham was also a producer for the French Barclay recording company.
Sometime in early 1966 the band recorded a four-track EP at Pye Studios near Marble Arch with Bobby Graham at the helm. The EP featured covers of “Woolly Bully”, “Lipstick Traces” and two James Brown covers – “And I Do Just What I Want” and “Tell Me What You’re Gonna Do”. The EP allegedly topped the French charts.
From February 1966, the band started playing regularly in Belgium, particularly at the Shark Club in Ghent.
“We played [the Shark Club] numerous times along with Tony Blackburn as guest DJ,” says Burke. “Dave Berry was huge in Belgium due to a performance in the Eurovision song contest. He turned up at the Shark and he did get up and do a set with us.”
Sometime in mid-1966, The Manchester Playboys played on the same bill as Manchester band, The Meteors in Oldham and asked their guitarist Jim Warhurst (Hyde) to replace John Denson who was leaving.
The new line-up recorded the group’s lone UK single, an excellent blue-eyed soul number, which was released on Fontana Records that autumn.
At the end of May 1967, Mel Preston also left to concentrate on the family business and Jim Warhurst asked his former band mate from The Meteors, Peter Simensky to join.
Simensky had reformed The Meteors with new members as The Hobo Flats in the interim.
“I did my first gig at the Belle Vue in Manchester on 3 June 1967,” says Simensky.
“We left for Hamburg on the 4 June. I remember the day. It was a Sunday morning and as we drove through Stockport, we heard the news that a British Midland flight had just crashed in the centre of Stockport.”
Later that month, The Manchester Playboys saw Graham (Sandy) Sclater playing Hammond organ with The Birds and The Bees at the Star Club. The two bands frequently met in the Bier Shoppe along with other musicians and it was at that time that Jim Warhurst’s father was taken ill and Sclater, who’d been playing in Germany since 1964 with a number of bands, took his place and returned to England with them.
Back in England, The Manchester Playboys rehearsed for a few days in Manchester before travelling down to London to play at Tiles in Oxford Street and the Scotch of St James in Mayfair. They then returned north to play gigs at venues like the Bolton Nevada, the Bolton Palais and The Place in Hanley plus several airforce bases around the UK.
A show from late April 1967 at the Place, Hanley, Staffordshire
Joined by Tag-Randall’s former band mate from Jeff Curtis & The Flames Jeff Lake (who was acting as road manager) the group then traveled to Sweden in mid-August (via Belgium and Denmark) for a tour, and for most shows they backed the female “hit” duo The Caravelles.
Thanks to Mats Jarl for supplying the clipping
“In Sweden we played mainly open air gigs in volk parks,” says Burke.
“Two notable events while we were there. The Swedes were in the state of changing which side of the road they drive on. At that time they used the left hand side. We went out in the van… I believe 3am… and if I remember correctly we just drove to the other side of the road. It all passed very easily without any problems.”
Thanks to Mats Jarl for supplying the clipping. Pop Inn Gothenburg (see gig list below)
Burke also remembers The Manchester Playboys jamming with some special guests at the Cue Club in Gothenburg.
“The owner of the club asked us to take our kit to the lift to the basement club for a party,” says the singer.
Thanks to Mats Jarl for supplying the clipping. This gig may be from 2 September 1967 (see gig listing below)
“The party turned out to be for Jimi Hendrix and his entourage. We already knew Noel Redding from Germany when he was lead guitarist with Neil Landon & The Burnetts. Noel didn’t show up but Jimi, Mitch [Mitchell], the drummer, Chas Chandler and a large group arrived at the party. We were providing the live music. Graham asked Jimi and Mitch up for a jam. They agreed and Jimi took Stuart Fahey’s Baldwin Burns guitar, turned it around as it was strung for a right hander and just played along with the rest of the band, no showmanship, just jamming.”
Back in the UK, Simensky remembers the band doing some further recordings. “We did some recordings for Les Reed; cover versions of current hit records,” he recalls. “Someone said the label eventually became K-Tel.”
These tracks, which included a cover of “Knock on Wood” and “You Got What It Takes” appeared on an EP for Avenue Records in late 1967.
The Manchester Playboys also cut some tracks in West Germany during early 1968.
“When we were playing in Berlin, we were approached by Hansa and asked if we would like to go in the studio and record something,” continues Simensky.
“It would have to be original and the studio was booked two days hence. Alan and I wrote a couple of not very good songs which we recorded and promptly sank without trace, only to surface several years later alongside Georgio Moroder on a compilation album!”
By May 1968, however, Stuart Fahey, Malcolm Tag-Randall and Graham Sclater had all left and the remaining trio carried on briefly with guitarist Kenny Anders from The Chosen Few and Hush. Fahey died in the mid-2000s.
After leaving the band, Malcolm Tag-Randall moved to Cambridgeshire and ended up working with Red Express during the 1970s (who featured several future Shakatak members). However, he is currently suffering from poor health.
Graham Sclater played on sessions for James Taylor’s Apple recordings.
Of the other band members, Kerry Burke currently lives on the Isle of Wight, Alan Watkinson lives in the Manchester area and Pete Simensky lives in Duckingfield.
Watkinson later played with Petrus Boonkamp and The Kaystones. Simensky meanwhile played played with Treetown.
Simensky is also a songwriter and has signed a lot of his songs to Tabitha Music Limited, which is run by Graham Sclater, who lives in Exeter and has his own website: http://tabithabooks.webs.com/authorgrahamsclater.htm.
Selected gigs
15 November 1964 – Royal Star Ballroom, Maidstone, Kent (Kent Messenger)
4 July 1965 – Bolton Palais, Bolton, Greater Manchester (Bolton Evening News)
(Most likely 12-16) July 1965 – The Storyville Jazz Club, Duisberg, West Germany (Kerry Burke recollections)
While The Manchester Playboys are performing at the club in Duisberg, they share the bill with Beau Brummell & The Noblemen. Sax player Malcolm Randall (aka Malcolm Tag-Randall) is blown away by the group and jumps ship
19 July 1965 – Bolton Palais, Bolton, Greater Manchester (Bolton Evening News) Beau Brummell & The Noblemen play in Stockport this evening and it’s possible Malcolm Randall played this date and then joined Manchester Playboys
26 July 1965 – The Cavern, Liverpool (Benefit Show, 12 hour session) with The Five Aces, The Boomerangs, The Cresters, The Clayton Squares, The Dimensions, Earl Preston’s Realms, The Escorts, The Lancastrians, Lorraine Grey, The Merseybeats, The Powerhouse Six and The Richmond Group (Phil Thompson’s Story of the Cavern book/Liverpool Echo)
The group asks Denims singer Kerry Burke to join them for their residency in Frankfurt. The group leaves England in the last week of July, within days of the Cavern benefit show
July/August 1965 – The Storyville Jazz Club, Frankfurt, West Germany with The Chants (Kerry Burke recollections)
1 September 1965 – Group arrives in Belgium (Kerry Burke’s passport) Unless this is exit stamp for return to England from Frankfurt
4 September 1965 – Union Rowing Club, Trent Bridge, Nottingham (Nottingham Evening Post) Advert says they are back from Germany
5 September 1965 – Golden Torch, Tunstall, Staffordshire with The Presidents (Evening Sentinel)
6 September 1965 – Bolton Palais, Bolton, Greater Manchester (Bolton Evening News)
14 September 1965 – Gay Tower Ballroom, Edgbaston, West Midlands (Birmingham Evening Mail)
17 September 1965 – The Cavern, Liverpool with The Verbs and Richmond Group (John Warburg research/Liverpool Echo)
20 September 1965 – Bolton Palais, Bolton, Greater Manchester (Bolton Evening News)
21 September 1965 – Oasis, Manchester (Manchester Evening News and Chronicle) Billed as The Playboys
24 September 1965 – Mecca, Ashton Palais, Ashton under Lyne, Greater Manchester (Manchester Evening News and Chronicle)
26 September 1965 – The Cavern, Liverpool with Earl Preston’s Realms (Phil Thompson’s Story of the Cavern book)
26 September 1965 – Jungfrau, Manchester (Manchester Evening News and Chronicle)
30 September 1965 – Locarno Ballroom, Swindon, Wiltshire with The Yardbirds (Swindon Evening Advertiser)
5 October 1965 – Peppermint Lounge, Liverpool with Dave the Rave (Liverpool Echo)
9 October 1965 – Union Rowing Club, Trent Bridge, Nottingham (Nottingham Evening Post)
18 October 1965 – Bolton Palais, Bolton, Greater Manchester (Bolton Evening News)
22 October 1965 – Grand Naval Dance, Royal College of Advanced Technology, Salford, Greater Manchester with The Original Checkmates, The Meteors and The Fat Sound (Manchester Evening News and Chronicle)
23 October 1965 – Oasis, Manchester with The Graham Bond Organisation (Manchester Evening News and Chronicle)
26 October 1965 – The Cavern, Liverpool with Earl Preston’s Realms (John Warburg research/Liverpool Echo)
30 October-14 December 1965 – Romanian tour (Kerry Burke’s passport). The band recorded as The Playboys while there and a ‘10 was issued in 1966
15 December 1965 – Bulls Head Hotel, Hanford, Staffordshire (Evening Sentinel)
16 December 1965 – Ashton Palais, Ashton-under-Lyne, Greater Manchester (Manchester Evening News & Chronicle)
17 December 1965 – Domino Club, Openshaw, Greater Manchester and Princess Theatre, Chorlton, Greater Manchester with Major Lance and Bluesology Incorporated and Jonathan Good Tweed (Manchester Evening News & Chronicle)
24 December 1965 – Top Twenty Club, Droylsden, Greater Manchester with The Power House Six and Johnny Peters Set (Manchester Evening News & Chronicle)
24 December 1965 – Jungfrau Dance Club, Manchester with Power House Six and Frankenstein’s Monsters (Manchester Evening News & Chronicle)
26 December 1965 – Jungfrau Dance Club, Manchester with Richard Kent Style (Manchester Evening News & Chronicle)
26 December 1965 – Mr Smith’s, Manchester with The Fugitives (Manchester Evening News & Chronicle)
27 December 1965 – Club Creole, Wilmslow, Greater Manchester (Manchester Evening News & Chronicle) Advert says direct from Rumania and billed as The Playboys
30 December 1965 – Bolton Palais, Bolton, Greater Manchester (Bolton Evening News)
1 January 1966 – Union Rowing Club, Trent Bridge, Nottingham (Nottingham Evening Post) Advert says they are direct from a continental tour (Romania)
2 January 1966 –Golden Torch, Tunstall, Staffordshire with Group One (Evening Sentinel)
6 January 1966 – Golden Torch, Tunstall, Staffordshire (Evening Sentinel)
7 January 1966 – Greenways, Baddeley Green, Staffordshire (Evening Sentinel)
8 January 1966 – Queen’s Hall, Burslem, Staffordshire with Group One (Evening Sentinel)
17 January 1966 – Bolton Palais, Bolton, Greater Manchester (Bolton Evening News)
21 January 1966 – Faculty of Building, Trentham Gardens, Stoke Staffordshire with Jack Kirkland’s BBC Broadcasting Band (Evening Sentinel)
24 January 1966 – Bolton Palais, Bolton, Greater Manchester (Bolton Evening News)
30 January 1966 – 76 Club, Burton on Trent, Staffordshire (Burton Evening Mail)
31 January 1966 – Bolton Palais, Bolton, Greater Manchester (Bolton Evening News)
5 February 1966 – 400 Ballroom, Torquay, Devon (Torbay Express and South Devon Echo)
12 February 1966 – Oasis, Manchester (Manchester Evening News & Chronicle)
19-20 February 1966 – Union Rowing Club, Nottingham (Nottingham Evening Post)
24 February 1966 – Bolton Palais, Bolton, Greater Manchester (Bolton Evening News)
25 February 1966 – Club Creole, Wilmslow, Cheshire (Alderley & Wilmslow & Knutsford Advertiser) Says direct from the Scotch of St James
28 February 1966 – Entry date into Belgium, possibly to play the Shark Club, Ghent (Kerry Burke’s passport)
Record Mirror reports in its issue, week ending 16 April that Dave Berry had a TV show in Belgium so this period seems highly plausible. Looks like they may also have played some German dates
3 April 1966 – Golden Torch, Tunstall, Staffordshire with The Sounds of Three (Evening Sentinel)
4 April 1966 – Bolton Palais, Bolton, Greater Manchester (Bolton Evening News) Says back from German tour
9 April 1966 – Union Rowing Club, Nottingham (Nottingham Evening Post) Says back from tour of Germany
11 April 1966 – New Elizabethan, Belle Vue, Manchester (Manchester Evening News & Chronicle)
12 April 1966 – Top Twenty Club, Droylsden, Greater Manchester (Manchester Evening News & Chronicle)
16 April 1966 – King’s Hall, Stoke, Staffordshire with The Small Faces, Roy Grant & The Kingpins and Barmy Barry (Evening Sentinel)
23 April 1966 – Mersey View Ballroom, Frodsham, Cheshire with The Optimists (Cheshire Observer)
24 April 1966 – Mecca Dancing, Newcastle Under Lyme, Staffordshire with The Blue Thunderbirds and The Rocking Vicars (Evening Sentinel)
28 April 1966 – Golden Torch, Tunstall, Staffordshire with The Sounds of Three (Evening Sentinel)
30 April 1966 – Locarno Ballroom, Swindon, Wiltshire with Yes and No (Swindon Evening Advertiser)
2 May 1966 – Bolton Palais, Bolton, Greater Manchester (Bolton Evening News)
6 May 1966 – Crystal Ballroom, Newcastle under Lyme, Staffordshire with Jimmy Powell & The Dimensions, Kris Ryan & The Questions and Wednesday’s Child (Evening Sentinel)
9 May 1966 – Bolton Palais, Bolton, Greater Manchester (Bolton Evening News)
14 May 1966 – The Golden Torch, Tunstall, Staffordshire with The Kinks and Tony Terrett (Evening Sentinel)
15 May 1966 – Starlight Ballroom, Crawley, West Sussex (Caterham Weekly Press)
22 May 1966 – Tower Ballroom, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk with Barry Lee & The Planets (Eastern Evening News/Yarmouth Mercury)
26 May 1966 – Crystal Ballroom, Newcastle under Lyme, Staffordshire (Evening Sentinel)
27 May 1966 – Club Creole, Wilmslow, Cheshire (Alderley & Wilmslow & Knutsford Advertiser)
28 May 1966 – Mersey View Ballroom, Frodsham, Cheshire with The Dodoes (Runcorn Weekly News)
4 June 1966 – Starlight Ballroom, Boston Gliderdrome, Boston, Lincolnshire with Keith Powell and Billie Davis, The End, The Humperdinks and The Ferryboys (Lincolnshire Standard)
6 June 1966 – Bolton Palais, Bolton, Greater Manchester (Bolton Evening News)
7 June 1966 – Crystal Ballroom, Newcastle Under Lyme, Staffordshire (Evening Sentinel)
10 June 1966 – Worsley Civic Hall, Walkden, Worsley, Lancashire with This Generation (Bolton Evening News)
13 June 1966 – Wolverhampton Civic Hall, Wolverhampton, West Midlands with The Ambassadors (Express & Star)
16 June 1966 – Bolton Palais, Bolton, Greater Manchester (Bolton Evening News)
20 June 1966 – Casino Club, Bolton, Greater Manchester with The Crestas (Bolton Evening News)
25 June 1966 – The Place, Hanley, Staffordshire with support (Evening Sentinel)
27 June 1966 – Bolton Palais, Bolton, Greater Manchester (Bolton Evening News)
Jim Warhurst has joined in time (replacing John Denson) to appear on the group’s lone 45 for Fontana “I Feel So Good” c/w “I Close My Eyes”, which is released in September 1966
7 July 1966 – Bolton Palais, Bolton, Greater Manchester (Bolton Evening News)
9 July 1966 – Union Rowing Club, Nottingham (Nottingham Evening Post) Says back again from Germany
12 July 1966 – Crystal Ballroom, Newcastle under Lyme, Staffordshire with Dene Wayne & The Exiles (Evening Sentinel)
14 July 1966 – Locarno, Derby (Derby Evening Telegraph)
16 July 1966 – Locarno Ballroom, Swindon, Wiltshire with Dynamos (Swindon Evening Advertiser)
18 July 1966 – Bolton Palais, Bolton, Greater Manchester (Bolton Evening News)
23 July 1966 – Navada, Bolton, Greater Manchester (Bolton Evening News)
28 July 1966 – Entry date into Belgium on way to Storyville Jazz Club, Cologne, West Germany (Kerry Burke’s passport) The group most likely played at the club for one month
3 September 1966 – Oasis, Manchester with The Wheels and Frankenstein (Manchester Evening News & Chronicle)
3 September 1966 – The Cavern, Liverpool with The Times, The Hideaways, The Mixture, The Dollies, The Dark Ages and The Prowlers (John Warburg research/Liverpool Echo)
4 September 1966 – Burnley Locarno, Burnley, Lancashire (Burnley Express and News)
8 September 1966 – Bradmore WMC, Bradmore, West Midlands (Express & Star)
12 September 1966 – Atlanta Ballroom, Woking, Surrey (Aldershot News/Camberley News)
15 September 1966 – Barrow Public Hall, Barrow in Furness, Cumbria with The Warriors (North Western Mail)
16 September 1966 – Paradise Club, Wigan, Greater Manchester (Liverpool Echo)
17 September 1966 – Union Rowing Club, Trent Bridge, Nottingham (Nottingham Evening Post)
19 September 1966 – Bolton Palais, Bolton, Greater Manchester (Bolton Evening News)
20 September 1966 – Crystal Ballroom, Newcastle Under Lyme, Staffordshire (Evening Sentinel)
23 September 1966 – Hull College of Technology’s Fresher’s Dance with Birds Groove (Hull Daily Mail)
29 September 1966 – The Cavern, Liverpool with Georgia Germs (John Warburg research/Liverpool Echo)
1 October 1966 – The Place, Hanley, Staffordshire (Evening Sentinel)
3 October 1966 – Bolton Palais, Bolton, Greater Manchester (Bolton Evening News)
4 October 1966 – Oasis, Manchester (Manchester Evening News & Chronicle)
7 October 1966 – California Ballroom, Dunstable, Bedfordshire with The James Royal Set (Luton News)
9 October 1966 – Agincourt Ballroom, Camberley, Surrey with support (Aldershot News/Camberley News)
10 October 1966 – Golden Torch, Tunstall, Staffordshire (Evening Sentinel)
10 October 1966 – Bolton Palais, Bolton, Greater Manchester (Bolton Evening News) Looks like they cancelled or the gig was pushed back three days
13 October 1966 – Bolton Palais, Bolton, Greater Manchester (Bolton Evening News)
16 October 1966 – Beachcomber, Bolton, Greater Manchester (Bolton Evening News)
18 October 1966 – Crystal Ballroom, Newcastle Under Lyme, Staffordshire (Evening Sentinel)
27 October 1966 – Entry date into Belgium, possibly to play Shark Club, Ghent (Kerry Burke’s passport)
4 November 1966 – Oasis, Manchester (Manchester Evening News and Chronicle)
5 November 1966 – The Thing, Oldham, Greater Manchester (Oldham Evening Chronicle)
6 November 1966 – Bolton Palais, Bolton, Greater Manchester (Bolton Evening News)
7 November 1966 – Golden Torch, Tunstall, Staffordshire (Evening Sentinel)
11 November 1966 – Crystal Club, Glossop, Greater Manchester (Manchester Evening New and Chronicle)
11 November 1966 – Student Union, Manchester with Paul Butterfield Blues Band and Big City Sound Manchester (Manchester Evening New and Chronicle)
13 November 1966 – Swinging Sinking Ship, Stockport, Greater Manchester (Manchester Evening New and Chronicle)
14 November 1966 – Bolton Palais, Bolton, Greater Manchester (Bolton Evening News)
17 November 1966 – Tiles, Oxford Street, London with Wishful Thinking (Melody Maker)
18 November 1966 – Entry date into Belgium, possibly to play the Shark Club, Ghent (Kerry Burke’s passport)
25 November 1966 – 7 Club, Shrewsbury, Shropshire with The Silvers (Express & Star)
26 November 1966 – Flamingo, Redruth, Cornwall with Circuit 5 (West Briton & The Royal Cornwall Gazette)
27 November 1966 – Flamingo, Redruth, Cornwall (West Briton & The Royal Cornwall Gazette)
3 December 1966 – Locarno Ballroom, Swindon, Wiltshire with Unchained (Swindon Evening Advertiser)
6 December 1966 – The Place Hanley, Staffordshire (Evening Sentinel)
7 December 1966 – Elbow Room, Aston, West Midlands (Birmingham Evening Mail)
10 December 1966 – Oasis, Manchester (Manchester Evening New and Chronicle)
11 December 1966 – Burnley Locarno, Burnley, Lancashire (Burnley Express and News)
12 December 1966 – Bolton Palais, Bolton, Greater Manchester (Bolton Evening News)
14 December 1966 – Tiles, Oxford Street, central London (Melody Maker)
21 December 1966 – The Place, Hanley, Staffordshire with The Factotums (Evening Sentinel)
23 December 1966 – St Bernadette’s, Withington, Greater Manchester with The Children (Manchester Evening New and Chronicle)
24 December 1966 – Golden Torch, Tunstall, Staffordshire with The Children (Evening Sentinel)
25 December 1966 – Top Ten Club, Manchester (Manchester Evening News and Chronicle)
26 December 1966 – Oasis, Manchester with The Chuckles and Some Other Guys (Manchester Evening New and Chronicle)
26 December 1966 – Stockport Town Hall Ballroom, Stockport, Greater Manchester with St Louis Union and Cock-a-Hoops (Manchester Evening New and Chronicle)
27 December 1966 – Peppermint Lounge, Liverpool with Nog (Liverpool Echo)
29 December 1966 – Bolton Palais, Bolton, Greater Manchester (Bolton Evening News)
31 December 1966 – Union Rowing Club, Trent Bridge, Nottingham (Nottingham Evening Post)
1 January 1967 – Jung Frau, Manchester (Manchester Evening News and Chronicle)
4 January 1967 – Tiles, Oxford Street, central London (Melody Maker)
6 January 1967 – Entry date into Belgium on the way to play Hans der Musik, Wuppertal, West Germany for one month (Kerry Burke’s passport)
24 February 1967 – Blackpool Tower, Blackpool, Lancashire with The Graham Bond Organisation, The Easybeats, The Iveys and The Cryin Shames (Kerry Burke’s recollections) This was the band’s first gig back in the UK after the Wuppertal residency
25 February 1967 – Navada, Bolton, Greater Manchester (Bolton Evening News)
4 March 1967 – White Bicycle, Maple Ballroom, Northampton, Northamptonshire with The Legal Matter (Northampton Chronicle)
10 March 1967 – SBYC, St Bernadette’s, Withington, Greater Manchester (Manchester Evening News and Chronicle)
11 March 1967 – Oasis, Manchester (Manchester Evening News and Chronicle)
13 March 1967 – Belfry, Wishaw, West Midlands with New Way of Life (Birmingham Evening Post)
14 March 1967 – The Place, Hanley, Staffordshire (Evening Sentinel)
19 March 1967 – Tiles, Oxford Street, London (Melody Maker)
26 March 1967 – Entry date into Belgium (Kerry Burke’s passport)
6 April 1967 – Crystal Ballroom, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire (Evening Sentinel)
7 April 1967 – Tabernacle, Stockport, Greater Manchester with The Iveys (Manchester Evening News and Chronicle)
13 April 1967 – Locarno Ballroom, Coventry, West Midlands with PP Arnold and The Nice (Coventry Evening Telegraph)
15 April 1967 – Union Rowing Club, Trent Bridge, Nottingham (Nottingham Evening Post) Back from a European tour (see Belgium entry date above)
22 April 1967 – Blue Lagoon, Newquay, Cornwall with The Jaguars (West Briton & Royal Cornish Gazette/Cornish Guardian)
26 April 1967 – The Place, Hanley, Staffordshire with The Cheetahs (Evening Sentinel)
29 April 1967 – New Century Hall, Manchester with The Silverstone Set (Manchester Evening News and Chronicle)
3 May 1967 – Entry date into Belgium (Kerry Burke’s passport)
12 May 1967 – Carlton Club, Warrington, Cheshire (Warrington Guardian)
19 May 1967 – Boulevard, Tadcaster, West Yorkshire with The Screen (Yorkshire Evening Post)
27 May 1967 – Staffs Volunteer, Bushbury, Wolverhampton, West Midlands (Express & Star)
30 May 1967 – The Place, Hanley, Staffordshire with The Shell Shock Show (Evening Sentinel)
Mel Preston left at this point and Peter Simensky joined, playing his first show on 3 June at the Belle Vue
3 June 1967 – Belle Vue, Manchester (Manchester Evening News and Chronicle)
3 June 1967 – Top Ten Club, Manchester (Manchester Evening News and Chronicle) They left for Hamburg next day
6 June 1967 – Entry date into West Germany (Kerry Burke’s passport)
6 June-2 July 1967 – The Star Club, St Pauli, Hamburg, West Germany (Ian Hamilton contract) Shared with various acts including The Equals, The Hi-Fis and The Birds and The Bees from 30 June to 1 July
Jim Warhurst leaves during late June/early July and Graham Sclater joins from The Birds and The Bees
3 July 1967 – Entry date into the Netherlands (Kerry Burke’s passport)
7 July 1967 – Tiles, Oxford Street, London (Graham Sclater’s diary)
8 July 1967 – Scotch of St James, Mayfair, London (Graham Sclater’s diary)
10 July 1967 – Bolton Nevada, Bolton, Greater Manchester (Graham Sclater’s diary)
12 July 1967 – RAF Bentwaters, near Woodbridge, Suffolk (Graham Sclater’s diary)
13 July 1967 – Tiles, Oxford Street, London with Chas Stevens (Melody Maker) The group was advertised playing in Melody Maker but this gig did not happen
14 July 1967 – Gig in Huddersfield (Graham Sclater’s diary)
15 July 1967 – Ritz Manchester (Graham Sclater’s diary)
16-17 July 1967 – Bolton Mecca, Bolton, Greater Manchester (Graham Sclater’s diary)
18-20 July – Mr Smith’s, Manchester (Graham Sclater’s diary)
21 July 1967 – Gig in Freshwater (Graham Sclater’s diary)
22 July 1967 – Gig in Swansea, south Wales (Graham Sclater’s diary) Port Talbot Guardian has the group appearing at Ritz, Skewen, Wales on this date with The King B’s
23 July 1967 – Gig in Blackburn, Lancashire (Graham Sclater’s diary)
26 July 1967 – The Place, Hanley, Staffordshire with Milton James (Evening Sentinel)
27 July 1967 – Gig in Sheffield, South Yorkshire (Graham Sclater’s diary)
28 July 1967 – Gig in Prescott (Graham Sclater’s diary)
29 July 1967 – RAF Bentwaters, near Woodbridge, Suffolk (Graham Sclater’s diary)
1 August 1967 – Scotch of St James, Mayfair, London (Graham Sclater’s diary)
2 August 1967 – Gig in Preston, Lancashire (Graham Sclater’s diary)
3 August 1967 – Palais, Bolton, Greater Manchester (Bolton Evening News)
4 August 1967 – RAF High Wycombe, High Wycombe, Bucks (Graham Sclater’s diary)
5 August 1967 – Gig in Mildenhall (Graham Sclater’s diary)
10 August 1967 – YMCA Ipswich, Suffolk (Graham Sclater’s diary)
11 August 1967 – Entry date into Belgium, possibly to play the Shark Club, Ghent (Kerry Burke’s passport)
Graham Sclater’s diary has The Shark Club listed for 11-16 August but he’s not sure they did play. However, the dates do tally with Kerry’s passport stamp above, although it is unlikely they played 16th July if this did happen as they arrived in Denmark that day.
Malcolm Tag-Randall’s old friend and former band mate from Jeff Curtis & The Flames, Jeff Lake was road manager on the Swedish tour and recalls the band playing a club just outside Ghent
18 August 1967 – Entry date into Sweden via Denmark (Kerry Burke’s passport)
Thanks to Mats Jarl for supplying the clipping
18 August 1967 – Pop Inn, Gothenburg, Sweden backing The Caravelles (Graham Sclater’s diary)
19 August 1967 – Gig in Virestom, Sweden backing The Caravelles (Graham Sclater’s diary)
20-21 August 1967 – Gig in Gaule, Sweden backing The Caravelles (Graham Sclater’s diary)
Thanks to Mats Jarl for supplying the clipping
22 August 1967 – Gig in Stockholm, Sweden backing The Caravelles (Graham Sclater’s diary)
23 August 1967 – Globe Club, Gothenburg, Sweden backing The Caravelles (Graham Sclater’s diary)
25 August 1967 – Saffle, Gothenburg, Sweden backing The Caravelles (Graham Sclater’s diary)
Thanks to Mats Jarl for supplying the clipping
26 August 1967 – Ellos-Hunnebo, Sweden backing The Caravelles (Graham Sclater’s diary)
Thanks to Mats Jarl for supplying the clipping
27 August 1967 – Uddevalla-Trollhatt, Sweden backing The Caravelles (Graham Sclater’s diary)
28-31 August 1967 – Gigs in Gothenburg, Sweden backing The Caravelles (Graham Sclater’s diary)
2 September 1967 – Cue Club, Gothenburg, Sweden with The Rebels and The Shamrocks (Mats Jarl clipping) Exact date needs confirmation
Thanks to Mats Jarl for supplying the clipping
2 September 1967 – Globe Club, Gothenburg, Sweden with The Patch (Mats Jarl clipping) Exact date needs confirmation
Thanks to Mats Jarl for supplying the clipping
3 September 1967 – Hoffrekullen, Romelanda, Gothenburg, Sweden with The Hill Billy Five (Mats Jarl clipping)
3 September 1967 – Cue Club, Gothenburg, Sweden (Kerry Burke recollections) Jammed with Jimi Hendrix
7 September 1967 – Left Sweden to return to UK via Denmark (Kerry Burke’s passport)
8-9 September 1967 – RAF Bentwaters, near Woodbridge, Suffolk (Graham Sclater’s diary)
10-11 September 1967 – Hatchetts Playground, Piccadilly, central London (Graham Sclater’s diary)
15-16 September 1967 – RAF Bentwaters, near Woodbridge, Suffolk (Graham Sclater’s diary)
17 September 1967 – College Club, Manchester (Graham Sclater’s diary)
21 September 1967 – Imperial, Darlington (Graham Sclater’s diary)
22 September 1967 – Carlton Club, Warrington, Cheshire with The Do-Does (Warrington Guardian)
23 September 1967 – Locarno Ballroom, Swindon, Wiltshire with The Avalons (Swindon Evening Advertiser)
24 September 1967 – Plaza Huddersfield (Graham Sclater’s diary)
27 September 1967 – The Place, Hanley, Staffordshire with The Drifters (Evening Sentinel)
28 September 1967 – Cinysey, north Wales (Graham Sclater’s diary)
29 September 1967 – SBYC, St Bernadette’s, Withington, south Manchester (Manchester Evening News and Chronicle)
30 September 1967 – Menwith Club, Yorkshire (Graham Sclater’s diary)
1 October 1967 – Golden Torch, Tunstall, Staffordshire (Evening Sentinel)
5 October 1967 – Entry date into Belgium (Kerry Burke’s passport)
9-14 October 1967 – Hatchetts Playground, Piccadilly, central London (Graham Sclater’s diary) Graham isn’t totally sure about this one
19 October 1967 – Beachcomber, Luton, Bedfordshire (John Warburg research)
Graham Sclater has Dunstable not Luton
22 October 1967 – Birdcage, Harlow (Graham Sclater’s diary)
25 October 1967 – The Place, Hanley, Staffordshire with The Waterboard (Evening Sentinel)
26 October 1967 – Palais, Bolton, Greater Manchester (Graham Sclater’s diary)
27 October 1967 – RAF Bentwaters, near Woodbridge, Suffolk (Graham Sclater’s diary)
28 October 1967 – NCO gig in Crighton (Graham Sclater’s diary)
This is probably RAF Croughton in Northamptonshire. The Coventry Evening Telegraph also lists the band playing at the Flower Pot Club in Digbeth, Birmingham on this date with The Junction. The Flower Pot Club gig is also confirmed by the Birmingham Evening Mail (see picture below)
30 October 1967 – Town Hall, Spennymoor (Graham Sclater’s diary)
5 November 1967 – Two Bar Egremont (Graham Sclater’s diary)
8 November 1967 – Penny Farthing, Hanley, Staffordshire (Evening Sentinel)
10 November 1967 – Entry date into Belgium, possibly on the way to West Germany for gigs. This must be a mistake as the band played UK dates around this period unless the UK gigs were cancelled?
10 November 1967 – Caesar’s Club, Bedford (Graham Sclater’s diary)
11 November 1967 – Navada Bolton, Bolton, Greater Manchester (Graham Sclater’s diary)
12 November 1967 – Sloopy’s, Manchester (Manchester Evening News and Chronicle) This gig was advertised in Manchester Evening News so perhaps the UK dates did happen?
24 January 1968 – New Century Hall, Manchester (Graham Sclater’s diary) This date needs confirmation. Sclater recalls that the group played two Manchester gigs on the same night at short notice backing singer Madelaine Bell. Status Quo were supposed to do the honours but were appearing on Top of the Pops.
26 January 1968 – Queens Rink Ballroom, Hartlepool with Mark Aynsley Big Beat Band (Graham Sclater’s diary/Middlesbrough Evening Gazette)
27 January 1968 – Il Rondo Ballroom, Leicester (Leicester Mercury)
28 January 1968 – Clayton Lodge Hotel, Newcastle under Lyme, Staffordshire (Graham Sclater’s diary)
28 January 1968 – Bamboo Club, Wilmslow, Cheshire (Alderley & Wilmslow Advertiser) Missing from Graham Sclater’s diary
1 February 1968 – Drokiweeny, Manchester (Manchester Evening News) Missing from Graham Sclater’s diary
7 February 1968 – RAF Bentwaters, near Woodbridge, Suffolk or Casino, Leigh (Graham Sclater’s diary)
8 February 1968 – Bolton Palais, Bolton, Greater Manchester (Graham Sclater’s diary)
9 February 1968 – Gig in Woodbridge, Suffolk (Graham Sclater’s diary) Could possibly be Drill Hall, Woodbridge
10 February 1968 – RAF Bentwaters, near Woodbridge, Suffolk (Graham Sclater’s diary)
14 February 1968 – Entry date into the Netherlands on the way to West Germany (Kerry Burke’s passport)
15 February 1968 – Entry into East Germany on the way to West Berlin to play the Liverpool Hoop for one month (Kerry Burke’s recollections/passport)
March 1968 – Top Ten Club, Hamburg, West Germany with Floribunda Rose and then Bluesology (Graham Sclater’s recollections)
9 April 1968 – The Place, Hanley, Staffordshire (Graham Sclater’s diary)
13 April 1968 – Lion Hotel, Warrington, Cheshire with Gospel Garden (Warrington Guardian)
Malcolm Tag-Randall remembers that he left after this gig or shortly after and briefly reunited with Jeff Lake in Tommy Bishop’s Rock ‘N’ Roll Revival Show for a gig in Barry, south Wales. Tag-Randall later played with The Red Express and Sindy & The Action Men among others.
14 April 1968 – Lower Chambers Town Hall, Rochdale (Graham Sclater’s diary)
22 April 1968 – Bolton Palais, Bolton, Greater Manchester (Graham Sclater’s diary)
24 April 1968 – RAF Bentwaters, near Woodbridge, Suffolk (Graham Sclater’s diary)
27 April 1968 – Gig in Woodbridge, Suffolk (Graham Sclater’s diary) Could possibly be Drill Hall, Woodbridge
27 April 1968 – Rainbow Suite Co-op, Birmingham with Ultra Sound (Birmingham Evening Mail)
Graham Sclater doesn’t have the Birmingham gig in his diary and says he left after the Woodbridge date. He thinks Malcolm Tag-Randall left at the same time as did Stuart Fahey. Kenny Anders joined on lead guitar
11 May 1968 – Windsor Ballroom, Redcar, North Yorkshire with The Skyliners (Middlesbrough Evening Gazette)
12 May 1968 – Clayton Lodge Hotel, Newcastle under Lyme, Staffordshire (Evening Sentinel)
2 September 1968 – Penny Farthing, Southend, Essex (Southend Standard)
3 October 1968 – Penny Farthing, Southend, Essex (Southend Standard)
17 October 1968 – Penny Farthing, Southend, Essex (Southend Standard)
26 October 1968 – Ritz, Bournemouth, Dorset (Bournemouth Evening Echo)
31 October 1968 – Penny Farthing, Southend, Essex (Southend Standard)
2 November 1968 – Wellington Manor Country Club, Crowthorne, Berkshire (Reading Evening Post)
Many thanks to the following for their generous input: Kerry Burke, Peter Simensky, Graham Sclater and Malcolm Randall. To add further information, please email the author at Warchive@aol.com.
The Others, circa 1964, from left to right Pete Hammerton, Geoff Coxon, Bob Freeman (Rob Tolchard), Paul Stewart and Ian McLintock.
The Others, 1963-64
By Rob Tolchard
Formed in the summer of 1963 in the rural riverside south-west London suburb of Hampton, The Others were originally a bunch of rebellious schoolmates. Fired up by the Richmond Sound, spearheaded by the likes of the Rolling Stones and the Yardbirds – the south’s answer to the Liverpool Sound – The Others picked up the baton and ran with it, swiftly building a devoted fan-base of their own and a circuit of regular gigs, hot on the heels of the slightly more senior bands who had inspired them before leaving town for international acclaim.
The look was long-haired bohemian, the music was Chicago rhythm’n’blues and the interest from local and national media secured them a London management/agency contract, a record deal and teen-magazine features by the fistfull as they tore up and down the length of Britain in a van covered in adoring messages written in lipstick. They were still not even old enough to drive legally.
In the summer of 1964, they recorded their one and only record, Bo Diddley’s “Oh Yeah”, on Polydor (TF 501) but by the time of its release, parental pressure had forced two of their number, John Standley (lead guitar) and Nigel Baldwin (drums) to quit the band and return to school to study for their “A”-level exams. They were replaced by Peter Hammerton on guitar and Geoff Coxon on drums, who feature in the promotional shots for the record. The band attained a new excellence, “very much in the same class as the Yardbirds” according to Brian May of Queen, a former schoolmate and the record was a turntable hit on the rock radio programmes of the day and was highly praised by Jimmy Saville in his national press pop column.
But it wasn’t to last. Paul Stewart, their charismatic lead singer and mouth-harp player was also under extreme parental pressure to return to academic endeavours and, tired of living in a car in a rented garage, he gave in, cut his hair, was allowed back home and returned to Hampton Grammar School in late October 1964.
That was effectively the end of The Others, who should have achieved so much more. Their record has become a collectors’ item and Brian May’s early band, “1984” (later “Smile”) used to include The Others’ self-penned “B”-side, “I’m Taking Her Home” in their own repertoire. The other two original members of The Others, Bob Freeman (rhythm guitar/harp) and Ian McLintock (bass) remained in the industry and continued to make music, but never again came as close to stardom as did their first band.
Pete Hammerton, Geoff Coxon, Bob Freeman (now re-named Rob Tolchard to avoid confusion with the Beatles’ photographer) and Paul Stewart remained in touch and have reformed The Others, in order to perform heavily re-arranged revisitations of the old classic repertoire. What a vintage.
1964 gig (see comments below)1965 gig (see comments below)
South African R&B/pop band, The Gonks were one of Durban’s leading groups in the mid-1960s. Formed in the summer of 1965, the original line up was put together by former Clansmen drummer, turned lead singer Craig Ross (b. 27 January 1946, Durban) and rhythm guitarist and singer Howard Schachat (b. 7 November 1949, Durban). The pair completed the line up with lead guitarist Noel McDermott (b. 31 March 1946, Durban), bass player Brian McFall (b. 26 December 1945) and drummer Rob Clancy (b. 2 May 1948).
Taking their name from a 12-inch high stuffed doll that was popular at the time, The Gonks’s first gig was at the Lido Resort (playing around the pool) in Umkomass, on the South Coast.
The Gonks’s first big break, however, took place in October 1965 when they played a show at the Journey’s End Moth Hall in Durban North. They then followed this up with a number of appearances at Durban City Hall, at the Al Fresco Terrace on Durban’s Bayside and at various South Coast resorts.
Signed to the Fontana label in late 1966, the band recorded its debut single, a cover of Mike Curb’s “You Can’t Stop Me Loving You” backed by the Edden-Cline-Schachat-Ross collaboration, “Crying My Heart Out”, which was produced by Graeme Beggs for Trutone and featured studio guests, Johnny Kongos, Pete Clifford and Peter Lotis. Issued on Fontana single TF 772 in November 1966, the band’s debut release climbed the South African Springbok charts and peaked at number 7 in January 1967.
The Gonks featured in Pop Gear, June of 1966
Interestingly, within weeks of the single’s release that November, the band had returned to the studio to record a follow up, a cover of the Isley Brothers’ “Nobody But Me”, backed by the Ross-McDermott co-write, “Woman, Yeah”, which was again produced by Beggs at Gallo’s studio in Johannesburg.
For reasons that remain unknown, Noel McDermott left the band immediately after this recording (and prior to the debut single’s success) to work briefly with his own group. In his place, the group recruited lead guitarist, Mervin Gershanov from The Mods, another local band, which featured several musicians that would join The Gonks throughout 1967. At the same time, bass player Brian McFall also departed (years later playing with Third Eye) and Barrie Cline from The Deans took his place. (Incidentally, Barrie’s brother Dave was a member of The Mods.)
The reconstituted Gonks line up made a notable appearance at Durban City Hall for a Christmas Eve show with The Difference, Bobby James & The Plainsmen, Jody Wayne, 004, The Dream Merchants and Dunny & The Showmen before further changes ensued.
During early January Peter Gilder, ex-Deans and The Section, took over the drum stool from Rob Clancy, although The Gonks’s original drummer would return later in the year. According to the Natal Mercury newspaper, this line up played at the Arena Club in Durban on 28 January.
Amid all of these changes, The Gonks enjoyed some notable chart success with their debut single –“You Can’t Stop Me Loving You”, which was subsequently included on the 162/3rpm long-playing Fontana compilation album, It’s All Happening.
On 11 March 1967, The Gonks returned to Durban City Hall for a show alongside singer Billy Forrest and R&B group, The Etonians. That same month, the band’s long awaited second release, “Nobody But Me”, backed by “Woman, Yeah” was released on Fontana single TF 784 and became a modest hit.
The single helped raise the band’s local standing and on 29 April, the band played another show at Durban City Hall with It’s a Secret and singer Beau Brummell, who’d returned to South Africa after several years working in UK and Europe with British band, The Noblemen. On 26 May, they also made an appearance at the Scene club in Durban. Soon afterwards, the band recorded two tracks, which were never released: “Ain’t I Met You Somewhere Before, Little Girl” and “Dreams”.
Also around this time, The Gonks recorded a cover of Gordon Haskell’s “Lazy Life” backed by Neil Diamond’s “The Long Way Home” for the Troubadour label, with singer Billy Forrest producing. Forrest had discovered the song while in England and given it to the band. However, after laying down the backing track, Ross told Forrest that the song didn’t fit the band’s image and so Forrest decided to issue the tracks under the name Quentin E Klopjaeger and The Gonks.Later copies omitted The Gonks and the single (released on Troubadour TRS-E-9093) eventually became a big hit, peaking at number 1 on the Springbok charts on 21 June 1968.
But we are jumping ahead of ourselves. With the recording done, Craig Ross jumped ship to hook up with South Africa’s premier psychedelic group, Freedom’s Children. In his place, the band recruited guitarist and singer Alan Reid from Gershanov’s former band, The Mods.
Further changes ensued. By the time the group released its third single, “Hard Lovin’”, backed by “You Don’t Know Me”, (issued on Renown N 1416) in January 1968, Rob Clancy had returned to the band to displace Peter Gilder and Rodney Aitchison had taken over from Mervyn Gershanov.
Gershanov would subsequently team up with singer/bass player Clive Calder and others, including English guitarist Pete Clifford from The Bats, for a one-off live album, Live At The Electric Circus, released by The First Electric Jamming Band for Parlophone in 1969. Gilder meanwhile, would later work with Spectrum alongside fellow Gonks member, Barrie Cline.
Soon after the release of their third single, The Gonks underwent further changes with another former Mods member, Trevor Turner taking over bass from Barrie Cline. Rob Clancy also left and was replaced by Roger Johnson. Clancy sadly later committed suicide in England during the 1980s.
With all of these changes, it was perhaps not surprising that the band soon ran its course. By mid-1968, the final line up had imploded and Schachat reunited with former members Craig Ross (fresh from Freedom’s Children) and Barrie Cline in Parish News. The project was relatively short-lived and sometime in 1969-1970, Ross and and Schachat formed The Pack with Clive Goodwill (keyboards), Ian Bell (flute) and Dave Evans (drums) among others.
In 1971, however, Aitchison, Ross, Cline and Dave Evans briefly reformed The Gonks and backed singer Alan Garrity. The band never recorded and soon broke up. Evans then joined forces with Schachat alongside other former Gonks members Alan Reid and Mervin Gershanov in Sweet Grass alongside Ian Bell from The Pack.
When the latter unravelled, Evans then formed Jigsaw with Craig Ross and Barrie Cline. A horn band, Jigsaw also comprised Glen Turrel, Mike Slavin, Dave Ridgeway, Tony Hynde and Kiwi.
Schachat and Gershanov meanwhile formed the group Haggis and played original hard rock music in Durban. They had three different drummers – Richard Pickett, Robbie Pavid (ex-Third Eye) and Bokkie De Beer (later with Johnny Clegg) but the band split when Schachat left Durban in 1974 and moved to the US. The guitarist became a lawyer and currently lives in San Diego, California where he plays in a six-piece classic rock band called 9th Floor Band.
Little is known about the other members of the group, who have all kept a low profile. Craig Ross, however, who still lives in Durban and designs kitchens, occasionally sings live and has enjoyed some recent exposure with growing interest in Freedom’s Children.
Article by Nick Warburton
Many thanks to the following for their help: Tertius Louw, Howard Schachat, Peter Gilder, Craig Ross, Rodney Aitchison, Garth Chilvers, Mervin Gershanov, Tom Jasiukowicz, Dave Evans, Brian Colborne and Rob David.
Nick Warburton is a UK based freelance writer. His website is www.nickwarburton.com.
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
The Limeys were Andrea Gennard and Stephen Gennard, a sister and brother duo who arrived in Miami, Florida from London about 1962. While students at Rockway Junior High, they made this great single “Come Back” / “Green and Blue” with the London Sounds.
Stephen and Andrea, together with their parents, Mr. and Mrs. Eddie Gennard, of 1715 SW 97th Pl., arrived from London almost four years ago …
On the single, the backing band is called the London Sounds, and includes horn players and strings. I’m not sure if the Outcasts were involved, or even who was in the Outcasts – if anyone knows please contact me.
