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.

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.

“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.”

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.

“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)

10 December 1964 – Club A Go Go, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear (website: http://www.readysteadygone.co.uk/club-agogo-newcastle-2/)

11 December 1964 – Club A Go Go, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear with The Continentals (website: http://www.readysteadygone.co.uk/club-agogo-newcastle-2/)

10 January 1965 – Ashton Palais, Ashton-under-Lyne, Greater Manchester (North Cheshire Standard)

30 January 1965 – Corn Exchange, Bedford, Bedfordshire with The Trespassers (Biggleswade Chronicle)

13 April 1965 – Hen & Chickens, Langley, West Midlands with The UK Bonds (Birmingham Evening Mail)

15 April 1965 – Fiesta Hall, Andover, Hampshire (Andover Advertiser) With Lorraine Gray

16 April 1965 – Mecca, Royal Pier, Southampton, Hants (Southern Echo) Billed as Lorraine Gray & The Manchester Playboys

22 April 1965 – Manor Lounge, Stockport, Greater Manchester with The Marauders (Stockport County Express) Supporting Lorraine Gray

7 June 1965 – Mecca Dancing, Bolton Palais, Bolton, Greater Manchester with The Solitaires (Bolton Evening News)

24 June 1965 – Manor Lounge, Stockport, Greater Manchester with The Jacobeats (Stockport County Express)

29 June 1965 – Oasis, Manchester (Manchester Evening News & Chronicle)

1 July 1965 – Locarno Ballroom, Swindon, Wiltshire (Swindon Evening Advertiser)

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)

9 September 1965 – Two Red Shoes Ballroom, Elgin, Scotland (website: https://tworedshoes.wordpress.com/1965/12/)

11 September 1965 – Beach Ballroom, Aberdeen, Scotland (Aberdeen Evening Express)

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)

6 June 1966 – 76 Club, Burton on Trent, Staffordshire (Website: http://www.76club.org.uk/gigs.html)

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)

9 March 1967 – Club A Go Go, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear (Website: http://www.readysteadygone.co.uk/club-agogo-newcastle-2/)

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)

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)

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)

26 August 1967 – Ellos-Hunnebo, Sweden backing The Caravelles (Graham Sclater’s diary)

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

2 September 1967 – Globe Club, Gothenburg, Sweden with The Patch (Mats Jarl clipping) Exact date needs confirmation

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)

6-8 October 1967 – Shark Club, Ghent, Belgium (Graham Sclater’s diary)

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?

13 November 1967 – Blackpool Locarno, Blackpool, Lancashire (Graham Sclater’s diary)

16-30 November 1967 – Savoy Club, Hanover, West Germany (Graham Sclater’s diary)

3 December 1967 – Peter Lee Jazz Club, County Durham (Graham Sclater’s diary)

8 December 1967 – Oxford Union Society, Oxford (Graham Sclater’s diary)

9 December 1967 – RAF Bentwaters, near Woodbridge, Suffolk (Graham Sclater’s diary)

11 December 1967 – Palais, Bolton, Greater Manchester (Graham Sclater’s diary)

14 December 1967 – Assembly Rooms, York (Graham Sclater’s diary)

15 December 1967 – Hollins College, Manchester (Graham Sclater’s diary)

16 December 1967 – Public Hall, Barrow, Cumbria (Graham Sclater’s diary)

17 December 1967 – Peter Lee Jazz Club, County Durham (Graham Sclater’s diary)

18 December 1967 – Stoke WJBA (Graham Sclater’s diary)

21 December 1967 – Dorchester Hotel, central London (Graham Sclater’s diary)

31 December 1967 – Birdcage, Harlow (Graham Sclater’s diary)

6 January 1968 – RAF Upper Heyford (Graham Sclater’s diary)

11 January 1968 – Bolton Palais, Bolton, Greater Manchester (Graham Sclater’s diary)

12 January 1968 – Winter Gardens, Morecambe, Lancashire (Graham Sclater’s diary)

13 January 1968 – Windsor Ballroom, Redcar with Mr Poobah’s Chicago Line (Graham Sclater’s diary/Middlesbrough Evening Gazette)

14 January 1968 – College club, Manchester (Graham Sclater’s diary)

19 January 1968 – Owens Park, Manchester (Graham Sclater’s diary)

20 January 1968 – University of Aston, Aston, West Midlands with Pinkerton’s Colours (Birmingham Evening Mail)

21 January 1968 – Excel Bowl, Middlesbrough (Graham Sclater’s diary/Middlesbrough Evening Gazette)

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)

10 April 1968 – Smallthorne Victory Club, Stoke-on-Trent, 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.

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.