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.
The recently reformed band of Paul, Pete, Rob and Geoff has recorded its first tracks in 49 years. They can be heard at http://www.theothers.org.uk. As well as the obligatory new recording of “Oh Yeah” (properly “Oh Yea”) which packs as much instrumental punch as their 1964 original – but benefitting from more mature vocals – there’s the self-penned, harp-laden “Lean Your Blues Against the Wall” and three more classic vintage titles given a damned good seeing-to. The band has obviously not lost any of its dark thrust and “I’m Movin’ On” features venomous guitar solos from Rob and Pete. Check out the almost B52s-style version of “Fortune Teller” and the pounding drive of the inventive new arrangement of the Drifters’ “If You Don’t Come Back”. Shades of Stones, Kinks and Yardbirds are still evident and in true garage band tradition, the tracks were recorded live and mixed down in a budget studio in 20 hours total after their first four rehearsals in as many decades.
Unfortunately the website as quoted doesn’t exist. I would like to hear the tracks by my old school mates.
Would you like to see them too? I met all of all them in Worthing and Lewes and London in the last few years.
So….Were you a groupie? Three of them are good looking. Go on…..spill!
Who wasn’t the bobby dazzler then? I had a bit of a thing with the posh dark haired boy on the left. I wonder what happened to him. I wonder if he’s still a looker? Them were the days. I was young, had my money in my pockets, copped off with many musicians, did some modelling and worked in boutiques around london. I can’t even remember which ones because I dropped so much acid. I am alive to tell the tale! Far out!
He’s still a Bobby dazzler! He was playing in pubs around the Worthing area. A few years back I wanted to go out with him but he was seeing a much younger woman at the time and then some. Men!
THE OTHERS AT RICHMOND COMMUNITY CENTRE
Found two gigs for the band in the Richmond & Twickenham Times from 1964:
11 July 1964 and 18 July 1964
A couple of gigs I found this weekend:
27 and 28 November 1964 – Streatham Silver Links (Streatham News)
27 April 1964 – 100 Club, Oxford Street with Mike Cotton Sound and The Who (Melody Maker)
16 September 1964 – Orford Cellar, Norwich, Norfolk (Eastern Evening News)
Hi JAG here from the original 1984 group pre Smile. Neither Tim Staffell our singer or myself have any recollection of ever playing the Others B side record “I’m taking her home”. The Others were a great local band , always queues waiting at the gigs. Such a shame circumstances broke the band up. The original 1984 was also affected by schooling circumstances and of course Brian (May) went on from being the quiet one to a worldwide star in Queen. Interesting too is that Paul Stanley (The Others) and Tim Staffell (1984 and Smile) became more than just vocalists with some harmonica playing and have recently recorded a CD together.
Hello John, I would like to get in touch with you, a friend of mine has a 1984 acetate, dated 1969 and has your name on it in felt tip.
Just read this. I remember watching 1984 in the Master Robert Motel on the Great West Road about that time. I think you had a new guitarist to teplace Pete Hammerton, who was my mate. We thought the new guy was pretty good and it was only many years later that I found out it was Brian May, or was it Bryant and May? Good times and we had another well forgotten band at that time as well. We were called The Yashmak, but weren’t very good and didn’t last long.
I remember that day and I wor sweaty blue Jean and turban. Oh happy days
Well if you remember the 60s you weren’t there. Bet you’re not so saucy now are you chick?
LMAO as my grand children would say!
Ooh I say matron
Them we’re the days let’s see photo’s off you now !!!
Some more Others gigs
13 April 1964 – Malibu Club, Hanworth Labour Hall, Hanworth, Middlesex (Middlesex Chronicle)
14 July 1964 – Nurses Club, Jolly Gardners, Isleworth, Middlesex with The Bo Street Runners (Middlesex Chronicle)
11 December 1965 – Murray Park Hall, Whitton, west London (Middlesex Chronicle)
Cant have flashback re actual sound ,how about you tube & Wikpedia , attended a number of gigs in 60s worked at weekends at L’Auberge in Richmond next to Odeon .Attended Community Centre Modern jazz & Eel Pie Hotel Rod, Long John , Stones et al on the island also first Festival eventually Reading at Athletic ground .Then there was Half Moon Putney & Bulls head Barnes .The museum in Twickenham is excellent .
27-28 November 1964 – Silver Blades, Streatham, southwest London (Clapham Advertiser)