Jimmy Marsh – lead vocals Allen Bevan – lead guitar Tony Rowland – bass Malcolm Tomlinson – drums
The Motivation, 1967 with Jimmy Marsh (second left) and Malcolm Tomlinson (far left)
Lead singer Jimmy Marsh (b. 9 April 1941, Salem, Carmarthenshire, Wales; d. 13 April 2020) had started out around 1961 with Fulham band, The Fairlanes, comprising lead guitarist Allen Grey, rhythm guitarist David Beach, bass player Terry Gore and drummer John Warwick. The band played US air bases and sometimes backed cabaret acts like Kathy Kirby and Vince Hill.
During 1962, Marsh formed the first Del Mar Trio with lead guitarist Allen Bevan, who worked at Sound City on Shaftesbury Avenue, rhythm guitarist Terry Toatal, plus a bass player and a drummer. On 1 June 1963, the musicians backed Jimmy Marsh on the “Rock Twist Jive Channel Crossing”, a rock extravaganza that took place on-board the Channel ferry, the M V Royal Daffodil, which sailed from Southend, Essex to Boulogne, and also featured Jeff Curtis & The Flames, whose drummer was Malcolm Tomlinson (b. 16 June 1946, Isleworth, Middlesex; d. 2 April 2016).
Photo: Worthing Gazette, December 1964
Bevan and Tomlinson ran into each other again while working at Sound City and around late June 1964 the drummer left The Flames to join Marsh’s band. Tony Rowland, who hailed from Doncaster, completed the second version of The Del Mar Trio, which was formed around the early summer.
After rehearsing between the occasional gig, the quartet headed to the south coast and found work with Bob Gaitley’s Beat, Ballad and Blues agency, working his clubs, the Top Hat in Littlehampton and the Mexican Hat in Worthing.
Cornish gig, January 1965
In January 1965, the group headed to Cornwall for a short tour, which included St Austell and Penzance.
Part of the same Cornish tour, 15 January 1965
The band also played along the southcoast, including in Brighton, appearing there after the Cornish gigs.
Advert for Brighton gig, 23 January 1965. Photo: Evening Argus
Gaitley was impressed enough with Marsh’s singing to arrange for an audition at Abbey Road, which led to the recording of four tracks – “You Know How”, “Pocket Full of Rainbows”, “Like A Baby” and “Haunting Me”, with producer, the late Bob Barrett in February 1965, and listed under the name James Deene & The Del Mar Trio.
Just before the German tour
The band continued to gig around the London area, including in Northwood with The Mark Four and a show at the Pilgrim, Haywards Heath, West Sussex.
When nothing happened to the tracks, the band signed up for a tour of West Germany and headed off in late April/early May 1965.
West Sussex gig. Photo: Brighton Evening Argus
Over the next year, the band, working as James Deene & The London Cats, underwent various personnel changes, including seeing another former Jeff Curtis & The Flames member, lead guitarist Louis McKelvey join briefly, and would ultimately see all of the members return home except Jimmy Marsh who found work on a US air force base outside Munich.
Around May/June 1966, Marsh was contacted (via the British Consulate) by bass player Bryan Stevens, a former member of Johnny Devlin & The Detours, which had shared the bill with The Del Mar Trio at one of Gaitley’s clubs on the south coast, to join a new version of Stevens’ latest band, The Noblemen. Marsh accepted and recommended Malcolm Tomlison as a drummer. The pair stuck with The Noblemen from June until November 1966 when the band changed name to The Motivation. Working under the new name, The Motivation headed to Rome in late March 1967 and worked at the famous Piper Club but Marsh became ill and returned home.
Tomlinson remained with The Motivation until August when the revised line up changed name again to The Penny Peep Show/Penny Peeps. The band recorded two singles for Liberty in 1968 – “Little Man With A Stick” c/w “Model Village” and “I See The Morning” c/w “Curly, The Knight of The Road”, before becoming blues band Gethsemane in August of that year. After splitting in December 1968, Tomlinson reunited with Louis McKelvey, who’d returned from Canada in July of that year and the pair relocated to Canada in January 1969 where they formed Milkwood.
In 1973, Tomlinson recorded an unreleased album with Rick James & The Stone City Band and two solo albums, issued on the A&M label in the late 1970s.
Many thanks to Jimmy Marsh and Malcolm Tomlinson for information.
Dave & the Detomics pose in front of their Cadillac Superior, 1966 from left: Vince Slagel, Jeanne Eickhoff, Bill Sheedy, Dave Bethard, Steve Westhoff and Monte McDermith
Dave Bethard – lead guitar/vocals Jeanne Eickhoff – lead vocals Galen Johnson – rhythm guitar Steve Westhoff – rhythm guitar, back-up vocals Vince Slagel — organ and vocals Terry (Fuzzy) Johnson – bass, vocals Monte McDermith – bass, lead guitar, vocals Bill Sheedy – drums and vocals
Dave and the Detomics came from the same southern-central area of Illinois, like Oglethorp and Othelow who I profiled last year. Both groups also had record releases on a southeast Texas label named Van, thanks to the connections of local radio show host Oscar Wells. Wells also recorded additional songs by each group that went unreleased at the time.
In the article below, Dave Bethard tells the band’s story in his own words, with some additional input from band mate Galen Johnson where noted. Dave has been very patient with my questions, and also provided all the incredible photos seen here.
Dave’s pre-Detomics band, the Stardusters, Illiopolis, 1963 from left: Joe Hischer (sax), Mark Myers (trumpet), Dave Bethard (vocal and rhythm guitar), Paul Cooler (lead guitar) and Terry Buff (drums)
My name is Dave Bethard — formerly of Dave & The Detomics of Morrisonville, Illinois, and the surrounding area.
The whole history of Dave & the Detomics included cousins Galen and Terry Johnson (both from Palmer, Illinois—attending Morrisonville High School) on rhythm and bass guitar prior to the band’s later personnel grouping in 1965/66. Dates are hard to fix, but Galen, Bill, Terry (Fuzzy) and I were at it in 1963 and 1964 as the Majestics too, before changing our name. We added Vince Slagel first. Then, later, Monte to replace Terry, and Steve to replace Galen, and then Jeanne was added, but those dates are hazy to me. Vince and Jeanne went to Hillsboro High School (Jeanne lived in Butler), and Steve went to Litchfield High, Monte to Nokomis, so we had a wide following because of the spread-out geography of our members.
Richard Dean’s article [on Oglethorp and Othelow] is pretty accurate—except for the part that we were a rockabilly band. We never thought of ourselves that way, and certainly didn’t work to sound that way or to learn or perform country and western songs, unless they were on the charts and requested. Admittedly, we all had a Midwest twang, which probably sounded country….but that was not our musical intent. We always thought that we were better on instrumentals, compared to vocals, and we worked hard to do numerous Ventures (and other instrumental) songs—indeed, using a version of one of their songs for our theme and break song for years.
Q. How did the band get the name Detomics?
There used to be a gas station in Springfield (between 5th and 6th streets on the South end of town) where the two streets split from divided back to a four lane heading South. That street was only 1 block long, and on the South side, there was a Detomic Gas station. That’s where the name came from.
We all came up with the name together, democratically. I was the leader, but took equal share with everyone else, and didn’t throw my weight around.
Original lineup of the band, winter of 1964, from left: Bill Sheedy, Galen Johnson, Dave Bethard, and Terry Johnson. Taken in Bill Sheedy’s basement by his brother, Richard.Dave Bethard and Galen Johnson
Jeanne was (is) an accomplished vocalist, and her addition certainly made our overall sound better, and our song choices then expanded, allowing us to do more ballads and harmony to accompany her. Along with Jeanne and me, Bill, Vince and Monte all sang individual songs, with Steve doing backup vocals—so we all had mics. Monte’s addition was a great benefit for me, as he could sing and had a higher pitched voice than me—and, he could play lead on some songs, giving me a break on both fronts. We thought it made us look more professional to switch instruments occasionally during the evening for a song or two.Richard is correct that we didn’t draw big crowds in Pana—or in Irving, for that matter–and our enthusiasm to work there shrank after several tries. I’d have loved to hit it off with the Pana, Illiopolis area kids, but multiple trips there for us, at least, were frustrating. We just didn’t click with them, at least, that was our take on it. Too bad.
But, to balance his point, we drew large crowds in Nokomis, Palmer and Morrisonville locations over several years at numerous venues, including the Nokomis Park House, a frequent favorite of ours. Certainly, hailing from the Central Illinois area, we got around as much as we could, and enjoyed nearly every location. The open air Morrisonville Park pavilion was a favorite of ours too, and we used to do Thursday night dances every week during the summer months. It was normal to have between 200 and 300 kids attending—we were subject to the whims of Mother Nature, but rain-outs were rare. The overhead was minimal, so the money take for band members was sometimes better than ‘scale’.
Dave and Detomics on the Johnny Rabbitt show, November 29, 1964Johnny Rabbitt and Kay
The band provided music for the Johnny Rabbitt show – the Rabbitt and Kay signed autographs & did some ticket magic – door prices, chances to another appearance of his, etc. Mainly, it was a venue for him to give away stuff and to mingle with his listeners. To my recollection, he and Kay came alone, I don’t remember any handlers or entourage.The business address for KXOK was was a small one-story house or building as I recall – you could easily drive by it, and we did! I don’t think that our records made it to KXOK—by the time we did them the Rabbit was gone, I think.
Galen Johnson: “One thing I remember from the Johnny Rabbit show was him picking up a phrase we told him while visiting his show, and then using it on his show. That was ‘Hang it on your ear.’ I don’t even know now what that means, but he used it anyway.”
Johnny Rabbitt’s KXOK show, Nov. 29, 1964Bill Sheedy after setting record for 40 hours of non-stop drumming
Probably the pinnacles of our band efforts would have been two major events—Bill Sheedy became the World’s Marathon Drummer in 1964 (I think). This gave him and us front page coverage on most media in the vicinity, and some world wide coverage as well. He played his drums for 40 solid hours in my dad’s garage (our practice spot) and had hundreds and hundreds of people come through during the event. It was over a weekend, so we all got to skip school on Monday—pretty much excused, as it was a big local event.
Dave Bethard of Dave & the Detomics and Dave Davies of the Kinks, 1965, “taken during our 3 day tour of Central Illinois”The Rivieras, on the Kinks tour, 1965
The band did a three day tour (Peoria, Springfield and Decatur, dates uncertain) with The Kinks, Paul Petersen, The Rivieras, and the Hollywood Argyles. Dick and Dee Dee must have been scheduled to appear, but didn’t. Along with another popular local group from Springfield (Randy and the Ramblers) we got to spend a few minutes with the ‘big boys’, while they filled in between bigger audiences in Chicago and St. Louis. That week, all told, with the other ‘normal’ bookings, we appeared in front of about 10,000 people—certainly a huge increase from our norms. And the best part of it all was that they paid us to do what we would have volunteered to do for free!Pretty heady stuff for high school kids!
Galen Johnson writes: “I was in the Illinois State Police and my office was in the Armory Building in Springfield during the last part of my career. One of the people I worked with, Larry Ball, discovered Ray Davies from the Kinks had scratched his name in the marble wall in one of the bathroom stalls in the basement. They used that area as a dressing room during the concert in Springfield. It remains there today. Larry is from Springfield and remembers being at that concert. Mr. John Wayne Gacy was President of the Springfield J.C.’s at the time and that club had sponsored the show in Springfield. That is why he was there. During his murder trial episode there was an article in the Springfield paper about his life in Springfield and it mentioned his involvement with this concert. I wish I had kept that article now.
The Hollywood Argyles on the Kinks tour, 1965 (a rare photo of the touring group – may include Ted Marsh, Deary Weaver, Marshall Leib, Gary “Spider” Webb, Bobby Rey and/or Ted Winters. Can anyone ID the female vocalist? -“all we knew was that she was part of the group!” – Dave
Dave & the Detomics on the Kinks tour, Decatur, Illinois, 1965The original Detomics plus new organ player Vince Slagel in the 1965 Picnic Book
The 1965 Picnic Book was a black and white advertising publication for the Morrisonville Picnic and Homecoming (published by the same folks who published the local weekly paper, the Morrisonville Times) that came out each year, and contained numerous advertisements as well as photos and schedules for the upcoming events. The Homecoming was always THE big event in the year, and I’d bet they still have the books in another form, perhaps. They still have a big crowd for the annual event every July! I believe they also still have dances during the evenings too.Fuzzy and Galen were older, Fuzzy by several years, and Galen by one year. Fuzzy really left the group not too long before he went to the Army, and while there were some hurt feelings on both sides for a while, we were able to get past it, and continue our friendship. Galen’s departure was much more planned, but ultimately he went in the Army also. During the transition between Galen and Steve, we played with 3 guitars and a bass for a while.
Nokomis Sadie Hawkins Dance, November 1965
Monte McDermith has replaced Terry Johnson on bass
Revised lineup, early 1966, from left: Bill Sheedy, Dave Bethard, Monte McDermith, Steve Westhoff and Vince Slagel. This group recorded the first Detomics single
Valentines Day dance at Litchfield, February 1966
At right is Dave’s father
Stage setup in Litchfield, notice light show below organ
Our [first] 45 was an instrumental, side A being “Detomic Orbit”, and side B being “Shatter”. By way of example about how songs and groups superimposed on one another in those days, a version of that song was the theme song for a group we idolized early in our careers, called the Shattertones. We ‘borrowed it’ for our own—the sincerest form of flattery!
Q. After I wrote about Van Records, someone from Holland wrote to me to say his copy of Dave & the Detomics’ second 45 “Why Can’t I” / “Soft White Gloves” came from a Dutch publishing company called Belinda Records that had taken out an option on this 45 to release it in the Netherlands in the ’60s, but for some reason it didn’t materialize. The Detomics came close to having a release in Europe! Amazing if true.
The news about someone else releasing it is new to me, at least, and amusing at this stage of my life.
Lillie [who wrote “Soft White Gloves”] was my mom. Both parents were into and involved with the band—my mom actually had a dream, and the lyrics came to her in the dream. When she got up, she wrote them down and gave them to me with the story. I worked only a short time before putting the music to Johnny B Goode behind the lyrics—and with an uptempo beat, it sounded pretty good. My mom gave it her stamp of approval, and Jeanne was enthusiastic about it too. A song is born!
I did find the 4 Audiodiscs (soft copy records with a metal middle layer) that Oscar Wells made for us. I ended up with more than a double CD full of songs—more than I thought we had.
None of the tracks was recorded in a studio. The 45 records were the best quality, and Oscar did those with his portable equipment in my dad’s garage (the band did adjust our volume and tone accordingly) right where we practiced every week!
The radio station tracks came from three audiodiscs that Oscar gave to us from three radio shows we did in 1966. Sort of like payment…but not exactly. Getting our butts up and on the radio at 09:30 am on a Sunday was tough—especially when we played jobs the night before, which was almost always the case.
The rest were from a session Oscar did for our use only, not for sale (to see what we really sounded like), in 1964 when Monte first joined the group — a full 33 1/3 lp of our early days, recorded (the same way) in the Morrisonville (Illinois) American Legion Home, which we rented for $50 just to do that for an evening. I still have the soft discs, and that’s where all of the CD music came from— none of it is even in stereo. At least it’s durable…has survived all these years—and now, it will live forever in the digital world!
Oscar Wells was a country boy trying to navigate in a city world, and he was somewhat out of place. He was a wonderful person, and was honest, very patient, and helpful in all of our dealings with him. That area of Central Illinois, and his show in particular were more country than rock on most days, if my memory is accurate. Any place where the ‘Swap Shop’ is a hit local radio program for years running, isn’t exactly deep in the heart of the city! Oscar did only good for us, and may he rest in peace.
The lineup that recorded “Why Can’t I” / “Soft White Gloves”, with Jeanne Eickoff
Richard Hall, a guitar student of Dave’s, with Dave’s mother Lillie and his father Clete in the back1966 show
Dave’s red ’65 GTO with the Cadillac
Detomics’ final show, December 31, 1966 from left: Jeanne Eickhoff, Bill Sheedy (on drums), Dave Bethard, Vince Slagel (on organ in back), Monte McDermith and Steve Westhoff
Vince and Jeanne were the seniors of the group when we broke up at the end of 1966—they were both in college. I had just graduated from high school, and the rest were at least a year behind me, I think—my point being—we were just kids doing pretty good work for our ages. We did several high school proms, which were just making the transition from ‘all slow songs’ to ‘a mix of slow and rock songs’, and we always were nervous about them, as we preferred rocking, to playing endless slow songs….plus we didn’t know all that many slow tunes.Dave & the Detomics disbanded after playing our final job on New Years Eve 1966. We were hired by a younger faction of the Auburn Country Club who wanted a rock band for New Years—so they got an upstairs place in downtown Auburn, and we did that job as my last one, and I still remember it like it was yesterday.
Dave Bethard at the Detomics’ final show, December 31, 1966
“During my pre-Japan Air Force leave,” 1967The Detomics jamming during Dave’s leave, 1967
After that, I went off to the Air Force in February of 1967, and the remaining band members, Monte McDermith, Steve Westoff, Vince Slagel, Jeanne Eichoff and Bill Sheedy went in other directions. All but Bill and Jeanne went to the Reactions[see clipping at bottom of that page], and, so far as I know, neither Bill or Jeanne joined any band on a full time basis after that.Those times were tough on 18 year old males not in college. There was a military draft and we all knew we would end up in the military in some manner. I just scheduled mine by enlisting, which was a very pivotal time of my life.
Galen, Terry and Dave in front of Fuzzy Johnson’s CorvetteGalen Johnson, Fuzzy Johnson and Dave Bethard
Vince and Jeanne Slagel are married, and live in Georgia after both having very successful careers outside of music. Steve Westoff still lives in Litchfield, Illinois, and is married. Bill Sheedy is married, and still living in Morrisonville, Illinois. Terry Johnson is married, still plays bass and lives in Missouri. Galen Johnson is married, still plays guitar, is a retired State Policeman, and has a successful real estate business in Pawnee, Illinois. Monte McDermith is deceased.About 4 years ago I found and reestablished contact with all of our band members that are still living, and with Monte’s dad and family. I was also able to locate and make contact with Jeanne Weber, our band manager from the earlier days, who is also now deceased.
I live in Florida, I’m married to a woman I met in my Air Force tour in Japan in 1970, and I’m retired after an aerospace career, and still own, but rarely play guitar. We are all still friends, and communicate on occasion.
Dave Bethard, 2012
Terry ‘Fuzzy’ Johnson in front of his Corvette, 1967
Bill Sheedy, 1967
Two views of the original Detomics: Galen Johnson, Dave Bethard, Bill Sheedy and Terry Johnson. Above, 1964: “I was still using a Spiegel catalog guitar–before upgrading to Fender equipment.” Below: “from a jam session we had when I was on leave in 1967 before going to Japan – October time frame.”
The Raphaels from top left: David Leroux, Claude Gravel, Greig Lund, Daryl Wadsworth and Pete Christensen
Until now, this 45 by the Raphaels has been unknown outside of Ottawa collectors circles. Both songs are well-written mid-tempo numbers with harmonies.There’s not much info on the label other than Ottawa, Canada 1965 and the matrix number QC 272. The QC prefix indicates a Quality label custom pressing.The songs are “Someday” by Peter Christensen and “I Change My Mind” by Dave Leroux.
I didn’t know anything about the group until Alex Taylor commented, below. I’ll repeat his comment here in its entirety:
The Raphaels, like The Beaux Geste, were among the most promising garage bands from the Ottawa-Gatineau scene, and that too this day, remain the least known. Their single was cut at HH Bloom studios on Bank Street in Ottawa (the QC prefix was Bloom’s own). This was the same place that Don Norman & The Other Four had cut “Mustang Sally” and where Those Naughty Boys made their first demos too. Only a couple hundred copies of The Raphaels single exists (the single was custom pressed in Toronto by Quality Records).
As for The Raphaels, they fell apart at the close of 1966, right around the same time The Skaliwags were breaking apart. In early 1967, Raphaels member Pete Christensen joined up with the remaining Skaliwags for a second stab at fame!
Since first writing this post, David Leroux wrote to me with more info about the group:
David (Dave) Leroux: Lead vocals and lead guitar Claude Gravel: Rhythm guitar and vocals Peter Christensen: Bass guitar and vocals Daryl Wadsworth: Organ and vocals Greig Lund: Drums and vocals
My name is David Leroux and I was a member of the Raphaels. The Raphaels name came from the artist/painter Raphael. My school principal suggested it in my Rideau High School days. Since I was one of the early folks with long hair not yet allowed in schools at that time, I quickly agreed with him! He said we were all good artists!
We were always a definite part of the “BIG 12” shows. The “action” pictures from from those shows.
My Mom made all our frill shirts…and that my sister ironed them for each gig! My poor Mom was our biggest fan but passed away in 1973 at the age of 42 from cancer. The shorts and suspenders were my idea. In those days the friendly rivalry between bands was pretty cool. Everyone was looking for that little edge over the other for recognition … quite fun at times.
I still cherish and hold safely the original metal press of the record!
The website finding was an incredibly timed event. We have not seen each other in about 40 years. Two of the members last month accidently found themselves standing at an ATM machine and then recognized each other. They knew where I was located through some previous email contacts. We are having a band reunion this coming Saturday as a result!
After the finish of the The Raphaels, I eventually formed a new band called “A Group Called BUBS” with my brother, Ralph, from the Skaliwags and guitar player, John Bacho along with other local musicians of the times. The “BUBS” had a very successful time and then we all decided it was time to say it was fun and time to move forward. CFRA radio gave us an incredible farewell concert at Pineland of those days. We all moved on in life but have maintained contact and reunion times over the years.
I am now moved on as a Labour Law Advisor with the Federal Department of Labour working and living in Kingston, Ontario.
David Leroux, August 2012
Thank you to Dan Lee Laymann for sending the scans and transfers of the 45 and alerting me to its existence. Special thanks to David Leroux for the photos and news clips seen here, except where noted.
Raphaels, OttawaPeter Christensen of the RaphaelsDaryl Wadsworth of the RaphaelsDavid Leroux of the RaphaelsClaude Gravel of the RaphaelsThe RaphaelsRaphaels Agency Photo, thanks to Ivan Amirault for this scanThe Raphaels in POT, December 1966 Thanks to Alex Taylor for this scan
Raphaels profiled in POT, December 15, 1966Raphaels featured in CFRA Swing SetRapahels in the Ottawa CitizenRaphaels reviewed by Ian Connerty
First lineup, circa early 1961, from left: Roger Bluck, Frankie Reid, John Donald, Pete Stretch and Danny McCulloch
Originally published November, 2010, revised June 2012
From Ealing in West London, R&B band Frankie Reid & The Casuals were notable for containing several musicians that went on to fame and fortune in later years.
Frankie Reid & The Casuals #1 (Late 1960)
Frankie Reid – vocals Mick Cosgrave – lead guitar (replaced before first gig) John Donald – rhythm guitar Danny McCulloch – bass Mick Revelle – drums (replaced by Peter Stretch early on)
Born in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), Frankie Reid and his brother Ralph started performing in 1957 as the Reid Brothers. In February 1960, they moved to London and in their first week in the capital entered and won a talent contest, held at the Shepherd’s Bush Hotel.
In September, Frankie Reid was introduced to the manager of the Kew Boathouse in Kew, Middlesex, who hired him to sing at the club with the three resident bands – Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers, Pat Creswell & The Crescents and Ray & The Riversiders. Signed up for six months, he performed six songs a night, split between each band.
Turning down an offer to play another six months at the Kew Boathouse, Reid chose instead to form his own group. Hearing about The Casuals who needed a new singer after Tony Craven had left; Reid met the musicians – John Donald, Mick Cosgrave, Danny McCullough and Mick Revelle – at a rehearsal hall in Askew Road, Shepherd’s Bush.
Originally known as The Avro Boys, who had won a talent contest at the Gaumont in Shepherd’s Bush, the group appeared in a BBC documentary on how the guitar had taken over from the piano in the home. Produced by Ken Russell, “Guitar Craze – From Spain to Streatham” was screened on BBC TV’s “Monitor”, presented by Huw Weldon. Soon afterwards, the group linked up with singer Tony Craven and became Tony Craven & The Casuals.
Not long after Frankie Reid had joined forces with The Casuals, the band took on Bill Dunton as their manager. Dunton sold his Ford Zodiac/Zephyr to buy a van, which was painted with the band’s name and the individual group members’ names on the side.
Despite rehearsing about 60 songs, Mick Cosgrave left before a single gig and Roger Black (aka Bluck) took over on lead guitar. Soon after, Peter Stretch came in for Mick Revelle.
Frankie Reid & The Casuals #2 (Late 1960-late 1961)
Frankie Reid – vocals Roger Bluck – lead guitar John Donald – rhythm guitar Danny McCulloch – bass Peter Stretch – drums
One of the group’s earliest gigs was at the Pitshanger Lane Youth Club. The second line up also played at Battersea Town Hall and was regulars at the Brixton Maccabi Jewish club, St Mary’s Hall in Putney, the White Hart in Southall, Middlesex and the Clay Pigeon in Eastcote, Middlesex.
Sometime in late 1961, Peter Stretch left and a very young Mitch Mitchell took over. Originally from Ealing, Mitchell had taken drum lessons at Jim Marshall’s shop and was recommended to Reid by Marshall. Mitchell had briefly worked with The Crescents before joining The Casuals.
Frankie Reid & The Casuals #3 (Late 1961-spring 1962)
Frankie Reid – vocals Roger Bluck – lead guitar John Donald – rhythm guitar Danny McCulloch – bass Mitch Mitchell – drums
In early 1962, Roger Bluck, who worked at EMI as a record cover designer, got the opportunity to do some session work backing a pianist on an instrumental single and called the other Casuals to see if they could participate. Unfortunately, only Donald could make it and subsequently the session was cancelled.
A few months later both Donald and Bluck departed. While Donald would join Brian Connell & The Countdowns for about six months in 1963, Bluck would go on to become a member of David Bowie’s early group Davey Jones & The King Bees in November 1963. From there, he went on to play with The Spectrum from 1964-1968. Ian Holland came in on lead guitar and the band continued as a four-piece.
Frankie Reid & The Casuals #4 (spring 1962)
Frankie Reid – vocals Ian Holland – lead guitar Danny McCulloch – bass Mitch Mitchell – drums
The new line up played gigs at St Mary’s Hall, Putney, the Ealing Club, Acton Town Hall, Ealing Town Hall, Wembley Town Hall, the White Hart in Southall, Middlesex and Southall Community Centre.
Frankie Reid & The Casuals #5 (May-circa July 1962)
Frankie Reid – vocals Ian Holland – lead guitar Brian Mansell – rhythm guitar Danny McCulloch – bass Mitch Mitchell – drums
Brian Mansell, a rhythm guitarist from Whitton, Middlesex had been playing with Mike Dee & The Jaywalkers, who changed name to The Condors in April 1962 for one tour. When the band’s guitarist Ritchie Blackmore left to join Screaming Lord Sutch & The Savages, The Condors split and Mansell got a job with Frankie Reid & The Casuals. Soon after he joined, Mansell lobbied for his former band mate, Terry Mabey, to take over from Mitch Mitchell.
Mitchell was given his marching orders and joined Peter Nelson & The Travellers with lead singer Pete Nelson, bass player Tony Ross, rhythm guitarist Tony Hall and lead guitarist Vic Briggs (who years later joined Eric Burdon & The New Animals). In subsequent years, Mitchell played with Johnny Harris & The Shades, The Soul Messengers, The Next 5, The Riot Squad and Georgie Fame & The Blue Flames before ultimately finding fame and fortune with The Jimi Hendrix Experience in September 1966.
Notable gigs:
26 May 1962 – White Hart, Southall, Middlesex
27 May 1962 – Clay Pigeon, Eastcote, Middlesex
31 May 1962 – Gifford School, Northolt, Middlesex
2 June 1962 – St Mary’s Hall, Putney, Surrey
9 June 1962 – White Hart, Southall, Middlesex
11 June 1962 – Boathouse, Kew, Surrey
14 June 1962 – Hatfield College (Hatfield, Hertfordshire?)
15 June 1962 – Poplar Town Hall, Poplar, London
16 June 1962 – St Mary’s Hall, Putney, Surrey
17 June 1962 – Invicta Ballroom, Chatham, Kent
18 June 1962 – Howard Hall, Ponders End, Enfield
22 June 1962 – Poplar Town Hall, Poplar, London
23 June 1962 – White Hart, Southall, Middlesex
25 June 1962 – Clay Pigeon, Eastcote, Middlesex
26 June 1962 – Roxeth School, South Harrow, Middlesex
29 June 1962 – Wimbledon Palais, Wimbledon
30 June 1962 – St Mary’s Hall, Putney, Surrey
2 July 1962 – Clay Pigeon, Eastcote, Middlesex
6 July 1962 – White Hart, Southall, Middlesex
7 July 1962 – Atheneon, Muswell Hill, London
8 July 1962 – Irish club, Cricklewood, Middlesex
13 July 1962 – Woking (Atlanta Ballroom?), Surrey
14 July 1962 – Royal Oak, Dagenham, Essex
Frankie Reid & The Casuals #6 (Circa July-September 1962)
Frankie Reid – vocals Ian Holland – lead guitar Brian Mansell – rhythm guitar Danny McCulloch – bass Terry Mabey – drums
Having only joined the band a few months earlier, Brian Mansell handed in his notice at the end of September and dropped out of the music scene for several years, returning in 1966 with Sunbury, Middlesex band, The Missing Links.
The following year, he joined The All Night Workers and stuck with this group until 1969.
When Mabey wasn’t well enough to perform, Derek Sirmon, who had attended Kneller school in Twickenham, Middlesex with Brian Mansell and Terry Mabey, filled in on drums.
Notable gigs:
19 July 1962 – Hatfield College, (Hatfield, Hertfordshire?)
20 July 1962 – Hendon, Middlesex
21 July 1962 – Stanwell, Middlesex (afternoon)
21 July 1962 – Atheneon, Muswell Hill (afternoon)
22 July 1962 – Irish club, Cricklewood, Middlesex
24 July 1962 – Park Ballroom, Southampton, Hants
25 July 1962 – Hillingdon, Middlesex
27 July 1962 – Crayford Town Hall, Crayford, Kent
28 July 1962 – Tiptree, Essex
29 July 1962 – Invicta Ballroom, Chatham, Kent
1 August 1962 – Hillingdon, Middlesex
3 August 1962 – Hendon, Middlesex
4 August 1962 – Botwell Club, Hayes, Middlesex
9 August 1962 – Hatfield (Hatfield, Hertfordshire?)
10 August 1962 – Woking (Atlanta Ballroom?), Surrey
11 August 1962 – St Mary’s Hall, Putney, Surrey
15 August 1962 – Hillingdon, Middlesex
17 August 1962 – Winchester, Hants
18 August 1962 – St Mary’s Ballroom, Putney, Surrey
19 August 1962 – Southall Community Centre, Southall, Middlesex
22 August 1962 – Clay Pigeon, Eastcote, Middlesex
24 August 1962 – White Hart, Southall, Middlesex
25 August 1962 – White Hart, Southall, Middlesex
31 August 1962 – Park Ballroom, Middlesex
1 September 1962 – Botwell Club, Hayes, Middlesex
5 September 1962 – Hillingdon, Middlesex
7 September 1962 – Finchley, Middlesex
9 September 1962 – Carlton Ballroom, Slough, Berkshire
14 September 1962 – Dormers Pioneer Club, Southall, Middlesex
15 September 1962 – St Mary’s Ballroom, Putney, Surrey
16 September 1962 – Invicta Ballroom, Chatham, Kent
22 September 1962 – White Hart, Southall, Middlesex
28 September 1962 – Crayford Town Hall, Crayford, Kent
Frankie Reid & The Casuals #7 (October 1962)
Frankie Reid – vocals Ian Holland – lead guitar Danny McCulloch – bass Terry Mabey or Derek Sirmon – drums
Reduced to a four-piece, this was another short-lived line up of Frankie Reid & The Casuals.
In October 1962, Derek Sirmon and Danny McCulloch left to join Screaming Lord Sutch & The Savages.
Frankie Reid & The Casuals #8 (October 1962-circa February 1963)
Frankie Reid – vocals Ian Holland – lead guitar Steve Hargreaves – bass Terry Mabey – drums (replaced by Bill Dunton)
This was yet another short-lived line up of the band. In early 1963, Terry Mabey left to join Ealing band, James Royal & The Hawks.
Bill Dunton took over the drums for a while but didn’t stay long.
Notable gigs:
21 January 1963 – White Hart, Southall, Middlesex (the band plays every Monday)
28 January 1963 – White Hart, Southall, Middlesex (the band plays every Monday)
Photo: Surrey Advertiser
2-3 February 1963 – Plaza, Guildford, Surrey (Surrey Advertiser)
Ealing Town Hall, early 1963, from left: Ian Holland, Frankie Reid and Steve Hargreaves with John Kerrison at back
Frankie Reid & The Casuals #9 (Circa February-April 1963)
Frankie Reid – vocals Ian Holland – lead guitar Chris Jackson – rhythm guitar Steve Hargreaves – bass John Kerrison – drums
John Kerrison attended Mellow Lane in Hayes in Middlesex where Keith Grant of The Downliners Sect also went to school.
At the age of 14, Kerrison played with The Cossacks from Greenford, Middlesex. The group’s line up also included Keith Lewis (lead guitar/vocals) and Merv Lewis (bass).
From there, he hooked up with Paul & The Alpines, featuring Paul Lonergan (vocals); Ray Kirkham (lead guitar); Dave Dove (bass) and Alf Fripp (rhythm guitar).
Managed by Sid Foreman, the band worked quite a bit for the Roy Tempest Agency. It was while he was drumming with this band that Kerrison got the call to audition for Frankie Reid & The Casuals at the Viaduct Pub in Hanwell, Middlesex after Bill Dunton left.
Soon after he joined, the band reverted to a five-piece by adding Chris Jackson on rhythm guitar.
Ian Holland and Steve Hargreaves both left in spring 1963, although Hargreaves would re-join Frankie Reid in later years in his group, The Powerhouse.
Ian Holland (sometimes known as Hollands) went to record with The Legends and also played with The Magic Roundabout.
Notable gigs:
25 March 1963 – King George’s Hall, Esher, Surrey
Botwell House, Hayes, Middlesex (late 1963), from left: Chris Jackson, Reg Bodman, Frankie Reid, John Kerrison and Mick Liber. Thank you to John Kerrison for the use of the photo.
Frankie Reid & The Casuals #10 (Circa April 1963-December 1964)
Frankie Reid – vocals Mick Liber – lead guitar Reg Bodman – bass Chris Jackson – rhythm guitar John Kerrison – drums
Scots-born lead guitarist Mick Liber’s first notable band was Ealing group Clay Alison & The Searchers led by guitarist and future lawyer, Andre de Moller.
Liber was also friends with Pete Townshend, who had rented a flat off Liber’s dad in Sunnyside Road in Ealing during his time at Ealing Art College, and taught Liber how to play feedback.
Originally from Peckham in south London, Reg Bodman had started out in 1960 with local band, The Talismen, which included drummer Al Alison from Emile Ford & The Checkmates for a while.
When Frankie Reid & The Casuals broke up in the December 1964, John Kerrison joined The Rocking Eccentrics and then went on to work with The Horizons, The Dae-b-Four, The New Pirates, Episode Six and The Beachcombers.
Reg Bodman filled in for a number of bands around the Ealing area, including The Ealing Redcaps, The Pirates and Morgan James before joining a soul band in Southeast London called The Sassenachs, who played top Soho clubs like the Flamingo and the Marquee.
After playing with this band for over ten years, Bodman relocated to Kent and worked with the blues band TwoSixNine. He then went on to work with a soul band in Dorset (where he currently lives) called Soul Intention.
Mick Liber had guested with Ealing group, The Unit 4 led by his friend Frank Kennington from mid-1964.
The pair reunited in Sydney, Australia in January 1965 and formed a new (Australian) version of Unit 4 (see pic below).
Photo may be subject to copyright: Frank Kennington (second left) and Mick Liber (far right). Unit 4 in Sydney, Australia 1965.
They also worked together in The Denvermen before forming the original Python Lee Jackson in Sydney, Australia in December 1965.
Liber returned to the UK with a new version of Python Lee Jackson in October 1968 and subsequently reunited with Frankie Reid (see below).
Frankie Reid dropped out of the music scene briefly before returning in 1968 with a new band, The Powerhouse, which he led until 1974.
Frankie Reid & The Casuals at Botwell House, 1964. Thank you to Frankie Reid for use of the photo.
Notable gigs:
23 May 1963 – Ealing Club, Ealing, Middlesex (Thursday)
13 June 1963 – Ealing Club, Ealing, Middlesex with Jimmy Royal & The Hawks (Thursday)
20 June 1963 – Ealing Club, Ealing, Middlesex with Jimmy Royal & The Hawks (Thursday)
30 July 1963 – Top Twenty Nite Club, Swindon, Wiltshire
9 February 1964 – Ealing Club, Ealing, Middlesex (Sunday)
11 April 1964 – Rock Stars, Adeyfield Hall, Hemel Hempstead, Herts with Sounds Five (Hertfordshire and Hemel Hempstead Gazette and West Herts Advertiser)
20 April 1964 – Ealing Club, Ealing, Middlesex (Monday) (Billed as The Casuals)
27 April 1964 – Ealing Club, Ealing, Middlesex (Monday) (Billed as The Casuals)
18 June 1964 – Ealing Club, Ealing, Middlesex (Thursday)
25 June 1964 – Ealing Club, Ealing, Middlesex (Thursday)
30 June 1964 – Jolly Gardeners, Isleworth, Middlesex with Mark Leemen Five (billed Frankie Reed & The Casuals)
2 July 1964 – Ealing Club, Ealing, Middlesex (Thursday)
9 July 1964 – Ealing Club, Ealing, Middlesex (Thursday)
16 July 1964 – Ealing Club, Ealing, Middlesex (Thursday)
23 July 1964 – Ealing Club, Ealing, Middlesex (Thursday)
25 July 1964 – “The Cavern” at the West Cliff Hall (near Ramsgate), Kent with The Satans
30 July 1964 – Ealing Club, Ealing, Middlesex (Thursday)
17 September 1964 – Ealing Club, Ealing, Middlesex (Thursday) (special guest Jimmy Royal)
Photo: Harrow Observer & Gazette
24 September 1964 – Ealing Club, Ealing, Middlesex with Jimmy Royal & The Hawks (Thursday)
25 September 1964 – Lynx Club, Borehamwood, Herts with The Fenmen (Simon Gee research – see comments section below)
26 November 1964 – Ealing Town Hall, Ealing, Middlesex with The Second Thoughts
28 November 1964 – Dreamland Ballroom, Margate, Kent with The Applejacks
29 November 1964 – Rocky Rivers Top 20 Club, Conservative Club, Bedford
The original Powerhouse in 1968/1969 from left: Steve Hargreaves, Peter Abbot and Frankie ReidThe original Powerhouse in 1968/1969 from left: Steve Hargreaves (obscured, on bass), Peter Abbot, Frankie Reid and Mick Liber
Frankie Reid & The Powerhouse (1968-1969)
Frankie Reid – lead vocals Mick Liber – lead guitar Steve Hargreaves – bass Peter Abbot – drums
Frankie Reid returned to the West London live scene with The Powerhouse, featuring former Casuals bass player Steve Hargreaves.
After arriving back in England from Australia in late 1968, Liber reunited with his old band leader.
In 1969, the latest version of Python Lee Jackson, which included drummer David Montgomery, recorded the classic “In A Broken Dream” with Rod Stewart.
In 1970, Liber introduced Montgomery, keyboard player David Bentley and former Easybeats drummer Tony Cahill, who was now playing bass, all current members of the UK-based Python Lee Jackson, to the latest line up of Frankie Reid’s Powerhouse. The second incarnation recorded some material that remains unreleased.
The 1970 Powerhouse, photo courtesy of Frankie Reid, From left: Tony Cahill, Dave Montgomery (on drums, obscured), Frankie Reid and Mick LiberFrom left: Frankie Reid, Tony Cahill, Dave Montgomery and Mick Liber. Photo courtesy of Frankie Reid
Frankie Reid & The Powerhouse (1970)
Frankie Reid – lead vocals Mick Liber – lead guitar David Bentley – organ Tony Cahill – bass David Montgomery – drums
(Early-mid 1970s) John Hawken – piano Neil Korner – bass
While working with The Powerhouse, Liber also toured and recorded with Ashton, Gardner & Dyke. Together with Bentley, Cahill and Montgomery, he continued to record with Python Lee Jackson, and later did studio work with Third World War and live work with Thunderclap Newman. In 1973, Liber returned to Australia and continued to perform with a number of artists, most notably Dana Gillespie and Blerta.
After The Powerhouse split up in 1974, Frankie Reid formed The Frankie Reid Band. In 1978, he formed Flying Fox with drum legend Carlo Little and bass player Nick Simper, best known for being an original member of Deep Purple. In November 1979, however, he emigrated to Australia and currently lives in Perth.
Many people helped piece this story together. Thanks to Frankie Reid, particularly for the use of photos/images.
Thanks to Brian Mansell for the list of concert dates from May-September 1962, which were taken from his diary.
I’d also like to credit John Kerrison, Mick Liber, John Donald, Colin Reece, Nick Simper, Reg Bodman and Terry Mabey for their invaluable input.
Concert dates were also taken from several newspapers, including the Ampthill News & Weekly Record, East Kent Times & Mail, Harrow Observer, Middlesex County Times & West Middlesex Gazette, the Middlesex Chronicle (Hounslow Edition), Surrey Comet and Swindon Evening Advertiser.
I have tried to ensure the accuracy of this article but I appreciate that there are likely to be errors and omissions. I would appreciate any feedback from anyone who can provide any additions or corrections.
The Eccentrics, 1965, back row, from left: John Kerrison, Bruce Watts (sitting) and Mick Liddell (sunglasses) Front row, left to right: Roy Robinson and Peter Maggs
Mick Liddell – vocals Peter Maggs – lead guitar Roy Robinson – bass Bruce Watts – rhythm guitar John Kerrison – drums
Middlesex County Times and Gazette, May 1965
Originally called The Henchmen, this Ealing group included lead singer Dave Kaye (real name: Dave Tregwin), bass player Roy Robinson, rhythm guitarist Bruce Watts and drummer Clive Buckie, who had played alongside Ritchie Blackmore in The Dominators.
In 1962, Peter Maggs, who’d been a very early member of The Downliners with Don Craine from 1959-1962, took over lead guitar.
Mick Liddell replaced Dave Kaye on lead vocals in mid-1964 and the group changed name to The Rockin’ Eccentrics. In late November/early December, John Kerrison from Frankie Reid & The Casuals took over from Clive Buckie.
Eccentrics Pye promo for “What You Got”Sometime around April-May 1965, they shortened the name to The Eccentrics and recorded a cover of Gerry Goffin and Carole King’s “What You Got” backed by “Fe Fi Fo Fum” for Pye Records. After playing the UK scene, The Eccentrics were allegedly the first British band to pass an audition for the famous Piper Club in Rome.
Travelling to ‘Italy, The Eccentrics played the Rome club in June 1965 and later returned to Italy.
At the Piper Club, Rome, June 1965. Photo may be subject to copyright
During July Kerrison left to return to the UK and was replaced by John “Speedy” Keen from Ealing band, The Second Thoughts. Keen, of course, later went on to found Thunderclap Newman.
Liddell also left at this point and the remaining members brought in singer Romano Morandi (ex-Equipe Ottanta Quattro) and played gigs in northern Italy before returning to the UK in January 1966 and disbanding. Liddell meanwhile put together a new band called Gli Atomi, who recorded a number of singles in 1965-1966.
Back in England, John Kerrison joined Slough-based band The Horizons with singer Rod Evans, lead guitarist Colin Butt and bass player Len Hawkes.
Evans would later become lead singer with Deep Purple after working with The Maze while Hawkes would join The Tremeloes after playing with Davey Sands & The Essex.
The Horizons had work lined up in Berlin during August-September 1965 and played gigs for a few months after which Kerrison returned to the UK. In October 1965, he joined Hounslow favourites The Dae-b-Four.
Kerrison would later reunite with Mick Liddell in Italy for a one-off recording during 1966.
John Kerrison (far left) reunited with Mick Liddell in Italy in 1966
However, in February 1967, he joined The New Pirates alongside lead guitarist Mick Stewart, bass player Nick Simper and keyboard player Johnny Carroll.
By the summer, however, the band had split and Kerrison worked with Episode Six and then The Beachcombers (Keith Moon’s early 1960s band).
Notable gigs (as The Rockin’ Eccentrics unless noted)
30 November 1964 – Ealing Club, Ealing, Middlesex (Monday) (Middlesex County Times & West Middlesex Gazette)
Frankenstein & the Monsters, article from the Lincolnshire Standard, April 2, 1965
Above are rare photos of Frankenstein & the Monsters playing at the Woodhall Spa Hockey Club dance at Coronation Hall on Saturday, March 27, 1965. Woodhall Spa is east of Sheffield & Manchester, and a few hours north of London.Likely the act was capitalizing on the horror-rock show of Screaming Lord Sutch. The article describes what it was like to be at the show:
“…the sound building up to a crescendo of cacophony and din spread over half-an-hour and with increasing tempo, subdued lighting and flashing lights, was designed, and succeeded in stirring the pulse and the imagination.”‘
Frankenstein was vocalist Ray Stuart from Manchester, the rest of the group seems to have changed frequently over the next year. This photo seems to be an early line up of the group, named in the article as:
Paul Jarvis – bass Budg. P. Curtis – lead guitar Andy Fearn – drums Royce Francis – organ
Royce Francis played with the Upsetters, a group of English musicians formed in France in 1964 that toured the continent over the next several years, often with singer Pete Lancaster. The Upsetters backed Pete on two German releases, the single “Stupitidy” (sic – should read “Stupidity”) and “Baby, Baby, Baby” on Polydor International from 1966, and the LP Rhythm and Blues Show on Polydor from 1967. Anyone have good scans of those?
I’m not sure if Royce was with the Upsetters for their entire run, as this gig with Frankenstein and the Monsters would overlap.
The Upsetters included Derek Moore (bass), John C Marshall (guitar), Jim Clapper (tenor sax), Alvino Sykes (drums) and Royce Francis (organ). Also at some point, Ron Howden, who with Derek Moore would later join the Prophets before evolving into Nektar.
Andy Fearn played with the Barry Norton Four along with Pete Brown (lead guitar) and Dave Robinson (bass). I’m not sure who Budg. P. Curtis is.
Sometime after this show Ray Stuart found another backing band, the Sheffields. The Sheffields consisted of Roy Ledger, Dave Fawcett and Richard Smith, and cut legendary 45s on Pye in 1964: “It Must Be Love” / “Say Girl” (Pye 7N 15600), “Got My Mojo Working” / “Hey, Hey Lover Boy” (Pye 7N 15627), and “Bags Groove (Skat Walking)” / “Plenty of Love” (Pye 7N 15767, also Dot 45-16722 in the US).
At the end of 1965 however, The Sheffields went their own way before splitting ( lead guitarist Roy Ledger joined Dave Berry’s Cruisers) and Ray Stuart approached Dave Robinson, Phil Galley and Spud West to form a ‘new’ Monsters – eventually acquiring the services of former Monster’s bass player from the 1964/5 line up, Paul Jarvis.
This was the line up for the duration of 1966 with the band proving the most popular in their home city of Sheffield. Spud West played the part of The Mummy in the horror show and introduced the wonderful new trick of setting himself on fire as he left the coffin, until it got out of hand at Worsley Civic Hall when the fire hose had to be employed!
The band frequently appeared at The Oasis, Jung Frau, Top 20 Club at Droylsden as well as Bolton Palais and similar surrounding venues.
How do I know? I was lead guitarist in that line up before we became the fourth generation of Dave Berry’s Cruisers.
This is the first single by the Uruguay group Ovni 87, released in 1969 on a local RCA subsidiary, Vik Records #31-UZ-1007.It came with an oversize sleeve of about 7 1/2 inches, which guarantees most of them have since been lost, tattered or bent, and mine is no exception, having been stuck to some other record on the reverse.
The back sleeve gives some info on the band:
Gabriel Gomez – lead guitar Alvaro Rosas – rhythm guitar Alvaro Galante – bass guitar Mario Talento – drums Ruben A. Melogño – vocals
“Algo fugaz” (literally “Something Fleeting”) is a fine dreamy pop song with good harmony vocals. The flip Sueño un camino” (“Dream a Way”) is something else altogether, a unique rhythmic background for what is essentially a ballad.
Ruben Melogno wrote “Sueño un camino”, while Alvaro Rosas wrote “Algo fugaz”. Production by Carlos Piriz, and illustration by Nebur Oñgolem. Odd notes (mostly obliterated on my sleeve) by Leirbag Zemog (read it backwards) tie in with the group’s name, which translates to UFO 87.
Ovni 87 has at least one other single, with the excellent psychedelic pop song, “Siento”, and a song I haven’t heard yet, “No tengo valor”
The original group was together from 1966-68. In 1969 all the band left except Melogño who formed an entirely new group, including Freddy Anzorena (guitar), Atilio Fonseca (organ), Miguel Dodera (bass) and Hermes Calabria (drums). Later additions included Leonardo Goldberg on bass and Omar Picún on percussion.
The group dissolved in 1971 and Ruben Melogño joined the prog group Psiglo as their lead singer.
Information on the band from cualquiercosamenossordo.blogspot.com/2011/04/vieja-musica-uruguaya-parte-chu.html [which has become defunct since writing this].
The Unit 4, from left: Ian Gomm, Martin Davis and Frank Kennington
Frank Kennington – lead vocals Ian Gomm – rhythm guitar/lead guitar and vocals Martin Davis – bass Simon Behar – drums
+ Mick Liber – lead guitar
Ian Gomm
The band started around 1962/1963 and was formed by Ian Gomm, Martin Davis and Simon Behar, who were all pupils at Ealing County School for Boys (another student was Lee Brilleaux who later formed Dr Feelgood).
Soon after forming, Frank Kennington, who was older than the others, joined as lead singer and they became Unit 4 (not to be confused with the Unit 4 + 2).
One of the bands Unit 4 opened for around 1963 was Del Angelo & The Detours, which included singer Del Angelo, lead guitarist Roger Daltry, rhythm guitarist Pete Townshend and bass player/horn player John Entwistle. The latter three went on to become The High Numbers and more famously, The Who.
Kennington became a close friend of The Who and would work with that band in later years. Mick Liber, who was playing with Frankie Reid & The Casuals and (and previously) Clay Alison & The Searchers (Ed. Liber had been taught feedback by Pete Townshend), guested with Unit 4 from the summer of 1964.
Simon Behar and Frank KenningtonFrank Kennington
Around October 1964, Kennington left England and moved to Sydney, Australia, and Unit 4 broke up.
Liber subsequently re-joined Frank Kennington in Sydney on 28 January 1965 after leaving Frankie Reid & The Casuals.
The pair formed a new version of Unit 4 (see pic below), who included (at various times) Australians Lloyd Hardy (bass), Roger Homan (rhythm guitar) and John Webber (drums) plus British expat, Shane Duckham (harmonica). However, the revived band was short-lived.
Photo may be subject to copyright: Unit 4 in Sydney, Australia during early 1965. Frank Kennington (second left) and Mick Liber (far right). Photo also shows John Webber (far left) and Roger Homan (second right).
By mid-1965, Kennington had briefly joined Sydney group, The Missing Links and then reunited with Liber in The Denvermen.
They then left to form the original version of Python Lee Jackson in December 1965, named by Liber’s former band leader from Clay Alison & The Searchers – Andre de Moller, who was living in Sydney at the time.
Kennington was subsequently deported and returned to the UK, where he roadied for The Who and eventually moved into rock management. He was Motorhead’s first road manager and moved out to California in the 1970s. He died in 1998.
Liber kept Python Lee Jackson going with various different line ups and recorded a string of singles for CBS. After working with Australian rock legend, Billy Thorpe, he reformed Python Lee Jackson and returned to the UK around October 1968.
After the London-based Unit 4 broke up in late 1964, Ian Gomm and Martin Davis went on to work with local band, The Unknowns.
Gomm subsequently played with West London bands The Triangle, The Generation and The Daisy Showband before joining Brinsley Schwarz in September 1970.
He co-wrote Nick Lowe’s worldwide hit “Cruel to Be Kind” with Lowe when they were both members of Brinsley Schwarz. He also had his own US top twenty hit “Hold On” in 1979 when the Ian Gomm Band supported Dire Straits on their epic “Sultans of Swing” US tour. “Hold On” was Stiff Records’ only US chart success.
Great thanks to Ian Gomm for supplying the photos (apart from the Australian Unit 4) and background information. Also, thanks to Mick Liber for his contributions and putting me in touch with Ian.
The Dae-b-Four, spring 1965, from left to right: Iain Pitwell, Rex Brayley, Bobby Dean, Brian Brayley and Roger SideyThe Dae-b-Four, live, early 1966. From left to right: Rex Brayley, Iain Pitwell and Brian Brayley
Rex Brayley – lead guitar/vocals
Brian Brayley – rhythm guitar
Roger Sidey – bass
Kenny Slade – drums
Jimmy Trimmer – lead vocals
Bob Carpenter – drums
Bobby Dean – drums
Iain Pitwell – lead vocals
Malcolm Randall – drums
John Kerrison – drums
Brothers Rex and Brian Brayley had first come to prominence with Tony Liddle & the Lads, a Hounslow band formed in 1962. The band also comprised singer Tony Liddle, bass player Roger Sidey and drummer Yan Kuttlevasher.
In mid-1964, Sheffield drummer Kenny Slade replaced Kuttlevasher after playing with Dave Berry & The Cruisers. When Tony Liddle left soon after, the group became The Dae-b-Four.
Not long after the name change, the musicians were joined by new lead singer Jimmy Trimmer. Then in early 1965, Bob Carpenter took over from Kenny Slade on drums. Slade joined The Sheffields and later worked with Joe Cocker.
Carpenter didn’t stay very long, however, and Bobby Dean from rival Hounslow band, The Stringbeats took over that spring. Dean introduced his friend, singer Iain Pitwell, who took over from Jimmy Trimmer when he departed.
However, Dean left in August 1965 to work with another local group, The Valkeries. Malcolm Randall from Rey Anton & The Peppermint Men took his place briefly. The line-up remained steady until November 1965 when John Kerrison came in on drums after playing in Germany with The Horizons. Kerrison had previously been a member of Frankie Reid & The Casuals and The Rocking Eccentrics.
Malcolm Randall later reunited with Pitwell in The All Night Workers in October 1967 after working as a freelance drummer and The Missing Links in the interim.
The new line up lasted until about August 1966 when Kerrison departed and subsequently joined Mick Liddell & Gli Atomi in Rome, Italy. The band recorded the track “La Mia Inghilterra”, after which Kerrison returned to the UK. By February 1967, Kerrison had linked up with Johnny Kidd’s former band, The Pirates. He then played with Episode Six and The Beachcombers. The Dae-b-Four carried on with another drummer.
In March 1967, Rex Brayley struck gold when he joined The Love Affair.
Iain Pitwell meanwhile reunited with Malcolm Randall in The All Night Workers in October 1967.
Notable gigs:
30 March 1965 – Elms Club, South Harrow, Middlesex with Distortion
20 April 1965 – Elms Club, South Harrow, Middlesex with Bluesology (featuring future Elton John on piano)
2 July 1965 – London Cavern, Holland Park, west London with The Initial Four (Kensington Post)
6 July 1965 1965 – London Cavern, Holland Park, west London with The Tribe (Kensington Post)
24 August 1965 – Jolly Gardeners, Isleworth, west London
Many thanks to Rex Brayley for the photos and input. Thanks also to Iain Pitwell, John Kerrison and Malcolm Randall. Thanks to Don Hughes too for his help in piecing the story together.
Don Hughes is selling a three-track picture sleeve single, with three previously unreleased tracks. For more information, email: donhughes345@btinternet.com
Kenny Slade lineup, 1964. From left to right: Rex Brayley, Roger Sidey, Kenny Slade and Brian BrayleyNewspaper clipping, 1 October 1965Gig, 25 September 1965
Kevin Longendyke found this excellent band photo in Richmond, Virginia and was trying to determine who the band is. Chandler Edmunds wrote in with information about the group:
The band’s name is The Earthquakes from Virginia Beach. Drummer is Chuck Martak. Middle guitar player is Doug Christdon. Right guitar player named Ric (that’s all I have), and the other guitar player remains unnamed.
I understand these guys were in a bad car accident in 1966 and one may have died. Doug got seriously hurt in the accident but survived. I don’t think they were together long enough to get a record out.
Stamped on the back is “Clifton Guthrie”, who was a fine photojournalist in the South Norfolk, Virginia area (see this link for a few of his images).
Thanks to Chandler for finding out about the Earthquakes.
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
