Categories: England, London

The Sidewinders

May 14, 2021 Nick Warburton 16 Comments

Left to right: Jimmy Scott, Dickie Pride, Boz Burrell and Johnnie Marshall, 1966

Dickie Pride (lead vocals)

Gery L Thompson (lead vocals)

Len Neldrett (lead guitar)

Jimmy Scott (congas)

Matthew Hutchinson (piano)

Mark Charig (trumpet)

Johnnie Marshall (baritone sax)

Tex Makins (bass)

Malcolm Penn (drums)

Boz Burrell (second lead vocals)

The Sidewinders pre-existed sometime before mid-1965 but Malcolm Penn says the line-up above dates from May that year when the remaining members of the original formation joined forces with players from Dickie Pride & The Original Topics.

Dickie Pride, Len Neldrett and Malcolm Penn had all previously been members of The Original Topics, formed in the Tolworth, Surbiton and Chessington area of Surrey.

Prior to joining the Sidewinders, Tex Makins and Johnnie Marshall (real name: John Renforth) had both played with Georgie Fame & The Blue Flames.

Nigerian conga player Jimmy Scott is best known as the musician who inspired Paul McCartney to write “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da”, a phrase he originally used. He had also done some work with Georgie Fame & The Blue Flames before joining.

Marshall, Scott and Matthew Hutchinson had all been in the original band, which was led by Jamaican singer Gery L Thompson who only stayed until about early September 1965.

The original formation also included Jamaican trumpet player Roy Edwards, future Led Zeppelin bass player John Baldwin (aka John Paul Jones) and a drummer called Min.

Some of the gigs during June-August were billed as Gery L Thompson & The Sidewinders.

Left to right: Malcolm Penn, Jimmy Scott, Len Neldrett, Marc Charig, Tex Makins, Johnnie Marshall, 1966

In early November 1965, Boz Burrell, who years later found fame with King Crimson and Bad Company, joined as a second lead vocalist after his group, The Boz People, had folded. The group’s keyboard player Ian McLagan had joined The Small Faces in the first week of November just before the group splintered.

Burrell had initially deputised for Pride when he was unavailable. It was so successful that the group decided to carry on with two singers when Pride returned. While with The Sidewinders, Burrell released two singles on Columbia.

When The Sidewinders folded in June 1966, Malcolm Penn (and Len Neldrett) joined south London band, Moon’s Train, managed by Rolling Stones’ bass player Bill Wyman who oversaw the group’s recordings, including their debut single “Deed I Do”.

Len Neldrett who was studying graphic design subsequently did sessions for The End, featuring his old friend Nicky Graham. He later moved to Spain and worked with former Los Bravos singer Mike Kennedy.

Left to right: Mark Charig, Johnnie Marshall and Dickie Pride, 1966

Mark Charig briefly worked with Sonny Childe & The TNT before joining Bluesology, just before Reg Dwight (aka Elton John) left. David Else notes that he subsequently worked with The Keith Tippett Band and The Brotherhood of Breath.

Jimmy Scott later did session work at Maximum Sound and also recorded material there, which was released by Revolution Records. Years later he worked with Bad Manners.

David Else says that Johnnie Marshall rejoined Georgie Fame before later working with J J Jackson. Marshall died on 15 May 2017.

Boz Burrell released two singles on Columbia in quick succession – “Pinochio” on 10 June 1966 and “The Baby Song” on 29 July 1966.

He then reformed The Boz People for a tour with Dusty Springfield (27 September-8 October 1966), which featured Groundhogs’ guitarist Tony McPhee and former Mark Leeman Five keyboard player Tom Parker in his group.

Left to right: Mark Charig, Boz Burrell and Johnnie Marshall, 1966

Makins meanwhile may have spent some time with Leapers, Creepers, Sleepers in the latter half of 1966.

Burrell returned to Norwich where he joined local band Feel for Soul in June 1967 and stayed until October.

Re: Melody Maker. Boz backed by The Soul Reason, 21 October 1966 at Location, Woolwich

He then reunited with Makins in the short-lived Panorama in December 1967 alongside guitarist Colin Pincott, drummer Roy Mills and Australian Hammond organist Peter Beagley (later musician Peter Head). David Else notes that the original keyboard player was Mike O’Neill (not Nero of The Gladiators) and the drummer was originally Pete Williams.

In 1968, Burrell recorded two further singles for Columbia Records. Beagley confirms he was on the cover of Bob Dylan’s “I Shall Be Released”.

Makins meanwhile joined The Flowerpot Men in February 1968. The English pop group, which was created in 1967 as a result of the single, “Let’s Go to San Francisco”, was a studio recording construct created by John Carter and Ken Lewis, originally the main songwriters for The Ivy League. Makins toured with David Garrick later that year alongside drummer Carlo Little.

Len Neldrett notes that The Sidewinders (minus Makins who was replaced by Boots Slade) reunited for a one-off gig as Jimmy Scott’s Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da Band on 2 December 1968.

The group comprising Jimmy Scott, Dickie Pride, Len Neldrett, Malcolm Penn, Johnnie Marshall, Mark Charig, Matthew Hutchinson and Boots Slade played at the Orchid Ballroom in Purley, Surrey.

Dickie Pride died of a heroin overdose on 26 March 1969.

In June 1969, Makins reunited with Jimmy Scott to form the short-lived Jungle Soup which subsequently morphed into The Last Supper.

Selected Sidewinders’ gigs:

28 June 1965 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with Jimmy James & The Vagabonds (Tony Bacon’s book: London Live) Billed as Gery L Thompson & The Sidewinders

1 July 1965 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with Alex Harvey Soul Band (Tony Bacon’s book: London Live)

4 July 1965 – Pontiac, Zeeta House, Putney, southwest London (NME) Billed as Gery L Thompson & The Sidewinders

8 July 1965 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with The Graham Bond Organisation (Tony Bacon’s book: London Live)

10 July 1965 – Pontiac, Zeeta House, Putney, southwest London with Herbie Goins & The Night Timers (NME/Record Mirror) Billed as Gery L Thompson & The Sidewinders

15 July 1965 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with Alex Harvey Soul Band (Tony Bacon’s book: London Live)

17 July 1965 – Pontiac, Zeeta House, Putney, southwest London with Ronnie Jones & The Blue Jays (NME/Record Mirror) Billed as Gery L Thompson & The Sidewinders

23 July 1965 – Pontiac, Zeeta House, Putney, southwest London with Five Proud Walkers (NME/Record Mirror) Billed as Gery L Thompson & The Sidewinders

29 July 1965 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with Graham Bond Organisation (Tony Bacon’s book: London Live)

30 July 1965 – Pontiac, Zeeta House, Putney, southwest London with The RBQ (NME)

5 August 1965 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with Mike Cotton Sound (Tony Bacon’s book: London Live)

12 August 1965 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with Graham Bond Organisation (Tony Bacon’s book: London Live)

19 August 1965 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with Steampacket (Tony Bacon’s book: London Live)

20 September 1965 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with Jimmy James & The Vagabonds (Tony Bacon’s book: London Live)

24 September 1965 – Harvest Moon Club, Guildford, Surrey (Surrey Advertiser) Billed as Garry & The Sidewinders

15 October 1965 – Harvest Moon Club, Guildford, Surrey with Keith Powell & The Rivals (Surrey Advertiser)

17 October 1965 – Eel Pie Island, Twickenham, London (website: http://www.eelpiemuseum.co.uk/rollcall/rollcall/)

5 November 1965 – Harvest Moon Club, Guildford, Surrey with The Overriders (Surrey Advertiser) Billed as Sidewinders with Boz

2 December 1965 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with The Graham Bond Organisation (Tony Bacon’s book: London Live) Billed as Boz & The Sidewinders

4 December 1965 – The Catacombe, Eastbourne, East Sussex with support (Eastbourne Herald Chronicle) Billed as Boz & The Sidewinders

19 December 1965 – Kirklevington Country Club, Kirklevington (Middlesbrough Evening Gazette)

31 December 1965 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London followed by a private party in Highgate Village (Malcolm Penn’s gig diary)

1966

9 January 1966 – Agincourt Ballroom, Camberley, Surrey with The Emeralds (Aldershot News/Camberley News) Advert mistakenly says ‘Original Georgie Fame Group featuring Phil Seaman on drums’

14 January 1966 – Co-op Hall, Grays, Essex (Melody Maker)

19 January 1966 – Cromwellian Club, South Kensington, west London with Lee Dorsey & The Krew (Malcolm Penn’s gig diary)

20 January 1966 – Briefing for start of the Stevie Wonder Tour (no rehearsal!) (Malcolm Penn’s gig diary)

21 January 1966 – Flamingo Club, Wardour Street, central London (start of Stevie Wonder tour) (Malcolm Penn’s gig diary)

21 January 1966 – The In Place, central London with Little Stevie Wonder (Malcolm Penn’s gig diary)

21 January 1966 – Flamingo Club, Wardour Street, central London with Little Stevie Wonder (Allnighter) (Malcolm Penn’s gig diary)

22 January 1966 – Rhodes Centre, Bishop’s Stortford, Herts with Little Stevie Wonder (Steve Ingless book: The Day Before Yesterday)

22 January 1966 – All Star Club, Bishopsgate, east London with Little Stevie Wonder (Malcolm Penn’s gig diary)

23 January 1966 – Oasis Club, Manchester with Little Stevie Wonder (Malcolm Penn’s gig diary)

23 January 1966 – Cavern Club, Liverpool with Little Stevie Wonder and other acts (Malcolm Penn’s gig diary)

26 January 1966 – Orchid Ballroom, Purley, Surrey with Little Stevie Wonder (Malcolm Penn’s gig diary)

26 January 1966 – Cromwellian Club, South Kensington, west London with Little Stevie Wonder (Malcolm Penn’s gig diary)

27 January 1966 – Ricky Tick Club, Windsor, Berkshire with Little Stevie Wonder (Malcolm Penn’s gig diary)

28 January 1966 – Mr McCoys Club, Middlesborough with Little Stevie Wonder (Malcolm Penn’s gig diary)

29 January 1966 – Birmingham (first venue, no record of the club venue name) with Little Stevie Wonder (Malcolm Penn’s gig diary)

29 January 1966 – Birmingham (second venue, no record of the club venue name) with Little Stevie Wonder (Malcolm Penn’s gig diary)

30 January 1966 – Flamingo Club, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with Little Stevie Wonder (Malcolm Penn’s gig diary)

30 January 1966 – Macador Club, central London with Little Stevie Wonder (Malcolm Penn’s gig diary)

1 February 1966 – Klooks Kleek, Hampstead, north London with Little Stevie Wonder (Malcolm Penn’s gig diary)

1 February 1966 – Scotch of St James, Mayfair, central London with Little Stevie Wonder (Malcolm Penn’s gig diary)

2 February 1966 – TWW TV Studios, Bristol with Little Stevie Wonder (Malcolm Penn’s gig diary)

3 February 1966 – Club Cedar, Birmingham with Little Stevie Wonder (Birmingham Evening Mail)

4 February 1966 – Manchester (first venue, no record of the club venue name) with Little Stevie Wonder (Malcolm Penn’s gig diary)

4 February 1966 – Manchester (second venue, no record of the club venue name) with Little Stevie Wonder (Malcolm Penn’s gig diary)

5 February 1966 – Starlight Ballroom, Greenford, west London with Little Stevie Wonder (Malcolm Penn’s gig diary)

5 February 1966 – Cue Club, Paddington, central London with Little Stevie Wonder (Malcolm Penn’s gig diary)

6 February 1966 – Dungeon Club, Nottingham with Little Stevie Wonder (Malcolm Penn’s gig diary) David Else says Charlie Foxx was on the bill as well

7 February 1966 – St Joseph’s Hall, Basingstoke, Hampshire with Little Stevie Wonder & The Alan Bown Set (Hampshire & Berkshire Gazette)

7 February 1966 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, London with Little Stevie Wonder (Tony Bacon’s book: London Live) This was the end of the Stevie Wonder tour

9 February 1966 – Playhouse Theatre, Charing Cross, central London (BBC Jazz Beat Recording) (Malcolm Penn’s gig diary)

Boz Burrell’s debut single on Columbia “Isn’t That So” was released on 11 February.

11 February 1966 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London (Malcolm Penn’s gig diary)

12 February 1966 – Boston Gliderdrome, Boston, Lincolnshire (Malcolm Penn’s gig diary)

4 March 1966 – El Partido, Lewisham, southeast London (Malcolm Penn’s gig diary)

5 March 1966 – Zambezi Club, Hounslow, west London (Malcolm Penn’s gig diary) David Else has the band backing Sonny Childe at the King Mojo on this date

11 March 1966 – Corn Exchange, Kings Lynn, Norfolk (Malcolm Penn’s gig diary)

12 March 1966 – University of Kent, Canterbury, Kent (Malcolm Penn’s gig diary)

12 March 1966 – All Star Club, Bishopsgate, east London (Malcolm Penn’s gig diary)

18 March 1966 – Railway Hotel, Wealdstone, northwest London (Malcolm Penn’s gig diary)

20 March 1966 – Cue Club, Paddington, central London (Malcolm Penn’s gig diary)

21 March 1966 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with Jimmy James & The Vagabonds (Tony Bacon’s book: London Live) This is billed as Boz and new group but most likely The Sidewinders

Left to right: Jimmy Scott, Tex Makins, Mark Charig, Boz Burrell and Johnnie Marshall, 1966

25 March 1966 – Cue Club, Paddington, central London (Malcolm Penn’s gig diary)

26 March 1966 – Holbeach, Lincolnshire (no record of the club venue name) (Malcolm Penn’s gig diary)

27 March 1966 – Cue Club, Paddington, central London with The Soul Pushers (Melody Maker)

31 March 1966 – The Village, Cleethorpes, North East Lincolnshire (Grimsby Evening Telegraph)

1 April 1966 – Farnborough, Hampshire (no record of the club venue name but possibly Carousel Club) (Malcolm Penn’s gig diary)

1 April 1966 – Cromwellian Club, South Kensington, London (Malcolm Penn’s gig diary)

2 April 1966 – Jigsaw Club, Manchester (Malcolm Penn’s gig diary)

2 April 1966 – Flamingo, Wardour Street, Soho, central London (Malcolm Penn’s gig diary)

3 April 1966 – Cue Club, Paddington, central London (Malcolm Penn’s gig diary)

Boz Burrell’s second Columbia single “Meeting Time” was released on 7 April

13 April 1966 – Britannia Boat Club, Nottingham (Malcolm Penn’s gig diary)

14 April 1966 – Cue Club, Paddington, central London (Malcolm Penn’s gig diary)

15 April 1996 – Cue Club, Paddington, central London (Malcolm Penn’s gig diary)

16 April 1966 – Oasis Club, Manchester (Malcolm Penn’s gig diary)

16 April 1966 – Palais Ballroom, Bury (Malcolm Penn’s gig diary)

17 April 1966 – Cue Club, Paddington, central London (Malcolm Penn’s gig diary)

23 April 1966 – Patrick (Tara) Browne’s 21 Birthday party, Luggala, Co Wicklow, Eire (Malcolm Penn’s gig diary)

1 May 1966 – Downes Hotel, Hassocks, West Sussex with Beryl Marsden and also Four and Seven Eights (Malcolm Penn’s gig diary/Mid Sussex Times) Billed as Boz, The Sidewinders, Dicky Pride and Beryl Marsden

5 May 1966 – Klooks Kleek, Hampstead, north London (Malcolm Penn’s gig diary)

7 May 1966 – Carousel Club, 1 Camp Road, Farnborough, Hampshire with Jackie Edwards (Aldershot News/Camberley News)

14 May 1966 – Stamford R&B Club, Stamford Hotel, Stamford, Lincolnshire (Grantham Journal) With Sonny Childe

15 May 1966 – The Place, Hanley, Staffordshire (Evening Sentinel)

29 May 1966 – Tower Ballroom, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk (Eastern Evening News)

25 June 1966 – Cue Club, Paddington, north London (final Sidewinders gig) (Malcolm Penn’s gig diary)

I’d especially like to thank Malcolm Penn for providing the photos on the band and for also providing some background information on the group. Thank you too for correcting and adding to the gig list above.

Massive thank you also to David Else for helping out with research, correcting some facts and adding material.

Categories: England, Surrey

The Original Topics (with Dickie Pride)

May 13, 2021 Nick Warburton 1 Comment

Dave Atkey (bass and lead vocals)

Len Neldrett (lead guitar)

Nicky Graham (organ)

John Horton (baritone sax)

Bernie Greenwood (tenor and alto sax)

Malcolm Penn (drums)

Dickie Pride (lead vocals)

Formed from musicians drawn from the Tolworth, Surbiton and Chessington area of Surrey in April 1964, The Original Topics evolved out of the final version of The Classics and added John Horton (b. 14 November 1945; d. 25 September 2023) from The Outsiders.

Len Neldrett and Malcolm Penn had both attended Surbiton County Grammar and had earlier played in rival local bands The Gremlins and The Electrons.

In November 1964, Dickie Pride (b. 21 October 1941, Thornton Heath, Surrey; d. 26 March 1969), one of the late 1950s home-grown English rock stars from the Larry Parnes stable, including, among others, Marty Wilde, Billy Fury, Vince Eager, Georgie Fame, Lance Fortune, Duffy Power and Johnny Gentle (John Askew), joined as their new front man. Tragically, he later died of a heroin overdose in 1969

However, around March 1965, Nicky Graham (b. January 1945, Durban, South Africa; d. 3 February 2024) (quickly followed by John Horton) departed to form The End, a band that developed close links with Rolling Stones’ bass player Bill Wyman.

Wyman would oversee many of that group’s recordings. He would also remain friends with Nicky Graham who later formed Tucky Buzzard and worked with David Bowie in the early 1970s.

Stan Marut briefly took over from Graham and remembers playing at the Cromwellian while with the group.

In May 1965, Dickie Pride, Len Neldrett and Malcolm Penn joined a new central London-based outfit called The Sidewinders. Marut meanwhile joined The Jynx Pack and then Julian Covey & The Machine.

Selected gigs:

17 July 1964 – Wimbledon Palais, Wimbledon, Surrey with The Searchers and Cats Whiskers (Kingston & Malden Borough News)

25 July 1964 – King George’s Hall, Esher, Surrey with The Yardbirds (Kingston & Malden Borough News)

8 August 1964 – Flamingo, Soho, Wardour Street, central London with The Cheynes (Record Mirror)

29 August 1964 – Flamingo, Soho, Wardour Street, central London with Chris Farlowe & The Thunderbirds (Record Mirror)

12 September 1964 – Galaxy Club, Town Hall, Basingstoke, Hampshire with The Westsiders (Hampshire & Berkshire Gazette)

19 September 1964 – Flamingo, Soho, Wardour Street, central London with Dave Davani (Record Mirror)

21 September 1964 – Moonlighter Club, Weybridge Hall, Weybridge, Surrey (Woking Herald)

29 September 1964 – Central Club, Farnham, Surrey (Farnham Herald)

10 October 1964 – Flamingo, Soho, Wardour Street, central London with The Supremes and The Chessmen (Record Mirror)

14 October 1964 – Flamingo, Soho, Wardour Street, central London with Georgie Fame & The Blue Flames (Record Mirror)

17 October 1964 – Flamingo, Soho, Wardour Street, central London with Tony Colton (Live Music website)

31 October 1964 – Le Disque A Go Go, Bournemouth, Dorset with The Nite People – (website: https://bournemouthbeatboom.wordpress.com/)

4 November 1964 – Flamingo, Soho, Wardour Street, central London with Georgie Fame & The Blue Flames (Record Mirror)

Dickie Pride joins now

29 November 1964 – North Warnborough Village Hall, North Warnborough, Hampshire (Hampshire & Berkshire Gazette)

13 December 1964 – Alley Cat Club, Hersham, Surrey (Woking Herald)

14 December 1964 – Galaxy Club, Town Hall, Basingstoke, Hampshire with Tommy Quickly & The Remo Four (Hampshire & Berkshire Gazette)

18 December 1964 – Flamingo, Soho, Wardour Street, central London with Rufus Thomas (Record Mirror)

19 December 1964 – Disque a Le Go Go, Landsdowne, Dorset (Bournemouth Evening Echo)

2 January 1965 – Flamingo, Soho, Wardour Street, central London with John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers (Record Mirror)

9 January 1965 – Flamingo, Soho, Wardour Street, central London with Zoot Money’s Big Roll Band (Live Music website)

17 January 1965 – Ricky Tick, Windsor, Berkshire (David Else research)

3 February 1965 – Flamingo, Soho, Wardour Street, central London with Screaming Jay Hawkins (Record Mirror) Billed as The Topics with Dickie Pride

12 February 1965 – Ricky Tick, Windsor, Berkshire (Poster) Billed as The Topics with Dickie Pride

22 April 1965 – Whitehall, East Grinstead, West Sussex with The Plus Three (Sussex Evening Express)

31 August 1965 – Co-op Hall, Halstead, Essex with Heinz & The Wild Boys, Cops ‘N’ Robbers, The Fairies and Soul Foundations (Essex Chronicle) This is very unlikely unless it was a different band (possibly The Sidewinders?)

Left to right: Len, Dave and Nick. Photo: Malcolm Penn

A huge thanks to Malcolm Penn for providing the background notes and all of the photos for The Original Topics. Thanks to David Else for helping with some gigs from Record Mirror.

Categories: England, London

The Mode

May 11, 2021 Nick Warburton Leave a comment

Jim Henderson (lead vocals)

Terry Taylor (lead guitar)

Graham Bircumshaw (Hammond organ)

? (bass)

Bob Thackway (drums)

British band The Mode arrived in Spain during 1966 and cut a lone (rare) 45 for Sonoplay: “What You Been Doing” c/w “Love is to Blame, Not You”, composed by Henderson and Taylor.

Although Colin Giffin of The End, who the musicians befriended while in Spain, is sometimes credited for appearing on the recording, the single’s picture sleeve shows a five-man group (and not including Giffin), so it looks like there was a bass player whose name is missing from the list above.

It’s not clear when the band split up but Taylor did sessions for The End in late 1967 and joined the group back in London in March 1968 as a permanent member. Jim Henderson also joined The End (but in spring 1970) just before the band changed name to Tucky Buzzard.

He is also rumoured to have recorded some solo material before joining The End but it’s not clear if it was as The Jimmy Henderson Set.

Both Bircumshaw and Thackway stayed in Spain. Bircumshaw went on to join Canarios and appeared on their LP Libérate!

Thackway also stayed in Spain and went on to play with La Mosca among others as well as Miguel Rios. He was last heard of teaching English.

We would love to hear from anyone who can add more information about the band and its origins.

Categories: England

Edwin Starr’s September-October 1968 British tour

May 11, 2021 Nick Warburton 2 Comments

This was Edwin Starr’s third tour of the year, such was the demand for his music in Britain in the late 1960s.

Little is known about who provided support for the soul legend but it appears that The State Express, who’d backed him on his previous tour, did play some dates on this one (notably the Retford gig at the Broken Wheel Scene on 29 September).

Quite a few of the bookings also list a group called The National Hot House as the singer’s backing band. I’ve not been able to find anything on this group and we’d welcome any information from readers in the comments below.

The Reading Evening Post from 21 December 1968 does list a gig for The National Hot House at St Matthew’s Hall, Southcote and says they are ex-Memphis Gents. It looks like they might have moved on to back London-based black soul outfit The Sound Casters.

Interestingly, an advert in the North Wales Weekly News from 3 October lists a band called The Pure Medicine which it says is playing at the Ritz Ballroom, Rhyl direct from their recent tours with Edwin Starr and Ben E King. It’s not clear if this means The Pure Medicine were the backing band or just happened to be on the same tours.

Melody Maker lists the group quite a bit in the latter half of 1968 and its 7 September 1968 issue has an advert which notes that they are France’s Number One group.

I have found the following gigs and would welcome any further information in the comments below:

10 September 1968 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with Terry Reid (Tony Bacon’s book: London Live)

21 September 1968 – Twisted Wheel, Manchester (website: http://www.45worlds.com/live/artist/edwin-starr/uk/3)

21 September 1968 – Clockwork Orange, Chester, Cheshire with The National Hot House and Beryl Marsden and Sinbad (Cheshire Observer) Backed by The National Hot House

21 September 1968 – Civic Hall, Nantwich, Cheshire with The National Hot House and Benedict Arnold (Crew Chronicle) Backed by The National Hot House

23 September 1968 – Orchid Ballroom, Purley, Surrey (Chris Broom book: Rockin’ and Around Croydon/Beckenham & Penge Advertiser)

24 September 1968 – Hatchetts, Piccadilly, central London (Poster at Jonathan Marks’ website: https://imgur.com/a/sWtBd#0)

29 September 1968 – Broken Wheel Scene, Retford, Nottinghamshire (Melody Maker) Backed by The State Express

5 October 1968 – Royal Links Pavilion, Cromer, Norfolk with Music Hath Charms and Django’s Castle with The National Hot House (Julie Fielder book: What Flo Said Next) Backed by The National Hot House

5 October 1968 – Gaiety Ballroom, Ramsey, Cambridgeshire with Eyes of Blond (Cambridgeshire Times) Most likely backed by The National Hot House

6 October 1968 – El Grotto, Ilford, east London (Redbridge & Ilford Recorder)

7 October 1968 – Pavilion, Bath (website: http://www.45worlds.com/live/artist/edwin-starr/uk/3)

10 October 1968 – Assembly Hall, Worthing, West Sussex (website: http://www.45worlds.com/live/artist/edwin-starr/uk/3)

10 October 1968 – Hatchetts, Piccadilly, central London (Melody Maker/Mick Capewell’s Marmalade Skies)

11 October 1968 – Lion Hotel, Warrington, Cheshire with The National Hot House and Motovation (Warrington Guardian) Backed by The National Hot House

12 October 1968 – Imperial Ballroom, Nelson, Lancashire (Steve Chapples research: www.lankybeat.com)

If you can add anything, please leave a comment below.

Categories: England, Kingston Upon Thames, Surrey

The Outsiders

May 10, 2021 Nick Warburton 5 Comments

Dutch Mills (real name: Nigel Reevely Mills) (harmonica/vocals)

Mick Wayne (lead guitar/vocals)

Alan Collins (organ)

John Horton (sax/flute)

Mac Mclldowie (bass)

Tim Easton (drums)

Formed sometime in 1962/1963 in the Tolworth area in Surrey, The Outsiders included guitarist Mick Wayne (b. 7 October 1943, Hammersmith, west London; d. 26 June 1995, Michigan, USA), who subsequently played with The Hullabaloos, The Bunch of Fives (with Viv Prince) and The Tickle. Wayne formed Junior’s Eyes in early 1968 and later appeared on David Bowie’s “Space Oddity”.

Collins (b. 22 November 1944, London) and Wayne had met at Kingston School of Art after Wayne had attended Wimbledon Grammar School. Tim Easton (b. 26 August 1943, Tolworth, Surrey) was the original drummer.

Apparently, the band split for a while at Christmas in 1963.

Mick Brill (b. 21 June 1945, Tolworth, Surrey) joined the group in April 1964 after he left The Classics, taking over from McIlldowie. Horton (b. 14 November 1945; d. 25 September 2023) left the same month to join The Original Topics.

Dutch Mills (real name: Nigel Reevely Mills) was close friends with Eric Clapton and had started out with The Dustbowl Refugees.

He adds that Jimmy Page was always around and convinced him to join Bedford band The Authentics sometime in 1964 with whom he recorded a cover of Jackie DeShannon’s “I Don’t Wanna Be Without You”, which was shelved. The Authentics were regulars at the Marquee.

Mills moved to Canada in 1966/1967 and worked with folk singer Vicky Taylor and later Jesse Winchester and Willie Dunn before moving back to the UK in 1990.

With Mills gone, The Outsiders recorded a lone 45 for Decca Records – “Keep On Doing It” c/w “Songs We Sang Last Summer”, which was released on 20 August 1965. Both sides were written by session player Jimmy Page with Mick Wayne. Page also produced the sessions for the single.

Brill says The Outsiders started doing sessions for Immediate Records in 1965, which is where he and Collins met singer Doug Gibbons, a singer from Shepherd’s Bush. Gibbons subsequently changed his name to Thane Russal.

Interestingly, Doug Gibbons and The Outsiders were billed to play at the Top Twenty in Bridgwater, Somerset on 5 July 1965.

To clear up one confusion, Mick Wayne was from the Kingston upon Thames area not Hull as is often falsely reported. Brill says that when Wayne joined The Hullabaloos he had to dye his hair blond.

Together with new drummer Pete Huish and new guitarist Bob Johnson, Thane Russal, Mick Brill and Alan Collins recorded “Security” as Thane Russall & Three.

Brill adds that when the single was released, it was rumoured that Jimmy Page had played on the recording to try and drum up some interest in the single’s release.

However, he explains that it was Bob Johnson. The solo on the recording was achieved by Huish hitting the neck of Johnson’s guitar with a drumstick.

Johnson, who joined in 1966 after Wayne had moved on to The Hullabaloos, departed when Thane Russal & Three landed a contract to travel to Italy in June 1966 and later joined Steeleye Span.

The remaining members added Martin Fisher from local band The Cavedwellers and decamped to Rome. You can read about the band’s career in Italy here at this excellent site.

A massive thank you to Mick Brill and Alan Collins for providing background notes and band photo. Thanks also to Dutch Mills for further information.

Thanks to David Else for helping with some of the research and providing additional material.

John Warburg provided this link with more information: www.45cat.com/record/f12213

Categories: England, London

The Cast

May 9, 2021 Nick Warburton 1 Comment

Photo: Terry Gore. The band outside the Greenford Hotel

Ian Stalker (lead vocals)

John Gater (lead guitar)

Terry Gore (bass/vocals)

Terry Toothill (keyboards/vocals)

John Warwick (drums)

After The Trekkers split up in early 1965, Terry Gore, Terry Toothill and John Warwick stuck together and formed The Cast.

Photo: Harrow Weekly Post. Photo may be subject to copyright

According to the Harrow Weekly Post, the group played at Acre Hall in Northwood, Middlesex on 9 April 1965.

The Evening Tribune lists the band playing at the Co-op Ballroom, Hinckley, Leicestershire on 1 October 1965.

Photo: Evening Tribune. Photo may be subject to copyright

The band signed with the Bob Druce Agency and played in the circuit of clubs that the agency ran, most notably the Glenlyn Ballroom in Forest Hill and the Goldhawk Social Club in Shepherd’s Bush where on one occasion, the band opened for The Who on 3 December 1965. The Cast also played here on 31 December 1965.

Photo: Melody Maker. Photo may be subject to copyright

During 1967, the band changed name to Tangerine Peel.

Many thanks to Terry Gore for providing the information. If you can add to this, please leave a comment below

South East London Mercury, September 1966. Photo may be subject to copyright

Categories: England, Surrey

The Classics

May 8, 2021 Nick Warburton 1 Comment

Drummer Eddie Patterson says that he played regularly with this band from September 1961 through to April 1962.

According to an advert publicising the Grand Final of The Surbiton Borough News’ Rock & Rhythm Group Competition, which was held at Surbiton Assembly Rooms on 27 April 1962 (see below), The Classics line-up at the time comprised:

Headley Leate (lead vocals)

Dave Atkey (lead guitar)

John Kent (rhythm guitar)

Keith Sutton (bass)

Ken Bright (sax)

Eddie Patterson (drums)

Eddie Patterson (b. 16 April 1942, Epsom, Surrey) says that The Classics came joint second with The Presidents with 249 points, with The Electrons winning the competition with 262 points.

Thanks to Malcolm Penn from The Electrons for the photo

After the competition, Patterson left to join The Presidents, with whom he remained until July 1965. He then toured with The End briefly before hanging up his drumsticks and taking up a permanent job in December of that year. He says that Keith Sutton also played with Del Grant & The Roamers.

In 1963, The Classics (with a revised formation) entered the competition for a second time, billed as Dave Curtis & The Classics. John Kent and Keith Bright were still members.

However, in February 1964, Dave Atkey, who appears to have been the only member to remain throughout the band’s entire career, assumed lead vocal duties and put together an entirely new version, comprising:

Dave Atkey (vocals)

Len Neldrett (lead guitar)

Nicky Graham (organ)

Mick Brill (bass)

Malcolm Penn (drums)

Len Neldrett and Mick Brill (b. 21 June 1945, Tolworth, Surrey) joined from The Gremlins and Nicky Graham (b. January 1945, Durban, South Africa; 3 February 2024) and Malcolm Penn came in from Dene Lincoln & The Topics.

Neldrett remembers that the new line-up’s debut performance was in Guildford, Surrey, opening for Tommy Bruce. When the curtain opened, he recalls original members John Kent and Keith Bright were there and hadn’t been told that Atkey had formed a new version!

However, the new formation was short-lived and in April 1964, Mick Brill departed to join The Outsiders.

With Dave Atkey resuming bass duties, the remaining members brought in sax players John Horton (b. 14 November 1945, Surbiton, Surrey; d. 25 September 2023) from The Outsiders and Bernie Greenwood and became The Original Topics.

In November 1964, the musicians were joined by singer Dickie Pride (b. 21 October 1941, Thornton Heath, Surrey; d. 26 March 1969).

A huge thanks to Malcolm Penn, Eddie Patterson and Mick Brill for providing the background notes and photos for The Classics.

Thanks to John Warburg for some further details

Categories: England, Surrey

The Gremlins

May 5, 2021 Nick Warburton Leave a comment

Howard (Len) Neldrett (lead guitar)

Tony Carter (rhythm guitar)

Mick Brill (bass)

Phil Webster (drums)

Formed by pupils from Surbiton County Grammar in Surrey in 1961, The Gremlins were an instrumentals band that played Shadows and Ventures’ covers.

Mick Brill (b. 21 June 1945, Tolworth, Surrey) says that the group didn’t have a singer, but an advert publicising the Grand Final of The Surbiton Borough News’ Rock & Rhythm Group Competition lists Dave Burton as the band’s vocalist (see below).

The competition, which was won by rival band The Electrons, was held at Surbiton Assembly Rooms on 27 April 1962 and also featured The Classics.

In February 1964, Neldrett and Brill both departed to join a new version of The Classics.

Many thanks to Mick Brill and Len Neldrett for the information on the band and thanks to Mick Brill for the group photo.

Categories: Iowa, Sears Recording Studios (Omaha), Sioux City

The Last Chapter “It’s Only When I’m Lonely”

May 5, 2021 Chris Bishop Leave a comment

The Last Chapter came from Sioux City, Iowa, and would evolve into a group called Freight. In late 1969 the Last Chapter cut their only record, released on Skip Records 2758.

“It’s Only When I’m Lonely” has a crunching rhythm, a great bridge and stinging guitar solo. “Words For You” features acoustic and electric guitar and a catchy vocal melody. It was the A-side of the single.

Russ Gill wrote both songs, and the Sears Pub credit indicates they were cut at Sears Recording Studios in Omaha.

The first mention of the Last Chapter that I can find comes from the Sioux City Sunday Journal from August 3, 1969, mentioning the band came in second place at the River-Cade Festival of Bands after being together only two weeks.

Members of the Last Chapter at this point were:

Russell Gill
Bob Werkmeister
Dave Schultz
Dave Wenberg

Russell Gill had been in the Restrictions.

The winner of the festival was the Cellophane Spectacle from LeMars, who had also won the year before. Members of that group were Randy Hoyt, Jack Toth, Jim Weiler, Al Schrank, Timothy Hauff, Tom Ross, Mark Moeller, Fred Juhl and Jim Luense. The Cellophane Spectacle cut one single at Sears Recording in Omaha for release on Spectacular SR61968, “It’s Not Unusual” / “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg”. Another is mentioned but I haven’t seen it yet: “Going Back to Miami” / “Exodus”.

The third-place band was the Instant Blues Machine, “led by Richard Samore backed by Alan Vellinga, Charlie Larimor, Norm Reitsma, Harry Kantrovich and John Wimmer”.

Other bands were the Evolution, Wind, and the Purple Haze.

On June 24, 1970, the Last Chapter participated in a concert for 2,000 at Grandview Park, emceed by KSJC DJ Rick Anthony. The Sioux City Journal ran a couple articles on the concert, noting Jim Wentworth was from Laurel, Nebraska, 44 miles west of Sioux City. The first article quoted both Russell Gill and Jim Wentworth, and noted “A contract is pending between The Last Chapter and a Nashville, Tenn., recording company.”

The local bands were Fox, Evolution and the Last Chapter. A review titled “Young, Old Concur: First Rock Festival ‘Beautiful'” gave the names of the groups and their members:

The Last Chapter consisted of Russell Gill, Dave Schultz, Dave Wenberg, and Jim Wentworth replacing Bob Werkmeister.

Members of the Evolution were Chuck Pope, John Young, Ralph Goldheim, Neil Rollison, Dan Weigel and Kim Treiber.

The Fox included Steve Lewis, John Bartle and Russell Bizzett.

Freight – a band with three members of the Last Chapter. Article from August 15, 1971

Gill and Wentworth are mentioned again as organizers of the July 1971 “People’s Music Forum” at the Grandview Park bandshell. That concert included the London Bridge, Big Toe, Bittersweet, Stonewell, Freight, Fat Cat, Sinn, Dr. John Cook, and Prairie (formerly Danny and the Velaires), with folk music by Glen Reitsma and Ted Falk.

Finally in August, 1971 the Journal ran a photo of Gill and Wentworth’s band, now called Freight, with members Jim Wentworth, Mike Yandrich, Russell Gill and Dave Schultz. Other bands included Fat Cat, Sinn, and Bitter Sweet.

Anyone have photos of the Last Chapter?

Categories: IGL, IGL (Iowa Great Lakes Recording), Iowa, Sioux City

The Restrictions from Sioux City, IA

May 5, 2021 Chris Bishop 2 Comments

The Restrictions came from Sioux City and cut one single on IGL 147, “Down on the Corner” / “She’s Gone Away” in September, 1967. Russell Gill wrote “Down on the Corner” and co-wrote “She’s Gone Away” with Rob Molden.

The Restrictions members were:

Russell Gill
Rob Molden
Donald Pinney
Dave Mettleton
George Lauresen

The Sioux City Journal ran a notice about the August, 1967 River-Cade Festival of Music band competition, and listed the members of the top three groups.

The winner of the competition was the Shags, who would receive a session at Sears Recording Studio in Omaha. Russell Gill of the Restrictions wrote the song that would be the top side of the Shags’ single, “You’re a Loser”.

The Restrictions would cut their own record, traveling the hundred miles northeast to IGL Recording Studios in Milford, Iowa. I actually haven’t heard “She’s Gone Away” yet.

Russell Gill would go on to form the Last Chapter in 1969.

The other finalist was the Psychedelic Hangmen, with members Jame Polimeni, Phil Polimeni, Dave Stokes, Larry Means, and Stanley Sawienski. I’m not sure if they ever recorded.

Anyone have a photo of any of these bands?

Garage Hangover

The Sidewinders

The Original Topics (with Dickie Pride)

The Mode

Edwin Starr’s September-October 1968 British tour

The Outsiders

The Classics

The Gremlins

The Last Chapter “It’s Only When I’m Lonely”

The Restrictions from Sioux City, IA

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