The Electrons

Thanks to Malcolm Penn for the photo. The Electrons with Nicky Graham (bottom right) line up

Tony Humphrys aka Tony Lane (vocals)

Baz Hewson (lead guitar)

Malcolm Penn (drums)

Mike Morley (bass)

Pete Moseley (rhythm guitar through to December 1960)

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Nicky Graham (rhythm guitar from January 1961)

Formed in May 1960 by musicians from the Tolworth, Surbiton and Chessington area in Surrey, The Electrons evolved out of the ashes of The Grumbling Men, who were formed in March 1959 and had included singer Tony Humphrys, drummer Malcolm Penn, bass player Mike Morley, and rhythm guitarist Pete Moseley.

With the exception of Mike Morley and Pete Moseley, all were pupils at Surbiton County Grammar.

Photos of the original band. Thanks to Miles Moseley

The Grumbling Men featured another guitarist called Keith who was replaced by Baz Hewson when the group became The Electrons.

Nicky Graham, who took over from Moseley on rhythm guitar in January 1961, was a student at Surbiton Grammar School (and later Kingston School of Art) and had recently arrived from Durban, South Africa where he was born in January 1945.

Malcolm Penn says that The Electrons never got to play at Tolworth Toby Jug as they predated its band nights. (Ed. Originally a jazz venue, the Toby Jug did briefly operate as a club for R&B in early 1964 but its owners soon stopped putting rock bands on. It reopened in early March 1968 and became a significant music venue in the area.)

Penn recalls that the band venue in the early 1960s was Kingston Coronation Hall. The hall housed a swimming pool, which was boarded over and turned into a dance venue.

He adds that all the big traditional jazz and dance bands performed there, including Ted Heath, Johnny Dankworth, Eric Delaney, Chris Barber and Kenny Ball. The Electrons, together with a few other local bands, did warm up and interval spots.

Penn remembers The Electrons also played at the Jazz Cellar in Kingston, which was run by Hugh O’Donnell, the Swan in Mill Street, Kingston, the Foresters Hall in Epsom, the Organ Inn on the Ewell Road and Surbiton Assembly Rooms.

In April 1962, The Electrons made the Grand Final of The Surbiton Borough News’ Rock & Rhythm Group Competition, which was held at Surbiton Assembly Rooms on 27 April. Up against local bands, The Gremlins and The Classics, The Electrons won the competition.

Interestingly, over the next few years, members of The Electrons would join up with players from both The Gremlins and The Classics to form a new version The Classics in February 1964.

In August 1962, Malcolm Penn, Nicky Graham and Tony Humphrys recruited Jim Turner (stage name Dene Lincoln) on vocals and Pete Cottage from the Streatham area in southwest London to form a new group called Dene Lincoln & The Topics.

In later years Penn would work with Moon’s Train while Graham played with The End and Tucky Buzzard. Graham died on 3 February 2024.

A huge thanks to Malcolm Penn for providing the background notes and photos for The Electrons.

Thanks also to John Warburg for more information

Brian Dullaway’s 21st birthday party, 1964. The Electrons play at New Addington, Surrey. Copyright: Brian Dullaway

 

Tony Charman’s post Carl Douglas & The Big Stampede band

Bass player Tony Charman (at the time Tony Webb) left Carl Douglas in late 1968 when he got married on 14 September.

However, during 1969, he returned to the music scene and played with a south London group whose name he cannot recall. As the two images here reveal, the band was a five piece but Tony can’t remember any of the musicians’ names.

If anyone can help provide more information, we’d love to hear from you in the comments section below.

The Summer Set

Photo may be subject to copyright: The Summer Set (aka Top Ten All Stars) in Hamburg in 1966. Clockwise from bottom: Rocky Browne, Vic Gillam, Mart Jenner, Dave Green and Les Humphries

Les Humphries – keyboards/vocals

Mart Jenner – lead guitar/vocals

Dave Green – bass/vocals

Vic Gillam – saxophone

Brian ‘Rocky’ Browne – drums

Harmony pop/rock band The Summer Set had its roots in south coast beat groups, The Javelins, Count Downe & The Zeros and Peter & The Headlines.

Jenner, Green and Gillam had been there from the outset and were joined by former Royal Marine musician Humphries in The Headlines.

Renamed The Summer Set, they auditioned for Marquee boss Harold Pendleton and were signed to Marquee Artists Agency, playing at the Marquee and making 12 appearances.

According to Dave Green’s book The Wonder Years: a rock ‘n’ rollercoaster, the club booked them into a weekend at the Golf Drout in Paris around late October/early November 1965, shortly after which their original drummer departed.

Around mid-November, Brian ‘Rocky’ Browne came on-board from Norfolk outfit, Boz & The Boz People, another regular at the Marquee. While with that band, he played alongside soon-to-be Small Faces keyboard player Ian McLagan.

The Marquee Artists Agency also booked The Summer Set into popular clubs like the Cromwellian in South Kensington, where they played regularly in late 1965 through to mid-1966. They also began to play the university circuit.

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

 

 

5 November 1965 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with David Bowie & The Lower Third (Tony Bacon’s book: London Live)

Image may be subject to copyright

12 November 1965 – King George’s Hall, Esher, Surrey with The Beat System (Surrey Comet)

Brian ‘Rocky’ Browne joined around now

Image may be subject to copyright

19 November 1965 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with David Bowie & The Lower Third (Tony Bacon’s book: London Live/Melody Maker)

Image may be subject to copyright

20 November 1965 – Silver Blades, Streatham, southwest London (Beckenham & Penge Advertiser/Norwood News)

25 November 1965 – ABC Regal Cambridge, Cambridge with Manfred Mann, The Yardbirds, Inez and Charlie Foxx, Paul and Barry Ryan, The Scaffold and The Mark Leeman Five (Cambridge News)

26 November 1965 – Birdcage, Eastney, Hampshire (Dave Allen research)

27 November 1965 – Granada East Ham, East Ham, east London with Manfred Mann, The Yardbirds, Inez & Charlie Foxx, Paul & Barry Ryan, The Scaffold and The Mark Leeman Five (Southend Standard)

29 November 1965 – Northampton ABC, Northampton with Manfred Mann, The Yardbirds, Inez & Charlie Foxx, Paul & Barry Ryan, The Scaffold and Mark Leeman Five (Northampton Chronicle)

 

2 December 1965 – Granada, Bedford with Manfred Mann, The Yardbirds, Inez & Charlie Foxx, Paul & Barry Ryan, The Scaffold and The Mark Leeman Five (Boyfriend magazine)

3 December 1965 – Colston Hall, Bristol with Manfred Mann, The Yardbirds, Inez & Charlie Foxx, Paul & Barry Ryan, The Scaffold and The Mark Leeman Five (Boyfriend magazine)

4 December 1965 – ABC Plymouth, Plymouth, Devon with Manfred Mann, The Yardbirds, Inez & Charlie Foxx, Paul & Barry Ryan, The Scaffold and The Mark Leeman Five (Boyfriend magazine)

5 December 1965 – ABC Exeter, Exeter, Devon with Manfred Mann, The Yardbirds, Inez & Charlie Foxx, Paul & Barry Ryan, The Scaffold and The Mark Leeman Five (Boyfriend magazine)

In December, The Summer Set made their first visit to West Germany and played at the Top Ten Club in Hamburg where they were extremely popular. The group would return on multiple occasions.

While there, the band recorded two LPs’ worth of material as the Top Ten All Stars and backed singer Isabella Bond.

They also recorded a 45, a cover tune “Pim Pim Pim” backed by Les Humphries and Vic Gillam’s “Hey Daddy”, which was released in January 1966, by which point they were back in Hamburg for a second visit to the Top Ten Club.

3 March 1966 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with Jimmy James & The Vagabonds (Tony Bacon’s book: London Live)

4 March 1966 – Birdcage, Eastney, Hampshire (Dave Allen research)

10 March 1966 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with The Mark Leeman Five (Tony Bacon’s book: London Live)

18 March 1966 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with Gary Farr & The T-Bones (Tony Bacon’s book: London Live)

22 March 1966 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with The Small Faces (Tony Bacon’s book: London Live)

25 March 1966 – Birdcage, Eastney, Hampshire (Dave Allen research)

Around April, The Summer Set returned to Hamburg to play at the Top Ten Club for a third time.

21 May 1966 – Birdcage, Eastney, Hampshire (Dave Allen research)

 

9 June 1966 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with Tony Rivers & The Castaways (Tony Bacon’s book: London Live)

Image may be subject to copyright

12 June 1966 – Mr McCoys, Middlesbrough with Wynder K Frog (Middlesbrough Evening Gazette)

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18 June 1966 – The Place, Hanley, Staffordshire with The Shamed (Evening Sentinel)

24 June 1966 – Coronation Ballroom, Ramsgate, Kent with Justin Hayward Group and The Sonics (Herne Bay Press)

 

1 July 1966 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with The Wishful Thinking (Tony Bacon’s book: London Live)

6 July 1966 – Beachcomber Club, Nottingham (Nottingham Evening Post)

9 July 1966 – Birdcage, Eastney, Hampshire (Dave Allen research)

14 July 1966 – Pier Ballroom, Hastings, East Sussex (Fabulous 208)

15 July 1966 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with The Majority (Tony Bacon’s book: London Live)

16 July 1966 – Bowes Lyon House, Stevenage, Herts (Fabulous 208)

Image may be subject to copyright

17 July 1966 – Agincourt Ballroom, Camberley, Surrey (Aldershot News/Camberley News)

18 July 1966 – Royal Pier Ballroom, Aberystwyth, Wales (Fabulous 208)

21 July 1966 – Thorngate Ballroom, Gosport, Hampshire (Portsmouth News) Replaced by Bluesology

Around now, the band record their debut 45, a cover of Brian Wilson’s “Farmer’s Daughter” backed by Humphries and Gillam’s “What are You Gonna do?” for Columbia Records, which was subsequently released on 28 October 1966.

24 July 1966 – Tavern Club, Dereham, Norfolk with The Sullivan James Band (North Norfolk News) This may have been cancelled

Image may be subject to copyright

28 July 1966 – Adam & Eve, Southampton, Hants (Southern Evening Echo) This may have been cancelled

According to Green’s book The Wonder Years: a rock ‘n’ rollercoaster the musicians decided to dispense with Les Humphries without his knowledge and hired two new musicians to play at the upcoming festival in Windsor, which proved to be a disaster.

30 July 1966 – 8th National Jazz & Blues Festival, Windsor, Berkshire with The Who, The Yardbirds, Jimmy James & The Vagabonds, Chris Barber, Chris Farlowe & The Thunderbirds, Gary Farr & The T-Bones, Louis Nelson, The Move, Kid Martyn, Alex Welsh and Julian Covey & The Machine (Reading Evening Post)

On 31 July, the musicians (minus Humphries who’d taken a week’s holiday as he had been told the group had no bookings), headed back to Hamburg and started to play at the Top Ten Club. They also recorded a third LP, which was never released.

However, at the end of the week, Humphries, who’d discovered what had happened, told EMI that the group had split up and assumed ownership of the name, turned up at the Top Ten Club and told them he was the legal owner of The Summer Set name.

With no possibility of continuing with the name, the musicians all returned to England.

Photo may be subject to copright: Left to right: Dave Brien, Rocky Browne, Alan Spriggs, Les Humphries and Mick Jarvis

Humphries, who’d retained Brian ‘Rocky’ Browne, put together a new version of The Summer Set with:

Alan Spriggs – lead vocals

Les Humphries – keyboards/vocals

Mick Jarvis – lead guitar/vocals

Dave Brien – bass

Brian ‘Rocky’ Browne – drums

15 September 1966 – Thorngate Ballroom, Gosport, Hampshire (Portsmouth News)

Image may be subject to copyright

23 September 1966 – Royal Pier, Pavilion, Southampton, Hampshire with The Embers (Southern Evening Echo)

The band returned to Hamburg to play the Top Ten Club around October 1966.

5 November 1966 – Kirklevington Country Club, Kirklevington, North Yorkshire with The Jimmy Brown Sound and John McCoy’s Crawdaddies (Middlesbrough Evening Gazette)

18 November 1966 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with Jimmy James & The Vagabonds (Tony Bacon’s book: London Live)

25 November 1966 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with Sands (Tony Bacon’s book: London Live)

 

23 December 1966 – Ricky Tick, Hounslow, west London with Jimmy James & The Vagabonds (David Else’s research)

Image may be subject to copyright

26 December 1966 – Tavern Club, Dereham, Norfolk with The Ram Jam Band and The Eyes of Blonde (Lynn News)

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27 December 1966 – Walton Hop, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey (Woking Herald)

In February 1967, The Summer Set performed in Hamburg at the Top Ten Club.

Image may be subject to copyright

4 March 1967 – Dreamland Ballroom, Margate, Kent with The Fancy Bred (East Kent Times & Mail)

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11 March 1967 – Chelmsford Corn Exchange, Chelmsford, Essex (Essex Chronicle)

14 March 1967 – The Place, Hanley, Staffordshire with Neat Change (Poster)

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24 March 1967 – Glenlyn Ballroom, Forest Hill, southeast London (South East London Mercury)

26 March 1967 – Cromer Olympia, Cromer, Norfolk (North Norfolk News)

 

9 April 1967 – Dereham Tavern Club, Dereham, Norfolk with The South Side Move (North Norfolk News)

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25 May 1967 – El Grotto, Ilford, east London (Redbridge & Ilford Recorder)

28 May 1967 – El Grotto, Ilford, east London (Redbridge & Ilford Recorder)

Sometime in 1967, the group recorded the unreleased acetate “Listen The World is Crying” at Regent Sound, London.

Image may be subject to copyright

4 June 1967 – Tiles, Oxford Street, central London (Melody Maker)

On 16 June 1967, Columbia released The Summer Set’s second 45, Les Humphries and Dave Brien’s “Overnight Changes” backed by Humphries’ “It’s a Dream”.

Image may be subject to copyright

25 June 1967 – Britannia Rowing Club, Nottingham (Nottingham Evening Post)

 

8 July 1967 – Hatchetts Playground, Piccadilly, central London (Evening Standard)

Image may be subject to copyright

29 July 1967 – Elbow Room, Aston, West Midlands with The Stormsville Shakers (Birmingham Evening Mail)

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29 July 1967 – Carlton Ballroom, Erdington, West Midlands (Birmingham Evening Mail)

During September, the band play at the Top Ten Club in Hamburg with The Berkley Squares.

2 September 1967 – Star Palast, Kiel, West Germany with Paul Raven & The Boston International Showband and The Chimes of Freedom (Rolf Hannet’s research)

Image may be subject to copyright

9 September 1967 – Dreamland Ballroom, Margate, Kent with Episode Six (Thanet Times)

10 September 1967 – Rendezvous Club, Margate, Kent (Thanet Times)

During October, Fontana in Germany released the band’s cover of The Flower Pot Men’s “Let’s Go to San Francisco” backed by Les Humphries and Dave Brien’s “Cos It’s Over”.

Sometime in early 1968, Humphries left the band high and dry near Berlin and the remaining members returned home to the UK.

To read the band’s fascinating career in depth, this Strange Brew article offers an excellent account.

Copyright © Nick Warburton. All Rights Reserved. No part of this article may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without prior permission from the author.

Edwin Starr’s May-June 1968 British tour

Motown legend Edwin Starr’s growing popularity in Britain encouraged promoter Roy Tempest to bring the singer back for a second British tour in 1968. It appears that for most of (if not all) the gigs, The State Express were hired to back the singer.

John Ogden has written extensively about this obscure band at his excellent site on the Kinema Ballroom, Dunfermline.

Originally from the Midlands, Ogden lists the band’s personnel as John Crutchley (guitar), Jim Hickman (bass/vocals), Barry Fletcher (Hammond organ/vocals) and Johnny West (drums) plus two saxophone players.

It’s not clear how long the band had been around but there is a listing for The State Express for 21 May 1967 when they opened for The Troggs at the Starlite Ballroom in Greenford in west London (presuming this is the same outfit).

After working on this tour, The State Express apparently worked with other soul artists that Roy Tempest brought over and also gigged under their own name.

For example, the Buckinghamshire Examiner advertises The State Express playing at the Town Hall, High Wycombe on 28 September 1968 with The Wages of Sin, noting: “The Group that backed American singer Edwin Starr on his recent British tour 8-piece group includes gorgeous girl singers”.

Melody Maker has them also playing at the New Pink Flamingo in Wardour Street, Soho, central London on 6 September 1968.

I have found the following gigs for the Edwin Starr tour but I am sure others are missing.

I am pretty certain all of these are with The State Express but would welcome any comments from readers.

Gig calendar:

10 May 1968 – Impsella Club, Chateau Impney, Droitwich, Worcestershire (Redditch Indicator)

10 May 1968 – Tabernacle Club, Stockport, Greater Manchester (Melody Maker)

11 May 1968 – Twisted Wheel, Manchester (Melody Maker/Poster)

12 May 1968 – Ram Jam, Brixton, south London (Melody Maker)

12 May 1968 – Rasputin’s, New Oxford Street, central London (Melody Maker)

13 May 1968 – Carlton Ballroom, Warrington, Cheshire (Melody Maker)

14 May 1968 – College of Commerce, Manchester (Melody Maker) New Century Hall?

16 May 1968 – Assembly Hall, Worthing, West Sussex (Melody Maker/Poster)

16 May 1968 – Scotch of St James, Mayfair, central London (Mick Capewell’s Marmalade Skies website)

17 May 1968 – City Hall, Sheffield, South Yorkshire (Melody Maker)

17 May 1968 – Nottingham Tech College, Clifton, Nottinghamshire (Melody Maker)

18 May 1968 – Co-op Hall, Warrington, Cheshire (Fabulous 208)

18 May 1968 – Clockwork Orange, Chester, Cheshire with The Executives (Melody Maker/Cheshire Observer)

18 May 1968 – Civic Hall, Nantwich, Cheshire (Crewe Chronicle)

19 May 1968 – Sloopy’s, Manchester (Melody Maker)

19 May 1968 – Warmingham Grange Country Club, Warmingham, Cheshire (Fabulous 208)

20 May 1968 – Golden Torch, Tunstall, Staffordshire (Evening Sentinel) Three gigs on the same night seems unlikely but not impossible

20 May 1968 – Orchid Ballroom, Purley, Surrey (Melody Maker)

20 May 1968 – Bag O’Nails, Kingley Street, Soho, central London (Fabulous 208)

22 May 1968 – Pier Avenue Ballroom, Southampton, Hampshire (Fabulous 208)

22 May 1968 – Pavilion, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire (Melody Maker)

23 May 1968 – Victorianna Club, Liverpool (Melody Maker)

24 May 1968 – Top Rank Plymouth Suite, Plymouth, Devon (Melody Maker)

25 May 1968 – Gala Ballroom, Norwich, Norfolk (Melody Maker)

25 May 1968 – Royal Links Pavilion, Cromer, Norfolk with Kiss (Julie Fielder book: What Flo Said Next)

26 May 1968 – Starlite Ballroom, Greenford, northwest London (Melody Maker)

26 May 1968 – Frolicking Kneecap, Market Harborough, Leicestershire (Melody Maker)

27 May 1968 – Golden Torch, Tunstall, Staffordshire (Melody Maker)

28 May 1968 – Brave New World, Portsmouth, Hampshire (Melody Maker)

29 May 1968 – Hemel Hempstead Pavilion, Hemel Hempstead, Herts (Fabulous 208)

29 May 1968 – Hatchetts, Piccadilly, central London (Melody Maker)

30 May 1968 – Mistrale Club, Beckenham, south London with The Evolution (Melody Maker)

31 May 1968 – South Bank Jazz Club, Grimsby (Melody Maker)

 

1 June 1968 – Leicester University, Leicester (Melody Maker)

1 June 1968 – Beachcomber, Nottingham (Melody Maker)

2 June 1968 – Redcar Jazz Club, Coatham Hotel, Redcar, North Yorkshire with Chicken Shack (Dennis Weller, Chris Scott Wilson and Graham Lowe’s book)

3 June 1968 – Queen’s Hall, Leeds, West Yorkshire with The Small Faces, Bill Haley & The Comets, The Fantastics, Gospel Garden, Clockwork Orange, The Herd, Alan Bown, The Amboy Dukes and Turquoise (Fabulous 208/Poster)

We’d welcome any comments from readers below.

 

The Trekkers

Photo: Terry Gore

John Goddard (vocals)

George ? (vocals)

Ricky Fountain (lead guitar/vocals)

Terry Gore (bass/vocals)

Terry Toothill (keyboards/vocals)

Johnny Crosby (saxophone)

John Warwick (drums)

Formed in west London in early 1963 after Gore and Warwick had left The Fairlanes, The Trekkers were fronted by two singers and also included Jamaican sax player Johnny Crosby who was about 15 years older than the rest of the band and had played in and around the New York area before moving to the UK.

When the band broke up, Terry Gore, Terry Toothill and John Warwick stuck together and formed The Cast. They were all later in Tangerine Peel.

Photo: Terry Gore

Thanks to Terry Gore for the information. Please leave a comment below if you can add further information

The Riffs “Tell Her” on Lubee, Phoenix, Arizona

Riffs Lubee 45 Tell Her

The Riffs made this one cool single “Tell Her” / “I Been Thinkin'” on Lubee 304 in early 1965. The songs show pronounced Merseybeat influence, especially “Tell Her”.

J. Gocioch wrote both songs, and registered copyright in March, 1965. “I Been Thinkin'” lists only Gacioch on the label, but the registration includes Timothy Ryant, and also that Dandelion Music Co. published both songs along with Debra Music Corp.

I believe J. Gacioch is either Joe Gacioch or James Gacioch. Tim Ryant was likely a member of the band as well. He passed away in 2008.

The deadwax codes include SJW and Clingman, indicating a Wakefield Pressing, and also that Loy Clingman produced the single at his Viv Studio in Phoenix, like the Lost and Found’s “Don’t Move Girl” on Pins.

I can not find any news articles or other info on the band.

The 45 saw national release on Jamie 1296, but was not reviewed in the trades.

Riffs Lubee 45 I Been Thinkin'

Edwin Starr’s January-February 1968 British tour

In early 1968, promoter Roy Tempest brought American soul legend Edwin Starr back to Britain for another tour.

It had been six months since his last visit and rather than employ Glaswegian soul outfit The Senate to back Edwin Starr, it looks (from the gigs below) like a group called The JJ Sounds were hired instead, although there may have been other bands that helped out.

Also, Tempest was known for bringing over tribute acts and passing them off as the real thing, so it’s quite possible that some of the gigs below may not have been performed by the real Edwin Starr.

We’d be interested to hear from anyone who can provide more information in the comments section below.

Little is known about The JJ Sounds but it’s quite possible that this was, in fact, Errol Daniel & The JJ Sounds, who played at the popular Soho nightclub, the Bag O’ Nails in Kingley Street in mid-1967.

I have found the following gigs and would welcome any comments from readers. I’ve listed the backing band where it is known:

26 January 1968 – Assembly Rooms, Tamworth, Staffordshire (Fabulous 208)

28 January 1968 – Leofric Hotel, Coventry with Soul Express (Coventry Evening Telegraph) Advert says with Big supporting band

28 January 1968 – Rainbow Suite, Birmingham (Fabulous 208)

29 January 1968 – Orchid Ballroom, Purley, Surrey (Coulsdon and Purley Advertiser)

29 January 1968 – Bag O’Nails, Kingley Street, Soho, central London (Fabulous 208)

 

2 February 1968 – Queen’s Hall, Leeds, West Yorkshire with Chuck Berry, The Herd, The Move, Chris Farlowe & The Thunderbirds, Brian Auger Trinity, Julie Driscoll, Sammy Small, The Union Blues Rave Band, Th Accent (Yorkshire Evening Post)

3 February 1968 – Twisted Wheel, Manchester with Jimmy James & The Vagabonds (Poster)

3 February 1968 – Floral Hall, Southport, Lancashire with Beechwoods (Formby Times) Advert says backed by J J Sound

4 February 1968 – Starlight Ballroom, Crawley, West Sussex with Gin House Blues (Crawley Advertiser)

4 February 1968 – Roaring 20s, Carnaby Street, Soho, central London (Fabulous 208)

8 February 1968 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with Robert Plant & The Band of Joy (Tony Bacon’s book: London Live)

10 February 1968 – Royal Links Pavilion, Cromer, Norfolk with J J Sounds, Ivan & Danny Eaves with The Reformation and Django’s Castle (Julie Fielder book: What Flo Said Next) Most likely backed by J J Sounds who are one of the acts listed

Photo: Eastern Evening News, Norwich

11 February 1968 – Beau Brummel Club, Alvaston Hall Hotel, Nantwich, Cheshire with The Jaytree Organisation (Crewe Chronicle/Crewe Observer/Nantwich Chronicle) Crewe Chronicle advert says Edwin Starr was backed by The J J Sound

17 February 1968 – Tin Hat, Kettering, Northamptonshire with Motiv (website: https://garagehangover.com/the-tin-hat-kettering-1967-1969-gigs/) This was possibly a tribute act

 If you can add anything, please leave a message in the comments below

 

Harold Horn “Dew B. Dewey” on Jerden

Harold Horn photo, 1968

Harold Horn was born March 6, 1933 on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation in Lame Deer, MT. He served in the Army from 1950 until 1953, including ten months in Korea. Returning to Spokane, he became a professional musician around Spokane and in Coeur d’Alene.

He played guitar with Bobby Wayne and the Warriors, appearing on their only single on the LJV label, “Sally Ann” / “War Paint”. He also sang a fine lead vocal with the group on “Long Lean Baby”, which was only released in 2005 on the Sundazed EP ’55 Spokane Rockabilly!

Bobby Wayne would produce Harold Horn’s only solo release, “Dew B. Dewey”, a pop song set to a thumping beat with horns and cooing female backup vocals. The flip was the Little Richard standard, “Miss Ann”, a simpler production of acoustic guitar backed by another pounding drum beat.

Harold Horn Jerden 45 Dew B. DeweyBobby Wayne (Robert Wayne Snyder) and Don Weise wrote “Dew B. Dewey”, published byBurdette Music Co. and released on Jerden 750 in 1965.

Harold Horn would lead his own bands during this time. One notice in the Spokesman-Review from June 13, 1964 gives the name of the other musicians in his trio:

Patients at the Shrine Hospital for Crippled Children were entertained Friday with a two-hour concert of music donated by a Spokane band.

The three-piece musical group of Harold Horn played for the children in the hospital’s auditorium. Other members of the band were Jimmy Mitten on drums and LaCharlie Cook on guitar.

Harold Horn left music around 1966, not long after the Jerden single.

The Spokane Daily Chronicle profiled Harold on June 22, 1968, when he was social service coordinator with the American Indian Community Center. Headlined “Indian Aide Recalls Frustration and Depression: Now Helping His People” it is well worth a read.

Harold Horn died on November 24, 2016.

Harold Horn Jerden 45 Miss Ann

Sons of Adam and Ron Steele “Sleep in Public Places”

Sons of Adam and Ron Steele Flop 45 Sleep in Public Places

This is a Chicago 45 featuring Sons of Adam with Ron Steele on “Sleep in Public Places” backed with an instrumental, “I’m All Through with Her”.

It was released on Flop Records, a subsidiary of Jim-Ko Inc. In fact, “Sleep in Public Places” was also the A-side of Cole Steele and the Steele Drivers on Jim-Ko Inc. JK-41095.

I’m not sure if it’s the identical recording to the Sons of Adam version, but given both are Jim-Ko productions and include an artist named Steele, I would think it’s likely.

The flip is a fine instrumental in a different style, “I’m All Through with Her”, which doesn’t include horns, backing vocals or sound effects like “Sleep in Public Places”. Ron Steele is not credited on this side.

Jim Kolb produced the Sons of Adam 45, and Jim-Ko Pub published the songs. The dead wax includes “For Jeanette” on the A-side and “J. Kolb” on the flip, plus 41095 which was the Jim-Ko release number of the Cole Steele 45.

The Sons of Adam were a real group, including Bill Zimmerman and Joe Estok on drums, who was replaced by Marcus David in 1967. There was a well-known session guitarist in Chicago named Ron Steele, but I don’t know if this is the same person.

Sons of Adam Flop 45 I'm All Through With Her I couldn’t find publishing info on “Sleep in Public Places”, which was written by Zimmerman and Failla.

The July 12, 1966 registration for “I’m All Through with Her” lists Bill Stewart, pseudonym of William A. Zimmerman.

There’s another Stewart/Zimmerman registration on that date, for a song called “I Can’t Stand It”, words by Jim Dee, pseudonym of James N. Skarzynski, and words and music by Bill Stewart aka William Zimmerman. I’m not sure if this song exists on record.

Additional info on the Sons of Adam or Jim Kolb would be appreciated.

The Fairlanes

Photo: Terry Gore

Jimmy Marsh (lead vocals)

Johnny Grey (lead guitar)

David Beach (rhythm guitar)

Terry Gore (bass)

John Warwick (drums)

The Fairlanes were formed in Fulham, southwest London around 1960/1961 before Gore and Warwick joined and originally had a different rhythm guitarist, bass player and drummer.

Gore and Warwick, who had started out with The Bellairs, heard about the musicians rehearsing at a school in Fulham and went along to check them out. Gore, who’d played guitar previously, switched to bass and another rhythm guitarist called Reg briefly joined before Dave Beach came on board. Judging by the photo above they were a seven piece at one point.

The band played regularly in the London area, including many USAF bases. They also worked across the country backing a number of big stars before breaking up in early 1963.

Jimmy Marsh subsequently formed The Del Mar Trio before joining The Noblemen in July 1966 with future Jethro Tull guitarist Martin Barre. The band changed name to Motivation later that year.

Gore and Warwick stuck together and formed The Trekkers. They later played in Tangerine Peel.

Please leave a comment below if you can add any further information

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