I have to give a great big thank you to David Else for supplying most of the information on this very obscure band, who featured some fascinating musicians during their short time together.
David Else believes that the original line-up may have come together towards the end of 1965 and may have been formed as a “pick-up” band to play odd gigs.
He has the following line-up and we’d welcome any further information from readers:
Pat Willoughby – vocals
Bobby Harrison – vocals
Keith DeGroot – vocals
Vince ? – vocals
Alan Spenner – guitar
Tex Makins – bass
Roy Edwards – trumpet
Rudy Jones – saxophone
Barry ? – organ
Red Reece – drums
Pat Willoughby, Bobby Harrison and Alan Spenner had previously played together in The Golden Apples of The Sun, recording a lone 45 issued in October 1965. Before that, they had worked together in The Jimmy Ritchie Combo.
Tex Makins and Red Reece meanwhile had been with Georgie Fame & The Blue Flames.
Keith DeGroot had previously worked as singer Gerry Temple.
I believe that Roy Edwards and Rudy Jones may have been from the Caribbean originally and were probably recruited from the London club scene. Edwards may have been with The Del Vikings.
Else notes that Makins left in December 1965 to join The Sidewinders while Harrison formed The Powerpack, who recorded for CBS and was then an original member of Procul Harum. He adds that Reece joined Graham Bond. I’ve read that he worked briefly with south London band, The Kingpins.
A revised line-up of the band comprised the following musicians who were responsible for the band’s lone 45, “Precious Words” c/w “Ba Boo”, released on Island Records in 1966.
Pat Willoughby – vocals
Keith DeGroot – vocals
Alan Spenner – guitar
Roy Edwards – trumpet
Rudy Jones – saxophone
Mike O’Neill – organ
Billy Law – drums (replaced by Bruce Rowland)
Of the new members, Mike O’Neill had previously been a member of Nero & The Gladiators while Billy Law had drummed for Long John Baldry.
David Else found the following gigs for the band, either credited as Creepers, Leapers, Sleepers Band or Leepers Weepers Sleepers Band:
11 September 1966 – Cue Club, Paddington, London (Melody Maker)
23 September 1966 – Cue Club, Paddington, London (Melody Maker)
16 October 1966 – Cue Club, Paddington, London (Melody Maker)
4 November 1966 – Ricky Tick, Hounslow, west London
It’s not clear when the band split, but during 1967 Alan Spenner and Bruce Rowland ended up with Wynder K Frog and later worked with The Grease Band backing Joe Cocker.
DeGroot meanwhile went solo and recorded for RCA Records.
Roy Edwards and Rudy Jones stuck together and somehow ended up in either France or Spain where they worked and recorded with US soul singer Eddie Lee Mattison during 1968. It’s possible that before that, they may have worked with Otis Redding during his 1967 UK tour.
After Eddie Lee Mattison they both spent a very short period playing with Berry Window & The Movements, a Swiss-based international band who were recording in Italy when Edwards and Jones briefly joined them.
Edwards subsequently returned to the UK where he recorded with J J Jackson and then played with Bandwagon and Sonority among others. Jones also returned to the UK and later played with The Trojans among others after working as a noted session player.
