The Tribe

Image may be subject to copyright

John Neighbour – lead vocals/harp

Frank Torpey – lead guitar

Martin Slavenic – Hammond organ

Dennis Cowan – bass

Malcolm Wolffe – drums

The Tribe were a northwest London band from Kilburn that formed around late 1964 and were notable for featuring future Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band bass player Dennis Cowan and Frank Torpey, who was the original lead guitarist in The Sweet. Torpey had started out in a band with future Sweet drummer Mick Tucker. Drummer Malcolm Wolffe subsequently played with Happy Magazine and then Geno Washington & The Ram Jam Band.

Regulars at the Ealing Club and the State Ballroom Kilburn, the band gigged widely (see gigs list below) and travelled to Paris twice to play at the Gaff Club. The Tribe also spent a month in Copenhagen, Denmark in spring 1966. Petticoat Magazine ran a short article on them in its 4 June issue (see below).

Image may be subject to copyright

Signed to Shel Talmy’s Planet label, The Tribe’s debut single was the blues rocker “The Gamma Goochie” c/w “I’m Leaving”, which was produced by John Sullivan and issued on 4 February 1966.

The former can be found on the Big Beat compilation CD Planet Mod while the latter has been included on another CD in the Big Beat series, Planet Beat. Out of interest, Planet Mod also includes the previously unreleased Tribe recording “Don’t Let It Be”, which was cut in March 1966.

After recording a couple of unreleased demo tracks after leaving Planet, including a cover of Edwin Starr’s “Headline News” and a track called “Sometimes You Win, Sometimes You Lose” (the latter at Abbey Road), The Tribe moved to RCA for its second release in May 1967 – the soulful “Love Is a Beautiful Thing” c/w “Steel Guitar and a Glass of Wine”.

That same month, the group landed a three-month residency at the Marquee (and while there played at the exclusive Mayfair club the Scotch of St James a handful of times after finishing up at the Marquee in the evening).

In mid-August, to tap into the burgeoning psychedelic scene, The Tribe changed name to Dream and appeared at the Festival of the Flower Children held at Woburn Festival on 27 August 1967.

When the band broke up in October 1967, Torpey spent a few months with another west London band, Wainwright’s Gentlemen where he worked with soon-to-be Sweet band mates Brian Connolly and Mick Tucker.

Selected gigs:

7 November 1964 – Wilton Hall, Bletchley, Bucks with The Troggs

 

9 January 1965 – Club A Go Go, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne & Wear with Jimmy Powell & The Dimensions

Image may be subject to copyright

30 March 1965 – Nurses Club, Jolly Gardeners, Isleworth, Middlesex

Image may be subject to copyright

8 April 1965 – Bromel Club, Bromley Court Hotel, Bromley, southeast London

Image may be subject to copyright

13 April 1965 – Elms Club, South Harrow, northwest London

Image may be subject to copyright

2 May 1965 – Ealing Club, Ealing, west London

7 May 1965 – Elms Club, South Harrow, northwest London

Image may be subject to copyright

11 May 1965 – Elms Club, South Harrow, northwest London

13 May 1965 – Ealing Club, Ealing, west London

14 May 1965 – Elms Club, South Harrow, northwest London

23 May 1965 – Ealing Club, Ealing, west London

Image may be subject to copyright

25 May 1965 – Elms Club, South Harrow, northwest London

28 May 1965 – Elms Club, South Harrow, northwest London

31 May 1965 – Ealing Club, Ealing, west London

Image may be subject to copyright

3 June 1965 – Elms Club, South Harrow, northwest London with The CC Riders and Initial Four

 

3 July 1965 – Club Noreik, Tottenham, north London

6 July 1965 – London Cavern, Holland Park, west London with The Dae ‘B’ Four

 

13 August 1965 – California Ballroom, Dunstable with Zoot Money’s Big Roll Band and Bern Elliott & The Klan

Image may be subject to copyright

14 August 1965 – Maple Ballroom, Northampton with The Dragsters

 

4 September 1965 – Club Dolphin, Luton, Beds

18 September 1965 – Borough Assembly Hall, Aylesbury, Bucks with Johnny Cannon & The Shades

Image may be subject to copyright

8 October 1965 – Legion Hall, Amersham, Bucks

16 October 1965 – Finstock, Oxfordshire

23 October 1965 – Tackley, Oxfordshire

Image may be subject to copyright

20 November 1965 – Airport Restaurant, Rochester Airport, Rochester, Kent

Image may be subject to copyright

22 November 1965 – Drill Hall, Newmarket, Cambridgeshire

 

9 December 1965 – Ealing Club, Ealing, west London

18 December 1965 – Royal Links Pavilion, Cromer, Norfolk with The Devil’s Coachmen

24 December 1965 – Beachcomber, Nottingham with The Dickens Set

Image may be subject to copyright

26 December 1965 – The Place, Hanley, Staffordshire with Chris Farlowe & The Thunderbirds and Jimmy Cliff, Ayshea, Pete Hodges and The New Generation (advert says they are from the Marquee)

Image may be subject to copyright

8 January 1966 – Gala Ballroom, Norwich, Norfolk with The Sneakers

Image may be subject to copyright

14 January 1966 – Fiesta Hall, Andover, Hampshire (from the Flamingo, Wardour Street, Soho, central London)

 

5 February 1966 – California Ballroom, Dunstable with The Overlanders and The Amboy Dukes

Image may be subject to copyright

19 February 1966 – Dreamland, Margate, Kent with The Zombies

26 February 1966 – Marcam Hall, March, Cambridgeshire with The Fenmen

Image may be subject to copyright

1 April 1966 – Club Continental, Eastbourne, East Sussex

30 April 1966 – Gala Ballroom, Norwich, Norfolk with The Amboy Dukes

Photo: Petticoat magazine, 4 June 1966. Image may be subject to copyright

10 June 1966 – Il Rondo, Leicester

19 June 1966 – Pavilion Ballroom, Bournemouth, Dorset with The Valiants and The Trackmarks

25 June 1966 – Dreamland, Margate, Kent with St Louis Union

26 June 1966 – Dreamland, Margate, Kent

 

2 July 1966 – Gala Ballroom, Norwich, Norfolk with Abject Blues

17 July 1966 – Kettering Working Men’s Club, Kettering, Northamptonshire with Brian Poole & The Tremeloes

 

6 August 1966 – Union Rowing Club, Nottingham

7 August 1966 – Bromel Club, Bromley Court Hotel, Bromley, southeast London

Image may be subject to copyright

13 August 1966 – ABC Promotions, Public Hall, Heacham, Norfolk with The Zuider Zee

14 August 1966 – Dungeon Club, Nottingham

Image may be subject to copyright

20 August 1966 – The 7 Club, Wyle Cop, Shrewsbury, Shropshire with Chris Ian

27 August 1966 – Starlight Ballroom, Boston Gliderdrome, Boston, Lincolnshire with The Small Faces, John & Nicky (and group), The Flashbacks and The Ferryboys

 

2 September 1966 – Dancing Slipper, Nottingham

3 September 1966 – Gaiety, Ramsey, Cambridgeshire with The Eyes of Blond

10 September 1966 – Dorothy Ballroom, Cambridge with Bob Kidman & His Band, The Utopians and The Versions

25 September 1966 – Dungeon Club, Nottingham

Image may be subject to copyright

30 September 1966 – Elbow Room, Aston, West Midlands

 

7 October 1966 – Glenlyn Ballroom, Forest Hill, southeast London

Image may be subject to copyright

15 October 1966 – Royal Links Pavilion, Cromer, Norfolk with New Generation

22 October 1966 – The Flamingo, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with The Savoy Brown Blues Band

Image may be subject to copyright

2 November 1966 – Gravesend R&B Club, Clarendon Royal Hotel, Gravesend, Kent (Thanks to Andy Neill for providing PACE magazine entry)

5 November 1966 – The Bromel Club, Bromley Court Hotel, Bromley, southeast London (also have them playing at New Spot, Gosport, Hampshire on this day)

6 November 1966 – Bromley Court Hotel, Bromley, southeast London

18 November 1966 – Beaconsfield Youth Club, Beaconsfield, Bucks

19 November 1966 – Union Rowing Club, Nottingham with Fla Makane

 

2 December 1966 – Dancing Slipper Ballroom, West Bridgeford, Nottingham with Herbie Goins & The Night Timers

3 December 1966 – 76 Club, Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire

Image may be subject to copyright

15 December 1966 – Flying Fox Club, RAF Cottesmore, Rutland with Davey Sands & The Essex, Marmalade and The Nemkons

Image may be subject to copyright

17 December 1966 – ABC Promotions, Public Hall, Heacham, Norfolk with The Seasons

19 December 1966 – Kettering Working Men’s Club, Kettering, Northamptonshire with The Missing Links

24 December 1966 – Bath Regency Ballroom, Bath with The First Lites and The Workshop

 

1 January 1967 – Dungeon Club, Nottingham

7 January 1967 – Il Rondo, Leicester

13 January 1967 – Bicester Youth Centre, Bicester

14 January 1967 – Winter Gardens, Banbury, Warwickshire with The Pride & Passion

14 January 1967 – Flamingo Ballroom, Penzance, Cornwall with The Dissatisfied

16 January 1967 – Kettering Working Men’s Club, Kettering, Northamptonshire

25 January 1967 – Dreamland, Margate, Kent

31 January 1967 – Crayford Town Hall, Crayford, Kent

Image may be subject to copyright

18 February 1967 – Il Rondo, Leicester

25 February 1967 – Club A Go Go, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne & Wear with The Washington DCs

 

5 March 1967 – Dungeon Club, Nottingham (they might have been replaced by The Army)

8 March 1967 – Eel Pie Island, Twickenham, west London with The Savoy Brown Blues Band

18 March 1967 – New Yorker Discotheque, Swindon, Wiltshire with Sac-0-Woe

25 March 1967 – New Dungeon Club, Nottingham

30 March 1967 – Marquee, London with Marmalade

 

1 April 1967 – Union Rowing Club, Nottingham

Image may be subject to copyright

1 April 1967 – Beeches Barn Theatre, Cirencester, Gloucestershire (advert mistakenly says they are from Oxford)

Image may be subject to copyright

10 April 1967 – Kettering Working Men’s Club, Kettering, Northamptonshire with The Finger Print Set

Image may be subject to copyright

14 April 1967 – Bluesette, Bridge Street, Leatherhead, Surrey

15 April 1967 – Dreamland Ballroom, Margate, Kent with The Tonicks featuring Joey Young

Image may be subject to copyright

16 April 1967 – Dreamland Ballroom, Margate, Kent

 

4 May 1967 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with Marmalade

Image may be subject to copyright

6 May 1967 – Royal Links Pavilion, Cromer, Norfolk with Chicago Line featuring Mike Patto and The New Generation

Image may be subject to copyright

26 May 1967 – Slipper, West Bridgford, Nottinghamshire

Image may be subject to copyright

27 May 1967 – Exeter Eights Week Ball, Oxford University with The Cream, The Other Extreme and The Cabinet

27 May 1967 – St Thomas’ Hall, Brentwood, Essex

 

3 June 1967 – Bal Tabarin, Downham, southeast London with supporting groups

Image may be subject to copyright

7 June 1967 – Dungeon Club, Nottingham

Image may be subject to copyright

9 June 1967 – Union Rowing Club, Nottingham

15 June 1967 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with Marmalade

Image may be subject to copyright

17 June 1967 – Hull College of Commerce Students’ Union, Hull, Humberside with That Feeling and The Locomotion

Image may be subject to copyright

24 June 1967 – Il Rondo, Leicester

Image may be subject to copyright

1 July 1967 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with The Stalkers

2 July 1967 – Dungeon Club, Nottingham

8 July 1967 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with The Love Affair

Image may be subject to copyright

15 July 1967 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with The Monopoly

22 July 1967 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with Ten Years After

29 July 1967 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with Darlings

Image may be subject to copyright

5 August 1967 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with The Third Eye

12 August 1967 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with Impact Blues

Image may be subject to copyright

19 August 1967 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with Nite People

Selected gigs (as Dream)

26 August 1967 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with The Third Eye

27 August 1967 – Festival of the Flower Children, Woburn Abbey, Woburn, Bedfordshire with The Move, Eric Burdon & The New Animals, The Soft Machine and others

 

2 September 1967 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London

9 September 1967 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with Herbal Mixture

16 September 1967 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with The Iveys

23 September 1967 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with Mud

30 September 1967 – Golden Torch, Tunstall, Staffordshire

30 September 1967 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with The Third Eye

 

21 October 1967 – Dreamland, Margate, Kent with Zoot Money

22 October 1967 – Rendezvous Club, Margate, Kent

These final gigs must have been a different band unless some of the members carried on with the name after Frank Torpey left.

Image may be subject to copyright

11 December 1967 – Broadway Club, Dudley Zoo with The Probe (see gig poster as they had been on tour)

29 December 1967 – Dreamland, Margate, Kent

Thanks to Frank Torpey, Alec Palao and Bruce Welsh for providing information.

This is an extensively updated version of an article that was originally published on the Strange Brew website.  I’d like to thank Jason Barnard for all of his help and support over the years.

The gigs above were sourced from many sources. I apologise for any sources that are missing but they include Melody Maker, the Middlesex County Times & West Middlesex Gazette, Birmingham Evening Mail, Bucks Free Press, Lynn News, Nottingham Evening Post, Northampton Chronicle, Oxford Mail, Cherwell, Banbury Guardian, Andover Advertiser, Hull Daily Mail, East Kent Times & Mail.

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

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. Email: Warchive@aol.com

The Loose Ends

The Loose Ends, late 1965/early 1966. Left to right: Roy Davies, Rick Marshall, Alan Marshall, Peter Kirtley and Alan Whitehead. Photo: Peter Kirtley

Formed in Bexley Heath, Kent in late 1963, The Loose Ends were fronted by singer Alan Marshall (b. 19 February 1944, Karachi, British India, now Sindhi Province, Pakistan) and his bass playing cousin Rick Marshall.

Lead guitarist Ron Spence (b. 23 April 1947, London, England; d. 25 June 1973) was also there from the outset alongside drummer Peter Hetherington and rhythm guitarist John Knox who had been introduced to the band by Spence.

After rehearsing in a scout hut in Bexley Heath and playing some local gigs, keyboard player Roy Davies (b. 3 October 1944, Monmouthshire, southeast Wales; d. 1986), who was working in a music shop on Bexley Heath Broadway, took over from Knox around early 1964.

The group also brought in a drummer from Luton called Rick who was subsequently replaced by Orpington-based drummer Alan “Noddy” Whitehead (b. 24 July 1945, Oswestry, Shropshire). Whitehead had previously worked with singer Crispian St. Peters.

The band became the house band at St Lawrence Church Hall in Catford, southeast London during this period.

The new formation started landing regular gigs at notable local venues like the Bromel Club in Bromley, the Tiger’s Head in Downham and the Glenlyn Ballroom in Forest Hill. Crucially, their manager Bryan Mason secured the group a residency at Lewisham’s El Partido, a club that he owned, which helped build their local fan base.

Photo: Melody Maker

However, around June 1965, Ron Spence departed to join local rivals The Revellos, who were also managed by Bryan Mason.

Ron Spence (second right) with The Carl Douglas Set, 1966. Photo: Ken Baxter

In early 1966, Spence joined The Carl Douglas Set and remained with the Jamaican singer for about six months (recording unreleased material) before hooking up with Bexley, Kent outfit, The Big Wheel, which featured future Clark-Hutchinson member, Andy Clark. The group toured extensively in Switzerland and recorded a rare single there in late 1966 for the Eurex label. During this period, the guitarist started to work under the name Ron Bryer.

The Big Wheel Eurex PS back
Ron Bryer (far right) with Big Wheel, Switzerland, 1966

When The Big Wheel split, Ron Bryer joined Barry Window & The Movements in July 1967 and appeared on a string of singles and two LPs.

Ron Bryer with The Movements, 1967. Photo: Barry Window
Berry Window & The Movements with Ron Bryer (third from left back row). Photo: Barry Window

During 1968, however, he formed The Third Eclipse who changed name to Brainticket and recorded the Krautrock classic Cottonwoodhill album in 1971. Returning to London in the early Seventies, he briefly reunited with Alan Marshall in One but tragically died from a drug overdose on 25 June 1973.

Selected gigs:

13 June 1964 – Memorial Hall, Newmarket, Suffolk with The Hunters

18 June 1964 – Cafe Dansant, Cleethorpes with Wayne Fontana & The Mindbenders

Photo: Lynn News

4 July 1964 – Sunset Ballroom, The Sandringham, Hunstanton, Norfolk

18 July 1964 – The Scene, Florida Room, Brighton, West Sussex

 

8 August 1964 – The Northfields, Stamford, Lincolnshire

Photo: Brighton Evening Argus

5 September 1964 – The Scene, Florida Room, Brighton, West Sussex

26 September 1964 – Glenlyn Club, Forest Hill, southeast London (start playing Monday nights)

Photo: Cambridge News

3 October 1964 – Corn Exchange, Cambridge with The Paramounts

 

16 November 1964 – 100 Club, Oxford Street, central London with The Birds

 

12 December 1964 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London with The Impacts

14 December 1964 – 100 Club, Oxford Street, central London with The Original All-Stars

Photo: North Norfolk News

19 December 1964 – Royal Links Pavilion, Cromer, Norfolk with Maniax

Photo: Lynn News

24 December 1964 – Public Hall, Heacham, Norfolk with The Roadrunners

Photo: South East London Mercury

24 December 1964 – El Partido, Lewisham, southeast London

Photo: Bletchley District Gazette

2 January 1965 – Wilton Hall, Bletchley, Buckinghamshire with The Horizons

16 January 1965 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London with The Impacts

22 January 1965 – Market Hall, St Albans, Herts

Photo: Melody Maker

25 January 1965 – Bromel Club, Bromley Court Hotel, Bromley, southeast London

Photo: Harrow Weekly Post

29 January 1965 – Rainbow Club, Acre Hall, Northwood, Middlesex

Photo: Melody Maker

2 February 1965 – 100 Club, Oxford Street, central London with The Pretty Things

Photo: North Norfolk News

13 February 1965 – Royal Links Pavilion, Cromer, Norfolk with The Trends

18 February 1965 – 100 Club, Oxford Street, central London with The Graham Bond Organisation

Photo: Melody Maker

25 February 1965 – Bromel Club, Bromley Court Hotel, Bromley, southeast London

26 February 1965 – Starlite, Greenford, Middlesex with The Birds

Photo: South East London Mercury

3 April 1965 – El Partido, Lewisham, southeast London

Photo: Hants & Berkshire Gazette

10 April 1965 – Ticky Rick Club, Carnival Hall, Basingstoke, Hants (Says direct from 100 Club)

15 April 1965 – 100 Club, Oxford Street, central London with The Graham Bond Organisation

Photo: Lynn News

18 April 1965 – Tavern Club, Sunshine Floor, East Dereham, Norfolk with The Tea Time Four

Photo: Southern Echo

23 April 1965 – Waterfront, Southampton, Hants

Photo: Maidstone Gazette

24 April 1965 – Corn Exchange, Maidstone, Kent with The Defenders

25 April 1965 – Face Club, Grantham, Lincolnshire

29 April 1965 – 100 Club, Oxford Street, central London with The Graham Bond Organisation

 

2 May 1965 – Black Prince Hotel, Bexley, southeast London with The Five Dimensions

Photo: Melody Maker

16 May 1965 – Bromel Club, Bromley Court Hotel, Bromley, southeast London

16 May 1965 – Studio ’61, Leicester Square, central London

23 May 1965 – Studio ’61, Leicester Square, central London

Photo: Walthamstow Guardian

27 May 1965 – Cooks Ferry Inn, Edmonton, north London

Photo: Melody Maker

28 May 1965 – Studio ’61, Leicester Square, central London with Ray Sone

 

4 June 1965 – 400 Ballroom, Torquay, Devon with The Buccaneers

6 June 1965 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London

The Loose Ends, late 1965/early 1966. Left to right: Roy Davies, Rick Marshall, Alan Marshall, Peter Kirtley and Alan Whitehead. Photo: Peter Kirtley

Guitarist Peter Kirtley (b. 26 September 1945, Hebburn-on-Tyne, County Durham) from Jarrow, Tyne & Wear took Ron Spence’s place. A former member of The Chevrolets and Shorty & Them, Kirtley had appeared on the latter’s lone single, “Pills or Love’s Labour Lost” c/w “Live Laugh Love”, released on Fontana in 1964, and a German-only album, shared with Liverpool group, The Roadrunners, before decamping to London in early 1965.

According to the South East London Mercury newspaper’s 19 February 1965 edition, Kirtley and fellow Jarrow musician, bass player, the late Brian Rowan formed the short-lived Take Six with southeast London musicians, organist Roger Read (ex-Wranglers/Showtimers) and drummer Graham Willard in early 1965.

In February 1966, The Loose Ends landed a semi-residency at the exclusive Mayfair nightclub, the Scotch of St James.

Having inked a deal with Decca Records in late 1965, The Loose Ends cut their debut single, an impressive take on “Send The People Away”, a rare Moody Blues’ track penned by Mike Pinder and Denny Laine, backed with a cover of “I Ain’t Gonna Eat Out My Heart Anymore”, which was shipped in July 1966.

That same month, South East London Mercury reported that bass player Dave Collman (b. 13 April 1946, Croydon, Surrey) had taken over from Rick Marshall.

The Loose Ends, circa July 1966. Left to right: Roy Davies, Peter Kirtley, Dave Collman, Alan Marshall and Alan Whitehead. Photo: Peter Kirtley

Selected gigs:

13 June 1965 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London

Photo: Bexley Heath & Welling Observer and Kentish Times

19 June 1965 – Jazz & Blues Festival, Black Prince Hotel, Bexley, southeast London with The Dutch Swing College, Solomon Burke, Zoot Money’s Big Roll Band, Unit 4 Plus 2, The Spencer Davis Group, The Downliners Sect, Alan Elsdon’s Jazzband, Brian Green New-O-Stompers and The Epitaph Soul Band

20 June 1965 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London

Photo: Lynn News

26 June 1965 – Swaffham Assembly Rooms, Swaffham, Norfolk with Mike Prior & The Pagans

27 June 1965 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London

 

4 July 1965 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London

Photo: North Norfolk News

25 July 1965 – Tavern Club, Dereham, Norfolk with The Mode

 

14 August 1965 – Ticky Rick and Rang-A-Tang Club, Basingstoke, Hants

Photo: Melody Maker

10-11 September 1965 – El Partido, Lewisham, southeast London with Duke Lee

11 September 1965 – El Partido, Lewisham, southeast London with Duke Lee, Sonny Childe and Lou Johnson

13 September 1965 – Welcome Inn, Eltham, southeast London

14 September 1965 – Tiger’s Head, Downham, southeast London

15 September 1965 – Cromwellian, south Kensington, west London

16 September 1965 – The Raven, Ladywell, southeast London

17 September 1965 – Beckenham Ballroom, Beckenham, south London

18 September 1965 – Glenlyn Ballroom, Forest Hill, southeast London

18 September 1965 – El Partido, Lewisham, southeast London with The Artwoods (Southeast London Mercury has Lou Johnson)

25 September 1965 – El Partido, Lewisham, southeast London with Guy Darrell

Photo: Kent Messenger

2 October 1965 – Royal Star Ballroom, Maidstone, Kent with support

Photo: Melody Maker

2 October 1965 – El Partido, Lewisham, southeast London with Jesse Fuller, The Spectres and Duke Lee

9 October 1965 – El Partido, Lewisham, southeast London with Dave Anthony’s Moods, Duke Lee and Next of Kin

Photo: North Norfolk News

10 October 1965 – Tavern Club, Sunshine Floor, Dereham, Norfolk with The Knock-out Squad

16 October 1965 – 100 Club, Oxford Street, central London

20 October 1965 – El Partido, Lewisham, southeast London with Long, Short & Tall and Duke Lee

Photo: Melody Maker

23 October 1965 – El Partido, Lewisham, southeast London with The Minor Birds and Duke Lee

Photo: Birmingham Evening Mail

27 October 1965 – Adelphi Ballroom, West Bromwich, West Midlands

Photo: Nottingham Evening Post

30 October 1965 – Beachcomber Club, Nottingham (possibly their debut Nottingham appearance)

30 October 1965 – El Partido, Lewisham, southeast London with Hamilton & The Movement and Duke Lee

 

3 November 1965 – El Partido, Lewisham, southeast London with Blues Roots and Duke Lee

Photo: West Surrey Advertiser

11 November 1965 – Hoochie Coochie Club, Wooden Bridge Hotel, Guildford, Surrey

12 November 1965 – Birdcage, Kimbells Ballroom, Southsea, Hampshire

19 November 1965 – California Ballroom, Dunstable, Bedfordshire

Photo: Melody Maker

20 November 1965 – El Partido, Lewisham, southeast London with Guy Darrell, Winds of Change and Duke Lee

27 November 1965 – El Partido, Lewisham, southeast London with The Panics and Duke Lee

Photo: West Surrey Advertiser

9 December 1965 – Harvest Moon, Guildford, Surrey with Sonny Childe and Ad Finitum

11 December 1965 – Milford R&B, Strutt Arms, Milford, Derbyshire

Photo: Nottingham Evening Post

12 December 1965 – Britannia Rowing Club, Nottingham (from The Flamingo, Wardour Street, Soho, central London)

16 December 1965 – Cook’s Ferry Inn, Edmonton, north London

Photo: Melody Maker

18 December 1965 – El Partido, Lewisham, southeast London with Frank Sheen Sound and Duke Lee

24 December 1965 – Birdcage, Kimbells Ballroom, Southsea, Hampshire

24 December 1965 – El Partido, Lewisham, southeast London with Duke Lee and Frank Sheen Sound

 

3 January 1966 – Gala Baths, West Bromwich, West Midlands

3 January 1966 – Cooks Ferry Inn, Edmonton, north London

Photo: Hastings and St Leonards Observer

8 January 1966 – The Dolphin, Marine Court, St Leonards, East Sussex with The Web

16 January 1966 – Tower Ballroom, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk with Ketas

Photo: North Norfolk News

30 January 1966 – Tavern Club, Dereham, Norfolk with The Marvin Lois Enterprise

 

5 February 1966 – Star Ballroom, Maidstone, Kent with The Defenders and The Convoys

13 February 1966 – Royal Links Pavilion, Cromer, Norfolk with The Trends

15 February 1966 – 100 Club, Oxford Street, central London with The Five Proud Walkers

Photo: South East London Mercury

19 February 1966 – Witchdoctor, Savoy Rooms, Catford, southeast London

20 February 1966 – Bromley Court Hotel, Bromley, southeast London

Photo: South East London Mercury

21 February 1966 – Starting this week, The Loose Ends played the Scotch of St James in Mayfair, central London three times a week. They will continue to play the exclusive nightclub throughout the year.

Photo: South East London Mercury

24 February 1966 – Gala Baths, West Bromwich, West Midlands

26 February 1966 – Glenlyn Ballroom, Forest Hill, southeast London

 

5 March 1966 – Ram Jam, Brixton, south London with Tony Knight’s Chessmen

11 March 1966 – Chislehurst Caves, Chislehurst, southeast London

12 March 1966 – Golden Star Club, Caledonian Road, north London

16 March 1966 – Bromley Court Hotel, Bromley, southeast London

17 March 1966 – Pontiac, Putney, southwest London

Photo: Either Aldershot News or Camberley News & Bagshot Observer

26 March 1966 – Carousel Club, 1 Camp Road, Farnborough, Hampshire with The Koobas

29 March 1966 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with The Action

Photo: South East London Mercury

1 April 1966 – Witchdoctor, Savoy Rooms, Catford, southeast London with The Lonely Ones

Photo: most likely Coulsdon & Purley Advertiser

2 April 1966 – St Peter’s Hall, Croydon, south London with The Board Walkers

Photo: Hastings and St Leonards Observer

10 April 1966 – The Dolphin, Marine Court, St Leonards, East Sussex

10 April 1966 – Witchdoctor, Savoy Rooms, Catford, southeast London with The Lonely Ones

Photo: Lincolnshire Standard

11 April 1966 – Starlight Ballroom, Boston Gliderdrome, Boston, Lincolnshire with The Soundtracks and The Reasons

17 April 1966 – Bromley Court Hotel, Bromley, southeast London

Photo: Melody Maker

29 April 1966 – Links, Boreham Wood, Hertfordshire with support

30 April 1966 – Star Ballroom, Maidstone, Kent

 

1 May 1966 – Welcome Inn, Eltham, southeast London

Photo: South East London Mercury

14 May 1966 – Witchdoctor, Savoy Rooms, Catford, southeast London

18 May 1966 – Bromley Court Hotel, Bromley, southeast London

20 May 1966 – Ready Steady Go Club, Market Hall, St Albans, Herts

26 May 1966 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, London with The Bo Street Runners

27 May 1966 – Queen of Hearts, Queensbury, north London

28 May 1966 – Glenlyn Ballroom, Forest Hill, southeast London

Photo: Melody Maker

4 June 1966 – Southeast Jazz Blues Festival, Blackheath, southeast London with Manfred Mann, Georgie Fame & The Blue Flames, Roy C and Zoot Money’s Big Roll Band

5 June 1966 – Regency Ballroom, Bath with Tiffany’s Thoughts

6 June 1966 – Flamingo, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with Ray Brown’s Sounds

Photo: Evening Sentinel

7 June 1966 – The Place, Hanley, Staffordshire

 

According to London Life magazine, The Loose Ends are one of the three resident bands at the Scotch of St James for the week 11-17 June

 

12 June 1966 – Bromley Court Hotel, Bromley, southeast London

13 June 1966 – Flamingo, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with Ray Brown’s Sounds

17 June 1966 – Latin Quarter, Leicester with Five Minus One

Photo: Hastings and St Leonards Observer

18 June 1966 – The Dolphin, Marine Court, St Leonards, East Sussex

20 June 1966 – Flamingo, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with Ray Brown’s Sounds

Photo: Redbridge & Ilford Recorder

21 June 1966 – Oscar’s Grotto, Ilford, east London with The Felders Orioles

Photo: Middlesbrough Evening Gazette

25 June 1966 – KD Club, Stockton-on-Tees with The Denmen (Says from Scotch of St James)

27 June 1966 – Flamingo, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with Ray Brown’s Sounds

 

According to an article in the Wandsworth Advertiser on 29 July, the band held down a Wednesday residency at the Bromel Club in Bromley during July and besides playing at the Scotch of St James and the Flamingo, The Loose Ends also performed at the Marquee. Apparently, they also opened a game at Charlton Athletic FC.

Barely a month after the band’s debut release, Decca issued a second single on 5 August 1966, once again produced by Noel Walker. Coupling a superb freakbeat version of George Harrison’s “Taxman” with the more R&B flavoured “That’s It”; the second outing should have been a hit but for some reason failed to chart.

However, despite the clutch of great singles, The Loose Ends were unravelling.

Photo: South East London Mercury, mid September 1966

In late September, Alan Whitehead departed, initially to join Cops ‘N’ Robbers. He then spent a month or so playing with southeast London group The Epitaph Soul Band before joining The Attack alongside singer Richard Shirman and guitarist David O’List.

Although he was photographed extensively with the band, Whitehead only appeared on two tracks (“Try It” and “We Don’t Know”) as he had already secured the drummer’s position in Scottish band The Marmalade. Whitehead remained with The Marmalade throughout its most successful years. In an interesting side note, Whitehead says that he auditioned for the group that became Procol Harum in spring 1967.

Selected gigs:

6 July 1966 – Bromley Court Hotel, Bromley southeast London

Photo: Melody Maker

8 July 1966 – Tiles, Oxford Street, central London with Rufus Thomas

Photo: Maidstone Gazette

9 July 1966 – Corn Exchange, Maidstone, Kent with The Corvettes

13 July 1966 – Bromel Club, Bromley, southeast London with The Good Things

16 July 1966 – Savoy, Catford, southeast London

17 July 1966 – Eltham Baths, Eltham, southeast London

18 July 1966 – Flamingo, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with Ray Brown’s Sounds

20 July 1966 – Bromley Court Hotel, Bromley, southeast London with The Squires

Photo: Southern Echo

22 July 1966 – Waterfront, Southampton, Hants

23 July 1966 – Penthouse, Birmingham with Deep Feeling and Mark V

24 July 1966 – El Partido, Lewisham, southeast London

26 July 1966 – Scotch of St James, Mayfair, central London

27 July 1966 – Bromel Club, Bromley Court Hotel, Bromley, southeast London

29 July 1966 – Glenlyn Ballroom, Forest Hill, southeast London

South East London Mercury, 8 July 1966

According to London Life magazine, The Loose Ends were one of three resident bands at the Scotch of St James with The VIPs and The Paramounts during the week 30 July – 5 August 1966

 

20 August 1966 – Corn Exchange, Maidstone, Kent with support

21 August 1966 – Central R&B Club, Central Hotel, Gillingham, Kent

Photo: Hastings and St Leonards Observer

27 August 1966 – The Dolphin, Marine Court, St Leonards, East Sussex

Photo: Lynn News

28 August 1966 – Tavern Club, Dereham, Norfolk with The Sullivan James Band

Photo: Mirabelle, 3 September 1966 issue

3 September 1966 – Dreamland, Margate, Kent with The Yes ‘N’ No

9 September 1966 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with Gary Farr & The T-Bones

Photo: Maidstone Gazette

10 September 1966 – Corn Exchange, Maidstone, Kent with support

11 September 1966 – Dungeon Club, Nottingham

15 September 1966 – Ram Jam, Brixton, south London

17 September 1966 – Witchdoctor, Catford, southeast London (Alan Whitehead’s final gig)

Photo: South East London Mercury, 6 October 1966

Rick Marshall and Alan Whitehead’s departure prompted a wider split. In early-to-mid-October 1966, Peter Kirtley departed and accepted an offer to join The Alan Price Set, working alongside bass player Boots Slade; trumpeter John Walters; sax players Steve Gregory and Clive Burrows (later replaced by Terry Childs); and drummer Roy Mills.

Selected gigs:

2 October 1966 – Union Rowing Club, Nottingham

Photo: East Kent Times and Mail

5 October 1966 – Dreamland, Margate, Kent

Photo: Hastings and St Leonards Observer

8 October 1966 – The Dolphin, Marine Court, St Leonards, East Sussex (may have been Kirtley’s final gig)

 

With two of the band’s integral members gone, Alan Marshall joined forces with Croydon band, The Subjects. The south London group featured Malcolm Rudkin (vocals); Alan Griffin (lead guitar); Phil Lanzon (organ) (b. 30 March 1950, London, England); John Manderson (bass); and Roy Manderson (drums).

The Subjects at Bromley Court Hotel, 1966. Left to right: John Manderson, Malcolm Rudkin, Roy Manderson, Phil Lanzon and Alan Griffin. Photo: Alan Griffin.

At the same time, the band’s manager Bryan Mason recruited sax player/guitarist Mick Patel, who had previously worked with Carl Douglas & The Charmers among others.

Mick Patel (second right) with Carl Douglas & The Charmers, late 1965. Photo: Ken Baxter

By late November/early December 1966, John Manderson and Malcolm Rudkin, who did not want to turn professional, departed and Bryan Mason recruited bass player Colin Pullen from Kent bands, Colin King & The Royals and Bob ‘N’ All. Another Bob ‘N’ All member, Tony Glyde, succeeded Roy Manderson soon afterwards.

The Loose Ends, circa mid-November 1966. Left to right: Roy Manderson, Malcolm Rudkin, Mick Patel, Phil Lanzon, (front) Alan Marshall, Alan Griffin and John Manderson. Photo: South East London Mercury, 15 December 1966 issue.

Roy Davies and Dave Collman meanwhile appear to have worked in a rival Loose Ends for a few months (although Davies appears to be pictured with Marshall and other groups after the Raven Club gig in early November, see below).

Roy Davies (wearing hat) with Freddie Mack & The Mack Sound, July 1967.

Roy Davies joined Freddie Mack & The Mack Sound around February 1967.

Selected gigs:

Photo: PACE magazine

12 October 1966 – Gravesend R&B Club, Clarendon Royal Hotel, Gravesend, Kent (The Loose Ends played the club’s opening night according to PACE magazine) 

15 October 1966 – Bligh’s Hotel, Sevenoaks, Kent

15 October 1966 – Scotch of St James, Mayfair, central London

Photo: London Life magazine

17-18 October 1966 – Scotch of St James, Mayfair, central London

23 October 1966 – Bromel Club, Bromley Court Hotel, Bromley, southeast London

Photo: Dick Dale

25 October 1966 – Yum YumClub, New Georgian Club, The Gun, Croydon, south London (Dick Dale booking)

28 October 1966 – Tiger’s Head, Downham, southeast London

Photo: Cambridge News

29 October 1966 – Dorothy Ballroom, Cambridge with The Squeeze, The Original Hermits and The Trap

 

2 November 1966 – Elbow Room, Aston, West Midlands

2-5 November 1966 – Scotch of St James, Mayfair, central London

Photo: South East London Mercury
Photo: Melody Maker

3 November 1966 – Raven’s Club, Lewisham, southeast London with Lee Hawkins and Coloured Raisins

Photo of The Loose Ends after the Raven Club gig. The photo seems to suggest that Roy Davies (fifth from the right) is still in the band. Photo: South East London Mercury

12 November 1966 – Matlock Ball Pavilion, Matlock, Derbyshire with Family

19 November 1966 – Co-op, Rainbow Suite, Birmingham with guest group

20 November 1966 – Bromel Club, Bromley Court Hotel, Bromley, southeast London

 

In early December 1966, Bryan Mason expanded the Alan Marshall version of The Loose Ends by bringing in another Colin King & The Royals and Bob ‘N’ All member – singer Bob Saker (b. 28 March 1944, Erith, Kent) and the group landed a residency at the Playboy Club on Park Lane. While there, The Loose Ends entertained the entire England World Cup winning team and their wives.

Selected gigs:

3 December 1966 – Royal Ballroom, Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset with The Soul Foundation

Photo: Most likely Northamptonshire Evening Telegraph

24 December 1966 – Civic Centre, Corby, Northamptonshire with Kru and Size Seven

26 December 1966 – Bromel Club, Bromley Court Hotel, Bromley, southeast London (billed as The New Loose Ends)

 

January 1967 – New Spot, Gosport, Hampshire (1st week of January)

6 January 1967 – Tiger’s Head, Downham, southeast London

15 January 1967 – Bromel Club, Bromley Court Hotel, Bromley, southeast London (billed as The New Loose Ends)

The Loose Ends in Milan, January 1967. Left to right: Bob Saker, Colin King, Mick Patel, roadie on congas, Alan Marshall, Tony Glyde, Colin Pullen and Phil Lanzon. Photo: Colin Pullen/Bob Saker

After rehearsing at the El Partido in Lewisham, and playing a lone gig at the Star Hotel in Croydon in early January 1967, The Loose Ends landed a residency at the Bang Bang Club in Milan’s San Guiliano district, which kicked off in the third week of January. Alan Griffin departed just before the group left for Italy and Colin King from Colin King & The Royals and Bob ‘N’ All took his place.

While playing at the Bang Bang in Milan, the musicians met Georgio Moroder plus Brian Auger and Julie Driscoll at the club.

The Loose Ends at the Bang Bang Club in Milan. Left to right; Tony Glyde, Colin King, Bob Saker, Mick Patel and Colin Pullen. Alan Marshall and Phil Lanzon are not pictured. Photo: Colin Pullen/Bob Saker

In early March, The Loose Ends returned to London and Alan Griffin took over from his replacement Colin King. The new line-up played at the Scotch of St James and the Speakeasy.

While loading out the band’s gear from the Speakeasy one night, Jimi Hendrix and a couple of friends came out and the famous guitarist told Lanzon: “Nice combo man”.

Sometime in late April/early May, Tony Glyde left to join The Fenmen briefly before moving on to Simon K & The Meantimers and his predecessor Roy Manderson returned.

Simon K & The Meantimers, late 1967. Tony Glyde is far right.  Photo: Alan Wherry

Around the same time, Mick Patel also left to join The Canadians (with future rock star David Foster) and then joined The Warren Davis Monday Band (with Foster) with whom he appeared on the 45 “Love Is A Hurtin’ Thing” c/w “Without Fear” before moving to British Columbia in late 1967.

Mick Patel (third left) and David Foster (third right)

During early June, Alan Marshall and Bob Saker flew to the United States to record two tracks at Muscle Shoals with Otis Redding. The soul singer had caught the pair fronting The Loose Ends during the Stax-Volt Tour back in April and impressed by their soulful vocals invited them to record a Fame Studios.

The pair cut covers of “Johnny B Goode” and “Keep on Pushing” with Redding producing. However, soon after there was a split between Jerry Wexler and Phil Walden and the proposed single was held back. The two singers returned to London that summer to find The Loose Ends had splintered.

Selected gigs:

January-March 1967 – Bang Bang, Milan, Italy (six weeks and billed as Gli Erranti)

8 February 1967 – Gravesend R ‘n’ B Club, Clarendon Royal Hotel, Gravesend, Kent (This might have been booked but didn’t happen)

11 February 1967 – Ye Ye Club, Milan, Italy (billed as Alan Marshall e Gli Erranti)

 

25 February 1967 – Bligh’s Hotel, Sevenoaks, Kent (probably the band’s first UK gig after returning from Milan if it did happen)

1 March 1967 – Gravesend R ‘n’ B Club, Clarendon Royal Hotel, Gravesend, Kent

Photo: Colin Pullen

4 March 1967 – El Partido, Lewisham, southeast London

8 March 1967 – Bromel Club, Downham, southeast London

 

April 1967 – Scotch of St James and Speakeasy (Otis Redding sees them at one of the venues)

Photo: Melody Maker

15 April 1967 – The Polytechnic, Central London with The Savoy Brown Blues Band


Cats Pyjamas, 1968. Clockwise from bottom left: Alan Griffin, Kenny Bernard, Roy Manderson, Phil Lanzon and (front) Colin Pullen. Photo: Colin Pullen

With the singers both gone, Colin Pullen, Alan Griffin, Phil Lanzon and Roy Manderson stuck together and looked for a new front man. Adding singer Kenny Bernard (b. 31 December 1943, Diego Martin, Trinidad & Tobago, West Indies), (previously from The Wranglers but at the time a solo artist), they changed name to Cats Pyjamas and made two excellent singles with CBS. The group held down a residency in Madrid in May 1968 and then gigged around London. Lanzon, Griffin and Manderson briefly played with Geno Washington in late 1969-early 1970.

Phil Lanzon later recorded with Grand Prix, toured and recorded with Sweet and has toured and recorded with Uriah Heep since the mid-1980s. He has also recorded solo CDs

When the two recordings were shelved (after Redding’s untimely death), Bob Saker cut a lone single for Polydor and then a string of singles for Parlophone and CBS (as Saker) in 1968 and 1971. In 1972, he reverted to his full name and recorded a series of singles for the York label and an album They’ve Taken Back My Number, which featured Maurice Gibb. He later found success as a voice-over artist.

Happy Magazine, 1968. Alan Marshall (back left). Peter Kirtley (second left). Thanks to Peter Kirtley for the image

Alan Marshall meanwhile reunited with former Loose Ends guitarist Peter Kirtley in Happy Magazine, a soul/R&B outfit that was managed and produced by Alan Price.

Joined by Kirtley’s old friends from Jarrow, the late Kenny Craddock on organ from Tyneside bands The Elcorts and New Religion, and Brian Rowan on bass from Shorty & Them plus Alan White on drums (who was replaced later by west Londoner Malcolm Wolffe from The Tribe), the band cut material that was split over three singles for Polydor.

Kicking off with Alan Price’s excellent “Satisfied Street”, backed with “Beautiful Land” in December 1967, featuring a horn section that may well be Amboy Dukes members Buddy Beadle and Steve Gregory (also ex-Alan Price Set), the label re-issued the track three months later coupled with the Dan Penn/Spooner Oldham soul classic “Do Right Woman – Do Right Man”.

However, it was possibly the band’s third and final outing, a brilliant reading of the Dee/Potter collaboration, “Who Belongs To You”, coupled with the previously available “Beautiful Land”, issued on 14 February 1969, that should have catapulted the band into the charts.

One 1969. Left to right: Alan Marshall, Bobby Sass, Kevin Fogerty, Conrad Isidore, Brent Forbes and Norman Leppard

With the single failing to grace the charts, Alan Marshall departed to form the experimental jazz/funk/blues band, One, who cut a brilliant lone album for Fontana later that year (with Peter Kirtley reportedly playing the lead guitar on some tracks).

Joined by guitarist Kevin Fogarty (originally a member of Southport R&B group, Timebox); keyboardist Bobby Sass (an early member of Happy Magazine); bass player Brent Forbes; sax and flutist Norman Leppard; and drummer Conrad Isidore, One should have been a huge success but the album sank without a trace.

Peter Kirtley and Kenny Craddock meanwhile brought in three friends from Jarrow, Tyne & Wear – ex-Skip Bifferty members, singer Graham Bell and bass player Colin Gibson, and future Yes drummer Alan White, who’d been the original drummer in Happy Magazine, and signed to Bell Records for a one-off single as Griffin.

Produced by Alan Price and issued on 25 September 1969, the Kirtley-Gibson-Craddock collaboration, “I am The Noise in Your Head”, coupled with Kirtley’s “Don’t You Know” was an impressive outing but failed to trouble the charts.

Griffin soon splintered and Kirtley went on to record with several notable bands, including Riff Raff, Radiator and Pentangle. Later he appeared on albums by Liane Carroll and Bert Jansch.

Kirtley also issued two solo albums, Peter Kirtley and Bush Telegraph as well as the charity single, “Little Children”, for Jubilee Action, to raise money for street children in Brazil and featuring Paul McCartney.

Alan Marshall, meanwhile, surfaced as a solo artist on Fontana in 1970. In France, the label issued a rare single that coupled One’s excellent cover of Richie Havens’s “Don’t Listen To Me” with a solo outing – “How Much Do You Know”, adapted from “Adagio Royal” by F de Boivallee.

When that single failed to chart, Marshall ended up working with a new version of One (with Jackie McAuley) before joining Strabismus, which subsequently changed its name to Riff Raff when the singer’s former band mate from The Loose Ends/Happy Magazine, Peter Kirtley joined.

However, Marshall quit before Riff Raff’s debut album was recorded and briefly revised One with Ron Bryer before recording with Zzebra. He then joined Gonzalez in the late Seventies in time for their 1979 release, Move It To The Music. Marshall, who is now a pastor, continues to busk in Stratford, east London.

Interestingly, Gonzalez’s keyboard player was Roy Davies, Marshall’s former band mate from The Loose Ends. In the intervening years between joining Freddie Mack & The Mack Sound and working with Gonzalez in 1974, Davies had played with The Maximum Breed Band and later The Butts Band with members of The Doors. He later became a prolific session player before passing away in 1986.

The Loose Ends recordings meanwhile have surfaced on numerous Sixties CD compilations, including Deram’s Mod Scene and Freakbeat Scene.

I would like to especially thank Alan Marshall, Alan Whitehead, Peter Kirtley, Martin Morrison-Mariner, Alan Griffin, Phil Lanzon, Colin Pullen, Bob Saker, Ken Baxter, Tony Charman and Mick Glyde for helping with the story. Thanks also to Vernon Joynson and Bruce Welsh.

This is an extensively updated version of an article that was originally published on the Strange Brew website.  I’d like to thank Jason Barnard for all of his help and support over the years.

I have tried to attribute the photos correctly where possible but would welcome any corrections. 

The gigs have been sourced largely from Melody Maker plus many local newspapers, including the South East London Mercury, Aldershot News, East Kent Times, Eastern Evening News, Grimsby Evening Telegraph, Harrow Weekly Post, Kent Messenger, Lincolnshire Standard, Lynn News, Maidstone Gazette, Evening Argus, Bristol Evening Post, Newmarket Journal, Nottingham Evening Post, Birmingham Evening Mail, Stamford Mercury, Surrey Advertiser, Harrow Observer, Tunbridge Wells Courier and Yarmouth Mercury among others.

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

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. Email: Warchive@aol.com

 

Little John and the Monks – “Woman Take a Trip” / “All Them Lies”

Little John and the Monks Graves 45 acetate Woman Take a Trip

Little John and the Monks came out of Klamath Falls, Oregon. Tom Davis, a singer from Scotland, founded the group as the Nomads and changed it to Little John and the Monks when they went to Eugene. The membership changed frequently in the few years the band lasted.

Members included:

Lloyd Barnhurst – ?
Tom Davis – vocals
Luis Weathers – bass guitar
Davy Jones – saxophone
Clark Lynch – drums
Stan Brawn – lead guitar
Bob DiMartino – keyboards
Larry Harding – lead guitar
Dennis Baldwin – ?
Lee Wilson – bass
Bob Martin – drums

In late 1965 the group cut Tom Davis’ original song “Black Winds” backed with a cover of “Needles and Pins” on Jerden 775. Many years later, an unreleased song, “Too Many People” appeared on Big Beat’s Northwest Battle of the Bands Volume 3 showing a tougher sound for the group.

Little John and the Monks Graves 45 acetate All Them Lies
Little John and the Monks Graves 45 acetate All Them Lies
In August 2020, an ebay auction featured a demo lacquer (acetate) by Little John & the Monks with two original songs recorded at Graves Recording Service in Eugene. “Woman Take a Trip” continues in the heavier northwest sound, and extends it with a frenzied rave-up of squealing sax, sustained guitar notes and sliding bass notes. The bass line drives the flip, “All Them Lies” with cool unison accents by guitar and sax and some bluesy organ.

Tork Publishing, perhaps meant for release on Tork, which did release the Moguls ‎– “Round Randy” / “Another Day”.

Anyone have good photos of the group? I’d also like to know who played on what recordings.

The Artistics and the Symphonics: Thank You for Choosing Me

Artistics GWHS 1970 (1) photo
Artistics at the GWHS Spring Fling Concert, May 11, 1971, L-R: Joe Moore, Norman Brooks, Clyde McCoy, John Clark, Barry Price, Steve Eckles, Keith Wiley.

Think of the Artistics and you’ll probably recall the R&B vocal group who struck gold with “I’m Gonna Miss You” in 1966. But a lesser known group by the same name became the definitive soul band in Southside Virginia in the early 70s. Formed by neighbors and school friends, the Artistics got together in 1970 around the nucleus of guitarist Joe “Guitar Man” Moore, bassist Jonathan “J.D.” Oliver and vocalist, John Clark.

Artistics Joe & John
Joe Moore & John Clark of the Artistics on stage (undated)

Kathy Moore Cobbs, Joe’s sister, recalls Joe, John and J.D. rehearsing in her mother’s basement on several occasions and says they already sounded as good as the songs on the radio. Clark recalls that the trio “used to play a little bit, just jammin’ around” at Westmoreland School in their neighborhood. All attended George Washington High School in Danville and knew brothers Keith and Dale Wiley, who played drums and keyboards, respectively. The three had heard that the brothers wanted to form a band, so the five got together and moved the practice sessions to the Wiley’s garage. Shortly thereafter, the teens caught the attention of Langston Band Director Robert Hickson, who agreed to manage the as yet unnamed group.
Classmate Sharon Miller-Ranson remembers those early days well and standing on the corner of Cabell and Monument streets where “John Clark would start singing and we would have a concert in front of Cassidy’s Store.” Lula Dickerson said Joe Moore’s musical prowess was obvious from an early age and remembers his performance of “If I Had a Hammer” during the talent show at I.W. Taylor Elementary School.

The 17-year-old Clark was in 10th grade and recalls that they recruited three trumpet players: Clyde McCoy, Norman Brooks and Barry Price, all of whom played together in the high school band. Clark had just started playing drums but quickly became proficient on the instrument, allowing Keith Wiley to switch from percussion to organ. The move was necessitated by Dale Wiley’s departure to attend college.

Now with a complete rhythm and brass section, all they needed was a name. Rehearsals were moved to “a little place Hickson had” as they prepared for their first gig. They were to perform at the Top of the Stairs Club when a major snowstorm blanketed the city. The group members were riding around downtown trying to come up with a name just a few hours before they were due on stage. They rode down Union Street and passed Danville’s only licensed cosmetology school, Artistic Beauty College. Clark noticed the sign out front and said: “What about the Artistics?” Not knowing that there was already a professional band with the same moniker on Brunswick Records, the other band members agreed and the Artistics were born.

Artistics GWHS 1970 (1) photo
Artistics at the GWHS Spring Fling Concert, May 11, 1971, L-R: Joe Moore, Norman Brooks, Clyde McCoy, John Clark, Barry Price, Steve Eckles, Keith Wiley.
Artistics GWHS 1970 Concert Review
George Washington High School concert review

An early, memorable performance was in 1971 before hundreds of enthusiastic fans on the football field at their alma mater, George Washington High School. The seven-piece outfit included a trumpet section and Brooks, Price and McCoy choreographed their synchronized dance steps for the show. The trio also wore matching shirts and slacks. The brass section made a grand entrance, riding up to the stage in a convertible.

The Artistics were the only soul act on the bill and shared the stage with four rock bands. Clark recalls that their PA system was “lackluster” so all of the groups pooled their equipment and shared a set of drums.

A review of the performance noted that drummer-singer John Clark “placed heavy accents on such soulful hits as (the Jackson 5’s) ‘Never Can Say Goodbye’ and the Temptations’ ‘Just My Imagination.’” Their final number, Kool and the Gang’s “Who’s Gonna Take the Weight,” brought the crowd to their feet and had some dancing in the stadium.

J.D. was unavailable for the spring concert and guitarist Steve Eckles was recruited to fill-in on bass. Eckles was the only white member in the aggregation and the group would often rehearse at his parents Broad Street home. He was an excellent lead guitarist in his own right and was already a veteran of the local music scene, having played with many of the Artistics’ members in various bands at the El Dorado, a Black nightclub on the outskirts of town. Eckles also did arrangements for the band, allowing the brass to play string parts, adding depth to their live performances.

Artistics & James Brown ad (December 27, 1971)

The band continued to perform frequently at country clubs and on college campuses in Virginia and North Carolina and managed to secure a spot as the opening act for James Brown during his tour of small cities on the Chitlin’ Circuit in late 1971. Brown was booked to play the Danville City Auditorium on Monday, Dec. 27, 1971. Clark remembers that the Artistics were practicing one night when their manager stopped by and asked if they’d like to open for the Godfather of Soul. The band viewed it as a great opportunity for exposure and as a chance to make a little money. They were right on at least one count: The concert was well advertised but no cash changed hands. Clark said their manager informed the band members that this was their lucky break and that the show “was just gonna be for some publicity.”

This was the first time the Artistics had shared the stage with a professional act and Clark admits all were a little nervous, especially about their equipment. The roadies had refused their request to share his sound system; however, Brown overheard the discussion and told his crew to “let the guys use it.” They held their own and even got the attention of Brown’s backing band, the J.B.’s. The members rushed from backstage when they heard the Artistics covering Dennis Coffey’s instrumental hit “Scorpio,” note-for-note. While theirs was a small group with just three pieces of brass, Clark insists they “sounded just as good as Brown’s band.”

The show was on a Monday night and attendance didn’t meet expectations. Apparently sometime during the concert the top to Brown’s convertible was cut and he vowed never perform in Danville again. Clark doesn’t recall that incident but said Brown was disappointed with the turnout and announced from the stage that he would not be returning. Mr. Dynamite kept his promise.

The band entered the studio on at least one occasion, cutting a 45 at Triangle Recording Studios in North Carolina. The soul-tinged gospel tune, “The Handwriting is on the Wall,” was written by Keith Wiley. The Artistics traveled to Winston-Salem for the sessions. Clark plays on the track but doesn’t sing. The vocal chores were handled by Wiley, who would later enter the ministry. The single had a limited pressing on Triad Records, an independent label that specialized in gospel, bluegrass and country releases by local artists.


Equally rare is a 45 organist Keith Wiley wrote and recorded with the Symphonics in 1973 at Crescent City Sound Studios, Inc. in Greensboro, N.C. Crescent City was founded by Walt Copeland, who managed the studio and doubled as chief engineer. “Ooh Wee, Thank You for Choosing Me” (Crescent City Sound Studios – CCCSS 1223) is a soulful ballad featuring Ronald James and two male vocalists on a double lead falsetto reminiscent of the Delfonics and the Stylistics. The instrumental flip side, “Symphonic Strut,” includes some funky organ work from Wiley and James solid drumming.

The Symphonics were based in Yanceyville, N.C. and leader Ronald James played drums. Clark describes them as “a rival band,” that included a female bass player whose brother was also in the group. According to Clark, James later transferred to G.W. High School and went on to attend the Boston Conservatory of Music before returning to the area.

The record went nowhere but garnered local airplay on WILA, Danville’s R&B radio station. It was also a favorite on the cafeteria juke box at John M. Langston Junior High School, where Artistics’ manager Robert Hickson worked his day job as band director.

Most members of the Artistics were in the Class of 1973 and pursued other interests after high school. Wiley, Brooks, Price and McCoy all went on to college, while Oliver joined the Marines. Not ready to throw in the towel, Clark regrouped and enlisted brothers James and Grayling Covington on keyboards and bass. Grayling already knew the book, having followed the band to concerts and rehearsals. He also had a reputation as one of the finest bass players on the local scene. Joe Moore continued on guitar with Clark on drums and vocals.

The reformed band continued on the road but some of the members felt that a more “dynamic” name was needed. They decided on “Treachery.” Clark doesn’t recall the year Treachery called it quits but remembers the incident that led to their split. Treachery had landed a regular gig at a VFW Post in South Boston, Va., earning $900 a night. That was unheard of amount at the time and allowed the members to keep a little money and upgrade their equipment. All was well until the night a coat belonging to the wife of a prominent guest went missing. A girlfriend of a band member was accused of the theft. While she didn’t take the fur, the incident ended their residency and the band.

All of the members went on to successful careers, albeit not in the field of music.

Joe Moore, 2008

Joseph “Joe” Moore served for 20 years in the U.S. Navy. He lived in Norfolk and Hampton, Va., where he worked for the Navy Material Transportation Office until retirement in 1995. While living in the Tidewater area, Joe continued his musical indulgence. He organized gospel music groups, played guitar for Queen Street Baptist Church in Hampton and New Beech Grove Baptist Church in Newport News, Va. Moore returned to Danville and became a music instructor, giving lessons to young aspiring guitarists. He would sometimes play guitar during morning services at Pleasant Chapel Baptist Church in Sutherlin, Va. Moore died on Jan. 30, 2011.

Artistics reunion at Langston School, L-R: Carl Fitzgerald, unknown, Marvin Warner, Joe Moore.

Brothers Keith and Dale M. Wiley both enjoyed successful careers in separate fields. Dr. Keith B. Wiley became a minister and served as pastor of several churches before his death in November 2003 in Wilmington, Va. His brother, Dale, finished law school and returned to his hometown, where he worked as a defense attorney before being named Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court judge for the city of Danville. He is currently the presiding judge over the 22nd Judicial Circuit of Virginia.

Jonathan “J.D.” Oliver joined the Marines and attended Coastal Carolina Community College in Jacksonville. He now lives in Lexington Park, Maryland, where he works for Wyle Laboratories. John Clark is retired but continues to work driving a Yellow Cab. He and his wife have a home in Danville. Grayling Covington still lives in Danville, while his brother, James, moved to Burlington, N.C. At last report, Norman Brooks was living in Richmond, Va.

A high school reunion at Langston in 2015 brought some of the surviving members together again, 45 years after their first practice. Classmates still remembered the group and the music they created. That doesn’t surprise Clark, who says the members “were all perfectionists” and played for an audience who expected their music to sound “just like the record.” They succeeded.

Carol Chakarian “Put Your Accent on Love” on Nashville

Carol Chakarian Nashville 45 Put Your Accent On Love

Carol Chakarian lets loose with a great vocal on “Put Your Accent on Love”. Not ‘garage’ music, but a pop song in a country style. Hear an excerpt.

The flip is the more sedate “Lost in This World of Love”, both songs written by Phil DeWolf, publishing by Tronic BMI. Released in 1965 on Nashville 5242, “A Tommy Hill Starday Studio Production”.

I can’t find any info on Chakarian or DeWolf.

The Little Indians on Chanté Records

Little Indians Chanté 45 Wait A Minute

Here’s an obscure one, the Little Indians doing two original songs, “No” / “Wait a Minute”. It may also be the first release on Chanté Records, as it is release 101 and has master numbers CH-1 and CH-2.

Richard D. Tellier and Edward Martin composed both songs, and registered copyright in March 1965. They have other copyrights that may have not been recorded, “Blind Date”, “Life Was So Lonesome” and “Anymore”.

Tellier and Martin registered “Wait a Minute” and “Blind Date” in 1964 with © Sigma Seven Productions, Inc., but that production credit is dropped for the ’65 copyright and the Chanté release. Sigma Seven Productions turns up on singles by the Irridescents on Fleetwood, and the Fabulaires on Chelsea, among others.

Chanté Records labels usually have a Lou Alfieri production credit, but this one reads “A Pabodi Production”. Alfieri Music and Eastwick Music published both songs. A trademark application from 1965 lists a West Moorestown, New Jersey address, not far from Philadelphia.

Anyone have more information on the Little Indians or these song writers?

I do not believe this was the same Richard Tellier who played guitar with a Canadian group called Octopus.

Little Indians Chanté 45 No

Samantha’s, 3 New Burlington Street, W1, London

London Life Magazine, September 1966

Located at 3 New Burlington Street, W1, Samantha’s opened in early November 1966.

There is very little information about this important night club so I would welcome any memorabilia and further details about artists that performed here.

1966  

London Life magazine’s 10-16 September issue notes that the club was opening during October.

London Life magazine, mid-October 1966

However, the same magazine’s 22-28 October issue reports that the club was opening shortly with James Bond décor and a coffee bar with outdoor patio, indicating that it was early November.

London Life mid-November 1966

London Life magazine’s 12-18 November issue reports that Samantha’s was open and hosted groups, although no names were listed.

London Life mid-December 1966

14 December (Wednesday) – Bobby Hebb (Melody Maker and London Life magazine)

London Life, New Year’s Eve, 1966

1967

I have no entries for this year apart from the one below so would welcome any further information on artists that performed at the central London club.

According to the poster for Gloucester YMCA below, The Official Receivers played at Samantha’s around October-November 1967.

Photo: Richard Goddard

15 December (Friday) – Circus (Stormsville Shakers’ website: http://www.stormsvilleshakers.com/bandhistory.html)

1968

I have only an incomplete list for this year so would welcome any further information on artists that performed here. 

19 March (Tuesday) – Desmond Dekker (Melody Maker)

 

13 May (Monday) – Toast (Melody Maker)

 

24 June (Monday) – (Simon K &) The Meantimers (Melody Maker)

 

18 July (Thursday) – The Dave Davani Five (Melody Maker)

22 July (Monday) – The Dave Davani Five (Melody Maker)

23 July (Tuesday) – The Dave Davani Five (Melody Maker)

29 July (Monday) – Ray King Soul Band (Melody Maker)

1 August (Thursday) – The Dave Davani Five (Melody Maker)

2 August (Friday) – Simon K & The Meantimers (Melody Maker)

5 August (Monday) – Tim Rose (New Musical Express)

This might have been 5 July.

9 August (Friday) – The Dave Davani Five (Melody Maker)

11 August (Sunday) – The Greatest Show on Earth (Melody Maker)

14 August (Wednesday) – The Dave Davani Five (Melody Maker)

22 August (Thursday) – The Dave Davani Five (Melody Maker)

25 August (Sunday) – The Greatest Show on Earth (Melody Maker)

26 August (Monday) – The Dave Davani Five (Melody Maker)

 

3 September (Tuesday) – The Greatest Show on Earth Melody Maker)

4 September (Wednesday) – Ben E King (New Musical Express)

10 September (Tuesday) – The Greatest Show on Earth Melody Maker)

16 September (Monday) – The Greatest Show on Earth Melody Maker)

18 September (Wednesday) – Jo Jo Gunne (Fabulous 208)

23 September (Monday) – The Greatest Show on Earth Melody Maker)

 

1 October (Tuesday) – The Greatest Show on Earth Melody Maker)

3 October (Wednesday) – Freddie Mack & The Mack Sound (Melody Maker)

Freddie Mack’s show was cancelled.

9 October (Wednesday) – Peter Kelly’s Solutions (Time Out)

10 October (Thursday) – Peter Kelly’s Solutions (Time Out)

16 October (Wednesday) – The Mike Cotton Sound with Lucas (Melody Maker)

30 October (Wednesday) – The Show Stoppers (New Musical Express)

1969

Trumpet player Jack Drew, who went on to Sonority, says his group Mr Mo’s Messengers played regularly at Samantha’s in early 1969.

5 February (Wednesday) – The Amboy Dukes (Fabulous 208)

20 February (Thursday) – Ben E King (Melody Maker)

New Musical Express reports that Ben E King was backed by Chris Shakespeare Globe Show for his February UK tour.

 

19 March (Wednesday) – Desmond Dekker (Melody Maker)

 

19 May (Monday) – Inez and Charlie Foxx (Melody Maker)

27 May (Tuesday) – The Committee (Melody Maker)

28 May (Wednesday) – The Committee (Melody Maker)

1 August (Friday) – Mr Mo’s Messengers (Samantha’s Poster – thanks to Geoff Foster for sharing)

2 August (Saturday) – Mr Mo’s Messengers (Samantha’s Poster – thanks to Geoff Foster for sharing)

3 August (Sunday) – High Tension (Samantha’s Poster – thanks to Geoff Foster for sharing)

4 August (Monday) – High Tension (Samantha’s Poster – thanks to Geoff Foster for sharing)

5 August (Tuesday) – Simon K & The Meantimers (Samantha’s Poster – thanks to Geoff Foster for sharing)

6 August (Wednesday) – Simon K & The Meantimers (Samantha’s Poster – thanks to Geoff Foster for sharing)

7 August (Thursday) – Orange Rainbow (Samantha’s Poster – thanks to Geoff Foster for sharing)

8 August (Friday) – Orange Rainbow (Samantha’s Poster – thanks to Geoff Foster for sharing)

9 August (Saturday) – High Tension (Samantha’s Poster – thanks to Geoff Foster for sharing)

10 August (Sunday) – Trifle (Samantha’s Poster – thanks to Geoff Foster for sharing)

11 August (Monday) – Orange Rainbow (Samantha’s Poster – thanks to Geoff Foster for sharing)

12 August (Tuesday) – The Globe Show (Samantha’s Poster – thanks to Geoff Foster for sharing)

13 August (Wednesday) – High Tension (Samantha’s Poster – thanks to Geoff Foster for sharing)

14 August (Thursday) – Orange Rainbow (Samantha’s Poster – thanks to Geoff Foster for sharing)

15 August (Friday) – Mr Mo’s Messengers (Samantha’s Poster – thanks to Geoff Foster for sharing)

16 August (Saturday) – Mr Mo’s Messengers (Samantha’s Poster – thanks to Geoff Foster for sharing)

17 August (Sunday) – Simon K & The Meantimers (Samantha’s Poster – thanks to Geoff Foster for sharing)

18 August (Monday) – Simon K & The Meantimers (Samantha’s Poster – thanks to Geoff Foster for sharing)

19 August (Tuesday) – Simon K & The Meantimers (Samantha’s Poster – thanks to Geoff Foster for sharing)

20 August (Wednesday) – The Globe Show (Samantha’s Poster – thanks to Geoff Foster for sharing)

21 August (Thursday) – The Smythe Brothers (Samantha’s Poster – thanks to Geoff Foster for sharing)

22 August (Friday) – The Globe Show (Samantha’s Poster – thanks to Geoff Foster for sharing)

23 August (Saturday) – The Globe Show (Samantha’s Poster – thanks to Geoff Foster for sharing)

24 August (Sunday) – Trifle (Samantha’s Poster – thanks to Geoff Foster for sharing)

25 August (Monday) – Simon K & The Meantimers (Samantha’s Poster – thanks to Geoff Foster for sharing)

26 August (Tuesday) – Orange Rainbow (Samantha’s Poster – thanks to Geoff Foster for sharing)

27 August (Wednesday) – High Tension (Samantha’s Poster – thanks to Geoff Foster for sharing)

28 August (Thursday) – High Tension (Samantha’s Poster – thanks to Geoff Foster for sharing)

29 August (Friday) – Mr Mo’s Messengers (Samantha’s Poster – thanks to Geoff Foster for sharing)

30 August (Saturday) – Mr Mo’s Messengers (Samantha’s Poster – thanks to Geoff Foster for sharing)

31 August (Sunday) – Orange Rainbow (Samantha’s Poster – thanks to Geoff Foster for sharing)

 

21 September (Sunday) – Sonority (Jack Drew’s gig list)

 

19 October (Sunday) – Sonority (Del Paramor’s gig list)

20 October (Monday) – Sonority (Bobby Morris’s gig list)

26 October (Sunday) – Sonority (Bobby Morris’s gig list)

28 October (Tuesday) – Sonority (Del Paramor’s gig list)

29 October (Wednesday) – Sonority (Del Paramor’s gig list)

 

6 November (Thursday) – Sonority (Bobby Morris’s gig list)

9 November (Sunday) – Sonority (Bobby Morris’s gig list)

24 November (Monday) – Sonority (Bobby Morris’s gig list)

Bobby Morris notes that the band turned up but found the gig had been cancelled.

1970

20 January (Tuesday) – Lucas & The Soul Sounds (Melody Maker)

 

23 June (Tuesday) – Mirrors (Melody Maker)

 

19 October (Monday) – Kiss (Melody Maker)

1971

8 January (Friday) – Calum Bryce (Ted Hare’s gig diary – confirmed by Geoff Coxon)

 

6 April (Tuesday) – Octopus (Paul Griggs’ gig diary)

 

11 May (Tuesday) – Octopus (Paul Griggs’ gig diary)

27 May (Thursday) – Octopus (Paul Griggs’ gig diary)

 

17 June (Thursday) – Octopus (Paul Griggs’ gig diary)

 

9 August (Monday) – Octopus (Paul Griggs’ gig diary)

10 August (Tuesday) – Octopus (Paul Griggs’ gig diary)

11 August (Wednesday) – Octopus (Paul Griggs’ gig diary)

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

 

Martha’s Laundry at The Balloon Dance, 1031 Kearny

Martha's Laundry Sunday Concert The Balloon Dance Poster 1031 Kearny, September 24, 1967I found a previously unknown poster for Martha’s Laundry on Sunday, September 24, 1967. The venue was The Balloon at 1031 Kearny in the North Beach neighborhood of San Francisco.

Red Balloon 1031 Kearny St.
The Red Balloon at 1031 Kearny St., in 1964

The building still exists. When it opened as The Red Balloon on April 1, 1953, it was an indoor amusement center. By 1967, the name shortened to The Balloon,  and the entertainment had changed to “Topless Games” including “topless ping pong”. In April 1967 it had a short-lived name, La Carnaval, with “topless rassling”.  In December 1967 it advertised as a “Cellar Cabaret” with an underground theatre performance. In 1977 it started a long run as the Palladium Club.

I read the poster artist name as “Eli Lcon”, but I’ve been informed it’s Eli Leon.

There are images of posters and flyers for Martha’s Laundry shows in Concord, Berkeley and Santa Cruz, but I hadn’t seen this one before.

Members of Martha’s Laundry were:

Jim Lehman – lead guitar
Tom Peterain – rhythm guitar
David Kessner – keyboards
Richard Wilkins, then Michael Husser – bass
Randy Smith – drums

The only information on the group comes from an interview that Mike Dugo did with bassist Michael Husser circa 2008, which I’ll quote a section of because it is no longer on the web:

We played diverse locations such as Pauly Ballroom at U.C. Berkeley, The Straight Theatre on Height Street in San Francisco, The Family Dog at The Avalon Ballroom in San Francisco, and private parties. We even played for the ordination of an Episcopal Minister in Berkeley and were mentioned in and article in Time Magazine relating to the event (the issue dates from March 22, 1968 and the article was entitled, “Hippie Ordination”). I don’t remember playing teen clubs and we didn’t play any band battles; we only played places that guaranteed our fee. We did play some festivals with Creedence Clearwater Revival as the headliner.

We played blues and worked on jazz arrangements to blues tunes. Our influences were Gary Burton’s album Lofty Fake Anagram and the first Moby Grape album.

We didn’t play original material and didn’t think people would buy arrangements of known songs. We played primarily covers of somewhat obscure blues songs.

Randy, Jim and Dave started a music store in Berkeley called Prune Music. Jim left to move to Texas and start his own music store. Randy and Dave moved Prune Music to Mill Valley, California. Randy started working on guitar amplifiers and formed a company called Mesa Engineering … Randy then named his amps Mesa Boogie.

Jim’s music store in Austin, Texas is called Guitar Rez.

Dave Kessner had played with many bands including Cold Blood.

I later played with Little Richard, Elvin Bishop, Harvey Mandel and other artists in the Bay area and then started a band called Moon Rose Forest. We recorded a live album with Buffy Sainte-Marie in December of 1968 at the Troubadour in Los Angeles. In ’69 I returned to the Bay area and then moved to New Mexico where I lived on the Acoma Pueblo Reservation and recorded an album of music with tribal members. I then moved to Albuquerque and began a career in broadcast television as an audio and video engineer.

Thank you to Derek Taylor, John Pitts and Vance Pollock for help with background on the Balloon. Any info on the ’50s and ’60s incarnations of 1031 Kearny, the poster artist or Martha’s Laundry would be appreciated.

Balloon Cellar Cabaret S.F. Examiner Dec. 2, 1967
The Balloon Cellar Cabaret “Underground Theatre in the Round” with the Pitschel Players, W.C. Fields Memorial Orphanage. S.F. Examiner Dec. 2, 1967

 

Starlite Ballroom, Greenford, west London gigs 1964-1965

Located on Allendale Road in Greenford (sometimes billed as Sudbury or Wembley) in northwest London, the Starlite Ballroom was a significant music venue in the UK during the early-to-late 1960s. Peter Griffin booked artists for the venue, together with the Starlight Ballroom in Crawley, West Sussex.

I have started to list gigs for the years 1964-1965 but these are incomplete and I would welcome any additions and corrections. I’d also welcome any photos and concert adverts, which will be credited accordingly.

1964

25 September (Friday) – The Paramounts and Alexis Korner’s Blues Inc (Harrow Observer & Gazette) Grand opening

26 September (Saturday) – Sounds Incorporated (Harrow Observer & Gazette)

 

3 October (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesides with The Rustics (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)

24 October (Saturday) – The Merseybeats and Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)

25 October (Sunday) – The Mojos (Beat Instrumental) Needs confirmation

 

7 November (Saturday) – Johnny Kidd & The Pirates and Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)

14 November (Saturday) – Tommy Quickly & The Remo Four and Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)

18 November (Wednesday) – The Applejacks (Beat InstrumentalNeeds confirmation

27 November (Friday) – The Mojos (Beat Instrumental)

28 November (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)

29 November (Sunday) – The Nashville Teens (Beat InstrumentalNeeds confirmation

 

12 December (Saturday) – Linda Laine & The Sinners and Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)

13 December (Sunday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)

1965

17 January (Sunday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)

23 January (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesides and Cergano & The Cavaliers (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)

30 January (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesides and JJ & The Challengers (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)

 

13 February (Saturday) – Buddy Britten & The Regents and Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)

14 February (Sunday) – Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers and Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)

27 February (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesides with Unit 5 (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)

 

13 March (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesides and JJ & The Challengers (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)

20 March (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesides and James Tamyln (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)

21 March (Sunday) – The Nashville Teens and Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)

 

2 April (Friday) – The Barron Knights and Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)

10 April (Saturday) – Johnny Kidd & The Pirates and Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)

23 April (Friday) – Mike Sheridan & The Nightriders and Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)

24 April (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesides and The Beachcombers (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)

25 April (Sunday) – Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers (Beat Instrumental)

 

14 May (Friday) – Jean & The Statesides and Sonny Childe & The Elders (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)

16 May (Sunday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)

22 May (Saturday) – The All-Nite Workers and The Hysters (Don Martin’s diary)

28 May (Friday) – Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers and Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)

Photo: Jeff Sturgeon. Jean & The Statesides, 1965. Left to right: Bill Stemp, Ian Walker, Dave Brogden, Jean Hayles, Jeff Sturgeon, Mick Bloomfield and Dave Hovington

4 June (Friday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)

5 June (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)

11 June (Friday) – Peter & Gordon and Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)

19 June (Saturday) – Jimmy Royal & The Hawks and Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)

26 June (Saturday) – The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)

Singer Jean Hayles left before this gig and they gigged as The Statesides. The band’s line-up comprised Jeff Sturgeon (lead guitar), Bill Stemp (keyboards/sax), Dave Hovington (rhythm guitar), Dave Brogden (sax), Mick Bloomfield (bass) and Ian Walker (drums)

27 June (Sunday) – The Who and The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)

 

4 July (Sunday) – The Yardbirds (Beat Instrumental)

18 July (Sunday)  – The Nashville Teens (Beat Instrumental)

24 July (Saturday) – Heinz and The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)

25 July (Sunday) – The Moody Blues (Beat Instrumental)

31 July (Saturday) – The Pentad and The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)

 

8 August (Sunday) – The Birds and The Statesides (Dave Brogden’s gig diary)

15 August (Sunday) – Simon Scott & The All-Nite Workers and The Statesides (Dave Brodgen’s gig diary/Don Martin’s diary)

20 August (Friday) – The Statesides (Dave Brogden’s gig diary)

27 August (Friday) – The Graham Bond Organisation and The Statesides (Dave Brogden’s gig diary)

 

10 September (Friday) – The Birds and The Statesides (Dave Brogden’s gig diary)

12 September (Sunday) – The Pretty Things and The Statesides (Dave Brogden’s gig diaryBeat Instrumental lists The Walker Brothers on this date

26 September (Sunday) – Georgie Fame & The Blue Flames and The Statesides (Dave Brogden’s gig diary)

 

1 October (Friday)  – The Hollies (Beat Instrumental)

15 October (Friday)  – Wayne Fontana & The Mindbenders (Beat Instrumental)

17 October (Sunday) – The Sorrows (Record Mirror)

24 October (Sunday)  – Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers (Beat Instrumental)

30 October (Saturday) – The Statesides (Dave Brogden’s gig diary)

31 October (Sunday) – The Kinks and The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary) Beat Instrumental lists The Downliners Sec to this date

 

6 November (Saturday) – The Bo Street Runners and The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)

7 November (Sunday)  – Georgie Fame & The Blue Flames (Beat Instrumental)

20 November (Saturday) – Hedgehoppers Anonymous and The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)

28 November (Sunday) – Rob Storme & The Whispers and The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)

 

3 December (Friday)  – The Animals (Beat Instrumental)

10 December (Friday) – Ketty Lester and The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)

12 December (Saturday) – Rob Storme & The Whispers and The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary and Dave Brodgen’s gig diary)

31 December (Friday) – Chris Farlowe & The Thunderbirds (Beat Instrumental)

Many thanks to Rolf Hannet for helping with some Beat Instrumental gigs

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

 

The Federal Fugitives “Woman of Stone”

Federal Fugitives Youmer 45 Woman Of StoneThe Federal Fugitives were unknown to me until Rick Ledbetter commented below with the lineup:

Rick Ledbetter – lead guitar
Steve Allen – rhythm guitar
Dennis Mitchell – bass
Gary Stone – drums
Johnny Stovall – horns
Steve Allen – horns

“Woman of Stone” is a good light-psychedelic original by Ledbetter and Stone. Jim Youmans (of the Swingin’ Apollos) did a fine job of production.

The musicians are accomplished, I wonder if the Federal Fugitives is a pseudonym for another group.

Ledbetter and Stone also wrote the harmony-filled ballad flip, “Just Remember”.

Released on Youmer Records Incorporated, YM 1002 with an address of 524 Plasters Ave, in Atlanta. Youmer’s first release was the Sons of Bach, “Stubborn Kind of Fellow” / “I Knew I’d Want You”, which I haven’t heard. Youmans produced this one too. Without original songs, there’s even less chance of finding out who played on that record.

Both songs published by Margie Music BMI, which was based in Decatur, but I can’t find registrations for either.

Rick told me more about the members of the Federal Fugitives:

Gary Stone went on to play with Billy Joe Royal.

Dennis Mitchell played with Ben Dover and Tennessee Tucker and also appeared in Six Pack with Kenny Rogers.

Rick Ledbetter went into radio broadcasting (Rick Ledbetter On Air on youtube).

Steve Allen performs as a one man band.

Johnny and Ted Stovall also played horns with The Soul Patrol around Atlanta after Rick formed the new group after two years in the Army.

Ted Stovall went on to arrange the horns on Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “What’s Your Name” and “Moonlight Feels Right” by Starbuck.

The site for '60s garage bands since 2004