The Prince of Wales in Kingsbury, north London, the Byron Hotel in Greenford, northwest London and the Woodstock Hotel in north Cheam, southwest London were all operated by the same promoter: The Arthur Forest Organisation (AFO). Many of the same bands played at all three venues.
Ken Samuels, who played with Flight One, very kindly provided these posters, both from 1965. We’d love to hear from anyone who played at this venue and can provide any more memorabilia and further information about their band. Email: Warchive@aol.com
1964
26 April – The Orbits (Sunday Club Flamingo) (Harrow Observer & Gazette) Star opening
3 May – The Partisans (Sunday Club Flamingo) (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
10 May – The Hartbeats Ltd (Sunday Club Flamingo) (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
17 May – Guitars Inc (Club New Yorker – Sunday) (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
24 May – The Orbits (Club New Yorker – Sunday) (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
30 May – The Pacifics (Sunday Club Flamingo) (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
7 June – Russ & The Sabres (Sunday Club Flamingo) (Harrow Weekly Post)
14 June – The Heartbeats (Sunday Club Flamingo) (Harrow Weekly Post)
21 June – The Orbits (Sunday Club Flamingo) (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
28 June – The Plainsmen (Sunday Club Flamingo) (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
5 July – The Sabres (Sunday Club Flamingo) (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
12 July – The Hearbeats (Sunday Club Flamingo) (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
19 July – The Challengers (Sunday Club Flamingo) (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
26 July – The Orbits (Sunday Club Flamingo) (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
29 July – Group One (Wednesday Club Panama) (Harrow Observer & Gazette) Opening night
2 August – The Partisans (Sunday Club Flamingo) (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
9 August – The Count 4 (Sunday Club Flamingo) (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
23 August – The Count 4 (Sunday Club Flamingo) (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
26 August – Group One (Wednesday Club Panama) (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
30 August – The Heartbeats (Sunday Club Flamingo) (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
2 September – Group One (Wednesday Club Panama) (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
6 September – The Challengers (Sunday Club Flamingo) (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
9 September – Group One (Wednesday Club Panama) (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
13 September – Russ & The Sabres (Sunday Club Flamingo) (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
16 September – Group One (Wednesday Club Panama) (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
20 September – The Playboys (Sunday Club Flamingo) (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
23 September – Group One (Wednesday Club Panama) (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
27 September – The Orbits (Sunday Club Flamingo) (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
4 October – 5’s Company (Sunday Club Flamingo) (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
11 October – The Challengers (Sunday Club Flamingo) (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
18 October – The Partisans (Sunday Club Flamingo) (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
25 October – The Orbits (Sunday Club Flamingo) (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
1 November – The Counts (Sunday Club Flamingo) (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
8 November – Diane & The Londoners (Sunday Club Flamingo) (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
15 November – 5’s Company (Sunday Club Flamingo) (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
22 November – The Heartbeats Ltd (Sunday Club Flamingo) (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
29 November – The Orbits (Sunday Club Flamingo) (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
6 December – The Whirlwinds (Sunday Club Flamingo) (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
13 December – The Orbits (Sunday Club Flamingo) (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
20 December – The Heartbeats Ltd (Sunday Club Flamingo) (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
27 December – 5’s Company (Sunday Club Flamingo) (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
1965
3 January – The Orbits (Sunday Club Flamingo) (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
10 January – The Invistors (Sunday Club Flamingo) (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
17 January – 5’s Company (Sunday Club Flamingo) (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
21 February – The Orbits (Sunday Club Flamingo) (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
28 February – The Saracens (Sunday Club Flamingo) (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
14 March – The Electrons (Sunday Club Flamingo) (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
21 March – The Heartbeats (Sunday Club Flamingo) (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
28 March – The Orbits (Sunday Club Flamingo) (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
4 April – The Scepters (Sunday Club Flamingo) (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
11 April – The Orbits (Sunday Club Flamingo) (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
17 April – Great Expectations (Sunday Club Flamingo) (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
25 April – The Fairlanes (Sunday Club Flamingo) (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
2 May – The Partners (Sunday Club Flamingo) (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
9 May – Rhythm 4 (Sunday Club Flamingo) (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
16 May – The Fairlanes (Sunday Club Flamingo) (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
23 May – The Heartbeats Ltd (Sunday Club Flamingo) (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
30 May – The Orbits (Sunday Club Flamingo) (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
6 June – Rhythm 4 (Sunday Club Flamingo) (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
13 June – 5’s Company (Sunday Club Flamingo) (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
20 June – The Orbits (Sunday Club Flamingo) (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
27 June – The Heartbeats Ltd (Sunday Club Flamingo) (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
4 July – The Do Dos (Sunday Club Flamingo) (Harrow Observer & Gazette) From Paris
11 July – Rhythm Four (Sunday Club Flamingo) (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
18 July – 5’s Company (Sunday Club Flamingo) (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
25 July – The Sceptres (Sunday Club Flamingo) (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
Photo: Ken Samuels
1 August – The Reasons (Sunday Club Flamingo) (Ken Samuels’ poster)
8 August – 5’s Company (Sunday Club Flamingo) (Ken Samuels’ poster)
15 August – Flight One (Sunday Club Flamingo) (Ken Samuels’ poster)
22 August – Rhythm 4 (Sunday Club Flamingo) (Ken Samuels’ poster)
29 August – The Expressions (Sunday Club Flamingo) (Ken Samuels’ poster)
Photo: Ken Samuels
5 September – The Insect (Sunday Club Flamingo) (Ken Samuels’ poster)
12 September – 5’s Company (Sunday Club Flamingo) (Ken Samuels’ poster)
19 September – Flight One (Sunday Club Flamingo) (Ken Samuels’ poster)
26 September – Rhythm 4 (Sunday Club Flamingo) (Ken Samuels’ poster)
3 October – 5’s Company (Sunday Club Flamingo) (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
10 October – The Missing Links (Sunday Club Flamingo) (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
17 October – Rhythm 4 (Sunday Club Flamingo) (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
24 October – Four Inches (Sunday Club Flamingo) (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
31 October – Great Expectations (Sunday Club Flamingo) (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
7 November – Men Tuesday (Sunday Club Flamingo) (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
14 November – Who’d-A-Thot-It (Sunday Club Flamingo) (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
21 November – 5’s Company (Sunday Club Flamingo) (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
28 November – Rhythm 4 (Sunday Club Flamingo) (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
12 December – The Flames (aka Jeff Curtis & The Flames) (Sunday Club Flamingo) (Harrow Observer & Gazette) Looks like The Maniacs played this night
19 December – Rhythm 4 (Sunday Club Flamingo) (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
26 December – The Nite Hawks (Sunday Club Flamingo) (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
1966
2 January – The Missing Links (Sunday Club Flamingo) (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
9 January – The Y and The L (Sunday Club Flamingo) (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
8 July – The Keys (Harrow Observer)
29 July – Five Steps Beyond (Harrow Observer)
Photo: Paul Quinton
2 October – The Flames (aka Jeff Curtis & The Flames) (Sunday Club Flamingo) (Paul Quinton’s poster)
7 October – The Unamed (Friday Club Panama) (Paul Quinton’s poster)
9 October – Five Steps Beyond (Sunday Club Flamingo) (Harrow Observer/Paul Quinton’s poster)
14 October – The Flashbakks (Friday Club Panama) (Paul Quinton’s poster)
16 October – The Keys (Sunday Club Flamingo) (Harrow Observer/Paul Quinton’s Poster)
21 October – 2 x 2 (Friday Club Panama) (Paul Quinton’s poster)
23 October – The Fourtunes (Sunday Club Flamingo) (Paul Quinton’s poster)
28 October – Some Other People (Friday Club Panama) (Paul Quinton’s poster)
30 October – The Flashbakks (Sunday Club Flamingo) (Paul Quinton’s poster)
Ronnie Leatherman is best known for playing bass on The Psychedelic Sounds of the 13th Floor Elevators. Before that time, he had at least two other bands, the Penetrators and the Beau-Mondes, formed while he was at Tivy High School in Kerrville, Texas, a town about 65 miles northwest of San Antonio.
Kerrville Mountain Sun, September 18, 1963
The Penetrators started as “The Counts”. On September 18, 1963, the Kerrville Mountain Sun reported:
“The Counts,” a small band group at Tivy, performed on the radio September 10. The group is composed of Pat Morrison, guitar; Ronnie Leatherman, bass; Danny Klein, guitar; and Bobby Morrison, drums. They played “Bulldog” and one of their own songs, “The Swing.”
Listed as the Penetrations, March 25, 1964
The earliest notice I can find for the Penetrators is from March 25, 1964, where the Kerrvile Mountain Sun lists the group name as the “Penetrations”. Members were the same as the Counts:
Danny Klein – lead guitar Pat Morrison – rhythm guitar Ronnie Leatherman – bass Bobby Morrison – drums
This quartet would be the heart of the band through several changes in lineup.
Penetrators, Kerrville Daily Times, July 14, 1964
On July 12, 1964 the same lineup played a show at the Jaycee Center with the Reverbs, which included Bobby Schmidtke, Frank Lola and Pat Young.
Penetrators, Kerrville Daily Times, October 2, 1964Penetrators, Kerrville Daily Times, November 6, 1964
A notice in the Kerrville Daily Times from August 23, 1964 is the first time Max Range is connected to the band: “Range is band leader of The Traditions but will be appearing with The Penetrators, local combo.”
On September 20, 1964, the Daily Times column Hill Top Village Views includes Max Range as a member, and also includes Bobby Solomon whose name I do not see in any other listing. The October 2 Daily Times includes a photo of the band with Max Range.
A notice from November 6 in the Daily Times for a Jaycee Youth Center dance the next day lists yet another short-lived member, Carlton White on rhythm guitar. Carlton’s name would also appear in notices from January 14 and 28, 1965. Carlton White had been in a folk group with Stacy Sutherland, the Travelers Four.
The Penetrators from left: Bob Morrison, Ron Leatherman, Max Range, Danny Klein, and Pat Morrison
On February 25, 1965, the Daily Times reused the photo from October, but noted:
Kerrville’s Penetrators made their first TV appearance Saturday afternoon on the Ricci Ware show … on Channel 5 … The boys have written several songs and played one composed by Max Range, “I’ll Keep Praying Til Then” on the TV show. Left to right are Bob Morrison, drummer, and student at Tivy High School; Ron Leatherman, bass player and Tivy student; Max Range, vocalist and harmonica player who is employed at the Daily Times; Danny Klein, Tivy senior and lead guitarist; and Pat Morrison, rhythm guitar and student at Schreiner Institute.
Penetrators, Kerrville Daily Times, June 6, 1965
A Daily Times article from June 6, 1965 writes:
The Penetrators … have released their first record which is available to the public. The record, “Praying Till Then” and “Kurl” is on the Trater Record label. “Praying Till Then”, a slow ballad, was composed by Max Range, vocalist for the group. The flip side “Kurl”, was composed by all members of the ensemble, who are, Danny Klein, Bob Morrison, Ron Leatherman, Pat Morrison and Max Range.
This is the last mention of the Penetrators I can find. The single was released as by Max and the Penetraters on Trater Records 650528.
By the summer of 1965, Max Range left to Port Aransas with the Lingsmen, a group featuring two other Kerrville musicians, Stacy Sutherland and John Ike Walton.The Beau-Mondes, Kerrville Mountain Sun, November 24, 1965
An article in the Kerrville Mountain Sun from November 24, 1965 on the Beau-Mondes shows the original Penetrators quartet has been expanded into a septet and renamed, featuring:
Mark Atterbury – vocals Danny Klein – lead guitar Pat Morrison – rhythm guitar and manager Bill Stacy – rhythm guitar Bob Schmerbeck – piano Ronnie Leatherman – bass guitar Bobby Morrison – drums
The Beaumondes, Kerrville Daily Times, December 29, 1965
The last mention I can find of the Beau-Mondes was from December 29, 1965, and mentions a single that I do not believe was ever released:
The Beaumondes … have recently cut a record. The name of the record is “Won’t You Cry for Me?” It will be released January 11. The lead singer, Mark Atterbury, wrote the song and sings it with the other boys providing the background The members are Mark, Pat Morrison, Bobby Morrison, and Ronnie Leatherman.
From an interview on It’s Psychedelic Baby by Justin Jackley, Ronnie Leatherman mentioned a trio with two friends who passed away the same year. He also said the Lingsmen asked him to come to Port Aransas for a few weeks to play with them and help Bennie Thurman learn how to play the bass, and that Stacy wanted Ronnie in the 13th Floor Elevators.
Thank you to Matthew B. for his continued help to access news sites.
Timebox, September 1968. Image may be subject to copyright
Peter Liggett – lead vocals
Kevin Fogarty – guitar
Ollie Halsall – vibes/guitar
Chris Holmes – keyboards
Clive Griffiths – bass
Jeff Dean – drums
Formed from the ashes of the original Take Five, Clive Griffiths reforms the Southport, Lancashire group with the above line up in late 1965.
They move to London and fall under the wing of manager Laurie Jay, a former drummer, who signs them to the George Cooper Agency. He secures the renamed group (The Time Box) a regular, Wednesday night spot at the Whisky A Go Go.
Circa February 1966 – Whisky A Go Go, Wardour Street, Soho, central London (Ollie Halsall Archive)
When the musicians first arrived in London, they landed a regular Wednesday night gig at this popular Soho club
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26 March 1966 – El Partido, Lewisham, southeast London with The Raisins and King Ossie Sounds (Melody Maker)
Early April 1966 – Ad-Lib Club, Leicester Square, London (Ollie Halsall Archive)
3 April 1966 – Guildhall, Portsmouth, Hampshire (Time Box’s first date on Small Faces tour) (Ollie Halsall Archive/website: www.ronnielane.com)
16 April 1966 – Elbow Room, Aston, West Midlands (Birmingham Evening News)
6 May 1966 – Mayfair Club, Memorial Hall, Atherstone, Warwickshire with supporting groups (Coleshill Chronicle/Atherstone Herald) Says direct from the Ad Lib Club
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11 May 1966 – The Catacombe, Eastbourne, East Sussex (Eastbourne Herald Chronicle)
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14 May 1966 – Imperial Ballroom, Nelson, Lancashire with The Mindbenders and The Truth (Burnley Express & News)
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16 May 1966 – Tiles, Oxford Street, central London with Rey Anton & The Pro-Form (Melody Maker)
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21 May 1966 – Gloucester Guildhall, Gloucester with The In Sect (Gloucester Citizen)
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25 June 1966 – Royal Links Pavilion, Cromer, Norfolk with The Devil’s Coachmen (Julie Fielder book: What Flo Said Next)
According to the sleeve notes to the UK CD compilation Timebox – Beggin’ on RPM, the group plays a summer season at Butlin’s Holiday Camp in Filey, North Yorkshire.
After completing the residency, Peter Liggett leaves and Frank Dixon comes in as new lead singer.
3 September 1966 – Imperial Ballroom, Nelson, Lancashire with The Shades and Reasons Five (Burnley Express & News) Date needs confirmation
9 September 1966 – George Inn, Wilby, Northamptonshire (Northamptonshire Evening Telegraph)
5 October 1966 – Flamingo, Warour Street, Soho, central London with The Downliners Sect (Melody Maker)
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8 October 1966 – The Place, Hanley, Staffordshire with The Odyssey (Evening Sentinel)
12 October 1966 – Zebra Club, Greek Street, W1, London (Melody Maker)
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21 October 1966 – Midnight City, Birmingham with Edwin Starr and The Night People (Birmingham Evening Mail)
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22 October 1966 – Carlton Ballroom, Erdington, West Midlands with The Crescendos (Birmingham Evening Mail)
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22 October 1966 – Tito’s Club, Handsworth, West Midlands (Birmingham Evening Mail)
23 October 1966 – Lane Jane’s Club, Chateau Impney, Droitwich, Worcestershire (Malvern Gazette/Sunday Mercury)
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23 October 1966 – Mews, Moseley, West Midlands (Birmingham Evening Mail) Says direct from Tiles, Oxford Street
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26 October 1966 – Bent Boot Club, Old Crown & Cushion, Perry Barr, West Midlands (Birmingham Evening Mail)
30 October 1966 – Khyber Club, Taunton, Somerset with The Germs (Somerset County Gazette)
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2 November 1966 – Stonehouse Church Hall, Stonehouse, Gloucestershire (Gloucester Citizen)
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12 November 1966 – Cliffs Pavilion, Southend, Essex with The Fingers and The Chequers (Southend Standard)
21 November 1966 – Belfry, Wishaw, West Midlands with Trendsetters Ltd (Birmingham Evening Mail)
3 December 1966 – Student Union, Manchester University with The Koobas and Tony Merrick Scene (Manchester Evening News and Chronicle)
7 December 1966 – Club A Go Go, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne & Wear (Newcastle Evening Chronicle)
9 December 1966 – Mr McCoys, Middlesbrough (Middlesbrough Evening Gazette)
Frank Dixon leaves due to ill-health and American singer Richard Henry from The Zig Zag Band takes over on lead vocals.
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16 December 1966 – Winter Gardens Ballroom, Penzance, Cornwall with The Motown Sound and The Acoustics (West Briton & Royal Cornwall Gazette) Richard Henry (Detroit) The Timebox
17 December 1966 – Flamingo Ballroom, Redruth, Cornwall with The Dissatisfied (West Briton & Royal Cornwall Gazette)
18 December 1966 – Flamingo Ballroom, Redruth, Cornwall (West Briton & Royal Cornwall Gazette)
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Not long after, Jeff Dean also become poorly and leaves. Laurie Jay assumes the drum stool for the group’s debut 45 – the Pye release “I’ll Always Love You”, released on 10 February 1967.
1 January 1967 – Golden Torch, Tunstall, Staffordshire with The Gass (Evening Sentinel)
7 January 1967 – Midnight City, Birmingham, West Midlands with Dave Anthony’s Moods (Birmingham Evening Mail)
8 January 1967 – Golden Torch, Tunstall, Staffordshire (Evening Sentinel)
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13 January 1967 – Silver Blades, Streatham, southwest London (Peckham & Dulwich Advertiser/Clapham Advertiser) Billed as Richard Henry & The Time Box
16 January 1967 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with The Herd (Tony Bacon’s book: London Live)
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21 January 1967 – Starlight Room, Boston Gliderdrome, Boston, Lincolnshire with Herbie Goins and The Night-Timers, The Satin Dolls, Triads, Ray Bones and Ferryboys (Lincolnshire Standard) Billed as Richard Henry & The Time Box
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22 January 1967 – Beau Brummel Club, Alvaston Hall Hotel, Nantwich, Cheshire, Nantwich, Cheshire with Phil Ryan & The Scorpions (Nantwich Chronicle/Crewe Chronicle) Billed as Richard Henry & The Time Box
3 February 1967 – Bluesette Club, Bridge Street, Leatherhead, Surrey (Caterham Weekly Press) Billed as Richard Henry & The Time Box
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6 February 1967 – Belfry, Wishaw, West Midlands with Normie Rowe & The Playboys and The Monopoly (Birmingham Evening Mail) Billed as Richard Henry & The Timebox
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10 February 1967 – El Grotto, Ilford, east London (Redbridge & Ilford Recorder)
11 February 1967 – The Place, Hanley, Staffordshire with Wimple Winch (Evening Sentinel)
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26 February 1967 – El Grotto, Ilford, east London (Redbridge & Ilford Recorder)
27 February 1967 – Wall City Jazz Club, Quaintways, Chester, Cheshire with The Chuckles, The Wall City Jazzmen and The Pack (Liverpool Echo)
2 March 1967 – El Grotto, Ilford, east London (Redbridge & Ilford Recorder)
3 March 1967 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with Peter Jay & The Jaywalkers (Tony Bacon’s book: London Live)
11 March 1967 – El Grotto, Ilford, east London (Redbridge & Ilford Recorder) Billed as The Time Boy
15 March 1967 – The Place, Hanley, Staffordshire (Poster)
17 March 1967 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with Long John Baldry Show & Bluesology (Tony Bacon’s book: London Live)
Sometime in mid-to-late March the military police arrest Richard Henry after a gig in London, which could have been the above show at the Marquee. He goes on to front Tales of the City before working with The Cat Soul Packet. Henry later releases solo material.
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19 March 1967 – El Grotto, Ilford, east London (Redbridge & Ilford Recorder)
Richard Henry’s post Timebox group, August 1967. Image may be subject to copyright
Session drummer Ronnie Verrell is on hand for the group’s second Pye release – “Soul Sauce”, released on 21 April.
2 April 1967 – Brandon Wheatsheaf, Brandon, Norfolk (billed as John Henry & Timebox) Cancelled
7 April 1967 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with 1-2-3 (Tony Bacon’s book: London Live)
15 April 1967 – The Place, Hanley, Staffordshire (Evening Sentinel)
19 April 1967 – Top Ten Club, Manchester with Gideon’s Few (Manchester Evening News & Chronicle)
21 April 1967 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with The Long John Baldry Show (Tony Bacon’s book: London Live)
Around this time Andy Peters takes over the drums. While playing at the Playboy club in Hyde Park during May, singer Mike Patto shares the stage and joins.
14 May 1967 – El Grotto, Ilford, east London (Redbridge & Ilford Recorder)
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15 May 1967 – The Belfry, Wishaw, West Midlands with Wellington Kitch Jump Band (Birmingham Evening Mail)
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18-19 May 1967 – El Grotto, Ilford, east London (Redbridge & Ilford Recorder)
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20 May 1967 – The Place, Hanley, Staffordshire (Evening Sentinel)
25 May 1967 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with 1-2-3 (Tony Bacon’s book: London Live)
5 June 1967 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with The Herd (Melody Maker/Tony Bacon’s book: London Live)
12 June 1967 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with Procol Harum (Tony Bacon’s book: London Live)
13 June 1967 – Hatchetts Playground, Piccadilly, central London (Evening Standard)
22 June 1967 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with Neat Change (Tony Bacon’s book: London Live)
25 June 1967 – El Grotto, Ilford, east London (Redbridge & Ilford Recorder)
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28 June 1967 – The Place, Hanley, Staffordshire (Evening Sentinel)
29 June 1967 – El Grotto, Ilford, east London (Redbridge & Ilford Recorder)
1 July 1967 – El Grotto, Ilford, east London (Redbridge & Ilford Recorder)
15 July 1967 – Belfry, Wishaw, West Midlands with Wellington Kitch Jump Band (Birmingham Evening Mail)
28 July 1967 – El Grotto, Ilford, east London (Redbridge & Ilford Recorder)
1 August 1967 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with The Action (Tony Bacon’s book: London Live)
6 August 1967 – El Grotto, Ilford, east London (Redbridge & Ilford Recorder)
8 August 1967 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with Eric Burdon & The Animals (Tony Bacon’s book: London Live)
12 August 1967 – 7th National Jazz and Blues Festival, Windsor, Berkshire (Ollie Halsall Archive)
The group signs to Deram and records a cover of Tim Hardin’s “Don’t Make Promises”. Laurie Jay provides drums on the recording as Andy Peters has left recently.
Melody Maker’s 19 August issue features an advert from John Halsey which notes “Drummer ex-Felders Oriole, own bicycle”. He auditions for the group at the Scotch of St James soon after and takes over the drum stool permanently.
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22 August 1967 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with Alan Bown (Melody Maker/Tony Bacon’s book: London Live)
24 August 1967 – Hatchetts Playground, Piccadilly, central London (Evening Standard)
27 August 1967 – El Grotto, Ilford, east London (Redbridge & Ilford Recorder)
29 August 1967 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with Amen Corner (Tony Bacon’s book: London Live)
31 August 1967 – Hatchetts Playground, Piccadilly, central London (Evening Standard)
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5 September 1967 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac (Melody Maker/Tony Bacon’s book: London Live)
10 September 1967 – El Grotto, Ilford, east London (Redbridge & Ilford Recorder)
12 September 1967 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with Georgie Fame & The Blue Flames (Tony Bacon’s book: London Live)
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19 September 1967 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with The Move (Melody Maker/Tony Bacon’s book: London Live)
22 September 1967 – El Grotto, Ilford, east London (Redbridge & Ilford Recorder)
26 September 1967 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with Jeff Beck Group (Tony Bacon’s book: London Live)
Sometime around now Kevin Fogarty leaves to join Dave Davani Four and Ollie Halsall takes over all lead guitar duties.
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1 October 1967 – El Grotto, Ilford, east London (Redbridge & Ilford Recorder)
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3 October 1967 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with The Action (Melody Maker/Tony Bacon’s book: London Live)
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6 October 1967 – El Grotto, Ilford, east London (Redbridge & Ilford Recorder)
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10 October 1967 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with Alan Bown (Melody Maker/Tony Bacon’s book: London Live)
19 October 1967 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with Long John Baldry Show (Tony Bacon’s book: London Live)
There is a great article and pic in Record Mirror, 21 October 1967, page 8 on the group.
29 October 1967 – El Grotto, Ilford, east London (Redbridge & Ilford Recorder)
30 October 1967 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with The Senate (Tony Bacon’s book: London Live)
3 November 1967 – El Grotto, Ilford, east London (Redbridge & Ilford Recorder)
8 November 1967 – Hatchetts Playground, Piccadilly, central London (Evening Standard)
10 November 1967 – Hatchetts Playground, Piccadilly, central London (Evening Standard)
11 November 1967 – Hatchetts Playground, Piccadilly, central London (Evening Standard)
12 November 1967 – El Grotto, Ilford, east London (Redbridge & Ilford Recorder)
13-16 November 1967 – Scotch of St James, Mayfair, central London (promotional card on Patto Fan website)
18 November 1967 – Leeds University, Leeds, West Yorkshire (Fabulous 208)
19 November 1967 – California Ballroom, Dunstable, Bedfordshire (Fabulous 208)
21 November 1967 – Frank’s, Kidderminster, Worcestershire (John Coombe’s book)
21 December 1967 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with Clouds (Tony Bacon’s book: London Live)
22 December 1967 – Time and Place Club, Manchester (Fabulous 208)
23 December 1967 – Tinned Chicken Club, York, North Yorkshire (Fabulous 208)
23 December 1967 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London (Tony Bacon’s book: London Live)
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24 December 1967 – Beau Brummel Club, Alvaston Hall Hotel, Nantwich, Cheshire, Nantwich, Cheshire with Phil Ryan & The Scorpions and Roy French (Crewe Chronicle)
30 December 1967 – Clockwork Orange, Chester, Cheshire with Wednesday’s Children (Crewe Chronicle)
10 January 1968 – Hatchetts Playground, Piccadilly, central London (Poster at Jonathan Marks’ website: https://imgur.com/a/sWtBd#0)
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17 January 1968 – Hatchetts Playground, Piccadilly, central London (Melody Maker/Mick Capewell’s Marmalade Skies)
20 January 1968 – Hatchetts Playground, Piccadilly, central London (Melody Maker/Mick Capewell’s Marmalade Skies)
23 January 1968 – Marquee, Wardour Street, central London (Ollie Halsall Archive)
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25 January 1968 – Klooks Kleek, Railway Hotel, West Hampstead, north London (Melody Maker/Ollie Halsall Archive)
31 January 1968 – Hatchetts Playground, Piccadilly, central London (Melody Maker/Mick Capewell’s Marmalade Skies)
2 February 1968 – Barn Dance Hall, Penzance, Cornwall (West Briton & The Royal Cornwall Gazette)
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3 February 1968 – Il Rondo, Leicester (Leicester Mercury)
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8 February 1968 – El Grotto, Ilford, east London (Redbridge & Ilford Recorder)
12 February 1968 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with Clouds (Tony Bacon’s book: London Live)
15 February 1968 – Hatchetts Playground, Piccadilly, central London (Melody Maker/Mick Capewell’s Marmalade Skies)
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16 February 1968 – Redcar Jazz Club, Coatham Hotel, Redcar, North Yorkshire with Root & Jenny Jackson and The Hightimers and West Coast Promotion (Dennis Weller, Chris Scott Wilson and Graham Lowe’s book/Middlesbrough Evening Gazette)
17 February 1968 – The Place, Hanley, Staffordshire (Evening Sentinel)
19 February 1968 – Hatchetts Playground, Piccadilly, central London (Melody Maker/Mick Capewell’s Marmalade Skies)
22 February 1968 – Hatchetts Playground, Piccadilly, central London (Melody Maker/Mick Capewell’s Marmalade Skies)
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23 February 1968 – El Grotto, Ilford, east London (Redbridge & Ilford Recorder)
2 March 1968 – Leicester University, Leicester (Ollie Halsall Archive)
5-6 March 1968 – Hatchetts Playground, Piccadilly, central London (Poster at Jonathan Marks’ website: https://imgur.com/a/sWtBd#0)
19 March 1968 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London (Tony Bacon’s book: London Live)
According to Record Mirror, they played at the Bouton Rouge in Paris around this time. The magazine says they return to Paris for gigs from 10-12 May.
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30 March 1968 – London College of Printing, Elephant & Castle, south London with The Amboy Dukes and The Grenades (Melody Maker)
4 April 1968 – Klooks Kleek, West Hampstead, north London (Geoff Williams’ research: Decca Studios and Klooks Kleek book)
6 April 1968 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with Black Cat Bones (Tony Bacon’s book: London Live)
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7 April 1968 – Pantiles, Bagshot, Surrey (Melody Maker)
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12 April 1968 – El Grotto, Ilford, east London (Redbridge & Ilford Recorder)
13 April 1968 – All New Star Club, 9a Artillery Passage, E1, London (Melody Maker)
13 April 1968 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with Crazy World of Arthur Brown (Tony Bacon’s book: London Live)
16-17 April 1968 – Hatchetts Playground, Piccadilly, central London (Poster at Jonathan Marks’ website: https://imgur.com/a/sWtBd#0)
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20 April 1968 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with The Cortinas (Melody Maker/Tony Bacon’s book: London Live)
21 April 1968 – El Grotto, Ilford, east London (Redbridge & Ilford Recorder)
30 April 1968 – The Cromwellian, South Kensington, west London (Fabulous 208)
2 May 1968 – The Cromwellian, South Kensington, west London (Fabulous 208)
4 May 1968 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with The Spirit of John Morgan (Tony Bacon’s book: London Live)
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5 May 1968 – El Grotto, Ilford, east London (Redbridge & Ilford Recorder)
9 May 1968 – Klooks Kleek, West Hampstead, north London (Geoff Williams’ research: Decca Studios and Klooks Kleek book)
According to Record Mirror, Timebox played Paris gigs on 10-12 May.
17 May 1968 – The Cromwellian, South Kensington, west London (Fabulous 208)
18 May 1968 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London (Tony Bacon’s book: London Live)
22 May 1968 – The Cromwellian, South Kensington, west London (Fabulous 208)
25 May 1968 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with Thackery (Tony Bacon’s book: London Live)
26 May 1968 – Redcar Jazz Club, Redcar, North Yorkshire with The Cresters (Dennis Weller, Chris Scott Wilson and Graham Lowe’s book)
28 May 1968 – The Place, Hanley, Staffordshire (Evening Sentinel)
The group’s cover of “Beggin’” is released on 31 May 1968.
1 June 1968 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with The Exception (Tony Bacon’s book: London Live)
Record Mirror reported they started their first US tour on 2 June, which seems unlikely.
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5 June 1968 – Samanthas, Bournemouth, Dorset (Bournemouth Evening Echo)
8 June 1968 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with Neat Change (Tony Bacon’s book: London Live)
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12 June 1968 – Belfry, Wishaw, West Midlands with Blonde on Blonde (Birmingham Evening Mail)
15 June 1968 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with Toast (Tony Bacon’s book: London Live)
22 June 1968 – Colchester College, Colchester, Essex (Fabulous 208)
23 June 1968 – Pantiles, Bagshot, Surrey (Fabulous 208)
24 June 1968 – Rhodes Centre, Bishop’s Stortford, Hertfordshire (Fabulous 208)
26 June 1968 – Colchester College, Colchester, Essex (Fabulous 208)
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3 July 1968 – Samantha’s, Bournemouth, Dorset (Bournemouth Evening Echo)
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6 July 1968 – Civic Hall, Dunstable, Bedfordshire with The Plague (Welwyn & Hatfield Advertiser)
17 July 1968 – Samantha’s, Bournemouth, Dorset (Bournemouth Evening Echo)
Record Mirror reported that Timebox went to Milan, Italy on 26 July for TV work and then played cabaret at the Rosadino Club but this seems unlikely considering gig below.
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27 July 1968 – Mayfair Suite, New Bristol Centre, Bristol with Midas Touch, The Deep and The Titantic Jug Band (Bristol Evening Post)
3 August 1968 – The Cromwellian, South Kensington, west London (Fabulous 208)
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9 August 1968 – 8th National Jazz & Blues Festival, Kempton Park, Sunbury on Thames, Middlesex with The Herd, Taste, Jerry Lee Lewis and Marmalade (Ollie Halsall Archive/Reading Evening Post)
10 August 1968 – Q, Southchurch Park East, Southend, Essex with Kingsize Keen & Rocking Machine (Southend Standard)
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17 August 1968 – Town Hall, Clacton, Essex with King Size Keen and his Rocking Machine (Essex County Standard)
19 August 1968 – Cooks Ferry Inn, Edmonton, north London (Ollie Halsall Archive)
20 August 1968 – The Cromwellian, South Kensington, west London (Fabulous 208)
22 August 1968 – Mecca Ballroom, Portsmouth, Hampshire (Fabulous 208)
22 August 1968 – Scotch of St James, Mayfair, central London (Mick Capewell’s Marmalade Skies website)
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23 August 1968 – Candlelight Club, Scarborough, North Yorkshire (Scarborough Evening News)
24 August 1968 – Swan Hotel, Yardley, West Midlands (Fabulous 208)
26 August 1968 – Scotch of St James, Mayfair, central London (Mick Capewell’s Marmalade Skies website)
27 August 1968 – The Cromwellian, South Kensington, west London (Fabulous 208)
29 August 1968 – Klooks Kleek, West Hampstead, north London (Geoff Williams’ research: Decca Studios and Klooks Kleek book)
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30 August 1968 – The Wheel, Dorchester Hotel, Dorchester, Dorset with Stormy (Fabulous 208/Dorset Evening Echo/Western Gazette)
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31 August 1968 – The Cromwellian, South Kensington, west London (Fabulous 208/Melody Maker)
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1 September 1968 – Queen’s Hall, Leeds, West Yorkshire with Ben E King, Clyde McPlatter, The Flirtations, The Fantastics (with the House of Orange), Tim Rose and World of Oz (Nottingham Evening Post)
5 September 1968 – Brunel University, Acton, west London (Ollie Halsall Archive)
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6 September 1968 – Il Rondo, Leicester (Leicester Mercury)
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7 September 1968 – The Cromwellian, South Kensington, west London (Fabulous 208/Melody Maker)
16 September 1968 – Park Hall Hotel, Goldthorn Park, Wolverhampton, West Midlands with The Ice Show with Julie and Barmy Barry (Express & Star)
18 September 1968 – The Cromwellian, South Kensington, west London (Fabulous 208)
20 September 1968 – Benn Memorial Hall, Rugby, Warwickshire (Rugby Advertiser) Coventry Evening Telegraph has them playing with St James Infirmary Soul Show
22 September 1968 – Black Prince, Bexley, southeast London (Fabulous 208)
28 September 1968 – Polytechnic, Little Titchfield Street, central London with The Coloured Raisins (Melody Maker)
29 September 1968 – Pantiles, Bagshot, Surrey (Surrey Advertiser)
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29 September 1968 – Downbeat Club, the Swan, Maldon, Essex (Essex Chronicle)
3 October 1968 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London (Tony Bacon’s book: London Live)
6 October 1968 – Downbeat Club, the Swan, Maldon, Essex (Brentwood Gazette & Mid Sussex Recorder)
13 October 1968 – Clay Pigeon, Eastcote, northwest London (Uxbridge Weekly Post)
15 October 1968 – Hatchetts Playground, Piccadilly, central London (Melody Maker/Mick Capewell’s Marmalade Skies)
19 October 1968 – Hatchetts Playground, Piccadilly, central London (Melody Maker/Mick Capewell’s Marmalade Skies)
22 October 1968 – Hatchetts Playground, Piccadilly, central London with Katch 22 (Melody Maker/Mick Capewell’s Marmalade Skies)
25 October 1968 – Scene Disco Club, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk (Yarmouth Mercury)
25 October 1968 – Klooks Kleek, West Hampstead, north London (Ollie Halsall Archive)
31 October 1968 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with East of Eden (Tony Bacon’s book: London Live)
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15 November 1968 – Brunel University, Acton, west London with Episode Six (Melody Maker)
The group’s next single “Girl, Don’t Make Me Wait” is issued on 22 November.
24 November 1968 – Redcar Jazz Club, Redcar, North Yorkshire with Gospel Garden (Dennis Weller, Chris Scott Wilson and Graham Lowe’s book)
13 December 1968 – 100 Club, Oxford Street, central London (Melody Maker)
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13 December 1968 – Willesden College of Tech, Willesden, northwest London (Melody Maker)
15 December 1968 – Black Prince, Bexley, southeast London (Melody Maker)
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27 December 1968 – Candlelight, Scarborough, North Yorkshire (Scarborough Evening News)
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29 December 1968 – Beau Brummel Club, Alvaston Hotel, Nantwich, Cheshire with The Jaytree Organisation, Phil Ryan & The Scorpions, Rory Storm, Ken London and The Disco Chicks (Warrington Guardian) Club’s final night before closing
30 January 1969 – Klooks Kleek, West Hampstead, north London (Geoff Williams’ research: Decca Studios and Klooks Kleek book)
16 February 1969 – Black Prince Hotel, Bexley, southeast London (Melody Maker)
22 February 1969 – Chelsea College, Chelsea, southwest London with The Barrier (Melody Maker)
28 February 1969 – Chelsea College, Chelsea, southwest London (Ollie Halsall Archive)
9 March 1969 – Pantiles, Bagshot, Surrey (Surrey Advertiser)
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14 March 1969 – Bedford College, Rag Ball, Regent’s Park, central London with Soft Machine, Eclection, Dr K’s Blues Band and Steve Miller’s Delivery (Melody Maker)
Timebox release the single “Baked Jam Roll In Your Eye” on 14 March.
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5 April 1969 – Burton’s, Uxbridge, northwest London (Melody Maker)
20 April 1969 – Black Prince Hotel, Bexley, southeast London (Melody Maker)
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30 August 1969 – The Crown, Marlow, Bucks (Bucks Free Press)
18 September 1969 – Speakeasy, W1, central London (Melody Maker)
28 September 1969 – Layfayette, Wolverhampton, West Midlands (Ollie Halsall Archive)
On 3 October, Timebox issue their final single “Yellow Van”.
18 October 1969 – Walton Hop, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey (Woking Herald)
Around this time Chris Holmes left and they continue as a four-piece.
9 November 1969 – Black Prince, Bexley, southeast London (Mick Capewell’s Marmalade Skies)
28 November 1969 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with Hardin & York (Tony Bacon’s book: London Live)
4 December 1969 – Revolution, central London (Time Out)
The Thingies were a peripatetic band, settling and playing shows in a number of locations, and occasionally recording. A full story of the band is on the Cicadelic site. I wanted to include a brief post on the Thingies because of their single on Casino Records.
In late 1962, Larry Miller formed the TR4 while he was stationed with the Air Force in Topeka, Kansas.
The TR4 were:
Don Ferguson – lead guitar Dave Daws – organ Larry Miller – bass and vocals Joe Rodriguez – drums
The TR4 released a single in 1963, “Peter Rabbit” backed with a stomping instrumental, “Surfin’ TR” on Exclusive Records.
In 1964 the band added Phil Weaver as lead vocalist and changed their name to the Coachmen. Gordon Marcellus replaced Joe Rodriguez on drums.
By 1965 the lineup changed again along with the band name to the Thingies:
Fabulous Thingies at the Emporia Civic Auditorium, Nov 11, 1966
Phil Weaver – lead vocals John Dalton – lead guitar Ernie Swisher – organ Larry Miller – bass Gordon Marcellus – drums
They released “It’s a Long Way Down” / “Merry Go Round Of Life” on Casino in early 1966. The group played often in Omaha, Nebraska, where the band first learned about psychedelics. The West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band played at The Tiki Club in Topeka, and they helped the Thingies get a light show together according to Larry Miller.
In December, 1966, the Thingies recorded two original at Fairyland Studios in Columbia, MO, “English Eyes” / “No Matter What The World May Say” that were not released at the time, but “English Eyes” appeared on the CD “The Thingies Have Arrived” on Collectables. That CD also features one vocal and two instrumental takes of another original, “I’m Going Ahead”.
The Thingies spent the summer of 1967 in Miami, playing regularly at a huge teen club called The World.
Georgetown Megaphone Sept. 29, 1967
They went to Waco, where Phil Weaver had family, then moved to Austin, Texas in September. One of their earliest shows in Austin was at a Love-In at Zilker Hillside Theater on September 24.
In an article headlined Capital Cops Tops With Hippie Love-In, reporter Mary Callaway gets a little carried away, but still presents a great window onto the Thingies stage show:
Freak-out music dramas presented by the Thingies, a national psychedelic band.
Dressed in a collage of costumes from full monk garbe to Daniel Boone, the Thingies presented a trip experience in which an amber light caught on the jags and peaks of a lump of raspberry jello one into a dream of all worldly objects and abstract concepts merging into one single sound which becomes dust, spirals, and creates a new being. Then the drums and guitars pick up the poet’s rhythm and “Gloria” crashes in in full orchestra.
In “Suzi Creamcheez, What’s Got Into You” the female member of the band expresses a trip experience in which for twenty minutes, with wailing guitars, computer sounds, and aggressive band members, throw her absurd world into supersonic gear, and pathetically enough she screams frantically throughout the drama.
The Austin Daily Texan writer Merry Clark had a more sober account, and named the other bands on the bill:
The Jackels from Dallas began the afternoon playing a new sound for the group formerly known as the Chessmen. They were followed by the Austin Conqueroo …. then a newer Austin band composed mostly of University architecture students, Shiva’s Head Band … A group of men from Bergstrom Air Force Base called the Afro-Caravan [with] Robert King, the leader of the group.
The evening program began and ended with a light show, “Mothers of Invention” sound, and freak out of the Thingies band from Miami.
Austin Love-In with the Jackals, the Conqueroo, Shiva’s Headband, Afro-Caravan, and the Thingies, Austin Daily Texan, Sept. 26, 1967 Over the next six months, the Thingies would play many live shows at the Matchbox, the Vulcan Gas Company, the Pleasure Dome and other venues. Their manager (Night Productions) owned the 11th Street Folk Club, and the group recorded some live shows but the tapes have apparently been lost.
The band signed with Sonobeat, who recorded them at the Swinger’s Club during the club’s off hours, and did overdubs at KAZZ-FM studios. The single featured Gordon Marcellus and Larry Miller’s original “Mass Confusion” backed with Phil Weaver and Bob Cole’s “Rainy Sunday Morning”. Recorded in December, 1967, Sonobeat didn’t release it until the spring of 1968, by which time the Thingies had split up.
Unreleased songs from the Sonobeat sessions include “I Died”, “Mrs. Baker”, “Richard’s Song”, all without finished vocal tracks. You can hear “Mrs. Baker” on the Sonobeat page for the Thingies.
Gordon Marcellus passed away in 2004, Phil Weaver passed in 2014, and Larry Miller passed away at 74 in 2017.
Thingies at the Match Box, Austin Daily Texan, Nov 29, 1967
An additional source was Mojo Mills’ interview with Larry Miller in Shindig.
Night Productions: the Thingies management in Austin
The Thingies, partial gig list:
September 3, 1966 – at the Skyline Club, Manhattan, Kansas
November 12, 1966 – The Fabulous Thingies at the Emporia Civic Auditorium
June 30, 1967 – Atchison, KS Memorial Auditorium
September 24, 1967 – Zilker Hillside Theater, Austin, TX, Love-In with the Jackals, the Conqueroo, Shiva’s Headband and the Afro-Caravan.
September 29 and September 30, 1967 – the IL Club, Austin, TX
October 3, 1967 – New Orleans Club, Austin October 20 and October 21, 1967 – The IL Club, Austin (“After Hours 1 a.m. – 4 a.m.”) October 31, 1967 – New Orleans Club, Austin (“Halloween Ball … wear mask”)
November 29, 1967 – The Match Box, Austin
December 15 and December 16, 1967 – The Pleasure Dome, Austin
December 29 and December 30, 1967 – Hilltop Club, Atchison, KS “The Thingies out of Austin … Just back from the Bahama Islands” ?!
Notorious even in distant Fort Stockton, TX, reported in the Pioneer, Nov. 30, 1967
Final poster for The Other Place, featuring the Huckleberry Mudflap
Once upon a dream, a sage became a bright butterfly and visited secret places in far-away lands. The dream was so real that, upon awakening, he wondered: am I now a man who dreamt he was a butterfly, or am I a butterfly now dreaming I am a man?
Thus read the legend on the most gorgeous concert poster from ‘60s North Carolina I had ever seen. In fact, the colors and lettering were so good that I spent the last several years with the image in the back of my mind with a mental footnote that it was probably a later reproduction. A magenta and aquamarine background camouflaged the face of a lovely woman peering down on a red-capped mushroom with white stalk, on which the opening paragraph was written sideways in small cursive script, while a large, ornate and matching red/white butterfly design drew the eye up and right. It was exquisite.
The design and color scheme was just what you hope for in a psychedelic piece of the era. It would have been good enough to announce the appearance of Jefferson Airplane and Moby Grape at the Fillmore West. Alas, this was no lost San Francisco concert herald. The headline in white against the red mushroom top in beautiful stylized lettering read, “The Other Place, The Huckleberry Mudflap, Monday Aug. 26 thru Saturday Aug. 31 at the Rec. Center near mile post 12 Nags Head.”
Huckleberry Mudflap was no mystery. They were a well-remembered group around eastern Carolina, hailing from Harkers Island, NC. Their two 45s are quite nice. “Blue Surf” is a mellow sunshine pop account of a stroll on the beach. “Goodnight Mrs. Kollendoffer (Wherever You Are)” is the more mind-bending side.
This venue The Other Place at the Rec Center was more obscure. The most popular concert club in Nags Head was The Casino, their equivalent of the Myrtle Beach Pavilion. That’s where all the beach circuit bands landed. In fact, whatever The Other Place had going during the summer of ’68 would have been up against some serious competition from the Casino calendar that season. No trip to Nags Head was complete without a visit to the Casino or so I’ve been told.
‘Fessa John Hook would be able to rattle off a string of artists that played the Casino. As a beach music expert and DJ, ‘Fessa (that’s professor in cool-speak) John is conversant in all things shag-worthy. So, when he asked me recently, on the reputation of my Facebook group Carolina Rock ‘n’ Roll Remembered, if I could recommend any interesting show posters, I immediately thought of the Other Place. I told him the provenance was still in question, the jury was still out, but they (I had an inkling of two other designs in the series) were beautiful and deserved more study. While they weren’t really for beach dance bands, the events, if they were genuine, in that location at that time would certainly have some overlapping interest. John agreed. I was on the case.
I shot Morris Willis of Huckleberry Mudflap a message. Did the show as advertised take place? If the poster were a fantasy piece, it’s possible the related content was dreamt up. Morris responded shortly and gave me my first glimpse inside The Other Place. It most certainly did exist and The Mudflap had played that week.
Third poster for the Other Place, featuring the Wild Kingdom and the Aliens, each playing a week
How about those posters, though? The thought still hung with me that someone had revisited an idealized version of their youth and designed these in more recent years, maybe to sell in gift shops up and down the Outer Banks. It wasn’t a bad idea. They were just too good and raised many unanswered questions. Who was capable of such a thing in 1968? Why would they be associated only with a tiny, forgotten club on the beach and feature small regional acts mostly unknown an hour’s drive away? They obviously represented considerable effort and skill. There was no immediate example of anything nearly so well-done in the region. There was one pretty cool pink and orange Janis Joplin poster from UNC the next year, but it was bland alongside The Other Place posters. Most of the Carolina concert posters of the era were boxing style “blanks,” a reusable standard layout that would have the name of artists and dates swapped out with little expense before the next printing. That was another head-scratcher. How were these minor works of art an affordable marketing tool?
Nags Head, NC Rec Center at milepost 12, April 1968.
Among the many questions, the one I hoped to answer next was, “Did these posters exist in 1968?” I turned to facebook. In an Outer Banks “remember when” group I ran across some mention of The Other Place and the Nags Head Rec Center, sometimes called the Mann’s Center after the family who managed it. Since the early ‘50s it had featured a revolving array of amusements; Bingo parlor, roller skating rink, duck pin bowling, dance hall, pinball and pool tables, snack bar and grill. It was built by Gaston Mann who also built the nearby fishing pier. By 1968 his son Bryan and daughter-in-law Blanche were overseeing the operation. Gaston’s wife Ella was still the grandmotherly matron of the place, running the popcorn and cotton candy machines. The Other Place occupied the north half of the large one-story building that summer. Folks in the facebook group remembered blacklights, strobes, day-glo body paint, far-out designs on the walls, even Huckleberry Mudflap, but no one would say for sure that they remembered the posters.
Deep in the recesses of the facebook group’s photo archive I ran across an image posted some years ago. It was an announcement for a couple of shows at The Other Place, The Swinging Machine and Willie T. & The Magnificents. It wasn’t quite as fancy as the posters I had seen. The Other Place lettering was similar and it did feature the same detailed butterfly design. Most importantly, it had yellowed tape in a couple of spots along the edges with the feel of age and authenticity. The print also featured a three-color fade effect I call “Neopolitan ice cream” that was common in North Carolina at the time, a technique overused by the Benton Card Co. of Benson, NC. I was feeling convinced that at least some elements in the posters were period accurate.
I turned back to my friends at Carolina Rock ‘n’ Roll Remembered on facebook with these developments and asked, “Does anyone remember these posters? Are they legit?” A few comments in, our Virginia expert Jack Garrett confirmed. He remembered one of the posters hanging on a friend’s wall when they were in high school. He knew they were for real the moment I posted, he said. “Because Jack said so,” is good enough for me, but I wanted to wave the smoking gun in people’s face.
Fourth poster for The Other Place, featuring the Swinging Machine for a week, followed by the Slithy Toves, both Virginia bands
Aside from Huckleberry Mudflap there were no band names I recognized on the posters. I didn’t think they were Carolina groups. I Googled The Swinging Machine and The Slithy Toves. They were Virginia groups. The Swinging Machine had been tackled here on Garage Hangover and both of those groups have facebook pages. The Slithy Toves soundcloud stream is impressive. I especially like their version of “Early Morning Fear.”
I dove into The Swinging Machine facebook page, reading comments on photos posted years before. I ran across a very cool amateur bit of psychedelia in the form of a flyer for a show at The Light House in Portsmouth, VA. Comments suggested it was the handiwork of band member Vince Screeney. It wasn’t on the level of The Other Place material, but the feel was there. These guys were undoubtedly a part of that scene and must know who was behind The Other Place posters.
Ron Primm, psychedelic artist, 1967.
Somewhere in the exchange of captions and comments on The Swinging Machine page I spotted a clue, a passing reference to a local psychedelic design artist named Ron Primm. Soon friend requests and follow-up inquiries were sent to Mr. Primm and the office of the Norfolk advertising agency bearing his name.
My message to Ron Primm was not much different than a dozen I had sent in recent days. Do you know anything about The Other Place or this Huckleberry Mudflap poster? I had also posted obsessively about The Other Place on my facebook profile for a few days leading up to this attempt at contact.
The next day when I logged on to facebook I found a notification that Ron Primm had accepted my friend request. Further, he had commented on my post about the Mudflap mushroom poster. “It’s the work of the artist Chas Ober,” was his brief answer, then another half-dozen comments, each containing an image of a different poster from The Other Place. I was gobsmacked.
Charlie Ober, in Travel Bureau t-shirt, intensely focused during an exhibition in New Jersey, 1967.Ernie Hamblin, technical engineer and spokesman for The Travel Bureau.
Shortly I found myself on the telephone with Ron and scribbled like crazy on a notepad for nearly an hour. He was the youngest, at 85, and only living member of an artist collective known as The Travel Bureau. He and Charlie Ober (1928-2014) were the trained artists in the group, but the troupe was very much a multi-media experiment.
Ernie Hamblin (1933-2011), who Ron credits as spokesman for the group, was billed in press of the day as technical engineer and visionary Bob Fischbeck (1922-1999) was described as a photographer and musician.
The Travel Bureau, l to r: Bob Fischbeck pours oil into a clock glass on an overhead projector while Ernie Hamblin, Charlie Ober and Ron Primm operate tandem slide projectors during an exhibition in Atlantic City, NJ, Oct 6, 1967.The Travel Bureau logo, by Ron Primm, circa 1967.
The Travel Bureau were a bit of a psychedelic circus, bringing liquid light shows and sounds to a number of venues and happenings along the east coast at least as early as the spring of 1967. I asked Ron if any in the group had ever experimented with hallucinogens. “We were too old for that,” he said, adding that he was the only one of the four who was even much of a drinker. They were curious professional types.
Ron worked for The Virginian-Pilot, a large circulation newspaper covering Hampton Roads. The paper was keenly aware of the changing youth culture and, in a bid to stay hip, published a weekly tabloid magazine insert for the teen set called Action. The paper sponsored a battle of the bands at the Virginia Beach Dome emceed by local radio personality Gene Loving. This was one of the first events the group undertook to make psychedelic.
from the Norfolk, VA Ledger-Star, Saturday Feb. 3, 1968: “A Compelling Show [at the Norfolk Museum].” Original caption reads, “The three men are, left to right, graphic artist Ron Primm, photographer Bob Fischbeck and graphic artist Charley Ober. They are members of ‘The Travel Bureau,’ a group which explores psychedelic effects.”Ron traveled to New York City and visited clubs in Long Island and Lower Manhattan that had already developed a reputation for the new look. He took what he observed back to Virginia and wrote about it for Action magazine. The Travel Bureau would soon apply some of these borrowed lighting techniques and gradually develop some of their own innovations. It was the first time most of the Tidewater kids had ever seen strobes or blacklights, let alone wet slide projections and color organs.
The Travel Bureau lenticular calling card, circa 1967.
And it wasn’t just the kids who were curious about the new light shows. Early Travel Bureau exhibitions were held in art galleries and at Norfolk Museum and written up in local art columns. The group booked events as far afield as Philadelphia and Atlantic City. The name Travel Bureau was not only a nod to their skill at providing drugless trips, it summed up their “have light show, will travel” dedication to exhibit on the move. Soon they would become artists-in-residence at teen rock clubs, where live music provided an important organic element missing from some of their early shows, which relied on recorded sound.
The first such club they were to design was The Light House in Portsmouth, VA. From the article “Psychedelic Light House Opens” in the July 9, 1967 edition of The Virginian-Pilot:
Psychedelic projection was developed locally by the Travel Bureau. These four have made over 1,000 color slides that project patterns of squares, circles and abstract images in-between at a rapid pace. Two projectors run at the same time, focused on the same screen — producing double images that jump, twist and gyrate in time to the loudest, wildest rock ‘n’ roll music that can be found in this area.
The bandstand will be lighted by no less than six projectors. The bands will actually be performing in the patterns of projection which will be thrown upon a large circular background — similar to a Cinerama movie screen. The rear wall of the Light House will be illuminated by strips of light eight feet high that will pulsate to the beat of the music. In addition to the projections, the band runway will have sound-actuated colored spotlights.
A seventh machine will project large abstract forms on a translucent screen which allows viewing from both inside and outside the building. The other wall will feature a mural of designs that fluoresce under strips of ultra-violet lights.
It is easy to see why the owners decided to name the place The Light House.
If they don’t blow a fuse on opening night, the place will be open from 8 until 11:30 o’clock Wednesday through Saturday nights. Opening on Friday will be The Swingin’ Machine and The Prophets in Flight with the Chaparalls. On Saturday night, the background noise-music will be provided by The Beechnuts and The Sound Effects. Coming soon will be Dennis and the Times, The Sheepherders and The Malibus.
Charlie Ober in booth at the Other Place
The Other Place, newspaper advertisement for opening weekend, May 31st, 1968.
In a preview press showing at the club, the effect could truthfully be said to be visually stunning. In other showings, F.D. Cossitt, The Virginian-Pilot’s art critic, called it “very sophisticated and often breathtaking visually.”
More than fifty years later, Ron Primm is still impressed by the symbiotic relationship their visuals shared with the music, pulsing light and color nestled into a heartbeat of sound. “It was pretty stimulating,” Ron reflects. And it was loud. From the article “Your Senses Deepen in Land of Psychedelia” in the September 8, 1967 edition of the Norfolk Ledger-Star:
Powerful amplifiers are a must, so that the music will blot out every other sound, and project physical vibration to the individuals assembled.
Ron Primm of Norfolk, a pioneer of psychedelic effects in the area, explained that the purpose is to “combine the effects on sight, sound, motion and touch to obliterate everything but the immediate activity.”
Second poster for The Other Place featuring the face of Swinging Machine vocalist Gary Richardson
The Swinging Machine would become a regular act at The Light House and, the next summer, The Other Place. Lead singer Gary Richardson would become the literal poster child of the scene. His face in blue stares out from one of The Other Place posters designed by Ron Primm.
The Swinging Machine from Portsmouth, VA, 1968. Gary Richardson front and center, just a month before his death.
Tragically, Gary died in July of 1968 while inhaling freon. While the band continued for a time with a new singer, “Gary was the soul of the group,” the way Ron recalls it. His death also hit his friends in The Travel Bureau hard. In Charlie Ober’s scrapbook there are several lengthy articles from the local press clipped and lovingly tipped in. He was the bright star that burned out too fast.
Ernie Hamblin applies a finishing touch in preparing to open The Other Place. Far out designs covered nearly any available surface.
The summer of ’68 found The Travel Bureau at the height of their achievement. Charlie Ober’s daughter Chris was 18 that year. She was “conscripted” by her father to work on The Other Place project. Ahead of the May 31st opening a complete interior redesign was in store for the north half of Nags Head Rec, by the pier near milepost 12.
Attention to detail; table tops in The Other Place featured the iconic butterfly logo and assorted psychedelic designs.The light and sound control booth at The Other Place.
First the walls were painted black. Then the new club logo, Ron Primm’s butterfly emblem, was screen-printed on walls, floors and table tops in a variety of bright day-glo colors. An assortment of necessary gear was installed in the light/sound booth to include the trademark overhead projector. It would be plied with shallow glass bowls borrowed from the faces of school clocks doused with colored oils, caressed and guided as the planchette on a spirit board until vibrant ghosts were summoned and cast eerily over the walls, the crowd and performers alike.
Opening poster for The Other Place featuring the Hang 5 Mann and Sheepherders International Trade UnionButterfly logo for The Other Place, by Ron Primm, 1968.
The first poster for the new venue featured the butterfly, The Travel Bureau logo, also designed by Ron, and the note “Under 20.” It was intended as a teen club. It was something new, an alternative to the usual shag dance, like the one happening the same night over at The Casino and featuring Bob Marshall & The Crystals. At least The Other Place had the novelty of something new on their side, and the cooler poster. It can be seen in situ posted on the wall outside the entrance in one of the color photos from Charlie’s album.
Entrance to the new teen club, The Other Place. Opening week poster is visible on the right.
What made these old guys pour everything into such a project? Ron talks about how much work went into preparing and operating the club that season. These family men would work their regular day jobs in Virginia, drive down to Nags Head, stay until midnight and drive back to Virginia, or sometimes stay over on the weekends. Chris Ober was their resident body paint artist. It was a family affair. For all the hard work, it must have held all the excitement of a brand new hobby. Even without beer sales, the lifesblood of most nightspots, Ron says the club managed to make a little money during that brief era which he described as “a hiccup in time,” when things were strange and novel for a moment.
The Mush Room inside The Other Place, Nags Head.
Bryan Mann was tolerant of what went on next door, but it was so loud he would occasionally stroll over and threaten to pull the plug if they couldn’t keep it down. The uneasy peace between two worlds about to collide was nothing new in Nags Head, or even on Mann’s property. I imagine the guys drinking beer and shooting pool were about as happy about the racket from The Other Place as they were about the surfers getting close to the pier while they were fishing. Some of the old surfers tell me it wasn’t the “Absolutely No Surfboarding” signs that kept them away from the pier. It was the singular experience of being pelted with 3-ounce lead weights by the angry fishermen.
Other Place interior double-exposure image
Bryan Mann’s daughter Anna said it was a thrilling time and place to be 13 years old. Her dad may have been concerned about ill-behaved hippies coming to town, but the band members were nice and got along with her parents and grandmother. She remembers one of the band members, though she’s not sure from which group, being very friendly and making conversation with the older Mrs. Mann. They must have talked about the music that was popular when she was a girl, because the band dedicated a pepped up version of “O Susanna” to her that night. I like to think it was Morris Willis from Huckleberry Mudflap, who told me The Other Place was one of their favorite gigs and they enjoyed everyone they met. Or maybe even Gary Richardson from The Swinging Machine who would be dead in less than a month but had an unmistakable charm that reached beyond his generation.
Second-to-last poster for the Other Place, with the Franklin Freight Train, The Genesis and The NyteThe Other Place large butterfly medallion, custom made for members of The Travel Bureau, 1968.
With the approach of Labor Day, The Other Place closed up along with the Nags Head Rec Center. The Travel Bureau had finished their last long-term installation. They discussed opening again for the 1969 season but the prospect of that tiresome commute and truly hard work was daunting. When they went down that spring and found everything packed up and ready to go, the decision was easy. The Other Place was done.
Very shortly The Travel Bureau as a group would write “finis” to the project that had brightened a lot of lives over the previous two years. Bob Fischbeck would buy out the other partners and keep the lighting equipment and continue to put on shows for quite some time. There was something profound about Bob’s passion for these things. He found a sort of mysticism surrounding their sensory experimenting. It can be said without slight that Bob had a special mind. He had received a serious head injury in an automobile accident and was thereby “freed from normal perception,” as one of Charlie’s children helped me put it into words when we discussed the matter.
Bob Fischbeck and Ron Primm turning a portion of the Nags Head Rec Center into The Other Place, May 1968.A new chapter opens, The Other Place, page from Charlie Ober’s scrapbook.
The pages of Charlie Ober’s scrapbook are filled with tantalizing items relating to a time and place virtually undocumented elsewhere. The Neopolitan ice cream Other Place announcements were postcards, a set preserved in Charlie’s album. Event pages from local newspapers announce concerts by famous traveling acts while Light House events took place on the fringe. It was a small and precious counterculture. Soon pop culture would embrace psychedelia and wear the novelty off.
Somewhere in that far off Other Place, half a century ago, the shutters are open to a salty ocean breeze and a glowing, translucent butterfly is winging in for a landing on a giant mushroom. Maybe it was only a hiccup in time, but, man! What a colorful hiccup!
Vance Pollock April 2020
List of bands at the Other Place, 1968:
Friday May 31, 1968 (Opening night) and Saturday, June 1: The Hang 5 Mann Friday, June 7 – Thursday, June 13: The Sheepherders Trade Union International Friday, June 14 – Thursday, June 20: The Swinging Machine Friday, June 21 – Sunday, June 30: Willie T. & the Impressions Monday, July 1 – Sunday, July 7: Wild Kingdom Monday, July 8 – Sunday, July 14: The Aliens Monday, July 15 – Sunday, July 21: The Swinging Machine Monday, July 22 – Sunday, July 29: The Slithy Toves Monday, July 29 – Sunday, August 4: The Huckleberry Mudflap Monday, August 5: Dividing Line Tuesday, August 6: Agents Wednesday, August 7: The Psychos Thursday, August 8 and Friday, August 9: The Sun Saturday, August 10 and Sunday, August 11: The Sassafras Tea Monday, August 12 – Sunday, August 18: Franklin Freight Train Monday, August 19 – Thursday, August 22: The Genesis Friday, August 23 – Sunday, August 25: The Nyte Monday, August 26 – Sunday, August 31: Huckleberry Mudflap
Photo: Melody Maker. Image may be subject to copyright
Formed by keyboard player and singer/songwriter Peter Gosling in mid-1966, Moon’s Train evolved out of earlier bands, The Preachers and The Train, who featured future Herd guitarist/singer Peter Frampton.
Photo credit: Melody Maker, 1965. Image may be subject to copyright.
By late 1966, the group’s line up comprised:
Peter “Moon” Gosling – keyboards/vocals
Ian Dibben – guitar
Pete “Face” Attwood – bass
Ken Leamon – sax
Alex Brown – trumpet
Malcolm Penn – drums
Many thanks to drummer Malcolm Penn for the following gig list and to Peter Gosling for kindly sharing this with me. Where newspapers advertised and I have the posters, I’ve listed these too:
26 January 1967 – Golden Star Club, N7, London
28 January 1967 – Muirhead Sports ground, Beckenham, London
13 February 1967 – Star Hotel, Croydon, London
25 February 1967 – Bag O’Nails, Kingley Street, Soho, London
3 March 1967 – Bag O’Nails, Kingley Street, Soho, London
4 March 1967 – Raynes Park Football Club, Merton, London
4 March 1967 – Bag O’Nails, Kingley Street, Soho, London
5 March 1967 – Bag O’Nails, Kingley Street, Soho, London
6-7 March 1967 – Why Not Club (unknown address)
8 March 1967 – Bag O’Nails, Kingley Street, Soho, London
9 March 1967 – Bag O’Nails, Kingley Street, Soho, London
10 March 1967 – Stockwell College, Stockwell, London
10 March 1967 – Bag O’Nails, Kingley Street, Soho, London
11 March 1967 – Bag O’Nails, Kingley Street, Soho, London
12 March 1967 – Bag O’Nails, Kingley Street, Soho, London
17 March 1967 – Why Not Club (address unknown)
18 March 1967 – Britannia Rowing Club, Nottingham
25 March 1967 – Corby Civic Centre, Corby, Northamptonshire
31 March 1967 – Sibylla’s, Swallow Street, London
Photo: Redbridge & Ilford Recorder. Image may be subject to copyright
1 April 1967 – El Grotto, Ilford, London
5 April 1967 – Sibylla’s, Swallow Street, London
Photo: Redbridge & Ilford Recorder. Image may be subject to copyright
21 April 1967 – Upper Cut, Forest Gate, London with The Beachcombers
22 April 1967 – Technical College, Farnborough, Hants
26 April 1967 – Sibylla’s, Swallow Street, London
27 April 1967 – Sibylla’s, Swallow Street, London
28 April 1967 – Scotch of St James, Mason’s Yard, Mayfair, London
29 April 1967 – Unknown venue, New Forest, Hants
Photo: Redbridge & Ilford Recorder. Image may be subject to copyright
5 May 1967 – El Grotto, Ilford, London
6 May 1967 – El Grotto, Ilford, London
7 May 1967 – Dolphin (address unknown)
There was a Dolphin Club in Finchley, north London
3 June 1967 – Bag O’Nails, Kingley Street, Soho, London
4 June 1967 – El Grotto, Ilford, London
8 June 1967 – Bag O’Nails, Kingley Street, Soho, London
30 June 1967 – Bag O’Nails, Kingley Street, Soho, London
1 July 1967 – Bag O’Nails, Kingley Street, Soho, London
Photo: Melody Maker. Image may be subject to copyright
2 July 1967 – Upper Cut, Forest Gate, London with The Warren Davis Monday Band and The Trap (Melody Maker)
This gig at the Upper Cut is missing from Malcolm Penn’s list so they may not have played it.
4 July 1967 – Big C Club, Farnborough, Hants
7 July 1967 – Sibylla’s, Swallow Street, London
Photo: Redbridge & Ilford Recorder. Image may be subject to copyright
8 July 1967 – El Grotto, Ilford, London
11 July 1967 – Sibylla’s, Swallow Street, London
Sax player Paul Houlton left The Warren Davis Monday Band at the end of May. He says that his first gig with Moon’s Train was a long drive and July feels about right. He took over from Ken Leamon.
14 July 1967 – Waterfront Club, Woolston, Hampshire (Southern Echo)
15 July 1967 – Bournemouth Pavilion, Bournemouth, Dorset
25 November 1967 – Blaises, Queen’s Gate, Kensington, London
2 December 1967 – El Grotto, Ilford, London
9 December 1967 – The Drum, Penge, London
Photo: Woking Herald. Image may be subject to copyright
10 December 1967 – Sunday Club, Addlestone, Surrey (Woking Herald)
15 December 1967 – Technical College, Farnborough, Hants
16 December 1967 – Wykeham Hall, Romford, London
Photo: Redbridge & Ilford Recorder. Image may be subject to copyright
23 December 1967 – El Grotto, Ilford, London
24 December 1967 – El Grotto, Ilford, London
4 January 1968 – Blaises, Queen’s Gate, Kensington, London
Photo credit: Leicester Mercury. Image may be subject to copyright
6 January 1968 – Il Rondo, Leicester (Leicester Mercury)
17 January 1968 – Blaises, Queen’s Gate, Kensington, London
18 January 1968 – Revolution, Bruton Place, London
19 January 1968 – Revolution, Bruton Place, London
20 January 1968 – Muirhead Sportsground, Beckenham, London
25 January 1968 – Revolution, Bruton Place, London
26 January 1968 – Revolution, Bruton Place, London
27 January 1968 – El Grotto, Ilford, London
10 February 1968 – Hatchetts Playground, Piccadilly, London
17 February 1968 – Big C Club, Farnborough, Hampshire
Photo: Redbridge & Ilford Recorder. Image may be subject to copyright
24 February 1968 – El Grotto, Ilford, London
25 February 1968 – Bournemouth Pavilion, Bournemouth, Dorset
29 February 1968 – Nightingdale, Wood Green, London
1 March 1968 – Sibylla’s, Swallow Street, London
2 March 1968 – Technical College, Hatfield, Herts
Photo: Leicester Mercury. Image may be subject to copyright
9 March 1968 – Il Rondo, Leicester (Leicester Mercury)
11 March 1968 – Hatchetts Playground, Piccadilly, London
12 March 1968 – Hatchetts Playground, Piccadilly, London
13 March 1968 – Hatchetts Playground, Piccadilly, London
14 March 1968 – Hatchetts Playground, Piccadilly, London
15 March 1968 – Hatchetts Playground, Piccadilly, London
16 March 1968 – Hatchetts Playground, Piccadilly, London
22 March 1968 – Hatchetts Playground, Piccadilly, London
23 March 1968 – Hatchetts Playground, Piccadilly, London
29 March 1968 – El Grotto, Ilford, east London (Redbridge & Ilford Recorder) Missing from Malcolm Penn’s gig list
30 March 1968 – Downham Tavern, Catford, London
30 March 1968 – Hatchetts, Piccadilly, London (Julian Marks’ monthly club listings)
This final Hatchetts gig is missing from Malcolm Penn’s list, so they may not have played it.
6 April 1968 – Sibylla’s, Swallow Street, London
20 April 1968 – El Grotto, Ilford, London
22 April 1968 – Playboy Club, Park Lane, London
23 April 1968 – Playboy Club, Park Lane, London
24 April 1968 – Playboy Club, Park Lane, London
25 April 1968 – Playboy Club, Park Lane, London
26 April 1968 – Playboy Club, Park Lane, London
27 April 1968 – Playboy Club, Park Lane, London
11 May 1968 – Unknown venue, Dagenham, London
12 May 1968 – Mistrale Club, Beckenham, London
Photo: Redbridge & Ilford Recorder. Image may be subject to copyright
18 May 1968 – El Grotto, Ilford, London
24 May 1968 – Guildford College, Guildford, Surrey
25 May 1968 – Farnborough College, Farnborough, Hants
7 June 1968 – Sibylla’s, Swallow Street, London
8 June 1968 – Unknown venue, Dagenham, London
28 June 1968 – Tiger’s Head, Downham, London (South East London Mercury)
Photo: South East London Mercury. Image may be subject to copyright
7 July 1968 – Welcome Inn, Eltham, London
20 July 1968 – Scotch of St James, Mason’s Yard, Mayfair, London
23 July 1968 – Hatchetts, Piccadilly, London (Julian Marks’ monthly club listings)
Photo credit: Leicester Mercury. Image may be subject to copyright
27 July 1968 – Il Rondo, Leicester (Leicester Mercury)
31 July 1968 – Hatchetts, Piccadilly, London (Julian Marks’ monthly club listings)
3 August 1968 – Unknown venue, Dagenham, London
9 August 1968 – Cromwellian, Kensington, London
Photo: Redbridge & Ilford Recorder. Image may be subject to copyright
10 August 1968 – El Grotto, Ilford, London
30 August 1968 – Mistrale Club, Beckenham, London
6 September 1968 – Cromwellian, Kensington, London
7 September 1968 – Sibylla’s, Swallow Street, London
When the band split up in mid-September, guitarist Ian Dibben, bass player Pete Attwood and sax player Paul Houlton formed Failed Heritage with drummer Pete Mole from The Warren Davis Monday Band.
Photo: Redbridge & Ilford Recorder. Image may be subject to copyright
29 September 1968 – El Grotto, Ilford, east London (Redbridge & Ilford Recorder) This is missing from Malcolm Penn’s gig list so perhaps they carried on after he left or this gig wasn’t honoured
The Bourbons are something of a mystery group. I have never seen a photo of the band and don’t know most of the names of the group.
Lee Poundstone is the Lee credited with writing the songs on their only single.
Ricky Jones left a comment below saying he played keyboards with the group.
I’ve found two notices for one of the Bourbons rare live shows, at Teen Town on 3524 S. New Braunfels in San Antonio on October 21, 1966. Their single on Royal Family 45-267 dates to March, 1967 according to Teen Beat Mayhem. I suppose the 267 release number must fit into Bob Tanner’s TNT pressing plant list, as TNT Music published the songs.
At The Casket in Kerrville – same band?Both sides are classic Texas garage, “A Dark Corner” having a guitar line something like the Elevators’ “Roller Coaster” but with more menace to it.
“Of Old Approximately (A Time for a Change)” has a great sound, from the wailing harp to the buzzsaw guitar.
I found another notice for the Bourbons playing at The Casket in Kerrville, an hour’s drive north west of San Antonio in July, 1967. It’s possible this is not the same group.
If anyone has a photo of the group or knows something about the Bourbons, or the other groups on these listings: the Gothics, the Aggressors, the Catalinas, the Spidels, Mods and the Sound, please contact me.
Ricky Jones told me “the Aggressors morphed into Band Ayd after Terrell O’Neill (of the former Cave Dwellers) joined the band as lead singer.” I am hoping Ricky will provide more info and some photos of the band.
Lee Poundstone has a credit for playing bass on Rosalie Sorrels LP on Sire, Travelin’ Lady, though I don’t know if this is the same person.
Here is a truly unknown single by the Odyssey, “Just to Be” b/w “Sunday Time” on Yorkshire Records YO 154. I’m not sure of the pressing date, but Leonard Novarro registered “Sunday Time” with the Library of Congress in July, 1968.
I couldn’t find a Library of Congress registration for “Just to Be”, but BMI lists the song as “Just to Be the Way I Want to Be” with Warner-Tamerlane.
Leonard Novarro, Vincent Leary and Richard Nusser co-composed the song.
Richard Nusser may have been the columnist for the Village Voice.
Vincent Leary may be the same Vinny Leary who played guitar with the Fugs on their earliest albums, and again in the mid-80s. Vinny Leary was also an engineer at Variety Recording Studio. This was one of only two song-writing credits he has on BMI, the other being co-composer of “Virgin Forest” with Ted Berrigan and Lee Soren Crabtree; there is also a “Benson Leary” credited on the Fugs’ “Doin’ All Right”.
David Gornston’s name appears as publisher. Ten years prior Gornston published a number of Big Bob Dougherty’s songs on Golden Crest: including “Honky”, “Squeezer”, “Lover’s Love” and “Lorelei”.
Golden Crest was based in Huntington, NY. I’m not sure where Yorkshire Records was located, but the label produced other good singles by the Dolphins, from Larchmont, and the Saxons, from West Palm Beach.
Leonard A. Novarro registered many other copyrights. Although the Odyssey labels spell his name as L. Navarro, it seems Novarro is correct. So far I haven’t discovered if any of the following were recorded:
In August 1967, Novarro registered “Don’t Disturb the Artist” and “Gypsy Man”.
In January 1969, using the pseudonym Gideon, Novarro registered “Candy Buttons”, “Dusty Shoes”, The Homecoming”, “Lady Liar”, “Sweet-Talkin’ Child”.
In May of 1970, he registered “Baby’s Sleeping”, “Sunny Day Woman” and “Time Again”, and in August “Hear My Warning” and “Legend of a Love Child, Linda” (echoes of Donovan on this title).
Thank you to J.W. Honeycutt for alerting me to the Odyssey single. Some info on Vinny Leary came from Mr. Smith, the Sybarite Who Also Was a Teacher by Warren Allen Smith.
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.
Melody Maker advertised this venue weekly during 1966 and 1967. This doesn’t mean, however, that the advertised artists definitely appeared. It’s quite possible that some acts may have been replaced at the last minute. All of the listings below are from Melody Maker unless otherwise stated. Judging by the listings below, gigs took place on a Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
1966
Missing some listings from January to late May
1 January – The Fenmen and The Statesides (Dave Brogden’s diary)
7 January – John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers and The Statesides (Dave Brogden’s diary)
16 January – Georgie Fame & The Blue Flames (Beat Instrumental)
21 January – Zoot Money’s Big Roll Band and The Statesides (Dave Brogden’s diary)
22 January – The Drifters (Record Mirror)
23 January – The Alan Bown Set and The Statesides (Dave Brogden’s diary and Jeff Sturgeon’s diary)
5 February – Stevie Wonder (backed by The Sidewinders?) with The Statesides (Dave Brogden’s diary)
13 February – Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers and The Statesides (Dave Brogden’s diary)
18 February – Jimmy James & The Vagabonds and The Statesides (Dave Brogden’s diary)
27 February – The Moody Blues and The Statesides (Dave Brogden’s diary) Beat Instrumental lists The Who for this date as well
11 March – The Small Faces (Record Mirror)
23 March – Zoot Money’s Big Roll Band (Beat Instrumental)
25 March – Wilson Pickett and The Statesides (Dave Brogden’s diary)
1 April – Jimmy James & The Vagabonds (Record Mirror)
22 April – Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers (Beat Instrumental)
26 April – The Mindbenders (Beat Instrumental)
29 April – Georgie Fame & The Blue Flames (Beat Instrumental)
6 May – Lee Dorsey and The Statesides (Dave Brogden’s diary and Jeff Sturgeon’s diary)
15 May – The Small Faces (Record Mirror)
Photo: Melody Maker
27 May – Chris Farlowe & The Thunderbirds
28 May – The Soul Agents
29 May – The Fenmen and The Symbols
Missing listings for 3, 4 and 5 June
5 June – Georgie Fame & The Blue Flames and Jean & The Statesides (Dave Brogden’s diary)
10 June – The Quiet Five and The Mark Four
11 June – The Ram Jam (most likely Geno Washington’s band) and The James Royal Set
12 June – The Yardbirds
Dave Brogden’s diary confirms that The Statesides supported The Yardbirds on this date
17 June – Roy C
Dave Brogden’s diary confirms that The Statesides supported Roy C on this date
18 June – The Spencer Davis Group
19 June – The James Royal Set and The Soul Agents
24 June – Radio London Night with bands
25 June – The Emeralds and The James Royal Set
26 June – Jimmy James & The Vagabonds
1 July – The Quiet Five and The Trendsetters Ltd
2 July – Radio London Night
3 July – Gary Farr & The T-Bones
Photo: Melody Maker
8 July – Zoot Money’s Big Roll Band
9 July – The Crystals
10 July – The Moody Blues
Photo: Melody Maker
15 July – The Who and Roscoe Brown Combo
16 July – Episode Six and The Legend
17 July – The Troggs, The Wild Things and The Jimmy Brown Sound
22 July – Rufus Thomas
23 July – (Gary Farr &) The T-Bones
24 July – Chris Farlowe & The Thunderbirds and The En-Devers Ltd
29 July – Tony Rivers & The Castaways and The Summer Set
30 July – The Riot Squad
31 July – Joyce Bond and The Jimmy Brown Sound
5 August – (Geno Washington &) The Ram Jam Band
6 August – Episode Six
7 August – Solomon Burke
12 August – The Move
Missing listing for 13 August
14 August – Jimmy Brown Sound
19 August – Zoot Money’s Big Roll Band and The Tea Set
20 August – The Midnights
21 August – The Action and The Mode
26 August – The Magic Lanterns and The Knack
Missing listing for 27 August
28 August – The Pretty Things and Sands
2 September – The Spencer Davis Group
3 September – Episode Six
4 September – The Birds (with support)
Photo: Melody Maker
9 September – The Jimmy Brown Sound and The Satellites (soon to become The Army)
10 September – Julian Covey & The Machine
11 September – Long John Baldry & Steampacket
16 September – The Symbols and The Quiet Five
17 September – Two groups
18 September – Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers
23 September – The Trendsetters and Winston G
24 September – Two groups
25 September – Los Bravos
30 September – Robert Parker and The James Royal Set
1 October – Two groups
2 October – Rick ‘N’ Beckers
7 October – The Cryin Shames
8 October – Two groups
9 October – (Geno Washington &) The Ram Jam Band
14 October – Lee Dorsey
15 October – Two groups
16 October – Batman & Robin
Photo: Melody Maker
21 October – Sonny Childe & The TNT
22 October – Two groups
23 October – Edwin Starr (possibly backed by The Guests)
Photo: Melody Maker
28 October – The Birds
29 October – Two groups
30 October – Zoot Money’s Big Roll Band
4 November – The Dixie Cups
5 November – Two groups
6 November – The Creation
11 November – The Coasters (probably backed by The Noblemen) and The Mode
12 November – Two groups
13 November – (Geno Washington &) The Ram Jam Band
18 November – Wishful Thinking
19 November – Two groups
20 November – Ben E King and Winston G
25 November – The Mindbenders
26 November – Two groups
27 November – The Birds
Photo: Melody Maker
2 December – The All Night Workers and Sands
3 December – Two groups
4 December – Cream and The Essex Five
9 December – Gass and The Fleur De Lys
10 December – Two groups
11 December – The Drifters and The Bystanders
16 December – Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers
17 December – Two groups
18 December – Herbie Goins & The Night-Timers
23 December – Eric Burdon & The Animals and The Night Train
24 December – Gass and The Penny Blacks
30 December – Carl Douglas & The Big Stampede and The Barry Lee Show
31 December – The Birds and The James Royal Set
1967
1 January – Rick ‘N’ Beckers and The Majority
6 January- (Sonny Childe &) The TNT and The Syn
No listing for 7 January
8 January – The Move and The Roscoe Brown Combo
Photo: Melody Maker
13 January – The Small Faces
No listing for 14 January
15 January – The Soul Sisters and Carl Douglas & The Big Stampede
20 January – The Coloured Raisins and The Herd
No listing for 21 January
22 January – Long John Baldry (& Bluesology)
27 January – Inez & Charlie Foxx and (Joe E Young &) The Tonicks
No listing for 28 January
29 January – The Symbols and The Dyaks
3 February – Winston G
No listing for 4 February
5 February – (Geno Washington &) The Ram Jam Band
Photo: Melody Maker
10 February – Edwin Starr (possibly backed by The Cool Combination)
No listing for 11 February
12 February – The Who
17 February – The Fenmen
No listing for 18 February
19 February – Cream
Photo: Melody Maker
24 February – Lemon Line
No listing for 25 February
26 February – Zoot Money’s Big Roll Band
3 March – Cliff Bennet & The Rebel Rousers
No listing for 4 March
5 March – (Geno Washington &) The Ram Jam Band and The Shell (Shock Show)
10 March – The Coloured Raisins and King Ossie Show
No listing for 11 March
12 March – The Gods
17 March – The Easybeats
No listing for 18 March
19 March – Rick ‘N’ Beckers
Photo: Melody Maker
24 March – Human Instinct and Joe E Young & The Tonicks
No listing for 25 March
26 March – The New Mojos and The Gods
31 March – Ronnie Jones (& The Q-Set?)
No listing for 1 April
2 April – Ben E King
7 April – Rick ‘N’ Beckers
No listing for 8 April
9 April – Zoot Money’s Big Roll Band
14 April – The Creation and The Syn
No listing for 15 April
16 April – Long John Baldry Show (aka Bluesology)
21 April – Pink Floyd
No listing for 22 April
23 April – Mary Wells and The Gods
Photo: Melody Maker
28 April – PP Arnold (backed by The Nice?) and The Syn
No listing for 29 April
30 April – Chris Farlowe & The Thunderbirds and Shinn
5 May – Rick ‘N’ Beckers
No listing for 6 May
7 May – Jeff Beck Group and Sean Buckley
12 May – The Shell Shock Show and The Syn
No listing for 13 May
14 May – Normie Rowe & The Playboys
19 May – (Geno Washington &) The Ram Jam Band
No listing for 20 May
21 May – The Troggs and The State Express (they later backed Edwin Starr)
26 May – The Shell Shock Show and The Syn
No listing for 27 May
28 May – Alan Price Set
Photo: Melody Maker
2 June – Edwin Starr (probably backed by The Senate)
No listing for 3 June
4 June – The Warm Sounds and The Birds and The Bees
9 June – Mike Quinn Rave
No listing for 10 June
11 June – Cream and The Triads
16 June – The Shell Shock Show
No listing for 17 June
18 June – The Drifters
23 June – The Move and The Gods
No listing for 24 June
25 June – The Chiffons and Midnight Train
No listing for 30 June or 1 July
2 July – The Toys
Ron Lewingdon says Steve Priest’s pre-Sweet group, The Army were also on this bill. He remembers appearing at the venue with The Toys
No listing for 7 or 8 July
9 July – The Jeff Beck Group
14 July – The All Night Workers
No listing for 15 July
16 July – The Long John Baldry Show (aka Bluesology)
21 July – The All Night Workers
No listing for 22 July
23 July – The Action and The Syn
28 July – Modes Mode
No listing for 29 July
30 July – Simon Dupree & The Big Sound and The Human Instinct
4 August – The All Night Workers
No listing for 5 August
6 August – The Bee Gees and The Pussyfoot
11 August – Modes Mode
No listing for 12 August
Photo: Melody Maker
13 August – The Small Faces
Henry Turtle says that his group The Doves played with The Small Faces at this venue several times. This seems the most likely date for one of the shows but needs confirmation
18 August – The Syn
No listing for 19 August
20 August – The Jeff Beck Group
25 August – The New Jump Band
No listing for 26 August
27 August – The Human Instinct and The Triads
1 September – The Pussyfoot
No listing for 2 September
3 September – Herbie Goins & The Night-Timers
8 September – The Shell Shock Show
No listing for 9 September
10 September – James & Bobby Purify and The James Royal Set
15 September – The Unsuited Medium
No listing for 16 September
17 September – The Original Drifters (backed by The Trend)
22 September – The Wranglers
23 September (first Saturday listing for the year) – The Breakthru
24 September – The Tiles Big Band
29 September – The New York Public Library
30 September – The Breakthru
1 October – The Alan Bown Set and The Calgary Stampede
No listing for 6 October
No listing for 7 October
8 October – Chris Farlowe & The Thunderbirds
13 October – Amen Corner
No listing for 14 October
15 October – Max Baer & The Chicago Setback
20 October – The Human Instinct
21 October – Warren Davis (was he on his own or with The Monday Band?)
22 October – The Ebony Keys and The All Night Workers (possibly the new version of this band)
27 October – Mr Hip Soul Band
28 October – The Wranglers
Photo: Melody Maker
29 October – Geno Washington & Ram Jam Band and The All Night Workers
3 November – Pesky Gee
4 November – The Taylor Upton Big Jump Band
5 November – Ben E King and Dr Marigold’s Prescription
10 November – Horatio Soul & The Square Deals
11 November – The Triads
12 November – Marmalade and Legay
17 November – Katch 22
18 November – Willie Walker & The Scene
19 November – The Skatalites and The Open Mind
24 November – The Minor Portion Roll Band
25 November – Keith Skues and The Shock Treatment
26 November – Jimmy James & The Vagabonds and The Living Daylights
Photo: Melody Maker
1 December – J J Bendol & The SOS
2 December – Katch 22
3 December – Geranium Pond and Modes Mode
8 December – Hydro Bronx B Band
No listing for 9 December
10 December – Simon Dupree & The Big Sound
No more listings for the year, so would welcome any additions
1968
Melody Maker didn’t appear to advertise the venue during 1968, so I’ve listed references next to the entries I have found. It looks like they were Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays but the listings are not complete and I would welcome any additions
Missing lists from January-April 1968
19 April – Colin Berry (Harrow Weekly Post)
21 April – Ike & Tina Turner Show (Harrow Weekly Post/New Musical Express)
26 April – Colin Berry (Harrow Weekly Post)
27 April – The Lace (Harrow Weekly Post)
28 April – Garnet Mimms and The Lace (Harrow Weekly Post) Mimms may have cancelled
3 May – Colin Berry (Harrow Weekly Post)
4 May – Pandemonium (Harrow Weekly Post)
No listing on 5 May
No listing on 10 May
11 May – The Cruudas (Harrow Weekly Post)
12 May – The Honeybus (Harrow Weekly Post)
No listing on 17 May
18 May – Rainbow Ffolly (Harrow Weekly Post)
19 May – Marmalade and Rainbow Ffolly (Harrow Weekly Post)
No listing on 24 May
25 May – Jo Jo Gunne (Harrow Weekly Post)
26 May – Edwin Starr (backed by The State Express) (and with support) (Harrow Weekly Post)
31 May – The New Flamingos (Harrow Weekly Post)
Photo: Harrow Weekly Post
1 June – The Greatest Show on Earth (Harrow Weekly Post)
2 June – Duane Eddy and The All Night Workers (Harrow Weekly Post)
Henry Turtle says his band The Doves played with Duane Eddy at this venue. The All Night Workers definitely played too
7 June – The Midnights (Harrow Weekly Post)
8 June – The All Night Workers (Harrow Weekly Post)
9 June – The Fantastics (backed by The House of Orange) (Harrow Weekly Post)
Photo: Harrow Weekly Post
14 June – The Exits (Harrow Weekly Post)
15 June – Orange Seaweed (Harrow Weekly Post)
16 June – Whisky Mac (with support) (Harrow Weekly Post)
21 June – The Apricots (Harrow Weekly Post)
22 June – Size Five (Harrow Weekly Post)
23 June – The New Breed (with support) (Harrow Weekly Post)
28 June – The Apricots (Harrow Weekly Post)
29 June – The Group (with support) (Harrow Weekly Post)
30 June – The Apricots (with support) (Harrow Weekly Post)
5 July – The Midnites (Harrow Weekly Post)
6 July – The New Breed (Harrow Weekly Post)
7 July – The Midnites (with support) (Harrow Weekly Post)
No listing for 12 July
13 July – The Midnites (with support) (Harrow Weekly Post)
14 July – The Neuz (Harrow Weekly Post)
No listing for 19 July
20 July – The Neuz (Harrow Weekly Post)
21 July – The Unison (Harrow Weekly Post)
No listing for 26, 27 and 28 July
No listing for 2 August
3 August – The Unison (Harrow Weekly Post)
4 August – The Unison (Harrow Weekly Post)
I don’t have any more listings for August and only odd ones for September and October so would welcome any additions
22 September – The New Breed (Harrow Weekly Post)
29 September – The All Night Workers (Harrow Weekly Post)
Photo: Harrow Weekly Post
5 October – The James Morton Sound (Harrow Weekly Post)
6 October – The Race (Harrow Weekly Post)
9 October – Colin Berry (Wednesday) (Harrow Weekly Post)
12 October – The James Morton Sound (Harrow Weekly Post)
2 November – The James Morton Sound (Harrow Weekly Post)
3 November – The Midnites with Dynamic Maxine (Harrow Weekly Post)
8 November – Colin Berry (Harrow Weekly Post)
9 November – The James Morton Sound (Harrow Weekly Post)
10 November – The Midnites with Dynamic Maxine (Harrow Weekly Post)
15 November – The Midnites with Dynamic Maxine (Harrow Weekly Post)
16 November – The James Morton Sound (Harrow Weekly Post)
There is no listing for 17 November
22 November – Colin Berry and The Midnites (Harrow Weekly Post)
23 November – The James Morton Sound (Harrow Weekly Post)
There is no listing for 24 November
I have no more listings for November and a gap in early December
Photo: Harrow Weekly Post
11 December – The All Night Workers (Wednesday) (Harrow Weekly Post) Says Sudbury, but the address is the same – Allendale Road
I have no more listings for December so would welcome any additions
Here’s an odd single by The Pottery Outfit, which seems to be Randy Fuller collaborating with Howard Steele on one side and Johnny Daniel on the other.
“Captain Zig-Zag” is an unabashed tribute to rolling papers: “the happy paper maker, makes the paper to make you merry, accompany you to the land of mari…” and “this paper will help you ease your mind”.
The R. Fuller – H. Steele credit suggests Randy Fuller and bassist Howard Steele. Publishing through Brave New World, but I can’t find any record of copyright registration.
The music backing is excellent, possibly featuring Mike Ciccarelli on lead guitar and DeWayne Quirico on drums.
Between the suggestive lyrics and trademark issues, it’s no surprise this was not released beyond a few white label 45s with a blank label B-side.
In 1966, Randy released his first single under his own name, “It’s Love Come What May” / “Wolfman” on Mustang Records 3020. He recorded two songs for a follow-up single on Mustang 3023, which never saw release. One of these, “Things You Do” showed up as the B-side of the 1967 UK release of “It’s Love Come What May” on President Records PT 111.
Blank label plays Randy Fuller’s “Now She’s Gone” The other song from that unreleased Mustang single, “Now She’s Gone”, appears on the blank-label B-side of the Pottery Outfit. Randy Fuller and John Daniel co-wrote both “Things You Do” and “Now She’s Gone”. John Daniel’s full name appears in BMI as John Calvin Daniel.
Released on Edsel 777, the Pottery Outfit has Δ69864 in the run-out of both sides, dating it to January or February 1968 (possibly December 1967).
I’ve read that “Now She’s Gone” is on the B-side of his second single on Showtown, “1,000 Miles into Space”, but I haven’t actually seen a label with that song. I’ve only seen promo versions that have “1,000 Miles into Space” on both sides – can anyone confirm this?
This site is a work in progress on 1960s garage rock bands. All entries can be updated, corrected and expanded. If you have information on a band featured here, please let me know and I will update the site and credit you accordingly.
I am dedicated to making this site a center for research about '60s music scenes. Please consider donating archival materials such as photos, records, news clippings, scrapbooks or other material from the '60s. Please contact me at rchrisbishop@gmail.com if you can loan or donate original materials
