Welcome to another posting of a series of gig listings for 1960s bands. None of these lists is exhaustive and my idea is to add to them in the comments section below over time. They are here for future researchers to draw on. I have also added a few interesting bits of information and will add images in time.
I’d like to encourage band members to get in touch to share memories, or for anyone to send corrections/clarifications to my email: Warchive@aol.com
Equally important, if you attended any of the gigs below or played in the support band, please do leave your memories below in the comments section for future historians to use. If you know of any missing gigs, please add them too, if possible, with the sources.
Billy Cox – lead vocals
Howard Werth – guitar/vocals
Tony Crisp – Hammond organ
Trevor Williams – bass
Keith Gemmell – tenor saxophone
Mel Chambers – baritone sax
Dave O’Brien – drums
1 November 1967 – Pink Flamingo, Wardour Street, Soho, London (Melody Maker)
17 November 1967 – Pink Flamingo, Wardour Street, Soho, London with Horatio Soul Square Deals (Melody Maker)
15 December 1967 – London Hotel, Southend, Essex (Southend Standard)
As you may have heard, Bob Dorough passed away this week at the age of 94. He had a range of talents, including a unique singing voice, arranging, writing and playing piano.
My favorite of his works is “The Dream Keeper”, one of his three adaptions of songs by Langston Hughes, from the Jazz Canto LP on Pacific Jazz. The other two songs are “Daybreak in Alabama” and “Night and Morn”, plus the LP features his setting of Lawrence Ferlinghetti’s “Dog”. None of these were mentioned in reports when he passed, or even on his Wikipedia page.
I wrote to Mr. Dorough in 2013 and this is what he told me about this album:
Billy Bean used to come to NYC, from his native Philadelphia, to blow in a jam session I held at my apt. – in the 50’s.
Then I lived in LA for 3 years. I had already composed and performed the three songs to Langston Hughes, with Ralph Pena on bass, at the Lenox Jazz School.
After Ralph knew I was in LA he spoke to Lawrence Lipton about the songs and Dr. L called me to ask me to record them for Jazz Canto. I said “It’s not ‘Jazz & Poetry’ – they’re ‘art songs’ in the jazz idiom.” “I want them on the album anyway,” he said. So I said, “OK, but let me do one at least that I would think of as ‘Jazz & Poetry.'”
“What would you do” he asked – without hesitation I said “Dog” by Ferlinghetti. He was astounded and said OK.
Bunker and Hardaway were just cats I’d met since moving to LA and also special pals of Pena’s.
The lineup on the album is:
Bob Dorough – piano Ralph Pena – bass Billy Bean – guitar Bob Hardaway – tenor sax Larry Bunker – drums and vibes
Welcome to another posting of a series of gig listings for 1960s bands. None of these lists is exhaustive and my idea is to add to them in the comments section below over time. They are here for future researchers to draw on. I have also added a few interesting bits of information and will add images in time.
I’d like to encourage band members to get in touch to share memories, or for anyone to send corrections/clarifications to my email: Warchive@aol.com
Equally important, if you attended any of the gigs below or played in the support band, please do leave your memories below in the comments section for future historians to use. If you know of any missing gigs, please add them too, if possible, with the sources.
Billy Cox – lead vocals
Howard Werth – guitar/vocals
Tony Crisp – Hammond organ
Bruce Evans – bass
Steve Reeves – tenor sax
Mel Chambers – baritone sax
Dave O’Brien – drums
The original Lloyd Alexander Blues Band has been formed around 1963/1964 in east London by sax player Steve Reeves and guitarist Howard Werth, who had named the outfit after their middle names, “Lloyd” (Reeves) and “Alexander” (Werth).
In late 1966, the pair joined forces with Walthamstow band The Blue Dukes, who’d been formed in the early 1960s and included Crisp, Evans and O’Brien. Singer Billy Cox had joined The Blue Dukes during late 1965 after working with The Jynx Pack.
4 March 1967 – Upper Cut, Forest Gate, London with She Trinity (Melody Maker)
18 March 1967 – Flamingo, Wardour Street, Soho, London with The Dynamic Ebonies (Melody Maker)
1 April 1967 – The Catacombe, Eastbourne, East Sussex (Eastbourne Herald Chronicle)
21 April 1967 – Flamingo, Wardour Street, Soho, London (Melody Maker)
24 April 1967 – Tiles, Oxford Street, London with Lee Hawkins and special guest Jimmy Cliff (Melody Maker)
29 April 1967 – Flamingo, Wardour Street, Soho, London with Bobby Johnson & The Atoms (Melody Maker)
6 May 1967 – The Catacombe, Eastbourne, East Sussex (Eastbourne Herald Chronicle)
19 May 1967 – Oasis Club, North End Junction, Portsmouth, Hampshire (Portsmouth News)
29 May 1967 – Tiles, Oxford Street, London with Lee Hawkins Group and Mike Morgan Sound (Melody Maker)
31 May 1967 – Flamingo, Wardour Street, Soho, London with Accent (Melody Maker)
23 June 1967 – Flamingo, Wardour Street, Soho, London (Melody Maker)
1 July 1967 – Flamingo, Wardour Street, Soho, London with Bobby Johnson & The Atoms (Melody Maker)
8 July 1967 – Newmarket Memorial Hall, Newmarket, Suffolk with The Trax and The Survivors (Cambridge News)
28 July 1967 – The Parlour, Oasis Club, North End, Hampshire (Portsmouth News)
11 August 1967 – Flamingo, Wardour Street, Soho, London (Melody Maker)
Around this time, Trevor Williams took over from Bruce Evans. Keith Gemmell, who had previously worked with The Noblemen and The New Faces, took over from the Steve Reeves at the same time. The group then changed name to The Lloyd Alexander Real Estate.
The following gigs are under The Lloyd Alexander Blues Band name though.
6 September 1967 – Pink Flamingo, Wardour Street, Soho, London (Melody Maker)
16 September 1967 – Cesar’s Club, Bedford, Bedfordshire with The Courtelles (Ampthill News & Flintwick Record)
22 September 1967 – Pink Flamingo, Wardour Street, Soho, London with Warren Davis Monday Band (Melody Maker)
24 September 1967 – Nutty Club, Leytonstone, Essex (Melody Maker)
7 October 1967 – Pink Flamingo, Wardour Street, Soho, London with The Gass and Mr Hip Soul Band (Melody Maker)
21 October 1967 – Ritz, Bournemouth, Dorset (Bournemouth Evening Echo)
22 October 1967 – Kettering Working Men’s Club, Kettering, Northamptonshire with Joey Young & The Tonicks (Northamptonshire Evening Telegraph)
4 November 1967 – High Wycombe Town Hall, High Wycombe, Bucks (Bucks Free Press)
25 November 1967 – Luton Boys Club, Luton, Bedfordshire with Genesis (Luton band) (Evening Post: Hemel Hempstead)
17 December 1967 – Kettering Working Men’s Club, Kettering, Northamptonshire with The Human Instinct (Northamptonshire Evening Telegraph)
Left to right: Chris Andrews, John Reeves, Dave Morris, Clive Barrow and James Shanley
Clive Barrow – lead vocals
James Shanley – lead guitar
John Reeves – rhythm guitar
Chris Andrews – bass
David Morris – drums
A Hammersmith-based R&B band formed around February/March 1965 who featured future All Night Workers’ singer Clive Barrow. John Reeves had previously played with The Impacts with singer Dave Terry (aka Elmer Gantry).
The five piece were regulars at the Goldhawk Social Club and also played twice at the Hammersmith Palais.
The band was profiled in the Hammersmith and Shepherd’s Bush Gazette and Post on 10 February 1966.
Photo: Melody Maker, 1965 gig
They also played at the Cellar Club in Kingston upon Thames, the Bromley Court Hotel, the London Cavern in Shepherd’s Bush/Notting Hill, the Blue Triangle in Ealing, the Starlite Ballroom in Greenford, the El Partido in Lewisham and the Mechanical Orange in Chelsea.
Andrews remembers one show at the Mechanical Orange, a crypt under a church, where there was a big fight and the vicar was hit over the head with a statue of the Madonna.
John Brown’s Bodies also opened for Jimmy James & The Vagabonds several times, including one appearance at Eel Pie Island.
The musicians changed name to The Clive Barrow Group in 1967/1968. Barrow left in early 1969 to join The All Night Workers.
The Mood Indigo in mid-1966. Left to right: Rick Parker, original sax player, Pete Steed, Dave Dyer and original drummer Mick Martin. Photo: Del Paramor
Keyboard player Pete Steed formed the original Mood Indigo in early 1966 before singer David Essex became involved. The original formation comprised:
Pete Steed – organ/vocals
Dave Dyer – lead guitar
Rick Parker – bass
Mick Martin – drums
+
A sax player whose name no one can recall
Image may be subject to copyright
30 April 1966 – Starlight Ballroom, Boston Gliderdrome, Boston, Lincolnshire with Pinkerton’s Assorted Colours, The Triads, The Dickens Set and The Ferry Boys (Lincolnshire Standard)
Image may be subject to copyright
21 May 1966 – Memorial Hall, Newmarket, Cambridgeshire with The Breed (Cambridge News)
Image may be subject to copyright
26 May 1966 – Dorothy Ballroom, Cambridge with The Small Faces (Cambridge News)
Image may be subject to copyright
17 June 1966 – Tiles, Oxford Street, central London with Herbie Goins & The Night Timers (Melody Maker)
20 June 1966 – Drill Hall, Newmarket, Cambridgeshire (Cambridge News)
24 June 1966 – Parkside Hall, Ampthill, Bedfordshire with support (Bury Free Press)
Image may be subject to copyright
25 June 1966 – Dorothy Ballroom, Cambridge with Bob Kidman & His Band, The Paramounts, Wainwright’s Gentlemen and The Astrobeats (Cambridge News)
2 July 1966 – Memorial Hall, Newmarket, Cambridgeshire with Beat Six (Cambridge News)
9 July 1966 – Marcam Hall, March, Cambridgeshire with Wayne Fontana (Lynn News)
Image may be subject to copyright
6 August 1966 – Maple Ballroom, Northampton with The Tykes (Northampton Chronicle)
Image may be subject to copyright
8 August 1966 – Drill Hall, Newmarket, Cambridgeshire (Cambridge News)
Image may be subject to copyright
4 September 1966 – Burlesque, Leicester (Leicester Mercury)
On 11 September 1966, tenor sax player Del Paramor rehearsed with The Mood Indigo before playing his debut gig three days later, succeeding the sax player who’d left.
Paramor had previously worked in a group with future Procol Harum keyboard player Matthew Fisher at Butlin’s Holiday camp in Minehead, Somerset called The Hi-Fi Sounds.
The following gigs are from his diary.
14 September 1966 – USAF base, Broughton, Northamptonshire
16 September 1966 – Dorothy Ballroom, Cambridge with BB Kidman & His Band, The Sassanacks, The County Cousins and The Swinging Q Men
17 September 1966 – Memorial Hall, Newmarket, Suffolk with The Still Waters
22 September 1966 – Conservative Club, Bedford, Bedfordshire
23 September 1966 – Letchworth Youth Club, Letchworth, Hertfordshire
The Mood Indigo pictured without David Essex in Cambridge, spring 1967. Photo: Del Paramor
1 October 1966 – DeHavilland Social Club, Stevenage, Hertfordshire
Image may be subject to copyright
3 October 1966 – Tiles, Oxford Street, central London with The Mad Lads (Melody Maker)
7 October 1966 – Purple Door, Luton, Bedfordshire
8 October 1966 – Maidenhead, Berkshire (probably the Dolphin Hotel)
On the morning of 8 October, the musicians auditioned at the Marquee in Greek Street in London and met David Essex. The singer and his manager Derek Bowman were keen to link up with The Mood Indigo so that Essex could gain some “road” experience with a touring group
12 October 1966 – Dorothy Ballroom, Cambridge
14 October 1966 – Stanford-le-Hope, Essex (unknown venue)
Image may be subject to copyright
15 October 1966 – Flamenco, Folkestone, Kent (Folkestone, Hythe & District Herald)
Image may be subject to copyright
16 October 1966 – Olympia Ballroom, Cromer, Norfolk with Dawn & The Dee-Jays (North Norfolk News)
On 18 October, Mood Indigo had its first rehearsal with David Essex and baritone sax player Paddy Corea in Stevenage.
Originally from the Caribbean, Corea had played with several bands in the Stoke Newington/Tottenham area of London and knew Eddy Grant, Junior Marvin and Calvin Samuels among others.
22 October 1966 – Dorothy Ballroom, Cambridge with The Plague, The Tramps and Formula 4
26 October 1966 – Mecca Ballroom, Stevenage, Hertfordshire with The Searchers
27 October 1966 – Mecca Ballroom, Stevenage, Hertfordshire with The Ted Heath Band
Image may be subject to copyright
29 October 1966 – Maple Ballroom, Northampton with The Hubb (Northampton Chronicle) This is missing from Del’s list
4 November 1966 – Garden of Eden Club, Bridge Hotel, Wheatley, Oxfordshire
Image may be subject to copyright
5 November 1966 – Parsons Hall, Irchester, near Rushden, Northamptonshire with The State Express (Royston band)
12 November 1966 – Leicester University, Leicester
12 November 1966 – Latin Quarter, Leicester
16 November 1966 – Mecca Ballroom, Stevenage, Hertfordshire with Lee Dorsey
18 November 1966 – Drill Hall, Newmarket, Suffolk
19 November 1966 – Wittering near Peterborough, Cambridgeshire (unknown venue)
21 November 1966 – Goldsmith College, New Cross, southeast London
Image may be subject to copyright
24 November 1966 – Charity show at Bowes Lyon House, Stevenage, Hertfordshire with Geno Washington & The Ram Jam Band and John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers
25 November 1966 – Caesars Palace, Luton, Bedfordshire
26 November 1966 – Hermitage Ballroom, Hitchin, Herts with The Fenton Wells
29 November 1966 – Letchworth College of Technology, Letchworth, Hertfordshire
1 December 1966 – Dorothy Ballroom, Cambridge with Zoot Money’s Big Roll Band
2 December 1966 – Witchdoctor Club, Catford, southeast London
3 December 1966 – Owl Club, Wanstead, Essex
9 December 1966 – El Grotto, Ilford, east London
10 December 1966 – Youth Club, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire
Image may be subject to copyright
16 December 1966 – The Cricketers Inn, Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex
Following this gig, Mick, the drummer was sacked after crashing the van and replaced by Keith Harvey
17 December 1966 – Flamenco, Folkestone, Kent (Folkestone, Hythe & District Herald) This is missing from Del Paramor’s gig list so may not have happened
18 December 1966 – El Grotto, Ilford, east London
22 December 1966 – Dorothy Ballroom, Cambridge with Tykes (Club Moulin Rouge)
24 December 1966 – Mecca Ballroom, Stevenage, Hertfordshire
31 December 1966 – Rhodes Centre, Bishop’s Stortford, Hertfordshire with The Mooche
Near the Dorothy Ballroom, Cambridge, spring 1967. Left to right: second drummer Keith Harvey, Paddy Corea, Del Paramor, Pete Steed and Rick Parker. Photo: Del Paramor
1967
1 January 1967 – Flamingo, Wardour Street, Soho, central London (“Radio Caroline Night Out”) (Melody Maker)
Image may be subject to copyright
6 January 1967 – Brackley Town Hall, Brackley, Northamptonshire
7 January 1967 – New All-Star Club, 9a Artillery Passage, east London
8 January 1967 – Maids Head, King’s Lynn, Norfolk
9 January 1967 – Drill Hall, Newmarket, Suffolk
13 January 1967 – Purple Door, Luton, Bedfordshire
14 January 1967 – Nautilus Club, Lowestoft, Suffolk
20 January 1967 – USAF base, Mildenhall, Suffolk
21 January 1967 – Owl Club, Wanstead, east London
22 January 1967 – Hyams Sports and Social Club, Prickwillow, Cambridgeshire
23 January 1967 – Tiles, Oxford Street, central London
27 January 1967 – Harvest Moon, Guildford, Surrey with Jon and Great Expectations (West Surrey Advertiser) Paramor says this was cancelled
Image may be subject to copyright
28 January 1967 – 007 Club, Keys Hall, Brentwood, Essex with The Wishbones
30 January 1967 – Working Men’s Club, Kettering, Northamptonshire
On 3 February, Del Paramor remembers David Essex’s father hired a new Ford van for the group to travel in
3 February 1967 – Witchdoctor, Catford, southeast London
4 February 1967 – Starlite, Greenford, west London
8 February 1967 – Flamingo, Wardour Street, Soho, central London
10 February 1967 – Caesar’s Palace, Luton, Bedfordshire
11 February 1967 – Cliff Pavilion, Southend-on-Sea, Essex
12 February 1967 – Tiffany’s, Shaftsbury Avenue, central London
14 February 1967 – Bournemouth Pavilion, Bournemouth, Dorset with Dave Berry
15 February 1967 – Dorothy Ballroom, Cambridge with The Jimi Hendrix Experience
Image may be subject to copyright
17 February 1967 – Royal Albion Hotel, Walton-on-Naze, Essex (Essex County Standard)
18 February 1967 – Legion Hall, Amersham, Bucks
19 February 1967 – Eel Pie Island, Twickenham, west London
23 February 1967 – Weir Hotel, Raleigh, Essex
Image may be subject to copyright
24 February 1967 – Upper Cut, Forest Gate, east London with Jo Jo Gunne (Melody Maker)
Image may be subject to copyright
25 February 1967 – El Grotto, Ilford, east London (Redbridge & Ilford Recorder)
26 February 1967 – Olympia Ballroom, Cromer, Norfolk
1 March 1967 – Dorothy Ballroom, Cambridge
3 March 1967 – RAF Marham, near Swaffham, Norfolk
3 March 1967 – Ritz, Bournemouth, Dorset (website: https://bournemouthbeatboom.wordpress.com/) This is missing from Del’s list but probably didn’t happen considering the confirmed date above on the same date
4 March 1967 – California Ballroom, Dunstable, Bedfordshire with The Who
5 March 1967 – Maids Head, King’s Lynn, Norfolk
Image may be subject to copyright
6 March 1967 – Drill Hall, Newmarket, Suffolk (Cambridge News)
7 March 1967 – RAF Wyton, near Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire
12 March 1967 – Brandon, near Mildenhall, Suffolk (unknown venue)
17 March 1967 – Sawston College, near Cambridge
18 March 1967 – Assembly Rooms, Framlingham, Suffolk
Image may be subject to copyright
19 March 1967 – Tavern Club, Dereham, Norfolk with The Insite (Eastern Evening News)
25 March 1967 – Thing Club, Oldham, Lancashire with Victor Brox
25 March 1967 – Majestic Club, Oldham, Lancashire (“guested”)
27 March 1967 – Dorothy Ballroom, Cambridge
31 March 1967 – Disk-a-Takis Club, Manchester
1 April 1967 – Maple Ballroom, Northampton with Fridays Mind
5 April 1967 – Dorothy Ballroom, Cambridge
6 April 1967 – Samantha’s, New Burlington Street, central London
8 April 1967 – New All-Star Club, 9a Artillery Passage, east London
9 April 1967 – Working Men’s Club, Kettering, Northamptonshire
13 April 1967 – RAF Henlow, Hertfordshire
15 April 1967 – Town Hall, Heacham, Norfolk
16 April 1967 – Co-op Hall, Warrington, Cheshire
17 April 1967 – Rhodes Centre, Bishop’s Stortford, Hertfordshire
22 April 1967 – Abertillery Jazz Club, Wales
25 April 1967 – Darrell’s Club, Wythenshawe, Greater Manchester
26 April 1967 – Club A Go Go, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Tyne & Wear
27 April 1967 – Mecca/Locarno, Sunderland, Tyne & Wear
28 April 1967 – Cambridge City Football Club, Cambridge with The Spencer Davis Group, The Yardbirds, Family and The Breed
29 April 1967 – Rhodes Centre, Bishop’s Stortford, Hertfordshire
3 May 1967 – Dorothy Ballroom, Cambridge with The Barron Knights
5 May 1967 – USAF base, Stanton, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk
6 May 1967 – Burton Leander Social Club, Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire (Burton Daily Mail) This is not on Del’s gig list so probably didn’t happen
Image may be subject to copyright
6 May 1967 – Tiles, Oxford Street, central London with The All Night Walkers and Zany Woodruffe Operation (Melody Maker)
6 May 1967 – Flamingo, Wardour Street, Soho, central London
10 May 1967 – The Place, Hanley, Staffordshire
12 May 1967 – Cooks Ferry Inn, Edmonton, north London
Image may be subject to copyright
13 May 1967 – Dreamland Ballroom, Margate, Kent with The Troggs
14 May 1967 – Dreamland Ballroom, Margate, Kent with The Troggs (final gig)
David Essex splits from The Mood Indigo after the Dreamland gigs and goes solo.
Del Paramor briefly works with singer Vince Edwards before joining The Warren Davis Monday Band in July. Paddy Corea joins a ‘fake’ version of The Skatelites and then Blue Rivers & The Maroons. Most of the band evolves into Demon Fuzz.
The Mood Indigo reform later in the year.
Although the gig advertised Mood Indigo, Del Paramor says it was his next band with Vince Edwards who honoured the booking. Image may be subject to copyright
Huge thanks to Del Paramor for the gigs listings from September 1966-May 1967. Thanks to Del for the use of photos as well.
The followings gigs were from June 1967 but it’s not clear if they went ahead:
2 June 1967 (Eastbourne Herald Chronicle). Image may be subject to copyright5 June 1967 (Bolton Evening News). Image may be subject to copyright15-16 June 1967, Cornish gigs (possibly Cornish Guardian). Image may be subject to copyright
12 May 1967 – Ricky Tick, Borough Assembly Hall, Aylesbury, Bucks with Small Faces (website: http://aylesburymusictown.co.uk/) Small Faces may not have performed
6 July 1967 – Klooks Kleek, West Hampstead, north London (Melody Maker)
13 July 1967 – Golden Torch, Tunstall, Staffordshire (Evening Sentinel)
Image may be subject to copyright
16 July 1967 – Sunday Club, Addlestone, Surrey (Woking Herald)
23 July 1967 – Beau Brummel Club, Alvaston Hall Hotel, Nantwich, Cheshire with Phil Ryan & The Scorpions (Crewe Chronicle)
28 July 1967 – Bluesville ’67, Manor House, north London (Melody Maker)
Image may be subject to copyright
29 July 1967 – Starlight Ballroom, Boston Gliderdrome, Lincolnshire with The Spellbinders, The Clockwork Orange and The Barry Lee Show (Melody Maker) The Spalding Guardian below lists Garnet Mimms rather than The Spellbinders but notes “The Fabulous Singing Group from America”.
Image may be subject to copyright
30 July 1967 – Tabernacle, Stockport, Greater Manchester (Fabulous 208)
Image may be subject to copyright
6 August 1967 – Kirklevington Country Club, Kirklevington, North Yorkshire (Middlesbrough Evening Gazette)
Stairway to the Stars, 1967, from left: T.r. Sollosi, Dave Benard, P.J. Geary, and Ray Niccolai. Photo courtesy of Paul Geary
The Stairway to the Stars came from the Pittsburgh area, but cut this 45 for the Brite-Star label out of Newberry, Ohio, near Cleveland. Newberry is only a couple hours from Pittsburgh, but the labels indicate a Nashville base.
One side has a moody, echoing vocal, “Cry”, written by Tom Sellosi and Dave Benard. The intensity grows for the short recitation at the end.
On the flip is “Dry Run” a great instrumental featuring a lot of tremolo on the guitar, a strong three note riff that sounds like a keyboard more than guitar, and a long and dissonant middle section for the lead break. Phil Dirt pointed out the similarity of the opening melody to the Vistas “No Return” on Tuff, but the Stairway to the Stars really expand on that theme in the rest of the song.
The Rite account number is 728 and the release numbers are 17909 (“Dry Run”) / 17910 (“Cry”), released in September or October 1966.
Members on the record included:
Tom Sollosi – lead guitar Dave Benard – lead vocals Paul Geary – tenor sax Ray Niccolai – rhythm guitar and bass
Paul Geary provided the photos and wrote to me:
We all lived in the Monongahela, Pa. area south of Pittsburgh. Tom Solossi knew I played tenor sax in the jazz band in high school and he was trying to get a little band together. He had already recruited Ray Niccolli for rhythm guitar. Tom himself played lead guitar and also taught guitar at a local music shop. Dave Benard who worked at a furniture store in Mon City was our vocalist.
The band did a lot of weddings, teen dances, and social clubs. We were all in high school at the time and appreciated the extra money we made playing music.
Tom knew a local DJ in Charleroi, Pa. His name was Johnny Barbero and he wanted us to come to the radio station WESA for a recording session. I played sax on the recording but was drowned out by the heavy guitars.
We made a demo and paid Brite-Star Records to make some records to distribute. It played on a few local radio stations, but never took off.
Q. Do you remember who played drums on the record?
We were between drummers at the time but I’m pretty sure it was George Tirpack.
We stayed together for about a year and then everyone started applying for colleges and that ended the group.
The Library of Congress has a registration for “Cry” from September 12, 1966, to David Benard and Thomas Sollosi. The “Dry Run” label lists T.R. Sollosi, but this song wasn’t registered.
Teen Beat Mayhem indicates this 45 came with a picture sleeve, which I’ve never seen. Paul tells me there was never anything but a plain sleeve for the single.
The Blue Knights, precursor to Stairway to the Stars, from left: Frank Champ, accordion and keyboard; Tom Sollosi, lead guitar; Bill Garrison, drums; Paul Geary, sax; Ray Niccoli, rhythm guitar. Photo courtesy of Paul Geary.
Info on Brite-Star came from the 45rpm Records site.
Welcome to another posting of a series of gig listings for 1960s bands. None of these lists is exhaustive and my idea is to add to them in the comments section below over time. They are here for future researchers to draw on. I have also added a few interesting bits of information and will add images in time.
I’d like to encourage band members to get in touch to share memories, or for anyone to send corrections/clarifications to my email: Warchive@aol.com
Equally important, if you attended any of the gigs below or played in the support band, please do leave your memories below in the comments section for future historians to use. If you know of any missing gigs, please add them too, if possible, with the sources.
SCOTS OF ST JAMES:
James Oakley – lead vocals
Hugh Nicholson – lead guitar
Diego Danalaise – bass
Alan Kelly – drums
Hailing from Glasgow, The Scots of St James began life as The In Crowd but changed name after moving down to London
29 January 1966 – Hermitage Ballroom, Hitchin, Hertfordshire with Flamingo’s Rock House Band and The Gass (Luton News)
Before moving down to London in the summer of 1966, Ian Murray took over from Diego Danalaise and Stuart Francis replaced Alan Kelly on drums. After moving to London, the group added keyboard player James Mylchreest
Summer 1966. Left to right: James Oakley, James Mylchreest, Stuart Francis, Hugh Nicholson and Ian Murray. Thanks to Ian for the photo
29 August 1966 – Toft’s, Folkestone, Kent (Folkestone, Hythe & District Herald)
9 September 1966 – New All-Star Club, 9a Artillery Passage, east London (Melody Maker)
9 September 1966 – Club West Indies, Stonebridge Park, northwest London (Melody Maker)
10 September 1966 – Tiles, Oxford Street, central London with The A-Jaes and The Kirkbys (Melody Maker)
Image may be subject to copyright
24 September 1966 – Club West Indies, Stonebridge Park, northwest London (Melody Maker)
14 October 1966 – Location, Woolwich Arsenal Station, Woolwich, southeast London with Lee Dorsey (Melody Maker)
16 October 1966 – Toft’s, Folkestone, Kent (Folkestone, Hythe & District Herald)
Image may be subject to copyright
23 October 1966 – Toft’s, Folkestone, Kent (Folkestone, Hythe & District Herald/Melody Maker)
25 October 1966 – Toft’s, Folkestone, Kent (Melody Maker)
Image may be subject to copyright
28 October 1966 – Location, Woolwich Arsenal Station, southeast London with The Artwoods (Melody Maker)
29 October 1966 – The Place, Hanley, Staffordshire with The Puppets (Evening Sentinel)
Image may be subject to copyright
30 October 1966 – Toft’s, Folkestone, Kent (Folkestone, Hythe & District Herald/Melody Maker)
6 November 1966 – Toft’s, Folkestone, Kent (Folkestone, Hythe & District Herald)
In December, the band issued its debut single, a version of Ben E King’s “Gypsy” c/w with Ian Murray’s “Tic Toc” for Strike Records
Shortly after the single’s release, lead guitarist Norrie MacLean from The Poets took over from Hughie Nicholson who joined The Poets. Bass player Alan Gorrie replaced Ian Murray and keyboard player Graham Maitland took over from James Mylchreest.
The Scots of St James now comprised:
Jimmy Oakley – lead vocals
Norrie MacLean – lead guitar
Graham Maitland – keyboards
Alan Gorrie – bass/vocals
Stuart Francis– drums
2 February 1967 – Klooks Kleek, West Hampstead, north London (Geoff Williams’ research: Decca Studios and Klooks Kleek book)
Image may be subject to copyright
3 February 1967 – New All-Star Club, 9a Artillery Passage, east London (Melody Maker)
4 February 1967 – Tiles, Oxford Street, central London with Tiles Big Band and Inspiration (Melody Maker)
6 March 1967 – Golden Torch, Tunstall, Staffordshire with Lee Dorsey and Marmalade (Evening Sentinel) The Scots of St James backed Lee Dorsey
11 March 1967 – Beachcomber, Nottingham with Lee Dorsey and The Montanas (Nottingham Evening Post) The Scots of St James backed Lee Dorsey
Image may be subject to copyright
11 March 1967 – Starlight Room, Boston Gliderdrome, Boston, Lincolnshire with Lee Dorsey, The Bystanders, The Equals and Ray Bones (Lincolnshire Standard) The Scots of St James backed Lee Dorsey
Image may be subject to copyright
27 March 1967 – The Catacombe, Eastbourne, East Sussex (Eastbourne Herald Chronicle)
8 April 1967 – Borough Assembly Hall, Aylesbury, Bucks with Freddie Fingers Lee and The Upper Hand (website: http://aylesburymusictown.co.uk/)
8 April 1967 – Tiles, Oxford Street, central London with The Scenery and Makin’ Sounds (Melody Maker)
24 April 1967 – Golden Torch, Tunstall, Staffordshire with The Drifters and The Escorts (Evening Sentinel)
29 April 1967 – Golden Torch, Tunstall, Stafforshire (Evening Sentinel)
Owen “Onnie” McIntyre took over lead guitar from Norrie MacLean
2 May 1967 – The Place, Hanley, Staffordshire (Evening Sentinel)
Image may be subject to copyright
13 May 1967 – Ricky Tick, Hounslow, west London (Melody Maker)
19 May 1967 – Fiesta Hall, Andover, Hampshire (Andover Advertiser)
19 May 1967 – George Inn, Wilby, Northamptonshire (Northamptonshire Evening Telegraph)
6 July 1967 – The Place, Hanley, Staffordshire with The Neat Change (Evening Sentinel)
The band recorded its second 45, “Timothy” c/w “Eiderdown Clown”, for the Spot label, which was released in September 1967
5 August 1967 – Glastonbury Town Hall, Glastonbury, Somerset with Derek and Pete (Somerset County Gazette)
10 August 1967 – The Place, Hanley, Staffordshire with The Gods (Evening Sentinel)
12 August 1967 – Legion Hall, Amersham, Bucks (Buckinghamshire Advertiser)
Image may be subject to copyright
19 August 1967 – Portpatrick Public Hal Management Committee, Portpatrick, Scotland (Wigtownshire Free Press & Galloway Advertiser)
1 September 1967 – The Place, Hanley, Staffordshire with Jo Jo Cooke (Evening Sentinel)
Photo: Richard Goddard
2 September 1967 – Gloucester YMCA, Gloucester with The Night Shift (Richard Goddard research)
8 September 1967 – Toft’s, Folkestone, Kent (Melody Maker)
10 September 1967 – Toft’s, Folkestone, Kent (Melody Maker)
13 September 1967 – Toft’s, Folkestone, Kent (Melody Maker)
Image may be subject to copyright
There is a good short article and pic in Record Mirror, 16 September 1967, page 10 (see above), which shows the following line-up:
Jimmy Oakley – lead vocals
Owen “Onnie” McIntyre – lead guitar
Graham Maitland – keyboards
Alan Gorrie – bass
Stuart Francis – drums
16 September 1967 – Legion Hall, Amersham, Bucks (Buckinghamshire Advertiser)
17 September 1967 – Nite Owl, Leicester (Leicester Mercury)
19 September 1967 – Gala Ballroom, Norwich with Deep Purple (Eastern Evening News)
22 September 1967 – Toft’s, Folkestone, Kent (Melody Maker)
23 September 1967 – Cesar’s Club, Bedford, Bedfordshire with Hamilton & The Movement (Ampthill News & Flintwick Record)
24 September 1967 – Toft’s, Folkestone, Kent (Melody Maker)
7 October 1967 – The Place, Hanley, Staffordshire (Evening Sentinel)
13 October 1967 – 400 Ballroom, Torquay, Devon (Herald Express) Rebooked for 17 November
Image may be subject to copyright
4 November 1967 – The Place, Hanley, Staffordshire with Cats Pyjamas (Evening Sentinel)
5 November 1967 – Whisky A Go Go, Wardour Street, Soho, central London (Melody Maker)
17 November 1967 – 400 Ballroom, Torquay, Devon (Herald Express)
This is a probably unrecorded group from the Dallas area called the Galaxies.
Members were:
Steve Connor Frank Schefflier Monty Oakley Garry Ford – guitar
Garry’s father, Robert Ford wrote a profile of the group for AP which ran in the Garden City Telegram on November 10, 1965.
These Galaxies are NOT the Garland, TX Galaxies that recorded “Gitchy-Gitchy-Goo” on Limelight and were active throughout most of the ’60s. That group included Bobby Lake, Kenneth Pugh, Bubba Tomlinson, and Ray Windt.
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
Billy Cox – lead vocals
