Jo Jo Gunne, late 1965/early 1966. Left to right: Don Bax, Renwick MacDonald, Alan Townsend, Doug Gordon, Ronny Butterworth and Pete Pennycate. Photo: Ronny Butterworth
Readers will be familiar with the American early 1970s rock band Jo Jo Gunne, helmed by former Spirit members Jay Ferguson and Mark Andes.
However, the first band to use the name Jo Jo Gunne was in fact a little known British R&B outfit, formed at Debrome school in Feltham, Middlesex in early-to-mid 1965.
The original line up comprised:
Ronny Butterworth – lead vocals
Simon Spackman – lead guitar
Don Bax – rhythm guitar
Alan Townsend – bass
Doug Gordon – drums
However, later that year the musicians made the decision to move in a more soul direction and took on a new lead singer, Pete Pennycate, to accommodate the new configuration.
Spackman moved from lead guitar to keyboards to allow newcomer Renwick MacDonald to join from local rivals Themselves. Butterworth and Townsend focused on trumpets and Bax took up the bass.
By early 1966, Jo Jo Gunne comprised:
Pete Pennycate – lead vocals
Renwick MacDonald – lead guitar
Simon Spackman – organ
Don Bax – bass
Alan Townsend – trumpet and trombone
Ronny Butterworth – trumpet
Doug Gordon – drums
During June 1966, the band won Melody Maker’s National Beat Competition, which was held at Brighton’s Regent Ballroom. Also, during August, they took part in the London Palladium competition.
Over the next 18 months, this line up (minus Butterworth who dropped out around November 1966 to play with Twickenham band, The All Night Workers) played the following gigs:
Photo: Middlesex Chronicle. Image may be subject to copyright
5 October 1965 – Nurses Club, Jolly Gardeners, Isleworth, west London with The Road Agents
25 February 1966 – Cavern Club, Burnley, Lancashire with The Fruitdrops May not be the same band
Photo: Melody Maker. Image may be subject to copyright
19 March 1966 – London Cavern, Holland Park, west London with supporting group
25 March 1966 – Cellar Club, Kingston upon Thames, southwest London
2 April 1966 – Cellar Club, Kingston upon Thames, southwest London
12 April 1966 – 100 Club, Oxford Street, central London with The Pretty Things
17 April 1966 – Imperial Ballroom, Nelson, Lancashire with The Generation
14 May 1966 – Cellar Club, Kingston upon Thames, southwest London
28 May 1966 – Zeeta House, Pontiac, Putney, southwest London
11 June 1966 – Cellar Club, Kingston upon Thames, southwest London
Photo: Melody Maker. Image may be subject to copyright
18 June 1966 – Zeeta House, Pontiac, Putney, southwest London with The Roger Harris Show
Photo: Bletchley District Gazette. Image may be subject to copyright
22 July 1966 – Bletchley Young Conservatives, Coronation Hall, Bletchley, Buckinghamshire
Photo: Middlesex Chronicle, 15 July 1966. Image may be subject to copyright
6 August 1966 – Cellar Club, Kingston upon Thames, southwest London
12 August 1966 – Cellar Club, Kingston upon Thames, southwest London
Photo: Bletchley District Gazette. Image may be subject to copyright
13 August 1966 – Bletchley Carnival Week, Bletchley, Buckinghamshire with The Future Set
17 September 1966 – Borough Assembly Hall, Aylesbury, Bucks with The Future Set
10 October 1966 – Borough Assembly Hall, Aylesbury, Bucks with The Future Set and The Choozey Beggars (this needs confirmation as this may be December instead)
11 November 1966 – Chesham Co-op Hall, Chesham, Bucks
Photo: Melody Maker. Image may be subject to copyright
6 January 1967 – Tiles, Oxford Street, central London with Alvin Cash & The Crawlers (billed as Jo Jo Gunn)
13 January 1967 – The Flamingo, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with Derek Savage Foundation (billed as Jo Jo Gunn)
Photo: Brackley Advertiser. Image may be subject to copyright
27 January 1967 – Brackley Town Hall, Brackley, Northamptonshire
Photo: Northampton Chronicle. Image may be subject to copyright
28 January 1967 – White Bicycle, Maple Ballroom, Northampton with The Crew (billed as Jo-Jo-Gunn)
Photo: Newham, East and West Ham, Barking and Stratford Express. Image may be subject to copyright
17 February 1967 – Upper Cut, Forest Gate, east London with The New Pirates and The Afex (billed as Jo-Jo Gunns)
18 February 1967 – Flamingo, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with The All Night Workers
22 February 1967 – St Michael’s Youth Centre, Sydenham, southeast London (billed Jo Jo Gun)
Photo: Melody Maker. Image may be subject to copyright
24 February 1967 – Upper Cut, Forest Gate, east London with David Essex and Mood Indigo (billed as The Jo-Jo Gunns)
25 February 1967 – Rub-a-Dub, Reading, Berkshire
5 March 1967 – New Yorker Discotheque, Swindon, Wiltshire with The Iveys and The Inspiration
Photo: Melody Maker. Image may be subject to copyright
10 March 1967 – The New All Star Club, 9a Artillery Passage, E1, east London
According to an article in the Hounslow, Brentford and Chiswick Post, dated 5 May, Jo Jo Gunne split up in late April with Simon Spackman joining McDonald’s former band Themselves in early May while Pete Pennycate went solo.
The newspaper’s 16 June issue adds more information. It notes that bass player Don Bax was working with The Penny Blacks, the same band that would feature soon-to-be-joining members Alan Barratt, Paul Maher and Tom Marshall.
In late August 1967, Jo Jo Gunne reformed with Alan Barratt replacing Pete Pennycate on lead vocals.
The Penny Blacks, 1967. Alan Barratt (second left), Paul Maher (second right) and Tom Marshall (far right).
Barratt had started out singing with The Penny Blacks, which also included lead guitarist Tom Marshall; rhythm guitarist John Day; bass player Dave Arnold; and drummer Paul Maher.
When Barratt joined Jo Jo Gunne that summer he also brought Paul Maher with him (who took over from Doug Gordon) and recent recruit Don Bax.
Simon Spackman and Renwick MacDonald joined the new version (presumably both from Themselves, who soon changed name to Virgin Sleep). Original member Alan Townsend also rejoined.
According to Alan Barratt, the new version debuted on 8 September 1967 at the California Ballroom in Dunstable, Bedfordshire.
In late 1967, Jo Jo Gunne signed a deal with Don Arden’s Starlight Agency after Amen Corner’s singer Andy Fairweather-Low recommended the band to the infamous promoter.
Amen Corner and Jo Jo Gunne had shared a billing at the California Ballroom in Dunstable on 29 September 1967 alongside rival west London band, The All Night Workers.
The All Night Workers would maintain a close link with Jo Jo Gunne and several musicians would play with both bands.
The first of these was original member, trumpet player Ronny Butterworth, who re-joined Jo Jo Gunne from The All Night Workers around late September/early October 1967.
The revamped line up now comprised:
Alan Barratt – lead vocals
Renwick MacDonald – lead guitar
Simon Spackman – organ
Don Bax – bass
Alan Townsend – trumpet and trombone
Ronny Butterworth – trumpet
Paul Maher – drums
However, around late October lead guitar player Renwick MacDonald left and another former Penny Blacks member, lead guitarist Tom Marshall joined the line up for the rest of 1967 and into spring 1968.
Jo Jo Gunne, Hampton Court Palace, circa October 1967. Left to right: Tom Marshall, Alan Barratt, Alan Townsend, Ronny Butterworth, Paul Maher, Simon Spackman and Don Bax. Photo: Tom Marshall
When Marshall left around February/March 1968 to join The Playground (and subsequently Harmony Grass and Capability Brown), Spackman moved from organ to lead guitar and keyboard player Ken Carroll joined Jo Jo Gunne.
Carroll had spent the past few months playing with a band called Deep Purple, which had been formed in late 1967, some six months before the more famous version (although there were a few other local groups across England that used the name before 1968).
The following concert dates are taken from this period:
8 September 1967 – California Ballroom, Dunstable, Bedfordshire with James and Bobby Purify and The Yum Yum Band
Photo: Berkhamsted Gazette and Tring and District News. Image may be subject to copyright
23 September 1967 – Hemel Hempstead Pavilion, Hemel Hempstead, Herts with The Chris Allen Band
29 September 1967 – California Ballroom, Dunstable, Bedfordshire with Amen Corner and The All Night Workers
Photo: Crawley Advertiser. Image may be subject to copyright
1 October 1967 – Starlight Ballroom, Crawley, West Sussex with The Move (spelt Jo Jo Gun)
14 October 1967 – Luton Boys Club, Luton, Bedfordshire with The Vistas (spelt Jo Jo Gunn)
15 October 1967 – Starlight Ballroom, Crawley, West Sussex with The Jimi Hendrix Experience (they may have been replaced by The Doves at short notice)
20 October 1967 – Pavilion, Southend, Essex with The Mindbenders and Tiles Big Band (Southend Standardlists this gig as 21 October 1967)
21 October 1967 – Wimbledon Palais, Wimbledon, southwest London with Tony Rivers and The Castaways (possibly one of MacDonald’s final gigs)
27 October 1967 – London School of Economics, central London with Elmer Gantry’s Velvet Opera (possibly one of Marshall’s first gigs)
Photo: Northamptonshire Evening Telegraph. Image may be subject to copyright
5 November 1967 – Kettering Working Men’s Club, Kettering, Northamptonshire with The Barry Lee Show (billed as Jo Jo Gunn)
11 November 1967 – California Ballroom, Dunstable, Bedfordshire with The Symbols and The Fifth Dynasty (spelt Jo Jo Gunn)
12 November 1967 – Starlight Ballroom, Crawley, West Sussex with Modes Mode
17 November 1967 – Southlands College, Roehampton, southwest London with The Nashville Teens
Photo: Eastbourne Herald Gazette. Image may be subject to copyright
18 November 1967 – The Catacombe, Eastbourne, East Sussex
24 November 1967 – California Ballroom, Dunstable, Bedfordshire with The Shevelles and The Crew
Photo: Stratford upon Avon Herald. Image may be subject to copyright
25 November 1967 – Bagatelle Club, Ettington Park Hotel, Alderminster, Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire
8 December 1967 – Boston Gliderdrome, Lincolnshire with Jimmy James & The Vagabonds and Reformation (billed as Jo-Jo Gun Band)
Photo: Woking Herald. Image may be subject to copyright
16 December 1967 – Walton Hop, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey
19 December 1967 – Boston Gliderdrome, Lincolnshire with Jimmy James & The Vagabonds, Reformation and Ray Bones (billed as Jo Jo Gunn)
Photo: Crawley Advertiser. Image may be subject to copyright
24 December 1967 – Starlight Ballroom, Crawley, West Sussex with The Exits
31 December 1967 – Starlight Ballroom, Crawley, West Sussex with Precisely This
Photo: Woking Herald. Image may be subject to copyright
9 January 1968 – Walton Hop, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey
21 January 1968 – Starlite Ballroom, Greenford, west London with Ronnie Jones & The Q Set
26 January 1968 – Elbow Room, Aston, West Midlands
28 January 1968 – Carlton Club, Erdington, West Midlands with Chris Farlowe & The Thunderbirds
Photo: Crawley Advertiser. Image may be subject to copyright
10 February 1968 – Starlight Ballroom, Crawley, West Sussex with The Doves
11 February 1968 – Starlight Ballroom, Crawley, West Sussex with The Who
13 February 1968 – Walton Hop, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey
24 February 1968 – Cliffs Pavilion, Southend, Essex with The Human Instinct and Almond Marizpan (billed as Jo Jo Gunn)
25 February 1968 – Starlight Ballroom, Crawley, West Sussex with The Human Instinct
28 February 1968 – Hemel Hempstead Pavilion, Hemel Hempstead, Herts with The Herd
Photo: Possibly Northamptonshire Evening Telegraph. Image may be subject to copyright
2 March 1968 – Nags Head, Motown Club, Wollaston, Northamptonshire with Mick’s Soulotek (billed as Jo Jo Gunn)
9 March 1968 – Locarno Ballroom, Swindon, Wiltshire (billed as Jo Jo Gunn)
9 March 1968 – Starlight Ballroom, Crawley, West Sussex with Modes Mode
10 March 1968 – Starlight Ballroom, Crawley, West Sussex with The Fabulous Temptations (this is The Fantastics)
23 March 1968 – Feltham R&B Club, Feltham, Middlesex
Photo: Northamptonshire Evening Telegraph. Image may be subject to copyright
25 March 1968 – Kettering Working Men’s Club, Kettering, Northamptonshire with The Crusaders (billed as Jo Jo Gunn)
Photo: Derby Evening Telegraph. Image may be subject to copyright
30 March 1968 – Clouds, Derby (billed as Jo-Jo Gunn Group)
30 March 1968 – Walton Hop, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey
31 March 1968 – Starlight Ballroom, Crawley, West Sussex with The Original Drifters (Paul Maher filled in for The Original Drifters’ ill drummer)
11 April 1968 – Walton Hop, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey
Photo: Derby Evening Telegraph. Image may be subject to copyright
13 April 1968 – Clouds, Derby (billed as Jo Jo Gunn)
Photo: Woking Herald. Image may be subject to copyright
15 April 1968 – Ship Hotel, Weybridge, Surrey
Photo: Berkhamsted Gazette and Tring and District News. Image may be subject to copyright
8 May 1968 – Hemel Hempstead Pavilion, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire with Captain Beefheart & The Magic Band
Photo: Greenford Post. Image may be subject to copyright
25 May 1968 – Starlite Ballroom, Greenford, west London
1 June 1968 – Walton Hop, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey
3 June 1968 – Hatchetts Playround, Piccadilly, central London
Having signed to Decca Records, Jo Jo Gunne recorded their debut single, R & H Barter’s “Every Story Has An End” c/w Don Bax and Alan Townsend’s “Should Live Like That” (Decca F 12807), which was released on 12 July 1968 but failed to chart.
Just after the recording, Carroll introduced a second singer in to the band, Mick Wheeler, who’d previously worked with Ronny Butterworth in The All Night Workers during 1966-1967 and then in Carroll’s short-lived Deep Purple in late 1967-early 1968. When Wheeler joined, he also doubled up on congas.
Jo Jo Gunne, spring 1968, just before Mick Wheeler joined. Left to right: Simon Spackman, Alan Barratt, Ronny Butterworth, Ken Carroll, Alan Townsend, Paul Maher and Don Bax
The revised line up comprised:
Alan Barratt – lead vocals
Mick Wheeler – lead vocals, congas
Simon Spackman – lead guitar
Ken Carroll – organ
Don Bax – bass
Alan Townsend – trumpet and trombone
Ronny Butterworth – trumpet
Paul Maher – drums
Around mid-July, Jo Jo Gunne were offered the opportunity to play some gigs in Saint-Tropez in France but Ronny Butterworth didn’t participate and dropped out just before the continental trip.
The line-up on the band’s debut single before Mick Wheeler joined. Photo: Record Mirror. Image may be subject to copyright
From 2 August to 5 September 1968, the band (minus Butterworth who has since died) played a nightly residency at the Club St Hilaire de la Mer in Saint-Tropez before returning to the UK.
On their return Ken Carroll left the band and went on to play with Johnny Johnson & The Bandwagon. He currently works with Samtana.
The following gigs were advertised with the above line up:
12 June 1968 – Samantha’s, Bournemouth, Dorset (possibly one of Wheeler’s first gigs)
15 June 1968 – Clouds, Derby (billed as Jo-Jo Gunn Group)
22 June 1968 – Locarno Ballroom, Swindon, Wiltshire with Hoffman’s Biscuits (billed as Jo Jo Gunn)
28 June 1968 – Hatchetts Playground, Piccadilly, central London
29 June 1968 – Broken Wheel, Retford, Nottinghamshire
Image may be subject to copyright
6 July 1968 – St Albans City Hall, St Albans, Hertfordshire with The Rocky
Photo: Possibly East Kent Times & Mail. Image may be subject to copyright
12 July 1968 – Supreme Ballroom, Ramsgate, Kent (billed as Jo Jo Gunn)
Photo: Possibly Newbury Weekly News. Image may be subject to copyright
19 July 1968 – Soul Club, Plaza, Newbury, Berkshire with J J Bender & SOS
Photo: Eastbourne Herald Chronicle. Image may be subject to copyright
20 July 1968 – Eastbourne Town Hall, Eastbourne, East Sussex with The Soul Stars
27 July 1968 – Red Cross Hall, East Grinstead, West Sussex
28 July 1968 – Beau Brummel Club, Nantwich, Cheshire with The Scorpions (billed as Jo Jo Gunn) (one of Butterworth’s final gigs)
3 August 1968 – Walton Hop, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey (unlikely to have happened if they went to France)
Photo: Chester Chronicle. Image may be subject to copyright
10 August 1968 – Clockwork Orange, Chester, Cheshire with Headline News (billed as Jo Jo Gunn) (unlikely to have happened if they went to France)
11 August 1968 – Victorian Club, Liverpool (unlikely to have happened if they went to France)
31 August 1968 – Walton Hop, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey (unlikely to have happened if they went to France)
7 September 1968 – Walton Hop, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey (one of Carroll’s final gigs)
Photo: Redbridge & Ilford Recorder. Image may be subject to copyright
12 September 1968 – El Grotto, Ilford, east London (billed as Jo Jo Gunn)
13 September 1968 – El Grotto, Ilford, east London (billed as Jo Jo Gunn)
18 September 1968 – Samantha’s, New Burlington Street, central London (billed as Jo Jo Gunn)
20 September 1968 – Victoria Hall, Falkirk, Scotland (billed as Jo Jo Gunn)
22 September 1968 – Kinema Ballroom, Dunfermline, Scotland (this needs confirmation) (billed as Jo Jo Gunn)
2 October 1968 – Hatchetts Playground, Piccadilly, central London
6 October 1968 – Drokiweeney, Manchester (billed as Jo Jo Gunn)
12 October 1968 – St Albans City Hall, St Albans, Hertfordshire
26 October 1968 – Hermitage Ballroom, Hitchin, Herts
Around mid-November 1968, Simon Spackman also left (and has since died) and west London guitar hero Dave Wendels (ex-Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers, Lulu’s backing band, The Luvvers, Tom Jones’s backing band, The Squires and The Krew) joined the band.
This new line up transformed the group and played dozens of successful gigs around the UK, including Mr Smiths in Manchester, Bournemouth Winter Gardens, Pantiles in Bagshot, Surrey plus London venues like Hatchetts Playground in Piccadilly, the Valbonne Club, Samantha’s, the Scotch of St James and Sibylla’s.
They also supported Three Dog Night on a Scottish tour. In Scotland they supported Geno Washington and the Ram Jam Band, as well as playing The Electric Garden (Radio 1 club) in Glasgow.
The new line up played the following:
3 November 1968 – Cosmo, Carlisle, Cumbria with Pete Kelly Solution (Paul Maher says it was cancelled)
5 November 1968 – Sibylla’s, central London (billed as Jo Jo Gunn)
Photo: Melody Maker. Image may be subject to copyright
7 November 1968 – 100 Club, Oxford Street, central London with PP Arnold (billed as Jo Jo Gunn)
7 November 1968 – Willesden College of Technology, Willesden, northwest London with PP Arnold (possibly one of Spackman’s final gigs)
9 November 1968 – Clouds, Derby
11 November 1968 – Bamboo Club, Wilmslow, Cheshire (billed as Jo-Jo Gunn)
16 November 1968 – Fellowship Inn, Eltham, southeast London (possibly one of Wendels’ first gigs)
Photo: Redbridge & Ilford Recorder. Image may be subject to copyright
22 November 1968 – El Grotto, Ilford, east London
Photo: Eastern Evening News. Image may be subject to copyright
23 November 1968 – Cromer Links Pavilion, Cromer, Norfolk with Kiss (billed as Jo Jo Gunn)
Re: North Norfolk News. Image may be subject to copyright
24 November 1968 – Crystal Palace Hotel, Crystal Palace, south London
25 November 1968 – Sibylla’s, central London (billed as Jo Jo Gunn)
8 December 1968 – Mr Smith’s, Manchester (billed as Jo Jo Gunn)
14 December 1968 – Walton Hop, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey
16 December 1968 – Hatchetts Playground, Piccadilly, central London
Photo: Possibly Northamptonshire Evening Telegraph. Image may be subject to copyright
23 December 1968 – Corby Civic Centre, Corby, Northamptonshire with Size Seven and State Express (billed as Jo Jo Gunn)
Photo: Woking Herald. Image may be subject to copyright
24 December 1968 – Walton Hop, Walton on Thames, Surrey (billed as Jo Jo Gunn)
29 December 1968 – Bull’s Head, Yardley, West Midlands (billed as Jo Jo Gunn)
However, around January 1969 longstanding member Alan Townsend departed (and has since died) and Dennis Fisher came in on trumpet from the group, Mothers Ruin.
Townsend spent several months working with The All Night Workers before subsequently working with The Roy Young Band later in the year and doing a multitude of sessions.
Clockwise from top left: Dennis Fisher, Dave Wendels, Paul Maher, Mick Wheeler, Alan Barratt, Don Bax.
By now, the line up comprised:
Alan Barratt – lead vocals
Mick Wheeler – lead vocals, congas
Dave Wendels – lead guitar
Don Bax – bass
Dennis Fisher – trumpet
Paul Maher – drums
This configuration recorded the band’s second single – Potter and Dee’s “Beggin’ You Baby” c/w “Bad Penny” (Decca F 12906), which was released on 25 April 1969.
The band played the following dates:
4 January 1969 – Clouds, Derby
7 January 1969 – Whisky a Go Go, Wardour Street, Soho, London (billed as Jo Jo Gunn)
11 January 1969 – Royal Lido Ballroom, Prestatyn, Wales with Strawberry Cartoon (billed as Jo Jo Gunn Soul Band)
15-16 January 1969 – Hatchetts Playground, Piccadilly, central London
25 January 1969 – St Albans City Hall, St Albans, Hertfordshire
27-28 January 1969 – Hatchetts Playground, Piccadilly central London
1 February 1969 – Blue Lagoon, Newquay, Cornwall with The Vigilantes
17 February 1969 – Hatchetts Playground, Piccadilly central London
18 March 1969 – Alex’s Disco, Salisbury, Wiltshire
27 March 1969 – Hatchetts Playground, Piccadilly central London
5 April 1969 – Le Metro, Birmingham (billed as Jo Jo Gunn Soul Show)
5 April 1969 – St Albans City Hall, St Albans, Hertfordshire
When “Beggin’ You Baby” flopped, Jo Jo Gunne split with Don Arden. According to Barratt, the singles were too poppy and did not represent the band’s live set, which was funkier/soul orientated material.
After the band proposed an album of its own material and Decca turned the opportunity down, Jo Jo Gunne split from the label.
Around Easter, Jo Jo Gunne signed with Laurie O’Leary who landed them a three-month residency in Freeport, Grand Bahamas, where they played nightly in the House of Lords club, returning in July. Wheeler has kept the outgoing flight from England, which was on the 10 April.
The following dates were advertised but were not possible as they weren’t in the UK:
9 May 1969 – Rush Common House, Abingdon, Oxfordshire with Status Quo and Fire (billed as Jo Jo Gunn)
24 May 1969 – Il Rondo, Leicester
25 May 1969 – Railway, Wealdstone, northwest London
26 May 1969 – Hatchetts Playground, Piccadilly, London
5 June 1969 – Blaises, Kensington, west London (billed as Jo Jo Gunn)
11 June 1969 – Revolution, central London (billed as Jo Jo Gunn)
21 June 1969 – Pavilion Ballroom, Bournemouth, Dorset with Finnians Fogg
3 July 1969 – Revolution, central London
Photo: Redbridge & Ilford Recorder. Image may be subject to copyright
6 July 1969 – El Grotto, Ilford, east London
10 July 1969 – Blaises, Kensington, west London
Left to right: Dave Wendels, Alan Barratt, Dave Booker and Mick Wheeler, summer 1969
On their return in early-to-mid July, Dennis Fisher and Don Bax departed and the remaining quartet of Alan Barratt, Mick Wheeler, Paul Maher and Dave Wendels formed a short-lived version with Manchester bass player Dave Bowker (now David Booker) who’d previously worked with Ivan Meads, The Richard Kent Style, Kirk St James and Sponge among others. Booker had met the musicians in the Bahamas while playing with Sponge.
Left to right: Mick Wheeler, Alan Barratt, Dave Wendels and Dave Booker
The group travelled to Cologne in July/August and played the Storyville Club but on their return, Wendels and Booker both left and played with Billy J Kramer, a week-long engagement at Batley Variety Club.
Left to right: Dave Booker, Dave Wendels and Mick Wheeler, Cologne, summer ’69. Photo: Mick Wheeler
Wendels then joined The Roy Young Band while Booker joined O’Hara’s Playboys after auditioning unsuccessfully for Badfinger (Joey Molland got the job).
The short-lived line-up played the following dates:
23 August 1969 – Marine Court, St Leonards, East Sussex with Sunshine Sky
Photo: Surrey Advertiser. Image may be subject to copyright
6 September 1969 – Civic Hall, Guildford, Surrey with Marshall Hammond
Photo: Redbridge & Ilford Recorder. Image may be subject to copyright
12 September 1969 – El Grotto, Ilford, east London
19 September 1969 – Winter Gardens, Penzance, Cornwall
Longstanding lead singer Alan Barratt was offered a backing vocal spot with The Roy Young Band but declined. He also departed around this time and later went on to sing with The Good Old Boys with Nick Simper from the original Deep Purple.
Mick Wheeler and Paul Maher then put together an entirely new version of Jo Jo Gunne.
Mick Wheeler – lead vocals
George Williams – lead guitar
Barney Barnes – organ
Billy Ball – bass
Paul Maher – drums
In early 1970, Wheeler’s former band mate from The All Night Workers, Malcolm Randall briefly took over the drum stool before Phil Chesterton came in full-time.
This new line up continued into the early 1970s and returned to Saint-Tropez for a residency. The group subsequently morphed into a later version of The Love Affair, long after its lead singer Steve Ellis had left.
Pantiles, Bagshot, Surrey, 1971. Photo: Martin H Samuel
Huge thanks to Alan Barratt, Paul Maher, Mick Wheeler, Ken Carroll, Tom Marshall, Ronny Butterworth, David Booker and Dave Wendels for their help in piecing the story together.
I’d like to thank Alan Barratt, Tom Marshall, Mick Wheeler and Paul Maher for providing photos.
Thanks also to Jason Barnard at Strange Brew who originally posted this article. This is a substantially revised and updated version.
Concert dates were taken from a number of sources, mainly local and regional newspapers. Thanks to Alan Barratt for providing some live dates from late 1967-early 1968 from his personal diary. Most of the London dates were taken from Melody Maker.
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.
Fabulous 208, February 1965. Back row, L-R: Roy Young, Cliff Bennett, Sid Phillips, Moss Groves and Dave Burt. Front row, L-R: Bobby Thompson and Dave Wendels
CLIFF BENNETT & THE REBEL ROUSERS:
1961
The band’s early gigs were billed to The Rebel Rousers
1 July 1961 – Starlight Room, Boston Gliderdrome, Boston, Lincolnshire with Danny Rivers (Lincolnshire Standard) Billed as Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers
8 July 1961 – Burton’s, Uxbridge, Middlesex (Uxbridge Post)
15 July 1961 – Burton’s, Uxbridge, Middlesex (Uxbridge Post)
22 July 1961 – Burton’s, Uxbridge, Middlesex (Uxbridge Post)
12 August 1961 – Burton’s, Uxbridge, Middlesex (Uxbridge Post)
19 August 1961 – Gaiety Ballroom, Ramsey, Cambridgeshire (Cambridgeshire Times)
26 August 1961 – Burton’s, Uxbridge, Middlesex (Uxbridge Post)
9 September 1961 – Burton’s, Uxbridge, Middlesex (Uxbridge Post)
23 September 1961 – Burton’s, Uxbridge, Middlesex (Uxbridge Post)
30 September 1961 – Burton’s, Uxbridge, Middlesex (Uxbridge Post)
11 November 1961 – Burton’s, Uxbridge, Middlesex (Uxbridge Post)
2 December 1961 – Burton’s, Uxbridge, Middlesex (Uxbridge Post)
24 December 1961 – Burton’s, Uxbridge, Middlesex (Uxbridge Post)
31 December 1961 – Burton’s, Uxbridge, Middlesex (Uxbridge Post)
1962
10 January 1962 – Constitutional Hall, Chertsey, Surrey (Woking Herald)
24 March 1962 – Burton’s, Uxbridge, Middlesex (Uxbridge Post)
20 May 1962 – Blue Moon, Hayes, Middlesex with Lord Sutch & The Savages (Uxbridge Post)
23 June 1962 – Sawbridgeworth Memorial Hall, the Forebury, Sawbridgeworth, Herts with The Delphins (Steve Ingless book: The Day Before Yesterday)
21 July 1963 – Blue Moon, Hayes, Middlesex (Harrow Weekly Post)
27 July 1963 – New ‘Konda’ Club, Windsor, Berkshire with The Swinging Blue Jeans (Windsor and Eton Express)
2 August 1963 – St Peter’s Hall, Kingston upon Thames, Surrey with The Impalas (Surrey Comet)
4 August 1963 – Southall Community Centre, Southall, Middlesex (Harrow Observer)
25 August 1963 – Blue Moon, Hayes, Middlesex (Harrow Weekly Post)
8 September 1963 – New Central Ballroom, Aldershot, Hampshire with The Dominoes (Aldershot News)
20 October 1963 – Blue Moon, Hayes, Middlesex (Harrow Weekly Post)
29 October 1963 – Civic Hall, Guildford, Surrey (Surrey Advertiser)
2 November 1963 – New Rendezvous Club, Deane Park Hall, South Ruislip, Middlesex (Harrow Weekly Post)
17 November 1963 – Southall Community Centre, Southall, Middlesex (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
22 November 1963 – California Ballroom, Dunstable, Bedfordshire with Ray Dell & The Rocking Deacons and The Valiants (website: www.california-ballroom.info/gigs/)
24 November 1963 – Blue Moon, Hayes, Middlesex (Harrow Weekly Post)
28 November 1963 – Majestic Ballroom, Luton, Bedfordshire (Luton News)
3 December 1963 – Civic Hall, Guildford, Surrey (Surrey Advertiser)
29 December 1963 – Southall Community Centre, Southall, Middlesex with Linda Laine & The Sinners (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
1964
5 January 1964 – New Central Ballroom, Aldershot, Hampshire with The Stormers (Aldershot News)
7 January 1964 – Upper Clatford Village Hall, Andover, Hampshire (Andover Advertiser)
8 January 1964 – Farnborough Town Hall, Farnborough, Hampshire (Aldershot News)
12 January 1964 – Blue Moon, Hayes, Middlesex (Ruislip & Northwood Gazette)
24 January 1964 – Bath Pavilion, Bath (Western Scene)
2 February 1964 – Agincourt Ballroom, Camberley, Surrey with Daniel Boone & The Emeralds (Aldershot News)
11 February 1964 – Beat City, British Legion Hall, South Harrow, Middlesex with The Falcons (Harrow Observer)
22 February 1964 – West Cliff Cavern, Ramsgate, Kent with The Limelights (East Kent Times)
26 February 1964 – Bristol Corn Exchange, Bristol (Western Scene)
31 March 1964 – Beat City, British Legion Hall, South Harrow, Middlesex (Harrow Observer)
7 April 1964 – Beat City, British Legion Hall, South Harrow, Middlesex (Harrow Observer)
6 September 1964 – Southall Community Centre, Southall, Middlesex (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
11 September 1964 – Greenwich Town Hall, Greenwich, London with two supporting groups (South East London Mercury)
18 September 1964 – Granada, Walthamstow, London with Billy J Kramer, The Ronettes, The Yardbirds, The Nashville Teens, The Dakotas and Tim Connor (Leyton & Leytonstone Guardian)
20 September 1964 – Odeon, Lewisham, southeast London with Billy J Kramer & The Dakotas, The Ronettes, The Yardbirds, The Nashville Teens, The Dakotas and Tim Connor (Leyton & Leytonstone Guardian)
13 October 1964 – Granada Bedford, Bedford, Bedfordshire with Billy J Kramer & The Dakotas, The Kinks, The Nashville Teens, The Yardbirds and Bill Black’s Combo (Luton News)
17 October 1964 – Gloucester ABC, Gloucester with Billy J Kramer & The Dakotas, The Kinks, The Ronettes, The Yardbirds, Bill Black’s Combo, The Nashville Teens and Tim Connor (Gloucester Citizen)
21 October 1964 – New Cliffs Pavilion, Southend, Essex with Pamela Blue and Ray Russell Combo (Southend Standard & Essex Weekly Advertiser)
22 October 1964 – Dorothy Ballroom, Cambridge with The Blues Anonymous (Cambridge News)
27 October 1964 – High Wycombe Town Hall, High Wycombe, Bucks (Bucks Free Press)
31 October 1964 – Royal Hotel, Lowestoft, Suffolk with The Blue Beats (Eastern Evening News)
2 November 1964 – Bath Pavilion, Bath (Western Scene)
20-21 November 1964 – Empire Pool, Wembley, Middlesex with The Rolling Stones, The Animals, The Pretty Things, The Migil Five, The Miami Show Band, Susan Maughan, Lorne Lesley, Julia Rogers, Gene Vincent and The Hustlers (Clapham Advertiser)
21 November 1964 – Wilton Hall, Bletchley, Bucks with Nicky & The Pagens (Bletchley District Gazette)
25 November 1964 – Bristol Corn Exchange, Bristol (Western Scene)
27 November 1964 – Guildhall, Plymouth, Devon (Beat Instrumental)
28 November 1964 – Baths, Leyton, east London (Beat Instrumental)
29 November 1964 – De Montfort Hall, Leicester (Beat Instrumental)
4 December 1964 – Fairfield Hall, Croydon, Surrey with The Rolling Stones, The Worryin’ Kind, Twinkle, The Quiet Five and Sack O’ Woes (Chris Broom book: Rockin’ and Around Croydon)
6 December 1964 – Southall Community Centre, Southall, Middlesex with Jean & The Statesides (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
9 December 1964 – Kinema, Dunfermline, Scotland (Beat Instrumental)
11 December 1964 – Gig in Kirkcaldy, Scotland (Beat Instrumental)
18 December 1964 – Locarno, Coventry (Beat Instrumental)
20 December 1964 – Blue Moon, Hayes, Middlesex (Beat Instrumental/Ruislip & Northcote Gazette)
23 December 1964 – Pacemakers’ Christmas Show, Liverpool (Beat Instrumental)
1965
30 January 1965 – Burton’s, Uxbridge, Middlesex (Beat Instrumental)
31 January 1965 – Blue Moon, Hayes, Middlesex (Harrow Weekly Post/Greenford Weekly Post)
6 February 1965 – Manchester University (Beat Instrumental)
7 February 1965 – Southall (probaby Community Centre), Middlesex (Beat Instrumental)
13 February 1965 – Brighton University, Brighton, Sussex (Beat Instrumental)
19 February 1965 – Granada, East Ham with Roy Orbison, The Rockin’ Berries, Marianne Faithful, Three Quarters and Frank Berry & The Untamed (Leyton, Leytonstone and Waltham Forest Guardian)
27 March 1965 – Matrix, Coventry (Beat Instrumental)
28 March 1965 – Celebrity, New Bond Street, central London (Beat Instrumental)
3 April 1965 – Drill Hall, Grantham, Lincolnshire with Romin Tribe and Maniax (Grantham Journal)
4 April 1965 – Blue Moon, Hayes, Middlesex (Harrow Weekly Post)
18 April 1965 – Silver Blades, Birmingham, West Midlands (Beat Instrumental)
24 April 1965 – Hull University, Hull (Beat Instrumental)
25 April 1965 – Starlite Ballrom, Greenford, Middlesex (Beat Instrumental)
28 April 1965 – Sheffield University, Sheffield, South Yorkshire (Beat Instrumental)
1 May 1965 – Rhodes Centre, Bishop’s Stortford, Herts with Vandels Blues (Steve Ingless book: The Day Before Yesterday)
2 May 1965 – Southall Community Centre, Southall, west London with Mike Dee & The Prophets (Middlesex County Times & West Middlesex Gazette)
6 May 1965 – Bowes Lyon Youth Centre, Stevenage, Herts with Kit & The Saracens (Hertfordshire Express)
7 May 1965 – Fender Club, Harrrow, northwest London (Beat Instrumental)
9 May 1965 – Empire Pool, Wembley, northwest London (Beat Instrumental)
15 May 1965 – Craven Hill Theatre, Bicester, Oxfordshire with The Apollos (Oxford Mail)
24 May 1965 – Dome, Brighton, Sussex (Beat Instrumental)
26 May 1965 – Song Contest at the Dome, Brighton, Sussex (Beat Instrumental)
28 May 1965 – Starlite Ballroom, Greenford, northwest London (Beat Instrumental)
29 May 1965 – City Hall, Salisbury, Wiltshire (Beat Instrumental)
30 May 1965 – Southall Community Centre, Southall, London (Middlesex County Times & West Middlesex Gazette)
4 June 1965 – Wood Farm, Grosmount (Beat Instrumental)
5 June 1965 – British Legion Hall, Calford (Beat Instrumental)
6 June 1965 – Town Hall, Stratford (probably east London) (Beat Instrumental)
8 June 1965 – Burton’s, Uxbridge, west London (Beat Instrumental)
10 June 1965 – The Palace, Douglas, Isle of Man (Beat Instrumental)
12 June 1965 – Dreamland Ballroom, Margate, Kent with The Motowns (East Kent Times & Mail)
13 June 1965 – Bromley Court Hotel, Bromley, southeast London with The Preachers (Melody Maker)
16 June 1965 – Agincourt Ballroom, Camberley, Surrey (Aldershot News)
16 June 1965 – Town Hall, Farnborough, Hants (Beat Instrumental)
19 June 1965 – Uxbridge Blues Festival, Uxbridge, northwest London with Marianne Faithfull, The Who, Solomon Burke, The Spencer Davis Group, Long John Baldry, Zoot Money, The Birds, John Mayall, Ray Martin Group and Dave Whittling (Ruislip & Northwood Gazette)
21 June 1965 – Civic Hall, Corby, Northants (Beat Instrumental)
25 June 1965 – Plaza, Stirling, Scotland (Beat Instrumental)
26 June 1965 – Paladium, Greenwich, southeast London (Beat Instrumental)
27 June 1965 – Golden Torch, Tunstall, Staffordshire (Beat Instrumental)
28 June 1965 – Keele University, Keele (Beat Instrumental)
1 July 1965 – College of Technology, Birmingham (Beat Instrumental)
3 July 1965 – Gig in March (most likely Marcam Hall), Cambridgeshire (Beat Instrumental)
4 July 1965 – Southall Community Centre, Southall, west London (Beat Instrumental)
16 July 1965 – Harvest Moon Club, Guildford, Surrey with The In Crowd (Surrey Advertiser)
25 July 1965 – Grand Pavilion, Porthcawl, Wales (Beat Instrumental)
27 July 1965 – Mexican Hat, Worthing, West Sussex (Worthing Gazette)
30 July 1965 – Marine Ballroom, Morecambe, Lancashire (Beat Instrumental)
31 July 1965 – Burton’s, Uxbridge, west London (Beat Instrumental)
1 August 1965 – Southall Community Centre, Southall, west London (Beat Instrumental)
2 August 1965 – Atlanta Ballroom, Woking, Surrey (Beat Instrumental)
4 August 1965 – Top Hat, Littlehampton, West Sussex (Littlehampton Post)
5 August 1965 – Olympia Ballroom, Reading, Berkshire (Beat Instrumental)
6 August 1965 – Wimbledon Palais, Wimbledon, southwest London (Beat Instrumental)
7 August 1965 – Coronation Ballroom, Ramsgate, Kent with The Cygnets (East Kent Times)
8 August 1965 – Redcar Jazz Club, Coatham Hotel, Redcar, North Yorkshire with Ronnie Jones & The Blue Jays (Dennis Weller, Chris Scott Wilson and Graham Lowe’s book)
8 August 1965 – Southall Community Centre, Southall, west London (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
9 August 1965 – Atlanta Ballroom, Woking, Surrey (Beat Instrumental)
12 August 1965 – Winter Gardens, Cleethorpes (Beat Instrumental)
16 August 1965 – Floral Hall, Gorleston-on-Sea, Norfolk (Beat Instrumental)
21 August 1965 – Bromley Court Hotel, Bromley, southeast London with The Preachers (Melody Maker)
25 August 1965 – Flamingo, Wardour Street, Soho, central London (Beat Instrumental)
28 August 1965 – Burton’s, Uxbridge, west London (Beat Instrumental)
30 August 1965 – California Ballroom, Dunstable, Bedfordshire with The Mark Leeman Five and Heinz & The Wild Boys (website: www.california-ballroom.info/gigs/)
3 September 1965 – Birdcage, Eastney, Hampshire with St Louis Checks (Dave Allen research) Beat Instrumental has Kimbell’s, Southsea, Hants on this date which is also possible
4 September 1965 – Sherborne Carnival, TA Centre, Lenthay, Dorset with Four Hits & A Miss (Western Gazette)
6 September 1965 – Majestic Ballroom, Reading, Berkshire (Beat Instrumental)
9 September 1965 – Locarno Ballroom, Swindon, Wiltshire (Beat Instrumental)
10 September 1965 – Top Spot, Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire with The Next of Kin (Gloucester Citizen)
11 September 1965 – British Legion Hall, Coleford, Somerset (Beat Instrumental)
12 September 1965 – Agincourt Ballroom, Camberley, Surrey with The Condors (Aldershot News)
13 September 1965 – Adelphi, West Bromwich, West Midlands and Club Cedar, Birmingham (Beat Instrumental)
15 September 1965 – Town Hall, Crewe, Cheshire (Beat Instrumental)
16 September 1965 – Assembly Hall, Flint, Wales (Beat Instrumental)
17 September 1965 – Fender Club, Kenton, west London (Beat Instrumental)
18 September 1965 – Trade Union Hall, Watford, Herts (Beat Instrumental)
19 September 1965 – Blue Moon, Hayes, west London (Harrow Weekly Post/Greenford Weekly Post)
20 September 1965 – Savoy, Southsea, Hants (Beat Instrumental)
2 October 1965 – Burton’s, Uxbridge, west London (Beat Instrumental) Says Cambridge but this is most likely a misprint
3 October 1965 – Rainbow Theatre, Blackpool, Lancashire (Beat Instrumental)
6 October 1965 – Sheffield University, Sheffield, South Yorkshire (Beat Instrumental)
8 October 1965 – Royal College of Technology, Salford, Greater Manchester (Beat Instrumental)
10 October 1965 – Casino Club, Harraby (Beat Instrumental)
15 October 1965 – Majestic Ballroom, Wellington (Beat Instrumental)
16 October 1965 – Starlight Ballroom, Boston Gliderdrome, Boston, Lincolnshire with Tom Jones & The Squires, The Gaylords and The Planets (Lincolnshire Standard)
17 October 1965 – Southall Community Centre, Southall, west London (Middlesex County Times & West Middlesex Gazette)
20 October 1965 – Farnborough Town Hall, Farnborough, Hampshire (Aldershot News)
22 October 1965 – 400 Ballroom, Torquay, Devon (Herald Express)
23 October 1965 – Victoria Cross Gallery, Wantage, Oxfordshire with The Voyds (Oxford Mail)
24 October 1965 – Starlite Ballroom, Greenford, west London (Beat Instrumental)
26 October 1965 – Sherwood Rooms, Nottingham (Beat Instrumental)
29 October 1965 – Palace Ballroom, Maryport (Beat Instrumental)
30 October 1965 – Leicester University, Leicester (Beat Instrumental)
31 October 1965 – White Lion, Edgware, north London (Beat Instrumental)
3 November 1965 – Church Hall, Stonehouse, Stroud, Gloucestershrie (Beat Instrumental)
4 November 1965 – Empire Ballroom, Wrath (Beat Instrumental)
5 November 1965 – Bath Pavilion and gig in Swansea, Wales (Beat Instrumental)
6 November 1965 – Harvest Moon Club, Guildford, Surrey with The Moggies (Surrey Advertiser)
7 November 1965 – Jewish Lads’ Brigade, Cheetham (Beat Instrumental)
21 April 1966 – RAF Wittering, West Sussex (Beat Instrumental)
22 April 1966 – Starlite Ballroom, Greenford, west London (Beat Instrumental)
23 April 1966 – Worsley Civic Hall, Walkden, Worsley, Greater Manchester with The Executives and The SOS (Bolton Evening News)
24 April 1966 – Redcar Jazz Club, Coatham Hotel, Redcar, North Yorkshire with The Alan Bown Set (Dennis Weller, Chris Scott Wilson and Graham Lowe’s book/Middlesbrough Evening Gazette)
29 April 1966 – Regency Ballroom, Bath (Beat Instrumental)
30 April 1966 – Birdcage, Eastney, Hampshire (Dave Allen research)
1 May 1966 – Plaza Ballroom, Newbury, Berkshire with The Pacifics (Andover Advertiser/North Berks Herald)
2 May 1966 – Atlanta Ballroom, Woking, Surrey (Aldershot News/Camberley News)
4 May 1966 – Tower Ballroom, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk with The John Lofty Sounds (Yarmouth Mercury)
5 May 1966 – Starlight, Crawley, West Sussex with The Cadalucks (Caterham Weekly Press) This is missing from Beat Instrumental
6 May 1966 – Bellevue, Manchester (Beat Instrumental)
7 May 1966 – Burton’s, Uxbridge, west London (Beat Instrumental)
8 May 1966 – New Elizabethan Ballroom, Manchester (Beat Instrumental)
11 May 1966 – Pavilion, Hemel Hempstead, Herts with The Clique (Berkhamsted Gazette & Tring and District News)
12-16 May 1966 – Scottish tour (Beat Instrumental)
12-19 June 1966 – Greasebrough Social Club, near Rotherham, South Yorkshire (Fabulous 208)
18 June 1966 – 21 Mod Club, Rotherham, South Yorkshire (Fabulous 208)
21 June 1966 – Worcester College, Oxford University, Oxford with The Searchers, The Fourmost, The Dudley Moore Trio, The Cougars with Samantha and Eddie King, Mark Roman & The Javelins, Caribbean Steel Band, Bill Savill and His Band and others (Cherwell)
28 June 1966 – Town Hall, Crayford, southeast London (Beat Instrumental/PACE magazine)
1 July 1966 – Grimsby Mecca, Grimsby, Humberside (Grimsby Evening Telegraph) This is missing from Beat Instrumental
2 July 1966 – Burton’s, Uxbridge, west London (Fabulous 208)
3 July 1966 – USAF Bentwaters, near Woodbridge, Suffolk (Fabulous 208)
6 July 1966 – Grafton Rooms, Liverpool (Fabulous 208)
7 July 1966 – West Midlands Training College, Walsall, West Midlands (Fabulous 208)
9 July 1966 – Britannia Rowing Club, Nottingham with Robert Hirst and The Dickens Set (Nottingham Evening Post)
14 July 1966 – RAF Gaydon, near Leamington Spa, Warwickshire (Fabulous 208)
28 July 1966 – Gray’s Club, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne & Wear (Fabulous 208)
29 July 1966 – Town Hall, Cullen, Scotland (Fabulous 208)
29 July 1966 – Ballerina Ballroom, Nairn, Scotland (Fabulous 208)
30 July 1966 – Town Hall, Tain, Scotland (Fabulous 208)
31 July 1966 – Black Ballroom, Aberdeen, Scotland (Fabulous 208)
5 August 1966 – Pavilion, Hemel Hempstead, Herts with Episode Six (Berkhamsted Gazette & Tring and District News)
7 August 1966 – Orchid Ballroom, Purley, Surrey (Coulson & Purley Advertiser) This isn’t listed in Beat Instrumental
7 August 1966 – Black Prince Hotel, Bexley, southeast London (South East London Mercury)
11 August 1966 – Town Hall, East Ham, London (Fabulous 208)
11 August 1966 – In Crowd, Hackney, London (Fabulous 208)
13 August 1966 – Expresso Continental, Eastbourne, East Sussex (Fabulous 208)
14 August 1966 – Princess Theatre, Torquay, Devon with The Walker Brothers (Fabulous 208)
15 August 1966 – Blue Lagoon, Newquay, Cornwall (Fabulous 208)
17 August 1966 – Orchid Ballroom, Purley, London (Coulson & Purley Advertiser)
17-18 August 1966 – Tiles, Oxford Street, central London (Beat Instrumental)
19 August 1966 – Iron Curtain Club, St Mary’s Cray, southeast London (Fabulous 208/PACE magazine)
20 August 1966 – Burton’s, Uxbridge, west London (Fabulous 208)
21 August 1966 – Union Rowing Club, Trent Bridge, Nottingham (Fabulous 208)
24 August 1966 – Locarno, Stevenage, Hertfordshire (Fabulous 208)
25 August 1966 – Locarno, Streatham, southwest London (Beat Instrumental)
26 August 1966 – Burton’s, Uxbridge, west London (Fabulous 208)
9 September 1966 – Beat Festival, Scunthorpe United Football Ground, Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire with Georgie Fame & The Blue Flames, Chris Farlowe & The Thunderbirds, The Troggs, Billy J Kramer & The Dakotas, The Ram Jam Band, The Creation, The Mindbenders and The Fenmen (Grimsby Evening Telegraph)
10 September 1966 – Spa Royal Hall, Bridlington with The Fenmen and The Syndicate 5 (Scarborough Evening News)
11 September 1966 – Black Prince, Bexley, London (Fabulous 208)
13 September 1966 – Sherwood Rooms, Nottingham (Nottingham Evening Post)
5 November 1966 – Beachcomber Club, Nottingham with Farinas (Nottingham Evening Post)
5 November 1966 – Britannia Rowing Club, Nottingham (Nottingham Evening Mail)
6 November 1966 – Birmingham Theatre, Birmingham, West Midlands with Lee Dorsey and Jerry Lee Lewis (Fabulous 208)
7 November 1966 –Wimbledon Theatre, Wimbledon, southwest London with Jerry Lee Lewis, Lee Dorsey, The Crying Shames and The Graham Bell Trend (Woking Herald)
12 November 1966 – ABC Promotions, Public Hall, Heacham, Norfolk (Fabulous 208/Lynn News)
15 November 1966 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, London with Episode Six (Tony Bacon’s book: London Live)
16 November 1966 – Skyline Ballroom, Hull (Fabulous 208)
18 November 1966 – Sutton-in-Ashfield Baths, Sutton-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire (Fabulous 208)
19 November 1966 – Winter Gardens Pavilion, Weston Super Mare, Somerset with The Ken Birch Band and The Bones (Weston Mercury)
26 November 1966 – Training College, Sunderland, Tyne & Wear (Fabulous 208)
20 December 1966 – Palais de Danse, Leicester (Leicester Mercury)
22 December 1966 – Redcar Jazz Club, Coatham Hotel, Redcar, North Yorkshire with The Fenmen, Sounds Incorporated and The Skyliners (Dennis Weller, Chris Scott Wilson and Graham Lowe’s book/Middlesbrough Evening Gazette)
23 December 1966 – Locarno Ballroom, Derby, Derbyshire (Fabulous 208)
24 December 1966 – Burton’s, Uxbridge, London with The Army (Melody Maker and Tony Tacon’s memories)
28 December 1966 – Top Rank Suite, Southampton, Hampshire (Southern Evening Echo)
1967
7 January 1967 – Rhodes Centre, Bishop’s Stortford, Herts with The Beat Syndicate (Steve Ingless book: The Day Before Yesterday)
7 January 1967 – Roundhouse, Chalk Farm, London with Herbie Goins & The Night Timers, The Creation, The Artwoods and St Louis Union (Melody Maker)
8 January 1967 – Black Prince Hotel, Bexley, London (Fabulous 208)
9 January 1967 – Bluesville ’67 Club, Baths Hall, Ipswich, Suffolk (Essex County Standard)
10 January 1967 – King’s Hall, University College, Gower Street, London (Fabulous 208)
13 January 1967 – City Leeds Training College, Leeds, West Yorkshire (Fabulous 208)
14 January 1967 – Matlock Bath Pavilion, Matlock, Derbyshire with Deep Purple (Derby Evening Telegraph)
20 January 1967 – High Hall, Birmingham University, Birmingham, West Midlands (Fabulous 208)
21 January 1967 – Leas Cliff Hall, Folkestone, Kent with Mixed Feelings (Folkestone & Hythe Gazette)
1 February 1967 – Falcon Hotel, Falconwood, southeast London (PACE magazine)
2 February 1967 – St Giles Youth Club, Willenhall Baths Assembly Hall, Willenhall, West Midlands with The ‘N’ Betweens, The Ensemble and Scarab (Express and Star)
3 February 1967 – Beddington Hall, Leeds, West Yorkshire with Sounds Incorporated (Fabulous 208)
4 February 1967 – Chelsea College, Chelsea, London (Fabulous 208)
10 February 1967 – Starlite Ballroom, Greenford, London (Fabulous 208)
11 February 1967 – Ravern Club, Lincoln, Lincolnshire (Fabulous 208)
23 February 1967 – Golden Dancing Club, Sutton-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire (Fabulous 208)
24 February 1967 – Sheffield University, Sheffield, South Yorkshire (Fabulous 208)
26 February 1967 – Agincourt Ballroom, Camberley, Surrey (Aldershot News)
2 March 1967 – Bradford University, Bradford, West Yorkshire with The Tremeloes and The Trend (Fabulous 208)
3 March 1967 – Starlite, Greenford, northwest London (Melody Maker)
4 March 1967 – Bal Tabarin, Downham, Southeast London with supporting groups (South East London Mercury)
5 March 1967 – Union Rowing Club, Trent Bridge, Nottingham (Nottingham Evening Post)
10 March 1967 – Ricky Tick, Hounslow, west London (David Else’s research)
16 March 1967 – Kilburn Polytechnic, Kilburn, London with Ronnie Jones & The Blue Jays and The Syn (Melody Maker)
17 March 1967 – Saint College, Southampton, Hampshire (Fabulous 208)
18 March 1967 – Dreamland, Margate, Kent with The Epics (East Kent Times & Mail)
19 March 1967 – Black Prince Hotel, Bexley, London (South East London Mercury)
20 March 1967 – College of Education, Worcester, Worcestershire (Fabulous 208)
23 March 1967 – Glen Ballroom, Llanelli, south Wales with The Troggs, Neil Christian Crusaders, The Corncrackers and John Smith Committee (South Wales Evening Post)
26 March 1967 – Central R&B Club, Central Hotel, Gillingham, Kent (Chatham, Rochester & Gillingham News)
27 March 1967 – Blue Lagoon, Newquay, Cornwall with The Other Five and The Triple Vintage (West Briton & Royal Cornwall Gazette)
1 April 1967 – Cliffs Pavilion, Southend, Essex with Daddy Linburg with The Fingers and The Committee (Southend Standard)
2 April 1967 – Beau Brummel Club, Alvaston Hall Hotel, Nantwich, Cheshire with Phil Ryan & The Scorpions (Crewe Chronicle)
6 April 1967 – King’s Hall, Belle Vue, Greater Manchester with The Tremeloes, Sounds Incorporated, The Move and Mirage (Fabulous 208)
12 April 1967 – Whitehaven College, Whitehaven, Cumbria (Fabulous 208)
13 April 1967 – RAF Uxbridge, Uxbridge, London (Fabulous 208)
14 April 1967 – Brighton Arts Festival, Metropole Hotel, Brighton, Sussex with Paul Jones, The Move, Geno Washington, Jimmy James & The Vagabonds, Mike Stuart Span and others (Melody Maker)
15 April 1967 – Pavilion Theatre, Felixstowe, Suffolk (Fabulous 208)
19 April 1967 – Catacombe, Eastbourne, East Sussex (Eastbourne Herald Chronicle/Fabulous 208)
20 April 1967 – College of Technology, Nottingham (Fabulous 208)
20 April 1967 – Sherwood Rooms, Nottingham with The Alan Price Set (Nottingham Evening Post)
21 April 1967 – Queen’s Rink, West Hartlepool, County Durham (Fabulous 208)
22 April 1967 – Clouds, Derby (Fabulous 208)
27 April 1967 – Crystal Ballroom, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne & Wear (Fabulous 208) This could be Newcastle under Lyme
29 April 1967 – Regal Ballroom, Bonnyrigg, Scotland with Tony & The Traders, Catch 22 and The Sindicate (South Midlothian Advertiser)
30 April 1967 – Redcar Jazz Club, Redcar, North Yorkshire with The Mooche (Dennis Weller, Chris Scott Wilson and Graham Lowe’s book)
5 May 1967 – Bishop Grosset Estate College, Lincoln (Fabulous 208)
7 May 1967 – Royal Hall, Northwich, Cheshire (Fabulous 208)
7 May 1967 – Britannia Rowing Club, Nottingham (Notttingham Evening Post)
11 May 1967 – Kilroy’s Ballroom, Swindon, Wiltshire (Fabulous 208)
13 May 1967 – New Cornish, Riviera Lido, St Austell, Cornwall with Cousin Jacks (West Briton & Royal Cornish Gazette)
16 May 1967 – Klooks Kleek, West Hampstead, London (Geoff Williams’ research: Decca Studios and Klooks Kleek book)
19 May 1967 – Top Rank Suite, Bristol (Fabulous 208)
20 May 1967 – Burton’s, Uxbridge, London (Fabulous 208)
21 May 1967 – Central Hotel, Gillingham, Kent (Fabulous 208)
22 May 1967 – Cooks Ferry Inn, Edmonton, London (Fabulous 208)
26 May 1967 – Pavilion, Newton (possibly Cambridgeshire) (Fabulous 208)
27 May 1967 – Hertford Balls, Oxford with Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band, Swinging Blue Jeans, The Action and Hamilton & The Movement (Cherwell)
28 May 1967 – Working Men’s Club, Kettering, Northamptonshire with The Nite People (Fabulous 208/Northamptonshire Evening Telegraph)
29 May 1967 – Civic Hall, Nantwich, Cheshire with The Shades (Crewe Chronicle)
2 June 1967 – Golden Diamond Club, Sutton-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire (Fabulous 208)
3 June 1967 – College of Technology, Manchester (Fabulous 208)
4 June 1967 – Union Rowing Club, Nottingham (Nottingham Evening Post)
5 June 1967 – Social Club, Aylesbury, Bucks (Fabulous 208)
8 June 1967 – Waggon and Horses, Wall Heath, West Midlands (Express & Star)
11 June 1967 – Palace Ballroom, Douglas, Isle of Man (Fabulous 208)
12 June 1967 – Trinity College, Cambridge with The Alan Price Set (Fabulous 208)
17 June 1967 – Surf City Club, Tunbridge Wells, Kent (Fabulous 208)
25 June 1967 – Black Prince Hotel, Bexley, London (Poster)
29 June 1967 – Aston University, Birmingham with Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band (Fabulous 208)
30 June 1967 – Liverpool University, Liverpool with Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band (Fabulous 208)
1 July 1967 – Benn Memorial Hall, Rugby, Warwickshire (Fabulous 208)
1 July 1967 – Clockwork Orange, Chester, Cheshire with Monopoly (Crewe Chronicle)
2 July 1967 – The Place, Hanley, Staffordshire (Evening Sentinel)
3 July 1967 – Park Hall Hotel, Goldthorn Park, Wolverhampton, West Midlands with The Uglys and Choice (Express & Star)
7 July 1967 – Culham College, Abingdon, Oxfordshire (Fabulous 208)
8 July 1967 – Leas Cliff Hall, Folkestone, Kent (Folkestone & Hythe Gazette)
9 July 1967 – Swan, Yardley, West Midlands (Fabulous 208)
12 July 1967 – Cavern Club, East Dereham, Norfolk (Fabulous 208)
13 July 1967 – Club Franchi, Jarrow, Tyne & Wear (Fabulous 208)
14 July 1967 – Town Hall, Hawick, Scotland (Fabulous 208)
15 July 1967 – Corn Exchange, Kelso, Scotland (Fabulous 208)
21 July 1967 – Tiles, Oxford Street, London with The Courtells (Melody Maker)
22 July 1967 – Victoria Cross Gallery, Wantage, Oxfordshire with Steam Machine (Oxford Mail/Wiltshire Gazette/Newbury Weekly News)
26 July 1967 – Nautilus Club, Lowestoft, Suffolk (Fabulous 208)
29 July 1967 – Corby Civic Centre, Corby, Northamptonshire with Magic Roundabout and The Midniters (Northamptonshire Evening Telegraph)
30 July 1967 – Sunday Club, Addlestone, Surrey (Woking Herald)
31 July 1967 – Cooks Ferry Inn, Edmonton, London (Fabulous 208)
5 August 1967 – Burton’s, Uxbridge, London (Melody Maker)
12 August 1967 – Tavern Club, East Dereham (Fabulous 208)
13 August 1967 – Old Crown & Cushion, Perry Barr, West Midlands (Birmingham Evening Mail)
23 August 1967 – Regal Ballroom, Minehead, Somerset with The West Coast Sound (Somerset County Gazette)
24 August 1967 – Blue Lagoon, Newquay, Cornwall (Cornish Guardian)
26 August 1967 – Glastonbury Town Hall, Glastonbury, Somerset with Jangless Gallery (Somerset County Gazette)
28 August 1967 – Pynkney Hall Blues Festival, Fakenham, Norfolk with The Move, Alan Bown, Family and The Workshop (Melody Maker)
1 September 1967 – Pink Flamingo, Soho, London (Melody Maker)
2 September 1967 – Town Hall, Tavistock, Devon (Fabulous 208)
3 September 1967 – Central Hotel, Gillingham, Kent (Fabulous 208)
8 September 1967 – RAF Digby, Lincoln (Fabulous 208)
9 September 1967 – Clouds, Derby (Fabulous 208)
9 September 1967 – Night Owl, Leicester (Fabulous 208)
10 September 1967 – Redcar Jazz Club, Redcar, North Yorkshire with The Pleasure Machine (Dennis Weller, Chris Scott Wilson and Graham Lowe’s book)
15 September 1967 – Windrush Club, RAF Little Rissington, Gloucestershire (Fabulous 208)
16 September 1967 – Civic Hall, Guildford, Surrey with The Flashbacks (Surrey Advertiser)
17 September 1967 – Hotel Leofric, Coventry, West Midlands with Taylor Upton Big Jump Band (Coventry Evening Telegraph)
22 September 1967 – Airmen’s Club, West Ruislip, London (Fabulous 208)
23 September 1967 – Keys Hall, Brentwood, Essex (Fabulous 208)
24 September 1967 – Beau Brummel Club, Alvaston Hall Hotel, Nantwich, Cheshire with Phil Ryan & The Scorpions (Crewe Chronicle)
29 September 1967 – Recreation Ground, Wootton-under-Edge, Gloucestershire (Fabulous 208)
30 September 1967 – Burton’s, Uxbridge, northwest London (Melody Maker)
7 October 1967 – Hatfield College of Tech, Hatfield, Herts (Fabulous 208)
8-14 October 1967 – Towers Theatre Club, Warrington, Cheshire with others (St Helens Newspaper)
8-14 October 1967 – Garrick, Leigh, Greater Manchester with others (St Helens Newspaper)
15 October 1967 – The Place, Hanley, Staffordshire (Evening Sentinel)
16 October 1967 – Staffordshire Yeoman, Stafford (Stafford Newsletter)
20 October 1967 – Cesar’s Club, Bedford, Bedfordshire with The Triads (Ampthill News & Flintwick Record)
27 October 1967 – Mildert College, Durham, County Durham (Fabulous 208)
29 October 1967 – Black Prince Hotel, Bexley, southeast London (Poster)
29 October 1967 – Nicholas Youth Club, Basildon, Essex (Fabulous 208)
31 October 1967 – Candlelight Club, Scarborough, North Yorkshire (Fabulous 208)
1 November 1967 – Warmingham Grange Country Club, Warmingham, Cheshire (Crewe Chronicle)
17 November 1967 – G-Ranch Discotheque, Maidstone, Kent (Maidstone Gazette)
18 November 1967 – Leas Cliff Hall, Folkestone, Kent (Folkestone & Hythe Gazette)
19 November 1967 – Starlight Ballroom, Crawley, West Sussex with All Night Workers (Crawley Advertiser)
21 November 1967 – Boys High School, Leek, Staffordshire (Fabulous 208)
24 November 1967 – Queens Rink Ballroom, Hartlepool, County Durham with The Tony King Sound (Hartlepool Mail)
25 November 1967 – Pier Pavilion, Felixstowe, Suffolk (Fabulous 208)
26 November 1967 – Nottingham University, Nottingham (Fabulous 208)
1 December 1967 – Grand Pavilion, Porthcawl, Wales (Fabulous 208)
2 December 1967 – Winter Gardens, Weston-Super-Mare, Somerset (Fabulous 208)
3 December 1967 – Leofric Hotel, Coventry (Fabulous 208)
4 December 1967 – Park Hall Hotel, Goldthorn Park, Wolverhampton, West Midlands (Express & Star)
5 December 1967 – Samantha’s, Bournemouth, Dorset (Bournemouth Echo) Billed as Cliff Bennett & His Band/debut in Bournemouth
6 December 1967 – Scotch Club, Torquay, Devon (Fabulous 208)
7 December 1967 – Quay Club, Exeter, Devon (Fabulous 208)
9 December 1967 – The Polytechnic, Great Titchfield Street, London (Melody Maker) Billed as Cliff Bennett & His Band
17 December 1967 – Beau Brummel Club, Alvaston Hall Hotel, Nantwich, Cheshire, Nantwich, Cheshire with Jaytree Organisation (Crewe Chronicle)
19 December 1967 – Chalet Club, Birmingham (Fabulous 208)
20 December 1967 – Edinburgh College of Art, Edinburgh, Scotland (Fabulous 208)
21 December 1967 – Marimba Club, Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire (Fabulous 208)
22 December 1967 – New Central Pier, Morecambe, Lancashire (Fabulous 208)
23 December 1967 – String O’ Beads, Bradford, West Yorkshire with support (Yorkshire Evening Post)
24 December 1967 – Burton’s, Uxbridge, London (Melody Maker)
26 December 1967 – The Place, Hanley, Staffordshire (Fabulous 208)
29 December 1967 – Benn Memorial Hall, Rugby, Warwickshire with The Justins and The Cataracts (Fabulous 208/Rugby Advertiser)
31 December 1967 – Burton’s, Uxbridge, northwest London (Fabulous 208)
1968
21 January 1968 – Central R&B Club, Central Hotel, Gillingham (Chatham, Rochester and Gillingham Post)
22 January 1968 – Queen’s Ballroom, Wolverhampton, West Midlands with The Soul Seekers (Express & Star) Billed as Cliff Bennet & His Band
3 February 1968 – Alex Disco, Salisbury, Wiltshire (Salisbury & Winchester Journal)
4 February 1968 – Black Prince Hotel, Bexley, London (Poster) Billed as Cliff Bennett Show
6 February 1968 – Cheltenham Spa, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire (Melody Maker)
9 February 1968 – Roman Rag Ball, Glamorgan College of Technology, Glamorgan, Wales with The Nashville Teens, Union Pacific Showband, The Caribbean All Stars and The Stereos (Glamorgan County Times)
10 February 1968 – Burton’s, Uxbridge, west London (Melody Maker)
16 February 1968 – Top Rank Suite, Swansea, Wales with Geno Washington & The Ram Jam Band and The Tremeloes (Herald of Wales)
17 February 1968 – Walsall Town Hall, Walsall, West Midlands (Express & Star) Billed as Cliff Bennett Band
25 February 1968 – Redcar Jazz Club, Coatham Hotel, Redcar, North Yorkshire with The Candy Choir (Dennis Weller, Chris Scott Wilson and Graham Lowe’s book) Billed as Cliff Bennett Band
8 March 1968 – Goldsmith College Rag Ball, New Cross, southeast London with The Blossom and The London All-Star Band (formerly Brian Something & The Whatsits) (South East London Mercury)
14 March 1968 – Eden Park Hotel, Beckenham, southeast London (South East London Mercury) Billed as Cliff Bennett Band
15 March 1968 – Gig in Newcastle under Lyme, Staffordshire (Melody Maker)
16 March 1968 – Corn Exchange, Chelmsford, Essex with The Precious Few (Melody Maker/Essex Chronicle) Billed as Cliff Bennett & His Band
19 March 1968 – Rasputin’s, New Bond Street, central London (Melody Maker)
19 March 1968 – Lotus Ballroom, Forest Gate, east London (Melody Maker)
29 March 1968 – Cue Club, Paddington, central London (Melody Maker) Billed as Cliff Bennett & His Band
31 March 1968 – Crown and Cushion, Perry Barr, West Midlands with Traction (Birmingham Evening Mail) Billed as Cliff Bennett & His Band
5 April 1968 – Red Lion, Leytonstone, London (Melody Maker) Debut with Bennett’s new band after split with Rebel Rousers
12 April 1968 – Clockwork Orange, Chester, Cheshire with Adges Convention (Crewe Chronicle) Billed as Cliff Bennett & His Band
13 April 1968 – Burton’s, Uxbridge, west London (Melody Maker)
14 April 1968 – The Place, Hanley, Stafforshire (Evening Sentinel)
15 April 1968 – Park Hall Hotel, Goldthorn Park, Wolverhampton, West Midlands with The Montanas (Express & Star)
19 April 1968 – Punchbowl, Lapworth, West Midlands (Birmingham Evening Mail)
17 May 1968 – Mistrale Club, Beckenham, south London (Melody Maker) Billed as Cliff Bennett & His Band
19 May 1968 – Warmingham Country Club, Warmingham, Cheshire.
According to Crewe Chronicle, this is the first gig by The Rebel Rousers after their split with Cliff Bennett. I would welcome any insights from readers
CLIFF BENNETT BAND:
26 May-2 June 1968 – Garrick Club, Leigh, Greater Manchester (Fabulous 208)
Photo: Hillingdon Mirror
The Hillingdon Mirror ran an article about Cliff’s split from The Rebel Rousers in its 4 June 1968 issue, page 24
8 June 1968 – California Ballroom, Dunstable, Bedfordshire with supporting groups (website: www.california-ballroom.info/gigs/) Billed as Cliff Bennett & His Band
21 June 1968 – Kursaal Ballroom, Southend, Essex with Georgie Fame’s Band (Southend Standard)
6 July 1968 – Civic Hall, Guildford, Surrey with Pattersons Generation (Surrey Advertiser)
27 July 1968 – Burton’s, Uxbridge, west London (Melody Maker)
22 August 1968 – Blue Lagoon, Newquay, Cornwall with The Sweetshop and The Fire Brigade (West Briton & The Royal Cornwall Gazette)
22 September 1968 – Kew Boathouse, Kew, London (Thames Valley Times) Billed as Cliff Bennett & His Band
26 September 1968 – Klooks Kleek, West Hampstead, north London (Geoff Williams’ research: Decca Studios and Klooks Kleek book)
10 October 1968 – Dreamland Ballroom, Margate, Kent with Candy Choir (East Kent Times & Mail)
24 October 1968 – Bag O’Nails, Kingley Street, Soho, central London with Circus (Fabulous 208)
6 December 1968 – George Edwards Hall, Cefn Mawr, Wales with The Klubs (Wrexham Leader)
1969
13 February 1969 – Klooks Kleek, West Hampstead, north London (Geoff Williams’ research: Decca Studios and Klooks Kleek book)
Many thanks to Rolf Hannet for providing some of the Beat Instrumental entries
Located at 3 Cromwell Road in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, SW7, the Cromwellian Club was a notable London rock venue that was opened in late 1964 by entrepreneur Tony Mitchell and part owned and managed by Bob Archer, who later established the Pantiles club in Bagshot, Surrey. The club’s opening was reported in The Stage in its 8 October 1964 issue.
Brian Auger who played here with The Trinity claims that the Cromwellian is where Jimi Hendrix first jammed with his band after arriving in London in late September 1966, although others point to the Scotch of St James.
At its height in 1966-1967, it also hosted numerous jam sessions, featuring the likes of Chris Farlowe, Georgie Fame, Long John Baldry, Eric Burdon and Eric Clapton among others.
Like other exclusive clubs like Blaises and the Scotch of St James, the entrance fee was expensive and therefore catered less for music fans and more for the celebrities of the day and wealthy clientele.
The Cromwellian was rarely advertised in the music papers so it’s been difficult to find gigs. The list below is a start but I’d welcome any additions and corrections plus any photos of the venue and posters of advertised gigs as well as band photos (all credited accordingly).
1965
Although it’s not been possible to find exact dates the following musicians confirmed their bands played at the Cromwellian during 1965-1966:
Singer Jim Nairn (aka James Royal) says that James Royal & The Hawks and The James Royal Set played there throughout this period.
Tony Richard who drummed and sang with The Fetish Crowd says that his group performed there during 1965-1966.
Singer Alan Chamberlain says that The Just Four, which became The Guests, played at the venue in 1965-1966.
Guitarist/singer Stuart Cowell says he was working with Ralph Denyer’s Rockhouse Band when they performed at the Cromwellian in late 1965 before he left to join Gass.
Ray Lovegrove, who DJ’d at the venue, remembers seeing Stevie Wonder and also The Groundhogs at the club during 1965 when he was there. However, the Stevie Wonder gig could have been 26 January 1966 (see below).
The following list for 1965 is incomplete so I’d welcome additions:
Photo: Melody Maker
1 April 1965 (Thursday) – The Drifters (Melody Maker)
Photo: Melody Maker, 10 April 1965
5 June 1965 (Saturday) – The Soul Sisters (Melody Maker)
8 June 1965 (Tuesday) – Donnie Elbert (Melody Maker)
15 June 1965 (Tuesday) – Solomon Burke (Melody Maker)
23 June 1965 (Wednesday) – Doris Troy (Melody Maker)
Photo; Melody Maker
13 July 1965 (Tuesday) – Georgie Fame & The Blue Flames (Melody Maker)
23 July 1965 (Friday) – Inez & Charlie Foxx (Melody Maker)
London Life magazine for the week 9-15 October, and for subsequent issues running to December 1966 when it closed, notes that several groups played each week.
20 October 1965 (Wednesday) – Dave Anthony’s Moods (Kevin Cann’s research – thanks to Andy Neill for sharing)
28 October 1965 (Thursday) – Dave Anthony’s Moods (Kevin Cann’s research – thanks to Andy Neill for sharing)
Photo: West Surrey Advertiser
Boz & The Boz People played at the Cromwellian sometime before 4 November, according to the West Surrey Advertiser (see pic)
4 November 1965 (Thursday) – Dave Anthony’s Moods (Kevin Cann’s research – thanks to Andy Neill for sharing)
11 November 1965 (Thursday) – The Mark Leeman Five (Kevin Cann’s research – thanks to Andy Neill for sharing)
2 December 1965 (Thursday) – Georgie Fame & The Blue Flames (Record Mirror)
9 December 1965 (Thursday) – The Mark Leeman Five (Kevin Cann’s research – thanks to Andy Neill for sharing)
10 December 1965 (Friday) – The Beatstalkers (Kevin Cann’s research – thanks to Andy Neill for sharing)
13 December 1965 (Monday) – The Beatstalkers (Kevin Cann’s research – thanks to Andy Neill for sharing)
14 December 1965 (Tuesday) – The Nite People (Barry Curtis’ gig diary – thanks to John Warburg for sharing)
15 December 1965 (Wednesday) – Major Lance (Record Mirror)
16 December 1965 (Thursday) – Bluesology (Melody Maker)
Elton John (then known as Reg Dwight) was Bluesology’s keyboard player.
Photo: Record Mirror
20 December 1965 (Monday) – Joe Tex (Record Mirror)
1966
Although it’s not been possible to find exact dates the following musicians confirmed their bands played at the Cromwellian during 1966:
Keyboard player Stan Marut, who worked with Julian Covey & The Machine from late 1965-mid-1966 says the group had a regular Saturday night residency at the club in early 1966 (and also possibly late 1965 when John McVie was briefly a member when Jack Bruce filled his spot in John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers). He remembers Sands were playing at the venue around the same time.
According to Chris Groom’s excellent book “Rockin’ and Around Croydon”, Croydon group The Kingpins played at the Cromwellian in early 1966.
Singer Alan Chamberlain says that The Guests played at the venue during 1966 (possibly with The Shevelles).
Jim Nairn (aka James Royal) says The James Royal Set played at the club this year.
Guitarist Frank Torpey, who later became an original member of The Sweet, confirms his group The Tribe played at the Cromwellian (most likely this year and possibly also 1967).
Guitarist Jim Cregan says that Blossom Toes performed at the venue (but this might have been 1967).
Ray Brown, who played bass with Jeff Curtis & The Flames from mid-1965 to late 1967 when they became The Kool, says that the band played at the Cromwellian a few times, most likely in 1966 (but also possibly early 1967).
Drummer Rocky Browne confirms that The Summer Set had a weekly residence at the Cromwellian during 1966.
Drummer Tony Richard says The Fetish Crowd played at the club during 1966.
The following list for 1966 is incomplete so I’d welcome additions:
4 January 1966 (Tuesday) – The Mike Cotton Sound with Lucas (Melody Maker)
11 January 1966 (Tuesday) – Pattie La Belle & The Bluebells with Bluesology (Melody Maker)
Elton John (then known as Reg Dwight) was Bluesology’s keyboard player.
13 January 1966 (Thursday) – The Exciters (Record Mirror)
Record Mirror originally billed this show for 19 January.
19 January 1966 (Wednesday) – Lee Dorsey (Record Mirror)
Record Mirror also listed this for 31 January so this may not have happened. Dorsey was most likely backed by The Krew featuring sax player Howie Casey. I also have The Sidewinders, so probably shared. They were back the following Wednesday to back Stevie Wonder.
26 January 1966 (Wednesday) – Stevie Wonder (Record Mirror)
Stevie Wonder was backed by The Sidewinders (confirmed by drummer Malcolm Penn).
31 January 1966 (Monday) – Lee Dorsey (Record Mirror and Rave Magazine)
Lee Dorsey was most certainly backed by The Krew.
5 February 1966 (Saturday) – Bobby King & The Sabres (Clive Chase’s gig diary)
This was 2-6am on the Sunday morning after a show at the Glenlyn Ballroom in Forest Hill on the Saturday night. Chase says The Searchers came in and watched them.
9 February 1966 (Wednesday) – Doris Troy (Record Mirror)
Record Mirror lists Rufus Thomas for 16 February. Steampacket did perform at the Cromwellian and it’s possible that Rufus Thomas shared the billing. Rod Stewart co-fronted Steampacket with Long John Baldry and Julie Driscoll.
19 February 1966 (Saturday) – Bobby King & The Sabres (Clive Chase’s gig diary)
23 February 1966 (Wednesday) – Ben E King (Record Mirror and Rave Magazine)
25 February 1966 (Friday) – The Nite People (Barry Curtis’ gig diary – thanks to John Warburg for sharing)
2 March 1966 (Wednesday) – Solomon Burke (Record Mirror)
3 March 1966 (Thursday) – Episode Six (Brian Long’s research)
Future Deep Purple members Ian Gillan and Roger Glover were members.
5 March 1966 (Saturday) – Julian Covey & The Machine (needs confirmation)
10 March 1966 (Thursday) – Episode Six (Brian Long’s research)
12 March 1966 (Saturday) – Julian Covey & The Machine (needs confirmation)
19 March 1966 (Saturday) – Julian Covey & The Machine (needs confirmation)
Cromwellian, London, March 1966. Photo: Melody Maker
26 March 1966 (Saturday) – Julian Covey & The Machine (Melody Maker)
1 April 1966 (Friday) – The Sidewinders (Malcolm Penn’s gig diary)
5 May 1966 (Thursday) – Betty Everett (Record Mirror)
Christopher Hjort’s excellent book “Strange Brew: Eric Clapton & The British Blues Boom 1965-1970” notes that Eric Clapton attended the Cromwellian on 9 May after a gig at the Star Hotel in Croydon with John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers.
The 9 May marks the inception of SLAGS (Society of Looning Alcoholic Guitarists) whose members include Jeff Beck, Stevie Winwood, Vic Briggs, Pete Townshend, Steve Marriott, Andy Somers, Alan Roskams and Dave Wendels. The members will meet regularly at the Cromwellian.
In early June Melody Maker prints a “Guide to Good Raving” which lists the “in” clubs of the London scene. The Cromwellian is featured and the magazine notes that Gary Farr & The T-Bones, The Mark Leeman Five, Dave Anthony’s Moods, The Shevelles, Sands and The Peter B’s (actually The Shotgun Express) have recently played at the venue (performing until 2am).
10 June 1966 (Friday) – Mike Cotton Sound with Lucas (Melody Maker)
According to the Nottingham Evening Post, The Five Proud Walkers who play at the Beachcomber Club on 18 June came from the Cromwellian.
According to the Southern Evening Echo (Southampton), The Move, who play the Adam & Eve in Southampton on 12 July, came from the Cromwellian (see above)
According to the Nottingham Evening Post, The Cromwellians who play at the Beachcomber Club on 23 July came from the Cromwellian.
Photo: London Life magazine
27 July 1966 (Wednesday) – The Shevelles (Fabulous 208)
The Eyes of Blue, who have won Melody Maker’s National Beat Contest, celebrate with a party at the club on 7 August. Eric Clapton, Alan Price, Chris Farlowe and others attend.
According to the Nottingham Evening Post, The Coletrane Union, who play at the Britannia Rowing Club on 13 August came from the Cromwellian
According to this Moody Blues site, John Lodge’s band The Question were regulars at the Cromwellian during August/September 1966 before he took up the bass slot in The Moody Blues in October.
31 August 1966 (Wednesday) – The Mike Cotton Sound with Lucas (Melody Maker)
20 September 1966 (Tuesday) – Dave Anthony’s Moods (Melody Maker)
Guitarist Tim Large says that Dave Anthony’s Moods had a regular Wednesday night gig at the Cromwellian but the gigs in September are Tuesday nights.
21 September 1966 (Wednesday) – The Mike Cotton Sound with Lucas (Melody Maker and Fabulous 208)
27 September 1966 (Tuesday) – Dave Anthony’s Moods (Melody Maker)
According to this site, Brian Auger was playing at the Cromwellian on a Friday night and had invited Jimi Hendrix to sit in with his band at this venue earlier in the week. Auger insists that this was the first place that Hendrix jammed with his band.
However, Auger did play at Blaises on Thursday, 29 September and Hendrix did sit in on that occasion, having arrived in the UK on Thursday, 22 September. According to Vic Briggs (and other sources), Hendrix also turned up and jammed with the band at the Scotch of St James on Wednesday, 28 September.
8 October 1966 (Saturday) – Bobby King & The Sabres (Clive Chase’s gig diary)
11 October 1966 (Tuesday) – The Shevelles (Fabulous 208)
It has been noted that The Paul Butterfield Blues Band jammed with Cream at the Cromwellian on 19 October (the alternative location was the Scotch of St James). However, according to Christopher Hjort’s excellent book on the British blues boom, “Strange Brew”, Cream are playing at the Blue Moon in Cheltenham this evening.
22 October 1966 (Saturday) – Bobby King & The Sabres (Clive Chase’s gig diary)
2 November 1966 (Wednesday) – The Mike Cotton Sound with Lucas (Melody Maker)
Photo: London Life magazine
16 November 1966 (Wednesday) – The Mike Cotton Sound with Lucas (Melody Maker)
18 November 1966 (Friday) – Carl Douglas & The Big Stampede (Ken Baxter’s gig diary)
According to Disc & Music Echo’s 26 November issue, Eric Burdon, Chas Chandler and Bill Wyman attended the club on this date.
30 November 1966 (Wednesday) – The Mike Cotton Sound with Lucas (Melody Maker)
According to Bruno Ceriotti, Bluesology (featuring Reg Dwight aka Elton John) played at the Cromwellian regularly during December 1966, which is where Long John Baldry saw them and took them on as his new backing group.
7 December 1966 (Wednesday) – Carl Douglas & The Big Stampede (Ken Baxter’s gig diary)
14 December 1966 (Wednesday) – Carl Douglas & The Big Stampede (Ken Baxter’s gig diary)
According to Disc & Music Echo, The Magic Lanterns visited the club the week starting 19 December but it is not clear whether they performed or just attended.
24 December 1966 (Saturday) – Carl Douglas & The Big Stampede (Ken Baxter’s gig diary)
1967
According to Disc & Music Echo, Ray Hunter and Paul Lincoln, who had previously run The Two I’s Coffee Bar in Soho, co-ran the Cromwellian this year.
Rob Tolchard says his band Sands played the Cromwellian in January where they were spotted by Brian Epstein who hired them for his Saville Theatre show on 5 February.
Bass player Bruce Usherwood says The Warren Davis Monday Band performed at the venue several times between December 1966 and February 1967 just before they signed with Columbia Records.
The Warren Davis Monday Band’s guitarist Rob Walker concurs and notes that one of the gigs was when the band was called The Boardwalkers.
Disc & Music Echo, 14 January 1967 issue, talks about Georgie Fame’s fiancé Carmen’s 21st birthday fancy dress party, which was held at the venue on 8 January. The guests include Jane Asher, Ringo Starr, Paul McCartney, John Lennon and Georgie Fame.
The following list for 1967 is incomplete so I’d welcome additions:
17 January 1967 (Tuesday) – The Mike Cotton Sound with Lucas (Melody Maker)
28 January 1967 (Saturday) – Bobby King & The Sabres (Clive Chase’s gig diary)
Disc & Music Echo reported that Del Shannon, Johnny Rivers, Edwin Starr and Dave Davies of The Kinks were guests at the club during the week starting 30 January.
According to Martyn Hanson’s excellent book Hang on to a Dream: The Story of the Nice, Lee Jackson was part of the house band at the Cromwellian, The House of Usher during February and March 1967.
2 February 1967 (Thursday) – The Fleur De Lys (Keith Guster’s gig diary)
6 February 1967 (Monday) – The Web with John L Watson (Melody Maker)
9 February 1967 (Thursday) – Long John Baldry & Bluesology (Fabulous 208)
11 February 1967 (Saturday) – Bobby King & The Sabres (Clive Chase’s gig diary)
Bobby King & The Sabres perform from 2am to 6am after playing at the Greenford Hotel, Greenford, west London on the Saturday night, so this would probably be the early hours of the Sunday, 12 February.
20 February 1967 (Monday) – Carl Douglas & The Big Stampede (Ken Baxter’s gig diary)
23 February 1967 (Thursday) – The Mike Cotton Sound with Lucas (Melody Maker)
25 February 1967 (Saturday) – The Good Time Losers (needs confirmation)
The Good Time Losers had a residency at the club around about now, according to Melody Maker. Disc & Music Echo reported that they were managed by the club. Pretty certain it was a Saturday but needs confirmation.
4 March 1967 (Saturday) – The Good Time Losers (needs confirmation)
11 March 1967 (Saturday) – The Good Time Losers (needs confirmation)
18 March 1967 (Saturday) – The Good Time Losers (needs confirmation)
25 March 1967 (Saturday) – The Good Time Losers (needs confirmation)
3 April 1967 (Monday) – The Mike Cotton Sound with Lucas (Melody Maker)
8 April 1967 (Saturday) – Prince Buster & The Bees (Disc & Music Echo)
12 April 1967 (Wednesday) – Ben E King (Disc & Music Echo)
Disc & Music Echo report that Tom Jones attended. This may have been 5 April so needs confirmation
14 April 1967 (Friday) – Motivation with The James Garnet Soul and Roll Band (Swindon Advertiser) (cancelled)
Motivation (featuring future Jethro Tull guitarist Martin Barre) are advertised to play the venue. Keyboard player Mick Ketley says they did play the Cromwellian. However, sax player Chris Rodger confirms they were in Italy until mid-May before returning home so this didn’t happen.
16 April 1967 (Sunday) – Disc and Music Echo says that The Bee Gees hold a reception at the club today
18 April 1967 (Tuesday) – Bo Diddley with The Canadians (Melody Maker)
The Canadians feature future producer and music executive David Foster on keyboards.
Disc & Music Echo’s 22 April issue says that US actress Jayne Mansfield attended the Cromwellian the previous Tuesday but the date might have been 11 April instead.
Drummer Phil Wainman, who later produced The Sweet and was playing with Jack Hammer & The Hammer Jammers in May 1967, says Jack Hammer played at the club, which would have most likely been this month.
1 May 1967 (Monday) – Prince Buster & The Bees (Melody Maker, Fabulous 208 and Disc & Music Echo)
4 May 1967 (Thursday) – The Web with John L Watson (Melody Maker)
8 May 1967 (Monday) – Prince Buster & The Bees (Record Mirror)
Photo: Melody Maker
15 May 1967 (Monday) – The Mike Cotton Sound with Lucas (Melody Maker)
17 May 1967 (Wednesday) – The Web (Melody Maker)
22 May 1967 (Monday) – The Web (Melody Maker)
24 May 1967 (Wednesday) – The Mike Cotton Sound with Lucas (Melody Maker)
26 May 1967 (Friday) – Tuesday’s Children (Fabulous 208)
27 May 1967 (Saturday) – Tuesday’s Children (Fabulous 208)
29 July 1967 (Saturday) – Tuesday’s Children (Fabulous 208)
31 July 1967 (Monday) – The Mike Cotton Sound with Lucas (Melody Maker)
9 August 1967 (Wednesday) – The Mike Cotton Sound with Lucas (Melody Maker)
16 August 1967 (Wednesday) – Marmalade (Fabulous 208)
According to Disc & Music Echo’s 16 September issue, Long John Baldry keeps fit by running up the club’s stairs. Does this imply that he performed here with Bluesology during September?
1968
Guitarist/singer Paul Brett says that he played this venue during 1968, which was probably with Tintern Abbey but could have been with Elmer Gantry and/or Fire.
Drummer Paul Maher says that Jo Jo Gunne performed at the venue (possibly this year and/or 1969).
The following list for 1968 is incomplete so I’d welcome additions.
Judging by the dates below in January and February, it looks like jazz bands played on Mondays.
4 January 1968 (Thursday) – The Mike Cotton Sound with Lucas (Melody Maker)
Mike Eastman notes in his diary that his band Katch 22 played on 4 January.
8 January 1968 (Monday) – Bill Nile’s Delta Jazzmen (Melody Maker)
Photo: Melody Maker
10 January 1968 (Wednesday) – The Web featuring John L Watson (Melody Maker)
11 January 1968 (Thursday) – The Shevelles (Melody Maker)
12 January 1968 (Friday) – Garnet Mimms (Melody Maker)
15 January 1968 (Monday) – The Red Onion Jazz Band (Melody Maker)
17 January 1968 (Wednesday) – The New Formula (Melody Maker)
18 January 1968 (Thursday) – The New Formula (Melody Maker)
19 January 1968 (Friday) – The New Formula (Melody Maker)
22 January 1968 (Monday) – Ken Colyer’s Jazzmen (Melody Maker)
23 January 1968 (Tuesday) – The Shevelles (Melody Maker)
24 January 1968 (Wednesday) – The Shevelles (Melody Maker)
Photo: Melody Maker
25 January 1968 (Thursday) – Tuesday’s Children (Melody Maker and Bob Hodges’ gig diary)
26 January 1968 (Friday) – Jigsaw (Melody Maker)
29 January 1968 (Monday) – Spencer’s Washboard Kings (Melody Maker)
30 January 1968 (Tuesday) – The Mike Cotton Sound and Lucas (Melody Maker)
31 January 1968 (Wednesday) – Wee Willie Harris and The Shevelles (Melody Maker)
1 February 1968 (Thursday) – The Web featuring John L Watson (Melody Maker)
Mike Eastman notes in his diary that his band Katch 22 played on 1 February.
2 February 1968 (Friday) – Clyde McPhatter and The Trend (Melody Maker)
5 February 1968 (Monday) – Alex Welsh & His Jazz Band (Melody Maker)
6 February 1968 (Tuesday) – Wishful Thinking (Melody Maker)
23 August 1968 (Friday) – Dave Davani Five (Melody Maker)
24 August 1968 (Saturday) – Scrugg (Melody Maker and Jack Russell’s gig diary)
27 August 1968 (Tuesday) – Timebox (Melody Maker and Fabulous 208)
28 August 1968 (Wednesday) – Dave Davani Five (Melody Maker)
30 August 1968 (Friday) – Dave Davani Five (Melody Maker)
Photo: Melody Maker
31 August 1968 (Saturday) – Timebox (Melody Maker)
6 September 1968 (Friday) – Moon’s Train (Malcolm Penn’s diary – thanks to Peter Gosling for sharing)
Photo: Melody Maker
7 September 1968 (Saturday) – Timebox (Melody Maker)
14 September 1968 (Saturday) – The New Formula (Melody Maker)
16 September 1968 (Monday) – The New Formula (Melody Maker)
17 September 1968 (Tuesday) – Little John & The Shaddocks (Melody Maker)
18 September 1968 (Wednesday) – Timebox (Melody Maker)
19 September 1968 (Thursday) – Katch 22 (Melody Maker and Mike Eastman’s gig diary)
21 September 1968 (Saturday) – The New Formula (Melody Maker)
19 October 1968 (Saturday) – The Maddening Crowd (Melody Maker)
16 November 1968 (Saturday) – The Maddening Crowd (Melody Maker)
21 November 1968 (Thursday) – The Nite People (Melody Maker)
5 December 1968 (Thursday) – Ray King Soul Band (Melody Maker)
19 December 1968 (Thursday) – Ray King Soul Band (Melody Maker)
1969
Sax player Geoff Glover says his band The All Night Workers played at the Cromwellian when Clyde Barrow took over lead vocals from Iain Pitwell, which would have been from early 1969.
Guitarist/violinist Mike Piggott says that his band Gass played here during 1969/1970.
The following list for 1969 is incomplete so I’d welcome additions:
20 January 1969 (Monday) – Ray King Soul Band (Melody Maker)
8 February 1969 (Saturday) – The Maddening Crowd (Melody Maker)
1 March 1969 (Saturday) – The Maddening Crowd (Melody Maker)
3 November 1969 (Monday) – Sky (Melody Maker)
10 November 1969 (Monday) – She Trinity (Melody Maker)
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
17 December 1966 – Britannia Rowing Club, Nottingham (Nottingham Evening Mail/Fabulous 208)
