Singer Tommy Bishop, who hailed from Brentwood in Essex, had first come to prominence with Tommy Bishop’s Richochets.
It’s not clear what Bishop did after the group split up in 1966/1967 but it’s possible he put together a new group with guitarists Chris Howlett and Pete Hole, who were behind the recording of the Decca single “Midnight Train”, which was credited the Rock ‘n’ Roll Revival Show.
According to tenor sax player Jeff Lake, who had started his career with west London R&B group Jeff Curtis & The Flames in 1964-1965, another tenor sax player/pianist called Jack, who came from Tottenham, was part of the group and both most likely appeared on the single.
“I first met Tommy when I auditioned for him when he was forming a band to go to Germany,” remembers Lake, who’d recently worked as road manager for Manchester’s Playboys (his friend and another ex-Flames member Malcolm Randall was their sax player).
“That group never got off the ground. A couple of months later I received a telegram from him to join this new band which became The Rock and Roll Revival Show.”
Lake also remembers three musicians from northeast England who were part of the group. These were guitarist Mick Pearson, bass player Noel “Bo” Skelton and drummer Terry “Tetley” Parkin.
However, Parkin says that none of them appeared on the single, which was recorded and released before their arrival.
Parkin, who hailed from north Lincolnshire, joined his first band The Echoes in 1959. The group later worked as The Northern Echoes and sometimes The Sound of The Echoes, including a two-month residency at the Top Ten Club in Hamburg (Ed: The Beatles were playing around the corner at the Star Club at the time).
Later, Parkin played with The Chads, another north Lincolnshire group, which is where he met guitarist Mick Pearson.
In early 1966, Parkin joined Brian Poole’s post-Tremeloes group, The Unity, appearing on the single “The Other Side of the Sky”.
1967 gig. Image may be subject to copyright
When the group split in early 1968, he answered an advert in Melody Maker and joined Tommy Bishop’s new group who included another guitarist and bass player, both of whom quit after the first gig.
“That was when I suggested that Noel and Mick were available and they joined the band,” he says. “I can’t remember how long the band were together but the highlight was when we toured and supported Bill Haley and the Comets on their UK tour.”
Parkin remembers the group recorded a demo track, possibly for Decca, a Tommy Bishop composition called “Sugar Man”, which wasn’t released.
When the group split up, Parkin later played with The Gordon Jones Soul Band while Skelton returned to The Rumble Band, which later recorded as Rumble.
“Jack, the sax player from Tottenham, later went out as a guitar/vocals solo artist under the name Jack Bodine,” says Parkin. “Sometime after Bill Haley died, Jack sang with the original Comets on UK TV.”
We’d love to hear from anyone who can add any more information.
Huge thanks to Terry “Tetley” Parkin and Jeff Lake for providing further information about the group
Selected gigs:
15 March 1968 – Pink Flamingo, Wardour Street, Soho, London
30 March 1968 – Cottingham Civic Hall, Cottingham, East Riding of Yorkshire with The Big Change
Photo may be subject to copyright
5 April 1968 – Benn Memorial Hall, Rugby, Warwickshire with Pete Kelly’s Solution and Tuxedo Junction Blues Band
Photo may be subject to copyright
9 April 1968 – Klooks Kleek, West Hampstead, London
Photo may be subject to copyright
12 April 1968 – Locarno, Stevenage, Herts
Photo may be subject to copyright
13 April 1968 – Borough Assembly Hall, Aylesbury, Bucks with Candy Bus
14 April 1968 – Bournemouth Pavilion, Bournemouth, Dorset with The Balloons
Photo may be subject to copyright
15 April 1968 – Impsella Club, Chateau Impney, Droitwich, Worcestershire
Photo may be subject to copyright
16 April 1968 – Gala Ballroom, Norwich, Norfolk
18 April 1968 – The Place, Hanley, Staffordshire
Photo may be subject to copyright
19 April 1968 – Ritz, Bournemouth, Dorset
Photo may be subject to copyright
21 April 1968 – Riverside Club, Cricketers Hotel, Chertsey, Surrey
27 April 1968 – Starlight Ballroom, Boston Gliderdrome, Boston, Lincolnshire with Fanny Flicker’s Show and The Cortinas
29 April 1968 – Sheridan Rooms, Nottingham with Bill Haley & The Comets
Photo may be subject to copyright
4 May 1968 – Belfry, Wishaw, near Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands with The Skin Deep (Birmingham Evening Mail)
Photo may be subject to copyright
11 May 1968 – Polytechnic, Little Titchfield Street, London with Karl ‘G’ Big Band
13 May 1968 – Quaintways, Chester, Cheshire with The Hitmakers
Photo may be subject to copyright
18 May 1968 – Gaiety Ballroom, Ramsey, Cambridgeshire with Out of Sight
19 May 1968 – Excel Blue Angel, Middlesbrough
25 May 1968 – Campus, Welwyn Garden City with The Frugal Sound
27 May 1968 – Penny Farthing Club, Leicester
Photo may be subject to copyright
1 June 1968 – Mistrale Club, Beckenham, London with Mr Mo’s Messengers
Photo may be subject to copyright
2 June 1968 – Bournemouth Pavilion, Bournemouth, Dorset with The Palmer James
Photo may be subject to copyright
4 June 1968 – Dudley Zoo, Dudley, West Midlands with Bill Haley & The Comets and Pete Kelly’s Solution
8 June 1968 – Civic Hall, Guildford, Surrey with Pattersons Generation
15 June 1968 – Alex’s Disco, Salisbury, Wiltshire
16 June 1968 – Crown & Cushion, Perry Barr, West Midlands with Jasper Stubbs, Fanny Flickers Rock & Roll Show and Al Copone & Steve Rio
23 June 1968 – Kinema Ballroom, Dunfermline, Scotland with The Falcons and The Shadettes
Photo may be subject to copyright
28 June 1968 – Regal Ballroom, Bonnyrigg, Scotland with Slater’s Street Few and Spider’s Web
29 June 1968 – Cheltenham Spa Lounge and Ballroom, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire with Loopy & Cindy (This may be another band)
12 July 1968 – Swinging Slipper, West Bridgeford, Nottinghamshire
26 July 1968 – Top Spot, Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire with Sound City (This may be another band)
The Manchester Playboys, Hamburg, 1967. Photo from Graham Sclater. Left to right: Malcolm Tag-Randall, Stuart Fahey, Graham Sclater, Peter Simensky, Alan Watkinson and Kerry Burke
The Manchester Playboys (line up from July/August 1965)
Kerry Burke – vocals
John Denson – organ/lead guitar/vocals (left mid-1966)
Stuart Fahey – rhythm guitar/trumpet
Malcolm Tag-Randall – saxophone
Alan Watkinson – bass
Mel Preston – drums (left May 1967)
Jim Warhurst – lead guitar (joined mid-1966, left June 1967)
Peter Simensky – drums (joined May 1967)
Graham Sclater – organ (joined June 1967)
Kenny Anders – lead guitar (joined early 1969)
This tragically overlooked British soul/R&B outfit were authors of the infectious, horn driven soul classic, “I Feel So Good” c/w “I Close My Eyes”, which was released on Fontana Records in September 1966.
The group’s roots can be found in St Helens, Lancashire band, [Mike] Cadillac & The Playboys, who included Stuart Fahey and Alan Watkinson from around 1963. Both hailed from nearby Newton-le-Willows in Lancashire.
Former Classics’ drummer Mel Preston had joined during 1964 and when singer Mike Cadillac departed, another former Classics member John Denson came in on keyboards and vocals. They also added singer/guitarist Les Stocks.
In spring 1965, the band briefly backed singer Lorraine Gray but the partnership was short-lived. Soon after Gray and Stocks (who later got married) emigrated to Australia. By this point, they had adopted the name The Manchester Playboys as the city had become their base and that’s where their management was based.
During July 1965 while playing in Duisberg, West Germany, The Manchester Playboys crossed paths with Beau Brummell & The Noblemen and their sax player Malcolm Randall (aka Tag-Randall), who was originally from Harrow-on-the-Hill, Middlesex, jumped ship. Tag-Randall had started out with Twickenham band, Jeff Curtis & The Flames in early 1963.
Later that month (back in England), they finally persuaded Kerry Burke to join as lead singer, within days of a return trip to West Germany. Like drummer Mel Preston, Burke was originally from St Helens. Burke had started out as singer/harmonica player with St Helens band The Denims and had been earmarked for the group several months before.
“I was an apprentice electrician,” remembers the singer. “The Playboys were out looking for a lead singer and approached me after watching me at a local gig. I turned them down as I already had a good band and apprenticeship. They wouldn’t let go and in the end I joined up. In no time at all, I had a passport, no work permit and we were off to Frankfurt for a month at the Storyville Club.”
As Burke recalls, the band made a number of trips to Germany over the next few years, appearing at Hamburg’s Star Club and Top Ten Club, the Savoy Club in Hanover and the Liverpool Hoop in Berlin to name just a few (see gig list below for more details).
At the end of October 1965, The Manchester Playboys became the second British band to tour Romania after The Federals and spent six weeks there. While in Romania, the band recorded an ultra-rare 10″ album with Carol Kay (aka Karol Keyes) and Bobby Shaftoe, which was released as The Playboys on the Electrecord label.
“Romania was a hard place to live in those times,” says Burke. “Although we were being employed by the Government, they would try and undermine us at any opportunity via photos and articles in the press. We were deemed to be a bad example from the West. They would jam Radio Luxembourg on a regular basis and would greatly restrict the amount of tickets made available to the young people. I didn’t witness much joy there at all.”
Back in England in mid-December, the group met session drummer Bobby Graham who took over the band’s management. Graham was also a producer for the French Barclay recording company.
Sometime in early 1966 the band recorded a four-track EP at Pye Studios near Marble Arch with Bobby Graham at the helm. The EP featured covers of “Woolly Bully”, “Lipstick Traces” and two James Brown covers – “And I Do Just What I Want” and “Tell Me What You’re Gonna Do”. The EP allegedly topped the French charts.
From February 1966, the band started playing regularly in Belgium, particularly at the Shark Club in Ghent.
“We played [the Shark Club] numerous times along with Tony Blackburn as guest DJ,” says Burke. “Dave Berry was huge in Belgium due to a performance in the Eurovision song contest. He turned up at the Shark and he did get up and do a set with us.”
Sometime in mid-1966, The Manchester Playboys played on the same bill as Manchester band, The Meteors in Oldham and asked their guitarist Jim Warhurst (Hyde) to replace John Denson who was leaving.
The new line-up recorded the group’s lone UK single, an excellent blue-eyed soul number, which was released on Fontana Records that autumn.
At the end of May 1967, Mel Preston also left to concentrate on the family business and Jim Warhurst asked his former band mate from The Meteors, Peter Simensky to join.
Simensky had reformed The Meteors with new members as The Hobo Flats in the interim.
“I did my first gig at the Belle Vue in Manchester on 3 June 1967,” says Simensky.
“We left for Hamburg on the 4 June. I remember the day. It was a Sunday morning and as we drove through Stockport, we heard the news that a British Midland flight had just crashed in the centre of Stockport.”
Later that month, The Manchester Playboys saw Graham (Sandy) Sclater playing Hammond organ with The Birds and The Bees at the Star Club. The two bands frequently met in the Bier Shoppe along with other musicians and it was at that time that Jim Warhurst’s father was taken ill and Sclater, who’d been playing in Germany since 1964 with a number of bands, took his place and returned to England with them.
Back in England, The Manchester Playboys rehearsed for a few days in Manchester before travelling down to London to play at Tiles in Oxford Street and the Scotch of St James in Mayfair. They then returned north to play gigs at venues like the Bolton Nevada, the Bolton Palais and The Place in Hanley plus several airforce bases around the UK.
A show from late April 1967 at the Place, Hanley, Staffordshire
Joined by Tag-Randall’s former band mate from Jeff Curtis & The Flames Jeff Lake (who was acting as road manager) the group then traveled to Sweden in mid-August (via Belgium and Denmark) for a tour, and for most shows they backed the female “hit” duo The Caravelles.
Thanks to Mats Jarl for supplying the clipping
“In Sweden we played mainly open air gigs in volk parks,” says Burke.
“Two notable events while we were there. The Swedes were in the state of changing which side of the road they drive on. At that time they used the left hand side. We went out in the van… I believe 3am… and if I remember correctly we just drove to the other side of the road. It all passed very easily without any problems.”
Thanks to Mats Jarl for supplying the clipping. Pop Inn Gothenburg (see gig list below)
Burke also remembers The Manchester Playboys jamming with some special guests at the Cue Club in Gothenburg.
“The owner of the club asked us to take our kit to the lift to the basement club for a party,” says the singer.
Thanks to Mats Jarl for supplying the clipping. This gig may be from 2 September 1967 (see gig listing below)
“The party turned out to be for Jimi Hendrix and his entourage. We already knew Noel Redding from Germany when he was lead guitarist with Neil Landon & The Burnetts. Noel didn’t show up but Jimi, Mitch [Mitchell], the drummer, Chas Chandler and a large group arrived at the party. We were providing the live music. Graham asked Jimi and Mitch up for a jam. They agreed and Jimi took Stuart Fahey’s Baldwin Burns guitar, turned it around as it was strung for a right hander and just played along with the rest of the band, no showmanship, just jamming.”
Back in the UK, Simensky remembers the band doing some further recordings. “We did some recordings for Les Reed; cover versions of current hit records,” he recalls. “Someone said the label eventually became K-Tel.”
These tracks, which included a cover of “Knock on Wood” and “You Got What It Takes” appeared on an EP for Avenue Records in late 1967.
The Manchester Playboys also cut some tracks in West Germany during early 1968.
“When we were playing in Berlin, we were approached by Hansa and asked if we would like to go in the studio and record something,” continues Simensky.
“It would have to be original and the studio was booked two days hence. Alan and I wrote a couple of not very good songs which we recorded and promptly sank without trace, only to surface several years later alongside Georgio Moroder on a compilation album!”
By May 1968, however, Stuart Fahey, Malcolm Tag-Randall and Graham Sclater had all left and the remaining trio carried on briefly with guitarist Kenny Anders from The Chosen Few and Hush. Fahey died in the mid-2000s.
After leaving the band, Malcolm Tag-Randall moved to Cambridgeshire and ended up working with Red Express during the 1970s (who featured several future Shakatak members). However, he is currently suffering from poor health.
Graham Sclater played on sessions for James Taylor’s Apple recordings.
Of the other band members, Kerry Burke currently lives on the Isle of Wight, Alan Watkinson lives in the Manchester area and Pete Simensky lives in Duckingfield.
Watkinson later played with Petrus Boonkamp and The Kaystones. Simensky meanwhile played played with Treetown.
Simensky is also a songwriter and has signed a lot of his songs to Tabitha Music Limited, which is run by Graham Sclater, who lives in Exeter and has his own website: http://tabithabooks.webs.com/authorgrahamsclater.htm.
Selected gigs
15 November 1964 – Royal Star Ballroom, Maidstone, Kent (Kent Messenger)
4 July 1965 – Bolton Palais, Bolton, Greater Manchester (Bolton Evening News)
(Most likely 12-16) July 1965 – The Storyville Jazz Club, Duisberg, West Germany (Kerry Burke recollections)
While The Manchester Playboys are performing at the club in Duisberg, they share the bill with Beau Brummell & The Noblemen. Sax player Malcolm Randall (aka Malcolm Tag-Randall) is blown away by the group and jumps ship
19 July 1965 – Bolton Palais, Bolton, Greater Manchester (Bolton Evening News) Beau Brummell & The Noblemen play in Stockport this evening and it’s possible Malcolm Randall played this date and then joined Manchester Playboys
26 July 1965 – The Cavern, Liverpool (Benefit Show, 12 hour session) with The Five Aces, The Boomerangs, The Cresters, The Clayton Squares, The Dimensions, Earl Preston’s Realms, The Escorts, The Lancastrians, Lorraine Grey, The Merseybeats, The Powerhouse Six and The Richmond Group (Phil Thompson’s Story of the Cavern book/Liverpool Echo)
The group asks Denims singer Kerry Burke to join them for their residency in Frankfurt. The group leaves England in the last week of July, within days of the Cavern benefit show
July/August 1965 – The Storyville Jazz Club, Frankfurt, West Germany with The Chants (Kerry Burke recollections)
1 September 1965 – Group arrives in Belgium (Kerry Burke’s passport) Unless this is exit stamp for return to England from Frankfurt
4 September 1965 – Union Rowing Club, Trent Bridge, Nottingham (Nottingham Evening Post) Advert says they are back from Germany
5 September 1965 – Golden Torch, Tunstall, Staffordshire with The Presidents (Evening Sentinel)
6 September 1965 – Bolton Palais, Bolton, Greater Manchester (Bolton Evening News)
14 September 1965 – Gay Tower Ballroom, Edgbaston, West Midlands (Birmingham Evening Mail)
17 September 1965 – The Cavern, Liverpool with The Verbs and Richmond Group (John Warburg research/Liverpool Echo)
20 September 1965 – Bolton Palais, Bolton, Greater Manchester (Bolton Evening News)
21 September 1965 – Oasis, Manchester (Manchester Evening News and Chronicle) Billed as The Playboys
24 September 1965 – Mecca, Ashton Palais, Ashton under Lyne, Greater Manchester (Manchester Evening News and Chronicle)
26 September 1965 – The Cavern, Liverpool with Earl Preston’s Realms (Phil Thompson’s Story of the Cavern book)
26 September 1965 – Jungfrau, Manchester (Manchester Evening News and Chronicle)
30 September 1965 – Locarno Ballroom, Swindon, Wiltshire with The Yardbirds (Swindon Evening Advertiser)
5 October 1965 – Peppermint Lounge, Liverpool with Dave the Rave (Liverpool Echo)
9 October 1965 – Union Rowing Club, Trent Bridge, Nottingham (Nottingham Evening Post)
18 October 1965 – Bolton Palais, Bolton, Greater Manchester (Bolton Evening News)
22 October 1965 – Grand Naval Dance, Royal College of Advanced Technology, Salford, Greater Manchester with The Original Checkmates, The Meteors and The Fat Sound (Manchester Evening News and Chronicle)
23 October 1965 – Oasis, Manchester with The Graham Bond Organisation (Manchester Evening News and Chronicle)
26 October 1965 – The Cavern, Liverpool with Earl Preston’s Realms (John Warburg research/Liverpool Echo)
30 October-14 December 1965 – Romanian tour (Kerry Burke’s passport). The band recorded as The Playboys while there and a ‘10 was issued in 1966
15 December 1965 – Bulls Head Hotel, Hanford, Staffordshire (Evening Sentinel)
16 December 1965 – Ashton Palais, Ashton-under-Lyne, Greater Manchester (Manchester Evening News & Chronicle)
17 December 1965 – Domino Club, Openshaw, Greater Manchester and Princess Theatre, Chorlton, Greater Manchester with Major Lance and Bluesology Incorporated and Jonathan Good Tweed (Manchester Evening News & Chronicle)
24 December 1965 – Top Twenty Club, Droylsden, Greater Manchester with The Power House Six and Johnny Peters Set (Manchester Evening News & Chronicle)
24 December 1965 – Jungfrau Dance Club, Manchester with Power House Six and Frankenstein’s Monsters (Manchester Evening News & Chronicle)
26 December 1965 – Jungfrau Dance Club, Manchester with Richard Kent Style (Manchester Evening News & Chronicle)
26 December 1965 – Mr Smith’s, Manchester with The Fugitives (Manchester Evening News & Chronicle)
27 December 1965 – Club Creole, Wilmslow, Greater Manchester (Manchester Evening News & Chronicle) Advert says direct from Rumania and billed as The Playboys
30 December 1965 – Bolton Palais, Bolton, Greater Manchester (Bolton Evening News)
1 January 1966 – Union Rowing Club, Trent Bridge, Nottingham (Nottingham Evening Post) Advert says they are direct from a continental tour (Romania)
2 January 1966 –Golden Torch, Tunstall, Staffordshire with Group One (Evening Sentinel)
6 January 1966 – Golden Torch, Tunstall, Staffordshire (Evening Sentinel)
7 January 1966 – Greenways, Baddeley Green, Staffordshire (Evening Sentinel)
8 January 1966 – Queen’s Hall, Burslem, Staffordshire with Group One (Evening Sentinel)
17 January 1966 – Bolton Palais, Bolton, Greater Manchester (Bolton Evening News)
21 January 1966 – Faculty of Building, Trentham Gardens, Stoke Staffordshire with Jack Kirkland’s BBC Broadcasting Band (Evening Sentinel)
24 January 1966 – Bolton Palais, Bolton, Greater Manchester (Bolton Evening News)
30 January 1966 – 76 Club, Burton on Trent, Staffordshire (Burton Evening Mail)
31 January 1966 – Bolton Palais, Bolton, Greater Manchester (Bolton Evening News)
5 February 1966 – 400 Ballroom, Torquay, Devon (Torbay Express and South Devon Echo)
12 February 1966 – Oasis, Manchester (Manchester Evening News & Chronicle)
19-20 February 1966 – Union Rowing Club, Nottingham (Nottingham Evening Post)
24 February 1966 – Bolton Palais, Bolton, Greater Manchester (Bolton Evening News)
25 February 1966 – Club Creole, Wilmslow, Cheshire (Alderley & Wilmslow & Knutsford Advertiser) Says direct from the Scotch of St James
28 February 1966 – Entry date into Belgium, possibly to play the Shark Club, Ghent (Kerry Burke’s passport)
Record Mirror reports in its issue, week ending 16 April that Dave Berry had a TV show in Belgium so this period seems highly plausible. Looks like they may also have played some German dates
3 April 1966 – Golden Torch, Tunstall, Staffordshire with The Sounds of Three (Evening Sentinel)
4 April 1966 – Bolton Palais, Bolton, Greater Manchester (Bolton Evening News) Says back from German tour
9 April 1966 – Union Rowing Club, Nottingham (Nottingham Evening Post) Says back from tour of Germany
11 April 1966 – New Elizabethan, Belle Vue, Manchester (Manchester Evening News & Chronicle)
12 April 1966 – Top Twenty Club, Droylsden, Greater Manchester (Manchester Evening News & Chronicle)
16 April 1966 – King’s Hall, Stoke, Staffordshire with The Small Faces, Roy Grant & The Kingpins and Barmy Barry (Evening Sentinel)
23 April 1966 – Mersey View Ballroom, Frodsham, Cheshire with The Optimists (Cheshire Observer)
24 April 1966 – Mecca Dancing, Newcastle Under Lyme, Staffordshire with The Blue Thunderbirds and The Rocking Vicars (Evening Sentinel)
28 April 1966 – Golden Torch, Tunstall, Staffordshire with The Sounds of Three (Evening Sentinel)
30 April 1966 – Locarno Ballroom, Swindon, Wiltshire with Yes and No (Swindon Evening Advertiser)
2 May 1966 – Bolton Palais, Bolton, Greater Manchester (Bolton Evening News)
6 May 1966 – Crystal Ballroom, Newcastle under Lyme, Staffordshire with Jimmy Powell & The Dimensions, Kris Ryan & The Questions and Wednesday’s Child (Evening Sentinel)
9 May 1966 – Bolton Palais, Bolton, Greater Manchester (Bolton Evening News)
14 May 1966 – The Golden Torch, Tunstall, Staffordshire with The Kinks and Tony Terrett (Evening Sentinel)
15 May 1966 – Starlight Ballroom, Crawley, West Sussex (Caterham Weekly Press)
22 May 1966 – Tower Ballroom, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk with Barry Lee & The Planets (Eastern Evening News/Yarmouth Mercury)
26 May 1966 – Crystal Ballroom, Newcastle under Lyme, Staffordshire (Evening Sentinel)
27 May 1966 – Club Creole, Wilmslow, Cheshire (Alderley & Wilmslow & Knutsford Advertiser)
28 May 1966 – Mersey View Ballroom, Frodsham, Cheshire with The Dodoes (Runcorn Weekly News)
4 June 1966 – Starlight Ballroom, Boston Gliderdrome, Boston, Lincolnshire with Keith Powell and Billie Davis, The End, The Humperdinks and The Ferryboys (Lincolnshire Standard)
6 June 1966 – Bolton Palais, Bolton, Greater Manchester (Bolton Evening News)
7 June 1966 – Crystal Ballroom, Newcastle Under Lyme, Staffordshire (Evening Sentinel)
10 June 1966 – Worsley Civic Hall, Walkden, Worsley, Lancashire with This Generation (Bolton Evening News)
13 June 1966 – Wolverhampton Civic Hall, Wolverhampton, West Midlands with The Ambassadors (Express & Star)
16 June 1966 – Bolton Palais, Bolton, Greater Manchester (Bolton Evening News)
20 June 1966 – Casino Club, Bolton, Greater Manchester with The Crestas (Bolton Evening News)
25 June 1966 – The Place, Hanley, Staffordshire with support (Evening Sentinel)
27 June 1966 – Bolton Palais, Bolton, Greater Manchester (Bolton Evening News)
Jim Warhurst has joined in time (replacing John Denson) to appear on the group’s lone 45 for Fontana “I Feel So Good” c/w “I Close My Eyes”, which is released in September 1966
7 July 1966 – Bolton Palais, Bolton, Greater Manchester (Bolton Evening News)
9 July 1966 – Union Rowing Club, Nottingham (Nottingham Evening Post) Says back again from Germany
12 July 1966 – Crystal Ballroom, Newcastle under Lyme, Staffordshire with Dene Wayne & The Exiles (Evening Sentinel)
14 July 1966 – Locarno, Derby (Derby Evening Telegraph)
16 July 1966 – Locarno Ballroom, Swindon, Wiltshire with Dynamos (Swindon Evening Advertiser)
18 July 1966 – Bolton Palais, Bolton, Greater Manchester (Bolton Evening News)
23 July 1966 – Navada, Bolton, Greater Manchester (Bolton Evening News)
28 July 1966 – Entry date into Belgium on way to Storyville Jazz Club, Cologne, West Germany (Kerry Burke’s passport) The group most likely played at the club for one month
3 September 1966 – Oasis, Manchester with The Wheels and Frankenstein (Manchester Evening News & Chronicle)
3 September 1966 – The Cavern, Liverpool with The Times, The Hideaways, The Mixture, The Dollies, The Dark Ages and The Prowlers (John Warburg research/Liverpool Echo)
4 September 1966 – Burnley Locarno, Burnley, Lancashire (Burnley Express and News)
8 September 1966 – Bradmore WMC, Bradmore, West Midlands (Express & Star)
12 September 1966 – Atlanta Ballroom, Woking, Surrey (Aldershot News/Camberley News)
15 September 1966 – Barrow Public Hall, Barrow in Furness, Cumbria with The Warriors (North Western Mail)
16 September 1966 – Paradise Club, Wigan, Greater Manchester (Liverpool Echo)
17 September 1966 – Union Rowing Club, Trent Bridge, Nottingham (Nottingham Evening Post)
19 September 1966 – Bolton Palais, Bolton, Greater Manchester (Bolton Evening News)
20 September 1966 – Crystal Ballroom, Newcastle Under Lyme, Staffordshire (Evening Sentinel)
23 September 1966 – Hull College of Technology’s Fresher’s Dance with Birds Groove (Hull Daily Mail)
29 September 1966 – The Cavern, Liverpool with Georgia Germs (John Warburg research/Liverpool Echo)
1 October 1966 – The Place, Hanley, Staffordshire (Evening Sentinel)
3 October 1966 – Bolton Palais, Bolton, Greater Manchester (Bolton Evening News)
4 October 1966 – Oasis, Manchester (Manchester Evening News & Chronicle)
7 October 1966 – California Ballroom, Dunstable, Bedfordshire with The James Royal Set (Luton News)
9 October 1966 – Agincourt Ballroom, Camberley, Surrey with support (Aldershot News/Camberley News)
10 October 1966 – Golden Torch, Tunstall, Staffordshire (Evening Sentinel)
10 October 1966 – Bolton Palais, Bolton, Greater Manchester (Bolton Evening News) Looks like they cancelled or the gig was pushed back three days
13 October 1966 – Bolton Palais, Bolton, Greater Manchester (Bolton Evening News)
16 October 1966 – Beachcomber, Bolton, Greater Manchester (Bolton Evening News)
18 October 1966 – Crystal Ballroom, Newcastle Under Lyme, Staffordshire (Evening Sentinel)
27 October 1966 – Entry date into Belgium, possibly to play Shark Club, Ghent (Kerry Burke’s passport)
4 November 1966 – Oasis, Manchester (Manchester Evening News and Chronicle)
5 November 1966 – The Thing, Oldham, Greater Manchester (Oldham Evening Chronicle)
6 November 1966 – Bolton Palais, Bolton, Greater Manchester (Bolton Evening News)
7 November 1966 – Golden Torch, Tunstall, Staffordshire (Evening Sentinel)
11 November 1966 – Crystal Club, Glossop, Greater Manchester (Manchester Evening New and Chronicle)
11 November 1966 – Student Union, Manchester with Paul Butterfield Blues Band and Big City Sound Manchester (Manchester Evening New and Chronicle)
13 November 1966 – Swinging Sinking Ship, Stockport, Greater Manchester (Manchester Evening New and Chronicle)
14 November 1966 – Bolton Palais, Bolton, Greater Manchester (Bolton Evening News)
17 November 1966 – Tiles, Oxford Street, London with Wishful Thinking (Melody Maker)
18 November 1966 – Entry date into Belgium, possibly to play the Shark Club, Ghent (Kerry Burke’s passport)
25 November 1966 – 7 Club, Shrewsbury, Shropshire with The Silvers (Express & Star)
26 November 1966 – Flamingo, Redruth, Cornwall with Circuit 5 (West Briton & The Royal Cornwall Gazette)
27 November 1966 – Flamingo, Redruth, Cornwall (West Briton & The Royal Cornwall Gazette)
3 December 1966 – Locarno Ballroom, Swindon, Wiltshire with Unchained (Swindon Evening Advertiser)
6 December 1966 – The Place Hanley, Staffordshire (Evening Sentinel)
7 December 1966 – Elbow Room, Aston, West Midlands (Birmingham Evening Mail)
10 December 1966 – Oasis, Manchester (Manchester Evening New and Chronicle)
11 December 1966 – Burnley Locarno, Burnley, Lancashire (Burnley Express and News)
12 December 1966 – Bolton Palais, Bolton, Greater Manchester (Bolton Evening News)
14 December 1966 – Tiles, Oxford Street, central London (Melody Maker)
21 December 1966 – The Place, Hanley, Staffordshire with The Factotums (Evening Sentinel)
23 December 1966 – St Bernadette’s, Withington, Greater Manchester with The Children (Manchester Evening New and Chronicle)
24 December 1966 – Golden Torch, Tunstall, Staffordshire with The Children (Evening Sentinel)
25 December 1966 – Top Ten Club, Manchester (Manchester Evening News and Chronicle)
26 December 1966 – Oasis, Manchester with The Chuckles and Some Other Guys (Manchester Evening New and Chronicle)
26 December 1966 – Stockport Town Hall Ballroom, Stockport, Greater Manchester with St Louis Union and Cock-a-Hoops (Manchester Evening New and Chronicle)
27 December 1966 – Peppermint Lounge, Liverpool with Nog (Liverpool Echo)
29 December 1966 – Bolton Palais, Bolton, Greater Manchester (Bolton Evening News)
31 December 1966 – Union Rowing Club, Trent Bridge, Nottingham (Nottingham Evening Post)
1 January 1967 – Jung Frau, Manchester (Manchester Evening News and Chronicle)
4 January 1967 – Tiles, Oxford Street, central London (Melody Maker)
6 January 1967 – Entry date into Belgium on the way to play Hans der Musik, Wuppertal, West Germany for one month (Kerry Burke’s passport)
24 February 1967 – Blackpool Tower, Blackpool, Lancashire with The Graham Bond Organisation, The Easybeats, The Iveys and The Cryin Shames (Kerry Burke’s recollections) This was the band’s first gig back in the UK after the Wuppertal residency
25 February 1967 – Navada, Bolton, Greater Manchester (Bolton Evening News)
4 March 1967 – White Bicycle, Maple Ballroom, Northampton, Northamptonshire with The Legal Matter (Northampton Chronicle)
10 March 1967 – SBYC, St Bernadette’s, Withington, Greater Manchester (Manchester Evening News and Chronicle)
11 March 1967 – Oasis, Manchester (Manchester Evening News and Chronicle)
13 March 1967 – Belfry, Wishaw, West Midlands with New Way of Life (Birmingham Evening Post)
14 March 1967 – The Place, Hanley, Staffordshire (Evening Sentinel)
17 March 1967 – Carlton Club, Warrington, Cheshire with The Executives (Warrington Guardian)
19 March 1967 – Tiles, Oxford Street, London (Melody Maker)
26 March 1967 – Entry date into Belgium (Kerry Burke’s passport)
6 April 1967 – Crystal Ballroom, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire (Evening Sentinel)
7 April 1967 – Tabernacle, Stockport, Greater Manchester with The Iveys (Manchester Evening News and Chronicle)
13 April 1967 – Locarno Ballroom, Coventry, West Midlands with PP Arnold and The Nice (Coventry Evening Telegraph)
15 April 1967 – Union Rowing Club, Trent Bridge, Nottingham (Nottingham Evening Post) Back from a European tour (see Belgium entry date above)
22 April 1967 – Blue Lagoon, Newquay, Cornwall with The Jaguars (West Briton & Royal Cornish Gazette/Cornish Guardian)
26 April 1967 – The Place, Hanley, Staffordshire with The Cheetahs (Evening Sentinel)
29 April 1967 – New Century Hall, Manchester with The Silverstone Set (Manchester Evening News and Chronicle)
3 May 1967 – Entry date into Belgium (Kerry Burke’s passport)
12 May 1967 – Carlton Club, Warrington, Cheshire (Warrington Guardian)
19 May 1967 – Boulevard, Tadcaster, West Yorkshire with The Screen (Yorkshire Evening Post)
27 May 1967 – Staffs Volunteer, Bushbury, Wolverhampton, West Midlands (Express & Star)
30 May 1967 – The Place, Hanley, Staffordshire with The Shell Shock Show (Evening Sentinel)
Mel Preston left at this point and Peter Simensky joined, playing his first show on 3 June at the Belle Vue
3 June 1967 – Belle Vue, Manchester (Manchester Evening News and Chronicle)
3 June 1967 – Top Ten Club, Manchester (Manchester Evening News and Chronicle) They left for Hamburg next day
6 June 1967 – Entry date into West Germany (Kerry Burke’s passport)
6 June-2 July 1967 – The Star Club, St Pauli, Hamburg, West Germany (Ian Hamilton contract) Shared with various acts including The Equals, The Hi-Fis and The Birds and The Bees from 30 June to 1 July
Jim Warhurst leaves during late June/early July and Graham Sclater joins from The Birds and The Bees
3 July 1967 – Entry date into the Netherlands (Kerry Burke’s passport)
7 July 1967 – Tiles, Oxford Street, London (Graham Sclater’s diary)
8 July 1967 – Scotch of St James, Mayfair, London (Graham Sclater’s diary)
10 July 1967 – Bolton Nevada, Bolton, Greater Manchester (Graham Sclater’s diary)
12 July 1967 – RAF Bentwaters, near Woodbridge, Suffolk (Graham Sclater’s diary)
13 July 1967 – Tiles, Oxford Street, London with Chas Stevens (Melody Maker) The group was advertised playing in Melody Maker but this gig did not happen
14 July 1967 – Gig in Huddersfield (Graham Sclater’s diary)
15 July 1967 – Ritz Manchester (Graham Sclater’s diary)
16-17 July 1967 – Bolton Mecca, Bolton, Greater Manchester (Graham Sclater’s diary)
18-20 July – Mr Smith’s, Manchester (Graham Sclater’s diary)
21 July 1967 – Gig in Freshwater (Graham Sclater’s diary)
22 July 1967 – Gig in Swansea, south Wales (Graham Sclater’s diary) Port Talbot Guardian has the group appearing at Ritz, Skewen, Wales on this date with The King B’s
23 July 1967 – Gig in Blackburn, Lancashire (Graham Sclater’s diary)
26 July 1967 – The Place, Hanley, Staffordshire with Milton James (Evening Sentinel)
27 July 1967 – Gig in Sheffield, South Yorkshire (Graham Sclater’s diary)
28 July 1967 – Gig in Prescott (Graham Sclater’s diary)
29 July 1967 – RAF Bentwaters, near Woodbridge, Suffolk (Graham Sclater’s diary)
1 August 1967 – Scotch of St James, Mayfair, London (Graham Sclater’s diary)
2 August 1967 – Gig in Preston, Lancashire (Graham Sclater’s diary)
3 August 1967 – Palais, Bolton, Greater Manchester (Bolton Evening News)
4 August 1967 – RAF High Wycombe, High Wycombe, Bucks (Graham Sclater’s diary)
5 August 1967 – Gig in Mildenhall (Graham Sclater’s diary)
10 August 1967 – YMCA Ipswich, Suffolk (Graham Sclater’s diary)
11 August 1967 – Entry date into Belgium, possibly to play the Shark Club, Ghent (Kerry Burke’s passport)
Graham Sclater’s diary has The Shark Club listed for 11-16 August but he’s not sure they did play. However, the dates do tally with Kerry’s passport stamp above, although it is unlikely they played 16th July if this did happen as they arrived in Denmark that day.
Malcolm Tag-Randall’s old friend and former band mate from Jeff Curtis & The Flames, Jeff Lake was road manager on the Swedish tour and recalls the band playing a club just outside Ghent
18 August 1967 – Entry date into Sweden via Denmark (Kerry Burke’s passport)
Thanks to Mats Jarl for supplying the clipping
18 August 1967 – Pop Inn, Gothenburg, Sweden backing The Caravelles (Graham Sclater’s diary)
19 August 1967 – Gig in Virestom, Sweden backing The Caravelles (Graham Sclater’s diary)
20-21 August 1967 – Gig in Gaule, Sweden backing The Caravelles (Graham Sclater’s diary)
Thanks to Mats Jarl for supplying the clipping
22 August 1967 – Gig in Stockholm, Sweden backing The Caravelles (Graham Sclater’s diary)
23 August 1967 – Globe Club, Gothenburg, Sweden backing The Caravelles (Graham Sclater’s diary)
25 August 1967 – Saffle, Gothenburg, Sweden backing The Caravelles (Graham Sclater’s diary)
Thanks to Mats Jarl for supplying the clipping
26 August 1967 – Ellos-Hunnebo, Sweden backing The Caravelles (Graham Sclater’s diary)
Thanks to Mats Jarl for supplying the clipping
27 August 1967 – Uddevalla-Trollhatt, Sweden backing The Caravelles (Graham Sclater’s diary)
28-31 August 1967 – Gigs in Gothenburg, Sweden backing The Caravelles (Graham Sclater’s diary)
2 September 1967 – Cue Club, Gothenburg, Sweden with The Rebels and The Shamrocks (Mats Jarl clipping) Exact date needs confirmation
Thanks to Mats Jarl for supplying the clipping
2 September 1967 – Globe Club, Gothenburg, Sweden with The Patch (Mats Jarl clipping) Exact date needs confirmation
Thanks to Mats Jarl for supplying the clipping
3 September 1967 – Hoffrekullen, Romelanda, Gothenburg, Sweden with The Hill Billy Five (Mats Jarl clipping)
3 September 1967 – Cue Club, Gothenburg, Sweden (Kerry Burke recollections) Jammed with Jimi Hendrix
7 September 1967 – Left Sweden to return to UK via Denmark (Kerry Burke’s passport)
8-9 September 1967 – RAF Bentwaters, near Woodbridge, Suffolk (Graham Sclater’s diary)
10-11 September 1967 – Hatchetts Playground, Piccadilly, central London (Graham Sclater’s diary)
15-16 September 1967 – RAF Bentwaters, near Woodbridge, Suffolk (Graham Sclater’s diary)
17 September 1967 – College Club, Manchester (Graham Sclater’s diary)
21 September 1967 – Imperial, Darlington (Graham Sclater’s diary)
22 September 1967 – Carlton Club, Warrington, Cheshire with The Do-Does (Warrington Guardian)
23 September 1967 – Locarno Ballroom, Swindon, Wiltshire with The Avalons (Swindon Evening Advertiser)
24 September 1967 – Plaza Huddersfield (Graham Sclater’s diary)
27 September 1967 – The Place, Hanley, Staffordshire with The Drifters (Evening Sentinel)
28 September 1967 – Cinysey, north Wales (Graham Sclater’s diary)
29 September 1967 – SBYC, St Bernadette’s, Withington, south Manchester (Manchester Evening News and Chronicle)
30 September 1967 – Menwith Club, Yorkshire (Graham Sclater’s diary)
1 October 1967 – Golden Torch, Tunstall, Staffordshire (Evening Sentinel)
5 October 1967 – Entry date into Belgium (Kerry Burke’s passport)
9-14 October 1967 – Hatchetts Playground, Piccadilly, central London (Graham Sclater’s diary) Graham isn’t totally sure about this one
19 October 1967 – Beachcomber, Luton, Bedfordshire (John Warburg research)
Graham Sclater has Dunstable not Luton
22 October 1967 – Birdcage, Harlow (Graham Sclater’s diary)
25 October 1967 – The Place, Hanley, Staffordshire with The Waterboard (Evening Sentinel)
26 October 1967 – Palais, Bolton, Greater Manchester (Graham Sclater’s diary)
27 October 1967 – RAF Bentwaters, near Woodbridge, Suffolk (Graham Sclater’s diary)
28 October 1967 – NCO gig in Crighton (Graham Sclater’s diary)
This is probably RAF Croughton in Northamptonshire. The Coventry Evening Telegraph also lists the band playing at the Flower Pot Club in Digbeth, Birmingham on this date with The Junction. The Flower Pot Club gig is also confirmed by the Birmingham Evening Mail (see picture below)
30 October 1967 – Town Hall, Spennymoor (Graham Sclater’s diary)
5 November 1967 – Two Bar Egremont (Graham Sclater’s diary)
8 November 1967 – Penny Farthing, Hanley, Staffordshire (Evening Sentinel)
10 November 1967 – Entry date into Belgium, possibly on the way to West Germany for gigs. This must be a mistake as the band played UK dates around this period unless the UK gigs were cancelled?
10 November 1967 – Caesar’s Club, Bedford (Graham Sclater’s diary)
11 November 1967 – Navada Bolton, Bolton, Greater Manchester (Graham Sclater’s diary)
12 November 1967 – Sloopy’s, Manchester (Manchester Evening News and Chronicle) This gig was advertised in Manchester Evening News so perhaps the UK dates did happen?
24 January 1968 – New Century Hall, Manchester (Graham Sclater’s diary) This date needs confirmation. Sclater recalls that the group played two Manchester gigs on the same night at short notice backing singer Madelaine Bell. Status Quo were supposed to do the honours but were appearing on Top of the Pops.
26 January 1968 – Queens Rink Ballroom, Hartlepool with Mark Aynsley Big Beat Band (Graham Sclater’s diary/Middlesbrough Evening Gazette)
27 January 1968 – Il Rondo Ballroom, Leicester (Leicester Mercury)
28 January 1968 – Clayton Lodge Hotel, Newcastle under Lyme, Staffordshire (Graham Sclater’s diary)
28 January 1968 – Bamboo Club, Wilmslow, Cheshire (Alderley & Wilmslow Advertiser) Missing from Graham Sclater’s diary
1 February 1968 – Drokiweeny, Manchester (Manchester Evening News) Missing from Graham Sclater’s diary
7 February 1968 – RAF Bentwaters, near Woodbridge, Suffolk or Casino, Leigh (Graham Sclater’s diary)
8 February 1968 – Bolton Palais, Bolton, Greater Manchester (Graham Sclater’s diary)
9 February 1968 – Gig in Woodbridge, Suffolk (Graham Sclater’s diary) Could possibly be Drill Hall, Woodbridge
10 February 1968 – RAF Bentwaters, near Woodbridge, Suffolk (Graham Sclater’s diary)
14 February 1968 – Entry date into the Netherlands on the way to West Germany (Kerry Burke’s passport)
15 February 1968 – Entry into East Germany on the way to West Berlin to play the Liverpool Hoop for one month (Kerry Burke’s recollections/passport)
March 1968 – Top Ten Club, Hamburg, West Germany with Floribunda Rose and then Bluesology (Graham Sclater’s recollections)
9 April 1968 – The Place, Hanley, Staffordshire (Graham Sclater’s diary)
13 April 1968 – Lion Hotel, Warrington, Cheshire with Gospel Garden (Warrington Guardian)
Malcolm Tag-Randall remembers that he left after this gig or shortly after and briefly reunited with Jeff Lake in Tommy Bishop’s Rock ‘N’ Roll Revival Show for a gig in Barry, south Wales. Tag-Randall later played with The Red Express and Sindy & The Action Men among others.
14 April 1968 – Lower Chambers Town Hall, Rochdale (Graham Sclater’s diary)
22 April 1968 – Bolton Palais, Bolton, Greater Manchester (Graham Sclater’s diary)
24 April 1968 – RAF Bentwaters, near Woodbridge, Suffolk (Graham Sclater’s diary)
27 April 1968 – Gig in Woodbridge, Suffolk (Graham Sclater’s diary) Could possibly be Drill Hall, Woodbridge
27 April 1968 – Rainbow Suite Co-op, Birmingham with Ultra Sound (Birmingham Evening Mail)
Graham Sclater doesn’t have the Birmingham gig in his diary and says he left after the Woodbridge date. He thinks Malcolm Tag-Randall left at the same time as did Stuart Fahey. Kenny Anders joined on lead guitar
11 May 1968 – Windsor Ballroom, Redcar, North Yorkshire with The Skyliners (Middlesbrough Evening Gazette)
12 May 1968 – Clayton Lodge Hotel, Newcastle under Lyme, Staffordshire (Evening Sentinel)
2 September 1968 – Penny Farthing, Southend, Essex (Southend Standard)
3 October 1968 – Penny Farthing, Southend, Essex (Southend Standard)
17 October 1968 – Penny Farthing, Southend, Essex (Southend Standard)
26 October 1968 – Ritz, Bournemouth, Dorset (Bournemouth Evening Echo)
31 October 1968 – Penny Farthing, Southend, Essex (Southend Standard)
2 November 1968 – Wellington Manor Country Club, Crowthorne, Berkshire (Reading Evening Post)
Many thanks to the following for their generous input: Kerry Burke, Peter Simensky, Graham Sclater and Malcolm Randall. To add further information, please email the author at Warchive@aol.com.
Jeff Curtis & the Flames, circa spring 1963. From left to right: Malcolm Randall, Louis McKelvey, Dave Wigginton, Keith Gardiner, Malcolm Tomlinson and Jeff Curtis
Revised February 2018
Jeff Curtis & The Flames #1 (circa May 1961-May 1962)
Jeff Curtis – lead vocals
Mick Cartwright – lead guitar
Robin “Jesse” James – rhythm guitar
Gary Wheeler – bass
Derek “Dell” Saville – drums
Twickenham born insurance salesman Jeff Curtis (born David Myers; 20 June 1940) had ambitions to be a singer/performer and reportedly put together the original Flames around mid-1961 after singing in a choir.
Little is known about the early Flames. However, according to drummer Dell Saville, Curtis approached him to join a version with three Whitton musicians in mid-1961. These comprised lead guitarist Mick Cartwright, rhythm guitarist Robin “Jesse” James and bass player Gary Wheeler. Curtis ran a short-lived club, the JC Rock Club in the New British Legion Hall on Long Lane, Hillingdon Circus and the musicians played there often, debuting on 26 July 1961. Around May 1962, however, the musicians went their separate ways and Saville joined Ray Dell & The Rocking Deacons. James joined The Downliners briefly.
Advert in Uxbridge Post, 8 November 1961
Curtis started to piece together a new version of The Flames in late 1962/early 1963, starting with Hounslow-based bass player Dave Wigginton (b. 25 February 1943, Isleworth, Middlesex), who held a senior position at an import/export warehouse at London (later Heathrow) Airport during the day, and was working with Twickenham outfit, Johnny & The Pursuers, who played at the JC Rock Club. Thanks to Wigginton’s connections, the new Flames would use the warehouse to rehearse in the evenings. The bass player quickly recommended fellow Pursuers’ guitarist Louis McKelvey (b. 31 October 1943, Killorglin, County Kerry, Eire).
Born above a pub Louis McKelvey came from an artistic background; his mother and father worked in theatre. After boarding at Silverlands House in Chertsey, he attended school in Twickenham, Middlesex, where he was classmates with Don Craine, later of The Downliners Sect fame. McKelvey’s first band was local outfit Johnny & The Pursuers.
Soon after, Curtis recruited rhythm guitarist Keith Gardiner (b. September 1942). In late 1957, when he was 15 years old, Gardiner had befriended 10-year-old drummer John “Mitch” Mitchell at Tudor Rose Youth Club in Southall, Middlesex and had formed a rudimentary band together with guitarist Pete Ross, who subsequently went on to Ealing band, The Flexmen. At the time, Mitchell was attending Jim Marshall’s shop in Hanwell, Middlesex where he was taking drum lessons while Gardiner was taking guitar lessons from top session player, the late Big Jim Sullivan among others.
Wiggington recommended Malcolm Tomlinson (b. 16 June 1946, Isleworth, Middlesex) on drums around December 1962 after seeing him at a local youth club playing with The Panthers. Tomlinson was brought up in Cranford, near London Airport, where his parents worked for British Airways.
A talented musician, who later became a multi-instrumentalist, Tomlinson had attended Spring Grove Grammar School in Isleworth where he was classmates with fellow drummer Mick Underwood, who went on to work with The Outlaws with Ritchie Blackmore among others, and guitarist Tony Bramwell (see later entry). Initially a guitarist, Tomlinson started playing drums in late 1962 and soon proved his natural ability on the kit.
The new formation debuted at Curtis’s Hillingdon club but it soon closed down.
Keith Gardiner says the band opened for The Rolling Stones a couple of times at the Station Hotel in Richmond during February-March 1963 before the club was renamed the Crawdaddy. They also played at the Ealing Club during this period a few times.
Louis McKelvey, Dave Wigginton, Malcolm Tomlinson (partially obscured), Keith Gardiner and Jeff Curtis. Photo: Dave Wigginton
Around March 1963, the musicians completed the new formation with jazz enthusiast, Harrow-on-The-Hill-based sax player Malcolm Randall (b. October 1942, Hendon, Middlesex), who later earned the nickname C B (current bun). Randall’s debut was a gig in Brighton.
Competing with The Rolling Stones, another Ealing Club regular, for local area gigs, Curtis’s band started to travel further afield, including the Whisky A Go Go in Manchester.
During 1963, they backed singer Roly Daniels for a show in Catford in Southeast London.
Wigginton remembers playing a club on Jermyn Street in central London in the early days. He also says the band performed at Chiswick Polytechnic, Wandsworth Polytechnic and Chiswick Town Hall during this period.
After working with a manager who also looked after local group Pete Nelson & The Travellers, Jeff Curtis & The Flames signed to Bob Potter’s agency and started working around the Surrey/Hampshire area, including the Agincourt Ballroom in Camberley.
During this time, they opened for Freddie & The Dreamers at Botwell House in Hayes, Middlesex and Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers at Kew Boathouse among others.
Jeff Curtis & The Flames #2 (Circa December 1962-December 1963)
Jeff Curtis – lead vocals
Louis McKelvey – lead guitar
Keith Gardiner – rhythm guitar, backing vocals
Malcolm Randall – saxophone (joined around March 1963)
Dave Wigginton – bass
Malcolm Tomlinson – drums/backing vocals
Jeff Curtis & The Flames, Walthamstow, north London, January 1963. Interestingly Jeff Curtis is playing the piano. This was before Malcolm Randall joined.
On 1 June 1963, Jeff Curtis & The Flames played their most high-profile gig to date, appearing with a number of local West London bands on the “Rock Twist Jive Channel Crossing”, a rock extravaganza that took place on-board the Channel ferry, the M V Royal Daffodil, which sailed from Southend, Essex to Boulogne. The billing included Tomlinson’s future band leader, Fulham-based singer Jimmy Marsh and his former Spring Grove class mate, Mick Underwood who was playing with The Outlaws and backing the show’s headline act, Jerry Lee Lewis.
Jeff Curtis & the Flames, 1963. Photo courtesy of Keith Gardiner. Left to right: Louis McKelvey, Keith Gardiner, Jeff Curtis, Malcolm Tomlinson, Dave Wigginton and Malcolm RandallJeff Curtis & the Flames, 1963. From left: Keith Gardiner, Louis McKelvey, Malcolm Tomlinson, Malcolm Randall, Dave Wigginton and Jeff Curtis (front)Poster for the Channel Crossing, 1 June 1963. Image courtesy of Keith Gardiner
On 4 October 1963, Jeff Curtis & The Flames were given the opportunity to record some demos. The band (minus Malcolm Randall) cut a four-track acetate at Lansdowne Recording Studios on Lansdowne Road in Holland Park, which comprised covers of Chuck Berry’s “Bye Bye Johnny” and “It Don’t Take But A Few Minutes” (with Lenny Hastings on drums); Robert Allen and Richard Adler’s “Everybody Loves a Lover”; and Bobby Troup’s “Route 66”.
Two tracks were allegedly readied for release as a single for HMV but when this did not happen, Gardiner departed and dropped out of the music scene, although he did briefly sub for Ken Lundgren in The Outlaws at a few gigs.
Years later he formed his own band The Keith Gardiner Band (KGB), which performed around the Shepperton, Middlesex area.
Acid Jazz Records subsequently used one of the recordings for its Rare Mod CD series.
Notable gigs:
Photo: Walthamstow GuardianPhoto: Dave Wigginton. The Flames at Walthamstow Assembly Hall, January 1963
19 January 1963 – Walthamstow Assembly Hall, Walthamstow with The Gallions and Paul & The Alpines (billed as The Flames)
9 March 1963 – Hillingdon Club, Sevenoaks, Kent
Photo: Harrow Observer
20 March 1963 – British Legion Hall, South Harrow, Middlesex
Photo: Surrey Comet
3 May 1963 – St Peter’s Hall, Kingston Upon Thames, Surrey with The Sinners (billed as The Flames) First time in Kingston
Photo: Woking Herald
10 May 1963 – Weybridge Hall, Weybridge, Surrey
1 June 1963 – Rock Twist Jive Channel Crossing with Jerry Lee Lewis & The Outlaws, The Four Whirlwinds, The Del-Lormes, Johnny Angel, Nero & The Gladiators, Dane Robert, Vicki Rowe, Ricky Valance, The Fabulous Fleerekkers, Colin Chapman and Jimmy Marsh
Photo: Surrey Comet
14 June 1963 – St Peter’s Hall, Kingston Upon Thames, Surrey with Tony Clayton & The Impalas (billed as The Fabulous Flames with saxophone backing)
20 July 1963 – Walton Hop, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey
At Silver Blades Ice Rink, The Streatham News, August 2, 1963
2-3 August 1963 – Silver Blades, Streatham, London
28 September 1963 – Agincourt Ballroom, Camberley, Surrey with Allen & The Blue Diamonds (billed as The Flames) According to Keith Gardiner who is in touch with the guitarist from Tommy Bruce’s band, The Flames actually played on 29 September as the opening act
Photo: Walthamstow Guardian
12 October 1963 – Walthamstow Assembly Hall, Walthamstow with Mel James & The Meltones and Jimmy Ritchie Combo (billed erroneously as Jess Curtis & The Flames)
30 November 1963 – Walton Hop, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey
Jeff Curtis & The Flames #3 (December 1963-July 1964)
Jeff Curtis – lead vocals
Louis McKelvey – lead guitar
Ray Soper – organ
Malcolm Randall – saxophone
Dave Wigginton – bass
Malcolm Tomlinson – drums/backing vocals
Jeff Curtis replaced Keith Gardiner with Putney, Surrey-based organist Ray Soper (b. 9 May 1941, Battersea, London), who would play with The Flames on several occasions over the next two years, venturing off to perform with various other local groups. Soper had gone to Sir Walter St John Grammar School in Battersea, south London and started playing classical piano at six years of age. In 1959, when he was 18 years old, Soper began working with local rock groups in the Chelsea area.
Around February 1964, the band did a demo session with Decca Records in West Hampstead but nothing came from it.
After leaving Bob Potter’s agency, Jeff Curtis & The Flames got work with the Roy Tempest agency. The new line up continued to gig widely but Tomlinson started to get bored.
In mid-summer the drummer took up an offer from former Fairlanes lead singer Jimmy Marsh, who he’d met on the cross Channel gig the previous summer, to join his new band, The Del Mar Trio. Tomlinson subsequently went on to play with The Noblemen, The Motivation, The Penny Peeps and Gethsemane before immigrating to Canada in January 1969 and continuing his musical career there. He subsequently worked with the likes of Bill King and Rick James among others and cut two solo albums in the late Seventies.
Notable gigs:
1 February 1964 – Hermitage Ballroom, Hitchin, Herts with The League of Gentlemen and The Dyaks
Photo: Walthamstow Guardian
29 February 1964 – Walthamstow Assembly Hall, Walthamstow with Pat McQueen Combo and The Preachers
Opening for the Rattles, March 14, 1964
14 March 1964 – Starlight Ballroom, Boston Gliderdrome, Lincolnshire with The Rattles (billed as Geoff Curtis & The Flames)
26 March 1964 – Ealing Club, Ealing, Middlesex
2 April 1964 – Ealing Club, Ealing, Middlesex
4 April 1964 – King’s Hall, Aberystwyth, Wales
5 April 1964 – Southall Community Centre, Southall, Middlesex with The Rattles
9 April 1964 – Ealing Club, Ealing, Middlesex
16 April 1964 – Ealing Club, Ealing, Middlesex
23 April 1964 – Ealing Club, Ealing, Middlesex
30 April 1964 – Ealing Club, Ealing, Middlesex
2 May 1964 – Silver Blades, Streatham, London
14 May 1964 – Rocky Rivers Top 20 Club, Conservative Club, Bedford
18 June 1964 – Majestic Ballroom, Luton, Beds with Peter’s Faces
Jeff Curtis & The Flames #4 (July 1964-January 1965)
Jeff Curtis – lead vocals
Louis McKelvey – lead guitar
Malcolm Randall – saxophone
Ray Soper – keyboards (left around September 1964)
Dave Wigginton – bass
Pete Burt – drums
+
Jeff Lake – saxophone (joined around September 1964)
The band’s new drummer was Pete Burt (b. 20 August 1946, Redhill, Surrey), younger brother of Mick Burt, sticks man with Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers, who answered an advert in the music press. Brought up in South Harrow, Middlesex where he attended Roxeth Manor School, Burt had previously played with a non-professional band that started life at Botwell House, Hayes backing singer Robert (Bob) Chambers.
In an amazing twist of fate, the lead guitarist in the band was Tony Bramwell, Pete Burt’s predecessor Malcolm Tomlinson’s former class mate from Spring Grove Grammar School in Isleworth. The band played a couple of gigs before splitting up around mid-1964. Bramwell then went on to play with local bands, The Fantoms, The Fantom Creed, The Sheratons and The Hum Drum Band.
Sometime in August, the band auditioned for Joe Meek for the first time.
Clockwise from bottom left: Dave Wigginton (bass), Malcolm Randall (sax), Pete Burt (drums), Jeff Curtis (vocals), Jeff Lake (sax) and Louis McKelvey (guitar). Photo: Dave Wigginton
Around late September 1964, Ray Soper was sacked and Malcolm Randall introduced his friend, sax player Jeff Lake. Soper immediately found work with Buddy Britten & The Regents alongside future Deep Purple bass player Nick Simper. He would then work with Cyrano & The Bergeracs, where he reunited with Simper in 1965 but would remain on the fringes of The Flames.
Shortly after Jeff Lake’s arrival, the band returned to Lansdowne Recording Studios in October 1964 to record a two-track demo that included a cover of Solomon Burke and Bert Berns’ “Down In The Valley”.
McKelvey, however, was also growing restless and departed in early January 1965. On the afternoon of his wedding day (most likely in June 1965), he headed to Germany to reunite with former Jeff Curtis & The Flames drummer Malcolm Tomlinson, who was working with James Deane & The London Cats. The guitarist gigged with The London Cats for about a month before returning to London.
Then, around September 1965, McKelvey travelled to South Africa and ended up recording with The Upsetters and The A-Cads. In April 1966, The A-Cads moved to the UK to work with producer Mickie Most but when nothing happened, the guitarist moved to Montreal in September. Based in Canada, McKelvey recorded with Our Generation and Influence before returning to the UK in July 1968 briefly.
Back home he reunited with former Jeff Curtis & The Flames drummer Malcolm Tomlinson. The pair relocated to Toronto in January 1969 where they formed Milkwood and recorded an unreleased album with legendary producer, the late Jerry Ragavoy for Polydor Records. McKelvey would subsequently work with Toronto bands, Damage (alongside Tomlinson) and Powerhouse and record with Marble Hall. He currently lives in Toronto.
Notable gigs:
2 July 1964 – Majestic Ballroom, Luton, Beds with The All Stars
10 July 1964 – Berkhamsted Town Hall, Berkhamsted, Herts
11 July 1964 – Hermitage Ballroom, Hitchin, Herts with Clouds
18 July 1964 – Marcam Hall, March, Cambridgeshire
1 August 1964 – The Gaiety, Ramsey, Cambridgeshire with The Swinging Sounds
6 August 1964 – Rocky Rivers Top 20 Club, Conservative Club, Bedford, Bedfordshire
29 August 1964 – Hermitage Ballroom, Hitchin, Herts with Kit & The Saracens
8 October 1964 – Majestic Ballroom, Luton, Beds with The Roulettes
5 December 1964 – Hermitage Ballroom, Hitchin, Herts with The Midniters
8 December 1964 – Floral Hall, Gorleston-on-Sea, Norfolk
19 December 1964 – Ealing Club, Ealing, Middlesex with The Hobos
2 January 1965 – St George’s Hall, Exeter, Devon with Roger & The Sabres (billed as The Flames)
3 January 1965 – Majestic Ballroom, Luton, Beds with The Mojos
Jeff Curtis & the Flames, late ’64. From left: Louis McKelvey, Jeff Curtis, Dave Wigginton, Pete Burt (front on drums), Jeff Lake and Malcolm Randall.
Jeff Curtis & The Flames #5 (January-February 1965)
Jeff Curtis – lead vocals
Dave Caralambous (aka Dave Carol) – lead guitar
Jeff Lake – saxophone
Malcolm Randall – saxophone
Dave Wigginton – bass
Pete Burt – drums
Dave Marcus Theos Michael Caralambous aka Dave Carol (b. Dave Charalambous, 14 January 1949, Isleworth, Middlesex) was brought up in nearby Twickenham. His first band was The Drovers, which he joined around 1962 and also included rhythm guitarist Richard Allen and drummer Geoff Coxon, who would feature in The Flames’ history in later years when they changed name to The Kool.
In late 1963, The Drovers changed name to The Smokestacks after lead singer Mike Smith joined and Brian Hosking from Twickenham band, The Legend, joined on bass. The Smokestacks became resident band at the 51 Club in central London. In the summer of 1964, Carol joined Hounslow band, The Valkeries and remained with them until January 1965 when he joined The Flames. He was also in the same class at school as McKelvey’s younger sister. Carol says he made his debut at the Locarno Ballroom in Swindon.
The changes, however, didn’t end there. Sax player Malcolm Randall left in early February and subsequently joined Bognor Regis band Beau Brummell & The Noblemen for about six months. In July 1965, he jumped ship to join Manchester’s Playboys.
While with that band, Randall appeared on an excellent soul single for Fontana – “I Feel So Good” c/w “I Close My Eyes”. In an incredible twist of fate, during late 1966, Malcolm Randall was playing with Manchester’s Playboys at Liverpool’s Cavern Club when he saw the latest version of The Noblemen on stage and was amazed to see his former Jeff Curtis & The Flames compatriot Malcolm Tomlinson playing drums!
After leaving Manchester’s Playboys in mid-1968, Malcolm Randall moved to Cambridgeshire and ended up working with Red Express during the 1970s, which later morphed (after Randall had left) into Shakatak. He then worked with Sindy & The Action Men among others.
In need of a replacement, Jeff Lake introduced his friend from Harrow – George Russell.
Notable gigs:
11 January 1965 – Locarno Ballroom, Swindon, Wiltshire with Sonny Childe & The Elders Consolidated
22 January 1965 – Majestic Ballroom, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne & Wear
23 January 1965 – Marcam Hall, March, Cambridgeshire with The Fourmost
28 January 1965 – Majestic Ballroom, Luton, Bedfordshire with Johnny Thunder & The Thunderbirds
13 February 1965 – Starlight Ballroom, Boston Gliderdrome, Lincolnshire with The Searchers and Rodgers Lodgers (possibly one of George Russell’s first gigs)
Jeff Curtis & the Flames listed as one of the Roy Tempest Organisation’s Top 20 for 1965
Jeff Curtis & The Flames #6 (February-April 1965)
Jeff Curtis – lead vocals
Dave Caralambous (aka Dave Carol) – lead guitar, vocals
Jeff Lake – saxophone
George Russell – saxophone
Dave Wigginton – bass
Pete Burt – drums
With two of the early band members gone, including his former band mate from Johnny & The Pursuers, Louis McKelvey, Dave Wigginton handed in his notice and agreed to work until mid-April. His replacement was Ray Brown (b. 1944, Hayes, Middlesex), who ended up buying Wigginton’s pink Fender Precision bass. Having rehearsed with Jeff Curtis’s band since January, Brown made his debut with Jeff Curtis & The Flames at Walthamstow Assembly Hall on 24 April.
Photo: Walthamstow Guardian
Brown started with the Sky Blue Skiffle Group in 1956 and two years later appeared on BBC TV’s Carol Levis Junior Discoveries. In 1961-1962, he worked with Hayes band The Preachers and also spent a brief period in a short-lived group with Nick Simper. Soon after joining The Flames, Brown and his school friend Steve Reading from the Sky Blue Skiffle Group wrote and sang backing vocals on “Heart Full of Sorrow” by Heinz, which was released on Columbia in November 1965.
Notable gigs:
28 February 1965 – Olympia, Cromer, Norfolk with Circuit Five
5-6 March 1965 – Boulevard, Tadcaster, North Yorkshire with The McCoys
At the Starlight Room, Boston, April 3, 1965 with the Barron Knights
3 April 1965 – Starlight Ballroom, Boston Gliderdrome, Lincolnshire with The Barron Knights
9 April 1965 – California Ballroom, Dunstable, Bedfordshire with The Escorts and Beaux Maverix (billed as Geoff Curtis & The Flames)
10 April 1965 – Floral Hall, Gorleston-on-Sea, Norfolk with Confessors
17 April 1965 – The Gaiety, Ramsey, Cambridgeshire with The Sons of Adam
Jeff Curtis & The Flames #7 (April-July 1965)
Jeff Curtis – lead vocals
Dave Caralambous (aka Dave Carol) – lead guitar, vocals
Jeff Lake – saxophone
George Russell – saxophone
Ray Brown – bass
Pete Burt – drums
The new line up gigged around the country and on 9 May appeared on the same bill as Beau Brummell & The Noblemen (featuring former member Malcolm Randall) at the Majestic Ballroom in Luton.
A few days after a gig at Clacton Town Hall with Cops ‘N’ Robbers in late June, Jeff Lake and George Russell took a holiday (a trip to Frankfurt to visit former member Malcolm Randall who was playing with Beau Brummell & The Noblemen), which didn’t go down well with singer Jeff Curtis.
Curtis had a band rule that the musicians all had to take a two-week summer holiday at the same time, usually in August. On their return in July, the two sax players were told their services were no longer needed.
Lake subsequently played with a number of local bands before reuniting with former Jeff Curtis & The Flames member Malcolm Randall as road manager for Manchester’s Playboys, which included their Swedish trip in September 1967. On his return, he joined Tommy Bishop & The Rock ‘N’ Roll Revival Show and appeared on the 1968 Decca single “Midnight Train” c/w “Oh Boy”.
Russell joined Hayes, Middlesex band, The Satellites in mid-1966, who changed name to The Army later that year. The band also included future Sweet bass player Steve Priest and cut two recordings in 1967 – covers of the Joe Tex hit “Sugar” and Sam & Dave’s “You Don’t Know Like I Know”. Russell remained with The Army until late 1968/early 1969. He subsequently gigged with Orange Rainbow before moving to Australia. He later returned to live in Hertfordshire.
Notable gigs:
Ray Brown’s first gig with the band, April 24, 1965
24 April 1965 – Walthamstow Assembly Hall, Walthamstow, London
29 April 1965 – Rocky Rivers Top 20 Club, Conservative Club, Bedford (back by demand)
1 May 1965 – Carfax Ballroom, Oxford with The Gangbusters
3 May 1965 – Radlett (most likely Radlett Centre), Hertfordshire
7-8 May 1965 – Silver Blades, Streatham, London
9 May 1965 – Majestic Ballroom, Luton with Beau Brummell & The Noblemen (former member Malcolm Randall on sax with The Noblemen)
15 May 1965 – Malvern Winter Gardens, Malvern, Worcestershire with Eric Benson & Orchestra
22 May 1965 – Manor Lounge, Stockport, Greater Manchester with The Thingumajigs (Stockport County Express) Gig cancelled
29 May 1965 – Starlight Ballroom, Boston Gliderdrome, Lincolnshire with The Hollies and The Red Squares
11 June 1965 – California Ballroom, Dunstable (replaced one of the billed acts)
12 June 1965 – Rivoli Ballroom, Brockley, London
18 June 1965 – USAF base, South Ruislip, London
25 June 1965 – USAF base, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire
26 June 1965 – Clacton Town Hall, Clacton-on-Sea, Essex with Cops ‘N’ Robbers (last gig with Jeff Lake and George Russell)
1 July 1965 – Ealing Club, Ealing, London (reduced to four piece)
3 July 1965 – Hermitage Ballroom, Hitchin, Hertfordshire with Peter Fenton & The 3,000
4 July 1965 – Woodhall Community Centre, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire
August 1965, from left: Jeff Curtis, Ray Soper, Dave Carol, Pete Burt and Ray Brown. Photo courtesy Ray SoperWhen they were just being billed as The Flames. Photo courtesy Ray Soper. From left: Ray Soper, Dave Carol, Pete Burt, Ray Brown and Jeff Curtis
Jeff Curtis & The Flames #8 (July 1965-May 1966)
Jeff Curtis – lead vocals
Dave Caralambous (aka Dave Carol) – lead guitar, vocals
Ray Soper – keyboards
Ray Brown – bass
Pete Burt – drums
On 5 July, Jeff Curtis auditioned two sax players to replace Jeff Lake and George Russell but decided against keeping the horns and instead invited former member Ray Soper to re-join the band on keyboards. Soper had been playing with future Deep Purple bass player Nick Simper in Cyrano & The Bergeracs for several months and then a group formed by the lead singer of The Gobbledegooks but had helped out at the auditions in January 1965, which had brought in Carol and Brown.
Ray Brown had a prearranged week’s holiday from 10-17 July and his predecessor Dave Wigginton returned to honour engagements in his absence, which included a gig at the Ticky Rick Club in Basingstoke, Hants on 17 July. With Brown back from his holiday, the five-piece rehearsed on 21 July before playing their first gig together at Luton’s Majestic Ballroom where there was a bomb scare.
Often billed as simply “The Flames”, the new line up lasted nearly a year (although Soper left in November briefly to work with a Casino band on the Isle of Man, which lasted a week before he returned).
Pete Burt, who worked as a window cleaner when The Flames weren’t gigging, got a window cleaning job with British rock ‘n’ roll legend, Johnny Kidd, who had split from his longstanding backing band, The Pirates on 19 April 1966. Kidd offered The Flames some work to fulfil his outstanding dates.
During late April/early May 1966, The Flames spent about a week backing the singer, including playing a gig at Chatham Dockyard Naval base, but the arrangement did not suit either party.
Around this time, The Flames returned to Lansdowne Studios to cut two original recordings – the David Myers/Ray Brown collaborations, “Room at the Top” and “I Ain’t The Fool”. The former was later cut by the band’s new identity, The Kool, in the summer of 1967. They also did a second audition with Joe Meek.
After Ray Soper was ousted from The Flames in May, he decided to stick with Kidd and formed a new version of The Pirates. The New Pirates (as they were called) supported Johnny Kidd throughout the summer but Soper stopped playing with the band in August. Two months later, he joined Bristol band, The Denims who were playing US bases in France. After working in Strasbourg for two months as The Headline News, he returned to the UK in April 1967.
Three months later, Soper found work playing in a band on the Cunard Cruise liner Carmania, which travelled between Southampton and Montreal on a six-week passage. Marrying a Canadian, he subsequently immigrated to Canada in 1970 and until recently played with The Dusty Roads Band from his home in Ontario. He also works as a film extra.
Notable gigs:
17 July 1965 – Ricky Tick Club, Carnival Hall, Basingstoke, Hants (Dave Wigginton fills in for Ray Brown)
22 July 1965 – Majestic Ballroom, Luton, Bedfordshire (RayBrown returns and Ray Soper’s first gig back with the band)
24 July 1965 – Locarno Ballroom, Swindon, Wiltshire with The Rising Sons
Photo: Leicester Mercury
25 September 1965 – Il Rondo, Leicester
Photo: Windsor, Slough & Eton Express
2 October 1965 – Adelphi Ballroom, Slough, Berkshire
30 October 1965 – Woodhall Community Centre, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire
Photo: Surrey Comet
11 November 1965 – Byron Hotel, Greenford, London with The Keystones (billed as The Flames)
Jeff Curtis & The Flames were featured in the Surrey Comet‘s 13 November 1965 issue but it was full of factual errors (above)
9 December 1965 – Byron Hotel, Greenford, London with the Harmonies
16 December 1965 – Ealing Club, Ealing, London
18 December 1965 – Adelphi Ballroom, Slough, Berkshire
24 December 1965 – Woodstock Roadhouse, North Cheam, London
1 January 1966 – Starlight Ballroom, Boston Gliderdrome, Lincolnshire with The Nashville Teens and The Game
13 January 1966 – Woodstock Roadhouse, North Cheam, London (billed as The Flames)
22 January 1966 – Locarno Ballroom, Swindon, Wiltshire with Plain and Fancy
12 February 1966 – California Ballroom, Dunstable, Bedfordshire with Goldie & Dave Antony’s Moods and The Game
17 February 1966 – Byron Roadhouse, Greenford, London with The Mode (billed as The Flames)
31 March 1966 – Byron Roadhouse, Greenford, London with The Legends (billed as The Flames)
Photo: Windsor, Slough & Eton Express
23 April 1966 – Adelphi Ballroom, Slough, Berkshire
7 May 1966 – Locarno Ballroom, Swindon, Wiltshire with The Ying Yongs and The Cotswold Stones (one of Ray Soper’s final gigs)
Publishing contract for “Room at the Top” and “I Aint the Fool”, May 1966 courtesy of Ray BrownHeadline News, circa late 1966. Ray Soper is second from left
Jeff Curtis & The Flames #9 (May 1966-August 1967)
Jeff Curtis – lead vocals
Dave Carol – lead guitar, vocals
Jet Hodges (aka Richard Hodgins) – keyboards, vocals
Ray Brown – bass
Pete Burt – drums
The remaining members brought in Richard Hodgins, a keyboard player from Shepperton, Surrey, who used the stage name, Jet Hodges. Originally a bass player, Hodges had taken up music full time after training to be an architect.
Increasingly, the band moved away from using the name, Jeff Curtis & The Flames for live shows and often went by the name, The Jeff Curtis Set or just The Flames. One of the highlights from this period was opening for Ike & Tina Turner when they played at the California Ballroom in Dunstable.
In late 1966, rock promoter and entrepreneur Mervyn Conn, started to represent the band. In December 1966, he added Jeff Curtis & The Flames to a Who concert in Sunderland and renamed the band The Kool for this one-off gig, although the group didn’t appear at the venue.
After signing to CBS Records, Conn decided that The Kool was more representative of the band’s evolving sound and renamed them as the band’s debut single hit the shops.
Notable gigs:
11 June 1966 – Corby Civic Centre, Corby, Northamptonshire with Two of Each (billed as The Flames)
20 August 1966 – Locarno Ballroom, Swindon, Wiltshire with The Showmen
Photo: Paul Quinton
2 September 1966 – Woodstock Roadhouse, North Cheam, London (billed as The Flames)
3 September 1966 – Maple Ballroom, Northampton with Sexion A (billed as The Flames)
18 September 1966 – White Lion, Edgware, London (billed as The Flames)
24 September 1966 – Drill Hall, North Cheam, London with The Fourtunes
Photo: Paul Quinton
2 October 1966 – Prince of Wales, Kinsbury, London
22 October 1966 – California Ballroom, Dunstable with Ike & Tina Turner Revue & The Ikettes (with others)
24 October 1966 – Tiles, Oxford Street, London with Edwin Starr
Photo: Paul Quinton
30 October 1966 – Woodstock Roadhouse, North Cheam, London (billed as The Flames)
5 November 1966 – Locarno Ballroom, Swindon, Wiltshire with The Undertakers and Some Other Guys. Billed as The London Flames (Jeff Curtis)
10 November 1966 – Byron Roadhouse, Greenford, London with The Boots (billed as The Flames)
Photo: Paul Quinton
12 November 1966 – Drill Hall, North Cheam, London with 5 Steps Beyond (billed as The Flames)
Photo: Windsor, Slough & Eton Express
13 November 1966 – Adelphi Ballroom, Slough, Berkshire
18 November 1966 – Woodstock Roadhouse, North Cheam, London (billed as The Flames)
10 December 1966 – Empire Theatre, Sunderland, County Durham with The Who, Dave Berry, She Trinity, The Slade Brothers and The Peddlers (billed as The Kool but band did not appear)
18 December 1966 – Woodstock Roadhouse, North Cheam, London (billed as The Flames)
15 January 1967 – White Lion, Edgware, London (billed as The Flames)
28 January 1967 – Queens Hall, Watton, Norfolk with The Eyes of Blond and The Bohemians
19 February 1967 – Kingsway Theatre, Hadleigh, Essex (billed as Flames)
9 March 1967 – Upper Cut, Forest Gate, Essex with The Style (billed as Jeff Curtis Set)
27 March 1967 – Woodstock, North Cheam, London with The Starfires (billed as The Flames)
9 June 1967 – California Ballroom, Dunstable, Bedfordshire with Allen Bown Set (billed as Geoff Curtis Set)
The Keith Gardiner Band, July 2011
Many thanks to Dave Wigginton, Keith Gardiner, Louis McKelvey, Malcolm Tomlinson, Pete Burt, Dave Carol, Malcolm Randall, Ray Soper, Jeff Lake, Ray Brown, George Russell, Jimmy Marsh, Ian Hannah, Brian Hosking, Richard Bennett and Tony Bramwell.
Concert adverts taken from a number of newspapers including the Ampthill News & Weekly Record, Lincolnshire Standard, the Luton News, the Streatham News, the Surrey Comet, Walthamstow Guardian, Exeter Express & Echo, Cambridgeshire Times, Yarmouth Mercury, Middlesex County Times and West Middlesex Gazette, Hertfordshire Express, Hants & Berkshire Gazette, Hounslow Post, NME, Sevenoaks Chronicle, Westerham Courier and Kentish Advertiser and Melody Maker.
Huge thanks to Dave Wigginton, Keith Gardiner, Louis McKelvey, Malcolm Randall, Jeff Lake, Ray Brown and Ray Soper for photos.
I have tried to ensure the accuracy of this article but I appreciate that there are likely to be errors and omissions. I would appreciate any feedback from anyone who can provide any additions or corrections.
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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
16 December 1965 – Ealing Club, Ealing, London
