The Tribe were a northwest London band from Kilburn that formed around late 1964 and were notable for featuring future Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band bass player Dennis Cowan and Frank Torpey, who was the original lead guitarist in The Sweet. Torpey had started out in a band with future Sweet drummer Mick Tucker. Drummer Malcolm Wolffe subsequently played with Happy Magazine and then Geno Washington & The Ram Jam Band.
Regulars at the Ealing Club and the State Ballroom Kilburn, the band gigged widely (see gigs list below) and travelled to Paris twice to play at the Gaff Club. The Tribe also spent a month in Copenhagen, Denmark in spring 1966. Petticoat Magazine ran a short article on them in its 4 June issue (see below).
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Signed to Shel Talmy’s Planet label, The Tribe’s debut single was the blues rocker “The Gamma Goochie” c/w “I’m Leaving”, which was produced by John Sullivan and issued on 4 February 1966.
The former can be found on the Big Beat compilation CD Planet Mod while the latter has been included on another CD in the Big Beat series, Planet Beat. Out of interest, Planet Mod also includes the previously unreleased Tribe recording “Don’t Let It Be”, which was cut in March 1966.
After recording a couple of unreleased demo tracks after leaving Planet, including a cover of Edwin Starr’s “Headline News” and a track called “Sometimes You Win, Sometimes You Lose” (the latter at Abbey Road), The Tribe moved to RCA for its second release in May 1967 – the soulful “Love Is a Beautiful Thing” c/w “Steel Guitar and a Glass of Wine”.
That same month, the group landed a three-month residency at the Marquee (and while there played at the exclusive Mayfair club the Scotch of St James a handful of times after finishing up at the Marquee in the evening).
In mid-August, to tap into the burgeoning psychedelic scene, The Tribe changed name to Dream and appeared at the Festival of the Flower Children held at Woburn Festival on 27 August 1967.
When the band broke up in October 1967, Torpey spent a few months with another west London band, Wainwright’s Gentlemen where he worked with soon-to-be Sweet band mates Brian Connolly and Mick Tucker.
Selected gigs:
7 November 1964 – Wilton Hall, Bletchley, Bucks with The Troggs
9 January 1965 – Club A Go Go, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne & Wear with Jimmy Powell & The Dimensions
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30 March 1965 – Nurses Club, Jolly Gardeners, Isleworth, Middlesex
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8 April 1965 – Bromel Club, Bromley Court Hotel, Bromley, southeast London
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13 April 1965 – Elms Club, South Harrow, northwest London
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2 May 1965 – Ealing Club, Ealing, west London
7 May 1965 – Elms Club, South Harrow, northwest London
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11 May 1965 – Elms Club, South Harrow, northwest London
13 May 1965 – Ealing Club, Ealing, west London
14 May 1965 – Elms Club, South Harrow, northwest London
23 May 1965 – Ealing Club, Ealing, west London
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25 May 1965 – Elms Club, South Harrow, northwest London
28 May 1965 – Elms Club, South Harrow, northwest London
31 May 1965 – Ealing Club, Ealing, west London
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3 June 1965 – Elms Club, South Harrow, northwest London with The CC Riders and Initial Four
3 July 1965 – Club Noreik, Tottenham, north London
6 July 1965 – London Cavern, Holland Park, west London with The Dae ‘B’ Four
13 August 1965 – California Ballroom, Dunstable with Zoot Money’s Big Roll Band and Bern Elliott & The Klan
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14 August 1965 – Maple Ballroom, Northampton with The Dragsters
4 September 1965 – Club Dolphin, Luton, Beds
18 September 1965 – Borough Assembly Hall, Aylesbury, Bucks with Johnny Cannon & The Shades
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8 October 1965 – Legion Hall, Amersham, Bucks
16 October 1965 – Finstock, Oxfordshire
23 October 1965 – Tackley, Oxfordshire
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20 November 1965 – Airport Restaurant, Rochester Airport, Rochester, Kent
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22 November 1965 – Drill Hall, Newmarket, Cambridgeshire
9 December 1965 – Ealing Club, Ealing, west London
18 December 1965 – Royal Links Pavilion, Cromer, Norfolk with The Devil’s Coachmen
24 December 1965 – Beachcomber, Nottingham with The Dickens Set
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26 December 1965 – The Place, Hanley, Staffordshire with Chris Farlowe & The Thunderbirds and Jimmy Cliff, Ayshea, Pete Hodges and The New Generation (advert says they are from the Marquee)
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8 January 1966 – Gala Ballroom, Norwich, Norfolk with The Sneakers
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14 January 1966 – Fiesta Hall, Andover, Hampshire (from the Flamingo, Wardour Street, Soho, central London)
5 February 1966 – California Ballroom, Dunstable with The Overlanders and The Amboy Dukes
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19 February 1966 – Dreamland, Margate, Kent with The Zombies
26 February 1966 – Marcam Hall, March, Cambridgeshire with The Fenmen
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1 April 1966 – Club Continental, Eastbourne, East Sussex
30 April 1966 – Gala Ballroom, Norwich, Norfolk with The Amboy Dukes
Photo: Petticoat magazine, 4 June 1966. Image may be subject to copyright
10 June 1966 – Il Rondo, Leicester
19 June 1966 – Pavilion Ballroom, Bournemouth, Dorset with The Valiants and The Trackmarks
25 June 1966 – Dreamland, Margate, Kent with St Louis Union
26 June 1966 – Dreamland, Margate, Kent
2 July 1966 – Gala Ballroom, Norwich, Norfolk with Abject Blues
17 July 1966 – Kettering Working Men’s Club, Kettering, Northamptonshire with Brian Poole & The Tremeloes
6 August 1966 – Union Rowing Club, Nottingham
7 August 1966 – Bromel Club, Bromley Court Hotel, Bromley, southeast London
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13 August 1966 – ABC Promotions, Public Hall, Heacham, Norfolk with The Zuider Zee
14 August 1966 – Dungeon Club, Nottingham
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20 August 1966 – The 7 Club, Wyle Cop, Shrewsbury, Shropshire with Chris Ian
27 August 1966 – Starlight Ballroom, Boston Gliderdrome, Boston, Lincolnshire with The Small Faces, John & Nicky (and group), The Flashbacks and The Ferryboys
2 September 1966 – Dancing Slipper, Nottingham
3 September 1966 – Gaiety, Ramsey, Cambridgeshire with The Eyes of Blond
10 September 1966 – Dorothy Ballroom, Cambridge with Bob Kidman & His Band, The Utopians and The Versions
25 September 1966 – Dungeon Club, Nottingham
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30 September 1966 – Elbow Room, Aston, West Midlands
7 October 1966 – Glenlyn Ballroom, Forest Hill, southeast London
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15 October 1966 – Royal Links Pavilion, Cromer, Norfolk with New Generation
22 October 1966 – The Flamingo, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with The Savoy Brown Blues Band
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2 November 1966 – Gravesend R&B Club, Clarendon Royal Hotel, Gravesend, Kent (Thanks to Andy Neill for providing PACE magazine entry)
5 November 1966 – The Bromel Club, Bromley Court Hotel, Bromley, southeast London (also have them playing at New Spot, Gosport, Hampshire on this day)
6 November 1966 – Bromley Court Hotel, Bromley, southeast London
18 November 1966 – Beaconsfield Youth Club, Beaconsfield, Bucks
19 November 1966 – Union Rowing Club, Nottingham with Fla Makane
2 December 1966 – Dancing Slipper Ballroom, West Bridgeford, Nottingham with Herbie Goins & The Night Timers
3 December 1966 – 76 Club, Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire
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15 December 1966 – Flying Fox Club, RAF Cottesmore, Rutland with Davey Sands & The Essex, Marmalade and The Nemkons
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17 December 1966 – ABC Promotions, Public Hall, Heacham, Norfolk with The Seasons
19 December 1966 – Kettering Working Men’s Club, Kettering, Northamptonshire with The Missing Links
24 December 1966 – Bath Regency Ballroom, Bath with The First Lites and The Workshop
1 January 1967 – Dungeon Club, Nottingham
7 January 1967 – Il Rondo, Leicester
13 January 1967 – Bicester Youth Centre, Bicester
14 January 1967 – Winter Gardens, Banbury, Warwickshire with The Pride & Passion
14 January 1967 – Flamingo Ballroom, Penzance, Cornwall with The Dissatisfied
16 January 1967 – Kettering Working Men’s Club, Kettering, Northamptonshire
25 January 1967 – Dreamland, Margate, Kent
31 January 1967 – Crayford Town Hall, Crayford, Kent
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18 February 1967 – Il Rondo, Leicester
25 February 1967 – Club A Go Go, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne & Wear with The Washington DCs
5 March 1967 – Dungeon Club, Nottingham (they might have been replaced by The Army)
8 March 1967 – Eel Pie Island, Twickenham, west London with The Savoy Brown Blues Band
18 March 1967 – New Yorker Discotheque, Swindon, Wiltshire with Sac-0-Woe
25 March 1967 – New Dungeon Club, Nottingham
30 March 1967 – Marquee, London with Marmalade
1 April 1967 – Union Rowing Club, Nottingham
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1 April 1967 – Beeches Barn Theatre, Cirencester, Gloucestershire (advert mistakenly says they are from Oxford)
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10 April 1967 – Kettering Working Men’s Club, Kettering, Northamptonshire with The Finger Print Set
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14 April 1967 – Bluesette, Bridge Street, Leatherhead, Surrey
15 April 1967 – Dreamland Ballroom, Margate, Kent with The Tonicks featuring Joey Young
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16 April 1967 – Dreamland Ballroom, Margate, Kent
4 May 1967 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with Marmalade
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6 May 1967 – Royal Links Pavilion, Cromer, Norfolk with Chicago Line featuring Mike Patto and The New Generation
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26 May 1967 – Slipper, West Bridgford, Nottinghamshire
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27 May 1967 – Exeter Eights Week Ball, Oxford University with The Cream, The Other Extreme and The Cabinet
27 May 1967 – St Thomas’ Hall, Brentwood, Essex
3 June 1967 – Bal Tabarin, Downham, southeast London with supporting groups
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7 June 1967 – Dungeon Club, Nottingham
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9 June 1967 – Union Rowing Club, Nottingham
15 June 1967 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with Marmalade
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17 June 1967 – Hull College of Commerce Students’ Union, Hull, Humberside with That Feeling and The Locomotion
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24 June 1967 – Il Rondo, Leicester
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1 July 1967 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with The Stalkers
2 July 1967 – Dungeon Club, Nottingham
8 July 1967 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with The Love Affair
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15 July 1967 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with The Monopoly
22 July 1967 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with Ten Years After
29 July 1967 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with Darlings
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5 August 1967 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with The Third Eye
12 August 1967 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with Impact Blues
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19 August 1967 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with Nite People
Selected gigs (as Dream)
26 August 1967 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with The Third Eye
27 August 1967 – Festival of the Flower Children, Woburn Abbey, Woburn, Bedfordshire with The Move, Eric Burdon & The New Animals, The Soft Machine and others
2 September 1967 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London
9 September 1967 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with Herbal Mixture
16 September 1967 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with The Iveys
23 September 1967 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with Mud
30 September 1967 – Golden Torch, Tunstall, Staffordshire
30 September 1967 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with The Third Eye
21 October 1967 – Dreamland, Margate, Kent with Zoot Money
22 October 1967 – Rendezvous Club, Margate, Kent
These final gigs must have been a different band unless some of the members carried on with the name after Frank Torpey left.
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11 December 1967 – Broadway Club, Dudley Zoo with The Probe (see gig poster as they had been on tour)
29 December 1967 – Dreamland, Margate, Kent
Thanks to Frank Torpey, Alec Palao and Bruce Welsh for providing information.
This is an extensively updated version of an article that was originally published on the Strange Brew website. I’d like to thank Jason Barnard for all of his help and support over the years.
The gigs above were sourced from many sources. I apologise for any sources that are missing but they include Melody Maker, the Middlesex County Times & West Middlesex Gazette, Birmingham Evening Mail, Bucks Free Press, Lynn News, Nottingham Evening Post, Northampton Chronicle, Oxford Mail, Cherwell, Banbury Guardian, Andover Advertiser, Hull Daily Mail, East Kent Times & Mail.
I have tried to ensure the accuracy of this article but I appreciate that there are likely to be errors and omissions. I would appreciate any feedback from anyone who can provide any additions or corrections. Email: Warchive@aol.com
Located at 266a Fulham Road, in southwest London, the Café des Artistes apparently opened its doors around 1960.
Mick Jagger, Keith Richard and Brian Jones briefly lived close by in an apartment in Edith Grove, Chelsea during 1962 but it’s not clear when this small basement club first began putting on live music.
It’s more than likely that the Café des Artistes only featured up and coming local bands.
Also, its close proximity to the Pontiac Club in Putney means it might also have featured some of the same groups.
The dearth of information on this little known club isn’t helped by the fact that none of the local newspapers, as far as I am aware, advertised shows. I would welcome any further information from readers.
Image provided by George Parnell
Status Quo front man Francis Rossi confirms in his book that The Spectres (who morphed into Status Quo) had a Monday night residency here while they were still at school and also played the El Partido in Lewisham. I’ve found gigs for them performing at the latter in October 1965, so it could well be the same time period.
Sax player Dave Brogden who worked with West London R&B band, Wainwright’s Gentlemen, provided the following dates from his diary. Future Deep Purple singer Ian Gillan was briefly a member during this period and also drummer Mick Tucker, who went on to join The Sweet, also worked with this band while Brogden played sax for them.
1964
24 March – The Five Embers (needs source – possibly Melody Maker)
28 March – Millie & The Five Embers (needs source – possibly Melody Maker)
1965
9 April – Wainwright’s Gentlemen (Dave Brogden’s gig diary) With Ian Gillan on vocals
16 April – Wainwright’s Gentlemen (Dave Brogden’s gig diary) With Ian Gillan on vocals
23 April – Wainwright’s Gentlemen (Dave Brogden’s gig diary) With Ian Gillan on vocals, who left after a gig on 26 April
30 April – Wainwright’s Gentlemen (Dave Brogden’s gig diary)
7 May – Wainwright’s Gentlemen (Dave Brogden’s gig diary) Mick Tucker joined on drums around this time
28 May – Wainwright’s Gentlemen (Dave Brogden’s gig diary)
4 June – Wainwright’s Gentlemen (Dave Brogden’s gig diary)
11 June – Wainwright’s Gentlemen (Dave Brogden’s gig diary)
18 June – Wainwright’s Gentlemen (Dave Brogden’s gig diary)
25 June – Wainwright’s Gentlemen (Dave Brogden’s gig diary)
3 July – Wainwright’s Gentlemen (Dave Brogden’s gig diary)
9 July – Wainwright’s Gentlemen (Dave Brogden’s gig diary)
6 August – Wainwright’s Gentlemen (Dave Brogden’s gig diary)
10 August – Robb Storme & The Whispers (Jim St Pier’s diary)
13 August – Wainwright’s Gentlemen (Dave Brogden’s gig diary)
24 September – Wainwright’s Gentlemen (Dave Brogden’s gig diary)
I have been unable to find any gigs for 1966, 1967 and 1968 but I presume it still put on live shows. I have only found a couple of gigs for 1969 below and would welcome any additional information
An article in the Westminster & Pimlico News, dated 25 August 1967, says the group Jon are residents at the club around this time
1968
27 June – Toast (Melody Maker)
3 July – Toast (Melody Maker)
11 July – Toast (Melody Maker)
31 October – Toast (Melody Maker)
1969
6 February – Toast (Melody Maker)
5 June – Black Velvet (Time Out)
An article in the Western Daily Press and Times and Mirror, dated 26 June 1969, says Bath group, The Mirror are residents at the club around this time
The Meantimers, 29 May 1966. Left to right: Bill Pitt, Mick Armes, Kenny Simon, Rick Thomas and Paul Hewson. Photo: Michael Armes
West London six-piece horn band Simon K & The Meantimers recorded a Hammond-drenched dance-floor classic called “Bring Your Love Back (To Me)”, which was coupled with “You Know I Do” for a UK single on the B&C label in November 1969.
Fronted by current Hot Chocolate lead singer Kenny Simon, The Meantimers had originally formed around mid-1964 in West Hampstead before linking with Simon.
Managed by Arthur Armes, father of the band’s drummer Michael, the original Meantimers also comprised lead guitarist Rick Thomas, classically trained organist Bill Pitt, bass player Warwick Rose and an Irish rhythm guitarist called Tony, who also handled lead vocals (sometimes with the group’s roadie Mick Eagan).
According to Michael Armes, his father turned the basement of his shop on Belsize Road in Kilburn into a rehearsal and recording room. It may well have been here that Simon cut some demos with West London band, The Tribe, including future Sweet guitarist Frank Torpey, that were picked up by Arthur Armes.
Former Overlanders’ bass player Paul Hewson had already taken over from Warwick Rose, who’d moved on to join The Soul Survivors, an early incarnation of The Love Affair, sometime before Kenny Simon joined on vocals.
It is not clear when Kenny Simon joined The Meantimers but he was definitely on-board by May 1966. Initially, they continued to be billed as The Meantimers but in early 1967 starting going out as Simon K & The Meantimers.
Selected gigs:
20 May 1966 – Club De Danse, Colchester, Essex (billed as The Meantimers)
30 May 1966 – Tiles, Oxford Street, central London with The New Jump Band and Rey Anton & The Profam (billed as The Meantimers)
9 July 1966 – House of Aden, Witham Public Hall, Witham, Essex with The Keith Powell Billie Davis Soul Package
30 July 1966 – Corn Exchange, Maidstone, Kent with The Creation
1 August 1966 – Drill Hall, Newmarket, Cambridgeshire (billed as The Meantimers) Says direct from the Pontiac, Putney, London
7 August 1966 – Sunday Club, Adelphi Ballroom, Slough, Berkshire (billed as The Meantimers)
15 August 1966 – Drill Hall, Newmarket, Cambridgeshire (billed as The Meantimers)
Photo: Windsor, Slough & Eton Express
21 August 1966 – Adelphi Ballroom, Slough, Berkshire (billed as The Meantimers)
27 August 1966 – House of Aden, Witham Public Hall, Witham, Essex with The Graham Bond Organization (billed as The Meantimers)
31 August 1966 – Pavilion, Hemel Hempstead, Herts with The Falling Leaves (billed as The Meantimers)
24 September 1966 – Town Hall, High Wycombe, Bucks with Clockwork Shots
9 October 1966 – Sunday Club, Adelphi Ballroom, Slough, Berkshire (billed as The Meantimers)
14 October 1966 – Royal Albion Hotel, Walton-on-Naze, Essex with support (billed as The Meantimers)
30 October 1966 – Tavern Club, Dereham, Norfolk with Ian & Danny Eves and The Reformation (billed as The Meantimers)
3 November 1966 – Club De Danse, Colchester, Essex
5 November 1966 – Assembly Hall, Aylesbury, Bucks with Ironsides
Photo: Melody Maker
9 November 1966 – Tiles, Oxford Street, central London (billed as The Meantimers)
13 November 1966 – Toft’s, Folkestone, Kent (billed as The Meantimers)
21 November 1966 – Newmarket Memorial Hall, Newmarket, Cambridgeshire (billed as The Meantimers)
26 November 1966 – Newmarket Memorial Hall, Newmarket, Cambridgeshire with The 13th Floor (billed as The Meantimers)
Michael Armes, 1966/1967
A bass player called Terry briefly took over from Hewson in early 1967 but soon left to work in the West End as a scenery mover. Around the same time, former Quiet Five drummer Ray Hailey succeeded Michael Armes.
Selected gigs:
1 January 1967 – 2 ‘B’s Club, Ashford, Kent (billed as The Meantimers)
6 January 1967 – Fiesta Hall, Andover, Hampshire (billed as The Meantimers)
14 January 1967 – Toft’s, Folkestone, Kent (billed as The Meantimers)
19 January 1967 – Tiles, Oxford Street, central London (billed as The Meantimers)
21 January 1967 – Winter Gardens, Banbury with Phase III (billed as The Meantimers)
Photo: Windsor, Slough & Eton Express
22 January 1967 – Sunday Club, Adelphi Ballroom, Slough, Berkshire (billed as The Meantimers)
29 January 1967 – Embassy Club, Colchester, Essex with Lee Shelby Federation (billed as The Meantimers)
11 February 1967 – Witch Doctor, Marine Court, St Leonards, East Sussex with The Unloved (billed as The Meantimers)
19 February 1967 – Kettering Working Men’s Club, Kettering, Northamptonshire with The Neat Change
23 February 1967 – Embassy Suite, Colchester, Essex with The Tender Trap (billed as The Meantimers)
26 February 1967 – Adelphi Ballroom, Slough, Berkshire (billed as The Meantimers)
11 March 1967 – Legion Hall, Amersham, Bucks (billed as Simon Dee & The Meantimers)
12 March 1967 – Upper Cut, Forest Gate, Essex with Pussyfoot (billed as The Meantimers)
1 April 1967 – Memorial Hall, Newmarket, Suffolk with The Sales Collection (billed as The Meantimers)
7 April 1967 – Fiesta Hall, Andover, Hampshire (billed as The Meantimers)
9 April 1967 – Embassy Suite, Colchester, Essex with Rick and Us (billed as The Meantimers)
11 April 1967 – Ritz, Bournemouth, Dorset (billed as The Meantimers)
12 April 1967 – Flamingo, Wardour Street, Soho, central London
16 April 1967 – Klue J Klub, Saracens Head Hotel, Chelmsford, Essex (billed as The Meantimers)
22 April 1967 – Union Rowing Club, Nottingham (billed as The Meantimers)
28 April 1967 – Witchdoctor, Catford, southeast London with The Groove (billed as The Meantimers)
6 May 1967 – Memorial Hall, Newmarket, Cambridgeshire with The Strangers (billed as The Meantimers)
12 May 1967 – Co-Op Hall, Chesham, Bucks (billed as Simon Kay)
13 May 1967 – Town Hall, Clacton, Essex with Just Friends, The Fugitives and The Martells
17 May 1967 – Industrial Club, Norwich, Norfolk
20 May 1967 – London Hotel, Southend-on-Sea, Essex (Billed as Simon K & The Meantimers)
21 May 1967 – Adelphi Ballroom, Slough, Berkshire (billed as Meantimers)
The Meantimers, May 1966. Photo: Michael Armes
However, the changes did not end there and in early-to-mid-1967 an entirely new line up came together, starting with lead guitarist George Teo.
Originally, from Singapore, Teo had migrated to the UK in the early 1960s with friends Sam Young on bass and brothers Andrew and John Gwee on guitar and drums respectively and formed The Etceteras. After two singles on the Oriole label in 1964, Teo next joined the Ying Tongs before hooking up with The Meantimers.
Also on board were siblings, bass player Mick Glyde and drummer Tony Glyde (brothers of Major Glyde, the lead sax player from Sounds Incorporated) and sax players Brent Carter, Alan Wherry and Ken Hendy, who was later replaced by former Cliff Bennett Rebel Rousers’ baritone sax player Sid Phillips in late 1967/early 1968.
Tony Glyde had previously worked with Southeast London bands, Bob ‘N’ All, The Loose Ends and Bern Elliott’s former group, The Fenmen while Alan Wherry had come from The Richard Henry Sensation (with David O’List) and Harlem Shuffle (with Alan Shacklock). Brent Carter had also been a member of Harlem Shuffle.
Wherry remembers that the group also had a keyboard player but it wasn’t Bill Pitt. Mick Glyde confirms that the keyboard player’s name was Terry Vandenburgh. Vanenburgh however had left before Sid Phillips joined in late 1967/early 1968 and the group recruited a Russian Hammond organist.
Wherry left in early 1968 and later moved in to publishing, as director of Corgi, Penguin and then as co-founder of Bloomsbury in London in 1986.
The remaining members stayed until about late spring/early summer 1968, during which time former Quiet Five drummer Roger “Tex” Marsh took over the drum stool from Tony Glyde.
Simon K & The Meantimers, late 1967. Left to right: George Teo, Brent Carter (shades), Mick Glyde, Kenny Simon, Alan Wherry, Terry Vandenburgh, Tony Glyde. Ken Hendy is not pictured. Photo: Alan Wherry
Selected gigs:
3 June 1967 – Witch Doctor, Marine Court, St Leonards, East Sussex with The Groove
4 June 1967 – Klue J Klub, Saracens Head Hotel, Chelmsford, Essex (billed as The Meantimers)
6-7 June 1967 – Industrial Club, Norwich, Norfolk
10 June 1967 – Victoria Cross Gallery, Wantage, Berkshire (Meantimers)
24 June 1967 – Witchdoctor, Catford, southeast London (billed as The Meantimers)
1 July 1967 – London Hotel, Southend-on-Sea, Essex
2 July 1967 – Adelphi Ballroom, Slough, Berkshire (billed as Meantimers)
22 July 1967 – Witch Doctor, Marine Court, St Leonards, East Sussex with Poor Boys Soul Band
29 July 1967 – Memorial Hall, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk with The Blueprints (billed as The Meantimers)
5 August 1967 – Industrial Club, Norwich, Norfolk
6 August 1967 – Union Rowing Club, Trent Bridge, Nottingham (billed as The Meantimers)
9 August 1967 – Penny Farthing Club, Southend, Kent
11 August 1967 – Windmill Club, Upminster, east London
20 August 1967 – El Grotto, Ilford, east London
25 August 1967 – Witchdoctor, Catford, southeast London (billed as The Meantimers)
Photo: Eastern Evening News
2 September 1967 – Industrial Club, Norwich, Norfolk
8 September 1967 – London Hotel, Southend-on-Sea, Essex
Photo: Ipswich Evening Star
9 September 1967 – Framlingham Assembly Hall, Framlingham, Suffolk with The Wild Oats
Photo: Windsor, Slough & Eton Express
17 September 1967 – Sunday’s Flower Scene, Adelphi Ballroom, Slough, Berkshire with Jeanette and Abee
23 September 1967 – Legion Hall, Amersham, Bucks
24 September 1967 – Elm Hotel, Southend-on-Sea, Essex
Photo: Windsor, Slough & Eton Express
28 September 1967 – Wexham Lea Youth Club, Slough, Berkshir with Rick Marston
7 October 1967 – Industrial Club, Norwich, Norfolk
8 October 1967 – Elm Hotel, Southend-on-Sea, Essex
10 October 1967 – Elm Hotel, Southend-on-Sea, Essex
22 October 1967 – Upper Cut, Forest Gate, east London
28 October 1967 – Ritz, Bournemouth, Dorset
29 October 1967 – Embassy, Colchester, Essex
4 November 1967 – Industrial Club, Norwich, Norfolk
10 November 1967 – Kennet School, Thatcham, Berkshire with The Roosters
11 November 1967 – Casino, Leicester
12 November 1967 – Elm Hotel, Southend-on-Sea, Essex
19 November 1967 – Elm Hotel, Southend-on-Sea, Essex
26 November 1967 – Elm Hotel, Southend-on-Sea, Essex
28 November 1967 – Ritz, Bournemouth, Dorset
2 December 1967 – Industrial Club, Norwich, Norfolk
3 December 1967 – Elm Hotel, Southend-on-Sea, Essex
10 December 1967 – Elm Hotel, Southend-on-Sea, Essex
17 December 1967 – Elm Hotel, Southend-on-Sea, Essex
24 December 1967 – Elm Hotel, Southend-on-Sea, Essex
31 December 1967 – Elm Hotel, Southend-on-Sea, Essex
20 January 1968 – Industrial Club, Norwich, Norfolk
21 January 1968 – Embassy Suite, Colchester, Essex with The Huckle Bucks (billed as The Meantimers)
27 January 1968 – Cesar’s, Bedford, Bedfordshire
13 February 1968 – Public Hall, Witham, Essex
17 February 1968 – Chelmsford Corn Exchange, Chelmsford, Essex with Geno Washington & The Ram Jam Band
24 February 1968 – Chelmsford Corn Exchange, Chelmsford, Essex
14 April 1968 – Embassy Suite, Colchester, Essex with The Foursome
20 April 1968 – Locarno Ballroom, Swindon, Wiltshire
27 April 1968 – Industrial Club, Norwich, Norfolk
11 May 1968 – Locarno Ballroom, Swindon, Wiltshire
25 May 1968 – Memorial Hall, Newmarket, Cambridgeshire with Mr Lucifer (billed as The Meantimers)
1 June 1968 – Tin Hat, Kettering, Northamptonshire
8 June 1968 – Beachcomber, Nottingham
14 June 1968 – Supreme Ballroom, Ramsgate, Kent
21 June 1968 – Victoria Ball, Dartford, Kent (billed as The Meantimers)
22 June 1968 – Gig in Brighton, West Sussex (billed as The Meantimers)
23 June 1968 – Central Hotel, Gillingham, Kent (billed as The Meantimers)
24 June 1968 – Samantha’s, New Burlington Street, central London (billed as The Meantimers)
6 July 1968 – Industrial Club, Norwich, Norfolk
13 July 1968 – Tin Hat, Kettering, Northamptonshire with The Trax
2 August 1968 – Samantha’s, New Burlington Street, central London (billed as Meantimers)
3 August 1968 – Town Hall, Clacton, Essex (billed as Meantimers)
4 August 1968 – Surrey Rooms, Oval, south London (billed as Meantimers)
6-7 August 1968 – Hatchetts Playground, Piccadilly, central London (billed as Meantimers)
24 August 1968 – Savoy Rooms, Catford, southeast London
31 August 1968 – St Albans City Hall, St Albans, Hertfordshire with The Rocky Rivers
14 September 1968 – Burton’s, Uxbridge, west London
21 September 1968 – Industrial Club, Norwich, Norfolk
28 September 1968 – Embassy Suite, Colchester, Essex with Faux Pas
29 September 1968 – Silver End Hotel, near Witham, Essex
By the autumn of 1968, Kenny Simon had reshuffled the pack, bringing in Marsh’s former band mate from The Quiet Five, Roger McKew on lead guitar. Sid Phillips had already left by this point to go on to Redwind and his place was taken by Tony Hall, whose CV including Peter’s Faces, Wainwright’s Gentlemen and Rupert’s Spoon.
The new formation then comprised:
Kenny Simon – lead vocals
Roger McKew – lead guitar
Tony Hall – saxophone
Brent Carter – saxophone
Mick Glyde – bass
Roger ‘Tex’ Marsh – drums
The new-look formation resumed gigging. In March 1969, Brian Johnston from The Fantastics’ backing band, The House of Orange joined on Hammond organ. Two months later, however, Mick Glyde left and was replaced by another bass player.
Later that year, original keyboard player Bill Pitt returned to take over from Johnston. Simon also added Irish trumpet player Ron Carthy, who’d previously worked with The Blue Aces and Wynder K Frog (among others) to the six-piece line up that came together in time to cut the group’s lone ‘45 in November 1969.
In March 1970, however, Brent Carter and Tony Hall also departed at this point and joined Geno Washington & The Ram Jam Band.
When the band finally splintered in the early 1970s, Pitt ended up working with Espirit de Corps, while Carthy joined Gonzales and also did a multitude of sessions for artists like Freddie King, Slade and Suzi Quatro.
Selected gigs:
5 October 1968 – Tin Hat, Kettering, Northamptonshire with Cuby & The Blizzards
18 October 1968 – St Albans City Hall, St Albans, Hertfordshire with Amen Corner and Plagel Cadence
19 October 1968 – Elms Court, Botley, Oxford with Granny’s Intentions
19 October 1968 – Dreamland Ballroom, Margate, Kent with The Showstoppers
26 October 1968 – Locarno Ballroom, Swindon, Wiltshire
16 November 1968 – Union Rowing Club, Nottingham
17 November 1968 – Fellowship Inn, Eltham, southeast London
23 November 1968 – Fellowship Inn, Eltham, southeast London
30 November 1968 – Burton’s, Uxbridge, west London
8 December 1968 – Embassy Suite, Sunday Club, Colchester, Essex with The Outcasts
10 December 1968 – Black Prince Hotel, Bexley, southeast London with Olaf Groups Kneed
14 December 1968 – Corn Exchange, Bedford with Luther Morgan & JD with The Red Russo
21 December 1968 – Industrial Club, Norwich, Norfolk
22 December 1968 – Le Metro, Birmingham
28 December 1968 – Burton’s, Uxbridge, west London
29 December 1968 – Byron, Greenford, west London
5 January 1969 – Embassy Sunday Club, Colchester, Essex with Peach Umbrella
11 January 1969 – Savoy Club, Catford, southeast London
18 January 1969 – St Albans City Hall, St Albans, Hertfordshire
1 February 1969 – Burton’s, Uxbridge, west London
16 February 1969 – Welcome Inn, Eltham, southeast London
22 February 1969 – Starlight Room, Boston Gliderdrome, Boston, Lincolnshire with Jon James & The Swamp and The Western Kind
14 March 1969 – Maxi Scene, Angel Hotel, Godalming, Surrey
22 March 1969 – Burton’s, Uxbridge, west London
4 April 1969 – Walton Hop, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey
12 April 1969 – John D’Milton’s Discotheque, Birmingham
19 April 1969 – Starlight Room, Boston Gliderdrome, Boston, Lincolnshire with Sir Percy Quintet
20 April 1969 – New Union Rowing Club, Nottingham
26 April 1969 – Savoy Room, Catford, southeast London with Lee Hawkins
2 May 1969 – St Albans City Hall, St Albans, Hertfordshire with The Consortium and Octopus
17 May 1969 – Alex’s Disco, Salisbury, Wiltshire
22 May 1969 – Klook’s Kleek, West Hampstead, north London
6 June 1969 – Chelmsford City Stadium, Chelmsford, Essex
7 June 1969 – Burton’s, Uxbridge, west London
14 June 1969 – Il Rondo, Leicester
28 June 1969 – Cue Club, Paddington, central London
6 July 1969 – New Union Rowing Club, Nottingham
11 July 1969 – The Crown, Marlow, Bucks
26 July 1969 – Walton Hop, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey
28 July 1969 – Soul Club, Plaza Ballroom, Newsbury, Berkshire with Herbie Goins & The Night-Timers
30 July 1969 – The Place, Hanley, Staffordshire
2 August 1969 – Starlight Room, Boston Gliderdrome, Boston, Lincolnshire with Sir Percy Quintet
4 August 1969 – Quaintways, Chester, Cheshire with The Original Principals, The Headline News and Wall City Jazzmen
5-6 August 1969 – Samantha’s, New Burlington Street, central London
9 August 1969 – Savoy, Catford, southeast London
17-19 August 1969 – Samantha’s, New Burlington Street, central London
23 August 1969 – Trocadero Ballroom, Hamilton, Scotland (Wishaw Press says that the band are straight from a continental tour)
25 August 1969 – Samantha’s, New Burlington Street, central London
31 August 1969 – Up The Junction, Crewe, Cheshire with Scotch Corner
6 September 1969 – Walton Hop, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey
7 September 1969 – Le Metro, Birmingham
19 September 1969 – Plaza Ballroom, Newbury, Berkshire with J J Jackson & The Greatest Little Soul Band in The Land and The Ray King Soul Band
4 October 1969 – Savoy, Catford, southeast London
8 October 1969 – The Place, Hanley, Staffordshire
11 October 1969 – Ritz, Bournemouth, Dorset
20 October 1969 – Quaintways, Chester, Cheshire with Freedom Train, Pendulum and The Wall City Jazzmen
25 October 1969 – Starlight Room, Boston Gliderdrome, Boston, Lincolnshire with The Lovin’ Spoonful
8 November 1969 – Alex’s Disco, Salisbury, Wiltshire
21 November 1969 – The Place, Hanley, Staffordshire
23 November 1969 – Le Metro, Birmingham
25 November 1969 – Walton Hop, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey
29 November 1969 – Walton Hop, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey
7 December 1969 – Swan, Yardley, West Midlands
13 December 1969 – Blue Lagoon, Newquay, Cornwall with The Acoustics
31 December 1969 – Walton Hop, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey
7 February 1970 – Cloud 9, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire
Many thanks to Kenny Simon, Michael Armes, Tony Hall, Alan Wherry, Ken Hendy, Sid Phillips, Mick Glyde and Bruce Welsh for their help. Thank you Michael Armes and Alan Wherry for the photos.
Very little is known about the personnel in Simon K & The Meantimers. The author would be interested to hear from anyone that can provide more detail on the group for a future, updated version. Please email the author, Nick Warburton at Warchive@aol.com
The Witch Doctor in Catford was a notable rock venue in southeast London and was located above the Savoy Rooms. It opened in October 1965 and mainly hosted bands on Saturday nights (the other nights of the week are noted).
I’ve started a list of artists that were advertised to play at the venue. I would welcome any additions and any memories from anyone that attended the club. All of the entries are from the South East London Mercury unless otherwise noted.
Savoy Rooms’ gigs from March 1964. Photo: South East London Mercury
The gigs listed below from early August to mid-October were held at the Savoy Rooms before the Witch Doctor opened at the end of October 1965:
7 August 1965 – Johnny Cannon & The Shades with The Lonely Ones
14 August 1965 – The Gobbledegooks with Dave & The Strollers
21 August 1965 – The Trendsetters Ltd with Wainwright’s Gentlemen
28 August 1965 – Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick and Tich with The Equals
4 September 1965 – The Bo Street Runners
11 September 1965 – The Bretheren
18 September 1965 – Bubbles & Company
25 September 1965 – The Mark Four
2 October 1965 – The Crowd with The Epics
9 October 1965 – Just Four Men
16 October 1965 – The Symbols
23 October 1965 – missing entry
The following gigs were held at the Witch Doctor, above the Savoy Rooms:
31 October 1965 – The Mighty Avengers
6 November 1965 – The Herd
13 November 1965 – Tony Rivers & The Castaways
14 November 1965 – The Lonely Ones (says every Sunday night)
20 November 1965 – The Fenmen
21 November 1965 – The Lonely Ones (Sunday night)
27 November 1965 – The Objects
28 November 1965 – Alan Haren with Tony Crombie and The Lonely Ones (Sunday night)
4 December 1965 – Rey Anton & The Peppermint Men
5 December 1965 – The Lonely Ones (Sunday night)
11 December 1965 – The Herd
12 December 1965 – The Washington DCs (Sunday night)
19 December 1965 – The Washington DCs (Sunday night)
24 December 1965 – The Lonely Ones, Rey Anton & The Peppermint Men and The Confederates (Friday night)
31 December 1965 – The Majority, The Beat Syndicate and The High Jackers (Friday night)
8 January 1966 – The Mark Four
15 January 1966 – Davey Sands & The Essex
22 January 1966 – The Carnaby
29 January 1966 – Tony Rivers & The Castaways
5 February 1966 – The Washington DCs
12 February 1966 – The Mark Four (advert says Mark VI’s)
19 February 1966 – The Loose Ends
26 February 1966 – Peter B’s Looners
In March gigs were advertised for Friday. Not sure if that means gigs also happened on Saturdays and they are missing
4 March 1966 – Big beat group (Friday night)
11 March 1966 – Davey Sands & The Essex (Friday night)
18 March 1966 – The Carnaby (Friday night)
25 March 1966 – The Mark Four (Friday night)
1 April 1966 – The Loose Ends and The Lonely Ones (Friday night)
8 April 1966 – missing entry (if band due to play on Friday night)
9 April 1966 – missing entry (if band due to play on Saturday night)
10 April 1966 – The Loose Ends and The Lonely Ones (Sunday night)
15 April 1966 – The Majority (Friday night)
16 April 1966 – missing entry (if band due to play Saturday night)
23 April 1966 – The Washington DCs
28 April 1966 – The Who (Thursday night)
30 April 1966 – The Mark Four
7 May 1966 – Johnny B Great & The Quotations
14 May 1966 – The Loose Ends
21 May 1966 – The Plus Four
28 May 1966 – The Fenmen
4 June 1966 – The Gaylords
11 June 1966 – Washington DCs
18 June 1966 – The Majority
25 June 1966 – Tony Rivers & The Castaways
2 July 1966 – The Riot Squad
7 July 1966 – Guy Darrell (Thursday night)
9 July 1966 – Davey Sands & The Essex
16 July 1966 – missing entry
23 July 1966 – missing entry
30 July 1966 – missing entry
6 August 1966 – Tony Knight’s Chessmen (Sunday night) (Fabulous 208)
13 August 1966 – missing entry
20 August 1966 – Dave Anthony’s Moods
27 August 1966 – The Herd
3 September 1966 – Davey Sands & The Essex
10 September 1966 – missing entry
17 September 1966 – The Loose Ends
24 September 1966 – The Gaylords (changed name to Marmalade soon after)
1 October 1966 – The Herd
7 October 1966 – The Tea-Set (Friday night)
8 October 1966 – David Bowie
12 October 1966 – Davey Sands & The Essex (Wednesday night)
14 October 1966 – Kenny Everett (Friday night)
15 October 1966 – The Creation
22 October 1966 – The Quiet Five
28 October 1966 – Episode Six (Radio London night) (Brian Long’s research)
29 October 1966 – The Gaylords (aka Marmalade)
4 November 1966 – Pop group (Friday night)
5 November 1966 – Tony Jackson & The Vibrations
9 November 1966 – The Clockwork Oranges (Wednesday night)
10 November 1966 – Steve Darbyshire & The Yum Yum Band (Thursday night)
11 November 1966 – Episode Six (Radio London night) (Brian Long’s research)
12 November 1966 – The Epics
19 November 1966 – The Fleur De Lyes with The Clockwork Oranges (Keith Guster’s diary)
23 November 1966 – The Clockwork Oranges (Wednesday night)
26 November 1966 – Davey Sands & The Essex
Clive Chase who played bass with Bobby King & The Sabres says that his group played on 26 November 1966 with Marmalade (see comments section below where he also lists Bobby King & The Sabres’ gigs at the Savoy Rooms for the years 1963-1965).
30 November 1966 – The Clockwork Oranges (Wednesday night)
2 December 1966 – Radio London night
3 December 1966 – The Gaylords (aka Marmalade)
10 December 1966 – missing entry
16 December 1966 – Radio London night
17 December 1966 – Bobby King & The Sabres (Clive Chase’s diary –see comments section below)
23 December 1966 – Radio London night
24 December 1966 – The Mark Barry Groove and The Clockwork Oranges
30 December 1966 – Radio London night
31 December 1966 – Davey Sands & The Essex
The following are all Saturdays, unless otherwise noted. Most of the gigs had support but I did not list who they were.
7 January 1967 – missing entry
14 January 1967 – missing entry
21 January 1967 – The Lonely Ones
28 January 1967 – missing entry
4 February 1967 – The Stormsville Shakers
11 February 1967 – The Stormsville Shakers, The Coloured Raisins and The Heads
18 February 1967 – Guy Darrell and The Gnomes of Zurich
25 February 1967 – Dianne Ferris (aka Ferraz) and Nicky Scott & The New Images
4 March 1967 – Davey Sands & The Essex with supporting band
11 March 1967 – Davey Sands & The Essex
18 March 1967 – missing entry
25 March 1967 – missing entry
31 March 1967 – Davey Sands & The Essex (Friday night)
1 April 1967 – The Stormsville Shakers
7 April 1967 – The Washington DCs with supporting band (Friday night)
8 April 1967 – The Herd and Bobby King & The Sabres
Clive Chase, the bass player with Bobby King & The Sabres, confirms this gig from his diary – see comments section below.
14 April 1967 – The Symbols and The New Breed (Friday night)
15 April 1967 – The Lonely Ones with supporting band
21 April 1967 – The Creation with supporting band (Friday night)
22 April 1967 – The Flies with supporting band
28 April 1967 – (Simon K &) The Meantimers and The Groove (Friday night)
29 April 1967 – The Smoke with supporting band
5 May 1967 – The Coloured Raisins with King Ossie with supporting band (Friday night)
6 May 1967 – Episode Six with supporting band
12 May 1967 – The Next Issue and The Original Dyaks (Friday night)
13 May 1967 – The Fleur De Lyes with supporting band (Keith Guster’s diary)
19 May 1967 – The Human Instinct and The Jet Set (Friday night)
20 May 1967 – King Ossie and The Coloured Raisins with supporting band
26 May 1967 – John Watson & The Web and The Decision (recently The Showtimers but changed name) (Friday night)
27 May 1967 – The Fancy Bred
Clive Chase, the bass player with Bobby King & The Sabres, says that his group also played on 27 May – see comments section below.
2 June 1967 – The Attack with supporting band (Friday night)
3 June 1967 – Just Too Much (ex-members of Davey Sands & The Essex) with supporting band
9 June 1967 – The Knack (Friday night)
10 June 1967 – The H T
16 June 1967 – The Decision (formerly The Showtimers) and The Candy Choir (Friday night)
17 June 1967 – The Original Dyaks with supporting band
Clive Chase, the bass player with Bobby King & The Sabres, says that his group also played on 17 June – see comments section below.
23 June 1967 – The Fireballs and Jon (Friday night)
24 June 1967 – (Simon K &) The Meantimers with supporting band
30 June 1967 – The Power and The Original Dyaks (Friday night)
1 July 1967 – Episode Six with supporting band
7 July 1967 – The Skatellites and The Guns of Navarone (Friday night)
8 July 1967 – Washington DCs with supporting band
14 July 1967 – Coloured Raisins and King Ossie (Friday night)
15 July 1967 – The Creation and The Poor Boys
21 July 1967 – The Original Dyaks (Friday night)
22 July 1967 – Tony Jackson & The Garden (the ex-Searcher?)
28 July 1967 – The Stax (formerly The Heads) and Ruby James (Friday night)
29 July 1967 – The Robb Storme Group and The Amboy Dukes
4 August 1967 – The Iveys (Friday night)
5 August 1967 – Heinz & The Wild Boys
11 August 1967 – Washington DCs with supporting band (Friday night)
12 August 1967 – Episode Six with supporting band
18 August 1967 – The Original Dyaks with supporting band (Friday night)
19 August 1967 – The Marmalade with supporting band
25 August 1967 – (Simon K &) The Meantimers (Friday night)
26 August 1967 – Skip Bisserty (Skip Bifferty?)
Clive Chase, the bass player with Bobby King & The Sabres, says that his group also played on 26 August – see comments section below.
1 September 1967 – The Ebony Keys with supporting band (Friday night)
2 September 1967 – The Amboy Dukes with supporting band
8 September 1967 – The Fingers and Bobby King & The Sabres (Friday night)
Clive Chase, the bass player with Bobby King & The Sabres, says that his group also played on 8 September – see comments section below.
9 September 1967 – Robb Storme Group and The Fireballs
15 September 1967 – The Original Dyaks (Friday night)
16 September 1967 – The Skatallites
22 September 1967 – The Riot Squad and The New Breed (Friday night)
23 September 1967 – The Coloured Raisins
29 September 1967 – Robb Storme Group and Outrage (Friday night)
30 September 1967 – The Stormsville Shakers and The Soul Kings
6 October 1967 – The Love Affair with supporting band(Friday night)
Clive Chase, the bass player with Bobby King & The Sabres, says that his group also played on 6 October – see comments section below.
7 October 1967 – The Original Dyaks with supporting band
13 October 1967 – missing entry
14 October 1967 – missing entry
20 October 1967 – The Amboy Dukes with supporting band (Friday night)
21 October 1967 – Junior Smith
27 October 1967 – missing entry
28 October 1967 – Episode Six with Bobby King & The Sabres
Clive Chase, the bass player with Bobby King & The Sabres, says that his group also played on 28 October – see comments section below.
4 November 1967 – Tony Rivers & The Castaways
11 November 1967 – The Gaff and The All Coloured Soul Sensation
18 November 1967 – The Love Affair
25 November 1967 – The Skatallites
Clive Chase, the bass player with Bobby King & The Sabres, says that his group also played on 25 November – see comments section below.
2 December 1967 – Marmalade
9 December 1967 – missing entry
16 December 1967 – missing entry
23 December 1967 – missing entry
30 December 1967 – Bobby King & The Sabres (Clive Chase’s diary)
I am missing most of 1968’s entries so would welcome any additions/corrections
17 February 1968 – Marmalade
24 February 1968 – The Amboy Dukes
1 March 1968 – Coloured Raisins
2 March 1968 – Bobby King & The Sabres (Clive Chase’s diary)
16 March 1968 – The Gass
20 April 1968 – Bobby King & The Sabres (Clive Chase’s diary)
1 June 1968 – Bobby King & The Sabres (Clive Chase’s diary)
29 June 1968 – Sweet Rain
Clive Chase, the bass player with Bobby King & The Sabres, says that his group also played on 29 June – see comments section below. It is the debut gig for the band’s new drummer Geoff Britton who will later go on to join Wings.
6 July 1968 – The Coloured Raisins
17 August 1968 – Funky Fever
14 September 1968 – The Amboy Dukes (Savoy, Catford)
9 November 1968 – The Fleur De Lys (Keith Guster’s diary)
7 December 1968 – The Amboy Dukes (Savoy, Catford)
1969
11 January 1969 – The Dream Police (Savoy, Catford) Melody Maker entry says this was formerly the Witch Doctor
Photo: Melody Maker
25 January 1969 – Jimmy James & The Vagabonds and Justin Tyme
1 February 1969 – Amboy Dukes
8 February 1969 – The Skatelites
15 February 1969 – The Coloured Raisins and The Electric Sun
22 February 1969 – Justin Tyme
1 March 1969 – US Flattop with The Cat Road Show (Savoy, Catford) (Melody Maker)
Photo: Melody Maker
8 March 1969 – The Skatelites
22 March 1969 – Desmond Dekker & The Aces
4 April 1969 – Bandwagon
Photo: Melody Maker
5 April 1969 –Billie Davis (Savoy, Catford) (Melody Maker)
12 April 1969 – The Carnival
19 April 1969 – The Globe Show
26 April 1969 – Simon K & The Meantimers and Lee Hawkins (Savoy, Catford)
Photo: Melody Maker
3 May 1969 – Johnny James & The Swamp and Archimede’s Principle (Savoy, Catford) (Melody Maker)
10 May 1969 – The Greatest Show on Earth
17 May 1969 – The Pyramids and The Soft Sensation
31 May 1969 – Prince Buster
7 June 1969 – The Globe Show
14 June 1969 – The Cats
28 June 1969 – Purple Globe and The Skatelites
Photo: Melody Maker
2 August 1969 – The Pyramids (Savoy, Catford) (Melody Maker)
9 August 1969 – Simon K & The Meantimers (Savoy, Catford)
23 August 1969 – Bobby King & The Sabres (Clive Chase’s diary)
30 August 1969 – Purple Globe
6 September 1969 – Dave Amboy Big Band (Amboy Dukes) (Savoy, Catford)
13 September 1969 – The Amboy Dukes (Savoy, Catford)
20 September 1969 – Bobby King & The Sabres (Clive Chase’s diary)
4 October 1969 – Simon K & The Meantimers (Savoy, Catford)
Walton Playhouse, 19 January 2022. Photo: Nick Warburton
The Walton Hop at the Playhouse in Walton-on-Thames, Surrey was a teen disco started by Deniz Corday in 1958.
Photo: Nick Warburton, 19 January 2022
The music venue is reputed to have been the first disco in the UK. During 1964-1965, it was billed as the Hi-Fi Hop. The venue was billed as the Walton Hop in 1967. This is an incomplete list and I would welcome any additions
1 August 1961 – Mike Dee & The Jaywalkers
24 October 1961 – Mike Dee & The Jaywalkers
7 November 1961 – Mike Dee & The Jaywalkers
19 January 1962 – The Nibs Band
Gigs were on Saturdays and Wednesday but not every week
20 January 1962 – The Sunsets with Linda Shane, Grant Tracy and Ron Diamond
24 January 1962 – Denny & The Crescendos
10 February 1962 – Vern Rogers & The Hi-Fi’s
14 February 1962 – The Impalas
17 February 1962 – Eddy & The Chequers
24 February 1962 – Mike Cordell & The Mysteries
3 March 1962 – Steve Frances & The Counterbeats
10 March 1962 – Johnny Carr & The Bristol Cadillacs
14 March 1962 – The Guildford Rythmics
17 March 1962 – Tony West, Terry Preston & The Nite Hawks
21 March 1962 – Kris Kelly & The Cadillacs
24 March 1962 – Steve Laine & The Cannons
28 March 1962 – The Hamilton Teens
31 March 1962 – Anna Janet Carol and Tony Claidon & The Impalas
4 April 1962 – The Black Arrows
Gap until the next entry
18 April 1962 – Denny & The Crescendos
21 April 1962 – Grant Tracy & The Sunsets
23 April 1962 – Steve Laine and Terry & The Cannons
26 April 1962 – The Hamilton Teens
28 April 1962 – Duffy Power & The Syndicates
2 May 1962 – Steve Frances & The Counterbeats
5 May 1962 – Neil Christian & The Crusaders (he was ill so postponed and was replaced by Gary Brooker & The Paramounts)
Gap in gigs until next entry
19 May 1962 – Baby Bubbly & His Bubbles
23 May 1962 – Neil Christian & The Crusaders
26 May 1962 – Gary Brooker & The Paramounts
2 June 1962 – Ray Davis & The RDQ Quartette (held at Weybridge Hall as Walton Playhouse not available)
6 June 1962 – Jackie Lynton with Bob Zavier & The Jury
9 June 1962 – Bod Fields, Beverley Swain & The Diablos
11 June 1962 – Jed Stone & The Raiders
14 June 1962 – The Black Arrows
16 June 1962 – Neil Christian & The Crusaders (held at Weybridge Hall as Walton Playhouse not available)
23 June 1962 – Steve Laine and Teddy & The Cannons (held at Weybridge Hall as Walton Playhouse not available)
27 June 1962 – Pat McQueen & His Rock Combo
30 June 1962 – The Checkpoints with Colin Lloyd
3 July 1962 – Ricky Temple & The Lonely Ones (Tuesday)
7 July 1962 – Tony Claidon, Ann Wright and The Impalas (held at Weybridge Hall as Walton Playhouse not available)
11 July 1962 – Grant Tracy & The Sunsets
14 July 1962 – Brian Howard & The Silhouettes
18 July 1962 – Pete West & The East Combo
21 July 1962 – Karl Anthony & The Nomads
25 July 1962 – The Black Arrows
28 July 1962 – Steve Laine and Terry & The Cannons
1 August 1962 – Pat McQueen & His Rock Combo
4 August 1962 – Grant Tracy & The Sunsets (cancelled, not clear who replaced them)
6 August 1962 – Tony Claidon & The Impalas
11 August 1962 – Neil Christian & The Crusaders (held at Weybridge Hall as Walton Playhouse not available)
18 August 1962 – Colin Lyodd & The Checkpoints (held at Weybridge Hall as Walton Playhouse not available)
No gigs for a while
1 September 1962 – The Fleereckers
4 September 1962 – Norman Jago & The Jaguars
8 September 1962 – Brian Howard & The Silhouettes
12 September 1962 – Jackie Lynton & The Jury
15 September 1962 – The Statesmen of Sin
19 September 1962 – Vern Rogers & The Hi-Fi’s
22 September 1962 – Terry Franks & The Avalons
26 September 1962 – John Mazzi & The Clearways
29 September 1962 – Bobby Angelo & The Tuxedos with Susan Terry
3 October 1962 – Jackie Lynton with Bob Zavier & The Jury
6 October 1962 – Bobby Brown & The Barons
10 October 1962 – Grant Tracy & The Sunsets
13 October 1962 – Brian Howard & The Silhouettes
Gap until next entry
20 October 1962 – Bobby Angelo & The Tuxedos (held at Weybridge Hall as Walton Playhouse not available)
24 October 1962 – Jackie Lynton and Bobby Zavier & The Jury
27 October 1962 – Rod Price & The College Boys
31 October 1962 – Terry Franks & The Avalons
3 November 1962 – Vern Rogers & The Hi-Fi’s
9 November 1962 – Grant Tracy & The Sunsets (held at Weybridge Hall as Walton Playhouse not available)
16 November 1962 – Bobby Angelo, Susan Terry & The Tuxedos (held at Weybridge Hall as Walton Playhouse not available)
24 November 1962 – Coral Lee and Ray Fields & The Syndicates (held at Weybridge Hall as Walton Playhouse not available)
27 November 1962 – Brian Howard & The Silhouettes
1 December 1962 – John Mazzi & The Clearways
Gap until next entry
12 December 1962 – Jackie Lynton & The New Teenbeats
15 December 1962 – Vern Rogers & The Hi-Fi’s (held at Weybridge Hall as Walton Playhouse not available)
19 December 1962 – Rod Price & His College Men
22 December 1962 – Brian Howard & The Silhouettes
24 December 1962 – Bobby Angelo & The Tuxedos with Susan Terry
26 December 1962 – Jackie Lynton & The New Teenbeats
29 December 1962 – John Mazzi & The Clearways (held at Weybridge Hall as Walton Playhouse not available)
31 December 1962 – Terry Franks & The Avalons
Gigs were on Saturdays and Wednesday but not every week. There is gap until next entry
9 January 1963 – Vern Rogers & The Hi-Fi’s
12 January 1963 – John Mazzi & The Clearways
16 January 1963 – Tony Rivers & The Castaways
19 January 1963 – Vern Rogers & The Hi-Fi’s
23 January 1963 – Grant Tracy & The Sunsets
26 January 1963 – Tony Rivers & The Castaways
30 January 1963 – The Nashville Teens
2 February 1963 – Rod Price & His College Men (held at Weybridge Hall as Walton Playhouse not available)
6 February 1963 – Shane Fenton & The Fentons and Tony Rivers & The Castaways
9 February 1963 – Grant Tracy & The Sunsets
14 February 1963 – Vern Rogers & The Hi-Fi’s (Thursday)
16 February 1963 – Terry Franks & The Avalons
23 February 1963 – John Mazzi & The Clearways
There is a gap until the next entry
2 March 1963 – Rod Price & His College Men
6 March 1963 – Gene Vincent & The British Blue Caps and The Hi-Fi Nits and Jackie & Fiona
9 March 1963 – Pauline Martin and Paul Dean & The Searchers
16 March 1963 – Tony Rivers & The Castaways
20 March 1963 – Frank Kelly & The Hunters
23 March 1963 – Pete West and Susan Wayne & The Embers
30 March 1963 – Coral Lee and Ray Fields & The Syndicates (held at Weybridge Hall as Walton Playhouse not available)
6 April 1963 – Tony & The Packabeats
11 April 1963 – Pat McQueen & His Rock Combo (Thursday)
13 April 1963 – John Mazzi & The Clearways and The Hi-Fi Nits
15 April 1963 – Grant Tracy & The Sunsets (Monday)
20 April 1963 – Pauline Martin and Pete Dean & The Searchers
27 April 1963 – Lee Faber & The RTJ Combo (held at Weybridge Hall as Walton Playhouse not available)
4 May 1963 – The Strollers Plus Two and The Hi-Fi Nits
10 May 1963 – Rod Price & His College Men (Friday) (held at Weybridge Hall as Walton Playhouse not available) Replaced by Jeff Curtis & The Flames
18 May 1963 – Vern Rogers & The Hi-Fi’s and Fiona and Jackie
25 May 1963 – Terry Franks & The Avalons (held at Weybridge Hall as Walton Playhouse not available)
1 June 1963 – Tony Holland & The Packabeats
3 June 1963 – Vern Rogers & Hi-Fi’s (Monday)
8 June 1963 – Johnny Dee & The Limelighters
15 June 1963 – John Mazzi & The Clearways
22 June 1963 – Vern Rogers & The Hi-Fi’s
29 June 1963 – John Mazzi & Clearways
6 July 1963 – Tony Rivers & The Castaways
13 July 1963 – Rod Price & His College Men
20 July 1963 – Jeff Curtis & The Flames
27 July 1963 – Dave Anthony & The Druids
3 August 1963 – The Strollers
5 August 1963 – The Limelights
10 August 1963 – Coral Lee and Ray Fields & The Syndicates
17 August 1963 – Terry Franks & The Avalons (replaced by Eddy & The Chequers)
24 August 1963 – Lee Allan & The Scepters
31 August 1963 – Dave Anthony & The Druids
6 September 1963 – Tony Rivers & The Castaways (Friday) (replaced by Tony Holland & The Packabeats)
14 September 1963 – The Hi-Fi’s
21 September 1963 – John Mazzi & The Clearways
25 September 1963 – Shane Fenton & The Fentons (Wednesday)
28 September 1963 – Dave Dee & The Moquettes
5 October 1963 – Grant Tracy & The Sunsets
12 October 1963 – Lee Allan & The Scepters
19 October 1963 – Tony Holland & The Packabeats
26 October 1963 – The Wanderers
2 November 1963 – The Druids
9 November 1963 – Jackie Lynton & The Teenbeats
16 November 1963 – The Mustangs (held at Weybridge Hall as Walton Playhouse not available)
23 November 1963 – Tony Rivers & The Castaways (held at Weybridge Hall as Walton Playhouse not available)
30 November 1963 – Jeff Curtis & The Flames
Got gaps until next gig
21 December 1963 – Neil Christian & The Crusaders
24 December 1963 – John Mazzi & The Clearways
26 December 1963 – Tony Holland & The Packabeats
27 December 1963 – Vern Rogers & The Hi-Fi’s
28 December 1963 – Brian Diamond & The Cutters
31 December 1963 – The Druids
Just appears to be gigs on Saturdays in 1964
3 January 1964 – Lee Allan & The Scepters
11 January 1964 – The Moquettes (held at Weybridge Hall as Walton Playhouse not available)
18 January 1964 – The Flintstones
25 January 1964 – The Roof Raisers
1 February 1964 – Pete Nelson & The Travellers
8 February 1964 – The Hi-Fi’s
No gig on 15 February 1964
22 February 1964 – Tony Rivers & The Castaways and The Hop Mimers
29 February 1964 – Guitars Incorporated
7 March 1964 – The Roof Raisers
14 March 1964 – The Druids
21 March 1964 – Lee Allan & The Scepters
26 March 1964 – The Moquettes
28 March 1964 – The Outlaws and The Hop Mimers
30 March 1964 – Wainwright’s Gentlemen
4 April 1964 – The Druids
11 April 1964 – Tony Holland & The Packabeats (held at Weybridge Hall as Walton Playhouse not available)
18 April 1964 – The Limelights
No gig on 25 April
28 April 1964 – Tony Rivers & The Castaways (held at Weybridge Hall as Walton Playhouse not available)
2 May 1964 – Peter’s Faces
9 May 1964 – The Hi-Fi’s (held at Weybridge Hall as Walton Playhouse not available)
16 May 1964 – The Trends
18 May 1964 – The Moquettes (Monday)
23 May 1964 – Wainwright’s Gentlemen
30 May 1964 – Dana Laine and Lee Tracy & The Tributes (held at Weybridge Hall as Walton Playhouse not available)
2 June 1964 – Peter’s Faces (Tuesday)
6 June 1964 – The Druids
9 June 1964 – Wainwright’s Gentlemen (Tuesday)
13 June 1964 – The Prestons (held at Weybridge Hall as Walton Playhouse not available)
16 June 1964 – The Soul Representatives (Tuesday)
20 June 1964 – Mike Shannons & The Strangers
27 June 1964 – Wainwright’s Gentlemen
4 July 1964 – The Chances (held at Weybridge Hall as Walton Playhouse not available)
11 July 1964 – The Nashville Teens
18 July 1964 – Peter’s Faces
25 July 1964 – The Southern Sounds
1 August 1964 – The Birds (Ron Wood on guitar)
3 August 1964 – Peter’s Faces
8 August 1964 – The Grebbles
15 August 1964 – The T-Bones
22 August 1964 – The Southern Sounds
29 August 1964 – Peter’s Faces and Jackie Lynton
5 September 1964 – The Birds
12 September 1964 – The Druids
19 September 1964 – The Tridents (Jeff Beck’s band)
26 September 1964 – The T-Bones
3 October 1964 – The Druids
10 October 1964 – The Herd (replaced by The Paramounts)
17 October 1964 – The Rebounds
24 October 1964 – Tony Rivers & The Castaways
31 October 1964 – Peter’s Faces
7 November 1964 – The Tridents
14 November 1964 – The Druids
17 November 1964 – Rhubarb Freshers (Tuesday)
21 November 1964 – Tony Rivers & The Castaways
24 November 1964 – The Aztecs (Tuesday)
28 November 1964 – The Bootleggers
1 December 1964 – The Hustlers (Tuesday) (held at Weybridge Hall as Walton Playhouse not available)
4 December 1964 – The Herd (held at Weybridge Hall as Walton Playhouse not available)
8 December 1964 – The Empty Vessels (Tuesday) (held at Weybridge Hall as Walton Playhouse not available)
12 December 1964 – Peter’s Faces (held at Weybridge Hall as Walton Playhouse not available)
15 December 1964 – Devil’s Disciples (Tuesday)
19 December 1964 – The Pagans
24 December 1964 – Grant Tracy & The Sunsets
26 December 1964 – The Tridents
31 December 1964 – The Druids
There were gaps during 1965 due to the venue not being used for music
2 January 1965 – The Birds
12 January 1965 – The Moonrakers
16 January 1965 – Peter’s Faces
23 January 1965 – The Herd
26 January 1965 – The Legends
30 January 1965 – Wainwright’s Gentlemen (Ian Gillan was lead singer by now)
2 February 1965 – The Strays
6 February 1965 – The Tridents
9 February 1965 – The Cosmic Sounds
13 February 1965 – Grant Tracy & The Sunsets
23 February 1965 – The Missing Links
27 February 1965 – Dave & The Strollers
2 March 1965 – The Ones
6 March 1965 – The Tridents (this was the band’s first gig after Jeff Beck left to join The Yardbirds and was performed as a trio)
9 March 1965 – The Road Agents
13 March 1965 – The Birds
16 March 1965 – Finders Keepers
20 March 1965 – The Five Dimensions
23 March 1965 – Them
27 March 1965 – The Herd
30 March 1965 – The Bad Boys
3 April 1965 – The Cosmic Sounds
15 April 1965 – The Hero (This could be a missprint and might be The Herd)
Walton Playhouse closed at some point in late April/early May 1965 due to a fire that caused extensive damage. Walton Playhouse re-opened for music on 29 October 1966
29 October 1966 – Flatop and The Soul System
1 November 1966 – The Impalas
5 November 1966 – The Courtelles
8 November 1966 – The Iveys (evolved into Badfinger)
12 November 1966 – Tuesday’s Children
15 November 1966 – The Loving Kind
19 November 1966 –The Dominos
No gigs on 22 and 26 November
29 November 1966 – The Coloured Raisins
3 December 1966 – The Iveys
No gigs on 6 and 10 December
13 December 1966 – The New Downliners Sect
17 December 1966 – The Embers
20 December 1966 – Syd’s Crowd
24 December 1966 – Rob Chance & The Chances R
26 December 1966 – The Coloured Raisins
27 December 1966 – The Summer Set
31 December 1966 – Niti Rossi and Mike Stuart Span
10 January 1967 – The New Mojo Band (The New Mojos)
13 January 1967 – Winston’s Fumbs
17 January 1967 – Norman & The Tek-Neeks (ex-Tornados)
24 January 1967 – Derek Savage Foundation
28 January 1967 – The Nashville Teens
31 January 1967 – The Embers
4 February 1967 – The Condors
7 February 1967 – Winston’s Thumbs
11 February 1967 – Jackie Lynton, Norman Hale & The Package
14 February 1967 – The Iveys
18 February 1967 – Derek Savage Foundation
21 February 1967 – The Mojos
25 February 1967 – Denise Scott & The Soundsmen
28 February 1967 – Mike Raynor & The Condors
4 March 1967 – The Coloured Raisins
7 March 1967 – The Embers
14 March 1967 – The Embers
18 March 1967 – The Bunch
21 March 1967 – Derek Savage Foundation
23 March 1967 – The Coloured Raisins
25 March 1967 – The Medievals
27 March 1967 – Mike Stuart Span
1 April 1967 – The Army (Steve Priest, pre-Sweet on bass)
11 April 1967 – The Iveys
15 April 1967 – The Mojos
18 April 1967 – Sean Buckely Big Set
21 April 1967 – The Seychells (held at Hersham)
No gigs at the Walton Hop on 22, 25 and 29 April. The hall is not available
29 April 1967 – The Flies (held at Hersham)
2 May 1967 – The Farm
6 May 1967 – The Jaybirds
13 May 1967 – The Ministry of Sound
16 May 1967 – The Drag Set
20 May 1967 – The Bunch
23 May 1967 – The Flies
27 May 1967 – The Shinn
29 May 1967 – Mike Stuart Span (Bank holiday Monday)
3 June 1967 – The Courtells
6 June 1967 – The Jaybirds
10 June 1967 – The Happy Story
13 June 1967 – The Shell Shock Show
17 June 1967 – The Iveys
20 June 1967 – The Klooks
There is a gap after this
8 July 1967 – Soul Tonas
14 July 1967 – The Shell Shock Show
22 July 1967 – The Gods
29 July 1967 – The Human Instinct
5 August 1967 – Mike Stuart Span
12 August 1967 – The Tiles Big Band
19 August 1967 – The Flies
26 August 1967 – The Drag Set
28 August 1967 – The Flies (Bank holiday Monday)
2 September 1967 – Mike Raynor & The Condors
9 September 1967 – Modes Mode
16 September 1967 – Mike Stuart Span
23 September 1967 – The Embers
26 September 1967 – The Drifters, The Flies and The Mover
7 October 1967 – The All Nite Workers
14 October 1967 – No band this week
21 October 1967 – Gentle Madness
28 October 1967 – Dr Marigold’s Prescription
4 November 1967 – Coletrain Union
11 November 1967 – The Inspiration
14 November 1967 – The Human Instinct
18 November 1967 – Floribunda Rose (John Kongos’s band)
25 November 1967 – No band this week
28 November 1967 – Force Four
2 December 1967 – Lemon Line
9 December 1967 – No band this week
12 December 1967 – The All Nite Workers
16 December 1967 – Jo Jo Gunne
19 December 1967 – The Doves
26 December 1967 – The Flies (and possibly The Doves but needs confirmation)
30 December 1967 – Mike Stuart Span
9 January 1968 – Jo Jo Gunne
13 January 1968 – The Army
16 January 1968 – Force Four
20 January 1968 – The Human Instinct
24 January 1968 – Missing entry
27 January 1968 – The All Nite Workers
30 January 1968 – Dr Marigold’s Prescription
3 February 1968 – Alexander Bell & The Flies (Just back from Denmarkand replaced Cymbaline)
6 February 1968 – The Doves
10 February 1968 – The Human Instinct and The Mover
13 February 1968 – Jo Jo Gunne
17 February 1968 – Jon
20 February 1968 – The All Nite Workers
24 February 1968 – Kristen Young & The Reflections
27 February 1968 – Cymbaline
2 March 1968 – Dr Marigold’s Prescription
No gigs on 5 and 9 March
12 March 1968 – Mike Raynor & The Condors
No Saturday gigs until 30 March so no gig on 16 March
19 March 1968 – The All Nite Workers
No gig on 23 March
26 March 1968 – Cymbaline
30 March 1968 – Jo Jo Gunne
6 April 1968 – Extreme Sound
11 April 1968 – Jo Jo Gunne
13 April 1968 – Cymbaline
15 April 1968 – The All Night Workers
20 April 1968 – The Doves
Looks like gigs on 23, 27 and 30 April
4 May 1968 – The Embers
Looks like no gigs on 7, 11 and 14 May
18 May 1968 – The Penny Peeps (Martin Barre, pre-Jethro Tull on guitar)
Looks like no gigs on 21, 25 and 28 May
1 June 1968 – Jo Jo Gunne
4 June 1968 – The Embers
8 June 1968 – The Onyx
No gig on 11 June
15 June 1968 – Extreme Sound
No gig on 18 June
22 June 1968 – Mike Stuart Span
No gigs on 25 and 29 June
No gig on 2 July
6 July 1968 – The Greatest Show on Earth
13 July 1968 – Mike Raynor & The Condors
No gig on 16 July
20 July 1968 – Cymbaline
No gig on 23 July
27 July 1968 – The Groop (from Australia) and Honey
No gig on 30 July
3 August 1968 – Clive Barrow Group (future All Night Workers lead singer)
No gig on 6 August
10 August 1968 – Mike Raynor & The Condors
No gig on 13 August
17 August 1968 – The Embers and Honey
No gig on 20 August
24 August 1968 – Alexander Bell & The Flies
No gig on 27 August
31 August 1968 – Jo Jo Gunne
2 September 1968 – The All Nite Workers
7 September 1968 – Jo Jo Gunne
No gigs on 10, 14 and 17 September
21 September 1968 – The Late
No gig on 24 September
28 September 1968 – Combustion
No gig on 1 October
5 October 1968 – The Nerve
No gig on 8 October
12 October 1968 – Bobby Johnson & The Atoms
Looks like no gigs on 15, 19 and 22 October
26 October 1968 – The All Nite Workers
No gig on 29 October
2 November 1968 – Bobby Johnson & The Atoms
No gig on 5 November
9 November 1968 – Combustion
No gig on 12 November
16 November 1968 – Nerve
No gig on 19, 23 and 26 November
30 November 1968 – The Coloured Raisins
No gigs on 3, 7 and 10 December
14 December 1968 – Jo Jo Gunne
No gig on 17 December
21 December 1968 – The Explosion with Winston T (most likely Watson T Brown & The Explosive)
24 December 1968 – Jo Jo Gunne
26 December 1968 – Rick ‘N’ Beckers
28 December 1968 – The Sky (formerly Mike Raynor & The Condors)
31 December 1968 – The Cat Road Show starring US Flatop
No gig on Saturday, 4 January 1969. Also Tuesday shows given up for DJ
11 January 1969 – The Youngblood
18 January 1969 – The Explosive
25 January 1969 – Canterbury Tales
1 February 1969 – Kingsize Keen Show
8 February 1969 – The Flares
No gig on Saturday, 15 February
23 February 1969 – The Nite People
1 March 1969 – The Youngblood
8 March 1969 – Demon Fuzz
No gig on Saturday, 15 March
22 March 1969 – Watson T Brown & The Explosive
29 March 1969 – Spectrum
3 April 1969 – Canterbury’s Tales
5 April 1969 – Simon K & The Meantimers
7 April 1969 – The All Nite Workers (Clyde Barrow now on lead vocals)
No gigs now until the next date
3 May 1969 – The Youngblood
No gigs now until the next date
31 May 1969 – The Red Squares
7 June 1969 – The Pavement
14 June 1969 – The Onyx
21 June 1969 – The Sky
28 June 1969 – Spectrum
5 July 1969 – The Sweet
12 July 1969 – The Swamp
19 July 1969 – The Embers
26 July 1969 – Simon K & The Meantimers
2 August 1969 – The She Trinity
9 August 1969 – The Sugar
16 August 1969 – The Chimera
23 August 1969 – Pinkerton’s Assorted Colours
30 August 1969 – Canterbury Tales
6 September 1969 – Simon K & The Meantimers
13 September 1969 – Cool Combination
20 September 1969 – Sonority
27 September 1969 – The Cats
4 October 1969 – The Pylots
11 October 1969 – Archimedes Principle
18 October 1969 – Timebox
No gig on Saturday, 25 October
1 November 1969 – Black Velvet
No gig on Saturday, 8 November
15 November 1969 – Orange Rainbow
No gig on Saturday, 22 November
29 November 1969 – Simon K & The Meantimers
No gigs until the next one
13 December 1969 – Information
20 December 1969 – Lucas (from Mike Cotton Sound) and The Soul Sisters
24 December 1969 – Mike Raynor & The Sky
26 December 1969 – John James & The Swamp
27 December 1969 – Chimera
31 December 1969 – Simon K & The Meantimers
There don’t appear to be any gigs for the first half of 1970
All gigs were sourced from the Woking Herald except Mike Dee & The Jaywalkers (Brian Mansell) and Floribunda Rose (Jack Russell)
Beside Southall Community Centre, another popular venue in the west London suburb was the White Hart.
According to Terry O’Connor, The Chris Barber Band and Johnny Dankworth played the White Hart regularly during the 1950s. He also remembers Acker Bilk played here regularly.
O’Connor also remembers that Pat Cresswell & The Crestas were regulars at the White Hart.
The Statesmen, who later changed name to The Statesides and Jean & The Statesides had a regular residency at the White Hart in the early 1960s (see below). Future Animals’ guitarist Vic Briggs was briefly a member in 1962.
The Who played the venue quite a few times and Jimmy Royal & The Hawks were also regulars. Mike Dee & The Jaywalkers who featured Ritchie Blackmore on guitar also played here.
Frankie Reid & The Casuals (with future Jimi Hendrix drummer Mitch Mitchell and Danny McCulloch, who was later in The Animals) also played frequently.
During 1964, future Deep Purple singer Ian Gillan’s band The Javelins performed at the club quite a few times.
Later in the 1960s, future Queen guitarist Brian May’s band 1984 played at the White Hart.
The gigs below are incomplete so I would be interested to hear from anyone that can add any further dates in the comments section.
1960
12 September (Monday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
This west London band morphed out of The Rocking Versatiles (formed September 1957) and included long-standing member Jeff Sturgeon (lead guitar), who remained with the group throughout its various incarnations (and name changes) until finally splitting on 1 July 1966. The band had regular residencies at this club as the huge number of bookings below show.
At this point, The Statesmen comprised Ray Heath (vocals), Jeff Sturgeon (lead guitar), Bob Kendall (rhythm guitar), Terry Crook (bass/piano) and Dave Evans (drums).
17 September (Saturday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
19 September (Monday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
24 September (Saturday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
26 September (Monday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
1 October (Saturday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
3 October (Monday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
10 October (Monday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
17 October (Monday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
24 October (Monday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
31 October (Monday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
7 November (Monday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
14 November (Monday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
21 November (Monday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
29 November (Tuesday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
5 December (Monday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
26 December (Monday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
The Statesmen’s singer Ray Heath left on 28 December.
1961
2 January (Monday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
9 January (Monday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
16 January (Monday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
23 January (Monday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
30 January (Monday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
Keyboard player and sax player Bill Stemp joined in time for the above gig and, like Jeff Sturgeon, remained with the band until its demise in July 1966.
6 February (Monday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
13 February (Monday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
20 February (Monday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
6 March (Monday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
13 March (Monday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
18 March (Sunday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
20 March (Monday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
27 March (Monday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
1 April (Saturday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
3 April (Monday) (Monday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
10 April (Monday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
17 April (Monday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
27 April (Thursday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
1 May (Monday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
8 May (Monday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
13 May (Saturday) – Mike Dee & The Jaywalkers (Brian Mansell’s gig diary)
Ritchie Blackmore had joined Mike Dee & The Jaywalkers on lead guitar by now.
15 May (Monday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
22 May (Monday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
29 May (Monday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
Jeff Sturgeon notes that Paul Clarke from James Royal & The Hawks played lead guitar on 29 May gig.
5 June (Monday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
12 June (Monday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
The 12 June was rhythm guitarist Bob Kendall’s final gig with The Statesmen.
19 June (Monday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
27 June (Monday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
10 July (Monday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
17 July (Monday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
22 July (Saturday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
24 July (Monday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
31 July (Monday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
7 August (Monday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
14 August (Monday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
21 August (Monday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
From 18 October to 1 December, numerous (and notable drummers) covered for Dave Evans, who left at the end of the year: Micky Waller, Eddie Thorpe, Terry Sealy and Carlo Little.
The Statesmen’s bass player Norman Merchant left on 22 December followed six days later by drummer Dave Evans. Steve Frankel took Evans’ place behind the kit.
Future Animals’ guitarist Vic Briggs, whose first significant band was The Cruisers Rock Combo (formed mid-late 1960), says his next group (after a brief stint with The Echoes), Mike Allen & The Sidekicks played regularly at the White Hart after forming around October 1961.
1962
New bass player Mick Tobias joined on 30 January.
23 February (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
Vic Briggs joined on rhythm guitar and debuted on 2 March at the White Hart. Briggs had recently been playing with another White Hart regular, Mike Allen & The Sidekicks. The band had split when singer Mike Ledger and drummer Mick Underwood joined The Crescents.
2 March (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
9 March (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
16 March (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
23 March (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
Mick Tobias left The Statesmen on 25 March.
30 March (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
Mick Tobias’ replacement Mick Wilkinson joined on 4 April. Wilkinson had played in Mike Allen & The Sidekicks with Vic Briggs.
6 April (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
13 April (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
14 April (Saturday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
Vic Briggs left The Statesmen on 18 April. His replacement was David Hinds. Briggs next joined Peter Nelson & The Travelers and then in September 1962 worked with The Shel Carson Combo, turning fully pro. He left this band in May 1963.
Shortly after Briggs left, Derek Bridges took over vocal duties. Bridges had previously worked with Briggs in The Cruisers Rock Combo.
4 May (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
11 May (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
18 May (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
25 May (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
26 May (Saturday) – Frankie Reid & The Casuals and The Statesmen (Brian Mansell’s gig diary and Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
Frankie Reid & The Casuals’ line up at this time features future Animals bass player Danny McCulloch and future Jimi Hendrix Experience drummer Mitch Mitchell.
1 June (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
8 June (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
9 June (Saturday) – Frankie Reid & The Casuals (Brian Mansell’s gig diary)
15 June (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
22 June (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
Jeff notes that Micky King (aka Borer) from James Royal & The Hawks played lead guitar on 22 June in his place.
23 June (Saturday) – Frankie Reid & The Casuals and The Statesmen (Brian Mansell’s gig diary and Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
29 June (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
2 July (Monday) – Frankie Reid & The Casuals (Brian Mansell’s gig diary)
6 July (Friday) – Frankie Reid & The Casuals and The Statesmen (Brian Mansell’s gig diary and Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
7 July (Saturday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
13 July (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
20 July (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
21 July (Saturday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
27 July (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
28 July (Saturday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
3 August (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
10 August (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
11 August (Saturday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
17 August (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
18 August (Saturday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
24 August (Friday) – Frankie Reid & The Casuals and The Statesmen (Brian Mansell’s gig diary and Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
Terry Mabey had replaced Mitch Mitchell in The Casuals by now. Mitchell will deputise in The Statesmen in October 1962.
25 August (Saturday) – Frankie Reid & The Casuals and The Statesmen (Brian Mansell’s gig diary and Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
31 August (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
1 September (Saturday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
7 September (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
8 September (Saturday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
14 September (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
15 September (Saturday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
Recent additions Mick Wilkinson (bass) and David Hinds (rhythm guitar) and drummer Steve Frankel all departed on 16 September.
Mick Wilkinson recalls that David Hinds tried to put together a new band that he believes included Mitch Mitchell. Wilkinson was briefly involved but left to work with several other bands, including an Ealing group called The MI5.
21 September (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
22 September (Saturday) – Frankie Reid & The Casuals (Brian Mansell’s gig diary)
New bass player Mick Bloomfield and rhythm guitarist Dave Hovington debuted on 28 September. Both will remain with the group until its demise in July 1966 and both had previously been members of The Cruisers Rock Combo with Vic Briggs and Derek Bridges.
28 September (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
29 September (Saturday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
5 October (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
New drummer Ian Walker debuted on 6 October and will remain with the band until its demise in July 1966. Walker is another former member of The Cruisers Rock Combo.
12 October (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
13 October (Saturday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
Future Jimi Hendrix drummer Mitch Mitchell subbed for Ian Walker on 12-13 October gigs.
19 October (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
20 October (Saturday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
26 October (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
27 October (Saturday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
2 November (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
9 November (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
10 November (Saturday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
16 November (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
23 November (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
24 November (Saturday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
30 November (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
1 December (Saturday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
7 December (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
8 December (Saturday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
14 December (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
15 December (Saturday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
21 December (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
24 December (Monday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
28 December (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
29 December (Saturday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
1963
Dave Wigginton, bass player with Jeff Curtis & The Flames, remembers the band played at the White Hart a couple of times, most likely in 1963.
4 January (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
5 January (Saturday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
11 January (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
Future Jimi Hendrix drummer Mitch Mitchell subbed for Ian Walker on 11 January gig.
18 January (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
25 January (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
1 February (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
After former Outlaws drummer Mick Underwood has filled in Ian Walker who has gone into hospital for one gig, Terry Sealy stepped in for 1 February gig.
2 February (Saturday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
Carlo Little from Screaming Lord Sutch’s band deputised on drums for 2 February gig.
8 February (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
15 February (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
16 February (Saturday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
22 February (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
1 March (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
2 March (Saturday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
8 March (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
15 March (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
16 March (Saturday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
22 March (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
29 March (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
30 March (Saturday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
5 April (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
6 April (Saturday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
12 April (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
13 April (Saturday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
19 April (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
26 April (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
27 April (Saturday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
Jean Hayles joined the band at this point after Derek Bridges left on 28 April and they worked as The Statesmen featuring Jean Hayles until 15 June.
Former member Mick Wilkinson remembers seeing Derek Bridges singing with The Fleerekkers after he left The Statesmen.
3 May (Friday) – The Statesmen featuring Jean Hayles (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
10 May (Friday) – The Statesmen featuring Jean Hayles (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
11 May (Saturday) – The Statesmen featuring Jean Hayles (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
17 May (Friday) – The Statesmen featuring Jean Hayles (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
18 May (Saturday) – The Statesmen featuring Jean Hayles (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
24 May (Friday) – The Statesmen featuring Jean Hayles (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
31 May (Friday) – The Statesmen featuring Jean Hayles (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
1 June (Saturday) – The Statesmen featuring Jean Hayles (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
7 June (Friday) – The Statesmen featuring Jean Hayles (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
8 June (Saturday) – The Statesmen featuring Jean Hayles (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
14 June (Friday) – The Statesmen featuring Jean Hayles (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
21 June (Friday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
The band is now called Jean & The Statesmen.
22 June (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
28 June (Friday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
5 July (Friday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
6 July (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
12 July (Friday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
19 July (Friday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
Ian Walker went on holiday and Mitch Mitchell filled in for two gigs, including 19 July before Charlie Chapman from James Royal & The Hawks covered for 20 July.
26 July (Friday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
2 August (Friday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
3 August (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
9 August (Friday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
10 August (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
16 August (Friday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
17 August (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
23 August (Friday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
24 August (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
30 August (Friday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
31 August (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
6 September (Friday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
7 September (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
13 September (Friday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
14 September (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
20 September (Friday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
21 September (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
27 September (Friday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
28 September (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
30 September (Monday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
4 October (Friday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
11 October (Friday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
12 October (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
18 October (Friday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
25 October (Friday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
26 October (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
1 November (Friday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
8 November (Friday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
9 November (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
16 November (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
23 November (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
29 November (Friday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
30 November (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
6 December (Friday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
7 December (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
13 December (Friday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
14 December (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
20 December (Friday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
24 December (Tuesday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
27 December (Friday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
28 December (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
31 December (Tuesday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
1964
3 January (Friday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
4 January (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
11 January (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
13 January (Monday) – Art Wood Combo (Ruislip & Northwood Gazette)
17 January (Friday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
24 January (Friday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
1 February (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
7 February (Friday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
8 February (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
14 February (Friday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
15 February (Saturday) – The Javelins and Jean & The Statesmen (Tony Tacon’s gig diary and Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
Future Deep Purple singer Ian Gillan was the singer with The Javelins. He left in November to join Wainwright’s Gentlemen.
21 February (Friday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
22 February (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
28 February (Friday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
7 March (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
13 March (Friday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
14 March (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
20 March (Friday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
21 March (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
27 March (Friday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
28 March (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
3 April (Friday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
4 April (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
10 April (Friday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
17 April (Friday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
18 April (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
Carlo Little subbed for Ian Walker on drums on 18 April gig.
24 April (Friday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
1 May (Friday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
2 May (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
8 May (Friday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
9 May (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
16 May (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
The band had changed name to Jean & The Statesides on 15 May.
22 May (Friday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
23 May (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
30 May (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
5 June (Friday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
6 June (Saturday) – The Who and Jean & The Statesides (Andy Neill’s research and Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
12 June (Friday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
13 June (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
15 June (Monday) – The Javelins (Tony Tacon’s gig diary)
18 June (Thursday) – The Who (Andy Neill’s research)
19 June (Friday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
20 June (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
22 June (Monday) – The Javelins (Tony Tacon’s gig diary)
25 June (Thursday) – The Who (Andy Neill’s research)
27 June (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
29 June (Monday) – The Javelins (Tony Tacon’s gig diary)
3 July (Friday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
4 July (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
6 July (Monday) – The Javelins (Tony Tacon’s gig diary)
17 July (Friday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
24 July (Friday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
25 July (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
6 August (Thursday) – The Who (Andy Neill’s research)
7 August (Friday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
8 August (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
14 August (Friday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
21 August (Friday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
22 August (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
28 August (Friday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
29 August (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
4 September (Friday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
5 September (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
11 September (Friday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
12 September (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
18 September (Friday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
25 September (Friday) – Jimmy Royal & The Hawks and Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary and Middlesex County Times and West Middlesex Gazette)
26 September (Saturday) – Jimmy Royal & The Hawks and Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary and Middlesex County Times and West Middlesex Gazette)
2 October (Friday) – Jimmy Royal & The Hawks and Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diaryand Middlesex County Times and West Middlesex Gazette)
3 October (Saturday) – Jimmy Royal & The Hawks (and Middlesex County Times and West Middlesex Gazette)
10 October (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
17 October (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
23 October (Friday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
30 October (Friday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
31 October (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
6 November (Friday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
13 November (Friday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
20 November (Friday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
21 November (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
27 November (Friday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
4 December (Friday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
5 December (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
18 December (Friday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
24 December (Thursday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
Pete Ross, guitarist with The Flexmen, says that his group played at the White Hart quite a bit between mid-1964 and early 1965 (see photo at the very end).
Jean & The Statesides 1965. Left to right: Bill Stemp, Ian Walker, Dave Brogden, Jean Hayles, Jeff Sturgeon, Mick Bloomfield and Dave Hovington. Photo from Jeff Sturgeon.
1965
1 January (Friday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
2 January (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
8 January (Friday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
22 January (Friday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
5 February (Friday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
12 February (Friday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
19 February (Friday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
5 March (Friday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
26 March (Friday) – Mike Dee & The Prophets (Don Martin’s gig diary)
9 April (Friday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
30 April (Friday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
8 May (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
29 May (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
This gig was held at International Aeradio instead of the Southall venue.
4 June (Friday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
Jean left the band on 26 June and the musicians carried on as The Statesides with rhythm guitarist Dave Hovington singing lead. Former Wainwright’s Gentlemen and Ian Gillan & The Dragsters’ sax player Dave Brogden started playing with the band from 17 June but joined as a full-time member in mid-July.
The Statesmen, March 1966. Photo: Stan Thomas and Jeff Sturgeon
23 July (Friday) – The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
7 August (Saturday) – The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
12 November (Friday) – The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
Singer Pat Richards covered for Dave Hovington for the 12 November.
19 November (Friday) – The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
27 November (Saturday) – The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
4 December (Saturday) – The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
17 December (Friday) – The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
31 December (Friday) – The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
1966
8 January (Saturday) – The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
15 January (Saturday) – The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
11 February (Friday) – The Chain Gang (Middlesex Chronicle)
26 February (Saturday) – The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
The Statesides on tour with Wilson Pickett, March 1966. Photo: Stan Thomas and Jeff Sturgeon
23 September (Friday) – C-Jam Blues (Middlesex County Times & West Middlesex Gazette)
30 September (Friday) – C-Jam Blues (Middlesex County Times & West Middlesex Gazette)
7 October (Friday) – C-Jam Blues (Middlesex County Times & West Middlesex Gazette)
16 December (Friday) – The Ray Martin Group (Harrow Observer)
17 December (Saturday) – The Flamingos (Harrow Observer)
24 December (Saturday) – Jeep Rongle (Harrow Observer)
1967
20 January (Friday) – Jeep Rongle (Middlesex County Times & West Middlesex Gazette)
21 January (Saturday) – The Lost Legends (Middlesex County Times & West Middlesex Gazette)
27 January (Friday) – Torque (Middlesex County Times & West Middlesex Gazette)
28 January (Saturday) – Jeep Rongle and Kenny Bishop (Middlesex County Times & West Middlesex Gazette)
4 February (Saturday) – Torque, The Smoke Bombs and Kenny Bishop (Middlesex County Times & West Middlesex Gazette)
17 February (Friday) – Jeep Rongle (Middlesex County Times & West Middlesex Gazette)
18 February (Saturday) – The Lost Legends and Ray Peterson (Middlesex County Times & West Middlesex Gazette)
25 February (Saturday) – Gene & The Cossacks (Middlesex County Times & West Middlesex Gazette)
28 February (Tuesday) – Jeep Rongle (Middlesex County Times & West Middlesex Gazette)
3 March (Friday) – Torque (Middlesex County Times & West Middlesex Gazette)
4 March (Saturday) – The Outer Limits (Middlesex County Times & West Middlesex Gazette)
10 March (Friday) – Albert Square (Middlesex County Times & West Middlesex Gazette)
11 March (Saturday) – The Outer Limits (Middlesex County Times & West Middlesex Gazette)
17 March (Friday) – C-Jam Blues (Middlesex County Times & West Middlesex Gazette)
18 March (Saturday – Jeep Rongle (Middlesex County Times & West Middlesex Gazette)
2 April (Sunday) – The Hot Peppers (from France) (Melody Maker)
7 April (Friday) – Albert Square (Middlesex County Times & West Middlesex Gazette)
8 April (Saturday) – Night Train (Middlesex County Times & West Middlesex Gazette)
14 April (Friday) – Chances Are (Middlesex County Times & West Middlesex Gazette)
13 May (Saturday) – Albert Square (Melody Maker)
20 May (Saturday) – Albert Square (Melody Maker)
14 July (Friday) – Themselves (Hounslow Post)
This group soon morphed into Virgin Sleep
15 July (Saturday) – 1984 (Hounslow Post)
Future Queen guitarist Brian May was a member of 1984
17 July (Monday) – Locomotion (Hounslow Post)
1968
6 September (Friday) – The Greatest Show on Earth (Melody Maker)
Massive thank you to Jeff Sturgeon and Dave Brogden for sharing gigs. Also huge thanks to Vic Briggs for adding some further details.
Wimbledon Palais was a significant music venue in Southwest London. I’d be grateful for any additions and corrections to the list below as there are many gaps in the listings:
1960
20 March (Sunday) (audition) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
8 May (Sunday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
15 May (Sunday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
10 June (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
17 June (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
23 October (Sunday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
30 October (Sunday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
23 November (Friday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
1961
29 January (Sunday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
5 February (Sunday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
1 October (Sunday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
1962
8 April (Sunday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
29 June (Friday) – Frankie Reid & The Casuals (Brian Mansell’s gig diary)
1 July (Sunday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
11 October (Thursday) – Brian Poole & The Tremeloes and Bobby King & The Sabres (Clive Chase’s gig diary)
1963
9 August (Friday) – Sounds Incorporated (Beat Monthly)
23 August (Friday) – The Searchers (Beat Monthly)
31 August (Saturday) – Gene Vincent (Streatham News)
6 September (Friday) – Gerry & The Pacemakers (Beat Monthly)
22 November (Friday) – Freddie & The Dreamers (Beat Monthly)
24 November (Sunday) – Jean & The Statesmen (audition) (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
15 December (Sunday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
1964
3 January (Friday) – Wayne Fontana & The Mindbenders (Beat Monthly)
17 January (Friday) – Gene Vincent & The Shouts with The Demons and The Chantones (Streatham News)
Photo: Terry Stamp
24 January (Friday) – The Rolling Stones (Beat Monthly)
8 February (Saturday) – The Swinging Blue Jeans (Beat Monthly)
9 February (Sunday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
15 February (Saturday) – Freddie & The Dreamers (Beat Monthly)
3 April (Friday) – The Rolling Stones (Beat Monthly)
10 April (Friday) – Manfred Mann (Streatham News and Beat Monthly)
24 April (Friday) – The Swinging Blue Jeans (Beat Monthly)
8 May (Friday) – Little Richard with The Flintstones (Streatham News)
15 May (Friday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
According to Jeff Sturgeon, this was the first gig under the new name, a slight change from Jean & The Statesmen.
26 May (Tuesday) – Little Richard (with The Flintstones?) (Streatham News)
29 May (Friday) – The Kinks, The Demons and The Chantons (Streatham News)
5 June (Friday) – The Paramounts, The Demons and The Chantons (Streatham News)
14 June (Sunday) – The Yardbirds and The Grebbels (Streatham News)
19 June (Friday) – The Crickets with supporting groups (Kingston & Malden Borough News)
20 June (Saturday) – Patrick Dane & The Quiet Five (Kingston & Malden Borough News)
21 June (Sunday) – Brian Poole & The Tremeloes and Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
26 June (Friday) – Millie & The Five Embers (Kingston & Malden Borough News and Streatham News)
27 June (Saturday) – Patrick Dane & The Quiet Five (Kingston & Malden Borough News)
3 July (Friday) – The Animals, The Demons and The Trojans (Kingston & Malden Borough News and Streatham News)
4 July (Saturday) – Three beat groups (Kingston & Malden Borough News)
10 July (Friday) – Manfred Mann and Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
11 July (Saturday) – Buddy Britten & The Regents and Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
12 July (Sunday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
17 July (Friday) – Four groups (Kingston & Malden Borough News)
18 July (Saturday) – The Searchers and Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
Kingston & Malden Borough News notes The Searchers, The Original Topics and Cats Whiskers on 18 July 1964
24 July (Friday) – The Migil Five and two groups (Kingston & Malden Borough News)
25 July (Saturday) – Three beat groups (Kingston & Malden Borough News)
The UK’s featured in Boyfriend magazine, 5 September 1964
31 July (Friday) – Georgie Fame & The Blue Flames, The Demons and The UKs (Kingston & Malden Borough News)
1 August (Saturday) – The Hunters, The Midnites and The Demons (Dave Brogden’s diary/Kingston & Malden Borough News)
7 August (Friday) – Lulu & Luvvers, The Demons and The UKs (Kingston & Malden Borough News)
8 August (Saturday) – The Hunters, The Demons and The Echolettes (Kingston & Malden Borough News)
14 August (Friday) – The Rolling Stones, The Demons and The UKs (Kingston & Malden Borough News)
15 August (Saturday) – The Hunters, The Demons and The Thyrds (Kingston & Malden Borough News)
21 August (Friday) – Helen Shapiro & The Trebletones, The Demons and The UKs (Kingston & Malden Borough News)
22 August (Saturday) – The Hunters, The Demons and The Four Aces (Kingston & Malden Borough News)
28 August (Friday) – The Mojos, The Demons and The UKs (Kingston and Malden Borough News and Streatham News)
29 August (Saturday) – The Hunters, The Demons and Scene IV (Kingston & Malden Borough News)
4 September (Friday) – The Applejacks (Kingston & Malden Borough News)
18 September (Friday) – The Pretty Things with Mike Rabin & The Demons and The UKs (Kingston & Malden Borough News)
25 September (Friday) – The Barron Knights, Mike Rabin & The Demons and The UKs (Kingston & Malden Borough News)
26 September (Saturday) – Mike Rabin & The Demons, The Detours (The Who?) and Scene IV (Kingston & Malden Borough News)
2 October (Friday) – Johnny Kidd & The Pirates, Mike Rabin & The Demons and The UKs (Kingston & Malden Borough News)
3 October (Saturday) – Three groups (Kingston & Malden Borough News)
9 October (Friday) – Herman’s Hermits, Mike Rabin & The Demons and The UKs (Kingston & Malden Borough News)
10 October (Saturday) – Three groups (Kingston & Malden Borough News)
16 October (Friday) – Bern Elliott & The Klan, Mike Rabin & The Demons and The UKs (Kingston & Malden Borough News)
17 October (Saturday) – Dave Ede & The Rabin Band and Mike Rabin & The Demons (Kingston & Malden Borough News)
23 October (Friday) – The Four Pennies, Mike Rabin & The Demons and The UKs (Kingston & Malden Borough News)
24 October (Saturday) – Dave Ede & The Rabin Band and Mike Rabin & The Demons (Kingston & Malden Borough News)
30 October (Friday) – The Bo Street Runners (Kingston & Malden Borough News)
31 October (Saturday) – David Ede & The Rabin Band and Mike Rabin & The Demons (Kingston & Malden Borough News)
1 November (Sunday) – All Britain Beat Contest (Kingston & Malden Borough News)
6 November (Friday) – The Naturals, Mike Rabin & The Demons and The Echolettes (Kingston & Malden Borough News)
13 November (Friday) – The Pretty Things (Beat Instrumental)
20 November (Friday) – The Hollies, Mark Rabin & The Demons and Scene V (Streatham News)
4 December (Friday) – Jerry Lee Lewis, The Plebs, Mike Rabin & The Demons and The Hideways (Streatham News)
11 December (Friday) – Gene Vincent and The Londoners (Streatham News)
1965
26 February (Friday) – The Nashville Teens (Beat Instrumental)
12 March (Friday) – Georgie Fame & The Blue Flames (Beat Instrumental)
19 March (Friday) – The Yardbirds (Streatham News)
30 April (Friday) – The Ivy League (Beat Instrumental)
3 May (Monday) – Wainwright’s Gentlemen (Dave Brogden’s diary)
14 May (Friday) – Them (Streatham News)
27 June (Sunday) – Pink Floyd (Streatham News)
2 July (Friday) – The Yardbirds (Streatham News and Beat Instrumental)
6 August (Friday) – Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers (Beat Monthly)
15 October (Friday) – The Four Pennies (Boyfriend magazine)
22 October (Friday) – Them (Streatham News)
24 October (Sunday) – Robb Storme & The Whispers (Jim St Pier’s diary)
26 November (Friday) – The Who (Andy Neill’s research and Beat Instrumental)
3 December (Friday) – The Kinks (West Norwood and Dulwich News)
10 December (Friday) – The Hollies (West Norwood and Dulwich News)
17 December (Friday) – The McCoys (West Norwood and Dulwich News)
24 December (Friday) – The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
31 December (Friday) – The Checkmates (West Norwood and Dulwich News)
1966
1 January (Saturday) – The Small Faces (West Norwood and Dulwich News)
7 January (Friday) – Dave Berry & The Cruisers (Balham and Tooting News and Mercury)
8 January (Saturday) – The Motivation (Melody Maker)
This was the original Norbury, south London version of the group
14 January (Friday) – Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Titch (Balham and Tooting News and Mercury)
21 January (Friday) – The Pretty Things (Balham and Tooting News and Mercury)
22 January (Saturday) – The Riot Squad (Bruno Ceriotti’s research)
28 January (Friday) – Unit Four Plus 2 (Balham and Tooting News and Mercury)
4 February (Friday) – Pinkerton’s Assorted Colours (Balham and Tooting News and Mercury)
11 February (Friday) – The Who, Hamilton & The Movement and The Mike Rabin Group (Balham and Tooting News and Mercury)
18 February (Friday) – The Graham Bond Organisation (Balham and Tooting News and Mercury)
21 February (Monday) – The Pretty Things (Streatham News)
25 February (Friday) – The Sorrows (Balham and Tooting News and Mercury)
4 March (Friday) – Wayne Fontana & The Opposition (Balham and Tooting News and Mercury)
5 March (Saturday) – The Animals (Streatham News)
6 March (Sunday) – The Kinks (Streatham News)
11 March (Friday) – Georgie Fame & The Blue Flames (Balham and Tooting News and Mercury)
18 March (Friday) – The Mindbenders (Balham and Tooting News and Mercury)
20 March (Sunday) – The Riot Squad (Bruno Ceriotti’s research)
25 March (Friday) – The St Louis Union (Balham and Tooting News and Mercury)
26 March (Saturday) – Episode Six (Melody Maker)
1 April (Friday) – The Overlanders (Balham and Tooting News and Mercury)
8 April (Friday) – The Pretty Things (Balham and Tooting News and Mercury)
22 April (Friday) – The Yardbirds (Streatham News)
29 April (Friday) – Neil Christian & The Crusaders (Balham and Tooting News and Mercury)
6 May (Friday) – The Small Faces (Streatham News)
11 May (Wednesday) – The Spencer Davis Group (Balham and Tooting News and Mercury)
13 May (Friday) – The Who (Andy Neill’s research)
20 May (Friday) – The Alan Price Set (Balham and Tooting News and Mercury)
27 May (Friday) – Hedgehoppers Anonymous (Balham and Tooting News and Mercury)
3 June (Friday) – The Graham Bond Organisation (Balham and Tooting News and Mercury)
10 June (Friday) – Paul & Barry Ryan with Robb Storme & The Whispers (Balham and Tooting News and Mercury/Jim St Pier’s gig diary)
17 June (Friday) – The Four Pennies (Balham and Tooting News and Mercury)
1 July (Friday) – The Creation (Balham and Tooting News and Mercury and Fabulous 208)
22 July (Friday) – Unit Four Plus Two (Balham and Tooting News and Mercury)
12 August (Friday) – Billy J Kramer & The Dakotas (Balham and Tooting News and Mercury)
19 August (Friday) – The Pretty Things (Streatham News and Balham and Tooting News and Mercury)
26 August (Friday) – The Mike Cotton Sound with Lucas (Balham and Tooting News and Mercury)
2 September (Friday) – Crispian St Peters (Balham and Tooting News and Mercury)
11 September (Sunday) – The Syrians (Balham and Tooting News and Mercury)
18 September (Sunday) – The Syrians (Balham and Tooting News and Mercury)
15 October (Saturday) – Tuesday’s Children (Fabulous 208)
28 October (Friday) – The Merseys (Streatham News and Balham and Tooting News and Mercury)
5 November (Saturday) – Peter & Gordon (Balham and Tooting News and Mercury)
12 November (Saturday) – The Small Faces, Paul Anka and The Fourmost (Balham and Tooting News and Mercury)
28 November (Monday) – The Kinks (Streatham News)
10 December (Saturday) – The Merseys and Herbie Goins & The Night-Timers (Balham and Tooting News and Mercury)
16 December (Friday) – Herbie Goins & The Night-Timers (Mitcham News & Mercury)
23 December (Friday) – The Pretty Things (Balham and Tooting News and Mercury)
30 December (Friday) – The Nashville Teens (Balham and Tooting News and Mercury)
Neil Christian & The Crusaders replaced them.
1967
6 January (Friday) – The Nashville Teens (Fabulous 208)
4 February (Saturday) – Tuesday’s Children and The Attack (Fabulous 208)
10 February (Friday) – The Troggs (Streatham News)
24 March (Friday) – Cat Stevens (Fabulous 208)
7 July (Friday) – Brian Something and The What’s Its (Carl Ross’ gig diary)
8 July (Saturday) – Brian Something and The What’s Its (Carl Ross’ gig diary)
14 July (Friday) – Brian Something and The What’s Its (Carl Ross’ gig diary)
15 July (Saturday) – Brian Something and The What’s Its (Carl Ross’ gig diary)
21 October (Saturday) – Jo Jo Gunne and Tony Rivers & The Castaways (needs source but possibly Streatham News)
Huge thanks to Rolf Hannet for sharing his copies of Beat Monthly and Beat Instrumental
Southall Community Centre in Southall in west London was a significant music venue in the early to mid 1960s.
During the early 1960s, many of the American rock ‘n’ roll legends like Jerry Lee Lewis and Gene Vincent played at Southall Community Centre on their UK tours. This may well have been because visiting US artists would have passed through or near to Southall after arriving at London Airport on their way to central London.
The venue was also important for west London bands and is particularly significant because future Deep Purple guitarist Ritchie Blackmore played there often, especially with Mike Dee & The Jaywalkers. It was while he was gigging with this band at Southall Community Centre that he was spotted by Screaming Lord Sutch, who invited him to join his backing band, The Savages. An invitation he duly accepted.
The Johnny Rebs were the resident band at Southall Community Centre in the early 1960s.
Terry O’Connor also remembers Duggie Dee & The Strangers played here and backed Screaming Lord Sutch when The Savages weren’t available. He also remembers Peter Nelson & The Travelers appeared a few times.
Malcolm Lenny says that his band Tony Holland & The Packabeats were regulars at the venue during the early-mid 1960s (see comments section at the very end).
Tony Holland & The Packabeats who played regularly at the Southall Community Centre (thanks to Malcolm Lenny for sharing the photo)
I have made a start on a list of artists that played here and dates. I would welcome any additions and also any memories of the venue in the comments section below. If anyone has any memorabilia or photos of bands playing here, I would be happy to include them with the images credited accordingly.
1960
14 February (Sunday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
This west London band morphed out of The Rocking Versatiles (formed September 1957) and included long-standing member Jeff Sturgeon (lead guitar), who remained with the group throughout its various incarnations (and name changes) until finally splitting on 1 July 1966. The band played this venue regularly.
21 August (Sunday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
4 September (Sunday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
18 September (Sunday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
2 October (Sunday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
16 October (Sunday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
13 November (Sunday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
11 December (Sunday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
1961
Drummer Bob Danks recalls playing at Southall Community Centre with Ritchie Blackmore’s first band, The Dominators in early 1961.
8 January (Sunday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
22 January (Sunday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
19 February (Sunday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
Brian Mansell has Mike Dee & The Jaywalkers playing an audition on 19 February 1961. This was before Ritchie Blackmore joined on lead guitar, replacing Brian Sell.
According to sax player Dave Brogden who later joined The Statesmen after they had changed name to The Statesides, Southall Community Centre auditioned groups before the main bands came on to see the punter’s reactions. Usually, they would play a 30-minute set from when the doors opened.
5 March (Sunday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
18 June (Sunday) – Mike Dee & The Jaywalkers (Brian Mansell’s gig diary)
Ritchie Blackmore had joined Mike Dee & The Jaywalkers on lead guitar by now, taking over from Brian Sell.
2 July (Sunday) – Mike Dee & The Jaywalkers (Brian Mansell’s gig diary)
16 July (Sunday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
23 July (Sunday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
3 September (Sunday) – Mike Dee & The Jaywalkers (Brian Mansell’s gig diary)
1 October (Sunday) – Mike Dee & The Jaywalkers (Brian Mansell’s gig diary)
10 December (Sunday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
1962
1 April (Sunday) – Mike Dee & The Jaywalkers (Brian Mansell’s gig diary)
Brian Mansell went on to join Frankie Reid & The Casuals after The Jaywalkers split.
6 May (Sunday) – Gene Vincent with Sounds Incorporated (Tony Tacon’s recollections)
Tony Tacon remembers attending the gig with his friends Nick Simper (who later joined the original Deep Purple) and Keith Roach, who later played drums in Tacon’s band Ian Gillan & The Javelins.
19 August (Sunday) – Frankie Reid & The Casuals (Brian Mansell’s gig diary)
Future Animals’ bass player Danny McCulloch was with the band at this point. Drummer Terry Mabey had already taken over from his predecessor Mitch Mitchell.
7 October (Sunday) – Johnny Kidd & The Pirates and Terry Franks & The Avalons (Johnny Kidd website)
1963
6 January (Sunday) – Neil Christian & The Crusaders (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
13 January (Sunday) – Neil Christian & The Crusaders (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
20 January (Sunday) – Barrie James Show (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
27 January (Sunday) – Barrie James Show and Vince Eager (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
3 February (Sunday) – Rolf Harris & The Diggeroos (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
10 February (Sunday) – Rolf Harris & The Diggeroos and Shane Fenton & The Fentones (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
24 February (Sunday) – Brian Poole & The Tremeloes (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
3 March (Sunday) – Brian Poole & The Tremeloes and Terry Young, Tony Holland & The Packabeats (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
10 March (Sunday) – Johnny Kidd & The Pirates (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
24 March (Sunday) – Brian Poole & The Tremeloes (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
31 March (Sunday) – Screaming Lord Sutch & The Savages (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
7 April (Sunday) – The Barron Knights (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
14 April (Sunday) – Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
21 April (Sunday) – Roly Daniels and The Flintstones (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
28 April (Sunday) – Brian Poole & The Tremeloes (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
5 May (Sunday) – The Avalons and The Spirits (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
12 May (Sunday) – Tony Holland & The Packabeats (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
19 May (Sunday) – The Barron Knights (Beat Monthly/Harrow Observer & Gazette)
26 May (Sunday) – Russ Sainty & The Nu-Notes (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
2 June (Sunday) – Screaming Lord Sutch & The Savages (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
9 June (Sunday) – Gene Vincent (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
16 June (Sunday) – The Golli-Golli Boys (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
23 June (Sunday) – Neil Christian & The Crusaders (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
30 June (Sunday) – The Clearways and Packabeats (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
7 July (Sunday) – Brian Poole & The Tremeloes and Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
14 July (Sunday) – The Packabeats (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
21 July (Sunday) – The Packabeats, Linda Laine & The Sinners and The Consuls (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
28 July (Sunday) – The Dreamers and Johnny Milton & The Condors (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
4 August (Sunday) – Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
11 August (Sunday) – The Cherokees (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
18 August (Sunday) – The Cherokees (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
1 September (Sunday) – Screaming Lord Sutch & The Savages (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
8 September (Sunday) – Brian Poole & The Tremeloes (Beat Monthly)
Harrow Observer & Gazette has Johnny Leyton on 8 September
15 September (Sunday) – Johnny Kidd & The Pirates (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
22 September (Sunday) – Rockin’ Henri (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
29 September (Sunday) – The Tornados (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
6 October (Sunday) – The Big Three (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
13 October (Sunday) – Buddy Britten & The Regents (Middlesex County Times and West Middlesex Gazette)
20 October (Sunday) – Ray Pilgrim Show (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
27 October (Sunday) – Tommy Bruce & The Bruisers (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
3 November (Sunday) – Brian Poole & The Tremeloes (Beat Monthly)
10 November (Sunday) – Russ Sainty & The Nu-Notes (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
17 November (Sunday) – Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
24 November (Sunday) – Johnny Milton & The Condors (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
1 December (Sunday) – Johnny Milton & The Condors and Jimmy Crawford (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
8 December (Sunday) – The Barron Knights (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
15 December (Sunday) – Sounds Incorporated (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
22 December (Sunday) – The Clearways and The Shades (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
29 December (Sunday) – Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers and Linda Laine & The Sinners (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
Photo: Ken Samuels
1964
5 January (Sunday) – Johnny Milton & The Condors (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
The Midnites 1964. Thanks to Dave Brogden for sharing.
12 January (Sunday) – The Midnites (audition) (Dave Brogden’s diary)
Harrow Observer & Gazette has Shayne Fenton & The Fentones on 12 January so Brogden’s band would have auditioned earlier in the day
19 January (Sunday) – The Merseybeats (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
26 January (Sunday) – Sounds Incorporated (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
2 February (Sunday) – Brigitte Bond & The Contrasts (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
9 February (Sunday) – Dave Curtiss & The Tremors (Beat Monthly)
16 February (Sunday) – The Barron Knights (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
23 February (Sunday) – Tony Meehan Combo (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
28 February (Friday) – The Fortytwo Big Band led by Tommy Watt (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
1 March (Sunday) – The Clearways and The original Checkmates (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
8 March (Sunday) – Grant Tracey & The Sunsets (Beat Monthly)
15 March (Sunday) – Gene Vincent (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
22 March (Sunday) – Peter Jay & The Jaywalkers (Beat Monthly)
Harrow Observer & Gazette has Pat Wayne & The Beachcombers on 22 March
28 March (Saturday) – Gene Vincent (Middlesex County Times and West Middlesex Gazette)
Harrow Observer & Gazette has Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers on 28 March
5 April (Sunday) – The Rattles (Middlesex County Times & West Middlesex Gazette)
Bass player Dave Wigginton says that Jeff Curtis & The Flames supported the German band at this venue and this seems the most plausible date.
12 April (Sunday) – Wayne Fontana & The Mindbenders (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
26 April (Sunday) – Erkey Grant (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
3 May (Sunday) – Peter Jay & The Jaywalkers (Beat Monthly)
10 May (Sunday) – Tommy Quickly & The Remo Four (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
17 May (Sunday) – The Hollies (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
This may refer to next week’s gig (see next entry)
23 May (Sunday) – The Hollies (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
30 May (Sunday) – Dave Curtiss & The Tremors (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
7 June (Sunday) – Tony Sheveton & The Shevalls (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
14 June (Sunday) – Kingsize Taylor & The Dominos (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
21 June (Sunday) – Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
28 June (Sunday) – Diane & The Londoners (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
5 July (Sunday) – The Barron Knights (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
12 July (Sunday) – Robbie Hood & His Merrymen (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
19 July (Sunday) – The Pretty Things (Beat Monthly)
26 July (Sunday) – Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
2 August (Sunday) – The Fairies (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
9 August (Sunday) – Jean & The Statesides and The Druids (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
This is The Statesmen, who had changed name to Jean & The Statesides in May 1964. By this point the band comprised Jean Hayles (lead vocals), Jeff Sturgeon (lead guitar), Bill Stemp (keyboards/sax), Dave Hovington (rhythm guitar), Mick Bloomfield (bass) and Ian Walker (drums)
16 August (Sunday) – Erkey Grant (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
23 August (Sunday) – The Birds (Middlesex County Times and West Middlesex Gazette)
30 August (Sunday) – The Livewires (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
6 September (Sunday) – Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
13 September (Sunday) – The Zombies (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
20 September (Sunday) – The Birds (Middlesex County Times and West Middlesex Gazette)
27 September (Sunday) – Jean & The Statesides with The Naturals (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
Dave Brogden’s band The Crossfires auditioned this evening before both bands played. The Crossfires played a 30-minute set after the doors opened but didn’t land any work at the Southall Community Centre after auditioning.
4 October (Sunday) – Dave Curtiss & The Tremors (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
11 October (Sunday) – The Roulettes (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
18 October (Sunday) – The Birds (Middlesex County Times and West Middlesex Gazette)
25 October (Sunday) – The Merseybeats (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
1 November (Sunday) – Jean & The Statesides with The Druids (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
8 November (Sunday) – Johnny Kidd & The Pirates (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
15 November (Sunday) – The Hollies (Middlesex County Times and West Middlesex Gazette)
22 November (Sunday) – Peter Jay & The Jaywalkers (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
29 November (Sunday) – The Mojos (Beat Instrumental)
6 December (Sunday) – Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers and Jean & The Statesides (Harrow Observer & Gazette/Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
13 December (Sunday) – Tommy Quickly (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
20 December (Sunday) – Sounds Incorporated (Beat Instrumental)
The Clay Pigeon in Eastcote was a notable rock music venue in northwest London during the 1960s.
During 1963, the Mann-Hugg Blues Brothers, which became Manfred Mann, held a residency there for several months.
Throughout the 1960s, many important British bands played this venue, including several groups from the west London area, such as Wainwright’s Gentlemen (Ian Gillan was lead singer in the first half of 1965), The Birds (with Ron Wood on guitar), The Soul Messengers (featuring future Jimi Hendrix drummer Mitch Mitchell) and Episode Six (Ian Gillan and fellow future Deep Purple cohort Roger Glover were members).
The Sweet also played here regularly during their early years with original guitarist Frank Torpey and his successor Mick Stewart.
I have started to compile a gig list below and would welcome any additions in the comments box below as well as any memories. If anyone has any memorabilia and/or photos of bands playing at this venue, I would be happy to include them with a credit.
1960
27 June (Monday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
This west London band morphed out of The Rocking Versatiles (formed September 1957) and included long-standing member Jeff Sturgeon (lead guitar), who remained with the group throughout its various incarnations (and name changes) until finally splitting on 1 July 1966. The band played this venue regularly.
23 July (Saturday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
10 August (Wednesday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
24 August (Wednesday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
31 August (Wednesday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
12 October (Wednesday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
9 November (Wednesday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
23 November (Wednesday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
26 November (Saturday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
1961
8 February (Wednesday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
12 April (Wednesday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
22 April (Saturday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
1962
24 February (Saturday) – The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
Singer Jean Hayles joined The Statesmen in late April 1963 and they became “The Statesmen featuring Jean Hayles” for a few months before gigging as Jean & The Statesmen until May 1964.
27 May (Sunday) – Frankie Reid & The Casuals (Brian Mansell’s gig diary)
Frankie Reid & The Casuals’ line up at this time featured future Animals bass player Danny McCulloch and future Jimi Hendrix Experience drummer Mitch Mitchell.
25 June (Monday) – Frankie Reid & The Casuals (Brian Mansell’s gig diary)
2 July (Monday) – Frankie Reid & The Casuals (Brian Mansell’s gig diary)
22 August (Wednesday) – Frankie Reid & The Casuals (Brian Mansell’s gig diary)
Mitch Mitchell had moved on by now and Terry Mabey had taken over drums.
1963
17 January (Thursday) – The Limelights (Melody Maker)
The advert notes that this was the club’s grand opening
24 January (Thursday) – The Limelights (Melody Maker)
31 January (Thursday) – The Scepters (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
21 February (Thursday) – The Dauphine Street Six (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
Judging by this gig and the ones below, it looks like jazz bands took over Thursday evenings for a while.
28 February (Thursday) – The Colne Valley Six (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
7 March (Thursday) – Douggie Richford’s Jazz Band (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
14 March (Thursday) – Sonny Morris Jazz Band (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
21 March (Thursday) – Sonny Morris Jazz Band (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
28 March (Thursday) – Back O’Town Syncopaters (Melody Maker)
4 April (Thursday) – New Orleans Jazz Band (Melody Maker)
18 April (Thursday) – Charlie Gall’s Jazz Band (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
2 May (Thursday) – Mann-Hugg Blues Band (Greg Russo’s research)
The group that became Manfred Mann assumed the Thursday residency, starting with this gig on 2 May.
9 May (Thursday) – Mann-Hugg Blues Band (Greg Russo’s research)
16 May (Thursday) – Mann-Hugg Blues Band (Greg Russo’s research)
23 May (Thursday) – Mann-Hugg Blues Band (Greg Russo’s research)
30 May (Thursday) – Mann-Hugg Blues Band (Greg Russo’s research)
6 June (Thursday) – Mann-Hugg Blues Band (Greg Russo’s research)
13 June (Thursday) – Mann-Hugg Blues Band (Greg Russo’s research) Harrow Observer & Gazette says two bands
20 June (Thursday) – Mann-Hugg Blues Band (Greg Russo’s research) Harrow Observer & Gazette says two bands
27 June (Thursday) – Mann-Hugg Blues Band (Greg Russo’s research) Harrow Observer & Gazette says two bands
4 July (Thursday) – Mann-Hugg Blues Band (Greg Russo’s research) Harrow Observer & Gazette says The Fantastic Sounds
11 July (Thursday) – Two bands (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
Photo: Melody Maker
1 August (Thursday) – Mike Forde & The Fortunes (Harrow Observer & Gazette/Melody Maker) Drummer Lindsey Bex joined The Tridents.
8 August (Thursday) – The Soundsmen (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
5 September (Thursday) – Graham Bond All-Stars (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
6 September (Friday) – Rikki Rand & The Soundsmen (Harrow Weekly Post)
12 September (Thursday) – The Graham Bond All Stars (Melody Maker/Harrow Observer & Gazette)
21 November (Thursday) – The Soundsmen (Harrow Weekly Post)
1964
3 February (Monday) – The Soundsmen (Harrow Weekly Post)
5 February (Wednesday) – The Tridents (John and Paul Lucas’ diary and Lindsey Bex’s diary) Jeff Beck didn’t join The Tridents until early September.
6 February (Thursday) – The Soundsmen (Harrow Weekly Post)
13 February (Thursday) – The Tridents (Lindsey Bex’s diary)
17 February (Monday) – The Sensational Soundsmen (Uxbridge Post)
The advert notes that the band plays every Monday so assuming they also performed on 24 February and beyond
20 February (Thursday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
By this point the band comprised Jean Hayles (lead vocals), Jeff Sturgeon (lead guitar), Bill Stemp (keyboards/sax), Dave Hovington (rhythm guitar), Mick Bloomfield (bass) and Ian Walker (drums)
22 February (Saturday) – The Limelights (Fulson Stillwell website)
The Limelights morphed into The Legends (see below)
24 February (Monday) – The Soundsmen (Harrow Weekly Post)
1 March (Sunday) – The Limelights (Fulson Stillwell website)
2 March (Monday) – The Soundsmen (Harrow Weekly Post)
8 March (Sunday) – The Limelights (Fulson Stillwell website)
9 March (Monday) – The Tridents with The Soundsmen (John and Paul Lucas’ diary and Lindsey Bex’s diary/Harrow Weekly Post)
14 March (Saturday) – The Tridents (John and Paul Lucas’ diaryand Lindsey Bex’s diary)
15 March (Sunday) – The Limelights (Fulson Stillwell website)
16 March (Monday) – The Tridents with The Soundsmen (John and Paul Lucas’ diary and Lindsey Bex’s diary/Harrow Weekly Post)
21 March (Saturday) – The Tridents (John and Paul Lucas’ diary and Lindsey Bex’s diary)
30 March (Monday) – The Soundsmen (Harrow Weekly Post) Easter Monday
2 April (Thursday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
15 April (Wednesday) – The Tridents (John and Paul Lucas’ diary and Lindsey Bex’s diary)
25 April (Saturday) – The Tridents (John and Paul Lucas’ diary and Lindsey Bex’s diary)
30 April (Thursday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
9 May (Saturday) – The Tridents (John and Paul Lucas’ diary and Lindsey Bex’s diary)
14 May (Thursday) – Jean & The Statesmen (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
After this gig, they became Jean & The Statesides.
16 May (Saturday) – The Tridents (John and Paul Lucas’ diary and Lindsey Bex’s diary)
18 May (Monday) – The Soundsmen, The Downbeat Combo and Mystine (Harrow Weekly Post)
28 May (Thursday) – The Soul Messengers (Middlesex County Times and West Middlesex Gazette)
Future Jimi Hendrix drummer Mitch Mitchell played with The Soul Messengers during 1964 before joining The Riot Squad.
5 June (Friday) – The Soundsmen and Mystine (Harrow Weekly Post)
11 June (Thursday) – The Soul Messengers (Middlesex County Times and West Middlesex Gazette)
19 June (Friday) – The Soundsmen, The Preachers and The Mystic (Uxbridge Post) Harrow Weekly Post says Mystine rather than The Mystic
25 June (Thursday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
24 July (Friday) – Lee Paris & The Soundsmen (Harrow Weekly Post)
3 August (Monday) – Lee Paris & The Soundsmen (Harrow Weekly Post)
6 August (Thursday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
18 August (Tuesday) – The Soul Messengers (Middlesex County Times and West Middlesex Gazette)
17 September (Thursday) – The Bo Street Runners (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
24 September (Thursday) – The Bo Street Runners and The Peeple (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
1 October (Thursday) – The Preachers and Senate Four (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
15 October (Thursday) – The Bo Street Runners with The Paul Taylor Group (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
22 October (Thursday) – The RBQ and Kenny & The Shanes (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
29 October (Thursday) – The Light and The Beethovens (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
1965
7 January (Thursday) – The Vibratons (Melody Maker)
14 January (Thursday) – The Modern Blues Six (Melody Maker)
21 January (Thursday) – Wainwright’s Gentlemen (Dave Brogden’s gig diary and Melody Maker)
Future Deep Purple singer Ian Gillan joined this west London band in early November 1964 and remained band until late April.
28 January (Thursday) – Mystic and The Colorados (Melody Maker)
4 February (Thursday) – The Fenmen (Melody Maker)
11 February (Thursday) – The Wackers (Melody Maker)
18 February (Thursday) – Wainwright’s Gentlemen (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
25 February (Thursday) – Wainwright’s Gentlemen (Dave Brogden’s gig diary)
4 March (Thursday) – Wainwright’s Gentlemen (Melody Maker)
11 March (Thursday) – The Blue Ravens (Melody Maker)
18 March (Thursday) – Wainwright’s Gentlemen (Melody Maker) Harrow Observer & Gazette says The Matadors
25 March (Thursday) – The Blue Ravens (Melody Maker)
1 April (Thursday) – Wainwright’s Gentlemen (Dave Brogden’s gig diary)
8 April (Thursday) – The Birds (Ron Wood’s 1965 diary)
15 April (Thursday) – The Blue Ravens and Wainwright’s Gentlemen (Melody Maker)
29 April (Thursday) – The Blue Ravens and Wainwright’s Gentlemen (Melody Maker) Ian Gillan had left Wainwright’s Gentlemen after a gig on 26 April and joined Episode Six.
13 May (Thursday) – Wainwright’s Gentlemen (Melody Maker)
27 May (Thursday) – Wainwright’s Gentlemen (Melody Maker)
2 June (Wednesday) – Wainwright’s Gentlemen (Melody Maker)
By now, future Sweet drummer Mick Tucker had joined Wainwright’s Gentlemen.
3 June (Thursday) – Tony Rivers & The Castaways (Melody Maker)
10 June (Thursday) – Tony Rivers & The Castaways and Wainwright’s Gentlemen (Melody Maker)
17 June (Thursday) – Rey Anton & The Peppermint Men (Melody Maker)
24 June (Thursday) – Wainwright’s Gentlemen (Melody Maker)
8 July (Thursday) – Felders Orioles (Melody Maker)
Drummer John Halsey went on to Timebox in August 1967.
22 July (Thursday) – The Turnkeys (Melody Maker)
29 July (Thursday) – The Flamingos (Melody Maker) Harrow Observer & Gazette has The Blue Ravens
12 August (Thursday) – The Reasons (Melody Maker)
19 August (Thursday) – The Sultans (Melody Maker)
26 August (Thursday) – The Flamingos (Melody Maker)
2 September (Thursday) – The Bo Street Runners (Harrow Observer & Gazette) Future Fleetwood Mac drummer Mick Fleetwood was with The Bo Street Runners at this point.
9 September (Thursday) – The Bo Street Runners (Melody Maker)
16 September (Thursday) – The Modern Blues Six (Melody Maker) Harrow Observer & Gazette has The Alan Price Set but this may relate to next week
22 September (Wednesday) – Wainwright’s Gentlemen (Dave Brogden’s gig diary)
By this point, future Sweet singer Brian Connolly had joined the band. Sax player Dave Brogden was working with The Statesides by this point but helped out with this gig.
23 September (Thursday) – The Alan Price Set (Melody Maker)
30 September (Thursday) – The Olympics (Melody Maker)
7 October (Thursday) – Episode Six (Melody Maker)
Future Deep Purple singer Ian Gillan joined Episode Six in May 1965 after leaving Wainwright’s Gentlemen in late April.
14 October (Thursday) – The MI4 (Melody Maker)
This band became The Maze and featured original Deep Purple singer Rod Evans and drummer Ian Paice.
28 November (Sunday) – The Legends (Hayes Gazette)
12 December (Sunday) – The Legends (Hayes Gazette)
1966
Missing all of 1966 apart from this lone gig, so would welcome any additions to this year.
28 January (Friday) – The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
By this point the band comprised Jean Hayles (lead vocals), Jeff Sturgeon (lead guitar), Bill Stemp (keyboards/sax), Dave Hovington (rhythm guitar), Dave Brogden (sax), Mick Bloomfield (bass) and Ian Walker (drums).
1967
8 February (Wednesday) – The Beachcombers (Ealing Weekly Post)
15 April (Saturday) – Marmalade (Fabulous 208)
16 April (Sunday) – Marmalade (Fabulous 208)
10 June (Saturday) – Dave Martin Group (Geoff Chinnery’s gig diary)
Site of the Ealing Jazz Club, photo taken December 2010
The Ealing Jazz Club (or the Ealing Club as it was more commonly known) was one of London’s most historically important music venues during the 1960s. Situated below the ABC bakery, opposite Ealing Broadway station, in the leafy West London suburb of Ealing, the club became renowned as London’s first significant R&B venue when blues enthusiasts Alexis Korner and Cyril Davies’s band Blues Incorporated debuted in March 1962.
Nicknamed the “Moist Hoist” because of the condensation that used to drip down the walls, the club hosted many of London’s most distinguished R&B acts, and in April of that year provided the setting for the first meeting between Messrs.’ Jagger and Richard and Brian Jones, who formed the nucleus of The Rolling Stones, a club regular during 1962 and 1963.
A virtual who’s who of famous British R&B enthusiasts appeared on the club’s tiny stage over the next three years, most notably Blues Incorporated members Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker (who went on to Cream among others); Eric Clapton; Graham Bond; John Mayall; Long John Baldry; Eric Burdon; and Paul Jones, Manfred Mann’s lead singer, to mention just a few names.
Another of London’s top R&B acts The Who performed their first advertised show at the club in November 1964 and played regularly there during the early part of 1965. Jeff Beck’s band The Tridents also graced the club’s stage and, according to Melody Maker, appeared regularly on the Wednesday and Friday night slots during the summer of 1964.
And let’s not forget Dick Taylor, who left an early incarnation of The Rolling Stones to form his own pioneering R&B band, The Pretty Things. Incidentally, future Rolling Stone, Ron Wood was another famous musician who frequented the club with his band, the unforgettable Birds. His brother, the late Art Wood also appeared there, playing with Blues Incorporated and fronting his own band, The Artwoods.
As an R&B hotbed, the club became a magnet for London’s music crowd, drawing in the likes of Rod Stewart; future Jimi Hendrix drummer Mitch Mitchell; Don Craine and the rest of The Downliners Sect; future Faces keys man Ian McLagan, who was working with Twickenham band, The Muleskinners; and future Deep Purple founder Nick Simper, whose early Sixties outfit, The Delta Five were one of the many acts to appear.
Many of the British musicians that either played at the club or witnessed the burgeoning R&B scene emerging from it, took what they had learnt and/or seen to overseas markets as part of the British invasion.
Locals, the late Frank Kennington, who later managed Motorhead, and lead guitarist Mick Liber, whose band Frankie Reid and The Casuals (with future Episode Six drummer John Kerrison among others) had played at the Ealing Club, headed Down Under and formed one of Australia’s finest R&B groups, the original Python Lee Jackson.
Singer Andy Keiller caught many of the acts, including an embryonic Rolling Stones with Carlo Little on drums and Ricky Brown on bass and was so inspired that he headed off to South Africa and subsequently formed The Upsetters in late 1965.
Keiller’s soon-to-be collaborator, Irish guitarist Louis McKelvey and his friend, drummer Malcolm Tomlinson, meanwhile, had played with Jeff Curtis & The Flames, who frequently played at the Ealing Club during its formative years.
After their brief stint together in South Africa, Andy Keiller and Louis McKelvey amazingly reunited in Canada in the late 1960s, founding the experimental band, Influence.
McKelvey subsequently returned to the UK to pick up Malcolm Tomlinson, who’d been working with a pre-Jethro Tull Martin Barre and then headed back to Toronto to form Milkwood, authors of a soon-to-be released LP, recorded with the legendary Jerry Ragovoy at the NYC’s Hit Factory in summer of 1969.
Likewise, many other not so famous musicians who played the Ealing Club went on to produce fascinating music in the burgeoning psychedelic scene. Locals Chris Jackson and Tom Newman fronted R&B band The Tomcats (who also worked as The Thoughts) and later formed one of Britain’s more interesting psych ventures, July, after a stint in Spain.
Jon Field and Tony Duhig were also members of July and had earlier worked with another Ealing Club regular – The Second Thoughts, alongside future Thunderclap Newman, drummer/vocalist Speedy Keen and Patrick Campbell Lyons, who later formed the core of another top psych act, Nirvana.
Jimmy Royal, yet another local talent, was a club regular and fronted one of the area’s most respected bands, The Hawks, which featured former Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers (the recently deceased) guitarist Mick King (real name Mick Borer) and drummer Terry Mabey among others.
And let’s not forget the many obscure bands that got to play at this prestigious club – groups like The Fairlanes, The Four Sounds, Johnnie Harris and The Shades and The Fantastic Soul Messengers.
With many of these great musicians already gone, Garagehangover would like to use this space to encourage musicians, club regulars, promoters and any others with any memories, memorabilia, photos and details of live dates to share this on the site in the comment box below.
Unless otherwise stated, the following (incomplete) gigs listing is from the Middlesex County Times & West Middlesex Gazette, which advertised who played at the Ealing Club in its “Coming Events” section towards the back.
The main exception is 1963 where Melody Maker was the main source for gigs unless otherwise noted.
Thanks to Paul Lucas for The Tridents’ gigs, taken from his diary.
January 1963 (only part of this month has listings)
Friday 11 – The London City Stompers (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
Friday 18 – The Ken Stuart Seven
Tuesday 22 – The Colne Valley Six
Saturday 26 – The Rolling Stones
February 1963 (only part of this month has listings)
Keith Gardiner, rhythm guitar player with Jeff Curtis & The Flames, says his band played the Ealing Club a few times during the early months of 1963
Tuesday 5 – The Rolling Stones
Friday 8 – Blue Cedar Jazzmen (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
Saturday 9 – The Rolling Stones
Friday 15 – Johnny Toogood’s Jazzband (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
Saturday 16 – The Rolling Stones
Friday 22 – Colne Valley Six (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
Saturday 23 – The Rolling Stones
March 1963 (only part of this month has listings)
Friday 1 – Eric Johnson’s Junction Jazz Band
Saturday 2 – The Rolling Stones
According to John Kerrison’s autobiography It Ain’t Rock ‘N’ Roll, The Rolling Stones had a regular Thursday night residency, which Kerrison’s band, Frankie Reid & The Casuals took over. Judging by the dates, it looks more likely that it was a Saturday rather than Thursday night residency.
Friday 8 – Kid Martyn’s Ragtime Band
Monday 11 – The Rockets (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
Saturday 16 – The Rolling Stones (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
Monday 18 – The Rocket Men (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
Friday 22 – Thames City Jazzmen
Saturday 23 – Blues By Six (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
Sunday 24 – Sonny Morris Veterans Jazz Band
Monday 25 – The Rocket Men (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
Friday 29 – Bob Woolley’s Jazz Band
Saturday 30 – The Rolling Stones (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
Sunday 31 – Micky Ashman’s Ragtime Jazz Band
April 1963 (only part of this month has listings)
Monday 1 – The Rocket Men (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
Saturday 13 – The Rolling Stones (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
Monday 15 – The Rocket Men (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
Thursday 18 – Jimmy Royal & The Hawks (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
Saturday 20 – The Rolling Stones (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
Monday 22 – The Rocket Men (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
Thursday 25 – Jimmy Royal & The Hawks (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
Friday 26 – Bob Woolley’s Jazzmen
Saturday 27 – The Rolling Stones (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
Sunday 28 – Mann-Hugg Blues Band (This was the first Ealing Club show by the band that became Manfred Mann)
Monday 29 – The Rocket Men (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
May 1963 (only part of this month has listings)
Friday 3 – The Sidewalk Six and The Phoenix Thumpers
Sunday 5 – The Mann-Hugg Blues Band
Thursday 9 – Jimmy Royal & The Hawks (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
Friday 10 – The Cardinal Jazzmen
Saturday 11 – The Rolling Stones (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
Sunday 12 – The Mann-Hugg Blues Band
Monday 13 – Rock ‘N’ Roll (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
Friday 17 – The Dauphine Street Six
Sunday 19 – The Mann-Hugg Blues Band
Thursday 23 – Frankie Reid & The Casuals (Harrow Observer & Gazette) (Members at this time went on to Python Lee Jackson and Episode Six)
Friday 24 – Douggie Richford’s Jazzmen
Saturday 25 – The Rolling Stones (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
Sunday 26 – The Mann-Hugg Blues Band
Monday 27 – The Running Gate (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
Friday 31 – The Dolphin Jazz Band
June 1963 (only part of this month has listings)
Sunday 2 – The Mann-Hugg Blues Band
Sunday 9 – The Mann-Hugg Blues Band
Tuesday 11 – The Boys and The Henchman (Harrow Observer) (The Boys became The Action; The Henchmen evolved into The Rockin’ Eccentrics – see below)
Thursday 13 – Frankie Reid & The Casuals and Jimmy Royal & The Hawks (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
Friday 14 – The Cardinal Jazzmen
Saturday 15 – Graham Bond (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
Sunday 16 – The Mann-Hugg Blues Band (Harrow Observer & Gazette has them billed as The Blues Brothers but also lists The Chinese Blues and Manhogs)
Monday 17 – The Boys and The Henchmen (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
Thursday 20 – Frankie Reid & The Casuals and Jimmy Royal & The Hawks (Harrow Observer)
Friday 21 – Charlie Gall’s Jazz Band
Saturday 22 – The Graham Bond Quartet
Sunday 23 – The Mann-Hugg Blues Band (Harrow Observer & Gazette bill them as fabulous Rolling Blues Brothers)
Monday 24 – The Henchmen (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
Friday 28 – Bob Wooley’s Jazz Band
Sunday 30 – The Mann-Hugg Blues Band
July 1963 (only part of this month has listings)
Friday 5 – The Renegades (Harrow Observer & Gazette has The Limelights)
Sunday 7 – The Mann-Hugg Blues Band (This was the final gig under this name before switching to Manfred Mann)
Wednesday 10 – The Soundsmen (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
Friday 12 – The Limelights (this band became The Legends)
Wednesday 17 – Mike Forde & The Fortunes (Drummer Lindsay Bex joined The Tridents in January 1964 but left soon after Jeff Beck joined)
Friday 19 – The Limelights
Wednesday 24 – The International Monarchs
August 1963 (only part of this month has listings)
Friday 2 – The Limelights
Wednesday 7 – Alexis Korner’s Blues Incorporated
Wednesday 28 – Blues by Six
September 1963 (only part of this month has listings)
Wednesday 4 – The Graham Bond Quartet
October 1963 (only part of this month has listings)
Saturday 5 – Manfred Mann (First Ealing gig under their new name)
Wednesday 16 – The Bluenotes
November 1963 (only part of this month has listings)
Saturday 9 – Manfred Mann
Saturday 30 – Manfred Mann
December 1963 (only part of this month has listings)
Sunday 1 – The Fantastic Soul Messengers (billed as every Sunday) (Mitch Mitchell played drums at the start alongside sax player Terry Marshall, who was Jim Marshall’s son)
Sunday 8 – The Fantastic Soul Messengers
Saturday 14 – Manfred Mann
Sunday 15 – The Fantastic Soul Messengers
Saturday 21 – Manfred Mann
Sunday 22 – The Fantastic Soul Messengers
Sunday 29 – The Fantastic Soul Messengers
January 1964 (only part of this month has listings)
Saturday 4 – John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers (billed as playing every Saturday)
Friday 10 – The Tridents (Guitarist Leslie Jones joined Four Plus One in August 1964 with former Tridents drummer Ken Lawrence; they became The In Crowd who subsequently morphed into Tomorrow)
Saturday 11 – Possibly John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers (needs confirmation)
Monday 13 – The Tridents
Saturday 18 – John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers
Monday 20 – Mitz Mitton New Orleans Jazz Band (billed as every Monday)
Wednesday 22 – The Tridents
Thursday 23 – Jimmy Royal & The Hawks (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
Saturday 25 – John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers
Sunday 26 – The Soul Messengers (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
Monday 27 – Mitz Mitton New Orleans Jazz Band
Wednesday 29 – The Tridents
Thursday 30 – The Chessmen (Harrow Observer & Gazette) (aka Tony Knight’s Chessmen)
February 1964 (only part of this month has listings)
Saturday 1 – The Soul Messengers (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
Saturday 8 – The Soul Messengers (Melody Maker however lists John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers)
Sunday 9 – Frankie Reid & The Casuals
Monday 10 – Mitz Mitton New Orleans Jazz Band
Wednesday 12 – The Tridents
Wednesday 19 – The Tridents
Wednesday 26 – The Tridents
March 1964 (only part of this month has listings)
Wednesday 4 – The Tridents
Friday 6 – R&B group
Photo: Harrow Observer & Gazette
Wednesday 11 – The Tridents
Friday 13 – R&B group
Wednesday 18 – The Tridents
Thursday 19 – Top West London groups (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
Saturday 21 – Jimmy Williamson Trio (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
Sunday 22 – The Soul Messengers (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
Monday 23 – Mitz Mitton New Orleans Jazz Band (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
Wednesday 25 – The Tridents
Thursday 26 – Jeff Curtis & The Flames (Ruislip & Northwood Gazette) (Members at this point went on to The Manchester Playboys, Influence and The Penny Peeps among others)
Friday 27 – The Tridents
Saturday 28 – John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers (Ruislip & Northwood Gazette)
Sunday 29 – The Soul Messengers (Ruislip & Northwood Gazette)
Monday 30 – Mitz Mitton New Orleans Jazz Band
April 1964
Wednesday 1 – The Tridents
Thursday 2 – Jeff Curtis & The Flames
Friday 3
Saturday 4 – John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers
Sunday 5 – The Soul Messengers
Monday 6
Tuesday 7
Wednesday 8 – The Tridents
Thursday 9 – Geoff Cortez & The Flame (This is Jeff Curtis & The Flames) (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
Friday 10 – R&B group
Saturday 11 – The Soul Messengers (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
Sunday 12 – The Second Thoughts (Harrow Observer & Gazette) (Members went on to Nirvana, Thunderclap Newman, July and Jade Warrior)
Monday 13 – Mitz Mitton New Orleans Jazz Band
Tuesday 14
Wednesday 15
Thursday 16 – Geoff Cortez & The Flame (sic) (this is Jeff Curtis & The Flames)
Friday 17
Saturday 18 – The Mark Leeman Five (Harrow Observer & Gazette) (Members went on to The Nice, Gass and Herbie Goins & The Night-Timers among others)
Sunday 19 – The Second Thoughts
Monday 20 – The Casuals (Most likely Frankie Reid & The Casuals) (Melody Maker lists Mitz Mitton New Orleans Jazz Band on Monday, 20 April)
Tuesday 21
Wednesday 22
Photo: Harrow Observer & Gazette
Thursday 23 – Jeff Curtis & The Flames (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
Friday 24
Saturday 25 – John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
Sunday 26 – The Second Thoughts
Monday 27 – The Casuals (Most likely Frankie Reid & The Casuals)
Tuesday 28
Wednesday 29 – The Tridents
Thursday 30 – Jeff Curtis & The Flames
May 1964
Friday 1
Saturday 2 – John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers
Sunday 3 – The Fabulous Second Thoughts (This is The Second Thoughts)
Monday 4
Tuesday 5
Wednesday 6 – The Tridents
Thursday 7 – Jimmy Royal & The Hawks (aka James Royal & The Hawks)
Friday 8 – R&B group
Saturday 9 – The Mark Leemen Five
Sunday 10 – The Second Thoughts
Monday 11 – The Soul Messengers (Mitch Mitchell left before the band became The Next 5 in the summer. After playing a gig with The Rockin’ Eccentrics in Portsmouth, he formed The Riot Squad)
Tuesday 12
Wednesday 13 – The Tridents
Thursday 14 – Jimmy Royal & The Hawks (aka James Royal & The Hawks)
Friday 15
Saturday 16 – The Mark Leemen’s Five (aka Mark Leemen Five)
Sunday 17 – Fabulous Second Thoughts (This is The Second Thoughts)
Monday 18 – The Hobos
Tuesday 19
Wednesday 20
Thursday 21 – Jimmy Royal & The Hawks (aka James Royal & The Hawks)
Friday 22
Saturday 23 – The Mark Leemen Five
Sunday 24 – The Second Thoughts
Monday 25 – The Hobos
Tuesday 26
Wednesday 27
Thursday 28 – Jimmy Royal & The Hawks (aka James Royal & The Hawks
Friday 29 – The Tridents
Saturday 30 – The Mark Leemen Five
Sunday 31 – The Second Thoughts
June 1964
Monday 1 – The Hobos
Tuesday 2
Wednesday 3 – The Tridents
Thursday 4 – Manfred Mann
Friday 5 – The Tridents
Photo: Harrow Observer & Gazette
Saturday 6 – The Mark Leemen Five
Sunday 7 – The Second Thoughts
Monday 8 – The Hobos
Tuesday 9
Wednesday 10 – The Tridents
Thursday 11 – Manfred Mann (Harrow Observer & Gazette has Frankie Reid & The Casuals)
Friday 12 – The Preachers (Terry Clark and Andy Bown went on to original line up of The Herd)
Saturday 13 – The Mark Leemen Five (This might have been The Tridents; Harrow Observer & Gazette lists the latter)
Sunday 14 – The Second Thoughts
Monday 15 – The Hobos
Tuesday 16
Wednesday 17 – The Tridents
Thursday 18 – Frankie Reid & The Casuals (Members at this point went on to Python Lee Jackson and Episode Six among others)
Friday 19 – The Fairlanes
Saturday 20 – The Tridents (Harrow Observer & Gazette lists The Mark Leeman Five)
Sunday 21 – The Second Thoughts
Monday 22 – The Hobos
Tuesday 23
Wednesday 24 – The Tridents
Thursday 25 – Frankie Reid & The Casuals
Friday 26 – Gene & The Cossacks
Saturday 27– The Mark Leemen Five
Sunday 28 – The Second Thoughts
Monday 29 – The Hobos
Tuesday 30
July 1964
Wednesday 1 – The Tridents
Thursday 2 – Frankie Reid & The Casuals
Friday 3 – R&B group
Saturday 4 – The Mark Leemen Five
Sunday 5 – The Second Thoughts
Monday 6 – The Hobos
Tuesday 7
Wednesday 8
Thursday 9 – Frankie Reid & The Casuals
Friday 10 – The Tridents
Saturday 11 – Mark Lemon (sic) – (This is The Mark Leeman Five)
Sunday 12 – The Second Thoughts
Monday 13 – The Hobos
Tuesday 14
Wednesday 15 – The Tridents
Thursday 16 – Frankie Reid & The Casuals
Friday 17 – R&B
Saturday 18 – Mark Lemon (sic) – (This is The Mark Leemen Five) (Harrow Observer & Gazette has The Second Thoughts)
Sunday 19 – The Second Thoughts
Monday 20 – Gerry Hart & The Heartbeats (This group became The Eyes)
Tuesday 21
Wednesday 22
Thursday 23 – Frankie Reid & The Casuals
Friday 24
Saturday 25 – The Second Thoughts (Harrow Observer & Gazette has The Mark Leeman Five)
Photo: Harrow Observer & Gazette
Sunday 26 – The Second Thoughts (Harrow Observer & Gazette has The Macabre)
Monday 27 – The Hobos
Tuesday 28
Wednesday 29 – The Tridents
Thursday 30 – Frankie Reid & The Casuals
Friday 31 – R&B
August 1964
Saturday 1 – The Mark Leemen Five
Sunday 2 – The Macabre (Guitarist Peter Vernon-Kell had been a very early member of The Who when they were called The Detours. He would go to become an original member of The Hamilton Movement)
Monday 3 – R&B (possibly The Hobos)
Tuesday 4
Wednesday 5 – The Tridents
Thursday 6 – R&B
Friday 7 – Group Four
Saturday 8 – R&B (possibly The Mark Leemen Five)
Sunday 9 – R&B (possibly The Macabre)
Monday 10 – R&B (possibly The Hobos)
Tuesday 11
Wednesday 12 – The Tridents
Thursday 13 – R&B
Friday 14 – The Koalas
Saturday 15 – R&B (possibly The Mark Leemen Five)
Sunday 16 – R&B (possibly The Macabre)
Monday 17 – R&B (possibly The Hobos)
Tuesday 18
Wednesday 19 – The Tridents (Shortly after this gig, the band’s guitarist Leslie Jones left to join Four Plus One/The In Crowd and Mike Jopp covered until Jeff Beck joined in early September)
Thursday 20 – R&B
Friday 21 – The Preachers
Saturday 22 – R&B (possibly The Mark Leemen Five)
Sunday 23 – R&B (possibly The Macabre)
Monday 24 – R&B (possibly The Hobos)
Tuesday 25
Wednesday 26 – R&B
Thursday 27 – R&B
Friday 28 – R&B
Saturday 29 – R&B (possibly The Mark Leemen Five)
Sunday 30 – R&B (possibly The Macabre)
Monday 31 – R&B (possibly The Hobos)
September 1964
Tuesday 1
Wednesday 2 – R&B
Thursday 3 – R&B
Friday 4 – R&B
Saturday 5 – R&B (possibly The Mark Leemen Five)
Sunday 6 – R&B (possibly The Macabre)
Monday 7 – R&B (possibly The Hobos)
Tuesday 8
Wednesday 9 – R&B
Thursday 10 – Frankie Reid & The Casuals (guest star Jimmy Royal) (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
Friday 11 – R&B
Saturday 12 – The Mark Leemen Five (Saturdays)
Sunday 13 – The Macabre (Sundays)
Monday 14 – The Hobos (Mondays)
Tuesday 15
Wednesday 16 – Buddy Britten & The Regents (every Wednesday)
Thursday 17 – Frankie Reid & The Casuals (guest star Jimmy Royal)
Friday 18 – The Preachers
Photo: Ruislip & Northwood Gazette
Saturday 19 – The Mark Leemen Five
Sunday 20 – The Macabre
Monday 21 – The Hobos
Tuesday 22
Wednesday 23 – Buddy Britten & The Regents
Thursday 24 – Jimmy Royal & The Hawks and Frankie Reid & The Casuals
Friday 25 – The Vincents
Photo: Harrow Observer & Gazette
Saturday 26 – The Mark Leemen Five (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
Sunday 27 – John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers and The Mokes (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
Monday 28 – The Macabre (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
Thursday 31 – The Rockin’ Eccentrics and The South West Five
January 1965
Friday 1
Saturday 2 – The Who
Sunday 3 – The Hobos
Monday 4 – The Dee Lobs
Tuesday 5
Wednesday 6 – Alexis Korner
Thursday 7 – The Rockin’ Eccentrics (Ruislip & Northwood Gazette)
Friday 8 – The Heart & Souls (According to Ken Samuels, this was possibly with Flight One)
Saturday 9 – The Who
Sunday 10 – The Mark Leemen Five
Monday 11 – The Dee Lobs
Tuesday 12
Wednesday 13 – Alexis Korner
Thursday 14 – The Rockin’ Eccentrics
Friday 15 – Beau & The Odd Lot
Saturday 16 – The Ray Martin Group (Terry Marshall, Jim’s Marshall’s son was a member)
Sunday 17 – The Mark Leemen Five
Monday 18 – The Dee Lobs
Tuesday 19
Wednesday 20 – Alexis Korner
Thursday 21 – The Rockin’ Eccentrics
Friday 22 – Just Memphis
Saturday 23 – The Ray Martin Group
Sunday 24 – The Mark Leemen Five
Monday 25 – The Dee Lobs
Tuesday 26
Wednesday 27 – Alexis Korner
Thursday 28 – The Rockin’ Eccentrics
Friday 29 – The Nature Boys
Saturday 30 – The Who
Sunday 31 – The Ray Martin Group
February 1965
Monday 1 – The Dee Lobs
Tuesday 2
Wednesday 3
Thursday 4 – The Rockin’ Eccentrics (and Jimmy Royal & The Hawks?)
Friday 5 – Wainwright’s Gentlemen (Ian Gillan on lead vocals) and The Unit 5
Saturday 6 – The Ray Martin Group
Sunday 7 – Group Competition – 5 Top Groups!
Monday 8 – The Dee Lobs
Tuesday 9
Wednesday 10 – Unit 5 (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
Photo: Melody Maker
Thursday 11 – The Who (Billed as “The Who London 1965” for next four Thursdays)
Friday 12 – The Miston Tuac
Saturday 13
Sunday 14 – The Mark Leemen Five
Monday 15 – The Rockin’ Eccentrics
Tuesday 16
Wednesday 17 – The Blue Ravens
Photo: Melody Maker
Thursday 18 – The Who
Friday 19 – The Beaux Oddlot (aka Beau & The Odd Lot)
Saturday 20 – The Ray Martin Group
Sunday 21 – The Mark Leemen Five
Monday 22 – The Rockin’ Eccentrics
Tuesday 23
Wednesday 24 – The Blue Ravens
Photo: Harrow Observer & Gazette
Thursday 25 – The Who
Friday 26 – Just Memphis
Saturday 27 – The Ray Martin Group
Sunday 28 – The Mark Leemen Five
March 1965
Monday 1 – The Birds
Tuesday 2
Wednesday 3 – The Blue Ravens
Thursday 4 – The Who
Friday 5 – The Nature Boys
Saturday 6 – The Mark Leemen Five
Sunday 7 – The Ray Martin Group
Monday 8 – The Birds
Tuesday 9
Wednesday 10 – The Blue Ravens
Photo: Harrow Observer & Gazette
Thursday 11 – The Birds
Friday 12 – The Blue Ravens
Saturday 13 – The Ray Martin Group
Sunday 14 – The Fetish Crowd
Monday 15 – The Birds
Tuesday 16
Wednesday 17 – The Who
Thursday 18 – The Birds (Harrow Observer & Gazette) (Confirmed by Ron Woods’ book)
Friday 19 – The Clique
Saturday 20 – The Five Dimension (The Stormsville Shakers are also listed for this date)
Sunday 21 – The Mark Leemen Five
Monday 22 – The Just Four
Tuesday 23
Wednesday 24 – The Who
Thursday 25 – The Birds
Photo: Harrow Observer & Gazette
Friday 26 – The Who and The Fetish Crowd
Saturday 27 – The Ray Martin Group
Sunday 28 – The Mark Leemen Five
Monday 29 – The Just Four
Tuesday 30
Wednesday 31 – The Maroons (This band may have backed Wilson Pickett on a British tour)
April 1965
Thursday 1 – The Maroons (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
Friday 2 – The Clique
Saturday 3 – The Mark Leemen Five
Sunday 4 – The Ray Martin Group
Monday 5 – The Just Four
Tuesday 6
Wednesday 7 – The Fetish Crowd
Thursday 8 – The Maroons
Friday 9 – The Clique
Saturday 10 – The Mark Leemen Five
Sunday 11 – The Shondells
Monday 12 – The Dee Lobs and Mike Dee & The Prophets
Tuesday 13
Wednesday 14 – The Fetish Crowd
Thursday 15 – The Maroons
Friday 16 – The Clique
Saturday 17 – The Footprints
Sunday 18 – The Ray Martin Group
Monday 19 – The Rakes
Tuesday 20
Wednesday 21 – The Fetish Crowd
Thursday 22 – The Birds
Photo: Harrow Observer & Gazette
Friday 23 – The Clique
Saturday 24 – Mark Leemen Five
Sunday 25 – The Ray Martin Group
Monday 26 – The Tramps
Tuesday 27
Wednesday 28 – The Fetish Crowd
Photo: Harrow Observer & Gazette
Thursday 29 – The Birds
Friday 30 – The Eccentrics
May 1965
Saturday 1 – The Mark Leemen Five
Sunday 2 – The Tribe (Guitarist Frank Torpey became the original guitarist in The Sweet; bass player Dennis Cowan joined The Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band)
Monday 3 – The Tramps
Tuesday 4
Wednesday 5 – The Fetish Crowd
Thursday 6
Friday 7 – The Maroons
Saturday 8 – The Ray Martin Group
Sunday 9 – The Rakes
Monday 10 – The Tramps
Tuesday 11
Wednesday 12 – The Fetish Crowd
Thursday 13 – The Tribe (Harrow Observer & Gazette has The Fetish Crowd)
Friday 14 – The Birds
Saturday 15 – The Ray Martin Group
Sunday 16 – The Rakes
Monday 17 – The Tramps
Tuesday 18
Wednesday 19 – The C C Riders
Thursday 20 – The Fetish Crowd
Friday 21 – The Eccentrics
Saturday 22 – The Ray Martin Group
Sunday 23 – The Tribe
Monday 24 – The Rakes
Tuesday 25
Wednesday 26 – The C C Riders
Thursday 27 – The Fetish Crowd
Friday 28 – The Birds
Photo: Harrow Observer & Gazette
Saturday 29 – The Ray Martin Group
Sunday 30 – The Initial Four
Monday 31 – The Tribe
June 1965 (only part of this month has listings)
Tuesday 1
Wednesday 2 – The C C Riders
Thursday 3 – The Fetish Crowd
Friday 4 – The Senate IV
Saturday 5 – The Ray Martin Group
Sunday 6 – The Initial Four
Monday 7 – The Blues Dynasty
Tuesday 8
Wednesday 9 – The C C Riders
Thursday 10 – The Fetish Crowd
Friday 11 – The Senate IV
Saturday 12 – The Ray Martin Group
Sunday 13 – The Initial Four
Monday 14 – The Blues Dynasty
Tuesday 15
Wednesday 16 – The C C Riders
Thursday 17 – The Fetish Crowd
Friday 18 – The Tramps
July 1965 (only part of this month has listings)
Thursday 1 – Jeff Curtis & The Flames
Sunday 4 – Initial 4
Saturday 10 – Initial 4
Friday 16 – Rock’ n Breckers (This is The Rick ‘n’ Beckers)
Saturday 17 – Initial 4
Saturday 24 – The Mark Leemen Five
Saturday 31 – The Ray Martin Group
August 1965 (only part of this month has listings)
Friday 6 – The Mark Leemen Five
Saturday 7 – The Ray Martin Group
Friday 13 – James Royal & The Hawks
Saturday 14 – The Ray Martin Group
Sunday 15 – The Rick ‘n’ Beckers (Sundays)
Friday 20 – James Royal & The Hawks
Saturday 21 – The Ray Martin Group
Sunday 22 – The Rick ‘n’ Beckers
Friday 27 – Ricken Beckers (This is The Rick ‘n’ Beckers)
Saturday 28 – The Fab 5
September 1965 (only part of this month has listings)
Friday 3 – The Rick ‘n’ Beckers
Friday 10 – The Rick ‘n’ Beckers
Saturday 11 – The Ray Martin Group
Harrow Observer & Gazette (16 September) says live music every night except Tuesdays
Friday 17 – The Rick ‘n’ Beckers
Saturday 18 – The Ray Martin Group
Harrow Observer & Gazette (23 September) says live music every night except Tuesdays
October 1965 (only part of this month has listings)
Photo: Melody Maker
Wednesday 27 – Brian Green & His Band
Thursday 28 – R&B
Friday 29 – Cabaret Showband
Saturday 30 – The Ray Martin Group
November 1965 (only part of this month has listings)
Wednesday 3 – Brian Green & His Band
Friday 19 – Cabaret Showband
Saturday 20 – The Ray Martin Group
Sunday 21 – Jazz Blues Big Band
Wednesday 24 – Brian Green & His Jazz Band
Thursday 25 – R&B Group
December 1965 (only part of this month has listings)
Photo: Melody Maker
Thursday 9 – The Tribe
Ruislip and Northwood Gazette (10 December) says live music six nights a week
Friday 10 – The Ray Martin Group
Saturday 11 – The Rick ‘n’ Beckers
Sunday 12 – 2/3 Left Jazz Blues
Monday 13 – The Mixed Feelings
Wednesday 15 – The Midnight Blues (or possibly John Hart Quartet)
Thursday 16 – Jeff Curtis & The Flames
Friday 17 – The Ray Martin Group
Photo: Melody Maker
Saturday 18 – The Rick ‘n’ Beckers
Sunday 19 – 2/3 Left Jazz Blues
Friday 24 – The Ray Martin Group
Saturday 25 – The Rick ‘n’ Beckers
Sunday 26 – 2/3 Left Jazz Blues
Friday 31 – The Ray Martin Group
Thank you to Andy Neill for some of the background information on the Ealing Club.
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Likewise, many other not so famous musicians who played the Ealing Club went on to produce fascinating music in the burgeoning psychedelic scene. Locals Chris Jackson and Tom Newman fronted R&B band The Tomcats (who also worked as The Thoughts) and later formed one of Britain’s more interesting psych ventures, July, after a stint in Spain.
