Terry Slater (lead guitar/vocals)
Rod Freeman (rhythm guitar/vocals)
Terry Marshall (tenor saxophone)
John Puddy (baritone sax)
Sonny (aka Tony Smith) (tenor saxophone/baritone saxophone)
Doug Collins (bass)
Dave Golding (drums)
The Flintstones were formed in 1961 from the ashes of The Blue Men who included Collins, Freeman and Golding. Slater had previously been a member of The Cadillacs.
Marshall was the son of Jim Marshall, who ran the famous music shop in Hanwell, west London that became a meeting point for many notable Sixties musicians.
Tony Ross, who was called Rupert by the musicians, took over from Collins in early 1962 after playing in Peter Nelson & The Travellers.
According to Marshall, the band’s first recording was done with the legendary Joe Meek, who insisted that they record under the name The Stonehenge Men.
That summer singer Pete Fleerekker asked Terry Marshall to join his group, The Flee-rekkers and Tony Holley joined on tenor sax/vocals.
According to music writer David Else, Puddy left in November 1962 and formed The Night Sounds (featuring guitarist Albert Lee) and Ricky Marsh took over baritone saxophone.
Else says that The Flintstones backed Little Richard on a British tour in September 1963. By this point, Ernie Cox had succeeded Dave Golding and Dave Green had replaced either Tony Holley or Tony Smith on tenor saxophone.
After a second Little Richard tour in October-November 1963, Freeman left to form The Soul Messengers with Terry Marshall.
Not long afterwards, Tony Ross departed to join Carter Lewis & The Southerners.
In July 1964, Terry Slater revamped the band with the following musicians:
Terry Slater (lead guitar/vocals)
Mickey Fitzpatrick (bass) (ex-Pete Chester and Chris Ravel Ravers)
Dave Green (tenor saxophone)
Ray Taylor (tenor saxophone)
Ernie Cox (drums)
Not long afterwards, however, Cox and Green joined The John Barry Seven and the band split up.
According to David Else, Fitzpatrick subsequently worked with future Ferris Wheel member Mike Liston in Simon’s Triangle.
Terry Slater moved to the US and became part of The Everly Brothers Band.
Thanks to Terry Marshall and David Else for their help.
If you can add anything more to the band’s story, please get in contact via the comments section below.
Found a couple of gigs
18 January 1964 – Hi-Fi Hop, Walton Playhouse, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey (Woking Herald)
13 April 1964 – Coronation Hall, Kingston upon Thames, Surrey with The Marauders and The Tony Meehan Comb (Woking Herald)
21 August 1963 – Hermitage Ballroom, Hitchin, Herts with Steve Deacon & The Centaurs (Stevenage Gazette)
Mickey Waller played drums at Scunthorpe Drill Hall with Little Richard on May 23rd 1964. The rest of the band were three cool looking black dudes, all with matching Gibson Firebirds. No idea who they were but would love to know. They were ‘supposed’ to be backed by the Flintstones (who were a white group?) so it was obviously not them on that particular night. Anyone have further info?
The two cool looking guitarists were a well known American duo called Don and Dewey.
The third guitarist was Glenn Willings who at that time had been with Little Richard for more than a year.
All three musicians were masquerading as The Flintstones who actually were the venue. Richard was in the UK for Don Arden and the three did not have work permits.
Mickey Waller was a very good drummer – at that time he was a member of Marty Wilde’s Wildcats. Mickey got on well with Little Richard and as a special favour Marty released him temporarily.
Little Richard tour 1964 with backing band the Flintstones.
http://www.americanrocknrolluktours.co.uk/tour/little-richard-may-1964/
I remember the Flintstones often playing the Majestic in Reading on Monday nights when the big name groups appeared there. A girl named Elizabeth Pyne I knew from the same school we attended I believe was dating Dave Green from the Flintstones at one time. Don’t know if their relationship developed any further. They seemed to often get called in to the Majestic at short notice when another act dropped on on the night.
Terry Slater joined the Everly Brothers Band as their bass player
The Flintstones’ HMV single ‘Safari’ was produced anonymously (in early 1964) by Mickie Most as a favour to Don Arden who’d brokered the Everlys, Stones, Bo Diddley tour on which Most appeared as an opening act. ‘Safari’ was penned by Bo Diddley as a favour to all concerned including Arden who copped the publishing rights. Aided by Arden, Mickie had recently signed The Animals to an independent production deal.
I have a flier for the Duane Eddy/Shirelles/Gene Vincent theatre tour, and the Flintstones appeared on that tour in Manchester, I think November 1963 although no year appears in the date
Reading some of the above comments, it is telling that Carter Lewis and the Southerners and Mickie Most were on the same bill.