Hailing from Los Angeles, US soul vocal group The Vibrations comprised Jimmy Johnson (lead); Carl Fisher (lead and tenor); Dave Govan (lead and baritone); Ricky Owens (lead and tenor); and Don Bradley (bass).
In spring 1966 promoter Roy Tempest brought them over to Britain for the first of two nationwide tours that year.
Often Tempest deployed one group that was signed to his agency as the main backing band but, if they were supporting another soul artist that he had brought over on a particular night, he might call on other groups signed to his agency to the duties on that occasion.
It isn’t clear who backed The Vibrations on the first tour in April so we’d like hear from anyone who can provide more information.
This isn’t a complete gig list for this tour
Tour dates
8 April 1966 – New All-Star Club, Artillery Passage, Bishopsgate, east London (Melody Maker)
8 April 1966 – Tiles, Oxford Street, central London with Don Covay (Melody Maker)
9 April 1966 – Twisted Wheel, Manchester (Manchester Evening News & Chronicle)
11 April 1966 – Twisted Wheel, Manchester (Manchester Evening News & Chronicle)
14 April 1966 – Ram Jam, Brixton, south London with The Peter B’s (Melody Maker)
19 April 1966 – Whisky A Go Go, Wardour Street, Soho, central London (Melody Maker)
20 April 1966 – Orchid Ballroom, Purley, Surrey (Chris Broom’s book Rockin’ and around Croydon)
22 April 1966 – California Ballroom, Dunstable, Bedfordshire with The Sassenachs (http://www.california-ballroom.info/gigs/)
23 April 1966 – King Mojo All-nighter, Sheffield, South Yorkshire with Geno Washington & The Ram Jam Band and Jackie Williams & The Excitements (Sheffield Star)
For this second British tour in September 1966, Tempest used a Bognor-Regis based band that he had signed to his agency at the start of that month. The line-up comprised Jimmy Marsh (lead vocals); Martin Barre (lead guitar/saxophone), Mick Ketley (keyboards); Chris Rodger (saxophone); Bryan Stevens (bass); and Malcolm Tomlinson (drums).
Rodger believes they did the entire tour backing The Vibrations and has provided a Roy Tempest Agency poster to show they were advertised as so. His recollections have been backed by other group members. However, Ketley says they never played at the Whisky A Go Go in Wardour Street, so it is possible other Tempest-signed bands did the odd show here and there with The Vibrations.
Another issue is that the advertised Tempest-signed backing band wasn’t necessary the one that supported a soul artist on the night in question. A good example is 17 September gig at the Dungeon in Nottingham below. The advert in the paper lists Tempest act The Senate from Glasgow who backed a lot of visiting soul artists while signed with the promoter. However, a photo of The Vibrations on stage from this evening shows Noblemen bass player Bryan Stevens in the background confirming they were the backing band.
This isn’t a complete gig list for this tour
Tour dates
10 September 1966 – Starlight Room, Boston Gliderdrome, Boston, Lincolnshire with Zoot Money’s Big Roll Band, Little People and The Ferryboys (Lincolnshire Echo) Backed by The Noblemen
10 September 1966 – King Mojo all-nighter, Sheffield, South Yorkshire with Johnny O’Hara & The Playboys (Sheffield Star) Says second British appearance and most likely with The Noblemen given they did the earlier show in Boston
11 September 1966 – Toft’s, Folkestone, Kent (Melody Maker) Most likely backed by The Noblemen
13 September 1966 – Club Cedar, Birmingham (Birmingham Evening Mail) Most likely backed by The Noblemen
15 September 1966 – Cue Club, Praed Street, Paddington, west London (Melody Maker) Possibly backed by The Senate but could be The Noblemen
15 September 1966 – Whisky A Go Go, Wardour Street, Soho, central London (Melody Maker) Possibly backed by The Senate
16 September 1966 – Princess Theatre, Chorlton, Greater Manchester with seven more acts (Manchester Evening News & Chronicle) Most likely backed by The Noblemen
16 September 1966 – Domino Club, Openshaw, Greater Manchester with seven more acts (Manchester Evening News & Chronicle) Most likely backed by The Noblemen
17 September 1966 – Dungeon Club, Nottingham with The Senate (Nottingham Evening Post) Backed by The Senate according to paper (although there is a photo with The Noblemen)
17 September 1966 – Cavern, Liverpool with The Noblemen, Jimmy James & Vagabonds, The Hideaways, The Dark Ages, The Wild, Wild Klubs, The Tremas, Sooner or Later, Intent & Purpose and Signs & Times (Liverpool Echo) Backed by The Noblemen
18 September 1966 – Kirklevington Country Club, Kirklevington (Middlesbrough Evening Gazette) Most likely backed by The Noblemen
Circa 18 or 19 September 1966 – Scotch of St James, Mayfair, central London with The Noblemen (Group recollections) Backed by The Noblemen. Chris Rodger recalls that Otis Redding and Mick Jagger both turn up
19 September 1966 – Tiles, Oxford Street, central London with The Objects (Melody Maker) Most likely backed by The Noblemen
20 September 1966 – Club Cedar, Birmingham (Birmingham Evening Mail) Most likely backed by The Noblemen
21 September 1966 – Club Cedar, Birmingham (Birmingham Evening Mail) Most likely backed by The Noblemen
21 September 1966 – Orchid Ballroom, Purley, Surrey (Chris Broom’s book Rockin’ and around Croydon) Most likely backed by The Noblemen
22 September 1966 – Club Cedar, Birmingham (Birmingham Evening Mail) Most likely backed by The Noblemen
22 September 1966 – Carlton Club, Erdington, West Midlands (Birmingham Evening Mail) Most likely backed by The Noblemen
22 September 1966 – Cue Club, Praed Street, Paddington, west London (Melody Maker) Most likely backed by The Noblemen
23 September 1966 – Toft’s, Folkestone, Kent with The Noblemen (Melody Maker) Backed by The Noblemen
24 September 1966 – Twisted Wheel, Manchester (Manchester Evening News & Chronicle) Most likely backed by The Noblemen
24 September 1966 – King Mojo, Sheffield, South Yorkshire with The London Ravers and Amboy Dukes Big Band (Sheffield Star) Most likely backed by The Noblemen billed as The London Ravers. However, the following week, the newspaper printed that The Vibrations did not appear
25 September 1966 – Club West Indies, Stonebridge Park, Harlesden, northwest London (Melody Maker) Most likely backed by The Noblemen
As there is one gig listed below for spring 1967, it is probably safe to assume this tour didn’t happen.
27 April 1967 – Golden Torch, Tunstall, Staffordshire (Evening Sentinel)
In late 1967, The Vibrations did return for another British tour. It’s not clear who the backing band(s) were on this third tour, so we’d welcome any further information.
This isn’t a complete gig list for this tour
Tour dates
12 December 1967 – Blaises, Queensgate, Kensington, west London (Melody Maker)
15 December 1967 – California Ballroom, Dunstable, Bedfordshire with supporting groups (http://www.california-ballroom.info/gigs/)
15 December 1967 – Cue Club, Praed Street, Paddington, west London (Melody Maker)
16 December 1967 – Twisted Wheel, Manchester with Cat Soul Packet (Manchester Evening News & Chronicle)
17 December 1967 – Starlight Ballroom, Crawley, West Sussex (Surrey Mirror)
23 December 1967 – Ram Jam, Brixton, south London with The Kingston-By-Pass (Melody Maker)
24 December 1967 – New All-Star Club, Artillery Passage, Bishopsgate, east London (Melody Maker)
We’d like to hear from anyone who can provide more information in the comments section below