Welcome to the Birmingham Music Archive

Turks Head

Jeremy Collins — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

Whitey Infidel

Jeremy Collins — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

Zazas Zazas

Jeremy Collins — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

Brum Music Month: Denim - Middle of the Road

Jeremy Collins — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

Brum Music Month: The Nightingales - Use Your Loaf

Jeremy Collins — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

A favourite of John Peel, Robert Lloyd has been the mainstay of the Nightingales for nearly 30 years. They formed in 1978 from the a previous punk group called The Prefects and had their first release on Rough Trade. They would later go on to start the Vindaloo label which ended up releasing the likes of Fuzzbox and Ted Chippington. Enjoy!

Brum Music Month: Black Sabbath - Paranoid

Jeremy Collins — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

The end of the month is nearly upon us, you didn't think I wouldn't play some Black Sabbath did you? Turn up the volume. Enjoy!

The Undertakers

Jeremy Collins — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

The Great Outdoors

Jeremy Collins — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

Uncle Tom Cobbley

Jeremy Collins — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

Delegation

Jeremy Collins — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

New additions to the Archive

Jeremy Collins — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

Hi, there has been some new additions to the archive in the last couple of days. Some amazing pictures and songs and some incredible scans of Henry's Blueshouse newsletters. New entries under Street Crocodiles, Wolfpack, The Colts, Psuedo Blues, Anonymous Bosch, The Libertines, Camille, Henry's Blueshouse, Golden Eagle - Check em out and keep em coming!

Auto Draft

Jeremy Collins — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

dexys_0004.jpg

Jeremy Collins — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 13:20:08 +0000

http://birminghammusicarchive.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/dexys_0004.jpg

Traffic

Jeremy Collins — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 15:43:39 +0000

money

Jeremy Collins — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 13:04:37 +0000

Managers

Jeremy Collins — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 13:06:50 +0000

Birmingham Town Hall

Keith Law — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 13:07:22 +0000

**** Birmingham Town Hall is a Grade I listed concert and meeting venue in Victoria Square England. It was created as a home for the Birmingham Triennial Music Festival established in 1784, the purpose of which was to raise funds for the General Hospital, after St Philip's Church (later to become a Cathedral) became too small to hold the festival, and for public meetings. Between 2002 and 2008, it was refurbished into a concert hall and is now used for performances as diverse as organ recitals, rock, pop and classical concerts and events such as graduation ceremonies for Aston University. Joseph Hansom, of Hansom cab fame, and Edward Welch were chosen as the architects and they expressed that they expected the construction cost to be Â£8,000. Hill of London was hired to build the 6,000 pipe organ for Â£6,000. Construction began on April 27, 1832 with an expected completion date of 1833. However, Hansom went bankrupt during construction, having tendered too low. The contractors were also losing money. Three guarantors donated money for the building; W. P. Lloyd, John Welch and Edward Tench. With the injection of this money, the building was successfully opened for the delayed Music Festival on October 7,1834, despite the building still being unfinished. During construction, on January 26, 1833, two workers were killed when a 70 foot crane constructed to install the roof trusses broke and the pulley block failed. John Heap died instantly and Win. Badger died a few days later from his injuries. They were buried in St Philip's churchyard and a memorial, consisting of a pillar base made by one of the workmen for the Town Hall, was dedicated to them. Architect Charles Edge was commissioned in 1835 to repair weaknesses to the design of the building. He was also commissioned for the extension of the building in 1837 and again in 1850. Built in brick, created in Selly Oak, and faced with Penmon Anglesey Marble presented to the town by Sir R. Bulkeley, proprietor of the Penmon quarries, the hall is modelled on the Temple of Castor and Pollux in Rome. Some limestone was used in its construction and fossils of plants and animals are visible. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, the front arches were glazed to create an entrance foyer. Charles Dickens gave public readings here to raise money for the Birmingham and Midland Institute, and Mendelssohn's Elijah and Elgar's The Dream of Gerontius were both premiered. Sir Arthur Sullivan's "Overture di Ballo" was also premiÃ¨red here in August 1870, as part of the Triennial Musical Festival which commissioned new works for every season. The hall was the home venue for the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra from 1918 until 1991 when they moved to Symphony Hall. In November 1880, the Hall was filled to capacity for a Birmingham public protest meeting in support of Revd. Richard Enraght, Vicar of Holy Trinity, Bordesley, who was imprisoned in Warwick Prison under the Disraeli Government's Public Worship Regulation Act. On August 9, 1902, the town hall, along with the council house, was illuminated in celebration of the coronation of King Edward VII. It was illuminated again on June 22, 1911 for the coronation of King George V. In 1901, it was the scene of rioting on the occasion of a visit by Lloyd George. It featured prominently in the 1967 Peter Watkins film Privilege and doubled for the Royal Albert Hall in 1996s Brassed Off. In 1937, as part of the celebrations for the Coronation of George VI, the Town Hall was regaled in the various Arms of the Lord of the Manor of Birmingham since 1166 and each column festooned with garlands. The pediment also had images of Britannia, supported by mermaids, which were sculpted by William Bloye. This decorative scheme for the Town Hall and the whole of the city was devised by William Haywood, Secretary of The Birmingham Civic Society. The Hall closed in 1996 for a Â£35 million refurbishment, undertaken by Wates Construction, that has seen the Town Hall brought back to its original glory with its 6,000-pipe organ still in place. The Hall was used for many pop shows, and unlike the Odeon and The Hippodrome, it tnded to steer toward a headline acts and just a couple of support acts. Many great stars appeared here, in the 1960s and 1970s, such as The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, The Rolling Stones and Bob Dylan I saw many shows here, including, Traffic and Buffy Saint Marie. Compiled by Keith Law Ken Jones of Bright Eyes has sent an incredible list of gigs he attended at the Town Hall (and other venues) from 1964 to 1974, so a huge thanks to Ken. 1964 Saturday May 2nd : The American Folk, Blues & Gospel Caravan featuring Sonny Terry & Brownie McGee, Muddy Waters, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Mississippi John Hurt, Rev. Gary Davies, Cousin Joe Pleasants & Otis Span 1966 November : Tom Paxton, Judy Collins, Incredible String Band (12th) 1968 January : Dave Dee, Dozy, Beak, Mick & Tich (26th) February : Sam Gopal Dream (3rd), Plastic Penny (11th) March : Simon Dupree & The Big Sound (8th), Fairport Convention (14th) Manfred Mann, Moody Blues, Spencer Davis Group, Picadilly Line (13th) A Mystical Pantomine with The Incredible String Band and their Dancers! (Saturday 16th) May : Carl Perkins (13th) Blossom Toes (15th), Blonde On Blonde (16th) July : Marmalade (12th) August : The Frame (31st) October : Incredible String Band (Friday 25th), The American Folk Blues Festival (Monday 28th) November : Elmer Gantry’s Velvet Opera (24th) Chris Farlowe (23rd), Colosseum (29th), Mike Stuart Span (30th) December : Gun (14th) 1969 February : Tyrannosaurus Rex, David Bowie mime artist, Vytas Serelis sitar rectal, John Peel catalyst (15th) April : Pink Floyd & John Peel (Sunday, 27th) B.B. King, Fleetwood Mac, Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee, Duster Bennett (28th) May : John Mayall’s Blues Breakers (9th) Jethro Tull, Ten Years After, Clouds (Thursday 15th) The Mothers Of Invention (Friday 30th) June : Led Zeppelin, Liverpool Scene, Blodwyn Pig (Friday 13th), Pink Floyd (20th) October : Tom Paxton (Friday 3rd), Jethro Tull, Terry Reid, Savoy Brown (8th), Changes ‘69 : featuring Humble Pie & Their Friends incl. David Bowie (Friday 10th), Ravi Shankar (Monday 20th), Incredible String Band (24th) November : Deep Purple (24th) December : Delaney and Bonnie & Friends with Eric Clapton & George Harrison (3rd), Ten Years After, Blodwyn Pig, Stone The Crows (10th) 1970 January : Led Zeppelin (Wednesday 7th), Ginger Baker’s Airforce (Monday 12th), Al Stewart, Third Ear Band (Saturday 24th February : Pink Floyd (11th), The Nice (25th) March: Love, Colosseum (10th) Fotheringay, Nick Drake (16th) April : Viv Stanshall’s Big Grunt, Tea & Symphony (1st), Keef Hartley Big Band (Thursday 9th), Roy Harper (10th), Jeff Beck (13th), Johnny Winter, Heavy Jelly, Stackridge (Wednesday 15th) Flock, Edgar Broughton Band (20th), Black Sabbath, Egg (21st) May : Taj Mahal & Rare Bird (Friday 1st), The Spinners (Saturday 2nd), John Mayall featuring Duster Bennett (Tuesday 5th), Ten Years After, Matthews Southern Comfort, Writing On The Wall (Monday 11th), Deep Purple (16th), Family, Emily Muff (Wednesday 20th), Colosseum (22nd), Roy Harper, Strawbs (28th), Traffic, If (Friday 29th) June : Soft Machine (11th), Edgar Broughton Band (Monday 15th), Pentangle (29th) July : Barclay James Harvest (17th), Incredible String Band (Friday 24th) September : Manfred Mann Chapter III, East Of Eden (12th), Groundhogs (22nd), Jethro Tull, Procol Harum, Tir Na Nog (Friday 25th) October : The Pentangle (Saturday 3rd), Derek & The Dominoes (5th) Free, Mott The Hoople, If (Tuesday 6th), Tyrannosaurus Rex (not as T-Rex yet!) (Wednesday 14th), Emerson Lake & Palmer (Wednesday 21st), Van Der Graaf Generator (27th), Incredible String Band (31st) November : Jack Bruce (10th), Fotheringay (13th), Al Stewart (21st), Family (27th) December : Strawbs, Hard Meat (8th), Pink Floyd (18th) Mott The Hoople, Bronco, D.J. Andy Dunkley (Saturday 26th) 1971 January : Black Sabbath, Freedom, Curved Air (8th), Yes, Iron Butterfly, Dada (19th), Van Der Graff Generater, Lindisfarne, Genesis (Monday 25th), Faces (27th) February : Alexis Korner, Karakorum (3rd), Deep Purple, Hardin-York (12th), T Rex (Tuesday 16th), Every Which Way, Rare Bird, Jackson Heights, Audience (Monday 22nd), Free, Amazing Blondel (Wednesday 24th) March : Brinsley Schwarz, Eclection (13th), Atomic Rooster, Audience, Stray (20th), Van Der Graaf Generator, Dog That Bit People (27th)March : Yes, Jonathan Swift (9th), Incredible String Band nb. Malcolm Le Maistre debut (13th), Humble Pie, Comus (15th), Quintessence (Saturday 20th) April : Electric Light Orchestra (5th), Emerson Lake & Palmer (9th), Steeleye Span, Principal Edwards Magic Theatre, Tir Na Nog (12th), Groundhogs, Mick Abrahams, Wild Turkey (13th), Strawbs (20th), Mott the Hoople, Bronco (Thursday 22nd) May : Head Hands & Feet (12th), Faces (18th), Rory Gallagher (21st), King Crimson (Saturday 22nd), Marmalade (28th) June : Wishbone Ash, Renaissance, Stackridge (18th), Curved Air, Marc Ellington, Mick Abrahams Band (Wednesday 23rd) July : The Bronze Summer Outing : featuring Uriah Heep, Paladin (Friday 2nd), Quintessence (23rd) October : John Mayall, Eggs Over Easy (5th) Incredible String Band (8th), Pink Floyd (Monday 11th), King Crimson (Wednesday 13th), Yes, Jonathan Swift (18th), Steeleye Span, Andy Roberts (19th), Supertramp (20th), Van Der Graaf Generator, Genesis, Bell+Arc, Lindisfarne (Wednesday 27th) The Pentangle (Saturday 30th) November : Mott The Hoople, Peace (Monday 1st) T Rex (5th), Family (12th), Fairport Convention (Friday 19th), Groundhogs, Egg, Quicksand (Saturday 27th), Lindisfarne (Tuesday 30th) December : Soft Machine (6th), Amazing Blondel, Sutherland Brothers, Claire Hamill (8th), Curved Air, Skid Row, Nick Pickett (17th), Ralph McTell (22nd) , 1972 Birmingham Town Hall January : Trapeze, Brinsley Schwarz (7th), Procol Harum, Amazing Blondel (19th), Black Sabbath, Wild Turkey (24th, 25th), Wishbone Ash (Friday 28th) , Barclay James Harvest, Wonderwheel (21st), Dando Shaft (22nd) February : Audience, Stackridge (1st), Free (2nd), Savoy Brown, Chicken Shack (10th), Third Ear Band (12th), Strawbs (15th), Hardin & York (22nd), Mungo Jerry (29th) March : Roy Harper (3rd), Jethro Tull (6th), Rory Gallagher, Nazareth (8th), David Bowie (17th), Head Hands & Feet, Patto (22nd), Groundhogs (Monday 27th), Edgar Broughton Band (28th), Curved Air, Gary Moore Band (29th) May : Hawkwind (12th) October : Deep Purple (2nd), Jackson Heights, Magna Carta (6th), ELO (10th), Stone The Crows (15th), Steeleye Span, Amazing Blondel (Tuesday 17th), Kinks, Blackfoot Sue (18th), Ten Years After (28th) November : The Pentangle, Clive Palmers C.O.B, Wizz Jones (Wednesday 1st), Nazareth (4th), Humble Pie (6th), Incredible String Band (10th), Focus, Fruupp (Monday 13th) , Groundhogs, Stray, Gentle Giant (17th), Slade, Thin Lizzy (19th), Ralph McTell, Natural Acoustic Band (20th), Wishbone Ash, Curtiss-Maldoon (Wednesday 29th), December : Cat Stevens (2nd), Family (6th), King Crimson (Sunday 10th), Quintessence (22nd) 1973 January: Trapeze (12th), Badger (17th), Roberta Flack Friday (Friday 19th question date?), Roy Harper (23rd), Uriah Heep (26th), Al Stewart (27th) February : Mott The Hoople, Sensational Alex Harvey Band (Monday 19th), Magna Carta (3rd), Deep Purple, Nazareth (21st) , Can (Tuesday 27th) March : The Strawbs (Friday 2nd), Procol Harum April : Arthur Brown (21st) May : Procol Harum (25th) June : Captain Beefheart, Henry Cow (3rd) Edgar Broughton Band, Manchild (Monday 4th) Faust, Gong with Daevid Allen (Wednesday 13th) David Bowie & The Spiders From Mars (Thursday 21st & Friday 22nd) Fairport Convention, Kreeds (Saturday 23rd) September : Family : A Farewell Tour (Wednesday 5th) October : Faust, Henry Cow (5th) Incredible String Band (19th) November : Al Stewart (Tuesday 13th) Groundhogs (21st) Mott The Hoople, Queen (Tuesday 27th) 1974 January : Argent (Friday 25th) February : Ralph McTell (Monday 11th), Neil Sedaka (Tuesday 19th) March : Incredible String Band (29th) April : Gong, Hatfield & The North (24th) September : Procol Harum (Wednesday 11th) October : Lindisfarne (Saturday 26th) November : The Spinners (Sunday 3rd), Queen (16th), Ralph McTell (Monday 18th), Captain Beefheart (18th) Bert Jansch (Tuesday 19th) Mott The Hoople, Sailor (27th)December : Rory Gallagher (Monday 16th)

The Jug of Ale

Jeremy Collins — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 13:07:39 +0000

John Mostyn

Jeremy Collins — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 13:07:50 +0000

Geoff Pierce

Jeremy Collins — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 13:08:06 +0000

Duran Duran

Jeremy Collins — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 13:08:31 +0000

Duran Duran were created by Nick Rhodes, John Taylor and Stephen Duffy, with the later addition of Roger Taylor, Andy Taylor, and Simon Le Bon, though none of the Taylors are related. The group has never disbanded, but the line-up has changed to include guitarist Warren Cuccurullo from 1986 to 2001, and drummer Sterling Campbell from 1989 to 1991. The reunion of the original five members in the early 2000s created a stir among the band's fans and music media. Andy Taylor left the band in summer 2006, and London guitarist Dom Brown has been working with the band since. Duran Duran were one of the most commercially successful of the new romantic bands and a leading band in the MTV-driven "Second British Invasion" of the United States. Since the 1980s they have placed 21 singles in the Billboard Hot 100 and 14 in the Top 10 of the UK Singles Chart, and have sold more than 100 million records. A selection of the band's hit singles from the 1980s include, "Girls on Film", "Rio", "Hungry Like the Wolf", "Save a Prayer", "Notorious", and the James Bond theme "A View to a Kill". In the early 1990s, the band released, "Ordinary World" and "Come Undone", and released "Sunrise", and "What Happens Tomorrow" in the 2000s. "Falling Down" was released from their 2007 album, Red Carpet Massacre. Discography: * Duran Duran (1981) * Rio (1982) * Seven and the Ragged Tiger (1983) * Notorious (1986) * Big Thing (1988) * Liberty (1990) * Duran Duran (The Wedding Album) (1993) * Thank You (1995) * Medazzaland (1997) * Pop Trash (2000) * Astronaut (2004) * Red Carpet Massacre (2007) Special Thanks to Keith Law at unsignedcity.com for content.

Plone

nataliechillington — Sat, 03 May 2008 06:51:25 +0000

Exclusive and unseen photos [gallery] Photos copyright of http://eight8all.blogspot.com/

Kelli Ali

nataliechillington — Sat, 03 May 2008 12:19:07 +0000

Kelli Ali was born Kelli Dayton on June 30th, 1974. For the first seven years of her life, she lived on the 7th floor of a tower block called Near Oak House in Bartley Green, Birmingham. Kelli was a dreamer and loved to sing and dance. She grew up listening to old rock ‘n’ roll singles from a little record player that she carried around with her. At the age of 13 she was listening to Sonic Youth, The Violent Femmes, Mud Honey and Nirvana. She was also into Prince, Raspberry Beret and Little Red Corvette. After leaving school at the age of 14, Kelli started going to see lots of bands including; Sonic Youth, Iggy Pop, Mud Honey, Fugazi, X - Ray Spex, Billy Idol, Prince, Transvision Vamp, and The Stranglers. When Kelli was 16, she joined her first band - Psycho Drama, and together they played around the city centre, but they didn’t last long. However, she received a phone call from Russell Cross who had seen Psycho Drama play and wanted her to join his band. At first, Kelli was reluctant to join another band so soon after just leaving one, but after checking them out she said if they changed their name to The Lumieres and learned all of her songs, she’d join them. They were trying to get gigs in london and when they finally got one at the Garage in Islington, Kelli wrote to loads of record companies to get them down there. Rick Lennox, an A&R guy for One Little Indian Records turned up. After the gig, he said that he wasn’t into the band but if Kelli was up for singing with other people, he’d keep his eyes open in London. Not long after, Rick contacted Kelli and said there was a band called F.R.I.S.K. (Forever Rain In Self Knowledge) on a sub label of One Little Indian, Clean Up records who wanted a singer and he thought they should meet up. So Kelli went to one of their gigs and after the band came off stage, she sat down with them, Rick Lennox and their manager Craig. That was the beginning of the Sneaker Pimps. After meeting Chris Corner and Liam Howe at the gig (F.R.I.S.K.), Kelli went back to Birmingham and they sent her some demo tracks which she liked. The band already had a singer, but they were after a female voice. The guys came to see one of The Lumiere’s gigs at an open air festival in Birmingham City Centre. Kelli was surprised by how shy they were towards her when she came off stage. She sensed that they were very different and there was a definite divide between them. Nevertheless, Kelli agreed to go up to Elwick Village, Northumberland where Liam had a little bedroom studio. And there she sang all the vocals in a little cupboard that Liam had made into a vocal booth and was impressed at their musical ability. Craig, the guys manager called Kelli and said that the band would like her to join them. At first, she declined, The Lumieres had started getting a lot of attention and Kelli wanted to sing her own songs so she told Craig that they could use her voice if they wanted, but why should she join a band who just wants her to sing? Craig convinced her that she could continue to make her own music and join the band. Virgin Records America were already interested in signing the band if Kelli became a permanent member. Kelli decided to join the band ( that had now chosen the name Sneaker Pimps) on the basis that she would write B-sides and co-write on the next album. Within a couple of weeks they were offered a U.S. deal with Virgin Records America. Sneaker Pimps finished the album, ‘Becoming X‘ in Liam’s bedroom studio. Shortly after, the band were on the road and had a few weeks to get the live show together. They played all over the U.K, Europe and America, touring with a band called 12 rounds. At first they played in little pub venues to no more than twenty or thirty people but soon moved on to bigger things, supporting Neneh Cherry and Blur for a part of their tour. The film, The Saint with Val Kilmer, used 6 Underground as part of the sound track, then that was it. Sneaker Pimps were asked to fly to New York and record a song with Marylin Manson for the Spawn movie soundtrack in addition to going on TV and radio shows. However, After touring so long and living in close proximity, things started to get difficult on the road and the band started to grow apart. One morning, towards the end of our last U.S. tour, the band woke up in Tennessee to find a note from Liam saying he had had enough. He’d flown home and left the band on the bus. Kelli returned to London and decided to go travelling to Costa Rica and Panama for a couple of months. When she returned to London, the Sneaker Pimps had already set up a studio at Terminal Studios in London. The band called a meeting, which Kelli thought was to discuss new ideas for the next album. But when she turned up, Liam said that Chris was going to sing from now on in replace of Kelli. Kelli left The Lumieres in 1998. In 2001, she signed a solo record deal with One Little Indian Records and released two solo albums; ‘Tiger Mouth’ (2003) which featured hits such as “Sunlight in the Rain” and “Kids,” which featured ex-Doors drummer John Densmore. She toured alongside Garbage in 2003 and released a follow-up album,’Psychic Cat‘, in 2004. The second album featured musician-turned-author Tony O’Neill on keyboards. In 2005, Kelli left London to go traveling and write a new album. Whilst journeying through Mexico and California, she wrote many songs and in 2007 had completed writing for the ‘Rocking Horse’ album. In March 2008, she went to Edinburgh to work with composer and producer, Max Richter on a new record. ‘Rocking Horse’ will be released in Autumn 2008. Discography: *Psychic Cat (2004) *Tiger Mouth (2003) *Inferno High Love (2002)

The Applejacks

nataliechillington — Sat, 03 May 2008 12:20:28 +0000

The Applejacks were the first local band to make an impact in the music industry, with a number seven hit in the UK Singles Chart in 1964.

Members:
*Al Jackson (vocal) born Harry Llewellyn Jackson on 21 April 1945, Birmingham
*Martin Thomas (lead guitar) Baggott born 20 October 1947, Birmingham
*Philip Peter Cash (rhythm guitar) born 9 October 1947, Birmingham
*Megan Kelso Davies (bass guitar and vocal) born 25 March 1944, Sheffield, Yorkshire
*Gerald Ernest Freeman (drums) born 24 May 1947, Solihull
*Dan Gould (piano and organ) born 23 March 1947, Solihull

The group formed in Solihull in 1961, and were originally known as The Cresta and then The Jaguars before becoming The Applejacks. All were members of the 1st Olton Scouts Troop in Shirley, accept for Dan who was added to line-up at the end of 1961 and Al who joined in 1962.

The band regularly appeared at Solihull Civic Hall playing American style rock 'n' roll and were unusual for having a female bass guitarist.

In late 1963, The Applejacks were signed up by talent scout, Mike Smith from the Decca Record Company. Shortly after they released their first single, 'Tell Me When' which peaked at number seven and remained in the charts for 13 weeks. The single's success was followed by numerous TV appearances on shows like 'Thank Your Lucky Stars' where the band became friends with the Beatles who they met during a rehearsal.

John Lennon and Paul McCartney provided The Applejacks with the song, 'Like Dreamers Do' which the band released as their next single.

1964 saw The Applejacks record a self-titled album for Decca Records under Mike Leander. They appeared in the British pop music film, 'Just For You' which featured Freddie and The Dreamers and Peter and Gordon. The band also performed live on the New Musical Express annual poll winners concert at Wembley. In the same year, Megan and Gerald married in a high profile wedding attended by hundreds.

The band had become very popular and were booked to appear at dance halls all over the country throughout 1964.

By 1966, the band had signed a lucrative contract in cabaret to perform on the luxury Trans-Atlantic ocean liners R.M.S. Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth I and II.

Discography:
*The Applejacks (1964)
*Tell Me When (1990 re-issue of The Applejacks)

Joan Armatrading

nataliechillington — Sat, 03 May 2008 12:21:32 +0000

Singer, songwriter and guitarist Joan Anita Barbara Armatrading, was born December 9, 1950 in Basseterre on the Caribbean island of St. Kitts in the West Indies. She moved with her family to Birmingham in 1957 and taught herself to play piano and guitar. By the age of 14, she had began writing lyrics and music. She started her career playing music at local clubs as a teenager. Joan’s first job was working at Rabone Chesterman (makers of engineering tools) in Hockley, Birmingham. She was sacked from this job because she insisted on bringing her guitar to work and playing during tea breaks. Her first guitar was a gift from her mother - a pawn shop exchange for two old prams. In the early 1970s, Joan moved to London to perform in a repertory production of Hair. There she met the lyricist Pam Nestor, and they worked together on the album ‘Whatever’s for Us‘, released on the Cube label in 1972. In 1975, Joan had left Cube and was free to sign with A&M, and issued the album ‘Back to the Night‘ which was promoted on tour with a six-piece jazz-pop group called The Movies. A major publicity relaunch in 1976, and the involvement of producer Glyn Johns propelled her next album, ‘Joan Armatrading‘, into the top 20 and spawned the top 10 hit single “Love and Affection”. The album mixed acoustic work with jazz-influenced material, and this style was retained for the follow-up, ‘Show Some Emotion‘ (1977). This album was also produced by Glyn Johns, as was 1978’s ‘To the Limit‘. These albums included songs which continue to be staples of Joan’s live shows, including “Willow”, “Down to Zero”, “Tall in the Saddle”, and “Kissin’ and a Huggin”. Also at this time, Joan wrote and performed “The Flight of the Wild Geese”, which was used in the 1978 war film The Wild Geese. A live album entitled ‘Steppin’ Out‘, which showcased her well-honed stage act, was released in 1979. Joan had achieved international fame as a headlining musician and also a solo performing black woman - a rarity at that time. In 1980, Joan revised her playing style and released ‘Me Myself I‘, a more pop-oriented album produced by Richard Gottehrer, who had worked with the likes of Blondie. This became Joan’s highest ever charting album both in the UK and the US, while the title track became her second UK top 40 hit single. The same pop style was also evident on the 1981 album ‘Walk Under Ladders‘ and 1983’s ‘The Key‘. Both of which were also top 10 successes in the UK, with ‘The Key‘ also producing the hit single “Drop the Pilot”, Joan’s third and, to date, final UK top 40 hit. To capitalise on her success, A&M released a ‘the best’ of compilation album, ‘Track Record‘ (1983). Joan’s next studio album was ‘Secret Secrets‘ (1985). Taking over production responsibilities herself, Joan recorded the albums ‘Sleight of Hand‘ (1986), ‘The Shouting Stage‘ (1988) and ‘Hearts and Flowers‘ (1990) for A&M Records, which all made the UK top 40. In 1991, A&M released the compilation ‘The Very Best of Joan Armatrading‘ which returned her to the top 10. Following ‘Square The Circle‘ (1992), Joan left A&M - a label she had been with for almost 20 years and signed with RCA for her 1995 album ‘What’s Inside‘. Joan’s backing musicians have included members of Little Feat, Fairport Convention, XTC and Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band. She works only with the finest, like Darryl Jones (Rolling Stones), Tony Levin (King Crimson), Manu Katche (Sting) and Benmont Tench (Tom Petty). Joan has also worked with an impressive list of producers and co-producers including Glyn Johns, Gus Dudgeon, Steve Lillywhite, David Tickle (Prince, Debbie Harry). She was nominated twice as Best female vocalist for the Brit Awards and also nominated three times for the American Grammy Award. She received the Ivor Novello award for Outstanding Contemporary Song Collection in 1996, along with numerous platinum, gold and silver albums. Joan released a CD of ‘Lullabies With A Difference‘ in December 1998 for a children’s charity called PACES. The charity helps children with cerebral palsy. She asked friends and musicians whom she admires, like Mark Knopfler, Jools Holland, Midge Ure, Tina Turner, The Cranberries, Melissa Etheridge, Brian May and Lewis Taylor to give a song with a lullabies theme. Joan has presented 4 music series on both Radio 2 and 4. Other achievements include being nominated as one of the 100 most influential women in rock in the VH1 poll at the end of 1999. Joan received a platinum CD for her participation with other artists in the Lou Reed song Perfect Day by the BBC for sales of over 1 million. Joan played for Nelson Mandela oh his 70th birthday at Wembley Stadium in London and at the end of 1999 was asked to write a tribute song to the former President of South Africa. On April the 6th 2000, Nelson Mandela made a private visit to London and Joan, backed by The Kingdom Choir, had the honour of singing that special song entitled ‘The Messenger’ to him. Mr. Mandela danced and smiled on stage through out the entire song. In 2001, after five years of studying Joan received her BA (Hons) Open University Degree in History. She has also been awarded Honorary Degrees from Birmingham and Aston University and was made an Honorary Fellow of the John Moores University of Liverpool and of Northampton University. Eight years later, in 2003 and no longer attached to a major label, Joan released the album ‘Lovers Speak‘. On the 25th of June 2008, Joan received yet another Honorary Degree from the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama. Making history, Joan became: The first female UK artist to debut at number 1 in the Bilboards Blue Chart The first female UK artist to be nominated for a Grammy in blues category The first black UK artist to debut at #1 on Billboard blues chart The first black UK artist to be nominated for a Grammy in blues category The first artist from St Kitts to have debuted at number 1 in the Billboards Blues chart The first artist from St Kitts to have been nominated for a Grammy Discography: *Into The Blues (2007) *Live All The Way From America (2004) *Lovers Speak (2003) *A tribute song for Nelson Mandela (1999) *Lullabies With A Difference (1998) *What’s Inside (1995) *Square the Circle (1992) *Hearts and Flowers (1990) *The Shouting Stage (1988) *Sleight of Hand (1986) *Secret Secrets (1985) *The Key (1983) *Walk Under Ladders (1982) *Me, Myself, I (1980) *Steppin’ Out (1979) *How Cruel (1979) *To the Limit (1978) *Show Some Emotion (1977) *Joan Armatrading (1976) *Back to the Night (1974) *Whatever’s for Us (1972)

Au Pairs

nataliechillington — Sat, 03 May 2008 12:22:06 +0000

Au Pairs were an 80's punk band formed in Birmingham in 1979 during the 'second wave' of punk. The band was fronted by Lesley, who at the time was one of very few lesbians in the punk scene that had actually 'come out' and was an outspoken feminist. Members: *Paul Foad (guitarist) *Lesley Woods (vocalist) *Jane Munro (bassist) *Pete Hammond (drummer) Within their lyrics, the Au Pairs often highlighted the power struggles between men and women in relationships, celebrating female sexuality. They also swiped at the present politcal climate after Margaret Thatcher was elected Prime Minister. The group released two studio albums. Their first, 'Playing with a Different Sex' (1981), is a post-punk classic with sarcastic songs like "It's Obvious" and "We're so cool". Other songs looked at the controversial "Troubles" in Northern Ireland at the time. 'Sense and Sensuality' released the following year showed an influence of jazz, soul, funk and disco in the band's sound. 'Equal But Different' was released in 1983, but the band broke-up later that year just before they were about to go into the studio to record an album with producer Steve Lillywhite. Lesley went on to form an all female band called the Darlings in the late '80s, but then left the music industry altogether and now works as a lawyer. Paul remains an active musician, playing with Andy Hamilton and the Blue Notes a Jamaican Jazz band and also teaches guitar in and around Birmingham. He has published a guitar technique book, co-written with Stuart Ritchie, titled The Caged Guitarist (2000). Jane works as an alternative therapist in Birmingham while Pete teaches percussion in Birmingham. Discography: *Equal But Different (1983) *Sense and Sensuality (1982) *Playing with a Different Sex(1981)

Gerry Levene and the Avengers

nataliechillington — Sat, 03 May 2008 12:28:24 +0000

When Gerry’s Mother realised he was serious about music, she went into Westwoods Music in John Bright Street, Birmingham and bought Gerry a Hofner Committe guitar. One of the first gigs he played was at the Youth Club in Perry Barr, Birmingham with John Watson, his brother’s friend. By the age of 14, Gerry had become part of a group and played at Birchfield Rd School Youth Club alongside; Mike Cassell, John Matthews and John Watson. Gerry and John Watson remained together and took on new members before settling on the following line-up: *Gerry Levene (vocals) *John Watson (guitar) *Mike Hopkins (lead guitar) *Jim Onslow (bass) *Graeme Edge (drums) born 30 March 1944, Coventry Road, Small Heath Birmingham Ken Smith became the bands manager, and named them Cliff Angel and The Virtues before settling on Gerry Levene and The Avengers. They started playing all the pubs in Birmingham until they landed a gig at the West End Ballroom, and ended up being the resident band every Wednesday and Saturday thereafter. Ken then moved to Liverpool and started booking the band on the Liverpool circuit so they could play at the West End Ballroom at lunch-time and venues in Liverpool on the evening. John Watson left the band and was replaced by Roy Wood. During this time, the band auditioned for EMI and Decca on the same day at the Plaza in Handsworth and actually had a choice of which record company to go with. They chose Decca, managed by Phil and Dorothy Solomon who also had a group called, The Batchelors. Gerry Levene and The Avengers recorded, ‘Do You Love Me’, ‘Twist and Shout’ and ‘Dr Feelgood’, and went on to release ‘Dr Feelgood,’ while Brian Pool and The Tremeloes released the other two songs and had number one hits! The current band line-up was working well and appeared on ‘Thank Your Lucky Stars.’ However, Roy left for Mike Sheridan and The Nightriders (see under artists) to play lead guitar and was replaced by Peter Cook, a blind keyboard player from West Bromwich. Peter left the band and went on to work for BBC2 on programmers such as Stamash. Mike and Jim also left during this time to join The Diplomats, so Gerry and Graeme went on to form a new band with Denny Laine called the M and B5 which became The Moody Blues. Gerry left The Moody Blues following a dissagreement with Denny, Jim eventually went on to play with Raymond Froggatt and Mike Hopkins joined Magnum. Gerry joined a band called The Chicanes which became The Avengers. Various members came and went before Gerry left himself. In 1968, producer/engineer, Bill Farley of Regents Sound put Gerry in a new band called Crossbones consisting of: *Gerry Levene *James Parsons *Les Fortnham *Mike Millard On the Penny Farthing label, they released, ‘Shakin’ All Over’ Then Gerry joined The Hinge, a duo with Chris Sedgewick and recorded songs including, ‘The Village Postman’ and ‘You’d Better Go Home.’ Peter Lee Sterling (Daniel Boone - ‘Beautiful Sunday’) wrote one of the B-sides. During this time, Gerry started recording for Pye under the solo name of David Lincoln and produced, ‘Hold Back The Daybreak’ with a 50 piece orchestra. In 1974, Gerry was reunited with Jim Onslow in a group called the Rockin Rockets Road Review which was a huge group of musicians who performed an impressions show. It consisted of: *Big Al Johnson (guitar) *Jim Onslow (bass) *Mike Alexander (keyboards) *Nick Pentelow (sax) *Dave Hollis (drums) *Danny King (vocals) *Gerry Levene (vocals) *Mike Sheridan (vocals) *Brenda Bosworth (vocals) Together they toured colleges and clubs but were mainly based at Barbarellas. The remnants of this band became Cirkus in which Gerry was the ’straightman.’ Gerry remained in the music industry but during the last years spent a long time fighting bowel cancer. As a result, he became involved with running shows for the Holly Trust Bowel Cancer Charity. He also plays solo gigs and runs dance nights.

Balls

nataliechillington — Sat, 03 May 2008 12:29:02 +0000

Named 'Balls' by ex-Move guitarist Trevor Burton as a cheeky publicity stunt, the band originally consisted of: *Trevor Burton (vocal, guitar) born Trevor Iresin on 9 March 1944, Aston Birmingham *Steve Gibbons (vocal, harmonica) from Harbourne, Birmingham *Keith Smart (drums) *Denny Laine (bass guitar, vocal) Trevor left The Move and teamed up with The Ugly's frontman, Steve Gibbon and drummer Keith Smart together with the Moody Blues' ex-singer/guitarist Denny Laine to form the new band, Balls. Managed by Tony Secunda, the group gathered at a cottage on the Berkshire Downs with Traffic's producer, Jimmy Miller to start recording whilst playing local gigs. Former Uglys members, Richard Tandy and Dave Morgan (future ELO members) joined Balls for a period of time. As did ex Spooky Tooth drummer Mike Kellie, who replaced Keith Smart when he left to join Mongrel (and then Wizzard). Mike was later replaced by Alan White, a former member of John Lennon's Plastic Ono Band. Tony Secunda went on to manage Marc Bolan and Balls dispersed shortly after. This was a shame since Balls only record release, the single 'Fight For My Country' (1971) showed the groups obvious potential. Steve went on to join Idle Race which eventually became the Steve Gibbons Band. Trevor eventually joined Steve and the group enjoyed a hit single with, 'Tulane' in addition to touring America in 1976. Trevor continues to play at venues around Birmingham with his own band. Denny joined Ginger Baker's Airforce, later becoming a founding member of Wings with Paul and Linda McCartney which became an international success. Denny also co-wrote the song, 'Mull Of Kintyre' with Paul McCartney which became one of the biggest selling U.K. hits of all time.

Band of Joy

Keith Law — Sat, 03 May 2008 12:30:55 +0000

Chris Brown, Kevyn Gammond, John Bonham, Paul Lockey, Robert Plant This Band of Joy was originally formed in West Bromwich, near Birmingham, England by Vernon Pereira, also the lead guitar player in the Wellington Kitch Jump Band and great friend of John Hill, who was later to die in a tragic road accident when his then band's (Possessed) van was in a crash with a stationary truck. However this Plant/Bonham lineup was the definitive and legendary one 1967-1968 Robert Plant lead vocals Kevyn Gammond guitar, vocals Chris Brown organ Paul Lockey bass guitar, guitar, vocals John Bonham drums 1968 last lineup * Robert Plant - lead vocals * John Bonham - drums * John Hill - bass guitar * Mick Strode - lead guitar Roadies * Noddy Holder * Ross Crutchley * Steven Latham (aka Big Bruce) * Ben Randle The band is notable as the last of several line-ups included two musicians, Robert Plant and John Bonham who went on to join Led Zeppelin; and, to a lesser degree, because the band's roadie was Noddy Holder. The earliest incarnation of the group was formed in 1966 by Plant. Conflicts with the band's management led to Plant leaving the group after a few months. He quickly tried to form his own Band of Joy, but it soon folded. A third incarnation of the band, including Plant's childhood friend John Bonham, lasted from 1967 to mid-1968. Their brand of soul and blues was popular with Birmingham mods. The final lineup recorded a number of demo recordings in early 1968, but broke up in May 1968 when a recording contract failed to materialise. At some point the lead guitar duties were taken by Dave Pegg, who later played the bass guitar with Fairport Convention and Jethro Tull. The story was recalled by Robert Plant when he joined Fairport at the Cropredy Festival in 1986, with Dave Pegg recalling, that it was Plant who fired him from the band. The very last line up of The Band Of Joy consisted of Robert Plant, John Bonham, John Hill and Mick Strode in 1968. John Hill was a great friend of Bonham, they were at school together, he was playing bass in a band Called Uncle Joseph. This was a blues three piece with Simon Fox on drums, later the drummer with Be bop Deluxe. At a famous art students party in Lye, a black country town, Robert and John co-opted Hill and strode into the band to complete a tour of scotland for the infamous promoter Duncan Macinon. Please read George Melly's first book where he devotes a chapter to Duncan. here are many fond memories of this tour, alas not for Bonzo. John Hill continued playing in The Wellington Kitch Jump Band and also did a stint with the Foundations. In the 1990's he was the bass player with Vincent Flatts Final Drive ( stage name Boss Hog ), they produced two albums and more recently with The Notorious Brothers ( stage name Johny Flambe ),also producing two albums. Mick Strode is still playing fine blues guitar. Plant and Bonham eventually joined Led Zeppelin. Kevyn Gammond (stage name "Carlisle Egypt") and Lockey subsequently formed the country-rock band Bronco, with singer Jess Roden, bassist John Pasternak, drummer Pete Robinson, and future Robert Plant sideman Robbie Blunt. They made two albums before breaking up after a serious road accident. In 1977 Gammond and Lockey revived the Band of Joy, rounding out the lineup with Pasternak, Robinson, and keyboardist Michael Chetwood. They invited Plant and Bonham to contribute to their 1978 self-titled album, but nothing came of it. The group released a second album in 1983 before breaking up. Gammond later joined Robert Plant in the Priory of Brion from 1999 to 2001. A few years after BOJ split up, Gammond and Lockey went on to play in Bronco when Jess Roden left Bronco to go solo. Pete Robinson, from an earlier incarnation of BOJ, was on drums, with John Pasternak (bass) and Dan Fone (keyboards). Jess Roden and Paul Lockey were never in Bronco at the same time. Discography 2003 Sixty Six to Timbuktu - Robert Plant retrospective album includes some Band of Joy recordings With Special Thanks to Copyright-© John R Woodhouse Brum Beat My involvement with the BOJ was both professional and social. We were all from West Bromwich, and as such knew each other very well. All the bands intermingled with one another, with musicans all playing in the same bands at some time or another. I worked and recorded with Paul Lockey, and co-wrote and recorded several songs together. Keith Law, Mickey Cox, and Chris Brown Chris Brown was another local musician I had the pleasure to know and work with. With Chris Brown, Paul Lockey and Harold Barber (all three BOJ) at a night out at The Factory night club in Birmingham Complied by Keith Law

Pato Banton

nataliechillington — Sat, 03 May 2008 12:34:21 +0000

Pato Banton was born Patrick Murray in London in 1961 and moved to Birmingham when he was eight-years-old. His step-father, Lester Daley was a DJ from Jamaica and used to hold illegal parties in the family home at which Banton worked on the door as a lookout from the age of nine. Banton earnt himself a long and successful career despite coming from disadvantaged circumstances in his youth. In his early teens, Banton would stay up all night entertaining the guests on the microphone, hence why he was given the name Patoo by his stepfather. The name derives from a wise night owl in Jamaica, that stays up all night, calling ‘patoo, patoo.’ Number one MC in Birmingham By the age of 16, Banton had become well known around Brimingham and received regular work. Within a short space of time, he became the number one MC in Birmingham, winning seven years in a row! Whilst working for Sufferer Sound System at the age of 19, Banton was invited to join Crucial Music, a local reggae band. Within a year, Banton became the band leader, MC, singer/songwriter and manager, organising tours of the UK and Europe. Their first single was“All Night Raving & Sensimilla.” After five years, Banton’s notoriety as a British MC outgrew the popularity of the band, and he moved on He began recording again in 1982, after appearing on a talent show with Ranking Roger of The English Beat, which he won and consequently released the single, “Pato and Roger a Go Talk” which appears on the Beat’s gold selling album, ‘Special Beat Service.’ Shortly after, Banton performed, ‘Hip-hop Lyrical Robot’ and ‘King Step’ on the UB40 album ‘Baggariddim‘ in 1985 as one of the guest artists. Banton’s first audition at Fashion Records impressed the producers so much that they instantly changed his name to Pato Banton. (In DJ circles a “Banton” is a heavyweight lyricist, thus in England, Pato became “The Banton”) Banton’s next single, “Allo Tosh Got a Toshiba” reached number three in the independent reggae charts and launched a string of successful projects with Fashion Records, Greensleeves & Island Records. During this time Pato teamed up with top London MC Tippa Irie and under the guidance and management of GT Haynes, they traveled around the world and recorded songs like, “Double Trouble”, “Dance Pon De Spot” and “Dem No Know Bout Pressure”. Banton joined up with a Birmingham band called the Studio 2 Crew and after a year of rehearsals and shows around the UK and Europe, went on to record his second album “Never Give In!” (1987) which featured a collaboration with Paul Shaffer. With his popularity growing rapidly, Banton renamed his band The Reggae Revolution and began touring extensively. Banton released a more pop-oriented album third album, ‘Visions of the World‘ (1989), followed by ‘Wize Up! (No Compromise)‘ in 1990, which included a collaboration with David Hinds of Steel Pulse. In the same year, Banton approached Neil Frasier at Ariwa Records, and recorded the album, “Mad Professor Captures Pato Banton” which is now regarded as an all time reggae classic! Following this album and associated worldwide tours, Banton released his fifth album, “Live and Kicking All Over America” (1991) which was followed by ‘Universal Love’ (1992). Then ‘Baby Come Back’ (1994) with Robin and Ali Campbell of UB40 became a U.K. number one hit, a best-of album was released. The song became a worldwide hit, achieving top fives in over twenty countries. Pato Banton became a household name in the UK as this single stayed at number one for four weeks in the charts. Banton’s success continued with “Bubbling Hot”, another duet with Ranking Roger (which was also a top twenty hit in the UK.) In 1996, Banton joined forces with international pop icon Sting, on a reggae remix of “This Cowboy Song,” which earned a top ten in the UK charts. ‘Stay Positive‘ was also released in 1996, followed by ‘‘Life Is a Miracle‘ in 2000 which received a Grammy nomination for Best Reggae Album. Peter Gabriel’s organization, WOMAD, recognized Banton’s talents and invited him to headline a series of shows across the world. While on tour Banton was able to undertake music workshops for disadvantaged children in many cities and was actually allowed inside a maximum security prison in Sicily to lead a live music session with young offenders. This tour took Pato Banton & The Reggae Revolution to Europe, Australia, North & South America, Malaysia, Singapore & South Africa. During this time Banton began to feel as though he had fulfilled his goals as an artist and wanted to refocus on his own community. Whilst touring America, Banton was informed that two of his sons had been shot in a drive by shooting. Although they both survived, this news confirmed that it was time to put something back into his home town of Birmingham, England. Banton moved his Gwarn International Studios into a local community setting and created a small team of family and friends. Despite leaving school at an early age without any qualifications, Banton took the opportunity while at Matthew Boulton College in Birmingham to advance his own education. He successfully completed a Level 1 & Level 2 course in Teacher Training and a course in Counseling Skills. Meanwhile, he was also creating a community network called Musical Connections, designed to put music equipment and computers into 16 youth centers (including centers for young offenders). He also trained many community tutors how to deliver basic courses in Music Technology to young people. Next, Banton set up a Community Classroom in the college so that young people who were talented or very interested in music, but had no formal qualifications had the opportunity to achieve a college education through music. With the support of Viv Taylor, the Head of Community Safety in Handsworth, Banton launched another community project called Muzik Links in 2001. The aim of this venture was to attract young people who were at risk, in care, or involved in crime and gang activities to be involved in professional recordings, dance troupes and live performances. By the end of 2002, Banton had set up his own School of Musical Arts And Technology (SMAAT) and with his entire team relocated to the city center. Within weeks they were approached by South Birmingham College, who offered to employ the services of Banton and his co-workers. Banton agreed to a partnership and accepted the role of Assistant Director of Creative Studies. The success at the college combined with his role in community centres, high schools, and many prisons around the UK has led to Banton’s work becoming recognized across the region. In a partnership with the West Midlands Police Force called Project Ventara, it is noted that Banton’s involvement helped to reduce the number of gun related incidents across the city. Accordingly, Banton was nominated and awarded with the BBC’s prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award for his dedication and commitment to positive change. In the same year, he also received the Black Music Award for Lifetime Achievement in recognition of his contribution to the British Music Industry and on that day, the Birmingham Museum opened its doors to the Reggae Hall of Fame. In early 2005 Yahe Boda, a consecrated spiritual teacher and forerunner, invited Banton to do a short tour across America to “Gather the People in Praise.” This led to Banton to work on another album entitled, ‘The Words of Christ.’ After two short tours with Sol Horizon & DubCat, Banton joined forces with the very popular, Mystic Roots Band, voted top Reggae Band by the Los Angeles Music Awards. After a successful tour starting in Hawaii and then across the mainland of the USA and Canada, Banton and the band recorded the “Positive Vibrations” album. Discography: *Pato Banton and Friends (2008) *Positive Vibrations (2007) *The Best Of Pato Banton (2002) *Life Is A Miracle (2000) *Stay Positive (1996) *Collections (1994) *Universal Love (1992) *Wize Up! (No Compromize) (1990) *Mad Professor Recaptures Pato Banton (1990) *Visions Of The World (1989) *Never Give In (1987) *Mad Professor Captures Pato Banton (1985)

The Beat

nataliechillington — Sat, 03 May 2008 12:35:43 +0000

The Beat formed in the working class suburbs of industrial Birmingham in 1978.Their songs are a mix of ska, pop, soul, reggae and punk rock, and their lyrics deal with love and political topics. The original line-up consisted of: *Ranking Roger (vocals) *Dave Wakeling(vocals) *Andy Cox (guitar) *David Steele (bass) *Everett Morton (drums) Papa Saxa, born Lionel Martin in 1930 (saxophonist) joined the Beat to record their first single, 'Tears of a Clown,' a cover version of the Motown hit by Smokey Robinson. The single went straight to number six in the UK charts and the band became an over night success. Saxa had played saxophone with Prince Buster, Laurel Aitken and Desmond Dekker in the first wave of ska. Further singles from the first album, 'I Just Can't Stop It' (1980) included "Can't Get Used to Losing You", "Mirror in the Bathroom", and "Hands Off...She's Mine," two of which reached the UK top ten, while another single, "Best Friend," broke the top 30. The second Beat album, 'Wha'ppen?' (1981) was supported by extensive touring, including a U.S. and worldwide tour alongside the likes of The Clash, The Police,REM, Talking Heads, The Pretenders and The Specials. The album yielded more UK hits, including "Drowning"/"All Out To Get You" and "Doors of Your Heart," both of which broke the UK Top 40. The Beat received strong support from modern rock radio stations such as KROQ in Los Angeles and KYYX in Seattle. Songs such as 'Stand Down Margaret,' saw them leading a movement for real social change whilst hundreds of thousands sang along with the band at nuclear disarmament marches. The Beat had a way with the people and were a source of upliftment. Although The Beat's main fan base was in the United Kingdom, the band was also popular in Australia, partly due to exposure on the radio station Triple J and the TV show Countdown. The Beat had a sizeable following in North America, where the band was known as The English Beat for legal reasons and so to avoid confusion with the American band The Beat.

Bentley Rhythm Ace

nataliechillington — Sat, 03 May 2008 12:36:36 +0000

Bentley Rhythm Ace (BRA) are a duo formed in Birmingham in 1995. Members: *Richard March born 4 March 1965, in York (bassist) *Mike Stokes (keyboardist) The band was formed by March, a former member of the group Pop Will Eat Itself (see under artists). Their live drummer was Fuzz Townshend, with whom March previously played with in P.W.E.I. BRA signed up with the Brighton based record label Skint, and released their self titled debut album in 1997 which spawned the popular single "Bentley's Gonna Sort You Out". A second album, 'For Your Ears Only', was released in 2000 on Parlophone from which came the single, "Madam, Your Carriage Awaits". The group also compiled a two CD 'FSUK' compilation album. In 2004, the BRA released a record with Sophia Lolley called 'Angel Face'. Bentley Rhythm Ace have enjoyed much commercial success with their music featuring on television advertisements. The group now play the occasional low-key DJ set and both March and Townshend teach in the Music Department at Halesowen College. Discography: *Bentley Rhythm Ace (1997) *For Your Ears Only (2000)

Black Sabbath

nataliechillington — Sat, 03 May 2008 12:37:07 +0000

Black Sabbathn are a heavy metal band from Birmingham, formed in 1968. The original line-up consisted of: *Ozzy Osbourne (lead vocals) *Tony Iommi (guitar) *Geezer Butler (bass guitar) *Bill Ward (drums and percussion) Tony Iommi and Bill Ward wanted to form a heavy blues band in Aston, Birmingham following the breakup of their previous band, Mythology in 1968. The group enlisted Geezer Butler, and Ozzy Osbourne, who had played together in a band called Rare Breed. Initially named The Polka Tulk Blues Company, the new group also featured slide guitarist Jimmy Phillips and saxophonist Alan "Aker" Clarke. After shortening the name to Polka Tulk, the band changed their name again to Earth, and continued as a four-piece without Phillips and Clarke. Earth played shows in England, Denmark, and Germany. Setlists included cover songs by Jimi Hendrix, Blue Cheer, and Cream. In December 1968, Iommi left Earth for a short period to join Jethro Tull, but rejoined the band shortly after. In 1969, the band were being mistaken for another English group with the same name and so decided to change their name to Black Sabbath after Boris Karloff's horror film Black Sabbath and made the decision to use dark lyrics in contrast to the recent hippie culture in the attempt to create the musical equivalent of horror films. Black Sabbath were signed to Philips Records in December 1969, and released their first single, "Evil Woman" in early 1970. Later releases were through Philips' newly formed progressive rock label, Vertigo Records. 'Black Sabbath' was released soon after on Friday the 13th. The album reached number 8 in the UK, and number 23 on the Billboard 200 where it remained for over a year selling a million copies. The band quickly returned to the studio to start the new album which was initially set to be named "War Pigs" after the track of the same name, which was critical of the Vietnam War. However, Warner changed the title of the album to 'Paranoid', fearing backlash from supporters of the Vietnam War. The single "Paranoid" was released prior to the album later that year, and reached number four on the UK charts, remaining Black Sabbath's only top ten hit. Black Sabbath released their second album, 'Paranoid' in nearing the end of 1970 which hit number one in the UK and broke into the top ten in the US selling four million copies after virtually no radio airplay. That year, the band toured the US for the first time. 'Iron Man remains one of Black Sabbath's most popular songs. In 1971, the band released 'Master of Reality', just six months after the release of 'Paranoid'. The album reached the top ten in both the US and UK, and was certified gold in less than two months eventually receiving platinum certification in the 1980's. 'Master of Reality' contained Black Sabbath's first acoustic songs alongside favorites such as 'Children of the Grave' and 'Sweet Leaf'. Rolling Stone later placed the album at number 298 on their 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list in 2003. 1972 saw the band record their next album at the Record Plant. Black Sabbath's Volume 4' was released and achieved gold status in less than a month becoming the band's fourth consecutive release to sell a million copies in the US. Following an extensive tour of the US in 1973, the band traveled to Australia for the first time, and later Europe. Black Sabbath also appeared on England's Top of the Pops in 1973, sharing the stage with acts such as Engelbert Humperdink and Diana Ross. Later the same year, Black Sabbath released the critically-acclaimed 'Sabbath, Bloody Sabbath'. The album marked the band's fifth consecutive platinum selling album in the US, reaching number four on the UK charts, and number eleven in the US. The band began a world tour in January 1974, which culminated at the California Jam festival in Ontario, California on April 6, 1974. Black Sabbath attracted over 200,000 fans and appeared alongside the likes of Emerson, Lake & amp; Palmer; Deep Purple; Earth, Wind & amp; Fire and Seals & Crofts. During this year, the band changed management signing with notorious English manager Don Arden. Black Sabbath began work on their sixth album in February 1975, at Morgan Studios in Willesden. 'Sabotage' produced by Black Sabbath and Mike Butcher, was released in July 1975. 'Sabotage' reached the top 20 in both the US and the UK. A tour with Kiss was cut short in November 1975, following a motorcycle accident in which Ozzy ruptured a muscle in his back. During the next month, the band's record companies released a greatest hits record without input from the band, entitled 'We Sold Our Soul for Rock 'n' Roll'. The album charted throughout 1976, eventually selling two million copies in the US. Black Sabbath recorded their next album at Criteria Studios in Miami, Florida, in mid 1976. Keyboard player Gerry Woodruffe joined the band. 'Technical Ecstasy', released in late 1976 and was certified gold. Touring began in November 1976 alongside Boston and Ted Nugent in the US, and AC/DC in Europe. In November 1977, Ozzy Osbourne quit the band and was replaced by former Fleetwood Mac and Savoy Brown vocalist Dave Walker who began working on new songs with the band. On January 8, 1978, Black Sabbath made their first and only appearance with Walker on vocals, playing an early version of the song "Junior's Eyes" on the BBC Television program "Look! Hear!". Osbourne initially set out to form a solo project but rejoined Black Sabbath early the following year. The band recorded 'Never Say Die!' at Sounds Interchange Studios in Toronto, Canada. The album was released in late 1978, reaching number twelve in the UK. It featured the singles 'Never Say Die' and 'Hard Road', both of which cracked the top 40 in the UK, and the band made their second appearance on the Top of the Pops, performing 'Never Say Die'. The final show of the tour with Van Halen was Osbourne's last appearance with the band (until later reunions) in Albuquerque, New Mexico on December 11. Following the tour, Black Sabbath returned to Los Angeles and rented a house in Bel Air, where they spent nearly a year working on material for the next album. With pressure from the record label, and frustrations with Osbourne's lack of ideas coming to a head, Tony made the decision to fire Ozzy Osbourne in 1979. Sharon Arden, (later Sharon Osbourne) daughter of Don Arden, suggested former Rainbow vocalist Ronnie James Dio to replace Ozzy Osbourne. With a notably different voice, Dio's addition to the band marked a change in Black Sabbath's sound. Geezer Butler temporarily left the band in September 1979 to be replaced by Geoff Nicholls. The new line-up returned to Criteria Studios in November to begin recording work, with Butler returning to the band in early 1980 and Nicholls moving to keyboards. 'Heaven and Hell' produced by Martin Birch, was that year peaking at number 9 in the UK, and number 28 in the US, eventually selling a million copies. The band embarked on an extensive world tour, making their first live appearance with Dio in Germany on April 17, 1980. Black Sabbath toured the US throughout that year with Blue Öyster Cult. On July 26, 1980, the band played at a sold out Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles with Journey, Cheap Trick, and Molly Hatchet to 100,000 fans. On August 18, 1980, Bill Ward was fired from Black Sabbath after a show in Minneapolis, Minnesota to be replaced by drummer Vinny Appice. Recorded at John Lennon's old house in Ascot, Black Sabbath's second album with Dio 'Mob Rules' (1981) was well received by fans. The album was certified gold, and reached the top 20 on the UK charts. The album's title track featured in the 1981 animated film Heavy Metal. Ronnie James Dio left Black Sabbath in November 1982 to start a solo project, and took drummer Vinny Appice with him. Left with just two original members, Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler began auditioning new singers for the band's next release. Former Deep Purple vocalist, Ian Gillan replaced Dio in 1983. Pressures from the record label forced the group to retain the name of Black Sabbath. The band went on to record, 'Born Again' at The Manor Studios in Shipton-on-Cherwell, Oxfordshire with a returned and newly-sober Bill Ward on drums. 'Born Again' reached number four on the UK charts. Ward was unable to tour due to the pressures of the road, and quit the band in 1984 to be replaced by former Electric Light Orchestra (see under artists) drummer Bev Bevan for the 'Born Again' world tour. Following the completion of the tour in March 1984, vocalist Ian Gillan left Black Sabbath to re-join Deep Purple. The band enlisted Los Angeles vocalist David Donato who rehearsed with them throughout 1984, and eventually recorded a demo with producer Bob Ezrin in October. However, unhappy with the results, the band parted ways with Donato shortly after. Geezer Butler also left but of his own accord to form a solo band. Following Butler's exit, sole remaining original member Tony Iommi began work on a solo album with keyboardist Geoff Nicholls. While working on new material, the original Black Sabbath line-up were offered a spot at Bob Geldof's Live Aid benefit concert on July 13, 1985. The band agreed, performing a three song set at the Philadelphia show. The event marked the first time the original lineup appeared on stage since 1978. Returning to his solo work, Iommi enlisted bassist Dave Spitz and drummer Eric Singer. The band spent the remainder of the year in the studio, recording 'Seventh Star'. Warner Bros refused to release the album as a Tony Iommi solo release and insisted on using the name Black Sabbath. Pressured by the band's manager, Don Arden, the two compromised and released the album as "Black Sabbath featuring Tony Iommi" in January 1986. Days before the start of the next tour, vocalist Glenn Hughes got into a bar fight with the band's production manager, John Downing and splintered his orbital bone. The injury interfered with Hughes' ability to sing, and so the band brought in vocalist Ray Gillen to continue the tour. Black Sabbath began work on new material in October 1986 at Air Studios in Montserrat with producer Jeff Glixman. Glixman left and was replaced by producer Vic Coppersmith. Bassist Dave Spitz quit due to "personal issues", and ex-Rainbow bassist Bob Daisley Joined for a short period before he left to join Gary Moore's solo band, taking drummer Eric Singer with him. After problems with Coppersmith, the band returned to Morgan Studios in England in January 1987 to work with new producer Chris Tsangarides. Ray Gillen left Black Sabbath next, to form Blue Murder with John Sykes. So the band enlisted ex-Alliance vocalist Tony Martin to re-record Gillen's tracks, and former drummer Bev Bevan to complete a few percussion overdubs. Black Sabbath accepted an offer to play six shows at Sun City, South Africa during the apartheid when Artists United Against Apartheid had been boycotting the country since 1985. Drummer Bev Bevan refused to play the shows, and was replaced by Terry Chimes, former member of The Clash. 'The Eternal Idol' was released in 1987. Bassist Dave Spitz left the band shortly before the tour, and was replaced by Jo Burt. The band went on to tour Germany, Italy and for the first time, Greece. Black Sabbath left Vertigo Records and Warner Bros. Records to sign with I.R.S. Records. Tony Iommi opted to produce the band's next album himself and enlisted ex-Rainbow drummer Cozy Powell and session bassist Laurence Cottle. Black Sabbath released 'Headless Cross' in 1989 which reached number 31 on the UK charts. Queen guitarist Brian May played a guest solo on the song 'When Death Calls' Following the album's release, the band added touring bassist Neil Murray, formerly of Whitesnake to the line-up. The 'Headless Cross' tour began in May 1989 with openers Kingdom Come and Silent Rage, but due to poor ticket sales the US tour was cancelled after eight shows. The European tour began in September, where the band were enjoying chart success and after playing some Japanese shows, the band embarked on a Russian tour with Girlschool. Black Sabbath was one of the first bands to tour Russia, after Mikhail Gorbachev opened the country to western acts for the first time in 1989. The band returned to the studio in early 1990 to record 'Tyr' which was released a few months later and reached number 24 on the UK albums chart. The band toured in Europe but the final seven UK dates were cancelled, again due to poor ticket sales. Former Black Sabbath band members, Dio and Butler expressed interest in rejoining Black Sabbath. So Iommi broke up the current lineup, dismissing vocalist Tony Martin and bassist Neil Murray. Ronnie James Dio and Geezer Butler joined Tony Iommi and Cozy Powell in late 1990 to begin working on the next release. However, Powell suffered a broken hip when his horse died, falling on the drummer's legs. Powell was replaced by former drummer Vinny Appice, and the band began working with producer Reinhold Mack. 'Dehumanizer' was released in 1992 and became the band's biggest commercial success in ten years peaking at number 44 on the Billboard 200. The album featured the song "Time Machine", which appeared in the 1992 film Wayne's World. Black Sabbath began touring in July 1992 with Testament, Danzig, Prong, and Exodus. During the tour, Ozzy Osbourne announced his first retirement, and invited Black Sabbath to open for his solo band at the final two shows of his 'No More Tours' tour in California to which the band agreed. Dio quit following a show in Oakland, California on November 13, 1992, the night before the band were set to appear at Osbourne's retirement show. Drummer Vinny Appice left the band following the reunion show to join Ronnie James Dio's solo band, later appearing on Dio's 'Strange Highways and Angry Machines'. Iommi and Butler enlisted former Rainbow drummer Bobby Rondinelli, and reinstated former vocalist Tony Martin. Under pressure from their record label, the band released their thirteenth studio album, 'Cross Purposes', in 1994 under the Black Sabbath name. The album reached 122 on the Billboard 200 in the US. Touring began in February with Morbid Angel and Motörhead in the US. After the European tour with Cathedral and Godspeed in June 1994, drummer Bobby Rondinelli quit the band and was replaced by original Black Sabbath drummer Bill Ward for five shows in South America. Following the tour, bassist Geezer Butler again quit the band followed by drummer Bill Ward once again. Iommi reinstated former members Neil Murray on bass, and Cozy Powell on drums, reuniting the 'Tyr' lineup. The band enlisted Body Count guitarist Ernie C to produce the new album, which was recorded in London in 1994. Black Sabbath embarked on a world tour in July 1995 with openers Motörhead and Tiamat. Two months into the tour, drummer Cozy Powell left the band and was replaced by former drummer Bobby Rondinelli. After completing Asian dates in December 1995, Tony Iommi put the band on hold and began work on a solo album with former Black Sabbath vocalist Glenn Hughes, and former Judas Priest drummer Dave Holland. 'The 1996 DEP Sessions' was released with Holland's drums re-recorded by session drummer Jimmy Copley. In 1997, Tony Iommi disbanded the current lineup to accomodate Ozzy Osbourne to create the original Black Sabbath lineup. I.R.S. Records released a compilation album, entitled 'The Sabbath Stones.' Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Ozzy Osbourne officially reunited to co-headline the Ozzfest festival tour along side Osbourne's solo band. The lineup featured Osbourne's drummer Mike Bordin filling in for Bill Ward, who was unable to participate due to prior commitments with his solo project, The Bill Ward Band. In late 1997, the group was joined by Ward marking the first reunion of the original four members since Osbourne's 1992 "retirement show". The original lineup recorded two shows at the Birmingham NEC, which were released as the double live album 'Reunion' in 1998 and reached number eleven on the Billboard 200, and went platinum in the US. The album spawned the single 'Iron Man', which won Black Sabbath its first Grammy award in 2000 for Best Metal Performance, 30 years after the song was originally released. 'Reunion' also featured two new studio tracks, 'Psycho Man' and 'Selling My Soul', both of which cracked the top 20 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. Shortly before the band were due to start a European tour in 1998, drummer Bill Ward suffered a heart attack and was temporarily replaced by former drummer Vinny Appice. However, Ward returned in time for the US tour with openers Pantera. Following Ozzfest appearances, the band was put on hold again while members worked on solo material. Tony Iommi released his first official solo album, 'Iommi' (2000), while Osborne continued work on his next solo release, 'Down to Earth'. In March 2002, Ozzy Osbourne's Emmy award winning reality TV show "The Osbournes" debuted on MTV, and quickly became a worldwide hit. The band remained on hold until the summer of 2004 when they returned to headline Ozzfest. In November 2005, Black Sabbath were inducted into the UK Music Hall of Fame, and in March 2006 the band were inducted into the US Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. At the awards ceremony, Metallica played two Black Sabbath songs, 'Hole in the Sky' and 'Iron Man' in tribute to the band. Warner records released 'The Dio Years', a compilation of songs from the four Black Sabbath releases featuring Ronnie James Dio. For the release, Iommi and Dio reunited to write and record three new songs. 'The Dio Years' was released in 2007, reaching number 54 on the Billboard 200, while the single "The Devil Cried" reached number 37 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. Pleased with the results, Iommi and Dio decided to reunite the 'Heaven and Hell' era lineup for a world tour. While the lineup of Osbourne, Butler, Iommi and Ward were still officially called Black Sabbath, the new lineup opted to call themselves Heaven and Hell to avoid confusion. Drummer Bill Ward was initially set to participate, but dropped out before the tour began, and was replaced by former drummer Vinny Appice. Heaven and Hell toured the US with openers Megadeth and Machine Head. In April 2008 the band announced the upcoming release of a new box set and their participation in The Metal Masters Tour, alongside Judas Priest, Motörhead and Testament . Discography:

Black Sabbath (1970)

Paranoid (1970)

Master of Reality (1971)

Black Sabbath, Vol. 4 (1972)

Sabbath Bloody Sabbath (1973)

Sabotage (1975)

Technical Ecstasy (1976)

Never Say Die! (1978)

Heaven and Hell (1980)

Mob Rules (1981)

Born Again (1983)

Seventh Star (1986)

The Eternal Idol (1987)

Headless Cross (1989)

Tyr (1990)

Dehumanizer (1992)

Cross Purposes (1994)

Forbidden (1995)

Broadcast

nataliechillington — Sat, 03 May 2008 12:37:44 +0000

Broadcast are an electronic music band, from Kings Heath in Birmingham who Formed in 1995. Members: *Trish Keenan (vocals) *Roj Stevens (keyboards) *Tim Felton (guitar) *James Cargill (bass) Various drummers have played with the band including Keith York, Phil Jenkins, Jeremy Barnes, Steve Perkins and Neil Bullock. Their style is a mixture of electronic sounds heavily influenced by the 1960's American psychedelic group, The United States of America. Broadcast's debut single 'Accidentals' was released on Wurlitzer Jukebox Records in 1996. 'The Book Lovers' was released the following year on Duophonic Records and featured on the soundtrack of the film Austin Powers. The band attracted the attention of Warp Records, who released their first album 'Work and Non Work' in 1997. All subsequent releases have been on this label, or in the USA on Tommy Boy Records. As of 2005, the group has consisted of Keenan and Cargill, with Felton having departed to form Seeland, with Billy Johnson, formerly of another Birmingham act Plone. Discography: *Work and Non Work (1997) *The Noise Made By People (2000) *Haha Sound (2003) *Tender Buttons (2005) *The Future Crayon (2006)

The Bureau

nataliechillington — Sat, 03 May 2008 12:38:42 +0000

Formed in the late 1980's, The Bureau line-up originally consisted of former Dexy's Midnight Runners' members: *Geoff Blythe (tenor sax) *Spooner (alto sax) *Stoker (drums) *Pete Williams (bass) *Mick Talbot born 11 September 1958, London (keyboards) and members from The Upset: *Archie Brown (vocals) *Rob Jones (guitar and trombone) *Paul Taylor (trombone) The Bureau's debut single 'Only For Sheep' was a big hit in Australia but failed to make an impact on the British charts as did the follow up single, 'Let Him Have It'. In August 1981, the band were touring the US with The Pretenders, however after a couple of other tours the band were forced to stand down. Talbot went on to enjoy greater success with Paul Weller in The Style Council. Brown formed Flag with ex Secret Affair guitarist, Dave Cairns. His current band, Archie Brown and The Young Bucks, is based in Newcastle and has released nine albums. The line-up consists of: * Archie Brown (vocals, sax, guitar) *Patrick Rafferty (vocals, accordion, guitar, lap steel guitar, keyboards) *Ian Thompson (bass) *Phil Screaton (lead guitar) *Neil Ramshaw (drums) Blythe teamed up with Big Jim Paterson in The TKO Horns, while Williams went on to form These Tender Virtues and more recently, Baseheart. The band reunited in March 2003 to play at The Magnesia Bank in North Shields with only Stoker absent, who was busy producing film music in California. In 2005 The Bureau's debut album was finally released in the UK and was launched with two gigs: one at The Glee Club in Birmingham and the other at Borderline in London where Crispin Taylor replaced Stoker on drums. In 2008 a brand new Bureau album was released, '...And Another Thing'. Discography: *The Bureau (2005) *..And Another Thing (2008)

Trevor Burton

nataliechillington — Sat, 03 May 2008 12:39:20 +0000

Born Trevor Ireson on 9 March 1944, Aston, Birmingham, Burton started playing guitar at a young age and by 1963, was leading his own group called The Everglades. In 1964 he joined Danny King & The Mayfair Set, along with Keith Smart formerly of The Everglades (drums), Roger Harris (keyboards), Denis Ball (bass) and vocalist King. Burton was a founding member of the 60’s chart topping band The Move (see under artists), and was with them from 1966 to 1969. After a short break, Burton formed the band, Balls (see under artists) with Steve Gibbons of The Uglys (see under artists) and Denny Laine formerly of the Moody Blues (see under artists) and Allen White from The Plastic Ono Band. After the split with Balls in 1971, Burton spent the next few years as one of the top session musicians with Island Records. Burton returned to his hometown of Birmingham to work with Raymond Froggatt until 1976 before teaming up with close friend Steve Gibbons again, to enjoy chart success with the Steve Gibbons Band. The group enjoyed a hit single with the Chuck Berry song, ‘Tulane’ and toured America extensively. For the next 7 years Burton continued to tour the world with Steve, leaving in 1983 to form his own band playing his unique style of blues. They started performing twice weekly at the Red Lion, Sparkbrook, Birmingham with a line-up including sax player Steve Ajao. In 1985 the band recorded an LP entitled ‘Double Zero’ featuring Stuart Ford (slide guitar), Crumpy (bass), Tony Baylis (drums) and Ben Annon (percs). During this time, Burton teamed up with Robert Plant of Led Zeppelin as one of the Journeymen Musicians, joined The Big Town Playboys UK and Europe, performed shows with Noel Reading and spent 9 months on the road with Dexy’s Midnight Runners. In 1995, Burton called on Maz (Marjusz Matrenko) and former ELO keyboard player, Richard Tandy to join the band. A few years later in 1999, Burton asked Bill Jefferson (Drummer) to join and in February 2000, a local band ‘4 On The Floor’ split and bass player Eddy Moohan also became an additional member. More recently, Burton joined former Move drummer, Bev Bevan on tour in 2007.

Ian Campbell Folk Group

nataliechillington — Sat, 03 May 2008 12:42:05 +0000

Ian Campbell was born June 10, 1933 in Aberdeen, Scotland and his family moved to Birmingham in 1946. He formed the Clarion Skiffle Group in the mid 1950s along with his sister Lorna who was also the singer. They were later joined by guitarist Dave Phillips and banjo player Gordon McCulloch, and by 1958 were known as the Ian Campbell Four. By 1960, McCulloch had been replaced by John Dunkerly and the group had another additional member, violinist Dave Swarbrick, born April 5, 1941 in London who had moved to Birmingham when he was eight-years-old. The group played regularly around Birmingham, often appearing at The Crown Pub on Station Street. It was there that they recorded a live performance that was released as ‘Ceilidh At The Crown’ in 1962. The following year, the group was signed to Transatlantic Records and released their debut album, ‘This Is The Ian Campbell Folk Group. During this time, Philips left to be replaced by Brian Clark. In 1965, the group had a hit single with their version of Bob Dylan’s, ‘The Times They Are A-Changin.’ 1966 saw Swarbrick leave and later join Fairport Convention (see under artists). Bass player and former member of The Uglys (see under artists) Dave Pegg joined the group the following year but would also leave a few years later to join Swarbrick in Fairport Convention. Nevertheless, the group continued to tour and released records throughout the 60s and 70s. Tragically, John Dunkerley died of Hodgkinsons disease in 1977 at only 35 years old. The group dispersed in the late 1970s. Interesting fact: Ian Campbell is father to Ali and Robin Cambell of Birmingham’s internationally famous reggae group, UB40 Discography: *Ceilidh At The Crown (1962) *This Is The Ian Campbell Folk Group (1963) *Across The Hills (1964) *Coaldust Ballads (1965) *Contemporary Campbells (1966) *Tam O’Shanter (1968) *The Circle Game (1968) *Ian Campbell With The Ian Campbell Folk Group And Dave Swarbrick (1969)

Ted Chippington

nataliechillington — Sat, 03 May 2008 12:42:42 +0000

Stand-up comedian Ted Chippington, born Francis Smyth February, 1962 started performing in 1981 under the name 'Eddie Chippington'. Ted's big break came in 1984, when a performance in Birmingham in which he supported The Fall was released by local record label, Vindaloo on a 7" EP entitled "Non Stop Party Hits of the 50s 60s and 70s". The title refers to Ted's habit of performing his own versions of classic hits, including a rendition of Ottawan's 'D.I.S.C.O.' The record was played by John Peel on his BBC Radio One programme. In 1986 Ted released an album, 'Man In A Suitcase' which included his versions of 'She Loves You' and Alvin Stardust's 'I Feel Like Buddy Holly,' which reached the Top 10 album chart. 'She Loves You' received further exposure after Steve Wright repeatedly played it on his Radio 1 show, which consequently led to the track being released as a single by Warner Brothers. 'She Loves You' raised Ted's profile considerably and led to numerous media appearances, including one on the BBC's lunchtime magazine show Pebble Mill at One. Ted was interviewed by the New Musical Express, Birmingham's BRMB and the colour supplement of The Mail on Sunday. He also performed at the Glastonbury and Reading music festivals. Ted performed the single, 'Rocking with Rita' with Rob Lloyd and The Nightingales and 'We've Got A Fuzzbox And We're Gonna Use It'. This was followed by a rendition of Dion's 'The Wanderer.' In 1990, Ted retired from showbusiness to pursue a career in truck-driving in the US but this came to an end when his lorry shed its load on the Pacific Coast Highway. After this, he worked as a cook in various restaurants in Mexico, before returning to the UK to get married and settle in Torquay. Ted started perfoming again in 2006 calling himself, 'The Reverend Ted Chippington' A CD boxset of Ted's earlier work, entitled 'Walking Down The Road' has been released on Robert Lloyd's Big Print label. A tribute to Ted entitled 'Tedstock', featuring Stewart Lee, Richard Herring and numerous other stand-up comedians, was held at London's Bloomsbury Theatre in 2007 in order to raise money to fund the release. This event led to new media appearances for Ted, including articles in national newspapers and television and radio appearances. Discography: *Walking Down The Road (2007)

Cozy Powell

nataliechillington — Sat, 03 May 2008 12:43:16 +0000

Drummer Cozy Powell, born Colin Flooks on December 29, 1947 in Cirencester, Gloucestershire was a member of Black Sabbath, Rainbow, M.S.G. and Emerson, Lake & Powell. Cozy started playing drums in the school orchestra before joining his first band called the Corals with whom he played each week at the Youth Club in Cirencester. The nickname ‘Cozy’ derived from the jazz drummer Cozy Cole. Next Cozy went round the circuit with the pop band, The Sorcerers. During this time, Cozy left school to work in an office in order to finance the purchase of his first set of drums. The Sorcerers performed in the German club scene of the 1960s. By 1968 the band had returned to England, more specifically, Birmingham and this is where Cozy became friends with musicians like Robert Plant, John Bonham, Noddy Holder, Dave Pegg and Tony Iommi. The Sorcerers changed their name to Youngblood released a series of singles in late 1968-69. The group then linked up with The Move bassist/singer Ace Kefford, to form The Ace Kefford Stand. Cozy with fellow Sorcerers Dave and Dennis Ball, formed Big Bertha. In 1970, Cozy drummed with guitar icon Jeff Beck’s group, but after the recording of two albums, ‘Rough and Ready’ (1971) and ‘Jeff Beck Group‘ (1972), the band dispersed. In late 1972, Cozy joined up with the Ball brothers again, and with singer Frank Aiello to form Bedlam. One eponymous album was produced for Chrysalis Records and released in 1973. Beck’s studio producer had been Mickie Most and Cozy often found himself drafted in to work with artists signed to Most’s RAK label, including Julie Felix, Hot Chocolate, Donovan and Suzi Quatro. During this time, Cozy recorded an instrumental solo single, ‘Dance With the Devil’ which reached number three in the UK singles chart during January 1974. A few months later, Cozy Powell’s Hammer was formed. In the 70s he was a session drummer for Mickie Most’s RAK label, which released the single ‘Dance With the Devil.’ In 1976, Cozy joined Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow. Cozy and Blackmore were the only constants in the band’s line-up over the next few years. Rainbow’s ‘Down to Earth‘ (1979) album proved to be the band’s most successful so far. Cozy decided to leave Rainbow after they headlined the first ever Monsters of Rock show at Castle Donington, England on August 16, 1980. After Powell left Rainbow he worked with ex vocalist Graham Bonnet on Bonnet’s new project called Graham Bonnet & the Hooligans, their most notable single being the UK top 10 single ‘Night Games’ (1981), also on Bonnet’s solo “Line Up” album. Cozy went on to perform with the Michael Schenker Group from 1981 to 1982, and Whitesnake from 1982 to 1984. In 1985 he started recording with Phenomena for their first album, which was released in 1986 when he joined up with Keith Emerson and Greg Lake as a member of Emerson, Lake & Powell. A stint with Gary Moore followed in 1989. Cozy’s most well-known project was Black Sabbath from 1988 to 1991, and again from 1995 - 1996. In 1991, Cozy appeared on Comic Relief’s Number One single, ‘The Stonk’, with comedians Hale and Pace. He also made headlines when he appeared on the BBC children’s programme, Record Breakers, where he set a world record for being the world’s fastest drummer live on television. Between late 1992 and early 1993, Powell put together an occasional touring band using the old band name ‘Cozy Powell’s Hammer’ featuring himself on drums, Neil Murray on bass, Mario Parga on guitar and Tony Martin on vocals.The band performed throughout Europe and appeared on German T.V. Cozy and Neil Murray were members of Queen guitarist Brian May’s band, playing on the ‘Back To The Light‘ and ‘Another World‘ albums. Cozy played with Brian whilst opening for Guns N’ Roses on the second American leg of their ‘Use Your Illusion’ tour in 1993. The pair also served a spell with Peter Green during his come back in the mid nineties. Tragically, Cozy died on April 5, 1998 in a car crash on the M4. He was 50-years-old. In 2005, former Black Sabbath band mate Tony Martin released an album with Cozy on drums, via recordings Cozy made back in 1992. Discography: *Rough & Ready (Jeff Beck Group, 1971) *Clowns, Ed Welch (1971) *Jeff Beck Group (1972) *A Writer of Songs (Harvey Andrews, 1972) *Clotho’s Web (Julie Felix, 1972) *Cosmic Wheels (Donovan, 1973) *Bedlam (1973) *You and Me (Chick Churchill, 1973) *Nigel Lived (Murray Head, 1973) *First of the Big Bands (Tony Ashton / Jon Lord, 1974) *Peter & The Wolf (Various, 1975) *Every Word You Say (Peter Sarstedt, 1975) *The First Starring Role (Bob Sargeant, 1975) *Rising (Rainbow, 1976) *Fourteen Greatest Hits (Hot Chocolate, 1976) *On Stage (Rainbow, 1977) *Long Live Rock & Roll (Rainbow, 1978) *Down To Earth (Rainbow, 1979) *Over the Top (Cozy Powell, 1979) *And About Time Too (Bernie Marsden, 1979) *Monsters of Rock (Rainbow/various, 1980) *Look At Me Now (Bernie Marsden, 1981) *Tilt (Cozy Powell, 1981) *M.S.G. (Michael Schenker Group, 1981) *Line Up (Graham Bonnet, 1981) *One Night at the Budokan (M.S.G. 1982) *Before I Forget (Jon Lord, 1982) *Pictures At Eleven (Robert Plant, 1982) *Octopus (Cozy Powell, 1983) *Slide It In (Whitesnake, 1984) *Phenomena (1985) *Under a Raging Moon (Roger Daltrey, 1985) *Finyl Vinyl (Rainbow, 1986) *Emerson, Lake & Powell (1986) *Who the Am Dam (Boys Don’t Cry, 1987) *Sanne Salomonsen (1987) *Triumph & Agony (Warlock, 1987) *Forcefield I (1987) *Super Drumming (Pete York/ Cozy Powell 1987) *Long Cold Winter (Cinderella, 1988) *Southern Region Breakdown (James Darby, 1988) *K.2. (Don Airey, 1988) *Forcefield II (1988) *After the War (Gary Moore, 1989) *Headless Cross (Black Sabbath, 1989) *Timewatch (Minute By Minute, 1989) *To Oz And Back (Forcefield, 1989) *Live in Germany (Rainbow, 1990) *Tyr (Black Sabbath, 1990) *Let the Wild Run Free (Forcefield, 1991) *The Connoisseur Collection Vol II (Ritchie Blackmore/ Various, 1991) *The Drums are Back (Cozy Powell, 1992) *Instrumentals (Forcefield, 1992) *Back To The Light (Brian May, 1993) *Live at Brixton Academy (Brian May, 1994) *Forbidden (Black Sabbath, 1995) *The Music of Jimi Hendrix (Various, 1995) *The Sabbath (Black Sabbath, 1996) *Baptism of Fire (Glenn Tipton, 1997) *The Best of Cozy Powell (1997) *Splinter Group (Peter Green, 1997) *SAS Band (1997) *Facing the Animal (Yngwie Malmsteen, 1997) *Another World (Brian May, 1998) *Twin Oaks/Especially For You (Cozy Powell, 1999) *Scream (Tony Martin, 2005) *Edge of the World (Glenn Tipton, 2006)

Credit to the Nation

nataliechillington — Sat, 03 May 2008 12:43:50 +0000

Hip hop group, Credit To The Nation were formed by Matthew David Hanson (Matty) aka MC Fusion from Wednesbury in the West Midlands. With dancers Tyrone (T-Swing) and Kelvin (Mista-G), Credit released their first single through Chumbawamba’s’ label Agit Pop entitled ‘Pay the Price’ (1991). The following year, they recorded ‘Call It What You Want’ with Rugger Bugger, a local independent label which sampled the guitar riff used by Nirvana on “Smells Like Teen Spirit”. 1000 seven inch singles were printed, and John Peel got hold of a copy and played it on his John Peel Session on Radio 1. Bjork & The Shamen’s label, One Little Indian, heard the radio show and brought the rights from Rugger Bugger and signed them to a three album deal. They sold over 80,000 albums world wide and became noted in 1993 when they recorded the single, ‘Enough Is Enough’ with Chumbawamba. Since then they have toured with artists such as Manic Street Preachers, and The Levellers. Their highest selling single was ‘Teenage Sensation’ which reached number 22 in the UK charts in 1993. Their following single was ‘Hear No Bullshit, See No Bullshit, Say No Bullshit,’ followed by the release of their debut album, ‘Take Dis‘. The band have played live on The Glastonbury NME stage in 1994, at the Phoenix Festival in 1994 & 1995, and the Reading Festival in 1994. Credit went on to release another album, ‘Daddy Always Wanted Me To Grow A Pair Of Wings‘ (1996) before Hanson signed to the German independent Laughing Horse label in 1997. Following this, a new single entitled, ‘Tacky Love Song’, was released. Remarkably for a hip hop group, all of Credit’s singles reached number one in the Melody Maker and NME independent label charts. Hanson’s lyrics often tackled issues such as sexism, racism, homophobia and politics. Currently, Hanson is appearing in Backup Radio on Crossflow Recordings alongside Karl Morey, DJ Philly Blunt, David McMillan and Tom Flinders. Discography: *Take Dis (1993) *Daddy Always Wanted Me To Grow A Pair of Wings (1996)

Delicious Monster

nataliechillington — Sat, 03 May 2008 12:44:26 +0000

Denim

nataliechillington — Sat, 03 May 2008 12:44:45 +0000

Tony De Vit

nataliechillington — Sat, 03 May 2008 12:45:10 +0000

Dodgy

nataliechillington — Sat, 03 May 2008 12:45:35 +0000

Dodgy are an English powerpop rock trio that rose to prominence during the Britpop era of the 1990s, best known for their hits "Staying Out For The Summer" (their debut hit that reached #19 in the UK on re-release in 1995), "If You're Thinking Of Me" (#11) and "Good Enough" (their biggest hit, reaching #4 in the UK chart). Their music has been compared to that of The Who and The Hollies. They are frontman Nigel Clark (bass), Andy Miller (guitar) and Mathew Priest (drums). Redditch's Clark and Priest met Londoner Andy Miller whilst swimming after placing an advert "Jimi Hendrix required" in the magazine Loot. The band's debut album, produced by The Lightning Seeds' Ian Broudie, demonstrated a comprehensive grasp of classic British pop influences particularly from the late 1960s.[citation needed] In many ways the album pre-dated the Brit-pop sound that would come to dominate the scene with the arrival of Oasis (Who would in fact support the band on more than one occasion in their early career). During the 1990s the band gained significant popularity for their live performances and tendency to appear in the music press with a cheeky story. Drummer Mathew Priest suggested he was the love-child of Aphrodite and Keith Moon, whilst Andy Miller was once so busy on tour that he forgot it was his Birthday. It was often reputed that David Soul of Starsky and Hutch was a huge Dodgy fan. One other fan of the band gave them a goldfish which they named David Wilkie and took on tour. The band concerned themselves with social issues by supporting War Child, the Liverpool Dockers' Strike, Charter 88 and youth democracy campaigns. While Clark was absent from 1998 to 2007 to pursue ongoing solo projects, Priest and Miller continued the band as a five piece joined by the vocalist David Bassey; keyboardist Chris Hallam, and bass player Nick Abnett. This line up of the group would record one album, Real Estate, released in 2001. This album was produced and mixed with Robin Evans at T-Pot Studios in Scotland (funded with help from the fans). On their "Dingwalls to Dingwall" tour in 2000, the group visited the Hebridean island of Taransay to entertain the castaways being filmed for a BBC reality television programme. The original line up of the band, Clark, Miller, and Priest, returned with a live album, So Far On 3 Wheels - Dodgy On The Radio, in October 2007. In the summer of 2007, the band announced a reunion tour, featuring the entire original line up, with shows to take place in the winter of 2007. These plans were abandoned however, when guitarist Andy Miller fell out of bed, chipping a bone in his arm in the process. The rescheduled tour took place in March 2008. The band played two sets at Guilfest music festival in Guildford, Surrey on July 5, 2008. The first set was an acoustic set in the Unison tent where they appeared in support of the organisation. They later played a set with full band on the main stage where they played a succession of hits along with some new material, with frontman Nigel Clark announcing plans for a new album. They headlined the Sunday night at Scarborough's Beached Festival in August 2008 and ToneFest in September, where after their set, Nigel joined in with Sgt Pepper's Only Dart Board Band and entertained the crowd with Beatles Songs. November 2008, The first tracks from sessions recorded & produced by Nigel, Mathew & Andy appear online firstly a version of Forgive Me tagged The Club Tour Mix in celebration of there forthcoming Tour of Barfly Venues across the UK, Forgive Me Demo Version was also available to Download as part of a Ticket Bundle on Official Dodgy Websites, also available as a Free Download and principal track on a Forthcoming EP is track called "Down In The Flood" influenced by a journey home during the recent Floods in Evesham near Nigels home, Links to this track are available on all Dodgy's web links. Discography Studio albums * The Dodgy Album (1993) * Homegrown (1995) #28 UK * Free Peace Sweet (1996) #7 UK * Real Estate! (2001) Compilation albums * Ace A's and Killer B's (1997) * The Collection (2004) Live album * So Far On 3 Wheels - Dodgy On The Radio (2007) UK singles * "Summer Fayre" (1991) #198 * "Easy Way" (1991) # 165 * "The Black and White Single" (1992) #115 * "Water Under The Bridge" (1993) #72 * "Lovebirds" (1993) #65 * "I Need Another (EP)" (1993) #67 * "The Melod-EP" (1994) #43 * "Staying Out for The Summer" (1994) #38 * "So Let Me Go Far" (1995)#30 * "Making The Most Of" (1995) #22 * "Staying Out For The Summer '95" (1995) #19 * "In a Room" (1996) #12 * "Good Enough" (1996) #4 * "If You're Thinking Of Me" (1996) #11 * "Found You" (1997) #19 * "Every Single Day" (1998) #32 * "Feathercuts and Monkeyboots" (2000) * "(We All Need A Little) Liftin" (2001) * "Down In The Flood/Forgive Me(Club Tour Mix)(EP)" (2008) Special thanks to Keith Law for content.

Stephen 'Tin Tin' Duffy

nataliechillington — Sat, 03 May 2008 12:56:10 +0000

Editors

nataliechillington — Sat, 03 May 2008 12:56:52 +0000

Editors are a British indie rock band based in Birmingham who formed in 2002. Previously known as Pilot, The Pride and Snowfield, the band consists of Tom Smith (lead vocals, rhythm guitar, piano), Chris Urbanowicz (lead guitar and synth), Russell Leetch (bass guitar and live backing vocals) and Ed Lay (drums, percussion and live backing vocals). Members: *Tom Smith *Chris Urbanowicz *Russell Leetch *Edward Lay Editors have so far released two platinum studio albums, selling over 2 million copies between them worldwide. Their debut album The Back Room was released in 2005. It contained hits such as "Munich" and "Blood" and the following year received a Mercury Prize nomination. Their follow-up album An End Has A Start went to number 1 in the UK Album Chart in June 2007 and earned the band a Brit Awards nomination for best British Band. It also spawned another Top 10 hit single with the release of "Smokers Outside the Hospital Doors". After their continued success in the charts, sold out tours and numerous headlining festival slots, Editors were lauded as the second biggest British band of the decade after Arctic Monkeys by The Mail on Sunday newspaper. Their brand of epic, sweeping indie rock is habitually compared to the sound of bands such as Echo and the Bunnymen, Joy Division, Interpol and U2. The band met while studying Music Technology at Staffordshire University, but they realised it wasn't really the career for them and decided to form a band, playing in Wolverhampton, Birmingham and Stafford. The band was initially known as Pilot and played its first show under this name in 2002. While in university, the band had a marketing strategy which involved placing hundreds of promotional stickers across the walls of Stafford asking "Who's the Pilot?". However, they realised the name was already taken by a 1970s Scottish pop group, so they changed their name to The Pride. They made a promo under this name with the tracks "Come Share The View" and "Forest Fire" and then uploaded them onto the internet, making the songs available to listen to on BBC Radio 1's Onemusic Unsigned. A review of the songs reads "The Pride keep things subliminally lo-fi. Refreshingly simple and restrained, "Come Share The View" is a lesson in welding hypnotic soundscapes with white noise while showing allegiance to the school of slo-mo on "Forest Fire"". The band then took its music offline in order to create mystery and anxiousness and ensure that more "Artist and Repertoire" representatives came to see them perform. They then changed the line-up with Ed Lay replacing Geraint Owen on drums as he began to focus on his Welsh band The Heights. Under this lineup they became known as Snowfield. They played their debut gig under this name at the request of Fused Magazine in March 2003. The following summer the band self released a demo six track EP, all of which went on to become future Editors songs. Then, as it was the home of their management and the nearest big city, the band relocated to Birmingham after graduation in the Autumn of 2003. It wasn't long until word of mouth helped them become a popular unsigned band.The band then sent out a one track demo cd of Bullets, earning them the interest of several British labels, with thirty A&R reps coming to see them play at Birmingham. In October 2004, the group signed to Newcastle based indie label Kitchenware Records. Upon signing to the record label they decided to change their band name to Editors. After supporting bands such as Puressence and Oceansize, Editors released debut single "Bullets" as a limited edition of 1000 copies on Kitchenware Records on 24 January 2005. The song had previously been played by BBC Radio 1 disc jockey Zane Lowe, where it earned the honour of 'Single of the Week'. The limited run then sold out on the day of its release, with copies famously then sold later in the week for more than £30 on eBay. The release of "Munich" followed in April of that year and gave the band their first Top 25 hit, another sold out UK tour and a place on MTV’s Spanking New Music show in Manchester. At this point, due to the band's increasing popularity, Editors and Kitchenware signed an exclusive distribution deal with Sony BMG. "Blood" was released two months later, reaching number 18 in the UK Singles Chart in its first week, selling 5,286 copies. With these releases their fanbase continued to grow and on 25 July 2005 their debut album The Back Room was released to critical acclaim and commercial success. In its first week, the album entered the charts at number 13, selling 17,627 copies. After re-issuing "Bullets" and achieving another Top 30 hit, Editors gained a high profile support slot, supporting Franz Ferdinand in arenas across the UK and Europe. Editors then re-issued "Munich" in January 2006, selling one and half thousand more copies than the last time it was released. The song gave Editors their first Top 10 single and an appearance on Top Of The Pops. With the single release, The Back Room also rose back up the album charts, peaking at number 2. It sold an additional 40,000 copies in the week of "Munich"'s release and went platinum in the process. A joint North American tour with Stellastarr* coincided with the stateside release of The Back Room in March 2006. It was released by Fader Label and sold 35,000 albums after 20 weeks. The band went on to play influential American festivals in 2006 such as Coachella and Lollapalooza. Editors proceeded to perform "Munich" on the famous American television show Late Night with Conan O'Brien. At the end of March, Editors released "All Sparks" as a single in the United Kingdom, achieving a position of 21 in the singles chart. After a European tour which included three successive nights at Brixton Academy, Editors re-issued a limited edition of "Blood". It entered the Top 40, pushing the album up the chart 45 places. Shortly after this, The Back Room was nominated for the 2006 Mercury Prize. After a string of high profile festival shows across Europe, including slots on T In The Park, V 2006 and the Isle of Wight Festival, Editors began work on their second album. Editors recorded their second album An End Has a Start with producer Jacknife Lee in Grouse Lodge, Ireland over a two month period beginning in late November 2006. It was released on 25 June 2007 and went straight to number 1 in the UK album charts, selling 59,405 copies in its first week. The album was preceded by the Top 10 single "Smokers Outside The Hospital Doors" on the 18th. The song was Editors' highest-charting single at number 7, also earning them their own Making the Video episode on MTV. Smokers Outside the Hospital" was the first single from Editors second album An End Has A Start, reaching number 7 in the UK Single Charts. Just after its release, Editors played at the Glastonbury Festival with a second from top slot on The Other Stage. They also played many other festivals such as Oxegen, Lowlands and Pukkelpop over the following weeks, as well as playing their first ever tour dates in Australia and New Zealand. They then released the album's title track "An End Has A Start" in September to coincide with their North American tour. Editors went on to play the song live on American television shows such as 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!' and 'The Tonight Show with Jay Leno'. Upon returning to the U.K., the band contributed a cover of The Cure's "Lullaby" to the Radio 1 Established 1967 compilation, which was released on 1 October 2007. Shortly after this, Editors played a 75 minute set for the BBC Electric Proms at KOKO in London with backing from a classical string quartet. In November, they released "The Racing Rats" as the third single off the album. Editors played it live on 'Friday Night with Jonathan Ross' and it helped the song reach number 26 in the UK Charts. It also reached number 12 in the Dutch Top 40, the band's highest ever single charting outside of the UK. For the first two months of 2008, Editors played 30 shows on a tour across America and Canada. During the tour Editors were nominated for a Brit Award, in the Best British Group Category. As a result, one of the dates had to be cancelled as the band returned to London to attend the prize ceremony. A month later, Editors announced "Push Your Head Towards The Air" to be the fourth single from An End Has A Start. This release was a limited special edition which was ineligible to chart. Along with this release Editors engaged in their biggest and most extensive British tour to date. They played arenas such as the 12,000 capacity National Indoor Arena in Birmingham and two sold out dates in London's Alexandra Palace. In June, they released "Bones" as a download only single in Continental Europe to coincide with the summer festival season, the video of which was directed by the band's bassist Russell Leetch. Shortly afterwards, Editors played at the Glastonbury Festival, playing on the pyramid stage for the first time. The set included new song "No Sound But The Wind". The song had only been played for the first time a day previously in a secret warm-up gig in Frome. The band then played their second major support slot of their history supporting R.E.M. on a 16 date summer tour across Europe alongside their festival dates which included the headlining of the Lowlands Festival in August. Lead singer Smith has revealed that the band will explore a new direction on their next album, pursuing a new, rawer sound. As of July 2008, Editors have written ten new songs for the new album and they have been described as some of the most synthetic, raw and anthemic songs they have written to date. They are planning to go to the recording studio in October, again working with Jacknife Lee. Editors' own variation of dark indie guitar rock draws on influences from both older and contemporary bands. Their influences include Echo and the Bunnymen, Joy Division, The Strokes, The Walkmen, R.E.M. and Elbow. The band draw their musical style particularly from the latter two bands' debut albums Murmur and Asleep in the Back. While often compared to Joy Division and Echo and the Bunnymen by the media, the band have indicated that those bands are too old to have a major impact on their musical style. Upon Editors' first appearances in the British music scene, they were also heavily compared to American indie band Interpol; however both bands have strongly played down the associations. Editors' first album The Back Room was described as having a wiry and raw sound, which led it to being famously dubbed 'dark disco' by the NME. This sound was created by the use of synthesizers, catchy guitar riffs and simple, ambiguous lyrics. An End Has A Start showed progression to a new 'bigger' sound. This new sound was created by adding more textured layers to the songs as well as incorporating new forms of music into them. These include the adding of a choir in "Smokers Outside the Hospital Doors" and the inclusion of the sounds of the band playing Hide and seek in the song "Spiders". Lead singer Smith has revealed that the band will explore a new direction on their next album, pursuing a new, rawer sound. Smith writes the lyrics and chords for the songs, but the overall song writing is a collaborative effort. The song writing starts with Smith on the piano or acoustic guitar where he records them and sends them to the other band members where the song is turned into a full 'Editors song'. The lead singer has said that he makes the lyrics purposely ambiguous in order for people to draw their own conclusions. Discography: * The Back Room (2005) * An End Has a Start (2007) Special thanks to Keith Law for content.

Electric Light Orchestra

nataliechillington — Sat, 03 May 2008 12:57:18 +0000

Electric Light Orchestra, commonly abbreviated ELO, were a symphonic rock group from Birmingham, who released eleven studio albums between 1971 and 1986 and another album in 2001. ELO were formed to accommodate Roy Wood and Jeff Lynne's desire to create modern pop songs with heavily classical overtones, but falling under a light rock category. However, the band's direction for most of their existence was set by Lynne who, after the band's debut record, wrote and arranged all of the group's original compositions and produced every album. Members: *Hugh McDowell *Melvyn Gale *Kelly Groucutt *Jeff Lynne *Bev Bevan *Richard Tandy *Mik Kaminski. Associated acts: The Move, The Idle Race, Wizzard, Violinski, Black Sabbath, ELO Part II, The Orchestra. In the late 1960s, Roy Wood, guitarist, vocalist and songwriter of The Move, had an idea to form a new band that would use cellos, violins, horns and woodwinds to give their music a classical sound, taking rock music in a new direction and "picking up where The Beatles left off" with such hits as "Strawberry Fields Forever," and "I Am The Walrus." Jeff Lynne, frontman with fellow Birmingham band The Idle Race, was excited by the concept. In January 1970, when Carl Wayne left The Move, Lynne accepted Wood's second invitation to join the band on the condition that they focus their energy on the new project. On 12 July 1970, when Wood added multiple cellos to a Lynne-penned song intended to be a Move B-side, the new concept became a reality and "10538 Overture" became the first Electric Light Orchestra song. To help finance the fledgling band, two more Move albums were released during the lengthy ELO recordings. The resulting debut album The Electric Light Orchestra was released in 1971 (1972 in the United States as No Answer) and "10538 Overture" became a U.K. top ten hit. However, tensions soon surfaced between Wood and Lynne due to problems with management. Amid the recordings for the band's second LP, Wood left the band, taking cellist Hugh McDowell and horn player Bill Hunt with him to form Wizzard. Despite predictions from the music press that the band would fold without Wood, who had been the driving-force behind the creation of ELO, Lynne stepped up to lead the band, with Bev Bevan remaining on drums, joined by Richard Tandy on the Moog synthesizer, Mike de Albuquerque on bass, Mike Edwards and Colin Walker adding cello and Wilfred Gibson replacing Steve Woolam on violin. The new lineup performed at the 1972 Reading Festival. Barcus Berry pickups, now sported by the band's string trio, allowed them to dance on stage with their instruments. The band released their second album, ELO 2 in 1973, which produced their first U.S. chart hit, a hugely elaborate version of the Chuck Berry classic "Roll Over Beethoven". ELO also made their first appearance on American Bandstand. During the recording of the third album, Gibson and Walker left the band. Mik Kaminski joined as violinist, while remaining cellist Edwards finished the cello parts before McDowell returned to ELO from Wizzard. The resulting album, On the Third Day was released in late 1973, with the American version featuring the hit "Showdown." It was in the United States that the band were first successful, billed as 'The English guys with the big fiddles'. They soon gained a cult following despite lukewarm reviews back in their native United Kingdom. They were managed by agent Don Arden, father of Sharon Osbourne. By the mid-1970s, they had become one of the biggest selling bands in music. From 1972 to 1986, ELO accumulated twenty-six U.K. Top 40 hit singles and twenty U.S. Top 40 hit singles. The group also scored twenty Top 20 U.K. hit singles, as well as fifteen Top 20 appearances in the U.S. Billboard charts. The band also holds the record for having the most Billboard Top 40 hits of any band in U.S. chart history without ever having a #1 single. Despite the fact that the majority of the group's material was never researched, audited and certified, ELO collected 21 RIAA awards, 38 BPI awards, and sold over 100 million albums worldwide, 50 million of those being sold between 1971 and 1982. For the band's fourth album, Eldorado, A Symphony, a concept album about dreams, Lynne was finally able to stop overdubbing strings, and hire an orchestra and choir. Louis Clark joined the band as string arranger. The first single off the album, "Can't Get It Out Of My Head," became their first U.S. Billboard charts Top 10 hit, and Eldorado, A Symphony became ELO's first gold album. After the release of Eldorado, A Symphony, bassist and vocalist Kelly Groucutt and cellist Melvyn Gale joined, replacing de Albuquerque and Edwards respectively. The lineup stabilised as the band took to a decidedly more accessible sound. Face the Music was released in 1975, producing the hit singles "Evil Woman" and "Strange Magic." The opening instrumental "Fire On High", with its mix of strings and blazing acoustic guitars, saw heavy exposure as background music on CBS Sports Spectacular montages, though most viewers had no idea of the song's origins. ELO had become successful in the United States at this point and they were a star attraction on the stadium and arena circuit, as well as regularly appearing on The Midnight Special. They were still largely ignored in the United Kingdom until their sixth album, A New World Record, hit the top ten there in 1976. It contained the hit singles "Livin' Thing", "Telephone Line", "Rockaria!" and "Do Ya", a rerecording of a Move song. A New World Record was followed by another multi platinum selling album, the double-LP Out of the Blue, in 1977. Out of the Blue featured the singles "Turn to Stone," "Sweet Talkin' Woman," "Mr. Blue Sky," and "Wild West Hero," each becoming a hit in the United Kingdom. The band then set out on a nine-month, 92-date world tour, with an enormous set and a hugely expensive space ship stage with fog machines and a laser display. In the United States the concerts were billed as The Big Night and were their largest to date, with 80,000 people seeing them at Cleveland Stadium. During the famous spaceship tour, the band were criticised for allegedly playing backing tapes. Despite some criticism, The Big Night went on to become the highest-grossing live concert tour in music history up to that point (1978). The band also played at the Wembley Arena for eight straight sold-out nights during the tour as well, another record at that time. The first of these shows was recorded and televised, and later released as a CD and DVD. In 1979, the multi-platinum album Discovery (or "Disco? Very!", as fans refer to it), was released. Although the biggest hit on the album (and ELO's biggest hit overall) was the hard-rock song "Don't Bring Me Down", the album was noted for its heavy disco influence. Discovery also produced the hits "Shine A Little Love", "Last Train to London", "Confusion" and "The Diary of Horace Wimp". Although there would be no live tour associated with Discovery, the band recorded the entire album in video form. The Discovery music videos would be the last time the "classic" late 1970s lineup would be seen together, as the violinist, Mik Kaminski, and the two cellists, Hugh McDowell and Melvyn Gale, were shortly dismissed. The Electric Light Orchestra finished 1979 as the biggest selling act in the United Kingdom. ELO had reached the peak of their stardom, selling millions of albums and singles and even inspiring a parody/tribute song on the Randy Newman album Born Again. In 1980, Jeff Lynne was asked to write for the soundtrack of the musical film Xanadu, with the other half written by John Farrar and performed by the film's star Olivia Newton-John. The movie performed poorly at the box office, but the soundtrack did exceptionally well, eventually going double platinum. The album spawned hit singles from both Newton-John ("Magic," #1 in the United States, and "Suddenly" with Cliff Richard) and ELO ("I'm Alive", which went gold, "All Over The World" and "Don't Walk Away"). The title track, performed by both Newton-John and ELO, is ELO's only song to top the singles chart in the United Kingdom. Xanadu was turned into a surprising hit Broadway Musical that opened on July 10, 2007 at the Helen Hayes Theatre to uniformly good reviews and received 2 Tony Award nominations. The Electric Light Orchestra Story, Bev Bevan's memoirs from his early days and throughout his career with The Move and ELO, was also published in 1980. In 1981, ELO's sound changed again with the science fiction concept album Time, a throwback to earlier, more progressive rock albums like Eldorado. With the string section laid off, synthesisers took a dominating role, as was a trend in the larger music scene. Time topped the U.K. charts for two weeks and was the last ELO studio album to date to be certified platinum in the United Kingdom. Singles from the album included "Hold on Tight", "Twilight", "The Way Life's Meant to Be," "Here Is the News" and "Ticket to the Moon." The band embarked on their last world tour to date to promote the LP. It was the first ELO tour without cellists, although Mik Kaminski returned to play his famous "blue violin." The live line-up was completed with Louis Clark and newcomer Dave Morgan playing the string parts on synthesisers, and "Fred the Robot" voicing the "Prologue" and "Epilogue". Jeff Lynne wanted to follow Time with a double album, but CBS blocked his plan, claiming it would be too expensive.The album was an instant hit in the UK reaching the top 5.The new album was edited down from double album to a single disc and released as Secret Messages in 1983 (many of the outtakes were later released on "Afterglow" or as b-sides of singles). The album's release was dampened by a string of bad news — that there would be no tour to promote the LP, that drummer Bevan was to play drums for Black Sabbath, and that bassist Kelly Groucutt had left the band (Groucutt later sued Lynne, Bevan, and ELO's management for alleged lost royalty fees, and the matter was settled out of court). Rumours from fans about the group disbanding were publicly denied by Bevan. Although Secret Messages debuted at number four in the United Kingdom, it fell off the charts, failing to catch fire with a lack of hit singles and a lukewarm media response. By 1983, Bevan was expressing a desire to join Black Sabbath permanently, Lynne and Tandy were recording tracks for the Electric Dreams soundtrack under Jeff Lynne's name, and, with Groucutt's departure, ELO was assumed to be finished. However, Lynne was contractually obligated to make one more ELO album. Lynne, Bevan and Tandy returned to the studio in 1985 as a three-piece (with Christian Schneider playing saxophone on some tracks) to record ELO's final album of the 20th century, Balance of Power, released early in 1986. Though the single "Calling America" placed in the Top 30 in the United Kingdom (#28), subsequent singles failed to chart. The album was absent of actual strings, replaced once again by synthesisers, this time played by Tandy. The album also shed the customary ELO logo that had appeared on every album since 1976. Lynne, with the 7-piece lineup that supported Time (with Martin Smith replacing Groucutt on bass), played a small number of live ELO performances in 1986, including shows in England and Germany.Heartbeat 86 was a charity concert organized by Bevan in ELO's hometown of Birmingham on March 15th, 1986. A hint of Lynne's future was seen when George Harrison appeared onstage during the encore at Heartbeat, joining in the all-star jam of "Johnny B. Goode". ELO's last performance of the century occurred on July 13th, 1986 in Stuttgart, Germany. ELO essentially disbanded after that final show in Stuttgart in 1986, but there was no announcement made of it for the next two years, during which George Harrison's Lynne-produced album Cloud Nine and the pair's follow-up (with Roy Orbison, Bob Dylan and Tom Petty) Traveling Wilburys Vol. 1 were released. Bevan approached Lynne to make another ELO album in 1988. Lynne was not interested and went on to announce that ELO was no more. Bevan (under an agreement with Lynne who co-owned the ELO name with him) continued on in 1989 as ELO Part II, initially with no other former ELO members except Clark. ELO Part II released their debut album Electric Light Orchestra Part Two in 1991. Mik Kaminski, Kelly Groucutt and Hugh McDowell joined the band for the first tour in 1991. McDowell left after that tour. Bevan, Groucutt, Kaminski and Clark recorded a second album, Moment Of Truth, in 1994 and toured extensively until 1999. Bevan retired from the lineup in 1999 and sold his share of the ELO name to Jeff Lynne in 2000. The remaining members continue to tour and record, renamed as The Orchestra. Jeff Lynne's comeback with ELO began in 2000 with the release of a retrospective box set, Flashback, containing three CDs of remastered tracks and a handful of outtakes and unfinished works, most notably a new version of ELO's only UK number one hit "Xanadu". In 2001, Zoom, ELO's first album since 1986, was released. Though billed and marketed as an ELO album, the only returning member other than Jeff Lynne was Richard Tandy, who performed on one track. Zoom took on a more organic sound, with less emphasis on strings and electronic effects. Guest musicians included former Beatles Ringo Starr and George Harrison. Upon completion of the album Lynne reformed the band with completely new members including his then-girlfriend Rosie Vela (who had released her own album "Zazu", in 1986) and announced that ELO would tour again. Former ELO member Richard Tandy rejoined the band a short time afterwards for two television live performances: VH1 Storytellers and a PBS concert shot at CBS Television City, later titled Zoom Tour Live, that was released on DVD. The planned tour was cancelled. Lynne, a close friend of George Harrison, was also terribly affected by Harrison's illness and later death in November of 2001. The ELO tour was not rescheduled. Harvest Records and Epic/Legacy released ELO's back catalogue from 2001-07. Included amongst the remastered album tracks were unreleased songs and outtakes, including a new single "Surrender" which registered on the lower end of the UK Singles Chart at #81, some 30 years after it was written in 1976. Although there has been no news on any forthcoming new ELO projects, ELO's core studio albums have now all been remastered and expanded with bonus tracks, leaving only The Night the Light Went On (in Long Beach), ELO's Greatest Hits, Xanadu, Zoom and ELO's Greatest Hits Live AKA Zoom Tour Live to be done. Latest in the Epic/Legacy series were Out of the Blue and Balance of Power which were released in February, 2007. A lost demo from 1977 was finished and released in the United Kingdom as a download single on February 6, 2007 titled "Latitude 88 North". All the original ELO albums were released in mini replica sleeves in Japan. Among the many features was the original Jet Records label on the disc and original inner sleeves and lyrics. To further cash in on the success of the remasters, another ELO compilation hit the German, then UK shops in October, 2007, and was also released in the US February 5, 2008. It's the follow-up to All Over the World: The Very Best of Electric Light Orchestra and is called Ticket to the Moon: The Very Best of Electric Light Orchestra Volume 2. An eco-friendly repackage of The Essential Electric Light Orchestra called Playlist: The Very Best of Electric Light Orchestra was released on September 2, 2008. The group's name is an intended pun based not only on electric light (as in a light bulb as seen on early album covers) but also using "electric" rock instruments combined with a "light orchestra" (orchestras with only a few cellos and violins that were popular in Britain during the 1960s). The official band logo (left), designed in 1976 by artist Kosh, was first seen on their 1976 album A New World Record and is based on a 1946 Wurlitzer jukebox speaker, model 4008. The 4008 speaker was, itself, based upon the upper cabinet of the most popular jukebox of all time, the Wurlitzer model 1015. The band's previous logo (right) was similar to the General Electric logo. The new logo has appeared on most of the band's albums in various forms. For instance, on 1977's Out of the Blue, the logo was turned in to a huge flying saucer space station, an enduring image that is now synonymous with the band. Again, on the follow up Discovery, the logo became a small glowing artifact on top of a treasure chest. Bev Bevan usually displayed the logo on his drum kit. Tributes: Randy Newman recorded a parody/tribute to the band titled "The Story of a Rock and Roll Band" for his 1979 album Born Again. A tribute album was released by Not Lame Records on August 31, 2004. Titled Lynne Me Your Ears, this cover anthology featured ELO standards performed by former Lynne band mate Carl Wayne, Todd Rundgren, Sixpence None the Richer, Neilson Hubbard and Venus Hum, Shazam and a host of others. Parthenon Huxley, former lead guitar and vocalist for ELO Part 2 and The Orchestra under Bev Bevan, released a CD entitled Homemade Spaceship: The Music of ELO Performed by P. Hux., also covering a dozen ELO tunes, and enlisting the aid of former member Mik Kaminski. A tribute to ELO, L.E.O., features original material written by devotees of Lynne's unique orchestrated sound. American musician Bleu brought together various musicians to record this "tribute" in 2007. Andy Sturmer, of seminal ELO/Queen/Beatles influenced band Jellyfish, co-wrote and provided some vocals for the project. The songs are written entirely in Lynne's style and mimic ELO's orchestration and production. Discography: * The Electric Light Orchestra (UK, 1971) / No Answer (US, 1972) * ELO 2 (UK) / Electric Light Orchestra II / ELO II (US) (1973) * On the Third Day (1973) * Eldorado, A Symphony (1974) * Face the Music (1975) * A New World Record (1976) * Out of the Blue (1977) * Discovery (1979) * Xanadu (1980) * Time (1981) * Secret Messages (1983) * Balance of Power (1986) * Zoom (2001) Special thanks to Keith Law for content.

Fashion

nataliechillington — Sat, 03 May 2008 12:57:38 +0000

Group Members: *Luke Sky (Lead Vocals & Guitars) *Mulligan (Bass, Synth, vocal on Citinite) *Dik Davies (Drums, percussion, backing vocals, bass on Technofascist, vocals on Big John / Hanoi Annoys Me) *Miki Cottrell (Recorded and Live Sound Production) As mentioned below Luke has now written his book and he has kindly sent the intro over to us for the archive. It's a great read, get it here Stairway To Nowhere Luke James Introduction On The Stairway, Off The Stairway “I’m worried about Dik.” Mulligan says. We’re standing out in the alley that leads to the entrance of The Rum Runner, or Duran Duran Way as it’s becoming known. We rehearse in the Rum Runner, as do the chosen ones. The Beat filmed the video for Mirror The Bathroom inside the mirrored tack of The Runner. Mulligan and I are taking a break from another slog of a rehearsal, trying to come up with new material for the second album, and mostly failing. So, a quick breath of traffic fumes with our fags. “What?” I ask. “Why?” “I’m worried he might leave the band.” “Huh. You should worry more about me leaving.” I say. “Yeah. But the difference is … well, he might actually do it.” Mulligan says. Oh dear Jon, wrong thing to say, very wrong thing to say. ►►►► “Goddamn it!” Miles yells and punches his desk. “I’ve lost two bands this week! First this asshole kills himself. This other asshole steals the truck and all their gear and drives off into the desert. I got gigs lined up, radio, TV, all kindsa shit. I don’t need this. This is not some goddamned game we’re playing here!” No, it isn’t. It’s people’s lives. Their deaths even. And soon, soon you pompous Yank git, there’s going to be another one of your band’s who are a singer/guitarist short of a full deck. ►►►► “You sure about this?” Dad asks. We’re sitting in his black cab, parked round the corner from Outlaw Studios. I’m right back where Fashion recorded our first demo – was it only two years ago? It feels like bloody years, and all of them stacked on my back. I stare out at the grey veil of drifting rain. “Yeah Dad. I’m sure.” I turn and smile at him, an expression devoid of any warmth, “Fuck the music business, eh.” “But I thought the tour with that Irish band went well.” He says. “U2? Great band. Fucking disastrous tour for us. If you can call a dozen small clubs a tour.” “Well, long as you’re sure.” He says. “Too late now anyway.” I say. On the way into town, we’d detoured along the Kings Norton Road and parked outside Annette’s house. I was a bit nervous tiptoeing up the drive with the note, like a bleeding lovesick teenager with a Dear Jon note. I slipped the note through the letterbox and legged it back to the cab. Dad drives me across town and lets me off outside New Street Station. Never ones to show each other much emotion we shake hands. “All the best then, son. Stay in touch. For your mother. Y’know.” “Yeah. I will. Tarra Dad. Thanks.” I pick up my hold-all and guitar case and walk into the station. I don’t look back. The message in the note I’ve just put through the boss’s door runs a tape loop mantra in my head … Fuck this, gone to New York … … Fuck this, gone to New York … … Fuck this, gone to New York … to the tune of Message In A Bottle … Fuck this, gone to New York …… eee oh eee oh … Fuck this, gone to New York …… eee oh eee oh … Fuck this, gone to New York … ►►►► In the 3 years that Fàshiön’s original line-up existed (1978-1980) they put together some of the most innovative and original pop music of the time, music that would inspire a host of later successful bands and singers. In the brief spotlight of their fifteen minutes of fame Fàshiön toured both the USA and UK as opening band for The Police, did a UK club tour with a then unknown band from Ireland called U2, opened for The B52s on their first ever UK tour, had a new band called Duran Duran open shows for them. They also played gigs with: Alternative TV, Billy Idol, Brent Ford And The Nylons, Brian James Brains, Chas And Dave, Chelsea, Dangerous Girls, Dansette Damage, Delta 5, Dry Rib, Gang of Four, Ha-Ha Germs, Hazel O’Connor, Ian Dury, Inner Circle, John Cale, John Cooper Clarke, Joy Division, Medium Medium, Moon Martin, Neon Hearts, Patti Smith, Richard Jobson, Robert Fripp, Squeeze, Steel Pulse, Steve Hillage, SVT, The Cramps, The Cure , The Damned, The Mekons, The Meteors, The Photos, The Ramones, The Reds, The Skids, The Specials, The Stop, The Stranglers, The The, The Tubes, Toyah Wilcox, UB40, and Wilko Johnson. They released 3 singles in the UK (Steady Eddie Steady, Citinite, and Silver Blades) and 1 in USA (The Innocent). In 1979 they released the groundbreaking album Product Perfect. Their records were released on their own Fàshiön Music label, distributed by IRS/A&M Records. Product Perfect Crawls From Wreckage To Mate With CD! After 30 years with no time off for good behavior, Product Perfect has finally been released on CD. Re-mastered in LA by tech guru Stephen Lester, the CD is available from the band’s websites. New Fàshiön album out February 2009! New Wave/Punk survivor Luke Sky emerges from his capsule to record a brilliant new album, Stairway To Nowhere. A book of the same name detailing his hedonistic days with Fàshiön’s original line-up will be published later this year. Sample tracks and book excerpts are available at both: http://www.myspace.com/fashionlukesky/ and http://www.fashionlukesky.com

Felt

nataliechillington — Sat, 03 May 2008 12:58:00 +0000

Felt were one of the bands whose records and approach to pop defined the independent recording sector in the 1980s and, to some degree, aspects of an ‘alternative’ musical sphere. They were beloved of delicate women and effete young men for whom The Smiths, for instance, were just a litle too rough (rather like most Mancunian bands who fancy themselves as ‘arty’). In their ambition and vision, Felt made Morrissey’s pretentions look like those of a shopfitter from Salford. Felt were fronted by Lawrence Hayward, although his surname was never used or credited (as with one Stephen Patrick Morrissey). This affectation as well as the direction of the band derived in part from inspiration found in the New York art scene and music ‘underground’. Felt were one of those many bands influenced by the Velvet Underground, NY punk and new wave bands such as Television. Lou Reed’s tones and those of Tom Verlaine can be detected in Lawrence’s delivery but like all originals, he makes something that is his own from these tutors (a contemporary of Lawrence’s who don’t quite make in the same way is perhaps Lloyd Cole of the Commotions). In his lyrics too, Lawrence paints portraits of his own experience, his dreams, desires and of Birmingham, that make this just as exotic a site for musical adventure as any imported from the US. The band were much more than the front man however. Maurice Deebank was the main musical force for this early period in the band’s history. His delicate, intricate chorus-laden guitar patterns make their records such distinctive artefacts. Later, the band would be joined by keyboardist Martin Duffy, now of the egregious novelty band ‘Primal Scream’. Overtly ‘arty’, Felt’s records can appear to be vaguely ‘prog-rockish’ but stop on the right side of portentous and ‘Primitive Painters’ was their first moment of accomplishment and an enduring testimony to their genius. ‘Primitive Painters’ was released on the Cherry Red label in 1985 and featured on the band’s fourth album ‘Ignite the Seven Candles’. It was produced by Robin Guthrie, then of the Cocteau Twins, stars of the 4AD independent. In a period in which the role of the producer as a creative force in pop attracted hyperbolic plaudits (Trevor Horn, Steve Lilywhite et al), he was instrumental in teasing out the greatness in the song and the band’s perfomance. While the basic song structure is of interest, this is one of those instances where the idea of the record as an individual and meaningful artefact, as disinct from the song template, becomes apparent. To understand the magnificence of ‘Primitive Painters’, one has to experience it in all of its sonic glory as a result of its parts which may not, on paper, add up entirely. It has to be felt. Opening with trilling guitar harmonics at funereal pace, the record veer into different tempos and effect, marshalling an increasing power and intensity from its constituent parts. It turns introspection and self-absorbtion (in Lawrence’s lyric and delivery) into a portentous and magnificent expression that, for many of us who have adored this record, becomes inspiration rather than self-indulgence. Lawrence had a limited range of settings: miserable, sad, fast and slow. Here, his vocals and delivery sound extraordinarily self-pitying, to a degree that they threaten to halt the record. At the same time this becomes uplifting and consoling when couched in the dynamics of the band’s performance and waxing and waning of the power of the music and its deployment. His is a venting of feeling that brings him, and us, out of a shell to a new place and a more positive feeling (even if it is a new appreciation of miserableness if it can result in such an outcome). Lawrence’s limitations as a vocalist become a virtue here: his unmistakeable style (which escapes his influences to become wholly English) is accentuated, exposed and challenged by the implicit goading from and sparring with the backing vocals of Liz Frazer. Unlike her work in the Cocteau Twins, Frazer is anchored to a recognisable lyric, which her soaring voice seeks to escape, serving to build up an exit-velocity in this recording. Its sum, I think, is to encapsulate the tragedy of the band which lay in their ability to escape into moments of brilliance but that ultimately remained ignored by the wider record-buying public. The record that followed this one, this time on Alan McGee’s Creation label, was ‘Ballad of the Band’. This is itself another contender for the greatest recording from Brum, and a piece much more fleet of foot than this one perhaps but of course head and shoulders above much of the competition at the time. Felt released 10 albums in 10 years before splitting up. I saw them at their last ever gig at Burberry’s Club on Broad Street. Then they were promoting the most complete and coherent set they ever recorded ‘Me and a Monkey on the Moon’ but had just about given up. Lawrence however, re-emerged with ‘Denim’, and more lately ‘Go-Kart Mozart’ whose effervescent tunes once more encompassed dark memories of Birmingham life. I’ve read that someone has made a documentary about Lawrence. They should give him the keys to the city! ‘Primitive Painters’ is not just a contender for best record from Brum, but best popular music recording ever . Paul Long Felt - Primitive Painters (Cherry Red, August 1985)

Fine Young Cannibals

nataliechillington — Sat, 03 May 2008 12:59:16 +0000

Fuzzbox

nataliechillington — Sat, 03 May 2008 12:59:51 +0000

GBH

nataliechillington — Sat, 03 May 2008 13:00:19 +0000

Charged GBH are an English punk rock band, formed by vocalist Collin Abrahall,& guitarist Colin 'Jock' Blyth. GBH were early pioneers of English hardcore punk, along with Discharge, Broken Bones, The Exploited, and The Varukers. Members: *Colin Abrahall *Ross Lomas *Colin "Jock" Blyth *Scott Preece Former members: *Sean McCarthy *Andrew Williams *Kai Reder *Joseph Montero Originally known simply as GBH (grievous bodily harm), their name was changed to Charged GBH in order to differentiate themselves from another band of the same name. Founding members were Colin 'Col' Abrahall (vocals), & Colin 'Jock' Blyth (guitar). Charged GBH embarked on several English and mainland US tours during the early 1980s, including several gigs at the 100 Club. 1982 saw GBH's first LP, City Baby Attacked By Rats. Lyrically, the album dealt with criticism of British and European culture, violence, morbidity (especially in reference to the song "Passenger On The Menu", which describes in graphic detail the experiences of the passengers on the Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571), atheism, nihilism and general absurdity. Musically, the album was loud and fast, with few songs exceeding three minutes. In 1983 the band changed their name to GBH. Unlike many early punk bands who evolved towards a more post-punk sound, GBH have stayed fairly faithful to their original UK82 sound in subsequent releases. However, the band have experimented to some degree with a more metal-inflected sound, notably with their 1992 release Church of the Truly Warped, although they have since returned to a more purist punk sound. The band is still active and touring and maintain a strong following both in England and the rest of Europe, as well as in America and Japan. Whilst supporting Rancid at Rock City, Nottingham, UK on 11 November, 2008, GBH announced that the band has signed with Hellcat Records and will be releasing a new album on that label in the near future. Discography Demos 1980 1980 Demo 1980 Partice 1980 Splits 1998 Punk As f*** Billyclub Idol 2001 Punk Rock Ambulance Billyclub Idol Studio Albums 1982 City Baby Attacked By Rats Clay 1984 City Baby's Revenge Clay 1986 Midnight Madness And Beyond Captain Oi! 1987 No Need To Panic Captain Oi! 1989 A Fridge Too Far Captain Oi! 1990 From Here To Reality Captain Oi! 1992 Church of the Truly Warped Captain Oi! 1996 Punk Junkies SOS 2002 Ha Ha Go Kart EPs/Singles/Box Sets 1981 Leather, Bristles, Studs, And Acne Clay 1982 No Survivors Clay 1982 Give Me Fire / Man Trap Clay 1983 Catch 23 / Hellhole Clay 1984 Do What You Do Clay 1986 Oh No, It's GBH Again Clay 1988 Wot A Bargain Captain Oi! 2004 Cruel and Unusual Idol 2007 Race Against Time: The Complete Clay Recordings Castle Compilations & Live Albums 1982 Punk And DisordelyAbstract/Posh Boy - 1982 Leather, Bristles, No Survivors & Sick Boys Clay 1986 Clay Years 1981-1984 Clay 1989 No Survivors '83 Clay 1990 The Clay Years - 1981-84 Clay 1992 The Clay Recordings Clay 1993 Live In Japan Anagram 1995 The Clay Punk Singles Collection Clay 1996 Celebrity Live Style Cleopatra 1999 Punk Rock Hits Cleopatra 1999 Live In Los Angeles Anagram 2002 The Punk Singles 1981-84 Castle 2005 Dead on Arrival: A Punk Rock Anthology Sanctuary DVDs & Videos 1995 Kawasaki Live 1996 Live in L.A. 1988 2003 Live at the Ace, Brixton 2004 Kawasaki Live/Brit Boys Attacked by Brats 2005 G.B.H. Live in LA/Live at Victoria 2006 Charged: On Stage Special thanks to Keith Law at unsignedcity.com for content.

General Public

nataliechillington — Sat, 03 May 2008 13:00:41 +0000

Steve Gibbons

nataliechillington — Sat, 03 May 2008 13:36:57 +0000

Godflesh

nataliechillington — Sat, 03 May 2008 13:37:26 +0000

Mickey Greaney

nataliechillington — Sat, 03 May 2008 13:38:39 +0000

Jamelia

nataliechillington — Sat, 03 May 2008 13:38:59 +0000

Judas Priest

nataliechillington — Sat, 03 May 2008 13:39:29 +0000

Judas Priest are an English heavy metal band formed in 1969 in Birmingham. Judas Priest's core line-up consists of bass player Ian Hill, vocalist Rob Halford and guitarists Glenn Tipton and K. K. Downing; their current drummer is Scott Travis. They have been cited as an influence on many heavy metal musicians and bands. Their popularity and status as one of the definitive heavy metal bands has earned them the nickname "Metal Gods", from their song of the same name. They have sold over 35 million albums worldwide. Current members: * Rob Halford – lead vocals, harmonica (1973–1993, 2003–present) * Glenn Tipton – guitars, keyboards, piano, synthesizer, guitar synthesizer, backing vocals (1974–present) * K. K. Downing – guitars, guitar synthesizer, backing vocals (1970–present) * Ian Hill – bass guitar, backing vocals (1970–present) * Scott Travis – drums, percussion (1989–present) Former members: * Al Atkins – lead vocals (1970–1973) * John Ellis – drums, percussion (1970–1971) * Chris Campbell – drums, percussion (1972–1973) * Alan Moore – drums, percussion (1971–1972, 1975–1976) * John Hinch – drums, percussion (1973–1975) * Les Binks – drums, percussion (1977–1979) * Dave Holland – drums, percussion (1979–1989) * Tim "Ripper" Owens – lead vocals (1996–2003) Session musicians: * Simon Phillips – drums, percussion on Sin After Sin (1977 – all tracks) * Don Airey – keyboards, synthesizer on Painkiller (1990 – track "A Touch of Evil"), Demolition (2001 – multiple tracks), Angel of Retribution (2005 – multiple tracks), Nostradamus (2008 – multiple tracks) * Jeff Martin – backing vocals on Turbo (1986 – track "Wild Nights, Hot & Crazy Days") * Tom Allom – milk and beer bottle smashing on British Steel (1980 – track "Breaking the Law") K. K. Downing and Ian Hill knew each other since their early childhoods, as they lived nearby, attended the same nursery and school in West Bromwich. They became closer friends in their early teens, when they shared similar musical interests (Jimi Hendrix, The Who, Cream, The Yardbirds) and learned to play instruments. The band was founded in 1968 in Birmingham, England. After a local ensemble named Judas Priest (after Bob Dylan's song "The Ballad of Frankie Lee and Judas Priest" from the John Wesley Harding album) broke up, the band's singer Al Atkins approached Downing and Hill, who were playing as a power trio with drummer John Ellis and asked to be their vocalist. With Atkins now in the band, Downing desired to use the Judas Priest moniker, having been a fan of the name for years. With Downing as leader, the band moved from their original bluesy tunes towards heavy rock and what would later come to be defined as early heavy metal. This quartet played around Birmingham and the surrounding areas with various drummers until 1974, sometimes opening for bands such as Budgie, Thin Lizzy and Trapeze. Eventually, financial difficulties and problems with their management, Tony Iommi's company, IMA, led to the departure of Alan Atkins and drummer Alan Moore. At the time, Ian Hill was dating a woman from nearby town Walsall who suggested her brother, Bob Halford, be considered as a singer. Halford joined the band, bringing drummer John Hinch from his previous band, Hiroshima. This line-up toured in the UK, often supporting Budgie, and even headlined in some shows in Norway and Germany. Before the band entered the studio to record their first album, the record company suggested the band add another musician. As Downing was reluctant to add a keyboard player or horn player, he chose to add another lead guitarist, Glenn Tipton, from the Stafford-based Flying Hat Band. Tipton reworked existing material and took over as main song writer. In August 1974, the band debuted with the single "Rocka Rolla", before releasing an album of the same name a month later. There were technical problems during the recording which led to poor sound quality. Producer Rodger Bain, whose CV included Black Sabbath's first three albums as well as Budgie's first album, dominated the production of the album and made decisions with which the band did not agree. Bain also chose to leave fan favorites from the band's live performances, such as "Tyrant", "Genocide", and "The Ripper", off the album. He cut the song "Caviar and Meths" from a 10-minute song down to a 2-minute instrumental. With their next album, recorded during January and February of 1976, the band participated more in the production and chose the producers. The result, Sad Wings of Destiny (1976), included a variety of old material, including the aforementioned stage favorites and the epic "Victim of Changes". This song combined "Whiskey Woman", a stage classic since the era of the first Judas Priest (Al Atkins' band) and "Red Light Lady" brought by Halford from his previous group, Hiroshima. This album and a strong 1975 performance at the Reading Festival helped to build their fanbase. The next album, 1977's Sin After Sin used session drummer Simon Phillips while Les (James Leslie) Binks supported the tour. 1978's Stained Class and Killing Machine (released in America as Hell Bent for Leather) were also supported by Les Binks. Binks, credited with writing the very powerful "Beyond the Realms of Death", was a very technically skilled drummer. Binks also played on Unleashed in the East which was recorded live in Japan during the Killing Machine tour. Killing Machine had shorter songs that had more commercial appeal while still retaining their heavy metal punch. Following the release of Killing Machine, and the live release from the supporting tour, entitled Unleashed in the East. It was the first of many Judas Priest albums to go Platinum. At the time, there was some criticism of the bands' use of studio-enhancements and overdubbing in what was marketed as a live album. Nonetheless, many early Priest classics are recorded here, such as "Victim of Changes", "Tyrant", "Genocide", and "The Ripper". After Les Binks quit, in part because of the band's direction, the band replaced him with Dave Holland, formerly from the band Trapeze. With this line-up, Judas Priest recorded six studio and one live album which garnered different degrees of critical and financial success. Overall, the band has sold in excess of 30 million albums globally. In 1980, the band released British Steel. The songs were shorter and had more mainstream radio hooks, but retained the heavy metal feel. Tracks such as "United", "Breaking the Law", and "Living After Midnight" were frequently played on the radio. The next release, 1981's Point of Entry, followed the same formula, but critics generally panned it. However, the tour in support was successful, with new songs such as "Solar Angels" and "Heading Out to the Highway". The 1982 album Screaming for Vengeance featured the song "You've Got Another Thing Comin'", which garnered strong US radio airplay. Songs such as "Electric Eye" and "Riding on the Wind" also appeared off this album, and proved to be popular live tracks. "(Take These) Chains" (by Bob Halligan, Jr.) was released as a single and received heavy airplay. This album went two times Platinum. Defenders of the Faith was released in 1984. Even though it was more progressive than their earlier efforts, some critics dubbed it as "Screaming for Vengeance II", due to its musical likeness to the previous album. On July 13th, 1985, Judas Priest was - apart from Black Sabbath - the only metal band to perform at the Live Aid event. The band played at JFK Stadium in Philadelphia. Their setlist was "Living After Midnight", "The Green Manalishi (With The Two-Pronged Crown)" and "(You've Got) Another Thing Comin'". Turbo was released in 1986, during the glam metal era. To keep up with the times, Priest adopted a more colourful look and gave their music a more poppy feel by adding synthesisers. The album also went Platinum and had a successful tour in support, but some critics argued the album was a sellout. A live album recorded on the tour, titled Priest... Live!, was released the next year, offering fans live tracks from the 1980s era. The video documentary Heavy Metal Parking Lot was created by Jeff Krulik and John Heyn in 1986. It documents the heavy metal fans waiting on May 31, 1986 for a Judas Priest concert (with special guests Dokken) at the Capital Centre (later renamed US Airways Arena) in Landover, Maryland. In 1988, Ram It Down was released, featuring several reworked songs left over from Turbo, in addition to new songs. A reviewer has called Ram It Down a "stylistic confusion" of "cornball metal" that resulted from the band's "...attempt to rid themselves of the high tech synthesiser approach...and return to the traditional metal of their fading glory days." The reviewer argued the album showed "...how far behind they were lagging...the thrashers they helped influence" in earlier years. As well, in the late 1980s, longtime drummer Dave Holland left the band. In 1990, the Painkiller album used a new drummer, Scott Travis (formerly from Racer X). This comeback album dropped the 1980s-style synthesisers for all of the songs except a ballad entitled "A Touch of Evil." The tour used bands such as Pantera, Megadeth and Sepultura as opening bands, and culminated in the Rock in Rio performance in Brazil in front of 100,000+ music fans. Part of the Judas Priest stage show often featured Rob Halford riding onstage on a Harley-Davidson motorbike, dressed in motorcycle leathers and sunglasses. In a Toronto show in 1991, Halford was seriously injured as he rode on stage, when he collided with a drum riser that was hidden behind clouds of dry ice mist. Although the show was delayed, he performed the entire set before going to hospital. Hill later noted "he must have been in agony". He later claimed the accident helped to prompt his departure from the band. For nearly five years, Priest remained in the shadows, with no release to top Painkiller. In the summer of 1990, the band was involved in a civil action that alleged they were responsible for the suicide attempts in 1985 of 20-year old James Vance and 19-year old Ray Belknap in Reno, Nevada, USA. The trial lasted from July 16 to August 24. On December 23, 1985 Vance and Belknap got intoxicated then went to a playground at a Lutheran church in Reno. Belknap shot a 12 gauge shotgun under his chin, dying instantly, and Vance followed, but survived with a severely disfigured face. He died three years later after a suicidal overdose of painkillers. The men's parents and their legal team alleged that a subliminal message of "do it" had been included in the Judas Priest song "Better By You, Better Than Me" from the Stained Class album (actually a cover of a Spooky Tooth number). They alleged the command in the song triggered the suicide attempt. The suit was eventually dismissed. One of the defense witnesses, Dr Timothy E. Moore, wrote an article for Skeptical Inquirer chronicling the trial. The trial was covered in the 1991 documentary Dream Deceivers: The Story Behind James Vance Vs. Judas Priest. In the documentary Halford commented that, if they wanted to insert subliminal commands in their music, killing their fans would be counterproductive and they would prefer to insert the command "Buy more of our records". Regarding the plaintiff's assertions that the statement "do it" was a command to commit suicide, Halford pointed out "do it" had no direct message. After the end of the Painkiller tour in 1991, Halford left Judas Priest. In September 1991, there were indications of internal tensions within the band. Halford went on to form a street-style thrash metal group named Fight in the summer of 1993 with Scott Travis on drums for the recording sessions. He formed this band due to his desire to explore new musical territory, but due to contractual obligations, he left Judas Priest in May 1992. Halford collaborated with Judas Priest in the release of a compilation album entitled Metal Works '73-'93 to commemorate their 20th anniversary. He also appeared in a video by the same title, documenting their history, in which his departure from the band was officially announced later that year. In a 1998 interview on MTV, Halford also revealed his homosexuality, but it came as little surprise to fans as rumours had been circulating for over five years. Halford's former bandmates in Priest stated they were previously aware of his sexual orientation. Tim "Ripper" Owens, who had previously sung in a Judas Priest tribute band called British Steel, was hired in 1996 as Judas Priest's new singer. This line up released two albums, Jugulator and Demolition as well as two live double-albums - '98 Live Meltdown and Live in London, the latter of which had a live DVD counterpart. Jugulator sold relatively well but Demolition did not sit well with fans or mainstream alike; most believed Ripper could not be a true replacement for Halford's vocal abilities. Owens' move from fan and weekend tribute band singer to frontman for the actual band was the inspiration for the film Rock Star. Because the film's content bore only a tangential resemblance to Owens's actual history with the band, Judas Priest later moved to disassociate themselves from the film. The film (starring Mark Wahlberg) was a critical and commercial flop, though the fictional band portrayed in the film - Steel Dragon - achieved a cult status among some heavy metal and Judas Priest fans. On August 15, 2002 PETA, an animal rights group, sent the band's management a request to stop wearing leather onstage. It was even reported that they asked the band to change the name of their Hell Bent for Leather album to Hell Bent for Pleather. Judas Priest responded that they wear artificial leather, but PETA still protested that this could encourage listeners to wear real leather. After almost twelve years apart, as well as an ever-growing demand for a reunion, Judas Priest and original lead vocalist Rob Halford announced they would reunite in July 2003, to coincide with the release of the Metalogy box set. They did a live concert tour in Europe in 2004, and co-headlined the 2004 Ozzfest, being named as the "premier act" by almost all U.S. media coverage of the event. A new studio album, Angel of Retribution, was released on 1 March 2005 (U.S.) on Sony Music/Epic Records to critical and commercial success. A global tour in support of the album ensued, and was hugely successful. Judas Priest and "Ripper" Owens parted amicably, with Owens joining American heavy metal band Iced Earth as the lead singer to record the album The Glorious Burden, released in 2004 and its follow-up Framing Armageddon (Something Wicked Part 1) in 2007 by SPV Records. Ripper left Iced Earth in December 2007 to head his current band called Beyond Fear, whose self-titled debut was release in May 2006, also by SPV Records. He's also currently the singer for guitar legend Yngwie Malmsteen. As for the band Halford, writing for the fourth release was cut off. However, after the Retribution tour in June 2006, Halford announced he would create his own record company, entitled Metal God Entertainment, where he would release all his solo material under his own control. In November 2006 he remastered his back catalog and released it exclusively through Apple's iTunes Store. Two new songs allegedly set for the fourth release, "Forgotten Generation" and "Drop Out", were released through iTunes as well. Along with Kiss, Queen, and Def Leppard, Judas Priest were the inaugural inductees into the "VH1 Rock Honors." The ceremony took place May 25, 2006 in Las Vegas, Nevada, and first aired on May 31, 2006. Their presentation was preceded by the band Godsmack performing a medley of "Electric Eye"/"Victim of Changes"/"Hell Bent for Leather", and Priest themselves played "Breaking the Law", "The Green Manalishi (With The Two-Pronged Crown)" and "You've Got Another Thing Comin'", before which Halford rode a Harley onstage. On April 6, 2006, the Associated Press announced the event by saying "the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame looks to be getting some competition." On April 10, 2008, Blabbermouth.net reported that Nostradamus would be released in Germany on June 13, 2008, Europe on June 16 and a day later in the United States. Judas Priest headlined the Sweden Rock Festival in June 2008. In a June 2006 interview with MTV.com, frontman Rob Halford said in regards to the group's upcoming concept album about the legendary 16th century French prophet Nostradamus, "Nostradamus is all about metal, isn't he? He was an alchemist as well as a seer — a person of extraordinary talent. He had an amazing life that was full of trial and tribulation and joy and sorrow. He's a very human character and a world-famous individual. You can take his name and translate it into any language and everybody knows about him, and that's important because we're dealing with a worldwide audience." In addition to digging new lyrical ground for the band, the album will contain musical elements which might surprise their fans. "It's going to have a lot of depth", Halford said. "There'll be a lot of symphonic elements. We might orchestrate it, without it being overblown. There may be a massive choir at parts and keyboards will be featured more prominently, whereas they've always been in the background before." In addition to this, in a February 2007 interview with Brave Words & Bloody Knuckles, K. K. Downing revealed they have recorded a total of 18 tracks, with a length of over 90 minutes. He notes there is not much he would like to cut down, so it will likely be a double-CD release, their first full-length LP to do so. He adds that Rob Halford's vocal tracks are currently being laid down, and the rhythm will most likely follow suit. Downing also reveals the current orchestrations are MIDI converters, and he does not know if an outside orchestra will be used. Judas Priest announced, via their website, on November 22, 2007 that they would go on tour promoting their Nostradamus-themed album. The tour opened in Helsinki, Finland on June 3, 2008 and is scheduled to go through Europe, North America, Australia, South Korea, Japan. After a few weeks off the tour resumes in Mexico, Colombia, Sao Paulo, and on to Brazil, and Buenos Aires, Argentina. In February 2009, Judas Priest continue their tour when they bring their 'Priest Feast' for arena dates with support from guests Megadeth and Testament. They will play these confirmed dates at Sheffield Arena, Birmingham LG Arena,Glasgow SECC Hall, Manchester Arena, Nottingham Arena, Cardiff Arena, Wembley Arena in London.Sat 02/28/09. The Nostradamus tour will then continue on to Ireland, with dates on Tuesday 02/10/09 Dublin, Wednesday 02/11/09 Belfast. From there it moves to Sweden. Saturday 02/28/09 Stockholm, Sunday 03/01/09 Goteborg, and Wednesday 03/04/09 in a city called Malmo.The tour then continues on to Milan, Italy and for the first time with Halford since 1991, they will perform in the city of Paris, France. In the 2000s, Priest has become known to a new generation thanks to their music being included on the soundtracks of several popular video games. The 2006 PC and Xbox 360 video game, Prey and the PlayStation 2 2005 console games Guitar Hero and RoadKill include "You've Got Another Thing Comin'" on their soundtrack, as does 2002's Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, which features the song on rock station V-Rock. In the prequel, 2006's Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories, V-Rock features the song "Electric Eye". RoadKill also includes "Heading Out to the Highway", back-to-back with the aforementioned song on its classic rock pseudo-radio station. Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80s, also features "Electric Eye", including its intro, "The Hellion". The 2001 PlayStation 2 video game, Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec features "Turbo Lover" on the game's soundtrack. Its sequel Gran Turismo 4 features "Freewheel Burning". The song "Breaking the Law" is also featured on the soundtrack to the 2006 PC, PS2 and Xbox game Scarface: The World is Yours. Additionally, Harmonix announced on April 18, 2008 that the first full-album available for download for the very popular video game Rock Band would be Judas Priest's Screaming for Vengeance. The album became available on April 22 for Xbox 360 and April 24 for Playstation 3. Its sequel, Rock Band 2 features "Painkiller" Judas Priest were one of the first heavy metal bands to modernize the twin-guitar sound, with the duo of K. K. Downing and Glenn Tipton. They combined this sound with Rob Halford's unique vocal style create their own unique style of heavy-rock. They are cited often for their influence on heavy metal and the root sound of the guitar work in speed metal and thrash metal. Many people, including influential musicians and members of prominent hard rock and heavy metal bands, believe that among the foundations for what would define "pure" heavy metal were three early Judas Priest albums: Sad Wings of Destiny (1976), Sin After Sin (1977), and Stained Class (1978). The band often played faster than most rock groups of the time and brought a more "metallic" sound to the guitars. The songs varied from simple and straightforward tunes (e.g. "Starbreaker") to fairly structured material, changing from fast and loud to slower tempo and softer tunes in one song (e.g., "Victim of Changes", "Run of the Mill", "Beyond the Realms of Death"). Some songs, such as 1978's "Exciter", were groundbreaking for their sheer ferocity and speed; others, like "Dissident Aggressor", "Sinner" and "Tyrant", are considered to be the heaviest songs of their day, and today are considered classic metal tracks. Their 1978 album Killing Machine (retitled Hell Bent for Leather and released in 1979 in the USA) saw a change of direction towards shorter, poppier, more American-influenced songs. The following release, British Steel, (April 14, 1980), took an even sharper turn in the same direction and was perhaps the first heavy metal album to record radio-friendly songs with pop hooks, in a concise format. The band's next effort, Point of Entry (February 26, 1981), is harder to define — the sound was very "raw" (i.e. minimal sound manipulation) and the songs were somewhat moody, and paced at a slower than usual tempo. As guitarist Glenn Tipton later admitted, Point of Entry had the tough task of living up to the standards set by its predecessor, and failed to do so. Subsequent albums Screaming for Vengeance (July 17, 1982), which contained the popular radio hit "You've Got Another Thing Comin'", and Defenders of the Faith (January 4, 1984) once again set high standards in intensity and production, and continued to influence the sonic shape of heavy metal. Turbo (April 15, 1986) found the group introducing a "synth-guitar" sound to their metal template. Ram It Down (1988), an album containing several cast-off and reworked tracks from the previous album Turbo, including the eponymous tune, garnered little commercial attention. The style was heavier than the material found on Turbo but still contained the synth elements of the previous release. For Painkiller (1990) Judas Priest returned to a more straightforward heavy metal style with more technical and double-bass drumming from new member Scott Travis. This album represents one of the heaviest and most intense in the band's discography, with Halford's trademark high-pitched wail rising to an ear-splitting shriek on certain tracks. Indeed, Florida death metal band Death have even covered the title track on their album The Sound of Perseverance. Judas Priest also released two albums with Tim 'Ripper' Owens following Rob Halford's departure. Jugulator (1997) was given mixed reviews, although it contains the epic "Cathedral Spires" which became one of Ripper's more popular songs. Demolition (2001) was generally considered another disappointment, although holding some memorable tracks. Judas Priest's Angel of Retribution (2005), which was Rob Halford's first Judas Priest album since 1990, contributed to the current revival of classic heavy metal. It contains songs in the band's classic style, such as "Judas Rising" and "Hellrider", as well as mid-tempo songs with clear and prominent drums and less prominent guitars ("Worth Fighting For", "Wheels of Fire"), a ballad ("Angel"), and the epic ("Lochness") which runs 13:28, a length of song the band had not done since its concerts in the early 1970s. The latest installment in the Judas Priest discography, Nostradamus was released in June 2008. The double-CD/triple-LP concept album details the life of the 16th century French prophet Michel de Nostredame. The style is mostly slow to mid-paced heavy metal, though some songs (particularly the title track) still display the band's trademark speed metal sound. Judas Priest have influenced all metal music since the late-mid 70s either directly or indirectly. Their influence was so important that MTV.com named Judas Priest the second most important band in heavy metal, just behind Black Sabbath. In addition to the sound, Judas Priest are also known for being revolutionaries in heavy metal fashion. Rob Halford began incorporating a macho/biker/S&M style into his look as early as 1978 (to coincide with the release of their album Killing Machine), and the rest of the band followed. It became a mainstay in heavy metal; soon, several other bands, particularly of the NWOBHM and early black metal movements, began incorporating Halford's fashion into their look as well.This sparked a revival in metal in the early '80s, and catapulted them to fame, in both the mainstream and underground. Even in the present, it is not uncommon to find metal artists sporting such a look at concerts. On a few occasions Judas Priest music has also served as score music to serve the heavy metal cliché. A good example is an episode of the German crime investigation series Derrick called "Verlorene Würde" ("Lost Dignity"), first aired 31 May 1991. In this episode a young drug addict is also a fan of heavy metal music. As he is quizzed by the police in his apartment, "Painkiller" by Judas Priest and "Psycho Holiday" by Pantera play from the stereo system. Discography: * Rocka Rolla (GULL - 1974) * Sad Wings of Destiny (GULL [U.K., Europe]; JANUS [U.S.A., Canada, Japan] - 1976) * Sin After Sin (COLUMBIA - 1977) * Stained Class (COLUMBIA - 1978) * Killing Machine/Hell Bent for Leather (COLUMBIA - 1978/1979) * British Steel (COLUMBIA - 1980) * Point of Entry (COLUMBIA - 1981) * Screaming for Vengeance (COLUMBIA - 1982) * Defenders of the Faith (COLUMBIA - 1984) * Turbo (COLUMBIA - 1986) * Ram It Down (COLUMBIA - 1988) * Painkiller (COLUMBIA - 1990) * Jugulator (OMC INTERNATIONAL - 1997) * Demolition (ATLANTIC - 2001) * Angel of Retribution (EPIC/SONY - 2005) * Nostradamus (EPIC/SONY - 2008) Special thanks to Keith Law for content.

The Killjoys

nataliechillington — Sat, 03 May 2008 13:39:53 +0000

Soweto Kinch

nataliechillington — Sat, 03 May 2008 13:40:18 +0000

Denny Laine

nataliechillington — Sat, 03 May 2008 13:40:36 +0000

Steve Lawler

nataliechillington — Sat, 03 May 2008 13:40:59 +0000

Lilac Time

nataliechillington — Sat, 03 May 2008 13:41:20 +0000

Phil Lynott

nataliechillington — Sat, 03 May 2008 13:41:45 +0000

Born in Woodville Convent Home, Raddlebarn Road and baptised in St Edwards Church.

Phil Lynott at 60

Thursday, Aug. 20th 2009

Today would have marked the 60th birthday of Phil Lynott, lead singer of the seminal Irish rock band Thin Lizzy. What has this got to do with Birmingham and the Archive I hear you ask? Well Phil was actually born in Birmingham and lived here for the first few years of his life with his mother Philomena. Amazingly, we also think he made his last ever appearance on record with a Birmingham musician, Colbert Hamilton a.k.a Black Elvis about 3 weeks before his death. This record has lay hidden and unheard for some 25 years. In association with Sam Coley and Ellie Gibbons from the Birmingham School of Media at BCU and Paul Murphy of The Destroyers, BMA have made a 26 minute documentary and two audio/visual slideshows celebrating Phil Lynott, from his early days in Birmingham to his eventual death. We uncover and listen to the ‘lost’ track and talk to Colbert about the experience. I’m really pleased to announce that BBC WM will be playing the documentary in fill on Saturday 22nd August at 13.05 pm. Also on the BBC is a tribute page which can be accessed here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/birmingham/content/articles/2009/08/19/thinlizzy_feature.shtml You can also see and view the audio/visual slide shows that accompany the documentary here: http://www.vimeo.com/5834434 Enjoy!

Magnum

Keith Law — Sat, 03 May 2008 13:42:03 +0000

Magnum are a British Melodic Rock band from Birmingham, England. Formed as a four piece by Tony Clarkin (guitar), Bob Catley (vocals), Kex Gorin (drums) and Bob Doyle (bass) in order to appear as the resident band at The Rum Runner night club Birmingham. Magnum have undergone several changes in personnel over the years; however, the core of vocalist Bob Catley and guitarist/songwriter Tony Clarkin remain today. Magnum's most notable success during their early years was Chase The Dragon in 1982, which reached #17 in the UK, and included several songs that would be mainstays of the band's live set, notably "Soldier Of The Line," "Sacred Hour" and "The Spirit". Their breakthrough album came in 1985 with the Gold Certified album[1] On A Storyteller's Night which featured the single "Just Like An Arrow". This success continued in the following years with the Roger Taylor produced Vigilante in 1986, the Top 5, Silver Certified album Wings Of Heaven in 1988, which featured three Top 40 singles, and the Keith Olsen produced Goodnight L.A. reaching #9 in the UK album charts in 1990. In 1995 Tony Clarkin announced Magnum's split, and later forming another band, Hard Rain. Magnum would eventually reform in 2001, their most recent album Into the Valley of the Moonking was released on the 15th June 2009. Early Years (1972 — 1978) Magnum began as the house band at Birmingham’s famous Rum Runner night club (later the home of Duran Duran). Joining Clarkin and Catley were drummer Kex Gorin and former Uglys and Balls bassist Dave Morgan (later a member of ELO). The band line up remained the same from until 1972 when Les Kitcheridge joined temporarily on guitar. Bob Doyle left Magnum in 1972 to join Roy Wood's Wizzard Morgan comments: "I was absolutely broke, and the people who owned the Rum Runner club were building this new night club called Snobs, and they got all the musicians that worked at the Rum Runner helping out. I went to the Rum Runner one night, so Tony Clarkin said, "Come and earn some money building this new club." So I was down there every day helping them build this thing, and on the night I used to go down to the Rum Runner just to see the groups. I was in there one night, and to cut a long story short, Bob Doyle the original bass player with Magnum left the band, and Tony Clarkin said, "Can you play bass?", I said "Yeah", he said, "You got the job!" That was it, I just happened to be there when Doyle left, so I got his job!" They began to develop their own style by playing Clarkin's songs at a residency at The Railway Inn, in Birmingham's Curzon Street, in 1976. In 1975, Clarkin and Dave Morgan received an offer from Jake Commander to help with the construction of a studio, rather than being paid with money, Clarkin suggested being paid with Studio time. Much of Magnum's early demo material was recorded at Nest Studios on Birmingham, which would later lead to a recording contract with David Arden of Jet Records. During the "Nest" sessions at least two songs written by Dave Morgan (and sung by Bob Catley) were recorded but never released. The titles were "Baby I Need" and "One More Round The Bend", which resurfaced on an acetate disc in 2005. A one off deal with CBS was arranged via producer Roger Greenaway, and the band released a cover of The Searchers' "Sweets for My Sweet" in February 1975; however this failed to trouble the charts. The original recording included a medley of "God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen" but was edited out for the single release.[citation needed] Lead vocals on this song were by Morgan, who left the band soon after, and was replaced by Colin "Wally" Lowe. Success was still minimal; they were working as a backing band for artists such as Del Shannon on small tours.[4] The band was expanded to a five-piece with the addition of Richard Bailey on keyboards. May 1977 saw band support Judas Priest on their Sin After Sin UK tour, still without the backing of a record label. Jet Records (1978 — 1984) Magnum's debut album Kingdom Of Madness was released on Jet Records at the end of 1978 and reached #58 in the UK Charts, receiving a five star review from Geoff Barton of Sounds magazine. They toured the UK in October/November 1978 as support to David Coverdale's Whitesnake. Leo Lyons, formerly bassist with Ten Years After, produced the follow-up album Magnum II — which was released in 1979, but failed to chart. Another support tour was organised for November 1979, this time with Blue Öyster Cult. A live set, Marauder, was released as an album and reached #34 in the UK, and a live double single ("Live at the Marquee", including "Invasion") reached #48 in the singles chart. Bailey departed soon after and was replaced temporarily by Grenville Harding as support to Def Leppard's On Through The Night UK tour in March. For the second leg in April, permanent replacement Mark Stanway took over keyboard duties. Magnum also appeared at the Reading Festival in 1980. April 1981 saw another support tour with Tygers Of Pan Tang on their Spellbound UK tour. Their most notable success during these early years was the Jeff Glixman produced Chase The Dragon (1982) which reached #17 in the UK, and included several songs that would be mainstays of the bands live set, notably "Soldier Of The Line", "Sacred Hour" and "The Spirit". Glixman was previously best known for his work with Kansas, and this was the first Magnum release to feature the artwork of fantasy artist Rodney Matthews. The tour included a support slot with Krokus in February on their One Vice at a Time UK tour. as well as a few US dates were played during the summer of 1982, supporting labelmate Ozzy Osbourne – these would ultimately prove to be the only live gigs the band have ever played (to date) outside of the UK and Europe. The band returned to the UK in July for their own headlining tour of the UK. Budgetary constraints at Jet denied Magnum the use of an outside producer for 1983's Clarkin-produced The Eleventh Hour, which peaked at UK #38. . A UK tour started in May 1983, featuring additional guitarist Robin George for live performances. Magnum also appeared at the 1983 Reading Festival, with George in attendance. Magnum and Jet parted company shortly after, and there followed a twelve month period of instability with the band's future clouded by uncertainty. Many fans believed that Magnum had split up. Kex Gorin was replaced by Jim Simpson and Stanway took some time away from the band to work with Phil Lynott and was replaced by Eddie George. An independent tour was organised for February 1984 without the backing of a record label. Lawrence Archer temporarily stood in for Tony Clarkin, when he became ill. [edit] Storyteller’s Night and Chart Success (1985 — 1995) Stanway had returned to the band in 1984, and they toured the UK in January 1985. Magnum signed a one-off deal with FM Records, and released On A Storyteller's Night, and was also notable for the cover by Rodney Matthews. It reached #24 in the UK and launched the band across Europe. For the May UK tour Jim Simpson was replaced by Mickey Barker. The success of Storyteller's earned the band a major label deal with Polydor, and they embarked on the most commercially successful period of their career - opening the famous Monsters of Rock festival at Castle Donington in August 1985, on a bill that also included Bon Jovi, Metallica, Marillion and headliners ZZ Top. A second leg for the Storyteller's tour was concluded in December 1985. The first release for the label was co-produced by Queen drummer Roger Taylor in 1986, entitled Vigilante. The switch to Polydor saw an increase in the marketing budget, and promotional videos were made for the singles "Lonely Night" and "Midnight". A full UK and European tour scheduled in March 1986, including appearances at The Garden Party Festival, Milton Keynes Bowl in June and Out In The Green Festival. A second UK leg was organised in September 1986 and finishing in Europe in November 1986. In March 1987 the band embarked on a third UK and European tour and an appearance at 1987's Reading Festival. Magnum enjoyed increased success with the album Wings Of Heaven (#5 in the UK). Three singles from "Wings of Heaven" reached the UK Top 40, including a Top of The Pops appearance with "Start Talking Love". A successful tour followed in December, and by now Magnum had been elevated to an 'Arena' band in the UK, headlining Birmingham N.E.C. and several nights at London's Hammersmith Odeon, supported by the Norwegian band Stage Dolls. The band went to Los Angeles for the Keith Olsen produced Goodnight L.A. (reaching #9 in the UK charts). The band performed at Berlin's Arena Festival, followed by a full UK and European tour in September 1990. They toured the UK again in November. Following Goodnight L.A.'s lukewarm reception Magnum parted company with Polydor. They released the live album The Spirit in 1991 and toured the UK and Europe again to support the album. During the concerts in Germany the band played live with the Roger Taylor band The Cross. Magnum continued to release albums for various labels on one-off deals, the first being Sleepwalking in 1992 on Music For Nations with a full UK tour in October. This was followed by the acoustic album Keeping The Nite Light Burning in 1993 with a UK tour in April. Rock Art was released in 1994 on EMI. A UK tour was scheduled for April, but the remaining dates in May and June were postponed or cancelled. A low key tour was arranged for August and Europe in September. In the summer of 1995 Tony Clarkin announced the band were to split and a farewell tour of the UK and Europe took place in March, documented on the live album Stronghold (titled The Last Dance in mainland Europe). Split and Hard Rain years (1995 — 2001) Main article: Hard Rain (band) After Magnum split, a spin off group featuring Catley and Clarkin was formed called Hard Rain, and they released the albums Hard Rain and When The Good Times Come. It was around this time that Catley launched a solo career using various songwriters, including Gary Hughes of the band Ten. However, Hard Rain found gigs and bookings hard to come by, and there were discussions about renaming the band as Magnum. Also, at this time, Catley was becoming increasingly focused on his solo career, and he quit Hard Rain, marking the end of a working relationship with Clarkin that dated back to 1972. After a quiet period Clarkin announced the end of Hard Rain. Reformation and beyond (2002 — ) Eventually, Clarkin and Catley re-launched Magnum with the album Breath Of Life in 2002 on SPV with a UK tour in December. They were again joined by Stanway, with former Hard Rain bassist Al Barrow and former-Thunder drummer Harry James. This was subsequently followed by Brand New Morning in 2004 with appearances at Germany's Bang Your Head Festival and Lorca Rock Festival in Spain with a tour around the UK and Europe in December. Clarkin comments: "The break since the middle of the Nineties was definitely necessary for me. Since the end of the Seventies, in fact since we embarked on the preparations for our debut recording Kingdom Of Madness, not a single month had gone by in which I didn't work for Magnum, composed for the group, or at least thought of them permanently. For almost twenty years, all my thoughts had revolved around the band. I needed a break to clear my head and to be able to devote myself to the band again with renewed energy."[6] — Tony Clarkin, 2002 When Harry James returned full time to Thunder, Jimmy Copley became a full-time member of Magnum. The band toured in April 2005 to mark the 20th anniversary of On A Storyteller's Night they released a live DVD of the Astoria concert entitled Livin' The Dream, which came complete with a small documentary and promotional videos from throughout the band's history. Magnum completed work on a new studio album, Princess Alice And The Broken Arrow released on 26 March 2007, that also marked the return of cover artwork by Rodney Matthews. The album entered the UK Album Charts at #70, the first time Magnum have charted in the UK since 1994. It also reached #4 on the BBC Rock Album Charts and #60 in Germany, the bands biggest market outside of the UK along with Scandinavia. Magnum toured the UK and Europe in May 2007. Harry James played drums temporarily for half the tour as Jimmy Copley was taken ill. In 2005 former drummer, Kex Gorin was diagnosed with kidney cancer. Gorin had a kidney removed and underwent radiotherapy and steroid treatment, but died of the disease on 21 December 2007.[7] Magnum undertook a UK tour celebrating the 20th Anniversary of Wings Of Heaven in November 2007. These shows were recorded for Wings of Heaven Live album which was released in March 2008. On 10/12/07 Magnum played a one off show at the Robin 2, Bilston, Wolverhampton. This was a charity event in aid of former drummer Kex Gorin and Family. An auction of memorabilia was staged before the show which raised over £10,000. Magnum then played a 2 hour set of old and new material. On 15 June 2009 they released Into the Valley of the Moonking on SPV. In 2010 the band plan to release The Gathering on Universal/Sanctuary; their first ever cross-career collection spread over 5 discs featuring a 1988 live recording from Hammersmith Odeon. In August 2010 the band announced their next album The Visitation will be released on 14th January 2011 in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, in Europe on the 17th and in the US and Canada on the 25th Band members Current members * Bob Catley — Vocals (1972 — 1995; 2000 — present) * Tony Clarkin — Guitar & Vocals (1972 — 1995; 2000 — present) * Al Barrow — Bass Guitar (2001 — present) * Harry James — Drums & Percussion (2005 — present) * Mark Stanway — Keyboards (1980 — 1984; 1985 — 1995; 2001 — present) Former members * Bob Doyle - Bass Guitar & Vocals (1972) * Dave Morgan — Bass Guitar & Lead Vocals (1972 — 1975) * Colin "Wally" Lowe — Bass Guitar & Vocals (1975 — 1995) * Kex Gorin — Drums & Percussion (1972 — 1984) * Jim Simpson — Drums & Percussion (1984) * Mickey Barker — Drums & Percussion (1985 — 1995) * Harry James — Drums & Percussion (2001 — 2005) * Richard Bailey — Keyboards, Flute & Vocals (1976 — 1980) Temporary Members * Les Kitcheridge — Guitar & Vocals (1972) * Robin George — Rhythm Guitar (1983) — Touring member for The Eleventh Hour tour * Laurence Archer — Guitar (1984) — Temporary touring member for the 1984 UK tour when Tony Clarkin was ill * Grenville Harding — Keyboards (1980) — Touring member for the 1980 UK tour * Eddie George — Keyboards (1984) — Touring member for the 1984 UK tour * Harry James — Drums & Percussion (2007) — Temporary touring member for the 2007 UK tour when Jimmy Copley was ill. Compiled by Keith Law Information from Wikipedia

Nick Mason

nataliechillington — Sat, 03 May 2008 13:42:37 +0000

Christine Mcvie

nataliechillington — Sat, 03 May 2008 13:43:00 +0000

Mighty Math

nataliechillington — Sat, 03 May 2008 13:43:19 +0000

Mighty Mighty

nataliechillington — Sat, 03 May 2008 13:43:39 +0000

Misspent Yuma

nataliechillington — Sat, 03 May 2008 13:44:04 +0000

Misty's Big Adventure

nataliechillington — Sat, 03 May 2008 13:44:33 +0000

Misty's Big Adventure are an eight piece band from Birmingham. Their music is an eclectic mix of jazz, lounge, psychedelia, two tone, pop and punk. A long time fixture on the Birmingham experimental music scene, Grandmaster Gareth formed the band in 1996 with his friend Sam Minnear. The name was taken from a story in the 1968 children's book The Magic Roundabout Annual about a kitten, Misty, who meets a dog and they become friends.

Misty's songs typically consist of Grandmaster Gareth singing in a deadpan, maudlin style accompanied by lively guitar, keyboards and brass players. They occasionally include samples and toy instruments in their songs. Contrasting with Gareth's dour lounge-singer act is the dancer Erotic Volvo. Dressed in a loose full-body red sack with numerous stuffed blue gloves attached, and his face painted blue, he dances continuously and in an exhaustingly frenetic manner, often moving around the audience. He occasionally also performs as a human beat box.

All members of the band are trained musicians, and are predominantly based in the Moseley suburb of Birmingham. The band's spiritual home was the Jug of Ale venue in Moseley, where they played regularly until it was shut down in 2008, fittingly, Misty's played the last ever gig there. They have played widely outside Birmingham too and since 2005 they have toured extensively around the UK with forays into Europe, and support slots for The Zutons and The Magic Numbers. They are managed by Mathew Priest, formerly the drummer with Dodgy.

Band Members:
Grandmaster Gareth (real name Gareth Jones) (vocals),
Hannah Baines (trumpet)
Lucy Baines (saxophone)
Lucy Bassett (keyboards)
Matt Jones (bass)
Sam Minnear (drums, percussion)
John Kedge (guitar)
Erotic Volvo (dancer).

Former members:
DJ Feva

Special thanks to Keith Law for content.

The Moody Blues

Keith Law — Sat, 03 May 2008 13:44:52 +0000

Graeme Edge drums Denny Laine vocal, guitar (left 1966) Mike Pinder vocal, piano, mellotron Ray Thomas vocal, flute Clint Warwick vocal, bass guitar (left 1966) Justin Hayward vocal, guitar, sitar (joined 1966) John Lodge vocal, bass guitar, cello (joined 1966) The Moody Blues were the first of the Brum Beat bands to become internationally famous and would later have a huge influence on what became known as the "progressive" music scene. Formed in May of 1964 in Birmingham and first known as The Moody Blues Five (M&B5), they took their name rom the local M&B brewing company in hope of getting sponsorship. The group members came from various Birmingham bands that are worth mentioning as follows: Lead singer and guitarist Brian Hines (Denny Laine) was born 29th October 1944 and lived in Holcombe Road, Tyseley. One of his earliest bands was Johnny Dean and The Dominators who played regularly at The Mermaid pub on Stratford Road. Johnny Dean was an early alias for Brian who worked at Rackhams by day but he would soon turn professional in 1962 with the new name of Denny Laine and fronting The Diplomats, a well known Midlands group that also included future Move drummer Bev Bevan (see Denny Laine and The Diplomats). Ray Thomas was born in Stourport on 29th December 1942. While living in Erdington and apprenticing as an engineer, he formed his first band as El Riot and The Rebels in which he was the lead singer and harmonica player. The Rebels also included drummer Bob Sheward as well as guitarists Brian Betteridge and John Lodge who was born in Birmingham on July 20, 1945. Also living in Erdington on Wheelwright Road was piano player Mike Pinder, born 27th December 1941. He played part-time with El Riot and The Rebels and had previously led his own group called The Rocking Tuxedo's. El Riot and The Rebels became known for appearing on stage wearing full Mexican gear and managed to become regulars on the Noel Gordon hosted Lunchbox television show. John Lodge switched to bass guitar when the band acquired Mike Heard as lead guitarist. El Riot and The Rebels eventually split in 1963 when they were offered some bookings in Germany but only Ray Thomas and Mike Pinder were willing to go and John Lodge wanted to complete a drafting apprenticeship. Thomas and Pinder formed a new group called The Krewcats (not to be confused with Shadows drummer Brian Bennett's band of that name) and went over to Germany from May to November of 1963. Meanwhile back in Birmingham, Graeme Edge who was born 30th March 1944 and lived in Coventry Road, Small Heath, was playing drums in a group called Gerry Levene and The Avengers. The group also included Jim Onslow on bass guitar and guitarist Mike Hopkins who would later join The Diplomats. Gerry Levene was the stage name for Aston singer Micky Gibbs. For a short time, the Avengers lead guitarist was Roy Wood (see Mike Sheridan and The Nightriders). Albert Eccles from Aston, was born on 25th June 1940, and had started playing guitar as a member of a band called The Rainbow Boys. He changed his name to the more suitable Clint Warwick after he became the bass guitarist for Danny King's Dukes (see Danny King), a group that was well known throughout the Midlands and also managed to secure a season at Butlins holiday camp in Scotland. When Ray Thomas and Mike Pinder got back from Germany at the end of 1963, they found the Birmingham music scene made up of bands that imitated either the Shadows or The Beatles. The Spencer Davis Group was at that time standing apart from the rest with their Rhythm & Blues based sound so Danny King and Clint Warwick along with Graeme Edge who had left The Avengers, decided that R&B was the kind of music to play. Denny Laine from the Diplomats was also interested to start a new project, so the quartet started rehearsing and came up with the name The R&B Preachers A chance meeting with Ray Thomas and Mike Pinder at the Moathouse Club resulted in the formation of a new group, although Danny King had by this time lost interest A plan was put in place to gain sponsorship from the Mitchells & Butlers brewery, so the name M&B Five was adopted, but the company was not interested so the initials were adapted to represent "Moody" and "Blues". In May of 1964, the band was rehearsing and performing regularly at Birmingham's Carlton Ballroom in Erdington and their blue suited act was spotted by London manager Tony Secunda who would go on to play a major role in the careers of several Brumbeat groups. Secunda got the band to perform at London's famous Marquee Club and shortly after, arranged a record deal with the Moody Blues signing to the prestigious Decca Records label. Their first single Steal Your Heart Away was a soulful effort and the b-side Lose Your Money, co-written by Denny Laine and Mike Pinder was an energetic though typical beat-style recording. The single did not chart but the Moody Blues appeared on TV for the first time on the popular show 'Ready Steady Go!' Mike, Denny, Clint, Graeme, Ray. Looking for hit material, their second single was an inventive arrangement of an obscure song by American singer Bessie Banks and the recording featured a group vocal backing that would become a Moody Blues trade mark. "We tried to make it sound like gospel in our own limited way" said Denny. The song was Go Now and it became a worldwide hit for the Moody Blues in late 1964, reaching No. 1 in the British charts and also making top ten in the USA. This sudden success lead to many TV appearances and both national and international touring. A follow-up proved hard to find but The Moody Blues recorded songs for their first album which included favourites from their stage-show like James Brown's I Go Crazy, George Gershwin's classic It Ain't Necessarily So (sung by Ray Thomas) and the Laine/Pinder composition From The Bottom Of My Heart which was also released as a single. Another song Stop was also released as a single in the USA and managed a chart placing there while the Moody Blues went to America on a package tour together with Peter & Gordon and fellow brummies The Fortunes. Despite the massive success of Go Now, subsequent singles by the Moody Blues had diminishing impact on the record charts and this was at a time when pop groups depended upon regular hit records rather than album sales for their survival. The Moody Blues' self composed fifth single Everyday released in October 1965 only got to No. 44 in the charts despite its commercial appeal, and by 1966 the group were obliged to reduce their booking fees. Beatles manager Brian Epstein took over management of the Moody Blues in 1966 but this did little to improve the situation. By August, bass guitarist Clint Warwick who disliked touring had left the band and went back to Birmingham to work as a carpenter. Clint Warwick passed away in 2004. He was replaced temporarily by Rod Clarke who later joined The Rockin' Berries. Before the end of the year, Denny Laine would also leave to begin a solo career By late 1966, the Moody Blues were faced with the prospect of performing on the cabaret circuit to make ends meet. Drummer Graeme Edge recalled "We were tagged one-hit-wonders. We had nine months of glory and then went back to 50 pound a night on the road!". Replacement band members were bass guitarist John Lodge (formerly of El Riot and The Rebels) who had completed his drafting apprenticeship and was playing in a Birmingham group over in Germany called the John Bull Breed along with former Rebels guitarist Mike Heard. Denny Laine's position in the new Moody Blues line-up was filled by singer/guitarist Justin Hayward who came from Swindon. Mike, Ray, Justin, Graeme, John. Justin Hayward was born on October 14, 1946. He was originally in a band called the Wilde Three (with singer Marty Wilde) and had also recorded some singles under his own name although none of them charted. Meanwhile, Decca Records continued to release "new" Moody Blues singles made up of material that had been recorded with the original line up of the band including a song Boulevard De La Madelaine which has been regarded by some as one of their best tracks. The first single to be recorded by the new line-up of the group was Justin Hayward's Fly Me High, a deliberate and catchy attempt on the record charts, which was released in May of 1967 but despite airplay on pirate radio stations, the song failed to gain a chart position. The Moody Blues had changed their musical direction by early 1967 with Mike Pinder supplementing his piano with a Mellotron - a revolutionary and mechanically-complex instrument that used a system of pre-recorded tapes to create a distinctive orchestral/atmospheric sound and was forerunner of today's modern electronic sampling keyboards. This, combined with group-written songs containing mystical lyrics and a classical feel, set them apart from the other pop acts of that time. They even included spoken poetry between the songs. The Moody Blues' innovative stage presentation started to gain them a new audience and the band toured France in the summer of 1967 (note: the Mellotron was developed and manufactured by the Bradley Brothers at Streetly Electronics in Birmingham. Mike Pinder also worked at Streetly Electronics in the early 1960s. Decca Records became interested in the Moody Blues' new "progressive" sound and proposed an experiment where the group would record an album of classical compositions supported by a full symphony orchestra. The record company intended to use the results of this as a means of demonstrating their new "Deramic" stereo recording process. The Moody Blues went a step further and with the co-operation of orchestral arranger Peter Knight, recorded an entire album of their own music in just five days with the London Festival Orchestra. Despite initial reluctance by the record company, the resulting collection entitled Days Of Future Passed, was released on the Decca subsidiary Deram label that was specialising in progressive music. Days Of Future Passed - released in November of 1967 - was a milestone in music, giving rise to the "concept album" and reached No. 27 in the UK and No. 3 in the USA charts thus gaining the band a foot-hold on the all-important American market. The album was to become a huge influence on many other groups for years to come. From the album came the Moody Blues' classic single Nights In White Satin, written by Justin Hayward, and reaching number 9 in the UK, becoming their first top 20 hit since Go Now. Another single Tuesday Afternoon reached No. 24 in the USA and successful concert tours soon followed. The Moody Blues' next album released in 1968 titled In Search Of The Lost Chord was a major success on both sides of the Atlantic and it featured the songwriting efforts of all the group members. Unlike their previous album, this record had the band playing all the instruments themselves without orchestral backing. The album included the classic song Legend Of A Mind composed by Ray Thomas as a tribute to the American LSD pioneer Timothy Leary and is probably one of the great album tracks of all time. New singles were also released including Justin Hayward's Voices In The Sky and John Lodge's Ride My See Saw which both scored high chart placings. In 1969 the Moody Blues released the album On The Threshold Of A Dream which topped the charts in the UK and scoring high in the USA. The success inspired the band to form their own Threshold Records label and record shops. The Moody Blues would continue their international success into the early 1970s and after a six year break to concentrate on solo projects, the group re-formed in the late 70's and early 80's to make more top selling records. Keyboard player and founding member Mike Pinder left the group in 1978 and was replaced by Patrick Moraz. Although their record releases have not been so frequent in the 1990's, they are the most successful of all the Birmingham groups from the 1960s in terms of longetivity and international acclaim. With Special Thanks to Copyright-© John R Woodhouse Brum BeatPre- Go Now days, The Moody Blues, would be playing the same venues, as the rest of us regular guys. The Casino Club, Walsall, Whiskey A Go Go, Birmingham, to name just a couple.

My band ' The Williamson played regularly at the Casino, supporting band there like The Soul Seekers, and The Moodies Before I formed The Williamsons I'd often spend Saturday night at the Casino, bopping to the bands, and remember one memorable night. It was January 1st. 1965. and The Moodies were appearing on the very week Go Now, reached No. 1 in the charts. It's hard to believe that this now 'super group' used to arrive at the venue on a double-decker bus, with Mike Pinder standing on the platform, with his double bass, and the drums packed under the bus stairs! We'd all help them up the staircase of the Casino, so we'd hopefully obtain free entry to the club.

Compiled by Keith Law

The Move

nataliechillington — Sat, 03 May 2008 13:45:13 +0000

One of the most successful pop groups to come out of Birmingham in the 1960s in terms of British chart success, they were also the hardest to categorize musically as their style ranged from pop to psychedelic, progressive, heavy metal, 1950s style rock 'n' roll and even country and western. Above all, it was Roy Wood's talent as a highly original songwriter that propelled the band on an extended chart run. Many songs that Roy Wood composed for The Move in the first few years were considered by some to be drug inspired but in reality, a lot of his early lyrics were written while supposedly attending classes at the Moseley School of Art while he was there as a student. Despite the groups' controversial reputation and almost constant inner turmoil, The Move laid the foundations of what was to become one of the biggest and most successful rock bands of the 1970s. The Move was formed in December of 1965 by Roy Wood from Mike Sheridan and The Nightriders, Carl Wayne, Chris "Ace" Kefford and Bev Bevan from the Vikings and Trevor Burton from the Mayfair Set. The original plan formulated by Burton, Kefford, and Wood was to start a group consisting of Birmingham's supposedly best musicians and create a look and sound similar to The Who. The Cedar Club on Constitution Hill hosted late night jam sessions and it was there where the future Move members first got together on stage. Veteran Brum vocalist Carl Wayne was invited to be the front-man and Bev Bevan was chosen as drummer (see Carl Wayne and The Vikings). After a debut gig at the Belfry Hotel in Stourbridge and further bookings in the Birmingham area, Moody Blues manager Tony Secunda saw them and offered his services. Tony Secunda was one of the more controversial pop managers of the 1960s and his tactics were likely a big influence on future Sex Pistols' manager Malcolm McLaren. Material performed on stage by the Move at this time included many covers of American west coast groups such as The Byrds and Moby Grape as well as various Motown and rock 'n' roll classics. Although Carl Wayne handled most of the lead vocals, all the band members shared harmonies and each were allowed at least one lead vocal per show. Tony Secunda secured The Move a season at London's famous Marquee Club where they became known for their wild stage act which included flash bombs, smoke, and Carl Wayne using an axe to hack apart effigies of political figures and smashing up old TV sets. The ensuing notoriety soon helped to gain The Move a recording contract with Deram, a subsidiary of Decca Records and publicity-seeking Secunda made sure that newspaper reporters were present when the band signed the contract on the back of a topless female model. It was Tony Secunda who also pushed Roy Wood into writing songs for the band. Although his only previously published composition was a single B-side by the Nightriders, Roy came up with the inventive Night Of Fear for the Move's first single. The song borrowed the catchy riff from the classical 1812 Overture and was released late in 1966 to reach No. 2 in the U.K. charts by early 1967. This was soon followed by two more Roy Wood originals; the driving I Can Hear The Grass Grow (chart position No. 5), and the ultimate paisley-pop anthem Flowers In The Rain (chart position No. 2) which also had the honour of being the first record played on the BBC's new Radio One pop station. The Move's success ensured them regular radio and TV appearances. However, an ill-advised publicity stunt meant to capitalize on a current news tabloid scandal, resulted in promotional postcards being manufactured that had a cartoon of prime minister Harold Wilson shown in a compromising position with his secretary. The PM was not amused and he took the group and their manager to court, suing for libel and winning the case. This resulted in the song-writing royalties for Flowers In The Rain being confiscated and donated to charities of Wilson's choice. The Harold Wilson episode strained and ultimately ended the relationship The Move had with Tony Secunda and the band secured Don Arden as their new management. Don Arden already had a reputation as one of the toughest managers in the music business and one whose methods were regarded as quite controversial, although he had pushed a number a groups to success such as The Nashville Teens, The Small Faces, and Amen Corner. In November 1967, The Move undertook a U.K. package tour that also included The Jimi Hendrix Experience, The Pink Floyd and Amen Corner (the Move supplied backing vocals to the Jimi Hendrix Experience album Axis Bold As Love on the track You Got Me Floatin'). The Move also released their first album and it reached No. 15 in the charts. Despite the success of their latest single Fire Brigade (chart position No. 3), all was not well in the band. Ace Kefford left The Move in early 1968, reportedly owing to nervous exhaustion and mental breakdown. He later formed his own band (see The Ace Kefford Stand ). Trevor Burton took his place on bass guitar and The Move now reduced to four members, continued recording and touring. (Note: a version of Fire Brigade was also recorded by the Brum group The Fortunes). A new Move single Wild Tiger Woman, which had controversial lyrics, was released in July 1968 but did not chart thus becoming the group's first failure. However, their next single, the majestic Blackberry Way, released at the end of 1968, got to No. 1 and became one of the classic songs of the era. In spite of this, Trevor Burton quit the band after an argument on stage with Bev Bevan during a show in Sweden. Burton was quoted as saying he "hated" Blackberry Way and was fed up with playing disposable pop songs. Burton joined a new line-up of the Birmingham band The Uglys with whom after the addition of Denny Laine and Steve Gibbons became known as Balls (see Balls). His place was taken by Rick Price from the Birmingham band Sight & Sound. The next Move single, Curly, was not as strong as Blackberry Way but still made it to No. 12 in the charts and in late 1969, the band embarked on their first tour of the USA. The tour was not a big success, mainly due to lack of planning and promotion, for although The Move had a more serious 'underground' following in America, record sales there were small with the only airplay on alternative or college FM stations. On their return to the UK, they went, like many West Midlands bands before them, on the lucrative 'cabaret' circuit which was a likely cause of friction between vocalist Carl Wayne and the rest of the band. By this time The Move was again under new management from pop manager Peter Walsh who specialized in cabaret acts and had bought the group's contract from Don Arden. There were also disagreements within the band over who should sing lead vocal on the Move's singles and after the inevitable arguments, Carl Wayne left for a solo career. He went on to enjoy success as a cabaret singer and TV actor, even appearing on ITV's Crossroads series and in various theatrical productions; a far cry from smashing televisions on stage with The Move. In 1999 Carl Wayne became lead vocalist for Manchester's world-famous band The Hollies as replacement for Allan Clarke in that group. Carl Wayne passed away on August 31, 2004 after a battle with cancer . The Move once again came under Don Arden's management and Roy Wood, now firmly in artistic control of the band, asked his friend Jeff Lynne from The Idle Race to join as Carl Wayne's replacement (see The Idle Race). Lynne had previously been asked after Trevor Burton's departure but had declined although this time he accepted the offer and the first Move single recorded with him entitled Brontosaurus, was released in April of 1970. To promote Brontosaurus, The Move appeared on TV with Roy Wood featuring outrageous clothes and facial make-up and thus pre-dating the "Glam Rock" era by a few years. The resulting publicity helped the single gain a No. 7 chart position. Roy Wood and Jeff Lynne had an idea to form a new band that would incorporate classical instruments and create a sound similar to what the Beatles had achieved on their innovative recording of I Am The Walrus. Wood and Lynne with the financial backing of Don Arden, set about recording an album based on this concept and also discontinued playing live shows but in the meantime were required by contract to continue releasing and promoting records by The Move. The recording of the new "classical" album continued at a slow pace. Bass guitarist Rick Price left the group to join Mongrel after The Move stopped touring, but new Move singles Tonight and China Town were hits and the group continued to make appearances on TV shows like Top Of The Pops. After a final Move album Message From The Country, The Move's last single California Man was released and reached No. 7 in the Charts in May of 1972. A b-side Do Ya, composed by Lynne, also became a minor hit in the USA, oddly the only Move record to have any impact on the American charts. Finally, the new Roy Wood/Jeff Lynne/Bev Bevan album was finished and released under the name of The Electric Light Orchestra (name derived from the Midland Light Orchestra). A single from the album, 10538 Overture, made the top ten in the British charts and a national tour along with radio and TV appearances to promote the new band followed. The group by this time also included Richard Tandy (previously with The Uglys) on bass guitar, Bill Hunt (from Breakthru) on piano and french horn, cellists Andy Craig and Hugh McDowell, and Wilf Gibson on violin. The album was a critical success, but sold poorly due to the experimental nature of most of the songs. Jeff Lynne would later remark that much of it sounded like "a load of old dustbins falling down the stairs" though he has since acknowledged it as ground-breaking and innovative for that time. The Wizzard: After reportedly falling-out with Jeff Lynne from differences in opinion over musical direction and coupled with the difficulties in reproducing the Electric Light Orchestra sound live on stage, Roy Wood left the group in early 1973. He soon formed a new band called Wizzard (see Mongrel) which included former Move member Rick Price, drummers Charlie Grima (see The Ghost) and Keith Smart (see The Uglys), saxophonists Mike Burney and Nick Pentelow, and fellow ELO defectors Bill Hunt on piano and Hugh McDowell on cello. After a successful debut at London's Wembley Stadium, Wizzard shot to the forefront of the "Glam Rock" movement and released several top selling singles including two No. 1 hits in 1973; See My Baby Jive and Angel Fingers as well as the seasonal favourite I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday. Roy Wood's chart success continued until the late 1970s and after several years of writing and producing for other artists, continues to perform today with his own Roy Wood Big Band as well as making regular appearances on local TV and radio. Meanwhile, the Electric Light Orchestra (or ELO) now under Jeff Lynne's control, along with remaining original Move member Bev Bevan, went on to become one of the most successful bands of the 1970s, achieving hit records and multi-million selling albums worldwide. Managed by Don Arden, ELO's spectacular success, particularly in the USA where they toured consistently and played to packed stadiums, continued into the 1980s. The group produced many classic recordings, all composed by Jeff Lynne, such as Evil Woman, Telephone Line, Mr Blue Sky and Don't Bring Me Down amongst many others. ELO disbanded in 1985 but Jeff Lynne continued to have behind-the-scenes success as songwriter and producer, helping to revive the careers of George Harrison, Roy Orbison and Tom Petty. He also formed the highly-acclaimed Traveling Wilburys with Harrison, Orbison, Petty and Bob Dylan and realized many a producer's greatest ambition when he produced John Lennon's Free As A Bird for the Beatles controversial "reunion" in 1995. He continues to be much-in-demand as a producer and songwriter of considerable talent and reputation. Jeff Lynne also finally went out on the road again in 2001 with a new ELO line-up and album. After a brief stint in the legendary Brum heavy metal band Black Sabbath, drummer Bev Bevan formed the Electric Light Orchestra Part II in the late 1980s which included some former ELO members and featuring songs on stage made famous by the 1970s version of ELO. The group toured worldwide for about 10 years until Bev Bevan's departure to become a part-time radio DJ and session player. Still based in Birmingham, he has since performed with his own band and is currently touring with a new line-up of The Move that also includes original member Trevor Burton. The Move: Carl Wayne lead vocal (left 1970) Roy Wood vocal, lead guitar, bass, cello, oboe Ace Kefford vocal, bass guitar (left 1968) Trevor Burton vocal, guitar/bass (left 1969) Bev Bevan drums and vocal Rick Price vocal, bass guitar (joined 1969 - left 1971) Jeff Lynne vocal, piano, guitar (joined 1970) Content recognition: With special thanks to Keith Law

Musical Youth

nataliechillington — Sat, 03 May 2008 13:45:34 +0000

Musical Youth is a Grammy Award-nominated British-Jamaican pop/reggae group. Formed in 1979 at Duddeston Manor School in Birmingham, England. They are best remembered for their successful 1982 Grammy-nominated single, "Pass the Dutchie." Some critics and fans say the group was inspired after New Edition and The Jacksons. Members: * Michael Grant - born on 6 July 1969, in Birmingham - keyboards, vocals * Kelvin Grant - born on 9 July 1971, in Birmingham - guitar, vocals * Dennis Seaton - born on 2 March 1967 - lead vocals, percussion * Patrick Waite - born on 16 June 1968; died on 18 February 1993 - bass, vocals * Freddie "Junior" Waite - born on 23 May 1967 - drums, vocals The group featured two sets of brothers, Kelvin and Michael Grant, plus Junior and Patrick Waite. The latter pair's father, Frederick Waite, was a former member of Jamaican group The Techniques, and sang lead with Junior at the start of the group's career in the late 1970s. They received a Grammy Award nomination for Best New Artist on its 25th Anniversary on February 23, 1983. Although schoolboys, the group managed to secure gigs at certain Birmingham pubs and released a single, "Political" / "Generals", on local label 021 Records. An appearance on BBC disc jockey John Peel's evening show brought further attention to the group, and they were signed to MCA Records. By that time, founding father Frederick Waite had backed down, to be replaced by Dennis Seaton as lead singer. During the winter of 1982, the group issued one of the fastest-selling singles of the year in "Pass the Dutchie". Based on the Mighty Diamonds "Pass The Kouchie" (a song about cannabis), the title had been subtly altered to feature the patois "dutchie", referring to a type of pot used for cooking. This idea is reinforced throughout the political and economic overtones throughout the song about extreme poverty and Musical Youth asking the question "How does it feel when ya got no food?" The infectious enthusiasm of the group's performance captured the public's imagination, and duly propelled the record to Number 1 in the UK singles chart. It went on to sell over four million copies, and was nominated for a Grammy Award. A US Top 10 placing also followed. The video made them one of the first black artists to be played on MTV. The catchy follow-up, "Youth Of Today", reached number 13 in the UK singles chart, and early in 1983, "Never Gonna Give You Up", climbed to UK Number 6. Minor successes with "Heartbreaker" and "Tell Me Why", were succeeded by a surprise collaboration with Donna Summer on the UK Top 20 hit "Unconditional Love". A revival of Desmond Dekker's "007" saw them back in the Top 30, but after one final hit with "Sixteen", they fell from commercial grace, and subsequently split up in 1985 when Seaton left the band. The Grant brothers remained involved in music, while Dennis Seaton released a solo set in 1989, before going on to form his own band, XMY. Plans to re-form were initially scotched when on February 18, 1993, band member Patrick Waite, who had gone on to a career of juvenile crime, died of natural causes (hereditary heart condition) whilst awaiting a court appearance on drug charges. In 2001, Musical Youth reformed. They were set to perform at the English ‘Here & Now’ tour, which features performances by many great artists from the 1980s. Due to the 9/11 attacks, the tour was cancelled. However, by 2003 Musical Youth were back, appearing in a 1980s nostalgia tour. By 2005, now reduced to just a duo of Michael Grant and Dennis Seaton, Musical Youth performed at Wiesen festival in Austria. Discography: Albums: * The Youth of Today (1982) * Different Style (1983) Compilations: * Anthology (1994) * The Best Of Musical Youth …Maximum Volume (1995) * The Best Of Musical Youth (20th Century Masters-The Millennium Collection (2004) Special thanks to Keith Law for content.

Napalm Death

nataliechillington — Sat, 03 May 2008 13:45:52 +0000

Napalm Death are an English grindcore band. They formed in the village of Meriden near Birmingham, England in 1982 by Nicholas Bullen and Miles Ratledge. Current Members: * Mark "Barney" Greenway - Vocals (1989–1996, 1997–present) * Shane Embury - Bass (1987–present) * Mitch Harris - Guitar / Additional Vocals (1990–present) * Danny Herrera - Drums (1991–present) Former members: Vocals: * Nik Napalm (Nicholas Bullen) - (1981–1986) * Marian Williams - (1984) * Lee Dorrian - (1987–1989) * Phil Vane - (1996–1997) Guitar: * Si O (Simon Oppenheimer) - (1981-1982) * Daz F (Daryl 'Sid' Fideski) - (1982) * Grayhard (Graham "Robbo" Robertson) - (1983–1985) * Damien Errington - (1985) * Justin Broadrick - (1985–1986) * Frank Healy - (1987) * Bill Steer - (1987–1989) * Jesse Pintado - (1989–2004) (Died August 27, 2006 due to liver failure) Bass: * Grayhard (Graham "Robbo" Robertson) - (1982) * Fin (Finbar Quinn) - (1983–1984) * P-Nut (Peter Shaw) - (1985) * Nik Napalm (Nicholas Bullen) - (1981, 1985–1986) * James (Jim) Whiteley - (1986–1987) Drums: * Rat (Miles Ratledge) - (1981–1985) * Mick Harris - (1985–1991) Although other groups had previously played fast and aggressive music with a similar style, Napalm Death are credited with defining the grindcore genre through their blend of post-punk, hardcore punk and metal musical structures, aggressive playing, fast tempos, and deep guttural vocals. The group coined the term 'Grind' to describe the music they played with particular reference to the sound of American post-punk group Swans. The group were included in the Guinness Book of World Records as writers of the shortest song ("You Suffer" from their first album Scum). Napalm Death are also listed by Nielsen Soundscan as the seventh best-selling death metal (sic) band in the United States. Napalm Death were formed in the village of Meriden near Birmingham, in the United Kingdom, in December 1981 by Nic Bullen and Miles Ratledge while the duo were still in their early teenage years. The duo had been playing in amateur bands since 1980 as an extension of their fanzine writing, and went through many names (including "Civil Defence", "The Mess", "Evasion" and "Undead Hatred") before choosing Napalm Death at the end of 1981. The original line-up of the group consisted of Nicholas Bullen on vocals and bass, Simon Oppenheimer on guitar, and Miles Ratledge on drums, and lasted from December 1981 to January 1982. Graham Robertson joined on bass in January 1982. The band were initially inspired by the early wave of punk bands, particularly the Anarcho-punk movement (a sub-genre of punk music focused on anarchist politics) and groups within that genre such as Crass, Flux of Pink Indians, Rudimentary Peni, The Apostles, The Rondos and The Ex. The group played their first concert on July 25 1982 at Atherstone Miners Club, Warwickshire (with Bible of Sins, Corrupt Youth, Hiroshima and Society’s Victims). Simon Oppenheimer left the group in August 1982 and was replaced by Darryl Fedeski. Darryl left the group in October 1982: at this point, Graham Robertson began to play guitar and Finbarr Quinn (ex- Curfew) joined on bass and backing vocals. The group played concerts throughout 1982 and 1983 (sharing billing with Anarcho-punk groups such as Amebix, The Apostles and Antisect), and made 4 demo recordings in 1982 and 1983, one of which contributed their first released recording to the Bullshit Detector Volume 3 compilation released by Crass Records in 1984. The band entered a period of hiatus from the end of 1983 onwards, playing only one concert in 1984 (a benefit for striking mine workers) with additional vocalist Marian Williams (ex-Relevant POS, and sister of the drummer of the group Human Cabbages from Coventry, UK). During this period, Nic Bullen met Justin Broadrick, a guitarist from Birmingham with whom he shared an interest in the music of bands such as Killing Joke, Throbbing Gristle, Crass, Amebix, Swans, and the developing Power Electronics scene. Bullen joined Broadrick's Final project for a period in 1983. In July 1985, Napalm Death briefly reformed in order to appear on at a concert at the Mermaid in Birmingham which was also notable as the last concert by Final. The group consisted of a 4-piece line-up of Miles Ratledge - drums, Bullen - vocals, bass and guitar, Graham Robertson - guitar and bass, and Damien Errington - guitar. After this concert, Miles Ratledge and Bullen asked Broadrick to join Napalm Death as guitarist, with Bullen as vocalist and bassplayer. The band began to develop a musical style which blended elements of Post-punk (particularly Killing Joke and Amebix), heavy Punk in the vein of Discharge, and Thrash metal (with particular reference to Possessed and Celtic Frost). The group played their first concert as a trio on 31 August 1985 (playing 2 concerts on the same day: Telford with Chumbawamba and Blyth Power, and Birmingham with We've Got a Fuzzbox and We're Gonna Use It), and began to play regularly in the Birmingham area (particularly at The Mermaid public house in the Sparkhill area of Birmingham) with a wide range of musicians including Icons of Filth, Concrete Sox, The Varukers, Decadence Within, and The Groundhogs.[citation needed] In September 1985, Peter Shaw (ex-Autism) joined on bass. The 4-piece line-up recorded Hatred Surge (the band's 5th demo recording) on 23 October 1985 which the band made available at their concerts and by mail. Following the recording of the demo, Bullen and Broadrick wished to extend their exploration of a more extreme musical style which created a split in the group with Ratledge: as a result, the group splintered and Mick Harris(a local fan) was asked to join as drummer in December 1985. The trio - Bullen on vocals and bass, Broadrick on guitar and Harris on drums - made their first performance on 15 December 1985 and went on to play many concerts in 1986, predominantly in the Birmingham area, with musicians such as Amebix, Antisect, Chaos UK, Varukers, Disorder and Dirge. The group recorded the From Enslavement to Obliteration 6th demo recording on 15 March 1986 which the group made available at their concerts and through mail, before recording a demo tape provisionally intended to form part of a split LP with the English hardcore thrash band Atavistic on Manic Ears records: this recording later became the first side of the band's debut album Scum in 1987. Fake cover for the Hatred Surge demo recording from 1985. From left-right: Justin Broadrick, Nicholas Bullen, Mick Harris The band then faced a number of line-up changes. Nic Bullen was becoming frustrated with the musical direction of the group, and began to lose interest as a whole: as a result, Jim Whiteley was asked to join as bass player. The band played a number of concerts as a four-piece before Justin Broadrick left the group to play the drums for local band Head of David. The group attempted to find a new guitarist by asking Shane Embury (ex-Unseen Terror and a fan of the group) to join and giving a trial period to Frank Healy (ex-Annihilator, later of Cerebral Fix and Sacrilege). After Broadrick's departure, Nic Bullen's dissatisfaction with the musical direction of the group led him to leave the group in December 1986 (in order to focus on his studies in English Literature and Philosophy at university). With the departure of Broadrick and Bullen, the band had to look for new members. Guitarist Bill Steer played in a band based in Liverpool, called Carcass and given the affinity between the bands, he joined Napalm Death while still playing an active role in Carcass. The band asked a friend (Lee Dorrian) to join as vocalist due to his good relationship with the band (he had organised a number of concerts for the band), even though he had never been in a band before. This line-up recorded the B side of the Scum LP at Rich Bitch studios in May 1987, and the album was released through Earache Records. The band promptly lost another member just before they undertook a short tour after the release of Scum : Jim Whiteley left the group (to join Ripcord) and Shane Embury (former drummer of Unseen Terror) joined on bass. The band then appeared on two compilation records ('North Atlantic Noise Attack' and the 'Pathological Compilation'), recorded two Peel sessions and a Split 7" with Japanese grinders S.O.B.. They also returned to Rich Bitch studio once more and recorded their second album: From Enslavement to Obliteration. A follow-up release to "Enslavement.." came in the form of the six song 12" EP "Mentally Murdered", which was to be the last recording with the Harris/Steer/Dorian/Embury line-up. This EP was recorded at the Slaughterhouse Studios and took on a slightly different sound, blending Grindcore with Death metal. Following the release, Napalm Death were featured on national television in the United Kingdom in a Heavy Metal special by Arena (BBC 2). The band continued to tour, but as soon as they came back home from Japan, in July 1989, Steer and Dorrian left the band: Steer decided to dedicate himself full-time to Carcass, while Dorrian formed the Doom metal group Cathedral. The group recruited Jesse Pintado (ex-Terrorizer) on guitar and Mark "Barney" Greenway (ex-Benediction) as vocalist. This line-up took part in the Grindcrusher tour organised by Earache Records and featuring fellow label-mates Carcass, Bolt Thrower and Morbid Angel. The group recruited Mitch Harris (ex-Righteous Pigs) as second guitarist after the tour. In Florida, they started working on their next album, Harmony Corruption. While writing Harmony Corruption they changed their style a little, from grindcore, to a mix of blast beats and some slower, more rhythmic parts. In addition, death metal was a major influence on Harmony Corruption, more so than their previous records. After releasing the new record, they went on touring around the world and from the material filmed at those concerts they released a home-video, Live Corruption. The band caught considerable flack from longtime fans in respect to the "Death Metal" sound and production of Harmony Corruption. Smarting from the accusations of sell-out by the British underground "elites", Napalm entered Eddie Van Dale's Violent Noise Experience Club in March of '91 to record six new tracks. These new songs, the "Mass Appeal Madness" 12" LP, had a much more raw grind quality to them, finding instant favour with fans. This recording, along with the Mentally Murdered 12", the spit 7" with S.O.B. and live tracks from Live Corruption, found a home on the "Death by Manipulation" CD. Drummer Mick Harris eventually left Napalm Death because of conflicts regarding their musical style. Danny Herrera, a close friend to Jesse Pintado, was brought in to replace Mick. The addition of Herrera would be the last major line-up change of the band, save for Jesse Pintado's future absence, which has yet to be filled (and vocalist Phil Vane never recorded with the band). Napalm Death released a new record, Utopia Banished. Now working with producer Colin Richardson. This release was a kind of "return to the roots" - grindcore. After recording The World Keeps Turning EP, the band toured Europe with Dismember and Obituary on the "Campaign for Musical Destruction" tour.[citation needed] They then toured the US with Sepultura, Sacred Reich and Sick Of It All.[6] The proceeds of Napalm Death's 1993 EP Nazi Punks f*** Off were donated to anti-fascist organisations.[citation needed] The band remixed the track "Mind Of A Razor" by London based hip hop crew Gunshot. The remixed version of the track appeared on the EP of the same name in 1992. Thereafter, they went to the studio and recorded Fear, Emptiness, Despair. Although it was still as heavy and aggressive as ever, the new record took a different direction and sounded more experimental; they added more rhythmic riffs, an industrial-like structure, and then added grindcore blast beats. Live concerts with Entombed, Obituary and Machine Head showed the audience how violent and aggressive the new Napalm Death sound was. They continued with the experimentation through the rest of the 1990s. The Greed Killing EP was the next release from the band, through Earache. After the preview with the EP, Diatribes, a full-length album was released. Although things seemed to be going smoothly from outside, they were going through problems. Misunderstanding rose between the members and singer Greenway was expelled from the band in late/mid 1996. Greenway went to record with Extreme Noise Terror (the ENT release Damage 381 features Barney on lead vocals) and ENT's main singer Phil Vane went to fill vocals slot in Napalm Death. Things did not go as well as they were supposed to, and Vane was kicked out of the band just before they got into the studio to record the new album. And so Greenway returned to Napalm Death. The next albums Inside the Torn Apart and Words from the Exit Wound continued with the experimentation but displayed more signs of grindcore, notably faster tempos than the last two albums. This return was completed with the release of Enemy of the Music Business. It shows their anger with the music industry and especially with Earache. Order of the Leech continued where their previous album ended and can be seen as even more faster and aggressive. In 2004, they recorded a covers album called Leaders Not Followers: Part 2, the sequel to their earlier covers EP. It contains covers of old hardcore punk and heavy metal bands, including Cryptic Slaughter, Massacre, Kreator, Sepultura, Siege and Discharge. Due to personal problems, Jesse Pintado did not play on either Order of the Leech or Leaders Not Followers: Part 2, and left the band in early 2004. Nevertheless Pintado stated that he left because he grew tired of Napalm Death and wanted to start something new. The two guitars that you hear is Mitch over-dubbing. In April 2005, their next album The Code Is Red...Long Live the Code was released. It features guest appearances from Jeffrey Walker (formerly of Carcass), Jamey Jasta (Hatebreed vocalist) and Jello Biafra (formerly of Dead Kennedys, and Lard among many other bands). The album continues the band's progressive approach to their brutal brand of extreme metal, with their trademark grindcore sound retained. Napalm Death finished recording their latest album titled Smear Campaign in June 2006; released on September 15, 2006 to very strong reviews from fans and critics alike. The main lyrical focus is criticism of the United States Government and other governments who are strongly religious. The album features a guest appearance by Anneke van Giersbergen, vocalist for the Dutch rock band The Gathering. There is a limited edition digipak version of Smear Campaign, which has two new songs, "Call That an Option?" and "Atheist Runt". In early 2006 Napalm Death headlined a tour with Kreator, A Perfect Murder, and Undying. On August 27, 2006, Jesse Pintado died in a hospital in the Netherlands due to liver failure, prompting Mitch Harris to express his sadness at the loss of someone he thought of as "a brother" on the band's official website. After the Smear Campaign tour, the band did a 2007 "World Domination Tour". Bassist Shane Embury is currently working on a project with Mick Kenney of Anaal Nathrakh, their work together will be released on Feto Records at the end of 2007. Napalm Death is currently scheduled for a winter-spring 2008 tour as main support for Devildriver. Also appearing on the tour will be Straight Line Stitch, 36 Crazyfists, and Invitro. In July 2008, Blabbermouth.net has confirmed that Napalm Death are currently in the studio working on the follow up to the 2006 album Smear Campaign. In November 2008, Napalm Death's fourteenth studio album, entitled Time Waits For No Slave, leaked onto the internet. Discography * Scum (1987) * From Enslavement to Obliteration (1988) * The Peel Sessions (1989) * Suffer The Children (1989) * Harmony Corruption (1990) * Death By Manipulation (1992) * Utopia Banished (1992) * Fear, Emptiness, Despair (1994) * Diatribes (1996) * Inside the Torn Apart (1997) * Words from the Exit Wound (1998) * The Complete Radio One Sessions (2000) * Enemy of the Music Business (2000) * Order of the Leech (2002) * Noise For Music's Sake (2003) * Leaders Not Followers: Part 2 (2004) * The Code Is Red...Long Live the Code (2005) * Smear Campaign (2006) * Time Waits For No Slave (2009) Subsequent activities Members of Napalm Death have moved on to form bands such as Carcass, Godflesh, Cathedral, Scorn, Jesu and Black Galaxy. Additionally, band members have formed numerous side projects, including Lull, Painkiller, Brujeria, Lock Up, Meathook Seed, Defecation, Teeth of Lions Rule the Divine and Venomous Concept. Special thanks to Keith Law for content.

The Nightingale

nataliechillington — Sat, 03 May 2008 13:46:13 +0000

Ocean Colour Scene

nataliechillington — Sat, 03 May 2008 13:46:37 +0000

Ocean Colour Scene are an English Britpop band from Birmingham. The band were formed after two other local bands called The Boys and Fanatics disbanded. Fanatics released an E.P. titled Suburban Love Songs. The original line-up consisted of: * Steve Cradock; (b. 22 August 1969); guitars, piano, mandolin, E-bow, autoharp, organs and backing vocals * Simon Fowler, (b. 25 April 1965); vocals, harmonica and acoustic guitar * Oscar Harrison (b. 15 April 1965); drums, piano and backing vocals. * Damon Minchella (b. 1 June 1969); bass guitar Damon Minchella was fired by the band in 2003, temporarily replaced by Gary "Mani" Mounfield for a support slot with Stereophonics and then was permanently replaced by Dan Sealey on bass. Another guitarist, Andy Bennett was also added, making them a five-piece. Other contributing musicians: * Alison Moyet; backing vocals * Tony Hinnegan; cello * Paul Weller; electric guitar, organ, piano, backing vocals * Jools Holland; piano, hammond organ * PP Arnold; vocals * Rico Rodriguez; trombone * Tony Griffiths, Chris Griffiths; backing vocals * Brendan Lynch; mellotron * Steve White; tabla, timpani, percussion, (also seen playing drums in the "Crazy Lowdown Ways" video) * Brian Travers; saxophone * Mick Talbot; keyboards * Edgar Summertyme; backing vocals * John McCusker; violin, viola * Carleen Anderson; backing vocals * Mark Feltham; harmonica * Kevin Rowe; electric guitar * Linda Thompson; vocals * Dalbir Singh Rattan; tabla * Duncan Mackay; trumpet * James Hunt; saxophone * Stewart Bartlett; french horn * Nichol Thompson; trombone * Tim Jaques; percussion, drums, timpani * Michael McGoldrick; uilleann pipes, whistle, flute * Dave Fowler; Autoharp * Helena Payne; Mbira * Ted Atkinson ; percussion, piano * Ste Fov; Sax * Rab Glenn; Triangle * Peter Mac; Double Bass * Jimmy Algie; French Horn * Christopher G L Cobaine; bongos Their first 7" single was called "Sway" and was released in the early 1990s UK indie era. However, when their record label was swallowed up by larger company Phonogram their eponymous debut was mixed, against the band's wishes, to fit in with the Madchester musical trend of the time. With the album largely deemed a failure, and with the band in dispute with their record company, they spent several years in the wilderness. With the explosion of the Britpop scene, OCS's music became nationally and internationally known. Their second album Moseley Shoals was received to critical acclaim, containing four hit singles and reaching the heights of #2 in the UK Albums Chart and the follow up, Marchin' Already displacing Oasis at the top of the charts. Their song "The Riverboat Song" was featured on Chris Evans' TFI Friday as the backing music when guests were introduced, and "Hundred Mile High City" and "July" were used in the film Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and the associated television series. More recently, their first hit single "The Riverboat Song" has been featured in the Vinnie Jones film Strength and Honour. They also played at the largest free standing gig of all time at Knebworth supporting Oasis on 10 and 11 August 1996. Simon Fowler once received a message from a Spanish fan asking permission to use his lyrics "Get up and drink to the days / Ones who are gone in the shortest while" on the gravestone of their brother, who had just died in a car crash. He said afterwards, "That's got to mean more than going on Top of the Pops". The lyrics are from "One for The Road" (on Moseley Shoals). In 1998 they headlined their own arena tour and played three sold out nights at Stirling Castle, Scotland. Their arena tour became the biggest selling arena tour of any UK band in 1998. Having undergone lineup changes, the band continue to record and perform, though they have struggled to recapture the success they enjoyed with their breakthrough album Moseley Shoals. Their sound is deliberately retro, and influenced by sixties rock, especially Small Faces. Lead Guitarist Steve Cradock and former bass guitarist Damon Minchella have been long-time members of ex The Jam frontman Paul Weller's backing group, performing live and contributing to his solo albums before Ocean Colour Scene broke through to a wider audience. Lead singer Simon Fowler has also contributed to Paul Weller's albums in the past. Cradock and Minchella still regularly perform with Weller, despite Minchella no longer being an active member of Ocean Colour Scene. During their peak (around the time of the Moseley Shoals release) OCS also regularly performed on stage with Noel and Liam Gallagher of Oasis with whom they were on tour at the time. These connections came about mainly due to OCS's musical abilities, which both Gallaghers and Weller praised greatly. One particular performance of note with the Gallaghers was a storming rendition of The Beatles' "Day Tripper", which was included as a live B-Side to the single "The Circle". The song was also included on the B-side compilation album B-sides, Seasides and Freerides. Noel Gallagher previewed an advance copy of the song during an interview on Radio 1 with DJ Jo Whiley. The interview mainly focused on Oasis's then-forthcoming gig in the grounds of Knebworth House, of which Ocean Colour Scene were one of the supporting acts. Over 2.6 million [1] people applied for tickets for the shows, making it the biggest demand for concert tickets in British history. There was a combined audience of over 250,000 people. See Concerts at Knebworth House. As in recent years, the band has recently announced a number of December tour dates, and glamour model Jodie Marsh has announced that they will be playing at her wedding on 1 September which will be filmed for her MTV Show Totally Jodie Marsh: Who'll Take Her Up the Aisle?. OCS played the OXEGEN festival in Ireland and were extremely well received by the crowd in the Green Room on the Saturday night. The band also played festivals in Japan/Korea during August 2007, where they were well received despite the band themselves thinking they were not well known over there, and also played at the V festival over the weekend of 18 and 19 August 2007. Discography Studio albums 1 Apr 1992 Ocean Colour Scene 54 8 Apr 1996 Moseley Shoals 2 15 Sep 1997 Marchin' Already 1 13 Sep 1999 One from the Modern 4 9 Apr 2001 Mechanical Wonder 7 7 Jul 2003 North Atlantic Drift 14 21 Mar 2005 A Hyperactive Workout for the Flying Squad 30 30 Apr 2007 On the Leyline 37 B-sides, compilations and live albums 3 Mar 1997 B-sides, Seasides and Freerides 4 B-sides compilation of material from the 'Moseley Shoals' era 20 Nov 2001 Songs for the Front Row 16 Compilation of mainly singles up to 2001 with other tracks. Limited edition also released with bonus live CD 7 Dec 2002 Live on the Riverboat N/A Live recording of an acoustic concert by Simon Fowler and Oscar Harrison (limited edition 3000 copies via band website) 1 Sep 2003 Anthology 75 Complete collection of material from up to 2001, including singles and b-sides 20 Sep 2004 One For The Road 75 Live album taken from their 2004 summer festival tour 8 May, 2006 Live Acoustic at the Jam House 73 Live album from a Birmingham acoustic gig in mid-February 2006 17 Dec 2006 Live At Birmingham Academy N/A Live album from a Birmingham Carling Academy gig on 17 December 2006. 26 Feb 2007 BBC Sessions N/A Compilation of live performances taken from 1990-1997 on BBC Radio 1. Released as exclusive download from iTunes and later on CD 13 Aug 2007 The Collection N/A An unofficial compilation released on the Spectrum label. UK singles 1 Sep 1990[2] "Sway" N/A 1 Mar 1991[2] "Yesterday Today" 49 1 Feb 1992[2] "Sway" (reissue) 88 1 Mar 1992[2] "Giving It All Away" 83 1 May 1992[2] "Do Yourself A Favour EP" 94 5 Feb 1996 "The Riverboat Song" 15 25 Mar 1996 "You've Got It Bad" 7 3 Jun 1996 "The Day We Caught the Train" 4 16 Sep 1996 "The Circle" 6 16 Jun 1997 "Hundred Mile High City" 4 25 Aug 1997 "Travellers Tune" 5 10 Nov 1997 "Better Day" 9 16 Feb 1998 "It's a Beautiful Thing" 12 23 Aug 1999 "Profit in Peace" 13 15 Nov 1999 "So Low" 34 26 Jun 2000 "July" 31 26 Mar 2001 "Up on the Downside" 19 2 Jul 2001 "Mechanical Wonder" 49 21 Nov 2001 "Crazy Lowdown Ways" 64 30 Jun 2003 "I Just Need Myself" 13 25 Aug 2003 "Make the Deal" 35 29 Dec 2003 "Golden Gate Bridge" 40 7 Mar 2005 "Free My Name" 23 20 Jun 2005 "This Day Should Last Forever" 53 16 Apr 2007 "I Told You So" 34 9 Jul 2007 "I Just Got Over You" 112 15 Nov 2007 "Go To Sea" N/A DVDs and videos * 1997 Times of Our Lives [VHS] * 1998 Travellers Tune [VHS] * 2003 Filmed From the Front Row [DVD] * 2008 Live At The Town Hall [DVD] Support Most band members have supported/collaborated with other artists during the group's existence. Simon Fowler was one of the musicians involved in the official anthem for England's World Cup campaign, for France 98. England United as they were named also included Echo & the Bunnymen, Space and The Spice Girls. "(How Does It Feel) To Be On Top Of The World" reached number 9 in the official UK charts. Steve Cradock and former member Damon Minchella played/played regularly with Paul Weller, with Cradock also playing recently on Amy MacDonald's gigs Special thanks to Keith Law for content.

Ozzy Osbourne

nataliechillington — Sat, 03 May 2008 13:47:03 +0000

Carl Palmer

nataliechillington — Sat, 03 May 2008 13:47:34 +0000

Dave Pegg

nataliechillington — Sat, 03 May 2008 13:48:01 +0000

The Photos

nataliechillington — Sat, 03 May 2008 13:48:25 +0000

Pickety Witch

nataliechillington — Sat, 03 May 2008 13:49:02 +0000

Pig Bros

nataliechillington — Sat, 03 May 2008 13:49:39 +0000

Pop Will Eat Itself

nataliechillington — Sat, 03 May 2008 13:50:55 +0000

Pop Will Eat Itself (also known as PWEI or the Poppies) were formed in Stourbridge, with band members from Birmingham.

Members:
*Clint Mansell
*Adam Mole
*Richard March
*Graham Crabb
*Robert "Fuzz" Townshend

Former members:
*Kerry "The Buzzard" Hammond

An early permutation of the band formed in 1981 under the name From Eden; members included Clint Mansell, Adam Mole, Chris Fradgley, Malcolm Treece and Miles Hunt (Treece and Hunt famously went on to form The Wonder Stuff). After changing their name to Wild and Wandering (named after a Wasted Youth album) for a while and recruiting Richard March and Graham Crabb (Graham being the only respondent to replace Miles Hunt on drums), they eventually became Pop Will Eat Itself in 1986, taking the name from a quotation in an NME article about band Jamie Wednesday (later to become better known as Carter USM).

The band honed their songwriting skills with a string of catchy two-minute pop songs released on EPs both as Wild and Wandering and Pop Will Eat Itself. With the help of DJ John Peel, these EPs saw some airplay and enjoyed some popularity among university students. After the band feared they had accomplished all they could with their sound, they found new influences in hip hop acts such as the Beastie Boys, Run DMC and Public Enemy. Graham soon dropped the drum sticks for a mic and was replaced by a drum machine called "Dr. Nightmare." Their style continued to develop with classics such as "There Is No Love Between Us Anymore' and the anthemic "Def Con One". As a result, PWEI were signed to major label RCA and they achieved top 40 hits with "Can U Dig It?" and "Wise Up! Sucker" off the album This Is the Day…This Is the Hour…This Is This!

RCA's larger studio budget allowed the band to develop its potential further, and they released 3 successful albums on that label. The first two (…This is This! and Cure for Sanity) were recorded with the aid of legendary producer Flood, known for his work with Nine Inch Nails, U2, Depeche Mode and many other popular 90s groups. Cure for Sanity was perhaps PWEI's most experimental album, with a more electronic sound than previous efforts. RCA, meanwhile, was more interested in chart success and so wanted the band to cut the lengthy instrumentals from their songs.

On 1992's The Looks or The Lifestyle, the band recruited a live drummer to complement their standard array of loops and pre-programmed drums and brought back some live guitars. The record was their most commercial and polished work to date and featured top 20 hits like 'Karmadrome' and 'Bulletproof.' By January 1993, however, the band's biggest supporters at RCA had left the company, and the remaining executives didn't understand the band or their music. [1] The band was dropped from the label before the 'Get the Girl! Kill the Baddies!' single was released. Ironically, the single went on to peak at number 9 on the UK singles chart, becoming the band's biggest hit ever. Because of this, the band became the first ever to perform on Top of the Pops without being on a record label. The British National Party had recently caused an uproar in Tower Hamlets by winning a council seat, and it looked possible that the UK would see a revival in far right politics. In response to this, The Looks or the Lifestyle introduced a hitherto understated political angle, as the album inlay used the "red arrow" emblem of the Anti Nazi League and offered the organisation's address.

Getting dropped from RCA turned out to be a blessing for the Poppies, as the label agreed to write off the massive debts that the band had accumulated in studio fees in return for PWEI's back catalogue. After a minor bidding war, the Poppies decided to sign to Infectious Records, a label recently started by friend Korda Marshell (who had signed them to RCA in the first place but had since left the label) that offered them the artistic freedom they required.

PWEI's political stance became more explicit with the release of the single "Ich Bin Ein Auslander." A collaboration with Asian group Fun-Da-Mental, the song was a scathing attack on the far right and the apathy that seemed to greet its resurgence. A different version of this song later appeared as the opening track on the 1994 album, Dos Dedos Mis Amigos.

By this time the band had toned down its garish public persona and veered off in a new and more industrial-based direction with the aid of long time fan Trent Reznor. Many fans were upset that the 'Is everybody happy?!' pogoing Poppies were gone and put off by the new direction, but the band found new popularity after signing with Reznor's Nothing Records in the US and touring with Nine Inch Nails, as well as having their songs used on the PlayStation game Loaded.

The following year the band released the Dos Dedos remix album Two Fingers My Friends which featured remixes by The Orb, Apollo 440, Renegade Soundwave and many more. It was about this time that Graham Crabb left the band and they recruited 'The Buzzard' of Yeah! God (who had recorded 'wild guitar' on previous albums but was never a full time member) and Clint took over full vocal duties. The band continued down the industrial route and were still recording and touring until 1996, even recording a collaboration with Orbital. However, the band took a break before finishing production of their next album with Trent Reznor, and while not officially splitting, failed to complete the work citing boredom and musical differences. One track from this period was released, a cover of Gary Numan's "Friends," (apparently Gary liked this version of the song so, he reintroduced the song in this form for his later liveshows [1]) and provides some indication of the band's direction at the time.

Crabb left in 1995 to concentrate on his ambient side project Golden Claw Musics. After the rest of the band split in 1996, March and Townshend went on to form big beat band Bentley Rhythm Ace. Townshend also released two solo albums and Mansell has written a number of acclaimed film scores, including Requiem for a Dream, π, Doom, and The Fountain.

The band reformed to play their first gigs in 8 years, in Nottingham, Birmingham, and London in January 2005. Many thought this would never happen, as the band had apparently lost all the tapes and disks of samples and backing tracks they needed to perform live. When this material was later found in a friend's garden shed, they decided to reform. These gigs were notable for their Instant Live albums, whereby ten minutes after the completion of each gig, one could buy a double-disc live album of the performance.

The band released a preview of new material called "Sonic Noise Byte" on November 4, 2005, as a torrent download for members of their official website pweination. However, an announcement on the official website in March 2006 confirmed that Clint and Rich would no longer be involved in the project due to other work commitments, effectively ending the PWEI reformation, though future new PWEI material has not been ruled out entirely. However the remaining band members plan to continue as Vileevils and have released the tracks "Retro Dreaming" and "Street Fightin" for download via the pweination website.

A secret, one-night PWEI reunion was scheduled to happen at the Vileevils show at Stourbridge Rock Cafe on June 9, 2007, but was foiled when Mansell was unable to obtain a visa in time to fly back to England. March still appeared at the show, and after the Vileevils set they played the planned PWEI songs, sans Mansell.

The band produced approximately 100 T-shirt designs, including a design which subverts the familiar "PEPSI" cola logo by replacing the legend "PEPSI" with "PWEI" and the phrase "Sample It, Loop It, f*** It, Eat It" encircling the design. Other T-shirts feature the outlandish (often space-themed) cartoon characters that appear on the band's album artwork, from the round headed alien with toy ray gun known as 'Craig' (thought to be named after the band's manager, Craig Jennings), to the jagged toothed, sinister robotic head (complete with futuristic earpiece) that serves as the official logo for all "PWEI Product". At one stage in the 1990s, it was, possibly apocryphally, observed that PWEI had sold more T-shirts than actual records.[citation needed]

Almost all artwork and corporate identity for the band's record sleeves and merchandising was designed by the now hugely successful Sheffield-based The Designers Republic. Much of what would become the design company's metatextual and self-referencing motifs were first carved out on the sleeve of PWEI records. The Designers Republic's work with PWEI can be found in the Design Museum, London.

Discography

Albums

* Box Frenzy (1987)
* Now for a Feast! (1988)
* This Is the Day...This Is the Hour...This Is This! (1989) UK #24
* Cure for Sanity (1990) (expanded reissue in 1991) UK #33
* The Looks or the Lifestyle? (1992) UK #15
* Weird's Bar and Grill (Live) (1993)
* 16 Different Flavours of Hell (Best of) (1993)
* Dos Dedos Mis Amigos (1994) UK #11
* Two Fingers My Friends! (1995) UK #25
* Wise Up Suckers (BMG best of) (1996)
* The Radio 1 Sessions 1986-87 (1997)
* PWEI Product 1986-1994 (Anthology) (2002)
* Reformation: Nottingham Rock City 20.01.05 (2005)
* Reformation: Birmingham Carling Academy 22.01.05 (2005)
* Reformation: Birmingham Carling Academy 23.01.05 (2005)
* Reformation: London Shepherds Bush Empire 24.01.05 (2005)
* Reformation: London Shepherds Bush Empire 25.01.05 (2005)
* The Best Of (2008)

EPs

* 2000 Light Ales from Home (1986) under the name 'Wild And Wandering'
* The Poppies Say GRRrrr! (1986)
* Poppiecock (1986)
* Very Metal Noise Pollution (1989) UK #45
* Amalgamation (1994)

Singles

* "Sweet Sweet Pie" (1987)
* "Love Missile F1-11" (1987)
* "Beaver Patrol" (1987)
* "There Is No Love between Us Anymore" (1988)
* "Def. Con. One" (1988)
* "Can U Dig It?" (1989)
* "Wise Up! Sucker" (1989)
* "Touched by the Hand of Cicciolina" (1990)
* "Dance of the Mad" (1990)
* "X Y & Zee" (1991)
* "92°F" (1991)
* "Karmadrome/Eat Me Drink Me Love Me Kill Me" (1992)
* "Bulletproof!" (1992)
* "Get the Girl! Kill the Baddies!" (1993)
* "R.S.V.P/Familus Horribilus" (1993)
* "Ich Bin Ein Auslander" (1994)
* "Everything's Cool" (1994)

Videos
* Unspoilt by Progress VHS (1991)
* Reformation: Birmingham Carling Academy 23.01.05 DVD (2005)

Chart positions
UK Singles Chart

1987 "Sweet Sweet Pie" #100 - Now For A Feast
1987 "Love Missile F1-11" #78 - Now For A Feast
1987 "Beaver Patrol" #76 - Box Frenzy
1988 "There Is No Love Between Us Anymore" #66 - Box Frenzy
1988 "Def. Con. One" #63 #30 This Is the Day…This Is the Hour…This Is This!
1989 "Can U Dig It" #38 - This Is the Day…This Is the Hour…This Is This!
1989 "Wise Up! Sucker" #41 - This Is the Day…This Is the Hour…This Is This!
1990 "Touched by the Hand of Cicciolina" #28 - Cure For Sanity
1990 "Dance of the Mad" #32 - Cure For Sanity
1991 "X Y & Zee" #15 #11 Cure for Sanity
1991 "92 Degrees" #23 - Cure for Sanity
1992 "Karmadrome/Eat Me Drink Me Love Me" #17 - The Looks Or The Lifestyle
1992 "Bulletproof!" #24 - The Looks Or The Lifestyle
1993 "Get The Girl! Kill The Baddies!" #9 - The Looks Or The Lifestyle
1993 "RSVP / Familius Horribilus" #27 - Dos Dedos Mis Amigos
1994 "Ich Bin Ein Auslander" #28 - Dos Dedos Mis Amigos
1994 "Everything's Cool" #23 - Dos Dedos Mis Amigos

Special thanks to Keith Law for content.

Pram

nataliechillington — Sat, 03 May 2008 13:51:11 +0000

Rockers Hi-Fi

nataliechillington — Sat, 03 May 2008 13:51:46 +0000

Rockin Berries

Keith Law — Sat, 03 May 2008 13:52:19 +0000

Chuck Botfield lead guitar Terry Bond drums Clive Lea lead vocal (left 1967) Geoff Turton lead vocal, guitar Roy Austin bass guitar (left 1965) Bobby Thompson bass guitar (joined 1965) Rod Clarke bass guitar (joined 1967) The Rockin' Berries were the second Brumbeat group to have a hit record although they had been around for quite a few years prior to that and the line-up had undergone many changes. The origins of the band go back to the late 1950's when Brian "Chuck" Botfield (born 14 November 1943, Birmingham), and Geoff Turton (born 11 March 1944, Birmingham), met while attending Turves Green School and playing clarinet in the school band. Chuck Botfield later went to Moseley College of Art where he formed a skiffle group with fellow Turves Green school-mate Tim Munns who played bass guitar along with guitarist Bob Bates, drummer Barry Taylor, and piano player Christine Perfect from Bearwood who would become a well known blues singer in the later 1960's - she eventually became Christine McVie of Fleetwood Mac (see Chicken Shack). The group was originally called "The Bobcats" and later the "Rockin' Berries" as they played a lot of Chuck Berry songs and their first booking was at the Cofton Community Centre in Longbridge. Singer Paul Hewitt and guitarist Doug Thompson who both worked at the Austin Motors were putting together their own group in 1959 along with drummer Terry Bond (born 22 March 1943, Birmingham) and bass guitarist Mark Johnson. In search of a good lead guitarist, they learned that the Rockin' Berries were disbanding and so invited Chuck Botfield to join them. Botfield agreed providing that the new group would also call themselves the Rockin' Berries. Doug Thompson made a deal with the owners of the disused Palace Theatre in Redditch that the Rockin' Berries would play there and keep the door takings in return for cleaning the place up. The arrangement proved so successful that The Rockin' Berries started playing there regularly along with many other local groups. Meanwhile, original Rockin' Berries bass guitarist Tim Munns had joined up with another former school friend Geoff Turton and singer Bob Lawton in a line-up known as "The Chimes". They were moderately successful locally - even winning a Birmingham Parks Band Competition. Tim Munns re-joined the Rockin' Berries at the request of Chuck Botfield when Mark Johnson left the band to pursue a full-time career. By this time, the Berries were very well-known locally as they were now fronted by two vocalists; Paul Hewitt (now with the stage-name of Bobby Thompson) and Jimmy Powell - easily one of the most powerful singers in the West Midlands. The complete line-up of the Rockin' Berries at this time was Chuck Botfield (lead guitar), Doug Thompson (rhythm guitar), Tim Munns (bass), Terry Bond (drums), Dennis Ryland (tenor saxophone), Paul Hewitt and Jimmy Powell (vocals). In November 1961, the Rockin' Berries were offered some bookings in Germany which they accepted but Paul Hewitt did not want to go so local singer Clive Lea (born 16 February 1942, Birmingham), joined the group as his replacement. Clive Lea lived in Longbridge and had won the "Elvis of the Midlands" contest while being backed by his own group The Phantoms. Lea was quite well known around Birmingham at the time as a singer and impressionist. Upon returning from their tour of Germany, the Rockin' Berries were auditioned by TV pop music promoter Jack Goode who was scouting for the Decca Record Company. The group failed to secure a contract but Goode showed interest in signing singer Jimmy Powell. As the Rockin' Berries had a return engagement in Germany, they returned there but when offered an extension to stay longer, the group was divided over the prospect of remaining and the outcome was that Doug Thompson, Dennis Ryland and Jimmy Powell returned to Birmingham leaving the others to carry on in Germany. Jimmy Powell would take up Jack Goode's offer of a recording contract and become the first "Brumbeat" recording star in 1962 (see Jimmy Powell). Doug Thompson embarked on a new career and became well known around Birmingham as a music promoter and booking agent. The remaining Rockin' Berries needed a replacement vocalist to complete their engagement and Chuck Botfield remembered that his former schoolfriend Geoff Turton was playing guitar in a group back in Birmingham called the Swinging Chimes. When contacted, Geoff Turton agreed to join the Rockin' Berries in Germany and it was soon discovered that Turton also posessed a unique falsetto vocal style that was used by the group to their advantage when performing songs such as Frank Ifield's I Remember You and Sherry by the Four Seasons. In this way, the group was unusual in that it had two lead vocalists in Clive Lea and Geoff Turton. Another line-up change also occurred at this time when Tim Munns left to be replaced by bass guitarist Roy Austin (born 27 December 1943, Birmingham) from Sir Hiltons Road, West Heath. He was previously in a local group called The Eko's. Tim Munns went on to work for Kinks manager Larry Page and later re-joined Jimmy Powell in his band "The Five Dimensions". When the Rockin' Berries returned to Birmingham, they were contacted by Decca Records who had been sent a demonstration tape of songs by the group. The Rockin' Berries were signed up and went to London to record with Decca Records releasing two singles, the second of which Itty Bitty Pieces got them a TV appearance on Ready Steady Go! but neither single was a hit. Despite this, the publicity generated served to increase their following and the group refined their stage shows by introducing comedy which included impersonations from Clive Lea. After a year they were dropped by Decca and then signed to the Pye subsidiary Piccadilly by talent scout John Schroeder who also became their manager. Their first release on this label I Didn't Mean To Hurt You, was a minor hit and featured Geoff Turton's distinctive falsetto vocal which became a band trademark. The Rockin' Berries appeared at London's famous Marquee Club where they were seen by American record producer Kim Fowley who would play an influential role in the careers of a number of Midlands groups. Fowley was impressed by the Rockin' Berries and decided that they should record a version of a song written by famous composers Goffin & King called He's In Town as performed by The Tokens in the USA. Re-recorded by the Rockin' Berries and released as a single in October of 1964, the song went to No. 3 in the charts. The next Rockin' Berries single What In The World's Come Over You was less successful and reached No. 23 but the next single Poor Man's Son again made the top ten in May of 1965. The song featured a lead vocal from Clive Lea and was a cover of a song by the US group The Reflections. At this time, bass player Roy Austin left the Rockin' Berries and was replaced by Bobby Thompson from Liverpool who had played in Rory Storm & The Hurricanes, a group that had at one time included Beatles drummer Ringo Starr. By coincidence, Thompson had the same name as was used on stage by one-time Rockin' Berries singer Paul Hewitt. A Rockin' Berries album entitled In Town was released in 1964 and got to No. 15 in the album charts but the group seemed to have reached their peak in chart terms and subsequent single releases comprised of more cover versions. The group was certainly at a disadvantage from not having internal songwriters but as the hits became fewer, they concentrated on a career in cabaret which included comedy routines featuring Clive Lea's impersonations of Norman Wisdom and George Formby. By the time of the Rockin' Berries last hit The Water Is Over My Head in 1966, the pop music scene had changed and the era of the beat groups was over. The band was by this time one of the UK's top cabaret acts who were heavily in demand for bookings all over the country. One of the more notable engagements for the group took place when they were invited to and performed at 1967's Royal Variety Performance attended by The Queen and Prince Phillip. At the height of the psychedelic era, the song Yellow Rainbow was recorded by members of the Rockin' Berries and was apparently composed by Roy Wood of The Move who may have also contributed backing vocals. Unfortunately, the recording was never released although it was certainly commercial enough to have made the charts at the time. In 1968 Geoff Turton left the band and briefly joined the Birmingham group Sight And Sound but with encouragement from manager John Schroeder, soon embarked on a fairly successful solo career (see Jefferson). Yorkshire singer/impressionist Terry Webster joined the Rockin' Berries in 1970 to replace Clive Lea who left to start a solo career as an impressionist and later joined local comedy group The Black Abbotts as replacement for Russ Abbott. The remainder of the Rockin' Berries continued to perform in cabaret as a music/comedy act although drummer Terry Bond later moved into management and was replaced by Keith Smart, previously from Roy Wood's chart-topping group Wizzard (see The Move). Despite numerous other personnel changes (which include occasional appearances with Geoff Turton), the Rockin' Berries along with remaining original member Chuck Botfield, continue to be a popular attraction on the cabaret and nostalgia circuit to this day. To see a review of the Rockin' Berries remastered double-CD anthology, check out the Brumbeat Reviews page. With Special Thanks to Brum Beat Copyright -© John R Woodhouse and to Clive Lea and Tim Munns for assistance in writing this bio. Compiled by Keith Law

Carina Round

nataliechillington — Sat, 03 May 2008 13:53:27 +0000

Bally Sagoo

nataliechillington — Sat, 03 May 2008 13:54:00 +0000

Scarlet Fantastic

nataliechillington — Sat, 03 May 2008 13:54:26 +0000

The Selecter

nataliechillington — Sat, 03 May 2008 13:54:50 +0000

The original line-up:
* Pauline Black : Vocals
* Megan Amanor: guitar
* Charley Anderson: bass guitar
* Charley 'H' Bembridge: drums
* Desmond Brown: Hammond keyboard
* Neol Davies: guitar
* Arthur 'Gaps' Hendrickson: [Singing|Vocals]

Charley Anderson and Desmond Brown left The Selecter in 1980 tp form The People. James Mackie and Adam Williams replaced them. James Mackie was on Hammond Organ, Williams on bass guitar.

The reformed line-up: 1991
* Pauline Black: Vocals
* Neol Davies: Guitar
* Arthur 'Gaps' Hendrickson - Vocals
* Martin Stewart: Keyboards
* Nicky Welsh: Bass
* Perry Melius: Drums

The Selecter were formed in the late 1970s.

Like many other bands in the ska revival movement, The Selecter featured a racially mixed line-up. Their lyrics featured themes such as violence, politics and marijuana, set to strong melodies and a danceable beat. What set The Selecter apart from the other 2 Tone bands at the time was the songs of Neol Davies, the voice of Pauline Black and the pumping rhythms of Desmond Brown on the Hammond organ. The band's name is based on the term selector, which is a Jamaican word for disc jockey.

The lineup of The Selecter was, at first, just Davies and John Bradbury (who later became the drummer of The Specials). The band name was also the title of their seminal instrumental, released as the B-side of the first 2 Tone Records single, "Gangsters vs. The Selecter", which was released in July 1979. Pauline Black has been the lead singer of The Selecter since its formation as a band in August 1979, when the band released the singles "Three Minute Hero", "The Whisper", "Missing Words" and "On My Radio". The Selecter's debut album Too Much Pressure was recorded at the end of 1979 and beginning of 1980, and was released by 2 Tone Records and Chrysalis Records. Their second album, Celebrate the Bullet, was issued in 1981. The Selecter were featured in the 2 Tone documentary Dance Craze.

After the band split in 1982, Black developed an acting career in television and theatre, appearing in dramas such as The Vice, The Bill, Hearts and Minds and 2000 Acres of Sky. She won the 1991 Time Out award for Best Actress, for her portrayal of Billie Holiday in the play All or Nothing At All. She starred next to Christopher Lee in the horror film The Funny Man. Black and Davies reformed The Selecter in 1991, and were joined by Arthur 'Gaps' Hendrickson. They have released several new albums and have toured around the world. Davies left the band in the mid 1990s to record two solo albums, Box Of Blues and Future Swamp. Black continued to record and perform as The Selecter until 2006.

Discography
Albums

* Too Much Pressure (Feb 1980) UK # 5
* Celebrate the Bullet (Feb 1981) UK # 41
* The Happy Album (Jul 1994)
* Pucker! (Aug 1995)
* Cruel Britannia (Nov 1998)
* The Trojan Songbook (1999)
* The Trojan Songbook - Vol 2 (2000)
* The Trojan Songbook - Vol 3 (2001)
* Real to Reel (2003)

Singles and EPs

* "Gangsters" (The Special A.K.A.) vs. "The Selecter" (The Selecter) (Jul 1979, 2 Tone, TT1/TT2) UK # 6
* "On My Radio" (Oct 1979, CHSTT 4) UK # 8
* "Three Minute Hero" (Feb 1980, CHSTT 8) UK # 16
* "Missing Words" (March 1980, CHSTT 10) UK # 23
* "The Whisper" (August 1980, CHSS 1) UK # 36
* "Celebrate The Bullet" (Nov 1980, CHSS 2)
* "On My Radio 91" (1991)
* "Madness" ( The Selecter Featuring Prince Buster ) ( 1992 )
* "Hairspray" EP (1995)

Special thanks to Keith Law for content.

Sensa Yuma

nataliechillington — Sat, 03 May 2008 13:55:56 +0000

Spencer Davis Group

Keith Law — Sat, 03 May 2008 13:56:27 +0000

Spencer Davis guitar, vocal Steve Winwood lead vocal, piano, organ, guitar (left 1967) Muff Winwood bass guitar, vocal (left 1967) Pete York drums Eddie Hardin organ, vocal (joined 1967) Phil Sawyer lead guitar (joined 1967 - left 1968) Ray Fenwick lead guitar, vocal (joined 1968) Spencer Davis moved from South Wales to London as a teenager and played in various skiffle bands. Like many other teenagers in the UK during the 50's and 60's, Davis found inspiration in the imported American R&B sound and in 1960 he relocated to Birmingham, Britain's second largest city and home to thriving R&B scene. Spencer studied German at college and later became a teacher himself at a junior school in Yardley. He played in various venues around Brum and sometimes featured alongside Christine Perfect who later joined Fleetwood Mac. Spencer, Steve & Muff Winwood played at the Golden Eagle pub in Hill Street which was a regular haunt for Midland R&B enthusiasts, they then formed the Spencer Davis Group along with Pete York. The Golden Eagle was a popular venue for up and coming bands from the region and the Spencer Davis Group were well liked. Spencer Davis performed before Sonny Boy Williamson at the venue which may have been a blessing for the future. Meanwhile, Chris Blackwell of Island Records took a journey north from London to Manchester via Birmingham, being used to ska and reggae he picked up on Winwood's unique soulful voice (for a young white boy from Brum). The then quartet turned down a record deal from Decca and went with Fontana records and Island publishing, the band were signed, albeit with an informal deal between Island and Fontana. The band played arduously around Britain with Jackie Edwards writing one of their first big hits 'Keep On Running', later the band found success through their own song writing abilities such as 'I'm A Man' (a popular MOD song). Steve Winwood left for pastures new in the late 60's , he had 'Traffic' on his mind, Spencer Davis continued the band regardless and recruited new musicians, one unsuccessful candidate being Reginald Dwight (Elton John). The band notched up several other classic late 60's songs until Spencer Davis made a move to Germany and then America where he now lives and still performs, Steve and Muff Winwood also now reside in the States, Peter York lives and still entertains in Germany. These songs continue to inspire thousands of musicians world wide, long live the unique soulful magic that is 'The Spencer Davis Group'.

I had the pleasure of meeting these fellas, and the last time I saw Muff was at Island Records. As an aspiring songwriter, my management was hoping he would take up an option on my songs, he didn't!! However fortunately for me, someone else did!

Compiled by Keith Law Sittin' & Thinkin' Spencer Davis Group: Sittin' And Thinkin' 1965 1. My Babe (Headfield-Medley) 2'40 2. Dimples (Hooker) 2'22 3. Searchin (Leiber-Stoller) 2'40 4. Every Little Bit Hirts (Cobb) 3'29 5. I'm Blue (Gong Gong Song) (Turner) 2'41 6. Sittin' And Thinkin' (Davis) (2'56) Side 2 7. I Can't Stand It (McAllister) 2'12 8. Here Right Now (Winwood) (3'13) 9. Jump Back (Thomas) 1'46 10. It's Gonna Work Out Fine (Seneca-Lee) (3'01) 11. Midnight Train (Roy-Hicks) (2'41) 12. It Hurts Me So (Winwood) (2'56) Steve Winwood vocal, organ, piano, guitar Spencer Davis vocal (6), guitar, harmonica Muff Winwood bass Peter York drums Millie (The Jamaican) vocal backing in 5 - Peter Asher piano 5 Released as: "First Album" in 1965, #6 UK Reissue as Fontana (cheap label) 701 575 WPY Cover design Jan Lepair & Sonja Van Der Ent Bought the LP 11.9.1967 12 mk Seinäjoki, Finland This is an interesting collection of the first singles of the band. The very first single was John Lee Hooker's song Dimples from 1964. Released as their "First Album" in 1965. The band was active with the original members from 1963-1967 until Steve Winwood left the band and formed Traffic. ... and the first nr 1 hit single: Keep On Running was still yet to come.... Thanks to Timppa from Finland for the use of the image and information

Steel Pulse

nataliechillington — Sat, 03 May 2008 13:56:48 +0000

Steel Pulse are a well-known roots reggae musical band. They originally formed at Handsworth Wood Boys School, in Birmingham, and comprised of David Hinds (lead vocals, guitar), Basil Gabbidon (lead guitar, vocals) and Ronald McQueen (bass). Hinds, as songwriter, has always been the engine behind Steel Pulse, from their early days establishing themselves in the Birmingham club scene onwards.

Formed in 1975, their debut release, Kibudu, Mansetta And Abuku arrived on the small independent label Dip, and linked the plight of urban black youth with the image of a greater African homeland. They followed it with Nyah Love for Anchor. Surprisingly, they were initially refused live dates in Caribbean venues in the Midlands because of their Rastafarian beliefs. Aligning themselves closely with the Rock Against Racism organisation and featuring in its first music festival in the spring of 1978, they chose to tour with sympathetic elements of the punk movement, including the Stranglers, XTC etc.: "Punks had a way of enjoying themselves - throw hordes at you, beer, spit at you, that kind of thing". Eventually they found a more natural home in support slots for Burning Spear, which brought them to the attention of Island Records.

Their first release for Island was the Ku Klux Klan 45, a considered tilt at the evils of racism, and one often accompanied by a visual parody of the sect on stage. By this time their ranks had swelled to include Selwyn 'Bumbo' Brown (keyboards), Steve 'Grizzly' Nisbett (drums), Alphonso Martin (vocals, percussion) and Mykaell Riley (vocals). Handsworth Revolution was an accomplished long playing debut and one of the major landmarks in the evolution of British Reggae. However, despite critical and moderate commercial success over three albums, the relationship with Island Records had soured by the advent of Caught You (released in the US as Reggae Fever).

Tom Terrell, who would later serve as their manager, was instrumental in masterminding the U.S. premiere of Steel Pulse on the night of Bob Marley's funeral, which was broadcast live around the world from the 9:30 Club, 930 F Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. on May 21, 1981.

They switched to Elektra Records, and unveiled their most consistent collection of songs since their debut with True Democracy, distinguished by the Garvey-eulogising 'Rally Round' cut. A further definitive set arrived in Earth Crisis. Unfortunately, Elektra chose to take a leaf out of Island's book in trying to coerce Steel Pulse into a more mainstream vein, asking them to emulate the pop-reggae stance of Eddy Grant. Babylon The Bandit was consequently weakened, but did contain the anthemic "Not King James Version", which was a powerful indictment on the omission of black people and history from certain versions of the Bible.

Their next move was of Hinds of Steel Pulse to MCA for State Of Emergency, which retained some of the synthesized dance elements of its predecessor. Though it was a significantly happier compromise, it still paled before any of their earlier albums. Centennial was recorded live at the Elysee Montmartre in Paris, and dedicated to the hundred year anniversary of the birth of Haile Selassie. It was the first recording since the defection of Alphonso Martin, leaving the trio of Hinds, Nisbett and Selwyn. While they still faced inverted snobbery at the hands of British Reggae fans, in the United States their reputation was growing, becoming the first ever reggae band to appear on the Tonight television show. Their profile was raised further when, in 1992, Hinds challenged the New York City Taxi & Limousine Commission in the Supreme Court, asserting that their cab drivers discriminated against black people in general and Rastafarians in particular.

The Steel Pulse message of hope, education and activism has struck a chord with music lovers worldwide. Their international success has resulted in a Grammy award for their 1986 classic Babylon The Bandit, and nominations for subsequent albums Victims (1991) and Rastafari Cennial (1992). In 1989, the group contributed I Can't Stand it to the soundtrack of Spike Lee's film Do The Right Thing.

In 1994, the group headlined some of the world's biggest reggae festivals including Reggae Sunsplash USA, Jamaican Sunsplash, Japan Splash and Northern California annual Reggae on the River Festival. In 1986, Steel Pulse contributed an ethereal version of Franklin's Tower on Pow Wow Records' Fire on the Mountain: Reggae Celebrates the Grateful Dead compilation. They've recently covered The Police's Can't Stand Losing You for a reggae compilation of Police tunes that will appear on the Ark 21 label. The band is particularly proud of "Rastanthology," a 17-song collection of Steel Pulse classics (the 1996 compilation was released on the band's own Wise Man Doctrine label).

"We're not here to start a physical revolution, we're just here to open everybody's eyes and let them check themselves and continue in a very educational mode to change things on that tip", Hinds explains. "We're losing ourselves and I think it's very important for us to realize that. Too many of our youths have been lost to drugs, or by the gun, or not having the education needed to persevere and move in an upward direction. I think RAGE & FURY will contribute to their enlightenment."

Members:
David Hinds*
Selwyn Brown*
Sidney Mills
Clifford Pusey
Amlak Tafari
Wayne Clarke
Sylvia Tella
Melanie Lynch
Keysha McTaggert
Marea Wilson

Former members:
Ronald McQueen*
Steve Nisbett*
Alphonso Martin*
Basil Gabbidon*
Michael Riley
Jimmy Haynes
Alvin Ewen
Conrad Kelly
Carlton Bryan
Kevin Batchelor
Gerry Johnson
Donna Sterling

* Founding member

Discography:

Albums:
* Handsworth Revolution (1978)
* Tribute to the Martyrs (1979)
* Caught You (1980)
* True Democracy (1982)
* Earth Crisis (1984)
* Babylon the Bandit (1986) Grammy Award Winner - Best Reggae Band
* State of Emergency (1988)
* Victims (1991)
* Vex (1994)
* Rage and Fury (1997)
* African Holocaust (2004)

Live albums:
* Rastafari Centennial - Live In Paris (Elysee Montmartre) (1992)
* Living Legacy (1998)
*Living Legend (2002)

Special thanks to Keith Law for content

The Streets

nataliechillington — Sat, 03 May 2008 13:57:10 +0000

Swami

nataliechillington — Sat, 03 May 2008 14:02:55 +0000

Swansway

nataliechillington — Sat, 03 May 2008 14:03:22 +0000

Dave Swarbrick

nataliechillington — Sat, 03 May 2008 14:03:49 +0000

Swell Maps

nataliechillington — Sat, 03 May 2008 14:30:59 +0000

Ted Turner

nataliechillington — Sat, 03 May 2008 14:31:17 +0000

Ruby Turner

nataliechillington — Sat, 03 May 2008 14:36:38 +0000

The Twang

nataliechillington — Sat, 03 May 2008 14:37:00 +0000

The Twang are an indie rock band from Birmingham, England, formed in 2001. The band garnered national acclaim when the influential NME magazine produced an article on music acts (which also featured fellow Midlanders Ripchord and The Enemy) in the West Midlands, and has led to band coming fourth in the BBC News website's Sound of 2007 poll. Members: *Phil Etheridge *Martin Saunders *Jon Watkin *Matty Clinton *Stu Hartland *Former members *Alex Godfrey The band's debut single, "Wide Awake", was released March 19, 2007, with their debut album Love It When I Feel Like This, released on June 4, 2007, and being produced by the band's long term collaborator Gavin Monaghan. "Wide Awake" was produced at The Magic Garden Studio, in Wolverhampton, assisted by Gazz Rogers. "Wide Awake" has had lots of play across national and local radio Stations. The band was formed in Quinton, Birmingham by Phil Etheridge and Jon Watkin. They are signed to the B-Unique label, home to Kaiser Chiefs, The Automatic and The Ordinary Boys. Their debut single release, Wide Awake was released in both CD and 7" format on the 19th of March 2007. The record reached number 15 in the UK singles charts. The band managed to win the Phillip Hall Radar Award at the 2007 NME Awards. The Twang originally performed in and around Birmingham under the name "Neon Twang". However, this was allegedly changed due to numerous scuffles between the band's fans and punters in various Pubs. These events prevented them booking gigs in some venues, hence the need for the name change. The band have been quoted saying that they don't promote violence at their performances and have criticised the lack of doormen and security at local Venues. In the early days before Stuart Hartland and drummer Matty Clinton joined the group, lead singer Phil Etheridge and bass player Jon Watkin swapped instruments on numerous "Neon Twang" tracks ("Cloudy Room", "Push The Ghost" and "Aimless With An Aim" being surviving tracks from this period). Etheridge frequently played bass guitar and sang, whilst Watkin played lead guitar. The addition of Hartland in late 2005 enabled Watkin to take over Bass duties permanently and allowed Etheridge to perform songs live with much more enthusiasm, although the frontman's trademark dancing was still evident whilst playing Bass. During the "Neon Twang" period the band's sound was very similar to how it is now, some very early track names being: "See It Thru", "Big Day Out", live favourite "Shoot To Kill", "Time Waits", "Push The Ghost", "Aimless With An Aim" and the reggae influenced "Fake ID". "Aimless With An Aim" and "Fancy That" later turned up as the B-Side's to the bands first single "Wide Awake". Lead singer Phil Etheridge is an Aston Villa supporter, Saunders is a Birmingham City supporter whilst the rest are West Bromwich Albion supporters as stated in a Live Lounge session on BBC Radio 1 presented by Jo Whiley. The band recently worked with The Streets on a Remix of their hit single "Either Way". The remix also featured up-and-coming rapper Professor Green. In April 2007, they had their first NME cover and two months later they were the subject of a BBC Radio 1 documentary. In February 2008, The Twang had their University of Surrey gig filmed and later broadcast on Channelbee. Discography: Singles: * "Wide Awake" (March 19, 2007) UK #15 * "Either Way" (May 28, 2007) UK #8 * "Two Lovers" (August 27, 2007) UK #34 * "Push the Ghosts / Drinking In L.A" (November, 2007) Special thanks to Keith Law at unsignedcity.com for content.

UB40

nataliechillington — Sat, 03 May 2008 14:37:26 +0000

Pete 'Overend' Watts

nataliechillington — Sat, 03 May 2008 14:37:59 +0000

Toyah Wilcox

nataliechillington — Sat, 03 May 2008 14:38:32 +0000

Muff Winwood

nataliechillington — Sat, 03 May 2008 14:39:06 +0000

Steve Winwood

nataliechillington — Sat, 03 May 2008 14:39:31 +0000

Wizzard

nataliechillington — Sat, 03 May 2008 14:39:51 +0000

Wizzard were formed by Roy Wood, former member of The Move and co-founder of Electric Light Orchestra. Members: *Roy Wood *Bill Hunt *Hugh McDowell *Rick Price *Keith Smart *Mike Burney *Nick Pentelow *Charlie Grima Former members: *Dave Griffiths Not long after the release of Electric Light Orchestra's first album, Wood found himself at odds with co-leader Jeff Lynne. He decided he wanted to head off in a different musical direction and left, taking band members Bill Hunt (keyboards & french horn), Hugh McDowell (cello), and ELO's sound engineer, Trevor Smith, with him, to found Wizzard. Also in the line-up were former Move bassist Rick Price, drummers Charlie Grima and Keith Smart, (all taken from Birmingham group Mongerel) and saxophone players Mike Burney and Nick Pentelow, son of actor Arthur Pentelow. Hunt was later replaced by Bob Brady. The band made their live debut at a Rock 'n' Roll Festival at Wembley in August 1972, followed by an appearance at the Reading Festival later that month. With Wood's distinctive warpaint make-up and colourful costume, not to mention regular appearances on BBC TV's Top of the Pops in which members and friends variously appeared in pantomime horses, gorilla costumes or as roller-skating angels, often wielding custard pies for good measure, they were one of the most picturesque groups in the British glam rock era. In January 1973 they scored their first Top 10 hit with "Ball Park Incident". Although they released two albums, Wizzard Brew, and Introducing Eddy & The Falcons, their biggest hit was with their second single. "See My Baby Jive", Wood's faithful and affectionate tribute to the Phil Spector "Wall of Sound", made No. 1 in the UK singles chart for four weeks. The follow-up, "Angel Fingers", also topped the charts, though for only one week. The band's 1973 Christmas single "I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday" has become something of an annual fixture on British radio and television (along with Slade's "Merry Xmas Everybody" and, until his highly public fall from grace, Gary Glitter's "Another Rock n' Roll Christmas".) It was reissued in 1981, and a 12" re-recording appeared in 1984. During 1973 Wood was simultaneously exploring a solo career with his Album Boulders, which produced a Top 20 hit "Dear Elaine". The subsequent heavy working schedule and strain led to health problems, and several cancelled or postponed live dates on a spring 1974 tour of the UK. One highlight of 1974 was a return to the top 10 with "Rock 'n' Roll Winter", a song dedicated to girlfriend of the time Lynsey de Paul, who repaid the honour by recording a Wizzard flavoured song "Ooh I Do" a few months later. A tour of the U.S. later that year failed to bring them any commercial success there, but some members guested on a Beach Boys session, which resulted in the eventual release of the latter group's single "It's OK" in 1976. Wizzard were an expensive band to maintain, both because of the large line-up, in terms of recording costs, and Bill Hunt's capacity to smash the pianos of the venues they were playing at. According to Price in a radio interview, "...even when we've had permission to do so. At one gig they said, 'Oh, go on, smash it up; it's only worth a fiver.' So Bill smashed it up, and we got a bill for a hundred and ten quid!" Studio time was an even greater drain on the band's finances. Price again: "When we finished recording 'Angel Fingers' it was rumoured that we had spent more time in the studio than Paul McCartney had with the whole of the Band on the Run album. Whether it was true or not, this meant that most of the record company's money was spent in studio time and that the members of the band had to rely on live touring work for their income. A couple of tours in the UK and one tour of the USA were not enough to ensure regular wages for the band. One by one the band members found other, more lucrative, things to occupy their time." By autumn 1975 they had split, leaving a farewell single "Rattlesnake Roll", which failed to chart, plus a third album Main Street which their record company did not release as they deemed it too uncommercial. It finally saw the light of day in 2000. Wizzard had initially intended their second album to be a double, with one disc a set of rock'n'roll pastiches, the other disc jazz-rock. The record company heard the rock'n'roll set, and said they intended to release that as a single album, which appeared in 1974 as Introducing Eddy and the Falcons. Main Street, which languished in the vaults for around 25 years and was for some time presumed lost, was the jazz-rock set. In 1977 Wood and Price formed the shortlived Wizzo Band, after which Wood reverted to a solo career in addition to producing records for other acts, notably a 1979 Top 10 cover version of "Duke of Earl" for British doo-wop revivalists Darts. Discography: Albums: * Wizzard Brew (1973) - #29 UK - co-engineered by Alan Parsons * Introducing Eddy & The Falcons (1974) - #19 UK * Main Street (2000) Singles: * "Ball Park Incident" (1972); #6 UK. * "See My Baby Jive" 1973); #1 UK. * "Angel Fingers" (1973); #1 UK. * "I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday" (1973); #4 UK. * "Rock 'N' Roll Winter" (1974); #6 UK. * "This Is The Story Of My Love (Baby)" (1974); #34 UK. * "Are You Ready to Rock" (1974); #8 UK. * "Rattlesnake Roll" (1975) * "Indiana Rainbow" (1976) - credited to Roy Wood's Wizzard * "I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday" (re-issue) (1981); #41 UK. * "I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday" (re-entry of re-issue with 12" re-recording) (1984); #23 UK. * "I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday" (re-entry) (2007) #16 UK. Special thanks to Keith Law for content.

The Wonderstuff

nataliechillington — Sat, 03 May 2008 14:40:27 +0000

The Wonder Stuff are a band originally based in Stourbridge, West Midlands, in the Black Country. Members: *Miles Hunt (vocals/guitars) *Malcolm Treece (guitars/vocals) *Andres Karu (drums) *Mark McCarthy (bass) *Erica Nockalls (fiddle) Former members: *Rob "The Bass Thing" Jones (bass) *Martin Gilks (drums) *Paul Clifford (bass) *Martin Bell (fiddle/ banjo) *Philip Thomas (drums) *Stuart Quinell (bass) The original line-up was Miles Hunt vocals, guitar (whose uncle Bill Hunt was keyboard player with Wizzard), Malcolm Treece guitar, vocals, Rob "The Bass Thing" Jones (died July 1993) and Martin Gilks, drums (died April 2006). The group originated from an earlier collaboration with group members of Pop Will Eat Itself, called From Eden, which had Miles Hunt on the drums. The Wonder Stuff were formed in March 1986, and soon built up a huge following. They entered the studio in September that year to record a self-financed first E.P. "A Wonderful Day". After signing with Polydor in 1987, the group released a series of snarling, witty pop singles. "Unbearable", "Give Give Give, Me More More More", "A Wish Away" and "It's Yer Money I'm After Baby" (their first top 40 entry) all featured on their debut long player "The Eight Legged Groove Machine" in August 1988 (UK #18) and scored a rare 9 out of 10 in the album's NME review. The group then headed off on their first headlining 19-date "Groovers On Manouevres" UK tour. Wishing to keep with the tradition of releasing singles that were not on albums (as The Clash, The Jam & The Smiths did before them) they released "Who Wants To Be The Disco King?" in March 1989, and after appearances at Reading and Glastonbury, and tours of Europe and the States they immediately got to work on the second album. "Don't Let Me Down, Gently" became their first top 20 hit in September 1989, which preceded the release of the album "Hup" in October (UK #5). Another 24-date UK tour followed. The album also saw the introduction of new band member Martin Bell, an accomplished violin and banjo instrumentalist. Martin had contributed the fiddle and banjo parts, notably on tracks "Golden Green" (the second single), "Unfaithful" and "Cartoon Boyfriend". The album was heavily influenced by The Waterboys' "Fisherman's Blues" which had been release a year earlier, with the fiddle being prominent throughout. Several shows during the band's 1989 tour featured Canadian band Spirit of the West as an opening act. Following disagreements within the group, The Bass Thing left in December 1989, heading straight for America as soon as the group had played the final night of a sellout 3 night residence at Birmingham's Aston Villa Leisure Centre. A single, "Circlesquare" was released shortly after, and just before Paul Clifford replaced Rob Jones on the bass in the Spring of 1990. This led to a string of live outings for the renewed line-up as new songs were road-tested with the new members on a tour with The Mission in the summer of 1990. With only one single release in 1990 and no album yet ready they put out "Eleven Appalling Promos", a home video which showed Miles, Malc and Martin doing a commentary between each song. In December after receiving a Brit Award nomination the group opted not to play Wembley Arena, but instead answering a fans letter and playing at a school in Pontefract. The third album was started in late 1990 and completed early the following year. The first single from the new album was "The Size Of A Cow" in April 1991 their first top 10 hit reaching number 5 and was swiftly followed by "Caught In My Shadow" (UK #18) in May, before unleashing the third album "Never Loved Elvis" in June 1991 (UK #3). With Martin Bell more involved in the writing process, the new album was even more dominated by the fiddle and mandolin than "Hup". After this success came their first headlining stadium show at Walsall's Bescot Stadium which attracted 18,000 fans, before the group embarked on a 58 date world tour taking in the UK, Europe and the US. For the tour, the band was now augmented by keyboardist Peter Whittaker. Just after the third single from the album "Sleep Alone" in September, the group scored a rare, but predictable, commercial success when they covered Tommy Roe's "Dizzy" with Vic Reeves in 1991, reaching the top of the charts for two weeks in November and raising the band's profile. The band carried on touring into 1992 releasing single "Welcome to the Cheap Seats" (UK #8) in February, which was also to be the title of their rockumentary released on video that spring and filmed over eighteen months on the road with the band. Another 33 dates were added in 1992, with a further tour of the States on their own and supporting Siouxsie And The Banshees, plus an appearance on David Letterman, a further UK tour plus a headlining slot at the 1992 Reading Festival, the group then settled down to begin work on the fourth album in late 1992 with recording commencing in spring the following year. After previewing their new material at a few European summer festivals, a new single "On The Ropes" (UK #10) was released in September 1993 followed by the harder sounding "Construction for the Modern Idiot" appearing in October 1993 (UK #4). Another single "Full Of Life (Happy Now)" came out just before Christmas while the band toured Europe before going to the States in February 1994. A third single "Hot Love Now" (UK #19) was released in time for the mammoth UK tour in March, and by the time the "Idiot Manoeuvers" tour came to an end it had been the longest tour they ever undertook with 78 dates since the albums release. There was much tension and disquiet within the group again though and, prior to their performance at the Gloucester Leisure Centre, the members held a meeting where it was agreed that the band would split : Martin Gilks declared his intention to leave the group following the end of the current touring commitments, and Martin Bell had also decided to leave with the intention of expanding upon his work providing music for television shows and soundtracks as a session musician. In addition, Miles Hunt had become frustrated with the inability of the band's label to promote the current album worldwide and had also decided to leave the group at the end of the current UK tour. With the intention of three members to leave at the end of this tour, it was therefore impossible for the group to continue, and the decision was taken to split. Everyone felt that the group was pulling into different directions musically and personally, and although they had demoed some rough versions of some new material in 1994 they did feel that after four albums and eight years together the time was right to do something else and that the band had started to stagnate creatively. A planned tour in May of the Far East and Australian territories was cancelled. The band made no public announcement at this time, but rumour soon spread after the band's roadcrew were informed they should seek other opportunities after the end of the tour, and the band framework was quietly dismantled. After much speculation, the group finally announced the split in June by a newsletter to members of their fanclub. After four albums and seventeen singles they performed the final contracted show on July 15, 1994 at a headlining performance at the Phoenix Festival near Stratford-on-Avon in front of over 30,000 fans. In September followed their 18 song "If The Beatles Had Read Hunter....The Singles" (UK #8), a re-issue of the "Unbearable" single (UK #16), and a video of their farewell performance from July. The "Live In Manchester" album was released in July 1995 (although recorded in November 1991) a year after the split. During the split between 1994 and 2000, Miles Hunt was involved in several projects including the hosting of MTV's 120 Minutes show. He then put together another band Vent 414 whose debut album was released in October 1996 and featuring ex-Senseless Things Morgan Nicholls on bass and later Clash drummer Peter Howard. After being dropped by Polydor prior to the release of the second album, Miles went to work as a solo artist touring America with Malc Treece which saw the release of two albums - "Miles Across America", an album of new material, Wonder Stuff tracks and Vent 414 material all reworked for the acoustic guitar with the live acoustic album "By The Time I Got To Jersey" following in late 1998. A full studio was later released, "Hairy On The Inside" (again featuring Treece and another fellow Wonder Stuff member Martin Bell) in April 1999, and "The Miles Hunt Club" in April 2002. Meanwhile Malc Treece, Paul Clifford and Martin Gilks formed Weknowwhereyoulive with Ange Dolittle from Eat. They gigged extensively throughout 1995/96 releasing two EPs but then split up. After numerous industry rumours and countless requests from promoters, the NME announced in July 2000, exactly six years after their last performance, that The Wonder Stuff were reforming. Miles Hunt, Malcolm Treece, Martin Gilks, Martin Bell and Peter Whittaker together with new bassist Stuart Quinell were reforming to undertake a one off concert at London's Forum in December of that year. This soon became five sold out nights, preceded by two nights in Dudley (at the site of their first ever gig), as demand to see the band increased. The group's previous four studio albums were reissued with bonus tracks and a compilation of b.sides, demos and live tracks, "Love Bites & Bruises" was released in November. More live performances continued into 2001 with the release of a live album "Cursed With Insincerity" in June, and more concerts came in 2002. A DVD release "Construction For The Modern Vidiot" in May 2003 featured highlights from the 2000 to 2002 shows and then a further tour was announced in December 2003. Despite reforming, shows were generally infrequent as some members had full time employment commitments. In total the 2000-2003 reformation saw 25 performances. The band had been considering recording a new album since the reformation - however disagreements within the group had occurred regarding royalties and songwriting credits. Tensions within the band had also risen since the relative high ticket prices of the December 2003 shows, which at £25 were considered by some members of the band to be too high. Poor sales of tickets - presumably due to high prices - on these final shows caused the cancellation of more than one date on this tour. In early 2004, Miles Hunt was informed that Martin Gilks and Martin Bell would no longer work with him, and thus The Wonder Stuff (in the eyes of Gilks and Bell) were defunct. As a result, Stuart Quinell and Peter Whitaker were informed the band had split, and Miles Hunt began work on a new record with Mark McCarthy (ex-Radical Dance Faction) and Luke Johnson (ex-Amen and son of one-time Wonder Stuff manager, Les Johnson). Sessions for this new solo record were later joined by Malcolm Treece, and thus, a new lineup of The Wonder Stuff was born. The decision was controversial with some fans and former members of the band. In late 2004 it was revealed that The Wonder Stuff's first new album for over a decade, "Escape From Rubbish Island", was to be released in September that year with "Better Get Ready For A Fist Fight" and the title track becoming singles. Andres Karu (formerly of The Miles Hunt Club) replaced Luke Johnson on drums. The band toured the UK and US extensively in 2004 and 2005 and were joined by violinist Erica Nockalls in March 2005. This line-up continued into 2006 for the release of their new album "Suspended By Stars" in March and the single "Blah Blah La Di Dah" which was only available either on the album or through most music download services including iTunes or Napster. The band toured in March 2006 to support the record and in conjunction with their 20th anniversary. In April 2006, original Wonder Stuff drummer Martin Gilks was killed in a motorcycle accident in London. Later that year, Martin was voted the best British drummer of all time in a radio poll conducted by BBC 6 Music for the Stuart Maconie show. Summer 2006 was occupied with some solo Miles Hunt acoustic shows (which were recorded for a live album, titled "Interloper" and released in October 2006). The Wonder Stuff also began mixing an as-yet untitled live record documenting the March 2006 tour and played several UK outdoor shows. The band finished the year by touring the UK again, performing their final date for the foreseeable future on December 8th at the Shepherd's Bush Empire. The band went on a temporary hiatus for 2007 due to the imminent fatherhood of Malcolm Treece. However, Miles Hunt (with violinist Erica Nockalls and drummer Andres Karu) recorded a solo album "Not An Exit", and Miles / Erica toured the record in the UK, Australia and North America. In June 2007, Universal released a new double album of The Wonder Stuff's BBC recordings compiled from session appearances and concert recordings recorded and broadcast by the BBC between 1987 and 1994. The group released their own live album ('The Wonder Stuff Live') in October 2007 taken from tracks recorded at venues and festivals around the UK in 2006. This new album is the first official release of tracks performed under the new line-up and features tracks taken from all of the group's previous albums. Album Discography: * The Eight Legged Groove Machine (August 1988, UK #18) * Hup (October 1989, UK #5) * Never Loved Elvis (June 1991, UK #3) * Construction for the Modern Idiot (October 1993, UK #4) * If The Beatles Had Read Hunter ... The Singles (compilation, September 1994, UK # 8) * Live In Manchester (live, July 1995) * Love Bites and Bruises (compilation of B.sides & unreleased tracks, November 2000) * Cursed With Insincerity (live June 2001) * Escape From Rubbish Island (September 2004) * Suspended By Stars (Feb 2006) * The BBC Sessions (June 2007) * The Wonder Stuff Live (live, October 2007) * The Eight Legged Groove Machine - 20th Anniversary Edition (re-recordings of the original debut album with bonus tracks, October 2008) Singles Discography: * "It's Not True" (2/1987) * "Unbearable" (9/1987) * "Give Give Give Me More More More" (25/4/1988) 72 * "A Wish Away" (11/7/1988) 43 * "It's Yer Money I'm After Baby" (19/9/1988) 40 * "Who Wants To Be The Disco King?" (6/5/1989) 28 * "Don't Let Me Down Gently" (18/9/1989) 19 * "Golden Green" / "Get Together" (6/11/1989) 33 * "Circlesquare" (7/5/90) 20 * "The Size Of A Cow" (8/4/1991) 5 * "Caught In My Shadow" (20/5/1991) 18 * "Sleep Alone" (2/9/1991) 43 * "Dizzy" (Vic Reeves and the Wonder Stuff) (21/10/1991) 1 * "Welcome to the Cheap Seats" (20/1/1992) 8 * "On The Ropes" (20/9/1993) 10 * "Full Of Life (Happy Now)" (22/11/93) 28 * "Hot Love Now!" (21/3/1994) 19 * "Unbearable" (Re-Release) (5/9/1994) 16 * "Better Get Ready For A Fist Fight" (18/10/2004) 95 * "Bile Chant" / "Escape From Rubbish Island" (21/2/2005) 104 * "Blah Blah, Lah Di Dah" (30/1/2006) * "The Sun Goes Down On Manor Road" (2006) * "Last Second Of The Minute" (2006) Special thanks to Keith Law at unsignedcity.com for content.

Roy Wood

nataliechillington — Sat, 03 May 2008 14:40:54 +0000

Benjamin Zepaniah

nataliechillington — Sat, 03 May 2008 14:41:34 +0000

Gigs

Jeremy Collins — Tue, 13 May 2008 14:47:40 +0000

The Powerhouse

Jeremy Collins — Tue, 13 May 2008 15:33:40 +0000

Zig Zag

Jeremy Collins — Tue, 13 May 2008 15:34:19 +0000

Rum Runner

Keith Law — Tue, 13 May 2008 15:35:35 +0000

Broad Street The Rum Runner nightclub was opened on Broad Street in the Birmingham city centre in 1964. It was demolished in 1987. One of the first 'house' bands, playing the cover versions of the day, became Magnum featuring Bob Catley and Tony Clarkin. They left the club in 1975 to play their own material of melodic rock. Ray Berrow, who along with brother Don, their sister Tissy and another brother , were the original owners. Paul Berrow started at the club washing glasses, as did his younger brother, Michael. Ray and Don Berrow were all bookmakers. Paul and Michael Berrow, relaunched the club with an eclectic power playlist borrowed from Studio 54 in New York. Roxy Music and David Bowie nights were accompanied by jazz funk nights which were strongly influenced by New York's Chic powerdisco. A real milestone in the history of the Rum Runner was when a newly-formed group of musicians called Duran Duran walked in one day with a tape. There was an instant mutual appeal between the Berrows and the band, and the Berrows offered Duran Duran a place to rehearse and play gigs. The band found themselves becoming heavily involved with the running of the club with John Taylor working the door, Nick Rhodes deejaying for Â£10 a night, Roger Taylor working as a glass collector and Andy Taylor polishing mirrors, painting and cooking burgers for cash. Duran Duran quickly became the resident band at the venue. After many months, Michael and Paul Berrow signed as Duran Duran's managers. The Berrows and the band then formed the Tritec Music company (named after the triangular-themed bar inside the club). The label used the Rum Runner office upstairs from the club as its official address . Paul & Michael's father was a well known in the Birmingham entertainment scene. Michael mortgaged his house to make funds f or their supporting act roll for Hazel O'Connors UK tour. In developing the club's musical identity they also gave free rehearsal space to bands like Dexys Midnight Runners and UB40, with The Beat filming a video for their song 'Mirror In The Bathroom' taking full advantage of the many mirrors that walled the club. As time went by they opened more and more different evenings and one of the residents became DJ Dick who later went on to form Rockers Hi-Fi and who now hosts the city's main Funk Acid Jazz night called Leftfoot, situated at The Medicine Bar. Notable denizens of the club included De Harriss, Mulligan, and Marlon Recchi of Fashion, Martin Degville and other members of Sigue Sigue Sputnik, Nigel & Jimmy (managers), Al Beard (security), and Liam (general socialite). A sad picture of the famous seating barrels, and the club being dismatled. Compiled by Keith Law

Birmingham Odeon

Keith Law — Tue, 13 May 2008 15:38:26 +0000

New Street A once beautiful cinema, now divided into eight screens. The Paramount Theatre opened on 4th September 1937 with Errol Flynn in "Charge of the Light Brigade". The original seating capacity was for 2,439 with 1,517 in the stalls and 922 in the circle. It was equipped with a Compton 4Manual/10Rank theatre organ which was opened by Al Bollington. The Paramount had a large stage, dressing rooms and a cafe/restaurant. In August 1942, it was sold to Oscar Deutsch's Odeon Theatres Ltd. and it was re-named Odeon. In 1965 it was closed for a period while major modernisation was carried out. The Odeon was used for many live shows during this period of time, including appearances by The Beatles. In May 1988 the Odeon was closed for conversion into a six screen cinema, which re-opened in August 1988. Unfortunately, the Compton organ, which had still been used for concerts, was dismantled and sold. In 1991 two additional screens were opened in the former restaurant area and a former bar in the basement. The cinema used to have a very ornate auditorium until it was altered. Now it is all very plain, including the foyer entrance. The last refurbishment was carried out in 1998. As previously metioned, The Odeon was used for many live shows during this period of time, including appearances by The Beatles. Indeed, for many years it was the venue, for the then many 'Package Shows', which consisted of one main star attraction, and several support acts. Sometimes the package consisted of many act, that were all charting at the time. The star names are many and too numerous to name here, but I have personally seen many shows, including, Bob Dylan, who complained loudly over the Mic, that the stage floor was dirty,and required cleaning! Also, Duane Eddy, The Everly Brothers, Gene Vincent, Mickie Most, The Shirelles, Mike Bloomfield, Darry Hall and John Oakes and many more. Here's my ticket from the The Everly Brothers concert I even bumped into Eric Burdon of The Animals. He was outside the front, and we had a lovely converstaion about his brand new Ford Mustang, that was parked in New Street. Compiled by Keith Law Our aim to build a complete list of gigs at The Odeon. Here's a start but we need your help! Cream - December 1964 Manitas De Plata 06/12/69 Beach Boys, Eclection 25/11/70 Manitas De Plata 11/12/70 Marvin Welch & Farrar 01/11/71 The Who 20/11/70 Emerson Lake & Palmer 11/12/71 T Rex 09/06/72 Lindisfarne, Genesis, Rab Noakes 25/10/72 Emerson, Lake & Palmer 24/11/72 Led Zeppelin 16&17/12/72 Santana 16/11/73 Abba 10/02/77 Status Quo 23/11/77

The Hummingbird

Jeremy Collins — Tue, 13 May 2008 15:41:34 +0000

Tin Can

Jeremy Collins — Tue, 13 May 2008 15:42:07 +0000

The Hare & Hounds

Jeremy Collins — Tue, 13 May 2008 15:42:35 +0000

The Carling Academy

Jeremy Collins — Tue, 13 May 2008 15:43:02 +0000

Locarno

Jeremy Collins — Tue, 13 May 2008 15:43:58 +0000

Sinatra's

Jeremy Collins — Tue, 13 May 2008 15:45:58 +0000

The Rainbow

Jeremy Collins — Tue, 13 May 2008 15:46:26 +0000

The Sunflower Lounge

Jeremy Collins — Tue, 13 May 2008 15:46:55 +0000

The Jam House

Jeremy Collins — Tue, 13 May 2008 15:47:16 +0000

Actress & Bishop

Jeremy Collins — Tue, 13 May 2008 15:47:52 +0000

The Medicine Bar

Jeremy Collins — Tue, 13 May 2008 15:48:30 +0000

The Triangle

Jeremy Collins — Tue, 13 May 2008 15:49:31 +0000

duranduran_uk_presskit_1981

nataliechillington — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 13:34:03 +0000

Black and white

Artists & Bands A-O

Admin — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 11:55:57 +0000

Record Labels

Admin — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 12:20:41 +0000

Venue's & Hangouts

Admin — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 12:21:09 +0000

Press & Fanzines

Admin — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 12:28:08 +0000

Promoters

Admin — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 12:28:44 +0000

Radio Stations (inc. pirate)

Admin — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 12:29:16 +0000

Record Shops & Retail

Admin — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 12:29:38 +0000

DJ's & Producers

Admin — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 12:30:11 +0000

Apache Indian

Admin — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 14:01:07 +0000

Reggae DJ, Steven Kapur AKA Apache Indian was born 11 May 1967 in Handsworth, Birmingham. In collaboration with his cousins, Simon and Diamond Duggal, he introduced the new hybrid sound of bhangra raggamuffin - also known as bhangramuffin - to the world with his first album 'No Reservations' (1993) becoming the first true International Asian Pop Artist. For this, Apache had signed a recording contract worth £250,000 with Island Records - one of the largest sums paid for a debut album by a non-white artist. It was followed by 'Make Way for the Indian', which featured rapper Tim Dog and spawned the hit, 'Boom Shack-A-Lak'. 'Real People / Wild East' proved to be his most experimental album, and also featured more Indian elements than the other works. In his heyday, he also made an appearance in the Tamil film, Love Birds, dancing alongside Prabhu Deva.

Artists & Bands P-Z

Admin — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 16:06:35 +0000

How to contribute to the archive...

Admin — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 10:49:08 +0000

Contributing to the archive is easy! There are three ways in which you can do so... 1 - Commenting Got something to say? Then commenting may be for you. Commenting is available on all of the archive pages; meaning you can easily leave us your opinions/memories/stories and more at the bottom of any featured artist's page. The same applies to all of the other categories (Venues/DJ's & Producers/Venue's & Hangouts/Managers/Record Labels & Retail/Press & Promoters/Radio Staions.) Please note that all comments must be approved by an administrator before they appear on the archive. 2 - Become an Author Passionate about the the Birmingham music archive? Then why not become an author and help us build the archive by contributing to the existing pages. Once you're registered and logged in, you will see a link at the top of each page, clicking it will allow you to fully edit the content. See the video for a demonstration. 3 - Send us an e-mail In a hurry? Or perhaps you are less confident about becomming an author and commenting, then you can always send us a quick e-mail with your content (whether it be text based, images, audio, video)to be added to the archive, and we will gladly add it for you! However remember to leave us your details so we can give you full credit for contributions. Tell Us What You Know. Tell Us What You Think.

The Barrel Organ

Admin — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 12:43:08 +0000

Rialto

Admin — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 12:47:23 +0000

Jeremy Collins — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 12:58:05 +0000

Jeremy Collins — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 13:02:09 +0000

To help us launch the Birmingham Music Archive and to get the debates and discussions flowing we’re running a poll to find out who and what are your favourite musicians, songs, venues, gigs and record shops. We’re not asking who is the best, merely your favourite in each category and we’ll see who comes out on top!

The only rules are that there must be some traceable connection with a Birmingham Postcode to your choices.

Get voting, get discussing, get contributing to the Birmingham Music Archive,

Your Vote Counts!

What is your. . .

To start voting - Click here

Spizz Energi

Admin — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 13:05:57 +0000

The Nightingales

Admin — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 13:06:26 +0000

Grim Reaper

Admin — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 13:07:04 +0000

Witchfinder General

Admin — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 13:08:03 +0000

Jameson Raid

Admin — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 13:09:04 +0000

Formed in 1975, Jameson Raid was a heavy rock band which played in many venues in Birmingham. They folded in 1983 but left the world with two fantastic self-released EPs and a track - "Hard Lines" appearing on the EMI compilation "Metal for Muthas II - although credited to "The Raid". There is a possibility they are now (2009) reforming so get out there and support them!! A fab new website dedicated to the band can be found at http://www.jamesonraid.net/index.html. Thanks to Steve.

Meanstreetdealer

Diamond Head

Admin — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 13:09:23 +0000

Quartz

Admin — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 13:09:54 +0000

Handsome Beasts

Admin — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 13:10:21 +0000

Wrathchild

Admin — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 13:10:37 +0000

Fashion Dangerous Girls

Admin — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 09:47:25 +0000

Denizens

Admin — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 09:48:20 +0000

Mean Street Dealers

Admin — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 09:48:59 +0000

Ferrari

Admin — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 09:49:21 +0000

Money

Admin — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 09:49:57 +0000

Dexys Midnight Runners

Admin — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 09:50:29 +0000

Dexys Midnight Runners are a Birmingham pop group with soul influences, who achieved their major success in the early to mid 1980s. They are best known for their hits "Come on Eileen" and "Geno". Kevin Rowland (vocals, guitar) and Kevin "Al" Archer (vocals, guitar) founded the band in 1978 in Birmingham, England, naming the band after Dexedrine, a brand of dextroamphetamine popularly used as a recreational drug among Northern Soul fans at the time. The midnight runners referred to the energy the Dexedrine gave, enabling one to dance all night. "Big" Jim Paterson (trombone), Geoff "JB" Blythe (saxophone), Steve "Babyface" Spooner (alto saxophone), Pete Saunders (keyboard), Pete Williams (bass) and Bobby "Jnr" Ward (drums) formed the first line-up of the band to record a single, "Dance Stance" (1979). The song was released on the independent Oddball Records, and reached only number 40 in the British charts, but the next single, "Geno" – about Geno Washington, and released on EMI – was a British Number One in 1980. It featured the band's newest recruits, Andy Leek (keyboards) and Andy "Stoker" Growcott (drums). The band members were disappointed with their share of the profits, and soon stole the master tapes of Searching for the Young Soul Rebels, their debut LP, in order to renegotiate the deal. The album was released later in 1980 and became a massive success. After the next single, "There, There, My Dear", was a hit, Rowland insisted on choosing the uncommercial "Keep It Part Two (Inferiority Part One)" for the following single. It was a failure, and most of the band members quit, angered over continual personality problems with Rowland. Archer eventually formed The Blue Ox Babes, while Blythe, Spooner, Williams, Stoker and Mick Talbot (ex-The Merton Parkas, who had recently joined on keyboards) left to form The Bureau. Paterson stayed with Rowland, who added Billy Adams (guitar/banjo), Seb Shelton (drums, formerly of Secret Affair), Micky Billingham (keyboard), Brian Maurice (alto saxophone), Paul Speare (tenor saxophone) and Steve Wynne (bass), releasing "Plan B", "Show Me" (this line-up's only Top 40 hit) and "Liars A to E" in 1981 without much success. Rowland then recruited fiddle players Helen O'Hara (from Archer's new group, the Blue Ox Babes), Steve Brennan and Roger MacDuff, known collectively as "The Emerald Express". With the addition of new bass player, Giorgio Kilkenny, this line-up recorded Too-Rye-Ay in 1982, a hybrid of soul and Celtic folk, with strong influences from the music of Van Morrison.The first single, "The Celtic Soul Brothers", was mildly successful but "Come on Eileen" soon followed, and became a Number One hit in both the UK and the United States (and, in the former, the biggest-selling single of 1982). The follow-up "Jackie Wilson Said (I'm in Heaven When You Smile)", a cover of a Van Morrison tune, also reached the top 5 in the UK singles chart. The band sang this song on the UK comedy The Young Ones. When the band performed this single on the BBC TV music show Top Of The Pops, which was broadcast live, there was an infamous mix-up (or deliberate prank) by the BBC engineers in charge of the background graphics. Instead of a picture of Jackie Wilson, the American soul singer, the band performed in front of a photo of Jocky Wilson, the Scottish darts player. Feeling that their role in the group had diminished following the arrival of the fiddles, the brass section of Paterson, Speare and Maurice left to form The TKO Horns and recorded an album in 1985 with Howard Jones, while Kilkenny was replaced by Johnny Edwards on bass and Billingham left to join General Public. The group continued to tour until 1983 with a nucleus of Rowland, Adams, O'Hara and Shelton augmented by other musicians. After a two-year break, Dexys returned in 1985 with the critically panned album, Don't Stand Me Down, featuring Rowland, Adams, O'Hara and Nicky Gatfield together with various seasoned performers including Vincent Crane (ex-Atomic Rooster), Julian Littman and Tim Dancy (who had been Al Green's drummer). Rowland at first refused to issue any singles from the defiantly uncommercial album, and by the time "This Is What She's Like" was released, it was too late to save the album from commercial failure. The group disbanded the following year after a brief return to the charts with the single "Because Of You" (which was used as the theme tune to a British sitcom, Brush Strokes), and Rowland became a solo singer with the release of 1988's poorly-received album, The Wanderer. Despite spending much of the 1990s suffering from financial problems and drug addiction, Rowland made plans to reform Dexys together with Big Jim Paterson, although these resulted in no more than a solitary TV performance in 1993. Returning once more as a solo performer, Rowland signed to Creation Records, releasing an album of cover versions called My Beauty in 1999, which sold poorly; some sources quote a figure of fewer than 500 copies sold. This was followed by a disastrous appearance at the Reading festival where Rowland was bottled off by a hostile crowd after introducing two strippers who had accompanied him. The demise of Creation Records meant that the planned follow-up album, which would have featured Dexys, was never made. In April 2003, the group announced that they would be reuniting for a tour. A greatest hits album, Let's Make This Precious, was released in September 2003, and a successful tour took place in October and November. Two newly recorded songs, "Manhood" and "My Life in England," appeared on the album and were touted as new singles. Despite airplay on national radio, neither was officially released as a commercial single. During a June 2005 interview on BBC Radio 2, Kevin Rowland announced that Dexys were "back in the studio" and seeking a record deal for a new album. Members: *Kevin Rowland *Former members *Billy Adams *Al Archer *Mickey Billingham *Jeff Blythe *Steve Brennan *Vincent Crane *Andy "Stoker" Growcott *Giorgio Kilkenny *Andy Leek *Robert Noble *Helen O'Hara *Jimmy Paterson *Peter Saunders *Seb Shelton *Paul Speare *Steve Spooner *Mick Talbot *Simon Walker *Pete Williams *Steve Wynn Discography: Singles: * "Dance Stance" (1979) # 40 UK * "Geno" (1980) # 1 UK * "There, There, My Dear" (1980) # 7 UK * "Keep It Part Two (Inferiority Part One)" (1980) * "Plan B" (1981) # 58 UK * "Show Me" # 16 UK * "Liars A To E" (1981) * "Come On Eileen" (1982) #1 US #1 UK * "Jackie Wilson Said (I'm in Heaven When You Smile)" (1982) # 5 UK * "Let's Get this Straight (From the Start)" (1982) # 17 UK * "The Celtic Soul Brothers" (Reissue) (1983) # 20 UK * "This is What She's Like" (1985) # 78 UK * "Because of You" (1986) # 13 UK (theme tune to TV show Brush Strokes) Studio Albums: * Searching for the Young Soul Rebels (1980) UK # 6 * Too-Rye-Ay (1982) UK # 2 * Don't Stand Me Down (1985) UK # 22 Compilations: * Geno (1983) UK # 79 * The Very Best of Dexys Midnight Runners (1991) UK # 12 * BBC Radio One Live in Concert (1995) * The Projected Passion Revue (2007) Special thanks to Keith Law at unsignedcity.com for content.

Cryer

Admin — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 09:51:06 +0000

Little Acre

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Wide Boys

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Ricky Cool & the Icebergs

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Rainmaker

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Quads

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Bogarts

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Costamonger

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Inferno

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Cyclops

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Virgin Store (Original)

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Wimmebago Records

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Bearos Records

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Nesta Records

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Reddington Rare Records

Admin — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 10:47:42 +0000

Buick 6

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James Summerfield

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Friends of the Stars

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Barry McGuire

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Red Sun

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Slender Loris

Admin — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 11:31:45 +0000

City Boy

Admin — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 11:32:24 +0000

Started off as a folk outfit but turned their hands to straight ahead pop/rock with driving songs (including one about a car), clever lyrics and general pizzazz (spell-check that for "style").

Lol Mason (Lead vocal/Percussion), Steve Broughton (Lead vocal/acoustic guitar/mandolin/percussion), Max Thomas (Vocals/Keyboards/Acoustic guitar/Percussion), Mike (The Duke) Slamer (Lead Guitar/Vocal), Chris (The Duck) Dunn (Bass Guitar/Vocal), Roger Kent (Drums/Percussion) - later replaced by Roy Ward (who remarkably sounded like Steve on vocals after Steve left).

Albums: City Boy/Dinner at the Ritz/Book Early/Young Men Gone West/Heads are Rolling/The Day the Earth Caught Fire/It's Personal (latter allegedly to be re-released in Oct 2009? - not their strongest one but hey, opinions are like...mouths...everyone has one!).

Meanstreetdealer

Slade

Admin — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 11:32:50 +0000

There are Pop bands, there are Rock bands and then there are musical institutions. All three of these descriptions apply to this four man, hit making machine from the West Midlands. With a string of misspelt chart toppers, an outlandish wardrobe and a killer, live act that was second to none. Slade's achievements during the 1970's were little short of phenomenal: their crunching rock 'n' roll and crazee antics would inspire acts such as Kiss, Kurt Cobain, Oasis, Twisted Sister, Alice Cooper, The Ramones, The Sex Pistols, The Darkness and even comedians Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer, to pick up guitars. And what's more, the stunning re-birth from a career slump during the following decade revealed an enviable stubborn streak and tenacity worthy of only the rare few.

Slade were a successful band long before they shaved their heads and learnt to 'speek 'n' spel' badly. In fact, they were one of the Black Country's tightest bands before rock became a musical term. The bands founding member was drummer Don Powell, who was introduced to Johnny Howells and Mick Marson around 1961 and they later became The Vendors. Dave Hill joined them in 1963 and they became a popular band on the local scene. By 1964 they were signed to the Astra Agency books and in September 1964 they turned professional and became The 'N Betweens.

It's difficult to understand how different the music business was in the 60's, a bands worth was measured by how well they covered other groups songs. Bands did not write their own material, that was for established songwriters. In 1965 The 'N Betweens were one of the hottest bands on the circuit. Playing a mixture of popular Pop/R&B/Blues they had a large following and lots of press coverage in the local papers and the music press that covered the local scene, Midland Beat. This was a scene akin to Mersey Beat but centred around the Black Country.

In 1966 the group broke up causing controversy on the Midlands music scene. Dave and Don wanted to leave the Blues behind and they brought in seasoned pro, Neville 'Noddy' Holder and a fresh face, James Whild Lea to form a new group. In a twist of irony, the rest of The 'N Betweens went their separate ways leaving them with the band name. Holder had been with various bands on the circuit, notably Steve Brett & The Mavericks.

In Summer 1966, The 'N Betweens became a 4 piece band playing Beat Music and R&B with a rock edge. Most of their followers, including their agency and management expected them to crash and burn but they went out with more enthusiasm and vigour than ever. They bought in to the psychedelia scene, found a way to boost their sound and honed their performance to become the loudest and most exciting live act to come out of the Midlands (yes, I am including Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin). What they lacked in fancy guitar work, they made up for in sheer exuberance.

A dalliance with Kim Fowley allowed them to record You Better Run which irked a young Robert Plant, whose band Listen had recorded the same song. In Spring 1967 they recorded some Psychadelic Pop, Delighted To See You, at Abbey Road studios but it was not until the end of 1968 that they finally got the break they needed.

Signing up with Jack Baverstock at Fontana Records brought Chas Chandler into their career. Having pulled out on the Jimi Hendrix Experience because he didn't agree with the way they were being led. Chandler needed a new group to manage and he was introduced to The 'N Betweens. Baverstock chose their new name, Ambrose Slade, and Chandler watched them perform at Rasputins Night Club in London. The rest, as they say, is Rock History.

From their skinhead introduction to the national music press in 1969, all the way through to their Wall Of Hits demise in 1992, Slade have Rocked! There have been moments that many would prefer to forget of course, the curse of Xmas, the Okey Cokey and Dave Hill's fringe to name but a few, but anybody that has witnessed the 'G force' of a Slade live performance can testify, they were a unique and incredible band. The glitter was a very small part of the bands image that bought them a place in the national charts. Forget the Glam, it was the Rock that rolled.

For the story of one of the UK's most underated groups, the story of Slade, concentrating on what the group done rather than what they looked like, click here.

Genesis

Admin — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 11:33:30 +0000

Sad Cafe

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Nuts

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Dave Tickle

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The Cresta Club

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The Night Out

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Railway

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Vinyl Dreams

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HQ

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Highway 61

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Plastic Factory

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Black Wax

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Don Christies

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Summit

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Swordfish

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Diskery

Admin — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 12:47:31 +0000

Click on the link below to watch a short audio/visual slideshow. The Diskery The Diskery Record shop in Bromsgrove St, B5 6QB‎ - 0121 622 2219‎ is one the very few remaining independent record shops in Birmingham. Approaching its 50th year of trading, the shop is stuffed full of amazing vinyl. In this audio visual slideshow, Sam Coley visits the shop and talks to Jim and Liam about the shop and its history. If you love music and are in Birmingham, make sure you go and visit the store.

Hobdays

Admin — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 12:47:48 +0000

Tempest

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Burberries

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Fairdeal Music

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Brumbeat

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Perturbed

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What's On

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Mike Davie

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Hattie Collins

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Arthur Tapp

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Aston FM - 89.1FM

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BBC Radio WM - 95.6FM

Admin — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 14:06:10 +0000

Beacon Radio - 97.2FM

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BRMB - 96.4FM

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Galaxy Birmingham - 102.2FM

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Heart Birmingham - 100.7FM

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New Style Radio - 98.7FM

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Unity FM - 93.5FM

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Jeremy Collins — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 14:50:47 +0000

The Birmingham Music Archive would like to pay tribute to Kelly Groucutt of ELO (Electric Light Orchestra) who passed away on Thursday 19th February 2009 at the age of 63. Kelly (real name Michael) joined ELO in 1979 as a bass Guitar player, and went on to enjoy nine years of success with the band originally from Birmingham.

If you would like to pay tribute to Kelly or share your memories of him and/or ELO then please do so within the archive here.

Jeremy Collins — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 17:14:15 +0000

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Jeremy Collins — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 12:46:44 +0000

moveex

Admin — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 14:14:55 +0000

The Move

Admin — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 14:16:34 +0000

Jeremy Collins — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 15:06:55 +0000

I was lucky enough to meet with Chris Phipps who gave up half an hour of his time to talk to me on Saturday following his introductory talk at the Flatpack Festival on the Led Zeppelin film The Song Remains The Same which Capsule programmed as part of their Home of Metal Archive project - http://www.homeofmetal.com. Chris is exactly the type of person the archive aims to highlight and recognise. As you will hear in the podcasts, Chris is a Brummie who has some 50 odd years working in the music industry with some of biggest names in the business and has had a rich mix of jobs, from booking bands to producing radio programmes to making music documentaries, but for me it's his role as Producer of the legendary Tube TV programme in the 80's that I'm most thankful to him for (especially for booking The Very Things which got me onto The Tube) it was essential viewing. My only regret...running out of time I could have spent all night talking to Chris. Next time!!

1207730274_dodgy

Admin — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 12:35:36 +0000

77theselecter

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a33e6088

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gbh

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welcome_1

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beat

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666napalmdeathnewpromo2

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editors-thebackroom

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wonderstuff

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elo_circa_1979

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wizzard

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the20applejacks

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dexys_midnight_runners_2

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au-pairs

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paint

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thetwang

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judas-priest-at-tct-fri1

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st4

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duran

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41s9zcsygwl__sl500_aa240_

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41s9zcsygwl__sl500_aa240_1

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black_sabbath_black_and_white

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black_sabbath_black_and_white1

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the_noise_made_by_people

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trevor4

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the20bureau

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alb_119962_big

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1987

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19871

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fashion-promo-london-june-1_fg86

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avengers

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ian

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joan_armatrading_collection_large

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psychic_cat

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credit

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Jeremy Collins — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 15:32:44 +0000

Film producer Roger Shannon of Swish Productions and champion of various heritage projects in the city writes about the inimitable Chris Phipps in the Birmingham Post. See the article in full here.

Chris is an international music industry consultant with a long history of promotion and innovation at key moments in Birmingham's music scene. He spoke recently at Capsule's 'Home of Metal Event' (www.homeofmetal.com).

Phipps is returning to his home city on Saturday to introduce and discuss a special showing of the Led Zeppelin movie The Song Remains The Same at the Flatpack Film Festival (www.flatpackfestival.org).

Pogus Caesar

Jeremy Collins — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 21:33:48 +0000

POGUS CAESAR / OOM GALLERY ARCHIVE Unseen rare archive photographs of influential black music artists including Stevie Wonder, Grace Jones, Burning Spear and Jay-Z taken by film maker, artist and photographer Pogus Caesar went on display at Fazeley Studios, the new home for Birmingham city's creative and digital industries. The exhibition, Muzik Kinda Sweet: Photographs by Pogus Caesar 1985 - 2009, featured 37 iconic images of A-list stars and influential musical figures captured onstage and off in and around Birmingham and London. Uniquely shot in black and white on a Canon Sure Shot autofocus camera over the past 25 years, the photographs offer a stark alternative to the digital performance photography of today. The silver gelatin print collection, drawn from Caesar's OOM Gallery Archives, offers an evocative and nostalgic snapshot of the mid eighties through to present day - candid pictures on city streets contrasting with stageside moments illustrate not only the energy of live performance and of every day life but also the rich musical heritage of Birmingham. Muzik Kinda Sweet will feature intimate shots from Stevie Wonder's 1989 sessions at Central Music Studios, legendary reggae producer Lee 'Scratch' Perry in full regalia, a playful Rita Marley wife of the late Bob Marley and the opening night of Grace Jones's triumphant 2009 UK tour at Symphony Hall, Birmingham. Other rare images feature Jay-Z, Cameo, Jimmy Cliff, Roland Gift, Will Smith and reggae legends Burning Spear, Augustus Pablo and Sly Dunbar. The exhibition will be unveiled at the official launch of Fazeley Studios, where Caesar's vision of Birmingham's past success as a cultural centre will blend with a celebration of the cutting edge independent artists, photographers and designers who are driving Birmingham's surging creative quarter. Caesar is best known for his 35mm black and white photography and compelling montages, which he shoots on Nikon and Canon Sure Shot cameras, purchased in the 1980's. The young Caesar developed a passion for music from listening to Roy Orbison, Duke Ellington and Nat King Cole on his parent's stereogram, and from later seeing touring reggae, soul, hip hop, funk, pop and jazz artists performing in the West Midlands before going on to become household names. Most of Caesar's UK photography is based around his home city of Birmingham and includes documenting well-known personalities such as Jesse Jackson, Desmond Tutu and Julie Christie. Caesar has documented important events such as the Handsworth riots, the Birmingham tornado and the regeneration of the Bullring. Caesar has visited places as diverse as South Africa, Jamaica, America, Albania and India to photograph people and events. Speaking about his motivation for Muzik Kinda Sweet, Caesar said: "From looking at record sleeves as a child growing up in Sparkbrook and Aston, to having the honour years later of being in the company of such great artists in Birmingham and beyond, I wanted to contribute to the musical legacy of Birmingham through my imagery." "Muzik Kinda Sweet is dedicated not only to those who remember seeing Curtis Mayfield walking through the Bull Ring or watching Ike and Tina Turner performing at the Top Rank Club on Dale End but also to the younger generation who hear the influence of older musical artists in the sounds of today." Muzik Kinda Sweet was open to the public with free admission from 27 February to 4 May. MUZIK KINDA SWEET 27 FEBRUARY -- 4 MAY 2009 FAZELEY STUDIOS, FAZELEY ST, BIRMINGHAM B5 5SE , UNITED KINGDOM FREE ADMISSION -- OOM Gallery E-MAIL: enquiries@oomgallery.net WEBSITE: http://www.oomgallery.net TEL: + 44 0 121 456 5534 OOM Gallery collaborates with the private, public and voluntary sector by developing and producing a diverse range of multimedia projects. OOM Gallery is a source for public and private collectors, newspapers, magazines, advertising agencies, art galleries, libraries, museums and record companies throughout the globe.

find20us20on20facebook

Admin — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 09:22:41 +0000

Jeremy Collins — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 09:25:43 +0000

The BMA has launched it's very own fan page on Facebook. If you're a member of Facebook then not only can you become a fan, but you can also use the page as an alternative place to leave us your stories, opinions, and experiences. Join us on Facebook here!.

fb

Admin — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 09:27:51 +0000

fb1

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Exhibitions

Admin — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 09:55:38 +0000

Soho road to the Punjab

Admin — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 09:56:28 +0000

British Bhangra music is a product based on the fusion of Asian (specifically Punjabi), western and broader styles of music (such as ragga, reggae, soul, jazz funk, rock, hip-hop, pop). Bhangra has come a long way in the 21st Century and has recently taken the entertainment industry by storm. In the 1970s and 1980s, many Punjabi singers from Southeast Asia and the United Kingdom emerged, setting the stage for Bhangra to become a hot new trend in dance music. Modern Bhangra artists, in addition to recording and performing traditional Bhangra, have also fused Bhangra with other music genres, such as hip-hop, reggae, house, and drum-and-bass. This is now so popular within Birmingham that the city is recognised as the centre for Bhangra music in Britain. Although this music genre is enjoyed by numerous British South Asians in other cities (especially London), Birmingham is by far the cultural capital for Bhangra music. This can be seen in terms of the large number of bands in the city, several recording and distribution companies (such as Oriental Star Agency on Moseley Road, Nachural records at Ladypool Road, Roma Music Bank in Handsworth), the steady production of new albums, and the growing number of live DJs. It was not until the early eighties that Bhangra moved from "secluded halls and venues to the bright lights of the clubs and cities of England." First generation Asians were intrigued by their musical heritage, and helped bring Bhangra to the mainstream in their new country. Bhangra took massive steps toward mainstream credibility in the 1990s, especially among youths. At the beginning of the nineties, many artists returned to the original, folk beats of Bhangra, often incorporating more dhol drum beats and tumbi. This time also saw the rise of several young Punjabi bands and DJs. Bhangra music has been remixed with house, reggae, and hip-hop to add a different flavour and these remixes continued to gain popularity as the nineties came to an end. During this time the popularity of Bhangra music has also spawned new genres of music and style such as The Asian Underground. Local entrepreneurs such as Oriental Star seized the opportunity to produce - rather than import - bhangra music. Tapes and records by local bands - Bhujangy and Anari Sangeet amongst others - found a thriving market through a network of high street electronics shops across the country. Initially, Handsworth bhangra musicians were enthusiastic amateurs. They strove to integrate European instruments into the music they played. They were the first generation of Punjabis to grow up in the UK who succeeded in this: Chirag Pehchan and other bands worked guitars and keyboards smoothly into their sound. By the early 1980s, British Asians were a confident visible community in Handsworth, and bhangra made them an audible one too. With an implicit understanding of Western popular music forms, the next generation of bands such as DCS, Pardesi and Achanak provided the soundtrack to college life - at the 'daytimers' (clubbing during the day) and other events which became an expression of cultural identity by British Asian youth. In the 1990s, it was the accessible blend of musical cultures around the Soho Road that inspired Apache Indian to make music which crossed over to mainstream UK audiences for the first time. Now in the 21st century, bhangra has found worldwide audience as samples in the music of Timbaland, Dr. Dre and others. See: http://www.sohoroadtothepunjab.org Copyright of text and images, Punch Records and individual authors who worked on the Soho Road to the Punjab project, as listed on the Punch website (in particular Simon Redgrave and Dr Rajinder Dudrah). Also see our 'Punch Records' page in relation to Bhangra music in Birmingham.

Home of Metal

Admin — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 09:57:39 +0000

soho2punjab

Admin — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 10:27:50 +0000

soho

Admin — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 10:29:53 +0000

Punch Records

Admin — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 10:33:08 +0000

See: http://www.punch-records.co.uk/

punch

Admin — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 10:36:38 +0000

punch1

Admin — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 10:36:59 +0000

PCRL - 103.5FM

Admin — Wed, 06 May 2009 16:06:36 +0000

An interview with Mickey Nold, who hosts "Basement Soul - with Mickey Nold and the Consortioum", every Sunday on PCRL (103.5 f.m.), an essential mix of grooves of soul, interviews with soul stars past and present, and information on allnighters/events. Last issue, we spoke to Mickey about the scene as it was - but this time, I concentrated mainly on his exploits in the sixties. Also Moke gets to spread the word on the airwaves, and spin some tunes, with members of the Consortium. Last issue in Moke, I interviewed. Mickey Nold, the d.j. who hosts, the mainly Northern Soul orientated programme "Basement Soul", on local pirate radio station PCRL. We got such a response from people, about the article, that it was only right to follow it up with some more Mickey. This time round. it was slightly harder to get a hold of him. as the station was recently raided by the D.T.I. This involved seizure of very expensive and much needed broadcasting equipment. And subsequently involved an "all hands on deck" situation for some weeks just to keep the station on the air. But due to Mickey's geniality and also my persistent harassing him on the show [sorry Mickey...]. I did finally arrange to meet up with him, once more...In the interview, last issue I concentrated mainly on the show that he currently hosts (on a Sunday lunchtime with the Consortium, a loose (in many senses of the word) group of various Northern DJ's, and occasional listeners with taste...., as well as his Tuesday late night session. In that interview, Mickey had intimated that he had been a pirate DJ back in the 60's - which intrigued me enough to ask more about what happened then. This time however, I got to venture into the mysterious Studio 37, somewhere in darkest Birmingham - a quiet little room, the walls bedecked in albums such as 60's Quincy Jones Stateside releases [Mickey is a fan of Quincy]. "Live On Stage" featuring The Miracles/Marvin Gaye/The Marvelettes/Mary Wells. The Motortown Revue Live In Paris Album, Grady Tate albums, The Magnificent Men and original 60's copies of music mag "Downbeat". Behind his seat at the mixer is a ceiling height shelf unit, groaning and bowing under the weight of hundreds of classic albums. Rule one of interviewing - NEVER turn up empty handed so I brought Mickey a vinyl copy of "My Prayer" by The Platters (featuring excellent tracks such as "Alone In The Night". "Doesn't It Ring A Bell" and an early version of "Magic Touch") To begin with. I asked him about the recent interview on his show with Johnny Terry of The Drifters, which was conducted by Bill Randle, who also works on the show. What was it like having someone like Johnny Terry, on the programme? He left The Drifters in 1965, so he was with them when they had their major early successes, Saturday At The Movies, Under The Boardwalk and all that great material, so it was really nice to have a member of the group. And plus he was the bass voice, the Drifters are constructed around doo-wop, and the sound is constructed around his voice. And it was just pleasing to show the listeners those tunes, and his contributions to the records, and make them realise that he was an integral part of that sound, although they had probably never heard his name. How did you get in touch with Johnny Terry? Bill Randal who did the interview virtually lives in Detroit, he's just such an enthusiastic fan of male groups, his holiday is devoted. to seeing people like The Dramatics live on stage, in the States - and after that, he'll pop backstage and chat to them, and they'll say to him "Do you know my mate, who's so and so..." and he's probably someone who recorded about three tunes, about three hundred years ago, and he gets to meet him. Bill's such a lovely guy, that he gets on with anybody, and I've yet to meet someone who dislikes him, so it opens doors for him, and he's met so many people over the years. And a few years back, I said to him, "Why don't you take a tape recorder with you?" We've done thirty interviews now, over the years. What sort of people has he interviewed? Brenda Holloway, C.P. Spencer, George Williams, Barrett Strong, Joe Hunter, many of these are producers from Motown; Mike Terry, Ivy Joe Hunter and singers; Caroline Crawford, The Dramatics, Martha and The Vandellas, & Edwin Starr. And his questions aren't the typical interview questions, he knows the background, and he talks to them from the perspective of a friend, rather than an interviewer, which is good, because they can relate to him, and relax, so that he will get things out of them that normally, anyone else wouldn't. And he's careful, he doesn't want to expose people to things in print, that they'd much rather not discuss. As recently shown, when Ike Turner came to Britain to promote his recent music, and the interviewers all concentrated more on his alcoholism, drugs and wife-beating? Exactly, he has had his bad press, and that was all they wanted to talk about. The fact that he made a major contribution to the scene, from day one, nobody wanted to discuss which is fair enough, as he shouldn't have beat her. Getting back to the original reason as to why I came here, tho... 60's pirate radio? It's a long time ago, I was thinking about it the other day, I hope I can remember anything! It started really with the lack of decent music on the radio, frustration with the Light Programme {which evolved into Radio 2 after the onset of Radio 1 - ed}, the audience would hear "Sing Somthing Simple" by the Mike Sam Singers (they were an aging vocal group singing cheesy hit songs). Horrendous it was, and the only way you counter that was to listen to the odd pirate that had started, such as Caroline, or Radio London. The other alternative was the American Forces Network (AFN) [see "Good Morning Vietnam".], and that really was kicking stuff. They had black American Forces DJ's playing the tunes, and they were playing things that hadn't come out yet in UK. But, you could only get it for about half an hour in the evening, if theclouds were right, and the sun had gone down! So the only alternative was to do it yourself, with what records you managed to find, and put them on the air. I happened to be electronically inclined, so l built my own transmitters - starting with a Radionics set, which is like a children's kit for building your own radios, that had a transmitter circuit, which could broadcast for about forty feet, and in the instructions, it said - "DO NOT Connect To An Aerial Longer Than 12 Inches!"... so straight away, you put a 30 foot aerial up, and you find that the range goes from 20 feet, to 100 feet! Later by adding a valve output stage, miles. In those days, it used to be the General Post Office (GPO] that used to chase down pirates, and they were hot on your tail - they were having a hard enough time with the ships out at sea, so if there were any land based pirates, it was a piece of cake for them. They didn't have to get a boat out to get you, they would just drive round to your house! We used to have some wild parties, and broadcast over the weekend - always keeping an eye on the street to see if there were any green Post Office, Morris vans around. But it was too hair-raising though, plus the fact that your parents had all the noise that was going on whilst you were doing it. So in the end we decided to go and do it in a field somewhere out of the way, where we could see the detector vans coming and leg it! But the difficulty was that the transmitters wanted a lot of power to run. So what we actually did was tap a street lamp (outdoor wall light) [VERY illegal, don't try this at home, kids!]. We went along a canal-towpath, found a nice quiet little spot, where we could erect a 200 hundred foot aerial between the trees. And then we needed a power socket, which you don't find many near to many trees - so I managed to tap a light switch on the side of a building belonging to Birmingham University at the time, and we ran this wire up a little dirt track, along a canal bank, dug a hole in the ground, and put a thirteen amp socket into it. We put a piece of turf on the ground, and covered it up - so that all you had to do when you arrived, was uncover the turf, plug in the transmitter, and you were away. And the next day, low and behold, the council had came and laid a new tar-mac road over where we had put this cable we couldn't believe our luck. The difficult part then, was finding record players, so what we used to use was a couple of 'Discatron's', which were portable record players, [made in Aston, Birmingham] that could carry on your shoulder, just like a transistor radio basically. They looked like a toaster really, you dropped the record in the top, like a piece of toast, pressed the button - it didn't have turntable [a bit like a jukebox], the stylus floated on a spring across the record - and you could spin the thing around your head by the straps and the record wouldn't jump! They were incredible - but they wore the record down pretty quick. We had a couple of those when we were broadcasting, and when the GPO came down the towpath, we legged it the other way. What sort of music were you playing then? Well it was whatever was happening at the time really - just good stuff that you couldn't hear on the radio, it wouldn't have been too up to date, as you couldn't find it in the local shops. Mickey & his beloved Discatron Good soul music - things like Moses and Joshua "My Elusive Dreams", and all the Motown classics, Stax groups & funky jazz. There was a few of us that used to do this broadcasting, some of them would bring some rock, or whatever they were into. What was a good shop for records in Birmingham in the sixties? Well, it was always the Diskery [still going strong! - ed], it used to be in Hurst Street, but it's moved round the corner, next to the Wellington pub, just off the Bristol Road. Birmingham wasn't a good place for soul music.The only place you could hear a good soul tune was on Radio Luxembourg, or A.F.N. - and as the record would come to the end, the signal would fade, and you wouldn't get to hear what it was called, just at the crucial time. There was the Top Ten Shop, in Selly Oak, which a friend of mine [Funky Dunk] later became it's owner. It was a singles market then, wasn't it? Albums were seen as an adult thing. They were a party thing as well, especially the Geno Washington Live albums - you try and find an original Geno Washington album that hasn't been scratched to hell, simply because it's been to that many parties. I like the James Brown At The Apollo album, the one with the 28 second version, of "I Feel Good!". I was much influenced by James Brown I've got about 180 of his singles. I was playing soul music to death, and everybody was saying - you don't want that, no... but it was my transmitter! So what happened to Radio Nold? Well, you get married, and have 2.4 kids, you get a proper job, responsibility, a mortgage - you can't afford to get into trouble. Plus everybody else around you gets married, and it doesn't help if you want to carryon doing the things you want to do. It didn't pick up again, until I started pirating on PCRL. I did them a demo tape and sent it to the c station - I'd just left Enterprise, which was ,an offshoot of PCRL. PCRL went for a license, and the Government said that if you went off the air for about six months, you could apply for a license. But they didn't get one, it usually goes to whoever has the most money and influence, really. So that was 10 years ago now. I was doing similar things in the 60's to what I'm doing now passing microphone around, while a nice Hammond organ instrumental record playing in the background and people would just ad-lib, they would have a pint of beer each, and after a few, they would be more free and easy on the mike. At the start of the programme, nobody would have anything to say, but half ten, eleven o'clock - it would get out of hand, there was a lot of swearing going on! But all these people having a laugh and a giggle broke up the music. People wanted to hear something like that, but it just wasn't heard on the radio -it was all the BBC stiff upper lip. It was so easy to find a pirate on the radio, in those days. The BBC ended up having to hire loads of the pirates, didn't they? Yeah, they're all on Radio 2 now! Johnny Walker, Tony Blackburn had his day, Kenny Everett was an absolute dream the things he used to get up to, but it was the American Forces Network, that I used to like. But you were lucky to hear a whole tune, so you would buy a bigger transistor radio to get better reception, or you'd have a longer aerial. You could hear the pirates in the day then, as well. I found out that if you connected your radio aerial to the lightening conductor at school, the signal would be wooo-aaah! So at playtime, everyone used to rush round to hear the latest music. There were a lot of pirates around at the time, more people experimenting with the medium, than being behind a station and the music. A lot of them was technical whiz-kids experimenting with equipment, seeing who could have the biggest aerial, the most powerful transmitter - that sort of thing. The tricks you could do with transmitters - you could put a fluorescent tube twenty feet away from a transmitter, and it would light up, without wires being connected to it.anything, there was that much energy in the air! And people talk about mobile phones now!!! I can remember sitting near the transmitter during a thunder storm, and there was a flash of lightening - it didn't strike my aerial, but it was in the area - and huge blue spark jumped out, and just missed my hand where I was sitting at the table. How has the pirate scene changed, since then? We!l in the 60's, it was the Medium Wave band that pirates would be on - that was the only radio that the people had got. FM had arrived, but it was only for someone who had real nice hi-fi equipment, and not many people had that. Plus you needed a separate aerial for it, and if you came from a working class background, you couldn't afford it - it was like a colour TV. We used to pirate on the TV channel as well as on the medium wave. What you used to have in those days was channel 4 and channel 8 on a twist knob. Eight was ITV, and four was BBC1 (In the Midlands area). So what we did, was we used to broadcast on one of the numbers in-between, so that when you were twisting from one channel to the other - you'd find us, and think "Oh, music!" And that was on a par with the power that we broadcast on the radio now. So that was VHF, the old black and white TV frequency, and it was good, because nobody else had thought of that. I had a friend who owned a newsagents in Bournbrook (K.A.Windridges - now closed after 100 years trading), and we used to send listeners in there, to post their requests. Everybody would listen to the programme, somebody's auntie or uncle, and withthe TV it was your accidental people tuning in, with the radio, it was people who wanted alternative music - they were so fed up with what was on the other station. But you couldn't do it over along-term-period, because the GPO were on your tail all the time. If you were caught, you would get an enormous fine, and ALL your equipment would be confiscated and not just whatever you use to broadcast with, but anything in the house, with a plug on it!When PCRL were recently busted by the DTI, you said they even made off with your breadbin!, Oh, that was a bit of a laugh...with the stereo decoder for the stereo transmission when we used to have a cassette player running, it would pick up interference from the computer-monitor, and would come over as a whistle. So what we did was put the two cassette players for the adverts in a stainless steel breadbin, to screen it from the interference. It was a Wedding Present, as well! You spend about 12 months getting a studio right, getting all the levels right, and people are making less mistakes, because they're happy with the set-up, and then the DTI come along and take it all away, and we'd have spend another 12 months putting it all back together again! And with that, the interview was over, as it was time for one of his contributors, Davie A, to do some session work for the programme. Later, Mickey asked me if I'd want to be on his show and do a session of tunes that I like... well do Danny The Mad Badger ride a yellow Piaggio Zip, does Alex from The Trypt Up stuff broccoli down his trousers for the George Michael shuttlecock look !?! And so it was that a week later, I found myself broadcasting to the good people of Birmingham on the show. Naturally, I was just a bit nervous, not having done any broadcasting for years [since my own days as a C.B. Radio pirate, when you could buy all the equipment from Tandys!] and the last time I was on the radio was introducing a Corduroy track on Radio Tip-Top [no shit!]. To begin with Mickey introduced me, and asked me a few things about Moke (not easy to answer, as I haven't finished it yet.), and I played my first tune - "Soul Power" by Li'l Ray and The Fantastic Four, a foot stomping Hammond workout, with soul clapping and a crazy flute, the melody being not a million miles away from "Champ" by The Mohawks. Next up was Herbie Goins & The Nightimers with "Cruisin'" - which I played due to it's mythical status for me,. as a young modster (and the funky Hammond that kicks it off!) - and sure enough Mickey only goes and pulls out a copy of the original album from the shelf (I'm suddenly overcome with an "We are not worthy!" feeling). Next up is "Back At The Chicken Shack" by Brian Auger, from 1966, a suitably cool slice of mod-jazz, from the Aug [which I've got on Japanese import, on Flavour .. Records.) And finally to finish, what else but some guitar crunching soul from the Faces, with "E too D" - beat that! Apologies to anybody in the Birmingham area tuning in to hear expert knowledge on soul, and instead getting some bloke rambling self-consciously in a strange accent - but it was a blast! !! Listening back to the show, it's weird as anything to hear my voice. on this radio show that I'd been listening to for years.I sat in the squeaky green chair, with a can of Doctor Pepper and a list of recording details (' am in the presence of REAL soul DJ's - so am going to have to at least pretend to know my stuff!). My voice came across as if I was eating a plum or something, and it sounded like I was really nervous which I was, funnily enough. I tickled the ears of Soul Sam, the studio dog, and made a joke about Oasis - so all in all, it was cool! Mickey had to do a voice-over on the Auger track, to announce that the local Marcus Garvey event had been cancelled, and that Sue from Newtown had lost her camera - as we are on real community radio. It was interesting to hear the way. Mickey had mixed it all together, and he finished off with a shortened version of "E Too D" as the last song on the programme - what a way to finish...RESULT! (Gordon@Moke) The Mickey Nold Interview is courtesy of: http://mickeynold.webs.com/moke.htm#page 1

Jeremy Collins — Wed, 06 May 2009 16:11:44 +0000

We've been lucky to recieve an extensive interview with Mickey Nold of PCRL (103.5FM) which is below, thanks to Gordon from Moke Modzine who sent it in to us. PCRL was a 'pirate' radio station serving the black communities in Birmingham from 1981 - 2005, we hope to bring the full history of PCRL to the archive very soon.

"It started really with the lack of decent music on the radio, frustration with the Light Programme (which evolved into Radio 2 after the onset of Radio 1), the audience would hear 'Sing Somthing Simple' by the Mike Sam Singers (they were an aging vocal group singing cheesy hit songs). Horrendous it was, and the only way you counter that was to listen to the odd pirate that had started, such as Caroline, or Radio London."

The above is an extract from an interview with Mickey Nold who hosed 'Basement Soul' every Sunday on local pirate radio station PCRL (103.5FM). The interview gained a large response from the public, as Mickey describes his work as a pirate DJ dating back to the 60's.

The full interview can be read on the archive page dedicated to PCRL: http://birminghammusicarchive.co.uk/?page_id=593

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Jeremy Collins — Mon, 11 May 2009 16:26:24 +0000

Jeremy Collins — Mon, 11 May 2009 16:28:32 +0000

No.1 in a series.

Band: Felt, Record: Primitive Painters (Cherry Red, August 1985)

Felt were fronted by Lawrence Hayward, although his surname was never used or credited (as with one Stephen Patrick Morrissey). This affectation as well as the direction of the band derived in part from inspiration found in the New York art scene and music ‘underground’. Felt were one of those many bands influenced by the Velvet Underground, NY punk and new wave bands such as Television. Lou Reed’s tones and those of Tom Verlaine can be detected in Lawrence’s delivery but like all originals, he makes something that is his own from these tutors (a contemporary of Lawrence’s who don’t quite make in the same way is perhaps Lloyd Cole of the Commotions). In his lyrics too, Lawrence paints portraits of his own experience, his dreams, desires and of Birmingham, that make this just as exotic a site for musical adventure as any imported from the US.

The band were much more than the front man however. Maurice Deebank was the main musical force for this early period in the band’s history. His delicate, intricate chorus-laden guitar patterns make their records such distinctive artefacts. Later, the band would be joined by keyboardist Martin Duffy, now of the egregious novelty band ‘Primal Scream’. Overtly ‘arty’, Felt’s records can appear to be vaguely ‘prog-rockish’ but stop on the right side of portentous and ‘Primitive Painters’ was their first moment of accomplishment and an enduring testimony to their genius.

‘Primitive Painters’ was released on the Cherry Red label in 1985 and featured on the band’s fourth album ‘Ignite the Seven Candles’. It was produced by Robin Guthrie, then of the Cocteau Twins, stars of the 4AD independent. In a period in which the role of the producer as a creative force in pop attracted hyperbolic plaudits (Trevor Horn, Steve Lilywhite et al), he was instrumental in teasing out the greatness in the song and the band’s perfomance. While the basic song structure is of interest, this is one of those instances where the idea of the record as an individual and meaningful artefact, as disinct from the song template, becomes apparent. To understand the magnificence of ‘Primitive Painters’, one has to experience it in all of its sonic glory as a result of its parts which may not, on paper, add up entirely. It has to be felt.

Opening with trilling guitar harmonics at funereal pace, the record veer into different tempos and effect, marshalling an increasing power and intensity from its constituent parts. It turns introspection and self-absorbtion (in Lawrence’s lyric and delivery) into a portentous and magnificent expression that, for many of us who have adored this record, becomes inspiration rather than self-indulgence. Lawrence had a limited range of settings: miserable, sad, fast and slow. Here, his delivery sounds extraordinarily self-pitying, to a degree that they threaten to halt the record.

Oh you should see my trail of disgrace, it's enough to scare the whole human race Oh you should see my trail of disgrace, it's enough to scare the whole human race

At the same time this becomes uplifting and consoling when couched in the dynamics of the band’s performance and waxing and waning of the power of the music and its deployment. His is a venting of feeling that brings him, and us, out of a shell to a new place and a more positive feeling (even if it is a new appreciation of miserableness if it can result in such an outcome). Lawrence’s limitations as a vocalist become a virtue here: his unmistakeable style (which escapes his influences to become wholly English) is accentuated, exposed and challenged by the implicit goading from and sparring with the backing vocals of Liz Frazer. Unlike her work in the Cocteau Twins, Frazer is anchored to a recognisable lyric, which her soaring voice seeks to escape, serving to build up an exit-velocity in this recording. Its sum, I think, is to encapsulate the tragedy of the band which lay in their ability to escape into moments of brilliance but that ultimately remained ignored by the wider record-buying public.

The record that followed this one, this time on Alan McGee’s Creation label, was ‘Ballad of the Band’. This is itself another contender for the greatest recording from Brum, and a piece much more fleet of foot than this one perhaps but of course head and shoulders above much of the competition at the time.

Felt released 10 albums in 10 years before splitting up. I saw them at their last ever gig at Burberry’s Club on Broad Street. Then they were promoting the most complete and coherent set they ever recorded ‘Me and a Monkey on the Moon’ but had just about given up. Lawrence however, re-emerged with ‘Denim’, and more lately ‘Go-Kart Mozart’ whose effervescent tunes once more encompassed dark memories of Birmingham life.

I’ve read that someone has made a documentary about Lawrence. At home, they should give him the keys to the city! ‘Primitive Painters’ is not just a contender for best record from Brum, but best popular music recording ever.

Paul Long

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Jeremy Collins — Fri, 29 May 2009 15:22:58 +0000

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Jeremy Collins — Fri, 29 May 2009 15:32:10 +0000

Brum Music Month

Jeremy Collins — Fri, 29 May 2009 15:40:03 +0000

Here's the deal. Birmingham Music Archive was tweeting about all the great music that has originated in Birmingham. There was a Londoner, 2 Kiwis (one of whom was in Hall Green the other in Chicago) and a Belfastodian (is there such a thing) in the conversation when Dubber annouced let's have a Brum Music Month, like they do in New Zealand, that is a NZ music month, not a Brum one, although that may be the next idea! So, from a simple Twitter conversation we now have Brum Music Month. But what is it, who is it for, who is in charge? Brum Music Month belongs to everyone involved in music activites in Birmingham, whether you are a musician, run a record shop, or a venue, you may be a promoter, a gig goer, in a choir, be a dj or radio broadcaster, whatever it doesn't matter. There is some form of musical activity every day of the year in this city, we want you to promote or tag or flyer etc using the Brum Music Month logo available to download at http://brummusicmonth.wordpress.com. No one is in charge, you don't have to ask for permission to do things, you can do whatever you want, there is no funding (although we are asking for donations to help with printing and other such things), no sponsorship (although feel free to get in touch via the website if you want to sponsor some banners!) just keep on doing what you do every day and stick the Brum Music Logo on your material. Talk about it and talk it up. Personally I'm uploading a video a day that reflects the sheer diversity of music, past and present, from Birmingham, I've ordered a tee-shirt from here http://www.creativecraving.co.uk/shops/treehouse/brum-music-month/ and I've ordered some stickers. Such has been the response that I've already been interviewd by Kerrang Radio about Brum Music Month, The Broad St Marketing team want to do something and most amazingly and exciting, Brian Travers from UB40 has been in touch nad has sent us the backing file to the seminal One In Ten song and wants Birmingam musicians to add new vocals, remix and new interptreations of the song. Other musicians want to cover over Brimingham songs and remix them, there is talk of an album being produced, Rhubarb Radio are having dedicated 'Brum only music' shows it just goes on and on. And really, this came about on Twitter and has been picked up by people who love music and where they live and want to show others the vast amount of talent here in Brum. No egos, no decision makers, no money - just for the love of it! Get involved: Brum Music Month - June 09

Brum Music Month: The Move - Flowers In The Rain

Jeremy Collins — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 09:10:41 +0000

So here we are, Brum Music Month June 09 and I thought it would be apt to kick off the month with The Move Flowers In The Rain, a great BrumBeat group and the first record ever to played on Radio 1 so I thought it kinda apt. Read more about The Move in the archive pages.

Brum Music Month: The Lilac Time - Trumpets From Montparnasse

Jeremy Collins — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 09:32:55 +0000

Known for his role as one of the original members of Duran Duran, Stephen Duffy is a consummate songwriter. He went on to form The Lilac Time, was probably best know for his 'Kiss Me' song under the guise of Stephen 'Tin Tin' Duffy and eventually wound up writing for Robbie Williams. This track shows his willingness to take different directions with his music and is taken from the album Lilac Time and remains my favourite Lilac Time song although it remains a mystery as to why it's called Trumpets From.. This is a perfect summer record. Enjoy and search out his other material. If anyone would like to write an entry page for The Lilac Time it would be great!

Brum Music Month: Rockers Hi-Fi - Transmission Central

Jeremy Collins — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 11:01:21 +0000

Starting his musical career as a dj at the infamous Rum Runner club, DJ Dick formed Rockers Hi-Fi with BiggaBush in 1992. Never to break through in terms of sales, Rockers Hi-Fi were much admired, certainly around Europe, where the still retain a strong following. They became in demand as re-mixers working with acts like Kruder & Dorfmeister and the Thievery Corporation. Their most well known track was Push Push but we’ve chosen their last ever video for today. If anyone wants to write some content on the page, feel free! Enjoy

Brum Music Month: Poppy and the Jezebels - UFO

Jeremy Collins — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 09:27:35 +0000

Keeping the tradition of women bands and singer-songwriters alive (more of which later in the month!) that deserve more recognition, come Poppy and the Jezebels. Young, talented and with a great attitude Poppy and the Jezebels are gaining quite a bit of recognition around the country witnessed by them appearing at the Isle of Wight Festival next week. Following in the tradition of, and influenced by, bands like the Slits, Blondie and Cat Power big things are expected of the band. Enjoy. And feel free to add content for the group

Brum Music Month: The Au Pairs - Stepping Out Of Line

Jeremy Collins — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 07:40:53 +0000

A lost post punk band from the eighties, this is a band that definitely never got the recognition they deserved like others of the time such as the brilliant Gang of Four. Great funk driven bass with a charismatic singer, Lesley Woods, they were a major influence on the riot grrl movement. Enjoy

Brum Music Month: Joan Armatrading - Love and Affection

Jeremy Collins — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 15:01:04 +0000

Sitting in Manchester at the UnConvention event with some great people. Talking about Brum music so todays offering is had to be something that needs no introduction. Here is the fantastic Joan Armatrading. Enjoy!

Brum Music Month: Swansway - Soul Train

Jeremy Collins — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 13:57:37 +0000

This takes me to a 50’s noir film type of place every time I listen to it. Formed in the early 80’s this turned out to be their most popular record – a perfect Sunday afternoon track. Singer Rob Shaw went on to record as Mighty Math. Enjoy!

Brum Music Month: UB40 - Food For Thought

Jeremy Collins — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 12:20:31 +0000

This is what multicutural is and means. Say no to the BNP. More Brum Music tomorrow. Enjoy!

Brum Music Month: Misty's Big Adventure - Fashion Parade feat Noddy Holder

Jeremy Collins — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 09:54:35 +0000

What is there to say about Misty's? Grandmaster Gareth keeps coming up with ideas and gets the music out there, a long time involvement with Birmingham and music and a committment to local music means Misty's have a strong following. Now beginning to get wider audiences and recognition, not that I think they care, Misty's could be on the verge of that big breakthrough. Certainly their music and humour deserved to be heard by as many people as possible. I hope this brings a smile to your face. Enjoy!

Brum Music Month: Spencer Davis Group - I'm A Man

Jeremy Collins — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 11:14:15 +0000

Where to start with the Spencer Davis Group? A brilliant slice of blue eyed soul with a sound akin to the legendary Stax house band Booker T & The MG's, and just as tight, it is the amazing vocal prowess of Stevie Winwood that still excite. To think this sound, the band and vocals, originated in Birmingham is still extraordinary. Stevie would go on to help form the supergroup Traffic and is still a relevant and revered artist today, his brother Muff became a well known and powerful music industry executive and members of the Spencer Davis Group are still touring. The fact that Island Records has named their book celebrating 50 years of business after a Spencer Davis Group track - Keep On Running - says it all. Enjoy!

Brum Music Month: Swami - Electro Jungi

Jeremy Collins — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 12:28:06 +0000

Today's adventure in Birmingham Music is the asian fushion beats of Swami who are a critically-acclaimed nationally and internationally for their the Indian pop/alt/bhangra. Though 'Swami' traditionally refers to a Hindu teacher, the name is an abbreviation of the English phrase 'So Who Am I?'. Now some four albums in Swami continue to go from strength to strength are show the diversity of the music coming from the city. Enjoy!

Brum Music Month: My Alamo - 1994

Jeremy Collins — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 11:31:19 +0000

This is why I love Brum Music Month, a chance encounter with Matt from My Alamo last night in the pub jolted my memory of this fine alternative rock band and decided pretty quickly what today's track should be. Hailing from South Wales and Moseley this is another band quietly building their audience, receiving airplay and plaudits for their music. 1994 should set you up nicely for the weekend. Enjoy!

Brum Music Month: Soweto Kinch - Good Nyooz

Jeremy Collins — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 11:00:39 +0000

Brilliant saxophonist, skilled mc, musical experimenter and a man who is committed to his city and works to make it a better place to live. Witness this first if you are in Birmingham today at the Flyover Show in Hockley. That's a music and performance one day fesitval, under a flyover in what could be described as a deprived inner city suburb. Oh and Linton Kwesi Johnson is playing and it's free. Much respect to Soweto. Enjoy!

Brum Music Month: Higher Intelligence Agency - Hubble

Jeremy Collins — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 15:19:57 +0000

Mainstay of HIA is Bobby Bird who works with a number of collaborators, noticably Steve Savale from Asian Dub Foundation. Known as Ambient Dub, Ambient Psychadelia and Ambient Techno, HIA were true originators. Perfect for a sunny Sunday afternoon, stick this on loud to accompany your BBQ's! Enjoy!

Brum Music Month: Judas Priest - Breaking The Law

Jeremy Collins — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 16:12:38 +0000

Another classic Birmingham band, this time the indomitable Judas Priest. Need or anything else just get yer air guitars ready..... Enjoy!

Brum Music Month: Bentley Rhythm Ace - Bentley's Gonna Sort You Out

Jeremy Collins — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 12:30:31 +0000

Formed by Richard March and Mike Stokes with a revolving ensemble of other musicians including ex Poppies Fuzz Townsend, Bentlys were at the vanguard of the Beat Beat movement. This is an infectious track that will bring a smile to your face on a glorious sunny day. Enjoy!

Brum Music Month: Fine Young Cannibals - Johnny Come Home

Jeremy Collins — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 14:09:52 +0000

Love it, love it, love it. FYC came from the ashes of The Beat with David Cox, David Steele. Singer Roland Gift completed the trio. Formed in 1984, Johnny Come Home was their debut single. I first came across the band when thier video for this song was played on the Tube music programme. I recently interviewed Brummie Chris Phipps who was a producer on the Tube and had responsibility for booking the bands, not forgetting his roots Chris immediately got the video on there and inadvertently sent FYC on their way. FYC would go on to enjoy a huge amount of fame with a number one singles and albums in both the UK and US charts. Enjoy!

Brum Music Month: Dexys Midnight Runners - There, There My Dear

Jeremy Collins — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 10:50:15 +0000

I could really have chosen any number of Dexys songs and can’t really explain why I chose this track, but without doubt these are one of the greatest bands to come from this fair city. Despite commercial success, Dexys earned only grudging respect from the industry, mainly because Kevin Rowland had a clear idea of what he wanted to achieve with his band and refused to play the industry game. There are numerous stories of how Rowland ran the group which led to the band changing musical and satorial direction which ultimately led to the eventual break up of the band but there is no denying their brilliance. It’s worth also checking out The Killjoys, The Bureau and The Blue Ox Babes (where you can really hear the influence Kevin Archer had on the Dexys sound) who all had various personnel from Dexys involved. To read an account of one mans love of Dexys click on the link http://eight8all.blogspot.com/2009/06/only-for-sheep.html Today’s track is dedicated to Mr Paul Long whose birthday it is and who keeps promising to write a piece for the http://birminghammusicarchive.co.uk on Dexys but hasn’t! Happy birthday Paul. Enjoy!

Brum Music Month: The Destroyers - Tower of Babel

Jeremy Collins — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 13:59:51 +0000

In honour of the official release of the mighty Destroyers single Out Of Babel here is a video from 2008 of the song. Fronted by the marvelous Paul Murphy this 12/13/14? piece band are simply brilliant, catch them live and prepare to be blown away by the quality and exuberance of them. This posting is also in support of The Rainbow in their fight against the outrageous Noise Abatement Order they are being served with. If the City Council are serious about embedding culture in the Big City Plan and want to support, nurture and promote Birmingham as a cultural city then they should be working with and not against Kent and The Rainbow and stop cosying up to big property development companies. Enjoy!

Brum Music Month: Gary Nock - Dynamite

Jeremy Collins — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 18:23:06 +0000

Birmingham is rightly lauded for our Heavy Metal heritage but the city has always had a really strong acoustic songwriter lineage. Today's offering is one of a new bunch currently coming through and is on the verge of gaining wider recognition. So here is an introduction to Gary Nock. Enjoy!

Brum Music Month: Moorish Delta7 -Art Of Survival

Jeremy Collins — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 16:40:58 +0000

Bit of Hip-Hop for Sunday tea? Have a bit of Moorish Delta7! Enjoy!

Brum Music Month: Apache Indian - Boom-Shack-A-Lak

Jeremy Collins — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 17:00:23 +0000

Another example of the cultural dynamism of Birmingham, one of my favourites, Apache Indian, who, I think, received more recognition outside of his home town which is a shame. At the forefront of the Asian Fusion explosion which exploded a couple of years ago, Apache is an example of the massive impact and heritage we have in the city of Indian music, epitomised by the city being one of the world centres of Bhangra! Enjoy!

Brum Music Month: The Streets - Heaven For The Weather

Jeremy Collins — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 18:04:48 +0000

Mike Skinner was wrongly labeled as a Geezer' in his early days. He was always so much more than that, a great songwriter who articulated the mundane realities of life with a humour and sophistication that is all too lacking in today's music. This track was from the last album Everything Is Borrowed and is a rather glorious and uplifting song, I remember seeing this performed with a gospel group backing which was rather special. Enjoy!

Brum Music Month: Goats Don't Shave - Pink Cadillac

Jeremy Collins — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 15:03:56 +0000

This was suggested by @midge_uk over on Twitter and I have to confess I never knew this resided in Birmingham. Any one care to fill some details in on them? Enjoy!

Brum Music Month: Ian Campbell Folk Group - Marilyn Monroe

Jeremy Collins — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 19:40:28 +0000

Part of the royalty of Birmingham Music, father of Robin, Ail and Duncan of UB40 fame, the Ian Campbell Folk Group played an enormous role in 50's and 60's Folk movement and attracted anyone and everyone to Birmingham to hear them and play with them. A real area of civic pride that needs more recognition, a lot of the activity was centered around the Digbeth area with the most famous venue probably being the Jug O'Punch. Ian Cambell Folk Group, we salute you! Enjoy!

Brum Music Month: Denim - Middle of the Road

Jeremy Collins — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 15:22:17 +0000

Another Lawrence penned gem, this time as part of Denim. As @bounder, Jon Bounds and Birminghamitsnotshit.com says ‘they should have been the kings of Britpop’ Enjoy!

Brum Music Month: Modified Toy Orchestra

Jeremy Collins — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 22:07:29 +0000

Showing the global reach of Brum musicians here's a recent Japanese promo video off the lovely and eccentric Modified Toy Orchestra, music made only by the sounds of toys. Enjoy!

Brum Music Month: UB40 - I Think It's Going To Rain Today

Jeremy Collins — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 12:48:10 +0000

My last video clip for Brum Music Month is UB40. I found this promo clip and thought immediately that I would play this as the last song. Enjoy! [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wZdSYPi9qI]

Bright Eyes

Jeremy Collins — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 14:05:27 +0000

I've been asked by the author of this page to remove the contents until further notice.

Anaal Nathrakh

Jeremy Collins — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 20:58:45 +0000

Anaal Nathrakh is a two man Black Metal/Grindcore outfit with strong ties to Napalm Death and the now defunct Mistress. The band name is taken from John Boormans 1981 fantasy film "Excalibur", and means "Serpent's Breath".

The main duo behind the music are Dave Hunt (aka V.I.T.R.I.O.L., vocals) and Mick Kenny (aka Irrumator, guitars and drum programming), although they are occasionaly joined on record and for their few forays onstage by Shane Embury (aka Embryonymous, Napalm Death, Bass) and Steve Powell (aka St. Evil, Theoktony, drums).
Although lyrics have never been printed for their music, the song titles and atmosphere in the songs definately suggest a very apocalyptic theme, some titles even referring to the writings of Freidrich Nietzsche (the nihilistic 19th century German philosopher)

In 2003 they came to the attention of the late and great DJ John Peel, who invited them to perform a session for his show in the BBCs recording studios. The success of that prompted them to consider playing occasional live shows, to date they have only played a handful of gigs in London and Birmingham, with a few more recently in Europe and America.

To date they have released the following:
* The Codex Necro (2001)
* Total Fucking Necro (2002)
* When Fire Rains Down from the Sky, Mankind Will Reap As It Has Sown (2003)
* Domine Non Es Dignus (2004)
* Eschaton (2006)
* Hell Is Empty and All the Devils Are Here (2007)
* In the Constellation of the Black Widow (2009)

The Accused

Jeremy Collins — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 21:22:36 +0000

[caption id="attachment_773" align="alignleft" width="225" caption="Cover of new film of 4 punk bands from '79"][/caption]

THE ACCUSED WERE:

PAUL PANIC

MARTIN HOPELESS;BASS

DAVE BROWNE;GUITAR

SIMON BAKER(COCKROACH);DRUMS

HELPED AND HINDERED BY PAUL PERKINS AND ED ECCLES

ORIGINATING FROM A TOTALLY RAW BAND CALLED "THE ZITS","THE ACCUSED" WERE FORMED IN LATE 1978 IN SOLIHULL ,THE POSH END OF BIRMINGHAM.THE BAND GIGGED AROUND THE MIDLANDS WITH THE LIKES OF "SURBURBAN STUDS","THE PREFECTS",AND" THE KILLJOYS".IN 1979 WE SET UP "NO RIP OFF RECORDS" AND RELEASED THE INFAMOUS "MELL SQUARE MUSICK E.P",FEATURING 3 TRACKS OF OUR OWN",SOLIHULL","ARRESTED",AND "GENERATION GAP",AS WELL AS ONE SONG EACH BY "021",THE UNDERTAKERS,AND THE CRACKED ACTORS.JOHN PEEL PLAYED IT A FEW TIMES,AND WE EVEN SENT A COPY TO PRINCE ANDREW,(HE SENT IT BACK!)WE COULD’NT REALLY PLAY BUT THAT’S WHAT PUNK WAS ABOUT.WE WERE INTO CHAOS AND BEING LOUD!,WE EVEN HAD A SONG CALLED "WE’RE CRAP".

WE SUPPORTED THE U.K.SUBS IN FRONT OF 2,000 PEOPLE,AND OUR FINAL GIG WAS AT THE APTLY NAMED " EXIT CLUB" IN BIRMINGHAM SUPPORTING THE "COCKNEY REJECTS",WHO NEVER TURNED UP DUE TO BEING ON" TOP OF THE POPS" WITH "BUBBLES".SOLIHULL COUNCIL ACTUALLY BANNED US FROM PLAYING IN SOLIHULL DUE TO THE LYRICS OF THE SINGLE "SOLIHULL".WE FINALLY CALLED IT A DAY AT THE END OF 1980.PAUL AND MARTIN LATER FORMED "BRIDE JUST DIED",WHO STILL EXIST IN A DIFFERENT FORM TODAY,DAVE NOW WORKS IN A CASINO IN MIAMI,AND SIMON IS A FIREMAN."BARBERELLAS" CLUB IN BIRMINGHAM WAS OUR REGULAR HAUNT, AND WE GOT TO PLAY THERE ONCE, WITH THE UK.SUBS,GREAT DAYS!!!

A ONE OFF "ACCUSED" REUNION WAS INITIATED IN 1993 ,PUNK WILL ALWAYS BE IN OUR HEARTS!,PUNK WILL NEVER DIE.

OUR ONLY RELEASE WAS THE "MELL SQUARE MUSICK E.P.,ON NO RIP OFF RECORDS IN 1979;A FOUR BAND E.P

THE ACCUSED……."SOLIHULL",ARRESTED,AND,"GENERATION GAP"

021………………….."DON’T WANNA BE A ROBOT"

THE UNDERTAKERS.."ILLUSIONS"

CRACKED ACTORS…"DISCO,OH NO"

THIS WAS A LTD EDITION OF 1,000 COPIES (COS WE COULDN’T AFFORD ANY MORE!),APPROX 400 WERE SOLD OR GIVEN AWAY AT GIGS.

MELL SQUARE MUSICK THE MOVIE 2 X DVD RELEASED

FINALLY RELEASED MELL SQUARE MUSICK THE MOVIE THE STORY OF THE ACCUSED AND THE BIRMINGHAM PUNK SCENE IN 1979 A 2 DVD SET WITH A RUNNING TIME OF APPROX 3 HOURS DOCUMENTARY MUSIC AND LAUGHS DIRECTED BY PAUL PANIC OVER A 5 YEAR PERIOD ALSO FEATURES INTERVIEWS/MUSIC WITH CRACKED ACTORS/021/THE UNDERTAKERS/HELPLESS HUW INCLUDES RARE SUPER 8MM FILM FROM 1978 AN ACCUSED RE-UNION AND BRAND NEW SONG, ACCUSED ON JOHN PEEL TAPE AND PAUL PANICS ADVENTURE TO TRACK DOWN ORIGINAL MEMBERS OF ALL FOUR BANDS THAT INCLUDES FILM FROM BIRMINGHAM/SOLIHULL/LONDON/MEXICO/WEYMOUTH LTD TO 250 COPIES MANY EXTRAS ON DISC 2 ONLY 250 COPIES HAVE BEEN PRESSED SO ITS FIRST COME FIRST SERVED.TO ORDER EITHER

SEND A PAYPAL PAYMENT OF £15.00 AND YOUR ADDRESS TO PAULPANIC@FSMAIL.NET

OR VISIT MELL SQUARE MUSICK SITE ON MY SPACE MUSIC(JUST ENTER MELL SQUARE MUSICK INTO GOOGLE AND CLICK ON THE LINK) TO PAY DIRECT VIA PAYPAL/CREDIT CARD BUTTON

POSTAGE AND PACKING IS FREE WORLDWIDE

MANY THANX HOPE YOU ENJOY IT!!!!!!

021

Jeremy Collins — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 21:38:58 +0000

Formed in 1979, 021’s original line up included the 16 year old Tony Simpson and fifteen year olds Simon Palmer, Ian Kemp, Mark Thomas and the even younger 14 year old Punk Ian Richards. Hailing from Shirley and Olton the band played first gigs at the nearby Langley School, with an eclectic set that matched their diverse musical interests. Any concert where you can hear Stephan Wolfs Born To Be Wild followed by the Clash’s, White Riot, with an encore of Iggy Pop's Wanna Be Your Dog showed the mood of the time and the cross from prog rock to Punk Rock that was taking place across Birmingham. Spurred on by the rivalry with local Band the Undertakers, the line up and look changed just after their first vinyl offering "I Don’t Wanna Be A Robot", on the Mell Square Music EP, in 1980. The track is perhaps the worst produced track of all time, but provides a real nod to DIY punk and genuine belief in the art of the garage band. It was featured along with The Accused and Cracked actors on a John Peel BBC 1 special at the end of 1979. The band went through a major shift in focus and line up during 1980, under the influence of Simpson and Martin Frain (The Chomsky Allstars) their lyricist and manager, there was a desire to pen and deliver ala Clash / Jam / Stiff Little Fingers, three minute pieces of power and pace. During this period the band gigged regularly in Birmingham and Solihull, with a residency at the Golden Lion Solihull, and supporting concerts at the Golden Eagle, Barrel Organ, and Kit Kat club amongst others. Their fan base began to spread, culminating in a graffiti campaign that came to regional prominence via the Birmingham media Evening Mail, with 021 being sprayed on walls and bus’s at the time. In 1981 the band recorded three studio sessions after which the acetate of What Ever Happened To You was released, they additionally recorded a session, borrowing the Undertakers base player Michael Hogan and recording the definitive version of Haven and Hell. By Mid 1981, the band had finally reached its zenith with a line up of Simpson / Frain, (Viv) Elmore, and (Mike) Hancox, and (John) Croak joining from a local Birmingham based Ska Band. The band had found its own sound and was now firmly established across the Midlands Alternative music landscape, they played on the same bill as The Beat, Blurt, the Au Pairs, UB40, the Denizens as well as taking part in the famous Lark in the Park music festival at Cannon Hill Park. The band additionally spread its wings playing in London, Manchester, and Liverpool and on the South Coast. In 1982 they released the power pop single, The Pop Song on UK pop Records supporting this with a tour across the UK that culminated with a Mary Wilson / 021 / Mod All-dayer in Essex. Thier fan base at this time also turned towards the power pop mods that had stated to surface in Birmingham, with the Mood Elevators, 021 forged a new Birmingham sound and a small but passionate following, culminating in a residency at the Barrel Organ that was ultimately terminated due to crowd disturbances. The Pop Song meanwhile became a crowd favourite and the small press run was to sell out instantly, the band were now writing thier best work and regularly gigging in London with memorable performance at La Beat Route Club and The Cavern in Liverpool. By 1982 Elmore was the creative engine of the band, writing ever more bitter and challenging songs, for a period the band were due to sign as stable mates with Duran Duran, and were one of the first psychedelic based bands of their era. As The Pop Song gained Radio 1 Airplay, the band like so many, failed to deliver a follow up and slid into apathy, and disarray, leaving a memory of what might have been, 021 really were the band that never was. [gallery columns="5"]

Cracked Actors

Jeremy Collins — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 21:43:33 +0000

The Undertakers

Jeremy Collins — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 21:47:07 +0000

Mell Square Musick

Jeremy Collins — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 22:10:55 +0000

The Accused, 021, The Undertakers, Cracked Actors

The Accused

Jeremy Collins — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 22:42:13 +0000

I'll be adding photos of The Accused and other punk bands from Birmingham taken in 1979, there is some great photos courtesy of Paul Panic from The Accused and they are on the The Accused band page - 1 a day! Paul has just finished a 3 hour DIY DVD of the punk scene which you can buy from here: http://www.myspace.com/accusedmellsquaremusick

Henry's Blueshouse

Jeremy Collins — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 11:03:39 +0000

Legendary club, Henry's Blueshouse, has finally been added to the Archive. Situated above The Crown pub on the corners of Hill and Station St in the centre of Birmingham, I've had numerous emails about Henry's which was started by Jim Simpson and played host to some of the biggest Blues musicians and blues/rock bands around. Please start adding your memories of the bands you saw and the nights you had and if you've got any photographs please put them on the site as well!

Henry's Blueshouse

Jeremy Collins — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 14:12:22 +0000

Chris Pitts shares his memories of Henry's Blueshouse and soem of the bands he saw there...Cheers Chris. Go to the Henry's Blueshouse page to read what Chris has to say

Phil Lynott at 60

Jeremy Collins — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 10:30:28 +0000

Today would have marked the 60th birthday of Phil Lynott, lead singer of the seminal Irish rock band Thin Lizzy. What has this got to do with Birmingham and the Archive I hear you ask? Well Phil was actually born in Birmingham and lived here for the first few years of his life with his mother Philomena. Amazingly, we also think he made his last ever appearance on record with a Birmingham musician, Colbert Hamilton a.k.a Black Elvis about 3 weeks before his death. This record has lay hidden and unheard for some 25 years. In association with Sam Coley and Ellie Gibbons from the Birmingham School of Media at BCU and Paul Murphy of The Destroyers, BMA have made a 26 minute documentary and two audio/visual slideshows celebrating Phil Lynott, from his early days in Birmingham to his eventual death. We uncover and listen to the 'lost' track and talk to Colbert about the experience. I'm really pleased to announce that BBC WM will be playing the documentary in fill on Saturday 22nd August at 13.05 pm. Also on the BBC is a tribute page which can be accessed here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/birmingham/content/articles/2009/08/19/thinlizzy_feature.shtml You can also see and view the audio/visual slide shows that accompany the documentary here: http://www.vimeo.com/5834434 Enjoy!

The Way Of The Bow - Bright Eyes

Jeremy Collins — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 16:05:59 +0000

Bright Eyes

Jeremy Collins — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 16:07:25 +0000

On Stage

Jeremy Collins — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 16:10:13 +0000

Keith

Jeremy Collins — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 16:10:19 +0000

Orphan

Jeremy Collins — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 16:10:26 +0000

Folk Arts Festival

Jeremy Collins — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 16:10:33 +0000

Band Shot

Jeremy Collins — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 16:10:47 +0000

Groups image

Jeremy Collins — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 16:10:59 +0000

Live Album

Jeremy Collins — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 16:11:16 +0000

Make Some Magic With Them - Bright Eyes

Jeremy Collins — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 16:11:33 +0000

Press - Brum Beat

Jeremy Collins — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 16:11:44 +0000

Press Cutting

Jeremy Collins — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 16:11:57 +0000

Bright Eyes

Jeremy Collins — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 16:29:10 +0000

I've added some great photos provided by Keith Jones of Bright Eyes, just go the Bright Eyes page to view them. And don't forget to send more artifacts into us here at the archive!

The Great Outdoors

Jeremy Collins — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 08:50:32 +0000

We've added a page for one of the great forgotten groups of Birmingham from the 80's. Please add some content about them!

The Kuomintang Party

Jeremy Collins — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 13:04:13 +0000

Another new entry today and contemporaries of the Great Outdoors. As ever please do add your own memories, stories or memorabilia to page!

Velvett Fogg, Jardine and Keith Law

Jeremy Collins — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 14:16:55 +0000

I've been holding this chat with Keith back for a while as I didn't want it to get lost in the Brum Music Month posts we were putting out. Keith is a stalwart of the 60's and 70's Birmingham music scene and was part of two groups in particular, Velvett Fogg and Jardine, whose material is just being rediscovered and released. Jardine especially were part of the early psychedelic movement and some 40 years after it's release Look In The Window is receiving critical acclaim. I spent an hour talking to Keith at his home in Torbay about his time in various bands in Birmingham and the connections he had with numerous musicians and bands that were all playing at that time. Keith is a great person, passionate about his music and Birmingham and this is a really fascinating chat. It's in the Podcast section. Hope you enjoy it!

Keith Laws Interview BMA 1a

Jeremy Collins — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 15:40:18 +0000

Part 1 of my chat with Keith

Keith Laws Interview BMA2

Jeremy Collins — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 15:50:10 +0000

Part 2 of my chat with Keith

Keith Laws Interview BMA 1a

Jeremy Collins — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 16:05:26 +0000

Keith Laws Interview BMA2

Jeremy Collins — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 16:19:12 +0000

Keith Law

Jeremy Collins — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 16:28:03 +0000

I had a fantastic chat with Keith Law, some time ago now it has to be said, about his life in music and about his time growing up in Birmingham and his recollections. We talked for over an hour but I've edited this down to about 10 minutes. Keith is exactly the type of person I'm really keen to make sure are included in the archive, an active musician in the city and beyond and is keen to share his memories. I hope you enjoy listening to this as much as I did talking to Keith. Keith Law Interview BMA 1a Keith Law Interview BMA 1a Keith Law Interview BMA2 Keith Law Interview BMA2

021

Jeremy Collins — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 10:45:26 +0000

There is a great new entry from 021 mainstay Tony Simpson about the punk/power pop band. Have a look at their band page and as always please add your own memories, recollections. Thanks to Tony for the material.

Goats Don't Shave

Jeremy Collins — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 11:09:32 +0000

Goats Don't Shave formed in Smethwick in late Summer 1983. The original line-up was Neil Fanthom - keyboards, Ewan Watters - guitar, George Russell - drums, Richard Edwards - bass, Anthony Goldrick - synthesizer, Ian the Goat - vocals. The band played their first gig at The Railway, Birmingham on 7th October 1983 supporting Ginger Tom. After a few more support slots the Goats headlined at The Railway in December '83. Through 1984 the band began rehearsing and playing occasional gigs at The Shoulder of Mutton, Blackheath. They also began appearing regularly at JBs, Dudley. After producing a couple of demo tapes an agreement was reached with Eddie Blower to release the band's debut single on his Smethwick based 'Shoestring' label. In November '84 the band went to Birmingham's Sinewave Studio to record 'Like This Forever' for the A -side of the single. Shortly afterwards Neil Fanthom, who was at Manchester University and finding it hard to get back to the Midlands for gigs, quit the band to concentrate on his studies. He was not replaced and the band's sound altered as a result. 'Like This Forever' was relegated to a B-side and the new line-up recorded a new song 'A Rumour' as the A-side. The single finally appeared in mid '85. With only 500 copies pressed and no distribution it didn't exactly set the world on fire, but it sold at gigs and the project broke even and helped get the name known. During 1985 the band broadened their horizons and began gigging away from the Midlands. In 1986 they began work on their second single, to be released on their own 'Go Go Goat' label. Anthony Goldrick left the band between recording sessions, the band carried on and recorded 'Omar Sharif's Moustache' as a four piece. The single came out Autumn '86 and was quite well received but with no distribution deal copies had to be sold at gigs. In 1987 The Goats were starting to get regular gigs in London, Cardiff and Plymouth as well as on the local circuit. Richard Edwards decided to leave and was replaced on bass by Paul Rees, known to everyone as Ragga. This fourth version of the band was fairly short-lived. George Russell left the band later that year to be replaced by Tony Dickinson, known as Dickie - the only Goats Don't Shave member with the ability to levitate a tomato. Two tracks, 'Tarrah Trace' and 'Up the Club', were recorded for a third single but Dickie decided to quit and the project was shelved. For a short while the Goats used stand-ins on the drum stool - notably Richard Heath, then of True Grit, now of The Gravelly Hill Billies - until they were joined by Budgie as a permanent replacement. This line-up continued until November 1989 when Ian announced he was leaving the band. With the other members unable to imagine a version of GDS without Ian it was decided to wind the band up. There were bookings up to February 1990 which the band honoured and they played a farewell gig to a packed house at JBs,Dudley. The band went their separate ways although Ragga worked with Ian in his covers band 'The Bogus Social Workers'. In 1990 and 91 there were odd re-union gigs and Ian and Ewan recorded a four song demo after a record company expressed interest in the band. An Irish folk/rock band called Goats Don't Shave (no relation) formed, became quite successful and disbanded. Later in the '90s Ian formed 'Ian the Goat sings Black Sabbath' with Stu Clarke on guitar, Gary Latham on Bass and Tim James on the drums. In early 2001 Ian happened to listen to an old Goats demo and thought something along the lines of, 'More people should hear this stuff'. So he contacted Ewan and a new sixth version of the band was launched - with Gary Latham on bass and Tim James on drums. Taken from http://www.goatsdontshave.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk

Plone - Rehab

Jeremy Collins — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 22:16:20 +0000

http://eight8all.blogspot.com/ has sent me some amazing photos of Plone back when they where called Rehab before they got threatend by a london band called rehab, who disapeared without a trace. These photo's are exclusive and unseen so a huge thanks to http://eight8all.blogspot.com/ for sending them to the archive. See them on the Plone page

Billy Live

Jeremy Collins — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 22:28:09 +0000

Plone, when they were known as Plone, playing at the, then new, Custard Factory. ©http://eight8all.blogspot.com/

Billy

Jeremy Collins — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 22:28:17 +0000

Billy in the days of Rehab, soon to be Plone. ©http://eight8all.blogspot.com/

Mark Live

Jeremy Collins — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 22:28:26 +0000

Mark of Rehab, soon to be Plone, playing at the Custard Factory. ©http://eight8all.blogspot.com/

Mark

Jeremy Collins — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 22:28:36 +0000

Mark of Rehab, soon to be Plone. ©http://eight8all.blogspot.com/

Mike Live

Jeremy Collins — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 22:28:44 +0000

Mike of Rehab, soon to be Plone, playing live at the Custard Factory. ©http://eight8all.blogspot.com/

Mike

Jeremy Collins — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 22:28:53 +0000

Mike of Rehab, soon to be Plone. ©http://eight8all.blogspot.com/

Plone Group Shot

Jeremy Collins — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 22:29:03 +0000

Exclusive unseen group shot of Rehab, soon to be renamed Plone. ©http://eight8all.blogspot.com/

Plone Group

Jeremy Collins — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 22:29:11 +0000

Another exclusive shot of Rehab, now Plone. ©http://eight8all.blogspot.com/

Plone Live Group Shot

Jeremy Collins — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 22:29:20 +0000

Exclusive, unseen group shot of Rehab, now Plone, playing at the Custard Factory. ©http://eight8all.blogspot.com/

Beshara 1982

Jeremy Collins — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 21:38:59 +0000

Beshara

Jeremy Collins — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 21:41:17 +0000

Beshara were formed 1976 in Moseley, Birmingham and were founded by the late Elias Pharoah (Bass) and the late Ray Watts (Rhythm Guitar) who then recruited Errol Nanton (Lead Vocals) Dixie Pinnock (Drums) and Michael Nanton (Keyboards). They were formerly named ''Cool Dimension'' and ''The Kushites'' until 1979 when the band settled on the name Beshara meaning ‘surprise’ in Arabic and ‘mystical’ in Swahili. Over the years the line-up of the band changed along with the roles of various members but as of 1980 the ever-present nucleus that was widely known as Ray Watts (Lead Vocals-Rhythm Guitar), Dixie Pinnock (Drums-Backing Vocals), Michael Nanton (Keyboards-Backing Vocals) and Tony Garfield (Vocals - Bass) remained. To add to their harmonies which were now their trademark and their brand of social commentary on lovers rock and cultural reggae, there was even more emphasis on Ray Watts' natural born voice to the people, Tony Garfield’s riveting bass lines, Michael Nanton’s distinctive keyboard style and Dixie Pinnock’s hard hitting dynamic rhythm. Throughout the years Beshara gigged extensively all over the UK in the nation's major colleges, universities and clubs attracting multi cultural audiences. The band never released an album but released 13 singles and enjoyed success with early recordings such as ''Men Cry Too'', which reached number 6 in the reggae charts and was championed by David Rodigan and the late John Peel. ''Glory Glory'' featured the complimentary and contrasting qualities of percussionist Raymond ‘Bongo Simeon’ Walker on this much sought after 12” and ''Shadow Of Love'' although gaining slightly more commercial interest than “Men Cry Too” reached number 11 in the reggae charts. Beshara received much acclaim when they toured the UK and played alongside UB40, Abyssinians, Beres Hammond, Simply Red, Dennis Brown, Bad Manners, Leroy Smart, Sugar Minott, and John Holt. In the late 1980’s the band was headhunted by I Jahman Levi to back him on his African and European tour, which saw Beshara perform abroad for the first time. The 80’s also saw them achieve well-earned TV exposure by appearing on 'The Rockers Roadshow’, ‘Black on Black’, ‘Here & Now’ ‘Format V’ and ‘Together’. They were then commissioned to record a score for a BBC Boxing Documentary. Beshara also appeared as a gospel group in the BBC Drama “Preacher Man” starring the acclaimed British actor John Rhys-Davies who is best known for his roles in “The Lord of the Rings Trilogy”, “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade”, “The Living Daylights” (James Bond) and many more. The band won an award from the Hummingbird’s 1st Annual Black Music Awards in 1987 for ‘Best Sound recording’ in regards to their song “Candi”. Magazines like Black Echoes described the song as "... a commercial bouncer, but solid, revolving around criss cross harmonies, a strong upfront lead and a well oiled busy band sound...” The Magazine also described Beshara as "... so professionally polished and accomplished it makes you wonder why they aren’t huge stars (and ‘live’ they are just as slick, water-tight)..." The early 90’s saw them travel to America to record an album which to date is unreleased. In 1992 Beshara were asked by BBC Radio WM to perform a live concert in Birmingham, which would concurrently be broadcasted live and not only did it gain rave reviews once aired, but also from fans at the concert. However, during the same year the band decided to part ways only to reunite again in 1998 and begin recording what was set to be their debut album in 1999. Sadly Ray Watts (Lead Singer) passed away in the year 2000. Due to this the remaining members of the band decided they could no longer stay together without him and went their separate ways. In 2000 at the Hyatt Hotel Birmingham, Beshara were presented with an award for their Contribution to UK Reggae music by Street Cred magazine; guests on the night included Jamelia and Brenda Emmanus (BBC Clothes Show). In 2001 the ex band members arranged a memorial tribute concert for Ray Watts at the Irish Centre, Birmingham which led to Beshara performing and sharing the stage with Steel Pulse along with many other artists from Birmingham including Skibu, Reggae Revolution, Jeremiah, Birry The Poet and many more. 2005 saw the ex band members reunite to perform at the ‘32 years of lovers rock’ anniversary concert at the Hackney Empire in London. The concert featured the UK’s biggest lovers rock stars and the band received an astonishing reception, as it was the first time that many of the audience saw members of the band live after years of hearing their songs on the radio and in the clubs. There’s no doubt that Beshara was an important training ground that eventually led to the main members of the band either recording, backing or touring the world with I Jahman Levi, Pato Banton, UB40, Steel Pulse, Aswad, Luciano, Beenie Man, Musical Youth, Apache Indian, Inner City, Macka B, Alton Ellis, Gregory Isaacs, Half Pint, Reggae Revolution, Johnny 2 Bad and XOVA while sharing the stage with, Ziggy Marley & the Melody Makers, Shaggy, Burning Spear, Third World, Yellowman, Black Uhuru, The Wailers, Steel Pulse, Santana, Brazilian greats Jorge Ben Jor, Skank, and Cidade Negra, recording at Eddie Grants studio in Barbados, featuring on major TV shows including Top of the Pops, GMTV, MTV and performing at venues and festivals such as The Sydney Opera House , Reggae on the River, House of Blues, Womad, and The legendary Maida Vale studios. Not forgetting flying on Stings private jet to perform with him in Italy on a television show while still finding time to write and perform on Grammy nominated albums by various artists. Unreleased material by Beshara will become available in the near future. Past Members: Elias Pharoah (Bass) Errol Nanton (Vocals) Paul Cunningham (Bass) Byron Bailey (Saxophone) Steve Morrison (Trombone) ‘Fluff’ (Toaster) Past Session Musicians: Focett Gray (Lead Guitar) Alan Francis (Trumpet) Cornelius Wynter (Bass) Asha Barnes (Percussion) Raymond ‘Bongo Simeon’ Walker (Percussion) ‘Skins’ (Drums) James Renford (Saxophone) Decordiva ‘Dicky’ Gayle (Guitar)

Beshara

Jeremy Collins — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 21:48:17 +0000

One of the great reggae bands to come from Birmingham, recognised by reggae lovers across the world. Marcel Watts, son of the late founder member Ray Watts, has provided a great biography and photo of the band. To read more head over to the archive section. Thanks to Marcel for sending us the info.

Town Hall Gigs

Jeremy Collins — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 17:09:10 +0000

I'm indebted to Ken Jones formly of Bright Eyes who sent me a list of gigs he either went to or had record, form the Town Hall, an oft overlooked important music venue in the country. The period spans 1964-1974 and reads like a who's who of rock royalty. I have to say editing it for the site I couldn't believe the unbelievable gigs at the venue. I've taken out a load of gigs in other Brum venues as I'll add them to the site under the appropriate venue. I've waited this long to get them on the site so I could tie it into a small research project I'm doing called Virtual Music Trails. I'll post more news on this as it comes to fruition. In the meantime, a huge thank you to Ken and I hope you enjoy the gig listing!

Made In Birmingham: Reggae Punk Bhangra

Jeremy Collins — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 18:14:11 +0000

I've been quieter than normal in updating the site over the last few months so apologies. But I do have some mitigating reasons. I've recently completed an hour long documentary called Made In Birmingham: Reggae Punk Bhangra As the title suggests, the film concentrates on those 3 genres of music and uses rare and unseen archive material interlaced with contemporary interviews with musicians such as UB40, Steel Pulse, Beshara, Swami, The Nightingales, Au Pairs, Amlak, The Prefects, Fuzzbox, The Ever Readies, The Accused, Apna Sangeeta and others. We've taken a look at how these groups started, the venues they played in and how they music they made reflected their communities social, political and cultural issues. Directed by Deborah Aston and produced by swish for the Birmingham Popular Music Archive the film takes a fond look at Birmingham and some of its music heritage. The film can currently be seen at the Midland Art Centre in the 'plug in' exhibition space (free entry) and we are hoping to have some public screenings later in the year after we hopefully get some festival screenings. I'll also be putting a 5 minute trailer on the site in the next few weeks to whet your appetite!

The Androids

Jeremy Collins — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 18:35:35 +0000

The Androids were an exuberant bunch of teenagers from Birmingham inspired by the punky-ska sound and spikey political awareness of the Two Tone movement that swept the West Midlands between 1979-1980. They played a number of shows at venues such as the Golden Eagle in Hurst Street, Digbeth Civic Hall and Aston University where they played on a bill which included Duran Duran and the Bodysnatchers. The band also provided support for fellow Brummies The Beat. The Androids made two demo tapes; the first at the Dangerous Girls studio in Moseley and then at MCR Studios in the city from which these tracks were taken. The band were Nick Alatti (vocals), Nick Hart (bass), Michael Hancox (rhythm guitar), Ray Belcher (lead guitar) and John Grourke (drums). Paul Haynes, now known as Mantraman, was a former vocalist. You can visit their Last FM page here: http://www.last.fm/music/The%2520Androidz/The%2520Androidz?ac=androidz

Androids 1

Jeremy Collins — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 19:14:48 +0000

Androids 1

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Androids 2

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Androids 1

Jeremy Collins — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 19:27:40 +0000

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Jeremy Collins — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 22:10:00 +0000

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Jeremy Collins — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 22:10:17 +0000

Birmingham Bingley Hall

Jeremy Collins — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 21:13:52 +0000

Situated just off Broad St, the Bingley Hall played host to numerous events but is best remembered for music. Burned down in suspicious circumstances. Our aim to build a complete list of gigs at Bingley Hall. Here's a start but we need your help! Yardbirds, Eric Burdon & The Animals, Dave Dee, Dozy, Beak, Mick &Tich 26/01/68

Mothers (Carlton Ballroom)

Keith Law — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 21:20:43 +0000

Erdington Mothers as it is today. The club was the top floor above both shops. This was a favourite haunt of mine, and a significant part of Brum Beat life, including my own. The club opened 1968 and closed 1971. In this time over 400 acts performed there, incuding many 'Super Groups' Here are just a few: Led Zeppelin, The Who, Pink Floyd, Family Alvin Lee Other bands were like an 'who's-who' Taste, Liverpool Scene, Fleetwood Mac, Edgar Broughton Band, Traffic, Free, Roy Harper, Blodwyn Pig, Strawbs, Fairfield Parlour, Quintessence, Steppenwolf, Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, Jethro Tull, Jon Hisemans Colosseum, Nice, Tyrannosaurus Rex, The Who, Fairport Convention, King Crimson and hundreds more. Pink Floyd recorded part of their album Ummagumma at Mothers on 1969-04-27. John Peel, who was present, was moved to say,

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In a moment they unfold sonorous layers one on the other in a sinfonico bang; to another block, incredibly melancholic sounds that are intersected between them as plants of dying galaxies lost in time corridors and space.

The Who performed Tommy and Traffic's world debut took place at Mothers along with fledgling rock bands like Black Sabbath playing some of their earliest gigs there. What they said: John Peel:

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People are amazed to hear that for a few years the best club in Britain was in Erdington.

Roy Harper:

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Oh blimey - that was the first club outside London that meant anything at all and that's why there's been this long association with Birmingham. I played there about six times between 1968 and 1970. I have always enjoyed playing here.

Mother's was acclaimed as one of the most significent Progressive Rock clubs in history I had the pleasure of meeting John Peel at Mothers, it is a meeting, I will treasure all my life. Here is the blog from my web-site;-
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Thursday, January 04, 2007 John Peel, A Pint and Me!! It was in February 1969, that I met John Peel, at 'Mothers' a club, in Birmingham's, Erdington High Street. John, who had written the sleeve notes for the 1969 Velvett Fogg Album, had been playing tracks off the album constantly on his radio shows. He was in Birmingham, visiting the club, which was renowned for its Progressive music acts. I was there the same evening as John and I introduced myself, and he and I had a couple of pints, and discussed both his sleeve notes, and my participation in the album. It is a night, I will of course, remember. On the sleeve notes John Peel commented "There is a lot of good music on this record. Remember Velvett Fogg - you will hear the name again." Keith Law
Here's a piece posted by Stircher on The Birmingham History Forum Re: Mothers Club Erdington

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I worked as a bouncer for Mothers AKA The Carlton AKA Carlton Johns Agency. It is not widely known but Mothers was a huge stepping stone for Brum Groups. Groups looking to make it in the music scene were allowed to play at Mothers for free by way of an audition. If they went down well, they would be booked to play at all the peripherals for a proper fee. John Singer was the owner and he had a team of about twelve managers or partners. I am not sure about that side of things. These twelve were in charge of Different venues around Birmingham. I said I worked for Mothers, that is true but I was mostly at these outer venues. I worked at 'The Sydenham' in Small Heath, 'The Station' in Selly Oak, 'The Hollybush' in Quinton and 'The Bull' in Hay Mills. I did the odd night here and there at Mothers and saw some great names there. Here are a couple of posts from The Birmingham History Forum Roy C.. Isle of man

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I was at mothers when the "Fairies " were playing and John Bonhan was in the audience Pissed. And he had a drumming "Battle" with the "Fairies" drummer and came second....There were socks and under-pants thrown in to the audience from the end of drum-sticks...Say no more........Also there when Floyd recorded Umma Gumma and they did "Careful with that Axe Eugene" absolutely the best performance I seen there....walked back to Sheldon afew times at Christmas.... Ps I have still got my "Mothers" Membership card..

Alberta bacons end
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I used to go to the Carlton in the late 50s. No live bands then just a bloke putting vinyl recorders on the record player. It was the 'place to be' in Erdington 1950s along with the Milk Bar a couple of doors away and the Coffee Bar further up towards the Green. Oh to go back to the days of fluorescent coloured socks(for girls and boys) Compiled by Keith Law The predecessor of Mothers in Erdington. Our aim to build a complete list of gigs at the Carlton Ballroom. Here's a start but we need your help! Soft Machine, Sam Gopal Dream 03/02/68 Plastic Penny 11/02/68

Crown & Cushion Club

Jeremy Collins — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 21:25:05 +0000

Our aim to build a complete list of gigs at the Crown & Cushion Club. Here's a start but we need your help! The Herd 18/02/68 Plastic Penny 10/03/68

Aston University

Jeremy Collins — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 21:44:31 +0000

Our aim to build a complete list of gigs at Aston University. Here's a start but we need your help! Yardbirds, Simon Dupree & The Big Sound 08/03/68 Hawkwind 19/03/71 Colosseum, Mick Abrahams 07/11/71 Lindisfarne, Head Hands & Feet 15/11/71 Amazing Blondel 18/11/71 Sandy Denny 21/11/71 Slade 30/11/71 Flash, Tony Hazzard 01/03/72 Genesis 17/03/72 Stone The Crows 21/04/72 Argent 06/10/72 Stray 13/10/72 Curved Air 21/10/72 Head Hands & Feet 27/10/72 Status Quo 10/11/72 Little Free Rock 17/11/72 Blackfoot Sue 15/12/72 Caravan 12/01/73 Kevin Ayers 19/01/73

Elbow Room

Keith Law — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 21:52:43 +0000

Aston High Street ... The club was upstairs above the building, between the Hippodrome and Woolworth's The Elbow Room next to the Hiipodrome,was a great club. When I was young, not so long ago, I always considered it 'posher' than the others. It was owned by a tall bald headed bloke Albert and I think his partner Malcolm Hearne, who at the time seemed strict on membership, although once inside the club, it was not noticable! It was a compact club with a great atmosphere, and as soon as you got passed the 'bouncers' and went up the wooden stairs , you knew you were in for a good time, and you could even get 'food'! their hamburgers being real good. Many of the local bands played here, including Monopoly, which of course featured Raymond Frogatt. This is also were the great band Traffic came together. The four musicians would often get together on stage it was there that the idea for Traffic was formed. With Dave Mason and Jim Capaldi eager to form a new band, Steve Winwood agreed to join the partnership along with Chris Wood. Great club and one that is still going strong. Compiled by Keith Law Our aim is to build a complete list of gigs at the Elbow Room. Here's a start but we need your help! Sam Gopal Dream 07/02/68 Fairport Convention 14/02/68 Sam Gopal Dream 09/03/68 Blossom Toes 15/03/68 Blonde On Blonde 16/03/68 The Toast 21/11/68

Kinetic Circus

Jeremy Collins — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 22:21:35 +0000

A new venue for me but I've learned that this was the rock night held at the Mayfair Suite in Birmingham. Our aim is to build a complete list of gigs at the Kinetic Circus. Here's a start but we need your help! Groundhogs, Galliard 25/02/71 Atomic Rooster, Slade 18/03/71 The Who 13/05/71 Fleetwood Mac 03/06/71 Groundhogs 24/06/71 Mott the Hoople 09/07/71 Groundhogs 16/07/71 Caravan 22/07/71 Van Der Graaf Generator 06/08/71 Lindisfarne 13/08/71 Faces 22/11/71 Argent, Climax Chicago 28/11/71 Hawkwind 06/12/71 Nazareth 27/01/72 ELO 09/03/72 Sandy Denny, Flash, Nazareth 01/05/72 Stray 02/06/72 Fruupp 09/06/72 Man 21/07/72 Hawkwind 01/09/72 Rare Bird 09/10/72

Langley Baths

Jeremy Collins — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 20:17:55 +0000

Our aim to build a complete list of gigs at Langley Baths. Here's a start but we need your help! The Troggs 01/03/68

Shenley Green Youth Club

Jeremy Collins — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 20:20:16 +0000

Our aim to build a complete list of gigs at Shenley Green Youth Club. Here's a start but we need your help! The Troogs 05/03/68

Birmingham Theatre

Jeremy Collins — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 20:23:38 +0000

Our aim to build a complete list of gigs at the Birmingham Thearte. Here's a start but we need your help! Bee Gees 07/04/68 Tea & Symphony "With George The Flying Gorilla Show" 18/03/71

Burning Bhuddists

Jeremy Collins — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 20:24:33 +0000

Back Street Slide

Jeremy Collins — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 20:24:55 +0000

Belfry

Jeremy Collins — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 20:25:15 +0000

Venue in Sutton Coldfield attached to the equally famous golf course, The Belfry hosted Led Zeppelin amongst others.

Billesley Hotel

Jeremy Collins — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 20:25:39 +0000

Birmingham Brooklyn Tech College

Jeremy Collins — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 20:26:01 +0000

Le Metro

Keith Law — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 20:34:26 +0000

Snow Hill, Birmingham Le Metro, at Snow Hill, well actually, it was under the train lines at Snow Hill! I think the entrance was in Livery Street, but I stand corrected. It was a cavern type club, and if my memory, serves me well, it wasn't open very long! I remember going there several times, and seeing many local bands, like the talented but unrecognized band The Stringbeats, who hailed from West Bromwich. They played several of my songs, and as they were from Caribbean parents, they made interesting renditions of my very 'white' songs! Austin the singer, was a personal friend of mine. The club I think changed names a couple of times, but was certainly to end up as Holy City Zoo Here is a piece from Bob Summers, of the Birmingham History Forum

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Yes the "Zoo" was the old "Le Metro" and the three owners where Andy Gray, Peter Warren (Who managed many Bars in town inc. Hortze Wine Bar), and Jonnie Ralston. The manager of the "Z00" was Duncan Gray (Andy's younger brother) It was a lively place while it lasted with many "C" local celebs in attendance. They did have Live bands at weekends, but I can't pin point any as they seemed to be young up and coming bands from around the Midlands It closed due to bankruptcy, I don't know if its still used as a club today?

Mny thanks to Bob, for his unput. Compiled by Keith Law Our aim to build a complete list of gigs at the Metro. Here's a start but we need your help! Ten Years After 02/5/68 Ten Years After 19/09/68

Birmingham University Guild

Jeremy Collins — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 20:55:13 +0000

Our aim to build a complete list of gigs at the Birmingham University Guild. Here's a start but we need your help! The Herd 03/05/68 Curved Air 20/02/71 The Kinks 01/03/71 Fairport Convention 23/04/71 If (replacing Fleetwood Mac) 08/05/71 Yes, Lancaster 14/05/71 Skid Row 21/05/71 Bonzo Dog Freaks 19/06/71 Principal Edwards Magic Theatre 26/06/71 Warm Dust, Brian Auger’s Oblivion Express 03/12/71 Mark-Almond 10/12/71 Ten Years After 13/01/72 Barclay James Harvest, Wonderwheel 21/01/72 Dando Shaft 22/01/72 Humble Pie (cancelled) 03/02/72 Quiver 04/02/72 Bronco, John Martyn, Claire Hamill 18/02/72 Incredible String Band 19/02/72 Steeleye Span 24/02/72 Arthur Brown’s Kingdom Come 19/05/72 Stone The Crows 23/06/72 Fairport Convention : The ‘Rosie’ Tour 02/02/73 Holy Mackerel 07/02/73

La Dolce Vita

Jeremy Collins — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 20:59:11 +0000

Our aim to build a complete list of gigs at Dolce Vita. Here's a start but we need your help! Plastic Penny 23/06/68

Birmingham Experimental Music Network

Jeremy Collins — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 20:59:49 +0000

Henry's Blues House

Keith Law — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 21:24:42 +0000

Hill Street/Station Steet Henry's Blues House was great venue, and was situauted on the corner of Hill Street and Station Street. It featured many of the up and coming local blues,and R&B bands, including Robert Plant, Crawling Kingsnakes and Band Of Joy. Led Zeppelin was one of the first bands to play there Band Of Joy Jim Simpson was a well known musician and band manager and photographer for the Midland Beat newspaper. He was manager and trumpet player of the pop group Locomotive, and opened the club seeing the potential for his band. Earth then Black Sabbath Thinking this might be a good opportunity, the members of Earth the name before Black Sabbath approached Jim to see if they could perform there too. Jim Simpson was at that time managing local bands Bakerloo Blues Line and Tea & Symphony. IIt was obvious that Earth needed a manager who understood their music so Jim allowed them to open for the well-known band Ten Years After at the club. The audience response to Earth's performance was favourable so Simpson also agreed to manage them Our aim to build a complete list of gigs at Henry's Blues House. Here's a start but we need your help! Bakerloo Blues Line, Tea & Symphony 25/06/68 Tea & Symphony 27/03/71 Anno Domini 09/05/71 Paladin 11/05/71 Karakorum 06/06/71 Pete Brown & Piblokto! 08/06/71 Thin Lizzy 11/07/71 Anno Domini 18/07/71 Alan Bown 08/08/71 Gypsy 10/08/71 Open Road 10/11/71 Gypsy 12/11/71 Status Quo 24/11/71 Blonde On Blonde 16/12/71 Stackridge 19/12/71 Tea & Symphony 21/12/71 Gypsy 19/03/72 Gnidrolog 26/03/72 Budgie 09/05/72 Thin Lizzy 16/05/72 Capability Brown 30/05/72 Trapeze 20/06/72 Warm Dust 18/07/72 Thin Lizzy 29/08/72 CMU 17/09/72 Supertramp 19/09/72 Strife 01/10/72 Budgie 03/10/72 UFO 10/10/72 Chicken Shack 31/10/72 Judas Priest 27/12/72 Skin Alley 30/01/73

The Factory

Jeremy Collins — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 21:31:25 +0000

Our aim to build a complete list of gigs at The Factory. Here's a start but we need your help! The Nice 05/07/68 Marmalade 12/07/68 Blossom Toes 22/11/68 Chris Farlowe 23/11/68 Colosseum 29/11/68 Mike Stuart Span 30/11/68 Alan Bown 06/12/68 Gun 14/12/68

Birmingham Teacher Training College

Jeremy Collins — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 21:35:25 +0000

Our aim to build a complete list of gigs at The Birmingham Teacher Training College. Here's a start but we need your help! We believe that this is the venue that was where Jimmy Page first saw Robert Plant singing setting in train the legend that would become Led Zeppelin while plant was singing for Hobbstweedle Hobbstweedle 20/07/68

Crown Hotel

Jeremy Collins — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 21:44:26 +0000

Our aim to build a complete list of gigs at the Crown Hotel. Here's a start but we need your help! Bakerloo, Tea & Symphony 06/08/68 The Move 29/09/68 Jethro Tull 29/10/68

Home of Metal

Admin — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 21:46:13 +0000

Opposite Lock Club

Keith Law — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 21:50:21 +0000

Gas Street The Opposite Lock Club, was on the towpath in Gas Street basin. Access to the club was from Gas Street, through a short alleyway, where you tuned left, onto the canal towpath. Exit was a bit more precarious, as after a few pints, you had to ensure, you didn't fall into the canal. It's hard to say, how many lost souls took that way out! The club was owned and run by man named Martin Hone. He was born and bred in Birmingham. He was in the carpet business and then he pursued his interest in motor racing. He drove Porsches around Europeâ€™s various road circuits. He has experience in racing during his eight year career including class wins at the Autosport Championship in 1965 and 1966. It helped him to provide an extensive knowledge in the background of motor sport. Then the inevitable came when a member of the city council called him to invite him to a meeting to meet various councillors and people who were planning to move Birmingham forward from its reputation as a drab, dark and run-down city into a resurgent and exciting city. To Martin Hone as his enthusiasm encouraged him to propose something that would frighten the council members he said: â€œAs a city internationally famous for the manufacture of cars, but with not many â€˜firstsâ€™ to our name, how about I organise the first-ever street race in Britain?â€ He oozed determination and enthusiasm as he converted a run-down warehouse into a nightspot, the Opposite Lock Club in 1966. ........ It quickly rose to become one of Birmingham's premier nightspots. He contributed a lot of hard work and made publicity to make it a success for himself. Also it promoted international jazz, international motorsport and food. The resident singer was Shirley Kent Compiled by Keith Law Our aim to build a complete list of gigs at the Opposite Lock. Here's a start but we need your help! Principal Edwards Magic Theatre 02/08/68 Locomotive, Bakerloo Blues Band, Tea & Symphony, Earth 30/01/70

Top Rank

Jeremy Collins — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 21:56:40 +0000

Our aim to build a complete list of gigs at the Top Rank. Here's a start but we need your help! Sited in Dale End the Top Rank was later to become The Hummingbird and then The Academy The Nice 11/08/68 Slade, Status Quo 15/05/72 Mungo Jerry 28/07/72 Jigsaw, Montanas 21/08/72 Wizzard, Sweet 25/08/72 Roxy Music, Supertramp 05/11/72 Edgar Broughton Band, Spontaneous Combustion, Babe Ruth 17/11/72

Bulls Head

Jeremy Collins — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 22:03:45 +0000

Our aim to build a complete list of gigs at the Bulls Head. Here's a start but we need your help! The Toast 25/11/68

Castaways

Jeremy Collins — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 22:07:48 +0000

Our aim to build a complete list of gigs at Castaways. Here's a start but we need your help! Status Quo 17/11/68 Elmer Gantry’s Velvet Opera 24/11/68 Spooky Tooth 01/12/68

Birmingham Arts Lab

Jeremy Collins — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 22:10:38 +0000

Our aim to build a complete list of gigs at the Birmingham Arts Lab. Here's a start but we need your help! Gun 13/12/68 Feathers (David Bowie mime troop)

Midland Arts Centre

Jeremy Collins — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 22:22:26 +0000

Our aim to build a complete list of gigs at the Midland Arts Centre. Here's a start but we need your help! Tea & Symphony, Locomotive, Earth 01/09/69 Stackridge 02/05/71 Tea & Symphony 06/05/71 Stackridge, Strife 20/08/71

Terminal Power Company

Jeremy Collins — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 13:48:38 +0000

Formed in 1989 in Birmingham, UK, by Paul Aspel and John Roome, designed specifically to be a "cyberpunk band", the band cited many diverse visual influences on their music. Amongst these were William Gibson, John Shirley - Authors, Bladerunner, Aliens, Spaghetti Westerns and Film Noir. Essentially the band was formed to create virtual sound tracks for these types of films and books. Their first demo tapes were received well and in early 1990 TPC signed to Situation Two and soon released their first single "Wired" (SIT 80). Following the release of "Wired" they signed a three-album contract with Beggars Banquet Records. The band spent two weeks during November 1990 recording their first album Run Silent, Run Deep, which was released in early 1991 and was well received by the press. The album was soon followed by the single "The Hunger, The Heat", and later that year the second single from the album, "Salvation". The version released was a remix of the album version and featured a drummer and additional extra guitar performed by Mark Gemini Thwaite, most recently know for being a member of The Mission. During the period directly after the recording of Run Silent, Run Deep, Aspel and Roome decided to expand the line up of the band to a four-piece. Up to this point, they had played as a three-piece with Mark McKenzie on bass and were using a backing tape for drums and keyboards. They felt that the adding of a full time drummer and bass player would fill out the sound and make the group have a proper "band" feel on stage. Through the bands tour manager, John Adkins, Aspel and Roome were introduced to Dave Askey, former bassist with Goth rockers "Dawn after Dark". Askey was quickly introduced to the band's material and after a short period of rehearsal and gigging the band entered the studio to record their second album, Red Skin Eclipse. The album was recorded during November 1992 at the Rich Bitch recording studio in Selly Oak, Birmingham, UK, taking four weeks to record and mix and was co-produced by "Godflesh" Guitarist and song writer Justin Broadrick[1]. Prior to the release of their second album, the band brought in Stourbridge-based drummer Lee Haggerty. The band expected the album to be released in March 1993, however, the record label decided to delay release until the following October. During the summer of 1993 the band decided to remix some of the tracks from the new album with ON-U sound producer Adrian Sherwood [2] at the Roundhouse recording studio. The sessions were also added to with contributions from Tackhead guitarist, Skip McDonald. From the results of this session the track listing on Red Skin Eclipse was altered to include the remixed version of "Juggernaut". This track was later to be released as the band's fourth single. The band continued touring, headlining and supporting other acts but were dropped by their record label during March 1994. They then signed to Leicester based Stay Free Records. The band's final album, Cyclops, was released in summer 1995 and featured Shane Embury from Napalm Death on two tracks: "Soft White Underside" and "Cyclops". The album was not as successful as the band had hoped and the band dissolved during November of that year.

Adventure Club

Jeremy Collins — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 14:00:45 +0000

Adventure Club is Oliver Williams and Ryan Davis. Friends since 13 years old, they met at school and instantly bonded over an almost psychotic interest in music. The following years consisted of falling into bands and falling out with each other. When they realised that no one else could get on with them they started gigging the pubs and clubs of Birmingham with two guitars and lots of songs. They called themselves alf-Alpha. People loved the songs, but wanted to hear a full band. So they got one, and stated gigging all over the county. Tired of paying out for demos they started recording themselves, and in 2003 released a single “The Imminent Feeling” on their own I Kill Spiders Records Label. The band fell apart but the songs were getting better. The new batch sounded more positive musically. Lyrically the ideas had become more questioning, touching on themes of fear, love, being lost and trying to find your way in the world. So, after facing many a demon, family bereavement and reading a lot of Robert Louis Stevenson, Oliver and Ryan moved to the Island Of Herne to record and live in the wilderness for a year. Simply because there was literary nobody around, Ryan ended playing most of the instruments having, in some cases, to learn new ones in the process. Mean while, Oliver recorded and steered from the helm. The music recorded has become their first album “Wilderness Music.” Adventure Club was born. Now, backed on stage by long time friends and Birmingham’s indie heroes, The Will to Rally, Adventure Club live is quite a experience. Ever been strapped to the north face of the Eiger? You’re kind of getting there, at an Adventure Club show. Thrilling, sometimes scary always magical. Adventure Club, anyone can join. In fact you’re probably already a member. You just don’t know it yet. Read more: http://www.myspace.com/wildadclubmusic#ixzz0wmFjqVGZ

Street Crocodiles

Jeremy Collins — Sun, 17 Oct 2010 19:43:41 +0000

Steet Crocodiles 2

Jeremy Collins — Sun, 17 Oct 2010 19:43:52 +0000

Steve Daly

Jeremy Collins — Sun, 17 Oct 2010 19:43:55 +0000

Street Crocodiles

Jeremy Collins — Sun, 17 Oct 2010 19:44:00 +0000

From left to right Keith Rotimi singer and general mad man! Andy Inston Guitarist and VW lover Me or is it Rowland Rat?? Bassist /songwriter Stefan Smaza Drummer and outright lunatic

street crocodiles Stencil Art!

Jeremy Collins — Sun, 17 Oct 2010 19:44:02 +0000

Sprayed in town, photo'd by a German!

Street Crocodiles

Jeremy Collins — Sun, 17 Oct 2010 19:54:45 +0000

Sean Daly, Keith Rotimi , Stefan Smaza , and Andy Inston formed Street Crocodiles in the 80's and Sean has sent some info, links and pictures for the archive. Here' s a number of links to the music they recorded: Despair: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GfN6D0S4AGI College Girls: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFAnf4GCSr4&feature=related Chances: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qNMyW1eFwb0&feature=related Best Shot: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHdLSyFoZgI&feature=related Hard Life: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXN6l79NCzc&feature=related Hideaway: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYenGEuAxII&feature=related Midnight Hour: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSSmMId4aLo&feature=related Lost In France: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mE5dLYXX4n0&feature=related Shadow Of Your Heart: http://www.youtube.com/user/TheStreetcrocodiles#p/u/8/5L4cEXJytHI [gallery]

Flyer

Jeremy Collins — Sun, 17 Oct 2010 20:09:47 +0000

Flyer 2

Jeremy Collins — Sun, 17 Oct 2010 20:11:03 +0000

Wolfpack

Jeremy Collins — Sun, 17 Oct 2010 20:12:53 +0000

Steve Daly from Street Crocodiles also wrote in about another band he was in: Wolfpack. We used to rehearse at the Aston Travern upstairs every Monday, Secondhand Band used the same room I think it was on a Thursday, they had a huge Cerwin Vega PA and very week we would mess about with the knobs on their mixer for a laugh!! [gallery]

Mark and Steve

Jeremy Collins — Sun, 17 Oct 2010 20:21:08 +0000

Here is a pic of me with Mark Ogilvy Tenor Sax player from The Colts. The Colts were unusual for the time as we had two sax players in the band ( Dave on alto). Mark moved to london, but we used to rehease at the old Rich Bitch studio's run by Rob Bruce, this was a basement by a canal in Selly Oak/ Park that kept getting flooded! Budgie used to reheasre there too!! Anyway the reason I mention this is that Mark used to work in the R&D of Cadbury's or somewhere similar ( never took a lot of notice) and he would come down complaining about some rabbit food bar he was working on that kept falling apart!! It turned out to be the Harvest Crunch Bar!! Trivia I know! I was still playing the Musicman Bass and in need of shoulder surgery!

Reformation Club

Jeremy Collins — Sun, 17 Oct 2010 20:21:13 +0000

The Colts

Jeremy Collins — Sun, 17 Oct 2010 20:25:03 +0000

Steve Daly from Street Crocodiles and Wolfpack sent another of his groups in to the archive, The Colts. Here is a pic from late 70's early 80's of a gig at The Reformation which was in the basement of a Hotel ( I think!!) on Needless alley. I think this was my band The Colts I have an old Brumbeat somewhere with a write up on us. In the picture is Jill Smith singer and was my girlfriend at the time and Dave Kingdon alto sax. [gallery] Here is a pic of me with Mark Ogilvy Tenor Sax player from The Colts. The Colts were unusual for the time as we had two sax players in the band ( Dave on alto). Mark moved to london, but we used to rehease at the old Rich Bitch studio's run by Rob Bruce, this was a basement by a canal in Selly Oak/ Park that kept getting flooded! Budgie used to reheasre there too!! Anyway the reason I mention this is that Mark used to work in the R&D of Cadbury's or somewhere similar ( never took a lot of notice) and he would come down complaining about some rabbit food bar he was working on that kept falling apart!! It turned out to be the Harvest Crunch Bar!! Trivia I know! I was still playing the Musicman Bass and in need of shoulder surgery!

Psuedo Blue

Jeremy Collins — Sun, 17 Oct 2010 20:42:01 +0000

Psuedo Blue

Jeremy Collins — Sun, 17 Oct 2010 20:44:04 +0000

Steve Daly from Street Crocodiles, Wolfpack and The Colts was also in Psuedo Blue! This pic is of me playing Bass in Psuedo Blue a band I formed late 70's new wave era ( thats the reason for the dinner suit!!) This gig was at The Junction harbourne. The bass I am playing is a 1966 Fender Jazz Bass Custom color in Sherwood Green I bought it in 1976 and I still have it!! It's a very rare beast I have always called it " The Green Godess" the only other one I have seen belongs to the Bassist of U2 but his has the wrong neck! I also used this bass in Street Crocodiles when playing live as it was fast and lighter than the Musicman. [caption id="attachment_1137" align="alignleft" width="204" caption="Steve - Psuedo Blue"][/caption]

Golden Eagle

Keith Law — Sun, 17 Oct 2010 20:51:41 +0000

Hill Street The Golden Eagle, Probably the best pub venue in the City. Many local bands, made their name there, including the Spencer Davis Group Spencer Davis played solo guitar spots at the Golden Eagle pub on Hill Street in Birmingham which was at that time a hangout for the city's rhythm and blues enthusiasts. It was there where he met the Winwood brothers while they were performing on stage as the Muff-Woody Jazz Band in early 1963. Steve Winwood was aged 15 at the time but he posessed a vocal style that was way beyond his years and was also talented as an instrumentalist and alternated between guitar and piano on stage. Finding common musical ground, Davis joined them and brought in accomplished jazz drummer Pete York (born August 15, 1942 in Nottingham), a Birmingham University student, and the group became known as the Rhythm and Blues Quartette. A regular visitor to the Golden Eagle R&B nights was future Slade star Noddy Holder Legendary venue on Hill Street in the city centre. We would like to build up a history of the gigs that took place here, so if you know any of them please send them in! Compiled by Keith Law

Camile

Jeremy Collins — Sun, 17 Oct 2010 21:01:21 +0000

Nick from Camile has sent details of Camile, in his own words! 1982-83: Camille Paul Sharkey: Vocals Zog Milatinovic: Guitar & Vocals Martin Yapp: Keyboards Nick Raybould: Drums Carl Freer: Bass We were... Erm, post New Romantic pretty boys who hung around the Rum Runner. We played a couple of gigs at Snobs Nightclub, Valley Stadium, Redditch and had a feature and reviews in Brum Beat.

Anonymous Bosch

Jeremy Collins — Sun, 17 Oct 2010 21:04:38 +0000

Nick from Anonymous Bosch has sent this info about the band: 1984-86: Anonymous Bosch Paul Strain: Vocal & Guitar Mike Harkin: Guitar Victor Foster: Bass Nick Raybould: Drums Gigged all over Brum; Peacocks, Aston University, Brum Uni. We did some London gigs and released a double A side single.

The Libertines

Jeremy Collins — Sun, 17 Oct 2010 21:07:41 +0000

Nick from The Libertines has sent this info in: 1987-89: The Libertines Russ Hunt: Vocal & Guitar Mark Bellamy: Guitar Paul Clifford Nick Raybould: Drums Gigged all over Britain supporting The Wonder Stuff. Also some London shows with Jesus Jones etc. We got a fair bit of press and a few John Peel plays for our single.

Jeremy Collins — Sun, 17 Oct 2010 21:41:29 +0000

Newsletter 1

Jeremy Collins — Sun, 17 Oct 2010 21:41:47 +0000

Keith Law

Jeremy Collins — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 17:11:05 +0000

Singer/Songwriter

KEITH LAW, with 22 records released, has composed over 500 songs including, Yellow Cave Woman, Within' The Night and Once Among The Trees on the highly collectable, 1969 Velvett Fogg album, which is continually re-released _____________________________ KEITH has also written all the songs, and performs on the JARDINE album LOOK IN THE WINDOW released as an LP in January 2008 and as a CD in June 2009 KEITH'S solo album EYES IN THE WIND was released November 2009 It features 12 songs, all written and performed by him KEITH LAW has 22 records released with 1 currently in progress His songs are continually re-released on compilations and box-sets __________________________________ Biography KEITH LAW was born in the mid- forties, in the "Black Country", West Midlands, England. a very industrial area, where the foundries and heavy industry led to smoke and air pollution. He attended the local primary and secondary schools. When he was about 10 years old, his brother came home with a Spanish guitar. Many hours, weeks, months and years later and with the help of numerous tuition books, he finally learned a few chords and solo pieces. He had always been singing songs he had composed and now, with this new found skill,his composing took on a new dimension. KEITH'S parents were always supportive and once spent the whole week's budget to buy him his first guitar and amplifier. It was a solid body Watkins Rapier electric guitar, and a small Selmer Amp. Thanks to this gift, his songwriting became more serious. His first catalogued song was in 1965. During this time KEITH was studying for a Degree in Marketing at Aston University. However he soon realized that his was to be a life of music. It was during this time that he became involved with other local musicians such as Mickey Cox, and Paul Lockey and their band Shooting Stars He was to work with them both through the years, and they are mentioned throughout this Biography. About 1964, he and schoolpal, Alan Blunt used to visit the Casa Bambu in West Bromwich. It is here that they first met Bill Spilsbury, and it was here where THE WILLIAMSONS were formed

THE WILLIAMSONS (1965/66) KEITH LAW was Lead Guitarist/ Vocalist The band featured lead vocalist, and blues harp player, Bill Spilsbury, Alan Blunt -rythmn guitar, Anthony Basterfield on bass, and Graham Travers on drums The band were a highly respected blues band from Great Barr, Birmingham. Originally called Devil's Disciples, their gigs included, The Macabre, Casa Bambu, the West Bromwich blues club. The Stork Club, Walsall Casino, where they were often, the main band or, support to the more well known bands at that time, including The Moody Blues THE WILLIAMSONS, supported the legendary Blues Artist Sonny Boy Williamson when he appeared at the Whiskey Go Go, in Birmingham, in the late 60's. Hence the dedicated name

Love and Understanding (1967/68) > Walsall based group, formed as a vehicle for songwriter KEITH LAW ,and performed only original songs, written by KEITH KEITH and the band, which included, Martin Hall, lead guitar/vocals, Eric Timmins, Bass/Vocals, and Roy Knight on drums were signed to F.P. Enterprises, and were managed by Chas Peate, Chas was to become KEITH'S publisher, Belsize Music and would subsequently, publish KEITH'S Velvett Fogg songs Love and Understanding performed at Schools, Colleges and Universities, undertaking a six week University tour in '68.

PAINT (1968) KEITH LAW along with Mickey Cox (former member) and Harold Barber (former roadie) of Robert Plant's band 'The Band of Joy formed PAINT , when Robert left to join Led Zeppelin. The band, which also included John Jevons, ex. Hush on bass, and Harold Barber on drums, performed original songs, including the songs KEITH wrote for Velvett Fogg These original songs were mixed with well known, R&B, and Blues. The band appeared at Schools, colleges, US and RAF bases, often as the main band, and also, as support to bands, at that time, such as ' Slade ' PAINT were regulars at well known local venues, such as The Golden Eagle, Birmingham, Ship and Rainbow, Hen and Chickens,Woolpack, and Catacombs, Wolverhampton, The Plazas, and The George Hotel, Walsall. The band at one time continued as a trio PAINT recorded tracks for Les Reed's, Chapter One label.

JARDINE (1969) KEITH LAW , along with Mickey Cox who had recently disbanded PAINT (their previous band) formed JARDINE , in the Winter of 1968/69 KEITH wanted a more earthy psychedelic sound, KEITH LAW , who wrote all the band's original songs shared the vocals, and also played second guitar, and flute Mickey Cox was the vocalist and lead guitar and was previously with Led Zeppelin's Robert Plant's, Band of Joy Colin Hawkins was on drums, and Brian Urquhart on Bass. The band's show was a mix of blues classics and original songs, penned by KEITH They were written about the same time as those on the well known Velvett Fogg album so possess the same air of psych KEITH LAW mystery! The band played Universities, Colleges and schools and the occasional open-air concert In June 1969, ,JARDINE recorded and album in London which was never released, until now! During the recording sessions many musicians, some famous, would come and join in. They were, Peter Frampton singer, ex’ The Herd and then an international pop star Andrew Bown ex The Herd who formed the Andrew Bown Set, and is now keyboard player with Status Quo, Michael Berg, keyboard player and engineer. Brian Appleyard, Drummer ex East of Eden "They're on the recordings somewhere but can't remember where!"- KEITH LAW . . Left:- KEITH recording the JARDINE album, at Sound Aquarian Studios . . With the recent resurgence of Psychedelic music and in particular the ever growing popularity of Velvett Fogg Demand for songs by KEITH LAW has increased enormously! KEITH found the 'lost' tape, in his garage attic! Still in perfect condition, and still to tell the story! So 40 years later, here is JARDINE and their music, that has been in the garage, for far to long! CD. NOW released Worldwide Click on CD, to see Amazon Review Look In The Window- Jardine. CD. (2009) Lion Productions. U.S.A. LION 624 Look In The Window- Jardine. LP. (2008) Anazitisi Records- ARLP 70-17F ..... Reviews Hannah, Wife Of Thomas Kite Great Stuff It's one of my favourite songs. emmina78-YouTube Velvett Fogg, JARDINE and KEITH LAW are GREAT! This is one of my favorite songs of theirs. Go and buy this guy's music for reals. KoroOutbreak-YouTube Masochists Of Strangulation ...this song is amazing....awesome vibe to it...great!!!! xojbabyxo-YouTube What a great record SPACEFACE70-YouTube Ouch. This is too crunchy for words. Swampmonster music on acid. I love it. groovemo-YouTube

Velvett Fogg (1969) KEITH LAW , was approached for original material by Velvett Fogg who were formed in 1968 out of a respectable Brum band called Gravy Train. The initial line-up of Velvett Fogg featured guitarist Tony Iommi (later to make the big time with Black Sabbath) The other band members were drummer Graham Mullett, bass guitarist Mick Pollard, and Londoner Frank Wilson who played Hammond organ. The band was soon off to Germany. Their exciting stage act included a light show and a go-go dancer. Upon returning to Birmingham, the band, was given a record deal by Jack Dorsey of Pye Records. At this time it seemed that the more unusual or controversial a band was, then the greater chance there would be for success in the record business. The record label was looking to sign unusual "underground" acts and Velvett Fogg were told to, in Jack Dorsey's words, "develop an image that would make people think you would piss on the pope" Material for the Velvett Fogg album would be supplied by local songwriter/guitarist KEITH LAW who became a friend of the band. KEITH takes up the story; "I was in the Rum Runner one night, when someone told me that Velvett Fogg were looking for new material, and they introduced me to them. I arranged to meet them at their rehearsal place, Langley Baths. I went along the next day, and went through the following songs with them: Yellow Cave Woman, Within' The Night and Once Among The Trees and that was it! The next couple of days, they were in London recording" Velvett Fogg self-titled album was released on the Pye label in January of 1969 Despite what some may have thought, the album stands up as a fine example of late 1960s British psychedelia. As well as the previously mentioned covers, original compositions such as Yellow Cave Woman, Within' The Night and Once Among The Trees are hypnotic if not compelling. By far the most controversial feature of the ,Velvett Fogg album was the record cover. It displayed the band wearing garish make-up/body-paint and costume but also included two well-endowed young women wearing nothing but strategically applied body paint! This politically-incorrect package was accompanied by a typically obscure sleeve note by the influential U.K. disc jockey John Peel who commented "There is a lot of good music on this record. Remember Velvett Fogg - you will hear the name again." During the years since Velvett Fogg's demise, demand amongst collectors for copies of their (now very rare) album has increased considerably. Original albums have changed hands for high prices with bootleg copies also known to be in circulation. Fortunately, in 2002 the Sanctuary Records Group Ltd. re-issued the album officially for the first time on CD (CMRCD619) and it is strongly recommended for those who are fans of the British psychedelic or early progressive sounds of the late 1960s. For the complete biography, click on Velvett Fogg AMERICAN FAN SITE

1970 Onwards KEITH toured and played in Germany, Denmark, and Sweden with bands, including Bob Catley's, (Next to.KEITH , on the far right) 'pre-Magnum' band Life,who performed KEITH'S songs. This band also included, Chris Brown, of The Band Of Joy (Third from left)

KEITH was based in Stockholm, for some time, where he worked with Swedish musicians such as Kjell Eidendal and Catt Arfors.

On his return to the UK, he was soon involved once again in the Birmingham group scene. . . . KEITH LAW , continued writing and recording songs, with friends such as Paul Lockey, ex- The Foundations and Robert Plant's Band Of Joy . . .

KEITH was also produced by such prolific producers as Tony Visconti (See My blog entry)

KEITH'S songs have been published by Acuff-Rose, Schroeder Music (The Beatles), Apple Music and Belzize Music.

. One of KEITH'S songs Harpsichord was released as a single on the United Artists label, by the band Stampede . . .

. Over the many years, KEITH recorded many songs in his home Studio One. The tapes were stored for years, untill now thanks to Anazitisi Records a solo album, of 12 of these songs has been released. EYES IN THE WIND- KEITH LAW (2009) Anazitisi Records. ARLP F0007034

And Now KEITH LAW is still writing and recording and is also a successful entertainer in the South West and can be seen, in shows around Torbay, every week throughout 2010 Frank Wilson is now performing as, RUN VT who are one of the most sought after bands in the South East

KEITH and Frank, met for a reunion at the Holiday Inn, Maidstone, Kent, UK. January 2009 KEITH LAW and Frank Wilson, founder member, vocalist and keyboard player,are back together writing and recording and are currently working on their new new album Velvett Fogg Reloaded Like I Know Johanna "Incredible music. Thank you for creating this. It is an inspiration for me." kulatopia -YouTube Goblins and Kings "Another great piece of music from you guys. I miss quality stuff like this. " kulatopia -YouTube "Remember Velvett Fogg - you will hear the name again"...(John Peel. 1969 )

Velvet Fogg Cover

Jeremy Collins — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 17:24:48 +0000

Velvett Fogg

Jeremy Collins — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 17:27:48 +0000

_________________________ . Velvett Fogg, are now an official entry in WIKIPEDIA Encyclopedia . ________________________ Biography

Velvett Fogg was formed in 1968 out of a respectable Brum band called Gravy Train. They were fronted by soul singer Ernie Handy and the guitarist at that time was Bob Hewitt. The other band members were drummer Graham Mullett, bass guitarist Mick Pollard, and Londoner Frank Wilson who played Hammond organ. The band were soon off to Germany where they spent most of the year playing at army bases and clubs. Their exciting stage act included a light show and a go-go dancer (who later married Ernie). Upon returning to Birmingham, the band, now managed by an agency called Inter City Artists, was given a record deal by Jack Dorsey of Pye Records. At this time it seemed that the more unusual or controversial a band was, then the greater chance there would be for success in the record business. The record label was looking to sign unusual "underground" acts and Velvett Fogg were told to, in Jack Dorsey's words, "develop an image that would make people think you would piss on the pope"! The initial line-up of Velvett Fogg featured guitarist Tony Iommi (later to make the big time with Black Sabbath). Tony stayed in the line-up for only one gig before leaving to be replaced temporarily by Ian Leighton - described as "a great blues guitarist" by his friend Frank Wilson. It was during this time that Pye Records arranged a photo-shoot of the band for the cover of their proposed first album (more about that later). Material for the Velvett Fogg album would be supplied by local songwriter/guitarist KEITH LAW who became a friend of the band. KEITH was a veteran of the West Midlands music scene having played in THE WILLIAMSONS, LOVE AND UNDERSTANDING PAINT , and JARDINE KEITH takes up the story; "I was in the Rum Runner one night, when someone told me that Velvett Fogg were looking for new material, and they introduced me to them. I arranged to meet them at their rehearsal place, Langley Baths. I went along the next day, and went through the following songs with them: Yellow Cave Woman, Within' The Night and Once Among The Trees and that was it! The next couple of days, they were in London recording". Before recording could begin in late 1968, Ian Leighton departed Velvett Fogg and was replaced by guitarist/vocalist Paul Eastment (a cousin of the band's previous guitarist Tony Iommi). Paul Eastment was also to contribute original compositions for the album along with Frank Wilson, Graham Mullet and Mick Pollard. Velvett Fogg recorded the tracks for their debut album under direction of Pye producer Jack Dorsey. Apparently, Dorsey aimed to get the band onto the then-popular "progressive" band wagon. "I was a classically trained pianist but we all had to play way below our capabilities" says Frank Wilson. The band were also allowed to record covers of a few songs they liked and these included psychedelic-sounding versions of New York Mining Disaster 1941 by The Bee Gees, and Tim Rose's Come Away Melinda. Velvett Fogg self-titled album was released on the, Pye label in January of 1969. Despite what some may have thought, the album stands up as a fine example of late 1960s British psychedelia. As well as the previously mentioned covers, original compositions such as Yellow Cave Woman and Once Among The Trees are both hypnotic if not compelling. By contrast, other tracks like Lady Caroline and Plastic Man had both homicidal and political overtones respectively. By far the most controversial feature of the Velvett Fogg album was the record cover. It displayed the pre-Paul Eastment line-up of the band wearing garish make-up/body-paint and costume but also included two well-endowed young women wearing nothing but strategically applied body paint! This politically-incorrect package was accompanied by a typically obscure sleevenote by the influential U.K. disc jockey John Peel who commented "There is a lot of good music on this record. Remember Velvett Fogg - you will hear the name again." Along with theVelvett Fogg album, Pye Records also released a single by the group. It was a cover of the Tornado's classic instrumental Telstar and was recorded by the band as requested by Jack Dorsey who hoped to cash in on the publicity, surrounding the American moon landings taking place at that time. While receiving some radio play, the record did not sell enough copies to chart and a big advertising campaign planned by the record company to promote the album never materialized. The band did a bit of touring after the single came out. Perhaps discouraged by poor sales of the Velvett Fogg album, Pye seemed to lose interest in the band so withdrew their backing. In the autumn of 1969 the group disbanded with the members going their seperate ways. Frank Wilson says "I personally thought the first line-up in Germany was the best and most satisfying." He returned to London and joined Riot Squad and then The Rumble Band before following in Rick Wakeman's footsteps to join Warhorse in 1970. Paul Eastment started a Brum band called Holy Ghost- later to become Ghost with whom he recorded a couple of albums. He later fronted another group called Resurrection as well as recording with local folk singer Shirley Kent. KEITH LAW stayed in the music business, is still writing songs, and is now a successful entertainer in the South-West of England. During the years since Velvett Fogg's demise, demand amongst collectors for copies of their (now very rare) album has increased considerably. Original albums have changed hands for high prices with bootleg copies also known to be in circulation. Fortunately, in 2002 the Sanctuary Records Group Ltd. re-issued the album officially for the first time on CD (CMRCD619) and it is strongly recommended for those who are fans of the British psychedelic or early progressive sounds of the late 1960s. Yellow Cave Woman, "in my opinion it is still one of THE very best rock songs ever recorded." Robin S-YouTube "Probably the best psych/prog song from the late 60's" camaladonna- YouTube "This is one of the most druggy songs I've ever heard, and is an absolute cert in my record collection". rurig "in my record cellection....jupp" Byggavdelningen awesome! NWOBHM87 "I do sense a relation to Black Sabbath- kind of explains the origins of their sound- even though Iommi is not on this recording- his influence must've stayed with Velvet Fogg at this time" keltyk "The music and the body painting are both great!" 00RockyAngel00

And Now KEITH LAW is still writing and recording and is also a successful entertainer . Frank Wilson is now performing as, RUN VT who are one of the most sought after bands in the South East . . KEITH and Frank,at the Holiday Inn,Maidstone,Kent, UK. January 2009 KEITH LAW and Frank Wilson, founder member, vocalist and keyboard player,are back together writing and recording as Velvett Fogg Reloaded and are currently working on their new new album Velvett Fogg Reloaded Like I Know Johanna "Incredible music. Thank you for creating this. It is an inspiration for me." kulatopia -YouTube Goblins and Kings "Another great piece of music from you guys. I miss quality stuff like this. " kulatopia -YouTube "Remember Velvett Fogg - you will hear the name again"...(John Peel. 1969 ) Read more: http://www.myspace.com/velvettfogg Compiled by Keith Law

The Fortunes

Keith Law — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 11:51:22 +0000

Rod Allen (Rodney Bainbridge) vocal, bass guitar Glen Dale (Richard Garforth) vocal, guitar (left 1966) Barry Pritchard vocal, guitar, keyboard Andy Brown drums David Carr piano (left 1968) Shel MacRae guitar, vocal (joined 1966) This group from Birmingham contributed their incredible vocal harmonies to some of the most melodic and enduring pop songs to be released during the 1960s and early 1970s while also showcasing the talents of the hit songwriting team of Greenaway and Cook. Originally called The Clifftones, they were formed in Birmingham as a vocal/harmony trio by founding members Rod Allen (born 31 March 1944, Leicester), Glen Dale (born 24 April 1943, Kent) and Barry Pritchard (born 3 April 1944, Birmingham). In 1963, they switched to electric guitars and were joined by drummer Andy Brown (born July 7, 1946 and previously with a local band called The Lawmen) along with keyboard player David Carr (born 4 August 1943, Essex). The band became "The Merry Men" as backing group to London vocalist Robbie Hood (real name Mike West) who was managed by music promoter Reg Calvert. This arrangement did not last too long as Rod, Glen and Barry were already proficient vocalists in their own right. Also, the Robbie Hood gig involved wearing theatrical Merry Men outfits on stage including green tights which were likely an embarrassment to most of the line-up! Re-named The Fortunes Rhythm Group, they managed to come first place at a beat contest held at Edgbaston's Gay Tower Ballroom (at the time there was at least one other band active in the Midlands area called The Fortunes). The group projected a clean, well dressed image on stage and encouraged by manager Reg Calvert, included covers of Dionne Warwick, Gene Pitney and Broadway show songs into their repertoire. The Fortunes were signed to the prestigious Decca Records label in 1963 and their first record release - under supervision of future Who and Kinks producer Shel Talmy - was a bizzare cover of the Jamies 1958 U.S. hit Summertime, Summertime (also attributed to "The Clifftones"). A second Fortunes single released the following year Caroline was adopted by the pirate radio station Caroline as its theme tune. Despite plenty of airplay, the song did not chart and subsequent single releases, although highly competent, were derivative of the current "Mersey Sound". Compositions by group members in those days were usually confined to single b-sides such as Barry Pritchard's Come On Girl which appeared on the back of their third single I Like The Look Of You released in 1964. The Fortunes fifth single was a ballad written by professional songwriters Roger Greenaway & Roger Cook and the recording featured lavish instrumentation as well as the now trademark 3-part harmonies by the group featuring Rod Allen's lead. The song You've Got Your Troubles, suited the band's image perfectly with the record almost reaching the top spot in the British charts in August of 1965 and also climbing to No. 7 in the U.S. charts. Rod Allen With a hit formula now established, a follow-up Here It Comes Again (also composed by Greenaway and Cook) was released soon after and gained a No. 4 chart placing. With this success, The Fortunes were able to undertake a package tour of the U.S.A. along with Peter & Gordon and fellow Brum group The Moody Blues who were at that time enjoying the international success of their hit single Go Now. In early 1966, the Fortunes 7th single This Golden Ring was released and reached No. 15 in the charts but that year also saw a minor scandal erupt when the group admitted during an interview that session musicians were responsible for the instrumentation on their hit singles excepting the vocals. Although this was not an uncommon practice back then or today, it may have proved detrimental to the groups' credibility in some of the more serious circles at the time. A further more tragic blow occurred in June 1966 when the Fortunes' manager Reg Calvert who also owned Radio City, a pirate radio station located in the Thames Estuary, was shot to death during a confrontation with an employee of Project Atlanta, which owned Caroline South. You can find out more details about this here: http://www.offshoreradio.co.uk/raid.htm The Fortunes next few singles missed the charts and in July 1966, guitarist/vocalist Glen Dale left the group to go solo. He was replaced by Scotsman Shel MacRae but with the onset of the psychedelic era, the Fortunes' record sales continued to decline although plenty of bookings were available for the band on the lucrative cabaret circuit. In August of 1967, the Fortunes switched to the United Artists record label and released new singles consisting of self-composed material. The first of these was the excellent track The Idol by Rod Allen and Barry Pritchard. This change of direction, although promising, did not achieve chart results but the group soon found new success in recording "advertising jingles", most notably It's The Real Thing for Coca-Cola. This, along with regular bookings on the northern club circuit, sustained the band throughout the later 1960s. Another interesting record release by the Fortunes during this period, was Fire Brigade, a song written by Roy Wood of The Move who were also from Birmingham. Although the single was a major hit in Britain for the Move in 1968, the Fortune's version, which also may have had backing vocals by Roy Wood, was only released in the U.S.A. where it made little impact on the record charts. David Carr left the group in August 1968 and by 1970 it seemed that The Fortunes career as a recording act was behind them. However, a switch to the Capitol Records label in 1971, saw the group hooked up once again to writers/producers Greenaway and Cook and the result of this partnership was a new single Here Comes That Rainy Day Feeling Again which gained the Fortunes a No. 15 chart placing in the USA. The comeback was complete when the next single Freedom Come Freedom Go made No. 6 in the British charts followed by Storm In A Teacup a year later also making it into the top ten. Despite further personnel changes over the next several years, The Fortunes continued as a major attraction on the club circuit and in 1960s nostalgia shows. Founding member Barry Pritchard left the group in 1995 due to ill health and became a resort operator in Spain. He died in January 1999 at 54 years of age. Remaining original member Rod Allen continued to tour and record with the present line-up of the Fortunes which also includes former Badfinger keyboard player Bob Jackson as well as veteran performers Paul Hooper (drums) and Michael Smitham (guitar). Unfortunately, Rod Allen passed away suddenly from cancer in January of 2008 leaving the group's future at this time uncertain. With Special Thanks to Brum Beat Copyright -© John R Woodhouse Compiled by Keith Law

Dangerous Girls

Jeremy Collins — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 14:12:16 +0000

Jardine photo

Jeremy Collins — Sun, 07 Nov 2010 10:44:10 +0000

Jardine

Jeremy Collins — Sun, 07 Nov 2010 10:45:41 +0000

: Jardine

Keith Law , along with Mickey Cox had recently disbanded Paint their previous band Keith as he wanted a more earthy psychedelic sound, Keith Law, who wrote all the band's original songs shared the vocals, and also played second guitar, and flute Mickey Cox was the vocalist and lead guitar and was previously with Led Zeppelin's Robert Plant's, Band of Joy. Colin Hawkins was on drums, and Brian Urquhart on Bass. The band's show was mainly original songs with all of them, being penned by Keith. They were written about the same time as those on the well known Velvett Fogg album so possess the same air of psych Keith Law mystery! The band played Universities, Colleges and schools and the occasional open-air concert. Although JARDINE wasn’t around very long, in 1969,they were put in touch with a London producer. They contacted him and he arranged for them to go to London, and offered the band accommodation at his apartment in Bromley Kent. The band would travel to Central London, every day in their Ford Thames Van. It was Keith Law, Mickey Cox and Colin Hawkins who were involved in the recordings, with Brian having other commitments. The album was recorded in June 1969, at Sounds Aquarian Studios, Kingley Street, London, just next to the famous Carnaby Street. It was a 4 track studio, with a capacity of 12 musicians. During the recording sessions many musicians, some famous, would come and join in. They were: Peter Frampton singer, ex’ The Herd and then later, an international pop star Andrew Bown ex The Herd who formed the Andrew Bown Set, and is now keyboard player with Status Quo, Michael Berg, keyboard player and engineer. Brian Appleyard, Drummer ex East of Eden "They're on the recordings somewhere but can't remember where!"- Keith Law The album took three weeks to complete, and then the producer got into wrangles about ‘deals’ etc. with the end result, it never got released at all, UNTIL NOW! Several tracks, including some acoustic, were recorded, initially for Polydor Records. However, the band were incorrectly advised that a much better 'deal' could be achieved elsewhere! This never materialized, and the master tape was stored away, only to re-surface a year later when Keith returned to the studio demanding it's whereabouts! Keith recording the JARDINE album "I was determined, not to let my songs and hours of recording, go to waste"- Keith Law At the time, there was an enormous amount of albums of this genre, and the tape remained un-released. With the recent resurgence of Psychedelic music and in particular the ever growing popularity of, Velvett Fogg, demand for songs by Keith law has increased enormously! Keith found the 'lost' tape, in his garage attic! Still in perfect condition, and still to tell the story! So 40 years later, here is JARDINE and their music, that has been in the attic, for far to long! Amazon Editorial Review JARDINE'S album was recorded in three glorious weeks in June 1969, at Sounds Aquarian Studios, a stone's throw from that justifiably famous fashion hub, Carnaby Street. The sessions were fun. Polydor was supposed to release the album. Musicians dropped in to say "hello" and ended up on the record (uncredited) among them Peter Frampton, Andrew "Andy" Bown (Herd and Status Quo), and Brian Appleyard (drummer from East of Eden) . Singer Mickey Cox had been in Robert Plant's pre-Led Zeppelin group The Band of Joy. It was Cox, in fact, who became their singer when Plant left the band. But suddenly, thanks to band management problems,the LP was shelved. Keith Law , who had written all of the songs, joined Velvett Fogg for their only album, and JARDINE was forgotten. Now, forty years later, you can be among the first to discover the brooding excellence of these tracks music both strange and sinister, with moments of fragile beauty. There are some very pretty songs here (haunting melodies abound), but there is no escaping the dark side of life songs Masochists of Strangulation, Execution of the Child and monumental dirge Blackbirds Of Jardine, which tells of self-same birds, and the fact that they will 'destroy you, and leave you pain, pain, pain', perhaps more akin to the band Comus than to anything else we have encountered from the psychedelic era. There are also heavy guitar solos, churning organ, flute, and flowing sitar for good measure. A 16-page booklet includes a band history, lyrics and comments on the songs by KEITH LAW . A lost jewel of late-1960's UK Psychedelia, from a short-lived but charismatic band! Copyright ©Amazon Editorial.2009 Read more: http://www.myspace.com/jardine1969 Discography 2008 Look In The Window. LP. Jardine ANAZITISI Records ARLP 70-17F 2009 Look In The Window. CD. Jardine Lion Productions. U.S.A. LION 624 Read more: http://www.myspace.com/jardine1969 Compiled by Keith Law

The Plaza's- Handsworth and Old Hill/ The Ritz Ballroom- Kings Heath

Keith Law — Sun, 07 Nov 2010 15:52:40 +0000

The Plaza's -Handsworth and Old Hill The Ritz Ballroom- Kings Heath The Plaza- at Handsworth, now a sikh temple The Old Hill Plaza was one of four venues run by the legendary Irish husband and wife team Mr and Mrs Regan. Mary 'Ma' Regan was an ex-schoolteacher and a shy but formidable woman. She came over with my grandfather Joe from Ireland when they were teenagers. During the Second World War she was a teacher and became head of PE for girls for Warwickshire. After that she opened tea shops in the Birmingham area and started tea dances. This then led to the dance halls. They started on a small scale and they had a lot of success. I remember once that Jerry Lee Lewis was due to play at one of her venues. For some reason there was an issue with his piano and they had to use my grandmotherâ€™s. She set up The Plaza in High Street, Old Hill, 45 years ago. It was a dance venue, and hosted almost every top act that was in the Top 30, before later becoming a bingo hall. One of Mrs Regan's great pleasures was to tell people about The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and The Animals, who all played at The Plaza in the early 1960s. The Beatles at Old Hill Bob Bailey, who used to drive the bands, said of The Beatles: "When they played here, there was nowhere for them to stay so Ma put them up at her home in Woodbourne Road, Edgbaston." She would cook chicken and chips for The Beatles and made sure Noddy Holder stayed off the ale. The clubs became known as "the Regan circuit" Acts on the circuit included The Beatles, Kinks, The Animals, Dusty Springfield, Brenda Lee, The Searchers, The Tremeloes, Gerry and The Pacemakers, Manfred Mann, The Moody Blues, Jerry Lee Lewis and Del Shannon. In their early days, the beat groups from the Wolverhampton area set their first sights on gaining a toehold on the emerging and rapidly flourishing, Birmingham beat scene. To play at either the Plaza in Old Hill or in Handsworth or the Ritz in King's Heath (the 'Regan Circuit') was seen as being tantamount to recognition of a group as possessing genuine 'potential' , especia1ly as it was quite likely that you would be playing alongside successful chart groups from Merseyside or Manchester. Hardly any of the groups who reached the Top Thirty during the years 1963 to 1964 failed to play at one or other of the 'formidable' Ma Regan's venues. John Howells of the 'N Betweens remembers the first time his band met Ma Regan: "We had changed our name from the Vendors to the 'N Betweens and had started doing more R&B stuff. We wanted to broaden our horizons somewhat and so we went and did an audition for the Regan circuit. We had been told that Mrs. Regan was not always easy to please but she seemed to like us and our style and we go t a regular Monday spot at her venues. That meant that you would have to play at two of the venues during the evening, involving a quick hike across from Old Hill to Handsworth etc." Graham Gomery feels that being accepted on to the Regan circuit was an important step forward

Quote:

"Getting an audition with Ma Regan was possibly a part of winning the Big Beat Contest, I'm not really sure. Whether that was the case or not, the important thing was that when you started to play on that circuit you got an opportunity to meet and hear other, better groups and that could only be beneficial to you. Coming around on that revolving stage at the Plaza Old Hill was a real event. You felt like a star, especially when you might be following a group like the Beatles, Big Three or Merseybeats etc."

The Express & Star columnist described Ma Regan as

Quote:

'a softly spoken Irish ex-school teacher who uses the same psychology with the groups as she did with school pupils, discipline and organisation' and the Plaza Old Hill as the 'principal venue in the area for up and coming groups '. It is not surprising therefore that local groups felt that the first step towards success was acceptance by Ma Regan and the opportunity to play at one or other of her venues. It was thanks to an appearance at the Plaza in Old Hill and the personal recommendation of Ma Regan that the Strangers got an offer from Decca to appear on the Brumbeat album.

Photograph by Bob Summers, Birmingham History Forum The Ritz Ballroom in Kings Heath featured The Beatles on 15.02.1963 and Pink Floyd 16-12 1967 Bev Bevan, ex Move and ELO wrote:-

Quote:

Former schoolteacher Mary Regan and husband Joe's original ballroom venue was the Gary Owen Club in Small Heath, not far from Birmingham City's football ground, St Andrews. Then came a converted snooker hall in York Road , Kings Heath which they re-named the Ritz Ballroom. Next came the Plaza in Handsworth, and finally the Plaza in Old Hill. The most memorable day in the short but eventful life of Denny Laine and the Diplomats was that of July 5th, 1963, when we were chosen to open the show for The Beatles at the Old Hill Plaza on the Halesowen Road, 'Ma' Regan took care of the business side of things, leaving Joe to run the venues and act as compere, usually dressed in evening suit and black dickie bow. He would confidently announce the various bands, groups and singers in his lilting Irish brogue. The Handsworth Plaza was the biggest of the four a nd regularly had half a dozen or more groups performing on the same night. Old Joe was not much of a book-keeper, and a few times, on a night off, we would roll up at the Plaza", convince him that he most definitely had booked us for the night, slot in with all the other groups there and play a 30-minute set. Then we would pick up our Â£12 fee and drive to Alex's pie stand in Birmingham to celebrate our little con trick. Mary and Joe Regan played a big part in the development of rock'n'roll music in the West Midlands by allowing dozens of local bands the opportunity to play these venues, in front of usually packed audiences. They also brought to the area some top-line names. We opened for The Bachelors, Susan Maughan, Julie Grant and, also in 1963, an absurdly talented 13 year-old singer, songwriter, pianist and harmonica player who was promoting his big USA hit Fingertips. His name was Little Stevie Wonder. But preceding The Beatles on stage - wow, this was something else indeed! Remember that this was the beginning of Beatlemania. John, Paul, George and Ringo had already had big hit records with Love Me Do and Please Please Me and had just registered their first number one with From Me To You. They were currently topping the LP charts with their debut album Please Please Me. Because of our popularity in the Black Country, Joe Regan decided we were best suited for the unenviable task of being the group on stage directly before the biggest pop phenomenon since Elvis Presley. Actually, the huge crowd - literally hanging from the rafters - was very good to us and many of our own fans were in the audience . Nevertheless we still got the occasional chant of "We want The Beatles, we want The Beatles" from the dominantly female crowd. This night was a double-header for the moptops and their small roadcrew. Firstly they were booked to appear at the Regans' other Plaza in Handsworth. Unsurprisingly, they ran late and our scheduled half-hour spot became an hour or more. Usually we would perform several Beatle songs in our set, but obviously we had to drop those from our repertoire. Truth was, we were running out of songs to play and reverted to a couple of ambitious instrumentals. We included Hava Nagila (which had Denny playing lead guitar behind his back ) and the Dave Brubeck Quartet classic jazz piece Take Five, which featured me playing a drum solo in 5/4 time. We realised The Beatles had finally arrived and we could hear them talking backstage. Then we saw them all watching us from the side of the stage. We finished our set, the curtains closed, the crowd now in a state of nervous, near hysterical anticipation. Then two, separate, unforgettable things happened. Firstly, our rhythm guitarist (under strict instructions from his fiancÃ©e Gill), had the presence of mind to ask John, Paul, George and Ringo for their autographs. They all signed the reverse side of one of our Denny Laine and the Diplomats black & white, glossy, handout picture postcards. So there you have it - the four Beatles autographs on one side, and a photo of a group on the other that just happened to feature one Denny Laine, who, 10 years later, would join Paul McCartney in his band Wings. This is a unique piece of rock'n'roll memorabilia that will one day fetch many thousands of pounds in a Sotheby's music auction. The second thing that happened is that Paul McCartney strolled over to where I was packing away my drums (no roadies in those days!) and began talking to me. Yes, Paul McCartney of The Beatles walked over to this awestruck kid from Sparkhill, Birmingham and said in his broad Liverpool accent:

Quote:

"Aye mate, dat was really fab gear dat, really great like, y'know playing dat drum solo in 5/4 time like. Our drummer Ringo, he could never do dat!

The Plaza Bingo Hall at Old Hill ,has now closed following the death of 94 year old Mary. Compiled by Keith Law

Digbeth Civic Hall (Institute)

Keith Law — Sun, 07 Nov 2010 15:59:30 +0000

The Digbeth Institute is a 2,000 capacity music venue in Digbeth, which has been synonymous in the development of the British rave music and drum and bass scene. A former church and theatre, the venue is now called the Sanctuary and was the original home of Godskitchen`s weekly club nights. As well as Godskitchen, The Digbeth Institute / Sanctuary has also played host to famous club nights such as Atomic Jam, Uproar, Slinky, Sundissential, Athletico, Ramshackle and Panic. Many influential hip hop artists performed at Digbeth Institute including Redman and Keith Murray. **** Designed by Arthur Harrison, it was officially opened January 16, 1908 by the wife of the Pastor of Carrs Lane Church, John Henry Jowett, as an institutional church attached to Carr's Lane Congregational Church. In the week that followed, it hosted a variety of acts. The area which surrounded it was predominantly slums and industrial. In 1954, the building was put up for sale by the trustees as they felt the building was not needed for its originally intended use. It was bought by Birmingham City Council in 1955 for Â£65,000 and was used as a civic hall. The exterior is a mixture of red brick and grey terracotta. The grey terracotta forms the more ornate features of the faÃ§ade including the three towers, the 1.65 metre tall allegorical figures and the window and door frames. The allegorical figures are believed to be the work of John Evans, the chief modeller for Gibbs & Canning. The drawings of the building by Arthur Harrison do not include the figures, indicating that these were probably added in 1909.[2] The building is Grade B locally listed. People known to have made speeches at the Digbeth Institute include Neville Chamberlain, Henry Usborne, Florence L. Barclay and Herbert Hensley Henson. In 1987, the building was used as a film studio by the Birmingham Film and Video Workshop for the Channel 4 film 'Out Of Order'. The venue later appeared onscreen again, when it played a part as one of the main locations in the feature film 'Lycanthropy', filmed in 2005-2006. At the rear of the Institute was The 'Jug 'O Punch Folk Club, which thrived in the 60's. on Thursday nights. The club was run by Ian Campbell, for me the most under-rated influence in folk music and a man whose influence rates alongside that of Ewan MacColl. The Ian Campbell Folk Group included the great Dave Swarbrick, Ian's sister Lorna - whose singing was unsurpassed in Britain and the late John Dunkerley. The group had also included one Dave Phillips, and later Dave Pegg on bass, who was to join Jethro Tull, and Fairport Convention Compiled by Keith Law

Jug O' Punch

Jeremy Collins — Sun, 07 Nov 2010 16:00:40 +0000

At the rear of the Institute was The 'Jug 'O Punch Folk Club, which thrived in the 60's. on Thursday nights. The club was run by Ian Campbell, for me the most under-rated influence in folk music and a man whose influence rates alongside that of Ewan MacColl. The Ian Campbell Folk Group included the great Dave Swarbrick, Ian's sister Lorna - whose singing was unsurpassed in Britain and the late John Dunkerley. The group had also included one Dave Phillips, and later Dave Pegg on bass, who was to join Jethro Tull, and Fairport Convention Compiled by Keith Law 'Lycanthropy', filmed in 2005-2006.

Birmingham Hippodrome

Keith Law — Sun, 07 Nov 2010 16:06:42 +0000

The Birmingham Hippodrome is a theatre situated on Hurst Street in the Chinese Quarter of Birmingham. Although best known as the home stage of the Birmingham Royal Ballet, it also hosts a wide variety of other performances including visiting opera and ballet companies touring West End shows, pantomime and drama. Every summer, the Hippodrome usually houses a major West End touring show, some of these consist of Starlight Express, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Cats and Mary Poppins. Every year, the Hippodrome houses a pantomime from the company QDOS The first venue built on the Hippodrome site was a building of assembly rooms in 1895. In 1899 a stage and circus ring was added together with a miniature of Blackpool Tower (removed 1963) and the enterprise named the "Tower of Varieties". After failing, this reopened as the "Tivoli" in 1900, finally becoming "The Hippodrome" in October 1903. The current neo-classical auditorium seats 1,900 and was designed by Burdwood and Mitchell in 1924. The exterior of the theatre was substantially rebuilt by Associated Architects and Law and Dunbar-Nasmith in 2001. Similar to The Odeon, The Hippodrome also hosted many 'Package shows' consisting chart toppers of the the 60' and 70's. Eddie Cochran,Gene Vincent, The Walker Brothers and many more name too numerous, to remember, appeared here. I met John Walker of The Walker Btothers, outside the foyet, and what a nice fella he was! Compiled by Keith Law

Cedar Club/Rebeccas/Barbarellas/Polyannas

Keith Law — Sun, 07 Nov 2010 16:13:11 +0000

Cedar Club. Constitution Hill Rebeccas Lower Severn Street Barbarellas, Polyannas (Edward No.8)-John Bright Street Abigail's Boogie's nightclub, Boogie's Brasserie Edward's No.7 Edward's No.8, Paramount pub Goldwyn's. Eddie Fewtrell's, empire in Birmingham, became one of the greatest in club history, and one of the best of it's kind in the country. Birmingham would definitely not be the place that it is today, without Eddie Fewtrell, known as 'King of Clubs'. Born one of ten children in the 1930s, in the backstreets of Aston, much of Eddie's childhood was spent keeping house and caring for his younger brothers. An alcoholic father and an invalid mother prevented him from attending school and leading a normal life - a scenario a million light years away from the vast nightclub empire that he was destined to build. By the 1970s he had become the most powerful man in Birmingham's Clubland. With the support of his large family, in particular his seven brothers, he went on to achieve even greater success. Eddie's first club, the Bermuda Club, was in Navigation Street, Eddie moved to pastures new, in the form of the Cedar Club, on Constitution Hill. Over the next few years Eddie opened Rebecca's, Abigail's, Boogie's nightclub, Boogie's Brasserie, Edward's No.7, Edward's No.8, the Paramount pub and Goldwyn's. Barbarella's became the top showcase for many up and coming UK pop groups. In 1989, he sold his clubs to Ansells but he returned three years later to open a new wave of clubs. Professional success came at a high price; In his book 'King Of Clubs' Eddie reveals how his millionaire lifestyle and the pursuit of wealth led to tragic consequences. Sadly one tagic consequence was the death of of one of Eddie's brothers Don Fewtrell

Quote:

THE brother of former nightclub king Eddie Fewtrell has been found hanged at his Birmingham home. Don Fewtrell, 76, who lived alone at his house in Handsworth Wood, had been "fighting a losing battle" to save his eyesight. He was found dead by his daughter last night after his family became concerned about him. Don, who shared in the building of Eddie's nightclub empire in Birmingham, had been suffering from diabetes and was almost totally blind.

The Cedar Club, on the corner at the left of the picture Don managed the Cedar Club in Constitution Hill, which ran for 30 years and changed the face of nightlife in Birmingham for good. He left Birmingham for a while to live in Australia but returned to his roots in the late 1980s. Millionaire Eddie, 74, who retired to Ross-on-Wye where he breeds horses, said today: "Don had been in the depths of depression about losing his sight and I think this was a cry for help. "He had been on anti-depressants for some time because he couldn't bear the thought of going blind. "I kept trying to encourage him that all kinds of operations could be done now and he may still have partial sight, but the whole thing got him down. "It's a real tragedy and I'm devastated to lose Don like this. I feel if his diabetes had been diagnosed earlier something more could have been done." Don and Eddie were two of ten children brought up by a strict Irish mother. The Cedar Club featured many top names, from The Faces, Rod Stewart,Staus Quo, and 50's and 60's stars such as Duane Eddy, Cat Stevens Even Jimi Hendrix made a cameo appearance there, more on that in my post below. The names that appeared at all of Eddie's clubs are endless. Rebecca's, Abigail's and Barbarella's featured celebrities from David Bowie to Freddie Mercury and even boxing legends Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier. appeared The Cedar had probably one of the first DJ's in the city, called Ted. He was an eccentric character, with a 'posh' voice. One of the first resident bands was Carl Wayne And The Vikings who had just returned to Birmingham from Germany. In the mid 1960s in Birmingham, the Cedar Club was the place to go and see the "happening" acts. Other local bands who performed there regularly was Danny King and The Mayfair Set and Mike Sheridan and The Nightriders. Various members from these three groups would sometimes get together on stage for spontaneous jam sessions. Davy Jones & The Lower Third from London were performing at The Cedar Club one evening late in 1965 and their singer (who would later change his name to David Bowie) mentioned to Trevor Burton from the Mayfair Set and Ace Kefford from The Vikings that they should consider forming their own group. , The Move Rebecca's was unique, has it had three or four floors, and on each one was a band or DJ catering for different music genres. Compiled by Keith Law Our aim to build a complete list of gigs at the Cedar Club. Here's a start but we need your help! The Toast 27/11/68 Gnidrolog 10&11/07/72 Hackensack 13/07/72 Tea & Symphony 17&18/07/72 Capability Brown 19/07/72

The Bear Tavern

Keith Law — Sun, 07 Nov 2010 16:15:16 +0000

The Bear Hotel Bearwood Road Now The Bear Tavern and a comedy club. With it's spire and clock to guide you, The Bear Tavern is situated on the main High Street of Smethwick, This is a large Qs pub with a modern interior and to cater for a mixed clientele is split into two areas. A popular venue for entertainment with a weekly DJ on at the weekend as well as regular monthly live bands which frequently include some bigger names. Compiled by Keith Law A legendary venue on the border of Birmingham and Sandwell

The Williamsons

Keith Law — Sun, 07 Nov 2010 17:14:13 +0000

(1965/66) KEITH LAW was Lead Guitarist/ Vocalist The band featured lead vocalist, and blues harp player, Bill Spilsbury, Alan Blunt -rythmn guitar, Anthony Basterfield on bass, and Graham Travers on drums The band were a highly respected blues band from Great Barr, Birmingham. Originally called Devil's Disciples, their gigs included, The Macabre, Casa Bambu, the West Bromwich blues club. The Stork Club, Walsall Casino, where they were often, the main band or, support to the more well known bands at that time, including The Moody Blues THE WILLIAMSONS, supported the legendary Blues Artist Sonny Boy Williamson when he appeared at the Whiskey Go Go, in Birmingham, in the late 60's. Hence the dedicated name.

Paint

Keith Law — Sun, 07 Nov 2010 17:20:08 +0000

(1968)

KEITH LAW along with Mickey Cox (former member)
and Harold Barber (former roadie)
of Robert Plant's band 'The Band of Joy
formed PAINT , when Robert left to join Led Zeppelin.

The band, which also included John Jevons,
ex. Hush on bass,
and Harold Barber on drums,
performed original songs, including the songs
KEITH wrote for Velvett Fogg
These original songs were mixed
with well known, R&B, and Blues.
The band appeared at Schools, colleges, US and RAF bases,
often as the main band, and also, as support to bands,
at that time, such as ' Slade '
PAINT were regulars at well known local venues, such as
The Golden Eagle, Birmingham, Ship and Rainbow,
Hen and Chickens,Woolpack,
and Catacombs, Wolverhampton,
The Plazas, and The George Hotel, Walsall.
The band at one time continued as a trio

PAINT recorded tracks for Les Reed's,
Chapter One label.

Read more: http://www.myspace.com/keithlaw

Compiled by Keith Law

Love and Understanding

Keith Law — Sun, 07 Nov 2010 20:04:51 +0000

(1967/68) > Walsall based group, formed as a vehicle for songwriter KEITH LAW ,and performed only original songs, written by KEITH KEITH and the band, which included, Martin Hall, lead guitar/vocals, Eric Timmins, Bass/Vocals, and Roy Knight on drums were signed to F.P. Enterprises, and were managed by Chas Peate, Chas was to become KEITH'S publisher, Belsize Music and would subsequently, publish KEITH'S Velvett Fogg songs Love and Understanding performed at Schools, Colleges and Universities, undertaking a six week University tour in '68.

Whiskey A Go Go

Keith Law — Sun, 07 Nov 2010 20:08:09 +0000

John Bright Street Formerly Laura Dixon Dance Studio Later called The Marquee and The Limelight John Bright Street/Hill Street The Whiskey a Go Go was above Chetwyns on the corner of John Bright Street and Hill Street. The Whiskey was well known for live Mod bands, and for showing locals bands such as, King Bee's, Modonaires, Jugs O'Henry, Moody Blues, Denny Lane, Spencer Davis and The Williamsons. Amongst other UK who appeared were, The Faces, Long John Baldry & The Steam Packet, and Gary Farr and The Knockouts. Georgie Fame would play virtually all night. They couldn't get him off the small stage until he collapsed with exhaustion, or lack of stimulation's. It also starred American acts such as "Motown" & "R&B" greats like Sonny Boy Williamson, (see my note below) & Ike and Tina Turner. The club out on ll nighters on Fridays till 8am Saturday mornings and again on Saturday nights till Sunday morning. The owners Chris & Steve Healey were two great guys who welcomed you in jazz striped coats, Great Brummie characters of the time also frequented The Whiskey, and it read a who's-who' of Birmingham club goers They used to pack in nearly 250 townies and mods onto both floors in those days with no fire escapes only a small front door with narrow wooden steps up to the 1st and 2nd floor's. Live bands on the 1st floor and DJ's on the top floor. On busy nights, many clubbers where turned away at the door if you weren't part of the in-crowd! People would fall asleep on the wooden floor after they tired from dancing at about 5pm, but the bands and DJ's played on till about 8am. the following morning. Money and stuff all over the floor, came out of peoples pockets, it was like an "Aladdin's Den" The Whiskey attracted people from all over the midlands, including Coventry and London scene, to dance and hear live music of the era, that was very ahead of pop culture in England at that time! My special thanks to bobsummers of the Birmingham History Forum, for the essence of this post.

Here is an article from Brum Beat
22 Jan 2007 Brum Beat- Sonny Boy Williamson & John Mayal In The House Friday, January 12, 2007 Sonny Boy Williamson & John Mayal In The House. Greetings people, I just wanted to revert back to the last blog with regard to Keith Law, something that came up again in conversation recently which I thought was definitely worth sharing with you all, Keith's first band was a West Brom outfit called "The Williamsons". The Williamsons Keith played in the band during the mid 1960's and amongst their support slots they performed before the legendary blues artist "Sonny Boy Williamson". Williamson had been been brought to play in the Golden Eagle in Hill Street by Georgio Gomelski while touring with the Yardbirds, another who played before Sonny Boy in Birmingham was Spencer Davis. "The Williamsons" band became a dedication to Sonny Boy. Before he left the Industrial heartland, Sonny Boy gave Keith's band a wonderful accolade by declaring the Williamsons "..a great young blues band." true praise indeed from a man who started his own career playing alongside people such as blues hero's Robert Johnson, Robert Nighthawk, Robert Jr. Lockwood and Elmore James. Sonny soon returned to the U.S. after his European shows and continued to play until his untimely death on May 25, 1965. Sonny Boy Williamson left behind an array of truly inspired future Rock legends such as Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page and Robbie Robertson to name but a few, and talking of Eric Clapton... (taken from a recent email from Keith Law 'Someone mentioned Wolverhampton, and one night in the late 60's I stood in a queue with Robert (Plant), outside Wolverhampton Town Hall. Top of the bill, John Mayall's Bluesbreakers. Bob and I went to the Gents, and were chatting, and then we were joined by two blokes, on Bob's left hand side stood John Mayall, and on my right, stood Eric Clapton!!! ' - Keith Law (Robert Plant later covered Sonny Boy Williamson's 'Bring It On Home' while playing in Led Zeppelin) And so, back to 2007. I think that the need for a small low key but well fitted out blues venue in central Brum today is quite apparent, Ronnie Scot ts fitted the bill until it turned into a lap dance bar, although the prices were a little steep (when it was Ronnie's of course), anyone reading this with a love of Blues could do far worse than put their money into a low key Brum Blues joint, the performers are out there, they just need a stool, mike, amp, drinks and audience to entertain (I really don't like large overpriced venues like the Alexandra), anyway I shall let Keith close this blog.. stay safe guys. BB
Quote:
'You don't have to be famous, to make a living in the music business, just give the folks, what they want' - Keith Law

This fella wrote to me personally, and here's a copy of his post on another site

Good reading it brings back happy memories was a Mod in the 60s and went to all the usual places where the Mods frequented. Nobody has mentioned Laura Dixons above Chetwins mens outfitters the corner of Navigation St when i used it was The Whisky A GO GO Spencer Davis was more or less a resident group there,i saw some great groups at that place Georgie Fame,Yardbirds when Eric Clapton played with them The Yarbirds played one easter in the 60s and all my mates whent Manchester to a club called Tiles on their scooters my scooter was out of action,the night the Yardbirds played there was about 30 people in the club it was great being able to have a chat with one of my favourite groups especially Clapo by the way he's a Baggies fan On a nother ocassion i was going to the Whisky to see the late great harmonica player Sonny Boy Williamson I was waiting by the bus stops in Navigation to meet a girl ''dolly in them days'' of the 45 bus from Kings Norton she never got of the bus that she was supposed to,the buses were every half hour so i decieded to go for a pint in the Navigation Pub when i got in i could not believe my eyes there was Sonny Boy drinking whisky,he wanted to buy a full bottle the barman said he could'nt he turned to me and i tried to tell him the reason why he could'nt what a great feeling talking to one of my favourite harmonica players Happy Days Mossy The Mod

Here is a piece posted on the Birmingham History Forum

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I was the disk jockey on the second floor in 1965 /66........I first went to the Whisky in a full length white leather coat....Nitso Ronny, the manager took me into his office told me I had arrived in Birmingham....he took the coat and locked it away until the club closed, then gave it me back! I loved Ronny...fat bloke with ginger hair, where is he now The second floor was where the bands played....the small corner stage had a single light bulb over it and nothing happened when the band wasnt playing. I suggested to Ronny that I played some records and put some lights over the stage....he agreed and paid me Â£2.10 shillings [Â£2.50] to work from 12 midnight till 7am....supply your own blues. The lights were baby milk tins with coloured bulbs in them! I remember bands like The Small Faces, Georgie Fame [saw him recently and even he remembered getting his Hammond up those f'in stairs! and my favourite Graham Bond..with Ginger Baker [heh Ginger], Dick Heckstal Smith and Jack Bruce [later to become Cream]. The favourite record of all time was Shotgun Wedding by Roy C, the greatest LP The Sue Story The name changed to the "Crazy E" Chris and Steve started to go to the Isle of Wight during the week...I took them in the back of my van every Sunday....we put a settee in and they sat and drank vodka and bitter lemon all the way to Portsmouth..... They bought a club on The Isle of Wight called Chequers [Pete Van Buren joined us but that's another story]. I moved over and we had a great couple of years running the place. We had weekly residences with Ten Years After, Skip Bifferty, etc. The Hippies had arrived though and everything changed.

Thanks to BHF Member Skip Davies for this article Compiled by Keith Law

Midnight City

Keith Law — Sun, 07 Nov 2010 20:09:26 +0000

Digbeth Midnight City, was situated underneath an even more famous venue, The Moat House It attempted to provide bands on the same lines as the famous Mother's with bands such as The Who, Cream, Family It staged allnighters, but was only open for a few months. Here is a piece from berniew on the Birmingham History Forum

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The problem was that it didn't have a drinks licence ,although the owner or his dad owned The Moat House which was directley above it. It seems that the club had a reputed drugs problem and the police took to waiting until the headline band opened up and raided the place ,this soon led to closure ,pity

I visited there a couple of times, and as beniew said, it's a pity it didn't last longer. Compiled by Keith Law

The Moat House Club

Keith Law — Sun, 07 Nov 2010 20:11:10 +0000

Moat Lane, Birmingham The Moat House was a club, that was very important to the development of Brum Beat in the 60's. In June of 1963, Cliff Richard & Shadows producer Norrie Paramour came up to Birmingham to audition local beat groups at the Moat House Club in the Bull Ring. Of the 13 bands that had been recommended, five of them were signed-up by Paramour to the Columbia Records label. Amongst them were previously mentioned. Carl Barron and The Cheetahs. Mike Sheridan & The Nightriders, Keith Powell and The Valets, were two others. Also a significant part in the history of The Moody Blues From Brum Beat

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A chance meeting with Ray Thomas and Mike Pinder at the Moat House Club resulted in the formation of a new group, although Danny King had by this time lost interest. A plan was put in place to gain sponsorship from the Mitchells & Butlers brewery, so the name M&B Five was adopted, but the company was not interested so the initials were adapted to represent "Moody" and "Blues

Unfortunately, little or no images remain of this club, but below are some wonderful recollections from, members of the Birmingham History Forum Lencops

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The Moat House, Moat Lane almost opposite the outdoor market, was run by Rob Pryke of Banana fame and was at the top of a very steep wooden staircase the width of 1 person if you looked dodgy, drunk etc no way would you be admitted, i saw the M&B`circa 1964/5 s later to be named The Moody Blues, i was`nt impressed but Rob was sure that they would become very good, was i wrong YES!. Len.

Lencops

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Sorry no photos you did not carry cameras they were to big, not like the digital ones of now, we would go there after dancing else were and the bar closed, i saw other groups Denny Laine & The Diplomats, ? & The Pirates and others i can`t remember, it was always wall 2 wall with clubbers, beer price was reasonable you could have 2 pint jug to share with your friends, gambling went on in a back room illegal of course, i saw obvious bookies from the dog track racing on a Sat night pull out rolls of banknotes big enough to choke a horse!, Rob had a 2 am bar licence unless you got locked in, ooOPs! very pleased, any trouble was soon snuffed out nobody wanted to end up at the bottom of the stairs in a heap, the decoration was pop posters and beer adverts stuck on the walls, i will try and remember more but it was 46 yrs ago + or - a year or 2, hope a senior citizens memories are of help to you. Len.

Judy39

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Len, I also used to go to the Moat House Club in Moat Lane, and remember very well the steep staircase up to it. I particularly remember this as my sister tripped up the stairs one night and landed in an embarrassing position. I still remind her of it to this day!

Stircher

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I have never been a card player but was paid good dough to look after a man who plyed Chemi De Fer in The Moathouse twice a week. He played Blackjack in the Rainbow on another two night per week.

Compiled by Keith Law With many thanks to the Birmingham History Forum, and particularly, Bob Summers, Lencops, Judy39 and Stircher, for their invaluable memories

Tower Ballroom

Keith Law — Sun, 07 Nov 2010 20:12:43 +0000

Edgbaston

****

The Tower Ballroom, near the 'reser'
was a great venue, and like the Locarno,
had a revolving stage.
Many star and local acts appeared here
over the few decades it was open.
It was also well known for it's
'Grab-a-Granny' nights,
and I spent many night on those ocassions,
even though most fellas, there were only in their 20's and 30's!

Sadly The Tower, closed down and was derilict for a while,
untill recently and now, local people who are delighted
the Tower Ballroom is once again as a live entertainment venue.

Entrepreneur Liam O'Connor has taken the derelict ballroom,
complete with its revolving stage,
and spent almost half-a-million pounds restoring it to its former glory.

****

Its grand reopening with a champagne reception
featured 1960s stars Mike Pender's Searchers,
the Merseybeats and the Cufflinks.

As a lifelong supporter of Chelmsley Wood Boxing Club,
Limerick-born Mr O'Connor, who also runs the Kerryman pub in Digbeth, said he was planning amateur and professional boxing matches
and various activites, involving the whole community

Its prime aim is to attract an over-25s audience.
Other entertainers to appear here include the
American Four Tops, Abba UK, Joe Longthorne,
the American Drifters, the Extreme Supremes and the Union Gap.

Compiled by Keith Law

The Chalet

Keith Law — Sun, 07 Nov 2010 20:14:33 +0000

Rednall The Chalet Club, near the Lickey Hills, was a popular venue, and a 'trip' to the country for us townies. The club featured many of the popular Brum Beat bands, like Idle Race, The Uglys One such night I went along to see Idle Race, and spent a long time chatting to Jeff Lynne. Who was to know then, that Jeff was to join the super group ELO! Happy times near the bluebells of The Lickies! Compiled by Keith Law

Hen and Chickens

Keith Law — Sun, 07 Nov 2010 20:15:58 +0000

Wolverhampton Road This was a supreme pub venue for many local bands. You name them, they were all here. My band Paint played here. As a songwriter I went along one evening, to see the band Hobson's Choice. It was a great honour and thrill, that when I got out my car, I could hear them, live on stage, performing one of my songs. The venue was very popular on 'Grab-a-granny' night, and what was ironic, most of the blokes were in their twenties! Now it's a Chinese restaraunt, so now we have 'Grab-a-Chinese- Granny' night. Compiled by Keith Law

Thimblemill Baths

Keith Law — Sun, 07 Nov 2010 20:18:21 +0000

Smethwick .... Thimblemill Road Baths are now 75 years old. and are known are more recently as Smethwick Swimming Centre The art deco style baths opened in 1933 and was once known as a top concert venue with bands including the The Beatles, The Kinks, the Small Faces and The Rolling Stones appearing here in the 1960s. The Beatles performed here on November 19th 1962 just before they hit the big time. As in the other 'bath' venues many of the local bands would appear here, either as the main attraction, or in support The lounge (now the gym) overlooking the pool, as it was when opened in 1933. The art deco wall decorations are still visible. In the winter season the pool would be covered over so the baths could be used as a concert hall. They were also used for musical events - ..... A photographic exhibition has been displayed in the baths for the past three months which traces it's history and includes one report which tells of how The Beatles having played at the Cavern in Liverpool one afternoon, then headed to Smethwick for a "prestigious" gig at Thimblemill Road Baths. Compiled by Keith Law

Alex's Pie Stands (The Snackerie)

Keith Law — Sun, 07 Nov 2010 20:19:39 +0000

Snow Hill and Hill Street .. The pie stand at Snow Hill, Special thanks to Snoker for these photographs The one at Hill Street The Snackerie or "Alex's pie stand" as it was more widely known, were popular spots in Snow Hill,and Hill Street during the 1960s for members of local bands to get a hot meal after a late night engagement. It was there where many group members met and exchanged stories and ideas; discussing future plans and catching up on the latest music news. Thanks to John of Brumbeat, for the essence of this post. Here's a piece I wrote for BBC Today

The whole scene in those days, was known as the Birmingham group scene and lots of musos, would meet after gigs, at such places as the Cedar, Rum Runner, Opposite Lock, Rebecca’s and after at Alex's Pie stand, there was great camaraderie, and I just hope the present musos have something similar!" - writes Keith Law of 60s Brumbeat group 'Velvet Fogg'.

Although not a live music venue, it was certainly a venue for live musicians! I spent many an hour there with my friends, at say 2 or 3 in the morning, it was like a 'who's-Who' of Brum Beat Compiled by Keith Law

Imperial Hotel

Jeremy Collins — Sun, 07 Nov 2010 21:09:22 +0000

JALN

Jeremy Collins — Sun, 07 Nov 2010 21:09:47 +0000

Released 3 albums on Magnet Records. Had hit single 'Disco Music (I Like It)'

Malakriction

Jeremy Collins — Sun, 07 Nov 2010 21:13:17 +0000

Medicine Men

Jeremy Collins — Sun, 07 Nov 2010 21:13:50 +0000

Mayfair

Jeremy Collins — Sun, 07 Nov 2010 21:14:55 +0000

Maz Mitrenke

Jeremy Collins — Sun, 07 Nov 2010 21:15:28 +0000

Midland Hotel

Jeremy Collins — Sun, 07 Nov 2010 21:24:47 +0000

Midland Beat

Jeremy Collins — Sun, 07 Nov 2010 21:25:21 +0000

Influential magazine chronicling the Brum Beat era in the 1960's

Nasty Rumours

Jeremy Collins — Sun, 07 Nov 2010 21:26:05 +0000

Birmingham College of Education

Jeremy Collins — Sun, 07 Nov 2010 21:26:34 +0000

Birmingham Polytechnic

Jeremy Collins — Sun, 07 Nov 2010 21:26:54 +0000

Birmingham Roller Rink

Jeremy Collins — Sun, 07 Nov 2010 21:27:25 +0000

Listen

Keith Law — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 11:09:31 +0000

Walsall-1965 Roger Beamer bass guitar John Crutchley guitar Robert Plant vocal Geoff Thompson drums Robert made his first public performances as a teenager at Stourbridge's Seven Stars Blues Club. He had spells with several local bands including one called the Crawling King Snakes, where he first met John Bonham. In 1966 Robert was in a group called Listen when he attracted the attention of CBS Records. His first recording contract was to make three singles for CBS, but none of these made any significant impact. Compiled by Keith Law

Locomotive

Keith Law — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 11:12:49 +0000

Birmingham Pete Allen bass guitar (left in 1966) Mike Kellie drums (left in 1966) Danny King vocal (left in 1966) Brian "Monk" Finch saxophone (left in 1966) Jim Simpson trumpet (left in 1967) Richard Storey saxophone, organ (left in 1966) Chris Wood saxophone, flute (left in 1966) Joe Ellis bass guitar (joined 1966 - left 1967) Norman Haines vocal, keyboards (joined 1967, left 1970) Bill Madge saxophone (joined 1966, left 1969) "Mooney" Mazzone drums (joined 1966 - left 1967) John Barry saxophone (joined 1966 - left 1967) Mick Hincks bass guitar, vocal (joined in 1967) Bob Lamb drums (joined in 1967) Mike Taylor trumpet (joined 1968, left 1969) John Caswell guitar, vocal (joined in 1970) Keith Millar guitar, keyboard, vocal (joined in 1970) Andy Hughes bass guitar This band from Birmingham included names who were famous on the local scene as well as others who would go on to gain greater recognition. Above all, it was keyboardist Norman Haines who defined the most well-known line up of Locomotive. The original Locomotive was put together in 1965 by jazz musician Jim Simpson who also worked as a photographer for the Midland Beat newspaper. The band was something of a local "supergroup" as besides Jim on trumpet, the members included influential vocalist Danny King, saxophonists "Monk" Finch from The Beachcombers, and Chris Wood from Sounds Of Blue (later to become Chicken Shack). The initial line-up also had drummer Mike Kellie (from The Phantoms), organist Richard Storey, and Pete Allen on bass guitar. Danny King & Locomotive The band was first called "The Kansas City Seven" but this was later considered too jazzy for a future chart act who were now including lots of blues and soul numbers into their show. The band gained recognition for their energetic live performances and soon had bookings for as far away as London where they played many times. 1966 saw various personnel changes and by the end of the year, only Jim Simpson remained of the original line-up. Mike Kellie joined Pat Wayne's Beachcombers before hooking up with a band called "Art" and later played drums in Spooky Tooth. Chris Wood who left at the end of the year joined up with Jim Capaldi, Steve Winwood and Dave Mason to form the internationally acclaimed Traffic. In early 1967, keyboard player Norman Haines became part of the new Locomotive line-up which now consisted of Jim Simpson, Jo Ellis (bass), Bill Madge (saxophone) and drummer "Mooney" Mazzone. Norman Haines started his career in music as a member of The Brum Beats - not to be confused with the other Brumbeats who were led by singer Bobby Ash. Having worked at a record shop in Smethwick (a part of Birmingham with a large West Indian population), Norman developed an interest for the Blue Beat and Ska music that was popular in that area. His songwriting talent and Hammond organ was soon put to good use when the band recorded their first single Broken Heart. The record didn't chart but the b-side A Message To You Rudy later became a hit for the Coventry band The Specials in 1979. Norman Haines Jim Simpson had left Locomotive by 1968 to become their full-time manager. He would also go on to manage local bands Bakerloo Blues Line, Tea & Symphony and eventually Black Sabbath. In addition to Norman Haines and Bill Madge, the band now included bass guitarist Mick Hinks, drummer Bob Lamb, and trumpet player Mick Taylor. A second ska-flavoured single by Locomotive was released in October of 1968 - also composed by Norman Haines. Rudi's In Love proved very popular on the dance floor and reached No. 25 during its eight week stay in the charts. Ironically, the success of the record would work against the band later on. Now with a hit single in the charts, Locomotive were booked into the famous Abbey Road Studios in London to record an album. Gus Dudgeon produced the sessions - he would later go on to make hit records with Elton John. Top session horn players Dick Heckstall-Smith, Henry Lowther, and Chris Mercer were used in recording Locomotive's album and by January of 1969 the first new Locomotive single was released. Mr. Armageddon was a Norman Haines original and a brilliant piece of work. The recording prominently featured the Hammond organ and a heavy horn-driven chorus but it was in a strong psychedelic/progressive vein - completely unlike the band's previous ska-based singles. The group announced their new progressive direction and the record drew acclaim from most reviewers but it sold poorly. Fans of the new progressive rock music still considered Locomotive to be a "pop" act while those who enjoyed Rudy's In Love were not interested in the band's new image. Another Locomotive single was released in 1969. I'm Never Gonna Let You Go was a cover of a Question Mark and The Mysterians song, but while it was more "pop" oriented, the record missed the charts. Although Locomotive's album had been completed for some time, Parlophone continually delayed its release to the dismay of the band. During 1969, the music scene was changing rapidly with heavier guitar-oriented groups making the biggest impact. Norman Haines left Locomotive before the end of the year and was reportedly offered a job to play keyboard in the recently formed Black Sabbath (also managed by Jim Simpson). Although he declined the offer, Black Sabbath did record one of his compositions When I Come Down but the track was never released. We Are Everything You See On February 1st 1970, the Locomotive album We Are Everything You See at last reached the record shops. It was a great mix of psychedelic/jazz based compositions with the recording and musicianship all done to a very high standard. The album did not sell well and was largely ingnored so it never really got the recognition it deserved (see a review of this album on the Brum Beat Reviews page). Norman Haines formed a band called Sacrifice with whom he recorded an album in 1970. They later became The Norman Haines Band. Remaining Locomotive members Mick Hincks and Bob Lamb along with replacements John Caswell and Keith Millar recorded a final Locomotive single Roll Over Mary before re-naming the band "The Dog That Bit People" under which name they released a single and album in 1971. Hinks and Lamb were also involved with Brum band Tea & Symphony and participated in recording their 1970 album Jo Sago. Bob Lamb later joined the Steve Gibbons Band (see Idle Race) who had success with their chart hit Tulane in 1976 and toured America extensively. Bob Lamb also produced UB40's first record at his Dudley studio in 1979. Compiled by Keith Law

The Ivy League

Keith Law — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 11:13:55 +0000

Birmingham Years active 1964 -1975 Label(s) Piccadilly Records The original line-up * John Carter (born John Shakespeare, 20 October 1942, Small Heath, Birmingham) * Ken Lewis (born Kenneth James Hawker, 3 December 1942, Small Heath, Birmingham) * Perry Ford (born Bryan Pugh, 30 December 1940, Lincoln) Former members Tony Burrows Neil Landon The Ivy League were a English pop trio, created in 1964, who enjoyed two Top 10 hit singles in the UK Singles Chart in 1965.[1] The group's sound was characterised by rich, three-part vocal harmonies, on such hit singles as The Who's "I Can't Explain"), and in 1967 created The Flower Pot Men whose hit "Let's Go to San Francisco" reached number 4 in the UK Singles Chart. By this time Carter and Lewis worked purely as songwriters, arrangers, producers and studio based musicians. If their recorded work subsequently found an audience, as with The Flower Pot Men and The First Class, they organized a group around that name to actively promote the recordings via concerts etc. John Carter sang the lead on the no.1 hit "Winchester Cathedral" and later wrote the hit song "Beach Baby". The Ivy League originally consisted of members John Carter and Ken Lewis (previous members of Carter-Lewis and the Southerners); plus Perry Ford. See [size=small]Carter-Lewis And The Southeners[/size] All three members were session singers who possessed high-pitched singing voices. They were first heard doing background vocals for The Who on their hit single "I Can't Explain" in November 1964. After that song, the band never called on the Ivy League again, as John Entwistle and Pete Townshend were able to handle the backing vocals. Their debut single, "What More Do You Want" generated little interest, but the second release, "Funny How Love Can Be", turned out to be a surprise UK Top 10 hit. Further hits followed, including "That's Why I'm Crying" and "Tossing and Turning", the latter of which reached #3 in the UK chart. The original trio released just one album, 1965's This is the Ivy League â€“ panned in the music press as disappointing, with its excessively wide spread of musical styles and material[2] â€“ before both Carter and Lewis left the group. Carter departed in January 1966, with Lewis leaving about one year later. The duo then set up a production company called Sunny Records.[3] With replacement members Tony Burrows and Neil Landon taking the recently departed original members' places, the Ivy League issued two more albums, 1967's Sounds of the Ivy League and 1969's Tomorrow is Another Day.[4], but these were compilations of earlier singles and album tracks. Several more singles followed, including the minor hits, "Willow Tree" and "My World Fell Down". A cover version of the latter song provided the U.S. band, Sagittarius, with a #70 chart placing in the Billboard Hot 100 in 1967. Success for The Ivy League in the United States was minimal, with only "Tossing and Turning" hitting the Billboard charts, making a modest high of #83 on the Billboard Hot 100.[5] Carter and lewis masterminded The Flower Pot Men, hitting #4 in the UK with its single "Let's Go To San Francisco." Messrs Carter and Lewis then fulfilled the role of managers.[6] Burrows and Landon left The Ivy League to join the touring version of The Flower Pot Men, leaving Perry Ford to carry on with new personnel. He stopped using the name in 1975. In the 1980s a band started touring under the name The Ivy League which performed the group's hits at nightclubs and Sixties nostalgia events, even though none of the earlier members were involved. During the 1990s, several best of compilations surfaced, including 1998's 43 track Major League: the Collectors' Ivy League.[7] Two other bands have also used the name: The Ivy League, a North Carolina based rock band and This Is Ivy League[8] from New York City. Personnel Tony Burrows in concert. Taken on May 17th, 2008. Carter's replacement was Tony Burrows from The Kestrels. His voice is also heard on many UK hit singles of the 1970-1975 era, such as, White Plains: "My Baby Loves Lovin'", Brotherhood of Man: "United We Stand", Edison Lighthouse: "Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes)", First Class: "Beach Baby" (another John Carter project), plus The Pipkins: "Gimme Dat Ding". Lewis was replaced by Neil Landon, who also went to The Flower Pot Men, leaving Perry Ford to carry on The Ivy League with various personnel until 1975. Present day A band called The Ivy League continues to perform, with the present day line-up comprising of Jon Brennan (bass guitar/vocals); Dave Buckley (drums, vocals) and Mike Brice (guitar, vocals).[9] They have no connection to the original band that existed between 1964 and 1975. Partial discography Singles * "Funny How Love Can Be" - (1965) - UK high - Number 8 * "That's Why I'm Crying" - (1965) - UK Number 22 * "Tossing and Turning" - (1965) - UK Number 3 * "Willow Tree" - (1966) - UK Number 50[1] Albums * This is the Ivy League - 1965 * Sounds of the Ivy League (compilation) - 1967 * Tomorrow is Another Day (compilation) - 1969 Compiled by Keith Law

Carl-Lewis and the Southeners

Keith Law — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 11:16:15 +0000

Birmingham Carter-Lewis and the Southerners were an early 1960s, rock band formed by the Birmingham born musicians Ken Lewis (guitarist / singer / songwriter) and John Carter. Jimmy Page and Perry Ford from Lincoln were also members, although Page didn't stay in the band very long. In 1964 the group released a single featuring Jimmy Page on lead guitar, "Skinny Minnie", a cover of the Bill Haley and the Comets song originally released in 1958. Carter and Lewis were initially songwriters. They wrote and performed for the former BBC Light Programme's shows Easy Beat and Saturday Club. Their manager Terry Kennedy convinced them that they needed to form a band to showcase their songs. Ironically hardly any of their singles featured Carter-Lewis compositions.

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Rupert Ross quit to join probably the most underrated but one of the most talented outfits in England, namely Carter-Lewis and the Southerners. Based upon the hit song-writing duo of John Carter and Ken Lewis, the group boasted a line-up of Rupert Ross on bass, Viv Prince on drums and Jimmy Page on guitar. Jimmy was shortly to leave and so Rupert drafted in local boy (from the Downbeats) Micky Keane. This was a big period for Rupert, as John and Ken were writing hits for lots of acts, and it was necessary for the Southerners to demo these songs in the London studio at Southern Music. Whilst the Flintstones had cut two singles and half an unreleased album with the legendary Joe Meek, Rupert now found himself playing the part of a session man.

Carter and Lewis and Ford continued as The Ivy League To continue click on:- The Ivy League Compiled by Keith Law

Traffic

Keith Law — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 11:18:58 +0000

Birmingham Jim Capaldi drums, percussion, vocals Dave Mason guitar, bass, sitar, mellotron, vocals (left 1968) Steve Winwood keyboards, guitar, bass, vocals Chris Wood flute, saxophone, keyboards, vocals This multi-talented West Midlands group gained international success in the late 1960s and early 1970s, particularly in the USA where they attracted a large following. In Britain, they are remembered mostly for some memorable and ground-breaking singles and albums that scored high chart placings during the late 1960s and early 1970s. Traffic was formed when Steve Winwood, who was the focal point of the Spencer Davis Group (see Spencer Davis Group), decided to move beyond the restrictions of the group and form his own band consisting of other Birmingham area musicians. Guitarist Dave Mason had been a member of the Worcester group The Hellions in the early 1960s along with drummer Jim Capaldi (see The Hellions). Jim Capaldi had continued with The Hellions who were re-named Deep Feeling after Dave Mason's departure and to help pay the rent, Dave worked as a roadie for the Spencer Davis Group. Saxophone/flute player Chris Wood who was born in Harborne, Birmingham on 24 June 1944, had been a member of the group Locomotive and previous to that, had been in Sounds Of Blue who later became Chicken Shack. The four musicians would often get together on stage at a hip club called The Elbow Room on Aston High Street in Birmingham and it was there that the idea for Traffic was formed. With Dave Mason and Jim Capaldi eager to form a new band, Steve Winwood agreed to join the partnership along with Chris Wood and so the four retreated to a secluded (and reportedly haunted) cottage in Aston Tirrold, Berkshire in order to write and rehearse new material. The cottage was to become a place of legend as regular visitors included musicians such as Eric Burdon, Pete Townshend and Eric Clapton as well as Trevor Burton (of The Move) amongst many others. The new group was named Traffic (an action that prompted an obscure south London band called Traffic Jam to re-name themselves Status Quo) and was given full financial backing by Island Records boss Chris Blackwell who intended to promote the band to help the launch of Island Records as a major act label. Traffic in 1967 With Steve Winwood's involvement, the group was assured at least initial success and Traffic's first single Paper Sun was released in the summer of 1967. With production by Jimmy Miller and composed by Steve Winwood with Jim Capaldi supplying the captivating lyrics, the song was just right for the times and featured an Indian sitar played prominently by Dave Mason. The single reached No. 5 in the charts and brought the group to the forefront of the British psychedelic or "flower power" movement that was sweeping the country at the time. The next Traffic single was even more adventurous and was composed and sung by Dave Mason. The song was supposedly inspired by a dream Dave had at the cottage (although certain substances he was taking may have also played a part) and the recording featured his innovative use of the Mellotron. Hole In My Shoe became one of the most memorable songs of the 1960s and captured the psychedelic atmosphere of 1967 with as much impact as The Pink Floyd's See Emily Play. It also established Dave Mason as a major songwriting talent with the recording reaching No. 3 in the British charts (years later, a version of Hole In My Shoe was recorded by Neil from the hit BBC TV comedy show The Young Ones with the song again making the top ten). By November 1967, a third Traffic single entitled Here We Go Round The Mulberry Bush had been released and was also used as the title track of a film which also included songs by Steve Winwood's previous band The Spencer Davis Group. Traffic's live shows at this time included a lot of on-stage jamming and improvisation as well as extended solos by the individual members - something quite unusual in Britain for a pop group in those days and an indication of things to come. December of 1967 saw the release of Traffic's first album entitled Mr Fantasy which showcased the individual talents of the members and proved that Dave Mason, Jim Capaldi and Chris Wood were more than just a backing group for Steve Winwood. The album also showed Dave Mason writing as a separate entity and indicated a clash of songwriting styles with Dave Mason's melodic and commercial compositions contrasting alongside the more jazz-influenced songs of the other group members. Possibly spurred by the success of Hole In My Shoe, Dave Mason left the group in December, supposedly to begin a solo career, only to rejoin the band in May of 1968. Traffic then recorded another successful self-titled album, to which Mason contributed the classic song Feelin' Alright, a composition that became much covered by other artists but Mason left again in October of 1968 and a few months later, the group activities ceased. Fearing the worst, Island Records released a "new" Traffic album called Last Exit made up of leftover recordings, single B-sides, and some assorted live material. A compilation entitled The Best Of Traffic was also released. Meanwhile Steve Winwood teamed up with legendary guitarist Eric Clapton and drummer Ginger Baker and along with bass player Rick Grech, formed the much publicized and short lived "supergroup" Blind Faith. When that group split, Winwood joined Ginger Baker's new group "Airforce" which at one time had also included Birmingham musicians Trevor Burton (see The Move) and Denny Laine (see The Moody Blues). Mason, Capaldi and Wood tried forming another band called Wooden Frog but it was short-lived and had split up by March 1969. In January 1970, Steve Winwood started work on a long-awaited solo album and was joined in the studio by Jim Capaldi and Chris Wood. The resulting sessions were so successful that Traffic was reformed minus Dave Mason and the album produced from the recordings entitled John Barleycorn Must Die was released as a group effort. The album was critically acclaimed and became a big seller. After enlisting top session players to the line-up, Traffic toured both the UK and the USA where a live recording of their version of Gimme Some Loving (originally recorded by Steve Winwood's old band The Spencer Davis Group) made the charts. Further Traffic albums were released in the early 1970s and were big sellers, particularly in America where the group had a large following, but by 1974, Steve Winwood, Jim Capaldi and Chris Wood were all concentrating on solo careers. Chris Wood died from liver disease in July of 1983 at only 39 years of age. Jim Capaldi released his first solo album in 1974 and scored a top five hit in Britain in October of 1975 with Love Hurts. He has appeared on recordings by many other well known performers and has made several best-selling albums. Jim also occasionally collaborated with his former bandmate Steve Winwood which included a Traffic re-union in 1994. Jim Capaldi passed away on January 28, 2005 after a battle with cancer. Dave Mason had moved permanently to the USA by the early 1970s and established a successful solo career there which apart from making top selling albums, included collaborations with Mamas & Papas singer Cass Elliot and occasional appearances with the 1970s line-up of Traffic. Despite battles with drugs and alcohol, he scored a big hit single in the States with We Just Disagree in the late 1970s and continues to record and tour there although he remains almost unknown in his native Britain where he is remembered mainly for his contributions as part of Traffic. Steve Winwood appeared on recording sessions for many well known musicians throughout the 1970s and in 1981, began a predictably successful solo career. His 1986 album Back In The High Life received a Grammy Award for Album of the Year in the USA while hit singles such as Valerie and Higher Love have scored high chart placings in many countries. Although Steve Winwood has not enjoyed such a high profile in recent years, he remains a major talent on the world music scene and continues to record and perform today in between spending time at his farm in Oxfordshire. Traffic were inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2004. With Special Thanks to Copyright -© John R Woodhouse Brum Beat Compiled by Keith Law

Idle Race

Keith Law — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 11:21:06 +0000

Birmingham Jeff Lynne vocal, guitar & piano (left 1970) Greg Masters bass guitar, vocal Dave Pritchard guitar, vocal Roger Spencer drums, vocal Mike Hopkins vocal & guitar (joined 1970) Dave Walker vocal (joined 1970) With the departure of Roy Wood and Mike Sheridan in 1966, The Nightriders (see Mike Sheridan and The Nightriders) remaining members Dave Pritchard, Greg Masters and Roger Spencer enlisted guitarist Johnny Mann from the recently split-up Carl Wayne and The Vikings and secured a recording contract with Polydor Records. Some songs were recorded in London but before anything could be released Johnny Mann decided to leave the group. An advert was placed in the Birmingham Evening Mail for a "keen young guitarist" to replace Mann and this was answered by an almost unknown Geoffrey Lynne who was 19 at the time. Jeff Lynne had formed his first band The Andicaps in 1963 with some friends and after leaving school he played guitar with a semi-pro local group called The Chads (previously known as The Sundowners) but was always looking for a chance to "turn professional" and go full-time with an established band. The Nightriders The Nightriders were impressed by Jeff Lynne's innovative guitar technique so did not hesitate to offer him the position of lead guitarist. The band soon got together at Hollick & Taylor Studios in Handsworth to record a new single It's Only The Dog/My Friend that was released by Polydor Records under the name "The Nightriders" and had drummer Roger Spencer on lead vocal. In 1967, many innovative bands in the U.K. would become part of the rapidly developing "psychedelic" scene. In response to these changing trends, The Nightriders became "The Idle Race" (adapted from Idyll Race) with Jeff Lynne becoming the groups' focal point as both songwriter and lead vocalist. Unfortunately, the band's Polydor contract was allowed to expire but former Nightrider Roy Wood, now of the very successful Move, remained friendly with the group and through him, contacts were established allowing the Idle Race to record during off-hours at the Move's Advision Studios in London. ..... The Idle Race continued to undertake bookings in the Midlands area and would drive down the M1 to London and record whenever studio time was available. One song offered to them was Here We Go Round The Lemon Tree, written by Roy Wood and was the b-side to the Move's Flowers In The Rain single. The song was selected as the first Idle Race release by the management of Liberty Records who had signed the group, but as the Move's version was receiving airplay , The Idle Race did not wish to be known as a "cover band" so subsequent negotiations resulted in the Idle Race version of Here We Go Round The Lemon Tree not being released in Britain (the real reason may have been because The Move stood to lose royalties on the song due to the outcome of the infamous "Harold Wilson lawsuit"). For the first U.K. Idle Race single, two Jeff Lynne compositions Impostors Of Life's Magazine backed with Sitting In My Tree, were selected for release in October of 1967. Despite airplay, the single did not chart but attracted much interest in the music press and won many admirers. The second single The Skeleton And The Roundabout/Knocking Nails Into My House, also both written by Lynne, was released early in 1968 to promote the forthcoming Idle Race album and although this single is probably their best known, it also missed out on a chart placing. Despite lack of success in the charts, the Idle Race gained a considerable "underground" following including the support of many prominent musicians and radio personalities. This is reflected on the inside cover artwork of their first album The Birthday Party where invited "guests" are displayed in a photo collage and include such figures as The Beatles, The Move, Brian Jones, Hughie Green and many of the Radio One DJs. Eleven of the thirteen songs on the album were composed by Jeff Lynne and most displayed a simple, almost childlike pre-occupation with weird characters and a lavish production reminiscent of the Beatles Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds/Fool On The Hill type of atmosphere. [IMG]http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c187/john- wayne/Unsigned%20City/1208784135.jpg[/IMG] The Idle Race's live performances saw the band in a much heavier vein and included many covers such as Purple Haze (Jimi Hendrix), Born To Be Wild (Steppenwolf) and People Are Strange (The Doors). The band also did a heavy version of Tyrannosaurus Rex's Deborah amongst various originals and 1950s rock 'n' roll standards. In early 1969 the Idle Race began recording a second album which would be released at the end of the year. At about this time Roy Wood made an offer to Jeff Lynne to join The Move as Trevor Burton had just left. Lynne declined the offer so Rick Price was selected as Burton's replacement but Wood and Lynne remained in close contact. Further Idle Race singles were released but despite extensive touring of the U.K. to promote them, the group could still not manage a chart placing. The lack of chart success for the Idle Race despite critical acclaim remains a mystery, especially as the band were no strangers to radio and TV appearances. Even the appointment of DJ Kenny Everett as honourary fan club president and the added flattery of having their compositions covered by other artists did not achieve the results the group aspired to. A music press article on the Idle Race in 1969 quoted Jeff Lynne as being disillusioned about the bands' lack of chart success and this was further reinforced by the poor sales of the Idle Race's second self-titled album released in November of 1969 on which Lynne himself had handled the production. For Jeff Lynne, fate played into his hands when The Move's lead singer Carl Wayne quit the group in January 1970. Roy Wood again asked if Lynne would join the Move and this time the offer was accepted (see The Move). The other members of Idle Race were naturally disappointed with Lynne's decision but decided to carry on with replacements Mike Hopkins, formerly of the Diplomats and The Lemon Tree, on guitar/vocals and Dave Walker from The Redcaps on vocals & harmonica. Idle Race continued to tour and release singles with their cover version of Mungo Jerry's In The Summertime managing to reach No. 1 in the charts in Argentina! After a final Idle Race album released in 1971, further personnel changes took place starting with the departure of Dave Pritchard who joined up with various Birmingham bands including the Poorboys. Dave Walker was next to leave and joined some well-known bands which included Savoy Brown, Chicken Shack, and Fleetwood Mac. Roger Spencer moved into TV production and became the comedian "Ollie" Spencer while Mike Hopkins joined the group Quartz. The remaining original Idle Race member Greg Masters joined up with guitarists Dave Caroll a nd Bob Wilson from the Birmingham group Tea & Symphony along with drummer Bob Lamb who had also played in the group Locomotive. Birmingham singer Steve Gibbons (see The Uglys) joined shortly after and in February 1972, Greg Masters finally left to be replaced by Bob Griffin who in return was replaced by former Move and Balls member Trevor Burton. The group dropped the Idle Race name and became the Steve Gibbons Band who scored a top-20 hit with the Chuck Berry song Tulane in 1977. Discography Singles: # Here We Go Round The Lemon Tree/My Father's Son (Liberty 55997) September 1967 # Impostors Of Life's Magazine/Sitting In My Tree (Liberty LBF 15026) October 1967 # The Skeleton And The Roundabout/Knocking Nails Into My House (Liberty LBF 15054) March 1968 # The End Of The Road/The Morning Sunshine (Liberty LBF 15101) June 1968 # I Like My Toys/The Birthday (Liberty LBF 15129) September 1968 (withdrawn) # Days Of The Broken Arrows/Worn Red Carpet (Liberty LBF 15218) April 1969 # Come With Me/Reminds Me Of You (Liberty LBF 15242) July 1969 Albums: # The Birthday Party (Liberty LBS 83132) October 1968 # Idle Race (Liberty LBS 83221) November 1968 I knew the boys fairly well, and remember seeing them a few times. One particular time was at The Chalet in Rednall. I loved Jeff Lynne, playing the guitar with a violin bow. Afterwards I spoke to him about it, and I was to use the technique, on my Jardine Album.'Look In The Window' The track 'Roses And Ribbons' being a good example. Compiled by Keith Law

Chicken Shack

Keith Law — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 11:44:41 +0000

Stourbridge Stan Webb guitar, vocal Andy Silvester bass guitar Dave Bidwell drums Christine Perfect (McVie) vocal, piano (left in 1969) Paul Raymond piano, organ (joined in 1969) Chicken Shack evolved from a Stourbridge based band called Sounds Of Blue who were performing in the West Midlands area by early 1964. The original members included singer and pianist Christine Perfect, bass guitarist Andy Sylvester, guitarist Stan Webb, and saxophonist Chris Wood. Talented guitarist Stan Webb is regarded by many as one of the great un-sung heroes of British blues music. He was born in London on February 3, 1946 and at a young age moved to Kidderminster with his parents. During the 1950's, he started playing guitar in local skiffle bands and eventually formed his first group called The Blue Four. By this time, Webb was heavily influenced by American blues and R&B music and later formed Sounds Of Blue. Christine Perfect (born July 12, 1943) was from Bearwood, Birmingham and coming from a musical family, she learned to play piano at an early age and was also a talented singer. She later attended Moseley College of Art where she played in a group called The Bobcats which later became The Rockin' Berries. After leaving this group, Christine Perfect formed a blues duo with well known local performer Spencer Davis and they became regulars on the Birmingham blues circuit, often appearing at the Golden Eagle pub on Hill Street (see The Spencer Davis Group). By 1964, she had joined Sounds Of Blue and remained with them until 1965 when they changed their name to Chicken Shack and headed over to Germany for an extended engagement at Hamburg's famous Star Club where many British acts, including The Beatles, had got their start. Another early member of the band was saxophone player Chris Wood who was also from the West Midlands and lived in Cradley Heath. He attended Stourbridge Art College in 1963 and learned to play the flute before later graduating to saxophone. By March 1964, he was performing with Sounds Of Blue although he left the following year before they went over to Germany as Chicken Shack. Chris Wood then joined the Kansas City Seven (see Locomotive) and later became a founding member of Traffic. In 1967, Chicken Shack had returned from Germany and Christine Perfect re-joined the line-up with the group playing throughout the West Midlands and most often at the Seven Stars Blues Club in Stourbridge. There were various drummers during this period before Dave Bidwell from London joined the band. The combination of Stan Webb's bluesy guitar virtuoso and Christine Perfect's emotionally charged vocal gained Chicken Shack many followers and they soon caught the attention of London producer Mike Vernon who operated his own Blue Horizon record label. Vernon signed the group to a contract and their first album entitled Forty Blue Fingers Freshly Packed And Ready To Serve was released to critical acclaim in 1968. Chicken Shack also toured the U.K. in 1967 along with labelmates Fleetwood Mac whose bass guitarist John McVie struck up a friendship with Christine Perfect. The pair kept in touch after the tour and a long-distance relationship developed. In September 1968, Chicken Shack performed for the first of several times at the influential "Mothers" club in Birmingham. During the next year, Chicken Shack put out a few singles and a second album entitled OK Ken? but it was not until the release of the Etta James cover I'd Rather Go Blind in 1969 that the band had their first chart success. The record featured a lead vocal by Christine Perfect and won the group many admirers. By this time, Fleetwood Mac was enjoying much chart success. After they returned from an American tour, John McVie proposed to Christine and she accepted after deciding to leave Chicken Shack to become a housewife. Ironically she had just been voted best female vocalist for 1969 by the NME reader's poll, but her "retirement" from music was not to last long. Paul Raymond from the group Plastic Penny was chosen as Christine Perfect's replacement and another Chicken Shack single Tears In The Wind made the charts in September 1969. The next few Chicken Shack albums met with less interest and in 1970 Stan Webb had a falling-out with Mike Vernon which resulted in the group being dropped by their record label. There were also disagreements within the group which resulted in the departure of Dave Bidwell and Paul Raymond who both left to join t he famous London blues outfit Savoy Brown. Undaunted, Stan Webb continued with a new line-up which included bass guitarist John Glassock from Jethro Tull and Paul Hancox on drums but by the mid 1970's and after various other personnel changes, Chicken Shack finally disbanded. Since that time, the group's 1960's recorded legacy has attracted the interest of many British blues fans. Christine Perfect (now known as Christine McVie) went on to become a pivotal member of her husband's group Fleetwood Mac in 1970 whom she joined after the departure of their brilliant guitarist and founding member Peter Green. That band achieved massive and worldwide success during the 1970's, particularly in the U.S.A. where they continue to maintain a huge following. Stan Webb remains a much respected guitarist whose contribution to early British blues music continues to gain recognition. He still occasionally performs today as both a solo act a nd also sometimes with various new line-ups of Chicken Shack. With Special Thanks to Copyright -© John R Woodhouse Brum Beat Compiled by Keith Law

Denny Laine and The Diplomats

Keith Law — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 11:46:18 +0000

Birmingham Denny Laine lead vocal, guitar (left in 1964) Phil Ackrill guitar, vocal Bev Bevan drums Dave Wheeland bass guitar (left in 1962) Steve Horton bass guitar (joined in 1962) Nicky James lead vocal (joined in 1962 - left in 1963) Mike Hopkins guitar (joined in 1964) Jim Onslow vocal (joined in 1964) The Diplomats were one of the most well known of all the Brumbeat acts that never had any record releases, although some of the members would later become part of two of the most successful and influential groups to come out of Birmingham in the 1960s. Beverley "Bev" Bevan was born on November 25, 1945 and grew up in Sparkhill, Birmingham. He learned to play the drums while a teenager and formed a band with some friends at Moseley Grammar School in the early 1960s. The line-up included guitarists Phil Ackrill and Tony Lewis with vocalist Ronnie Smith. Bev Bevan's school friend Bobby Davis, who lived in Acocks Green, occasionally appeared as vocalist but more often helped out as a roadie and general supporter. The group's first appearance was at the Hall Green Youth Club. They originally performed mostly instrumental numbers as being influenced by acts like The Shadows. Bobby Davis would eventually go on to become a professional comedian and enjoy much success when he changed his name to "Jasper Carrott". After trying out different names, the group became known as Ronnie and The Senators and started to get bookings around Birmingham, including regular appearances at the infamous Las Vegas Coffee Bar near the city centre. After leaving school, Bev Bevan started work at "The Beehive" department store in central Birmingham and it was while working there in 1962 that he met Brian Hines, a young and ambitious singer/guitarist who was looking for a competent and committed band to perform as his backing group. Brian Hines was born 29th October 1944 and lived in Holcombe Road, Tyseley. A talented singer, one of his earliest groups was Johnny Dean & The Dominators who played regularly at The Mermaid pub on Stratford Road. The Dominators also included drummer Tim Bellamy and guitarists Tony Elson and Dave Wheeland. "Johnny Dean" was an early alias for Brian who worked in the electrical department at Rackhams by day but he had ambitions to "turn professional" and soon convinced Bev Bevan and Phil Ackrill from The Senators to join his new backing group. Brian changed his name to "Denny Laine" and his group was to be called "The Diplomats". The Diplomats were joined by bass guitarist Dave Wheeland from Denny's old group The Dominators. The Diplomats were well received on the local live circuit and began to undertake many bookings in the Birmingham area. Denny Laine also started to compose original songs for the group, although back in those days, it was rare for unsigned groups to perform their own material on stage. Dave Wheeland later left the Diplomats to go to Australia and he was replaced by Steve Horton. As a publicity attempt, the Diplomats all bleached their hair blond and also aquired a van on which they painted the name "DENNY LAINE AND THE DIPLOMATS". The group were now able to go to more bookings outside of Birmingham and occasionally venture into London. It was at about this time that the EMI Record Company showed some interest in the group a nd signed them to a contract. Although a number of songs were recorded under the direction of John Birch (who had also produced Freddie And The Dreamers) nothing by Denny Laine and The Diplomats was released on record and this was to be a continuing source of frustration to Denny Laine who had his sight set on the "big time". One evening when the Diplomats were performing in Scunthorpe, they were approached by a young Elvis look-alike known as Nicky James who persuaded the group to back him while he performed a few songs. Denny Laine was so impressed by the performance that he immediately asked the singer to join the Diplomats and so the group became "NICKY JAMES with DENNY LAINE and THE DIPLOMATS". Coincidentally, Nicky James was also from the West Midlands and had grown up in the Black Country town of Tipton. The Diplomats featuring Nicky James It was after Nicky James joined the line-up that the Diplomats were auditioned by well known producer Tony Hatch from the Pye record company in early 1963. The group were able to go to London and record some songs including an original composition of Denny Laine's titled Forever And A Day for possible single release. Unfortunately, the Diplomats were later informed by Pye Records that a contract would not be forthcoming although the group may have felt some consolation by later playing support as opening act for The Beatles at The Plaza Ballroom at Old Hill. Later in 1963, Nicky James was offered a recording contract with Pye Record s and this effectively ended his association with Denny Laine & The Diplomats The Diplomats carried on as a four-piece group and for a short time had local singer Buddy Ash as Nicky James' replacement, but although they had plenty of bookings and occasional appearances on local TV, singer Denny Laine grew ever more restless at the groups' lack of commercial success. By early 1964 when he was not appearing with the Diplomats, Denny Laine was rehearsing with a new group in Birmingham called The R&B Preachers - soon to become the Moody Blues - and by May of that year he had left the Diplomats for good to concentrate on the new project. The Moody Blues after being signed to Decca Records, would enjoy worldwide fame by the end of 1964 with their classic recording of Go Now climbing to number one in the record charts (see The Moody Blues). The Diplomats decided to carry on with replacements; singer Jim Onslow from Park Hill Road, Harbourne, and guitarist Mike Hopkins, both who had been members of Gerry Levene and The Avengers. Although the Diplomats continued to play bookings throughout the Midlands area, the effects from the loss of Denny Laine as frontman and driving force became ever more apparent and the group began to lose direction. By the end of 1964,the Diplomats threw in the towel and split up with Phil Ackrill retiring from the music scene and Jim Onslow forming another group, while Bev Bevan joined Carl Wayne and The Vikings for a German tour in early 1965 (see Carl Wayne and The Vikings). Steve Horton later joined Keith Powell's backing group The Valets. Bev Bevan eventually found fame as drummer for The Move and was also a founding member of the Electric Light Orchestra which became one of the most successful rock groups of the 1970's. Mike Hopkins became a member of the Birmingham group Lemon Tree and in 1970, replaced Jeff Lynne in the Idle Race. Although Denny Laine left the Moody Blues in 1966 for a solo career, he would eventually join up with Paul and Linda McCartney by 1970 to become a founding member of Wings, a group that would enjoy 10 years of international success. Denny Laine co-wrote with Paul McCartney the song Mull Of Kintyre which became one of the UK's biggest selling hit singles of all time. With Special Thanks to Copyright© John R Woodhouse Brum Beat Compiled by Keith Law

Carl Wayne and The Vikings

Keith Law — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 11:48:01 +0000

Birmingham Dave Hollis drums (left 1965) Johnny Mann lead guitar, vocal Terry Wallace guitar, vocal Barry Harbor bass guitar (joined 1961, left 1964) Keith Powell lead vocal (left in 1962) Carl Wayne lead vocal (joined 1961) Chris 'Ace' Kefford bass guitar, vocal (joined 1964) Bev Bevan drums (joined in 1965) This band was very well known throughout the West Midlands in the early 1960s and remains significant due to some of the players becoming founding members of The Move. In 1958 a skiffle group called the Vikings was put together by Terry Wallace from Nechells, Birmingham. The group's lead vocalist was George "Duke" Mann whose younger brother Johnny Mann also joined as guitarist. The Vikings became a rock 'n' roll band but eventually Duke Mann was forced to leave and do National Service with his place being taken by Robert Hughes whose stage name was Bobby Valantine. The Vikings began to establish a reputation around Birmingham as an exciting live act when tragedy struck and their lead guitarist John Kirby was paralysed in a car accident. Their lead vocalist Bobby Valentine decided to leave and his place was taken by Keith Powell whose father also became manager of the group (see Keith Powell and The Valets). Keith Powell and The Vikings in 1962 Colin Tooley was born August 18, 1943 and lived in Hodge Hill, Birmingham. His first band was called The G-Men who formed in the late 1950s during the skiffle craze and they arranged dances at The Curzon Coffee Ba r and in a church hall with Colin handling the takings at the door. He remembers his pockets becoming so filled with half crowns that he had difficulty in keeping his trousers from falling down. At this time he was singing and playing bass guitar although his ability to play the instrument was apparently questionable! Colin Tooley turned professional when he joined Keith Powell and The Vikings in 1961 as replacement singer when Keith Powell became ill and was unable to complete some bookings. For the role of frontman, Tooley changed his name to Carl Wayne complete with a pink suit and was met with such success that when Powell returned, Carl Wayne was allowed to stay and perform regularly in the group as second singer with the band's name being changed to "Keith Powell, Carl Wayne & The Vikings". Inevitably and within a year, friction developed between Keith Powell and Carl Wayne so Keith left along with his father who was the group's manager, and later formed the Valets (see Keith Powell and The Valets). Carl Wayne took over as frontman and in January 1963, the Vikings were sent over to play bookings in Germany for six months. Upon their return to Birmingham, Carl Wayne and The Vikings quickly established themselves as one of the city's top live acts along with Mike Sheridan and The Nightriders and The Spencer Davis Group. Carl Wayne and The Vikings were signed to the Pye Records label in 1964 and recorded What's A Matter Baby at Hollick & Taylor Studios in Handsworth as their first single. Soon after, bass guitarist Barry Harbor left the band and was replaced by Chris Kefford from a group called the Chantelles who joined just before the release of their second single. Chris "Ace" Kefford was born on December 10, 1946 and was from Yardley Wood. His first band was called Chris and The Shades, a line-up that was put together by his older uncle (also named Chris). They later became Steve Farron and The Chantelles but had disbanded by the end of 1963 and Chris along with his uncle joined Birmingham singer Danny King's backing group for some bookings as "The Jesters". To avoid name confusion with his uncle, the youngest Kefford t ook the stage name of Ace the Bass which soon stuck. Carl Wayne and The Vikings in 1964 The next Carl Wayne and The Vikings single was entitled This Is Love and was composed by Danny King who also duetted with Carl on the vocal but neither of the singles sold enough copies to make the record charts. As a last attempt, a final single My Girl/Shimmy Shammy Jangle was released in the USA only but met with little interest there. After the cancellation of their record contract, Carl Wayne and The Vikings secured more bookings in Germany in early 1965, but before they were to leave, drummer Dave Hollis left and was replaced by Bev Bevan who had played in a well known local group called The Diplomats (see Denny Laine and The Diplomats). Carl Wayne and The Vikings departed for Dusseldorf and Cologne but the working conditions in Germany were gruelling by this time and they soon returned to Birmingham and secured a residency at The Cedar Club on Constitution Hill. In the mid 1960s in Birmingham, the Cedar Club was the place to go and see the "happening" acts. Other local bands who performed there regularly was Danny King and The Mayfair Set and Mike Sheridan and The Nightriders. Various members from these three groups would sometimes get together on stage for spontaneous jam sessions. Davy Jones & The Lower Third from London were performing at The Cedar Club one evening late in 1965 and their singer (who would later change his name to David Bowie) mentioned to Trevor Burton from the Mayfair Set and Ace Kefford from The Vikings that they should consider forming their own group. Roy Wood from Mike Sheridan and The Nightriders was also interested in this idea a nd when Ace Kefford informed Carl Wayne of their plan, Carl offered his services as frontman. Bev Bevan was chosen as the drummer (John Bonham who was at the time playing with Kefford's uncle's group Way Of Life was also asked but turned them down. Bonham would shortly join Robert Plant's group Band Of Joy). In this way The Move was formed but for the Vikings - a Birmingham rock 'n' roll institution since the 1950s - it was the end. Guitarist Johnny Mann became Roy Wood's replacement in The Nightriders and Terry Wallace joined Mike Sheridan's New Lot (see Mike Sheridan and The Nightriders) and continues to perform occasionally around Birmingham to this day. Compiled by Keith Law

Bachdenkel

Keith Law — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 13:02:27 +0000

1967-1978 Kings Heath Birmingham Members Colin Swinburne - Lead guitar, vocals * Peter Kimberley - Bass guitar, vocals * Brian Smith - Drums, vocals * Karel Beer - Lyricist/manager Label -Initial Bachdenkel came to life in and around the King's Heath area of Birmingham in the late 1960s, evolving out of a combo called "U No Who". Their name was produced by computer - an innovative use of new technology in those days - and they were one of the seminal bands on the Birmingham scene during the late 1960s, which saw the development of psychedelic culture and electric rock music. They had close links with the Birmingham Arts Lab, a venue for experimental artists of all types, and often performed with a full psychedelic light show. Following a publicity campaign which included subverting a large department store's marketing logo and a photoshoot with a piano in a local fountain, they left the country. They subsequently found themselves in Paris, long the refuge of revolutionary artists and artistic revolutionaries. After the events of May 1968, France was ready for new ideas and new music and English rock bands were much in vogue at the time. Bachdenkel settled in France and over the next decade went on to produce 2 albums: the first of these, "Lemmings", is generally regarded as their best. At times in their career, they shared the billing with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath amongst others and provided the music for a modern ballet. Rolling Stone magazine once called Bachdenkel "...Britain's greatest unknown group." Discography ... 1. Lemmings 2. Stalingrad Compiled by Keith Law

Danny King and The Mayfair Set/Dukes/Royals

Keith Law — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 13:05:00 +0000

Danny King and The Mayfair Set Birmingham Danny King lead singer (left 1966) Dennis "Denny" Ball bass guitar Trevor Burton guitar, vocal (left 1966) Roger Harris organ Keith Smart drums (left 1966) Dave Ball lead guitar (joined 1966) David Reay drums (joined 1966) Dave Morgan guitar, vocal (joined 1966) Well known Birmingham vocalist Danny King (see Danny King and The Dukes and Danny King and The Royals) put together a new backing group in 1965 called The Mayfair Set. The band included guitarist Trevor Burton and drummer Keith Smart, both from Aston as well as bass guitarist Dennis Ball and organist Roger Harris. Trevor Burton was born Trevor Ireson on March 9, 1949 and lived in Whitehouse Street, Aston. He started playing guitar at a young age and was leading his own group called The Everglades by 1963. Also from The Everglades was the Mayfair Set's drummer Keith Smart. Danny King still retained a recording contract with Columbia Records and his next single recorded with the Mayfair Set and entitled Pretty Things, was released in January 1965. The record was produced by Norrie Paramore and may have featured Roy Wood from Mike Sheridan's Nightriders on session guitar. Despite gaining the band some local attention, neither this or the follow-up Mayfair Set single Amen (My Teenage Prayer) managed to gain a chart placing. Danny King left The Mayfair Set in January 1966 to become involved with a new group (see Locomotive) and a short time later, Trevor Burton had also departed to become a founding member of The Move and the Mayfair Set disbanded soon after. Keith Smart also joined a new group in 1967 (see The Lemon Tree) and would later play drums for The Uglys and Mongrel before finally making the big time when that group formed the basis for Roy Wood's Wizzard. Dennis Ball joined his brother Dave in the Ace Kefford Stand in 1968. Danny King continued to perform and record occasionally throughout the later 1960s and still remains one of the most respected and admired Birmingham vocalists from that era. A new The Mayfair Set re-grouped in 1966 after Danny King left. The line-up was Chris Evans and Jim Murphy (both guitar and vocals), Denny Ball (bass guitar), and Dave Reay (drums). They went to Germany where they recorded a couple of singles that were released there on one of the local labels. Danny King and The Dukes Birmingham Danny King lead singer (left 1960) Allan Hancox guitar Brian Hancox guitar Clint Warwick bass guitar ??? ??? drums Gerry Day lead singer (joined 1960) Danny King was well known around Birmingham in the early 1960s as an accomplished singer and his backing groups would include members that went on to success in groups like The Moody Blues and The Move. His real name was Arthur Benwell and he became interested in rock 'n' roll in the late 1950s to an extent that he started collecting imported American rock and blues records and eventually amassed one of the largest and much envied collections in Birmingham at that time. He formed his first band as Danny King and The Dukes which included guitarists Alan and Brian Hancox and Albert Eccles who would shortly change his name to Clint Warwick. Danny King and The Dukes became much in demand for bookings and in 1958 they were contracted for a season at Butlins Holiday Centre at Ayr in Scotland with the arrangement working out so well that they were able to return there the following summer. By 1960 however, Danny King had split from The Dukes who replaced him with singer Gerry Day, and became the frontman for another Birmingham group (see Danny King and The Royals). After a few years, Clint Warwick would leave Gerry Day and The Dukes to become one of the founding members of The Moody Blues. Danny King and The Royals Danny King lead singer (left 1966) Tom Owen lead guitar Garth Quirke bass guitar Bob Sheward drums Barry Smith drums In 1960, Birmingham singer Danny King, previously of Danny King and The Dukes became the frontman for a group called The Andy Capps (not to be confused with The Andicaps whose members included Jeff Lynne). Danny King re-named the group The Royals and members included drummer Bob Sheward, and guitarists Tommy Owen and Garth Quirke. Danny King and The Royals were soon booked to appear at the Top Ten Club in Hamburg, Germany alongside other groups including The Beatles who were unknown outside of Liverpool at the time. When London record producer Norrie Paramore went to Birmingham in 1963 to check out local groups, Danny King and The Royals were one of the acts to be signed up at the Moat House Club auditions. Despite a recording contract however, things did not turn out the way Danny King wanted with Norrie Paramore insisting on using Mike Sheridan's group The Nightriders to provide the backing on Danny King's records as well as selecting the material that he should record. Somewhat disillusioned, Danny King split from The Royals and started performing around Birmingham sporadically while looking to start a new project. The Royals also had disbanded by the end of 1963. An opportunity came in early 1964 when Danny King joined up with his former bass player from the Dukes, Clint Warwick along with drummer Graeme Edge from the Avengers. They wanted to form an outfit similar to the Spencer Davis Group and play rhythm & blues, a style of black American music much favoured at that time by college and university students. Singer/guitarist Denny Laine from the Diplomats also wanted to get involved, so the new group started rehearsing and came up with the name R&B Preachers. Before long, singer Ray Thomas and piano player Mike Pinder who had both played in a local group called El Riot and The Rebels had also joined but perhaps feeling the need to strike out on his own, Danny King lost interest in the project and left (see Danny King and The Mayfair Set). Within a year, the R&B Preachers evolved into The Moody Blues and were enjoying world-wide success with their hit record Go Now. With Special Thanks to Brum Beat Copyright -© John R Woodhouse Compiled by Keith Law

Mike Sheridan and The Nightriders

Keith Law — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 13:10:05 +0000

(Early Idle Race (1963 - 1966) Birmingham Mike Sheridan lead vocal (left 1966) Brian Cope bass guitar (left 1963) Al Johnson lead guitar (left 1964) Dave Pritchard guitar, vocals Roger Spencer drums Greg Masters bass guitar, vocals (joined 1963) Roy Wood lead guitar, vocals (joined 1964, left 1966) Johnny Mann lead guitar (joined & left 1966) Jeff Lynne lead guitar, vocals (joined 1966) This group was one of the most well known Brumbeat acts of the early 1960s and are also very significant as the members included two of the most famous Birmingham musicians of the 1960's and 70's, namely Roy Wood and Jeff Lynne. Mike Tyler started his music career at a young age by playing piano at a pub in Kings Heath. After entering and winning a local talent contest, he was asked to join Billy King and the Nightriders which he did after changing his stage name to Sheridan. The group attracted a large local following and after various personnel changes, Sheridan became the lead singer and frontman. The Nightriders also included lead guitarist Alan 'Big Al' Johnson who was manager of Burton's tailors on Corporation Street and guitarist Dave Pritchard from a group called The Planets. Drummer Roger Spencer who was from Castle Bromwich, had previously played in a group called The Hound Dogs. Bass guitarist at the time was Brian Cope. Mike Sheridan and The Nightriders soon established a reputation around Birmingham as one of the most accomplished bands on the scene at that time. In June of 1963, Cliff Richard & Shadows producer Norrie Paramour came up to Birmingham to audition local beat groups at the Moat House Club in the Bull Ring. Of the 13 bands that had been recommended, five including the Nightriders were signed-up by Paramour to the Columbia Records label. Mike Sheridan & The Nightriders first record release was Tell Me What You're Gonna Do but in late 1963, Brian Cope left the group and was replaced by Greg Masters from Nechells who had played in The Dominators and The G Men. The next single to be recorded by the Nightriders at the famous Abbey Road Studios in London was Please Mister Postman (recorded on 22nd November 1963 - the same day President Kennedy was assassinated) and although it didn't chart it sold well locally and gained the band much attention. The Nightriders respected lead guitar player, Big Al Johnson, left the band in 1964 after appointing a young successor by the name of Roy Wood. Roy Wood was born in Birmingham on November 8, 1947. He started playing drums and harmonica at an early age, turning to the guitar when he was about 14 after being influenced by instrumental groups such as The Shadows and The Ventures. Six months later he had joined his first band called The Falcons and was playing Chuck Berry and Little Richard style rock 'n' roll. It was at about this time that Roy Wood first started to write songs, and by 1963 had joined Gerry Levene and The Avengers, a group that also included future Moody Blues drummer Graeme Edge. Roy Wood's association with the Avengers lasted only for about four months before he left to join Mike Sheridan's Nightriders. He answered an advertisement in the Birmingham Post & Mail that read WANTED... LEAD GUITARIST TO JOIN PRO. GROUP . MUST HAVE FENDER GUITAR, VOX AMP AND BINSON ECHO. Roy Wood was chosen out of about a dozen applicants and his talent as a guitarist and singer became immediately noticable. He also introduced comedy into the Nightriders act on stage by doing Donovan and Dusty Springfield impressions while wearing a suitable wig! The first Nightriders single to be recorded with Roy Wood on guitar and backing vocal was What A Sweet Thing That Was/Fabulous released at the end of 1964. In early 1965, Mike Sheridan & The Nightriders, like many British groups in the early 1960's went over to Germany to undertake some bookings. When they returned, another single Here I Stand/Lonely Weekends was released in 1965, and the group's name was changed to become Mike Sheridan's Lot. On the next Nightriders single Take My Hand, Roy Wood alternated on lead vocal with Mike Sheridan. Make Them Understand was the B-side and is significant by being Roy Wood's first songwriting effort to be published. Although not an exceptional composition, it does feature some excellent guitar work but Mike Sheridan, not Roy Wood sang the vocal on it. After the release and subsequent failure of the excellent Don't Turn Your Back On Me single in early 1966 (a song written by American composer Jackie De Shannon and recorded with future Pink Floyd producer Norman Smith ), Roy Wood left the band to become a founding member of B irmingham's hit group The Move His place was taken by Johnny Mann from Carl Wayne and The Vikings and Mike Sheridan carried on as the frontman for a short time before also leaving. With Mike Sheridan's departure, the group's name was abbreviated to the Nightriders although Johnny Mann decided to leave soon after and a young guitarist named Jeff Lynne who lived in Shard End, joined the band in response to an advertisement in the local paper. Lynne's first group was called The Andicaps and he had also previously been a member of the Chads (originally known as The Sundowners). After the release of a final Nightriders single, the band was re-named The Idle Race and a change in musical direction followed (see Idle Race). Mike Sheridan continued to perform around the Midlands for a while as Mike Sheridan's New Lot with a line-up of his consisting of Joe Dignam on drums, guitarists Pete Oliver and Terry Wallace (see Carl Wayne and The Vikings) and Colin Timmins on bass guitar. They released a single in 1966 and Mike Sheridan later joined up with Move bass player Rick Price to form the group Sheridan-Price with whom he also recorded an album (see Sight and Sound). Mike Sheridan retired from music in the early 70's to start a successful business selling potatoes. In the 1980's he returned with a new Nightriders band playing 1960's style music and he's still a well known and much respected performer in the Birmingham area along with his wife Suzi Sheridan. Today's line-up of the Nightriders include Rod Godwin who has worked with Jimmy Powell, Cathedral and Coventry band Jigsaw as well as many others including Badfinger. The line-up also features veteran musicians Phil Middleton and Nick Cripps. With Special Thanks to Copyright -© John R Woodhouse Brum Beat Compiled by Keith Law

Carl Barron and The Cheetahs

Keith Law — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 13:13:51 +0000

Birmingham Carl Barron (Colin Smith) lead vocal (left in 1963) Euan Rose drums Nigel Wright guitar Rodney Wright bass guitarlead vocal (joined in 1964) This West Midlands group were one of the five to be signed up by Columbia Records producer Norrie Paramour at the famous Moathouse Club auditions in 1963. They were previously known as The Eko's, a group originally put together in Longbridge by the brothers Nigel and Rodney Wright. The Eko's had formed in 1961 and that group had also included bass guitarist Roy Austin who left to join the Birmingham group The Rockin' Berries over in Germany. After lead vocalist Bobby Ash also left the Eko's in 1963, the remaining group members enlisted singer Carl Barron from Jimmy Powell's old group The Detours to be the group's new front-man. Carl Barron (real name Colin Smith) was previously the singer for the Dominettes (see The Uglys) and his place in that group was taken by Steve Gibbons. Bobby Ash meanwhile, joined the Diplomats for a short time before being offered the job of singer for the Plazents, a group that would later be signed to a record deal by the Decca Records label and change their name to the Brumbeats. As well as getting their new singer, the Eko's decided that a new image for the group was required to make them stand out from all the other groups so they hit on the idea to have stage outfits made from a leopard-print material. This new appearance on stage certainly got them noticed more and soon after, a name change was decided upon to go along with the new visual image and so they became Carl Barron and The Cheetahs. It was not long before Carl Barron and The Cheetahs were finding bookings all over Birmingham and their popularity grew to a point that they were able to make an appearance on the popular BBC television show For Teenagers Only. The groups' big chance for fame came in June of 1963 when they were auditioned and signed by Norrie Paramour to a Columbia Records recording contract. Their first release was a single in January 1964 entitled Only The Beginning (a recording sometimes mistakenly attributed to Carl Wayne of the Vikings). Despite this success, the Cheetahs front-man Carl Barron unexpectedly left the country, never to return, soon after the release of the single. With their future now in doubt The Cheetahs were unceremoniously dropped from their EMI/Columbia contract but undaunted, the Cheetahs decided to carry on with Ray Bridger recruited as the group's new vocalist. The suitably abbreviated Cheetahs - still sporting their leopard print outfits then managed to attract the attention of the Phillips Records label who fortunately saw the potential of the group and signed them to a contract in 1964. The first record release from the new line-up of the Cheetahs was a Gene Pitney cover entitled Mecca that managed to gain a No. 36 chart placing in October of 1964. The next single release Soldier Boy, also managed a chart placing, but subsequent records including Whole Lotta Love which was an original composition by the group, made little impact. and the Cheetahs had retired their act along with the leopard-print suits for good before the end of the 1960's. Cheetahs drummer Euan Rose remained involved in the music business and has recently collaborated with well known Brummie personality and Brum Rocked! author Laurie Hornsby in writing the music for and staging the theatrical production Wallop Mrs. Cox which has been performed successfully in Birmingham. With Special Thanks to Copyright -© John R Woodhouse Brum Beat Compiled by Keith Law

The Hellions

Keith Law — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 13:16:28 +0000

Worcester Jim Capaldi drums, lead vocal Gordon Jackson rhythm guitar, vocal Dave Mason lead guitar, vocal (joined in 1964) Dave Meredith bass guitar, vocal John "Poli" Palmer drums, flute, vibes (joined in 1965) This talented group was a part of the thriving Worcester beat scene in the early 1960s. Some of the members went on to be involved in the formation of well known and internationally acclaimed bands. The Hellions were formed in 1963 when Jim Capaldi (born August 2, 1944 in Evesham of Italian parents) who had formerly played drums in a local group called The Sapphires, got together with guitarists Gordon Jackson from a band called Unit Five and Dave Mason who was previously in a local band called The Jaguars. Dave Mason (born May 10, 1946 in Worcester) was already known locally as a member of The Jaguars, a group that included guitarist Michael Mann and drummer Roger Moss. The Jaguars, heavily influenced by groups such as The Shadows, played mostly instrumental numbers and had taken the initiative to finance the recording of their own limited edition single which they sold at their shows and by word-of-mouth. This "independent" method of recording and distribution is common today but at that time was quite revolutionary. The early Hellions line-up tried several bass guitarists before Dave Meredith from an Evesham band called The Wavelengths was chosen to fill the position. By 1964, the Hellions were becoming well known around Worcester and performed regularly at the Flamingo Coffee Bar. The Hellions "turned professional" and accepted an engagement at the famous Star Club in Hamburg, Germany in August of 1964 as backing group to Walsall singer Tanya Day who was a minor celebrity at the time after an appearance on Thank Your Lucky Stars. The working conditions at the club were gruelling but the hard work paid off and the band became a much tighter unit due to the long hours of performing. Sharing the same hotel as the Hellions were fellow Midlanders The Spencer Davis Group whose young vocalist Steve Winwood, found much in common musically with Jim Capaldi and Dave Mason. After returning from Germany, The Hellions soon established a reputation as a musically proficient act and they were hired to provide backing to visiting celebrities such as Adam Faith and Dave Berry. By the end of 1964, the group had made the right connections to secure them a residency at the trendy Whisky-A-Go-Go Club in London where they were seen by visiting American record producer Kim Fowley and songwriter Jackie De Shannon who was at that time writing hits for The Searchers. Jackie was impressed enough by the group to offer them a song to record and helped to arrange a contract for the Hellions with Piccadilly Records, a subsidiary of Pye. The Hellions 1965 The Hellions first single, entitled Daydreaming Of You, composed by De Shannon, was produced by Kim Fowley, who had previously worked with Birmingham's Rockin' Berries and would later produce the N'Betweens (later to become Slade). The Hellions record was certainly commercial and had an American west coast feel, but neither it or two other underrated singles released by the band in 1965 managed to reach the charts. However, a Hellions composition Shades Of Blue was recorded by lablemates The Rockin' Berries as a track on their first album. Though success in the charts was not forthcoming, the Hellion's work schedule remained busy and they soon went on tour to back the notorious American vocalist P.J. Proby. John "Poli" Palmer joined the band on drums later in the year which allowed Jim Capaldi to front the band as vocalist. By 1966 with business expenses mounting, The Hellions moved back to Worcester, but the local scene had changed while the group were away in London. In a comeback attempt, the band's name was changed to The Revolution in time for the release of the group's fourth single entitled Hallelujah. By this time Dave Mason had left but undaunted, Jim Capaldi brought guitarist Luther Grosvenor (born 23 December, 1949 in Evesham) into the line-up and the band's name was changed to Deep Feeling (see Deep Feeling). With Special Thanks to Brum Beat Copyright -© John R Woodhouse and to Gordon Jackson for assistance in writing this feature. Compiled by Keith Law

Johnny Neil and The Starliners

Keith Law — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 13:17:53 +0000

Birmingham Johnny Neal Johnny Neal lead vocal Dario Capaldi saxophone Dave Rowe drums Graham Dunnet guitar, vocal Ian "Monk" Mutch bass guitar, organ, vocal Terry Franks drums Jon Fox bass guitar, vocal Roger "Moon" Shaw guitar Keith Dolloway guitar John Beresford saxophone Jim Alexandra saxophone Paul Brunt guitar Malcolm Priddy drums John Andrews Hammond organ Stuart "Tiny Tim" Duncan bass guitar Pete Oliver guitar Mike Ellis bass guitar Alan Wishart Alan "Clog" Clifford keyboard Barry Gray bass guitar Mike Burney saxophone Paul Carter saxophone Ian Boyle trumpet Roger Craythorne drums Geoff Nicholls guitar, keyboard Peter Wright bass guitar Malcolm Davies drums Chris Lawson drums Danny Ryan piano Roger "Spanner" Spencer drums Tony Finnister drums Geoff Parkes bass guitar Bob Hanson guitar Graham Sidderly keyboards Colin Phillips saxophone Freddy Chandler saxophone Mike Carter guitar John Collins saxophone Bob Kimberley piano Rod Marsh bass guitar Phil Nelson guitar Dermot Ryan saxophone SOUTH AFRICAN STARLINERS: Tony Geden organ, guitar Allan Clarke bass guitar Uri Smit drums Myles Dowley keyboards Pete Saltau drums Ernie Hastie guitar Mike Hastie bass guitar Nigel Gedden guitar On completion of his National Service with the 9th Queens Royal Lancers in 1955, vocalist Johnny Neal, who learnt his trade with the regimental band, was one of the first (if not the first) to appear both locally and nationally on the new emerging TV network which was in its infancy. He appeared on shows such as Lunch Box (presented by Noele Gordon); Come Dancing (from the Casino Ballroom Birmingham); and Palais Party Night from Hammersmith Palais Ballroom, London. Around this time, he featured on the Carroll Levis Show at the Birmingham Hippodrome and teamed up with the Mike Jacks Trio who were also appearing. Rock 'N Roll was just taking off and Johnny added his old school chum Eddie Pepall on guitar and Alan Jaeger (saxophone) to the group, thus forming the first authentic Rock 'N Roll group in the city (everyone else was playing skiffle). A little later, they became "Johnny Neal and The Houn'dogs". The line up was Johnny (vocals), Mike Jacks (piano), drummer Brian Sharp (who later joined The Rockin' Jaymen), Ronnie Hughes (double bass), Eddie Pepall (guitar) and Alan Jaegar (sax). They did the pilot for a Rock 'N Roll Show for ATV and a little later the ATV Christmas show itself which was called Roll Back The Carpet, together with Pat Wayne and The Deltas. Johnny and The Houn'dogs - Mark 2 - also appeared on the Carroll Levis TV Show - the line up now was Johnny (vocals), Eddie Pepall, Brian Page and Tony Moore (guitars), Phil Moore (drums), and Brian Draper (piano). Johnny Neal and The Starliners in 1962 The Starliners were Johnny Neal's next backing group and they had been formed about 1960 by original drummer Mal Davies. Graham Dunnet was the guitarist and Dario Capaldi played saxophone (there was no regular bass guitarist at that time). Johnny met The Starliners at the Sailors Return Pub and soon became their leader as they had no regular vocalist. Dave Rowe replaced Mal Davies on drums while Johnny Neal brought in pianist Ian "Monk" Mutch who also became the Starliners bass guitarist. Johnny Neal became a leader in the sixties movement with his new backing band and new manager Reg Calvert (who was also managing fellow Brum group The Fortunes). Reg Calvert sent Johnny Neal and The Starliners over to Hamburg, Germany where they took over The Beatles position at the legendary Star Club. While there, Tony Sheridan "borrowed" drummer Dave Rowe who ended up staying with Sheridan so was replaced by Londoner Terry "Franksie" Franks. Brownhills vocalist Tanya Day was also backed by The Starliners at the club. She introduced the band to The Beatles which resulted in Johnny Neal, The Beatles, and American singer Gene Vincent all getting "legless" at the pub next door! Dario Capaldi would later leave The Starliners to join Pat Wayne's Beachcombers. As well as appearing at Birmingham's Plaza Ballroom in Handsworth, Johnny Neal and The Starliners went on to entertain at various US bases throughout France where they also backed singer Paul Raven (later to become Gary Glitter) before returning to Birmingham and signing up with a new manager (who Johnny says was the best ever) - John Singer. After the Starliners returned from France, guitarist Graham Dunnet left and emigrated to Canada. He formed a group in Toronto called Dee and The Yeomen who were very successful locally and had several singles released in Canada. To read more about Dee and The Yeomen, visit their official website at www.geocities.com/deeman57. Although Johnny Neal and The Starliners had earlier recorded some songs for Decca Records (none of which were ever released), John Singer signed them to the Pye Records label in 1965 which resulted in the release of a single entitled And I Will Love You - an original song composed by Starliners guitarist Keith Dolloway. The B-side of the single Walk Baby Walk, was composed by American Air Force base employee Con Rich who offered the song to Johnny Neal when they visited the base in France during 1962. Despite its distribution in many countries, this was unfortunately the only record release by the group during the 1960s. Various "Starliners" came and went over the years, including Jon Fox (see Jon Fox and The Hunters and Cathedral, Keith Dolloway, "Moon" Shaw, Paul Brunt, Malcolm Priddy, John Andrews, Peter Wright, Stuart Duncan (Tiny Tim), Pete Oliver (Dead Legs), Mike Ellis (The Swede), Alan "Doog" Wishart and Alan "Clog" Clifford etc. The later 1960s saw the formation of "The Johnny Neal Sound" which was a rhythm and blues line-up including various "Starliners" as well as Mike Burney (later to join Roy Wood's Wizzard) and Paul Carter on saxophones, plus Ian Boyle on trumpet. Spencer Davis described The Johnny Neal Sound as "equal to the best of any hip London band" but despite successful appearances at the Cedar Club and Birmingham Town Hall, the line-up didn't last due to the financial difficulty in supporting a seven piece band. By the end of the 1960s Johnny Neal's Starliners consisted of bass guitarist Barry Gray, drummer Roger Craythorne who had played in a band called "Sun Trolley", and Geoff Nicholls (doubling on guitar and keyboards) who was previously in a West Midlands group called The World of Oz. Johnny Neal and The Starliners in 1970 In October 1970, Johnny Neal got the biggest break of his career - an appearance on Hughie Green's "Opportunity Knocks" TV Show, with the highest viewership of any other programme, eclipsing even "Coronation Street" and for 6 weeks "Johnny and the Starliners" were seen live by an audience of between 18 - 22 million people weekly. This was massive exposure - especially as Don Arden (see The Move) had seen the show, signed them up to a management contract, and rush-released their hit single entitled Put Your Hand In The Hand. This lead to other TV shows and BBC Radio One etc. topping the bill at cabaret venues around Britain and abroad. Geoff Nicholls eventually left The Starliners and joined the Birmingham group Quartz and later Black Sabbath. Barry Gray went to Canada, and Roger Craythorn is now in South Africa. Peter Wright (ex Trapeze) joined on bass guitar and was later replaced by Rex Harris (now in Australia). In 1974 Johnny formed yet another Starliner backing band and was given a dream gig to open the Five Star "Monomatapa Hotel" in Rhodesia. The Starliners returned to Birmingham after a year but Johnny remained and married his Rhodesian wife Maggie. Johnny Neal settled in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) and recorded some singles there for the South African TEAL record label - two of which were hits. To this day, Johnny Neal is still working at selective engagements on the Five Star hotel circuit in Africa as a solo artist in between commuting to Birmingham where he is an ardent "Bluenose" (life-long fan of Birmingham City Football Club) and like the Blues he will "KEEP RIGHT ON TO THE END OF THE ROAD!" With Special Thanks to Brum Beat Copyright -© John R Woodhouse to Johnny Neal for supplying text and photos (selected from Johnny Neal's official biography and reproduced with permission). Copyright -© Johnny Neal Compiled by Keith Law

Deep Feeling

Keith Law — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 13:18:50 +0000

Worcester Jim Capaldi lead vocal Luther Grosvenor lead guitar, vocal Gordon Jackson guitar, drums, vocal Dave Meredith bass guitar, vocal Poli Palmer drums, vibes and flute At a time in the mid 1960s when pop music styles were radically changing, there were a number of West Midlands groups leading the new revolution. Though short-lived, Deep Feeling were without doubt, one of the bands at the cutting edge of this new revolution. Despite the talent and obvious potential of this line-up, events would terminate the group before they found major success. Deep Feeling were previously known as The Hellions, a well known Worcester-based band which had included guitarist Dave Mason. The Deep Feeling were fronted by former Hellions drummer/vocalist Jim Capaldi with the other members comprising of lead guitarist Luther Grosvenor, Gordon Jackson on rhythm guitar, bass guitarist David Meredith and drummer/vibes player John "Poli" Palmer. The band started using the name Deep Feeling in 1966 (some sources claim Dave Mason was in the group but Dave was never part of the Deep Feeling line-up). Deep Feeling concentrated on performing around the Birmingham area and managed to build up quite a following. They also started playing a heavier, psychedelic-influenced style of music with Jim Capaldi, Gordon Jackson and Poli Palmer all writing original songs for the group. A number of tracks were recorded in the studio by the band but the only one released to-date has been the Capaldi/Jackson/Palmer composition Pretty Colours. All the band members sang and Gordon Jackson would substitute on drums when Poli Palmer was playing vibes or flute. The Deep Feeling made regular trips down to London. Gordon Jackson recalls a night when the band were playing at a London club called "Knuckles". They were approached by former Animals bass guitarist Chas Chandler who had just arrived back from the USA with a young black guitar player whom he now managed. Chas persuaded the members of Deep Feeling to let the American guitarist go on stage with them to play a set. The band reluctantly agreed but were soon amazed by the skill and brilliance of the unknown musician and later discovered they had participated in the first performance of Jimi Hendrix on a British stage. Meanwhile, former Hellions guitarist Dave Mason, drifted in and out of various groups, eventually taking the job of road manager/roadie with his old friends The Spencer Davis Group. There was a hip new club in Birmingham called The Elbow Room on Aston's High Street in Birmingham. It was there where Jim Capaldi and Dave Mason along with Steve Winwood from the Spencer Davis Group would sometimes get together on stage with saxophone/flute player Chris Wood from Cradley Heath who had played in an early line-up of the Birmingham group Chicken Shack and was currently in a band called Locomotive. In this way, the Elbow Room became the setting for the formation of a new band and by early 1967, Steve Winwood had left the Spencer Davis Group and along with Jim Capaldi, Dave Mason, and Chris Wood, had formed the first line-up of Traffic (see Traffic). With Jim Capaldi's departure, the other members of Deep Feeling decided not to continue without their front-man and so went on to other musical projects. Poli Palmer joined a band called Blossom Toes and later became a member of the highly acclaimed progressive rock outfit "Family". Luther Grosvenor went on to become a founding member of Spooky Tooth and also played in Mott The Hoople during the early 1970s under the alias of "Ariel Bender". Gordon Jackson recorded a brilliant but under-promoted solo album in 1968 which had musical contributions by Steve Winwood, Jim Capaldi and Dave Mason. After spending time in various other bands he went on to work in a non-performing capacity for Steve Winwood. With Special Thanks to Brum Beat Copyright -© John R Woodhouse and to Gordon Jackson for assistance in writing this feature. Compiled by Keith Law

The Brumbeats

Keith Law — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 13:20:03 +0000

Birmingham Buddy Ash (Graham Ashford) lead vocal Paul Carter saxophone Alan "Bugsy" Eastwood drums Graham Gallery bass guitar, vocal Roger Hill guitar, vocal Tony Carter guitar, vocal This Birmingham group came very close to making a breakthrough into the record charts early in 1964. They were originally called The Plazents and their name was derived from Mary Regan's well known Plaza Ballroom in Old Hill where the band became the resident act. The Plazents were formed in Erdington by drummer Dave Mountney (from the Beachcombers), guitarists Graham Gallery and Roger Hill (both previously with a group called Bobby & The Dominators) while saxophonist Paul Carter came from Northfield. By 1963, The Plazents had enlisted Buddy Ash from Smethwick, formerly of The Eko's and the Diplomats, as their lead vocalist. While at the Plaza, the group were able to back some well known visiting American artists such as Tommy Roe, Jerry Lee Lewis, Chris Montez, The Ronettes, and many more. The positive response to the Plazents from the Plaza regulars was such that they were signed to a recording contract by Decca Records in July 1963 although it would not be until September before they could go into the studio due to bass guitarist Graham Gallery having a bout with pneumonia. Decca also told the group to get another drummer so Dave Mountney was replaced by Alan Eastwood. In order to capitalize on the so called "Mersey Beat" mania that was sweeping the country at that time, the term "Brum Beat" was being used by some promoters as a means of advertising West Midlands groups that had recently been signed-up. In light of this, Decca Records decided that The Plazents name should be changed to The Brumbeats prior to the release of their first single (Note: there was also another 1960's group in Birmingham called "The Brum Beats" whose vocalist Norman Haines would later join the group Locomotive). Decca Records chose a great song for the A-side of the Brumbeats first record release that had been composed by the group themselves. The track was called I Don't Understand and the recording was done very much in the style of the Mersey Sound while also considered as a potential record for well known singer Billy Fury. The song was actually composed by the Brumbeats singer Buddy Ash (Graham Ashford) who wrote the lyrics with the music composed by bass guitarist Graham Gallery. Despite radio and TV appearances on shows like "Thank Your Lucky Stars" I Don't Understand did not manage to become a hit although many copies were sold in Birmingham record shops. As well as providing support for visiting acts, the Brumbeats had often appeared on the same bill as the Beatles whenever they played in the Birmingham area. The Brumbeats similarity in their sound to The Beatles was not lost on Decca Records as they were involved in a project that resulted in the release of a rare 15-track album of Beatles songs as performed by "The Merseyboys" which was really the Brumbeats under a different name. The album was also released in the U.S.A. on the famous Vee-Jay Records label - one of the first American labels to promote records by The Beatles. Despite having recorded a number of other songs for Decca, the Brumbeats unfortunately broke up in early 1965 before further singles could be released. Graham Gallery joined the Rockin' Berries for a short time and later became a member of the Midland Light Orchestra. He also worked with the famous Move and Wizzard performer Roy Wood during the 1970s. Graham also composed the well-known theme tune for the ATV program "Crossroads". Unfortunately, Graham Gallery passed away sometime during the 1980s. Guitarist Roger Hill went on to other Birmingham bands which included The Uglys and later re-uniting with former Brumbeats drummer Alan Eastwood in The Exception. Buddy Ash formed his own new group that was named The Bobby Ash Sound. With Special Thanks to Brum Beat Copyright © John R Woodhouse an to Graham Ashford for assistance in writing the Brumbeats biography. Compiled by Keith Law

Keith Powell and The Valets

Keith Law — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 13:21:10 +0000

Birmingham Keith Powell lead singer (left 1965) John Allsebrook bass guitar (left in 1965) Mal Ford organ Phil Gaynor saxophone Mal Ritter drums Colin Wood guitar (left in 1966) Steve Horton bass guitar (joined in 1965) Dave Spencer guitar (joined in 1966) Keith Powell came from Bordesley Green and being brought up in a showbusiness family, was performing regularly as a singer by the age of 14. His first real group was called The Ramrods who started making appearances around Birmingham by about 1960. Keith Powell was a talented singer and performer while also having the good looks to attract a large female following. With his father Jim as manager, Powell was soon fronting his own group called the Jaymen. Jim Powell was also a well known promoter and head of JCS Productions which brought well known acts from all over the country to play in Birmingham. Keith Powell saw musical limitations within The Jaymen and left to join another Birmingham group The Vikings and become their lead singer (see Carl Wayne and The Vikings). By 1961, Keith Powell and The Vikings were getting bookings all across the country and the pace was such that Keith Powell, feeling exhaustion, decided to take a few weeks off to rest. It was during this time that singer Carl Wayne was brought in as a temporary replacement but ended up staying permanently and with manager Jim's approval the group became known as Keith Powell, Carl Wayne and The Vikings. Inevitably this arrangement didn't last and because of rivalry, Keith Powell left the Vikings who continued without him. During the interlude, Keith Powell experimented with songwriting but before long he was fronting a new group named The Valets - so called because they had originally assembled to back local singer Bobby Valentine as "Bobby Valentine and The Valettes". Promoters usually ended up misspelling the name to "Valets" so to avoid confusion, the name was abbreviated to "Keith Powell and The Valets. The Valets included keyboarder Mal Ford who had played in Pat Wayne's group 'The Deltas' (see Pat Wayne and The Beachcombers), John Allsebrook on bass guitar, saxophonist Phil Gaynor, drummer Mal Ritter, and Colin Wood on rhythm/lead guitar. The band quickly established themselves as a top live attraction in Birmingham and in June of 1963, Keith Powell and The Valets were one of the groups to be signed up by EMI Columbia Records producer Norrie Paramour at the Moat House Club auditions. Keith Powell and The Valets' first single composed by EMI's Bob Barratt Come On And Join The Party, was a high-energy rocker that should have stormed the charts while the flip side was the more sedate The Answer Is No. The record got quite a bit of radio play and gained the group appearances on TV shows like 'Thank Your Lucky Stars', but did not sell quite enough copies to make the record charts. The same reaction was met with their second single Tore Up/You'd Better Let Him Go and released early in 1964. Despite touring all over the country and getting a great reaction from their stage-show, Keith Powell and The Valets were unable to get that all-important "hit record". By the end of 1964 after a third great single had somehow missed the charts, Keith Powell had decided on a solo career and signed to the Pye subsidiary Piccadilly Records label under Rockin' Berries producer John Schroeder who intended to capitalize on Powell's powerful and distinctive vocal talent. Backed by top session musicians, one of Keith Powell's first solo releases Goodbye Girl was impressive and well produced, becoming a hit unofficially on pirate radio stations, but subsequent singles were less successful and as a last attempt he teamed up with singer Billie Davis. They released three singles together, the last of which Swingin' Tight was good enough to make the charts but unfortunately didn't and thereafter Keith Powell faded from the scene. He did however, maintain a healthy career as a singer which included radio shows with the Geoff Gough Big Band as well as many years in cabaret touring various countries. Meanwhile, The Valets underwent some changes which included the replacement of John Allsebrook with Steve Horton from Denny Laine's old backing group The Diplomats. Also in 1966, guitarist Colin Wood left to go to Australia (where he today runs his own publishing business) and the Valets became "The Showman", backing local singers Gordon and Janet-Anne Andrews. Mal Ford later led his own band and eventually moved into promotion and artiste management, a business that he continues to operate successfully to this day. With Special Thanks to Brum Beat Copyright © John R Woodhouse and to Mal Ford and Colin Wood for their assistance in writing this feature. Compiled by Keith Law

Young Blood

Keith Law — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 13:22:41 +0000

Birmingham Ken Aston vocal Pete Ball organ Roy Black bass guitar Chris Moore guitar Cozy Powell drums (left in 1968) Mac Poole drums (joined in 1968) This Birmingham-based group was previously known as The Sorcerers and are significant as being the first band to feature the famous and influential rock drummer Cozy Powell. The band was formed in the mid 1960s and included singer Ken Aston, organist Pete Ball, bass guitarist Roy Black, guitarist Chris Moore, and drummer Colin Powell. Pete Ball grew up in a musical family and his older brother Dennis (Denny) was already playing in well known Birmingham singer Danny King's group The Mayfair Set by the time The Sorcerers were formed. Pete also had another brother Dave who played guitar in a group called The Madding Crowd. Colin "Cozy" Powell was born in the Cotswolds town of Cirencester on December 29, 1947 and started playing drums at an early age. After playing in various local groups, he left school at age 16 to "turn professional" and joined a West Midlands group called The Sorcerers in 1965. Like many British groups at that time, The Sorcerers were soon touring over in Germany where they remained for about three years. The band later accepted an engagement to play at an American Air Force base over in Turkey. While in Germany, The Sorcerers recorded three singles starting in 1966 that were released on various obscure German labels. One track, Baby Lass Uns Tanzen Gehn, was sung in German, while another, Love Is A Beautiful Thing, was a cover of a Young Rascals song. These records are today extremely rare and command high prices. Upon returning to Britain, The Sorcerers name was changed to Young Blood and they undertook extensive bookings throughout the Birmingham area which included regular rehearsals at Weoley Castle Square community centre. In early 1968, the group were signed to the Pye Records label and the first Young Blood single, the energetic Green Light was released in March of that year. The song was originally recorded by British chart act The Equals and was composed by their guitarist Eddy Grant who years later would enjoy much success as a solo artist. The B-side of the Young Blood single was an original composition titled Don't Leave Me In The Dark and credited to Dennis Ball (Pete's brother) from the Mayfair Set. Although Green Light did not become a hit, Pye Records released three more Young Blood singles between 1968 and 1969 which included versions of The Archies Bang-Shang-A-Lang and The Beatles The Continuing Story Of Bungalow Bill from their famous "White Album" double-set. Although the records were chart-friendly and well produced, Cozy Powell became dissatisfied with the Young Blood's perceived "bubblegum" image and became restless to find a more suitable outlet for his powerful drumming style. By late 1968, he had left the group to join a new band that was being put together by Pete Ball's brother Dennis from The Mayfair set. The new group was to feature ex-Move bass guitarist Chris "Ace" Kefford as lead vocalist (see the Ace Kefford Stand). Following Cozy Powell's departure, drummer Mac Poole who was from a Birmingham group called The Hush was brought in as a replacement but Young Blood continued for only a short time after this and had broken up by 1969 Pete Ball re-joined Cozy Powell when he became a member of the Ace Kefford Stand along with his brother Denny Ball. Compiled By Keith Law

Breakthru

Keith Law — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 13:24:37 +0000

Sutton Coldfield Keith Abingdon guitar, vocal Gary Aflalo lead vocal Bobby Booth bass guitar (left in 1968) Geoff Garratley Hammond organ, vocal (left in 1969) Jim Leyland drums (left in 1968) Frank Farrell bass guitar (joined in 1968) Richard Thomas drums (joined in 1968) Bill Hunt Hammond organ (joined in 1969) "Psychedelic Soul" was one name invented by reviewers in an attempt to describe the style of music performed by this high-energy West Midlands band. The Breakthru were a popular live attraction who made several notable appearances at outdoor music festivals. Breakthru were formed in 1967 as a professional group and were based in Sutton Coldfield. The members came from a couple of young semi-pro bands; The Clampets who were an R&B band from the Kingshurst area of Birmingham, and The Set who were a pop group from Castle Bromwich. The original members of Breakthru were Keith "Smoke" Abingdon (guitar), Bobby Booth (bass guitar), Geoff Garratley (Hammond organ), and drummer Jim Leyland. Breakthru were fronted by the charismatic and afro-equipped Gary Aflalo who more than filled the position of lead vocalist. Gigs were booked by the Richardson Entertainments agency of Birmingham. The original concept of the band was to establish an exciting live act that would combine soul and Tamla standards with self-composed progressive music. Some reviewers who attended a Breakthru performance would describe the band's music as "Psychedelic Soul" which was probably a good description of it for that time. The Breakthru soon became a popular live act who played most of the well known local venues in Birmingham and throughout West Midlands. The group also had a residency at London's Marquee Club as well as playing bookings all over the U.K. which included performances at outdoor music festivals. Breakthru By 1968 there were a few changes to the Breakthru line-up with Jim Leyland leaving to be replaced by drummer Richard "Plug" Thomas, and Frank Farrell replacing Bobby Booth on bass guitar. A significant booking for the band was the Woburn Abbey "Festival of Flower Children" held in August of 1967. This three day event also included such famous names as The Jimi Hendrix Experience, The Bee Gees, Eric Burdon, and The Small Faces amongst others. The festival was hosted by the influential British DJ John Peel (film footage of this concert still exists). Breakthru also performed at the highly-rated Plumpton and National Jazz and Blues festivals (for more information, check out The Archive - an excellent website that profiles the great UK rock festivals from 1960 to 1975). Breakthru were signed to the Mercury Records label in 1968 for whom they recorded a single. The A-side entitled Ice Cream Tree was composed by Tom Loach, while the B-side Julius Caesar was a song composed by the bands' manager Russell Thomas. According to drummer Richard Thomas, the record was not a good representation of the band's sound at that time. The single was released in November of 1968 but apparently had no success in the record charts. A follow-up single Peer Gynt remained unreleased. Breakthru Get Back on the roof of Nelson House One of the more unusual performances by the band was a gig played on the roof of Nelson House clothing shop on Birmingham's Bull Street. This ground-breaking event was organized to drum up publicity for the opening of the new store and it pre-dated the Beatles famous rooftop concert by a year! 1969 saw more changes to the Breakthru line-up when Birmingham School of Music graduate Bill Hunt replaced Geoff Garratley on the Hammond organ. The recording of a proposed Breakthru album of original material for Mercury Records was well underway during 1969 but unfortunately nothing was ever released due to the cancellation of the band's recording contract. In 1970, the group toured Europe but disbanded shortly after returning to the U.K. with the various members going in their own musical directions. Gary Aflalo went on to a lead role in the famous musical Hair in 1971. Frank Farell (now deceased) played bass guitar with the successful progressive rock band Supertramp and later worked with Leo Sayer co-composing his No. 1 hit record Moonlighting. Keith Abingdon carried on as a working musician and composer. Bill Hunt became part of the first live line-up of the Electric Light Orchestra (see The Move) and later became a member of Roy Wood's chart-topping band Wizzard. He is now a music teacher. Richard Thomas moved to London and worked with American guitarist Joe Jammer before joining the respected prog-rock band Jonesy with whom he recorded three albums. In 1974, Richard Thomas formed the group "Gold" who were originally a pop act but later became one of the most successful bands to record advertising "jingles" during the 1980s. Richard also formed a recording group with former Breakthru band-mate Keith Abingdon called "Spot The Dog" under which name they released a couple of good (though non-charting) singles during the early 1980s. Richard is still a full-time musician and song writer, also producing music for TV. With Special Thanks to Brum Beat Copyright Â© John R Woodhouse and to Richard Thomas for assistance in preparing this Breakthru biography and photographer Barry Gonen who has supplied wonderful photos of the band. Compiled by Keith Law

The Andicaps

Keith Law — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 13:27:04 +0000

Shard End, Birmingham The Andicaps in 1963 Jeff Lynne guitar (left in 1965) Rob Reader bass guitar (left in 1964) Dave Walsh drums (left in 1964) Dave Watson guitar John Kerton lead vocal (joined in 1964) Kevin "Kex" Gorin drums (joined in 1964) Dave Merrick bass guitar (joined 1964 - left 1966) William Watson harmonica (joined 1964 - left 1965) Jake Commander guitar (joined in 1965) Malcolm Garner bass guitar (joined in 1966) Mike Heard lead guitar (joined in 1966) The Andicaps were formed in early 1963 by four teenagers who lived in the Shard End area of Birmingham. Bass guitarist Robert Reader and drummer David Walsh were both pupils at Alderlea Boys Secondary School. The guitarists David Watson and Jeffrey Lynne both lived on Shard End Crescent. Jeff Lynne was born in Birmingham on December 30, 1947 and lived with his parents in a council house at 368 Shard End Crescent. While a schoolboy, Jeff went to a Del Shannon concert at Birmingham Town Hall and was so impressed, that joining a band became his main ambition. Roy Orbison was another early influence on the young Jeff Lynne as well as Chuck Berry, The Shadows and later of course, The Beatles. Jeff's natural talent for music enabled him to master the piano and guitar and he spent many hours practicing in the front room of his parents house as well as making recordings and experimenting using an old tape recorder. This early experience in home recording would prove valuable later in his career. Jeff Lynne Jeff, Rob and Dave first got together playing Spanish guitars before purchasing cheap electric instruments. What the line-up lacked in financial resources, they certainly made up for in enthusiasm. The band was originally called "The Rockin' Hellcats" but Dave Walsh (who had only a drummer's practice pad) had to save up for a set of drums which resulted in his idea to re-name the group "The Handicaps". This was wisely amended to "The Andicaps" and so avoid offending those with a physical disability. The Andicaps rehearsed regularly at the Shard End Community Centre and it was there where Dave Walsh's dad got them their first gig to play at a dance for which the band was paid the sum of five pounds. The Andicaps were well received so ended up playing there every Friday . At this time, the band performed only instrumental numbers by groups such as The Shadows. Jeff Lynne at that time did not have the confidence to sing in front of an audience and in any case, the band could not afford their own PA system. Dave Walsh remembers; "The Harlequin Pub was roughly halfway between my house and Jeff's. The Modernaires were the resident band and many other groups also played there on Tuesday nights. All the Andicaps were too young to get in so me and Jeff would hang around the doors outside immediately adjacent to the bandstand and were able to get a good listen. It also afforded the opportunity to talk to the bands when they loaded and unloaded their gear into the pub. We were soon able to blag our way in and always stood 'nerdlike' right in front of the band so Jeff could see what "Mo" (Maurice Jones) was playing on lead and I could drool over the subtleties and completely effortless relaxed style of Tony Finnister's playing". The Andicaps It was during his time with the Andicaps that Jeff Lynne first started to write songs. One of his early efforts was an instrumental number written for the band entitled Andicapped but even at this early stage, Jeff showed an interest in classical compositions. The Andicaps performed a version of Tchaikovsky's famous Swan Lake as an up-tempo arrangement apparently entitled "Saturday Night At The Duck Pond" - probably the same as The Cougars record that reached the charts in 1963. However, the Andicaps' performances featured mostly songs that were hit records played on the radio at the time. By now, The Shadows had been replaced by The Beatles as Jeff Lynne's favourite band so many of their songs were incorporated into the Andicaps' shows. A lead singer was now considered an essential part of the band so John Kerton was enlisted as vocalist. The Andicaps started to play many more gigs around Birmingham which included weekly bookings at the Regal Cinema in Handsworth where they played sets in between the Saturday matinee shows. As with many amateur bands who formed at a young age, there was some pressure after leaving school to find "real" jobs. Dave Walsh left the Andicaps in 1964. According to Dave; "Jeff and I were always falling out (nothing new there!) and I was propositioned to join The Boulevards who were rightly regarded as the best band on the Shard End/Kinghurst estate". Dave later helped to form the Brum band Second City Sound who had a hit record in 1966 with the classically-styled Tchaikovsky One. Jeff Lynne soon brought in Kevin "Kex" Gorin on drums and Dave Merrick as bass guitarist to replace Rob Reader who was also leaving. Dave Watson's brother Willie joined the Andicaps for a short time as harmonica player which gave the band a more blues-based sound. Despite winning second place at a local competition for "Band of The Year", Jeff Lynne had musical ambitions that lay beyond what the Andicaps provided and longed to turn "pro" with an established band. It was to this aim that Jeff left the Andicaps at the end of 1964 and joined a well known local group called The Chads (see The Sundowners) as replacement for their departing lead guitarist Mick Adkins. The Andicaps voted to carry on, so after enlisting Jake Commander to replace Jeff Lynne on lead guitar, they got a proper manager and started undertaking many more bookings. The band went over to Germany in May of 1966 with their van having a large Union Jack painted on it. John Kerton recalls; "In Germany we watched England win the World Cup before we went on stage. Lucky for us we did not get beaten up!". The Andicaps also visited Lapland in 1966 becoming only the second British group to perform there. The Andicaps As well as headlining, the Andicaps also opened up for and supported many famous bands and performers who were big at the time. Despite the large amount of bookings undertaken by the band, lead vocalist John Kerton left the group in 1967. By this time, the pop music scene was undergoing some radical changes. Bass guitarist Dave Merrick left the Andicaps and was replaced by Malcolm Garner. Jake Commander also went and was replaced by Mike Heard from the John Bull Breed. Within a year, the remaining Andicaps also decided it was time to explore new musical avenues and the group disbanded. Dave Watson left music to become a successful commercial artist and advertising director. Kex Gorin went on to play drums in the well-known Brum band Magnum whose first album was produced by his former Andicaps bandmate Jake Commander. Jake would also work for the Electric Light Orchestra (E.L.O.) in the 1970s under supervision of former Andicaps leader Jeff Lynne. Malcolm Garner joined the Jasper Stubbs Gloryland Band and later joined The Exception. Original Andicaps drummer Dave Walsh after his time with the Second City Sound, went to live in the USA where he now works as an airline pilot. John Kerton fronted the successful U.K. function band Red Sun who were the resident band at the Birmingham Locarno for eight years. He then went on to become band-leader on the luxury ocean liner Q.E.2. These days, John is Director of his own company JLP Events in the U.K. Jeff Lynne, after his time with The Chads, joined Birmingham's legendary Nightriders who became the psychedelically-styled Idle Race in 1967. From there, he went on to join Roy Wood in The Move. By 1972, The Move had evolved into the Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) and fronted by Jeff Lynne, they became one of the most successful British bands of the 1970s. Jeff's many other musical accomplishments are beyond the scope of this forum, and can be sources on the internet With Special Thanks to Brum Beat Copyright © John R Woodhouse and to John Kerton, Dave Walsh, and Jake Commander for assistance in preparing the Andicaps biography Compiled by Keith Law

Wellington Kitch Jump Band

Keith Law — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 13:31:52 +0000

Birmingham Roger Hall drums (left in 1967) Joe Ellis guitar (left in 1967) John Edwards tenor sax (left in 1966) Bill Clarke bass guitar (left in 1968) John Burnett trumpet (joined 1966, left 1968) Barry Lunn organ (joined 1966, left 1968) John Howells lead vocal (joined 1966, left 1968) Frank Rudge tenor sax (joined 1966, left 1968) John Barry baritone sax (joined 1967, left 1967) Charlie Grima drums (joined 1967, left 1968) Vernon Perriera guitar (joined 1967, left 1968) John Hill bass guitar (joined 1967, left 1968) Bob Chatwin trumpet (joined 1967, left 1968) Frank Fern saxophone (joined 1967, left 1968) Chris Brown organ (joined 1968, left 1968) The band was formed in 1965 when Joe Ellis, Roger Hall, John Edwards and Bill Clarke became the first four members of the group known as "Blues Ensemble". All experienced musicians, they agreed to turn themselves into a top seven-piece outfit playing the best in blues and soul. They kept a look out on the scene and soon added John Burnett, a promising young trumpet player, and organist Barry Lunn, ex Misphits. All that was missing now was the right man to front the band. This position was filled by John Howells who was previously the lead vocalist from the top Wolverhampton group The 'N Betweens (later to become Slade). It was at this point that the band was ready to progress and advance its music. They were approached by Phillips records to cut their first disc with the Walker Brothers' Recording manager Johnnie Walker in charge. In 1967, tenor sax player John Edwards left the band and was replaced by Frank Rudge from Giorgio and Marcos Men. Baritone sax player John Barry joined from The Locomotive boosting the band members to eight but, unfortunately, Joe Ellis left just before the band embarked on their German tour with the new name of "The Wellington Kitch Jump Band" under the successful management of Jim Simpson. Wellington Kitch Jump Band After returning from Germany the band made one more change. Drummer Roger Hall left the band and was replaced by the up and coming Charlie Grima. The band was now being used by top London agents to back American artists on their U.K. tours i.e. The Platters, The Impressions, and the very successful Garnet Mimms. The band had now risen to new heights and were possibly one of the top three bands in the Midlands. By 1968 baritone sax player John Barry had left, guitarist Vernon Perriera came in and the band was ready for a return to Germany, this time a tour of Berlin. The band were also now playing semi-resident at The Cedar Club in Birmingham as well as touring under their own name. It was during this period that a further recording session took place and a future number one was all but guaranteed. Due to disagreement between management and record company, the record was shelved and never released. Because of this the band started to decline. Within weeks John Burnett, Frank Rudge and Barry Lunn all left the band. Two weeks later Bill Clarke left to join the Ivy League where he teamed up with former "Kitch" drummer, Roger Hall. With some new replacements the band carried on until the end of the year and then disbanded. Note: the 1967-68 line-up of the Wellington Kitch Jump Band also featured former Band Of Joy bass guitarist John Hill as well as trumpet player Bob Chatwin and saxophonist Frank Fern (this bit of info was sent by John Hill). Charlie Grima went on to join the progressive rock outfit Ghost and later joined Roy Wood's Wizzard (see The Move) with whom he enjoyed much success. He later embarked on an acting career and is now teaching music in Kent. John Howells went on to do his own thing and is still singing in his own band. Thanks to Bill Clarke and John Howells for supplying this exclusive story of the Wellington Kitch Jump Band. Copyright © Bill Clarke With Special Thanks to Brum Beat Copyright © John R Woodhouse Compiled by Keith Law

The Bobby Ash Sound

Keith Law — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 01:21:38 +0000

Birmingham Bobby Ash (Graham Ashford) vocal Roy Davies bass guitar, vocal (left in 1966) John Evans drums John Surplice rhythm guitar (left in 1966) Bob Watkins lead guitar John Bradley bass guitar/vocal (joined in 1966) Dennis Ryland saxophone/flute (joined in 1966) Following the break-up of The Brumbeats (formerly The Plazents) at the end of 1964, lead vocalist Bobby Ash formed a new group which became known as "The Bobby Ash Sound". They were managed by well known local promoter Bob Smith who contracted the group to the EMI Records label. The other group members included guitarist Bob Watkins from Smethwick who had previously played with the former Diplomats vocalist Nicky James as part of a group called The Wild Cherries. Roy "Tank" Davies was also formerly with Nicky James and had played with Johnny Neal and The Starliners as well as The Wild Cherries and a group called The Woodlanders. John "Fats" Surplice from Aston had played in The Bruisers, while John "Jigger" Evans was former drummer for The Woodlanders. Bob Smith booked the Bobby Ash Sound into some of the larger venues which included ballrooms like the Majestic's and Locarno's as far north as Newcastle. It was actually Newcastle and not Birmingham where The Bobby Ash Sound first performed after several weeks of rehearsals. They also played some of the coastal resorts such as Great Yarmouth and Cromer. While this may have raised the band's profile, the members all hated the travelling so eventually decided to break with Bob Smith and had Pete Gittins taking over management with Bobby Ash handling the finances. More bookings were secured throughout the Midlands area which included a lot of working men's clubs and pubs as well as regular appearances at Birmingham's famous Rumrunner Night Club. Bobby Ash in 1965 The Bobby Ash Sound developed a stage show which included impersonations of artists like Gene Pitney and Buddy Holly - all made possible by the versatile vocal talents of Bobby Ash. In late 1965, the group spent time at the Hollick & Taylor Studio in Handsworth Wood where they recorded several tracks for EMI Records. Most of the recordings featured a six-piece brass section, arranged and led by the late Ken Rattenbury, a well known Midlands trumpet player who did regular sessions for BBC Radio. One song, You've Got Love, originally recorded by Buddy Holly and The Crickets, was selected for possible single release. Interestingly, two of the tracks recorded; Your Loving Ways and You Could Be Fun (At The End Of The Party), were also covered by Carl Wayne and The Vikings for Pye Records in 1965. In 1966, Roy Davies and John Surplice left the Bobby Ash Sound. They were replaced by John Bradley (bass/vocals) from Sutton Coldfield who had been a member of Carl Fenn and The Mysteries; and saxophonist Dennis Ryland who had been in an early line-up of the Rockin' Berries. The addition of Dennis Ryland on flute and saxophone added a whole new dimension to the group's sound and created a distinctive image. The Bobby Ash Sound continued with this line-up for the next few years, working consistently and building up a loyal following in the West Midlands area. By 1968, vocalist Bobby Ash decided to "retire" from the music business and emigrated to America. His departure marked the end of the Bobby Ash Sound and the group disbanded shortly after. John Bradley joined another group, and Bob Watkins gave up music for a while but went back to it in the 1970s and today continues as a member of the "Taylor Made Band" who still perform regularly throughout the West Midlands. Meanwhile, Bobby Ash ended up joining an American group as well as hosting a radio show in Connecticut, later moving to Los Angeles where he made a record for the DOT Records label. After many more adventures, he finally went back to his real name of Graham Ashford, and worked as manager for Rolls Royce in Beverly Hills while still occasionally doing recording sessions. His natural talent as a painter and photographer led him to opening and operating a successful art gallery in Seattle. Today he lives in Hawaii and yes - still performs occasionally to this day as Bobby Ash. With Special Thanks to Brum Beat Copyright © John R Woodhouse and to Graham Ashford and Bob Watkins for the info Compiled by Keith Law

Cathedral

Keith Law — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 01:23:08 +0000

Birmingham Jon Fox bass guitar, vocal Rod Godwin lead guitar, vocal Dave Thompson drums, percussion This group was likely one of the first "progressive rock" outfits to come out of the Birmingham area. They were formed in 1968 by bass guitarist/vocalist Jon Fox and guitarist Rod Godwin along with drummer Dave Thompson. Jon Fox was already a veteran of the West Midlands music scene having previously fronted his own band called The Hunters as well as having being a member of Johnny Neal's band The Starliners with whom he played bass guitar on their debut single in 1965. Jon had also been a member of the well known local group Varsity Rag and had played guitar in The Way Of Life. Rod Godwin was from Coventry and had formerly been with Jimmy Powell and The Five Dimensions. Dave Thompson was from a Birmingham group called The Defenders. Although Cathedral composed much of their own material, they also performed re-arranged versions of popular songs. They played locally at Birmingham Town Hall and Bingley Hall Exhibition Centre as well as getting bookings at many universities up and down the country. One of Cathedral's more well-known appearances was at the famous Scotch of St. James Club in London. The band also did some touring abroad during the late 1960s and performed at The Atelier Club in Gstaad, Switzerland as well as doing some appearances on European television. In addition to working the touring circuit under their own name, another regular gig for Cathedral during the late 1960s was as backing band for former Rockin' Berries singer Geoff Turton. Geoff went solo in 1968 and had a hit record titled Colour Of My Love while appearing under the name of Jefferson. Cathedral was signed initially to the Polydor Records label for a while and later went to Don Arden's company, recording a few singles such as It's Hard Way and Tennesee Woman. The band line-up stayed the same until 1972 when Jon Fox left and re-located to Switzerland. Rod Godwin and Dave Thompson carried on for a while as Cathedral, eventually moving to Cumbria, playing venues in that area and doing session work. Jon Fox and Rod Godwin later joined the Coventry group "Jigsaw" who had a huge hit in 1975 with the record Sky High. Rod Godwin was also in the final line-up of the world-famous band Badfinger. All three members of Cathedral have stayed in the music business. With Special Thanks to Brum Beat Copyright © John R Woodhouse and to Jon Fox and Rod Godwin for assistance in writing this bio. Compiled by Keith Law

Pat Wayne and The Beachcombers

Keith Law — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 01:24:52 +0000

Birmingham Pat Wayne lead vocal Dario Capaldi saxophone (left 1964) Mal Edwards bass guitar Brian "Monk" Finch saxophone (left 1964) Geoff Roberts lead guitar (left 1964) Brian Sharpe drums (left 1966) Tony Carter lead guitar (joined 1964, left 1966) Trevor Langham keyboards (joined 1964) Eric Ashcroft lead guitar (joined 1966) John Bonham drums (joined 1966, left 1966) Mike Kellie drums (joined 1966) This band from Birmingham were very well known locally in the early 1960s. Along with Keith Powell's Valets and Mike Sheridan's Nightriders, Pat Wayne and The Beachcombers were amongst the city's top live acts at that time. Patrick Curley was from Ladywood, Birmingham and worked as a waiter at the Grand Hotel on Colmore Row. He changed his name to Pat Wayne in 1957 when he formed a skiffle group called The Deltas with guitarist Dave Husthwaite. By the late 1950s The Deltas had become a polished act and wearing matching red suits, had won the BBC Six-Five Special talent contest held for local bands at the Gaumont Cinema. Pat was later able to make an appearance on television which gave him his first real taste of fame. Pat Wayne Although Pat Wayne and The Deltas became well known around Birmingham in the late 1950's and early 60's, there were various personnel changes including a short appearance by Denny Laine as bass player (see Denny Laine and The Diplomats). Organist Mal Ford who worked at Cadburys, would leave to join Keith Powell's Valets and soon after, Pat Wayne decided he also wanted a change and left the Deltas to front The Rockin' Jaymen. The Rockin' Jaymen had formed in 1957 with the band at that time consisting of Michael Craven (lead singer), Geoff Roberts (lead guitar), Graham? (bass guitar), Fred? (piano), and Jimmy? (drums). The line-up stayed the same until 1962 when a new bass guitarist Mal Edwards joined along wit h drummer Brian Sharpe (formerly of The Modernaires). Also joining the band were two of the best saxophone players in Birmingham - Dario Capaldi and Monk Finch - who had recently returned from Germany where they had played in Birmingham singer Johnny Neal's group The Starliners. Pat Wayne and The Jaymen became a popular attraction on the dance circuit and the line-up of two saxophone players made for a distinctive image on stage and gave the band a trademark sound. In June of 1963 following in the wake of the "Mersey Sound" craze, Birmingham was visited by Cliff Richard & The Shadows producer Norrie Paramore who was looking to sign up new talent for Columbia Records. Auditions were held at the Moat House Club in Digbeth and Pat Wayne with The Rockin' Jaymen were one of the first bands to be signed. They were soon sent down to the famous Abbey Road studios in London where they recorded a number of tracks under direction of Norrie Paramore. Before the band's first single could be released, the record company decided that the name Rockin' Jaymen might be confused with Peter Jay and The Jaywalkers, a group from East Anglia. Somebody at Columbia thought that The Beachcombers was a good name for the group and so they became Pat Wayne and The Beachcombers (there was also another group called The Beachcombers in Birmingham in the early 1960s and their guitarist Peter Green later changed his name to Peter Lee Stirling, becoming a professional songwriter and writing hits for Kathy Kirby, the Merseybeats, and having his own hit records in the 1970s under the name of Daniel Boone). Note: there was also a London band called The Beachcombers whose line-up included future Who drummer Keith Moon. A highly danceable track titled Go Back To Daddy, composed by Birmingham songwriters John Chesterton and Bob McNally, was chosen as the A-side for the first Pat Wayne and The Beachcombers single. Perhaps even more remarkable was the B-side which was a rocked-up version of the Hank Williams classic Jambalaya, and it must surely be one of the best dance versions of the song ever recorded. "We did many takes of Jambalaya" says guitarist Geoff Roberts. "It nearly drove us mad... and it got faster and faster". The single was released in 1963 and credited to Pat Wayne with The Beachcombers The Beachcombers also had their own single without Pat Wayne released in October 1963; a high-energy, saxophone-heavy instrumental entitled Mad Goose. The 45's sold well locally and gave the Beachcombers exposure on TV and radio despite not reaching the record charts. In November of 1963, Pat Wayne and The Beachcombers went back to Abbey Road to record a version of Chuck Berry's Roll Over Beethoven. It has long been thought that future Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page was hired to play lead guitar on the recording but according to Geoff Roberts this was not the case. "Jimmy Page never had anything to do with the band" says Geoff. "I played on Roll Over Beethoven and in fact created the guitar riff by double-tracking, the second track slightly out of tune with the first which gave the recording a distinctive sound. We actually recorded it before the Beatles and if you listen to their version there are similarities but they also used the same studio and probably the same engineers so its not surprising". Although the single was released before the Beatles version and apparently sold more than eighty thousand copies, it was unable to get into the charts. By coincidence Roll Over Beethoven became one of the first big hits for Birmingham group The Electric Light Orchestra in the early 1970s (see The Move). Geoff Roberts left the Beachcombers in 1964 and was replaced by Tony Carter. Pat Wayne and The Beachcombers recorded another Chuck Berry song called Bye Bye Johnny that was released as a single in April of 1964 but it unfortunately also failed to chart. Sax players Dario Capaldi and Monk Finch also left The Beachcombers in 1964 and were replaced with new members. After the release of a final single with the Beachcombers, Pat Wayne decided to go solo and went on to record a further three singles in 1965 and 1966. The songs were well produced and should have done well, but by this time the record charts were dominated by "pop groups" and apart from isolated successes by those such as Tom Jones and Engelbert Humperdinck, solo performers seemed no longer in fashion. The Beachcombers also found it tough going with the line-up becoming further reduced by the departure of their saxophone players. By 1966, Pat Wayne's solo recording career appeared to be foundering as EMI had not renewed his contract. He re-joined The Beachcombers who by then consisted of remaining original members Mal Edwards and Brian Sharpe along with Eric Ashcroft as their guitarist. Plenty of bookings for the band were still available locally but drummer Brian Sharpe also decided to leave. He was replaced with a young drummer by the name of John Bonham who had previously played in The Senators and with Nicky James. Unfortunately, John Bonham's drumming style was far too aggressive for The Beachcombers and he ended up drowning out the rest of the band on-stage with his volume! After a number of bookings John made an amiable departure from Pat Wayne and The Beachcombers who by now found their engagements increasingly scarce. He joined another local group called The Way Of Life but it would still be a few more years before he became part of Led Zeppelin - one of the most successful rock bands of all time! Mike Kellie from the Birmingham group Locomotive joined the final Beachcombers line-up before they folded for good in 1967. Saxophonist Monk Finch went on to join Locomotive and Geoff Roberts continued with various other bands until 1968. In 1995, Geoff got back into music and played bass guitar in a band called 4-Play and in 1999 toured the U.K. and Europe with a band called Bullitproof. These days he plays bass in a modern country-rock band. Pat Wayne - a true legend of the Brum Beat scene - continues to perform around Birmingham occasionally to this day. With Special thanks to Copyright -© John R Woodhouse and Geoff Roberts and Mal Edwards for assistance in writing this biography. Compiled by Keith Law

The Senators

Keith Law — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 01:26:54 +0000

Birmingham The Senators in 1964 Terry Beal lead vocal John Bonham drums Graham Dennis rhythm guitar Bill Ford bass guitar Trevor McGowan lead guitar The Senators unknowingly made rock music history in 1964 when they recorded a song called "She's A Mod" at Hollick & Taylor Studios in Birmingham. This was the first ever recording to be released featuring a young drummer called John Bonham - long before he became part of Led Zeppelin - one of the most successful rock bands of all time! Bill Ford, who played bass guitar in The Senators, remembers those days well and has kindly supplied this exclusive biography of the band as told in his own words. Bill Ford in 1964 Bill: I joined The Senators in 1962-63. At that time we were called "Bobby Child and The Sidewinders", the personnel being Barry Goodchild, a.k.a. Bobby Child (vocals), Trevor McGowan (lead guitar), Graham Dennis (rhythm guitar) a guy called Mick? on drums and John Hunt on bass guitar who I replaced. This line up continued for a while until Barry left and we auditioned for a replacement singer. After many auditions we chose Terry Beal, an extremely talented singer and composer, as well as being a multi-instrumentalist. Terry had originally played in "Terry Webb and The Spiders" along with his old pal John Bonham. *Terry Beal had played in a band called 'The Nighthawks' between 1960 and 1962 with bass guitarist Mike Ellis with whom he formed the Reddich group 'The Blue Star Trio' along with drummer Bill Harvey. John Bonham replaced Bill on drums at the end of 1962 and the group performed all over the area. They backed Roy Edwards who was a professional singer (formerly from The Squadronaires) and also made some recordings for the BBC at their Broad Street studios in 1963. Mike Ellis went on to join Johnny Neal and The Starliners (*this additional info was supplied by Mike Ellis). Bill: At this stage The Senators still had an unreliable drummer and were let down by him on a number of occasions. We had to call on other drummers to gig with us and one of these was Alan Eastwood. He was a great drummer but also a mean blues singer and used to take the mike sometimes and do a couple of R&B numbers with us. Alan used to play with The Shouts, and I remember buying their single "That's The Way It's Gonna Be" (Alan Eastwood was also in The Brumbeats and later formed The Exception). Our drummer let us down again one night when we had a double gig. Terry played drums on the first set at the first gig at Perry Hall, Bromsgrove. During the break, he shot off in his car to fetch his "mate" who he said could play the drums. He came back 20 minutes later with this lad named John Bonham. We started the second half and it was as if someone had stuck rocket fuel in our drinks! We went down a storm and John joined us as our drummer there and then. (Note: John Henry "Bonzo" Bonham was born May 31, 1948 in Reddich, Worcestershire where he was raised and lived for almost all of his life. He learned to play drums at a young age, initially using a home-made drum set before graduating to a second-hand one. By the time he left school at 16, he was playing in his first band called "Terry Webb and The Spiders" while working by day on building sites with his father.) John Bonham in 1964 With this final line up, we played regularly at many of the Birmingham venues and pubs. Ma Regan's places - The Ritz, The Plaza and The Cavern, the West End Ballroom and The Moat House Club, just to mention a few. Terry took on the name of Bobby because we had a professionally sign written van! Also because of our connections with Redditch where John and Terry came from, we had a big following there as well - regularly playing Redditch Youth Club, Alcester Trades and Labour Club and other pubs and clubs in the Worcestershire area. We won many talent competitions (to no avail) but were selected in 1964 along with 13 other groups to be on the 'BRUM BEAT' album with track 1 called "She's A Mod", an original composition by Terry Beal and recorded at Hollick and Taylor studios in Birmingham. Soon afterwards, we were approached to re-record this song at, I think it was Decca Studios in London, to be released as a single. Another song called "I Know A Lot About You" was chosen to be recorded as the B-side. On this occasion, the accompanying publicity photo was taken. (Note: the Brum Beat LP was released on Dial Records, a label set up by 24 year old London-based David Gooch with the intent to promote undiscovered British talent. Decca Records also released a Brum Beat album of West Midlands groups the same year). The Senators single was released the same week as "Tell Me When" by The Applejacks, which became a hit with the help of Mickey Most's backing. Our single, due to lack of funds (David Gooch becoming bankrupt!) was withdrawn from sale. The music was published by Dick James Music and She's A Mod was used in the sound track of a biopic film called "Steppin' Out" featuring the latest dance and fashion trends. The film was shown in cinemas accompanying the original "Alien" movie. "She's A Mod" was picked up by an Australian band called Ray Columbus and The Invaders who recorded their own version that was at number 1 in their charts for about 14 weeks! This version can be found on their compilation albums along with cover versions of Beatles and Rolling Stones hits. There's even a rap song that can be found on the net with a sample of the Australian version on it! We made many other demos but never managed to get that elusive deal. We turned down offers to play the clubs in Hamburg so who knows what might have happened? After some time, when gigs were getting harder to get because of the number of bands around, we decided to call it a day and The Senators broke up. Terry Beal continued to gig for some time after the split with another line-up also called The Senators. I, along with John, played with Nicky James for a short while. His band then was called "The Wild Cherries" but it was later changed to The Nicky James Movement. They had an amazing lead guitarist called Mick Hopkins who I later saw in a band called Copperfield. I only played with them for a few weeks and then decided to pack it all in and continue with my job as a graphic artist (John Bonham joined Pat Wayne's Beachcombers). I took up trying to play classical guitar in the late 70s and had lessons from a Birmingham lad called Adrian Ingram (who also gave lessons to Dave Hill of Slade). Adrian is now an internationally renowned jazz and classical guitarist and author (see the net). I had the privilege of doing the illustrations and helping produce some of his early jazz guitar books and tutorial tapes. I enjoyed my time with The Senators. We played alongside some great brummie bands doing regular gigs with the Spencer Davis Group (watching Stevie Winwood in awe!), Denny Laine and The Diplomats, Carl and The Cheetahs, The Redcaps, The Modernaires, The Vikings etc. as well as appearing on the same line ups as Marianne Faithfull, The Merseys, and the great John Lee Hooker. It was great fun in those days playing in Brum and we always seemed to end up at Alex's Pie Stand for a burger or hot dog, and a chat with other bands after a gig. Saturday mornings always seemed to be spent in Jones and Crosslands or George Clays on Broad Street where we had most of our gear from. I had the dubious honour of having had the first and second Hofner Violin Basses in the midlands because when Clays imported one for me they asked if they could display it in their window for a week. I agreed and during that week, their window was smashed and the bass stolen! I had to wait until they got a second one in. I kept in touch for a short while with Graham Dennis and I used to see John Bonham occasionally right up to a few weeks before his death. I still treasure the autographed Led Zeppelin albums he gave me and still have the two complimentary tickets (face value Â£1 each!) he gave me when they played at The Odeon in Birmingham. Also right up until the death of Mick Bonham (John's brother), I had been in conversation with him to add revisions and photos of The Senators to the biography he was completing about his brother's career. Sadly, he passed away before we could do this so there is only a brief mention of The Senators and only Terry Beal is mentioned. One miss-quote in the book lists the personnel as being Terry Child as vocalist and Terry Beal on guitar. In reality, they are one and the same person. The only other people I have seen from those happy days were Bill Hunt and two guys from one of the other Brum Beat LP bands who I met on holiday in Mexico. It would be great to have a reunion sometime (unless I've missed them) while there are lots of us still around. It would be great to hear from anyone who remembers us. Happy Memories - Bill Ford. With Special Thanks to Brum Beat Copyright © John R Woodhouse and Bill Ford for supplying the text and photos of The Senators shown on this page. Copyright © Bill Ford Compiled by Keith Law

Catch 22

Keith Law — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 01:28:45 +0000

Birmingham Alan Fitzer keyboards John Miller drums Tony Brown bass guitar Roger Guise vocal, harmonica Brian Dufficy lead guitar The five group members seen in the photograph may have had the unique distinction of being the only West Midlands band to support THE CREAM at the original "Marquee" club in London late in 1966. Queues had started from 4 p.m. to see Eric Clapton, Ginger Baker, and Jack Bruce's Cream which had formed in July 1966. Playing to a packed house, the atmosphere was electric. The significance of that night dawned on the members of Catch 22 in later years as Cream became legendary. Catch 22 had evolved from its early origins as The Rocking Renowns 1961 to 63. The founder members were vocalist/harmonica player Roger Guise (Yardley), lead guitarist Vernon Clarke (Yardley), drummer Terry ? (Yardley), and bass guitarist Alan Fitzer (Sparkhill). John Miller (Erdington) joined in late 1963 from "Johnny West and The Sunsets" after they had disbanded after two years. The group continued with their music which was a mixture of popular hits and R&B and worked most of the West Midlands venues. They also shared venues with many of the local bands mentioned in Laurie Hornsby's "Brum Rocks" books. The music became more "blues" influenced as Alan Fitzer had a fantastic record collection and the group built up a repertoire of songs. It was at this stage that Vernon Clarke left the group amicably siteing musical differences. Undeterred, the group expanded their personnel by taking on a young lead guitarist Brian Dufficy (Sparkhill) who was "blues" orientated. Tony Brown (Erdington) took over on bass guitar and Alan Fitzer changed to keyboards. Says John Miller; "This really gave us a broader and authentic sound. I also believe that Roger Guise had one of the best blues voices around and was a major part of our blues success". The group renamed themselves as "The Renowns Blues Band". As a blues band they went further afield. London, Manchester, Nottingham, and Leicester, playing Universities, town halls including Birmingham's Town Hall All-nighter. They were also one of a number of support groups to Graham Bond's "Shotgun Express" which included Julie Driscoll and Alex Harvey as well as an up-and-coming Rod Stewart! At the beginning of 1966, the band changed the name to Catch 22 with a small 1/2 added. It seemed a good move. After one of John Miller's comical letters to an agent they were offered an audition to support a major group. The audition was in London and 50 groups took part with each playing three numbers. Some weeks later a contract to support CREAM came through. It was a terrific coup and the band were elated; "Ginger Baker was my drummer hero" says John Miller. "We had some press in the Birmingham music paper with some photographs". After the Cream support event and in early 1967, an agency saw Catch 22 and offered the group contracts in Germany and Forces bases in Europe over 12 months. IT WAS DECISION TIME. Two members declined. The decision was finally made for them one winter's night at 4 am. Having dropped off three members and almost home, the commercial van driven by John Miller hit black ice and ploughed into a concrete lamp post. John was thrown out and had severe concussion that left him with vertigo attacks for some years. Tony Brown had cuts to his head and face. The van was a write off. Says John; "We never played again together although we kept in touch. The memory makes me sad as we were possibly on the verge of major success after all that hard work and it ended so swiftly". Despite the band's sudden demise, John Miller has no regrets and looks back on those days with justifiable pride and affection; "I had six solid years in an age where music had a dynamic influence on the young and changed society mostly for the good. I had great musical companions who all got on well and played to a high standard and boy did we enjoy it!!!" With Special Thanks to Brum Beat Copyright © John R Woodhouse and to John Miller for this exclusive story of Catch 22. Compiled by Keith Law

The Downbeats

Keith Law — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 01:29:49 +0000

Solihull Simon Kennard lead guitar Ges Nicholls drums Geoff Killick bass guitar Paul Wakeham rhythm guitar (left in 1963) Christine Hodgson (Holmes) lead vocal (left in 1963) Jon Carter lead vocal Mary Harris vocal Ricky North keyboards, guitar (left in 1965) Graham Sibley keyboards (joined in 1965) The Downbeats were formed in 1962. The original members were Simon Kennard (lead guitar), Ges Nicholls (drums), Geoff Killick (bass guitar), and Paul Wakeham (rhythm guitar). Ges Nicholls and Geoff Killick had previously played in a band called The Ramblers. Like many groups at the time they had no singer and played instrumentals, influenced by groups like The Shadows and Tornados. They played at local youth clubs & halls in and around their home town of Solihull. However, all that would shortly change. In April 1962, whilst still at school, they met Simon Kennard and Paul Wakeham and formed The Downbeats. The Downbeats continued playing local venues. In December 1962, the group were looking for a singer and were approached by Christine Hodgson, who lived in Knowle, and who, "wanted to sing with a group". Christine joined the group as vocalist in January 1963. The Downbeats were one of a very few bands to have a female singer and this enabled them to widen their repertoire to include covers by Dionne Warwick, Dusty Springfield, The Supremes, etc. In February 1963, The Downbeats came second to The Fortunes, in a "Battle of the Bands" contest, at Edgbastons' Tower Ballroom. In October of 1963, Christine left to pursue a solo career and sang for a short period with The Applejacks under the name Christine Holmes. Her career took off when she won the part of Charlie Girl in the West End production of the same name. It ran for five years at the Adelphi Theatre London. She also wrote the song Devil Woman for Cliff Richard and hosted the popular children's TV programme "Crackerjack". Jon Carter joined The Downbeats as lead vocalist in October 1963. Shortly after Jon's arrival, the group played at The Royal Oak, Hockley Heath. Following this booking they were offered a residency which was to last almost two years, with The Downbeats playing there every Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday during that period. The Downbeats were regulars at the Solihull Civic Hall on Monday nights and were "on the bill" the night that the Civic Hall was "put under siege", following the Applejacks release of their hit record Tell Me When. On a normal Monday night, the venue regularly attracted up to 1,000 teenagers, but on that particular night it was estimated more than 3,000 had tried to gain admission! The Downbeats were now in demand to such a degree that Paul Wakeham decided to leave and he was replaced by Ricky North, who joined the group playing keyboards and guitar. In October 1964, a female vocalist was added to the group when Mary Harris joined, and within weeks they were involved in another band contest, this time winning the final at the Locarno, Birmingham. In January 1965 Ricky North left the group and was replaced on keyboards by Graham Sibley. Graham had previously been a member of a Birmingham group called The Freeways. The Downbeats continued to be very busy, playing at venues across the Midlands and in between supporting well known bands such as The Barron Knights and The Rockin' Berries. In May of 1965, The Downbeats were invited to play at The Variety Club of Great Britain Star Gala. This event was held at London's Battersea Park Festival Gardens and sponsored by The News of The World, and the group performed in front of 10,000 people. The Downbeats disbanded in October 1965. With Special Thanks to Brum Beat Copyright©John R Woodhouse and to Ges Nicholls for supplying this exclusive Downbeats biography. Copyright©Ges Nicholls Compiled by Keith Law

Brian Gulliver and The Travellers

Keith Law — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 01:31:10 +0000

Birmingham Brian "Gulliver" Meacham lead vocal John Bedder guitar Tony Dangerfield bass guitar Neil Norman drums For more information about this band go to "Oi'll Give It Foive!" - the website of Brian Meacham and Thank Your Lucky Stars TV girl Janice Nicholls at www.foive.co.uk With Special Thanks to Brum Beat Copyright©John R Woodhouse Compiled by Keith Law

Johnny West and The Sunsets

Keith Law — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 01:32:26 +0000

Birmingham Johnny West (Malcolm Scott) lead vocal Bob Fellows lead guitar John Miller drums Robert Mills rhythm guitar, vocal Ian ?? bass guitar, vocal Johnny West and The Sunsets were one of Birmingham's many rock 'n' roll groups who performed at social clubs and pubs during the late 1950s and early 1960s. In that pre-Beatles era, bands almost always featured a lead singer or "front man" who would usually go under a stage name or alias. Johnny West was vocalist Malcolm Scott from Kingstanding and his backing group "The Sunsets" came from Sutton Coldfield, Stirchley and Erdington. John Miller who played drums in The Sunsets and later Catch 22 has written their story as follows: Early in 1962 Johnny West and The Sunsets formed as a group. Their main choice of music was chart-based and meant keeping up with the Top 20. This included a mixture of American rock 'n' roll as well as hits by the main groups of the day from Britain. The American artiste's featured strongly and were very popular. Our group played numbers by Jerry Lee Lewis, Chuck Berry, Roy Orbison, Eddie Cochran, Buddy Holly and of course the great Elvis. Our lead guitarist Bob Fellows was a big Shadows fan (complete with a much-coveted Fender Stratocaster guitar and Vox amp) so our sets included a lot of their numbers. Later on, the songs that really went down well were by The Beatles who had exploded onto the music world. Also in demand were numbers by The Searchers, The Dave Clarke Five, and Cliff Richard. Johnny West and The Sunsets Our first booking was a social club in Tamworth-Staffs which is now a Witherspoon Pub. I remember having stage fright as I counted in our first number and literally froze for about 30 seconds!! Fortunately, all went well in the end. Please note the red "sparkle suits" looked great under stage lights but the trouble was the material could split very easily. Everyone in the group split their trousers at some time or other! Johnny West and The Sunsets played mainly at Social Clubs around West Bromwich, Wednesbury, Dudley, and Bilston Town Hall at one stage. There was a thriving pub scene in the sixties so Saturdays were almost guaranteed pay nights. Other venues included The Tyburn Inn, Hen and Chickens (Langley), The Queens Head in Erdington, The Swan (Yardley), and The Golden Cross (Short Heath). Eventually, different musical preferences started to affect the band and it resulted in members leaving and going on to join other bands. I joined The Rocking Renowns which evolved into CATCH 22. Once again as a young man I really enjoyed that period in my life. I have no idea what happened to the lads in Johnny West and The Sunsets but I enjoyed their company and thank them for the memories. I have quite a few photo's in my album of them. With Special Thanks to Brum Beat Copyright©John R Woodhouse Copyright © 2008 John Miller and to John Miller for this exclusive biography of Johnny West and The Sunsets. Compiled by Keith Law

Jimmy Powell and The 5 Dimensions

Keith Law — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 01:34:00 +0000

Birmingham Jimmy Powell Jimmy Powell lead vocal, harmonica Rod Stewart lead vocal, harmonica Chick Catterhorn drums Louis Cennamo bass guitar Gary LePorte lead guitar Pete Hogman harmonica Kenny White rhythm guitar Martin Shaw guitar Tim Munns bass guitar Dave Fullford vocal, guitar Rod Godwin guitar Alan "Ted" Shepherd tenor saxophone, flute Will Morris bass guitar Tom "Duke" Russell drums Stan Byers trumpet Tony Lucas bass guitar Ray Spiteri lead guitar, vocal Bob Spiteri bass guitar, vocal Derek Bunt drums Clem Lee drums Fred Seddon Hammond organ The West Midlands certainly produced some incredible vocal talents during the 1960's - Robert Plant, Noddy Holder, Ozzy Osbourne - just to name a few. Jimmy Powell was not only the first great vocalist to emerge from this exciting scene, but can also rightly claim to have a vocal powerful enough to "take the wall paper off the walls" - a description often used by many who were fortunate to have witnessed Jimmy performing on stage. Jimmy Powell made Birmingham pop music history in 1962 when his Decca recording of 'Sugar Babe' became the first single to be released by a local performer. Jimmy Powell grew up in the West Heath area of Birmingham. After leaving school, he apprenticed as a lathe operator in Kings Norton while at night he fronted a local band called The Detours. His powerful vocal style soon began to attract attention and in 1961 he turned "pro" after joining an up-and-coming local group called The Rockin' Berries. In November of 1961, the Rockin' Berries went over to Germany with the group by this time including local singer Clive Lea as well as Jimmy Powell. The band had a residency at Hamburg's famous Star Club where they shared the stage with The Beatles amongst many others. The following year, The Rockin' Berries were auditioned by TV pop producer/Decca Records talent scout Jack Goode who showed little interest in signing the band to a contract but indicated that their vocalist Jimmy Powell had some potential. The rejected group went back to Germany to continue their bookings at the Star Club but by the summer of 1962, Jimmy Powell along with two other group members left and returned to Birmingham. Jimmy Powell soon contacted Jack Goode who promptly signed him up to a recording contract. The first record release for Jimmy Powell on the Decca Records label was an energetic cover of Buster Brown's Sugar Baby which showcased Jimmy's considerable talent as a raunchy R&B performer. This was also highly significant as it can be considered the first "Brum Beat" single. While the record did not chart, it is likely Jimmy Powell's best known song and got his career off to a good start. Two more good singles soon followed but by 1963, The Beatles were making a big impact on the British charts and singing "groups" - not solo performers were now the "in" thing. Jimmy Powell and The Five Dimensions in 1964 Jimmy Powell went down to London where he became involved with the local blues scene at London's famous Marquee Club. Jimmy's new manager Malcolm Nixon, introduced him to a hot blues act that he'd named "The Five Dimensions" and Jimmy was soon given the position of lead vocalist. About 6 months later, Jimmy Powell added a second vocalist/harmonica player whose name was Rod Stewart. According to Jimmy Powell, Rod stayed as part of the line-up for about a year. Rivalry between the two singers led to Rod leaving and taking some of the band with him to back Chuck Berry on a British tour (the Dimensions were unable to do the tour because of contractual commitments). Unfortunately, there's no recordings of Rod Stewart performing with The Dimensions. In 1964, The Five Dimensions were hired to provide backing for Jamaican singer Millie Small on her hit recording of My Boy Lollipop. It has long been thought Rod Stewart played harmonica on the record - a story he has since denied, but according to guitarist Kenny White, it was occasional band member Pete Hogman who played on the session. Pete apparently looked very much like Rod in appearance so it's likely that Millie Small's manager Chris Blackwell (who also managed Birmingham's Spencer Davis Group) was mistaken in identifying him. Other sources have also claimed John "Junior" Wood of the Jeff Beck Group as being the likely contender. According to Jimmy Powell though, none of the above stories are correct. "I played harmonica on My Boy Lollipop and Mike Carroll did the clapping" says Jimmy. Jimmy Powell was signed to Pye Records in 1964 that resulted in the release of a couple of singles. The first of these - I'm Looking For A Woman was composed by Jimmy while the b-side I've Been Watching You, was a Bo Diddley cover. Due to changes in the group line-up, the second Pye single - a re-make of Sugar Babe backed with I've Been Watching You - had future Led Zeppelin members Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones on guitar and bass along with drummer Clem Cattini. This version of Sugar Babe is probably the definitive one as it shows Jimmy Powell in fine form and established him as a vocal force to be reckoned with. Although Jimmy Powell and The Five Dimensions went on to record a number of great records during the 1960s, their considerable popularity as a "live" attraction was never reflected in terms of record sales as none of the singles sold enough copies to get into the charts. There were at least three distinct line-ups of the Five Dimensions during the 1960s. They were really not a West Midlands group as most members came from the London area. Guitarist Martin Shaw was from Birmingham as well as bass guitarist Tim Munns - formerly of The Rockin' Berries who Jimmy Powell had previously known during his time with that group. Rod Godwin who was in The Dimensions during the mid 1960s was previously in a West Midlands band called Varsity Rag and was later a member of Cathedral. From about 1967 until the early 1970s, Jimmy's backing group consisted of Ray and Bob Spiteri (formery of Scarlet Religion on lead and bass guitar), along with Derek Bunt on drums. This line-up went to Germany and performed in Kiel and at Hamburg's Top Ten Club - later doing the UK college & university circuit along with recording numerous sessions for the BBC. In 1966, Jimmy Powell was signed to Miki Dallon's short-lived "Strike" Records label and later to Dallon's Young Blood label in 1969 for which he recorded an album as well as various single releases. Despite further record releases in the early 1970s and retaining his popularity as a live performer, Jimmy Powell later faded from the music scene. He remains without a doubt, one of the strongest blues vocalists to emerge from the West Midlands in the 1960s. With Special Thanks to Brum Beat Copyright©John R Woodhouse Compiled by Keith Law

Mark Raymond and The Crowd

Keith Law — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 01:35:04 +0000

Birmingham Mark Raymond and The Crowd Pete Dawson drums "Chalky" Marsh lead guitar Mark Raymond lead vocal Phil Riches bass guitar Bernard Robinson guitar This group from Birmingham (formerly known as the Cyclones) self-composed a great single that was released on Columbia Records in 1964. During the late 1950s, Cadburys employee and football fanatic Ken Hoban who lived in Dawlish Road, Selly Oak, formed a rock 'n' roll band called the Wildcats along with guitarist Grant Harvey. By the early 1960s Ken was the lead vocalist of another another group called The Rayvons. This band consisted of drummer Colin Fortnam, guitarists Bob Bradley and Malcolm Gamble, plus Malcolm Hamilton on bass guitar. Ken Hoban changed his name to Mark Raymond as to fit better with the Rayvons name and the group was soon playing regularly throughout the Birmingham area. A chance meeting with agent Bob Wooler, who had gone to see the Rayvons perform at the Majestic Ballroom in Birmingham, resulted in the group being booked to appear at Liverpool's famous Cavern Club. The Rayvons were well received at the Cavern and they were able to play there many times. In 1963, Mark Raymond left The Rayvons and replaced the singer of another band called The Cyclones who had formed in Birmingham in the early 1960s. The Cyclones included lead guitarist "Chalky" Marsh who was born in Dover and lived in King's Heath; drummer Pete Dawson was from Stirchley and rhythm guitarist Bernard Robinson and bass guitarist Phil Riches both lived in Warstock. The group's booking agent was Terry Blood who lived in Stoke-on-Trent. Despite playing regular bookings in Birmingham and the surrounding area, the band remained semi-professional and they all continued to work at day jobs which by now comprised of bricklayer (Mark), and the others - joiner, lab technician, clerk, and auditor. Mark Raymond and The Cyclones missed out on Norrie Paramore's famous "Brum Beat" auditions at The Moathouse Club in June of 1963 but made up for it when they were auditioned the following year at The Crown in Birmingham by Bob Barratt of Columbia Records and were offered a contract. The Cyclones went down to London and recorded several tracks at the famous Abbey Road Studios (they went in right after Cliff Richard and The Shadows had been recording On The Beach) and one song that was composed by the band was selected as the A-side of their first single. The song was called Girls and Mark Raymond came up with the words - supposedly while at church on a Sunday morning - and guitarist Roger Marsh put the music to it. The result was a brilliant and catchy piece of songwriting that also featured Norrie Paramore playing piano on the track. For the B-side of the single, a Bob Barratt song called Remember Me To Julie was selected. The band spent a total of three days recording in London, but a problem arose when it was pointed out that there was already an American recording group called the Cyclones. Another name was came up with and the single was released under the new group name of "Mark Raymond and The Crowd". Despite the commercial appeal of the disc, Girls somehow missed out on a chart placing and unfortunately would turn out to be the only record release from Mark Raymond and The Crowd. Despite this, there was still plenty of regular work for the group around Birmingham and they would continue to maintain their day-jobs and semi-professional status. Mark Raymond still lives in Birmingham and can be found performing occasionally to this day. He can be contacted via his brother Keith Hoban at keith.hoban@btinternet.com For more information about this band go to http://www.btinternet.com/~keith.hob...2s/bobcats.htm - The Bobcats Birmingham Band 1960s website maintained by Keith Hoban. With Special Thanks to Brum Beat Copyright©John R Woodhouse Compiled by Keith Law

The Sherwoods

Keith Law — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 01:36:02 +0000

Solihull The Sherwoods Malcolm Drew lead vocal, rhythm guitar Paul Russell drums Roy Silvester keyboard (left in 1964) Peter Weaving lead guitar, vocal Terry Widlake bass guitar, vocal Alan George (Smith) keyboard, vocal (joined in 1964) Liz Comber vocal (joined in 1965) Between September 1963 and January 1965, The Sherwoods appeared regularly at Solihull Civic Hall as principal support band to The Applejacks who soared up the British charts with their hit record Tell Me When. They also deputised for the increasingly busy Applejacks as backing band to Christine Holmes (birth name Christine Hodgson) who later performed under the name Christine Sparkle. Christine subsequently went on to appear in London's West End with Derek Nimmo in the hit musical Charlie Girl. The Sherwoods were managed by former show biz photographer Harry Hammond who also had under his wing folk trio The Overlanders who made it to the top of the charts in 1966 with Michelle. In the summer of 1964 The Sherwoods went down to London and recorded some songs of which Some Other Time (composed by Terry Widlake) backed with Memories (composed by Malcolm Drew) was released as a single on the Solar Records label. The Daily Sketch on 5th August 1964 reported that Solar Records was launched by Jeff Smith, 21 of Willesden. Other bands on the label included "Gerry James and The Bandits", "The Rainchecks" and "Bobby Allison" (formerly of The Allisons). Despite its commercial appeal, The Sherwoods single did not chart, but there were still plenty of bookings for the band who soon embarked on their first tour of Germany. Due to work commitments, keyboard player Roy Silvester was replaced by Alan George. Upon their return from Germany in September 1964, The Sherwoods continued to tour throughout the Midlands. Their bookings included return visits to Solihullâ€™s Civic Hall and weekly appearances in cabaret at Birminghamâ€™s prestigious La Reserve Club where they supported amongst others, veteran radio star Jack Train (Radio Show I.T.M.A.) and comedian Bill Pertwee (later of Dad's Army fame). The Sherwoods returned to Germany in January 1965, adding female vocalist Liz Comber (who lived next door to the late TV personality Leslie Crowther) to their line up. On an extended tour of the freezing north of Germany they shared the stage with amongst others, Johnny Kidd & The Pirates, Davy Jones, and King Size Taylor & the Dominoes. In March the Sherwoods became resident band at the Schleihalle Club in Schleswig Holstein and continued to draw crowds there until they returned to the UK in May 1965. Personal and artistic differences had blighted the group for some time and immediately upon their return to England, Malcolm Drew left the band. He went to Sweden where he joined his brother Roger, in the very popular (in Sweden) folk group The Coachmen. They recorded Seasons In The Sun / Gabrielle for Columbia Records (DB8057) in 1966. Terry Widlake together with drummer Dave Walsh joined previously mentioned folk trio The Overlanders "beefing up" their sound for tour dates. Terry subsequently worked with Cuppa-T, the Art Movement and the "Big 0" - Roy Orbison. Lead guitarist Peter Weaving left the band a few months later and within a year The Sherwoods had disbanded. Apart from The Sherwoods only record release Some Other Time, unreleased studio recordings penned by group members included Whoâ€™s Gonna Know, Please Leave Me Alone and If You Dream. Also in the personal archives of co-founder Malcolm Drew, are privately made recordings of the band performing live in the 60's at the Schleihalle - Germany, The Royal Oak - Solihull, and La Reserve in Birmingham. Malcolm now lives in Spain where he works regularly as a singer and karaoke presenter. Special thanks to Malcolm Drew for supplying the Sherwoods biography. Copyright © Malcolm Drew and to Brum Beat Copyright©John R Woodhouse. Compiled by Keith Law

The Sundowners

Keith Law — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 01:37:02 +0000

Birmingham Mick Adkins lead guitar, vocal Kenny Bland drums (left in 1962) Joe Parsons bass guitar Ron Parsons vocal (left in 1963) Dennis ?? guitar (left in 1962) James (Jimmy) Rhodes vocal (left in 1963) Keith Harrison drums (joined in 1962) Keith Warrender guitar (joined in 1962) John Williams vocal (joined in 1963) The Sundowners were one of the first Birmingham groups to make a successful transition from rock 'n' roll to a blues/R&B-based format and this was at a time when most other groups were copying the new "Mersey Sound". They were originally formed in the late 1950's in the wake of the American rock 'n' roll invasion which saw the formation of many early British groups during the pre-Beatles era. The early line-up of the Sundowners changed frequently and by about 1960 consisted of electrician's apprentice Mick Adkins (lead guitar), Dennis ? (rhythm guitar), Joe Parsons (bass guitar), drummer Kenny Bland, and vocalists Jimmy Rhodes and Ron Parsons. Material performed by the group at this time was mostly rock 'n' roll standards along with lots of Everly Brothers covers. Guitarist Dennis was forced to leave the group because of poor health and was replaced by Keith Warrender, while drummer Kenny Bland left and was eventually replaced by Keith Harrison. A regular booking for The Sundowners was at the Atlas Ballroom in Stechford Birmingham as well as the Shirley Annex youth club in Solihull where a lot of well known local groups played including Mike Sheridan and The Nightriders and Denny Laine and The Diplomats amongst others. The Sundowners were also one of the many West Midlands groups to go on the Regan's dance hall circuit and this included spots at the Adelphi in West Bromwich as well as the Ritz in Kings Heath. Towards the end of 1963, lead singer Jimmy Rhodes left after getting married which meant that the group were now limited in the material that they could perform due to the lack of a strong vocalist. Ron Parsons also decided to leave and this situation prompted the Sundowners to try their hand at backing an established vocalist and so they became Robbie Hood's "Merry Men", Robbie being local performer Mike West who was one of pop manager's Reg Calverts resident acts. Reg Calvert was a well known manager and booking agent in the 1960's and his stable of acts would also include Brummie group The Fortunes amongst many others. Robbie Hood's stage show involved the gimmick of appearing on stage dressed as the famous outlaw "Robin Hood" which included not only a hat but a full costume of Lincoln green consisting of tunic, boots, and tights. Unfortunately for the Sundowners, they also had to dress up in the appropriate costume including the "tights" which did not go down well with the group although they were eventually persuaded by Robbie who promised them lots of bookings and a record contract. While the "record contract" did not materialize, Robbie Hood and his Merry Men certainly had plenty of bookings and they played up and down the country for the next six months. Although Reg Calvert was able to get them booked into some of the larger halls, the former Sundowners often found themselves cringing with embarrassment as they performed rock 'n' roll numbers while dressed in their Merry Men outfits and things came to a head when the group was booked to headline at a trendy club in London. The London audience was not receptive to the provincial charms of Robbie Hood and his Merry Men and they were literally booed off the stage after being completely upstaged by one of the hot local blues acts. This painful episode prompted the Sundowners to immediately resign their position as Robbie Hood's Merry Men. Possibly because of the "Robbie Hood" experience, The Sundowners decided that a change of image was necessary and so they became a "blues" group as this style of music was becoming increasingly popular with the younger audiences and particularly university students. The transition to playing blues music was an easy one for the group, but lack of a good lead vocalist led the Sundowners to hire John Williams as the new front-man. Along with the new style, a new name was also decided upon so The Sundowners became The Chads. It was this group that would eventually include a young guitarist by the name of Jeff Lynne (see The Chads). To see much more information on the Sundowners and The Chads, visit Mick Adkins' informative website at www.mickadkins.co.uk which features music files as well as some great pictures and stories. With Special Thanks to Brum Beat Copyright©John R Woodhouse and to Mick Adkins for assistance in writing this feature. Compiled by Keith Law

The Chads

Keith Law — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 01:37:57 +0000

Birmingham The Chads Mick Adkins lead guitar, vocal Keith Harrison drums Joe Parsons bass guitar Keith Warrender guitar John Williams vocal Jeff Lynne lead guitar This Birmingham based group were not so well known as many of the other Brumbeat bands, possibly because most of their bookings took them to other parts of the country. The group was originally called The Sundowners who had been active on the local scene since the late 1950's. To find out more about this band go to www.mickadkins.co.uk See also The Sundowners. With Special Thanks to Brum Beat Copyright©John R Woodhouse Compiled by Keith Law

Traction

Keith Law — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 01:40:46 +0000

Birmingham Traction Phil Brittle drums Brenda Bosworth vocal John Burnett trumpet Stanley Hanis trumpet Will Hammond guitar Bob Hewitt guitar Malcolm Palmer tenor sax Keith Bradbeer trumpet Bobby Styler vocal Dave Walker vocal Danny Gallagher bass guitar Keith Poulton guitar Gerry Earsdon guitar Guy Pagett keyboards John Tulley baritone sax Leigh Higginson bass guitar Patrick Geddes-Smith tenor sax Phil Savage vocal Luddy Sams vocal By the autumn of 1966, The Yamps who had been playing for three years together found themselves trapped playing the same old gigs over and over again or supporting bigger name bands but couldn't see that anything better would appear on the horizon for them. "We had our chances earlier on in our partnership to have become a much bigger group but it was kind of squandered" remembers guitarist Will Hammond. "Music styles were changing and like every ambitious band we thought we should call it a day as that group". A decision was taken by all members of the band that enough was enough and they announced their own demise. Their epitaph from the Midland Beat newspaper read "Yamps R.I.P." Traction featuring Bob Styler There were no plans to physically disband, simply give themselves a breathing space where they could drop the material they now found themselves playing and re-form with a new identity. Malcolm Palmer who had left the Yamps before the actual disbandment came back. During his absence he had changed instruments from guitar to tenor saxophone. Said Will Hammond "We all met up at a pub about 50 yards down the road from The Cedar Club where we had made arrangements to use the old ballroom upstairs as a permanent practice hall to get a new act together. We had no name and no idea of what we were actually going to play but knew that we played well together so I think we just sort of jammed for a week or so trying to see a new way forward". Meanwhile the job of finding some other brass players to form a horn section continued. Will Hammond remembers; "Every time we had a rehearsal, Malcolm would turn up with yet another couple of players until at one point we had ten!! There were so many musicians coming and going in those early days that it would be impossible for me to accredit them all to Traction but probably half of Brum". Within a short time the band had re-named themselves Traction and were on the road, with a fluctuating brass section of four or five. It was not long before Will Hammond began to have second thoughts about the group. "Apart from the fact that you couldn't earn any money because there were just too many people to pay, the music we were playing was heading in a soul music direction that I definitely didn't want to be a part of and was looking for a way out of the band. I thought we were going to be a sort of Paul Butterfield Blues Band or something although I did like playing the Sam and Dave material" said Will. "When I got the offer to join The Uglys, I naturally leapt at the chance". Leigh Higginson decided that he wanted to move on also and left the band at the same time, the departing pair being replaced by long time pals Keith Poulton (guitar) and Danny Gallagher (The Solitaires) on bass. Traction featuring Brenda Bosworth The band now moved into a full soul group mode and "Little Miss Dynamite" Brenda Bosworth, who was one of the finest singers of her time, came in on vocals to replace the departing Bobby Styler. They attracted a good following and were a popular band on the soul circuit. However, the numbers of band players had now risen to 14!! Danny Gallagher remembers; "We were on stage playing one night and Phil Brittle shouted to me, "Do you know who that bloke is over there?" (looking at one of the brass line up). "It was hilarious" recalls Danny. "We had to have two PA systems - one for vocals and one for brass". Interest in recording the group came from no less than George Martin, The Beatles legendary producer and Traction were invited to Abbey Road to do a session. "George Martin showed a real interest in Brenda's voice rather than the group though" remembers Danny. Malcolm Palmer said "It didn't help things either when Phil turned up late". After the Abbey Road session there was some discontent and relationships within the band imploded causing founder member Malcolm Palmer to leave. Brenda also left the group and she was replaced by Luddy Sams, a great soul singer. As the direction of the band changed, he in turn, was replaced by Dave Walker from The Redcaps who also soon departed to the Savoy Brown Blues Band, Phil Savage taking over on vocal duties. Gerry Earsdon replaced Keith Poulton on guitar and shortly after, the group finally split with Danny, Phil and Gerry going on to form Frosty Moses. With Special Thanks to Brum Beat Copyright©John R Woodhouse and to Danny Gallagher, Will Hammond, and Malcolm Palmer for supplying this official Traction biography. Compiled by Keith Law

The Yamps

Keith Law — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 01:41:40 +0000

Birmingham The Yamps Will Hammond guitar Leigh Higginson bass guitar Jimmy O'Neil piano, organ Malcolm Palmer guitar Bobby Styler vocals Tony Walters drums Phil Brittle drums Formed in 1964, The Yamps were a vibrant Birmingham R&B band with a hard edged style and a manic stage act (perpetrated, in the main by the unpredictable antics of Malcolm Palmer). Their music style ranged from the American blues of Muddy Waters to the faster rock 'n' roll style of British acts like The Downliners Sect and the Artwoods. The Yamps The Yamps were regulars at gigs like the Silver Beat, Rainbow Suite, the Whisky in central Birmingham as well as the normal round of appearances at places like the Hen & Chickens, Langley. After a chance meeting with photographer John Lines (responsible for most of the Brum group photographs at that time), he became their manager and got them their first Town Hall gig at Walsall. The very amiable Stan Fielding of the Astra Agency, Wolverhampton signed The Yamps straight away and launched them onto the circuit where they were hugely popular at Wolverhampton gigs like the Civic Hall, the Woolpack, the Ship etc. and moreover, moved into the Stoke on Trent area playing the Victoria Hall, Queens Hall and other major venues. The Yamps The band could often be seen driving around Birmingham in their old Austin Princess Ambulance (a trend which would soon catch on with other groups). Essentially a five piece guitar band, the line up was augmented by Jimmy O'Neil (see The Uglys) on the trusted VOX Continental organ for a while before he departed to London to become the fourth member of the Walker Brothers touring band. During this time the Yamps played on the same bills as Cliff Bennett and The Rebel Rousers, Tony Rivers and The Castaways, The Applejacks and The Sorrows. With the changing styles of music, The Yamps eventually transformed themselves into a ten piece group (featuring a five-strong brass section) re-launching themselves as Traction. Will Hammond departed shortly after this transformation to re-unite his long time musical partnership with Jimmy O'Neil in The Uglys. Today sees all of the Yamps still musically active with Malcolm Palmer playing with his band Bourbon Street, Phil Brittle, drumming with hugely popular band Quill, Bob Styler playing the odd gig at The Roadhouse and who also now works in The Music Exchange guitar shop, Leigh Higginson has entered a buddhist retreat in Devon but still plays bass guitar and Will Hammond is living and playing in Spain. With Special Thanks to Brum Beat Copyright©John R Woodhouse and to Will Hammond for supplying the Yamps biography. Copyright © Will Hammond Compiled by Keith Law

William's Conquerors

Keith Law — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 01:42:56 +0000

Yardley Wood, Birmingham William's Conquerors Bob Adams guitar Brian Harbison lead vocal, bass guitar Bryan Miles drums Mick Webley lead guitar In the early 1960s, Yardley Wood was a quiet, suburb of Birmingham. Had you taken a bus from the city centre to the terminus and stepped off to hear guitar sounds emanating from the Church Hall, you probably wouldn't have agreed. This was the practice ground for "The Vaqueros", a local group. Sporting Futurama guitars (all six string), Brian Harbison, Mick Webley and Andy Grace formed the front line with Bryan Miles on percussion (one snare, one symbol and a six foot diameter bass drum). The music was instrumentals by The Shadows, The Ventures, Duane Eddy etc. The lads only booking at this stage was for the quarterly Christ Church Youth Club dance. They were all active members of the Youth Club and after a Wednesday night meeting back at Brian's house, another member Bob Adams demonstrated his superior guitar skills by playing a bar chord. This technique had not yet been mastered by the trio of guitar, strumming "cowboys" the meaning of which in Spanish is "Vaqueros". Bob, or 'Nob' as he became more affectionately known was immediately drafted in to replace Andy. Brian Harbison replaced his six string for a bass and Bryan Miles updated his drum kit. A change in music style introduced vocals by Chuck Berry, Buddy Holly, Everley Brothers etc. The Vaqueros At this stage, no lead singer had emerged and so it was that they enlisted the services of Mick "Fish" Fisher spotted performing an outrageous version of the old blues classic "Shame" at another local church Youth Club, Holy Cross. "Fish" was not only a nutcase well ahead of his time musically, but someone who added another dimension of sound to the line-up. A more raucous style of rock/R & B developed and a name change to "William & The Conquerors". As a semi-pro, five piece, the lads played an increasing number of local bookings at weddings, Youth Clubs and private functions. Regular gigs at Hopwood Caravan Club and The Meadway supplemented by a weekly residency at The College Arms in Kingstanding, led to 5 - 6 bookings per week by the end of 1964. During this year, the group invested in bigger and better equipment, including their own van, which was an ex "Brook Bond Tea" delivery vehicle. This choice obviously proved that they were way before their time i.e. the association of "Tea" with the behaviour of "Chimps"! They auditioned for Van Kinson Promotions at The Cedar Club and took on a new manager from Excelsior Artists, Dick Homans. By the end of that year, they had also started playing all-nighters at The Chateau Impney with such artists as Dusty Springfield, Screaming Lord Sutch and The Chicken Shack. In early 1965, in the Midland Beat Competition finals, they lost out to The Con-Chords and The Kingfishers. Differences of opinion with "Fish", led to the decision to perform all the vocals, with Brian Harbison taking up the mantle of lead singer from mid-March, Fish being happy with a Â£45 "golden handshake". The group then became, "Williams Conquerors" developing a blend of harmonic vocals, performing in a more Soul/Tamla/ Blues & Rock style. There was an increasing desire to succeed, talk of turning professional was rife, but more importantly they realised the need to start writing their own material. This was developed as they progressed through the quarter and semi-finals of The Midland Beat Competition. Blue, Love That Is True, It's Too Late and You Left Me, were all Harbison originals penned during this period, as they set their sights on winning "The Midland Beat Competition". It was hard work developing their portfolio and building up a stage repertoire, but by now they were playing with such artists as PJ Proby, Georgie Fame, Cliff Bennett and the Rebel Rousers, The Animals, Lulu and the Luvers. In June 1965, the hard work paid off. Williams Conquerors won The Midland Beat Group Competition Final beating the UK Bonds, Shooting Stars, Marbells, Size Six and The Telstars. Blue, With Love That Is True, were two of their originals, that along with Roadrunner (Bo Diddley) gave them the edge over the other contestants, borne out by the judges' comments emphasising this fact. The lads won a recording test with Alan Freeman of Pye Records, Â£50's worth of equipment, a trophy and a string of bookings on the well-known local Reagan circuit. They purchased a new van and whilst playing at Corby Civic Hall with Cyril Stapleton, were invited to Studio A at Radio Luxembourg to record their original work of four tracks. They also appointed a new manager, Graham Bott and had been offered two different German, three-month contracts. Things couldn't be better! Other demo sessions at Vincent Ladbrook and Tetlow Studios produced material contained within the album and in October 1965, a five-year contract with Pye was in the bag. As triumphant as the king in 1066, Williams Conquerors returned to Hastings to perform a concert at the Witch Doctor, followed by a tour of the town on a float. The event certainly proved to be "one in the eye" for the indigenous population! In 1965, the Brum Beat scene was seemingly the place to be and Williams Conquerors were excited to be part of it. Alex's pie stand at Snow Hill was a place to gather and chat after bookings. Ten Pin Bowling with The Applejacks and Andy Clappers became a recreational mechanism. Playing with groups from Birmingham that had "made it" such as Spencer Davis, The Fortunes and The Applejacks and other successful, nationally known bands such as Them, Sorrows, Yardbirds, Johnny Kidd and the Pirates, Mojos, Zoot Money and Alex Harvey provided the inspiration to make them decide to turn professional. In order to do this, yet again changes had to be made. A new programme was to be learnt. New stage gear was bought and most significantly, a new drummer was required to replace Bryan Miles who did not wish to turn pro and risk his career! Derek "Pecker" Woodward was recruited as a replacement from the "Dueces Wild", a local group that had just returned from France. Other significant events that occurred at the back end of 1965, a full front page on the Midland Beat magazine. The opening of their own venue, "The Bent Boot" at The Golden Eagle in Hill Street, Birmingham and a performance in front of talent scout Martin Wyatt. Nob's father, who was a keen DIY man, had ensured that maximum security was employed to protect the van and its contents, as the lads futures would be dependent on it. Padlocks had been fitted to the rear and side doors, grills to the back windows. An alarm and immobiliser completed the job. Most importantly, however, were the new wooden doors adorning his garage, which housed the sacred van. Their last gig as semi-pros was at the Belfry - the New Year's Eve Ball. It was a cold and windy night. Nob, having dropped off the rest of the band, arrived home at 3.00am. Manoeuvring the van into the garage was a tricky job with little to spare on either side. Confident in his driving ability, Nob reversed the van and unceremoniously smashed the garage door to bits! He hadn't noticed that it had blown shut! The next day brought several comments from shocked neighbours as they observed the van's intricate parking, half in and half out of a partly demolished garage. That must have been some party Robert was at last night and anyway what exactly is a professional musician? January 1st 1966, was the start of their professional career and Mick Webley (lead guitar) bought a new Gibson Stereophonic guitar and two Vox amplifiers. "Nobby" (rhythm) a Gresch Anniversary, Brian a blonde Gibson EB2 bass and "Pecker" a new set of Ludwig drums. On 28th January, Williams Conquerors recorded six numbers for BBC Radio. The programme was to be one of the "Beat Nite" series entitled "One Night Stand" and also featured the newly formed Move from Birmingham. Compered by Tom Coyne and produced by Michael Ford, it was broadcast on February 2nd. The tracks played were Night Train, Watch Your Step, Watcha Gonna Do About It, Land Of A 1000 Dances and the self-penned She (Harbison) and Education (Adams). The latter Nob allegedly wrote in 1 1/2 hrs in the smallest room in his house, to make up the tracks required! As the year progressed, they auditioned for Galaxy Entertainments at Wycombe Town Hall, Romford, Essex. This was for Don Arden who managed The Small Faces. They bought some "mod" gear from Carnaby Street to enhance their image and recorded Leave That Town and She both Harbison originals. That was with Alan Freeman and Martin Wyatt and was to be their first release for Pye. Whilst travelling back from Wycombe in the early hours, through the country roads of Gloucestershire, the lads were not too surprised to be pulled up by the local fuzz. This happened quite often because of the blacked out van windows and the padlocked rear doors. "Where have you been and where are you going?" - the normal ritualistic questions were fired at Brian, who satisfactorily answered them. The next part of the investigation was not quite as expected, as the officer threateningly shone his torch into the van until reassured that Brian was wearing shoes!! The investigation then moved to Nob in the passenger seat and Mick and Peck who were both asleep in the back of the van. Imagine being woken up after an exhausting night's work by a policeman shining a torch in your eyes shouting "Show us your feet!" If anyone has the slightest idea what that was all about, please let the lads know! Brian was writing to the likes of R. King in Denmark Street (Tin Pan Alley) in an attempt to secure a publishing contract whilst frantically working both the top local and national scene 6/7 nights at week. Gigs at The Ritz, Kings Heath, Plazas Old Hill and Handsworth were played with Listen (Robert Plant and John Bonham), Move (Roy Wood, Carl Wayne, Bev Bevan, Ace Kefford), Idle Race (Jeff Lynne), The Mods, Cheetas, King Bees (later Craig), Cock-a-Hoops. Travelling to Stoke, Corby, Newquay, Wilmslow, Derby, Wellington, Evesham and regularly appearing at Club De Danse, Colchester, Flamingo Club, London, Top of the Town, Manchester, Victoria Ballroom, Cambridge, Tavern Club, Norfolk, Drill Hall, Newmarket, Regal Ballroom, Derby, Casino Club, Leicester, Glen Ballroom, Llanelly, Twisted Wheel, Blackpool etc., they built quite a following. During May and June, demo recording sessions at Tetlow Studio produced tracks such as Gotta Get Away and I'll Always Love You in an attempt to represent a sound more representative of their live performances. In August, Williams Conquerors became The Frame and during September and October, She, Leave That Town, My Feet Don't Fit In His Shoes and The Spiv were recorded for RCA. To read the continuation of the Williams Conquerors/Frame story, click The Frame With Special Thanks to Brum Beat Copyright©John R Woodhouse Copyright © Bob Adams & Brian Harbison Compiled by Keith Law

The Frame

Keith Law — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 01:44:03 +0000

Yardley Wood, Birmingham The Frame Bob Adams guitar Brian Harbison lead vocal, bass guitar Mick Webley lead guitar Derek Woodward drums Continued from the Williams Conquerors Travelling to Stoke, Corby, Newquay, Wilmslow, Derby, Wellington, Evesham and regularly appearing at Club De Danse, Colchester, Flamingo Club, London, Top of the Town, Manchester, Victoria Ballroom, Cambridge, Tavern Club, Norfolk, Drill Hall, Newmarket, Regal Ballroom, Derby, Casino Club, Leicester, Glen Ballroom, Llanelly, Twisted Wheel, Blackpool etc., they built quite a following. During May and June, demo recording sessions at Tetlow Studio produced tracks such as Gotta Get Away and I'll Always Love You in an attempt to represent a sound more representative of their live performances. In August, the group became The Frame and during September and October, She, Leave That Town, My Feet Don't Fit In His Shoes and The Spiv were recorded for RCA. She was released in November on the same record label as Elvis! To support its release, a nationwide contest to find Miss She was won by a very attractive model who shared with the boys a night out in London. A Radio Luxembourg show was recorded at Tiles and an appearance on "Pop Inn", both in London, the latter for the BBC Light programme. Unfortunately, even with these promotions, advertising and extensive touring, their first release failed to "take-off". Whilst quite pleased that the material was their own compositions, the band were not happy playing their record live, as it was not in vogue with their current so called "comfortable music" on stage presentation, which had more of a Bluesy, Tamla, Soul/Rock, Dance orientated style. During this year, their new van had an engine replacement. Nobby had passed his driving test having been coached by a professional police driver. At a memorable gig at Birmingham University supporting The Who, Brian attempted to match the Who's volume output (and wreck some equipment) by blowing his base speaker. The speaker was of considerable size and at the end of the night was placed in the van on the settee. The settee formed the van's rear seating together with other features including upholstered ceiling and walls, a drinks cabinet, hanging vines and other items of ambient magnificence. The next morning, the lads planned to drop the speaker into Ringway Music for repair. Then Brian received a phone call - "Our Rob's going to be a little late, he's had a bit of a bump in the van". "Ok, Mrs. Adams. I'll walk round". As Brian rounded the last bend en route to Nobby's, he noted a mass of twisted green metal wrapped around a rather surprised looking oak tree. "Hmm", he thought "that scrap someone has dumped is exactly the same colour as our recently repaired van. Oh no! it can't be... It was and further more it was right outside Nob's driving instructor's house! It turned out that as Nob turned the corner, the speaker fell over, Nob looked behind and the van veered across the road, wrapping itself round the tree. Although the van was a write-off, Nob was Ok - until the rest of the group saw him! 1967 was surely the year to make it big?! The band now had a London agent, Jim Godbolt. They were the first British band recording on RCA GB Ltd. Contracted to RCA Victor for five singles. Interpop had been appointed to handle their PR nationally and they had a booming Fan Club. Their personal manager at this stage was Keith Mallet, who was the sole UK agent for The Monkees Fan Club, Mick Dolenz himself being a great admirer of The Frame. During January, they twice visited IBC Studios in Portland Place to record their next single. Two numbers, both written by Brian Harbison and produced by Peter Roddis resulted in Doctor, Doctor on the A-side and I Can't Go On on the B-side. This flipside was approaching the natural live feel that the band had developed whilst Doctor was considered to have a greater chance of commercial success. Doctor, Doctor was released on 24th February 1967. It should have been titled with just one medical opinion, "Doctor", but got too far in production to change! The sheet music was printed and the publisher was Feldman. The release date was supposed to coincide with The Frame's return from a tour of Finland but this tour was postponed. A gruelling but rewarding nationwide tour was embarked upon to promote their new disc. It encompassed all types of venues - ballrooms, all nighters, jazz clubs and the universities and college circuits as far north as Scotland and the South, East and West coasts, not forgetting the venues in and around Birmingham. By May, a general air of despondency was developing in the group, morale was running low as the second record had not been a hit. The lads seemed to be spending all their time on the road, with little time for developing new material and even resting! At the end of May, they left Immingham to sail to Helsinki via Gothenborg. This was to tour Finland and was rescheduled from January. Back in high spirits, they were to play fourteen shows and the performances were to include them backing a Mancurian singer called "Charles Stuart", as well as their own "stand alone" spots. On arrival at Helsinki, the boys were surprised by the number of girl fans awaiting their docking. "They knew our records, life histories, likes and dislikes and even our shoe sizes!" commented Brian "and they followed us everywhere - to the hotel, site seeing, to lunch, into the sauna! the woods!, to buy illegal booze off the ships in dock and to all the gigs". They were a great bunch of fans, we called them "The Roses". However, the band weren't as popular with the blokes. They were very jealous and when drunk on illicit alcohol, would stare them out on stage and start fights after the shows. Most of this was handled by their Finnish Road Manager "Yori", who was quite good at sorting all manner of things out! Playing up as far as the Russian border, in Kotka, they were returning home with quite a few of "The Roses" (16) only to realise they had left Mick behind! On the return sea voyage, they played on board a Russian ship by request of the Captain, who had heard of their successful tour. Back on English soil, the band auditioned for a part on BBC TV. It was a play to be called Private In The Army featuring Charles Stuart. Having learnt all the songs to the point of being successful at the audition, it fell through due to Equity problems. This event, coupled with the anti-climax of returning from Finland to the less exciting prospects at home, made some of the lads start thinking it was time to get an "Ernie" (9 to 5) type job! They played their final performance as The Frame, at The Belfry, Sutton Coldfield on 26th June 1967. "Why did you pack it all in? Weren't things going well? I mean, money for old rope for an hour's work a day, seems like the good life". "Yeah, sure" Bob recalls. It was a cold, wet winter weekend - two bookings in Carlisle and two in Stockport were in prospect as we trudged to the first venue in our grimy, lipstick covered van. After set-up and a successful sound test "Icicles, Popsicles, Testing 1, 2, 3", we played an inspired gig to a receptive audience who pulled Mick off stage by his moustache! This is the life! Next day was spent hanging around awaiting the next gig at the same venue. Practise during the day in this case proved perfect when we performed I Am Louisiana Red for 20 minutes to another enthusiastic crowd, for whom we signed autographs, knickers, etc. Yes this is definitely the life! Next day on the way to Stockport, an extremely loud knocking noise came from the engine accompanied by brown gunk, which sprayed out all over the place and received an expert diagnosis from Mick the mechanic, "The engine's failed!" After sitting on the hard shoulder (in the rain), for what appeared to be hours, a replacement van arrived into which we loaded our gear (in the rain) and sped off to arrive late at the gig, a fact which did not go unnoticed by the promoter, who announced that he would be adjusting our fee accordingly. Is this the life? During the interval, Brian and I set off on foot (in the rain) to look for accommodation - no such luck! After playing the second set, not that enthusiastically, we approached the promoter to ask him for permission to leave our gear overnight, and, in the interests of security, could we accompany it? Suffice it to say that we were extremely fortunate to obtain a resolution whereby the kit stayed but we didn't! Are we sure this is the life? 2am walking the streets of Stockport (in the rain), in a fruitless search for accommodation, we arrived wet and despondent at the Police Station. "What's the matter with you lot? You look as though you've committed a crime". "No sir" (right answer). "Have you any money?" "Yes sir" (wrong answer). "Well you can't stay here then!" What a strange British custom it is that recognises a vagrant as someone without a shilling in his pocket, who can then at the taxpayers expense spend a warm, dry and presumably comfortable night in a cell. What a life! A tedious walk (in the rain) found us at a B & B of dubious reputation. A memorable night was spent in a dormitory with cockroaches and truckers who were not overly impressed with our 4am arrival. Get a Life! After little sleep and another fun-packed day (in the rain), we made a once and only, never to be repeated appearance in our underclothes - everything else was wet! The equipment was left at the venue as we trudged (in the rain) to the railway station. After waiting all night, we caught the milk train "All change at Crewe" to Birmingham, arriving at lunchtime the following day. Is this a life? Our fathers kindly helped retrieve our means of livelihood from up north. At great and obviously unexpected expense, we had to hire a van, whilst ours was fitted with a new engine. Upon its completion, we had to repatriate our vehicle back to Birmingham. At Â£40 a gig, this was not exactly the life of Larry! Mick flew out to Zurich to audition for "The Renegades". He got the job and has never returned, playing with them and then a reincarnation of them "Kim & The Cadillacs" based in Italy. He now sells car parts, living in Switzerland. "Peck" got his own milk round in Redditch. Nob played semi-pro in a trio for some years. He then went into the print industry to become co-owner/director of the same company that printed a poster of the group all those years ago. Brian dabbled part-time as a songwriter; the only success achieved was authorship of an advertising ditty for DIY stores on local radio. A successful career in sales followed by early retirement, left him doing what he enjoys most. Brian and Nobby are now playing together again - this time golf, with about as much luck so far as they had in the group! Life goes on, we'd all like to be in the frame, at some time, if only for a moment... With Special Thanks to Brum Beat Copyright©John R Woodhouse and to Bob Adams and Brian Harbison for supplying this exclusive story of The Frame. Copyright © Bob Adams & Brian Harbison. Compiled by Keith Law

Possessed

Keith Law — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 01:47:36 +0000

West Bromwich Vernon Pereira.Vocals/Guitar Mick Reeves.Vocals/Guitar/Bass Guitar Terry Davies.Vocals Phil Brittle.Drums This is the story of a band whose tragic legacy could never have been predicted. Possessed were born out the thriving underground West Midlands Rock & Blues scene of the mid to late 60s. This was a scene in which band- leader, Vernon Pereira, had been a key figure. Indian-born Pereira was an original member of The Band Of Joy where he played alongside future Led Zeppelin stars Robert Plant and John Bonham. The trio remained close friends right up until Possesseds untimely end in a tragic road accident whilst returning home from a gig in Carlisle on October 21st 1976. Lost in this accident were the lives of Pereira, Reeves and then vocalist Terry Davies. The band were formed in late 1969 when Vernon teamed up with Mick Reeves, who had been playing in (amongst other bands) Sugarstack with Al Atkins. This was the band that would eventually evolve into being the first incarnation of Judas Priest. Mick had created a very unique instrument, which was basically a Gibson SG Guitar and Bass, both sawn in half & joined together. He also created his own octave divider, which will explain some of the more sonic frequencies that rip through Vernons complex riffing on this recording. Drummer, Phil Brittle was also something of a local legend. He had also been a member of The Band Of Joy, as well as being an original member of The Way Of Life before John Bonham entered the fold. In fact, it was Bonham himself who taught Phil how to play triplets and double kick drums! The quality of music & playing is unquestionable, Phil Brittles unpredictable beats rattle and bash with intense precision, weaving astonishing patterns between Vernon and Micks fierce, yet intensely catchy rifferama. What we have here is a true lost gem from the Hard-edged Progressive Rock era. Exploration was originally recorded and scheduled for a major label release in 1971. Due to unknown reasons, it has never seen the light of day: until now. Scheduled for release on CD and LP in September 2006, the myths and legends of this extraordinary band can finally be cleared and laid to rest. 35 years after it was originally intended for release, 'Exploration' finally sees the light of day on Mon 25th September 2006, on the Rise Above Relics label. The recordings have been proffessionally mastered from the original masters and sound fantastic. There have been several features in local West Midlands press (Birmingham Evening Mail & Express & Star to name a couple). The other great news is that Central TV Evening News will be running a story on the band and their legacy. This will be broadcast on the evening of the albums release. 'Exploration will be available at all good record stores and will also be available via the Rise Above Records website (www.riseaboverecords.com) A special vinyl version will be released later in the year.

It gives me a strange mixture, of both sadness and pleasure in making this post! The sadness, that two wonderful talents, were so tragically lost. The pleasure comes from the fact, that I knew Mick and Vernon, both as friends and as professional musicians. Mick was a fantastic musician, and I spent many hours in his parents home, making music together. I took Mick to Birmingham to buy those Gibson's,and remember his Dad, sawing them, in half!!! Vernon was unique, in the fact he had both the good looks and magical talent, that could have made him a super-star. It is a lasting legacy that this album, should be released, and a fitting epitaph, to such unique talents. My Sincere Wishes

Compiled by Keith Law

Light Fantastic

Keith Law — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 10:48:37 +0000

Wolverhampton Ron Dickson bass guitar, vocal Richard Brown lead guitar (left in 1969) Roy "Dripper" Kent lead vocal (left in 1969) Tony Harrison drums Keith Locke rhythm guitar, vocal Colin "Buck" Owen keyboards, vocal (joined in 1969) Ian "Sludge" Lees vocal (joined in 1970) Light Fantastic were well-known throughout the West Midlands during the late 1960s and early 70s while also gaining fans in the rest of the U.K. and abroad. Their exciting and theatrical live performances sometimes featured bass guitarist Ron Dickson's infamous "coffin act" when he would emerge from a coffin on-stage wearing horrific Dracula or monster make-up, terrifying many in the audience! Still performing today in his own successful "Nightmare" horror stage-show, Ron has kindly supplied the biography of Light Fantastic that I am happy to show here and exclusive to the BrumBeat.net web site. Ron Dickson In 1967, the popular Birmingham-based band The Vogues were in crisis as Brian Betteridge, lead guitarist and vocalist left. After advertising and seeing many applicants we took on Keith Locke, originally from Liverpool but living in London and at the time working with a then-unknown band who became Badfinger. Keith moved down to Birmingham and was found a place to live by our manager at the time Den Caney. Shortly after, lead vocalist Johnny Carroll left to go solo as a comedian, followed by drummer John (Steve) Price leaving Ron Dickson as the only original member of The Vogues. The band quickly reformed bringing in Tony Harrison (drums) from Winchester, Richard brown (guitar) formerly with Procol Harum, vocalist Ieuan Thomas from Wales, Keith Locke on vocals and second guitar, and myself Ron Dickson on bass guitar (and the 'Monster' in the infamous coffin act). 1968 saw the lead vocalist being replaced by former Finders Keepers' lead vocalist Roy "Dripper" Kent, a move of home base to Wolverhampton to Join the Astra Agency, and a change of name. 'Light Fantastic' were born. Ron Dickson's monster Light Fantastic obtained great popularity and notoriety when we accidentally caused an explosion in the dressing room of Pelsall Community Center near Walsall because of the chemicals they were using to create smoke in the horror finale. The story was heavily publicized and exaggerated and the crowds flocked to see us. In 1969, Richard Brown left and was replaced by a friend of Keith's, Colin Owen from Liverpool on keyboards. Always searching for the spectacular in the stage show often placed us in danger. Tony the drummer was once blown clean over his drums when our roadie wedged the dustbin which we used for the stage explosions behind his drum seat. He escaped unhurt but wasn't so lucky a second time in the north east, when a piece of cardboard from a stage effect hit him in the rear end so hard that we had to call the ambulance. He was carried off in a stretcher to the ambulance then had to get out and help push it when it wouldn't start! He spent about 3 weeks lying on his stomach waiting to heal. When x-rayed at the hospital the wound was clean but at the end of the third week a lump of cardboard emerged from the wound like the creature in the movie Alien. Scary! Dripper Kent left in late 1969 to spend more time with his family. In 1970 a new lead singer and front man Ian "Sludge" Lees who had just left The Montanas, joined Light Fantastic. We were whisked of to Hamburg Germany to do two weeks at the famous Top Ten Club in the notorious red light district. Following in the footsteps of the Beatles and many other bands, long grueling sessions playing all night saw us very often sitting in a bar on the Reeperbahn at nine in the morning, having a drink and sitting side by side with all the other night entertainers. A strange topsy turvey world it seemed to be. Nothing but food stalls, clubs, brothels, and all manner of humanity - much of it very bizarre for a young lad and his first time abroad - especially when you pop into a bar and find it full of transvestites before I even knew what one was. The German tour ended with our van breaking down on the return journey and being towed to the port to return home on the ferry in a force 10 gale hanging on for dear life and wading amongst vomit from sea sick passengers. We returned to Wolverhampton with our van being towed the last 200 miles courtesy of "Mad Harry" Jig Saw's roadie. We were very tired but a much tighter band from our long-playing sessions. Light Fantastic 1971 saw another change in the lineup with two new drummers. A short stint with Steve Palmer (younger brother of the famous Carl Palmer of Emerson Lake & Palmer), and then with former Sight & Sound drummer from Birmingham Joe Dignam (Joe Dog as he became known). That year we did a tour of cabaret venues backing and supporting Carl Wayne ex. lead singer with The Move. We were trying hard to get a recording contract and did a fair amount of recording with Roy Wood at Lee Sound Studios, Pelsall near Walsall. Finally we clinched a deal with MAM records and released our first single Love Is Everywhere written by guitarist Keith Locke. It was produced by Johnny Worth who had great success with 60's artist Adam faith. The years that followed up to 1975 were hectic - always chasing that elusive hit record. During this period we released two more records with MAM, the last being Alley Oop, a version of the 60's million seller by the Hollywood Argyles. We appeared on the pop television program 'Lift Off' to promote this, complete with Sludge in a leopard skin leotard and roadie John in a gorilla suit - great fun. In 1973 we did shows with hit band The Sweet, released a record Jeanie on Sweet's own RCA label, appeared on 'Opportunity Knocks' twice, the first time coming second to boy wonder Neil Read who went on to have a major hit with Mother Of Mine. We had people from all over the country voting for us but I suppose we should have realized we were doomed when relaxing in the bar at the studios after our first appearance, we heard Hughie Green discussing what Neil was going to sing the following week. Our second appearance was on the Concorde Special, which was going out on New Year's Eve in 1973, but unfortunately the show ran over time and we were cut at the last minute. Very bizarre because our name still appeared on the credits at the end. Tours with 70's hit band Mud in 1974 in major concert venues in the U.K. and Holland gained us more fans. We were promoting our record release on Blue Jean Records Take Me, Shake Me - again a Keith Locke composition. In 1975 we signed with Showaddywaddy's management and toured with that band promoting our second release on Blue Jean; We Are The Song - a great time with lots of laughs. At the end of 1975, Colin Owen left to get married and was replaced by our roadie at the time Fred Reeves (a good piano player), and then once again more changes as Sludge decided to go solo as a professional comedian. Light Fantastic in the 1970s We decided to carry on as a four-piece and quickly settled down with Keith taking over on lead vocals. For the whole of the working life of the band we were working a minimum of six days a week - an indication of a much better time for live entertainment and people's social life in general. The band or group as we used to call ourselves in those days, carried on recording at Ron Lee's 'Lee Sound Studios' in Pelsall. We released an album (LP) on Blue Records in Denmark where we were very popular as a live act and toured frequently over there. 1978 saw the end of Light Fantastic - a great live act and a great decade. We had run our course for ten years of always chasing that one lucky break during which we had seen fellow local bands rise to fame but it had unfairly passed us by. That year we did many successful farewell gigs, the last being at The Lafayette in Wolverhampton. This was marred by an unfortunate accident involving our roadie at the time 'Duncan' ex of the hit band The Sweet. He tried to emulate my infamous leap from the balcony of the Civic Hall in Wolverhampton during the 'monster' act by leaping from the balcony of the Lafayette but he tried doing it in a gorilla suit with strobe lights going and under the influence of about eight pints of lager. He mis-judged it and landed badly, shattering the bones in his ankle. We were unaware of this until he came on dressed in a space suit for our rendition of David Bowie's Space Oddity and fainted in pain. He spent many months in plaster and was left with a slight limp to remind him of his Light Fantastic days. Keith Locke joined up with Johnny Jones (ex Montanas) in a short-lived duo, later going solo and then retiring from show biz to become a very successful businessman. Fred the keyboard player formed 'Inner-City Unit' with ex Hawkwind members and carried on gigging into the 1980s. Joe Dog carried on drumming and is still working in a duo, backing artists and doing their thing in summer residences. I carried on doing my thing, jumping out of blazing coffins, fire-eating, performing witch hangings, impalements and other nasty bits, up to this day in the form of 'Nightmare' but that's another story! See Ron Dickson at www.nightmareshow.co.uk Copyright 2008 © Ron Dickson. See also www.colinowen.com - the website of Colin Owen - former keyboard player of Light Fantastic. Compiled by Keith Law

Tommy Burton Combo

Keith Law — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 10:50:50 +0000

Wolverhampton Tommy Burton vocal, piano, saxophone, guitar Mac Bailey guitar, bass Colin Burton steel guitar Peter Graystone saxophone Dennis Harvey drums Horace Johnson bass guitar Dave Holmes drums Brian Meacham bass guitar, vocal John Millington guitar Trevor Worrall bass guitar, vocal Malcolm "Mac" Wooley drums Tommy Burton was a much-loved and highly respected performer who was very well known throughout the West Midlands. Although he did not have a hit record or gain much recognition nationally, Tommy Burton's contribution to the local music scene in terms of influence and inspiration was considerable. With Special Thanks to Brum Beat Copyright © John R Woodhouse. Compiled by Keith Law

Finders Keepers

Keith Law — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 10:52:17 +0000

Wolverhampton Alan Clee lead guitar Jake Elcock bass guitar, vocal (left in 1967) Roy "Dripper" Kent lead vocal (left in 1969) Ralph Oakley rhythm guitar, vocal (left in 1966) David Williams drums Phil Overfield bass guitar (joined 1967 - left 1969) Ian "Sludge" Lees vocal (joined in 1966) Mel Galley lead guitar (joined in 1969) Glenn Hughes vocal, bass guitar (joined in 1969) Dave Holland drums (joined in 1969) Finders Keepers were one of the best known of the local groups around the Wolverhampton area during the 1960s. They came very close to having a hit record and at the time of this writing, are still performing their popular stage show to enthusiastic audiences. Finders Keepers began life in 1965. The nucleus of the group came from The Strangers in Dudley who had had four tracks on the Decca Records "Brum Beat" LP of 1964, including track one, side one called "What A Way" composed by lead singer Roy "Dripper" Kent. Alan Clee (lead guitar) and Jake Elcock (bass guitar/vocal) were joined by Ralph Oakley (rhythm guitar/vocal) and Dave Williams (drums). Ralph had previously played with Dripper and Jake in The Marauders (all ex-pupils of Dudley Grammar School) before he moved on to form an early line-up of The Montanas. Ralph's band before Finders Keepers was The New Cyclones who also auditioned for the Decca Brum Beat album and had performed on ATV's "For Teenagers Only" TV show in 1963. Dave Williams had been a drummer in various Wolverhampton dance bands. Managed by the (in)famous Wolverhampton impresario Roger Allen, Finders Keepers were very soon working eight times a week (seven nights plus Sunday lunchtime). Ralph Oakley remembers; "The combination of Dripper, Jake and me singing harmonies together sounded much like the Hollies and made it possible for us to copy almost any popular hit easily". At first all the gigs were in the Wolverhampton, Birmingham and Black Country area, but after the first six weeks, the traveling (mainly north) became more frequent. Before the end of 1965, the group went to Germany for the first time to play The Storyville Club in Cologne. The very long hours on stage every night and the grotty living conditions were experienced by many of the West Midlands groups who toured there during the 1960s. Ralph recalls the five of them sharing a single room that was so cold "the milk bottles would freeze during the night and by morning would have pushed off their silver tops". Suffice to say, Finders Keepers went back several times in the following years. According to Roy Kent; "The money was pretty good and we did have a laugh". "Life on the road" does not suit everyone and in early 1966, Ralph decided to leave. Although the group had lost some of its vocal power, the others agreed to continue as a four-piece. The comedy talents of front man Dripper, were now put to good use on the lucrative cabaret circuit mainly in the social/night clubs of the North-East of England. The Bailey Circuit involved "doubling" every night - social club until 10:30, night club from midnight onwards. Roy recalls; "We quickly became very popular in cabaret - especially because of our comedy routines which included "Fatman and Throbbin", "Hilda Baker and Cynthia", and copies of Barron Knights stuff. The highlight was probably me in a long blond wig and a dress with a pillow up the front doing Marianne Faithful!" The group's popularity continued to grow and Roger Allen negotiated a deal with Maurice King in London whose company, Capable Management, handled The Walker Brothers amongst many others. In February of 1966, Finders Keepers were bottom of the bill on a package show at Dudley Hippodrome, headlined by The Walker Bros. and including The Kinks and Twinkle. Scott Walker liked the group and, as the only missing link was a hit record, he decided to produce Finders Keepers. Scott came up with a song called "Light" written by John Stewart of "Day Dream Believer" fame. Roy "Dripper" Kent remembers the session; "We went down to London the night before and stayed in Scott's flat. He was a really nice bloke, not a bit flash. When we got in the Decca No.1 studio the next morning, I couldn't get my breath. There were about 40 musicians, all top session men, and lined up to do the backing vocals were Roger Cook and Roger Greenaway (David and Jonathan) who were in the charts at the time, and female singers The Breakaways who were led by Joe Brown's wife Vicki". By contrast, the B-side of the single was an old country & western song called "Come On Now" that had been recorded by the group some 18 months earlier. Released on the CBS Records label in September 1966 and with such weight behind it, everyone expected the record to be a huge success. However, after a couple of weeks in the lower reaches of the top 50, "Light" went out. Like many Brum groups of the time, their critically acclaimed single had bit the dust. Still, the show had to go on and despite the dissapointment, Finders Keepers were making a reasonable living. Another trip to Germany, this time to Wuppertal where the band shared the stage with Bill Haley and The Comets who Dripper says "were great blokes". 1967 saw big changes in the Finders Keepers line-up. Jake Elcock had an offer he couldn't refuse to join local rivals The Montanas and was replaced on bass by Phil Overfield who was lead guitarist with The Staffords. Also Ian "Sludge" Lees started work as roadie. In July, the group went back to The Storyville Club in Cologne for four weeks. On arrival, Finders Keepers found that they were expected to be a five piece, so instead of being sent home, the group performed with Dripper and Sludge as lead vocalists. This format continued on return to the U.K. The additional vocal power was an advantage because Sludge had been a singer in a couple of groups in Cannock. However, having two big egos fronting the same group was never going to work and tensions developed culminating in Dripper leaving. He then joined forces with Ron Dickson and the remnants of The Vogues from Birmingham who had been struggling since the departure of Johny Carroll who became a very successful comedian. This new group was named Light Fantastic after Finders Keepers failed "hit" single and was an immediate crowd puller. So 1968-69 and early 1970 saw the resolution of a complicated story. Sludge got two of his mates from Cannock to join Finders Keepers. These were Mel Galley and Glen Hughes. Two more singles were released, this time on the Fontana Records label. "Friday Kind Of Monday" had good reviews but failed to chart although it has featured in later years on compilation LPs in the States. "Sadie The Cleaning Lady" was a novelty song which had a lot of media coverage in the Birmingham area but did not sell nationally. However, the song was an enormous hit in Australia for Melbourne recording star Johnny Farnham. Glen Hughes went on to fame and fortune with Deep Purple as did Mel Galley with Whitesnake, both on the back of their time with the highly-acclaimed Wolverhampton 'super-group' Trapeze who were formed from an amalgamation of Finders Keepers and The Montanas. By this time, the drum stool in Finders Keepers was occupied by Dave Holland from Pinkerton's Assorted Colours who after Trapeze, went on to join Judas Priest. There was no place for "Sludge" Lees in Trapeze so he moved to replace Dripper in Light Fantastic before going solo. Roy "Dripper" Kent retired from showbiz and had a long and successful career in education as a teacher and a school inspector. He was clever after all! With Special Thanks to Brum Beat Copyright © John R Woodhouse Copyright 2007 © Roy Kent with additional contribution by Ralph Oakley. Compiled by Keith Law

Steve Brett and The Mavericks

Keith Law — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 10:54:11 +0000

Walsall and Wolverhampton Steve Brett and The Mavericks 1965 Line up, up to 1964 Steve Brett lead vocal, guitar Rick Dene bass guitar Gary James drums Robert Nelson lead guitar Dave Holland bass guitar Line-up after 1964 (formerly known as The Memphis Cut-Outs) Pete Bickley bass guitar, vocal Phil Burnell guitar, vocal Noddy Holder lead guitar, vocal Gerry Kibble drums Terry Taylor saxophone Steve Davies (Brett) who grew up in Wolverhampton, was a talented and popular singer in the West Midlands during the late 1950s and early 1960s. He and his backing group "The Mavericks" were winners of the "Big Beat" contest which was held at the Gaumont Cinema in 1962. The line-up of the Mavericks at this time consisted of bass guitarist Rick Dene, drummer Gary James, and lead guitarist Rob Nelson (Lightwood). Steve Brett and The Mavericks were broadcast on Television during the early 1960s, appearing regularly in the program For Teenagers Only which raised their profile considerably throughout the area. Steve Brett and The Mavericks went over to Germany in 1963 where they performed in the same clubs that The Beatles had been booked at only the year before. At this time, the Mavericks bass guitarist was Dave Holland from Wolverhampton who would later go on to become world famous in jazz music circles as bassist for Miles Davis amongst many others. By the end of 1964, the original Mavericks had split up so Steve Brett assembled a "new" Mavericks backing-group which consisted of a Walsall band, previously known as The Memphis Cut-Outs. The origins of this group go back to the early 1960s in Walsall, West Midlands when some school friends formed a group called The Phantoms. The members were Mick Aulton on drums, Phil Burnell on rhythm guitar, Kenny Holland on bass guitar and Neville "Noddy" Holder on vocal and lead guitar. Noddy Holder was born on June 15, 1946. His father liked to sing in the local pubs and his mother played the violin. An early influence on the young Noddy was American singer Al Jolson whom he imitated from an early age, and when Noddy was 12 years old, his father bought him an old spanish guitar. With the advent of rock 'n' roll, Noddy took some lessons from local jazz guitarist Freddy Degville before forming The Phantoms who would play 1950s style rock 'n' roll and Shadows numbers, performing mainly at youth clubs. Despite being involved with his band, Noddy persevered at school and managed to obtain six 'O' levels before deciding that a music career was what he wanted. Upon leaving school, group members started to go their separate ways with Kenny Holland being replaced by Pete Bickley and Mick Aulton leaving to be replaced by Gerry Kibble. Noddy Holder took a job in a car parts firm to the dismay of his teachers who wanted him to stay on at school for 'A' levels, but Noddy wanted to "turn professional" and the Phantoms became The Memphis Cut-Outs. Terry Taylor joined on saxophone and the group secured regular bookings playing three or four shows per week. Noddy's day job enabled him to purchase a better guitar and amplifier and he also picked up additional guitar technique from Roy Brown who played with a well known local group called The Redcaps. By 1964, the Memphis Cut-Outs were earning about 8 pound a week each and Noddy felt this was sufficient enough to give up his regular job. In late 1964, singer Steve Brett asked the Memphis Cut-Outs to become his backing group as his last group, The Mavericks, had split up. Steve Brett was well known locally and had appeared on TV so the Memphis Cut-Outs jumped at the chance thinking this would be their big break. The groups' name was changed to the Mavericks and they began playing almost nightly throughout the Midlands. Steve Brett's vocal style and preference for ballads contrasted with the Maverick's rock 'n' roll/rhythm & blues leanings so the Mavericks were usually allowed to do their own set first and to be joined later on stage by Steve Brett and act as his backing group. Steve Brett, who also wrote songs, obtained a recording contract with Columbia Records and in 1965 he and the Mavericks recorded several tracks at the Hollick & Taylor Studios in Handsworth, Birmingham. Columbia released three singles by Steve Brett and The Mavericks including Sad Lonely And Blue/Candy but the best known song by the group was probably Sugar Shack released in December of 1965. An unreleased song, Hurting Inside, featured Noddy Holder singing back-up, possibly his earliest recorded vocal track. Steve Brett and The Mavericks were signed to the Wolverhampton based Astra booking agency whose clients also included The N'Betweens, a group that included guitarist Dave Hill and drummer Don Powell. The N'Betweens were known throughout the Midlands as a hard rocking R&B styled outfit and had quite a large following. The Mavericks and the N'Betweens often shared the same billing and Noddy Holder got along well with Don Powell although Dave Hill liked to keep to himself. Coincidentally, the two groups were selected by the agency to undertake some bookings in Germany and while crossing the channel on the ferry, Don and Dave mentioned to Noddy that they were dissatisfied with their group and were thinking of leaving. The Mavericks played shows in Cologne and Frankfurt with the group members being paid 25 pounds per week each. The German nightlife was an eye opener for Noddy and he was said to have returned to England very "worldly wise". During the return trip back to England, the Mavericks' van broke down outside of Frankfurt and Steve Brett and two of the other group members continued to England leaving behind Noddy, Phil and Gerry to deal with the situation. They had to get money sent over from England to get the engine repaired and this made Noddy resentful towards Steve Brett who was supposed to be in charge. Back in England, Noddy Holder played a few more bookings with the Mavericks and then left along with Pete Bickley and Gerry Kibble but Noddy borrowed his fathers window cleaning van and took on a job as a roadie with the West Midlands group Listen whose lead singer Robert Plant would become famous several years later with Led Zeppelin. During this time, Noddy Holder met up with Dave Hill and Don Powell in Wolverhampton and they informed him that the N'Betweens had split up but were planning to re-form the group with a new bass player named Jim Lea. Noddy was invited to join the group but further personnel changes would take place before the final and most famous line-up of the N'Betweens was set in place (see The N'Betweens). Steve Brett continued to perform throughout the Midlands and later relocated to Blackpool where he still works to this day as a successful country & western singer. With Special Thanks to Brum Beat Copyright © John R Woodhouse. Compiled by Keith Law

The N'Betweens

Keith Law — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 10:55:51 +0000

Wolverhampton John Howells lead singer (left 1966) Mick Marson guitar (left 1966) Don Powell drums Dave Hill lead guitar Cass Jones bass guitar (left 1966) Noddy Holder lead singer & guitar (joined 1966) Jim Lea bass guitar (joined 1966) This band would form the foundations of what was to become one of the most famous and successful British groups of the early 1970s. The N'Betweens were from the Wolverhampton area and became well known throughout the Midlands in the 1960s. The origin of the group goes back to 1963 when singer/guitarist John Howells and guitarist Mick Marson along with drummer Don Powell, formed a band called the Vendors. Donald Powell was born in Bilston, West Midlands on September 10, 1946. He learned to play drums while in the scouts and later met Howells and Marson who were already performing together. Guitarist Johnny Shane joined next from Johnny Shane and The Cadillacs. Because Shane was a superior guitarist, John Howells gave up the guitar to become the lead singer and front-man of the Vendors. The music performed by the Vendors at this time was mostly Chuck Berry style rock 'n' roll and the group would play at youth clubs and private parties. Before a reliable bass guitarist could be found, Johnny Shane left to re-form his old band and was replaced by Dave Hill who was formerly with a local outfit called The Young Ones. David Hill was born on April 4, 1946 near Kingsbridge in Devon and his family had moved to Wolverhampton by the time he was a year old. He was not well regarded at school by his teachers and his disruptive energy would not be channelled until he was 12 when his father bought him a guitar. Dave Hill took lessons from local jazz guitarist Brian Close and soon formed a band with his friends called The Young Ones. The Young Ones lasted until its members left school to start jobs with Dave Hill finding a position as an office boy but he also hung out with local musicians and maintained an ambition to one day "turn professional". The Vendors were impressed by Dave's raunchy guitar style and after he joined, they concentrated more on blues and R&B type material with John Howells playing harmonica and the group projecting an image on-stage similar to that of The Rolling Stones. In 1964, The Vendors recorded some songs that were pressed onto a limited number of acetates at Domino Sound Studios in Wolverhampton and these represent their earliest recordings. The 'N Betweens in 1965 By the end of 1964, the group name was changed to The N'Betweens and they had signed to the Wolverhampton based Astra Agency who secured them bookings throughout the Midlands. A regular Monday night residency for the band was at The Plaza in Kings Heath, Birmingham with the group by this time, playing almost every night and thus deciding to give up their day jobs. They had also acquired a good bass guitarist in Dave 'Cass' Jones and a smart image by wearing velvet jackets and cuban heeled boots. It was during this period that the N'Betweens shared some bookings with Steve Brett and The Mavericks (see Steve Brett and The Mavericks) with Don Powell becoming friendly with Noddy Holder from that group. According to Don, Noddy was too good of a singer to be in a back-up group. By late 1964, the N'Betweens were sent over to some bookings in Germany and while on the ferry they met up with Steve Brett & The Mavericks. It was on this trip that Dave Hill and Don Powell first talked to Noddy Holder about forming their own group. In early 1965 Bobby Graham who had played drums with Joe Brown & The Bruvvers and now a talent scout, auditioned the N'Betweens at the Le Metro Club in Birmingham. The result was a recording contract for the N'Betweens and the group travelled down to Pye Studios in London to record some songs. Well known session guitarist Jimmy Page was booked to play on the recordings but he was apparently not required although he may have appeared on the N'Betweens recording of Little Nightingale, an early composition of his. The sessions resulted in four songs by the N'Betweens being released on an EP in France but these had no impact on the record charts. Despite the N'Betweens local success as a support band to many famous acts such as The Fourmost, Alexis Korner, Georgie Fame and The Yardbirds, and also attracting a large following of their own, Dave Hill and Don Powell were dissatisfied with the group. Hill and Powell were the only members not to have steady girlfriends and were irritated when the others would fail to show up or be late for rehearsals. Guitarist Mick Marson had also got involved with local Mod gangs, an association despised by both Don and Dave. Bass guitarist Cass Jones decided to leave the band at the end of 1965 for a career in the wholesale fruit business so the Astra Agency placed advertisements for auditions. One of the applicants was 16 year old Jim Lea who had little experience as a performer but showed amazing talent as a musician. James Lea was born on June 14, 1949 in Wolverhampton and came from a musical family. He learned to play piano and violin as well as read music at an early age, progressing so well that he was soon playing violin with the Staffordshire Youth Orchestra. After seeing the Rolling Stones on TV he went out and bought a guitar which he mastered easily. Jim Lea was an admirer of the N'Betweens and thought of them as a local version of the Rolling Stones so he did not hesitate to apply for their audition. He had to borrow a bass guitar but his talent stood out amongst the other applicants and although no one was selected that day, Don Powell wrote down Jim Lea's name. Soon after, Dave Hill and Don Powell met Noddy Holder in a local coffee house. They told him they were leaving the N'Betweens to start their own group and asked Noddy who was no longer with Steve Brett and The Mavericks to join. Noddy agreed so the three then asked Jim Lea if he wanted the job, but meanwhile the N'Betweens were contracted to play a number of bookings with John Howells and Mick Marson who were still officially part of the group. An awkward situation now existed with the N'Betweens divided into two factions and several weeks would go by before Mick Marson was edged out in favour of Noddy Holder and an incident in Bilston High Street almost resulted in Don and Dave being beaten up by the Mod gang that Marson was with at the time. Singer John Howells remained with the N'Betweens although Noddy, Dave, Don and Jim played their first show without Howells knowledge at the "Three Men In A Boat" pub near Holder's house. Although John Howells had a fine voice, his bluesy vocal style and image on stage was at odds with the direction that the rest of the group wanted to go. Because they still had a lot of bookings with Howells, their first show together was in April of 1966 at Walsall Town Hall. Noddy sang lead on a few songs with Howells doing the rest. It was a frustrating arrangement for Noddy Holder and came to a head in June 1966 when The N'Betweens were sent to Newquay in Cornwall for some bookings and ended up playing a show in Plymouth without Howells. When John Howells finally left to join the group Blues Ensemble (later known as The Wellington Kitch Jump Band), there was concern that the N'Betweens following would turn against them, but instead the four piece group started to attract a growing number of supporters. Don Powell would go to The Diskery record shop in Birmingham and find obscure R&B and Motown recordings for the group to learn with Jim Lea working out the chords and arrangements. The N'Betweens in 1966 A big break for the N'Betweens came when they were performing at a club in London and were spotted by the eccentric American record producer Kim Fowley. After proclaiming the N'Betweens as "the next big thing" Fowley arranged to have the group record some songs at Regent Sound studios and the result of this was a single You Better Run/Evil Witchman being released by Columbia Records in August of 1966. You Better Run was a cover of a song by the American group The Young Rascals but the single did not sell except in the West Midlands area where the N'Betweens had a large following. Promotional copies of another song Security, originally recorded by Otis Reading was issued in the USA only. The West Midlands group Listen (whose singer was future Led Zeppelin member Robert Plant) also released a version of You Better Run in 1966 but it did no better than the N'Betweens version. Kim Fowley also had the group record some other songs that remained unreleased, including Ugly Girl on which Fowley sang and was probably made up on the spot. The N'Betweens association with Kim Fowley lasted only a short time and he soon lost interest and returned to California. The N'Betweens continued to play dates across the country as well as having regular bookings at the Silver Blades Ice Rink and the Garden of Eden Irish Club in Birmingham. They also played support for The Move at Wolverhampton Civic Hall. In early 1967, The N'Betweens recorded some songs at Abbey Road Studios in London with Pink Floyd producer Norman Smith but the tracks remained unreleased and it would be two years before the band next entered a recording studio. Noddy Holder had yet to develop the tonsil-shredding vocal style that he would become famous for (see Ambrose Slade). With Special Thanks to Brum Beat Copyright©John R Woodhouse. Compiled by Keith Law

The Strangers

Keith Law — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 10:56:59 +0000

Dudley Jake Elcock bass guitar Mick Aston drums Roy "Dripper" Kent lead vocal Tony Dalloway rhythm guitar Alan Clee lead guitar This group from Dudley had four tracks released on a rare compilation album entitled "Brum Beat" that was put out by Decca Records in 1964. They were discovered on the "Regan Circuit" along with the other groups who recorded tracks for the Decca LP. The Strangers originated from a local rock 'n' roll band called The Marauders, initially known as "Rob Roy and The Rockin' Marauders" who formed about 1960 while pupils at Dudley Grammar School. The Strangers were very active on Joe and Mary Regan's famous "Regan Circuit" of dance halls in the West Midlands which included The Plazas at Old Hill and Handsworth, The Adelphi (West Bromwich) and The Ritz at King's Heath. The band won a coveted spot on Decca's "Brum Beat" LP compilation of West Midlands groups in 1964. The opening track on the album was an original composition by Roy "Dripper" Kent entitled "What A Way" and was certainly good enough to have been released as a single in its own right. The Decca Brum Beat album included notes by Midland Beat Magazine editor Dennis Detheridge who wrote; "But is there a Brum sound? This album surely proves beyond doubt that the answer is "No." The reason: all the city's groups including those heard on this LP are striving to achieve some degree of individuality. Thus, they are unlikely to produce the same sound." A year later, The Strangers became the nucleus of the well known West Midlands group "Finders Keepers" when Roy Kent, Alan Clee and Jake Elcock formed that group in 1965 (see Finders Keepers). NOTE: The Dudley "Strangers" should not be confused with another group called The Strangers from Ireland who recorded for the Phillips Records label in the late 1960s.

The Mountain Kings

Keith Law — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 10:57:50 +0000

Walsall Maurice Clawley lead vocal Mel Downing drums Robert "Miffa" Smith bass guitar Terry Rowley lead guitar Howard "H" Smith tenor saxophone, melodica This Walsall based group had four tracks released on a rare compilation album entitled "Brum Beat" that was put out by Decca Records in 1964. The Mountain Kings were formed in 1963 from members of Elander Mason's Scotty Wood Combo after that band had split due to differences in opinion over musical direction. Lead vocalist Maurice Clawley previously had his own band called Maurice Lee and The Starliners and was also in a group called The Nightriders (not the ones from Birmingham featuring Mike Sheridan). Mel Downing was also from the Nightriders and had played drums for The Midnites with Ian "Sludge" Lees as well as back-up for various big names of the time. Saxophone player Howard "H" Smith was formerly a member of the Scotty Wood Combo. Lead guitarist for the Mountain Kings was Terry Rowley who had also played in Scotty Wood's group as well as with another local band called The Vikings (not the ones from Birmingham). The group was named "The Mountain Kings" after Peer Gynt's In The Hall Of The Mountain King which the band often played for their signature tune as a rocked-up version. By early 1964, The Mountain Kings were managed by the legendary Mary "Ma" Regan who along with her husband Joe, were to play a huge part in the development of the 1960s West Midlands music scene. The group were soon playing at the Plaza's in Handsworth and Old Hill as well as the Small Heath Kavern Club and the Ritz in King's Heath where they became the resident band. Saxophone player Howard Smith recalled they would sometimes play at all four venues in the same evening! The Mountain Kings were very popular locally and attracted a large following. They even started a Sunday night dance venue at The Casino Club in Walsall, playing to packed houses each time. There was also an occasion where the Mountain Kings backed Welsh singer Ricky Valance when he made a come-back attempt. Ricky's hit record Tell Laura I Love Her, had got to number one in 1960 but none of his subsequent records had met with similar success. During this time, The Mountain Kings also played alongside some of the biggest acts of the day including The Beatles on two occasions. It was while playing at the Old Hill Plaza in early 1964, the Mountain Kings were noticed by Decca Records producer Michael Barclay who had them record songs for a limited-edition album designed to promote interest in the local area groups of that time. Decca was keen to cash in on the success of the Beatles by signing up similar sounding groups and with the Liverpool area already picked over, the West Midlands music scene had become the focus of attention. Other local bands included on the album were; The Blue Stars; The Kavern Four; Dave Lacey & The Corvettes; and The Strangers. The LP was titled "Brum Beat" and featured an enthusiastic promotional insert written by Dennis Detheridge who was editor of the Midland Beat newspaper. Although the Mountain Kings had not previously made any records other than some private recordings done at Domino Sound Studios, the group had a total of four great tracks - all original compositions - included on the Brum Beat album. These were: You Left Me Alone; Don't You Know; There'll Be Times; and Can't You See. The songs were all high-energy dance numbers composed by Terry Rowley and Maurice Clawley except for Can't You See which was a group composition. Coincidentally, there was another album released on the Dial Records label in 1964 also called "Brum Beat" which featured bands from Birmingham. The Mountain Kings continued to play to large audiences until 1966 when lead guitarist Terry Rowley decided to leave. He joined the Wolverhampton group The Montanas who made several records and came very close to attaining national success. Terry Rowley later became a founding member of the well-known rock band Trapeze. The Mountain Kings continued on for a while but it was never the same and they eventually disbanded. Bass guitarist Robert Smith continued playing with other local bands during the rest of the 1960s. Saxophonist Howard Smith and drummer Mel Downing joined a Walsall-based group called The KopiKats who later became The Townsmen. This band played the local pub and club circuit until disbanding in 1968. With Special Thanks to Brum Beat Copyright © John R Woodhouse and to Myra Carrier, Maurice Clawley and Howard Smith for their assistance in writing this feature. Compiled by Keith Law

The Strollers

Keith Law — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 10:59:35 +0000

Wolverhampton Graham "Curly" Davies vocal, guitar Martin Devries bass guitar Don Maddocks lead guitar George Maddocks drums Tony Perry saxophone Roy Grant lead vocal Originally a four piece group formed in 1961, The Strollers came together having worked as apprentices at the Boulton and Paul Aircraft factory in Wolverhampton. The Strollers were one of Wolverhampton's earliest and most popular groups as well as being influential amongst up and coming aspiring local young musicians in the town. Naturally, the music scene was just a couple of years out of the skiffle era with its primitive equipment such as the tea chest bass and cheap acoustic guitars with a microphone cellotaped to the front as an improvised pick-up - only the likes of Lonnie Donegan could afford a coveted Martin guitar! We now aspired to be like the stars of popular TV shows such as "Oh Boy" and "Six-Five Special" with their line up of three guitars, drums and a lead singer - all dressed in smart shiny suits of course. Accordingly, along came The Strollers with their smart stage presence and polished sounds - courtesy of George Maddocks on drums, his brother Don Maddocks on lead guitar, Curley Davies on lead vocal and rhythm guitar and, Bren Richardson on bass. They were a 'covers' band simply because that's where all the work was. Anyway, you had to be good to be a covers band because if you weren't, then the punters voted with their feet! Also, the promoters would soon tell you if you didn't sound "exactly like the record" Many of the national and international groups had started to augment their sound with the addition of either an organ or saxophone - or even both so, to keep up appearances The Strollers recruited Tony Perry on sax. The group's first brush with fame was a tour of the West Country in 1962 backing up-and-coming singer/pop idol Paul Raven who later went on to become known as Gary Glitter. Immediately upon their return to Wolverhampton, the enterprising local impresario Roger Allen signed The Strollers up and became their manager. In fact, they were Roger's first group. Roger had the foresight to expand on the success of the group by recruiting vocalist Roy Grant as front man. Roy had already gained a reputation as a Roy Orbison soundalike and this clever combination projected the group into one of the area's most successful and sought after acts during 1962 and 1963. Remember, at this point a large number of the groups mentioned on the BrumBeat.net site had not yet, or only just started out! Indeed, The Beatles themselves had only recently broken into the charts with their first single and had yet to conquer America. The Strollers however were busy conquering Liverpool by going down a storm at The Iron Door Club and they had Freddie Starr and The Midnighters as their 'warm up' act! Bear in mind that there were around 350 local Merseyside groups at the time making this a testament to The Strollers popularity. Back in Wolverhampton, the group continued the popular gig circuit i.e. The Staffordshire Volunteer, The Cleveland Arms, The Three Men in a Boat, The Civic Hall, The Connaught, The Old Hill Plaza and The Woolpack - to name but a few. Interestingly, it was The Strollers who popularised The Cleveland Arms Sunday lunch time gigs. This is the venue that all the other bands would go to in order to sus out the competition and possibly 'poach' a new band member? In fact, there was a great comeraderie amongst all the local bands and there was plenty of work to go round for everyone and then some! For instance, my own band Varsity Rag was, from 1967 to 1970 averaging twenty eight gigs a month, every month! These days, bands are lucky to get twenty eight gigs a year. For all things there is a season and during 1964 The Strollers decided to call it a day as a group. Roy Grant had decided to leave and lead guitarist Don Maddocks had been headhunted by The Tommy Burton Band. Perhaps this was a natural progression as George was already dipping his own toes into management and promotion by managing local group The Staffords following their impassioned plea via The Express and Star for a manager. He was also promoting the Saturday night spots at Sedgley Parish Hall. Tony was also busy promoting gigs at The Staffordshire Volunteer. In the event, and in competition with the Astra Agency which had been started a year earlier by Len Rowe, George, Tony and their former manager Roger Allen joined forces as a partnership called PMA intending to take their slice of the burgeoning music scene in Wolverhampton. The local groups liked the fact that George and Tony had risen to management "from the shop floor" as it were and therefore knew the business from the musician's standpoint. Roger however, certainly made up for his non-musician background with his flamboyant personality - he was known locally as "Roger the Dodger" by the way. This new trio of managers at PMA worked well until, it seems, George and Tony joined Astra and Roger formed The Roger Allen Agency and Accountancy Sevice in Tettenhall just outside town with Maurice Jones. In addition to being part of Astra, George also managed the hugely successful and popular Lafayette Club featuring local, national and international acts. To this day, Tony Perry still holds Lafayette Reunion nights but, now at The Connaught in Tettenhall Road. During 1968 Roger merged with Astra to become Astra-Allen. Sadly, the live music scene in Wolverhampton was all but finished by the end of the decade with the closure of most of the venues and the unfortunate trend towards discos and disc jockeys. Although The Strollers were not a signed band, that should not detract from the importance of their contribution to the the local music scene and their influence on those who followed in their wake. Regarding PMA, well this was the pinnacle of group management in the town and as such, all of us owe a debt of gratitude for the prolific amount of work that was put our way together with all of the fond memories that we still cherish to this day. George has since retired to Spain, Tony is still a promoter in Wolverhampton and Roger? well, he is now selling time share in Tenerife!! With Special Thanks to Brum Beat Copyright©John R Woodhouse Copyright © 2007 Brian Nicholls This biography was written by Brian W. Nicholls (formerly of Varsity Rag) in consultation with George Maddocks and with reference to Keith Farley's book 'N Between Times coupled with his own extensive experience of the period. The Strollers photograph taken at the Boulton & Paul plant is the copyright of George Maddocks.. Compiled by Keith Law

Danny Cannon and The Ramrods

Keith Law — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 11:00:37 +0000

Bilston Len Beddow lead guitar Ken Hooper rhythm guitar Alan Lacey drums Danny Robinson lead vocal Pete Walton bass guitar See also Herbie's People. For more information, go to www.herbies-people.co.uk - the official website for Danny Cannon and The Ramrods and Herbie's People. Compiled by Keith Law

Herbie's People

Keith Law — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 11:01:33 +0000

Bilston/Dudley Len Beddow lead guitar Alan Lacey drums Danny Robinson lead vocal Mike Taylor guitar Pete Walton bass guitar Brian Powney organ See also Danny Cannon and The Ramrods. For more information, go to www.herbies-people.co.uk - the official website for Danny Cannon and The Ramrods and Herbie's People. Compiled by Keith Law

The Incas

Keith Law — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 11:02:30 +0000

Wolverhampton Arthur Ray guitar, vocal Derri Ryan lead vocal Mac Poole drums,vocal Doug Walker bass guitar Biography is unavailable at this time. For more information about this band, visit the website of Jill and Arthur Ray at: www.bi-setduo.co.uk

Dave Lacey and The Corvettes

Keith Law — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 11:03:44 +0000

Stourbridge John Jauncey bass guitar Wyn Jones lead guitar Dave Lacey vocal Dave Little drums Roy Pinson rhythm guitar This group from Stourbridge had two tracks included on a rare compilation album entitled "Brum Beat" that was put out by Decca Records in 1964. They had previously won a beat group contest sponsored by the Birmingham Evening Despatch. The group also had a single released on Phillips Records in 1965. Dave Lacey and The Corvettes should not be confused with another group called The Corvettes from Birmingham who were on a different compilation LP called "Brum Beat" that was released by the Dial Records label in 1964. With Special Thanks to Brum Beat Copyright©John R Woodhouse. Compiled by Keith Law

Lady Jane and The Royaltee

Keith Law — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 11:04:43 +0000

Wolverhampton Lady Jane and The Royaltee Anna Terrana (Lady Jane) lead vocal Geoff Hill guitar, vocal Graham Nock drums Philip Terrana bass guitar, vocal 1967 is the year famous for the summer of love, flower power and enlightenment. Procol Harem's 'A Whiter Shade Of Pale', 'All You Need Is Love' by The Beatles and Scott McKenzie's hippie anthem 'San Francisco (be sure to wear some flowers in your hair)' wafted continuously from trendy clothing boutiques, cafe's and bed sitting rooms everywhere. To top it all, "Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" album released in June of that very year meant popular music could never be the same again! It was also the year that "Lady Jane and The Royaltee" burst onto the local music scene with a vengeance. The above photograph was actually taken in 1969 and portrays the 'classic' line-up of (left to right); Graham Nock from Rosemary Crescent, Woodsetton (drums), Anna Terrana (aka Lady Jane on vocals), brother Philip Terrana - both from Hickman Road, Brockmoor (bass and vocals) and Geoff Hill from Cannock (guitar and vocals). The photograph was just one of a series of publicity shots taken at the very regal setting of Himley Hall to support the group's first CBS single 'That Kind Of Girl' c/w 'Will You Be Staying After Sunday'. The A side was written by John Phillips of "The Mama's and The Papa's" Our story however, begins on Sunday 22 August, 1965 at The Adelphi Ballroom in West Bromwich which saw Brierley Hill group "Dean King and The Conquests" as winners of "The Scene '65" competition where twelve groups had battled it out for the title. The group line-up was Brian "Fred" Griffiths (aka Dean King on lead vocals), Terry Wildman (drums), Philip Terrana (bass and vocals), Anna Terrana (vocals) and Anna and Philip's cousin Kevin Bray (guitar). Dean King and The Conquests Ironically, Anna was a reluctant singer. After Philip had entered the group for The Adelphi competition he soon realised that all of the other contestants followed the then-familiar line-up of three guitars, drums and a male lead singer. He felt his group needed a 'gimmick' and so turned to Anna to oblige. Philip continued unsuccessfully, or so it seemed, to persuade Anna to realise his plan until finally, and at almost the last minute, she capitulated and with Sonny and Cher's latest hit 'I Got You Babe' and Marianne Faithfull's 'Little Bird' she swept Dean King and The Conquests to victory amidst rapturous applause from The Adelphi audience. The "Express and Star" and the then "Birmingham Planet" local newspapers, both reported the group's victory the following week and Anna became an instant local personality in Brierley Hill and at her place of work - John James Electrical where she was employed as a records clerk. Philip's plan had paid off. For the next six months the group was billed as "Dean King and The Conquests (featuring Anna)". She would take to the stage at the end of the last set at 10.30 pm, do her two numbers and close the show ten minutes later. Eventually her appetite for singing would grow and so would her repertoire to match it. Seventeen year old Anna may well have been a reluctant singer but she had no problem as a child appearing in school plays and shows. Anna and brother Philip came from an Italian musical family so, music was in her blood whether she liked it or not! Their parents Josephine and Salvatore, met at the Italian prisoner of war camp in Bromley Lane, Kingswinford (opposite where Crestwood School now stands and sited where the High Acres housing estate now stands). Josephine played accordian and was one of the group of entertainers who performed at the camp where she met fellow Italian, Salvatore Terrana. They fell in love (even though fraternising with the 'enemy' was frowned upon by the locals) and finally married upon Salvatore's release at the end of the war and moved to Hickman Road in Brockmoor, Brierley Hill where they were to raise their family. It was normal in the sixties for groups to continually re-invent themselves with a new name and image and so "Dean King and The Conquests" became "Our Generation". The foundation for the forthcoming and hugely popular "Lady Jane and The Royaltee" was now well and truly set. The line-up of "Our Generation" was the same as "Dean King and The Conquests" except for Terry Wildman who was replaced by Roger Constable, himself being later replaced by Stevie Woodhall. In fact it was to be Anna and Philip who remained as the nucleus of all future incarnations of the group and their unique sound. Whilst playing at Wolverhampton's "Ship and Rainbow" in Dudley Road, Wolverhampton, Our Generation was spotted and immediately signed up by local agent and manager Maurice Jones from Astra Agency and in Anna's words; "We hardly ever had a night off"... and Maurice was to prove a great influence in the groups' development" says Anna. Astra was the main agency in Wolverhampton and established in 1963 by Len Rowe. Apart from Maurice Jones the agency also comprised of Alan Clayton, Stan and Pete Fielding, George Maddocks and Tony Perry. Both George and Tony knew the business from both sides as they were once drummer and saxophonist respectively, with popular Wolverhampton group The Strollers during the late fifties/early sixties. Astra had twenty six local groups on its books including Lady Jane and The Royaltee and each one working an average of twenty eight gigs a month. The Express and Star had its famous full-page Entertainments guide on page 2 every day and an example from 03 August, 1967 offers a billing of 19 groups spread over 14 local venues. Each group had its own quota of supporters but even though the competition was stiff, the camaraderie between all of the groups was outstanding. Following a management makeover from Maurice "Our Generation" morphed into "Lady Jane and The Royaltee" comprising Anna Terrana (lead and harmony vocals), Philip Terrana (bass and lead/harmony vocals), Geoff Hill, lead guitar (replacing cousin Kevin Bray), and Graham Nock on drums (replacing Stevie Woodhall). This would be the 'classic' line-up that would go on to record two singles on the CBS label in 1969. Turning full-time professional becoming a necessity rather than an option. A fifth member of Royaltee is seen on some photographs and Anna explains; "His name was John Beatty - a lead guitarist with "Spectrum" who guested with us from time to time and although he appeared on a couple of photos he was not a regular member of the group". Even with her performing experience, Anna at that time was nevertheless quite 'statuesque' on stage, singing with little or no movement. Maurice suggested she use a tambourine to at least inject some "life and movement" into her presentation. This worked! She used the tambourine against her left hand and also her right leg - which resulted in bruising, such was the vigour of its use. Anna now had the complete visual image to match her vocal prowess. Being of Italian descent, Anna and Philip were naturally very fashion conscious. Anna's flair for style attracted local boutique owners to gigs just to see what she was wearing in order to meet demands from female punters. It was Philip who "dressed" the lads in the group though. Fashion was caught up in in the phenomenal growth of youth culture, and men too began to discover their peacock side - growing their hair long, wearing flowery shirts and beads or donning kaftans. Anna, being the only daughter and of Italian parents saw her father, Salvatore performing the duties of 'roadie'. Of course, the real motive was in true Italian tradition, to act as chaperone to his daughter who, incidentally, had to be home by 10:00 pm if she went out on a rare night-off from gigging. Apart from the regular gigs in and around the Midlands, the group also did the obligatory Northern cabaret clubs appearing alongside such household names as, The Searchers, Long John Baldry, Walker Brothers, Marmalade, Mud, and The Tremelos to name but a few. They also played some gigs in Belfast at the outbreak of the civil unrest. "There were sand bags against the doors and windows of the venues we played to guard against bomb blasts" said Anna. "We were all scared and glad to be back home after the tour". If we were to put a style to Lady Jane and The Royaltee it would have to be that they were very much "Mamas and The Papas" with similar sound and harmonies. In fact, Express and Star music journalist John Ogden wrote in one of his review columns; "She (Anna) looks great and sings better than most. Her style is the nearest I have heard to that of Mama Cass of the Mamas and Papas"... One of her showcase numbers, which was often a show stopper was Mario Lanza's Coma Prima which, of course, she sang with great gusto! Although Anna was intentionally centre-stage, Philip was an outstanding musician and singer able to stand shoulder to shoulder with the best in the business. In fact it was, in essence, a team effort as the whole group were polished professional performers. The group had, during 1969, cut two singles for CBS 'That Kind Of Girl" composed by John Phillips (of The Mamas and The Papas) the B side of which was 'Will You Be Staying After Monday?'. The follow-up single was 'Let's Ride' coupled with 'I Need Your Love'. Philip sang lead vocal on both A sides and Anna sang lead on both B sides. Anna says; "We arrived at the recording studio and had twenty minutes on our own to run through the lyrics of each song and then gathering around the piano for a half hour 'rehearsal' before laying the songs down on tape. It was all done 'live' in the studio in just a couple of takes. Recording was a most memorable experience". Anna and Philip The B side of the follow-up single was highly rated by Radio One DJ Tony Blackburn who felt it should have been the A side. Both discs were produced by Irving Martin who favoured big productions so all four cuts were subject to the obiquitous 23 piece orchestra backing tracks as were most other groups of that era. This was designed to deepen the texture of pop records since there was only so much one could do soundwise with just a couple of guitars, a bass and drum kit. Whatever Blackburn's incessant inane daily ramblings on Radio One he did (for once) have a point. Philip nevertheless delivered a very polished performance to what is a very worthy A side. Without question, this was a double A side single. Phil sent a copy of Let's Ride to Princess Anne to which he received a grateful thank you letter from her lady in waiting dated 16th July, 1969. Whilst playing at the famous "2 I's" coffee bar in London (where Cliff Richard was discovered), Philip Terrana was approached by record producer Tony McCauley who invited him to join a band he was putting together called Edison Lighthouse and there was to be a record deal and an appearance on Top Of The Pops. However, literally two minutes before the programme transmission, the spot was pulled because of "contractual issues" with the group members. This had a devastating affect on Philip who was so disillusioned by this he felt he was no longer able to continue with the music business. They all returned home and "Went into a bit of a lull" according to Anna. They picked themselves up by approaching Jon Fox - bass guitarist and vocalist with Varsity Rag but in the event, Jon (who himself, later went on to join Cathedral and Jigsaw) declined the offer. "Lady Jane and The Royaltee" became "The Royaltee (featuring Lady Jane)" and then, just plain "Royalty" (note the change of spelling) because it was felt that the new shorter name was more DJ and radio friendly. Tom Jones' manager Larry Page asked Anna to meet him at his Park Lane office after hearing their single on the radio and suggested that she leave Royalty for a solo career managed by himself. He even 'guaranteed' her a number one hit! She declined the offer, instead preferring to remain with her group. In the event, Larry Page offered the song 'And Suddenly' to Samantha Jones who took it to number one. Philip eventually left and went on to open a male clothing boutique called "Renaz Man" at 262, Castle Street, Dudley with his wife Rena and then a second one at 61 Victoria Street, Wolverhampton called "The Village". As a result of Philip's eventual departure "Royalty" disbanded and manager Maurice Jones introduced Anna to Jason Cord's former backing group "The First Chapter". "We all hit it off when they called round at my house" says Anna so, they instantly became the new "Royalty" comprising of Paul Robbins (organ/guitar/vocals), founder member Keith Tully (drums), Mac Bailey - ex Tommy Burton Group (guitar), and Pete Bickley (bass) who had played in Steve Brett's Mavericks along with Noddy Holder. This continued for a short while but then, at the behest of their record producer Larry Page, they underwent yet another name change, this time to "Fable". This incarnation made its official debut as an entity in 1970 and went on to make two singles and an album for The Penny Farthing label whilst performing a five month stint in Munich in the meantime. Brian Nicholls plays bass with Anna Terrana still rocking! The now twenty five years old Anna quit the music business altogether in 1973 for health reasons but has, over the ensuing years, remained a local celebrity having been the subject of numerous press articles. As a result, people still recognise her and stop and talk to her to this day such was her charismatic persona on the local music scene. The live music scene had all but come to an end at the close of the decade with venues dramatically disappearing and with the emergence of a new, less musically-discerning generation of disco obsessed punters. Anyway, many of the pioneers had settled down and got "proper jobs" just like their parents' had always suggested they should! Anna was a role model in her day for all young women in what was a male dominated business as far as the group scene was concerned. Dominic Terrana There will never be times quite like the sixties again with contributions from countless musicians and singers such as the like of Anna and her group all of whom put in countless hours of rehearsal and preparation time as well as investing a small fortune in equipment. Whether you "made it" or not was a lottery even then. What mattered was that it was an activity that could be enjoyed by all. Anyone with an 'appetite' to perform could do so. The sixties was an iconic period and the music of the time was the soundtrack to the youth culture. It was the province of the young in years who went on to become the young at heart. Musical talent certainly must run in Anna's family as her son Dominic (see photo) has followed his uncle Phil as a bass player. The Beat goes on! With Special Thanks to Brum Beat Copyright©John R Woodhouse Copyright © Brian Nicholls Thanks to Anna Terrana and Brian Nicholls for supplying this exclusive story of Lady Jane and The Royaltee. Compiled by Keith Law

The N'Dex

Keith Law — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 11:06:01 +0000

Wolverhampton Alan Cadman rhythm guitar, vocal Mick Hinks bass guitar, vocal Arthur Ray guitar, vocal Roger Skitt drums Jill Ray vocal Arthur Ray guitar, drums, vocal Bi-Set Duo Biography is unavailable at this time. For more information about this band, visit the website of Jill and Arthur Ray at: www.bi-setduo.co.uk With Special Thanks to Brum Beat Copyright©John R Woodhouse. Compiled by Keith Law

The Scorpions

Keith Law — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 11:07:00 +0000

Kinver The Scorpions Bob Barber guitar, harmonica, percussion, vocal Jimmy Bowden lead guitar, lead vocal Martin Hill drums, piano, vocal John Gwilliam bass guitar, vocal The Scorpions were active from 1963 through 1966 during which time they played at many venues throughout the West Midlands. Most of the line-up were from Kidderminster but because their manager Stan Hill and his son Martin (who was the band's drummer) lived in Kinver, The Scorpions were known as a Kinver based group. Stan Hill also came up with the band's name although it was not a popular choice at the time according to bass guitarist John Gwilliam; "We would have preferred something else, but he owned the name so like it or lump it, the name was staying!" says John. The band's performances included many of the popular "covers" of the day, but as all the members could sing, they were able to include some of the more challenging material for their 4-part harmonies. These included songs by The Beatles, Beach Boys, Hollies, Searchers, Ivy League etc. as well as 1950s rock 'n' roll which included many songs by Buddy Holly and also instrumentals by The Shadows. The Scorpions 1966 The Scorpions played just about every venue in the area - big to small church halls from Worcester, Wolverhampton, the Birmingham area and all stops in between. Dudley, West Bromwich, many private parties in Brum ("they were an eye opener" says John), The Birmingham Tennis Club and Brum Children's Hospital Nurses Night were both popular and regular bookings for the band. John Gwilliam also recalls an occasion where The Scorpions were billed as the "Feature Band" with a hot act from Wales called The Silverstone Set as their support (the band included future Sweet guitarist Andy Scott and Love Affair vocalist Gus Yeadon). "This was at West Brom town hall. We were booed off in the first 15 minutes - only to stand aghast and watch the support band do such a superb and professional set". John Gwilliam still has many happy memories of those days; "Something that never failed to amaze me was the endless number of club venues that materialized in some of the most out-of-the-way places. We got to play in places we never knew existed! This truly was a golden era - I wish my kids could experience the same". John now lives in Australia but will never forget his time with The Scorpions during those days when the "Midland Beat" newspaper claimed there was more than 900 known bands working in the area. With Special Thanks to Brum Beat Copyright©John R Woodhouse and to John Gwilliam for assistance in writing this bio. Compiled by Keith Law

magnum

Keith Law — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 15:39:26 +0000

The Uglys

Keith Law — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 20:38:31 +0000

Birmingham Bob Burnett guitar (left in 1966) Steve Gibbons lead vocal, harmonica John Gordon organ (left in 1965) Jim Holden drums (left in 1968) John Hustwayte bass guitar (left in 1966) Roger Hill guitar (joined 1966 - left 1967) Jimmy O'Neil piano, organ, bass guitar (joined 1965 - left 1968) Dave Pegg bass guitar (joined 1966 - left 1967) Will Hammond guitar, vocal (joined in 1967) Dave Morgan bass guitar, vocal (joined 1967) Keith Smart drums (joined in 1968) Richard Tandy piano (joined 1968 - left 1969) This well known Birmingham band was active throughout the 1960s and had a much-changing personnel line-up featuring a list of members that reads almost like a whoâ€™s who of Brum Beat. The Dominettes rock The Grotto in 1963 The Uglys evolved from a late 1950s outfit called The Dominettes whose early members included Roy Bates, Bob Burlison, Mick Burrows, Jimmy Holden, John Hustwayte (whose brother was in Pat Wayneâ€™s group The Deltas) and singer Colin Smith. A new vocalist, Steve Gibbons who was a plumbersâ€™ apprentice from Harbourne, had joined the Dominettes by 1960 to replace Colin Smith who had left to join Jimmy Powellâ€™s backing group. Colin Smith later changed his name to Carl Barron and became the singer with The Cheetahs. An Elvis Presley fan, Steve Gibbons' first performance with The Dominettes was at The California Pub near Weoley Castle. Regular venues for The Dominettes in the early 1960s was the Grotto Club on Bromsgove Street and The Cecilia Coffee Bar in Edgbaston with the group by this time including many R&B numbers into their set and this style of music suited Steve Gibbonsâ€™ gritty vocals perfectly. Although the Dominettes had a rougher image than most groups at that time and were sometimes hired to back strippers at some of the more seedy establishments, they attracted quite a following. Another regular venue for the Dominettes was the Firebird Jazz Club on Carrs Lane in central Birmingham and the group posted advertisements which read "anything considered", but by 1963 the group was re-named The Uglys. Eventually, the Uglys were able to secure a recording contract with the Pye Records company and the first release from the group in 1965 was an original song entitled Wake Up My Mind, composed by Burnet/Holden/Gibbons . The single was advanced for its time and featured some socially conscious lyrics - very unlike the kind of material produced by most other pop groups of the period. Surprisingly, the record did not sell well in Britain but was a big hit in the Australian charts. John Gordon left in 1965 and was replaced by Jimmy O'Neil from a local band called The Yamps (he had also spent some time with The Walker Brothers). A second Uglys single released the same year was of another great original song called It's Alright. This one featured prominent use of a harpsichord as played by Jimmy O'Neil who was becoming a major attraction on-stage to a growing following of female fans. The record fell short of the British charts - possibly due to a record company strike - even though the group made an appearance on the popular television program "Ready Steady Go!" to promote it. Other Uglys singles were released between 1965 and 1967 including a great version of End Of The Season, a song composed by Ray Davies of the Kinks. This represented a departure from the Ugly's previous records as they had all been group compositions up to that point. Interestingly, Jim Holden and Roger Hill composed a song called Can't See For Looking which was recorded by Birmingham's youngest pop group The Bobcats and released as their debut single in 1967. The Bobcats even got to perform the song on the popular children's TV show Blue Peter. During this period, there were many personnel changes in the Uglys line-up which included the departure of Bob Burnett and John Hustwayte. Bass guitarist Dave Pegg joined for a year before leaving to join the Ian Campbell Group. He was replaced by Dave Morgan from a local band called Blaises and had also been a former member of Danny King's Mayfair Set. Dave Pegg was later in a local group called The Exception and from there, he joined Fairport Convention. Dave Morgan also worked with Carl Wayne of The Move to compose the song Something which ended up as the b-side of the Moveâ€™s chart-topping Blackberry Way single. Jimmy O'Neil left the Uglys in 1968 to join The Mindbenders and founding member Jim Holden also departed later that year. The Uglys in 1968 Former Brumbeats guitarist Roger Hill joined the Uglys and stayed for almost a year before leaving to join previously-departed Dave Pegg in forming a new band called The Exception. Roger Hill was replaced by Will Hammond (from The Yamps) who stayed in the Ugly's line-up until the end. Jim Holden was replaced by drummer Keith Smart from Danny King's Mayfair Set. Keith was previously involved with a group called The Lemon Tree and later joined Roy Woodâ€™s Wizzard (see The Move). Another member to join the Uglys who had strong Move connections was keyboard player Richard Tandy who also played on the Moveâ€™s Blackberry Way and eventually joined the Electric Light Orchestra. By the end of 1968, Steve Gibbons was the only remaining original member of The Uglys. This final line-up also included Will Hammond, Dave Morgan, Keith Smart, and Richard Tandy. They recorded a projected single I've Seen The Light which was unfortunately never released officially - a demo copy recently sold for Â£1,200 ! Steve Gibbons teamed up with guitarist Trevor Burton from The Move in 1969 and by April of that year they had formed a new group called Balls along with singer/guitarist Denny Laine (formerly of the Moody Blues), and Uglys drummer Keith Smart. The project was relatively short lived and after recording a solo album, Steve Gibbons joined a late line-up of the Idle Race which evolved into the Steve Gibbons Band by the early 1970â€™s. This group had a hit record with the Chuck Berry song Tulane in 1976 as well as undertaking extensive touring in the USA. Steve Gibbons continues to be very active musically around Birmingham to this day. With Special Thanks to Copyright -© John R Woodhouse Brum Beat and Will Hammond for assistance in writing this bio. Compiled by Keith Law

Breedon Bar

Jeremy Collins — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 20:48:28 +0000

Stirchley venue

Citizen If

Jeremy Collins — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 20:48:59 +0000

Clogs Club

Jeremy Collins — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 20:49:33 +0000

Dynamic Institute of Noise

Jeremy Collins — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 20:50:09 +0000

Elizabeth Jane

Jeremy Collins — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 20:50:33 +0000

Farcroft Hotel

Jeremy Collins — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 20:50:50 +0000

Hall Green Tech College

Jeremy Collins — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 20:51:18 +0000

Quadraphase

Jeremy Collins — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 20:52:20 +0000

Santa Rosa

Jeremy Collins — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 20:55:46 +0000

Scotch Mist

Jeremy Collins — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 20:56:04 +0000

Snout

Jeremy Collins — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 20:56:54 +0000

Stepmothers

Jeremy Collins — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 20:57:15 +0000

Temple of Psychic Youth

Jeremy Collins — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 20:58:22 +0000

The Alhambra

Jeremy Collins — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 20:58:40 +0000

Short lived venue in Highgate

The Crown

Jeremy Collins — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 20:59:03 +0000

The Drum

Jeremy Collins — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 20:59:25 +0000

The Junction

Jeremy Collins — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 21:00:43 +0000

Venue in Harborne

The Kuomintang Party

Jeremy Collins — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 21:01:17 +0000

The Moseley and Balsall Heath Institute

Jeremy Collins — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 21:01:36 +0000

New Additions and A Big Thank You

Jeremy Collins — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 21:06:33 +0000

There has been a lot of new content added to the site in the last couple of days courtesy of Keith Law, a stalwart of Birmingham music in the 60's. Keith has added a load of new venues and bands and has put in a lot of content, written and visual. We would love to hear your memories of these bands and venues (seriously, there are too many to mention!). Happy hunting and thank you Keith!

Black Bears

Jeremy Collins — Thu, 11 Nov 2010 15:39:30 +0000

Stairway To Nowhere

Jeremy Collins — Thu, 11 Nov 2010 22:09:55 +0000

Luke James of Fashion fame and notoriety has written a very entertaining book about the band. Luke has sent me the introduction to the book which I've posted on the Fashion page. Go, have a look!

Problems Problems!

Jeremy Collins — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 22:19:54 +0000

Hello all, I have a major problem with the site in so much as I can not update or change content on the site. We are working hard to rectify this so please bear with us.