British Rock n Roll

Subject: RE: British Rock n Roll
From: fat B****rd
Date: 15 Feb 07 - 12:29 PM

You can find bits of all those 'orrible British pop films on Youtube.
Cliff Bennett and co. used to play Rock'n'roll but with the horns they easily moved to Soul through Ray Charles (Sticks and Stones etc) and stuff that was pretty obscure at the time. When I was a soulboy we used to do his version of The Drifter's (USA) "I'll take you home" and "One way love" He went "Hairy" with a band called Toefat with an alubm with a revolting cover.
I just thought that on the subject of early British Rock'n'roll I must mention Lord Sutch. For all his antics he had some great bands.
Cyril Davies more or less stole one lot of Savages.

Subject: RE: British Rock n Roll
From: David C. Carter
Date: 15 Feb 07 - 01:04 PM

Are we talking of the harp player Cyril Davies of Country Line Special?
Saw him several times,if it's the same gentleman!
Maybe at the Eel Pie Island.
David

Subject: RE: British Rock n Roll
From: fat B****rd
Date: 15 Feb 07 - 02:48 PM

Yes, David. That was he. The line-up on Country Line Special was Sutch's original Savages. Ricky Fenson (Brown) bass, Bernie "Strawberry" Watson guitar, Nicky Hopkins piano and Carlo Little on drums.

Subject: RE: British Rock n Roll
From: Strollin' Johnny
Date: 15 Feb 07 - 03:15 PM

Thanks guys, I'll search around for the CDs

Subject: RE: British Rock n Roll
From: David C. Carter
Date: 15 Feb 07 - 05:17 PM

fat B****rd,good on yer.Is any of this music on CD?
Not that I would be able to find it anyway, this end of the tunnel!
This is a great thread,triggering some fond memories,that some of us here experienced,maybe at the same moment,in the same place.
Would we know each other if we were to meet up!
I don't even know myself in the mirror each morning!
Cheers
David

Subject: RE: British Rock n Roll
From: Rasener
Date: 15 Feb 07 - 05:34 PM

Is this link any good as far as a CD is concerned for Cliff Bennett - Strollin'

Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers/Got To Get You Into Our Life - Import CD $11.29

Its got 6345-789 and Beautiful Dreamer and Barefootin on it

Subject: RE: British Rock n Roll
From: Rasener
Date: 15 Feb 07 - 05:43 PM

starts me thinking of (not rock and Roll)

Zoot Money and his big roll band who I saw live in Birmingham around 1965 - what an evening.

Never got to see Gino Washington and his Ram Jam Band.

Subject: RE: British Rock n Roll
From: David C. Carter
Date: 15 Feb 07 - 06:04 PM

If my memory serves me well!!!Zoot Money used to alternate with Georgie Fame at the Flamingo Club.All night sessions,fantastic!
Saw Gino Washington at the "Island"several times,along with Alexis Korner.
If anyone can tell me where the Pretty Things used to play,I might be able to find out where I was as a certain time!
David

Subject: RE: British Rock n Roll
From: Rasener
Date: 15 Feb 07 - 06:17 PM

Alexis Korner CCS Tap turns on the water - whole Lotta love
CCS

Pretty Things Biography part 1

Subject: RE: British Rock n Roll
From: David C. Carter
Date: 15 Feb 07 - 06:37 PM

The 100 Club.Amongst others,I saw Kevin Coyne there.Had a long chat with him.Great guy.Alas,he's left us!
Thanks for that link Villan.
David

Subject: RE: British Rock n Roll
From: Rasener
Date: 16 Feb 07 - 02:23 AM

Glad it helped :-)

Subject: RE: British Rock n Roll
From: Alec
Date: 16 Feb 07 - 02:47 AM

Going back to women in British Rock 'n' Roll.
The first woman to have a number 1 single in Britain with a Rock song was American born naturalised Briton Suzi Quatro with "Can the Can". That was as late as June 1973.
The first Woman to have a number 1 single with a Rock song she wrote herself was Kate Bush with "Wuthering Heights" as late as January 1978.
I suppose slow progress is better than no progress but all the same it is a little embarrasing.
(Kate was also the first female vocalist to top the U.K. singles & album charts simultaneously.)

Subject: RE: British Rock n Roll
From: Scrump
Date: 16 Feb 07 - 05:01 AM

Hmmm, it depends on your definition of 'rock', Alec. There were plenty of female artists who topped the charts before 1973, but I admit most of them tended to be ballads rather than rock songs. Helen Shapiro's 'Walking Back To Happiness' was fairly up-tempo though, as is These Boots Are Made For Walkin' (Nancy Sinatra), both 1960s no. 1 hits. There were plenty of no. 1 hits from Cilla, Dusty, et al in the 60s, too. And further back in the 50s we had Connie Francis, Kay Starr, Rosemary Clooney, etc. topping the charts. These women may not have topped the charts with 'rock' songs, but many of them recorded some fairly up-tempo stuff as well as the ballads, e.g. Lipstick on Your Collar, Stupid Cupid by Connie F.

It's what we said earlier, the female singers conformed to that style until, probably the late 1960s when the likes of Janis Joplin (and of course the soul singers) paved the way for females to branch out into more 'rocky' material.

Subject: RE: British Rock n Roll
From: Strollin' Johnny
Date: 16 Feb 07 - 08:15 AM

Nancy Sinatra, Connie Francis, Kay Starr and Rosemary Clooney were American weren't they? Therefore they surely don't count as far as this thread goes?

And is 'Wuthering Heights' really Rock? Not in my Funk & Wagnall it ain't! :-)

Subject: RE: British Rock n Roll
From: Scrump
Date: 16 Feb 07 - 11:53 AM

Nancy Sinatra, Connie Francis, Kay Starr and Rosemary Clooney were American weren't they? Therefore they surely don't count as far as this thread goes?

Good point SJ! I was talking about the British charts though, so I thought it had slight relevance to the discussion (given that Suzi Quatro is American too).

Subject: RE: British Rock n Roll
From: TRUBRIT
Date: 18 Feb 07 - 12:44 AM

Does anyone remember Gino Washington and the Ram Jam Band? Perhaps not the right genre, but around at the time of Cliff Bennett and the Rebel Rousers, George Fame etc etc. They were absolutely wonderful live - great showmen.

And let's not forget Long John Baldry.....and the enormously tall guy who covered 'Out of Time ...' whose name completely escapes me...

Subject: RE: British Rock n Roll
From: Alec
Date: 18 Feb 07 - 02:36 AM

That was Chris Farlowe TRUBRIT.

Subject: RE: British Rock n Roll
From: Rasener
Date: 18 Feb 07 - 03:52 AM

TRUEBRIT
Have a look at my posts above on Feb 15th

Subject: RE: British Rock n Roll
From: TRUBRIT
Date: 18 Feb 07 - 07:02 PM

Seconds after I posted I remembered the name Chris Farlow -- thank you Alec!!

Villain, you missed a treat not seeing Geno Washington and the Ram Jam Band. I used to live in Slough (sorry!!) and the big DARING thing to do on a Saturday night was to go to Burtons in Uxbridge (yes, the tailors -- the dance club was upstairs) to dance (which I loved/love to do)--the place was probably a death trap - one exit and a million teenage bodies crushed in there. But Washington was a regular -- and what a group of showmen they were...........

Ah memories!!!!

Subject: RE: British Rock n Roll
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 18 Feb 07 - 07:22 PM

I quite enjoyed the BBC Radio 4 programme yesterday morning on 6.5 Special....

Kitty

Subject: RE: British Rock n Roll
From: TRUBRIT
Date: 18 Feb 07 - 07:34 PM

Ohmigod, I would have enjoyed that so much!!!!!

The 6.5 special's coming down the line
The 6.5 special - right on time!!!

Any my dad sitting there saying -- they call this music!!!! Blast from the past!

Subject: RE: British Rock n Roll
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 18 Feb 07 - 07:45 PM

Trubrit

Britain in a Box Six Five Special broadcast is available on-line.

Kitty

Subject: RE: British Rock n Roll
From: TRUBRIT
Date: 18 Feb 07 - 08:03 PM

THANK YOU!!!!! Lo and I am 12 years old again.....! And then there was 'Ready Steady GO!!! (my dad hated that too.....)

Subject: RE: British Rock n Roll
From: heric
Date: 19 Feb 07 - 02:01 AM

Man, it's like all connected. Brian Ferry is releasing an album comprised entirely of Dylan covers next month.

Subject: RE: British Rock n Roll
From: TRUBRIT
Date: 19 Feb 07 - 11:03 PM

Anyone (besides me) old enough to remember Mike Sarne's Come Outside. Is he still in the land of the living? The female role was quite gutsy (for the time then) -- she didn't want to be ROMANCED -- she wanted to DANCE ...... now there is a revolutionary thought........

Subject: RE: British Rock n Roll
From: Alec
Date: 20 Feb 07 - 02:50 AM

As far as I'm aware Mike Sarne is still with us but not recording.
The Female vocalist was Wendy Richards who later found fame playing Miss Brahms in "Are You Being Served?" before going on to play Pauline Fowler in "EastEnders" a role which she has only very recently relinquished.

Subject: RE: British Rock n Roll
From: fat B****rd
Date: 20 Feb 07 - 04:25 AM

Mike Sarne was (is) an actor who had a couple of successful pop singles. The second "Will I What ?" had Billie Davis on answer vocals.
Mr. Sarne appeared at the Winter Gardens, Cleethorpes (see also Cleehropes Folk Festival thread) in about 1961. Hopelesly trying to impress the girl I'd been dancing with I asked if she's like his autograph. I went over "piece of paper in my hand" and asked. He quite willingly signed it and when I thanked him replied "it's a pleasure" with as much enthusiasm as if I'd suggested he should stay in Pop Music forever.
Not an unfriendly man but not exactly a Popstar.
I'll get me winklepickers.

Subject: RE: British Rock n Roll
From: Scrump
Date: 20 Feb 07 - 05:15 AM

Of course Billie Davis (mentioned above as one of Mike Sarne's vocalists) went on to have her own successful career as a pop singer, with her biggest hit being a cover of the Exciters' "Tell Him" (1963) - it was a very good cover though.

She was later involved in a serious car accident with her then boyfriend Jst Harris (ex-Shadows bassist), which nearly cost both of them their lives and seriously curtailed their pop careers.

Subject: RE: British Rock n Roll
From: Scrump
Date: 20 Feb 07 - 07:09 AM

Oops - that should be Jet Harris of course.

Talking of Zoot Money, the Flamingo, etc., reminds me of his live album recorded at that other legendary venue Klook's Kleek.

Subject: RE: British Rock n Roll
From: David C. Carter
Date: 20 Feb 07 - 07:54 AM

Scrump,you mentioned Klook's Kleek,which just made me think of The Macabre.Anybody go there? And the Witches Cauldron.Anyone?
David

Subject: RE: British Rock n Roll
From: TRUBRIT
Date: 20 Feb 07 - 10:57 PM

I didn't know the woman on Come Outside was Wendy Richards -- what interesting things one learns on this website! And Billy Davis and Jet Harris being an item is also news.

There was a club in Windsor that I was explicity forbidden to attend, therefore of course it was one of my favorite haunts...But the name escapes me. Zoot Money and the Big Roll Band was a regular there as was Georgie Fame et al.....dammit I wish I could remember the name but I know someone out there will know it......

Subject: RE: British Rock n Roll
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 21 Feb 07 - 12:10 AM

Rikki Tik

Subject: RE: British Rock n Roll
From: GUEST,albert
Date: 21 Feb 07 - 12:26 AM

I'd like to reccomend two books by welsh guitarist and songwriter Deke Leonard which are both wonderful reads about the welsh and british rock n roll world of the 1960s and 1970s.
Deke was the guitar palayer with Swansea band "Man" and the two books are well worth reading.He also presents occasional rock shows on radio Wales which are excellent.
The titles of the books can be found on his website.Deke is still playing live with a tight band called Iceberg which features thea brilliant guitarist Taff Williams who used to play in The Eyes of Blue who deserve a whole thread to themselves.
Albert

Subject: RE: British Rock n Roll
From: Scrump
Date: 21 Feb 07 - 05:43 AM

I remember seeing the Welsh band Man in the early 1970s and they were good. I have an album of theirs somewhere. As for Eyes of Blue, I remember their single "Up and Down" which was a minor hit in about 1966 or 67 (I think) - same band I assume?

Subject: RE: British Rock n Roll
From: Scrump
Date: 21 Feb 07 - 05:47 AM

David - I don't remember the Macabre or the Witches Cauldron. Were they in London?

What about the Crawdaddy where the Yardbirds used to play? Anyone got any memories of that?

The 6-5 Special was mentioned above. Anyone remember that the original theme tune was by Ken Colyer (with his skiffle band)? The later (more well known) theme was by Don Lang and his Frantic Five.

Subject: RE: British Rock n Roll
From: GUEST,albert
Date: 21 Feb 07 - 10:45 AM

Reply to Scrump
EYES OF BLUE
I think you are right about the Eyes of Blue.
They were a magnificent live band but were badly served by the record company they were with.
Their line up was
Gary Pickford-Hopkins..vocals
Wyndham Rees.....vocals
Taff Williams ..   guitars /vocals
Ritchie Francis.. bass/vocals and songwriter
Phil Ryan...hammond organ
Pugwash Weathers....drums/vocals
I saw loads of great bands in the 60s but I think the Eyes of Blue were my favourite!!!! I am still a massive fan after 40 years!! Most of the above are still playing and Wyndham has got a very nifty rocknroll band called Faded Glory who are well worth catching live.He has a brilliant rocknroll voice although much of their best stuff in the mid 60s was tamla and soul influenced.
ALBERT

Subject: RE: British Rock n Roll
From: GUEST,Jim Ward
Date: 21 Feb 07 - 12:09 PM

Scrump- If Ken Colyer were still alive the old bugger would punch you in the mouth for even thinking he played "Over the points". It was of course the Bob Cort Skiffle Group who played it on the first few shows till Don Lang took over.
The Macabre - Coffins for tables and candles in skulls, was in Meard Street, off Wardour Street, just around the corner from the 2-I's and The Heaven and Hell in Old Compton Street.

Subject: RE: British Rock n Roll
From: Roger the Skiffler
Date: 21 Feb 07 - 12:32 PM

Zoot Money has a monthly gig at the Bull's Head Barnes, billed as his "Surprise Party" with guests. Also appears on tv in acting roles.
Geno Washington was recently touring with a 60s revival show.

RtS

Subject: RE: British Rock n Roll
From: David C. Carter
Date: 21 Feb 07 - 01:25 PM

Scrump-the Witches was in the Hampstead area.

I remember going to the Crawdaddy and seeing the Yardbirds,but where the hell it was I can't remember!
David

Subject: RE: British Rock n Roll
From: Murray MacLeod
Date: 21 Feb 07 - 09:03 PM

From Wikipedia ..
----------------------------------------------------------------------
In February 1963, the Rolling Stones played their first gig at the Crawdaddy, then located at the Station Hotel, Richmond, directly opposite the railway station. The Stones soon became so popular that audiences overflowed onto the street, and the Crawdaddy was forced to move to a larger venue, the Richmond Athletic Ground. By April 1963, the Stones had two gigs a week at the Crawdaddy and a weekly slot at Eel Pie Island, two miles away in Twickenham. During this time, the band had their first chart hit, Come On.

When the Stones became too big for small local clubs and went on tour, their residency at the Crawdaddy was taken over by another leading R & B group from nearby Kingston-upon-Thames, The Yardbirds, featuring Eric Clapton. Other artists who played at the club include Long John Baldry, Elton John, Rod Stewart and - according to a sign which used to be displayed above the doorway to the club's later incarnation, the Bull and Bush pub (now Edwards nightclub) - the Small Faces, although by at least one account the Crawdaddy closed before the Small Faces were even formed.

The Crawdaddy can claim with some accuracy to be as historic a British music venue as the Cavern Club in Liverpool, where the Beatles played early gigs. It also was the source for the name of the legendary American music magazine Crawdaddy
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Subject: RE: British Rock n Roll
From: Scrump
Date: 22 Feb 07 - 05:46 AM

Scrump- If Ken Colyer were still alive the old bugger would punch you in the mouth for even thinking he played "Over the points". It was of course the Bob Cort Skiffle Group

Oops, of course you're right - sorry about that.

Subject: RE: British Rock n Roll
From: TRUBRIT
Date: 22 Feb 07 - 09:48 PM

Weelittledrummer - thank you!!!! It was the
Rikki Tik I was trying to remember. Great - thanks again.

Subject: RE: British Rock n Roll
From: GUEST,Joe
Date: 30 Mar 07 - 10:45 PM

What a lot of people forget the first british rock act to have a   have number one album in the states was the Beatles in 1964 with   Meet The Beatles. If anyone put British Rock and Roll on the map worldwide it was the Beatles.

Subject: RE: British Rock n Roll
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 31 Mar 07 - 02:17 AM

You're right. I forgot that.

Subject: RE: British Rock n Roll
From: Strollin' Johnny
Date: 31 Mar 07 - 02:34 AM

Going to see Marty Wilde at the Grimsby Auditorium 11/4/07. I'm gibbering already.

Subject: RE: British Rock n Roll
From: Rasener
Date: 31 Mar 07 - 04:02 AM

Thats strange I am going as well. Bet you haven't got seats at the front Strollin'.

Now Marty Wilde did some cracking numbers.

Endless Sleep
Donna
Teenager In Love
Bad Boy
Sea Of Love
Rubber Ball
Danny

I bought all of those singles, and I personnally think that they were better versions than any of the American versions.

I hope I don't forget where I put my ticket.

Subject: RE: British Rock n Roll
From: fat B****rd
Date: 31 Mar 07 - 05:11 AM

Marty's backing group had some future fairly famous members n'all.
I would add "It's Been Nice" to The Villan's list.
Marty Wilde came to the Ritz in Cleethorpes in the very early 60s on one of those a dozen acts for 5 bob shows. Oh, I quite liked "Jezebel" as well.

Subject: RE: British Rock n Roll
From: Rasener
Date: 31 Mar 07 - 05:34 AM

Good excuse for you to come down to Lincolnshire FB :-)

Subject: RE: British Rock n Roll
From: fat B****rd
Date: 31 Mar 07 - 06:06 AM

Sorry, mate. Too busy trying to move to Scotland.
ATB from Charlie.

Subject: RE: British Rock n Roll
From: Rasener
Date: 31 Mar 07 - 06:30 AM

Good luck with that Charlie.

Are you going to buy the yellowbellies 2 CD before you go? :-)

http://www.faldingworthlive.co.uk/yellowbellis_2_cd.htm

Cheers
Les