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UPDATED February, 2012
While the group's 'Live at The Marquee' performance is familiar to fans, technical problems with the initial recording resulted in vocal overdubs before its release on the rare 'Something Else From The Move' EP in 1968. Various BBC recordings managed to capture some of the Move's 'live' energy (albeit in a controlled studio environment), but no complete fully 'live' performance of this group known for their explosive energy on stage has been available until now. A couple of the tracks recorded live at The Fillmore; 'I Can Hear The Grass Grow' and 'Open My Eyes' were included on the fantastic 'Move Anthology' Box Set in 2008.
Recorded during the Move's hectic (and only) tour of the USA in October of 1969, the group at that time consisted of Carl Wayne, Roy Wood, Bev Bevan and Rick Price. The existence of the 'Fillmore tapes' was only confirmed about a decade ago by former Move front-man Carl Wayne who intended to release the recording but tragically passed away before the remastering could begin. Carl's widow Sue has given her permission for the release of this historic recording that will serve as a fitting tribute to both Carl and the band. The following is from the official press release:
Born and raised in Birmingham, Micky Gibbs (Gerry) attended Upper Thomas Street School in Aston where he excelled in sports such as football and boxing. He seriously considered boxing as a career before choosing rock 'n' roll music to which his natural talent as an entertainer was well suited. Gerry's first band developed into 'The Avengers' during the early 1960s with the line-up of John Watson (guitar), Mike 'Sprike' Hopkins (lead guitar), Jim Onslow (bass guitar), and Graeme Edge (drums). 'Gerry Levene and The Avengers' found themselves incredibly busy with bookings all over the West Midlands as well as on the 'Liverpool Circuit' where they also performed at the famous 'Cavern Club'.
John Watson left The Avengers to be replaced by a very young Roy Wood on guitar from a local group called 'The Falcons'. In 1964, Gerry Levene and The Avengers signed to Decca Records to record a single. For the A-side track titled It's Driving Me Wild, Gerry was backed by studio session players. The Avengers were allowed to play on the B-side of the single with Gerry, covering U.S. bluesman Willie Lee Perryman's Dr. Feelgood. This historic recording is the first ever record release to feature Graeme Edge and Roy Wood - future members of The Moody Blues and The Move respectively. Sadly, the record didn't chart.
Although 'Gerry Levene and The Avengers' continued to gain fame and fans on shows like 'Thank Your Lucky Stars', Roy Wood left to join Mike Sheridan and The Nightriders while Jim Onslow went on to join The Diplomats. Gerry and Graeme Edge teamed up with Denny Laine to start a new project that became The Moody Blues although Gerry left early on after falling out with Denny. Gerry kept busy for the next few years performing with various new line-ups of The Avengers before taking a job with the Top Rank organization.
Gerry Levene continued to make records during the later 1960s with local groups 'Crossbones' and 'The Hinge'. He also recorded as a solo artist under the name 'David Lincoln' for the Pye Records label. An excellent single by David Lincoln; Hold Back The Daybreak/That's All Any Man Can Say (composed by prolific hit-makers Tony Macaulay and John Macleod) came out in 1970 and probably would have charted if Pye had spent more time and money on promotion.
Despite a lack of record success, Gerry Levene remained in the music business and continued to perform throughout the 1970s and the following decades, both in tribute bands and as a solo act. Gerry never lost his love for performing music and entertaining on the stage. He battled bowel cancer for years, eventually arranging and performing in fund-raising concerts along with other veteran Brumbeat performers in efforts to raise money for medical research of this often fatal affliction. Though sadly, Gerry's battle finally ended in December, his fighting spirit will be remembered as an inspiration to all who knew him. He will be missed.
Roger Hill started playing guitar in the early 1960s, becoming a member of the Birmingham group The Plazents who caught the first wave of the 'beat boom' when they were signed to Decca Records in 1964 and re-named 'The Brumbeats'. Fronted by dynamic vocalist Bobby Ash, The Brumbeats had a single released titled I Don't Understand as well as recording an album of Beatles songs under the name 'The Mersey Boys'. In 1966, Roger joined well-known vocalist Steve Gibbons in The Uglys line-up along with Dave Pegg (future bassist of Fairport Convention/Jethro Tull). Dave credits Roger as his main influence in deciding to switch over to the bass guitar after realizing he would never be as good a player as Roger!
By the early part of 1967, Roger Hill had left The Uglys and along with Dave Pegg, linked up with his former band-mate from The Brumbeats drummer Alan 'Bugsy' Eastwood to form the pop/rock group The Exception. While the Exception were well-known locally, toured Europe, and recorded an album along with several innovative singles for the President Records label, they were unable to attain the level of success worthy of the collective talents within the band.
In 1970, Roger Hill was hired by former Move front-man Carl Wayne to join his new backing-band. This line-up became known as Mongrel but instead of backing Carl Wayne, most of the band was snapped up by Roy Wood to form the basis of his new group 'Wizzard'. Roger Hill meanwhile, went on to join Dave Pegg for a stint in the acclaimed folk/rock group Fairport Convention before deciding eventually on a career as jazz guitarist to which his talent was well-suited. Roger was to play for years with jazz greats Chris Barber and Ottilie Patterson.
In more recent times, Roger Hill stayed closer to Birmingham, performing locally with his own 'Roger Hill Band' as well as playing in a line-up called 'The Old Horns' featuring former Wizzard members. Roger always commanded the highest respect from his fellow musicians, preferring to let his demonstrated playing skills on the guitar do the talking. Roger Hill was 66 years old when he passed away in November 2011.
Miserable wet weather at the semi-enclosed arena location failed to dampen the spirits of the audience as the band opened the show with a rousing performance of 'The Voice', a stand-out track from their 1979 'come-back' album 'Long Distance Voyager'. From that point on I was hooked so sat back to enjoy the show which turned out to be refreshingly more than just a parade of greatest hits. The 2011 live line-up in addition to original members Justin Hayward, John Lodge, and Graeme Edge, also included 2nd drummer Gordon Marshall, Alan Hewitt (keyboards), Norda Mullen (flute/acoustic guitar), and Julie Ragins (keyboards).
Despite including newer material (including Your Wildest Dreams - a personal fave of mine), the band did not stray far from their 'classic' 1960s-70s period as they went on to perform Justin Hayward's Tuesday Afternoon (from 'Days of Future Passed'), and 1968's Voices In The Sky as well as John Lodge's Steppin' In A Slide Zone and Isn't Life Strange. As expected, the lead vocal duties were split between Justin Hayward and John Lodge (depending on whose song it was) with the girls predictably supplying most of the high harmonies. A notable exception was Graeme Edge who took the lead on a surprising rendition of 1969's Higher And Higher.
It was great to hear Justin Hayward's famous vocal, pitch-perfect after all those years and no sign of letting up. Still playing his trade-mark red Gibson 335 guitar (with Bigsby tremolo), both he and bassist John Lodge were obviously having a great time on stage, even to the point of performing legs-apart, side-by-side guitar, 'Status Quo-like' moves in unison. Founding member Graeme Edge was obviously enjoying himself too. At one point in the show, he stepped from behind his drums to front of stage and announced he'd recently turned 70 years old. The audience then roared with applause at which point Graeme proceeded to dance an energetic jig across the stage to yet more applause and approval!
Stage antics aside, it was really the great music that mattered and of that there was no shortage. As well as the 'hits', there were surprises too. A spirited performance of 'Peak Hour', a lesser known track from 1967's ground-breaking 'Days Of Future Passed' album provided the opportunity for a genuine 1960s extended guitar solo from Justin Hayward along with all the psychedelic lighting and sound effects to go with it. In the same way, their hushed performance of 'Are You Sitting Comfortably' (from 1969's 'On The Threshold Of A Dream') was enough to transport anyone old or young back in time to that hallowed decade.
Throughout the show, along with the expected spectacular lighting effects, some songs featured vintage photos of the Moody Blues 'classic' line-up from the 1960s and 70s projected onto a giant screen behind them as they played. This brought it home all the more to realize just how long the three original members have continued to entertain and obviously still enjoy what they are doing. Encores included Ride My See-Saw, The Question, and of course the classic Nights In White Satin.
With the Moody Blues' 50th anniversary just a few years away, would it not be fitting for them to celebrate the event by performing a couple of very special shows at say, The Royal Albert Hall that would also include a reunion with former band-mates Ray Thomas and Mike Pinder? And if that should happen, how about a 'special guest' appearance by Denny Laine invited up on stage with them to sing a rousing rendition of Go Now? If any of you guys read this - well it's just a thought...
Many thanks go to Alan Oldaker and Eric Foxall who have both provided their own story about the group that can now be seen exclusively on the BrumBeat web site. Click HERE to read more about Danny Burns and The Phantoms or see them listed in the Brumbeat MAIN INDEX.
Robbie Trevis who was drummer/vocalist in The Californians has supplied information and great memories of the group as they were back in the late 1960s. Click HERE or see them listed in the Brumbeat MAIN INDEX.
Carl Palmer was also born in Birmingham and is best known for playing drums in the progressive rock group 'Emerson Lake & Palmer' who had huge international success during the 1970s. Carl's first group 'The King Bees' evolved from an earlier band called 'The Castaways' who formed in Harborne, Birmingham during the early 1960s. The King Bees became one of the leading (and youngest) R&B styled groups in Birmingham along with another local band called The Spencer Davis Group.
Geoff Brown who was founding member and lead vocalist/guitarist with both The Castaways and The King Bees has provided much information about them. Geoff's assistance has made it possible for me to present the stories of both The Castaways and The King Bees for the first time and exclusive to the BrumBeat web site.
The Senator's recording of 'She's A Mod' came out in 1964, being released as a single in the U.K. It was also included on DIAL Record's 'BRUM BEAT' LP which along with The Senators, showcased various other West Midlands groups. Terry Beale wrote the song that was later covered by other bands including notably 'Ray Columbus and The Invaders' from New Zealand. She's A Mod topped the charts in both Australia and New Zealand thus making Ray Columbus and The Invaders big stars in that part of the world. Bill Ford who was bass guitarist with The Senators and a friend of Terry's shared some memories of him as follows:
Ray Columbus (Lester Timmins) wrote a long tribute to Terry, part of which is shown here as follows:
Terry Beale was 67 when he passed away at his home in Solihull. Bill Ford will attend Terry's funeral to take place at his home town of Reddich. Thank you Bill for sending these tributes for Terry and his photo. I would also like to express my condolence for Terry's family and friends during this difficult time (JRW).
Original recordings by The Talismen have been difficult to find in the UK. The group had more records released in Italy where they became big stars during the 1960s and as the backing group for teenage Italian singer Rita Pavone. This limited edition CD released by the Talismen Fan Club contains 20 tracks, three of which feature Rita Pavone. Also included are some never-before released recordings by the group from recently discovered tapes. It's all attractively packaged too within a jewel case containing a fold-out with liner notes by Chris Stanbury.
The previously mentioned 'Masters Of War' is an early cover of the famous Bob Dylan anti-war song, now just as relevant today as it was back in 1964. The standout track for me is 'Casting My Spell', a wonderful high-energy beat-style recording with a great vocal and prominent lead guitar from Jimmy Page. These two rare Shel Talmy produced/Glyn Johns engineered tracks alone are worth the price of the CD in my opinion. An interesting alternate version of Casting My Spell also appears later on the CD.
Some standards of the day are also covered in this collection such as 'Doctor Feelgood', 'Monkey Time' and 'Spanish Harlem', on which The Talismen provide a great performance. There are some surprises too like an arrangement of the Spencer Davis Group's 'Strong Love', plus a version of The Who classic 'Can't Explain' which they maybe should not have attempted. Some of the tracks with Rita Pavone such as 'Treno' feature a lead vocal sung in Italian.
Surprisingly, the audio quality of almost all the Talismen recordings on this CD is of very good quality although it's obvious that some of the sources used were better than others. One thing that you will be aware of when hearing these records is the very high-energy that was captured to give most of the tracks a refreshing almost 'live' feel. Performances by the group back in those days must surely have got the audience up on their feet as it's difficult even more than 40 years later to keep from tapping your feet! Fans and collectors of 1960s British groups of that era will not be disappointed with this CD.
On a sad note, The Talismen's drummer Trevor Cook passed away recently following a battle with lung cancer. The group had enjoyed a revival of sorts during the last few years with a successful re-union of the original band members and gaining an increasing number of bookings for their live shows. The tremendous drumming performances on the tracks of this CD stands as a tribute to Trevor who will be greatly missed and whose loss will leave the future of The Talismen in some doubt.
Just published in 2010 is the book 'The Band of Joy' by Harry Barber. This is the first book I know of to be dedicated to a group that has over the years achieved a status of near mythical proportions. It's a story that would have been difficult to write by any one of the former band members - especially when you consider the number of different line-ups that existed. Fortunately, Harry Barber is more than qualified to write such a book as he was involved as roadie with the group in almost all its different incarnations.
Harry Barber (who was also drummer for 1960s Brum group Paint), spent five years researching and writing The Band of Joy story - drawing from his own gig diary, collection of press cuttings, and a remarkable memory of his time on the road with the band. Each of the different line-ups is fully documented - no easy task as he says there were six distinct versions of the band during the 1960s "...and at one time, two versions with the same name at the same time"!
Dave Mason later had a successful solo career of his own but few fans may be aware that his first recording was with a young Worcester band called The Jaguars before he joined forces with Jim Capaldi in The Hellions. The Jaguars recorded an original song written by Dave. It was a catchy instrumental number titled 'Opus To Spring' and sounded very much in the same vein as 'The Shadows'. Dave's guitar virtuosity on the recording is evident even back then. The single's B-side 'The Beat' was co-composed by Dave with the group's drummer Roger Moss.
The Jaguars did not have a recording contract, but paid for the recording themselves and had singles pressed on the Worcester-based 'Impression' label. The group then sold the records to fans at their gigs. It was an unusual method of promotion for a band back in those days but is common practice for un-signed groups today. As can be imagined, original copies of The Jaguars 45 are now highly prized by record collectors and examples in un-played or 'mint' condition are rarer still.
Terry Thomas has owned and operated 'Mister Tees Records' shop - based in Kidderminster for more than 30 years. He recently acquired some original copies of The Jaguars Opus To Spring 45. Terry says: "Not a large quantity, just a few from the widow of the record shop owner who issued it in the early sixties. They are nearly 50 years old and in their original box unplayed". If you are interested in purchasing one of these rare singles, Terry can be contacted by phoning 01562 515291 days, or by e-mail terry@mrteerecords.co.uk.
In the event, a veritable legion of Brum bands had "Shakin' All Over" included in their sets. Previous to this, only songs by American bands and artistes were considered worthy of covering by most of the rapidly emerging rock 'n' roll and beat groups forming all over the U.K. in the early 1960s.
I don't know how he did it but BrumBeat insider Bulls Head Bob managed to recently interview Brian Gregg - former member of Johnny Kidd and The Pirates and co-writer of Shakin' All Over. Brian's story of the writing and recording of Shakin' All Over is an inspirational one. In fact the song almost never happened at all but for the talent and tenacity of the group members and a few contributions by 'the hand of fate' along the way as you will see.
Keith Farley had previously written the book 'N Between Times that was first published in 2001 (see BRUM BEAT REVIEWS 'N Between Times). As far as I know, 'N Between Times was the first book ever to document Wolverhampton's 1960's music scene. 'They Rocked, We Rolled!' was completed by Keith just before his death in March 2010. Keith was well known locally as a school teacher, historian and music fan who had a number of books published. He was also the first official chairman of the Wolverhampton History and Heritage Society. Dave Cant who was a long-time friend of Keith's, has provided a good description of They Rocked, We Rolled! as follows:
Featuring Bev Bevan, Trevor Burton, Raymond Froggatt, Hartley Cain, Geoff Turton and Danny King the cast is bigger and there's more content. Show producer Brian Yeates said; "We wanted to build on the success of Brum Rocks Live! and take that great cast into this new idea which will include some of the old songs but a lot of brand new songs that have been huge rock 'n' roll hits over the years. We also knew that a lot of theatres around the UK wanted the Brum Rocks show but were concerned having 'Birmingham' in the title might hinder the shows appeal (it should really enhance the appeal in my opinion! - JRW). So what we have now is a new name, bigger cast of stars, bigger show and a tour that takes in three times as many shows as Brum Rocks, so it is a winner for everyone".
"It was important that when we put the cast together we had people that loved rock 'n' roll, and that is exactly what we got, a cast that have been performing great music all over the world for nearly half a century. We gave them an opportunity to perform Chuck Berry, Elvis, Johnny Kidd, Roy Orbison, and Spencer Davis Group songs - and they all jumped at it. And when you see the enthusiasm and fun that is happening on stage, it just washes over an audience, it's a truly wonderful thing to experience".
Pictured are (left to right) Trevor Burton, Bev Bevan, Raymond Froggatt, Geoff Turton, and Danny King. Both Trevor Burton and Bev Bevan are founding members of influential Birmingham hit group The Move who went on to world-wide success in the 1970s as the Electric Light Orchestra (ELO). Raymond Froggatt - the legendary West Midlands singer/songwriter who along with guitarist Hartley Cain and Trevor Burton toured as the Raymond Froggatt Band. Geoff Turton is lead singer for The Rockin' Berries - one of the first Brum bands to have big hit records. Danny King is known as Birmingham's first 'pop star' and one of the founding fathers of the Brum music scene having fronted several significant local bands since the 1950s.
In conjunction with the re-mastering and re-release of Ray's two 1970s solo albums, this new web site is packed with information and rare photos that illustrate all the stages of Ray's music career and up to the present day. Of particular interest to this reader are Ray's early bands from the pre-Brumbeat "skiffle" era; 'Saints and Sinners' from 1958 and 'El Riot and The Rebels' formed in 1959 (whose line-up also included future Moody Blues members Mike Pinder and John Lodge).
The Montanas may now be gone but they are certainly not forgotten as you will see. Veteran BrumBeat musician and historian Brian Nicholls recently interviewed former Montanas member Jake Elcock and with his full co-operation has put together what is probably the first authorized biography of the group. I am grateful to Brian Nicholls and Jake Elcock for permission to show The Montanas story that can now be read exclusively on the Brumbeat web site!
Mick Adkins who was lead guitarist in The Chads, had preserved the history of the group on his own website in the 1990s - one of the first sites to be dedicated to a 1960s Brum group who were known only locally. Sadly, Mick passed away in June of 2007 from lung cancer caused by exposure to asbestos dust during his long career as an electrician.
Mick was very helpful to me during the early days of the BrumBeat.net web site in answering many questions I had about the 1960s Birmingham music scene. His e-mails to me were as funny as they were informative and he was a very down-to-earth character. It is only fitting then that The Chads and Sundowners biography on this web site is dedicated to the memory of Mick who I'm sure is missed by all who knew him.
To fans of the legendary band Traffic, Deep Feeling will be remembered as the group that Jim Capaldi fronted before joining Steve Winwood, Dave Mason, and Chris Wood for their critically acclaimed journey to international stardom. While Deep Feeling could indeed have been considered as the "blueprint" for Traffic, their line-up of Jim Capaldi, Gordon Jackson, Luther Grosvenor (Spooky Tooth/Mott The Hoople), Dave Meredith, and Poli Palmer (Blossom Toes/Family) combined much individual musical talent in their own right.
After more than 70 years in operation, the baths continue to be a valuable asset to the community. As one of the former top entertainment venues in the city, concerts, dances, and even boxing tournaments used to be held at the baths. For special events, the water from the main bath would be drained and a specially sprung maple dance floor would be assembled over the empty pool. Andy Moore who is the Duty Manager at Smethwick Swimming Centre (Smethwick Baths, Thimblemill baths) has been doing some research into the bath's colourful history.
Andy says the management at the baths are actively trying to keep the history of the centre alive. "Some things we have done so far are Backstage Tours of the baths for the public (you get to see the plant room, secret tunnel, and WWII air raid shelter), and ghost hunts (we are one of the most active locations in the country with 11 ghosts on site). There's also arranged tours of the baths for the local schools. The next step for us is to inform people of the great musical heritage that the baths has. From the tours that we have done so far, we have many stories from the public about the gigs they saw at the baths and this info needs recording with pictures to help bring it alive for the younger generation."
Jimmy Powell is one of the great underrated vocalists to come out of Birmingham and one whose considerable popularity as a live performer was never reflected in the sales of his records. Well-known around the 1960s London blues scene as 'Jimmy Powell and The 5 Dimensions' his backing group at one time included a young and then-unknown Rod Stewart. I had the great privilege to recently interview Jimmy Powell and ask him questions about his music career and what he has been doing since those heady days of the 1960s.
Following in the steps of the brilliant re-issue of their 'Message From The Country' album (EMI 0946 3 30342 28) in 2005, this definitive set comprising The Move's first two albums along with substantial bonus material (including all their 1960s singles) is by far the best collection ever assembled of this significant Brum group. In addition, their 1970 album 'Looking On' has also gotten the re-master treatment as of April of 2008. Though there have been some well-meaning attempts in the past to re-issue Move recordings on the Compact Disc format, the audio quality was generally disappointing and included some significant errors that have now been corrected.
Breakthru were known for performing exciting music while providing their own psychedelic light show to further enhance a larger-than-life image on stage and create for their audience a truly memorable experience. The group were certainly used to playing in front of large audiences as they performed at a number of outdoor music festivals during the latter part of the 1960s. Breakthru were denied having an album of their own released despite all the members contributions of original songs - many of which were recorded by the group in various sessions between 1967 and 1970. Now - for the first time - you can hear these recordings in a wonderfully prepared package titled "Breakthru - Adventures Highway".
A dedicated group has been formed to promote Birmingham's industrial heritage and hopefully make more of the old museum's fantastic collection available to the public. MADE IN BIRMINGHAM - Birmingham's Industrial History Website, provides information about the once-thriving factories and businesses of which most are only a memory today. If you can think of anything, it was probably made in Birmingham at one time or another and it's little surprise that products from Birmingham and the West Midlands found their way to all parts of the world. Many of the future Brum Beat stars also had day-jobs working in the local factories. Even Ozzy Osbourne used to work at a factory that made car parts!
The MADE IN BIRMINGHAM web site is operated by Jon Price and he would be happy to hear from anyone who would like to contribute information concerning Birmingham's industrial past. You can subscribe to the site's free newsletter and participate in discussions that may be of interest to you. There's also lots of links there to other related websites.
One of Jim's earliest bands was Gerry Levene and The Avengers who were known throughout the West Midlands during the early 1960s. The band's drummer was Graeme Edge who helped to form The Moody Blues and with whom he remains to this day. Jim Onslow, along with Graeme Edge and the rest of The Avengers, recorded a rare single called "Doctor Feelgood" in 1964. This record is significant as the earliest known recording to be released that has Graeme Edge on drums and Roy Wood on guitar. Roy was part of the Avengers line-up for a few months before joining Mike Sheridan's Nightriders. Jim's connection to The Moody Blues and E.L.O. didn't end there as he later joined future Move/E.L.O. drummer Bev Bevan in The Diplomats as replacement for Denny Laine - also a founding member of The Moody Blues.
Martin Kinch (shown on the left in the photo) is likely the leading source of knowledge on the amazing Move/E.L.O./Wizzard founder Roy Wood. He operates the excellent "Cherry Blossom Clinic" website which is dedicated to Roy and many of the talented musicians he has worked with over the years. Jim Onslow (who is still an active performer today) also operates his own website at jimonslow.bizland.com but has not spoken much about his involvement in the early Brum music scene until now.
"I was so fed up of reading all of the other (web sites), some of which were completely wrong, so I thought I'd put it right" says Mike. For those who don't know, Mike Sheridan fronted the legendary Brum band The Nightriders who along with Carl Wayne's Vikings and the Spencer Davis Group, were one of the top-rated performing bands in the West Midlands during the first half of the 1960s. The various respected guitarists in The Nightriders over the years included Roy Wood and Jeff Lynne - both to find fame in the hit groups The Move and Electric Light Orchestra (E.L.O.) respectively. Though not to reach the charts himself, Mike Sheridan was very much involved in the developing Birmingham music scene and has a long list of recordings to his credit. He even appeared on Top Of The Pops as a member of Roy Wood's chart-topping band Wizzard!
You can now visit Mike Sheridan's very informative web site at www.mikesheridan.org.uk "The Official Mike Sheridan Website" that details his career starting at his musical roots in Brum and up to the present day. Also included is latest information on where you can catch Mike on-stage still performing the great rock 'n' roll classics that inspired himself and so many others.
Note: Mike Sheridan's wife Suzi is also in business designing professional quality websites. To find out more, write to suzisheridan@btinternet.com
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