The Applejacks

    The Applejacks

    SOLIHULL

    Last updated November, 2011

    Al Jackson lead vocal
    Martin Baggott lead guitar/vocal
    Phil Cash rhythm guitar/vocal
    Megan Davies bass guitar/vocal
    Gerald Freeman drums
    Don Gould piano & organ/vocal

    The Applejacks are highly significant in West Midlands music history as the first Birmingham or 'Brum Beat' group to have a top ten hit record. They should not be confused with the late 1950s American recording group of the same name. Unfortunately, despite a promising debut and having a strong Beatles connection, The Applejacks moment in the spotlight was over all too soon.

    The group, formed in Solihull in 1961, were originally known as The Crestas and then The Jaguars. At that time the band consisted of Phil Cash (born October 9, 1947), Martin Baggot (born October 20, 1947), Gerald Freeman (born May 24, 1947) and Megan Davies (born March 25, 1944); all members of the 1st Olton Scouts Troop. By the end of 1961, keyboarder Don Gould (born March 23, 1947) was also added to the line-up.

    As they had no singer, they played instrumental songs by groups like The Shadows and Tornados. Singer Al Jackson (Harry Llewellyn - born April 21, 1945) joined in 1962 and The Applejacks soon became a popular attraction with a regular residency at Solihull Civic Hall. They played a lot of American style rock 'n' roll; Little Richard, Chuck Berry, Ray Charles etc. and were unusual for the time in having a female bass guitarist (Megan Davies).

    The Applejacks caught the first wave of the 'beat boom' when they were signed up by talent scouts from the Decca Record Company in late 1963. From that point on, things were to move fast for the young group. In February of 1964 they had their first record released on a single. 'Tell Me When' was composed by songwriters Les Reed and former school teacher Geoff Stephens. The record was a brilliant and catchy composition - fitting the times perfectly. Produced by Mike Smith, it peaked at number 7 in the U.K. and remained in the charts for 13 weeks. Some of the band members were still going to school at the time!

    The success of Tell Me When brought The Applejacks national TV appearances on shows like 'Ready Steady Go!' and 'Thank Your Lucky Stars' where the group became friends with the Beatles who they met during a rehearsal. Al Jackson remembers Paul McCartney asking them if they had a follow-up record to Tell Me When to which Al replied "No". Paul said "Would you like one then?" John Lennon and Paul McCartney provided the Applejacks with a previously un-published Beatles song 'Like Dreamers Do' (one of the earliest Lennon/McCartney compositions) so the group recorded this with it being released as the follow-up single.

    The Applejacks provided an excellent interpretation of the song and to their credit, used their own arrangement rather than just "copying" the Beatles demo. Hopes were high as recordings of Beatles compositions by other artists had proven very successful but despite this, the Applejacks version of Like Dreamers Do only got to number 20 in the U.K. record charts.

    Nonetheless, 1964 proved to be a very busy year for The Applejacks. The group appeared in the British pop music film 'Just For You' which also featured Freddie and The Dreamers and Peter and Gordon. In addition to regular TV apperances, The Applejacks performed live on the coveted 'New Musical Express' annual poll winners concert at Wembley. Perhaps even more memorable was when Megan Davies and drummer Gerry Freeman were married in a highly publicized wedding that was attended by hundreds of screaming local teenagers!

    The Applejacks recorded an album for Decca Records under the direction of future Gary Glitter producer Mike Leander. This self-titled album had a simple yet refreshing production style which suited the group well but unfortunately it did not sell enough copies to make the album charts. A new Applejacks single was also released by Decca but the awkward 'Three Little Words' stalled at No. 23 and was to be their last showing in the record charts. Other singles were recorded by The Applejacks but even a very good version of The Kinks 'I Go To Sleep' could not reverse the group's chart decline.

    By 1966, The Applejacks had accepted a lucrative contract in cabaret to perform on board the luxury Trans-Atlantic ocean liners R.M.S. Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth I and II. Although a good move for the band financially, chartwise it may have proved to be their undoing. The Cunard engagements isolated them from their fans and made the promotion of any new records by the group all but impossible.

    Changes in the group's line-up also became a problem. Lead vocalist/front-man Al Jackson left and was replaced by John Washington. Don Gould left in 1967 for a successful career in music production and drummer Gerry Freeman also left to become an in-demand session drummer. He was replaced by Paul Willetts.

    After being dropped by Decca, The Applejacks switched to CBS Records for their final single release You've Been Cheatin' which was a cover of a soul song by The Impressions. Martin Baggott was the next to leave and he later emigrated to California after giving up his music career. Megan Davies also left and joined a Brum group called Mongrel - the same band that Roy Wood re-formed as the chart-topping 'Wizzard' after he left the Electric Light Orchestra (see The Move).

    In this way, The Applejacks faded from the scene, but their place in BrumBeat history is assured as they were the first local group to make a big impact on the national record charts and thus open the door for many other talented groups and performers from the West Midlands.

    A historic event occurred in Birmingham on December 11, 2010 when for the first time in more than 40 years, the original line-up of The Applejacks re-formed for a charity concert. The occasion was recorded for a DVD which can now be ordered on-line at nominal cost. To buy a copy, visit Tony Sheppard's web site at www.splinters-the-novel.com/buy-now/the-applejacks-reunion-concert-dvd-2010.

    To see a recent interview of Megan Davies exclusive to BrumBeat.net please click HERE.


    The Applejacks 1960's Record Releases (highest UK chart position in brackets)

    Singles:

  • Tell Me When/Baby Jane (Decca F 11833) 1964 (7)
  • Like Dreamers Do/Everybody Fall Down (Decca F 11916) 1964 (20)
  • Three Little Words/You're The One (Decca F 11981) 1964 (23)
  • Chim Chim Chiree/It's Not A Game Anymore (Decca F 12050) 1965 (withdrawn)
  • It's Not A Game Anymore/Bye Bye Girl (Decca F 12106) 1965
  • I Go To Sleep/Make Up Or Break Up (Decca F 12216) 1965
  • I'm Through/We Gotta Get Together (Decca F 12301) 1965
  • You've Been Cheating/Love Was In My Eyes (CBS 202615) 1967
  • Album:

  • The Applejacks (Decca LK 4635) 1964
  • Compact Disc:

  • The Applejacks - Tell Me When (Deram 820 968-2) 1990
  • The Applejacks (Cherry Red Records CDMRED411) 2009 re-release with bonus tracks
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