The Factotums: the forgotten Manchester band who played with The Kinks and drank tea with Mick Jagger.
Merseybeat may have put Liverpool on the map in the 1960s, but Manchester bands like The Hollies and Herman’s Hermits sold millions of records in the same era.
In April 1965 alone, three Mancunian acts took it in turns to top the charts in the USA, while another held the top spot in the UK.
Though they never ‘made it big’ in the traditional sense, another Manchester band of the time, The Factotums, were signed by The Rolling Stones’ manager, supported The Kinks, played with Jerry Lee Lewis, Tom Jones, Pink Floyd and Cream, and toured Sweden with Manfred Mann.
Factotums member Jeff Lees talks to i about Manchester’s 1960s club scene, a Carnaby Street re-style, a photo shoot with David Bailey and drinking tea with Mick Jagger.
Signed by an industry legend
Formed while at Audenshaw Grammar School in 1960, The Factotums’ early emphasis was on instrumental tunes, playing mainly in local youth clubs.
“Then, about 1963, we got more serious about it,” remembers Lees.
“I was working as an import and export clerk at the time, but eventually the band started to make me more money than that did.”
In 1964, Lees suggested that the band adopt a new style, focusing on four-part harmonies like The Beach Boys, whose first record, I Get Around, had just hit shops.
The new style proved popular, and eventually they were picked up by ’60s Svengali Andrew Loog Oldham, the manager of the Rolling Stones.
“The Stones were at the Palace in Manchester recording an EP,” recalls Lees. “We were playing at Beat City, and Andrew Oldham came to the club just as we were about to play.
“Andrew turned to Barry Collins, our manager at the time, and said, ‘I’ll sign them’ and it all went from there.”
“Andrew’s London office, near Baker Street, was incredible,” says Lees.
“It was the first time I’d ever seen hessian wallpaper. And there were telephones in the toilets.
“Andrew had two piles of paper on his desk, one with a little gold paperweight that said ‘little deals’, and one with a big weight that said ‘big deals’.”
One of Oldham’s first jobs was to give the band a new image.
“We looked like all of the bands at the time,” remembers Lees.
Oldham decided to get rid of the suits and give the band a more casual image during a trip to Lord John’s in Carnaby Street.
“One of our first sets of photographs for Andrew was taken on Streatham High Street by David Bailey,” says Lees. “But they were never used, in the end.”
Following an argument with Decca Records, Oldham started his own label, Immediate Records, which was among the UK’s first indie record labels.
In 1965, The Factotums were asked to record You’re So Good To Me, a song which Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys had given to Oldham.
Despite receiving excellent press, the song didn’t get national airplay and failed to become a hit, perhaps because Oldham’s attention was diverted by the increasingly popular Stones.
You’re So Good To Me was referred to in one publication as “the hit that never was”.
The Factotums played in a number of Manchester clubs, including Jungfrau (a cellar club venue in Back Cathedral Street in the Corn Exchange), The Devil’s Cave, Beat City, The Plaza and The New Century Hall.
“The best club in Manchester at the time was the Oasis on Lloyd Street,” recalls Lees.
“We played at the New Century Hall in Manchester with quite a few big names, like The Kinks and Jerry Lee Lewis. My claim to fame is that Jerry Lee Lewis used my amp for his piano.”
The band performed in other cities across the UK and abroad too, including Liverpool’s famous Cavern Club.
“The club scene was very similar, though the bands were quite different in Liverpool,” says Lees. “There were more harmony bands in Manchester, and more blues and rock ‘n’ roll in Liverpool.”
“People say if you remember the ’60s you weren’t there, but it was nothing like that,” claims Lees, disputing the widely perceived image of sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll.
“In fact, Mick Jagger’s most used phrase to us was, ‘Would you like a cup of tea?’
“The receptionist at Andrew’s office was Chrissy Shrimpton, Jean Shrimpton’s sister, and he’d say, ‘Could you go and make us all a cup of tea Chrissy?'”
The Factotums disbanded in 1969, feeling that without a hit single they would just be carrying on at the same level. But Lees remembers his years with the band fondly.
“It was a great time. Money was no object. Bands now have it rough compare to how we had it.
“We stayed in the best hotels, and ate the best food. And we drove around in a Jaguar. It was terrific.”
The band were driven by Lees’ then girlfriend (and soon to be wife) Veronica “because none of us actually had licenses. She was one of the only female roadies at the time.”
Being a female roadie and driver attracted its own set of fans.
“There was a picture of Veronica in the paper holding our guitar. In fact, when we played in Holland, a load of men turned up to actually see her, they all wanted to meet her,” says Lees.
As well as tales of tea with the Stones and “chatting to Ike Turner at the side of the stage”, many of Lees’ memories are bound up with the places they visited.
The Factotums became particularly friendly with The Zombies during their heyday.
“They’d just come back from America,” he recalls.
“And this lad – I’ve never seen it done before, he must’ve learnt it in America – but he could open a bottle of Coca-Cola with his eye.”
The Zombies also had some entertaining tales of their own from touring.
“They played in Germany with Little Richard. During the gig the saxophone player had to take three strides, jump on top of the piano, slide along, and do a solo into the microphone at the end of the track,” recalls Lees.
“In one show, after a few, he took four strides, slid along the piano, and took the microphone, Little Richard, and everything else with him onto the floor.”
(Excerpt From Manchester iNews By Louise Rhrind-Tutt)
Here is "In My Lonely Room" On Immediate Label IM 009 From 1965 Enjoy.
