Duffy Power

Duffy Power (born Raymond Leslie Howard; 9 September 1941 – 19 February 2014) was an English blues and rock and roll singer, who achieved some success in the 1960s and continued to perform and record intermittently later.

Ray Howard was born in Fulham, South West London. He was discovered in 1959 by impresario Larry Parnes, singing at a talent show with his group Duffy and the Dreamers. He was renamed Duffy Power in the style of Parnes' other discoveries, such as Billy Fury, Marty Wilde, Vince Eager and Georgie Fame. He recorded a series of cover versions of such songs as "Dream Lover" and "Ain't She Sweet" as singles for the Fontana label over the next two years, but unlike some of his stablemates failed to achieve commercial success.

He left Parnes in 1961, suffering from depression. However, he was introduced by a friend to the growing London blues club scene, and in 1963 teamed up with Graham Bond, Jack Bruce, Ginger Baker and John McLaughlin to record "I Saw Her Standing There", one of the first cover versions of a Beatles song. He continued to record for Parlophone Records through the 1960s, both as a solo artist, often backed by top session musicians such as Binky McKenzie, and with Alexis Korner’s Blues Incorporated, but the critical acclaim for his performances failed to be matched by sales. He sometimes performed and recorded, with other musicians, under the name Duffy's Nucleus.

Power also worked as a session musician, and played on the soundtrack of the 1969 film The Italian Job. An album of tracks recorded in 1969 and produced by Peter Eden was issued on the Spark label whilst in 1971 tracks recorded between 1965 and 1967 were released on Transatlantic as Innovations. In 1972 he finally released a solo album, Duffy Power, on the GSF label (GSF 502), produced in conjunction with Andrew Loog Oldham and featuring Korner. Dana Gillespie and others. Although by this time he was widely recognised as an impressive singer, his albums still failed to sell. His personal life was aggravated by depression and drug use and he succumbed to mental illness curtailing regular performances.

Most of his Parlophone material including unreleased recordings from the 1960s were issued on CD in 2002 as Leapers and Sleepers. In 2006 a further retrospective Vampers and Champers that included the re release of his Translantic LP Innovations was released.

Power died on 19 February 2014 at the age of 72.

Here is "Whole Lotta Shakin Goin On" Fontana ‎– 45-H.279 1960 Enjoy.

Ed Wool and the Nomads

Ed Wool and The Nomads were an American rock band from Watertown, New York led by Ed Wool, who were active in the 1960s and early 1970s. At the time, they were one of the most popular bands in northern upstate New York and also recorded under other names such as the Sure Cure and the Pineapple Heard, eventually becoming Wool, and recording a self-titled album under that name in 1969. They briefly reunited for two shows in 2007 and 2008.
Ed Wool and the Nomads were formed in 1963 by Ed Wool, a graduate of the Watertown High School class of 1962. From a young age Wool was a guitar prodigy and songwriter. He became influenced by the British Invasion sound, then later by soul and R&B. The band's initial lineup consisted of Ed Wool on lead guitar and vocals, Phil Udaskin on bass, and Al Grant on drums. Shortly afterward, Chris Christie replaced Udaskin on bass. In the mid-1960s Ed Wool and The Nomads became one of the biggest bands in the northern Upstate New York region and opened for acts such as Mitch Ryder & the Detroit Wheels, the Young Rascals, and accompanied the Rolling Stones along with Patti Labelle and the Bluebelles and Boston's the Rockin' Ramrods. According to Chris Christie:

We were still inside and backstage. My understanding is, they arrived and left, and I'm only telling you what I heard in a bread track. My thought is probably a van of some kind that came in under the War Memorial, and they came upstairs. They literally dropped their guitars and ran and they were gone. They were out of that building so fast you couldn't believe it. The poor kids out front all thought they were still there of course. Tried to rush the stage and all that. They were long gone. You have to remember that Brian Jones was still in the group as well.
In 1966, the group secured a recording contract with RCA Victor and cut the single, "I Need Somebody” b/w “Please, Please, Please." Several line-up changes ensued as the decade progressed. Bassist Christie departed and was replaced by Chuck Martuzes. Ed Wool remained the act's focal point. The group was known as the Sure Cure briefly, releasing the Feldman, Goldstein, Gottehrer-penned "I Wanna Do It" for the Cameo-Parkway label." In 1967, as the Pineapple Heard, they became first to record Boyce & Hart's "Valleri", for the Diamond label—a year before The Monkees had a hit with it. At the end of the decade, the band changed its name to Wool, and recorded the 1969 self-titled album, Wool. They remained active into the early 1970s, but disbanded soon into the new decade.

In 2007 and 2008 the group reunited for a two concerts, first at Bonnie Castle in Alexandria Bay, then later the Clayton Opera House. Their work has come to the attention of garage rock collectors and enthusiasts with the reissue of the song, "I Need Somebody" on the 2001 Mind Blowers compilation.
The story goes something like this. In early 1967 Ed Wool and the Nomads hear the Monkees perform “Valleri” on their TV Show and dig it so much that they record their own version for Diamond Records. Then a name change to The Pineapple Heard ensues before the single was released during October 1967.

Unsurprisingly their fuzztoned beat version sank without trace. Five months later, the Monkees released their commercial version with a Davy Jones lead vocal and it sold in the millions!!!

Here is "Valleri" / "Ol' Man River" Diamond; Epic)(Diamond D-231) October 1967 Enjoy.

Little John Pattison

Nothing Much Written about this Guy But a Free Acetate Disc was given out in the Monthly Music Magazine Give-A-Disc.

I like what it says in the middle of the Poster " The New plastic Disc that never wears out"

Here is "Needles and Pins" Enjoy.

Johnny Kidd And The Pirates

Johnny Kidd & the Pirates were an English rock and roll group led by singer/songwriter Johnny Kidd. They scored numerous hit songs from the late 1950s to the early 1960s, including "Shakin' All Over" and "Please Don't Touch", but their musical influence far outshines their chart performance.

Their stage act was theatrical including wearing full pirate costumes (complete with Kidd wearing an eye-patch and wielding a cutlass) which echoed some of their Rock 'n' Roll contemporaries like Screaming Lord Sutch & the Savages and Nero and the Gladiators. In a way, their approach anticipated and possibly inspired theatrical rockers of the 1970s such as Alice Cooper and David Bowie plus others.
The original group came under the management of Guy Robinson and was signed to HMV in 1959 under the auspices of producer Walter J. Ridley. Their first single was the raw "Please Don't Touch", penned by Kidd and attributed to "Heath/Robinson" (Heath was Kidd's real name). This became a minor hit reaching number 25 on the UK singles charts in 1959. Although only a minor hit the song has been covered many times since, most successfully by the team of Motörhead and Girlschool known as Headgirl.

After this initial success the band was reorganised to streamline the sound and visual appeal. Kidd naturally took centre-stage at the front. Drummer Clem Cattini (drums) sat directly behind. Flanking Kidd on either side would be Alan Caddy (guitar) and Brian Gregg (bass). Kidd would high-kick in time to the beat. In an attempt to re-create the feel of his recordings Kidd employed an echo unit to process his vocals, one of the first instances of a UK rock act attempting this on stage.

When the group appeared on Saturday Club between 1959 and 1961 Mike West and Tom Brown shared the vocals with Kidd.
Kidd and the Pirates' finest moment was the powerful song "Shakin' All Over", which features memorable opening guitars and solo from Joe Moretti, and reached number one in the UK singles charts in 1960. The song was recorded and released in 1961 by Vince Taylor And His Play-Boys. The song and the group's proto-power trio line-up both made a strong impression on the Who, who would cover it in their 1970 album Live at Leeds, whose CD liner notes proclaim the original to be the UK's best pre-Beatles rock single. Canada's The Guess Who reached #1 with a cover version in early 1965. It was covered again in 1984 by the California band "Pegasus" with Tedd Armstrong and Steve Caton on their "Pegasus Takes Flight" EP. Music critics Roy Carr and Tony Tyler would later write that "Shakin' All Over" was the second-ever genuine British rock classic, following Cliff Richard's "Move It".

According to Keith Hunt in his biography of the band, "Shakin' All Over - The Life And Times Of Johnny Kidd", HMV offered the band the chance to write their next B-side, though the night before the session they still had nothing. A song was written in a hurry while sat in the basement of Chas McDevitt's Freight Train coffee Bar, and recorded the following day in one take, plus minor overdubs (mainly Joe Moretti). On hearing the finished song, the intended A-side (a revival of the oldie, "Yes Sir, That's My Baby") was instead relegated to the flip. The band's mix was repeated on the atmospheric "Restless" which also featured Moretti, also making the charts in the wake of "Shakin' All Over".

Despite some interesting cuts the hits tailed away. The swansong recording of this line-up in 1961, "Please Don't Bring Me Down" missed the charts entirely. However, it featured a B-side which turned out to be a minor UK rock 'n' roll classic. "So What" featured a racy piano solo from Morgan "Thunderclap" Jones. When the single failed to chart, the Pirates - Clem Cattini, Alan Caddy and Brian Gregg - decided to jump ship and joined Colin Hicks as his "Cabinboys" on a 6-week tour to Europe. After this liaison ended, Cattini and Caddy joined a Joe Meek backing band who evolved into the Tornados. (Brian Gregg joined them once bassist Heinz Burt quit for a solo career.) Kidd meanwhile cut a "solo" single backed by a bigger band sound. "Hurry on Back to Love" was more bluesy than anything Kidd had previously attempted and indicated a possible new musical path.

A new Pirate trio was recruited. Johnny Spence (bass), Frank Farley (drums) and Johnny Patto (lead guitar), had recently backed Cuddly Dudley as "The Redcaps". Patto soon left and was replaced by Mick Green (lead guitar), who had also backed Dudley. The new line-up's first single with Kidd, "A Shot Of Rhythm And Blues" (coupled with "I Can Tell") managed to break Kidd's dry spell, entering the lower reaches of the chart toward the end of 1962.

Over time, Kidd developed a visual show. The group would deck out in 19th century pirate costume in front of a huge backcloth of a pirate galleon, Kidd toying with a cutlass to great effect. Many a wooden stage received scarring from this prop until insurance cover could not be obtained for it. The group's German tours tightened their sound, as it did with many Liverpool combos who also made the trip. A projected single in keeping with the new sound, "Some Other Guy" was left unreleased in early 1963 allowing The Big Three to score their first chart entry. The explosive rise of the 'beat groups' in 1963 outshone the slow-burning R&B scene; without a single release Kidd and his Pirates were losing valuable momentum on the chart front.

By now, the band were managed by Gordon Mills who also wrote songs. It was no surprise then, that Kidd opted for the safety of Merseybeat with Mills' "I'll Never Get Over You", which reached number 4 on the UK chart in the summer of 1963. The hit put Kidd and the Pirates firmly on the beat music scene. The follow-up, "Hungry for Love", was also written by Mills and broke into the top twenty during the autumn. This recording session saw the Pirates record their own single. Both sides, "My Babe" and "I Can Tell" were recorded in one take each, a sign of this Pirates line-up's power, ability and confidence. According to Mick Green, this single was issued to test the waters whether Kidd and the Pirates could be split into two successful acts.; however the single wasn't a hit which put a stop to any further experiments on this front.
In 1964, the Pirates added organist Vic Cooper to their line-up. The hits again tailed away and the long-awaited debut album, featuring the expanded line-up with Vic Cooper on organ/piano duties, was never mastered for release. One step behind the Beatles and losing ground, Kidd abandoned dual-tracking his powerful voice and switching back to R&B where his vocal strengths lay. After 1964's "Always And Ever", Mick Green left during the summer season at Blackpool and joined Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas. The Tornadoes were on the same bill in Blackpool, so their guitarist Stuart Taylor filled in until Kidd found John Weider, a fan of Green's, to come aboard.

Eventually the group parted company with Kidd. Johnny Spence, Frank Farley and guitarist Jon Morshead (who replaced Weider) continued as The Pirates (keeping the name with Kidd's blessing) and recorded one single, "Shades of Blue" for Polydor before a lack of success calling it a day in mid-1966. Kidd, meanwhile, kept recording and gigging with an anonymous group of backing musicians. His penultimate single "It's Got To Be You", and an unreleased version of Otis Redding's "I Can't Turn You Loose", showed that a mix of R&B and soul may have been where his future musical path lay.

In 1966, one of the anonymous musicians, organist Ray Soper contacted some mates. Mick Stewart (lead guitar), Nick Simper (bass) and Roger Truth (drums) came together with Soper and presented themselves to Kidd as his new Pirates. With his newly-christened "New Pirates" (necessarily distinguishing them from the other "Pirates"), a revitalised Kidd worked towards a comeback to the point he spoke about the possibility of recording a new album. On returning from a cancelled gig at the Imperial in Bolton, he was killed in a car accident near Bury, Lancashire, on 7 October 1966, with companion Nick Simper being injured.

The group had a new single. "Send For That Girl", (coupled with a version of the Lee Hazlewood-written "The Fool"), which was released posthumously in November but failed to chart. This line-up of the Pirates (with John Kerrison replacing Truth at late notice) carried on in tribute once Simper had recovered, though there were no further recordings. As the pop scene changed and bookings became harder to obtain, the group split in May 1967.

Here is "You Got What it Takes" (Gordy-Davies-Gordy) issued Feb 1960 on HMV POP 698 with "Longing Lips" Enjoy.

The Krew Kats

It's very tricky to pop into your local second hand record shop and not stumble upon some old near-hit from a British instrumental act - there were so many of them about during the early sixties, after all. The trouble is, many of the copies are battered and scratched to kingdom come, having enjoyed the pleasure of soundtracking parties, gatherings or just plain old Dansette scuffing within the first few years of their purchase.

It was an absolute unexpected pleasure to stumble upon a copy of this one in excellent condition, then. "Trambone" was a very minor hit in 1961, peaking at number 33. Its popularity may not have been significant enough to make it a major smash, but it was clearly enough to ensure that the track is still available to buy on iTunes to this day, meaning we'll have to content ourselves with a brief edit of its charms below.

Not that any of this really matters, because it's the B-side that contains the biggest surprise. "Peak Hour" is a surf-guitar styled instrumental with dramatic flourishes, jittery, skittish rhythms and some of the best twanging you'll have ever heard. One of those "too good to be buried on a flipside" moments, it's short and sharp, but riddled with drama. If this were the mid-nineties it would no doubt be a candidate for the soundtrack of some retro-gangster styled flick - as it's not, perhaps it will eventually gain popularity serving a more dignified role.

The Krew Kats were probably better known as The Wild Cats, Marty Wilde's backing group for much of his career. Rather than keep the "Wild Cats" moniker for their two non-Wilde 45s ("Samovar" was the follow-up to this), they rather bafflingly chose this identity instead. The most significant member of the band during this period was undoubtedly their drummer Brian Bennett, who was poached by The Shadows after Tony Meehan departed their ranks, and continued to produce a varied array of work away from The Shadows as well. Amongst his claims to fame are the BBC Golf theme "Chase Side Shoot Up" (also a "Northern Soul dancer" if some sources are to be trusted, and frankly I'm not sure they are), the theme to the sit-com "Robin's Nest" and various ditties composed for the ITV schools broadcasts between 1987 - 1993. "Peak Hour" is just one of the many surprising sidetracks and diversions during his main career as a skin-thumper in The Shadows, and arguably one of the best pieces of vinyl to feature his contributions. (Ty Left and to the Back Blogspot.)
Here is "Trambone" HMV  POP 840 From 1961 Enjoy.

David And Johnathan

David and Jonathan was a British pop duo from Bristol, England, featuring Roger Greenaway and Roger Cook. They had two top 20 hits in 1966.

They began working together in 1965 in Bristol, England, and wrote the hit songs "This Golden Ring" and "You've Got Your Troubles" for the British group the Fortunes. They teamed with George Martin to do a cover of the Beatles' "Michelle", which was a hit single in 1966 in both the UK (#11 UK Singles Chart) and the U.S. (U.S. Billboard Hot 100 #18, U.S. AC #3). They had a top 10 in the UK in 1966 with "Lovers of the World Unite", which reached number 7. The stage names "David and Jonathan" presumably come from the ancient Hebrew king David and prince Jonathan, whose close personal friendship was documented in the First Book of Samuel.

David and Jonathan sang the theme song, "Modesty Blaise", composed by Johnny Dankworth, for the spy spoof film Modesty Blaise, starring Monica Vitti, Terence Stamp and Dirk Bogarde.

After David and Jonathan had run its course, the duo formed The Congregation and also continued to write successful hit singles both alone and together, for artists such as Blue Mink, the Hollies, Engelbert Humperdinck, Whistling Jack Smith, Bobby Goldsboro and others.
Here is "Lovers of the World Unite" Columbia Record Label DB 7950 1966 Enjoy.

Marilyn Powell

Marilyn Powell, born in Kennington, London, took to the stage at the age of three singing at concerts given by her local dancing school. In the Sixties, at the age of 15, she started her recording career making 9 singles for Philips/Fontana and CBS Records and appearing on many TV and radio shows including "Thank your Lucky Stars" and "The Simon Dee Show". She has her place in history for being the first female singer to cover a Beatles track with her first single, "All my Loving". Later Marilyn went on to record 2 albums for the U.S.A. One for United Artists in Los Angeles and one for Manhattan Records in New York.
Here is "All my Loving" Fontana Record Label TF 448 From 1964. Enjoy.

Sounds Incorporated

Sounds Incorporated, first recorded as Sounds Inc., was a British instrumental pop group which recorded extensively in the 1960s.
Sounds Incorporated formed in early 1961, in Dartford, Kent, and gained a reputation in nearby South London for the fullness of their saxophone-led instrumental sound. In August 1961, after Gene Vincent's band, The Blue Caps, had been denied permission to work in the UK, Sounds Incorporated won the opportunity to back Vincent on his British tour and on recordings in London. This led to further opportunities to back other visiting American artists, including Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, Brenda Lee and Sam Cooke.

Their only record with Parlophone, "Mogambo", failed to achieve significant sales. The band then moved to Decca, where they released a trio of singles, the last of which was recorded with producer Joe Meek, again with little success. However, while performing in Hamburg in Germany, they met and befriended the Beatles and in 1963 signed to Brian Epstein's management company, NEMS. In the same year, they appeared as musical guests in the film Live It Up!

The band's first two singles on new label Columbia, "The Spartans" and "Spanish Harlem", made the UK Singles Chart in 1964. These were the only successes that Sounds Incorporated enjoyed in their home country. That same year they became Cilla Black's backing band, and released their first album called Sounds Incorporated. It contained many stage favourites, but not their recent chart successes. The group's third Columbia single, a version of the "William Tell Overture", was included and turned out to be their greatest success in Australia, where it reached number 2.

The group toured the world as the Beatles' opening act, including the August 1965 concert at New York City's Shea Stadium. Sounds Incorporated's continuing popularity ensured a stream of work, including backing duties at the televised NME awards. In December 1964, NME reported that Sounds Incorporated would appear at the Hammersmith Odeon at the "Another Beatles Christmas Show".

Unusual musical instruments were a feature. The battery-operated Clavioline keyboard (as used by the Tornados) is heard on "Keep Movin'", but is also heard prominently on their previous disc before Meek, "Sounds Like Locomotion". Al Holmes played the lead melody on flute throughout "The Spartans".

1966 was the first year the group released no singles in their home country, although they recorded a second album, again simply titled Sounds Incorporated. This was released on EMI's fledgling Studio 2 label, primarily to show off EMI's mid-1960s advances and developments in stereo recording techniques. Any singles taken off the LP for foreign markets were in that format's standard mono, however, making these unusual items for UK collectors of the group.

By 1967 the band's name had been truncated to "Sounds Inc". The Beatles invited Cameron, Holmes and West to be the saxophone section on their track "Good Morning Good Morning", from the album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. After this guest appearance, Sounds Inc left EMI and released a solitary single on the Polydor label. Titled "How Do You Feel", it was their first single release to feature vocals.

The group began to disintegrate in the late 1960s. Drummer Tony Newman left to work as a session musician and at one stage joined the Jeff Beck Group. He later joined Reid Hudson and James Black to form British/Canadian power trio May Blitz.

For the remaining members of Sounds Inc, Cameron's departure for a career in A&R left a gap, which was filled by Terry Fogg (percussionist and drummer) and Trevor White, the band's first true vocalist. The group soldiered on, moving to and mainly playing in Australia for their final years together. Their act became more middle-of-the-road, exemplified in their final LP, which was released in many territories but not the UK, containing more vocals than instrumentals. Sounds Inc finally broke up in 1971.
Here is "William Tell" Columbia Record Label DB 7404 1964 Enjoy.

The Bystanders

One of the few Welsh bands to release records on a fairly regular basis in the mid to late '60s, the Bystanders are chiefly notable not for their own derivative music, but because they evolved into the Welsh progressive rock group Man. As the Bystanders, they managed to release eight singles in the U.K. between 1965 and 1968, competently plugging into Merseybeat, blue-eyed soul, and harmony pop trends without developing any clear vision of their own or landing any superb material. Slight psychedelic hues colored some of their final tracks, which pointed the way into more original and progressive directions that the group would embrace when it mutated into Man.

The Bystanders formed long before the dawn of Man in the South Wales town of Merthyr Tydfil in 1962. They made one Merseybeat-Four Seasons hybrid single for the independent Pylot label (in fact, it was the only record the company ever released) in 1965 before picking up a new manager, George Cooper, who had handled major British pre-Beatles rock singers Joe Brown and Marty Wilde. In 1966 they got a contract with Pye, who put out seven singles by the group over the next couple of years without breaking them as a significant seller.

Perhaps, surprisingly given their later excursions in Man, the Bystanders were very much a pop group, giving the impression of sailing whichever way the wind was blowing, and writing little of their own material. Their early singles showed the pronounced influence of American harmony groups with high vocal lines, such as the Four Seasons, Beach Boys, and lesser known pop acts like the Happenings. In 1967 and 1968 they moved into somewhat more sophisticated, but still poppy, material that recalled the fluff of late '60s California sunshine pop. The group, which had not recorded any of their own compositions prior to 1968 (except on their debut single), finally did write their two final B-sides, which staked out a psychedelic pop direction. With the departure of singer Vic Oakley and the addition of guitarists Deke Leonard and Martin Ace (both from the Dream) in the late '60s, the Bystanders changed their name to Man and embarked on a different course.
Here is ""When Jesamine Goes", written by their manager Ronnie Scott and Marty Wilde under the pseudonyms of Frere Manston and Jack Gellar, which was later covered by The Casuals as "Jesamine" and got to No. 2 in the UK Chart. They also recorded sessions of cover versions for the BBC as rules restricting needle time required "live" performances between the records during the 1960s; becoming regulars on the Jimmy Young Show, the David Symonds Show and others. Enjoy.

The Peasants

Here's a MONSTER slice of MOD FREAKBEAT!!! It's a storming double-sider from THE PEASANTS!!!! All I could find out about the group was that the lads came from High Wycombe, to the West of London. "Got Some Loving For You Baby" is a superb shaker, in the mould similar to that of The Thyrds' "Hide 'N' Seek". The flipside, "Lets Get Together" is a driving tour-de-force and borrows heavily (in terms of its riff) from tunes such as Roscoe Gordon's "Just A Little Bit" and Sonny Boy Williamson's "Help Me". There's absolutely NO doubt that this is a fantastic record and its no surprise why its so heavily sought-after.
The Peasants  (High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire UK)
Record: Got Some Lovin' For You Baby / Let's Get Together  (7”)
Label: Columbia ‎(DB 7642)
Date: July 1965
Written by: Robin Bransbury, Peter Robinson, Douglas Ives, Anthony Merrell.
Here is "Got Some Lovin For You Baby" Enjoy.

The Bootles

She loves you, instead!
The Bootles were another bandwagon response to the Beatles' invasion of the States. Issued on the Crescendo label before the Seeds and Jazz artists gave them cred, it's generally thought to be studio cats and kitties with four models vamping for the 45 sleeve. The mystery vocalists have that unmistakeable New York swagger and tough sass, and you can virtually hear the transition from the Ronettes to the Shangri-La's around the corner. Though this is a studio knock-off, it has a greatness that Beat and Garage fans revere. But there was plenty of the real thing to come...

The Beatles' electric energy catalyzed their generation into making rock'n'roll. The myriad of boys get their due, but the girls deserve their spotlight as well. This video highlights some of the most revered girl Beat bands from around the world. So let's hear it for:
The Liverbirds, who also went from Liverpool to Hamburg's Star Club; Les Beatlettes, who later morphed into Les Guerrieres; Goldie and the Gingerbreads, the first all-girl rock band signed to a major contract; The Girls, who were the Sandoval Sisters (a.k.a., the Moon Maids); 'The Sweetles' from Germany; chameleonic Jackie DeShannon, whose songwriting and guitar chops earned her a tour with the Beatles and hits for the Searchers; The Daughters of Eve; The What Four; The (original) Pandoras, spiritual big sisters of Paula's great 80's group of the same name; Sally & the Alley Cats; Sanjalice from Yugoslavia, in the latter 60's; the absolutely essential Luv'd Ones, whom leader Char Vinnedge steared from Merseybeat and Surf into Garage and gloriously  fuzzy Psyche; and the Pleasure Seekers, starring 16-year-old Suzi Quatro and her sisters, Pattie and Arlene.         

To all of these pioneers and their kindred sisters,  "we love you, yeah yeah yeah!" (Credit To Funk-n-Roll)

Here is "I'll let you hold my hand" Vocalion Pop Label V-N 9216 From 1964 Enjoy.

John Cleese

John Marwood Cleese (born 27 October 1939) is an English actor, voice actor, comedian, screenwriter, and producer. He achieved success at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and as a scriptwriter and performer on The Frost Report. In the late 1960s, he co-founded Monty Python, the comedy troupe responsible for the sketch show Monty Python's Flying Circus. Along with his Python co-stars Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Michael Palin and Graham Chapman, Cleese starred in four Monty Python films: And Now for Something Completely Different, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Life of Brian and The Meaning of Life.

In the mid-1970s, Cleese and his first wife, Connie Booth, co-wrote the sitcom Fawlty Towers, and starred in it, alongside Prunella Scales and Andrew Sachs. The series resulted in Cleese receiving the 1980 BAFTA for Best Entertainment Performance, and additionally it topped the British Film Institute's list of the 100 Greatest British Television Programmes. In the 80's and 90's, Cleese co-starred with Kevin Kline, Jamie Lee Curtis, and former Python colleague Michael Palin in A Fish Called Wanda and Fierce Creatures, both of which he also wrote. He also starred in Clockwise and has appeared in many other films, including two James Bond films (as R and Q), two Harry Potter films (as Nearly Headless Nick), and three Shrek films.

With Yes Minister writer Antony Jay, he co-founded Video Arts, a production company making entertaining training films. In 1976, Cleese co-founded The Secret Policeman's Ball benefit shows to raise funds for the human rights organisation Amnesty International. In 1996, he was offered a knighthood, and later a life peerage, both of which he declined.
Here is " The Ferret Song" Enjoy.

The Spotnicks

The Spotnicks is an instrumental rock group from Sweden, who were formed in 1961. Together with the Shadows and the Ventures they are counted as one of the most famous instrumental bands during the 1960s. They were famous for wearing "space suit" costumes on stage, and for their innovative electronic guitar sound. They have released 42 albums, selling more than 18 million records, and still tour.
The Spotnicks originated from a duo, "The Rebels" (1956), formed by Bo Starander (born 11 March 1942; rhythm guitar, vocals), and Björn Thelin (27 June 1942 – 24 January 2017; bass guitar). They were joined by lead guitarist Bo Winberg (born 27 March 1939, Gothenburg, Sweden), and became "Rock-Teddy and the Blue Caps" in 1957 in Gothenburg. In 1958 they added Ove Johansson (drums) (born 30 March 1940), changed their name to "The Frazers", and began playing regularly in local clubs. They signed a recording contract in 1961, and changed their name to "The Spotnicks", a play on the Russian satellite Sputnik as suggested by their manager, Roland Ferneborg. Starander was later known as Bob Lander.
They soon became the first Swedish group to have significant international success, in a similar style to The Shadows and The Ventures. They toured Europe, and one of their early records, "Orange Blossom Special", became their first big international hit, making the Top 30 in the UK Singles Chart in 1962 on the Oriole label, and reaching #1 in Australia. Around this time they began wearing their trademark "space suits" on stage. They recorded their first album, The Spotnicks in London, Out-a Space, in 1962. Further hits included "Rocket Man" (based on the Soviet/Russian folk march "Polyushko-polye"), and "Hava Nagila" (their biggest UK hit, where it made #13). Winberg also recorded solo, credited as 'The Shy Ones'

In 1963, "Amapola" became one of their most successful singles in their home country, staying at #1 in Sweden for eight weeks. They appeared in the film Just for Fun, continued to tour widely, and recorded their second album, The Spotnicks in Paris. That year, drummer Ove Johansson left and was replaced by an Englishman, Derek Skinner (born 5 March 1944, London). Two years later, Skinner was replaced briefly by Jimmie Nicol, who had drummed with The Beatles on the Danish, Dutch and Australian leg of their 1964 tour, while Ringo Starr recovered from having his tonsils removed.

In 1964 and 1965, The Spotnicks expanded their popularity in Germany and Japan, reaching #1 in Japan in 1966 with "Karelia". Elsewhere, however, they became less successful as popular music tastes changed. In 1965 the band was joined by organist, vocalist Peter Winsnes (born 9 March 1944, Molndal, Sweden). Nicol left in February 1967 and was replaced by Tommy Tausis (born 22 March 1946). Thelin also left in 1967 and was replaced by Magnus Hellsberg (born 6 November 1944). Winsnes left in 1968 and organist Goran Samuelsson joined in 1969. The group, having undergone many personnel changes, split up in 1970 after releasing their fifteenth album, The Spotnicks Back in the Race. Yet the band was still popular in Japan, and it soon reformed under Winberg's control in 1971 at the request of a Japanese record label.

Winberg has continued to lead versions of The Spotnicks, occasionally including Lander and/or Thelin, on tour and in recordings since then. In 2013, Winberg and Lander announced that they would be undertaking a final tour, finishing in May 2014.
Here is "Orange Blossom Special" Enjoy. Also Their Website is  Here --->Website

Marty Wilde

Wilde was born in Blackheath, London. He was performing under the name Reg Patterson at London's Condor Club in 1957, when he was spotted by impresario Larry Parnes. Parnes gave his protégés stage names like Billy Fury, Duffy Power and Dickie Pride, hence the change to Wilde. The 'Marty' came from the commended 1955 film, Marty. Wilde was signed to the British recording arm of Philips Records, with US releases appearing on the Epic label via Philips' reciprocal licensing agreement with Columbia Records stateside. (Philips had yet to acquire the Mercury group as its US division.)

From mid-1958 to the end of 1959, Wilde was one of the leading British rock and roll singers, along with Tommy Steele and Cliff Richard. Wilde's backing group was called the Wildcats. At various times they featured Big Jim Sullivan on lead guitar, Tony Belcher on rhythm guitar, Bobby Graham or Bobbie Clarke on drums; plus Brian Locking on bass guitar and Brian Bennett on drums who both later joined the Shadows.

He appeared regularly on the BBC Television show 6.5 Special and was the main regular artiste on the Saturday ITV popular music shows Oh Boy! and Boy Meets Girls. There he met and married Joyce Baker, one of the Vernons Girls who were also show regulars. The courtship was highly public but, after the marriage, Wilde's popularity as a teen idol declined.

He moved partly into all-round entertainment, appearing in musicals such as Conrad Birdie in the original West End production of Bye Bye Birdie and several films. He enjoyed success as a songwriter in the late 1960s and early 1970s. With Ronnie Scott, he co-wrote the one-hit wonders the Casuals' "Jesamine" under the pseudonyms of Frere Manston and Jack Gellar. The pair also wrote Lulu's "I'm a Tiger" and the early Status Quo hit, "Ice in the Sun".
Like many of his contemporaries, Wilde continued to perform in nostalgia tours in the UK and beyond. In 2007, he celebrated 50 years in the business with another UK tour which featured his youngest daughter Roxanne Wilde, and the issue of a compilation album, Born To Rock And Roll – The Greatest Hits. It included a duet with Kim Wilde of Elton John's "Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word", which was released as a promotional only single.

The tour culminated in a concert recorded at the London Palladium, and reunited the remaining Shadows: Hank Marvin, Bruce Welch, Jet Harris, Brian Locking and Brian Bennett.

In 2017, Wilde went on a UK tour with The Solid Gold Rock'n'Roll Show, which also featured Eden Kane, Mark Wynter and Mike Berry.
He and his wife Joyce have four children, Kim (born 1960), Ricky (born 1961), Roxanne (born 1979) and the youngest, Marty Jr. (born 1983), who was a contestant on the Golf Channel's The Big Break IV: USA vs. Europe in 2005. Kim, Ricky and Roxanne have worked in the music industry, like their parents.
Here is "Bad Boy" (November 1959) Epic ‎– LN 3686 Enjoy.
,which Wilde wrote, a Top 50 hit in the US in 1960 and covered shortly after its release by Robin Luke, in 1964 by Françoise Hardy and later by Nirvana and Robert Gordon. The B-side, "It's Been Nice", a Doc Pomus/Mort Shuman composition, was later recorded by the Everly Brothers and Freddy Cannon.

Wayne Fontana And The Mindbenders

Wayne Fontana founded the band in 1963 with Bob Lang, Ric Rothwell, and Eric Stewart. The group was later joined by Grahame Foote. The name of the group was inspired by the title of a 1963 UK feature film, starring the British actor Dirk Bogarde, called The Mind Benders. Wayne Fontana & the Mindbenders released a number of singles before recording "Um Um Um Um Um Um" in 1964, which was to be their first major hit in Britain and led to a tour with Brenda Lee. They also had a No.1 hit in the United States with "Game of Love" in 1965 (which also reached No.2 on the UK singles chart).

After a tour of America and some more singles that were less successful than "Game of Love", Fontana left the band in the middle of a concert in 1965. Stewart became the lead singer of the band, which henceforward was known simply as the Mindbenders.

The Mindbenders' first single without Fontana was the hit "A Groovy Kind of Love" (a Carole Bayer Sager / Toni Wine composition). The song reached No. 2 in the US (No. 1 on the Cashbox singles chart) and No. 2 in the UK in 1966. It sold one million copies globally. The Mindbenders' 1966 album of the same name, however, was a failure.
A second song by Bayer and Wine, "Ashes to Ashes," took the Mindbenders to No. 14 in the UK Singles Chart in the autumn of 1966, after an earlier effort in 1966, "Can't Live With You (Can't Live Without You)" had struggled to break the UK Top 30.
On 4 July 1966, the Mindbenders began their last US tour in Atlanta, Georgia in front of a capacity 25,000 crowd as the support act for James Brown. Stewart recalled that "we went down quite well" but that later shows at the Fillmore West Auditorium on Friday 8 July and Saturday 9 July 1966 were more memorable. "The liquid light show was great and really worked with our act, which was a lot heavier than on our records."
Stewart had become a songwriter, and wrote "My New Day and Age" for Family. However, the Mindbenders sought material from outside the band. Their next project was a concept album, several months before Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, S.F. Sorrow and Tommy were issued. The Mindbenders release, With Woman in Mind, contained "I Want Her, She Wants Me" (written by Rod Argent of The Zombies), "Ashes to Ashes", and the lascivious "Schoolgirl". The album did not sell well and was not even released in the US. The accompanying single, another Bayer/Wine composition, "We'll Talk About It Tomorrow" also flopped.
The Mindbenders appeared in the 1967 Sidney Poitier movie, To Sir, with Love and were also on the soundtrack with the songs "Off and Running" and "It's Getting Harder All the Time". Rothwell quit the band and was replaced by Paul Hancox. The Mindbenders released their cover version of "The Letter" which fell short at No. 42 in the UK singles chart (the last time The Mindbenders registered a single in the UK charts), whilst The Box Tops original reached the UK Top 10. A couple more flops followed and in March 1968, Lang quit and was replaced by Graham Gouldman; with him the band recorded a final single "Uncle Joe, the Ice Cream Man".

On 20 November 1968, they broke up at the final concert of a UK tour with The Who, Arthur Brown and Joe Cocker. Stewart and Gouldman went on to form Hotlegs and, much more significantly, the band 10cc.

Lang later joined another rock music outfit, Racing Cars. They had one hit single, "They Shoot Horses, Don't They?", which reached No. 14 in the UK Singles Chart in 1977.

In the 1970s, Grahame Foote joined with original members Lek Leckenby and Barry Whitwam of Herman's Hermits after the exit of Peter Noone. Although Leckenby died in 1994, Foote has continued with the Hermits through to the present.
Here is "Hello Josephine" Fontana ‎– TF 404 From 1963 Enjoy.

The Pussycats

One of my top tens here and it just kills me that I cannot find out any real information on these gals and this killer garage recording! It’s looking like this mighty 4 piece girl group may have only ever laid down 4 studio tracks in their career, including this release with The Rider on the flip, and also You Can’t Stop Loving Me (Columbia 4-43587), which I’m guessing was released that same year. Strange that you also get a very delightful  Dressed In Black on that flip, made popular by The Shangrilas in ’66 on Red Bird.
I Want Your Love, written by Tony Michaels, has all you could possibly want in my opinion. Opening with a dangerous blues riffing companionship with overdrive guitar and bar piano, insert seductive vocal “Hey you…. come here” and before you know it, you’re in the widow’s web. The first verse is playful and desperate, and the backing doo-wops and harmonies are starting to spin you in a spiral. We are now only 30 seconds in and the guitar gets dirtier and the build up, like a steep roller coaster climb, is making you nervous. You’re pretty much trapped by now, and can’t help feeling like that little mouse that kitty just won’t let die…all in the name of selfish pleasure perhaps. This track ticks all the boxes for me! It’s raw and driving, like good garage should be. It’s got great horns and pace, stomping percussion and stinging guitar, and of course those femme fatale vocals….innocent yet sultry, and even soulful! Great production from Michaels and killer arrangement by Artie Butler!

The Rider is more down tempo but still just as charming and has more of that Spector sound that I can’t get enough of! All 4 Pussycats recordings also came out as an EP (Portugal) through CBS in ’66 with a killer pic sleeve (above) of all 4 band members. As always, would love to know more about these elusive ladies and their recordings.(From CULT 45).
Here is "I Want Your Love" Enjoy.

The Truth

1960s British pop group not to be confused with '80s British mod revival band of the same name.
Hairdresser Steven Gold met future singing partner Francis Aiello while cutting the latter's hair. Taking their name from a favourite Ray Charles' song, "Tell The Truth", the duo scored a UK Top 30 hit in 1966 with their debut single, an opportunistic cover of "Girl" from the Beatles' Rubber Soul album. Although the Truth drew plaudits for "I Go To Sleep", written by Ray Davies of the Kinks, it emphasized the Truth's inability to acquire exclusive material. Subsequent singles included "Walk Away Renee" and "Sueno", originally recorded, respectively, by the Left Banke and Rascals, but when such releases failed to chart the duo abandoned their brief pop career.Frank Aiello and Steve Jameson were mods, but did they make mod music? Aiello and Jameson were the singers who comprised the British vocal group the Truth, and they were faces on the mid-'60s U.K. mod scene, frequenting the right clothing stores and hitting the right nightspots. But just as there wasn't a firmly codified mod sound in the '60s (it was often said that the Who were never really mods, though mods clearly liked them, and most of the kids on the scene were into R&B and bluebeat rather than rock), the record industry didn't put much stock in the Truth's mod persona, and ended up treating them like any other pop group trying to make their way onto the charts. While Aiello and Jameson wanted to model the Truth after Sam & Dave or the Righteous Brothers, the closest they got to a hit was a polished cover of the Beatles' "Girl," and though they could handle pop as well as blue-eyed soul (in some cases better), their belated reputation as mod heroes is the product of a few stray tracks rather than the entirety of their catalog. The Truth released just seven singles during their five-year lifespan, and Who's Wrong? Mod Bedlam 1965-1969 collects all 14 tunes on one disc, along with two unreleased numbers and a pair of songs released under the name Shere Khan. The sequence front-loads the tougher R&B numbers at the start with the more pop-oriented tunes following, but "Baby You've Got It," "She's a Roller," and "Baby Don't You Know" suggest the Truth were not at their best trying to sound like soul shouters, though the bluesy "Jailer Bring Me Water" gets over and "Who's Wrong" boasts some gutsy guitar work and a good melodic hook. Meanwhile, Aiello and Jameson sounded very much at home harmonizing on slicker pop productions, and their covers of "I Go to Sleep," "Walk Away Renee," and "I Can't Make It Alone" are more than satisfying. If you're expecting some serious Mod Bedlam from this collection of the Truth's recordings, well, you might be a trifle disappointed, but as a compact look at one band's adventures in the U.K. music business in the mid- to late '60s, this certainly has its merits, and shows Aiello and Jameson deserved better treatment (and luck) than they got.

Here is "Girl"  PYE 7N 17035 From 1966 Enjoy.

The Ministry of Sound

Decades before the current London club, the phrase Ministry of Sound had already been coined by Robin Shaw and Micky Keen for their studio project, The Ministry of Sound issued just one 1966 single while they were active. But they recorded several albums' worth of material within the space of about a couple of years, eventually bringing them to the notice of those who collect the small British school of '60s sunshine pop. Too, their history was quite complicated considering their small discography, as they were a studio outfit whose personnel included noted songwriter John Carter, although Carter was not the dominant member.
The core of the Ministry of Sound was the duo of singer/songwriters Robin Shaw and Micky Keen, who had first performed together back in the late '50s in Mick Everly & the Prophets. By the mid-'60s they were part of the house band of Southern Music Studios, and signed to Carter's publishing company as songwriters. They also recorded often at Southern Music Studios as Ministry of Sound, with Carter pitching in with songwriting, guitar, and some lead vocals. Songwriter Russ Alquist also sang lead on some tracks, as well as making some contributions as a writer, with Robin Shaw handling some of the lead vocal duties as well. Top British session drummer Clem Cattini and keyboardist Barry Kingston also recorded with them.
At least several dozen songs were recorded by the aggregation between 1966 and 1968, but the only two that found release were issued on the 1966 Decca single "White Collar Worker"/"Back Seat Driver." In common with much of the material with which the prolific John Carter was associated in the mid- to late '60s (with groups such as the Flower Pot Men and the Ivy League), it gave a British spin to the harmony sunshine pop of groups like the Beach Boys, the Turtles, the Association, and the Tokens, perhaps with a bit of the Four Seasons and Motown thrown in. Some of it also drew from psychedelia in the sophisticated production, use of then-advanced instrumentation such as the Mellotron, songs that explored British characters and situations, and lightly trippy lyrics. It wasn't as good as their most obvious influences, but it was very smoothly recorded and sung, with pleasant if not indelible tunesmithery.
Midsummer Nights Dreaming/Men from the Ministry Although some of the songs they recorded were covered by British pop group Amen Corner and Australian singer Normie Rowe, the Ministry of Sound didn't get the chance to release any more records while they were active. They came to an end when Robin Shaw joined the touring version of the Flower Pot Men, with Keen, Carter, and Cattini continuing to focus on studio work. In 2005, 35 of the tracks they recorded between 1966 and 1968 were issued on the two-CD set Midsummer Nights Dreaming/Men from the Ministry, most of them previously unreleased, though it did include both sides of their 1966 single.Biography by Richie Unterberger.
Here is "White Collar Worker" Decca F 12449 From 1966 Enjoy.

The Dennisons

The Dennisons where another very popular group who many thought would make it to the top, they made such an impact at the Cavern, DJ Bob Wooler said ‘they’ve created the biggest impression on Merseyside since The Beatles’. Record companies heard they were drawing crowds in Liverpool like The Beatles used to do and Decca rushed up to sign them releasing their debut record in July 1963,
‘(Come On) Be My Girl’, a song they had written themselves. This was followed up with their version of the Rufus Thomas song ‘Walkin’ The Dog’, the ‘B’ side, another self-penned song, ‘You Don’t Know What Love Is’ was written for them by Ben E King while they where touring with him and reached number 36 in the charts. Their final single ‘Nobody Like My Babe’, was released in November 1964 and although it was very commercial, it didn’t enter the charts. The group disbanded in 1966, Clive Hornby became an actor could be seen most weeks in the British television soap ‘Emmerdale’, playing the part of Jack Sugden until his untimely death.
The Dennisons were just one fabulous band. They looked right; they had all the right gear (Gibson 335s and Vox AC30s) and boy could they play. Very close in popularity in Liverpool to the Beatles, they were loud and brash. They had a great lead singer in Eddie Parry who had all the attributes to attract the ladies.
In Ray Scragg they had voice straight out of the Deep South of the USA and in Steve McLaren one of the best guitarists in Liverpool, perhaps getting close to skills of Colin Manley of the Remo 4. I had the pleasure of playing on the same bill as them on a number of occasions mainly at the OPB.
“The Dennisons have created the biggest impact in Liverpool since the Beatles," said the Cavern Club DJ Bob Wooler in 1963. Recording for Decca, the label which had turned down the Beatles, the Dennisons scored some minor hits, but by 1965 their potential had faded.
Here is "(Come on) Be My Girl" On Decca F 11691 From 1963 Enjoy.

The Cops n Robbers

14 songs known to exist by the band -- both sides of their three singles, two tracks that only appeared on their French-only EP, and six blues-rock covers rescued from a 1964 acetate. "You'll Never Do It Baby," and with its compelling, jerky riff, is the clear highlight (although the Pretty Things cover is   better); "There's Gotta Be a Reason" is also good moody early British R&B, while "St. James Infirmary," with its gloomy deep organ sound, is a worthy treatment of that covered-to-death standard. Otherwise, it's uneven sailing: an original ("Just Keep Right On") that sounds like Gerry & the Pacemakers trying to be an R&B band, the strange R&B version of "I Could Have Danced All Night," and six pretty routine covers of classics by Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, and the like from a 1964 acetate. The album was remastered from singles and acetates, and the fidelity is often dull (though obviously there were limitations on what could be done with the acetates), yet this is still recommended to fans of bands like the Pretty Things for its appealingly grimy British R&B stance. 

A little-known but quality group from the R&B wing of the British Invasion, the Cops 'n Robbers (named after a Bo Diddley song) issued just three singles in the mid-'60s, as well as a French-only EP. Their chief claim to fame is recording (and writing) the original version of "You'll Never Do It Baby," a cool, nasty R&B-rock raver that was covered by the Pretty Things on their second album. Cops 'n Robbers were indeed rather similar to the Pretty Things in their punky R&B-rock approach, yet even punkier than the Pretty Things (but not as sloppy as another sub-Pretties act, the Downliners Sect). Singer Brian "Smudger" Smith had an unrefined, sullen leer in his delivery, and the band was picked up by the same management team that signed Donovan (a friend of Cops 'n Robbers). They issued a good version of "St. James Infirmary" on Decca in late 1964, but after its failure moved to Pye for the rest of their meager recorded output, which included a bizarre, ill-chosen cover of the My Fair Lady standard "I Could Have Danced All Night." Drummer Henry Harrison joined the New Vaudeville Band ("Winchester Cathedral"), an act which could have been hardly any more of a polar opposite from his previous group.

Here is " I Could Have Danced All Night" Pye Record Label 7N 15870 From 1965 Enjoy.

David John And The Mood

Originating from Preston, Lancashire, David John & The Mood were a R'n'B outfit which formed in the closing months of 1963. David John had seen Bo Diddley in live performance that year, he approached a local group, the Falcons, who shared a similar taste and the Mood were born.

The debut single, "Pretty Thing", a Bo Diddley song, didn't sell in great quantities but their association with the Rolling Stones (with whom they shared a management company) secured them gigs in some of the leading London venues. They began to build a good reputation and before long were touring the country with the Stones, Manfred Mann and P.J. Proby amongst others.

For their second release, they again chose a Bo Diddley number. "Bring It To Jerome" was produced by the legendary Joe Meek at his home studio. Unfortunately, despite Meek's enthusiastic support for the group, the record fared no better than their previous effort.

Meek was also at the console for their third and final record. "Diggin' For Gold" also sank without trace and the group decided to call it a day early in 1966.
David John Smith - vocals
Pete Atkinson - guitar
Pete Illingworth - guitar
John Brierly - bass guitar
Freddie Isherwood - drums

Here is "To Catch That Man" May '64

Pretty Thing/To Catch That Man

Decca Vocalion V9220

Enjoy.