The Stormbreakers / The Establishment
by Pete Clemons
What The Stormbreakers didn't lack was ambition. This band clearly had a determination and enthusiasm to get to where they wanted.
Their singer was Keith Redfern who came from The Teenbeats, drummer was Tony Scott who played in the original Stormbreakers. The two lead guitarists were John Dakota and Rod Steele both from The Walkers. On rhythm guitar was Keith Troy and this was his first group. The Stormbreakers also had their own sound technician and that was Gary Williams who also plays the bass.
The group formed during 1961 and local success soon came their way. The earliest gigs I can search out for the band were at places like St John Ambulance Hall, The Holly Bush and The Corner House all in Nuneaton.
But this hard working band were not just known in Nuneaton. They also built up a following in Coventry, Leicester, Northampton and Birmingham where The Stormbreakers played to decent sized audiences. Of course they were also regulars at the Co-op Hall in Nuneaton as well as in the normal pubs and clubs in the Warwickshire area.
The Stormbreakers even had a manager and agent in David Gallagher who had the group booked into venues for four or even five nights a week. The Stormbreakers were so popular that the group was the only one in Nuneaton to have its own fan club.
But then for whatever the reasons, all good things come to an end, and towards the end of 1963 there appears to have been a split within the group. Band members left and new musicians were recruited. Even the management changed as in stepped promoter Vince Martin who came up with a new name: The Establishment.
Vince remembers that, despite the new name, The Stormbreakers name needed to continue through till mid 1964 in order to honour already agreed dates. Using the new Establishment name may have created disappointment. Additionally this new name may well not have drawn in the expected size of audience.
The Establishment carried on from where The Stormbreakers had left by creating a decent reputation on the Midland pop scene.
Soon after The Establishment were formed they began advertising for a female vocalist. Vince Martin had managed to get the band work on the continent. However their was a condition in their contract that required them to have a female vocalist. More than a dozen vocalists were auditioned.
One of those who approached the band was Dena Gaye, whose real name was Dilys Birch. The day of her audition Dilys and her husband were booked to attend a car rally so she couldn't attend. However, the following day the couple noticed in the newspaper that The Establishment were playing at the New Inn at Longford. So they went along to see them play.
It seems that, from the stage, the band recognised Dilys from a photograph she had sent them with her original application. They invited her to get up and sing with them. Then, after an official audition, Dilys was offered the job.
In order to fulfil a three month tour of France with the band, Dilys resigned her post as an infant teacher. Dilys Birch gave her first public performance with the Establishment at a party and dance at the George Ballroom in Hinckley. This was to be the last local date before the French tour.
The five members of The Establishment, who had also turned professional, were Noddy Ford, Eddie Willet, Keith Goodyear, Wal Freeman and Keith Redfern.
During the first month in France the group played at a United States Air Force Base at Fontainbleu. The groups manager, Vince Martin, said that in order to visit France the group had turned down a month's contract to appear at the Star Club, Hamburg where the Beatles had made their name. The hope was though that a tour of Germany would become an opportunity during 1964. Presumably due to the changing music scene, The Establishment eventually folded during mid 1965.
Earlier posts from the Hobo A to Z of Coventry Bands
The Stormbreakers
The Establishment Line up was: Keith Redfern - vocals, Noel Ford - lead guitar, Keith Gudger - rhythm guitar, Ed Willett - bass, Wal Freeman - drums. Later joined by Barry Kingsbeer
Dave Norris - ?
Establishment became The Congress around September 1965
From Nuneaton
Memories from Dave Norris
"The Stormbreakers" played their first gigs together since 1964 on Friday 8th & 15th Oct. 2004. Of the 5 in the band 4 are original members and one (me) is from an old Coventry band "The Mad Classix" of the same period. Our average age is 63 and the gigs are for charity, being the Mary Ann Evens Hospice and the County Air Ambulance. Of the members, the lead guitarist now lives in Wales and the singer in Skegness."
Barry Kingsbeer wrote on Comments to Godiva Rock article on CET
I was flattered to see a kind mention of the Chicanes here, schoolmate Kevin Connolly got a drum kit and took me round to his house to see it. At that point, being young and without fear we decided to form a band. I didn't play any instrument at that time but ended up on bass which has been my first instrument ever since. On leaving the band I joined The Establishment, formerly The Stormbreakers from Nuneaton. Left Coventry 65/66 and lost touch. I’ve lived in Stratford for the last 20 years and am still playing.
From Pete Chambers - Godiva Rocked to a Backbeat
" Formed 1962 and got to support the likes of Screaming Lord Sutch, the Hollies, The Undertakers, Emile Ford and the Checkmates and the Pretty Things. 1964 they took on former Vampires vocals it Johnny Washington and reinvented themselves as Johnny Washington and the Establishment."
Extract from Pete Chambers Backbeat - Coventry Telegraph
" Nuneaton's biggest beat band, The Stormbreakers, who later changed their name to The Establishment.
Lead vocalist Keith Redfern recalls those days: "We were the first group in the area, it was around 1964, we attracted a lot of followers, including other musicians. We were known as a group's group. We played all over the place, including Coventry's Locarno, The General Wolfe and Nuneaton's Co-op Hall. You name it we supported them, like Cliff Bennett, Johnny Kidd and even the Hollies."
One of those venues, Nuneaton's Co-op Hall Ballroom, was at its height the musical mecca for the area. Run by madcap promoter Reg Calvert, it saw its fair share of excitement, playing host to The Beatles who were the support to Tanya Day and The …" The Stormbreakers. Keith Gudger joined the Nuneaton band on the strength of a talent contest in 1962; he was spotted by Wall Freeman and asked to join the band. They lined up like this: Keith Redfern vocals, Ed Willett second lead guitar, Noel Ford lead guitar, 'Nov' on bass, Keith Gudger on rhythm guitar and Wall Freeman on drums.
Early gigs included the Nuneaton ambulance hall: "I recall we used to practice in Noel Ford's front room," said Keith Gudger. "We moved his poor mum and dad into the kitchen as we took over their living room, bless them. We did cramped spaces pretty well though, we had a small Morris J2 Van, we changed the seats around and managed to get all the band in it, plus girlfriends and equipment."
By this time Nov had left as bass player, so Ed switched to bass and they became a working five-piece. They got to support a host of top names such as Screaming Lord Sutch, The Hollies, The Undertakers, Emily Ford and the Checkmates and the Pretty Things.
"We had the foresight to get ourselves a good PA system as soon as possible," reveals Keith. "It paid off, one gig in Stoke on Trent we were supporting Brian Poole and The Tremeloes and they asked if they could borrow our PA. We had a 100-watt system; theirs was a tiny 50-watt, both pretty puny by today's standards. In 1964 we changed our name to the Establishment and were part of Friars Promotions, and Vince (Martin) Holliday (who still owes me 10 bob by the way), took us to France to play the US bases for three months. The first hotel we stayed in turned out to be a brothel. It was a crazy time, we were young and it was the first time we had been away.
"As we moved to the next port of call, we ended up in Paris, not where we wanted to be. Our old van had damage to the column change, and the electrics started playing up. So there we were in this quiet zone in Paris and our horn started sounding on its own. We were running around like headless chickens trying to stop the noise, then someone grabbed a handful of cables and we carried on our way with no horn sounding, but sadly with no headlights either.
"We got to know a lot of the GIs where we played, it was during the Vietnam war, so many of those guys were training to go there, it was a chilling thought that many of those we met probably never came back."
In 1965 Keith left the band, and continued for a while with Johnny Washington as frontman under the name George E Washington and the Establishment. In 2004 they had their first reunion concert and from that they started gigging again. So that brings us back around to the Call Up the Groups gig, your chance to hear the band.
circa 1964-1965
From Broadgate Gnome -
They were also known as Johnny Washington and the Establishment.
Beat group previously known as The Stormbreakers.
From Nuneaton
Line up: Keith Redfern - vocals, Noel Ford - lead guitar, Keith Gudger - rhythm guitar, Ed Willett - bass, Wal Freeman - drums. Later joined by Barry Kingsbeer.
Five piece outfit managed by Vince Martin. Dena Gaye (Dilys Birch) joined them in July 1964 (she had trained as an operatic singer with Coventry Operatic Society) and they toured France, playing US bases. 'She has a great voice and the band have an individual sound' said Martin.
Won the Midland Beat Championships in October 1964 and recorded demos in London April 1965 (including 'This Love I Feel' )
Became The Congress around September 1965
From Pete Chambers - Godiva Rocked to a Backbeat
"Formed in 1962 and supported Screaming Lord Sutch, The Hollies, the Undertakers, Emile Ford and the Checkmates, and the Pretty Things as the Stormbreakers. In 1964 they took on former Vampires vocalist Johnny Washington and reinvented themselves as Johnny Washington and the Establishment, Also supported Brian Poole and the Tremeloes in Stoke and they borrowed their PA - they had a 100 watt PA system and the Trems only had a 50 watt PA."Barry Kingsbeer
I was flattered to see a kind mention of the Chicanes here, schoolmate Kevin Connolly got a drum kit and took me round to his house to see it. At that point, being young and without fear (some might sat without a clue) we decided to form a band. I didn't play any instrument at that time but ended up on bass which has been my first instrument ever since. On leaving the band I joined The Establishment, formerly The Stormbreakers from Nuneaton. Left Coventry 65/66 and lost touch. I’ve lived in Stratford for the last 20 years and am still playing.
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