Nuneaton During the 1960s

 

Nuneaton During the 1960s

by Pete Clemons

Its difficult to imagine that there was a time when most towns and cities produced some really good bands. This was during the late 1950s and throughout the 1960s.In part, this was thanks to when radio was king and rock 'rock'n'roll was filtering through the airwaves. Not all the bands were household names but those with long memories, and who live in the North Warwickshire area, will certainly remember names such as The Reason, The Puncture Outfit and The Jones's to name but three.

In fact all those bands mentioned were from Nuneaton and one of the musicians central to the scene back then was guitarist Keith Bates. And Keith, as best as his memory serves, has provided me with a wealth of fascinating information about these bands.

As a touring musician Keith Bates played all over the Midlands, at a lot of top venues, with the various bands he was involved with. These included The Co-op Hall Nuneaton which was once, a major Midlands venue, and which Keith played dozens of times. He also appeared at venues like Kettering Town Hall, The Makadown, Crown and Cushion, The Lyndon Tree, The Rum Runner, Smethwick Baths and Handsworth Baths all in Birmingham.

Nearer to Coventry Keith's bands played The Pilot in Radford, The Navigation on Stoney Stanton Road, The Griffin Inn in Foleshill, The Parkstone Club and The Banba Irish Club (Treetops) both on the Foleshill Road and many more.

Keith's earliest days on the circuit involved his first band was The Critics 1963/64. The Critics featuring Dave Dyed on Drums Len Bailey on Bass , Alan Wright on Rhythm (replaced by George Beardmore) Keith Bates lead guitar, and Johnny Thompson on Sax

The Critics evolved into The Chuckles around 1965. This band were almost as above. Dave Dyed, George Beardmore, Len Bailey along with Barry Spruce on keyboards formed The Chuckles who, for a while, became the late Gene Vincent's backing band when he toured the UK.

Next up for Keith Bates was The Agents 1964/65, aka Dave Burns and The Agents. This line up was made up from Keith Bates lead guitar,Terry Hamilton on vocals, Clive Ellams drums, Colin Bonsor bass, Alan Hankinson rhythm guitar. When The Agents broke up, the late Alan Hankinson along with the late Dave "Spud" Simpson on drums, accompanied by Rob Price on vocals, the late Roger Prince lead guitar and bass player Mick Broadhurst formed The Jones's during 1965.

At the same another Nuneaton band,The Puncture Outfit – formed around 1965 – began playing the circuit. The Puncture Outfit line up was Roy Bartram vocals, Johnny Gibson lead guitar, Johnny Varden rhythm guitar and vocals, Fred Burrows bass and Alan Jones on drums.

Around this time the music was changing from beat to more r 'n' b and a 'Mod' scene was taking off. Nuneaton pubs such as The Nags Head, The Weddington, The Corner house and The Holly Bush were quick to hold 'Mod' dances.

This change in direction meant a change for The Puncture Outfit and they became The Reasons. This was when Keith Bates joined replacing the late Johnny Gibson. 'The line up was the same, said Keith' but prior to Johnny Gibson there was a guy called Mel Sheasby on lead guitar and that is as much as I remember of that band'.

The Reasons existed between 1966 and 1968. When Keith joined them the line up was Roy Bartram vocals, Keith Bates lead guitar, Johnny Varden rhythm guitar and vocals, Fred Burrows bass, Alan Jones drums. And, for a while, The Reasons, worked for Dot Calvert out of Clifton Hall, Rugby who provided the band with gigs.

When Keith left The Reasons, he went on to do some session work. He was replaced in the band by a guy called Pete Kirkham. And then drummer Alan Jones left the band and he was replaced by a drummer called Pete Simpson who has since sadly passed away.

For a while Keith Bates also played with Roye Albrighton when an early band of Roye's, The Hells Angels, first took off during 1965. Hells Angels existed till around 1967 and, although never a full time member of the band, Keith remembers Roye with much affection. 'He was such a lovely guy' says Keith.

In addition to Roye The Hells Angels included Frank O'Sullivan on vocals Robert Hodgkins rhythm guitar, Roger Hodgkins on bass and drummer Barry Llewellyn. Coventry's Bev Jones joined Hells Angels early 1967 for a while.

Nowadays Keith Bates has a small studio where 'I emulate Hank Marvin, and give lessons to a couple of Hank Marvin nuts'. Keith is also related, through his Grandmother, to Mike Malyon who was a sports reporter with the Coventry Telegraph and who has written extensively about Larry Grayson. Mike's grandmother was Keith's grandmother's sister.

Many thanks Keith for all of this valuable information and for sharing his memories !.