The Rock ‘n’ Roll Years – Coventry 1960-1963.
by Pete Clemons
The recent of activity of Coventry rock ‘n’ roll band Rock-It and now The Sorrows 2011 had me wondering about the early days of this particular genre within Coventry and some of it’s home grown talent. Pete Chambers, in his books and articles, has done some fantastic and interesting work in this area. However I wanted to try and delve a little deeper and find out more about the bands involved and the venues that they played in along with anything else I could dig up.
I tried the obvious places like the Telegraph and the Coventry Standard but between the years 1960 and 1963 there was very little to find. I did find regular columns that contained the then current Jill Hanson record shop top 10, a column for teenagers that covered all the chart favorites along with who was visiting the city. But until columnist Andy Anderson got involved toward the end of 1962 very little has been written on the musical scene within and around Coventry.
You need to remember that all this was happening during the late 1950’s and early 1960’s and my own assumptions, and the suspicions of others, regarding this lack of information is that these guys were maybe classed as a bit rebellious and were actually involved with playing the music of the devil. And maybe if the media and press ignored it then it would all go away.
So after much digging and annoying the likes of Vince Holliday (Martin), Phil Packham and Nigel Lomas I have tried to add as much as their memories allow.
The early rock ‘n’ roll scene in Coventry at that time seemed, in the main, to be centered mainly around 7 bands. These were The Vampires, The Zodiacs, Johnny Ransom and the Rebels, Ray Kelly and the Freemen, The Atlantics, The Buckaneers and Jason and the Canonites.
The VAMPIRES formed during 1959 and existed till 1965. The band’s initial line up was Vince Martin, Geoff Baker, Phil Packham and Barry Bernard. However depending on who you talk to that initial line up also included Keith Parsons. Several line up changes occurred during the bands existence although, yet again, I have several differing lists of who was with them and at what stage they were in. Although they differ though the names remain constant and Johnny Washington, Johnny Buggins, Robin Bailey, Alan Palmer and Ronnie Cooke all passed through the bands ranks. The venues they played included: The Bantam Pub Hen Lane, The Milano Coffee Bar Radford Road, The Transport and General Workers Union HQ and The Police Ballroom. They also had a residency at the Lutterworth Working Men's Club for 12-18 months on a Wednesday evening.
The ZODIACS were also formed in 1959 by singer Maurice Redhead and Nigel Lomas. Also in the band were Terry Wyatt and Graham Peace. Maurice and Nigel had met at a rock n roll club during 1958 called The DRUMBEAT CLUB on Lockhurst Lane railway bridge on the Holbrooks side. It was a cellar club beneath a coffee bar. Nigel would get up and sing there and have an occasional go on the drums. ‘The only people I remember who also performed there were Mick Van de Stay a singer and guitarist Jim Smith’. At this time there were only a few coffee bars that had music. The MILANO on Radford Road and, The DOMINO Gosford Street were 2 of them. In 1960 When Eddie Cochran appeared at the Gaumont Cinema during Jan 1960, he actually called in at the MILANO after the show. The Zodiacs, incredibly, still perform today.
Johnny Ranson and the Rebels were formed during 1960. The band included Rick Lee on vocals, John Miles and the Kerrigan Brothers Joe and Andy. Sadly Rick recently passed away. The Rebels played venues such as The Co-op club located at the Forum on Walsgrave Road and the GEC ballroom.
The Atlantics were also formed during the very early 60’s and this band included Johnny Martin on vocals, Don Kerr, Mick Calcott, Eddie Milton and Tony Chambers. Also future members of The Sorrows Phil Packham, who had by now left The Vampires, and Pip Witcher performed at some point with The Atlantics.
Nigel Lomas takes up the story: I played drums for the ZODIACS from 1959-1962. The venues we played included; Collycroft Club Bedworth most Thursdays, Newdigate club Bedworth most Tuesdays, St Georges Hall Nuneaton most Saturdays, the Ritz cinema Longford on the odd Friday night or Sunday afternoon, the Stag and Pheasant Lockhurst Lane Sunday Lunchtimes for about one year, maybe more I cannot remember.
Other groups sharing the bill during these times were: Vince Martin and The Vampires, The Atlantics, who played at the DOMINO coffee bar Gosford Street, Johnny and the Rebels, Max Holliman and the Guitarnos who were from Nuneaton.
I left the ZODIACS in 1962 and was replaced by a very good drummer called Ron Cooke. Within one week I had replaced him in his group The FREEMEN who, at that time, were the highest paid Coventry group due to being the resident house band at the GENERAL WOLFE HOTEL and by playing four nights a week their.
The FREEMEN were Ray Kelly: piano, Johnny Goodison: vocals, Dick Morden: lead guitar, Mick Calcott: bass and Nigel on drums. Sadly Johnny and Dick have both passed away. Mick Calcott was replaced by Colin (Olly) Warner in 1962. Nigel and Olly had both been together in The Zodiacs. (Olly had replaced Graham Peace)
By April 1963 the then manager of the Orchid Ballroom (now the KASBAH) Larry Page had spotted the band. He arranged a recording test for us and as a result we became the FIRST Coventry group to have a record released titled "SCHOOL IS IN" on the DECCA label 6th Sept 1963. On the 13th Sept 1963 we had another release but this time backing the three girl Coventry harmony group THE ORCHIDS. Their record being titled ‘’GONNA MAKE HIM MINE’’ and this was also on the DECCA label.
During July 1963 The Freemen had changed their name to JOHNNY B GREAT AND THE GOODMEN and added three sax players to their line up. They became the resident house band at Nottingham Locarno and were employed by the MECCA group. However they were told that if they did not stop the release of their records then they could not be on contract to them. So they then left the Locarno sacked two of the sax players and did a series of one night stands covering most of the North of England often meeting up with the Rolling Stones and the like. This lasted with one or two line up changes until the end of 1964 when Johnny Goodison (B Great) decided to go solo and try his luck in London, which was to prove to be a very successful move for him.
As I mentioned, by the end of 1962 the activities of the Coventry music scene was now being given greater coverage by Andy Anderson alongside the music scene at a national level. 1963 saw record releases by likes of Beverley Jones and Johnny Washington and these were being given ample promotion and the Twang Dance era had already got underway with regular gigs at place like The Orchid.
But hopefully I have gone someway at adding a bit more meat to the bone with regard to a small but very important area in Coventry’s music history.
Pete Clemons
26 August 2011
issue 2 – 30 August 2011
I tried the obvious places like the Telegraph and the Coventry Standard but between the years 1960 and 1963 there was very little to find. I did find regular columns that contained the then current Jill Hanson record shop top 10, a column for teenagers that covered all the chart favorites along with who was visiting the city. But until columnist Andy Anderson got involved toward the end of 1962 very little has been written on the musical scene within and around Coventry.
You need to remember that all this was happening during the late 1950’s and early 1960’s and my own assumptions, and the suspicions of others, regarding this lack of information is that these guys were maybe classed as a bit rebellious and were actually involved with playing the music of the devil. And maybe if the media and press ignored it then it would all go away.
So after much digging and annoying the likes of Vince Holliday (Martin), Phil Packham and Nigel Lomas I have tried to add as much as their memories allow.
The early rock ‘n’ roll scene in Coventry at that time seemed, in the main, to be centered mainly around 7 bands. These were The Vampires, The Zodiacs, Johnny Ransom and the Rebels, Ray Kelly and the Freemen, The Atlantics, The Buckaneers and Jason and the Canonites.
The VAMPIRES formed during 1959 and existed till 1965. The band’s initial line up was Vince Martin, Geoff Baker, Phil Packham and Barry Bernard. However depending on who you talk to that initial line up also included Keith Parsons. Several line up changes occurred during the bands existence although, yet again, I have several differing lists of who was with them and at what stage they were in. Although they differ though the names remain constant and Johnny Washington, Johnny Buggins, Robin Bailey, Alan Palmer and Ronnie Cooke all passed through the bands ranks. The venues they played included: The Bantam Pub Hen Lane, The Milano Coffee Bar Radford Road, The Transport and General Workers Union HQ and The Police Ballroom. They also had a residency at the Lutterworth Working Men's Club for 12-18 months on a Wednesday evening.
The ZODIACS were also formed in 1959 by singer Maurice Redhead and Nigel Lomas. Also in the band were Terry Wyatt and Graham Peace. Maurice and Nigel had met at a rock n roll club during 1958 called The DRUMBEAT CLUB on Lockhurst Lane railway bridge on the Holbrooks side. It was a cellar club beneath a coffee bar. Nigel would get up and sing there and have an occasional go on the drums. ‘The only people I remember who also performed there were Mick Van de Stay a singer and guitarist Jim Smith’. At this time there were only a few coffee bars that had music. The MILANO on Radford Road and, The DOMINO Gosford Street were 2 of them. In 1960 When Eddie Cochran appeared at the Gaumont Cinema during Jan 1960, he actually called in at the MILANO after the show. The Zodiacs, incredibly, still perform today.
Zodiacs 1964 Memorial Hall
The Atlantics were also formed during the very early 60’s and this band included Johnny Martin on vocals, Don Kerr, Mick Calcott, Eddie Milton and Tony Chambers. Also future members of The Sorrows Phil Packham, who had by now left The Vampires, and Pip Witcher performed at some point with The Atlantics.
The Atlantics
Nigel Lomas takes up the story: I played drums for the ZODIACS from 1959-1962. The venues we played included; Collycroft Club Bedworth most Thursdays, Newdigate club Bedworth most Tuesdays, St Georges Hall Nuneaton most Saturdays, the Ritz cinema Longford on the odd Friday night or Sunday afternoon, the Stag and Pheasant Lockhurst Lane Sunday Lunchtimes for about one year, maybe more I cannot remember.
Other groups sharing the bill during these times were: Vince Martin and The Vampires, The Atlantics, who played at the DOMINO coffee bar Gosford Street, Johnny and the Rebels, Max Holliman and the Guitarnos who were from Nuneaton.
I left the ZODIACS in 1962 and was replaced by a very good drummer called Ron Cooke. Within one week I had replaced him in his group The FREEMEN who, at that time, were the highest paid Coventry group due to being the resident house band at the GENERAL WOLFE HOTEL and by playing four nights a week their.
The FREEMEN were Ray Kelly: piano, Johnny Goodison: vocals, Dick Morden: lead guitar, Mick Calcott: bass and Nigel on drums. Sadly Johnny and Dick have both passed away. Mick Calcott was replaced by Colin (Olly) Warner in 1962. Nigel and Olly had both been together in The Zodiacs. (Olly had replaced Graham Peace)
By April 1963 the then manager of the Orchid Ballroom (now the KASBAH) Larry Page had spotted the band. He arranged a recording test for us and as a result we became the FIRST Coventry group to have a record released titled "SCHOOL IS IN" on the DECCA label 6th Sept 1963. On the 13th Sept 1963 we had another release but this time backing the three girl Coventry harmony group THE ORCHIDS. Their record being titled ‘’GONNA MAKE HIM MINE’’ and this was also on the DECCA label.
During July 1963 The Freemen had changed their name to JOHNNY B GREAT AND THE GOODMEN and added three sax players to their line up. They became the resident house band at Nottingham Locarno and were employed by the MECCA group. However they were told that if they did not stop the release of their records then they could not be on contract to them. So they then left the Locarno sacked two of the sax players and did a series of one night stands covering most of the North of England often meeting up with the Rolling Stones and the like. This lasted with one or two line up changes until the end of 1964 when Johnny Goodison (B Great) decided to go solo and try his luck in London, which was to prove to be a very successful move for him.
As I mentioned, by the end of 1962 the activities of the Coventry music scene was now being given greater coverage by Andy Anderson alongside the music scene at a national level. 1963 saw record releases by likes of Beverley Jones and Johnny Washington and these were being given ample promotion and the Twang Dance era had already got underway with regular gigs at place like The Orchid.
But hopefully I have gone someway at adding a bit more meat to the bone with regard to a small but very important area in Coventry’s music history.
Pete Clemons
26 August 2011
issue 2 – 30 August 2011
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