The Session at 20

 

The Session at 20

By Pete Clemons

Music is one of the world’s most beloved and widely consumed art forms. It is a medicine and can get us through all kinds of things. But have you considered how incredibly hard it is to create, especially when multiple musicians are involved ?.

There is a huge list of challenges to navigate if you happen to be in a band. And I am guessing that even those involved in that band fail to consider the potential pitfalls when starting out. After all, all the musicians want to do, is to simply create create music.

Additionally, and especially over the last 20 years or so, music has become more competitive. For starters you just have to look at the changes in consuming music. In that time we have gone from the physical format to the stream and download.

Then there were the venues. At the turn of the century Coventry had The Skydome Arena, Jumpin Jaks, The Colosseum, Fatties and many others. We also had The Dog and Trumpet which was iconic to a lot of bands who were just starting out at that time. It was particularly relevant to The Session whose first 9 gigs were at the D&T during 2002. Since then they have gone on to play getting on for almost 500 gigs and festivals across the country.

The Session are an original band from Coventry and consider themselves a funky folk rock fusion band. They have produced 5 albums of original songs. A 6th is very close to completion. And May 2021 will see The Session pass through the very significant 20 year milestone.

But there is so much more to this band. Down the years The Session, who were formed in a house in Earlsdon - directly opposite the High Street, have graced the main stage at Godiva Festival. During 2016 they supported The Charlatans. Additionally they have also shared the stage with Simon Fowler from Ocean Colour Scene and Star sailor front man James Walsh. They also won the local award for the most hard-working gigging band in Coventry and Warwickshire in 2017. And throughout the existence of The Session there has been a steady stream of musicians passing through the band.

With that in mind I gave founder member, Dean Macdonald, the unenviable task of trying to remember all of the names of those who had been involved with The Session during those 20 years. And he came back with the following list: Tom Meek , Andy Burnam, Matt T, Shaun Stenton, Ian MacDonald, David MacDonald, Rich Taylor, Daz Taylor, John Spencer, Fred 'Dubber' Waight , Dean MacDonald, Sheryl McClean, Tom Harris, Ciaran Corkery, Dave Chambers, Mark Adams, Iain Macdonald, Stephen Booth, Keith Eardley, David Richardson, Keith Harris, Martin Wilkins.

Additionally I wanted Dean going right back to the very beginning of the band: The Session are fronted by vocalist Sheryl McClean. The original line up was 7 musicians. They were siblings Sheryl and guitarist Dean Macdonald. Cousin's David Macdonald on keys and Ian Macdonald on guitars, drummer Rich Taylor, 'Bingo Bongo' Dave Richardson on bongo's and Congo's and bass player John Spencer.

John Spencer left during 2004 and Dave Chambers replaced him on bass guitar. 'Even though Dave is not an original original we think of him as an original because he has been in the band 17 years now. And, of the originals bingo bongo Dave Richardson, Shez McClean and myself are still remaining' confirms Dean Macdonald. Finally it is also worth mentioning Iain Macdonald who is father to Sheryl and Dean and who played harmonica on some of the records. Iain was never a member of the live band.

Finally I pushed Dean MacDonald for a biography and he came back with the following:

'The Session was formed in May 2001 but we never made our first recording until January 2002. It was an album called 'Live at Woodbine', which was Woodbine Studio, in Leamington Spa with the great Johnny Rivers.

The album was, in fact, 9 live takes in order to save the band money. Some tracks really still stand out today but many of them are wishy washy and, if I’m honest, it’s an album I kind of distance myself from. In those days our bass player John Spencer wrote many of the songs for that album. I think I penned 4 out of the 9 songs and, let’s just say, it’s not an album I re visit very often. That said, there is some nice stuff on it like the 'Song Birds'. Check it out on YouTube. That is a cracker.

Our second album is kind of my thinking is our first. That’s when we started to take it seriously. The second album was recorded during 2004. John Spencer left the band, halfway through its creation, and moved to London. So I was on my own to complete the writing. That album has about twelve songs on it. John contributed three songs out the twelve and his three were crackers. That album I really rate and it was called 'Time Will Pass You By'.

Our third release is one of my favourite session albums. It was called 'Trailblazing in the Art of Ego' and that was released during 2007. This was followed by 'Stamp Out Reality' during 2009. That album possibly contains all of our big gigging songs on it. For me it’s a complete no filler album in terms of liking the songs to this very day.

We then made the 'Hail the Renegade Express' album around 2013 and then, rather than make further albums, we waited and gathered a series of singles. We have since released 7 singles and all of them will be on our next album this summer 2021. That’s our history really. The 6th album is just one song away from completion'.

'Live at Woodbine', 'Stamp Out Reality', 'Hail the Renegade' and 'Trailblazing' were all recorded at Woodbine studios with John Rivers. 'Time Will Pass You By' was recorded at Planet Studios with the late Jim Meikle. The forthcoming album was recorded with Matt Waddell at 14 records, in Leamington Spa, and one song called 'Resonation' was with Roger Lomas'.

Dean Macdonald is incredibly gracious in his praise for those who have helped him with The Session, a band that he is, very rightly, so proud of. During our chat he continued: 'I think it’s worth pointing out that, out of all the members who have come and gone, then John Spencer Is still my best friend to this day. He was a massive part of that band and without him then I don’t think it would have happened. During the very early days he pushed the gigs, he booked the studios and he booked the practices.

When John Spencer left to work in the city of London it was not personal but I think he regrets it to this day although I would never say that to him. He misses music. I would say all of those past members each created something great for The Session but John was the main man at the outset. Finally it can’t be right if I don’t mention my uncle, Martin Wilkins (Butch). He managed the band from 2002 until about 2012. He was brilliant for us. Finding the gigs, organising artwork for gigs and posters and just getting our music out there. Be lovely and only right if I mention him in any bio. He is still a big part of us now although he no longer manages us. But he still comes to all the gigs with his wife Loz'.

For all the reasons above, and my reason for such a long and detailed introduction, is that I wanted to stress that keeping a band going for 20 years nowadays is extraordinary. For me it really does show the dedication to, and the determination of, those involved in it. Even during lockdown those involved have remained very busy writing and promoting new music.

As The Session enter their 21st year you can join them live on 17 July at The Arches Venue when, hopefully, live music begins to return to some kind of normality. Nowadays, and for a number of years, The Session contain a total of 5 band members.

Sheryl McClean (vocals & percussion), Dean MacDonald (vocals & guitar), Dave Chambers (bass guitar), Fred 'Dubber' Waite (lead guitar) and 'Bingo' Dave Richardson (drums).

Above - The Party's Over - The Session

Above - Birds - The Session

Roy Butterfield

 

Roy Butterfield

by Pete Clemons

Roy Butterfield was an early member and co-songwriter with The Tom Robinson Band but his Coventry Music Credentials go back to the 70's - in Alive and Smilin' with Horace Panter of the Specials and in the 60's - he was also in Coventry's RCA Neon band - Indian Summer.

Mention the name Roy Butterfield and the words lovely bloke and incredibly talented, readily and quickly come back in abundance. When he talks about himself Roy says that he gets 'bored quite quickly and easily'.

Borrowing from notes left by harp player, Tim James, 'Roy Butterfield replaced Steve Bentham in the Boll Weevils. He had a lovely sunburst Fender Telecaster which he later bartered for a crappy Hofner and a new suit. But Roy could have played any old rubbishy instrument and sounded class. He later played pedal-steel and bass guitar. He sadly lasted only a few weeks with the Weevils before, as predicted, he went back to his old band to be with his mate Bas Fawcus'. This, I am certain would have been during 1964.

Roy then joined a Coventry beat band called The Little Darlings, later known as The Sensations. This, again with finger in the air, I am guessing would have been late 1966. Apparently Roy replaced John Gilroy as the bands lead guitarist.

Roy then became the original lead guitarist for the newly formed Indian Summer. According to Roy 'they were a great bunch of lads' and, as people, he liked them very much. It was just the music. Roy didn't like it. Roy was into country and rock and not so much progressive. Additionally his guitar at that time, a Harmony Stratatone, gave him more of a BB King sound. Plus, he says, it had bits dropping off it.

Tim James continues: 'When Roy Butterfield joined Monster Magnet during 1972 he rolled up to the first rehearsal with the components of a 1960s Fender Precision bass in a Tesco carrier bag. He had got the bass by barter, probably for a suit ! He assembled it and, playing bass for the first time in his life became, instantly, the best bass player I have ever worked with'.

Roy was then involved in a band called 'Alive and Smilin' with Horace Panter. Roy remembers a battle of bands competition during October 1974 where they appeared at the final which was held at the Hammersmith Odeon. 'Alive and Smilin' finished runner up. According to Horace in his book Ska'd For Life 'Roy played the most tasteful guitar he had ever heard'.

Roy Butterfield even played in a Coventry punk band. They were called 'Certified'. Roy remembers that Certified once supported the Automatics during October 1977. at The Heath Hotel. Urban Blight, Squad (who at that still time contained Terry Hall) and The Wild Boys (who still had Roddy 'Radiation' Byers in their ranks), were also on the bill. Jerry Dammers famously mentioned that his organ wouldn't fit on the stage of the Heath Hotel so he played in the audience facing the band.

Delving, once again, into the memories of Tim James, he wrote: 'Roy Butterfield was later involved in writing the hit single '2-4-6-8 Motorway' with Tom Robinson but got fed up and left the band before the money rolled in'.

It appears that it was during the summer of 1976 when Tom Robinson and Roy Butterfield first met. Roy remembers that it was during Gay Pride week and when he happened to be playing for a band in a London theatre. Tom was still with his band, Cafe Society, at the time when he first met Roy. And Tom Robinson just happened to be an audience member at one of the gigs.

Later that year it was announced that Cafe Society had split. Tom Robinson quickly put together some gigs under his own name. The first at the Hope and Anchor in London quickly followed by one at the Golden Lion in Fulham. And it was at this time that Roy was in the early throws of what became the Tom Robinson Band. The pair certainly did a lot of song writing during those early days. The bands drummer. Brian 'Dolphin' Taylor even renamed Roy 'Anton Mauve'.

I can confirm however that Roy Butterfield did not contribute to Tom Robinson's massive anthem '2-4-6-8 Motorway'. However he did indeed contribute to the song 'Up Against the Wall' and several others. Roy would write the music and Tom Robinson the words. During the very early part of 1977 Roy Butterfield was replaced in the Tom Robinson Band by guitarist Danny Kustow. Nowadays, it seems, Tom is selective when it comes to TRB history but Roy was certainly with the TRB at the very start.

After the Tom Robinson Band Roy joined a band called the American Housewives. And there is an eye witness account of a time when the Housewives were playing a gig at the Stapleton Hall Pub in Stroud Green. It mentioned that, during a break in the proceedings, Tom Robinson stepped up on stage with guitarist Anton Mauve, and the Housewives drummer, and thunderously performed 'Up Against the Wall' and 'Motorway'.

Later in time, Roy Butterfield sold his rights to the Tom Robinson Band songs. As such Roy's name never now appears on any reissues. But, for similar reasons as to why Roy left Indian Summer, Roy left TRB. As he admits, he gets itchy feet and wanted to do country rock.

During 1978 and 1979 Roy was at his most financially successful when he joined various country music and show bands. Which seems to be the kind of music where Roy is most comfortable.

By the late 1980s Roy appears to have returned to Coventry. Bass player, Steve Barney, would encourage Roy down to Tile Hill Youth Club. According to Steve 'It was an education to just hear Roy jamming away in a blues style'.

Steve was a member of Paradise West who changed their name for a while when they became known as Saigon. Saigon played many times around the city. The core of Saigon was still Gez Moran, Dave Valley, Colin Hankinson and Steve Barney but occasionally Roy Butterfield would also add his talents to Paradise West / Saigon, joining them on stage, at many gigs. Steve Barney particularly remembers his amazing guitar solos and slide guitar playing.

Today, Roy still loves listening to country rock particularly bands like The Byrds. But hopefully this article goes some way of preserving the memory of Roy's talents. I just didn't feel he should be totally airbrushed out of music history. As I have borrowed from the notes of Tim James, I will give him the final words: Roy is a superb musician and an incredibly dry and funny guy. It's all a real shame because he really could have given something to the world if he could have kept his head together.

My thanks to Steve Barney in his help putting this together.

......................................

Additional memories from Trev Teasdel

Roy Butterfield was also in an early version of the Coventry folk / rock band April - with bassist Ron Lawrence who went on to play bass for Sniff and the Tears and the Kinks (on tour and the Come dancing album). April were Ron Lawrence (bass ) Mick Thompson guitar, Grey Richardson percussion Barry Fawcus drums, Bill Jackson piano / vocals  and Roy Butterfield guitar. Barry and Roy had left by 1970 but the group continued with a residency at the Swan in Yardley etc.

Runestaff - In the autumn of 1971 Al Docker and I were living in a cottage out at Shilton near Coventry and Al, then a drummer and songwriter, formed a Coventry supergroup which involved former members of April - ie Ron Lawrence (bass), Bill Jackson piano and vocals, Al Hatton acoustic guitar (ex Indian Summer) and Roy Butterfield on lead guitar - ex April and Indian Summer and Al Docker drums - ex Tsar and Love Zeus. It was a great band - I used to watch then rehearse in our dining room but alas the band split up before they got a gig. The band was named after a Michael Moorcock trilogy Al Docker was reading  - Runestaff. 

Roy Butterfield left - with the original Indian Summer - Al Hatton, Paul Hooper and Bob Jackson (right)

Dave Fawks of Broadgate Gnome with Roy Butterfield in the late 60's

Roy Butterfield (left) in the Little Darlings

Roy Butterfield (2nd left) in East Side Protection (1967 ish)

Roy Butterfield left with East Side Protection.

Roy Butterfield in Monster Magnet mid 1970's (back row 2nd left).

Songs Roy Butterfield co-wrote with Tom Robinson

Roy Butterfield is mentioned in Horance Panter's autobiography.

Octave

 

Octave

By Pete Clemons

During 1977 the classic line up of The Moody Blues reunited after a five year hiatus. They had reunited for a greatest hits project. By this time four of the band members were living in England but Mellotron player, Mike Pinder, had relocated to America.

During the project it was clear that the band were getting on really well and producer Tony Clarke who, for a long time was considered as the sixth Moody, was keen on the idea of taking advantage of the moment and getting the band to record a new album. And the rest of the band agreed. It was decided that the new album would be recorded in America. So off they all set for the Record Plant in Hollywood.

But this would be the beginning of a catalogue of mishaps. Everything that could go wrong did go wrong with the project apparently did.

Firstly the Los Angeles based studio caught fire. Tony Clarke accompanied the master tapes, recorded so far, to a car. These included some masters for a Mike Pinder solo album called 'The Promise' that were being stored there.

The band then relocated to Mike Pinder's 60 acre ranch in Malibu where he had a recording studio. The studio was up in some hills and, to get to it, you had to follow a narrow dirt track. At one point Tony Clarke led a torchlight procession just to get up there. The sessions coincided with the worst rain the region had seen for some years. And the rain washed roads away. Additionally guitarist Justin Hayward and Tony were involved in a car accident. It wasn't serious but it led to Justin getting arrested and being detained for a short while.

At the same time Tony Clarke was going through some very difficult personal issues. And other band members were having their own problems. Bass player John Lodge began to question the whole project and whether the stars were simply just not going to align for the band. Maybe it was never meant to be. Out of his concerns though came the albums opening song 'Stepping in a Slide Zone'.

Mike Pinder, who had added Mellotron successfully to past Moodies albums failed to connect with the songs destined for the new album. He admitted that it was very difficult to add strings to every song. This led to dispute with drummer Graeme Edge giving Mike 'both barrels'. Apparently accusing him of not having his heart in the project. At this point even Tony Clarke was beginning to realise that maybe the Moodies had hit a crossroads.

Feeling that there was no fun or love in the whole project Mike Pinder failed to show up at any further sessions. Additionally Mike announced that he did not want to do any more touring. Graeme Edge has even accused Mike of lying over the whole episode. 'On one phone call he had told flautist Ray Thomas he was up for touring. The next phone call, to Justin, he said he was not' said Graeme. Even Justin Haywood began to feel annoyed about the whole thing.

Collectively, the four remaining band members, didn't feel the same way as Mike and the album was completed to its conclusion. Additionally it was toured with replacement keyboard player Patrick Moraz. In an official statement Graeme Edge said 'We are not closing the door on Mike but, by his refusal to tour, he has walked out through it'.

The album, titled Octave, was launched in the UK during 1978. It was given a huge over the top garden party. Again Mike Pinder refused to attend and remained in America. On the day of the party the band was introduced to the media. Thinking that they could get away without Mike being noticed, the five man line up, actually included producer Tony Clarke.

A great strength with The Moody Blues, and possibly added to their longevity, was that they were very fair with money. Royalties were always split accordingly. If a band member came in with the merest hint of a song, it was always his. Another band member may have added three quarters of the final song but the credit always went to the one who came up with the stem of it in the first place.

Octave was the last album Tony Clarke would produce for The Moody Blues. He was extremely proud of it, and of everything, that had gone before. But this was the end of an era for the band. Tony still remained in close contact with the band members. The Moody Blues went on to create even more music and remained incredibly popular for decades to come as they set out on the next leg of their journey.

The Perfumed Garden and The Acme Patent Electric Band

 

The Perfumed Garden and The Acme Patent Electric Band.

by Pete Clemons

The recent discovery that a Coventry group, who supported Cream at the Lanch during 1966, had me wanting to learn more about that band who were known as The Perfumed Garden.

The Perfumed Garden was run by guitarist Malcolm Harker and existed between 1966 and around September 1967. The band, according to Malcolm, also contained Pete Wright on bird duplex organ, Des Kendrick on drums, bassist Tony Mather - A nice guy from Nuneaton on bass who looked like John McVie and harmonica player Tim James who was also the band's lead vocalist. Tim was a great singer and performer, remembers Malcolm Harker. We played early Cream (NSU) and Hendrix (Foxy Lady).

Because of a thread, I had noticed on Facebook, I enquired about bass player Tony Smith. As Malcolm recalls, Tony Smith played bass in an earlier band he had joined when he first came to Coventry back in 1965/1966. They may well have been an early version of The Perfumed Garden. But Rod Ingram was the singer and Bill Griffiths was the drummer. I think that might have been the band that Chas Cheetham played sax in. In fact I believe Chas Cheetham went on to play with Ainsley Dunbar. But that band played soul and Motown. I vaguely remember him but I don’t think I ever played with guitarist Rod Grant.

The Perfumed Garden, according to Tim James 'played everything from the Four Tops to Jimi Hendrix but with a spark of originality and free thinking that made me forget my own obsession with the blues and move onwards and upwards'.

Tim also recalled how he joined up with Perfumed Garden. 'Luckily, by lending an old junior schoolfriend, Des Kendrick, a Shure microphone and accompanying it on its night out I finished up jamming with, and being invited to join, a band called The Perfumed Garden. At last, it was great to play with people who enjoyed playing progressive music and weren't afraid to improvise and experiment. It was the music of the era, without any of the bullshit around at the time. But all too soon it was September 1967, Pete and the horn player (suggesting that Chas Cheetham had actually been a member of the band) were off to to university and the band had to fold'.

Tim continued 'In its place sprang up the Acme Patent Electric Band, a fine original band which was really in the wrong place at the wrong time'.

The Acme Patent Electric Band existed between 1967 and 1968. They were Tim James on vocals & harp, Dave Pennycook on guitar, Bob Jackson on bass, Pete Wright on Hammond Organ, Malc Harker on drums and Steve North on special effects.

More of Tim James memories: 'We played long heavy arrangements of everything from Dylan's 'Like a Rolling Stone' to the Supremes 'Ain't no Mountain High Enough', not to mention Jimmy Smith style instrumentals and all sorts of other things thrown in. We hired costumes, had lights, backdrop movies and all sorts of special effects. It was far too much for local audiences to swallow, and I remember at a gig in Sheffield being told by the audience to get out of the way so that they could see the movie (King Kong). We never managed to get high enough up the gig hierarchy to get proper recognition before the band folded to make way for Indian Summer. I now had the opportunity to regroup, learn to play saxophone, and try to fulfil my long term ambition of playing jazz. I took sax lessons and at last I received some formal musical education'.

Malcom Harker remembers that at Tim James funeral, he discovered that he’s been offered a record deal by Decca when he was still at Henry VIII school, but turned it down because there was no money in it and he’d have to sing Tony Hatch & Jackie Trent songs. Tim became an accountant and always reminded people that there was more money in counting the money than counting in the band!

.............

Addition information from the original Broadgate Gnome A to Z of Coventry bands.

The PERFUMED GARDEN
Circa 1966 - 1967 Source Broadgate Gnome. Soul band

Line up: Tim James (vocals, harmonica), Rod Grant (vocals, guitar), Pete Wright (organ), Malc Harker (guitar), Des Kendrick (drums). A later addition was Steve Milliner on keyboards.

' 6-piece Sax and Organ' said the ad in CET 1967

' very stylish soul band, featuring Hammond, Tenor and driving lead vocalist ', said Midland Beat in November 1966

Split September 1967.

ACME PATENT ELECTRIC BAND
circa 1967-1968 (Sources - Broadgate Gnome / Rex Brough / Tim James)


Psychedelic blues Tim James (vocals, harmonica), Dave Pennycook (guitar), Pete Wright (Hammond organ), Bob Jackson (bass), Malc Harker (drums). Had own light show with movies operated and Special Effects by Steve North.

Mick O'Rourke vocals & Paul Shanahan on Guitar

Malc Harker (bass) and Bob Jackson (Hammond / Vocs) formed Indian Summer.

Memories from Tim James (From Rex Brough Site)

"We played long heavy arrangements of everything from Dylan's Like a Rolling Stone to the Supremes' Ain't no Mountain High Enough, not to mention Jimmy Smith style instrumentals and all sorts of other things thrown in. We hired costumes, had lights, backdrop movies and all sorts of special effects. It was far too much for local audiences to swallow, and I remember at a gig in Sheffield being told by the audience to get out of the way so that they could see the movie (King Kong).We never managed to get high enough up the gig hierarchy to get proper recognition before the band folded to make way for Indian Summer."

"Acme Patent Electric Band, a fine original band which was really in the wrong place at the wrong time. After a short time Malc Harker and Bob Jackson left to form Indian Summer, a band aiming towards "class" heavy metal." From the Tim James site

Tim on Dave Pennycook -  "in the Acme Patent Electric Band in about 1968 he played a lovely old Stratocaster. Like many I knew at the time, he bought a Hammond L102 (for about 500 quid) and became an organist in later bands. Now, and for some considerable number of years, he has run the family business, Pennycook Jewellers, in Earlsdon Street, Coventry. An ace photographer"

Malcolm Harker (Ex Indian Summer) - Musical Adventures in Coventry and Teesside.

 Malcolm Harker (Ex Indian Summer) - Musical Adventures in Coventry and Teesside.

Interviewed by Pete Clemons.

Coventry progressive band Indian Summer in 1971 Coventry

L to R Colin Williams, Malc Harker, Paul Hooper, Bob Jackson.

Pete Clemons has a full article on Indian Summer on this site Here

Those in Coventry in the late 60's and early 70's may remember Malc Harker as the bass player of Coventry's top progressive band Indian Summer - who's first (and still highly rated) album appeared on the RCA Neon label. Those on Teesside may remember him as the head of the family firm Harkers Engineering based in Stockton on Tees and for his musical involvements in that area. Pete Clemons put a number of questions to Malcolm and this is his reply - 

One Thing at a Time: 

  

"Well, I left Kentucky back in '49 and got a job on a Detroit assembly line

The first year they had me putting wheels on Cadillacs"

But wait! - that’s Johnny’s story.

Mine involved a different car town, Coventry, and a different assembly line - Webster and

Bennett just off the Foleshill Rd - where I started a machine tool apprenticeship in ’65.

"The first year they had me putting oil pipes on turret slides."

I’d joined a band at boarding school - The Ghosts, who started with Shadows tunes, but then got caught up in Beatle mania. My first Cov. band was Willie’s Cult, but when Willie’s buddy Rod Godwin of The Mighty Avengers joined, I was out. Somehow or other I met a great singer, Tim James and organist, Pete Wright and we formed The Perfumed Garden. Pete’s friend Bob Jackson would come to gigs and sneak onto the organ between sets. We even managed to open for Cream at the Lanch.

The onset of psychedelia, plus the departure of Tim & Pete led to The Acme Patent Electric Band, with young Bob on bass. But one day I fell asleep at the wheel, wrote off the van, and the Patent expired.

Drumming for Imagination (who lacked it) followed, then playing bass for Ultra Sound (later “re branded” as Uncle Sam, who supported The Move, The Small Faces (on the way down) and Fleetwood mac (on the way way up).

Bob had formed Indian Summer by then, with Paul Hooper who lived just up the road from me

Roy Butterfield on the left.

in Earlsdon, where another local guitarist could be heard endlessly practicing Purple Haze in his flat on the High Street. Indian Summer’s first guitarist was the legendary Roy Butterfield, who had once swapped his Telecaster for my school wood-shop-made 12 string, before realizing his mistake. The next time I saw Roy he was rehearsing with Indian Summer, playing his own home-made guitar - with knife-edge frets protruding from the neck. But Roy was never one for the spotlight, so when Indian Summer started to get gigs and a following, he left for London and a brief gig with The Tom Robinson Band - until success intervened. (Tom will make another brief appearance later).

One of Roy Butterfield's composition with Tom Robinson

Then I hatched myself a plan, that would be the envy of any man....

Danny and the Heartthrobs was based on Zappa’s Reuben and the Jets, about an old-time rock & roll band who awake from hibernation unaware that it’s no longer the late ‘50’s. Danny was Paul, Ultra/Sam’s singing drummer. We had a real boogie piano player, Cliff Cowling, plus a brass section (including Tim James on lip-synch alto), bass, two drummers (me & the Other Guy) and a great blues guitarist who had just joined Indian Summer - Steve Cotterill. Steve was left-handed and temporarily between guitars, so I loaned him my right-handed Gibson 330. Steve re-strung it, put a sock in it to stop the feedback - and learned Bill Haley’s Rock Around The Clock guitar solo note-for-note. We only ever played 2 gigs - both at the Lanch. The first was the last in the upstairs refectory, as the audience cracked the foundation walls. The second was in the main hall, supporting Free, Yes and Mott the Hoople. We went on last - and on and on - until the plug was literally pulled. We also had a last-minute addition to the line-up: The Throbettes - Bob & Paul from Indian Summer in drag.

"Of course gettin’ caught meant gettin’ fired, but I figured I’d have it all before I retired..."

By the end of ‘69 I was ready for a different assembly line, back up north with the family engineering business on Teesside - the reason I’d been sent to Coventry to become an Engineer like three generations of Harkers before me. 

However.....

Indian Summer had a chance of a record deal, but they needed a new bass player to join their new guitarist, Colin Williams - the Earlsdon Purple Haze player. So I agreed to help out for a few months. To help pay the bills, I got a job on another assembly line, at Frazer Nash in Berkswell.

The first week they had me rebuilding water pumps.

When Jim Simpson said he’d got us a deal we didn’t know whether to accept it. So Bob suggested “let’s ask Ozzie”. Ozzie Osborne (for it was indeed him) has no doubt given all sorts of folks a wide variety of advice, but his warning for us was to the point and straight out of Peaky Blinders: “Don’t sign with Simpson. We did and got fuck all - but he gorra a new fridge” But we did sign with Jim - then the next day, we got a better offer from Chrysalis. But the die was cast and studio time booked to meet the launch date for RCA’s new Prog Rock label, Neon, so we all piled into the rented van and headed for Trident Studios in Soho. George Harrison had the studio booked during the day, so we got the night shift. There was no accommodation budget, so Bob, Paul & Colin slept in the van while I stayed with Margaret Diamond, an actress and former lodger at 54 Spencer Avenue, where I’d lived and met all sorts of theatrical and other fascinating folks over the previous 4 years.

There’s a blue plaque on the wall where Trident Studios was, listing all the stars who recorded there: various Beatles, Bowie, Elton John, Genesis, Black Sabbath - but Indian Summer is inexplicably missing.

There’s no plaque on 54 Spencer Ave, CV5 6NP, but it’s still next door to 52, where our landlady, Mrs Kohler, lived and looked after me and many others for so many years.

Finally it was time for the great grandson head home to Teesside and join Harker and Sons (Engineers) Ltd. But I took my guitars, Brum-built Laney amp. and love of music with me. My father Fred had built Harkers into a successful business while I was trying to avoid growing up - a far cry from the struggles of FT, Harry, Jack & my grandfather Hubert who started building steam engines in 1876. But running a business is never easy and I finally started to learn what hard work really was.

Music had to take a back seat - but it was still playing. Haywire was the first Teesside band I joined, playing acoustic folk-rock at venues such as “The Kirk” and The Lion Inn, Blakey Ridge (home of Back Door). One day I saw an advert “Cycle needs a bass player” - so I went along.

See their website here 

https://www.chisholm.nl/cycle/cycle.html

 There were only 2 applicants and neither of us knew of Cycle’s reputation, as I’d just returned to the area and the other guy had just got out of prison. My Prog Rock credentials (plus not being stoned) got me the job, provided I bought Ronnie’s Marshall bass amp as my weedy WEM wasn’t man enough - and wasn’t big enough to cover the hole in the van floor where the rain came in. Cycle were loud - very loud - and good too. Despite all the Newcastle Brown Ale consumed at the pit village working men's clubs we mostly played, we were always on time and in tune (so far as I can remember). The regular encore - Twist and Shout - sung by a couple of hundred drunken coal miners (and their daughters), was something to hear - even from the next village. One of the coal miner’s daughters was Barbara Cook, from Newbiggin, just north of Newcastle. Paul of Indian Summer and Barbara have now been together for over 20 years. My father retired in 1975 and I took over the business, leaving little or no time for regular gigs, so I had to leave Cycle. By then I’d built a recording studio in a barn adjoining our house, Chisel Hill Mill in the North Yorkshire Moors National Park, so music was still part of my life, as other bands came to record, including The Beautiful Losers (Melody Maker Band of the Year, 1975) and Chris Rea, who recorded a number of his early demos at Chisel Hill Mill (including Chisel Hill, from On the Beach). I still have the Roland Cube amp he sold me when he was broke.

The major business challenge in the ’60’s and 70’s was to find skilled machinists to do the work. In the 1980’s that changed to the lack of work as the local steel and heavy engineering industries shrank - as happened in Coventry with the car industry. Good fortune and more hard work helped Harkers Engineering managed to find new markets, including offshore oil, aerospace and exports. In 1987 Margaret Thatcher and Prince Charles visited Harkers (on separate occasions), we got a Queens Award for Exports and I got an MBE. Then, in 1990, my American wife Sarah and I got on our bikes and headed for the West Coast of America and Sarah’s home town of Seattle.

It turns out that you’ll meet folks from Teesside all over the world: Paul Rodgers of Free & Bad Company is from South Bank and now lives just over the border from us in Vancouver, Canada (I’ve never met Paul, but my good friend and demon drummer, the late lamented Norman Nosebait was in Paul’s first band, the Roadrunners); Dave Coverdale of Whitesnake lives in Reno, Nevada (I never met Dave either, but Nosebait was the drummer in Coverdale’s first band, Government); Chris Rea married a Stainsby (Middlesbrough) Girl and still lives in the England - but in bucolic Berkshire (I have met Chris - Nosebait was his drummer too!). The one thing these three local heroes have in common is the voice: a combination of soul and steel, just like their blues heroes from the south side of Chicago. Teesside and the South Side have another thing in common: they don’t make steel there anymore - just like they no longer build cars in Coventry, where Bob, Col and my Indian Summer successor Wes Pryce all worked on the assembly line.

The first year they had me putting wheels on Hillman Hunters.

Tom’s Encore:

Teesside Polytechnic was our local Lanch. equivalent and I was asked to join the Board of Governors. Having learned a bit about Harkers Engineering’s history, they realized that the credit largely belonged to my father, Fred, who had left school at 16, worked in India during the war, then finally created a business who’s success reflected the hard work involved. So they decided to award him an Honorary Degree of Master of Engineering. The award followed the annual graduation ceremony, with fellow honourees including Tom Robinson - local lad from Stokesley, pop star, broadcaster and gay rights campaigner. A splendid formal dinner followed in the evening, with after-dinner entertainment provide by Tom Robinson, MA. Tom of course saved his greatest hit for last and instructed all of the assembled guests and local nobility in our tuxedos to join in the chorus:

Sing if you're glad to be gay

Sing if you're happy that way

(Hey!) Sing if you're glad to be gay

Sing if you're happy that way

And we all did as instructed.

Just like Johnny said:

I built it one piece at a time and it didn’t cost me a dime

You’ll seem me when I come to your town,

Gonna ride around in style, gonna drive everybody wild,

‘cos it’ll be the only one there is around.

Malcolm Harker

Seattle, USA



March 2021

Malcolm adds 'Here’s what I’m re-building now: the former Sunderland Fireboat, 'The Fire King'. Harkers built the original steam engines. I had it shipped here from Teesside and have sailed it all the way from Seattle to Alaska and around the outside of Vancouver island'.

Editor's Notes: - 

To read more about Danny and the Heart-Throbs - read Pete Clemons article on their appearance as part of the Lanchester Poly Arts Festival in Coventry here 

Malc's mention of Tom Robinson is interesting - former Indian Summer guitarist Roy Butterfield also wrote or co-wrote for Tom's band - Right on Sister and Up Against the Wall, at least.

Some tracks from Indian Summer 1971 with Malc Harker on bass - 

From the Film of the Same Name (Instrumental)

Half Changed Again

Another Tree Will Grow

Below -  Tim James with his band Ra Ho Tep playing the ruins of Coventry Cathedral

Indian Summer signing the deal with Jim Simpson

Webster and Bennett where Malc Harker did his Coventry apprentice. 

Below Malc Harker In Stockton on Tees (with pics from the https://picturestocktonarchive.com/ ) 

Malc Harker on the left with his workforce.

Below - The Black Lion Blakey Ridge, North York Moors.

Below Chisel Hill Mill up at Chop Gate on the North Yorkshire Moors.

Chisel Hill by Chris Rea

Chris Rea wrote "We'd reached the point where we'd bought a house, I had a child, we were happy. We'd kept the wolf from the door and things were okay. I was in this place called Chisel Hill, which is in the Yorkshire Dales near a place called Whitby, and I remember being happy that day and wrote that song all in one quick go, like you do sometimes. And now when I listen to the lyrics it can be very, very emotional because we all get caught up in life and yet, whoever wrote that song back then, he must have been a really happy guy. Yeah, that song gets me."