Bill Haley in Coventry 1974

 Bill Haley in Coventry 1974

by Pete Clemons

When Coventry folk think about Bill Haley, I suspect that, a lot of their thoughts go back to February 1957. It was then that, what seemed like, the entire population of the city attended. If not then they were in the enormous crowd that gathered outside the Gaumont theatre or were with those who filed into Broadgate to get a glimpse of Bill on the Leofric Hotel balcony during his visit to the UK.

But Bill Haley's success did not last. He didn't carry the youthfulness of, for example, Elvis Presley. Or the same charisma. And towards the end of the 1950s the hits had dried up for Bill. And as his popularity in America waned he did make several more visits to the UK, the last of those being in 1974.

During his UK tour of 1974 Bill Haley and the Comets performed several times in the area. And those gigs included visits to the Lanch, Chrysler Social Club and Bedworth Civic Hall where he had Shakin' Stevens and the Sunsets in support.

The Comets on that trip to the UK were Nick Nastos on lead guitar, Rudy Pompilli on tenor sax, Ray Parsons rhythm guitar and Freddie Moore on drums. Strangely the stage gear included orange hi-vis jackets and black trousers. Bill Haley wore a white jacket.

Incidentally, Rudy Pompilli passed away soon after this 1974 tour with lung cancer. Although not a smoker himself it is thought that Rudy contracted the disease through secondary smoking. Smoking had been common place in theatres, and other public spaces, for years.

When the band took to the stage the 'teds' shot to the front of the dance floor to be as close as they could to their idol. As for Bill well he looked just as he had done almost 20 years previously. Despite several musical revolutions during that time he looked relatively unscathed.

The old hits rolled and the youthful Comets rocked in authentic style. 'Shake, Rattle and Roll', 'Razzle Dazzle', 'See You Later Alligator', 'The Saints Rock and Roll', 'Rip it Up', 'Johnny Be Goode', 'Hail Hail Rock and Roll' and his anthem 'Rock Around the Clock' were all there. The latter, however, sounding a little jaded and like a worn out 45. In fact the whole event felt like that worn out cardigan that your Dad really loves and refuses to wear anything else – worn out but familiar.

By the end of it all though the sweat was pouring. Despite that Bill and the boys returned to the stage for an encore of 'Rock This Joint'. Bill Haley had come to terms with these twilight years admirably and was still playing rock and roll the way it used to be. It was still there for anyone that would listen.