The Mosquitos are Back (Coventry RnB band)

Pete Clemons looks at the return of Coventry RnB band The Mosquitos in the Coventry Telegraph.

Featuring  Nick Robotham, Steve Wallwyn, Steve Aaron, Horace Panter, and Rick Medlock

Check them out on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Mosquitos/200217360021397

Mosquitos are back buzzing!

By Pete Clemons

Rhythm and Blues, often abbrieviated to R&B or RnB, is a genre of popular music that originated in the early part of the last century. Over the years the term has had a number of shifts in meaning. One of those shifts, British rhythm and blues, was developed in the early - 1960s having been influenced heavily by its American counterparts. Successful early British bands which fell into that genre included the likes of e Rolling Stones, e Animals and e Yardbirds who, along with their own compositions, also covered songs by Chuck Berry, Bobby and Shirley Womack and many others.

Successful early British bands which fell into that genre included the likes of the Rolling Stones, thee Animals and the Yardbirds who, along with their own compositions, also covered songs by Chuck Berry, Bobby and Shirley Womack and the British Mod culture that sprang up during the mid 1960s was musically centred on rhythm and blues. The British R&B bands produced music which was very different from its roots with the emphasis on guitars and, arguably, played with a greater energy.

Many of those 1960s bands, toward the end of that decade, shifted style and created what became known as psychedelic, progressive and hard rock. But whatever music they produced those rhythm and blues structures and infuences would still be a major component within that sound. A Warwickshire based band currently doing the rounds and whose set list and performance is loyal to those heady days of the 1960s and 1970s are the Mosquitos. 

The Mosquitos are also unique for several reasons. Firstly they are a seasonal band. Due to geographical reasons they do not begin touring until around May and continue gigging through to July. Another reason for their uniqueness is that the band is pooled from a group of musicians as opposed to having one permanently fixed line-up. Finally, no band member has ever quit the Mosquitos.

The idea for the band came from vocalist and harmonica player Nick Rowbotham back in 1978. The original concept, which still works today, was to use musicians from differing musical backgrounds and experiences to work with him to perform original material and classic R 'n' B tunes. And, based around Nick, a selection of musicians would be put together based on who was available at the time.

Initially the Mosquitos, who were Leamington Spa based, was made up of Nick and his long time friend and bass player Keith Hancock together with guitarist Steve Walwyn, and drummer Andy Bentley. After a couple of years the band was expanded and included guitarist Steve Aaron and bass player Horace Panter. In fact during 1981, when the Specials single Ghost Town was at number one in the singles chart, Horace famously celebrated by performing with the Mosquitos at the Green Dragon In Stratford-Upon-Avon.

The Mosquitos recorded and released a single during 1982 that contained original songs 'Something out of Nothing' as the A side and 'How Could they Know' on the flip side. It was released on the Discovery Label who was also based in Leamington Spa. However, due to some of the band members having other commitments, the single was never properly promoted.

However the track 'Something out of Nothing' was not lost forever. Lee Brilleaux, the enigmatic leader of Dr Feelgood, got to hear the song and was well impressed. So much so that he used it on the B side of e Feelgood's 1983 single 'Crazy About Girls' released on the Chiswick label.

It was at this point that it became clear that the band needed to have an even more liquid membership. So the Mosquitos 'family' was extended further. is resulted in drummer Rick Medlock, fiddle player Martin Bell and guitarist Phil McWalter all being drafted in. The Mosquitos would continue to play many gigs in pubs, clubs and universities and built a loyal following.

Due to the liquidity of the band the various individuals who made up the group were more involved in other projects. As such the musicians were spending less and less time to devoted to the Mosquitos. And by 1985, with all the band members doing other things, the group simply faded out. Despite this the band members remained great friends and even during their hiatus, they still found the time to perform the very occasional Mosquitos gig.

Wind forward more than twenty years and, during 2007, Rick Medlock quite by chance met up with Nick Rowbotham. Rick had long since retired as a musician but, within months of this meeting, he had regained his old 'mojo' and was back behind a drum kit again. After several short stints with other bands Rick became the prime mover in motivating and re-energising the Mosquitos into action again by pulling together this liquid line-up.

The Mosquitos began gigging again in 2011. And, every year since, the call goes out to see who is available. Their first year back saw the band perform a handful of gigs over the course of a month. e following year saw them gigging for two months. And now, in 2014, it's certainly three months, and possibly four months worth of work, as the gigs continue to pour in.

Once again the Mosquitos are generating a tremendous amount of interest. And this is re ected by way of the spread of gigs across the region. And behind the scenes drummer Rick Medlock works hard to secure the gigs and maintain the website. The band are certainly beginning to regain their fan base again as word spreads and each gig seems to bring with it a growing and appreciative audience.

Largely the 'squad' gigging today, with the exception of a few notable additions, is much the same as it was thirty years ago. e additional musicians are guitarist Baz Eardley, bass player Chris Wright and guitarist Pete Gardner. And each of these musicians bring with them an outstanding pedigree. Dust My Broom, Bullfrog Blues, I'd Rather Go Blind, Walking Blues, Killing Floor, Shakin' All Over are just a selection of the band's songs which get covered. But their repertoire is quite extensive and, as such, no two gigs are the same.

These guys are no spring chickens. Yet despite their advancing ages The Mosquitos still play with passion and enthusiasm. They may be playing for fun but make no mistake about how serious they take their craft. Pride in what they deliver would not have it any other way.

The 2014 season is now over. Let's hope the 2015 season continues where the last one ended for the band. In their own words, next time you see an advert for a gig near you, then come and join the malarky that is e Mosquitos!

Reg Calvert - A Rock n Roll Rollercoaster

Another Pete Clemons special from the Coventry Telegraph. Pete takes a look at a new biographical trilogy of the life of  Pop Music impresario Reg Calvert.

A rock 'n' rollercoaster life for Reg.

By Pete Clemons.

IN his short life Reg Calvert completed his national service, he was a hairdresser, he ran a sweet shop, he worked on fairgrounds selling popcorn. By night he would play the piano in clubs, to try to make extra money to make ends meet. He was also a compere for the big bands.

Reg never appeared to settle. Life was just one huge adventure. It was packed with highs and lows. ese include when, for example, he struggled to find employment and for three years lived in a caravan in an apple orchard. But then he took out a mortgage to finance the purchase of Clifton Hall near Rugby. Using a more up to date expression, he lived life on the edge.

And then one day, during the mid-1950s, he heard 'Rock Around the Clock' by Bill Haley and the Comets. This became a defining moment in Reg's life. His attentions shifted and he began his next great adventure and that was to bring rock 'n' roll to England. This dream culminated when his life was cut tragically and unfairly short.

Whenever I read about Reg Calvert I get the impression that this music impresario simply wanted to live the dream. Not only that but it seemed as though he wanted to share that philosophy with everyone and join him in living life to the full.

And now Reg Calvert's amazing, yet incredibly short, life is being serialised in a trilogy of books. Book one, released during May 2014, is entitled 'Popcorn to Rock 'n' Roll' and covers the period from 1946, the year he married, through to 1960. Book two, it is hoped, will see day of light during winter 2014/15 and will cover the Clifton Hall period which was also known as the school of rock and where Reg nurtured his dance hall acts. Book three is scheduled for the summer of 2015 and is titled 'Life and Death of a Pirate.' . is will cover the days when Reg became involved in pirate radio and which led to his demise during June 1966.

The books are being written by Reg's daughter Susan Moore (nee Calvert) and here she is laying it all out through her eyes and her memories. The first book has been described as 'an exciting story that follows social change and music trends in the early days of rock 'n' roll, giving a humorous and poignant account of life and events 1946-1960.

I recently came across an old newspaper cutting from 1962. This was when Reg Calvert's dances, or Teen Beat shows, were just taking o at the Co-op Hall in Nuneaton. I have reproduced it below.

'It's a far cry from making popcorn at a seaside factory to promoting one of the biggest 'beat' shows in the Midlands - one that stretches to the south coast, and as far north as Manchester.

Yet that is what Mr Reg Calvert has done with his 'Teen Beat' shows, one of which is a regular and popular Friday night feature at the Co-op Hall, Nuneaton.

At the moment Mr Calvert has three young men who have a future in show business - with records. He is soundly off financially, and he moves not only up and down the country, but on the continent.

But at one point Mr Calvert wondered where the next meal was coming from. After promoting his own little shows in a Yorkshire village near Huddersfield, and then to booking bigger bands for his shows, he had to go into the army. 

He was confined to barracks for 21 days for running dances outside the camp. Then he married his wife Dorothy. She ran these outside dances until he was demobilised.

After this he opened a recording studio in Darlington. It wasn't a success. He lost all money he had saved in the army. There seemed little hope. So he went to Southampton, with no capital, and nothing but hopefulness. He started making popcorn.

Things turned out brighter. He soon opened two retail shops, and gained enough capital to start promoting shows again, in the Bannister Ballroom in Southampton.

Over the years the public taste in music altered. The Lonnie Donegan style of skiffle really came into its own, and Bill Haley and his Comets arrived.

So Mr Calvert also changed. He started promoting rock 'n' roll shows. But he came up against a difficulty. The best groups were not able to be found in Southampton. And he decided to find somewhere in the Midlands to take his road shows. 

He found Clifton Hall, near Rugby, which was just right for what he wanted. It was big enough to house three top groups - Danny Storm and the Strollers, Buddy Britten and the Regents and Robbie Hood and his Merry Men - and it was central enough for his shows.

He promotes these shows at Nuneaton, Weymouth, Andover, Banbury, Cheltenham, Worcester, Evesham, Kidderminster, Burton, Atherstone, Southampton and Rugby. A formidable list for a man who once found it hard to make ends meet. Clifton Hall - the large house that has been termed the 'school' for pop singing - conjures up a picture of young singers making new records and practising all day for the shows to come. And that is just what it is. Mr Calvert, who is electrician, manager and promoter, all rolled into one, has made Clifton Hall the focal point for all his shows.

It is here, with its spacious gardens, recording rooms, billiard room, football pitch and luxurious lounge that Mr Calvert gets his singers to work to make the shows he puts on as perfect as possible.

One song has to be sung over and over again. If the vocal is correct the backing is edited, so that both are in tune. It may take minutes but more often than not it is a matter of hours before a record is ready to be put on the market.

And these boys have a strict disciplinarian in Reg Calvert. His rules: No alcohol, No girls.

But they also have plenty of freedom. There is no set time for bed. If someone wants to play drums or sing in the middle of the night he is entitled to. There is no irate neighbour to come knocking on the door complaining. As Mr Calvert says 'We are a world unto ourselves.'' ' 

After the Clifton Hall period Reg moved into, and was in fact a pioneer of off-shore broadcasting or pirate radio as it was more commonly known as during the mid-1960s. We have recently seen the release of a comedy entitled 'The Boat that Rocked'. The film was set in 1966 and told the fictitious story about the radio rock pirate radio station and its crew of eclectic disc jockeys who broadcast rock and pop music from a ship anchored in the North Sea while the British government tried to have it shut down.

If the film makers are looking for a sequel then they need look no further than the life and times of Reg Calvert. is would enable them to create a movie of the actual true life events that surround the whole pirate radio scene.

Here is a direct link to another article by Pete Clemons on Reg Calvert on this blog.

http://coventrygigs.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/reg-calvert-and-johnny-washington.html

http://www.amazon.co.uk/POPCORN-ROLL-Trilogy-Death-Pirate/dp/095151167X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1409679176&sr=8-1&keywords=S.K.+Moore

Bob Tempest and the Buccaneers

Once again, the latest article by Pete Clemons for Coventry Telegraph taking us back to the early 60's with Bob Tempest and the Buccaneers ...

Also see the post about Bob Tempest and the Buccaneers on the Hobo  A to Z of Coventry Bands

Roye Albrighton - Interview on his Coventry Days

Roye Albrighton of  Nektar and other bands like Rainbow and the Peeps got in touch with his site and and I passed him along to Pete Clemons who interviewed him on his early Coventry days. Roye has lived and played live music in Germany with Nektar since 1969 but played in a number of Coventry bands during the 60's. This article appeared in the Coventry Telegraph recently.

Roye's Golden Nektar Days Revisited.

by Pete Clemons

IT is always pleasing to get feedback on the articles I write. And it is even more special to nd out that the artist you have written about has actually read the article you have written about them.

So imagine the surprise I had when Coventry born Roye Albrighton of Nektar got in touch via Trevor Teasdel at his excellent Coventry Music Blogspot website.

It turned out that Roye had seen my article about his musical past. And, not only that, but Roye was agreeable to answer a few questions that covered his earliest musical memories in Coventry along with some which touched on his own future plans.

My original article barely touched on Roye's formative days in Coventry so I thought it would be great to redress the balance and for our conversation to see day of light by way of a freshly updated article.

And so here is that conversation in full...

PC: You grew up in the Little Heath / Bell Green area of Coventry. Were they happy memories? RA: They were very happy memories, especially just after I left school and started out on my musical adventure.

PC: When you think back and reminisce is there anything about Coventry that still makes you smile and that maybe you still miss? RA: Because I left Coventry not long after I was able to get a passport, I used to go from pub to pub wherever live music was playing, I have fond memories of that time when you could literally go from one gig to another and just get up and jam with whoever was playing.

PC: What other early Coventry memories do you have, such as youth clubs, and where in town did you go to buying your records that kind of thing? RA: I was never really one for going to youth clubs, but used to hang out wherever music was involved be it at pubs/clubs or music shops. ere were two main music shops in Coventry at that time with similar names, Cranes and Paynes, Paynes were great because they would let you take a guitar down and try it out.

PC: The Peeps were formed in 1965. Who approached you about joining the band? Are you able to recall your first gig with them? RA: I think our first gig was in Hamburg at the top ten club but I can't be sure. Martin Cure came around to my house one day and told me that Steve Jones their guitarist was leaving and asked if I would step in..Of course I said yes Martin is one of the nicest guys you ever want to meet.

PC: I am sure you were, but could you conrm, if you were involved in the recording of the singles made by e Peeps.

RA: I believe "I can make the rain fall up" was one of them PC: Did you have a favourite Coventry venue where you enjoyed playing at the most? RA: The Navigation inn and the Heath hotels back room which we always called Dantes inferno. PC: Next group up were e Rainbows. How did that band get up and running? RA: Rainbows were the Peeps reincarnate, Terry Howells came on the keyboards and Gordon Reed was on drums. Graham Amos was on the bass. We got involved with Ashley Kozak who was previously Donovan's manager and recorded our first track which was "Rainbows". It was music away from the normal verse chorus of the day and was probably the beginning of what would later be known as progressive rock.

PC: Of course you were with Rainbows when you went to Germany and first met up with the guys who would become Nektar? RA: at's right, we were doing a stint as the house band in the Top ten club in Hamburg and during the day while the clubs were being cleaned I passed the Star club and heard a drummer practising. is was Ron Howden from the band Prophecy. He and I decided to spend the next few days together playing and when it was time for Rainbows to return to the UK I told Ron that if they ever needed a guitarist they should call me. A while later I got a telegram from the bass player asking if I want to join them in Hamburg. at was November 5th 1969. 

PC: With the Peeps I am guessing the music style was described as 'beat.' .' With Rainbows it got a little more ambitious. roughout those years in the 60's can you describe your own music ambitions? I think what I am trying to get to here is when did you begin to realise that you could create music that was even more ambitious and even more stretching than the normal three minute song. When did you get that spark? Each album created by Nektar is a journey rather than an album of songs. 

RA: When the Peeps were together we played a lot of Motown material and some lightweight soul music. When we changed to Rainbows we sat down and really thought about what we could really do that would be dierent. Of course we wanted to stay in the rock vein but were unhappy to continue to play standard material, something new was needed.

We came up with a few ideas that were touching on commercial but not too much but at the same time able to venture into other parts, a little like the classics would do. is for me would be the start of my own personal song writing career which would expand even more when I joined Ron Howden to form Nektar.

PC: Nektar of course are well documented around the world. I could really go o on one right now and gush over some of those albums you created with them. But I don't want to do that, only to say that after all these years those albums still make the hair on my back stand.

RA: It was a very special time with Nektar, we were very productive in the space of a few years, it was a kind of relief to be able to play and create music as we want, we were lucky in the fact that our then record company gave us the freedom to do this. Ninety nine percent of all other record companies were afraid to take on our first album "journey to the centre of the eye" because they said it was too far out, I guess in 1970 it was. 

PC: But Nektar today - Time Machine and Spoonful of Time are getting some tremendous reviews. You have just completed a European tour and you are due to visit the U.S... Clearly, the creativity and the passion are still there. What are your future plans and projects? RA: I want to carry on writing and performing as long as I possibly can, as for future projects, I would like to revisit "Journey" with a 20-piece orchestra at some later date, but until then, more music is in the pipeline. Lastly, I would love to play my home town again but I'm sure nobody knows who Nektar and Roye Albrighton are. Fingers crossed.

And there you have it although I am not sure that last statement is strictly true. I accept that times change and musical tastes move on but today's music listener is not afraid to travel back in time to listen to some of those classic rock acts of the past as well as embrace what is current.

For me though the music is just too good to ignore and although I would personally recommend that you listen to and totally absorb yourself in a Nektar album from beginning to end, given today's listening habits, you can treat yourself to selected tracks.

If that is your preferred option then give songs such as 'Wings' 'New Day Dawning' and 'Do You Believe in Magic' a spin. They are truly astonishing and they really do stand the test of time. 

Treat yourself and hopefully you will gain a better understanding of why Nektar were so successful worldwide and why the band are still welcomed in and able to tour many parts of the globe.

Thanks to Lesley Evans for the use of the photos which were taken on April 2 at a Steve Walwyn and Friends evening at e Zephyr in Leamington.

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Horace Panter - Artist, Author, Musician

For Pete Clemons latest article for the Coventry Telegraph, he turns his attention to some of the other artistic works of Horace Panter of the The Specials.

Horace's art is very art is very Special!

by Pete Clemons

YOU may well recognise the name Horace Panter as being the bass player of Coventry band e Specials. But how about Horace Panter the artist, or Horace Panter the author? Horace continues to be a member of that iconic band who reached No.1 in the UK charts with 'Ghost Town' back in 1981 but nowadays his creativity is being applied to dif-dif ferent mediums, those of art and writing. He is equally at home wearing painting overalls in his studio or donning his writing cap as he is wearing a tonic suit on stage.

It has been well documented that Horace graduated from the Lanchester Polytechnic (now Coventry University) with a degree in Fine Art and that it was while he was there that he met Jerry Dammers; the rest is history! However, it is only when you find yourself, as I did recently, in conversation with him at the Coventry Music Museum, that you gain some in depth knowledge of what he is like as a person and what makes him tick.

For example, during his many tours with e Specials over the years, Horace built up a substantial collection of art and art books from around the world. He says he has always spent his free time on tour visiting local galleries and museums in those towns and cities where the band was playing. Because of this, he has been able to see some of his favourite works of art up close: Jasper Johns, Joseph Cornell, James Rosenquist, Kenneth Noland, Peter Blake, Robyn Denny and Francis Bacon are examples. 

The concept behind Horace's art is contemporary iconography, with subjects ranging from the classic 1950s fictional robot to the supersize studio demo cassette. He says though that it is all Pop Art. One of the common denominators in his work seems to be the link to his own experiences relating to places he has been or people he has met.

My own preference is for his music-related art: e Clash, e Specials, Amy Winehouse, e Ramones. In written and spoken comments about Horace's art, I often come across the name of Sir Peter Blake as a comparison, perhaps because they both use bright colours and similar subject matter. Horace has even done an homage to Peter Blake with his 'Elvis with Badges' painting which is based on Peter Blake's 'Self Portrait.'.

* However, I am far from being an expert in thiseld so could not possibly begin to compare the two. I do know what I like though and I think some of his collages and portraits in the musical genre are wonderful. I love the vibrancy of the colours and the fact that he seems to capture the essence of his subject. 

I own one of his 'cassette' paintings. ere is a complete series of these; a simple idea superbly executed which includes (to date): e Specials, Madness, Nirvana, John Peel, the Undertones, the Jam, the Clash, Bowie and Chic. Nile Rodgers actually has the Chic 'Good Times' supersize cassette framed in his studio in the USA. He has also done a small series of giant paintings of Sony Walkmans to accompany the cassettes!

As well as the painting itself, Horace is currently putting the finishing touches to a book to be published this year about his art. is is after the fact that he wrote his musical biography 'Ska'd for Life' (published in 2007) in which describes the formative years of e Specials, his early musical experiences and the rise and fall of the band.

Following the initial demise of e Specials, he spent ten years as an art teacher prior to the band reforming in 2008. e book is written from his own perspective, in a light-hearted way and without any hint of pretentiousness; this is not the kind of book that dishes the dirt. Horace's passion and dedication for performance is very evident but there is nothing disrespectful towards the other band members. It is refreshing to read this honest first-hand account and out of my collection of music-related books it is certainly one of my favourites. 

The overriding message of the book, in my opinion, is that you may have ambitions to make it big in the music business and you may have the talent to get there but this doesn't mean it'll be a bed of roses if and when you do! Sadly, it seems that the success got in the way of just enjoying the creative process and the journey to get there. To sum it up - the chase is better than the catch!

Being the bassist in e Specials doesn't prevent him from playing locally in the blues band 'Blues 2 Go': Alio Maynard on vocals, Pete Gardner on guitar and Russell Munns on drums. ey are to be found most weekends playing in and around Coventry, with regular appearances at e Broomeld Tavern, Whitefriars Olde Ale House and e Albany Club - all the gigs are free entry.

Formed ten years ago, 'Blues 2 Go',' are recognised as being more than just a band that has a 'Special' in the ranks. eir set will typically include the music of Cream, Gary Moore, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Jimi Hendrix. And, listening to them live, you quickly realise that their delivery of such classic and respected music is quite exceptional.

And if that wasn't enough Horace will be bringing his new venture, the 'Uptown Ska Collective',' to the Godiva Festival on Sunday, July 6. By all accounts the USC are a nine-piece band that includes a brass section, which will perform Horace's favourite music in a ska/reggae style.

Horace's art can be seen on his website: http://www.horacepanterart.com but to see it up close you could visit either e White Room Gallery in Leamington: http://www.thewhiteroomgallery.com or at Reuben Colley Fine Arts in Birmingham: http://www.reubencolleynearts.co.uk. He exhibits in galleries throughout the UK and this summer is exhibiting in Singapore at 'Best of British' (an event showcasing the best of British art and design) and at Icon Gallery.

Tanks to Clare Milne for her invaluable assistance in the production of this article.

Horace Panter's website http://www.horacepanterart.com/

Horace and Blues to Go

Kevin Harrison Real Life with Horace Panter and Neol Davies and Lynda Harrison

The Buzzcocks in Coventry

Pete Clemons with his latest article for the Coventry Telegraph. They recently played the Godiva Festival and back in the 70's they played Mr Georges with Neil O'Connor's punk band - The Flys who continued to tour with them after that. I saw the Buzzcocks gig at Tiffany's with Penetration c 1978.

The punk band The punk band that still gets that still gets me buzzing!

by Pete Clemons

I WAS personally delighted when I heard that the Buzzcocks were going to headline the Friday evening of the Godiva Festival 2014. Having seen them play live on many occasions I do admit that they really are a guilty pleasure of mine.

This band is one of the UK's most popular and successful groups to have emerged from the punk rock era. For well over thirty years they have produced a host of studio and live albums. And, today, they continue to influence many a young, up and coming band.

The idea for e Buzzcocks came about during early 1976 and had been inspired by an early Sex Pistols gig attended by Bolton based students Peter McNeish and Howard Trafford.

Guitarist McNeish became known as Pete Shelley while vocalist Trafford became known as Howard Devoto. To complete the band they were joined by bass player Steve Diggle and drummer Mick Singleton on drums. By April 1976 and after a few gigs Singleton had been replaced by self taught drummer John Maher.

By mid1976 the band were touring with the band that had inspired them, namely e Sex Pistols, as well as touring with e Clash on the infamous 'White Riot' tour. And then toward the end of that year they had entered recording studios in Stock-Stock port to record a number of tracks, of which four would end up on their first record release 'Spiral Scratch.'.

Released during January 1977 on the band's own New Hormones record label, 'Spiral Scratch' became an almost instant cult classic and, due its limited production run, the record soon became a much sought after release. The Buzzcocks had created a fast, fresh sound and the pop world had not heard anything quite like it. is was a true musical revolution in the making. 

By February 1977 Devoto had left the group and the band had to reshue. John Maher remained on drums, Steve Diggle shifted to guitar, Pete Shelley took over vocal duties as well as retaining his guitar parts and the band recruited bass player Garth Smith who had known Shelley from a previous band.

Howard, Devoto returned to college but would resurface a year or so later with a new group called Magazine. A totally different story but Magazine went on to become a quite superb band in their own right.

By mid-1977 the Buzzcocks were attracting the attention of major record labels. And it was this latest line-up of the band that played Coventry's Mr Georges Club during October 1977. is gig became significant for two reasons. One was the fact that this gig would be Garth's last for the band and the other was that the Buzzcocks had been supported by Coventry band the Flys.

Described by guitarist Neil O'Connor as one of the best ever gigs by the Flys, the band were invited to stay on as the opening act for the Buzzcocks for the remainder of that tour and at the same time attracted the attentions of EMI records.

Shortly after that Coventry gig the Buzzcocks, who by then had been signed to the United Artists record label, released their first single for that label. 'Orgasm Addict' was the only single to feature Garth Smith who, by the time the record was released, had been replaced by bass player Steve Garvey. 

The Buzzcocks were now recording sessions for John Peel and becoming more and more noticed by the wider public. Their next single 'What Do I Get?', released during February 1978, was their rst to reach the UK top 40 charts. ' was followed in March by their wonderful debut album 'Another Music in a Different Kitchen'.

A further three visits were made to Coventry by the Buzzcocks during 1978. A couple of those gigs were at Tiffany's, of which one I recall was where they were supported by another amazing band called 'Penetration'. The third visit was at the Coventry Theatre to promote their second, and equally brilliant, LP release 'Love Bites.'.

* Arguably the band had their finest hour when the single 'Ever Fallen in Love (With Someone You Shouldn't've)' was released during September 1978. For me personally it was just another great single by the band. But its longevity cannot be denied as, even nowadays, the song seems to crop up with regularity on the radio and television as well as being instantly recognised by the masses. 

After several more singles, a further visit to Coventry eatre during 1979 and a third LP titled 'A Different Kind of Tension' released the same year the Shelley, Diggle, Garvey and Maher line up continued right the way through till when the Buzzcocks eventually broke up to pursue solo careers during 1981.

However that 'classic' line-up then, seemingly out of the blue, regrouped once more during 1989 for a US tour that included an appearance on the TV series 'Bedrock.' .' Many bands were featured on this lucrative TV show but only on the condition that it was the most recognised line-up of the group which would perform. And, apart from a brief stint by ex-the Smiths drummer Mike Joyce, the band remained together again until 1992.

During 1992 Tony Barber joined on bass and Phil Barker on drums, replacing Garvey and Maher, and it was this line-up that embarked on a tour with Nirvana and again with Pearl Jam during 2003. An album titled 'Trade Test Transmissions' was released the same year. is had been e Buzzcocks rst release in 14 years.

To date the nucleus of the Buzzcocks has always remained as Shelley and Diggle. During April 2006, Phil Barker left and was replaced by Danny Farrant. And in April 2008, Tony Barber left and was replaced by Chris Remmington.

During January 2009 the Buzzcocks embarked on a UK, European and American tour which they titled the 'Another Bites Tour' where they played their first two albums in full as well as completing the gig with an encore of their other hit singles. Support came from another 70s punk band the Lurkers' and the tour called in at the Leamington Assembly.

Another out of the blue moment happened during November 2011 when a couple of shows featuring Howard Devoto, John Maher, and Steve Garvey were announced. Both the reunited line-up, plus the current line-up took to the stage for two very special shows held at the Manchester Apollo and the Brixton Academy. 

The Buzzcocks have an incredible legacy and over the years many bands have cited the band as a major influence. And many, I think, do indeed owe this unique group a debt of gratitude. I am sure that the Godiva Festival will remember them for a time and will be left with some nostalgia for an age yet to come. 

Penetration who supported the Buzzcocks at Tiffanys in Coventry 1978

Neil O'Connor's The Flys who supported the Buzzcocks at Mr Georges and subsequently toured with them.

Neil was Hazel's older brother for those who may not know.

Nick Drake - Pete Clemons Asks "did he play in Coventry?"

Pete Clemons has posed a question for his latest article for the Coventry Telegraph. "Did Nick Drake play a gig in Coventry?". There are things that hang on that but Pete will explain in the article.

Did city gig make Nick Drake stage shy?

by Pete Clemons

A MUSICAL question I have had, for a while now, and tried to find a definitive answer to, is one surrounding Nick Drake. It is whether or not he ever played a gig in Coventry, which would solve a riddle about one of my all time favourite ever singer songwriters.

Nick Drake was born in June 1948 and died on November 25, 1974. He grew up in Tanworth in Arden, Warwickshire, was educated at Cambridge University where he was an accomplished sprinter (I believe he still holds the university record for the 100-yard dash) and it was there where he discovered the English folk scene.

His love of folk music led to him signing to Island records in 1969 where he recorded three almost perfect albums. Sadly the wider audience at that time, and for whatever reason, failed to notice Nick and his albums barely sold 5,000 copies each after their release.

No footage, as far as I know, exists of Nick and relatively few photographs were taken or interviews conducted. 'is lack of all round success led, in turn, to bouts of depression and insomnia that in the end had a major bearing on him losing his life at such a young age.

Since his death, and in particular from the beginning of the 1990s, Nick's popularity increased dramatically. It is said that his music has been an influence on such luminaries as Paul Weller, Pete Buck of REM and Robert Smith of the Cure. And those influences spread to the artists' extensive individual fan bases, and beyond, and suddenly it seemed the true genius of Nick Drake had begun to be realised. As a result several posthumous albums and compilations have been released along with various books and articles.

Apart from busking around France and parts of the UK in his early days Nick Drake only ever played a handful of official live performances. Depending on what website or list you look at the total number of recorded events Nick Drake participated at has never gone beyond 20 or so gig dates. And among those confirmed, no date has ever been given for a gig in Coventry.

The websites containing his gigging activity show that he once played a gig in Smethwick. The exact date is unknown but indications show that it was sometime during autumn 1969 at a venue for the Guest, Keen and Nettlefolds works social club. Guest, Keen and Nettlefolds were more commonly known as GKN a company who, at that time, produced cast iron products.

On that particular evening in question Nick performed to an inattentive crowd between a works dinner and a disco that was scheduled for later in the evening. One of Nick's closest friends was singer songwriter John Martyn. So close were they that John had written one of his most famous songs, 'Solid Air',' especially about Nick. 'I know I love you, and I can be your friend, I can follow you anywhere' is a line from that particular song.

John, it seems, remembered the works dinner event well. And some years later, during an interview on Radio 1, John reflected on that particular experience: "It really destroyed him' and that he thought that they (the audience) would have rather listened to the Troggs. So I think that was a major blow to his confidence. I remember him being defencive about it for days and days."

I then read a Nick Drake biography by the well respected author Patrick Humphries. I was completely astonished to read on pages 124 and 125 of the paperback that Patrick had written the following passages which related to gigs played by Nick during late 1969. It was based on more recollections made by John Martyn: "He primarily played for his own amusement. One of the things that contributed to his utter detestation of the whole thing was that he was once booked to play at a Coventry Apprentices Christmas Ball. In those days, Purple Haze was 'in', and there he was singing 'Fruit Tree' and all those gentle breezy little ballads and I can just imagine them swigging back Carlsberg Special and giving him an awful time. I know that gig lived in his mind and he'd talk about it quite regularly." 

" Another source, an unconfirmed eye witness account of the gig, states that: "Nick came on at about 9pm. They were still clearing away the tables and chairs from an earlier dinner. Without a word he proceeded to play and an audience of 10 to 15 people who had stayed and gathered in front of the stage. the rest of the people in the hall continued to arrange chairs, clean up after the meal or just chat. After five or six numbers he just packed his guitar in its case and walked of stage." 

Facts and other things can easily be forgotten over the passage of time. But John Martyn would surely have known if he had been in Coventry or not. Particularly as John's partner at that time was Beverley Kutner who happened to live in Coventry. John Martyn knew Coventry fairly well at that time.

Another factor is that Patrick Humphries is a great writer and I just could not imagine him publishing something without the full facts being fully researched and checked.

Seeing those passages in Patrick's book was all I needed to start my search for evidence and after some considerable time I came across an advert for an Alvis Apprentice Christmas Dance at their Sports and Social Club on the Holyhead Road (nowadays the home of the Alvis retail park). It was held on Friday December 19, 1969.

Admittedly, Nick Drake's name was not on the advert. the band shown on the advert, as scheduled to appear that night, was called ''The Big Idea.' .' But everything else about the whole event seems to fit. It would certainly not be the first time a band or artist had played at an event and whose name had failed to have been included on the advertising flyers.

One of the many things Nettlefolds (GKN) were famous for was the manufacturing of iron castings for the automobile industry. Alvis were of course a major player in the manufacture of cars and heavy artillery for the armed services.

So the links between the two companies were denitely there. So much so in fact that during 1998 Alvis plc acquired the armoured vehicle business of GKN plc. A long shot I guess, but, reading this article may just jog the memory of someone who attended the Alvis apprentices dinner and dance.

I could, of course, be way o| beam with my thoughts, however, I just think that John Martyn's memories, along with his knowledge of Coventry at that time, are just too strong to ignore. I really do think my suspicions hold some water.

Having said that, and even though I really do think it happened, I do so with mixed feelings. On one hand I am convinced in my mind that Nick Drake did perform in Coventry during the winter of 1969. Yet, I get a sense of guilt that Coventry could possibly have been the city and provided the audience that destroyed him as a live performer.

An unfinished song by Nick Drake and Beverley Martyn finished recently by Beverley on her new album.