DROPS OF
BRANDY
circa 1971
– 79 – Source Hobo – Pop/Rock
Ted Duggan
(drums), Ray Harte (rhythm guitar), Ian McDonald (vocals), Neil Richardson
(bass), John Duggan (lead guitar).
Developed
out of Rogation Sunday / Acorn. Began rehearsing at the Coventry Arts Umbrella.
Played four
nights a week residency at the Bloomers Club in Birmingham; RAF bases all over
the country; four months in Bradford; nine month residency at Tiffany’s
Liverpool for the Mecca organisation.
‘We play
strictly disco music, pop the kids can dance to’.
They played
their way from Land’s End to John O’ Groats, to raise money for the Variety
Club of Great Britain children’s fund. Mecca provided them with a float and
played 30 gigs at pre-arranged venues and from the back of a lorry all the way.
Money raised from venues and street collections and sponsorships totalled £1000
and the marathon was covered by Granada TV.
Tony Harte
Management. Ted was also in Purple Haze in the 60’s, Paris in the 80’s, Chevy
in the 80’s and The Mudsliders, Chevy, Smackee, Banco De Gaia, Dark Side of the
Moon and from time to time plays for the Two Tone Collective
Tim Constable says “In 1976 The line up changed to Ted Duggan (drums), Ray Harte (rhythm/ backing vocals), Steve Roberts (lead/backing vocals), Ian McDonald (lead vocals), Tim Constable (keyboards). Their main gig for several months was as resident band at Baileys in Derby, commuting four nights a week. in 1977 the band divided. I don’t recall the new Drops of Brandy lineup, but Ted, Steve and Tim formed PARIS to do original material written by Tim Constable and Clive Barnwell. Paris was completed with Pat Millar (vocals), Mike Harrington (bass, later replaced by Fran Pettifer). Ted was later replaced by Danny (?). Paris played around the Midlands, and continued until about 1982, including a residency at ‘The Red House’ pub (Stoney Stanton Road, now demolished).
Iain MacDonald
Update to what Tim Constable posted, the final line up of the band was the three original members, myself Iain MacDonald (notice the spelling), Ray Harte, Neil Richardson, with Clive Layton on keyboards, Des Beasley on lead guitar and Chris Peters on drums.
Iain.
Rogation
Sunday
Trev’s
recollections – I recall some of the members in earlier bands Acorn / Rogation
Sunday (a change of name) at the Umbrella club – at least Derek McConkey sent a
letter to the Umbrella requesting a gig at the Umbrella c 1970 (with Go Go
dancers!). I can’t remember if we actually had them on – I seem to recall they
split up before we were able to offer them a gig. I think Ted Duggan and Tony
Harte were the band (see letter).
Neil
Richardson was in a band called Nak ed en with Loz Netto (later of Sniff and
the Tears) on lead/ rhythm guitar and
Brad (later of the Specials) on drums and Neil Richardson played bass.
They practiced at the Umbrella. After they split, Neil joined with ex members
of Acorn to form a commercial pop rock band – Drops of Brandy – mostly covers
including 10cc’s I’m Not in Love. I saw them at the Ryton Bridge Hotel.
Although they were touring intensively around the country at the time, I’d bump
into either Neil or Ted in town and get an update while doing Hobo Mag.
Comments – A Facebook
User
Hi Iain, I
was one of the Dancers at Bloomers I remember you all, I later moved to the La
Dolce Vita.. it was good fun, say Hello to all the guys for me,
.
