Darren – Dan Nothing – Drums
Simon – Stan Duppenskank – Vocals
Jason – Jay Walker – Trombone / Trumpet
Darrell – Rudy Messenger – Guitar
Simon – Herbert Orange -Street
Gemma – Sally Brown – Saxophone
Mark – Harry H Hammond – Keyboards
Andy – Rick Reed – Saxophone
The Beat / the Specials – Enjoy Yourself
Members –
The full Special Beat line-up that recorded these demo tracks included Neville Staple, Ranking Roger & Finny (Vocals), Sean Flowerdew (Keys), Sir Horace Panter (Bass), John Bradbury (Drums), Anthony Harty (Guitar), Graeme Hamilton (Trumpet) & Mark ‘Chico’ Hamilton (Sax). Both Rico Rodriguez (who solos on ‘Time Longer Than Rope’) and Saxa also feature as guests on these sessions. Thanks to The Return Of The Liquidator blog for the link.”
Track listing:
What You Thinking? (Special Beat)
Better Must Come (Delroy Wilson)
Rainy Days (Special Beat)
Hypocrite (Bob Marley)
Time Longer Than Rope (Prince Buster)
Golden Years (David Bowie)
Breakout (Mitch Ryder & the Detroit Wheels)
Spaceman 3
Photograph by Greg Neate 2nd March 2009 of Spaceman 3 1989. More photos on Greg’s Flicker site below.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/neate_photos/3323034097/
https://www.uncut.co.uk/features/praise-playing-fire-spacemen-3-95697/?fbclid=IwAR1TqJggHRQuH0x2bvJyPgLrbQF6MN36aaH1qQWMu8xYkakFPRNL5v526SQ
Below from Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spacemen_3 where you can read the whole article. Quite a long and informative essay.
Warwickshire, by Peter Kember and Jason Pierce, known respectively under their pseudonyms Sonic Boom and J Spaceman. Their music is known for its brand of “minimalistic psychedelia”.Spacemen 3 had their first independent chart hits in 1987, gaining a cult following, and going on to have greater success towards the end of the decade. However, they disbanded shortly afterwards, releasing their final studio album post-split in 1991 after an acrimonious parting of ways.
Kember and Pierce were the only members common to all line-ups of the band. Pierce has enjoyed considerable success with his subsequent project Spiritualized.
The creative and song-writing force throughout Spacemen 3’s history were Peter Kember and Jason Pierce. They met at the (now defunct) Rugby Art College on Clifton Road, Rugby, Warwickshire in autumn 1982, both aged 16, and became close friends. Pierce was in a band called Indian Scalp, but he left them near the end of 1982 in order to collaborate with Kember. The two guitarists recruited drummer Tim Morris, who played with a couple of other bands and had a rehearsal space at his parental home which they used. Shortly afterwards they were joined by an acquaintance, Pete Bain, on bass. Morris and Bain had previously played together in a band called Noise on Independent Street. Pierce handled lead vocal duties. Now a 4-piece, the band originally adopted the name The Spacemen. Their first live performances occurred around winter 1982/83, playing at a party and then at a couple of gigs they managed to get at a local bar; at the latter their set included a 20-minute version of the one-chord song “O.D. Catastrophe”.
Spacemen 3 decided to produce a demo tape. In 1984 they made their first studio recordings at the home studio of Dave Sheriff in Rugby. This material – which included early iterations of the songs “Walkin’ with Jesus”, “Come Down Easy” and “Things’ll Never be the Same” – was used for a short demo tape entitled For All The Fucked Up Children Of The World We Give You Spacemen 3. They got a few hundred cassette copies made and produced their own artwork and booklet to accompany it, selling the tapes for £1 at a local record shop. Spacemen 3’s music at this stage had a loose, swampy blues feel; some songs included harmonica and slide guitar, and their style sounded akin to The Cramps. These early demo recordings, which Kember later recalled as being “really dreadful”,would later be released unofficially in 1995 on the Sympathy for the Record Industry label, thus providing an insight into the band’s embryonic sound.
Sonic Boom solo project
In late 1988, Peter Kember was already working on new material for post Playing with Fire. His productivity meant he had a surfeit of songs, and he advised his bandmates of his intention to produce a solo album. New indie label Silvertone Records offered Kember a generous one-off album deal which he accepted. Kember finished recordings for his debut solo album and single in March 1989, prior to the commencement of Spacemen 3’s European tour. Other members of Spacemen 3, including Pierce, as well as other musicians, had contributed sessions. Release of Kember’s solo album (Spectrum) and single – under the moniker of Kember’s alias, Sonic Boom – were put on hold in order to avoid a marketing clash with Playing with Fire”
Background information
Origin Rugby, Warwickshire, England
Genres – Space rock / neo-psychedelia
psychedelic rock / alternative rock
blues rock
Years active 1982–1991
Labels Glass, Fire, Dedicated Records, Bomp!
Associated acts
Spiritualized
Spectrum
E.A.R. (Experimental Audio Research)
The Darkside
Past members Peter Kember
Jason Pierce
Tim Morris
Pete Bain
Natty Brooker
Sterling ‘Rosco’ Roswell
Will Carruthers
Jonny Mattock
Mark Refoy
South Side Greaks
(Kim Howard has pointed out that band name was spelt like that – he Greaks on his bas drum – indicating the Greaser side to the band)
South Side Greaks – Limited information. I heard of them c1972 at the Coventry Arts Umbrella from some lads who had been to King Henry 8th Grammar school in Coventry. It seems that this and early bands featured Jerry Dammers later of the Specials
This seems to check out as author and academic, Andrew Calcutt in his book Arrested Development: Pop Culture and the Erosion of Adulthood, Bloomsbury Publishing, 6 Oct 2016 – Social Science, mentions being at the Umbrella Club in 1971 to watch a film and in October 1972, he says “his schoolboy band, The Southside Greaks was outclassed by everyone else on the bill. Well they were much older with more money and equipment than us” https://www.amazon.co.uk/Arrested-Development-Andrew-Calcutt/dp/0304339555
The line up according to an email I received from Kim Howard was Kim Howard on drums, Peter Dale keyboards, Andrew Calcutt bass, Mark Harrison and Jerry Dammers.
Coventry Arts Umbrella Club 1972
And the full programme page here
It seems that the fathers of the whole band were clergy and so the first schoolboy band they had was The Swinging Abbots, followed by Ossie’s Head, followed by Peggy Penguin and then South Side Greaks (Kim Howard says “it was a combination of greaser and freak“. They then became, as Kim Howard says “we were then hired as backing band for cheesy local Elvis impersonator Ricky Nugent and the Loiterers , then as Ray King’s backing band finally before Jerry formed the Coventry Automatics aka The Specials.”
From another book
Ska : An Oral History
Marley, Cedella (frw); Augustyn, Heather
Line up: Pete Bowron (guitar), Robert Hale, Barry Hale, Dec Laughton, Mick McOvoy.
5-piece R&B band possibly from the Stoke area. Cut demos in London 1965.
Soul Express
Circa 1966 – R&B / Soul outfit – Source Broadgate Gnome.
From the Coventry Telegraph – by Pete Chambers Feb 27th 2007
Line Up – John Warwick – vocals, Mick Keel – bass(also played in Bitter Suite), Kevin Dempsey guitar (later with Dando Shaft)
https://www.coventrytelegraph.net/lifestyle/nostalgia/cov-kid-whos-king-blues-3116624
“WHEN I hear a great musician I get excited, when I find out he’s from Coventry, well I
know it’s truly Backbeat time.
From time to time, up comes a hidden gem, and today’s “gem” is none other than London-based blues singer John Warwick – London based but Coventry born.
JOHN is a big man with a big voice, it’s a treat to behold, full of character and yet always smooth on the ear, a prefect blues voice.
John was born on January 10, 1949, and lived in Broomfield Road, Earlsdon, Coventry.
His fledgling association with the world of music began at school, with guitarist friend Roy Butterfield.
“There used to be a youth club in Tile Hill,” reveals John.
“I was about 13 and I used to go down and watch and play the harmonica and sing a little with Roy who was a great blues guitarist, we started playing together as a duo in the local jazz clubs.”
From there John joined the Earlsdon band The Rare Set, and continued to learn his trade in The Ravens playing in and out of Coventry.
Time was right then for John to spread his wings and London was calling and a nine-month stint in the capital saw him heavily involved with session work.
It was now 1968 and John was back in Coventry, London had taught him well and he began making plans to form a soul band.
A little later The Soul Express emerged, and began making a great reputation for themselves in the area.
This eight-piece had the soul power of a brass section.
Now if you are talking Coventry, 60s and soul, there’s one name that invariably pops up, Pete Waterman.
So as to be expected, when The Soul Express played, Pete Waterman was usually the DJ.
“I bumped into Pete a while back and had a good chat, about those days,” said John. “I don’t think he remembered me, but he surely remembered the band.”
The band played the Locarno, The Orchid, The Lanch, The Co-op Hall Nuneaton, and they were voted the best band in Britain by none other than Melody Maker.
The Soul Express had performed well for nearly three years, but the blues was in John’s blood, and it was time to try London once again.
Another 12 months in London saw John mess around with various bands, forever honing his trade.
On his Midlands return he joined guitarist Chris Jones in the band Chris Jones Aggression.
“That never really went anywhere,” admits John. “After that I went solo for the first time, this was about 1975. I had just got fed up with all the travelling with bands and all the equipment.
“So this way I just went and sang with the house band, doing popular songs, in clubs, Majorca, holiday camps and on cruise ships.
“I was living in Binley at the time, but I hated every minute of the playing, because this wasn’t the kind of music I wanted to play.
“In 1984 I went back to London once again and worked with Long John Baldry and later former Fleetwood Mac guitarist Peter Green.”
John was finally playing the kind of music he loved, with real blues people. The next natural step was to form his own band.
The John Warwick Blues Band was formed around an exciting line-up of musicians who went under the name the sixties all stars.
These included former Kinks drummer Mick Avory; John Dee, once bassist with the Foundations; Del Mandel, a guitarist who worked with George Harrison; and Crispin St Peter and Charlie Lancaster.
John, always a working musician, is happy in what he is doing, he doesn’t crave a recording contract and has little desire to bring an album out.
He was good enough to give me a sample CD of just what he is capable of.
Take track one too cool, screaming guitars punctuate John’s incredibly soulful vocals, a match made in heaven.
I make no secret of the fact that I can’t stop playing it!
John doesn’t often play in his home-town, feeling his type of music is better promoted in the London area, where there are custom blues venues.
That’s a shame because Coventry folk should be aware of this huge talent.
Britain’s finest blues god John Mayall has enjoyed working with John, as has the great B B king.
And in case you don’t believe how good Mr Warwick is, I’ll leave the last words to B B king: “John Warwick is the best European blues singer I have ever heard.”
Enough said.
Now that the magic has gone- John Warwick
Soul / R&B band – Line up: Tim James (vocals, blues harmonica), Colin Williams (guitar), Reg Sparkes (bass), Tony Warner on Electric piano
(drums). Tim James previously in Bo Weevils. Williams and Reg Sparkesbecame From The Sun. Source Broadgate Gnome
Pete Clemons says
Beat group – Leamington based band founded by Tony Owen.
SOS was the culmination of 4 years development from The Sovereigns going through Beatles, Hollies and Kinks era into Soul Music.
The band line up was John Roddis Lead Guitar (Pale Blue Vox Phantom), Andy Dancer Guitar (Fender Blond Telecaster). Keith Darlison Bass Guitar ( Red Hohner Semi Accoustic) Pete O’Keefe Keyboard, Paul Thomas Vocals and Tony Owen on Premier Olympic Drums.
We played regular gigs at all of the Leamington Clubs, Village Halls and ultimately at the County Arms Blaby, Plymouth Arms Soul Club – Stratford Upon Avon, Racehorse Warwick and the Irish 33 Club in Coventry.
After the band split (1969) John, Paul and Pete formed Peppermint Circus who went into the charts with Bee Gees and Equals penned songs.
After several years in various bands John Roddis, known locally as “Johnny Thunder” fronted as a major force in the ever popular Woody Allen’s Challengers.
Sadly John died in 2003, aged 54, his funeral service taking place at St Paul’s in Leamington was a full house marked by music from the Beatles and his coffin was carried to Chuck Berry’s Johnny B Good.
SOS were a great band contributing considerably to the Coventry Music Scene.
Band Members
Ritchie Hunt – King – Lyrics/Vocals
Fred Waight – Guitar
Tim Healey – Bass Guitar
Tommy Sedated – Drums
Facebook page
More audio on Sound Cloud.
https://soundcloud.com/dubber-dub/sophie-corona-pictures
Some Kinda Earthquake
c 1986
Some Kinda Earthquake on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/somekindaearthquake/?ref=page_internal
Supported the DT’s. Roddy Byers / Radiation guested alongside them.
“Some Kinda Earthquake played on the 80s Rock n Roll, Rockabilly and Psycobilly scene releasing an album on Link Records and tracks on Fury… the night sees Roddy Radiation front man of the Skabilly Rebels and former guitarist and songwriter with The Specials performing a solo spot…”
Line up Original drummer Rick Olllier.
Members – Simon Kelly vocals / Dave James guitar / Simon Ward bass, Darrell Johnson drummer /
