Pot Pouri 2

‘The Rattlers’ were formed in 1964 with original band members Spike O’Brien piano, Keith Barrett bass guitar), Harry Stott on drums and a stand in Manx guitarist? Their inaugural gig was to spend six months residency at a huge 2000 seater, seven bar, hotel complex ‘The Villiers’ in Douglas, Isle of Man.  The season was a great success bringing real piano/guitar based rock to a previously unexposed audience.

 Back in the UK, in March 1965 the line-up had somewhat changed, Keith Barratt bass and vocals and Spike O’Brien, the mainstay pianist of the group were still available with the edition of Brendan Crowe rythmn guitar, and as Harry Stott the drummer had left his place was taken by John Fea on Drums.  The Rattlers were now complete again and booked to play from April through to September 1965 at ‘The Villiers Hotel Complex’ in Douglas. After numerous ‘heavy consultation visits’ to Viv’s Bar, and a couple of rehearsals they set off to the Isle of Man.

The six-month Isle of Man season turned out to be a truly unique event, not least being due to the Manx opening hours being from 10 am until 6am the next morning.  This decreed limited opening hours on Sundays and so the band played twelve or thirteen length sessions each week, honing both playing and social skills to a very keen edge.

 They built up over this period which one can only imagine a huge fan base both locally and with visitors.  It was a completely different scene as that of Bradford, walking home from the Casino, along the promenade at around 5.30 am, on the Saturday morning, pretty much knackered after a long weeks playing, with only the seagulls picking at last nights chip wrappers for company and with the sun struggling to appear over the Liverpool horizon:

 Then looking out to sea in the dawn half-light and spying five and six of the midnight ferries appearing in the distance and around the headlands.  The ferries were from Liverpool, Scotland, Wales and Ireland, with the realisation dawning that in just a few hours time it would all start over again.

 In September 1965 having signed up to return the following year, ‘The Rattlers’ returned to Bradford for a brief rest, spending time with families and settling back into Bradford life. Unfortunately immediate ‘Gigs’ were scarce and, following such an active season, Spike and John’s thoughts turned towards London to carry their careers forward. As John and Spike would not be available ‘The Rattlers’, continued with two further seasons in the Isle of Man, augmented by new musicians, after which the group dispersed to other bands.`When Bradford Rocked` page 281-283

THE CHRISTIE'S BALLROOM, SELBY FIASCO

Back on the circuits Dal Stevens and the Four Dukes were just about surviving. Bookings were adequate but not well paid. One venue we accepted was a dance ballroom in Selby called Christie's. For one and a half hours, we would be paid six guineas. Taking into consideration the hire of a Dormobile - four guineas- it would not leave much to share between five people. Luckily the van we hired was from one of Grattan's many employees who would pick us up from our locality.

The booking was for a Saturday night. We had to be there before

7: 00 pm to set up the equipment and arrange our one and half hour spot. We were all collected from our respective homes and a pleasant journey ensued. Reaching our destination, we were greeted and shown by a doorman on duty into the ballroom and proceeded to unpack our equipment. 

At that point the owner/manager, a Mr Blythe enquired who we were, and when I informed him he retorted that were booked, but on the 2nd of the following month.

As he was making this statement another Dormobile arrived, sporting professionally written slogans advertising the name of the group entombed within. The group clambered from the van, asking what was happening, and joined in the confrontation. The outcome was that the manager said he would allow us one half-hour spot (unpaid) as it was his fault, proved by the fact that I had his letter with me confirming that we were booked for that night.

Our business card below describes Dal Stevens and the Four Dukes as 'Fabulous', quite a compliment! 

Bradford locals may spot the spelling mistake in the address.

It isn't Delf Hill but Delph Hill.

CHRISTIE'S SELBY FIASCO CONTINUES

There was no way that we would play for nothing. We loitered for a while putting our point of view but to no avail. The other group had the edge, they had played there before and were also on first-named terms with Mr Blythe. Today we would have a solicitors letter sent, but in those days we hadn't the experience, money, or backing of our adversaries. Therefore, angry and disappointed we trundled back to our van, packed up our equipment, and raced off into the night.

On the way home Duane disclosed some news that made us all feel better. While the the confrontation at been at its height, Duane had mingled with opposition equipment, especially the amplifiers. The result, we heard some weeks later was that because of faulty equipment that night, the show was not a success. The group had been rather supercilious and superior towards us on that night so we were pleased. This group was from South Yorkshire and later appeared on television. Professionally they were very good, but we had the edge on them at Christies with Duane's little sortie that night. 

Some people have long memories so I never divulged the name of the group, I didn't want Duane looking over his shoulder the rest of his life. Fortunately, we were only two guineas out of pocket as our driver, being aware of our plight only charged this amount, making him also with no profit all.

CINEMAS AND LOCAL GROUPS

For a few months during the years 1959-60, an innovation took place in the cinemas. They were asking groups to entertain the patrons during the intermission. This usually took place on a small stage set a few feet away from the screen. Groups could perform and show their talent much to the delight of any' young teenagers who were present. However, this was not the case for the older generation, who would state 'they had only come to see the picture!'

This type of booking only lasted a couple of years as it became obvious, why pay a group, when 99 percent of the patrons had come to see the film, and it did not produce many more customers.

So it was that Dal Stevens and the Four Dukes gave this a try for one Saturday evening at the Low Moor Picture House, effectually known locally as the 'Grott' 'Grotty. or 'Grotto'. 

See the picture below.

Take your pick, all were appropriate. 

The stage area from the front to the big silver screen was about four feet. Try placing five male adults, three amplifiers, and a large set of drums in this area!  To do this the drums had to go partly off stage, so once in position we could not move forward or backward. 

All this had to be done before the patrons came in for a twenty-minute show which we did as best we could,  as not being able to move we must have looked like five dummies in a Burton's shop window, all for five pounds. Needless to say, we did not need that kind of booking again.

It was a memorable night though because Eric our lead guitarist could not make it and asked a friend of his, Sammy King, a brilliant guitarist and songwriter, to help out, which he did. While the surroundings were not as we could wish, the help and professionalism from Sammy did rub off. Incidentally, Sammy wrote the hit number for Roy Orbison called Penny Arcade.

MICK JACKSON OF 'THE LOVE AFFAIR - THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY

Towards the middle of the 1960s, the music world was changing

and rock and roll was moving on to another time of music, dress codes, and life-changing attitudes. At the same time, a Bradford lad was to make his name in the music of this time topping No. 1 in the hit parade.

Michael Jackson (b1950-) was born in Bradford and attended Hanson

Grammar School.  He was Bradford’s first artist to make it to number

one in the charts, with ‘Love Affair’s’- Everlasting Love in 1968.

Michael (Mick to his mates) as a young bass guitarist spent some time

with local groups ‘The Spell’, and ‘The Keymen’, from Keighley.  In late

1966 he answered an advert for a bass guitarist in the music

paper Melody Maker.  He got the job and his musical career with a group

‘The Love Affair’ began.  The group had been originally formed in the early

60s by a successful handbag manufacturer Sid Bacon, as a vehicle for

his fifteen-year-old drummer son Maurice (Mo).

The group enjoyed a residency at the Marquee Club in London, before

turning professional in 1967.  Their second single was a cover of the

soul singer Robert Knight’s ‘Ever Lasting Love’  in January 1968 on CBS

Records which got regular airplay on Radio Caroline.  The single climbed

the charts and shot to number one, becoming a classic pop song of the

day. 

Fresh from their chart success, ‘Love Affair’ toured around Europe and

the UK, including what was, for eighteen-year-old  Mick, two home town

shows in October 1968 at The Gaumont, supported by Scott Walker,

‘The Casuals’ and ‘The Paper Dolls’.  The ‘Love Affairs’ next single for

CBS was Rainbow Valley, which reached number five in the

charts.  Their next few singles, A Day Without Love, One Road and Bring

On Back the Good Times. All became ‘Top 20 hits’.

Between 1967 and 1969 the Group enjoyed massive success and was

one of the UK’s biggest pop groups, and the boy’s photos were on many

a teenage girl’s bedroom wall, courtesy of magazines like ‘Jackie’.  In

1969 Mick also found time to manage one of Bradford’s local Groups

‘Igginbottom’.

The ‘Love Affair’ became the first UK Group to tour Poland.  When

singer Steve Ellis quit and went solo in late 1969, in early 1970 they

recruited a new vocalist called Gus Eadon.  Despite a short-lived name

shortened to 'LA', for their second album, the group continued until 1971

when Mick left, saying he was "tired of the constant touring and general

music-biz clap-trap".  

The same year he married his long-time girlfriend Patricia Speight of Shipley.  They had originally met as young teenagers at the coffee bar /disco /venue ‘The Hole in the Wall’ in the early 1960’s.  

Later, Mick gained success selling cars and became the UK

sales director of Alfa Romeo.

In 1999 Mick, Mo and Morgan re-formed the group for a charity single

and video on behalf of Bradford Royal Infirmary’s Ward 7 Specialist Unit,

which deals with rare blood disorders.