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VARIOUS BANDS
As the title of this page might suggest, this section is dedicated to other bands from Hartlepool, or Teesside, of which we have just one photograph. Quite naturally, if you can help us find more, then a full webpage could well be provided for them - and thank you for supporting our nostalgia pages and enjoying the sights, and sounds, of the sixties!
The Starlighters
One from the archives dating back to 1959
and shows The Starlighters Trio
Barry McGurk as he is today
The band Aquarius, from Hartlepool, outside the Wesley when it was still a place of worship in 1970. The photograph shows Eric Best, Brian Edmenson, Barry Baker, Dave Hogbin all holding Linda Hogbin who was soon to marry Brian Edmenson who later formed a duo called Linda and Brian.
Back in 1964, the Evening Gazette in Middlesbrough, had a 20-page souvenir supplement in their Saturday night edition on March 7th which was dedicated to the bands of that era. The headline read "Fabulous focus on your local beat groups - pages and pages of pics and personalities" and all for just 4d! Some of the photographs from that supplement are featured on this page including The Avengers from Helmsley (above) with Dave Mann, rhythm & vocals; Ken Cook, bass; Dave Cook on drums with Tony Haystead on lead guitar and vocals.
This was an advertisement in the Evening Gazette on that very day - March 7th, 1964. Hamiltons Music Store is long gone, but the Town Hall is still there along with the wonderful old Empire Theatre next door which still has live shows.
Two photographs of an act known as Bart and Zorba. Zorba, on lead guitar, is Eddie Horsman and Bart is Bart Bardsley
Barbara and the Vampires
Barbara Brown from Norton is lead vocalist, Eric Robinson from Stockton plays lead, Michael Miller Cuerden from Stockton is the drummer, Peter Anthony Meade, from Norton, played bass and the organist was Terry Owens from Stockton.
The Steve Brown Soul Sect
This was taken at the Caribbean Club, Middlesbrough in 1966 and shows Alan Murray, drums; Rob Metcalf, guitar; Tony Clements, vocalist; Dave Macnamara, bass and Steve Brown, tenor sax.
Bass guitarist Dave Macnamara, of the Steve Brown Soul Sect, at the James Finegan Hall, Fabian Road in Eston, in 1967. At the time they were supporting Joe Cocker. On the drums, almost hidden by a cymbal, is Paul Smith who played on the hit record "Nellie The Elephant" by the Toy Dolls.
A ticket from Acklam High School Dance in Middlesbrough from 1967
Count Dracula's Vampires
Geoff Phillips, Ralph Chapman on bass, George Body, Dave Usher on drums and Tommy Campbell on rhythm.
It was interesting to see some letters recently, dated 1961, between Joseph Postage, the Southern Manager of Border Dances in Roxburghshire, in Scotland and Mr K.Roberts of the Crestas in Balaclava Street, in Stockton. Some of the fees, and venues, mentioned in the correspondence were Stockton Jubilee Hall for £5.10.0; A gig at Hexham - having to move The Zephyrs elsewhere; Please find enclosed £6.0.0 balance on fee for Barnard Castle and this week you are at Northallerton with the Zephyrs.
The Cyclones from Teesside with Brian
Humpheson on piano and vocals, Peter Mackie on bass guitar and
harmonica, Cliff Thornton
on drums, Graham Rayner also played bass and harmonica with Michael
Wassall on rhythm.
Del & The Falcons with Peter Embleton (centre) on lead vocals - Peter Saint in later years as resident compere and singer at the Fiesta Night Club in Norton. The other band members are Mervyn Antony Jones on drums, Malcolm Willis on bass, Paul Butler on lead and Paul Clasper on rhythm.
The Delmonts
The Delmonts came from Grangetown and
featured Nev Henderson on lead guitar, Harry Simpson on drums, Colin
Draper on bass, John Prest on rhythm and John McCormick as lead
vocalist.
Derek & The Orbits, who were based in Hartlepool had Charles Whyte on lead guitar and his brother Joseph on rhythm - both from Middlesbrough - Alan Rowland on bass and Derek Smith on drums.
The Escorts
The Escorts, pictured some time around 1963, on stage at the Maison de Dance, in Stockton.
The Fireballs
We don't know all the names of this band so, if you know the missing surnames, do drop us a line. We have George on rhythm guitar, Bart Bardsley on vocals, Terry Russell on lead guitar, Buck on bass and Alan Richardson on drums.
The Fireflys, from Middlesbrough, had
John Kelly on lead guitar and piano, Dennis Chatto on drums, his brother
Colin on rhythm and harmonica with Stuart Adams on bass.
The Flames - but what were their names? We do know that the gentleman, second from the right playing the Fender Jaguar guitar, is Ray Douglas.
The Fremonts
The Fremonts had Bob Gray from Middlesbrough on drums, Raymond Harris, the lead singer was from Eaglescliffe, Thornaby's Jeffrey Gilbert Ellis played bass and mouth organ, David John Lewis was the lead man from Linthorpe and Peter John Laverick from Thornaby, played rhythm guitar.
The Kellawe 5
It seems the original caption in the Gazette had two people playing rhythm guitar - so maybe the band members themselves can get in touch and put us right. The group included Melvyn Harland on drums, Terence Fawell on lead, Graham Downton on bass, Trevor Mossop on rhythm guitar, Frederick Horton on rhythm with Betty Wilson on vocals - but there are seven of them?
Mint at the Marine
Hartlepool band, Mint, taken in 1967 at the Marine Hotel in Seaton Carew. They are Graham Estill on bass, Barry Baker on drums, Keith Edwards on rhythm guitar and Brian Edmenson on lead guitar. The band Mint started about 1965/6 with Brierton School pals Keith Edwards - singer, rhythm guitar and songwriter - Brian Edmenson, lead and bass guitar, Barry Baker drums and Graham Estill on bass. They did all the usual venues around the town at this time such as the Catcote, Red Admiral and youth club dances as well as lots of gigs in the collieries. Graham Estill went on to join Barbara Tucker in Barbara and the Estelles. Brian Edmenson did a brief spell with George Hart in Reaction before going into 70's bands in the area and then subsequently with his wife, Linda, as a duo.
Mint business card
The Mints roadie/manager at the time was Gordon Keeton whose brother was about the open the Collingwood Club, in Surtees Street, but died in a road accident before the club opened. Gordon is retired and lives in sunny Seaton Carew. Band member, Brian Edmenson, recalls "During the early days of the Mint funds were so low we would go to the amusement arcade in Seaton and hire an AC-30 or a T-60 from Ken Tyzack for five bob a time!"
The Moonbeams
Robert Dale, from Haverton Hill, played rhythm guitar, the drummer, from Billingham, was John Walker, John McWilliams played lead and was from Billingham with Raymond Buttle on bass and from Stockton.
A Moonbeams Fan Club card and group autographs - courtesy of Ray Walker who's in the 2008 version of The Moonbeams
Dave Percy with his beloved and treasured Hofner Club 60 deluxe and, on the right, Lenny Hancock - both members of The Oddfellows in Hartlepool during the mid 60's.
David Percy, from Newcastle, has been reminiscing about the old days and says is was a great pleasure to read about all the local groups associated with the Rainbow Coffee Bar at Seaton Carew. He says he was was attending a 60th birthday party at Raglan Quoit Club and met some old friends from those days at the Rainbow in 1964, and one of the lads showed him a print-out of The Plainsmen which he found very interesting, and recognised George Hart playing lead guitar with that band. He says: "I saw most of the local groups at the Rainbow such as the Haft'a Darks, Evergreens, and many whose names I cannot remember - but we had some marvellous times there. "I was then nearly 21 years old and had played guitar for a while but was a bit lacking in musical knowledge. "Then I was introduced to Lenny Hancock, who was then, to me anyway, a brilliant singer and lead guitarist. "He was forming a group called the Oddfellows, and enrolled me as rhythm guitar player. "On the drums was Dave Cox, who's brother Barry you have mentioned a few times as he played drums in a few bands. Norman 'Nobby' Clark was on bass guitar. "We got a set list together, and dear old Ken Tyzack gave us a try at the Rainbow a few times. We were, however, just beginners compared to the likes of the Haft'a Darks. "I bought a lovely Hofner Club 60 deluxe, which was my pride and joy - and my playing improved vastly thanks to dear old Lenny. "The group fizzled out after about a year, and I only saw Lenny now and then, but he was a great friend when we had the band together - or 'group' should I say? "I retired a couple of years ago, and have had time to try to contact Lenny but to no avail".
Teesside band The Wheel, pictured in 1967, with Chris Wilson, drums; Bernie Tordoff, rhythm guitarist; Dave Macnamara on bass, Tony Clements vocalist with Eddie Guy on lead guitar - who formerly worked with the Chris Rea Band.
The Jeff Smith Show Group
The Jeff Smith Show Group, from Hartlepool, with Barry Baker, Eric Best, Brian Edmenson, Eric Leighton and Mike Gorman at the front kneeling. Jeff Smith is the lady in the centre who came to Hartlepool from the United States and set up and entertainments agency in the town's Stockton Road. The photograph was taken at a night club in Surtees Street between 1969-70. The Gemini perhaps?
The Steel Mill Blues Band
This photograph, taken in 1968 at Middlesbrough Dock, shows Dave Macnamara, bass; Nick Allen, drums; Neil Hunter, vocals; John 'Whoop' Watson, alto sax; Paul Deduka, tenor sax and Pete Gilgan, lead guitar.
Dave Macnamara recalls "John Watson and I originally had a bass/alto/harmonica/vocal blues duo called 'Bad Blood Blues' and we played at the Station Hotel, in Redcar. "Mal Cook was the DJ there and he played the most amazing blues imports we'd ever heard."
The Stormers
Pete Martin on bass guitar, Alan Richardson on drums, Bart Bardsley on vocals with Frank Feeney on lead guitar.
The
Sunsets
The Tremors
The guy on his knees to the left is Alex McLean who later went on to join The Fettlers. The others include Tony Atkinson on lead guitar, David Grant bass, Alan Naylor on rhythm guitar, Andrew Thompson on drums and the lead singer was Graham West.
The Whirlwinds
This band formed between 1959 and 1960 and features Stuart Bowes on piano, the saxophonist is Neil Brecken, Peter 'Pedro' Thompson Eric Gillies, Peter Thompson and Graham Rex.
Gospel
The band Gospel, from Hartlepool, featuring Audrey Jones on tambourine, Ian McClure on guitar, Richard Taylor on bass, Norman Watson is the drummer, Barry Picken on guitar and John Ainsley with the microphone. Gospel formed in 1964 and were based at Regent Street Baptist Church in old Hartlepool. As the name would suggest, they mainly performed at Church affiliated events and local youth clubs. They went their separate ways in 1968.
Bart Bardsley and Eric Whitehouse were known as Bart and Pluto Bennett between 1968 and 1972/3-ish. Bart, who now lives in Canada, made a brief visit to Teesside during late March, 2008 and met up with Eric for the first time in almost 21 years.
The man
on the drums here is Vic Creed, from Stockton. For many years he was
Fender Telecaster
Nashville ©
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