A 60s local group from Stockton, name unknown. Photograph courtesy of John Robson. 
Picture Stockton Archive
A Pictorial History of Stockton-on-Tees
A 60s local group from Stockton, name unknown. Photograph courtesy of John Robson.
AS for Tramline John Mcoy of the purple onion middlesbrough was their vocalist I”m not sure about the wereabouts of any of the new elastic band or another local band CYCLE and a club band Loving feeling a vocal harmony group
Derek, I also recall Tramline, but sadly not Elastic Band. Do you know what happened to those groups?
With regards to the Chelfont Line my band the New Elastic Band played at their first proffesional gig at the church hall on Linthorpe Road, Middlesbrough along with John Mcoys Tramline
Hi Mary,your name seems to ring a bell, you can contact through e-mail on WltGrh@aol.com
Graham – thats where I saw Chelfont line. Are you possibly “Wally” Walton who lived in Fairfield? “
I remember Chelfont Line playing a gig at Grangefield Grammar School, It was great to hear a brass section in the band, I think it must have been around 1968? most probably wrong.
Talking of groups in the late 60s early 70″s does anyone recall “Chelfont line”??
Does anyone have any knowledge of some M”Boro groups from the late fifties,early sixties (pre mersey beat )THE MIDNIGHTERS and the SKYLINERS?They were both very big names in Teesside to us young beginners in Billingham.
Back in the late 60″s I managed a number of local groups the new elastic band. and denver mule dave coverdale of whitesnake”s first group. interested to know if any of the elastic band are still around mick burns phil lockey john whitingham bob evans and adrian prest.
What a great site! So many memories. I was with the Johnny Taylor 5 from 1960 to 1967. History making times indeed. At the moment I am living in France but hope to move back soon. Remember the KD club in the old Billingham Express offices?
David You are correct, Lou Flett sang under the stage name of Gary Phillips and was with the band when I joined them in 1965. He later toured the country in a double act called Gary and Alan with Alan Raine who was also ex JT 5.
Hi Terry,I worked at the Malleable with a bloke called Lou Flett, small fair haired guy who I believe was in the Johnny Taylor five back then. Not quite sure though, maybe my memory is fading. I did however, work with John Lowe”s dad, Matty Lowe back in my Malleable day”s and often saw the Panthers play around the area.
To David Mills My brother, Tony, also worked at the Paton & Baldwins Wool factory in Billingham. He then moved on to the crisp factory.
What a great site! I played keyboards for the Johnny Taylor 5 in the sixties and the stories on this page bring back a lot of memories. Four of the band got together recently to do a charity show at the Billingham Arms, Henry Fawcett(lead guitar) Gordon Valentine (Bass), Brian Taylor (Drums)and myself. We were also joined for a few numbers by John Lowe former drummer of the Panthers. A great time was had by all, even the audience seemed to enjoy it.
Regarding Paul Willows query on the present whereabouts of Lou Johnson, Lou lives in the Mill Street West area of Stockton. I worked with him, Alan Harrison, Bob Green and others many years ago for the late Charlie Oxberry.
Just going back to the original thread I can remember going to the Blythome club to see a group fronted by Alan Harrison (Alan I think was a painter & decorator like myself) & John McWilliams (council worker who could make the guitar talk) we all nearly were evicted by the committee that night for dancing, as it wasn”t allowed in the club. One rule I or nobody else could understand, why employ a rock n roll group if you were not allowed to dance? Correct me if I’m wrong but Alan & John also went on to have the resident band in La Ronde for a while called AZTEC. Going back to the early 60s my cousin John Walker (drummer) formed THE MOONBEAMS I remember one of their first gigs was in the old scout hut down Haverton Hill, unfortunately after a couple of numbers his bass drum rolled of the stage. Sadly John died suddenly a few years ago. Also I have memories of a group called The Candlelight Four, their drummer Lou (sticks) Johnson he was also a painter and decorator we worked together for George Laidler in the late sixties. Haven’t seen him since he was resident drummer at Haverton Hill Working Men’s Club many years ago. Anyone know where he is?
If the John McWilliams mentioned here was lead guitarist of The Moonbeams, in 1964 at least he was a fireman on the railways and as well as guitar he could also play the violin. His mother was a music teacher so he’d learned to play properly. Anyone know where he is these days?
Hello Graham, drop me an e-mail address to aao_music@msn.com and I can put you in touch.
What happened to Robb McKenzie, where is he now? I used to live over the road from him in Fairfield,
I would like to know what happened to Robb as I was in a band with him called The Limbo Line and worked for BaiIeys night clubs based at Titos
Hey Paul, you can contact me through the email supplied – email Picture Stockton and they will supply you with it. I am now living in Mexico.
Hi Paul we used to love Limbo Line and have never been able to get any info on them, anything would be gratefully received. If you email Picture Stockton (pictures@stockton.gov.uk) they can provide you with my email address. Tom Owens
What an interesting thread? I don”t know whether most of you are aware of it but Alan Leightell and I have recently started a web site (www.vintagesixtieslive.co.uk) and monthly club night with the intention of bringing together as many of the surviving group members of the Sixties as we can for a chat and maybe a song or two. It has been a great success so far. We have had a visit by Alan White, formerly of the Downbeats, who we manged to reunite with former Downbeat colleagues Kenny Potts and davey Turnbull for a short jam session. Contact is welcomed from everyone who “was there”. Full details on the web site.
To pick up on Eric Whitehouse’s comment, I was bass player for The Blue Caps and Mick in 1971, while I was still at school. I did about two years with between 17 and 19 what a laugh, what a character! Now that was an education! The guitar player was Jimmy Pugh, who moved over from bass when Eric (EZZA) Robinson left as I recall to form Gypo with the previously mentioned Mr Webster and Davey Shearer. Jimmy stayed with Mick in the Blue Caps for nearly a decade as I recall from 69 ish to late mid 70’s. Then he emigrated to Oz. Robb Mackenzie was the singer he was previously with Limbo Line with the afore mentioned Steve Brown and Mick Bonar. Robb runs a Cirque Du Soleil these days, and by the time I can find where he is, he’s somewhere else. He and I had another band together down south later on, and we have always had careers in and around the music biz, but fortunately for music lovers, not as players. In the 70’s the Blue Caps stompin’ ground apart from clubland was the Yorkshire Dragoon, every Saturday night for years (about 5 I think). I remember Mick Kemp talking endlessly in dressing rooms about the days with Pedro and Tex and Eric and Eric I really believe I owe my career to Kempy as he painfully taught me that my ears were not just there for decoration. The only buddy I have left from those days (apart from Robb, who I still see somewhere every couple of years) is Davey Holliday who sat in with us a couple of times and ended up in Firm Landing and GBI, and that reaches the 80’s. These days I’m living in Atlanta, in my 50’s and still working in music. Thanks Mick!! RIP it up!
I heard that Eric “Elvis” Whitehouse received his nickname because Elvis Presley was regarded at the time (late 50″s/early 60″s) as being very good-looking and “Elvis” Whitehouse was similarly good-looking. That”s right Eric, is it not? By the way, Eric “Elvis” Whitehouse played at the Blytheholme Club in Yarm Road, Stockton-on-Tees in September 2006.
There has been some very interesting reading on this page and it certainly brings back a lot of happy memories for me. I don´t know all the people mentioned but I did meet a lot of them during the course of my “failed musician” career and later at the BBC. Maybe Eric Whitehouse and I will get the chance to pick some guitar again when I eventually get back to England after almost thirteen years in Spain. I recently bought two Fender Telecasters so there is hope in the old dog yet!
Eric Whitehouse: Eric, good to read your informative and interesting reflections on people and venues. Dave Usher now lives in Ireland, truck driving by day and gigging by night. He keeps in touch with my brother Joe who still lives in Brentford Road, and who incidentally, was a “parther” of Bill Postgate”s during the Jubilee Hall / Globe period. Bruce Thomas is indeed a world class bass player and has collaborated with Paul McCartney in the fairly distant past. I”m not sure of his current activities. However, Micky Moody is in the news currently, having just published a book called “Playing With Trumpets – a Rock and Roll Apprenticeship” which deals with his early career from the start of the Road Runners etc. I understand that a second book about his later years with Whitesnake etc. is currently in preparation, but the current book will certainly make interesting reading for yourself and others of us involved in the Teesside 60″s band scene. The front cover features a picture of the Road Runners including Paul Rodgers and Dave Usher as well as myself. Moody also has an excellent website – just Google Micky Moody and you will find it easily. I see and speak with Paul Rodgers regularly as he now has a home in Canada. I was at a recent Queen/Paul Rodgers show here in Toronto which was spectacular to say the least, and got to spend some time with Paul and his wife to chat about old times. Glad to know that you are still “keeping your hand in”
Eric Whitehouse – Eric I did as you suggested and checked out Stan”s site. Seeing you up front, on the front – on picture, removed 40 years in an instant. Good to know that you still thrive & survive. Cliff Thornton – Cliff if you haven”t already done so, try what Eric Whitehouse suggests, check out http://www.stanlaundon.com. The info in the “bands” section, along with the photos, is a real memory stimulant.
Cliff Thornton – Cliff I remeber the story well as I was friendly with most of the guys, we were at the same school. I have a complete mind blank regarding Bruce Thomas”s predecessor, but remember the christian name Alan ??? He being a Geordie, it was reputed, left Jarrow & on the third day ascended into Hebburn! Alex McClean as you may well remember, was also lead singer & mandolin player for the Fettlers. Can you, or anyone reading this, remmeber The Dirgers? The lineup totally gone from my memory.
Names from the past indeed. I went to school with Ian “Tex” Peacock and Les Bennet and I were mates for years. We still are, however, haven”t seen Les for a while as he is still in Billingham and I”m in Sydney Australia!
Mike – you are digging up some names from the past. I remember the story of The Tremors playing upstairs at The Brunswick in the mid-1960s, when one of the drinkers expressed his dissatisfaction with their music by walking up to the “stage” in the middle of a song and putting his boot through the front of “Tap-tap” Thompson”s bass drum!
I think we played the old hall in Eaglesclife once or twice along with Hartburn Tennis Club.I think Bruce is playing with Macca now, but I was the first “Elvis” he played with long before Costello. I certainly remember all the lads in the Tremors. Alex bought my old Harmony from me when he was with the Fettlers. Check out my old mate Stan at http://www.stanlaundon.com for more old band info.
Eric Whitehouse – Hi Eric, some names on this site have rung faint memory bells, but yours I recognised immediately. Bruce Thomas, that”s a blast from the past, do you remember when he played with the Tremors. Lined up with Bruce were Dave (Pink) Grey, Tony Atkinson, Alex McClean, Andy? Thompson. But I certainly danced to the Bluecaps at various venues, did you ever do Eaglescliffe Village Hall? You”re right about Bruce, NOT bad at all for a Grangefield lad!
As far as I know and according to George Skelton the General Manager of the Globe we had the honour of being the only local band to play the main stage. This was possibly due to the fact that Bill Postgate (Joe”s son) the Assistant manager was managing us at that time. The line up for that week was Peter Embleton (Del), Mick Kemp, Ian “Tex” Peacock, Les Bennet and myself. We also played the foyer when Summer Holiday was released along with the Zephyrs I think.
Dave Usher was and still is a brilliant drummer. He used to stand in for Mick Kemp when he was just 14 years old.There certainly was an amazing wealth of musical talent in those early days of the 60″s.A lot of good local bands just couldn”t get the work around here and went South and made it.Bands like the Zephyrs, Pathers, Bluecaps, Real McCoy, Johnny Taylor Five, Whirlwinds and the Denmen had the work “sown up”. The Downbeats won the “64 Evening Gazette Competition and the Bluecaps came second. The Renegades won the Northern Echo contest a year later.The Downbeats also had a young talented drummer by the name of Alan White (Yes).
Hi Eric, Dave Usher, Stocktons answer to Ginger Baker! I remember him starting out with a band called The Senators at the Eastbourne Youth Club around “62, the other band that regularly played there were The Sabres with brothers Vic and Bob Paylor. I”m glad to hear that you keep the old plectrum hand plucking, the Bluecaps were an integral part of the early “60”s “Beat Group” culture in Stockton and the surrounding areas, along side The Panthers, The Zephyrs, The Whirlwinds, Del and The Falcons, The Tempests, the Johnny Taylor Five….the list is endless. Do you remember the Evening Gazette best group competion, around “64, finally won by The Renegades from Whitby. What an amazing wealth of musical talent the North East possessed in them far off days. Eric do you have any group photographs of the era to share with us “old uns” on this site, I”m sure they will be well received. Finally were the Bluecaps the only local group to appear on the Globe Theatre stage ?, I do remember The Panthers playing in the Globe foyer when Summer Holiday was released.
I can remember the first time the Roadrunners played at the Jubillee Hall wasn”t Dave Usher and Bruce Thomas playing with the band at the time. Bruce is a brilliant bass player and was recently inducted into the Rock”n”Roll Hall of Fame. Not bad for a Grangefield Grammar School kid. We used to practice and pick every lunchtime in the school Cadet Hut along with Cliff Thornton and Roy Smith out of the Denvers. Instrumentals like Frightened City & FBI.
The Jubille Hall Dances in the main heyday were run by Southern Border Dances and managed locally by a guy named Bill Postgate the local MU Branch Sec. The owner of SBD was a millionaire chain smokin” pig farmer and promoter from Scotland by the name of “Drunken” Duncan McInnan. He is mentioned in the Beatles Complete book a few times. Top bands from all over the country played there every Saturday night supported by a local group. Names like Emile Ford, Johnny Gentle, Johnny Kidd & Pirates, Rikki Barnes Allstars and Rory Storm and the Hurricanes along with drummer Ringo Starr.I could tell you some stories that happened in that dressing room that would make your hair curl but I won”t.Brilliant music and nights I”ll never forget. Sadly, Mick, Pedro and recently Howard have all joined that band up in the sky. Johnny McNaughton is in Australia, Charlie Peacock is living in Oldham and “Tex” Ian Peacock out in Spain I think.I”m still doing the odd country show and festival to “keep my hand in”. When SBD ceased promoting Mick Kemp and the rest of the band ran the Saturday night dances for a short while along with Hutton Rudby Village Hall, Thirsk Town Hall and Northallerton Town Hall. What happened after “68 when I left the band I don”t know.
Colin Bradley: tell me where you are active musically in Toronto and I”ll pop in and see you one of these days. You can reach me at jimmccurley@hotmail.com
Hi Mick, I last saw Micky Rowe at a surprise party thrown for me in December 2003 at the Smith Jaques dance studio in Billingham. Unbeknowns to me, my wife Angela had invited as many local musicians as she could contact, whom I had played with when I lived on Teesside. Micky actually flew in from Holland where he was working at the time, especially for the gig, and played bass ( along with two other bass players!) It was a night to remember for sure. As for “Stookey”, at one time he was working as a personal assistant for comedian Jim (“nik”nik”) Davidson, but I have no idea where he is these days. As for me, I”ve lived in Canada for the last 25 years and I”m still very active musically in Toronto. I have my own band, and also work as a sideman for other musicians from time to time. Good to hear from you.
Hi Colin, I remember Psycho-67 very well, I was an apprentice with Micky Rowe your bass player, I wonder what happened to “Stookey” (Pete) the vocalist? Remember the ICI “Synners” dances, they were legend !! seem to recall you were quite a tight outfit. Micky Rowe still plays in a band up in Aberdeen
The guy in the middle is most definitely not Steve Bell. In 1967 / 68 I played with Steve Bell in The Steve Brown Soul Sect, later to be known as Psycho-67, before we disbanded and Steve later went on to play for the Teesside Panthers. The Zephyrs (later the Zephrons) were from a few years earlier (1963 – 1965) and were popular at the same time as my original band The Road Runners, which included Paul Rodgers (Free, Bad Company, Queen) and Micky Moody (later to play with Tramline, Juicy Lucy, Snafu and Whitesnake). I played all of the workingmen”s clubs mentioned in the various responses, and my brother Joe ran the Saturday night dances at the Jubilee Hall in Stockton. He was also a good personal friend of the unforgettable Mick Kemp – RIP.
The Maison De Dance, now that brings back memories. Every year just before christmas it would hold a special early evening dance with Jack Marwood at the helm for regular customers and their children. As a small boy in the fifties it was a highlight of christmas, they gave out streamers, balloons and those paper whistles that you blew into, that extended and made a sound like a kahzoo! I also remember my older sisters talking of fights between teddyboys outside in Yarm lane after kicking out-time, some things never change on a Saturday night in Stockton!
Yes David: Do I remember jack Marwood at the Maison de Danse….Do I indeed. Every Friday night without fail I would start my evening at the Red Lion with Phil Lewis and the rest of the reprobates..onto the Garrick, a quick one at Jockers and then I am ready to dance…and did I dance. Jack Marwood had a piano player called Billy Daniels and the piano was placed at a point whereby when if you went up the stairs and held onto the balcony rails your hands would be no more than about 1 foot from Billy”s head. It goes without saying that to resist not tickling his head became for me an impossibility. So I did and he always responded with a wonderful smile and I would respond with “play it again Billy” ( a take off of “Play it again Sam in Casablanca) Great times David…and the women…plenty for everybody
Maybe Tony Scott is refering to the Maison de Dance. Anybody remember Jack Marwood and his band who played there before the local pop groups really got going?
Amazon was presumably a corruption of La Maison. La Maison de Dance (French – The House of Dance or Dancing) was just up from the bottom of the High Street on the way to Yarm or Darlington.
I”m almost certain they are not the Denmen! I well remember the Denmen from the 60″s and the photograph looks nothing like them. The photograph shows a group more “clean cut” than the Denmen were. One of the Denmen was called Mike Gutterage another was Alan Ludley, the group were from Middlesbrough. I don”t remember the Amazon de Dance . . . . where was it?
I am almost certain they call the group the Denmen I once saw them at the Amazon de Dance and they were a good group.
Thanks to Eric White of The Bluecaps, and Peter Webster of Bandland (the music shop on the Portrack Business Park), we now have the following names from left to right Alan Harrison Wally Leatheron Johnny McWilliams Andy Hunter ? (possibly …Taylor from Eaglescliffe ?) Now all we need is the name of the group!
I was sad to hear of Mick Kemps death too. I knew him and one or two of the “Blue Caps”. Ian Peacock I think was lead guitar when Mick was on the drums. Mick”s sister Linda Kemp used to do a bit of singing back then with local bands also.
I”m not absolutely sure but I believe the guy in the middle is someone I used to work with at Paton & Baldwins wool Factory in Billingham. His name is maybe Steve Bell and he played in a group called The Panthers.
I knew Mick Kemp well from the Saint Cuthbert”s youth club at Lealholme on Yarm Road in the late fifties. He lived on Patterdale Avenue. Mick was a gregarious young lad, very outgoing and crazy about rock music; he later became the drummer for “Johnny and the Bluecaps”. Sad to hear he has died.
Yes those were the days – especially the mid to late 60″s and early seventies. Clubs like the Blytheholme, the Billingham Trades Union and Norton Workmen”s Club always had good “turns” on a Saturday night and some Fridays and Sundays. Bingo on these nights and who can forget the call, “all ready in the bar, ready in the concert room – bingo is on” and only the shuffle of cards or dominoes was heard apart from the whispers about how bingo should be banned. Some of the “acts” were in fact pathetic but always amusing and many never saw the second act. Stars like Dave Berry (Crying Game), Gene Pitney, Solomon King etc would appear for the working mens club then back to the Fiesta for the late show. Yes those were the days with beer at a reasonable price, little trouble in the clubs and safe to walk home with fish and chips from places like Leeds Street, Fred Pearce, Durham Road Fisheries etc. and all out by 11pm. John Robson is right, we never knew how good it really was!
This publicity photograph, taken probably in the 1960″s features a local group of that era, we called them groups in those days and not bands like they do these days. Although I do not remember the name of the group the lead singer, bottom left, was Alan Harrison a Billingham lad. Alan was the original singer with the well known local group at that time, The Zephyrs. During the heyday of the working mens clubs pop groups such as The Zephyrs, The Blue Caps led by the late Mick Kemp and many more would play most nights of the week on the club circuit. I will never know how some of the lads ever managed to get to their day jobs after performing until the late hours on stage the nights previous. Alan Harrison eventually left the Zephyrs because of the hectic schedule and not getting enough time with his wife and family. Tony Martin became the new singer with the group, also at that time The Zephrys changed their name to the Zephyrons. We were very fortunate in those days to be served great entertainment in the working mens clubs. With the added attraction of the Fiesta and Tito”s we were spoilt for choice. Alas those days are past and a lot of the working mens clubs are now gone, those that remain with the odd exception struggle to survive. I will always remember and be grateful for the wonderful nights out I spent with my mates in the heyday of those clubs.