There have been a few memories sent in about the pop scene on Teesside in the 1960s. Here is another group from the early 60s ’The Zephyrs’. The group comprised, from left to right: Tommy Harbron, lead guitar & vocals; Alan Coverdale, rhythm guitar; Denny Coleman, drums and vocals; Rett Allen (aka Alan Harrison), vocals; Barrie Miller, bass guitar. The Zephyrs started out in 1960 and were one of the few local groups to broadcast on BBC. Photograph courtesy of Mike Wassall. 
Picture Stockton Archive
A Pictorial History of Stockton-on-Tees
Sad to hear Alan Coverdale has passed away at the weekend. The Zephers One of Teesside great bands. funeral is next Monday 16.11.15 at 10am Stockton parish church in the High Street.
Great memories. Alby Smith is still one of the best remembered 60’s vocalists from the group scene and beat era in Teesside. In those day’s you had to be a good vocalist to front a band. No miming, everything was “live” Warts and All.
I would like to get in contact with John ‘Chippy’ Carpenter about the Zephyrs and some work you did in the 60’s with Rick Minas in Chalk Farm, London. Please could you email me? Please contact Picture Stockton and they will pass along my details. Thanks, Matt Courtman
I have become a very good friend of Tommy he is a true gent and a great help to my guitar playing. And very true he is very talented and a great guitarist
Chip was from a different Xepyrs band from London along with Joe Papa and Pete Cage (later married Elkie Brooks)
James, I remember Billy Hunter well he was the original Lead guitar with The Satalites group the Zephs gigged with them on the Jubilee Hall a few times in fact Alan Coverdale (The Zephyrs) bought Billys Fender Strat 2nd hand from Burdons in Stockton— hope thats helped
I was 12 in 1960 and was one of the annoying kids who used to go to Zephyrs dances in Hinderwell instiute and just lean against the stage all night and stare. We just held them in awe, that fantastic sound they reproduced, just used to wait for Friday nights. I remember Alan replacing his Burns sonic with a strat, the suprise when Denny put the towel on the frst time for Speedy Gonzales and the horror one night when Denny was wheeled in a chair with a broken leg and wondering how the group would cope.
I joined the Zephrons in 1967, I played bass with them off and on for a good few years. And what good years they were.
I was the only one that sung any Bay City Rollers as I was the youngest.
I now live in Devon and I am still rocking along today, and have even got my son joining me…. But I no longer do any Bay City Rollers.
I will be 60 in May, I retire every two years for about a week.
I’ve still got my EB3.
I would like to thank many breweries and chemists for keeping me going.
I know fans of this band will be pleased to know that if they log onto youtube and type in Zephyrs to Zephrons they will find several very good videos of them. This band never reached the pinnacle of success that their talent deserved.
I wonder if there is any truth in the rumour that the Zephyrs are once again planning a reunion, this time with that very good vocalist Tony Martin. According to rumours this is supposed to happen in June 2010 for a one off gig, surely if they enjoy playing and entertaining why not more gigs for the many fans I know this band has, I’m sure bookings would be plentiful.
Sad to say that Brian Kemp has passed away, Brian was a neighbour of Tommy Harbron, and whenever the band played local clubs if Brian was in the audience he would often do a few songs with the band. One song I always remember Brian doing was Frankie and Johnnie Brian was also a long standing committee man at the Buffs Club, he had many friends and I know he will be sorely missed.
What has become of all these musos – are any of them still doing a bit??
Barrie Miller the Bass player is still playing sometimes in Benidorm.
John Harbron was indeed Tommy”s nephew… and mine too. Johns father (Manny Harbron) was the brother of Tommy”s Dad.. my uncle Lennie who managed the band.. Ho hum… Until I read this I had no idea that John got into the band.. he was five or six years of age last time I saw him.
I am assuming you are Lawrence who I lost touch with a couple of years ago?
I was a very good friend of John Harbron. Surely if John’s dad and Tommy’s dad were brothers doesn’t it make them cousins. Sadly John passed away in 2009 I think. Always remember his Fender Jazzmaster
Check out the “mersey-beat” site for details of the Merseyside Zephyrs. I played on the bill with both bands and I think the Teesside band was a “tadge” better. If MK could hear me say that he would be spinnin” in his grave by now .There was always a strong rivalry between the Zeph”s and the Bluecaps in the early sixties. You could always see the fierce discussions every Saturday afternoon outside Burdons music shop on Yarm Lane. Mick and Barrie would go at it “hammer and tongs” whilst me Howard and Cover would slip off to the the Green Bushes next door till the heat died down.
Barrie Miller was also keen on football starting out with Wheatley Motors in the newly formed Stockton Sunday League 1968. He then became a very good referee who officiated in the Football League.
Tommy Harbron, Alan Coverdale and Barrie Miller all went to Bailey Street school together.
Many thanks Barry, I will now have to start another search for the Zephyrs….
YOU ARE RIGHT PAUL, THERE WAS ANOTHER GROUP CALLED THE ZEPHRYS. THIS IS WHY THE ZEPHRYS FROM STOCKTON HAD TO CHANGE THEIR NAME TO THE ZEPHRONS, BECAUSE THE OTHER GROUP HAD THE NAME BEFORE THEM. HOPE THIS HAS HELPED YOU WITH YOUR QUERY.
Further to my previous posting Re:- Dennis Coleman. I forgot to add that the chap I know as Chippy drummed and sang for Vinegar Joe which was Elkie Brooks Band in the seventies. Having checked out the Vinegar Joe web site there is no mention of Dennis Coleman, so I think there must have been another Zepher band back in the 60`s. The name Chippy was coined because he was once a carpenter.
I WORKED WITH DENNIS COLEMAN IN THE EARLY SIXTIES AT RUSSELLS WAREHOUSE ON PORTRACK LANE, I DON”T REMEMBER HIM HAVING THE NICKNAME CHIPPY. HE DID SING CERTAIN NUMBERS WHILST PLAYING THE DRUMS, THE SONGS THAT COME TO MIND ARE, RUNNING BEAR, SPEEDY GONZALES, AND EBONY EYES BY THE EVERLY BROS.
Could anybody tell me if Dennis Coleman was also known by the nickname of Chippy?? I was at the Dreamland Ballroom, Margate around 1963/4 when the Zephyrs were playing. Chippy was the lead singer/drummer and also did a drum solo that lasted, belive it or not, around 20 mins. I wonder if this is the same Zephyrs
Chippy played drums for a group called the Zephyrs they originated from the Maidstone area.
Does anybody know of William (Bill) Hunter playing with this band at any stage? Im sure he said it was these. Or does anyone know who he did play for, if it wasn”t?
I have an amusing photograph of tommy harbron, also tommy”s nephew is my niece”s partner i will pass on the fact that you would like contact with past members of the group
TREVOR DAVIS; I BELIEVE THIS PHOTOGRAPH WOULD HAVE BEEN TAKEN IN 1963-64, I WORKED WITH THE DRUMMER DENNIS COLEMAN IN RUSSELLS WAREHOUSE ON PORTRACK LANE, I REMEMBER ONE MORNING DENNIS BROUGHT IN SOME CLOTH SAMPLES IN SILVER AND GOLD, AND SAID THAT THE ZEPHRYS (AS THEY WERE KNOWN THEN)WERE HAVING NEW SUITS MADE OUT OF THIS MATERIAL. I WOULD LIKE TO CONTACT YOU, I HAVE SOME PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE GROUP THAT YOU MAY NOT HAVE.
I would like to contact any member of the Zephrons for my book project. I have photos but would like some comments from them about their life and times in the band. I can be contacted through this site.
HI THERE IM THE SON OF THE LATE JOHNNY ROCCO, I GREW UP WITH ALL THE STORIES OF THE ZEPHYRS AND THE BLUE CAPS MY FATHER HAS TOLD ME A GREAT DEAL, IF ANYONE CAN REMEMBER ME DAD OR HAVE ANY STORIES I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR THEM, MY DADS STAGE NAME WAS JOHNNY ROCCO IN THE 60S AND 70S THEN CHANGED HIS NAME TO JOHNNY ROCKWELL IN THE 80S, HE WAS IN THE MIDNIGHTERS LEAD VOCALIST IN THE 60S.
I HAVE READ THE COMMENTS POSTED BY ALAN ROSE A FORMER MEMBER OF THE ZEPHYRS DURING THE 70s, I REMEMBER THEM FROM THE EARLY SIXTIES,WHEN I WORKED WITH DENNIS COLEMAN (DRUMMER),I HAVE JUST RECENTLY MOVED TO SPAIN, AND ALAN COVERDALE WHO PLAYED RYTHM GUITAR LIVED ACROSS FROM ME, HE SHOWED ME QUITE A FEW PHOTOGRAPHS FROM THE EARLY DAYS I WILL POST SOME ON THIS SITE IN THE NEAR FUTURE. THEY DID MAKE A COMEBACK FOR A CHARITY NIGHT, WHICH WAS THAT SUCCESSFUL THEY ENDED UP PLAYING AT CLUBS AROUND THE AREA FOR ANOTHER TWO YEARS, THEY HAVE NOW RETIRED.
I joined the group in the early seventies after Barrie left. The line up then was Tommy Harbron Lead guitar, John Harbron(Tommy”s nephew I think)guitar, myself Alan Rose Bass, Denny Coleman drums and Alby Smith vocals. I remember practicing in Tommys house good stuff. I am led to believe they are back gigging? I also remember giving Denny a hand to move into his flat in Stockton. I also remember Denny liked drawing. Alan Rose – Bass Guitarist
I am trying to trace descendants of Manny Harbron, one-time trainer of world sprint record holder Arthur Wharton, who was the first man to run the 100 yards in even time in 1886. Manny composed a song ‘Wharton of Darlington’ in his honour, but I have been unable to source the lyrics or music.
Great band.I knew nothing about them until i found by pure luck a demo copy of a single called “shes not you” backed with “theres someting about you”.And the grand sum I payed for this was 20p from a junk shop in Falkirk, Scotland. Exellent tunes I wish I had more by them.
having live just across the road from tommy harbron i remember him getting his first guitar a red boddied accoustic. how along with dave smith and myself we tried to form a skiffle group having trouble getting wash board i remember we had two tea chest bases tommy being very very talented was soon to form the band the zephyrs later to change to zephrons i have always admired tommys playing i wonder if tommy remembers like me the fist songs he tried to learn last train to sanfernando and tommy steels butter fingers love and miss those days thanks mick turner
I WORKED WITH DENNIS COLEMAN THE ZEPHYRS DRUMMER IN 1962 AT RUSSELL”S WAREHOUSE ON PORTRACK LANE. I CAN REMEMBER DENNIS ALWAYS BEING LATE INTO WORK BECAUSE THE GROUP HAD BEEN PLAYING SOMEWERE LIKE LIVERPOOL AND DID NOT GET BACK TO STOCKTON UNTIL THE EARLY HOURS, I WOULD OPEN THE BACK DOORS OF THE WAREHOUSE SO DENNIS COULD GET IN BEFORE THE BOSS NEW HE WAS MISSING.
With reference to the amount of interest shown in the Zephyrs beat group and the Maison de Dance. Please visit the fabulous website of Stan Laundon, http://www.stanlaundon.com, for many years Stan was a presenter for BBC Radio Cleveland and now lives in Spain. Stan”s website is a timeline of his musical heritage and is really informative, prepare to spend some time browsing it. In the website go to the category named BANDS and you will see photographs showing Stan”s involvement with the Hartlepool music scene in the 60″s and also the Stockton connection, photographs of The Zephyrs, then (1959) and now, The Bluecaps appearing at the Globe Theatre (early 66), The Hartbeats at the Maison de Dance with the late and great Jack Marwood and also The Escorts at the Maison de Dance. Enjoy reliving the years of your youth !! Nostalgia Rules.