I recently attended a Moody Blues concert at an outdoor pavilion, here in Houston. When they introduced the band, first on stage were two women! OK, I said to my friends, there are NO women in the Moody Blues! Of course I was wrong, and they were wonderful and the show was just unbelievable. The two women, however, spurred my interest in what had happened to the other original members, and I began a "Google-quest" and found you and so much information. How these bands morphed into each other, with members moving from band to band. Just fascinating stuff. I just read about how the Move had Jeff Lynne, and became ELO. I never knew that!

Somewhere among all the reading I did about Clint (Warwick), someone said his voice towards the end had taken on a very unique and gravelly sound. I'd love to hear it someday. His life seems to have had some hardship after the Moody Blues period, and there are many stories like that in the world of rock and roll, but at the end of the day, the music will always live on, bringing a smile... a memory. And that makes it all very special.

You may or may not know that the very last line up of the Band of Joy consisted of Johny Bonham, Mick Strode, Rob Plant, and myself. We did a tour round Scotland and the north in 1968. This was for the infamous Duncan McKinnon "Drunken Duncan", a superb man with a wonderful warm heart. It was right after this that Robert went to London and whilst stopping with Alexis Corner he was put in touch with Jimmy Page. The rest as you know is history.

This didn't help me and my best mate Bonzo at the time as we were about to rehearse a new line-up consisting of John, myself, Reggie and Chrissy Jones and a keyboard player that John found from a Liverpool band - I think they were known as the Peeps ?. I went on to join a band called the Wellington Kitch Jump Band with Chris Brown on hammond. Chris is also ex Band of Joy from the more well known line-up. Anyway, Bonzo finally got the message after several telegrams and wisely got his ass down to London.

Oh yes - I am still playing in a band called the Notorious Brothers. Check it out sometime - maybe the Monday of the fill your head with rock festy.

I found your superb, brilliant site by accident and can't believe how I have been transported back to the 60's. I used to go to the Carlton very often ok 4 times a week as I lived on the village. I saw loads and loadsa brum bands and loved 'em all. Sunday afternoons was spent with the Moodies up in the Carlton while they jammed. I loved Denny Laine. I really loved a DJ that was a regular there - Barmy Barry - he had pink hair, green hair, you name it!

I was at the studios nearly every Sunday to watch the Thank Your Lucky Stars being recorded to go out the following Saturday. Saw the Beatles and crossed the road with Brian Jones to the Star for a drink. Cried when I saw Billy Fury and my mate Diane went out with Steve Brett, he got the Beatles autographs for her... I know I am rambling but one memory just keeps going into another.

Just discovered your amazing site. Brings back a flood of memories. I grew up in Erdington, so of course The Carlton Club (later Mothers) was the place to go for great music. You had to be 18 to join, so myself and hundreds of others are a couple of years older than we really are according to their membership records. I live in Canada now, but I have often told my daughter how many of major classic rock bands had their start at the Carlton and other similar venues. The names came flooding back including some I had forgotten about.

New Years Eve at the Carlton was the place to be if you could get in. I sometimes wonder what would have happened if there had been a fire or anything. One memorable experience was rubbing shoulders with Long John Baldrey in the bar of The Acorn across the street before he went to do his gig. Another was the Moody Blues coming back from London by cab to fulfill an outstanding booking at the Carlton. Keep up the good work.

Just found your site by accident. I was a member of a number of groups around the Birmingham/Midlands area in the 60's. Whilst a member of The Satellites, we played the circuit, including the 'Carlton Club' at Erdington, Birmingham Town Hall, Adelphi, West Brom (now sadly burned down), all of Mrs Regans venues, and the Brum nightclub scene. Also at the Cedar Club, Elbow Room, Rum Runner, The Moat House, and many more. We even appeared on black and white TV in a program called 'For Teenagers Only' at the old ATV studios in Aston (I'm A Hog For You Baby, and Get A Shot Of Rythm And Blues, were the songs).

As The Lawmen, we were managed by Reg Calvert, who was murdered whilst involved in some shady deal related to a pirate radio station in the Thames Estuary. Andy Brown, our drummer went on to join 'The Fortunes'. I met him just a few years ago, and he was working as a club drummer backing the artists. By this time my brother and I were doing a duo club act as 'Tomika'. performing 60's material. They were great times, and will probably never be repeated.

In more recent times my son Paul made more progress (in music) than me as a member of 'The Wonderstuff' but they have sadly now split, other than for Miles Hunt, and the lead guitarist. It would be nice to see the names of the two groups I was in included on your list if possible.

I saw Carl Wayne and The Vikings at the Kings Head pub in Edgbaston on several occasions. I was playing bass at the time (about 1960) in a group called "Jeff Lynx and The Bobcats" from Great Barr (I often wonder what happened to them...) In 1964 I went to Birmingham art school and was co-founder with Robin Tarsnane (now a famous film art director in Hollywood) of a blues band called The Hookey Walkers. We often played at the Golden Eagle pub in Hill Street where we shared the bill a few times with the Spencer Davis Group. I even filled in for Muff Winwood when he got married - the highlight of my musical career!

Christine Perfect (see Chicken Shack) was, would you believe, our manager and taught me to play blues bass. The band broke up in 1966 and I quit college for London. I was on the dole for a while and one day I met Steve Winwood in Oxford Street. To cut a long story short, he introduced me to Chris Blackwell of the then fledgling Island Records where I got a job designing posters and flyers etc. I wasn't very good and the job lasted 6 months but it was a start and I went on to design 19 Magazine and do illustrations for most of the magazines at the time including a poster for Spencer Davis for "Mr Second Class".

I started what we called Birmingham's First Rhythm & Blues Club at the Golden Eagle on Hill Street. The club started because the club manager didn't want "Jazz or Rock music" so I told him I would promote R&B. Before Spencer Davis appeared, we had a band we called "The Big Four" featuring Mike Burney on saxophone.

At this time I also worked at the Alpha Television Studios Aston, as a property assistant (later to become the studios for BRMB). I worked on every Thank Your Lucky Stars programs for about two years. It was at a recording of this programme one Sunday that I met Chris Blackwell with Millie Small. We talked and I invited him to stay over and come to see my band (The Spencer Davis Group) at the Golden Eagle the next evening. He arrived the next evening and was well impressed. He invited the band down to London and the rest is history.

We shook hands at the Eagle and Chris Blackwell promised me he'd see me alright? I've never heard from him since that day! I still have the actual telegram from Mike Vernon of Decca Records cancelling a promised recording session that I'd organised with him.

I also did a joint promotion with National Jazz Federation called Birmingham's First Rhythm & Blues Festival at Birmingham Town Hall.

I remember Denny played a cherry red Gibson SG Junior and under his black uni-suit he wore a Union Jack shirt. For the show stopper "Bye Bye Burd" he took off his jacket to show his shirt. There were many girls in mini-skirts (Mary Quant) dancing and photographers made pix from the floor looking up. Reportedly some people were fornicating under the provisional stage, which of course I missed out on (being 15 at the time and not knowing you could do things like that under a stage).

Denny left early October 1966 and a few weeks later Rod was sacked. There's also some German Beat Club footage that shows Rod Clark in the band performing "Really Haven't Got The Time" live on TV (with Mike Pinder singing lead!). Keep up the good work.

We also frequented the Ritz in Kings Heath, the Locarno in the city centre, Solihull Civic Centre and later, Mothers in Erdington - saw Family there in the 70's. We also went to the Railway Inn at Selly Oak on the Bristol Rd. We saw the Moody Blues play there on their first gig so we were told. There was another pub near to the railway where I saw the Spencer Davis Group one night. I can't remember what that was called. I do remember there being hardly anyone there early on. We occasionally visited the "Whiskey A Go Go" at the bottom of Hill St. in the city. And I remember Alex's caf near where the Albany Hotel is now. It was a place to steer clear of as it was frequented by "rockers".

Other groups I saw included Denny Laine and The Diplomats (later of wings fame), and Carl Wayne and The Vikings. I saw Lulu but can't remember where. I saw Millie (Small), of "My Boy Lollipop" fame at the Ritz in Kings Heath. I saw loads of other groups but I have no recollection of the names - a gentle nudge may help. Later on in life I did some building works for the drummer of the Applejacks, Gerry. He lived in Yardley at the time. He had a great sound system - Quad Valve amps etc, and I was taken with some of the drummers that were on the records he had. I played Gerry at squash a couple of times at the Metropole Hotel at the NEC before drifting out of contact. I saw him a couple of times afterwards working as a session drummer on TV. Strange days. I wish I had taken a camera with me. The pics would be worth a fortune now. Thanks for the memories of a misspent youth.

There were lots of local groups around at that time playing for dances in youth clubs, church halls, factory social clubs and pubs. Visiting groups often graced the dimly lit, beer-soaked raised platform in the corner of a pub lounge before going on to find relative fame and fortune. Fleetwood Mac (with Jeremy Spencer), The Nice, Jimmy Cliff and Wynder K Frogg all served time at The Bull's Head, Coventry Road. The Queen's Head, 5 Ways Erdington saw Peter Frampton & The Herd mixed in with local bands The Capital Systems & Ochre Daydream. Other venues on the gigging circuit were The Mackadown at Kitts Green, The Tyburn House, The Swan at Yardley, The B.R.S.(British Road Services depot!) at Bromford Lane and Fisher & Ludlow's Social club.

In 1963/4 I lived across the road from Tony Clarkin who was a guitarist in The Boulevards (music in the young tradition). Many years later, having grown up and moved away, I was driving home one night and heard an interview on the local radio station with Magnum. Upon hearing the unmistakable Brummie tones I dug out my old copies of Midland Beat to see if it really was the same Tony Clarkin from the Boulevards. A friend, who still lived in Birmingham, went to a Magnum record signing at HMV in New Street and took along my old photos and newspaper cuttings from the 60s, which caused much hilarity amongst other members of the group.

Another great venue in 1968-9 was "Mother's" in Erdington. Although progressive music seems faintly ludicrous now, at the time it was really exciting. You could go to see "underground" bands such as King Crimson, Blodwyn Pig, The Liverpool Scene, The Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band and Jon Hiseman's Coliseum playing almost every night of the week, all for 2/6d entry. We sat cross-legged on the floor in deep appreciation only to rise up and "freak out" when the music got heavy and took flight. When bands hit the big time they'd come back to play the Town Hall. You could buy cheap tickets to sit on the orchestra platform behind the stage. You spent the entire evening watching the gig from behind but there were memorable nights with Deep Purple, Tyrannosaurus Rex (with David Bowie miming), Derek & the Dominos, with special guest Eric Clapton and Roy Harper.

The weekend that Bob Dylan headlined the Isle of Wight festival, Birmingham, not to be outdone, had it's very own rival event in Cannon Hill Park. Grateful for small mercies, I don't think anyone thought it strange that this free "hippy" festival was headlined by a very young Black Sabbath. I try to ignore the pitying looks my grown up children give me when watching Top of the Pops 2 on TV as I find myself saying "I used to go and see them when I was a kid in Birmingham"...

It has been such a long time, but Obs-Tweedle actually started when Tommy Burton left. Mac Bailey and the bass player at that time formed a group with another drummer called "The Answer" I also joined. We actually played in Casablanca and Germany where we changed guitarist to a guy from Scotland. I know we changed personnel a few times and when Robert Plant joined, my father who ran the Three Men In A Boat Pub in Walsall suggested "Obs-Tweedle". That was the band that Jimmy Page and Peter Grant came to see at Walsall College and Robert went to what was then "The Yardbirds" and I joined Terry Reid. Sorry I can't remember any other names, but it was 1967 into 1968. When I left Reid, Ace Kefford had just abandoned "The Stand" though Ace and myself did play as the Ace Kefford Stand. Also as Kefford-Bonham and when we got a drummer, we changed our name to "Spread Eagle". We broke up around 1970. I wish I could remember more.

I have a contribution for you regarding Ace Kefford's Stand which might be of some interest. My names Mike Pruden, living in Leicester. I was guitar player in the Stand, be it only for a short time, February, March, April & May of 1976. Recently arrived home from gigging in Germany I had been scouring the Melody Maker for a gig. This looked good but on arriving to audition venue, there were so many axe men there I didn't stop. A day or so later I rang up to see if they had found someone - they hadn't. So I went back up to Brum auditioned and got the gig.

I'm pretty sure this took place in a rather nice cottage in Inkberrow where Chris (Ace) lived with his Lady at the time - she had a hairdressing business up the road. I spent quite some time there rehearsing. At this time Chris was playing rhythm guitar & singing. I remember him having a great stage presence & image and during this time he never played bass. The guitar he had was a bitch; 3 bolt neck, Fender Strat that didn't want to stay in tune. For my part I played a Gibson Les Paul Junior.

The only numbers we did that I can remember were covers of Fleetwood Mac's "Oh Well" & Johnny Kid's "Shaking All Over" I think the rest were numbers written by Chris. After we got a set together we did a mini tour of Cornwall. Some of the gigs were: March 30, Porpoise Inn, Porthowan; March 31st, Penventon Hotel; April 2nd The Bluff, Hayle. These I can only remember because I still have newspaper ads - must have had a good time!! It was out of season so the audience was mainly locals who were a bit strange. I do remember Chris looking out of the caravan window (yes this was real Rock 'n' Roll) which looked out onto a bleak field then out to the sea, saying "You'd think that we were the only fu.k..g people on the earth!"

I did a couple of more gigs then, as monies was short I went on to other things. I'm still playing at present in a Rock 'n' Roll band "The Aristocats". I some times bump into Laurie Hornsby who tells me Ace was recently interviewed as Paul Weller cited him as an influence. Last time I spoke to Chris must be 22 years ago, he said we would have to meet up and get wide eyed and legless - Im still waiting!!

I still front a - for want of a better term - "Brumrock" band. I am now 55 and I started at 15 playing at the Whiskey a Go Go on Navigation Street. I played for quite some years with a group called THE SOULENTS managed by Johnny Neal's dad then amalgamated with the other members of THE REST after Tony Iommi left. This band after several name & member changes became B0SS WHITE - a band with a not inconsiderable reputation & following.

We were about to be signed when the age old personality and ego problems split us in 1971. I then went to Germany with my current bass player to form a band which was also nearly signed. We did a Sinalco Cola ad on German TV but we became homesick and returned to the UK so the record company Oriole signed Boney M instead!

Back in the UK I formed a band called Portable People which soldiered on as a trio for a good many years before joining a country band called Cotton Gin playing pedal steel lead guitar & lead vocals. I then formed my own country band PALLADIN. We were resident at the Hen & Chickens, Langley and also toured backing some american artists.

Went solo as a cabaret artist for several years but the itch to play in a band was too strong. In the mid 80s I formed the BRIAN COLLINS BAND and were still going strong gigging constantly. We backed TONY JACKSON from The Searchers at the first two years of the BEATLES FESTIVAL in Liverpool. The line-up is Patrick Geddes Smith sax & keys ex Locomotive; Cissy Stone and Alan Scott ex Astonairs drums/vocs; Bob Hackett, bass/vocs; yours truly, lead vocs/lead guitar/harmonica.

According to Ollie Spencer, he reckons I am the only surviving Brum Rock band still working as a rock band. Incidently, we have just been voted BAND OF THE YEAR for Cheshire & North Staffs WMC which I can't help finding ironic.

In an effort to distance ourselves from the later arrival of Dave Lacey and The "imposter" Corvettes, we became "The Two Corvettes" and we went on to win a talent contest on Radio Luxembourg (remember that!) where we won a fabulous trip to New York and a recording audition at Columbia followed by a regular appearance on ITV's Lunch Box (how embarrassing) after the then Lord Mayor, who I think was alderman Eric Mole, held us up as an example to the youth of 1961 (if only they knew the truth).

I well remember that the price of our air ticket to NY was almost the equivalent of a years wages to the average working man, so our adventure was out of this world at that time. Remember that even the major American artists rarely visited our shores due to the cost involved of promoting their talents. We went on to do the club circuit of the time for a few years afterwards until reality got in the way. We parted in 1964 and I have not seen Colin since he emigrated soon afterwards to South Africa, although he is coming back next month when we hope to get together for the first time in 38 years!

Good to see that someone is chronicling the history of the 1960's and I hope that other musicians help you to compile the definitive history of the Birmingham music scene of the time.

Aaaarrrgghhhh the memories! I was a true child of the sixties and ran around all over Birmingham listening to these bands. Me and my friend Hilary stalked Denny Laine for years! Everywhere they played we were there! Burton's the Tailors in Sparkhill! I remember me an Hil hangin' on Denny's every word while he had a smoke under a bus shelter below Burton's while the band was "on a break". They played at Solihull Tech a lot and we always used to miss the last bus home because we couldn't bear to leave. The grief and aggro I suffered for that lives with me still. I think it damaged me!

We also used to follow the King Bees. You should do something on them because they had Carl Palmer (later of ELP) as their drummer and they had the worst time getting bookings because he was only fourteen and wasn't allowed in pubs! I have a great story about Ian Campbell too. It's a bit long winded for now...but if you're interested......

Brian Sharp from Pat Wayne and The Beachcombers lived on my street and was the scandal of the neighbourhood when he bought an American car! One of them big 60's jobs with the rocket ship rear lights! Also, Dave Pegg went to my school so I am always intested to hear about him since I had a massive crush on him (tell him to call me!)

What a great time it was. I saw the Beatles at the Hippodrome. A friend sold me her ticket for TWICE the face value so I paid a massive One Pound and five shillings for it! It took me about six weeks to pay her ! Ok I gotta stop...

Maybe they they don't count for some reason, but shouldn't you mention blues duo Bakerloo Line (partial poster image attached)? And surely Black Sabbath and the Electric Light Orchestra should get a mention, both spending many hours rehearsing in the Midlands Arts Centre.

Which reminds me - it wasn't just the bands that made Brum special in the late 60s, there was also the infrastructure - the MAC, the Arts Lab, Mark Williams' regular Strange Days gigs at the Balsall Heath Institute, world-renowned projectionists the Amoeba Lightshow...

I have been doing some research into 1960s Brum and found your site. I was so excited to find listed Young Blood. Well, as school girls, my friend and I became the first members of the Young Blood fan club. We were members 1 & 2. We first met them at the Boys and Girls exhibition, then held at the Bingley Hall on Broad Street. We would listen to them practice every week in the community centre on Weoley Castle square.

I fancied the drummer (Colin Powell) like crazy and we followed them to many venues like the Railway at Selly Oak, the Hen and Chicks on the Hagley Road, etc. We would feel so proud when they sat with us during the break and Colin would always sit with me.

I was sad when I heard Colin (Cozy) was killed a few years ago in a car accident. He always had a passion for racing cars so perhaps it was poignant that he died doing what gave him the most pleasure. I was disappointed that I could not open the page due to construction. Any more info on Young Blood and I would be thrilled to hear. Thanks for the memory.

Just a comment on the bit about (Carl Wayne) and The Vikings and George (Duke) Mann. Duke came out of the army the same time as I did and we worked together at Parkinson Stove in Station Road, Stechford. Duke restarted the Vikings band which was NOT a skiffle band in any shape or form. Duke's main style was Buddy Holly (with his glasses, he resembled Buddy more than a bit) but he also sung stuff like "I Go Ape" etc. He was one of the first to wear custom style gear, such as a pink jacket, black pants, and pink matching shoes. I know because I helped him dye a pair. He lasted as the band leader until about 1962, when he got involved with a local groupie, who conned him into marrying her, then telling him it was either her or the band. Duke being a nice bloke did the right thing and gave the band away for that reason only, nothing else.

I know you can read stuff in books about the band (very little), but I can tell you Duke WAS the band. Also John, Duke's brother (Johnny) was not in the band at the start when Duke reformed it. The band's main playing base was at the Radleys at a place called The Blakenhall dance (I think that is how it was spelt). They also entered a competition that was held in the Bingo in town (a dance hall) and beat the group who thought they were the best in Brum at the time, these were the Grasshoppers.

This was also a time when there were a lot of fights being set up to disrupt the night's dancing in the hope that the venue would be closed down. Duke had asked me to keep an eye out for trouble at our dance at the Blakenhall, the reason being at that time, I had made a name (all be it bad) as a rough-nut who could handle myself, so I was to punch out anyone who tried to disrupt the night. Some of the group knew of this arrangement, one didn't like the idea, but it stayed and we had no problems with rivals, not like the Grasshoppers, ask the girl singer. Also in those days there was no such thing as The Brum Beat, that came later when Duke had left and many other bands had hit the scene around Brum.

I haven't seen or heard of Duke since about 1966 when he won a share in the football pools and moved out to another district, far away from the flat he had in Stetchford. He also had a son by then, his name was Robert Mann. I wonder if he grew up and followed in his dad's footsteps. I'd also be very surprised if he stayed married to the rougho that conned him into marrying her. If you ever get any info on Duke, I'd be very pleased if you could let me know. Also I have lived here in Sydney (Australia) since 68, and before that when Duke had moved I went to Canada, so a lot of water has gone under the bridge since those days.

The Carlton Club (the owners had e-types parked outside) Carl Wayne and the Vikings. Carl married Miss Dianne from Crossroads and I remember him saying he would be as big as Tom Jones. Whatever happened to him????

Abbey youth club Erdington, Johnny Neal, El Riot, Denny Laine at the ballroom that was pulled down near the Cental Library west end???, Moody Blues at the Belfry, Mike Sheridan at the Tyburn House, the Idle Race at the Queen's Head, Erdington. The gaffer's son got together with Bob Laney to form LANEY SOUND with works and offices at the Birds factory. Musical Youth at the Custard House.

Just a note about Dave Morgan; I am sure he played in the line-up at the Rum Runner that became or was Magnum (I used to do some work at the Runner). Dave was a clever chap who designed and marketed Morganavco Ltd., a unique aeronautical navigation slide rule! The last time I saw him in the middle to late seventies he was with ELO and then formed a duo with someone else from Brum.