Stourbridge Stan Webb guitar, vocal Andy Silvester bass guitar Dave Bidwell drums Christine Perfect (McVie) vocal, piano (left in 1969) Paul Raymond piano, organ (joined in 1969) Chicken Shack evolved from a Stourbridge based band called Sounds Of Blue who were performing in the West Midlands area by early 1964. The original members included singer and… Read More »Chicken Shack
Birmingham Jeff Lynne vocal, guitar & piano (left 1970) Greg Masters bass guitar, vocal Dave Pritchard guitar, vocal Roger Spencer drums, vocal Mike Hopkins vocal & guitar (joined 1970) Dave Walker vocal (joined 1970) With the departure of Roy Wood and Mike Sheridan in 1966, The Nightriders (see Mike Sheridan and The Nightriders) remaining members Dave Pritchard,… Read More »Idle Race
Birmingham Carter-Lewis and the Southerners were an early 1960s, rock band formed by the Birmingham born musicians Ken Lewis (guitarist / singer / songwriter) and John Carter. Jimmy Page and Perry Ford from Lincoln were also members, although Page didn’t stay in the band very long. In 1964 the group released a single featuring Jimmy… Read More »Carter-Lewis and the Southeners
Birmingham Years active 1964 -1975 Label(s) Piccadilly Records The original line-up * John Carter (born John Shakespeare, 20 October 1942, Small Heath, Birmingham) * Ken Lewis (born Kenneth James Hawker, 3 December 1942, Small Heath, Birmingham) * Perry Ford (born Bryan Pugh, 30 December 1940, Lincoln) Former members Tony Burrows Neil Landon The Ivy League… Read More »The Ivy League
Birmingham Pete Allen bass guitar (left in 1966) Mike Kellie drums (left in 1966) Danny King vocal (left in 1966) Brian “Monk” Finch saxophone (left in 1966) Jim Simpson trumpet (left in 1967) Richard Storey saxophone, organ (left in 1966) Chris Wood saxophone, flute (left in 1966) Joe Ellis bass guitar (joined 1966 – left… Read More »Locomotive
Walsall-1965 Roger Beamer bass guitar John Crutchley guitar Robert Plant vocal Geoff Thompson drums Robert made his first public performances as a teenager at Stourbridge’s Seven Stars Blues Club. He had spells with several local bands including one called the Crawling King Snakes, where he first met John Bonham. In 1966 Robert was in a… Read More »Listen
Snow Hill and Hill Street .. The pie stand at Snow Hill, Special thanks to Snoker for these photographs The one at Hill Street The Snackerie or “Alex’s pie stand” as it was more widely known, were popular spots in Snow Hill,and Hill Street during the 1960s for members of local bands to get a… Read More »Alex's Pie Stands (The Snackerie)
Smethwick …. Thimblemill Road Baths are now 75 years old and are known are more recently as Smethwick Swimming Centre The art deco style baths opened in 1933 and was once known as a top concert venue with bands including the The Beatles, The Kinks, the Small Faces and The Rolling Stones appearing here in the 1960s. The Beatles… Read More »Thimblemill Baths
Wolverhampton Road This was a supreme pub venue for many local bands. You name them, they were all here. My band Paint played here. As a songwriter I went along one evening, to see the band Hobson’s Choice. It was a great honour and thrill, that when I got out my car, I could hear them, live on stage,… Read More »Hen and Chickens
Rednall The Chalet Club, near the Lickey Hills, was a popular venue, and a ‘trip’ to the country for us townies. The club featured many of the popular Brum Beat bands, like Idle Race, The Uglys One such night I went along to see Idle Race, and spent a long time chatting to Jeff Lynne.… Read More »The Chalet