July 1963 – Marquee, Oxford Street, London with (Mann-Hugg) Blues Brothers (Tony Bacon book: London Live) Edric was a pioneering calypso singer from Trinidad who came to England in 1944. In 1951 he brought the Trinidad Steel Orchestra to the Festival of Britain. In 1952 with his band Edric Connor and the Caribbeans, he recorded the album ‘Songs from Jamaica’. This included ‘Day Dah Light’ a version of which became Harry Belafonte’s big hit, ‘Day-O’, or ‘The Banana Boat Song’, in 1957.

Here’s a faster loading set list, photos of the entrance as it looks now, and an extract from the NME about the impending refurb of the club. Born Norman McPhail Blair, Elwin’s obit in the local paper described him as, ‘one of the most recorded artists in the world.’ He made hundreds of 78rpm recordings under no less than 30 pseudonyms. He began in his native Glasgow singing ballads, moving on to popular songs and composing. In the 1920s and 1930s he regularly appeared with the Savoy Orpheans, the hotel’s big band led by the American Carroll Gibbons. There’s a short film of the band on British Pathe, http://www.britishpathe.com

September 1965 – Klooks Kleek, West Hampstead, north London (Geoff Williams research: Decca Studios and Klooks Kleek book) The Artwoods “Live at Klooks Kleek” was instigated by Mike Raven, a DJ/producer on the short-lived pirate station Radio Atlanta, which had become Radio Caroline South, by the time of the recordings in late 1964. The Artwoods had been so successful as authentic blues purveyors on a dozen interval spots at the club that they stepped up to topping the bill nine times before moving countrywide. The original tapes were transferred to vinyl for availability in June 2016 in the Record Collector magazine’s Rare Vinyl series. November 1967 – St James’ Spectacular, Chesterfield, Derbyshire with The Shape of The Rain (Derbyshire Times) This article includes inline citations, but they are not properly formatted. Please improve this article by correcting them. ( March 2018) ( Learn how and when to remove this template message) October 1966 – Odeon, Birmingham with The New Animals, Georgie Fame & The Blue Flames, Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Geno Washington & The Ram Jam Band, Eyes of Blue

The unique musical heritage of a tiny 1960s nightclub in West Hampstead could be lost, campaigners say, after the council approved plans to convert it into flats. June 1968 – Redcar Jazz Club, Redcar, North Yorkshire with The Keith Herd Group (Dennis Weller, Chris Scott Wilson and Graham Lowe’s book) During May, Dave Greenslade briefly left to join Julian Covey & The Machine as they support John Lee Hooker on a UK tour but returned to The Thunderbirds soon after. April 1964 – Fender Club, Kenton, Middlesex with Zoot Money’s Big Roll Band (Harrow Observer & Gazette)

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February 1966 – Marcam Hall, March, Cambridgeshire (Beat Instrumental) Advertised as Markham Hall so just needs confirmation/Boyfriend magazine has the band at Leascliff Hall, Folkestone on this date December 1966 – Gaiety Ballroom, Ramsey, Cambridgeshire with The Apex R&B All Stars (Cambridgeshire Times) Of course West Hampstead has other musical claims to fame. Artists as diverse as Dusty Springfield and Slash were both born here; and that Decca audition might have put the Fab Four off NW6 but it didn’t stop them from recording some of their most influential material just down the road by the world’s most famous zebra crossing.

August 1966 – Grays Club, Grays Court, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne & Wear (Fabulous 208/Beat Instrumental) July 1967 – Town Hall, Clacton, Essex with The Martells and St Willie Cool School (Essex County Standard) Georgie Fame and the Blue Flames played 22 times within the first two years of RnB at KK. Commercial success then took them into larger venues, but spin-off bands, e.g. The Night-Timers who played 21 gigs, kept the genre going at smaller clubs like KK. December 1966 – Gig in Shrewsbury (possibly Severn Club), Shropshire then Midnight City, Birmingham (Disc & Music Echo)

November 1964 – Klooks Kleek, West Hampstead, London (Geoff Williams research: Decca Studios and Klooks Kleek book) Lemmy’ (Ian Fraser Kilmister) and ‘Philthy’ Phil Taylor, drums, were in Motorhead. Both lived at Tower Mansions during the late 1970s and 1980s. Motorhead was formed in 1975 and they have made twenty albums. Still performing today, Lemmy is the only remaining member of the original band.

April 1966 – Central R&B Club, Central Hotel, Gillingham, Kent (Chatham, Rochester and Gillingham News) Bonham has already been approached to form a new band that will become Led Zeppelin but will perform with Chris Farlowe & The Thunderbirds until late August.Finally, it’s the drummer’s turn for the spotlight. Ric Lee never lets up throughout the Summertime intro to his signature solo Shantung Cabbage. The physically and musically impressive solo draws enormous applause from what really seems to be a “musician’s audience.” But the truth is the solo is enjoyable and impressive to anyone, regardless of their musical knowledge, taste or ability. Incidentally, the two Lees are not related. Situated next to Decca Studios, KK was a favourite drop-in before or after work for music stars, notably Tom Jones, Lulu, and Mike Smith of the Dave Clark Five. Eric Burdon often dropped-in, particularly when Georgie Fame or Zoot Money were appearing, sometimes accompanied by other members of the Animals. The surprise visit which passed into legend was the one made by Jimi Hendrix whose manager Chas Chandler, formerly of the Animals brought him in one night when John Mayall was topping the bill. Jimi was never booked, but he was invited to jam with the John Mayall band, and that night’s crowd was ecstatic. Individual memories of Klook’s Kleek abound, some of them misted by time but all of them enthusiastic. October 1964 – Nurses Club, Jolly Gardners, Isleworth, Middlesex with Preacher Brown & The Witnesses (Middlesex Chronicle) Jean-Jacques Burnel the bass player with The Stranglers lived upstairs in Tower Mansions. He had been with the group since they formed in 1974. Steve Strange had just arrived from Wales where he had previously met JJ Burnel at a Stranglers gig. Steve and Billy Idol squatted in the basement of Tower Mansions. One day the local postman saw Steve and his girlfriend Suzy with their dyed spiky hair and said, “You two are an odd looking couple, you’re Mr and Mrs Strange”. They liked the idea and called themselves Steve and Suzy Strange. After playing in several other bands, Steve formed Visage in 1979. He appeared in the David Bowie video, ‘Ashes to Ashes’ and Visage had a hit with ‘Fade to Grey’ in 1980.