Memories

"I suppose every band (and ex)  member has tales to tell. A lot of water has gone under the bridge since those days. As an experience I wouldn`t have missed it for the world.

We started life here in Cornwall, the band was formed by Amph ( Anthony ) Grigg and myself. Doing gigs most nights of the week during the summer.  After a couple of years or so we jacked in our jobs, took no future bookings and set off to Torquay under the Lionel Digby of Torquay set up only to find we had just the one booking ! This was  supporting The Terry Young Six (John Rostill was bass , later to join the Shadows)

I feel our roadie and virtual manager at the time Dave Instance should get a special mention because although not in the band was so supportive and in his own way contributed to the bands well being and was always there for all of us.

We subsequently " lived " at The Black Cat Club in Devonport (sometimes on the club seats) and Dave Stock the owner took us under his wing, securing bookings in the Sheffield / Doncaster area, which was to become our base for some years.

The initial  line up was myself, Amph ( lead ) Johnny Chapman ( Bass )  Clive Gunn ( rythmn ) Morv Munday (Drums).  The band was soon split by the leaving of Clive and Morv being replaced by some of Pymouth`s best players in the shape of Derek Stenteford ( rythmn ) and Frankie Bennet ( Drums ). Frank was later replaced by another Plymouth boy Stan Brown.

We did a stint in Hamburg and Hannover and worked in The Top Ten club alongside Jimmy Powell and the Jumping Jacks (we persuaded Jimmy Powell's piano player Mick to join us) and Dave Dee and The Bostons (soon to become DDDBM&T ).

 We cut "Dance Dance Dance" a cover of the American Hit by Joey Dee and The Starlighters, then followed with "Sweet & Lovely" a version to be fair we " stole " from the great band of Cliff Bennet and The Rebel Rousers.

On " D D D "the A&R man John Schroeder at Oriole insisted we use a session drummer and ex Joe Brown drummer Bobby  Elliot  (I`m pretty sure that was his name ) was used. That bit of deceit to our then drummer Tony ( Dixie ) Lee ( Tony later joined heavy rock band Lone Star ) shouldn`t have been allowed to happen but we were hungry for that elusive stardom and listened to others.

I was soon to have a touch of that, I had suffered with my throat more so on returning from Germany and I suppose I took advantage of this with exra time back in Cornwall. Lance Fortune (one of Larry Parnes stable with the hit " Be Mine " a John Barry song ) had by now replaced John Chapman on bass.

We had worked as Lance`s backing band for some while so not only being a good bass he could fill in for myself  while I was ill and the band soon realised that they could servive without me and it increasede the cut !

So one sunny morning the band informed me that there was no need to get on board and that my space had been filled, bit of a blow at the time but to be fair my heart had probably gone out of it. Like all things in hindsight had they talked with me perhaps I could have handled it.

I went into the rag trade and my wife still runs a retail outlet today today. I went into photography a little over twenty years ago and have had my work published in three personal volumes and four compilation books. I`ve had work used for numerous book covers and a number of bands album covers, usually Goth or heavy metal American.

Its now around forty years on and sadly (according to Dave Instance still living in Plymouth now a with his own taxi business)   we have lost Frankie Bennet , Stan Brown and Dave Stock. also Derek has had serious hearing problems.  I lost a lung through cancer five years ago despite being a lifetime non smoker, but am doing very well and clear and enjoying life to the full.

I feel very proud to have been around for those years when rock n roll was really rock n roll ! "

David Penrase

I was the bass player with Amph Grigg, Dave Penprase, Dave (I think) Bowden (rthym) and drummer Mervin (parents owned a pub in Blackwater, near Redruth) in 1959 and 1960.  I was from Helston - bloody wonderful days!  Now live in Hampshire.  Get in touch if you remember me - please!!

Mickey Dale