Memories
I was 19, just signed up with Kennedy St. Artists and was booked to go on one of their many, many tours... this one was just after Wayne Fontana and the Mindbenders had split.
I seem to remember Hermans Hermits , The Mindbenders, Dave Berry, David and Jonathon, Pinkertons Assorted Colours, Ivan's Meads and yours truly bringing up the rear - token Lulu/Cilla girl vocalist.
I was on my tod in it all. Had been picked up by local TV as girl with guitar and had no band so the agents put me and the three songs they required of me in the hands of Ivan,s Meads.
During rehearsals at various places, I was taken ill, had my appendix out, then went back into rehearsals and hit the ground running.
They were a great group and treated a scared child with patience and understanding. Their live version of 'Please Stay' was at times heart wrenching - got me in the deepest parts of the lonelyness I felt on that tour.
I only have fun memories of Ivan's Meads, good musicians, good people, good songs and good singing.
Friday Brown
I remember seeing the group at the TOP TEN CLUB Belle Vue Manchester. It was about 1965/1966. Jimmy Savile was the resident DJ.
I thought their hit SINS OF A FAMILY was a great song. I have often wondered how long the group stayed together or where they finished up.
John Phenix
Roger Cox was the lead guitarist for Ivan's Meads in '63. He seemed to be the leader and he was the one who asked me to join them on bass after my band the Drifting Hearts (who were drifting nowhere at this time) had opened for them at the Jungrau some weeks before.
They had a manager at that time - Harvey Demmy, the son of Gus Demmy who had the famous chain of betting shops in Manchester. I had never played bass before but I was handed a Hofner Beatle bass, which I played left handed.
We were all using Vox AC 30's but for bass I needed something fatter and was given a Marshall black 4 by12 bass cabinet and a 100 watt TVM amp on top - nice!
The first bass line I ever played was Howlin Wolf's 'How Many More Years' - thankfully the tune is in the same key all the way through - I was in!
We rehearsed at Cox's Farm in Middleton and ironically the band were to have their high points without a lead guitar player. After I left, due to wok pressures, Cox was close to follow and the organ, sax, bass, drums line -up with Pat Dempsey, Keith Lawless, Rod Mayall, Alan Powell and Ivan was the one the girls went nuts for later!
David Bowker |
