"This must have been about 1963 or 64. We opened up at The Jungfrau for Ivans Meads.

The original line up - they were doing John Lee Hooker and Jimmy Witherspoon tunes - EXACTLY what I wanted to do.

I was playing guitar and had Frank Thornlee standing in on bass from the Electrons (Alderley Edge). Frank was a great guitar player and could wipe the floor with me but our regular guy Pete Faulkner was absent on this particular night . We did a reasonable set - Frank played the bass like a lead guitar !! and I stuck around after we finished and was VERY impressed by the 'Meads ' .. so I boldly walked up to one of them , and gave them the pitch "If you ever need anybody please let me know , you guys are great " or words to that effect .

Three weeks later, I'm sloggin' away in my advertising job when my Mum calls me and says .. "I've got a phone call from Ivans Meads, that band you have been talking non-stop about ... they want you ..on bass".

Within hours I was in the band .. now a bass player .. been wingin ' it ever since ..great memories."

David Bowker

Sad to hear that Gordon Thornton has passed away
Sept 2008

I have a vague memory of a one night stand (music wise!!!) with the Hearts. For some reason they had no lead guitar for a (wedding?) gig at some county hall and asked me to stand in. No rehearsal no nothing just... " Our next number is Reelin' and a rockin'"... "What key?..."A"... and away we went. I seem to remember it went down O.K.

James Hollingworth
Ex B.L. and the 'Feds. 

Gordon Burnell   (on the left) and Robert Gough (on the right)
playing at Rhos on Sea Golf Club 2012

Bottom left (with beard)  Gordon Burnell, Stuart Wilde back left , bottom right Peter Faulkner and Barry Goldsburgh.

About a year after this we were offered a tour as support band for Joe Cocker.  The conract included recording  records and more tour. The drummer could not sign because of the sudden death of his father.  We were given 24 hours to  find a new drummer and could not - we lost the deal.  I still have the contract.

Gordon Burnell  
2/7/12

Good to hear from Gordon Burnell after all these years.We had some good bookings in the last 2 years or so before we split.

We were fairly prominent on the Manchester scene as I remember , supporting such big names as Dave Dee etc., Alexis Korner and his band ; the Irish group 'Them' including a very young Van Morrison; The Johnny Gustafson Set ( an offshoot of the Merseybeats); Hermans Hermits; Walker Brothers ( or was it the Righteous Brothers - I can never remember ?!)at the Domino Club, Gorton; and many others who I can't immediately remember.

In about 1964/5 we went to Columbia records in London where our then managers had contacts ( apparently they had previously managed Brian Poole and the Tremeloes). Columbia , probably wisely, decided that the market wasn't yet ready for us , but we had a great few days in the big city.

The contract that you mentioned, Gordon, was that the one where we went to see this big entrepreneur in his garden shed near Wigan ?! Nobody in his right mind would have signed that, though it was very tempting!

Anyway, because my old lady was the only bread winner due to the early demise of my father (not suddenly, as you recollect, but some 14 yrs previously), the ider family were putting pressure on me to give up the  'feckless, rock 'n'roll life style' which I very much enjoyed, and get a proper job with some kind of a career pattern so that I could be of more financial help. So, regrettably, I had to pack it in.

We had some great laughs while it lasted , though we never made much money. Usually just enough to cover the half time beer ration, petrol for the van ,  month's H.P. for the van, pie and chips on the way home , and that was us skint again for another week.

Incedentally, I remember the occasion that Jim Hollingsworth played with us. It was the first booking after Dave Bowker had left us to join Ivan's Meads and before we appointed Gordon. It was a wedding at Hollin Hall , Bollington , Macc, and as Jim says we managed to get through it alright. I think our then manager Fred Pullen of Cheadle Hulme fixed it.

Stewart (Stu) Wilde
10/1/13

Line -up at this time Stu Wilde Drums , Barry Goldsborough  Vocals, Pete Faulkner Bass, and Dave Bowker guitar/vocals.
We opened for Hermans Hermits with this line -up . Lord knows where it was .. a big youth club ..in the Manchester area This must be 1963. 

Dave Bowker
7/1/13

Hell's bells Dave, where did you find those photo's? I don't remember them at all. I do remember accompanying Herman's Hermits, though, it was at Denton Youth Club . If I remember correctly the Police were called and closed the gig down because some local nutter was swinging from the rafters and wanting to fight everybody!

You've got the little grey cells working overtime now. I'll see what else I can come up with.

Stewart (Stu) Wilde
18/1/13

Hi Stu, My Dad took the photos in our back garden in Wilmslow. I came across them a few months ago and managed to find David on Google via Manchester beat. I sent them to him via email a few weeks ago but I think he already had them. My name at the time was Kathy Kilbride. Where have 50 years gone? I hope you are well and happy.

Regards
Kath Whitaker
18/2/13