The Chuckles

Line-up

• John Featherstone - guitar
• Chris Neil - vocals
• Barrie Spence - bass
• Eddie Warwick - rhythm
• Peter Hughes - drums 
• Paul Goetz - vocals
• Graham Knowles - organ

After George (rhythm) left the band, it was decided we should look for a organ player to give the band a fuller sound. At the same time George Gray, our manager, went to see a band called Dixies Dont's and said he had an idea that we should play more to the ladies and he thought two singers playing to the girls was the way to go.

So, to cut a long story short, we ended up nicking Dixies Dont's singer Paul. At the same time he happened to know an organist (they call them keyboard players today) called Graham, who was from Leeds.

Needless to say we soon had them both in the band and started work on a Righteous Bros type act.

The girls loved it - every night both Paddy (later to be called Chris) and Paul were pulled of stage and their shirts ripped off. Both of them were full of scratches and cuts.

Many times I had to stop playing and try to help them back on stage - it got ridiculous sometimes.

John Featherstone - 21/8/09

Gear

Here is a list of the gear The Chuckles used:

• Ajax drum kit with Zildjin (real turkish cymbals?)
• Bass - Ffnder jazz bass, harmony bass, amp vox a/c 30 top with Selmar Goliath cab, later same amp but with Vox T60 cab. Later still, T60 cab with WEM 100w att tranny amp. Yuk.
• Keyboards - Hammond l100 or M100 with bass pedals taken off and spindely legs sawn off, 1 x leslie cab (real one? loud).
• Guitar - 2x vox a/c 30s, 1 top boost and 1 normal. Later I had a WEM 100 watt tranny amp (more yuk) and 2 x vox cabs. Later I used a Marshall pa amp with the Vox cabs, Harmony H75, 1962 Fender Stratocaster that cost me £45 second hand. Later swapped it for a Vox GV6.
• PA was 100 watt Selmar valve amp 6 channel, pa cabs were TVM 2 x 4 by 12" open back cabs and 4 x Shure mics. SM7 I think. Paul used to use Bayer gold mics if he could get them.

John Featherstone - 22/9/09

Memories

 Not directly a Chuckles story but related.

We had been a soul band for some time but the scene was changing - so we were slowly changing with it. We had worn white Wrangler jackets with black trousers with a red stripe (hey, it was ok at the time) but wanted to get more poppy.  George Gray, the manager of The Chuckles, suggested we went a bit more poppy and flamboyant and suggested two girls to make our new stage gear. The girls had made all the stuff for the Chuckles and they looked good, so it seemed like a good idea.

After a measuring session, we went to get our gear and it was the crappiest stuff we had ever seen. The material was very cheap and lost all shape after one wash. The poor old drummer had a pair of trousers with the legs totally different widths - not slightly different, about 6 inches different. He could only get one leg in.

The next day we went to Pygmalia for clothes

Paul Mlynarz - 20/8/09

Chuckles were a fantastic group. I went out with Graham for a while. Saw him once after he returned to Leeds. A lovely bunch, hope life has been good to them since they split, would love to know.

Lynn Bolton - 9/2/10

I knew Paddy when he worked at Parry sons and Hanson in Piccadilly, he became a good friend, I saw the Chuckles at the "New Century Hall" where they did "Good Vibrations" and if anything it was just as good as The Beach Boys, also saw one of paddy's last gigs at the Offerton Palace in Stockport, was amazed to see Paddy in a couple of films, one being "Adventures of a Plumbers Mate", but I last saw him on TV in Los Angeles, producing Sheena Easton.

Does anyone know what Paddy is doing now and if poss an Email address.

John Switzer - 3/4/10

2nd December in 1967 a band from Manchester, The Chuckles performed in Norrköping, Sweden in a club, Rialto. Club Rialto was demolished long time ago. For us it was something extra, a band from England, WOW! And we thought you were great!

We were 3 local bands that performed, Les Garcons, Maarxz and Mixers and I was a member of Mixers, the drummer. My brother Roland on bass, Henning on rhythm guitar and lead singer, Bertil Jonsson on lead guitar.

I fully understand if you do not remember anything from that time, so long time ago but I particulary remember this. One can find so much on the internet, amazing. My son Stefan, who is a musician (interested in the 60'ies among other things) helped me to find your site. Fun to be able to contact any of you here.

Many nostalgic greetings from Margareta, the drummer in Mixers (1967 - 1968). 

Margareta WÃ¥llberg - 20/7/10

A group of friends and I used to follow the Chuckles all over Manchester when we were about 14 or 15 - we thought they were marvellous, especially Paddy and Paul. I can't remember any of the venues but I do recall two of the songs, 'Knock on Wood' and 'I love my dog'.

We were distraught when Paddy went off to London to further his career, and his girlfriend at the time (I can't remember her name) very kindly met up with us in a cafe in the centre of Manchester to tell us about it.

We also somehow found out where Paul lived and we used to hang around the street hoping for a glimpse of him - rather embarrassing to look back on it now!

Anne Simms - 6/9/10

I've known Paddy since childhood and am still in touch (Xmas Cards now) He is living in London area with Jenny, his wife of 40 years, two grown up children. He is still working in the music industry as a record producer, working with such people as Mike & The Mechanics - a survivor. I shall be going on a country wide tour 2011/12 checking out old mates and rellie's and hope to drop by.

Peter Jordan - 20/7/11

I remember Chris Neil from the Holy Name school. He used to sing solo with the schoolchoir, talented lad. I never saw him in the group. I think he appeared in some "Confessions of ..." films in the late 60s, early 70s. I think he has an older brother. A success from our old school.

Peter Byrne - 26/1/12

I am an old friend of Jenny, who married Patrick from the Chuckles. I went to their Wedding reception at the King's Head in Wilmslow. I know they moved to Chalfont St Giles & had 2 boys, & Patrick now calls himself Chris Neil.

I lost touch in the 80's & would love to get back in touch with Jenny, as we worked together at the Midland Bank & then did a job share at the Golden Garter in the evenings whilst we were both saving up to get married. Can anyone help?

Brenda Lasch - 23/3/12

Someone has uploaded loads of Chuckles singles to YouTube - not me though http://www.youtube.com/user/ronniereplay?feature=watch

Nick Mills - 9/2/13

In reply to Nick Mills - it was a friend of mine that kindly put the records on you tube for us , his name is Ronny, and he still plays in a band called Replay hence the name.

Go on to you tube put in THE CHUCKLES MANCHESTER BAND and take your pick of most of the records.

John Featherstone - 217/2/13

This is the press release when we released our first record from the Cavern? Yes, in Liverpool.

We made 2000 of these and gave them away. We all mucked in - I think it was at George Gray's house. This is probably the only one left in existence.