Haydock's Rockhouse
This was a short-lived project of Eric Haydock's after he left The Hollies in 1966. See also Eric's Dog
Line-up included
- Peter Ainsworth - vocals
- Ian Brooks - bass/trumpet
- Tony Danforth - organ
- Eric Haydock - bass - 6 string Fender VI
- Barry Worthington - tenor sax/flute
- Ken Knight - drums
- Hector Smith - drums
- Roger Wallburn - guitar/vocals
- Dereck Taylor - lead guitar, bass
- Bill Conway - vibes, keyboards and alto sax
In '66 Eric Haydock, fresh from leaving the Hollies joined an already existing band formed in '64 called 'The Soul Executives'. The line up of which was:- Ian Brookes - Bass Guitar, Trumpet, Barry Worthington - Tenor Sax and flute, Graham Attwood - Baritone Sax, Bill Conway - Vibes, Keyboards and alto sax, Dereck Taylor - Guitar & Bass, Ken Knight - Drums, Pete Ainsworth - Vocals
After a 'spat' with Pete, Graham Attwood left the band and it was decided that I, as the bass player should move to trumpet full time to replace him in the brass section. We advertised for a bass player and Eric walked into our rehearsal and asked to join the band.
Ian Brooks
I was the guitarist/vocalist with Haydocks Rockhouse,and played on both singles recorded at Studio2, Abbey Road. I now play with 70s group The NEW SEEKERS for who my wife Francine Rees is lead vocalist.
Roger Walburn
Eric Haydock (b. Tuesday, February, 3, 1942, Burnley, Lancashire, UK) the bassist in The Hollies, finally left the band in Late July 1966 and he formed his own short-lived group Haydock's Rockhouse with Haydock on bass, Ken Knight on drums (b. Kenneth Knight), Barry Worthington on tenor sax, flute, Pete Ainsworth on lead vocals (b. Peter Ainsworth, Stockport, Cheshire, UK), Ian Brooks on bass, occasional trumpet and Dereck Taylor on lead guitar, bass (ex-The Toggery Five).
This was an already existing band called The Soul Executives formed in 1962 by Ian Brooks on bass (Burns), occasional trumpet, Ken Knight on drums and Worthington on tenor sax, flute with Pete Ainsworth on lead vocals (b. Peter Ainsworth), Graham Attwood on baritone sax, Bill Conway on vibes, organ, alto sax (b. William Conway) and Dereck Taylor on lead guitar, bass.
In Late July 1966 Attwood left after a splat with Ainsworth and Brooks moved over to full time trumpet. The band advertised for a bass player and Haydock, who had just left The Hollies walked into their rehearsal room and asked to join the band. They also changed their name as there was another band in Blackpool called The Executives, who included future Jethro Tull flutist and lead vocalist Ian Anderson. Not long after that Haydock did not want Conway in the band and so he left.
Not long after that Brooks had a run in with Ainsworth and left to join Gin House. So Taylor became the bassist and the band was joined by Roger Wallborn on lead guitar, vocals? A later members of the band was organist Tony Danforth (b. Anthony Danforth) and drummer Hector Smith.
John H. Warburg - 5/8/14
Discography
Cupid/She Thinks - Friday, November 11, 1966 - Columbia DB 8050 1966
Lovin' You/Mix A Fix - Friday, February 17, 1967 - Columbia DB 8135 1967
"Cupid" was originally sung by Sam Cooke. "Lovin' You" was a Lovin' Spoonful number.
Memories
I knew the singer Pete Ainsworth, he was from Stockport and was seriously into soul music. He'd played in various bands but an invitation to be part of Eric Haydock's new set up led him to leave his job (at Balloon Street's CWS) and plunge into the music world full time. This was in the early summer of 1966.
I don't know what became of either him or the rest of the group but I hope and pray that they are all still rocking and well.
Allan Jones
I remember going with my girlfriend to see Haydock's Rockhouse with Pete Doyle and Wayne Fontana and the Mindbenders at New Century Hall on Ssaturday night 15th April 1967. Only know this because I used to keep a diary in those days and still have them all from 1964 until 1977. Bit sad I know but really good for remembering gigs you went to.
We started to go into town more from Stockport after the Sinking Ship was burnt out by fire in the early hours of 6th April 1967
Shaun Hallworth - 4/2/13
Comments
The cause of death was not disclosed but Haydock was known to have been in ill health for some time. He was 75.
Haydock’s death was confirmed by Bobby Elliott, another co-founder of the group, in a social media post. Elliott noted that the musician died at his home in the U.K.
Elliott wrote, “Along with Tony Hicks, Eric and I were the rhythm section that created the springboard for [Allan] Clarke, Hicks and Graham Nash to launch that famous three-way Hollies harmony…On the early package tours, Dave Clark, the Kinks and artists of the period would watch from the wings as we effortlessly rocked the screaming theatre audiences into a frenzy…Although Eric left the Hollies in 1966, I occasionally listen enthralled by our BBC and Abbey Road recording sessions and dear Eric masterfully playing his six string bass.”
Back in 1962 Eric Haydock, along with Alan Clarke and Graham Nash, formed the legendary Manchester band The Hollies. They had their first hit in 1963 and throughout the 60s Eric spent a total of 133 weeks in the UK charts with the original line up. Eric formed his current act Eric Haydock Ex-Hollies in 1990 along with the former Easybeats guitarist and vocalist Pete Hughes, Graham Pollock (Mindbenders), Mick Carroll (Ritzi) and drummer Mike Copsonz.
All four of the other original band members–Clarke, Nash, Hicks and Elliott–survive Haydock.
On March 15, 2010, Haydock along with Calvert and the other fellow Hollies members Allan Clarke, Graham Nash, Tony Hicks, Bobby Elliott, and Terry Sylvester were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Born: Feb 03, 1943 · Died: Jan 05, 2019
Member of: The Hollies
The Hollies in 1964: (from left) Allan Clarke, Graham Nash, Bobby Elliott, Tony Hicks and Eric Haydock