(c’59-’62) Malcolm “Dutchie” Holland (singer)
Born in Farnborough in ’42 and given the stage name Nelson Keene by Larry Parnes who managed him, he grew up at 49 Oaken Copse Crescent with his nine siblings, attended Queens Road School and worked locally. In addition, he could be seen, along with Foxy Dance, driving a stock car at Tongham Raceway, as Dutch Holland.
Singing while he worked got his voice noticed and he formed The Raiders with a few friends and won a singing contest pocketing a quid. The Raiders played The Plaza, Guildford and recorded a demo in London, sponsored by the manager of a local radio shop. This demo reached Parnes, who took on Keene and got him a summer season in Blackpool and signed to HMV Records.
In ’60 his first single, “Image of a Girl” [45-POP 771], a cover version of The Safaris US Top Ten, reached No. 37 or 18, depending on what you read, on the UK Singles Chart. This was outsold by Woking born Mark Wynter‘s rival version of the same song. On 4 March that year Nelson Keene & The Echoes were on stage at the Hippodrome, Dudley opening for a package tour featuring Johnny Kidd & The Pirates, Bert Weedon, Tommy Bruce, Vince Eager, and Rolly Daniels. He was further up the bill, on parr with Duffy Power, for a tour that opened at the Adelphi, Slough on 24 September ’60 that also listed Billy Fury, Joe Brown, Tommy Bruce, Dickie Pride, The Vernons Girls, Peter Wynne, The Viscounts, Dave Sampson, Johnny Gentle, Georgie Fame, Billy Raymond, Johnny Goode, Red Price with Jimmie Nicol and his 15 New Orleans Rockers, The Valentine Girls, and The Dale Sisters. This took in a further 44 towns and cities through October, November and early December, wrapping up with a week-long residency at the Empire, Newcastle that started on 5 December ’60.
On 25 February ’61, the Odeon, Guildford was the seventh stop for Larry Parnes’ “Jack Good’s Rock ‘n’ Trad Spectacular – 2nd Edition” headlined by Billy Fury and with Mark Wynter, Tommy Bruce, Joe Brown, Nelson Keene, Duffy Power, The Four Kestrels, Johnny Gentle, Georgie Fame, The Valentine Girls, and the New Orleans Rockers. Two further singles, “Teenage Troubles” [45-POP 814] and “Miracles Are Happening to Me” [45-POP 916], both released in ’61, did not reach the chart. He was then busy on a number of leading package tours.
In ’63 Keene joined Dickie Pride and Bobby Shafto to form The Guv’nors, who signed to Pye Piccadilly and released “Let’s Make a Habit of This”.
He was listed as a soloist again, bottom of the bill, for two appearances at the Roxy, Ulverston and Regal, Bolton on 1 and 2 February respectively. He was backed by The Fleerekkers, and charged with opening for headliner Johnny Kidd & The Pirates and the supporting cast of Heinz & The Saints, Vince Eager, Danny Rivers, and Ricky Valance.
Since 2000 Keene’s songs have appeared on numerous compilations. He emigrated to Australia in the ’70s, after a brief spell in New Zealand, where he still lives.
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