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The Crew
(c’80-’84) “Dutchie” Hollands (bass), Vince Ayling (?) Kevin Barnes (?), and Brian Barnes (drums).
This Aldershot punk band are known to have had at least two ‘scrapes’ with the old bill – one friendly, the other not so much.
The Crew’s garden concert in 1980 was halted by the police. Picture courtesy of Dutchie Hollands During the Ash Festival in 1980 the band held a gig in a garden which received a noise complaint. Allegedly when the first cop pulled up, he was seen to be ‘jamming out’ before he came to tell the band about the complaint.
Deadlock – Flyer ’81 On 21 January ’81 a punk gig was organized at Ash Vale’s Victoria Hall featuring Graffiti, Deadlock and The Crew. Live bands were not allowed at the 100 person capacity Hall; but punk being punk 300 tickets were sold and the venue was crammed. Using the other bands’ gear, The Crew were the first and only band to play that night, as the police arrived during their set. The band bolted out the side door and the authorities shut the show down.
The Crew also played the Youth Center, Redhill at some point and The Greyhound, Ash in ’84.
Holland emigrated to the US where he continues to be punk, playing in bands and hosting a radio show.
Gallery:
The Crew skull – every self respecting punk band needed one… Picture courtesy of Dutchie Hollands 
The Crew’s garden concert in 1980 was halted by the police. Picture courtesy of Dutchie Hollands 
Deadlock – Flyer ’81 
The Crew. Picture courtesy of Dutchie Hollands 
The Crew. Picture courtesy of Dutchie Hollands 
The Crew at Redhill Youth Center. Picture courtesy of Dutchie Hollands 
The Crew at Redhill Youth Center. Picture courtesy of Dutchie Hollands 
The Crew at Redhill Youth Center. Picture courtesy of Dutchie Hollands 
The Crew at Redhill Youth Center. Picture courtesy of Dutchie Hollands 
The Crew at Redhill Youth Center. Picture courtesy of Dutchie Hollands 
The Crew at The Greyhound, Ash c’84. Picture courtesy of Dutchie Hollands -
Rod Bayton
(c’70 to date) Rod Bayton (singer/songwriter)
Guildford folk music writer and performer Rod “Bearded Beanstalk” Bayton played the Ukulele and Banjo.
To our knowledge he first appeared at the Stag Folk Club on the club’s opening night in ’70 and became a club resident, expertly warming up any audience for the evening. On 26 March ’72 the club meet was recorded by Tony Engle, capturing Bayton’s own track “Natural Gas Conversion” and his rendition of music hall song “The Old Dun Cow” written by Harry Wincott in 1893; with both included in the Stag Folk Club LP ‘Live Folk’.
StagFolk album sleeve front. Picture courtesy of Bens Collectors Records Bayton also appeared at the Stag Folk organized free concert at The Guildford Show on 1 September ’73 along with Derek Sarjeant & Hazel King, Ian Russell, Mountain Line, Fred Hayes, Backhurst, and Damien. Two years later, on 20 August ’75, Bayton, along with Mountain Line, and Derek Serjeant & Hazel King, repeated this appearance at the Stage Folk Free Concert at Guildford Show with Cocky, Grass Roots, Don & Sarah Morgan, Dave Tarn, and Julian High.
He was last seen performing in Guildford, where he still resides, band UkeRythmics, who formed in 2017 and he is rumoured to have attended the virtual meetings of the Anchor Folk Club Byfleet in 2020.
Gallery:
StagFolk album sleeve back. Picture courtesy of Bens Collectors Records 
StagFolk album insert. Picture courtesy of Bens Collectors Records -
Cherry Pickers
(c’92) ?
Farnham based band with a hard-edged Deacon Blue-esque sound.
Gallery:
Cherry Pickers press clipping c’92. Picture courtesy of Steve Porter -
Blackbushe Airport, Yateley
Construction of Blackbushe, on Hartfordbridge Flats, during the Second World War was completed at the end of ’42 and was originally called RAF Hartfordbridge, and was used by RAF squadrons throughout the remainder of the war for reconnaissance, defence and strike operations using Spitfires and Mosquitoes.
Blackbushe, Yateley had been used for drag racing after ’62 and was the location for Dragfest. It was suggested as an outdoor music venue on numerous occasions. On 15 July 1978 it hosted an all-day open-air concert, The Picnic at Blackbushe, which was attended by some 160-200,000 plus people – one of promoter Harvey Goldsmith’s biggest ever events – although with a large volume of counterfeit tickets it may have been more.
15 July 1978: Eric Clapton on stage Source: Liam Feeley via Farnborough (Hants) Nostalgia Bob Dylan headlined, with Eric Clapton, Joan Armatrading, Graham Parker & The Rumour, Lake, and Merger also on the bill. This was Dylan’s last European appearance in ’78, and first UK date in 9 years, and Armatrading was flying in from the US just for this concert. The gates opened at noon, with the concert running from approximately 2pm to 10:30 that night. If you were at the back, with all those other punters in front of you, there wasn’t a great deal to see. During the event a few thousand ‘card parachutes’ were dropped from a helicopter over the audience promoting Dylan’s “Street Legal”.
Armatrading performed in a rugby shirt; Billy Connoly finds himself standing next to Dylan to watch Clapton; and when Graham Parker & The Rumour came on, Parker yelled: “Anyone here from the One Oak?” – of course there was. Dylan performed in a Savoy doorman’s top hat and plays for almost three hours. In the audience – well probably backstage – are Jenny Agutter and Ringo Starr.
In ’80 it was suggested by the media that Pink Floyd might do on outdoor show at Blackbushe, but this never came to fruition and to our best knowledge there has been no other live music event at Blackbushe. In 2017, “The Picnic at Blackbushe”, a hardback book in a metal flight case, is written/compiled by Jerry Bloom.
Video:
Gallery:
Clipping from Record Mirror 3 June 78. 
Advert for The Picnic at Blackbushe 
15 July 1978: Blackbushe Picnic Ticket No.099540 in Zone HH. Source: John Welch via Farnborough (Hants) Nostalgia 
15 July 1978: Ticket No.185298 
Ticket for The Picnic at Blackbushe. Source: Dave Cornish via Farnborough (Hants) Nostalgia 
15 July 1978: Counterfeit ticket! Source: Liam Feeley via FHN 
Eric Clapton arriving at Blackbushe for The Picnic. Source: Susan Andre Lowson via Farnborough (Hants) Nostalgia 
15 July 1978: Blackbushe Picnic. Source: Steve McKeown via Farnborough (Hants) Nostalgia 
15 July 1978: Can you see who is on stage? Source: Liam Feeley via Farnborough (Hants) Nostalgia 
15 July 1978: Can just see someone on stage. Source: Liam Feeley via Farnborough (Hants) Nostalgia 
15 July 1978: Card parachutes dropped over the audience at The Picnic. Source: Steve McKeown via Farnborough (Hants) Nostalgia 
The Picnic at Blackbushe t-shirt. Source: http://collections.vam.ac.uk 
15 July 1978: Front cover of the official Picnic at Blackbushe programme. Source: Liam Feeley via Farnborough (Hants) Nostalgia 
15 July 1978: Back cover of the official Picnic at Blackbushe programme. Source: Liam Feeley via Farnborough (Hants) Nostalgia 
Article from 26 Jan 1980 issue of Record Mirror suggests that Blackbushe was in the running for a Pink Floyd live show… -
Crown & Cushion, Haslemere
The Crown & Cushion, sat at 4 Wey Hill, Haslemere, a short walk from the station, and hosted bands in the early ’90s.
On 20 September ’92, Thunderbox rocked the Haslemere venue, and four days later Hot Club heated up the joint, then on 25 October it was Kambium’s turn. Portsmouth based Bananafish, with roots in ska, reggae and rap, appeared and were filmed there on 5 December ’93.
The venue continued to host the occasional live music through to 2012, with the likes of Vic Cracknell (who also played at The Hautboy, Ockham), Six Miles Away, and the Jono, Gareth Icke, Alan Frew combo. The pub closed in 2013 and has now been converted to residential use and is called Wey Hill House.
Videos:
Gallery:
Crown & Cushion, Haslemere 
Crown & Cushion, Haslemere -
Rising Signs
(c’86-’88) Kendall Sparks (drums), Dean Low (guitar), Bobby Cass (bass), and Pippa Mitchener (vocals).
This Aldershot group, who’d originally considered Man Made Soul as a name, debuted at the West End Centre, Aldershot supporting Drink Britain Dry. On 4 May ’88 they were one of the bands, along with West One, Paper Moon, and UxB, at Battle for the Limelight held at Princes Hall, Aldershot. Sparks left the band after the first couple of gigs and was replaced by Vince Southey of West One.
The band were once more at the West End Centre for a local band night on 2 September ’88, with The F1-11s, supporting West One.
Southey left us in the early 2000s, as did bassist Cass in 2020. Low would form acoustic duo Deano & Co sometime in the 2000s. As of 2024, Mitchener is still performing in Self Preservation Society and Man Made Soul (funnily enough).
Tracks:Gallery:
4 May 1988: Ticket for Battle For The Limelight at Princes Hall, Aldershotwith West One, Paper Moon, UxB, and Rising Signs. Source: West One
Man Made Soul. Picture courtesy of Pippa Mitchener 
Man Made Soul. Picture courtesy of Pippa Mitchener 
2 September 1988: Poster for West One at the West End Centre, Aldershot supported by Rising Signs, and F1-11. Source: West One 
2 September 1988: Poster for West One at the West End Centre, Aldershot supported by Rising Signs, and F1-11. Source: West One 
2 September 1988: Poster for West One at the West End Centre, Aldershot supported by Rising Signs, and F1-11. Source: West One -
Bunters, Guildford
(c’71-’82) Bunters, on the Shalford Road, opposite the Yvonne Arnaud was run by Billy “Bunter” Williamson, with bar manager Raymond Young. Prior to Bunters, from ’71 it was called Dronfields after that club moved down from Tunsgate to 11 Quarry Street. This club then changed its name to Frasers, before it became Bunters.
Local police were often on site due to incidents caused by the “overzealous bouncers”, oft described as “little scuffles”. Entering from Quarry Street and once you got through the door, and passed the likes of bouncers Tuppenny Kendall, James “Coco” Essua (He would also join LongPig on stage occasionally playing bongos), Brian Durbridge, and John Wright, the venue was not particularly salubrious, with low ceilings, papers on the wall, three floors that were often ‘sticky’, and a different music genre in each bar supplied by resident DJ, Billy “Cat Weasel” Jepp. Occasionally Noel Edmonds was present, often promoting some alcoholic beverage.
Tuesday night was half price night and Bunter’s “restaurant” apparently produced some pretty tasty grub when you were a few pints into the evening. Disc jockey Andy Miles recalls The Jackie Lynton Band playing Bunters in late ’73, while he spun the vinyl with help from Frank Cox, but it was more likely Jackie Lynton’s Grande. The Jam are listed as playing the venue on the 7 and 21 July ’74 with another gig on 5 Oct, supporting The Rock Island Line, cancelled due to the bombings in Guildford. In an interview with Malcolm Wyatt, Rick Buckler states “I remember we set up the equipment in there, went home to Woking, had some tea, because we weren’t going to be on until really late at night. But then we got a phone call, saying we can’t come back because they’d literally shut the whole of Guildford down.”
On 7 April ’76, Blackblood played Bunters, and George Gimarc’s “Punk Diary: The Ultimate Train-spotter’s Guide to Underground Rock, 1970-1982” does list The Sex Pistols as playing Bunter’s Club (which is listed on Sex Pistols site as The Place) on 28 September ’76, although we’ve found no evidence to date. Similarly, The Clash are also reported to have played Bunters, but there has been no evidence uncovered to date either, although page 211 of Marcus Gray’s “Last Gang in Town” does state: [The Clash’s] second trip out on their own, on some forgotten date in October [’76], was to a pub-cum-disco in Guildford run by Marmalade’s former bass player. It was the smallest venue the band ever played, and that the audience consisted of “one lone drunk refugee from the club/disco below, where the bouncers were having the shit kicked out of them by a bunch of squaddies”. Is that Bunters? According to an article by Malcolm Wyatt for The Guildford Dragon ‘The Clash’s Paul Simonon and Joe Strummer reminisced about that date in a 1982 NBC TV interview as having ‘only one person in the audience’. Another band to play the venue in the ’70s was West Byfleet / New Haw band The Slim Franklin Band.
24 July 1978: Junction, Guildford hpsed Magnets and The Little Jimmies. Picture courtesy of John Hudson In the late 70’s / early ’80s, The Junction night took up residence on the top floor, featuring live bands every Monday – there was also a The Junction night at The Star, Guildford. The Bunker’s Junction hosted Jasmin Pie, supported by The Reaction on 24 April ’78. The Magnets, supported by The Little Jimmies, on 24 July ’78, and a month later, on 24 August, Crisis performed a 10-song set at the venue, On 12 November ’79, UBz supported Rockola. The following month Dick Middleton organized a Battle of the Bands night, this included Farnborough based rockers Kama Sutra who appeared at the event, on 19 December ’79. The next year Spider/s performed on 14 January returning on 4 February. El Seven dropped by on 14 April, Crosswinds on 11 August, and Pozer are known to have appeared there on 13 October ’80. They were followed a week later by Cavalry on 20 October and the triple header of The Chevrons with B Film, and Red Box on 3 November ’80, and then UBz returned on 12 November. Jumping to mid ’81 we find Panther opened for The Alligators on 10 July ’81. Other bands that are known to have played the venue are The Detroit Emeralds, The Golden Age of Metro, Heatwave, House, Duffo (with local keyboardist Sev Lewkowicz), The Dodgers who were supported by Squire in ’78, Luxury Glass Town, Patrick Fitzgerald, The Volunteers, Whirlwind, White Colors, and The Vapors.
10 July 1981: The Alligators supported by Panther played Junction (top floor of Bunters), Guildford. Picture courtesy of John Hudson. The story goes that Williamson was a friend of the Krays and may have “done a runner” to Spain due to underworld connections / activity (which might explain the loaded gun in the glove box of his bright yellow jag). He lived above the club and had a small private bar where he reportedly entertained ‘off duty’ detectives; and was certainly seen waving a shotgun out of an upstairs window. Meanwhile, Essua – who liberally deployed a very colourful vocabulary when up trees in opposition to the local constabulary, ripping the lights from the roof of a police car, on buses, and when collecting debts – was charged for stealing sheep!
It became Legion in 2007 and is now flats.
Gallery:
7 April 1976: Blackblood played Bunters, Guildford according to this advert from Record Mirror. 
12 November 1980: Set list for UBz’s gig at Bunters, Guildford Andy Miles, B Film, Billy Jepp, Billy Wiliamson, Blackblood, Brian Durbridge, Bunters, Cavalry, Crisis, Crosswinds, Dick Middleton, Dronfield’s, Duffo, El Seven, Farnborough, Frank Cox, Frasers, George Gimarc, Guildford, Heatwave, House, Jackie Lynton Band, Jackie Lynton's Grande, James Essua, Jasmine Pie, Joe Strummer, John Wright, Kama Sutra, Legion, LongPig, Luxury Glass Town, Marcus Gray, Marmalade, NBC, New Haw, Panther, Patrick Fitzgerald, Paul Simonon, Pozer, Raymond Young, Red Box, Rick Buckler, Rockola, Sev Lewkowicz, Spider, Spiders, Squire, The Alligators, The Chevrons, The Clash, The Detroit Emeralds, The Dodgers, The Golden Age of Metro, The Guildford Dragon, The Jam, The Junction, The Little Jimmies, The Magnets, The Place, The Reaction, The Rock Island Line, The Sex Pistols, The Slim Franklin Band, The Star, The Vapors, The Volunteers, Tuppenny Kendall, UBz, West Byfleet, Whirlwind, White Colours -
Billie Davis
(c’61-date) Billie Davis (singer)
Born Carol Hedges in Woking, Robert Stigwood suggested the performing name Billie (Holliday)/(Sammy) Davis (Jr.). Backed by the Rebel Rousers she won a talent contest at Southall Community Centre singing Connie Francis’ “Many Tears Ago”; and subsequently teamed up with The Tornados to record a few demo tracks for Joe Meek, signing to Decca.
Woking born Carol Hedges, aka Billie Davis In August ’62 “Will I What” [Parlophone R4932] was released on which she performed with Mike Sarne, which reached No.18 in the UK Singles Chart. Her biggest success came early the next year with a cover of The Exciters’ “Tell Him” [Decca F11572], peaking at No.10. The promotion for “Tell Him” had Davis in Package Tours with the likes of The Beatles and The Rolling Stones. This was followed by “He’s The One” [Decca F11658] which barely made the Top 40.
1 May 1963. Source: bradfordtimeline.co.uk Davis went on an All-Stars Package Tour with Mike Sarne, John Leyton, Mike Berry, Don Spencer, The Innocents, Jet Harris & Tony Meehan, Billy Doyle, Duffy Power, Grazina, The X-L Five, and Bick Ford across the end April and through May ’63. On Saturday morning’s the BBC broadcast Saturday Club, a show of predominantly pre-recorded “live” performances. Davis recorded tracks for Episode 239, 252, and 272, broacast on 27 April, 27 July, and 14 December ’63 respectively. The then 17-year-old, Davis split from Decca and moved to Columbia and got involved with married ex-Shadows bassist Jet Harris. In September, while returning from a gig their chauffeured car crashed into a bus, breaking Davis’ jaw and Harris received head injuries. The press focused on the “scandalous” side of the story, while Davis was unable to work for months due to the injuries received. But the photogenic, bobbed, long booted, leather mini wearing Davis would be back.
12 Feb 1964: John Leyton w/ Mike Sarne, The Swinging Blue Jeans, Don Spencer, Billy Boyle, The Rolling Stones, Mike Berry and The Innocents, Billie Davis and the Le Roys. and Jet Harris One of those package tours, the All Stars ’64 tour, headlined by John Leyton, along with Mike Sarne, The Swinging Blue Jeans, The Rolling Stones, Don Spencer, Billy Boyle, Mike Berry and The Innocents, and Jet Harris, bought Billie Davis and the Le Roys close to her hometown when it hit the Odeon, Guildford on 12 February ’64. She returned to BBC Radio 1’s Saturday Club on 13 June ’64 (Episode 298).
Davies changed label from Columbia to Pye Records and released a Burt Bacharach number on 19 March ’65. The next month she appeared on Radio Luxembourg’s ‘Ready, Steady, Radio!’ with The Temptations and The Zephyrs on 3 April ’65. There was another appearance on Episode 369 of Saturday Club which went out on 30 October ’65.
Early in ’66, Episode 380 of Saturday Club, broadcast on 15 Jan ’66, carried a Davis session. Also, in ’66, the duo called Keith and Billie formed and signed onto the Piccadilly record label. Together Keith Powell, of The Valets, and Davis released three singles including “Swingin’ Tight”, but without chart success the pairing dissolved. Dhe was back on the Saturday Club on 11 June ’66 (Episode 401). Peter Simensky, of The Manchester Playboys, recalls Davis working at The Scotch of St James, Mayfair around July ’67 when they were gigging in London. Back on Decca, Davis recorded several singles, including “Angel of the Morning”, in ’67, backed by Kiki Dee, Madeline Bell, Doris Troy, Kay Garner, The Moody Blues and P. P. Arnold.
Northern soul-esque “I Want You to Be My Baby” was Davis’ last charting single, topping out at No.33 in October ’68, possibly aided by an appearance on Saturday Club, Episode 517 on 31 August ’68 and Episode 526 on 2 November ’68.She left Decca again on ’71, after the release of an eponymous LP in ’70. The recording didn’t stop however, with a number of releases on several different labels and touring too, with “I Want You to Be My Baby” doing well in Spain; well enough for a Spanish language version to be recorded and released.
Front cover of the eponymous “Bilie Davis” LP from 1970. In ’93, Davis was part of the Telstar Tour which visited Guildford on 25 February. Spanish TV aired her performing a cover of The Moody Blues “Nights in White Satin”, which also charted in Spain. A cover of Burt Bacharach’s “The Last One to Be Loved” appeared on the “Trains & Boats & Covers” compilation LP. Teaming up with Albert Lee in ’99, they created and released “Stormy”, an LP of Davis’ own songs. A retrospective collection of recordings, titled “The Decca Years” was released in 2005 and in January 2021, Davis was featured in The Beat magazine.
Gallery:
An early Billie Davis promo shot 
13 May 1963. Source: bradfordtimeline.co.uk 
February/March 1964: John Leyton w/ Mike Sarne, The Swinging Blue Jeans, Don Spencer, Billy Boyle, The Rolling Stones, Mike Berry and The Innocents, Billie Davis and the Le Roys. and Jet Harris 
Don Spencer is none too complimentary of Billie Davis’ performance in his Melody Maker (15 February 1964) review of Robert Stigwood’s ‘All Star ’64’ package tour. 
April/May 63: Front cover of the All-Stars Package Tour souvenir program. Source: www.bradfordtimeline.co.uk 
April/May 63: Billie Davis profile on Page 9 of the All-Stars Package Tour souvenir program. Source: www.bradfordtimeline.co.uk 
April/May 63: Decca advert featuring Billie Davis on Page 11 of the All-Stars Package Tour souvenir program. Source: www.bradfordtimeline.co.uk 
14 July 1963. Source: bradfordtimeline.co.uk 
Back cover of the eponymoud “Bilie Davis” LP from 1970. 
25 February 1993, Billie was part of the Telstar Tour at Civic Hall, Guildford. Clipping from February issue of Aldershot News. Source: Who Moved the Ground? Albert Lee, BBC, BBC Radio 1, Bick Ford, Billie Davis, Billie Davis and the Le Roys, Billy Boyle, Billy Doyle, Burt Bacharach, Carol Hedges, Columbia, Community Centre, Connie Francis, Decca, Don Spencer, Doris Troy, Duffy Power, Grazina, Guildford, Jet Harris, Joe Meek, John Leyton, Kay Garner, Keith Powell, Kiki Dee, London, Madeline Bell, Mayfair, Mike Berry, Mike Berry & The Innocents, Mike Sarne, Odeon, P.P. Arnold, Parlephone, Peter Simensky, Piccadilly, Pye Records, Radio Luxembourg, Ready Steady Radio, Rebel Rousers, Robert Stigwood, Saturday Club, Southall, Spain, Telstar, The Beat, The Beatles, The Exciters, The Innocents, The Manchester Playboys, The Moody Blues, The Rolling Stones, The Scotch of St.James, The Shadows, The Swinging Blue Jeans, The Temptations, The Tornados, The Valets, The X-L Five, The Zephyrs, Tony Meehan, Woking -
Graham Parker
(c’75-date) Graham Parker (singer / songwriter)
Graham Parker and Rumourmobile; NME Dec 1976. Source: Len Lighthouse via Keep It Out Of Sight In late ’74 a young man living with his parents in Deepcut, who worked as a petrol pump attendant, placed an ad in Melody Maker seeking like-minded backing musicians. Guitarist Noel Brown answered and in Spring ’75 Parker began driving up to London on a regular basis.
Through Brown, Parker met ex-Chilli Willi and the Red Hot Peppers member Paul “Bassman” Riley and secured a solo gig at Southern Comfort, Finsbury Park. Riley introduced Parker to Dave Robinson, the ex-manager of Brinsley Schwarz who, in a studio above the Hope & Anchor, Islington; began to record Parker.
This wasn’t Parker’s first foray into music. When at Chobham Secondary Modern he’d been in the Deepcut Three and the Black Rockers with some other students. Parker has also mentioned in interviews traveling from home to the Atalanta, Woking and The Gin Mill Club, Godalming to listen to bands. Leaving school at 16, he moved to Guernsey at 18 and bought a guitar, taught himself and began writing songs. After bouncing around a bit, he ended up in Gibraltar and played in a bar or two and appeared on a Gibraltar TV show performing his own songs. He joined Pegasus and went to Tangier, Morocco where they performed in a nightclub. The band morphed into Terry Burbot’s Magic Mud. By ’72 he was back in the UK. At some point Parke had a chance meeting with Jean Marie “JC” Carroll, who’d go on to join The Members, at The Three Mariners, Bagshot; and he and Carroll produced a two-track bedroom demo.
Jumping forward again, two of the demo songs laid down in Robinson’s studio was “Nothin’s Gonna Pull Us Apart” and “Between You and Me”. These were aired on Charlie Gillett’s “Honky Tonk” show on BBC London. Nigel Grainge of Phonogram Records heard them and got in touch. Robinson, now Parker’s manager, struck a deal with Phonogram and recruited the Rumour: Brinsley Schwarz (lead guitar), Bob Andrews (keyboards), Martin Belmont (guitar), Andrew Bodnar (bass), and Steve Goulding (drums). Recording for “Howlin’ Wind” began in the late ’75, and Robinson, who founded Stiff Records, put Parker’s “Back to Schooldays” on the compilation LP: “A Bunch of Stiff Records”.
19 March 1976: Graham Parker & The Rumour support Thin Lizzy at Free Trade Hall, Manchester Graham Parker and the Rumour began working the British pub rock scene and eventually began opening for Ace on tour and supporting Thin Lizzy in March / April that year. This took in Sheffield University on 5 March ’76, the Dance Hall at Essex University, Colchester the next night, Cheltenham’s Town Hall on 11 March; St. George Hall, Bradford on the 17 March followed the City Hall, Newcastle and Free Trade Hall, Manchester on the 18 & 19 March ’76 respectively. On 20 March ’76, Parker opened at the Stadium, Liverpool, doing the same at Brunel University, Uxbridge on 26 March ’76 and at New Victoria Theatre, London on 4 April. “Howlin’ Wind” was released in April ’76 and was followed by LP number 2 “Heat Treatment” and the EP “The Pink Parker” later in ’76. The track “Don’t Ask Me Questions” hit the Top 40 UK Singles Chart. By the end of ’76 Graham Parker and the Rumour were headlining in their own right, progressing to touring the US twice, without the support of Phonogram’s US arm, Mercury.
15 July 1978: The front cover of the official Picnic at Blackbushe programme listing Graham Parker & The Rumour. Source: Liam Feeley via Farnborough (Hants) Nostalgia A third LP – “Stick to Me” – was released in ’77. Parker also appeared, second on the bill for the Saturday, 27 August ’77, at Reading Rock (aka 17th National Jazz Blues and Rock Festival), and at the Rider Open Air Festival, Scheeßel, Germany on the 3 or 4 September ’77, along with two other local talents, namely The Stranglers and Camel. On 15 July ’78, Graham Parker & The Rumour appeared at The Picnic at Blackbushe, with Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, Joan Armatrading and Lake; when he came on he yelled: “Anyone here from the One Oak?” – With 100,000+ in the audience of course there was. Mercury’s ignorance led Parker to sign with Arista and what followed was “Squeezing Out Sparks” in ’79, which reached No.44 in the US album charts, selling a 1/4 million copies. Parker and the Rumour toured extensively in the year of its release, beginning at Belfast’s Witlow Hall on 2 February and ending at the Town Hall, Auckland, New Zealand on the 26 November, with little time off. At some point in the year the demo version of “Between You and Me”, recorded at the Hope & Anchor, in early ’75, was included on ’79’s The Honky Tonk Demos compilation LP.
A demo version of “Between You and Me”, was included on 1979’s The Honky Tonk Demos compilation LP. Source: Terry Newman via Keep It Out Of Sight They then made their last album “The Up Escalator.” Schwarz and Bodnar continued to record and gig with Parker through the ‘80’s and Parker has continued to release albums since, notably “Struck by Lightning” on RCA, “Deepcut to Nowhere” on Razor & Tie, and “Don’t Tell Columbus” released on Bloodshot Records. In May 2011, Parker reached out to the Rumour to work on a new album.
“Three Chords Good,” was recorded in July ’11 and released in October ’12 with tours of the US, UK and Europe. Graham Parker and the Rumour then recorded the “Mystery Glue” LP, releasing it on the Cadet Concept label in May ’15. In 2017 Parker was touring as a duo with Schwarz, and Parker continues to release singles, EP and LPs to this day.
Gallery:
5 March 1976: Graham Parker & The Rumour support Thin Lizzy at Sheffield University 
5 March 1976: Graham Parker & The Rumour support Thin Lizzy at Sheffield University 
6 March 1976: Graham Parker & The Rumour support Thin Lizzy at Dance Hall,Essex University, Colchester 
11 March 1976: Graham Parker & The Rumour support Thin Lizzy at Town Hall, Cheltenham 
11 March 1976: Graham Parker & The Rumour support Thin Lizzy at Town Hall, Cheltenham 
17 March 1976: Graham Parker & The Rumour support Thin Lizzy at St. George Hall, Bradford 
18 & 19 March 1976: Graham Parker & The Rumour support Thin Lizzy at City Hall, Newcastle, then Free Trade Hall, Manchester 
18 March 1976: Graham Parker & The Rumour support Thin Lizzy at City Hall, Newcastle 
20 March 1976: Graham Parker & The Rumour support Thin Lizzy at Stadium, Liverpool. Source: Rhys Griffiths via Keep It Out Of Sight 
Tony Stewart reviews Graham Parker and The Rumour at Dingwalls for the 20 March 1976 issue of NME. Source: Rhys Griffiths via Keep It Out Of Sight 
26 March 1976: Graham Parker & The Rumour support Thin Lizzy at Brunel University, Uxbridge 
4 April 1976: Graham Parker & The Rumour support Thin Lizzy at New Victoria Theatre, London 
T. Moon reviews Graham Parker’s ‘Kansis City..Live!’ in the Sideburns No.1 Fanzine from January 1977 
27 August 1977: Graham Parker & The Rumour second on bill at Reading 
3 & 4 September 1977: Camel, Stranglers, and Graham Parker all on the bill for Rider Open Air Festival in Scheeßel, Germany. Source: www.omegaauctions.co.uk
Clipping from Record Mirror 29 October 1977: Review of “Stick To Me”. 
Advert from November 1977 issue of NME for Graham Parker and the Rumour’s “New York Shuffle”. Source: Len Lighthouse via Keep It Out Of Sight 
John Hayward reviews Graham Parker for Music Week, 3 December 1977. Source: Robert Jarvis via Keep It Out Of Sight 
Clipping from Record Mirror 18 March 1978 outlining the UK tour. 
28 April 1978: Signed, complimentary ticket (No.00159) for Graham Parker & The Rumour 
A demo version of “Between You and Me”, was included on 1979’s The Honky Tonk Demos compilation LP. Source: Terry Newman via Keep It Out Of Sight Ace, Andrew Bodnar, Arista, Atalanta, Auckland, Bagshot, BBC London, Belfast, Black Rockers, Blackbushe, Bloodshot Records, Bob Andrews, Bob Dylan, Bradford, Brinsley Schwarz, Brunel University, Cadet Concept, Camel, Charlie Gillett, Cheltenham, Chilli Willi and the Red Hot Peppers, Chobham Secondary Modern, City Hall, Colchester, Dance Hall, Dave Robinson, Deepcut, Deepcut Three, Eric Clapton, Essex University, Finsbury Park, Free Trade Hall, Germany, Gibraltar TV, Godalming, Graham Parker, Graham Parker & The Rumour, Honky Tonk, Hope & Anchor, Islington, Jean Marie Carroll, Joan Armatrading, Lake, Liverpool, London, Manchester, Martin Belmont, Melody Maker, Mercury, New Victoria Theatre, New Zealand, Newcastle, Nigel Grainge, Noel Brown, Paul Riley, Pegasus, Phonogram Records, Razor & Tie, RCA, Reading, Reading Rock Festival, Rider Open Air Festival, Scheeßel, Sheffield University, Southern Comfort, St. George Hall, Stadium, Steve Goulding, Stiff Records, Terry Burbot’s Magic Mud, The Gin Mill, The Members, The Picnic at Blackbushe, The Rumour, The Stranglers, The Three Mariners, Thin Lizzy, Town Hall, Uxbridge, Witlow Hall -
The Highwayman, Camberley
The Highwayman, Old Dean, Camberley is another lost venue, replaced by a block of flats. On opening night in ’66 Dudley Moore and Peter Cook were there, and The Dudley Moore Trio played here regularly in the late 60’s with many of the audience sat on the floor. Tuesday night was Modern Jazz Night where you could have caught Tubby Hayes, Don Rendell, Michael Garrick and Jimmy Witherspoon.
The Don Rendell / Ian Carr Quintet, with Garrick on piano, playing at The Highwayman, Camberley There is a recording of Neil Ardley directed New Jazz Orchestra’s performance at The Highwayman, Camberley in March ’66 floating about somewhere. At the time the orchestra featured Ian Carr (flugelhorn), Don Rendell (sax), Michael Garrick (piano), John Mumford (trombone), Les Carter (flute), Dave Gelly (tenor sax), Henry Lowther (trumpet), Jack Bruce (double bass), and Jon Hiseman (drums).
The next year, on 17 January ’67, Highwayman regulars, The Garrick Trio were joined by drummer and pianist Bill Le Sage. Pianist Garrick’s Trio was often formed or augmented by guest musicians such as singer Bobby Breen and saxophonist/clarinetist Olaf Vas who joined him on 31 January ’67 at The Highwayman. Six weeks later, on 14 March, tenor saxophonist Danny Moss and his wife, singer, Jeanie “Miss Disc” Lambe joined the Garrick Trio at the venue. The St. Vincent emigree Ellsworth McGranahan “Shake” Keane on a visit from his German home, where he was the featured soloist with the Kurt Edelhagen Radio Orchestra played sax with Garrick’s combo on 8 August ’67 and on 19 September ’67, Humphrey Lyttleton and Tony Coe played the Highwayman with Garrick. Little known tenor player Jimmy Philip bought The Jimmy Philip Quintet to the pub on 3 October ’67.
Humphrey Lyttleton and Tony Coe were with The Garrick Trio once again on 26 March ’68, and The Rendell-Carr Quintet held forth on 11 June ’68. Joe Harriott, who’d made several albums and EPs with Garrick in the mid-’60s, joined The Garrick Trio on 20 August ’68 at the Highwayman.
Highwayman, Camberley in 1990 just before demolition. The Highwayman, with its nod to the highwaymen who frequented Bagshot Heath such as Claude Du Vall and William “Golden Farmer” Davis, developed a bit of a reputation in the ’70s/’80s but still featured the odd night of live music. It was demolished in 1990.
Gallery:
THe Highwayman, Camberley in 1961 
17 January 1967: The Garrick Trio w/ Bill Lesage at Highwayman, Camberley (Melody Maker w/e 21 Jan 1967) 
31 January 1967: The Garrick Trio w/ Bobby Breen and Olaf Vas at Highwayman, Camberley (Melody Maker w/e 4 Feb 1967) 
14 March 1967: The Garrick Trio w/ Danny Moss and Jeanie “Miss Disc” Lambe at Highwayman, Camberley (Melody Maker w/e 18 March 1967) 
9 May 1967: Tubby Hayes Quartet at Highwayman, Camberley (Melody Maker w/e 12 May 1967) 
27 June 1967: The Garrick Trio w/ Danny Moss and Jeannie Lambe at Highwayman, Camberley (Melody Maker w/e 1 July 1967) 
8 August 1967: The Michael Garrick Trio and Shake Keane play Highwayman, Camberley (Melody Maker) 
19 September 1967: The Garrick Trio with Humphrey Lyttleton and Tony Coe play Highwayman, Camberley (Melody Maker) 
3 October 1967: Jimmy Philip Quintet at Highwayman, Camberley (Melody Maker w/e 7 Oct 1967) 
26 March 1968: The Garrick Trio with Humphrey Lyttleton and Tony Coe play Highwayman, Camberley (Melody Maker) 
11 June 1968: The Rendell-Carr Quintet play Highwayman, Camberley (Melody Maker) 
20 August 1968: THe Garrick Trio with Joe Harriott play Highwayman, Camberley (Melody Maker) 
Highwayman, Camberley in 1990 during demolition. Bagshot Heath, Bill Le Sage, Bobby Breen, Camberley, Claude Du Vall, Danny Moss, Dave Gelly, Don Rendell, Dudley Moore, Ellsworth McGranahan Keane, Henry Lowther, Humphrey Lyttleton, Ian Carr, Jack Bruce, Jeanie Lambe, Jimmy Philip, Jimmy Philip Quintet, Jimmy Witherspoon, Joe Harriott, John Mumford, Jon Hiseman, Kurt Edelhagen Radio Orchestra, Les Carter, Michael Garrick, Neil Ardley, New Jazz Orchestra, Olaf Vas, Old Dean, Peter Cook, Rendell-Carr Quintet, Shake Keene, The Dudley Moore Trio, The Garrick Trio, The Highwayman, Tony Coe, Tubby Hayes, William Davis
Our Soundscene 
Human beings takes me back to 1981. Followed them all over the Surrey reading area for a year a great band and 3 good guys playing well written songs of the era. I wish john Tim and steve well what ever they are doing now. Should reform for a few shows just like Oasis but do the wooden bridge.
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