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Continuing from part Three we look at Colin Richardson's development as a Booking Agent in the music business..
In 1964 I was working as an Office Services Manager for a computer company, north of Oxford Street. This was about the same time I got the Marquee 'night manager' job on Monday and Wednesday evenings, as well as Sundays at the "Jazzhouse"...plus playing the odd gig here and there. I was also, on occasions, booking bands into local colleges on a 'split commission' basis (this is where you get a booking for a band that you don't actually represent, but the band's agent will accept the booking and 'split' the 10% commision with you 50/50. Some agencies were quite happy to do this, even though I wasn't officially an agent.).
One such booking was for the Artwoods, a popular R&B group (with Jon Lord on Hammond organ!). Some time after
this gig, I was phoned by their booking agent, Barry Dunning at the London City Agency, asking if their was any chance of them getting a 'return booking'. In the conversation that followed, I let it be known that I was interested in getting into the music business and he suggested that I go and have a chat with them, as one of their bookers, Steve O'Rourke (who was later to be part of Pink Floyd's management) was moving on. So, I went to meet with Barry and his partner, Johnny Jones. After asking a few questions, they seemed happy to offer me the job... and I was happy to accept. Oddly enough, I started off booking out the aforementioned Artwoods, plus a few other acts, but, more importantly, I also had to get bookings for some very well-known visiting blues artists, such as John Lee Hooker, Chuck Berry and Jesse Fuller. It was certainly 'in at the deep end', but it was definitely a great opportunity to learn the ropes. After about 18 months though, I was kind of 'head-hunted' by John Gunnell of the Rik Gunnell Agency.
25. So, your next move was to the Gunnell Agency...
This would have been around September 1966. I had got to know John Gunnell, the younger of the 2 brothers, through booking some of the LCA bands into the Flamingo and Ram Jam clubs, both of which were run by the Gunnells. Their agency had an impressive roster of 'name' bands like Georgie Fame and the Blue Flames, Geno Washington and the Ram Jam Band, Zoot Money, John Mayall, Long John Baldry etc., so they were a much more powerful set up. When John asked if I would like to join them, I didn't really hesitate..though I did have some pangs of guilt at leaving LCA, who had given me my first break, but I realised that it would be a big step up for me to handle bands of that stature. They were much easier to sell, since they were such reliable 'draws' and it was just a question of which gigs to take and which to pass on. Like LCA, the Gunnells occasionally imported artists from the States. I remember booking out blues guitarists Freddie King and Albert King, as well as soul singers like Mary Wells and Joe Tex (who cancelled at the last minute, causing real problems which resulted in the Gunnells calling a halt to such tours).
We also had something to do with the Stax tour in '67, with Otis Redding, Sam and Dave, Arthur Conley and Wilson Pickett. I think it might have been as promoters of the Finsbury Park Astoria concert, I can't remember exactly. It was very exciting working with such major league artists, but in December 1967, I was offered the job of General Manager at Bron Artistes Management, who looked after Gene Pitney, Manfred Mann and the Bonzo Dog
Doo Dah Band. I like the idea of working with such a diverse range of artists, plus it was another step up for me.
It was a few months after joining Bron's that Jon Hiseman phoned me with the news that he and Dick Heckstall-Smith had left John Mayall and were in the process of forming a new band together and was I interested in being their manager. I was pleased and flattered that Jon should consider me for this important role, but had to tell him that I was in a really good job and couldn't afford to take on such a big risk. I could however, speak to Gerry Bron and see if I could get him interested in signing them and that way I could still be involved, but from within the organisation. This way they got 'two for one', as it were, plus the backing of a very efficient management set-up. Gerry was impressed with their
pedigree and said he'd be glad to come and hear them when they were ready. A few weeks later, Jon announced that they had enough material to give an idea of what they were about and we went down to the rehearsal room in the Elephant& Castle to hear them. Well, Gerry was blown away by the sheer musical expertise of the guys and signed them up without hesitation, set up a bank account for them with a hefty overdraft facility and they were off and running within a week, with gigging scheduled to start in October, a couple of months later.
My route in to the Marquee was through the National Jazz Federation, which was set up by Harold and Barbara Pendleton, who were both jazz enthusiasts, mainly to act as an agency for Chris Barber and other 'trad' bands and to run the Marquee Club (at that time in Oxford Street). Later they founded the Reading Jazz and Blues Festival, which in those days, was exactly that...jazz and blues. They had a tiny office just off (I think) Dean Street, where Chris's sister Audrey also worked. I met them through my involvement with the "Jazzhouse" and the New Jazz Orchestra, which was runner-up at the 1964 festival's newcomers competition. Some time later, they asked if I would like to be a 'night manager' at the Marquee. Naturally, I jumped at the chance. Harold and Barbara worked mostly at the NJF offices, a short walk away in Dean Street, which were quite modest, just 2 or 3 rooms over (I think) a restaurant.That's where they ran the admin, booked the bands etc. I didn't see them at the club much, though they would sometimes show up on Humph's night. (Humphrey Lyttelton Band). I ran the Monday night session with Long John Baldry and the Steampacket, as well as Wednesdays, which featured the Humphrey Lyttelton Band. (The You Tube from 1965 features The Brian Augar Trinity and Long John Baldry. A very fresh faced Rod Stewart is there too providing backing vocals!) The atmosphere in the club was always pretty good, whatever the size of audience, though it could get very hot and sweaty when it was full. As 'night manager', I had to oversee the whole evening, ensure the box office was set up, cash float, etc... check that the band was ready to go on at the right time, cash up at the close, pay the bands, etc... Lock up and go home. Everything except the catering. The bands were nearly always booked by John Gee, the club manager or through the office, in the case of American visiting musicians. Some of the artists could be quite difficult. I frequently had problems on the Monday night, when Long John Baldry and the Steampacket played. Baldry and Rod Stewart always seemed to end up arguing over the money and sometimes the keyboard player Reg Dwight, later to re-invent himself as Elton John, would also get involved. I often had to practically throw them out, so I could catch my last train. Never had problems with Humph's band, who all behaved like the professionals they were. The Marquee was an extremely important step on the way to my music biz career. I made some very influential contacts, which I sustained over the next years or so. It provided me with excellent experience in dealing with bands etc.... plus it meant I could pretty much always get my bands on there when I wanted. As they say... it's who you know, as much as what you know! Remember, Harold, Barbara and John also ran the Reading Festival at that time, so my relationship with them paid big dividends later on. Though I only worked there a few months... it certainly played a big part in my getting into the music biz.
Colin Richardson's history goes back to the early 60s, his love of jazz led to him running a jazz club (the Jazzhouse) in Blackheath. It was here that Manfred Mann launched his first R&B band and where the New Jazz Orchestra was born. It was also where Colosseum had its origins.
Colin was also Night Manager at the Marquee Club for a while in late '64 and later worked for several agencies, including Bron Artiste Management, where he oversaw Colosseum's career. Only part of his history impinges on the Coventry scene, but it's an important part. This is the man who arranged the first ever 'live-on-stage' appearance of Monty Python's Flying Circus (and it was in Cov) and brought acts like The Edwin Hawkins Singers, Jack Bruce, Colosseum, New Jazz Orchestra and many more to the Lanchester Arts Festivals in Cov in the early 1970's. This is part two of Trev Teasdel's on-line interview of Colin Richardson. Note - Parts of this post have been re-written since first posted..
(Visit Colin's Vox Blog HERE )
THE JAZZHOUSE CLUB – Blackheath 1962
In 1962 Colin Richardson co-ran The Jazzhouse Club (at the Green Man Pub) in Blackheath. I asked Colin to describe the club
“The jazz club was held at the Green Man pub in Blackheath every Sunday evening, upstairs in what was euphemistically referred to as the "Banqueting Suite". It was a decent sized room, which originally had a tiny triangular stage across one corner of the room (though this was later enlarged to an oblong area which extended right across one end of the room). The 'house band' was the Ian Bird Quintet... the line-up was usually tenor and baritone saxes, plus rhythm section of piano bass drums, occasionally augmented with a trumpet player. They played 'straight down the line' jazz, mostly by guys like Oliver Nelson, Benny Golson, Miles Davis etc. with arrangements usually by Clive Burrows (the bari player). Every week a different 'star' soloist would be booked...Tubby Hayes, Joe Harriott, Ronnie Scott, Don Rendell, Tommy Whittle...all the current premier league instrumentalists of the day. They all got paid the same fee...£5 (which was about 3 times what the resident musicians took home!) The resident band would play the first half, then, after the break, the 'star' would play, backed by the house rhythm section. Sometimes (depending on the whim of said 'star', the other guys would return for a jam session end to the evening.
The atmosphere was always friendly, the audience usually around the 100 mark, depending on how strong a draw that week's soloist was. There was a bar at the rear of the room, but the audience, though enthusiastic, was always well-behaved and knew their jazz.”
One of the interesting developments at the Jazzhouse was the addition of an R & B night with Manfred Mann before they made the big time. What can you tell us about that?
The first rehearsal was at the Jazzhouse on the November 10th 1963 and I noticed straight away the enthusiasm of everyone who turned up. It was Sunday lunchtime and quite a few of these guys would have been out on gigs the night before, but they were raring to go.
After a few weeks, everything was going well and the guys were starting to talk about playing to an audience. So, we
set up the debut performance for Sunday 22nd December at (where else?) the Jazzhouse, with its new larger stage. Billed as the 'Bird-Burrows Big Band (great alliteration, but cumbersome!) it was a roaring success... our usual crowd turned up, plus a whole bunch of new faces, curious to see what it was all about.
This successful debut gave a whole new impetus to the band...rehearsals continued apace and in the New Year, the band members were already asking when the next gig was going to be and 'how about recording it'? I realised at this point, that we had something pretty special here and as everyone seemed to think I was the manager...I decided to start 'managing'.
The next gig we did was was early in 1964 at the Widmore (not 'Wigmore'!) Hall in nearby Bromley as a fundraiser for the 'Freedom From Hunger Campaign'. On this occasion, we had a vocalist...a guy by the name of Duffy Power, who was actually a young up-and-coming 'pop-star' but with a pretty good bluesy voice. I have no recollection of how this came about...it was a 'one off'' and he didn't make any further appearances with the band. I guess his pop career took off or something!
Soon after this Clive Burrows accepted an offer to turn 'pro' with Zoot Money and the Big Roll Band. Ian Bird had already departed some time earlier which meant that the rehearsal band was left rudderless at which point Ian Carr suggested bringing in a budding young composer / arranger Neil Ardley to take over leadership. A new name was also needed and some one came up with a rather grandiose Neoteric Jazz Orchestra but this was quickly revised to the New Jazz Orchestra. Later that year the NJO won the All England Jazz Contest, the final which was held as part of the Guildford Jazz Festival and were also runners up at the National Amateur Jazz Contest which was held under the auspices of the National Jazz Federation as part of the Richmond Jazz and Blues Festival. Eventually in 1965 the orchestra recorded a live album - Western Reunion which was released on the Decca label. It was surprisingly well received, with Melody Maker making it their 'Album of the Month'!
It's actually still available, but on CD...the original vinyl LP is now a sought after collectors item valued at around £50. Of course...I lost my copy years ago!
As to the line up - apart from Ian Carr (trumpet and fluegel horn) who did go on to fame (if not fortune!) as the author of his Miles Davis biography. Then there was Jon Hiseman/Tony Reeves etc with Colosseum. Maybe I should also mention Trevor Watts (alto) and Paul Rutherford (trombone) who later became a force in the British avant-garde jazz movement. Neil Ardley (now no longer with us) also has a certain cult following, because of the important albums he made later under his own name ('Symphony of Amaranths', 'Le Dejeuner sur l'herbe', and 'Kaleidoscope of Rainbows') with many of the musicians from the NJO. Other than that, they were all young, relatively inexperienced semi pro musicians...which is why it was so special.
The "Jazzhouse" was just one of many such clubs, not just in the London area. Run mostly by enthusiasts (as they rarely made any money putting on modern jazz) many of them operated similar policies to ours...a good-ish resident band of local musicians, with a different 'name' guest musician each week, like Ronnie Scott, Tubby Hayes, Joe Harriott etc. The biggest name we ever booked was Oscar Brown Jnr, for our first anniversary night. With boldness derived from our naivety, we 'doorstepped' him when he was on a visit to the UK. Somehow we heard he was staying in Holland Park with Stanley Myers (pianist/composer/arranger of some note). We offered him double our usual fee (£10!), which he found quite amusing, I think. Then agreed to do it on these terms: Car to pick him up and drive him back..a bottle of decent cognac, the rhythm section to pre-rehearse 3 songs, charts provided by him. He would arrive, perform and leave immediately after....oh, and forget the £10!
It was a great night!
Taking it back to the personal – What were your tastes in Jazz. Who did you admire and why?
I sat and thought about this for a bit, which I haven't done for many years and I was quite surprised to realise that the
kind of jazz that I prefer listening to now is still the jazz that I listened to back in the 50s...Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, Stan Getz, Charlie Mingus, John Coltrane, Bill Evans, Gil Evans, John Lewis, Milt Jackson, Errol Garner etc etc...I could go on, as there are many others, but where would I stop? I guess the simple answer is that I was excited by the (then) new jazz...called by some be-bop, which is, I think the term conjured up by Dizzy Gillespie. He and Charlie Parker were probably the two main proponents of the harmonic breakthrough that defined theses new sounds. It changed the whole ballgame, musically speaking and from then on, there was a big divide between these musicians and the old school playing Dixieland or swing. Of course, at that time, because of a protectionist stance by the American union disagreement, you couldn't hear any of these guys live, unless you went to the States (or occasionally Paris, where there was no union block, as there was in the UK). I remember the first bandleader to get round this, was Stan Kenton, when he flew his band over to Southern Ireland and everyone who could afford it, travelled there to hear this incredible music. Ironically, Duke Ellington was allowed to play in England, as he was classified as an 'entertainer', not a musician!! So, the only live jazz I could experience was
seeing bigbands like Jack Parnell or Ted Heath in concert theatres, or go to clubs like the Flamingo to hear guys like Don Rendell, Tubby Hayes, Tommy Whittle etc., who were the 'young turks' of that era. That all changed when the two unions came to an agreement and the ban was lifted..and I got my chance to see some of the musicians I had been listening to on record, live in concert. One such, stands out in my memory..and that was seeing Norman Granz's 'Jazz at the Philharmonic' package at the Gaumont State in Kilburn.. with the Oscar Peterson Trio, Dizzy, Illinois Jacquet and many others. That was some concert!
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Pt 3 of the Interview will cover The Marquee Club
Phil Knapper was a close friend and accomplished guitarist (rock and classical) and a Coventry singer songwriter in the 70's. He travelled with a musical troupe to Finland in 1970 which included Neil O'Connor (Hazel's brother), John Gravenor (of Wandering John) and Alex Murphy. I met him in 1974 when he came to Hobo Workshop (Holyhead Youth Centre) for one of the gigs. He lived nearby so we became good friends, often jamming - sometimes playing in very informal one off band gigs. We have no recordings of him except the few I recorded on mono cassette while jamming at my house. This video is one of his songs from that time but doesn't reflect the range of his guitar work (that he taught me how to play Bert Jansch's Anji at that session gives you an idea of the range.). Phil was born in Spennymore in Co Durham but his family moved to Coventry and his father worked in the coal mine at Kersley (although they lived in the Binley area of Coventry (hence the pictures). Phil's younger brother Stu Knapper is well known on the Cov scene as the leader of the late 70's punk band Riot Act. Sadly Phil suffered from schizophrenia which hampered his development as a musician and passed away in the 1990's. It was Phil who arranged for Neil O' Connor' s band Midnight Circus (later The Flys) to play for us at the Hobo Workshop in 1974.
http://www.aslw12.dsl.pipex.com/
Coventry University
People that I've played with that you've featured include Kevin Harrison (in Neo and Urban Terrorists), Steve Edgeson - sad :-( Marc Byers, Roddy Byers and, unbelievably, I worked as sound engineer in residence at the Holyhead Youth Centre between 1982(?) and 84-85.
Anyway - just wanted to let you know that I've recently started releasing material again (for free) which you can find here:
In 1985 it was difficult and expensive to record, release and distribute music. Today it is stupidly easy. So why haven't we been doing it then? It's a bit of a long story ... so check out our history.
The albums available from this site are released under creative commons (except where stated). Please feel free to share or remix the work but please keep the original attributions. If you intend to make money with it then let us know or stuff will happen.
You will find info on Kevin Harrison's Marze Imprints on here too.
Website: http://www.coventry.ac.uk/ec/~pevery/
Courses: http://www.coventry.ac.uk/ec/~pevery/cc/
Blog: http://mysteryweb.blogspot.com
Video: http://www.vimeo.com/neophyte
Music: http://www.aslw12.dsl.pipex.com/
In 1985 it was difficult and expensive to record, release and distribute music. Today it is stupidly easy. So why haven't we been doing it then? It's a bit of a long story ... so check out our history.
The albums available from this site are released under creative commons (except where stated). Please feel free to share or remix the work but please keep the original attributions. If you intend to make money with it then let us know or stuff will happen.
You will find info on Kevin Harrison's Marze Imprints on here too.
Website: http://www.coventry.ac.uk/ec/~pevery/
Courses: http://www.coventry.ac.uk/ec/~pevery/cc/
Blog: http://mysteryweb.blogspot.com
Video: http://www.vimeo.com/neophyte
Music: http://www.aslw12.dsl.pipex.com/
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Coming soon - New on-line Coventry music magazine from HOBO called PRIORY STREET BLUES which will have contributions from the editors of various former Coventry magazines and some of the contemporary musos from Coventry. Where as Hobo covers Coventry's musical heritage, Priory Street Blues will cover the contemporary music scene in Coventry. NEW VOX SITE FOR IT PRIORY STREET BLUES VOX
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November sees the launch of the research and development of a COVENTRY MUSIC EXHIBITION at the Herbert Musem that will open to the public in October 2009. Neol Davies is organising a Two Tone jam session to both launch the exhibition and celebrate the 30th Anniversary of Two Tone. There are posts and minutes relating to the exhibition on here.
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Jim Pryal (long-standing Cov drummer and now Electronic musician) has beendeveloping a range of new tracks soon to be launch under Vinyl Confuzion. He's been working on both dance tracks (some with Trev Teasdel on vocals and words) and some solo and also some new art music tracks. Jim's new electronic dance music is quite amazing and very dancable. New tracks with Trev include Nightfall in Sorrento, Melissa's Garden, Dance and R & B, Stereophonic London and Priory Street Blues. His solo tracks are equally amazing. You'll be hearing more about his projects soon.
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CULTURE FUZION For Jim's Collaborations with Trev
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Vinyl Confuzion My Space (For Jim's solo dance tracks)
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Read about Horace's New Book HERE
"We work on the principle of Mutual Aid and devote our time to actively promoting an alternative to the big business of the Music Industry. We have no paid employees but rely on a collective of experienced people who believe in the ethic of cooperation. This is a project that has been 40 years in the making, which is now made possible by new technology.."
The Gnome are aiming for four releases each quarter and to develop from there (keep an eye on their site for details and developments) - Gnome Label and Gnome Fest
More details on these can be found on the Gnome Label site Here
"Songs from the Coventry Underground Is a collection of the earlier songs from poet and performer Trev Teasdel.
This is the guy that played an important role in the development of Coventry musical conciousness. He kept an alternative voice alive with the production of Hobo magazine that continued the trail from where the fading footprints of the Gnome could still be identified. Taking over the booking of live bands at the Arts Umbrella, he continued the policy that allowed many of the new local bands an airing as well as bringing in some excellent but not often seen names from outside of the City.
He also created one of the cornerstones of the Coventry Music scene, with the inception of the open jam sessions at the Holyhead Road Arts centre.
He left Coventry to study and has since been as active as ever, with an impressive workload of teaching new writers, running poetry magazines and venues from his Teesside home while still writing and performing his own material.
But that's not the only reason for choosing his work for this release. He is a master craftsman of his artform. His lyrics are carefully honed with the
Aside from that, his work reverberates with the angst and expectations that many living in Coventry at the that time will have felt. Often written on long walks home up the London Road after the last bus, or in teabreaks while working at the GEC. The collective lyrics paint a picture of youthful exhilaration and myradiacl inspirations with echoes of revolt. Some might suggest that they could have been written in and about any city in those times. No they could only come from one place....Our Coventry.
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The brilliant 1980 Coventry Album SENT FOR COVENTRY produced by Martin Bowes of Alternative Sounds
You can listen to excerpts from the tracks which include - The Wild Boys, Clique, The End, The Urge, Hot Snacks (Machine), Solid Action, The Mix, Vietnamese Babies, Squad, Riot Act, Protege, Homicide.
This is from the illustrious Two Tone Period in Coventry when Coventry was buzzing with musical life and bands. See the Alternative Sounds supplement with more info on the bands shortly - watch this space.
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Colin Richardson - the booking agent from Bron responsible for booking many of the acts for the Coventry Lanchester Arts Festival in the early 70's tells the story of how 'How a modest little Polytechnic in Coventry came to be favoured with such a prime coup as hosting the first ever live performance of Monty Python's Flying Circus?'
ASGARD - were a Coventry band in the style of Pink Floyd / Nice operating around 1969 - 71 period who were promoted by John Peel and played a number of prestigious gigs - eg Mothers in Birmingham after Pink Floyd and with Peel and Hyde Park etc. Following a recent post on Asgard with some of their music, bassist Richard Kilbride has sent these archive photos of the band and cuttings.
First a cutting from Disc - Asgard are mentioned in John Peel's column - some of them, including their manager Paul Padum stayed at Peel Acres.
Asgard played in the ruins of Coventry Cathedral in 1969 as part of the West Indian concert calld Jerico -
Asgard bassist proposed free open air concerts in Coventry in 1969 in which people could even bring along poems to read (great initiative Richard) according to this Coventry Evening Telegraph article -
The council response is interesting!!
"NO LONG-HAIRED BEATNKS IN THE SAN FRANCISCO ELEMENT" - "THE SALVATION ARMY BAND..ARE A RAVE!!!"
"Councillor Arthur Taylor, Chairman of the Recreation Committee said he would be glad to make the park available to respectable pop groups but we do not want long-haired beatniks in the San Franscisco element playing in our parks! We have the Salvation Army band playing in our parks and it's a rave! But whether pop music is eeryone's choice, I don't know." Well -
I must admit - I've never heard the Salvation Army band described as a 'Rave' before!!!!
Asgard were invited to Alexis Korner's fiftieth birthday party!!
The following are photos of the young Asgard at play with guitars and dumpeer trucks in the 60's and photos from gigs and rehearsals etc.
Along with these photos was one of another band from the 1970c period - no idea who they are or if it's a Cov band or one Asgard played on tour with - if any or Richard can throw light on this photo - let me know.
