Bands of the sixties in Sheffield

[BILLY.D 10]

Hi busy.p

 

I took the photo of the band. The guy on the left in the photo was Frank White's base player, He used to wear a tan brown suede jacket with tassles on the arms (very hippy at the time) The same as Dennis Hopper wore in Easy Rider. In fact he had the same moustache. He also used to wear a hat (Hendrix type) if I remember right and he always had a girl on his arm.

Mcluskeys Apocalypse turned up and played near the entrance to Weston Park. I am pretty sure this was the day Peter Green of Fleetwood Mac turned up and did an impromptu acoustic set. I remember it being a sunny and warm Sunday afternoon. After the free concert we all de-camped to the "Raven" for a pint or two. If this was the free concert when Pete Green turned up I am sure it would be the summer of 1970. If anyone can confirm the name of the bass player and the drummer, I can re-title the photos on Photobucket.

 

Hi Lostrider: sorry can't identify the bass player, Frank White had numerous bass players, but i'm 99% sure the drummer is Fred Guite. If you Get hold of the book " Not Like a proper job " it may give you a clue. Good luck.

[busy.P's 10]

I also have a copy of the book that you mention in your message Billy D, Im sure Freddie would find what is written about him hilarious if he was here, I dont entirely agree with some of it, pity there couldnt have been more positives. People that are very talented do unfortunately bring out the green eyed monster in people. Short fuse yes, schizo he was NOT, I know because I was also blessed with the 'short fuse', infact I would love to have a chat with Mal Hooley and Dave Hopper!! Graham Oliver got it right.. he was 'amazing'!!..and he was blessed at having dress sense which we also inherited from our parents, but he didnt need to dress to impress anyone, he was born with something only others could dream of having. He had a short life but boy did he live it to the full! Fred Guite senior was a much respected musician and would have known all the answers to everyones questions regarding bands and musicians over descades.

[busy.P's 10]

Im pretty sure it is Freddie in your pic Lostrider with Frank, I have similar photographs of him when he was sporting the 'afro' and others with that very same kit. The pic in the book isnt of very good quality of the The Lizards, I have the Sheffield Star feature where the photo in the book was taken outside the Cathedral and not forgetting the single that was released with The Lizards 'Hey Baby' :-)

[rammer 10]

Two band I remember are The Whirwinds and Mike Sagar & the Crestas

[Bassman62 10]

After the free concert we all de-camped to the "Raven" for a pint or two. If this was the free concert when Pete Green turned up I am sure it would be the summer of 1970. If anyone can confirm the name of the bass player and the drummer, I can re-title the photos on Photobucket.

Looking at the Amplifiers and Speakers I think the date fits, the Fender Bass looks early to mid 60s (Pre CBS) by the position of the Thumb rest and the dot inlays in the fingerboard. Edited January 23, 2011 by Bassman62

[rainbow2411 11]

Not sure if I am repeating information, I haven't read all of this thread but I am sure that the bass player on this pic is Mal Hooley, he was and still is a very very good guitarist

[TheDrib 10]

Hi Billy.D

Have made various searches over the years (SF, Friends Reunited, and more recently Facebook) trying to find an old mate; Ronnie Harwood.

Ronnie and I were next door neighbours on the Lowedges estate back in the late 50s and early 60s. Started our own group around 1961/1962 - The Fauvettes, with Ronnie on Base, myself on Rythm, Ronnie's cousin on drums and another couple of mates on Lead Guitar and singer. We didn't have much success, but had lots of fun trying. Ronnie moved on to the Square Circles and myself onto the Wildcats. We lost touch after I got married and moved away from Lowedges. I now live in New York.

Unfortunately, I now see from your post above, why my searches were unsuccessful. Are you at liberty to divulge what happened to Ronnie?

My personal Email is [email protected]

[BILLY.D 10]

Hi, TheDrib'

I played with Ronnie, in The Square Circles, and we also lost touch, as you do, until probably about 3-4 years ago i was in my local pub, The Waverley, where the resident Friday night group, "Martin and Friends" play, it's always full of old groupers' from 60's and 70's. When they were doing their spot, i thought i recognized the bass player, and lo and behold, it was Ronnie, we had a good chat about the old times, i asked him where Christine was, remember Christine, his girlfriend?, they had married , and divorced, i also asked him about Roy Simmonite, the drummer, who was from Lowedges too, was he the drummer with you and Ronnie ?.i gave Ronnie my phone number to get in touch, but he never did.

A few months later i saw Martin in the pub, and asked him about Ronnie, what a shock i got when he told me that Ronnie had died from cancer, it really knocked my duck off. i'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news, Ronnie was a great kid, and a great bass player, and i'll always have fond memories of him.

[TheDrib 10]

Hi Billy.D,

Many thanks for your quick response.

What a shame. You are right, he was a great kid. I wish we could have stayed in touch over the years but that would have been tough with me working overseas and before the internet became so universal. We had some good times together as teens. C'est la vie.

I do remember a girlfriend of Ronnie's back in the 60s called Christine. She also lived on Lowedges, and I think her maiden name was Mather.

I also remember Roy the drummer. His group was a little more successful than ours at the time, so 'no', he didn't play with us.

Did you by any chance know a guitarist called Roger Millard, who also lived on Lowedges. He was our lead guitarist, and used to play Orange Blossom Special with his guitar (a Burns Black Bison) behind his head. No Joke! He also moved on to the Wildcats before I joined them.

Again, many thanks for your help. I'll definitely have a quiet drink for Ronnie tonight.

Take it easy - Geoff

[Bassman62 10]

A few months later i saw Martin in the pub, and asked him about Ronnie, what a shock i got when he told me that Ronnie had died from cancer, it really knocked my duck off. i'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news, Ronnie was a great kid, and a great bass player, and i'll always have fond memories of him.

Hi there i've attached a shot of Ronnie playing with 'Essential beer Money' that I took shortly before he became ill, like you say he was a great guy

 

[TheDrib 10]

Hi Bassman62.

That's an awesome pic of Ronnie. I haven't seen him since the mid 60s, but I can see the resemblance in there. He always seemed to have an 'impish' smile on his face.

I'll send a copy to my sister in Sheffield and maybe she can get a copy to his sisters; Julie and Shirley. I know Ronnie's Mother was killed in a pedestrian accident some years ago at Meadowhead - not sure about his Father.

I hope that wherever he is, he is joining another group with some of the other musicians who have sadly left us over the years.

I guess we will all be looking/auditioning for a position somewhere in the future, in one of those groups. It will just be like old times.....

My Best to all - thedrib

[Bassman62 10]

Hi "TheDrib" from 62 onwards I was playing in the Sheffield group/band 'The Drumbeats', the shot below was on the Derby Locarno in 64.

We regularly played the Hillsborough Memorial Hall, a venue most of us played in those days.

The Bass I'm using was a short scale Burns Split Sound 6 string bass through a Vox AC30 purchased from Cranes in the Wicker, the guitarist Hayden is using a Gretsch Green Double Anniversary.

I chatted to Ronnie a few times about the Memo gigs.

 

 

PS remeber the Reslo mics