We are now living through the worst time for musicians, their fans and all people in general, with the whole entertainment business ruined, possibly for good, by the greatest over-reaction ever seen in history!
Like all my fellow muso’s I’ve missed the gigs, and most of all the vibe generated by being in the company of others, so it was particularly uplifting to be present at one of the greatest gatherings I’ve ever seen on Saturday 26th September 2020, filling London’s Trafalgar Square and the streets nearby to absolute capacity!
Although it was a massive protest against current events it was also one of the happiest, friendliest and above all, peaceful protests ever, ironically overlooked from his column above by the figure of Lord Nelson, one of our greatest heroes who fought against the forces that sought to oppress us. Whilst the media tried to diminish the event in the press (for an accurate version about September 26th check the article written by Jacqui Deevoy), in fact this was probably one of largest gatherings that Trafalgar Square had seen, full to bursting point with people who showed up to voice their feelings, with not a mask in sight!
After three hours of uplifting speeches, the decision was made to send in the police to disperse the crowds, a totally unnecessary move as everyone was behaving themselves. I would say it was a great privilege to be present, and hopefully people will continue to protest against the tyranny that we are now living under, with fans and musicians joining with others, speaking out in one voice.
Recent months saw the loss of two more people who were an important part of the Deep Purple story.
On May 13th 2020 the original Purple producer Derek Lawrence passed away. Derek began his career being involved with Joe Meek, England’s first independent record producer, and worked with his band The Outlaws, who featured Chas Hodges, Mick Underwood and of course Ritchie Blackmore. Derek had a good eye for local London talent and spent a lot of time recording the people who he considered special, musicians such as Carlo Little, Jimmy Page, Albert Lee and many others.
As you can read on this website, Derek beat his way to Deeves Hall to offer us the deal which catapulted the band to the U.S. top twenty, and it’s fair to say that without him the world would probably not have known about Deep Purple. Derek was not your conventional record producer, apparently having little knowledge of the recording desk, but he was a great catalyst between engineer and band, and he unfailingly knew when a “take” was the right one. Sadly, for reasons unknown to me, Purple dispensed with Derek’s services but he went on to further success with many others. Derek did the initial demo recording for my band Fandango, for which I will always be grateful, and also suggested that I team up with Mick Underwood for Quatermass 2, which led us to making an album together. Derek always fun to be around, and he knew his game. A nice man in the true sense the word, he will be sadly missed.
On August 9th 2020 we lost Martin Birch, another Deep Purple stalwart of the early years. When the band started in 1968, Martin was the tape operator for the great engineer Barry Ainsworth. His job was to press the buttons which operated the giant tape machine which sat at the side of the recording desk.
Martin was a cheerful, likeable man who didn’t say much, but all the time was learning the trade by watching Barry work. He and Barry seemed particularly keen on working with Purple, so much so that when they re-located from Pye Studio’s to De Lane Lea, the band went too, feeling quite rightly that we were all a good team. Barry, Martin and producer Derek together helped produce the vibe which resulted in the three mark one albums. When Martin finally set out as engineer and producer in his own right he showed a great talent, becoming in demand by many of the leading rock bands of the day, helped of course by his sunny laidback personality. A great loss to the recording business, he will also be sadly missed.
It was with great sadness that I heard of the death of one of my oldest friends, Ian Nelhams, who died on April 3rd this year in New Zealand where he lived with his wife and children. During my early teenage years he was a familiar figure where we lived in Hayes, being the assistant to Stan, the local milkman. This was when one of the local kids dubbed him “Rubbernose”, a nickname that stayed with him for years! Affectionately known as “Nelly”, Ian and his mate Rich Bennett came knocking at my door in 1960, when I had just acquired my first guitar.
They explained that they were members of a music group, with Nelly on drums and Rich on rhythm guitar and asked if I would join them. This was a huge boost to my musical beginnings and I teamed up with them straight away, in spite of only knowing a few chords. As well as being a good drummer, Nelly was also very practical, building a solid-body bass guitar which actually worked. This bass, known as the “Flatty” owing to its lack of contours, was my first introduction to bass, and this was my instrument until I felt capable of taking over as the group’s lead guitarist.
Always a problem solver, Nelly came to the rescue when the Flatty’s pick-up failed, and strapped a cheap tape recorder microphone on the back, just in time to save our gig! On leaving school Nelly had secured a job installing telephones for the GPO. Having access to miles of telephone cable, he came up with the idea of running a wire from the guitar amp on stage to a speaker at the rear of the hall, in order, he reasoned, to hear better. This seemed to work for a while at the next gig, until someone closed a door on the cable and cut it in half!
Our little group, called The Renegades, was not to last very long but myself, Rich and Nelly had one hell of a lot of fun along the way, playing at local youth clubs and church halls, becoming inseparable pals. Sometimes we would travel to gigs by bus, when Nelly would hide the bulk of his drum kit in a shop doorway, whilst one of us hailed the driver. Of course, mayhem would ensue at the bus stop when we attempted to jam the drums into the luggage compartment!
One bonus of being in a group with Ian Nelhams was that his cousin was Terry Nelhams, better known as Adam Faith, one of our biggest pop stars at the time. This not only lifted Nelly’s profile as a drummer, but also lifted our profile with the local girls too!
Showing great generosity Nelly also paid a local bass player to teach me the rudiments of bass guitar. Being still at school, this was something that I could not afford myself. Nelly was a real character in the true sense of the word, and, although always happy to argue with anyone, had a sunny optimistic personality that endeared him to most people. No matter what disaster happened, he would always soldier on and keep smiling! He would always try and come up with money-making ideas. One which did work for a while involved he and I starting a print company, after he acquired a small printing press.
Operating from a garden shed, we successfully knocked out wedding invitations and trade cards for local people, although the quality could be a bit dubious. Sadly, after the demise of the Renegades, when he and I tried and failed to form another band, he abandoned the drums for good. Had he persisted I am sure that he would have made his mark as a good player. I am sure that he would have made his mark as a good player. When Rich Bennett left England for Canada, and Nelly departed for Suffolk, our happy partnership ended. Nelly always kept in touch though. Whenever we met, he would regale me with stories of his various jobs and enterprises, always full of optimism and hoping to strike It rich!
Eventually, with his wife and children he tried his luck in South Africa, then returning to Suffolk and changing his name, for various reasons, to Ian Engels. by the time of his third marriage he was based on the Isle of Wight before making a final move to New Zealand. Sadly, for the last 15 years we became out of touch, but he was always thought of, and a mention of his name always raised a smile! Nelly was a lovely person and great company. I will always think of him with affection and remember him as one of my best friends. Keep smiling, Nelly!
Well, here we are now in the 52nd year of Deep Purple. Time, as they say, really does fly!
I would like to again thank all the people that have continually supported the band and showed such interest in the various musicians involved. It has been nice to continue receiving messages from you, and although I cannot do personal responses, I thought it time to address several subjects.
Thank you for sending information about past gigs, dates, and personnel, which I always find interesting. Also I am very grateful for all the support for my other projects aside from Deep Purple, which, although they didn’t set the world on fire, seem all the more worthwhile now.
Another recent question asked about a project called Rocket. Well, I will be covering this and other subjects in the future when I have completed my part in the Deep Purple story. I still get asked about the Hall of Fame debacle, which I know outraged many people, but it really was not worth worrying about. Thank you anyway!
People have often inquired about my guitars. As previously mentioned, for many years I have used my 1961 Fender Precision bass, which I now use only occasionally. During 1968-69 I also used a black CBS Fender Precision, and also bought one of the first 1951 Precision reissues, which was called the Telecaster bass. After a while I built a hybrid, putting the Telecaster neck onto a black Precision body, which looked amazing! The trouble was that so many people wanted to buy it that I eventually sold it for a handsome profit, which I regret to this day!
With Deep Purple I occasionally played a blonde Gibson EB2 which was a very rare guitar, but sadly useless on stage due to chronic feedback! About 20 years ago I was provided with a new candy-red Precision by my old pal Rich Bennett from Atlanta USA. This great axe has been resprayed black, and I play it a lot. When I celebrated my 60th birthday I was given a surprise gift from Jeff Bennett, Rich’s son. it was a beautiful ‘51 Precision reissue which looks just amazing. I also play this one a lot too! Over the years I have toyed with many others including Rickenbacker and Danelectro, but for me, nothing does the business like a good Precision!
Several people have asked about the Blaggards and Cowboys project. I am playing on the first two albums, but not on subsequent ones. I have played more recently on the first and second albums by Aeon Sophia, called “21 Hundred” and “Headphonauts”. Working on these albums, produced by Donagh Moloney and assisted by my son Richard, has been a lot of fun. They are available through CD Baby and various streaming services such as iTunes. Donagh and Rich were kind enough to send the following message:
Just a message to thank Nick, Pete Parks and also Richard Hudson for their help, advice and encouragement during the making of our first two albums (“21 Hundred” and “Headphonauts”). It’s a sound that is far away from their usual type of music, but their signature styles remain recognisable throughout. Our music would be equally at home on movie soundtracks as it would at low volume in your local coffee shop, combining electronica with live instruments, whilst switching from guitar tracks to sitar to dub reggae and then back to electronic. We look forward to the next one!
As many Deep Purple fans will know, this month of March 2018 marks the 50th anniversary of the formation of the band! Quite where all those years went, I do not know, for it seems like only yesterday that we began one of the most exciting periods of our lives.
No-one could imagine back then that anyone would remember our band half a century on, or belive that our recordings would still be pressed and bought by fans all over the world.
I would like to thank all of the people who have supported Deep Purple, those that believed in us from the start, those that championed all the following various line-ups over the years, right up to the present day.
It makes me very proud to have witnessed our little group blossom and grow into such a giant force in the music business, becoming a whole industry in itself, spawning various off-shoots and creating employment across the years.
Naturally, I am particularly proud of the original Mark I line-up, for against all the odds, we managed to create a whole new style of music, inspiring other musicians along the way, just as we were inspired by those that went before us. The original Deep Purple has always attracted criticism with many inaccuracies being written by ill-informed people; however no-one can take away the fact that over short timespan, under incredible pressure, we reached almost impossible goals!
As I (very slowly) write the story of the band’s beginning, I will try to right past wrongs and tell the facts as they happened. It has been a great pleasure to meet so many people from around the world who appreciate Mark I for the pioneering outfit that it undoubtedly was, and I know that for these people we were just as valid as the line-ups that came after, for there is no doubt that without us, our hard work, and our success, nothing would have followed. Once again I would like to express my gratitude to you all!!
On June 1st 2017 the music business was shocked by the sudden death of Tony Hall, one of the greatest tenor saxophone players that this country produced. I first met Tony as a 15 year old when he, just a few years older, was rhythm guitarist in the local group Pete Nelson and the Travellers, who had my close friend and mentor Tony “Rupert” Ross as bassist.
It was not long before he gave up rhythm guitar in order to begin sax lessons under the tuition of Jim Marshall’s son Terry, and soon blossomed into one of the most in-demand players around. His partnership with baritone player Sid Phillips became legendary, and I was lucky enough to play with them many times.
Tony and Sid became famous for their great work with Cliff Bennett and the Rebel Rousers, and in later years with Chas & Dave. Tony also had successful records as a member of 70’s group White Plains and worked continuously as a session musician. I am proud to have known Tony as a friend and associate musician for over fifty years and he will be sadly missed, a lovely man and a great saxophonist!
Geoff Glover-Wright
Buddy Britten (Geoff Glover-Wright)
During October 2017 the world said goodbye to Geoff Glover-Wright, always known to me as Buddy Britten. One of the pioneers of British rock ‘n’ roll, Buddy fronted a power trio called the Regents, and after hearing his records and witnessing several love performances, I became a huge fan. Joining Buddy as his bassist in 1964 and making my first recordings with him was one of the highlights of my life. His knowledge of music and stagecraft were second to none and together with drummer Roger Truth I experienced one of the best apprenticeships a musician could have.
Although originally being promoted as England’s Buddy Holly, Geoff quickly shrugged off the comparison and became a force to be reckoned with, pioneering his own brand of rock and R & B, demonstrating the power of a guitar, bass and drums line-up, years before it became in vogue. There is no doubt that he had all the ability and charisma necessary for stardom and with the right songs and promotion he should have been huge!
During the late sixties Buddy decided to re-invent himself, first as Simon Raven ( a name borrowed from an author), then changing to Simon Raverne, presenting a cabaret-style act which kept him in demand for many years. Although retiring from music recently, he had already forged a second career as Glover Wright, author of several novels, creating a new name using the two halves of his surname. I will always remember Geoff/Buddy as a charming companion, great raconteur, a terrific guitarist, vocalist and pianist who was a joy to work with. He was one of rock’s real characters, a one-off who will never be forgotten by those that knew him.
Pete Newman
Pete Newman with the Savages
On October 12th 2017 we lost another rock ‘n’ roll veteran, the saxophonist Pete Newman. Pete grew up in the Willesden area of London, hanging out with pals such as Freddy Heath and schoolmate Terry Harris. Encouraged by Freddy, they formed a group called the Five Nutters in 1958. Although not a permanent member, he stayed an associate, helping out on records as Freddy and the Nutters morphed into stars Johnny Kidd and Pirates. At almost the same time his best pal Terry joined Cliff Richard and the Drifters (later Shadows) and became better known as Jet Harris.
Jet and Pete stayed close friends until Jet’s death several years ago. Pete was also a close friend of Screaming Lord Sutch, claiming to have christened him “Lord” at the end of the 1950’s, when he was an up and coming performer. Pete played on some of Sutch’s early records, working at the studios of legendary producer Joe Meek. In more recent years Pete fronted his own soul and jazz outfit called “Some Like It Hot”, achieving great success in clubs and on the corporate circuit. He was a great saxophone player and a lovely man. Rest in peace, Pete.
Once again it is necessary to mention a few people who are no longer with us, and to pay tribute to their memory.
Frankie Reid
Frankie Reid, 1963
Just before the beginning of 2016, the wonderful Frankie Reid died in Australia, where he had lived for the last 35 years. Frank had come to England from Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) with his family in the early 1960’s. Gifted with a fine voice and a charismatic personality, he achieved legendary status during the 60’s and 70’s, fronting Frankie Reid and The Casuals, one of West London’s most polished and popular groups, always in demand on the club and dance hall circuit. Frank always attracted good musicians, and was a great front man, his skills as a karate black belt holder giving him the ability to move well on stage.
During 1979 Frank teamed up with legendary drummer Carlo Little and ex-Warhorse axeman Pete Parks. When their bassman didn’t work out, they offered me the gig, and so Flying Fox was born. The group soon gathered a healthy following and began to pack out venues around London. Every gig was like a big party, and I don’t think that we ever had so much fun, before or since!
Frankie Reid, 1970
Sadly for the rest of us, Frank had already planned to move with his wife and children to Australia, where his parents and brothers had already re-located, and in November 1980 he left England for good. Flying Fox continued performing with several different vocalists, before morphing into the Good Old Boys, who are still performing today! Frank returned to visit England several times, always celebrating with a gig and always attracting a big crowd. He continued to perform in Australia, and it is a tribute to his memory that his son Darren became a popular singer in that country, keeping the Reid name alive!
Frank was a skillful engineer by trade, who never gave up his job for a professional singing career, although he was certainly good enough. As his friend Screaming Lord Sutch said, for someone who never turned pro, Frank as more professional than most! A great performer, and a lovely person, he will always be remembered.
Sid Phillips
Sid PhillipsSid Phillips
At almost the same time as we lost Frank, we also lost one of England’s greatest saxophone players, Sid Phillips. Another West London native, Sid came to prominence as an original and long-term member of Cliff Bennett and The Rebel Rousers, without doubt one of the country’s best ever rock and R ‘n’ B groups. Sid also played piano with the group when necessary. It was always a pleasure to work with Sid, who often augmented the Good Old Boys, notably on the live album with the late Roscoe Gordon, and often forming a brilliant saxophone duo with the great Tony Hall, doing sterling work with Chas ‘n’ Dave. Sid was without doubt a very talented musician, and always great fun to be with. We will miss him!
Angelique Palombo
On January 10th 2016, more tragedy struck my family with the death of my lovely niece, Angelique Palombo, just days short of her 52nd birthday, and just over a year since we lost her sister Sophy to the same scourge of cancer.
Always known as ”Leaky”, Angelique was the second of four girls born to my sister Liz and her husband Angelo. Like her mother she was keen on music, art and history, with a passion for performing on stage whenever she had the opportunity. Her flamboyant personality And often outrageous mode of dress mad her well-known and popular in the town of Hastings where she, her Mum, and siblings had lived for many years.
Twelve years ago Angelique relocated to Glastonbury, where she soon made many friends. It was a tribute to her popularity that most of the town came to a standstill to observe her funeral, with the traffic being halted for some twenty minutes whilst the mourners gathered. What followed was more of a party than a funeral, which will forever be remembered by all who attended!
A dear, kind and generous girl, she will be sadly missed!
Ken Rankine
In September 2016, we said goodbye to one of my oldest friends, the great bass player Ken Rankine, who died following a short illness.
Ken-Rankine
In 1961 I was introduced to Ken at the Sandgate Hall in Hayes, where we were both watching a performance by Cliff Bennett and The Rebel Rousers. When I learned that Ken knew a few guitar chords, I asked him if he would be interested in learning bass guitar, with a view to him joining Ian Nelhams and myself as a member of the Renegades.
On the following Saturday, Ken cycled from his home in Hanwell to my home in Hayes with a Spanish guitar on his back which sported only the four bottom strings necessary for bass. For several months, supported by the great Tony “Rupert” Ross, who kindly lent us his bass guitar, I attempted to teach Ken the little I knew about bass. He proved to be a real natural, and buying himself a second-hand Burns bass and Watkins amplifier he promptly joined the new group started by ex-Renegade Rich Bennett, called the Downbeats. This proved to be the death knell for the Renegades, but the Downbeats did very well, working the clubs and pubs for several years. Ken was soon recognised as one of the best bassists around, and was a stalwart of the music scene that pivoted around Jim Marshall’s shop at Hanwell Broadway.
Ken Rankine
He worked extensively with the Art Wood Combo, before they became the Artwoods, when Ken became a member of the highly rated Soul Messengers alongside such great musicians as Rod Freeman, Terry Marshall and Mitch Mitchell. Always a great rock player, it was jazz that really appealed to Ken and he became proficient at both styles of music.
When the Soul Messengers gained employment on the Mecca Ballroom circuit, they soon became part of the Ronnie Smith Big Band, working the ballrooms for several years, with Ken learning to read music and becoming extremely useful on the double bass. In recent years Ken played mostly jazz gigs and kept a low profile, in spite of his great talent, spending a lot of time at his cottage in Portland. We always kept in touch, having so many friends and colleagues in common, and his loss leaves a big gap in the dwindling members of the ‘Marshall Set’. A great musician and a great bloke, rest in peace Ken.
On a lighter note, I would like to express my sincere thanks to all those who supported me during the recent (Rock ‘n’ Roll???) Hall of Fame debacle!
Like most of you, I was completely non-plussed at their strange course of action, but long ago decided that it really wasn’t worth worrying about! Many of you, however, decided that it was, and made lots of noise about it, but to no avail.
One can only wonder why this organisation continues to undermine any credibility they may have had. Perhaps they should change their name!
October 8th 2016 marks the 50th anniversary of the death of Johnny Kidd. Without doubt he was one of England’s greatest rock singers, and the most charismatic performer I ever saw. Johnny was a huge influence on me, and inspired so many performers. A great friend and a true legend, he will never be forgotten.
We are now living through the worst time for musicians, their fans and all people in general, with the whole entertainment business ruined, possibly for good, by the greatest over-reaction ever seen in history!
