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One of Chris's best jokes.....
As I said,Licorice was also with us that night. As was his usual practice, he had 'What A Wonderful World' on his set list. We were all sitting about backstage and Lic came in carrying his black shoes. "Have any of you lads got any polish?" Quick as a flash, Chris came back...."You're not blacking up for the one song are you, Brian?" Collapse of all present!!
Priceless!

The band is so relaxed and clearly having a great time! Presumably, Bruce is playing 34346 itself?

Bill

I remember that night fondly Martin, to be honest I completely forgot about the Elvis guy. Was this in 2003?

Btw I just come across some photos taken by Ian or Amy Harper from around that time of yourself, Licorice and I playing at the (I think) Ambassador at a East Yorks club meet and also in a barn which I think was Jimmy's?! Out near Pickering if i remember clearly

Scott

I remember playing The Frightened City at the Warwick club around 2000-2001; Alan Jones was on bass. Afterwards he said some very nice things to me - what a splendid guy! Later in the day I played The Miracle and Prelude in E Major. Joey D was also there...

During the years when Bruce was running Shadowmania he came to the Pipeline Instrumental Convention, both to enjoy the music and to 'talent spot' for Shadowmania. Many of the top-class Shadows bands that were booked by Alan Taylor for Pipeline found themselves on stage at the next Shadowmania.

For each of the videos that I did for Pipeline. I always included a feature called 'A Look Around The Convention' and Bruce appears many times.
As a little quiz question, here is Bruce chatting to the lead guitar player of a group that made instrumental records in the early '60s but also backed a well-known singer. Later this same guitarist went on the play for one of the founding members of the British R&B boom.


Who is he?
For an extra point, what was the name of the group?
For an extra, extra point, what was the name of the singer that they backed?
For an extra, extra, extra point, who was the British R&B pioneer?
The pictures are frame grabs from the 2007 DVD. The Convention that year was held at Bushey in Hertfordshire.
Ray

Since over 100 people have looked at the above pictures and not come up with answers, it's time to reveal that the mystery man is Roger Dean.

He played lead guitar for the Nu-Notes (Hall Of Mirrors/Fury, HMV POP1232, 1963)(Kathy/Sunset, HMV POP1311, 1964)

The Nu-Notes backed Russ Sainty who was a regular performer at the 2i's when Hank and Bruce were there and later had a long residency with the Nu-Notes at the California Ballroom, Dunstable, Bedfordshire. Listen to Russ's recording of Radio Play That Song Again - superb!

The founding member of the British R&B boom? That was John Mayall. Roger joined John Mayall's Bluesbreakers after the Nu-Notes. His guitar can be heard on the album John Mayall Plays John Mayall - Live At Klooks kleek. Roger stated in an interview that they ran cables out of the window of the club to the Decca Studio in West Hampstead about 100 yards away for this recording. Roger was replaced in the Bluesbreakers by Eric Clapton.

Sadly, Roger died in 2008, so those of you who own a copy of the 2007 Convention DVD have perhaps the last video of Roger before his death.

Ray

Certainly not for want of trying, Ray! I was pretty sure it would be a name I know, but in this case not the face.

For some reason, I was thinking of Rhet Stoller as a possibility, also a Nu-Note at one time, but again another name I have never been able to put a face to!

Bill

Follow-up! Of course, all is revealed on this site dedicated to the California Ballroom...

https://www.california-ballroom.info/ba ... sainty.htm

Hi

Russ Sainty and Rhet Stoller

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/proxy ... D8kRD0OeKg


Regards

Wasn't it Roger Dean who bought Bruce's Gretsch 6120 (the "Summer Holiday" guitar)?

Thanks for the link to the California Ballroom website. I had forgotten about Russ Sainty. It reminded me that, probably about 40 years ago, I picked up a 45rpm disc called "Ricochet" by Rhet Stoller, in a 2nd hand record store, in Brighton Lanes, if my memory serves me.
I never found out any more about Mr Stoller, so it was good to put a face to the name, at last.

Kindest regards,
Christopher