Even after all these years Monotones/Treetops memories are still going strong. If you get this message you can contact me on awbarcelona@yahoo.com All the best. Glad all still goes well with everyone,sorry to hear about Nigel. Brian had brought a penny whistle with him and was playing Tom Hark a popular chart tune by The Ted Heath Orchestra. I believe our first attempt at recording in a professional studio was around 1963 at The Regent Sound studio in Denmark Street. Wallpaper Engine > Workshop > DahSharky's Workshop . Mark Loyd (Nigel Basham) was the loveliest person one could meet. Some of our first amps were not even enclosed, just a mass of valves and capacitors etc sitting in an open box. All entries can be updated, corrected and expanded. After Phil left in 1965 we backed Mark Loyd on quite a few gigs. At that time our final line-up comprised Brian Alexander lead guitar ), Mark Loyd ( drums and lead vocals), Tony Edwards ( Hammond organ and piano) Kit Rolphe ( our female vocalist) and myself ( rhythm guitar and lead vocals). I have asked him to add any comments to this web page to bring everyone up to date on his life since leaving The Treetops. Hello Steve, I would be pleased to talk with you. Forgive me for recounting some negatives and lets remember the good things and all the nice people we had the pleasure of sharing a stage or sudio with..Lulu,The Hollies, Hermans Hermits, The Dave Clarke Five,The Zombies and even The Pretty Things!We rubbed shoulders with many successful artists but although it didnt rub off onto us,ok we didnt make it big-time but we had a great time. Hello Mike Yes happy memories of Tiffanys and the nice girls. Pasar Minggu adalah sebuah kelurahan yang terletak di Kecamatan Pasar Minggu, Jakarta Selatan. Just an addition:- I remebered the name of the very good guitarist that played with Pete Willsher it was Johnny Short. Brian organised a regular Monday night gig in north London at a pub called The Sparrowhawk. Move It Big Bad John Give me Money (Ray Charles?) Their leader at the time was Jimmy Mack the keyboard player. He is still in the entertainment industry but retired from singing a few years ago. I have spoken to Mark and he told me you made him feel pretty old by calling him your great grandfather when in fact you are his great nephew ie. These cloths were weighted by a twelve foot length of heavy timber and unfortunately I let a rope slip and the back cloth dropped like a stone. Hi Mike, Its been a while since I looked at the site as I have just returned from Australia on a visit to my daughter and family. Having recently left Selmers music store in Charing Cross Road, I was doing daytime recording sessions, and evening gigs with an organ and drums duo called The Organisation. As a result of this he decided to create a club of his own, took over a large Chinese restaurant in Hampton Court and re-created a mini Tiffanys called Alexanders. It was during this year that Mark and myself did a number of sessions singing radio and TV adverts. Apparently in May 1967 Pink Floyd gigged there. It was hosted by original member, Cliff Messiter, who had enjoyed success as a very accomplished graphics artist and owner of a design studio. I am doing a book on the Southend Mod scene in the 60s, which will include local bands, so your dads photos might be excellent for the book if I may have permission to use some You can email me on originalsouthendmods@gmail.com. Samantha's was in a basement off Regent Street and I was introduced . I will be home mid May and we should get in touch. The group were Banned: but invited back after a week or two, however the deal was different. He decided we needed to change our image and accordingly we all went to Carnaby Street to be fitted with our new Beatle suits. Mark sang his songs with huge epic endings such as Im Gonna be Strong by Gene Pitney and Jezebel by Marty Wilde and Frankie Laine. As I recall we had music every night Modern and Trad jazz Mondays and Fridays, Pop Tues Thurs and Saturday and the lounge combo on a Sunday evening. BTW, Tim: Cliff still owns the Swedish Strat look-a-like Hagstrom he purchased from you! This was the first group I played regularly with and it was great fun. ), Ian attended Joan Greenwoods Method School with such later luminaries as Olly Reed, John Leyton (Think Great Escape) and other up and coming thespians. Tony Blackburn, Pete Brady, Dave Cash, Pete Murray, Dave Symonds , Jimmy Young and a few others. We had been staying at our home in France and the mail and papers had stacked up, meanwhile. When home I could not help becoming manager (in no way what that word implies today!) tiffany's nightclub wimbledon. Glad to hear you are well, Regards, Jim Eaton. When I collected it from the Elms to take on the gig, it was all covered in beer stains and quite battered, so I spent the next day cleaning it all up and gluing back the bits of covering that had come off the amps, an when I returned it you all thought I had brought back someone elses gear. you may have wondered what song the kids are dancing to during the party scene towards the end of the film. Your recollections are very coincidental as, at present, there is an exhibition in Southend showcasing the bands that came out of the area. . I am desperately trying to get in contact with Brian. Would be delighted to supply a CD if you email me direct at pncstanley@talktalk.net and Ill give you details. You will remember that Pam ( Sandys best friend ) was my long time on/off girlfriend who used to help with carrying amps etc! Mention of the bass guitar I sold you brought a tear.my Dad made it.How long did it survive,and have you any photos ? This website has brought us back in touch with so many old friends which is really great, maybe we could touch base sometime at one of the old venues. I know that Dad on a regular basis trawls the internet finding it hard to believe that kind people still purchase Monotones records from e-bay! In May 1964, Brian, Pete and myself took a short holiday in Amsterdam. The new club, which was to be called Bentleys was based on the same successful format and again required a trio of musicians. There was not much for me in the English charts then the stuff sounds so dated today! I loved the Barracuda gigs at The London, and it was you who jogged my memory I had forgotten their name. I felt that we provided good live music in an intimate atmosphere, and reasonably priced food was available from the upstairs restaurant. My son Christopher trained at Westminster College and has created a successful catering consultancy. It was a rich and much missed era of genuine live sound and great gigs, now smothered in miming, electronic sound manipulation and image above ability. Pleased that you were able to respond. Read 'Wimbledon Arcade' - a nostalgic memory of Wimbledon in our Share Your Memories online community. at pncstanley@talktalk.net, Good to read about you all after so long a time great times at the elms and other places you played can you send details on the cd and who and where to send payment i am just learning how to use a pc. As a child with my bro and sis, I had great fun watching Dad, Jim and Brian play at Brians partys, where even the Alexander (3) and Eaton (2) kids used to get on stage and drum/strum/vocalise too. He was like a group all by himself! All but Elvis who did not come. Talk about a trip down memory lane. General. The club closed in 1997 and was demolished 18 months later, with a block of nondescript red brick flats now on the site - called The . I had a lot of fun with the band and look back fondly at the people, the accomplishments and the high spirits that made the five or so years I was with the band so memorable. Though,seriously,I did lobby them to recognise the achievements of Garry Brooker,as they now have a new Music Department. ( probably because it happened too quickly! His funeral was a huge event set up by his lovely wife Debbie with over 400 people attending. He was a great guy and my memories of the nights at the Elms are still as strong as they ever were. The Iconic Blue Box. In June 1978, police were called to the Quay Club when someone let off a CS canister, at 11.30pm, causing chaos. This of course meant giving away some of my earnings, clearly a situation that could not go on. In a numbered seat! by | Jul 10, 2021 | opentimeclock 2004 login | list of navy reserve units | Jul 10, 2021 | opentimeclock 2004 login | list of navy reserve units One I particularly remember was recorded in Birmingham and hosted by Murial Young. As you know I played with The Monotones / Treetops at The Elms and Tiffany's in Wimbledon in 1965/66 . I am dedicated to making this site a center for research about '60s music scenes. In April 1966 we opened the new Tiffanys club and started a new phase in our career with a new name, The Treetopsbut thats another story to follow. I would first like to acknowledge your kind message on behalf of his family and friends. I had some fun times. In 63 / 64 I saw a crime program on TV with a Beat Band involved in some way. I cant imagine where I had been for New Years Eve to drink such a hideous thing!). kingston frontenacs box office; taylor crichton wedding; grant county, wa real estate; wholesale funeral flower supplies. He used to be billed as Britains Strongest Teenager at local fetes and carnivals. We each had a large and loyal following, and basically shared venues like The Elms, The Halfway House, The London Hotel and The Cricketers. Cheers and keep up the great work! lucent health claims address; olaplex stock predictions; champions league 2008 09; tiffany's nightclub wimbledon. Firstly, its great to see some comments relating to the band. ), 3 weeks (that must mean the number of weeks with Sam)Another boring day at skool.Jackie went to the hospital about her back, she has to wear a corset too cos she has rhemetism? Still, I am glad to have fond memories, of not only helping the Monotones on the early path, but also being somewhat instrumental in putting the Elm on the local map as a live gig venue. Reference to the Seven Up TV series stirred some memories of a BBC film about youth of the day which featured us playing at The Elms but I dont recall it being broadcast,do you? Now based in Peterborough with an amazing wife and an eccentric German Shepherd. ), Got up at 11.00am.Washed my hair & then J came round. The timber hit someone on the head on the opposite side of the stage rendering him temporarily unconscious.this was Nigel. Hi Jim Still trying to contact carol hopefully will be successful and be in touch. Lionel looked like a sort of overweight lump: how appearances can be deceiving! We werent good but we had a lot of fun! Think the last time we saw each other was at my 21st party in Westcliff before you married Veronica. Stole (inherited?) He said that he had survived for seven years with the illness and a few more weeks would be no problemsadly he didnt make it. On a Sunday night it was the under 18s disco (I cant believe they had a night for under 18s the day before school). He heard our run through and suggested that perhaps he could play the piano on the recording, which he did. Thanks for the memories. Im meeting up with Jim to visit The Beecroft Gallery to see where they have hung them..probably in the loos, but if so hopefully the ladies !! This year he has been given a Lifetime Achievement Award for his contribution to the Australian music industry. The success prompted Brian to seek another venue, which he found not too far away at Hook. Search for stock images, vectors and videos, Available for editorial use only. I lost contact with Graham long ago but I believe that he went into music production. at Ians parents home in Ailsa Road, Westcliff. Marks sense of humour got us through many trying times, Brians business acumen kept the band employed, and yours and Peters talents glued everything together. Played a Futurama / Selmer(?) I was struck by the artwork and how creative it was then. My wife also reminded me (We both used to commute to the City) Nigels late father was the stationmaster at Chalkwell, on the Fenchurch Street Line. Legendary long-time pop veteran @tiffanytunes wrings in the holiday season with her newest album "Shadows," featuring singles "You're My Everything" and "I Like The Rain" out now. I havnt got your Instamatic memory but you certainly rattled my recollection-box. As you can see, it was a decade of big shoulders, V-necks, perms and page boy haircuts for the girls and smart shirts or Saturday Night Fever . I havent visited the web site for some time so apologies for the delay in my reply. At the time, Southends live gig focus was the old tired Victorian pub, The London Hotel, in Tylers Avenue; next to the old main fire station and the band of the moment were the Barracudas, distinguished by the lead cum rhythm guitar, Teddy Knott, who possessed then, a rare animal indeed: a double neck guitar. Good to talk to you, regards Pete Stanley. Not without a continent and ethnicity change , I too went to westcliff high school and left in 1960. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WqgESu4A_E4, http://www.southend.gov.uk/news/article/432/exhibition_to_showcase_southends_rich_musical_heritage. Both bands had an extremely loyal following. Is Brian still in this world? I think I had a uke-banjo at the time, but due to Brians enthusiasm graduated to acoustic guitar and then my first semi-solid Selmer. It is The Mark Punter Show on Sundays and the interview is usually around 13.30. I would trade my left nut for ANY rep of this exact model. Jim broadcast two interviews with BBC Essex last September recalling the good old days in Southend and if you are interested he is doing another two on 11th and 18th June recalling events and recordings during our period as The Treetops. his sisters grandson. Hi Rod, Yes, I am still around but fast approaching my 107th birthday, you cheeky sod. Although I was never in a band, I followed the Southend groups around the local venues and it was great to be reminded of them The Elm, The London, The Palace, Whitehall and Snakes Lane, Eastwood. I bought a blanket coat in the sales for 20.00 = ok. (20.00 that was a heck of a lot of money then and oh how I remember that coat. Probably true to say that it was in part Pete Stanleys sound that inspired me to buy an Epiphone Rivoli when I was playing with the Right Attitude. I formed another group in Southend, afterwards and we used to practice on Sunday mornings at the Shades: which is how I came to know Rob Trower. End of an era! He came round at half 7.Got bus into town. Like many other contributors, I also attended Westcliff High School for Boys (from 1954-61) and, apart from being lead singer with the Mustangs from 1962-65 (see Mick Reads email of 11th January) Im also the older (and much smaller) brother of Lionel Thomas who, around the time he was a bouncer at the Elm Hotel with Terry Latter, was Britains strongest youth, with an 18 inch collar size and 46 inch chest. Brian had written a song called Another World and I also vaguely remember recording our version of the Everley Bros When Will I Be Loved. Many of us who went to 'the town' for a night out during the 1970s or 80s will have finished off at 'Tiffs' at some point. setup with a Watkins Copycat tape driven echo device turned up to infinity such that it did not really matter what notes he played, it was just white noise at a volume setting that made your ears bleed. The club closed its doors in 2014 and the building . Jim Eaton recently heard these songs again for the first time in about 47 years! Hello Bruce, If you need any information about the band please email me on timgentle@hotmail.com or phone me on land line +441642-557979 or mobile +447850-515058 Cheers, Have Fun. The link is quite amusing btw! THE TREETOPS.More personal memories by Jim Eaton. Thanks to the boys for giving me some happy memories Sue Ryder. It was so sad to lose Gary, I had only been back in Southend a few months before he died. Strip Club Owner. It turns out to be a demo recorded before their first Pye 45, released in the U.S. without the groups knowledge! It was in 1965 that we released our final two records as The Monotones, No Waiting and Somethings Hurting Me. Sadly the opportunity never arose. All this was fairly dreadful by todays standard, bur remember this was before Clapton/Hendrix and Bert (Play in a Day) Weedon was a demigod. This is a memorial page for Tiffanys in The Glen, one of the best nightclubs in Bristol between the late 1960s and mid 1980s. Hi Alan, yes I do remember the great times we had at Tiffanys and Alexanders.if you remember it was myself and Nigel who nicknames you Fugley ( because you were too good looking! ) I was browsing the Monotones website in February 2012 and found Marks contact details and gave him a ring. 616. As Jim mentioned, whilst working at Alexanders, we built a recording studio together from scratch, which had a solid sound and a good reputation with south London bands. We were all very lucky to experience and enjoy the 60s ! They didnt sellalcohol in that bar but they had an over 18s bit so guess where me and my mates ended up? It was a surprise when at around three in the morning, we were awoken by heavy banging on the door. I am Pat, was Harper,praps you remember me from Bridgewater Drive. but her latest show in Florida struck a sour note between the singer and her fans.. Tiffany was onstage Sunday night in Melbourne . I must admit, the result was pretty awesome! 1. We rehearsed a lot of easy listening music to impress the Mecca directors, who would not have appreciated too much heavy material. We now needed a new bass player who we found in Rod Clarke who had been gigging with The Moody Blues. I decided to buy a Hawaiin guitar, which would suit the setting. Colombia DB8934 1972 Gypsy/Life Is Getting Better. I dont suppose in a million years you will remember me, but I remember the Treetops and knew your wife, Pam. Closed now : See all hours. Any body that knows me from then can e mail me at daviddowns@sky.com. I have surfed the tinternet for a similar image in vain. There was a load more copy stuff but I do not remember. So, it was Brian, Pete, Gary and myself who did the TV work during that year. Mark left the group in 1964 in order to pursue a solo career with Brian as his manager. We were however, building on our success with Mecca, which resulted in the award of a number gold cups for best band on the circuit. Sad news Pete. The bridge is especially fine, with tremolo guitar behind the vocals if I say that I love you, and you know that its true . cabarrus county sheriff's office gun permit; lyman high school baseball coach; delegated examining practice test Get Quote. The Monotones had two U.S. releases on the Hickory label, one of which, When Will I Be Loved / If You Cant Give Me All was not released in the UK. 1967 brought the release of Dont Worry Baby and although nothing compares with the excitement of our first release,for me it represents our best recording.Im a big Brian Wilson fan and I like to think we did a worthy cover version although its intriguing to re-read an old review of our record,including the B side I Remember,being described as a pair of passionate RUMBAS with glorious vocals. Dec 09, 2014 at 1:03 pm. i also went on several occasions to Treetops at Wimbledon I see you h ave come back to the Southend area I remember you working in an Estate agent in Rochford ? It was on our way home from one of these gigs that we stopped for a burger in The Mile End road, came back to the van to discover that most of our equipment had been stolen. Having taken our marked positions we had less than thirty seconds before our cue to start. I still live in Rayleigh and go past the Elms on many occasions and never fail to remember those days and nights. We knew this was going to be an important night for us, as several Mecca directors would be there. We would usually finish with our version of Who Wears Short Shorts by Freddie and the Dreamers, at the end of which we all dropped our trousers. With every performance his ability showed , Which led us to recording at ABBEY ROAD . Towards the end of 1973 Mecca were releasing more and more live bands in favour of DJs. Look forward to your reply. Retired in 2005, had the regulation heart attack, recovered and bought a Strat/Roland Jazz Chorus and currently trying to play Joe Pass/Lil Darlin properlyfailed. It later turned into Tiffany's in the '70s, complete with fake palm trees and loads of disco balls, before finally becoming Tropicana, which closed in the late '80s. If you are ever in Australia look me up the only Payze in NSW! as disco music was becoming increasingly popular. rutland regional medical center trauma level; ac valhalla store codes; kssa council of superintendents; oven baked french dip sandwiches; sammy gravano son; tiffany's nightclub wimbledon. Im pleased to say that all members of the Mustangs are still alive and kicking a third playing reunion of the original band members was held at the Creeksea Ferry Inn on Wallasea Island on 14th August 2010 and, as Mick Reads indicated, our present Rayleigh-based band (called Full Circle for obvious reasons) which I joined as lead singer on my early retirement from international banking in 1995, includes two, and occasionally three, members of the Mustangs, Mick, Keith Chesher and myself. With thanks to Stephen Gent for this memory of Wimbledon Contact Stephen Gent . Yes, I do live in Vancouver on Canadas Pacific Coast. We recorded our song Its Great, but I can honestly say Its Been Great. ): also as an Ex-Westcliff High School pupil, albeit, somewhat more elderly than Brian Alexander and crew, music was then something rather different from the violin lessons I grudgingly took on Saturday mornings would you believe! Hi Sally, It was so good to hear from you, Pam and I were so pleased at your obvious success and of course Tims also. It's now a Pizza Express. However, I managed to talk my way into a sales job and eighteen years later in 1998 I retired as managing director of that company. I now am resident in Spain. Before 1973 two dance spots existed as separate venues both owned by club entrepreneur Peter Stringfellow. This meant that he had to be there during the days for deliveries etc and then jump onto the stage at night to play drums and sing. We were engaged at one point, but I got fed up and went off to the States, lost touch. We then decided it was time to move on. hehehe) In answer to your question,I am retired (66yrs)having spent the last eighteen years looking after Officers at a military unit.However I still chef occassionally at various venues when asked and I make and decorate wedding cakes from home,so kept busy. I am also ex-Westcliff High School (1955-1960) and was for a time in the same class as you, Jim, and Andrew Rainbow who has corresponded recently. Affectionately known as The New Conti, the New Continental opened in 1967 when the old Conti club in Oxford Road was demolished. Take care, Jim. Took her dog for a walk round the cemetery. So many of us have been driven nearly crazy for years trying to identify that song from that very (repetitive) scene. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. but great reading all the forums,also we use to go to orchid ballroom purley. Unfortunately I didnt realise that the guitar had woodworm. Learn how your comment data is processed. 1 . Fascinated to read the comments. Mark took over as drummer and continued his role as lead vocalist. Hi Jim, Good to hear from you after all these years. He was a sportsman and in his youth competed at National level for the shot-put. Phils elder brother was a Bluto lookalike, called Lionel. Locarno. Copyright 04/03/2023 Alamy Ltd. All rights reserved. Hi Peter Have just come across this web site to learn of the interesting paths that so many of Class 5B at Westcliff High took! I remember being part of the crew that practised in Brians garagemainly Everly Brothers numbers at the time. I remember Brian Clarke who used to transport your gear around and I used to help him on many occasions in fact I went with him to Brians 21st birthday party in Mill Hill if recall correctly. We both promised to keep in touch but unfortunately we didnt. Im pretty sure he was. Nothing can compare to the brown, beige, cream random pattern on this midi length hooded monstrosity but they were all the rage then). Nevertheless we continued to mix the learning of new tunes with studying for our imminent O level exams. 1971 saw the release of our next record, Without The One You Love backed by So Here I Go Again. We had a number of weeks to rehearse for that special night, knowing that if we didnt get it right, it could be a very short residency. The other big event of 1967 was the formation of The Treetops Appreciation Society where the membership fee of 5 shillings would provide you with information about the band for a period of 6 months..so it would appear the secretary,Joyce Bell,was not anticipating a long and successful career for the band! Award. Going back to my nightmare.I have to confess that having written the words Somethings Hurting Me,I decided to leave the band in 1966 so that Rod could sing Rag Doll with you for the Tiffanys audition and I knew he wouldnt survive being called Un Garconand it would only be a matter of time.Well,in fact there was No Waitingand Brian came knocking on my door..to be continued !!! Unsubscribe Description. Sadly, it was kept by the insurance company. You cant go wrong with Blue Suede Shoes and Tell Me What I Say..!!!! She was too good to miss and we married in 1967 and are still so happy together, although I have finally stopped her carrying equipment about! 1964 saw the release of our second record Its Great which once again took us back to Regent Sound studio for the recording session. I was friendly with the Whirlwinds when they were Johnny Gale and the Whirlwinds playing at the Kursaal on Saturday nights.Sid Plappert was playing guitar with them at that time. 1972 saw a number of changes in the group. please send me details of where to send payment for cd of records made by yourselves. We also ran dances at the Southend Cliffs Pavilion and would support invited hit parade bands and solo artists who did guest appearances. Nevertheless we had some air time on Radio Luxembourg and the pirate stations Radio Caroline and Radio London. In the article about the band for The Southend Standard Jim Eaton also noted their appearance on Ready Steady Go, Thank Your Lucky Stars and Juke Box Jury, clips Id love to see if they still survive. The audition took place at The Lyceum in The Strand in front of a couple of attractive young women sent by Mecca head office. Only members can see who's in the group and what they post. since my name is Jonas(Jonah). Places like Tiffanys are sadly missed but great memories. I am easy to find as the only Payze in NSW! Take carePeter, Hi Peter Sorry I did not pick up your message and thus reply earlier and it was only when looking for a url about the Monotones to send to a shipping contact that I came across your response. You must be 107. Cinderella Rockerfellas. We went to a greek club after work called the Clubmans Club in Chinatown or varied it by going in the Portland Lodge, not forgetting the hours we spent in Nicks all night cafe. Hi Jim hope this finds you well, sorry for the delay in replying but lost the site never mind, computors arent my best media tool, have problems with remote controls to the video, you can contact me on acchelsea@hotmail.com, hope to hear from you soon. I spent many a great evening at Tiffanys dancing to the Treetops. Would you have an e-mail address that I might write to him at? My condolences to his family, friends, and band mates. Ian is now an eminent ceramicist. I restored and set-up a Strat for Paul, which looked as if it had been used by Pete Townshend to try and destroy a granite amp! I have only just forgiven him for this, Maxine, where are you now? I wonder how many of those members of local bands went on to musical careers. With regard to the Regent Sound tape. For questions about gifting and jewelry, contact a Sales Professional. Please consider donating archival materials such as photos, records, news clippings, scrapbooks or other material from the '60s. Alexanders was fun and I cant remember why you left, we had a succession of managers after you, no one quite as much fun.I think Tony was on keyboards when you were there, he formed his own trio and went to Benleys and I got Paddy Kirby on keyboards who was brilliant. I remember them well and the plethora of delightful ladies to whom I owe a debt of some gratitude. And many years later Rob became, accidentally, a customer of mine. The Whirlwinds, later Force Five and then (or before?) However, following the article graffiti started to appear around the school such as Jim for headmaster and What Would I Do without Jim. Theres 3 of us Monotones still alive and kicking ( rocking ? ) Sam phoned at 3.30 & 5.15 pm. 
May 1966 
P018524 - B53B1R from Alamy's library of millions of high resolution stock photos, illustrations and vectors. I stayed on at Alexanders until 1980 and packed it in when I was being asked to sing Bee Gees numbers..couldnt get tight enough trousers to hit the high notes.