July 2004 (5 Years Ago)

 

UK#1 songs - "Burn" - Usher; "Lola's Theme" - The Shapeshifters; "Dry Your Eyes" - The Streets
US #1 songs - "Burn" - Usher; "I Believe" - Fantasia; "Confessions Part II" - Usher

 

 

On the 6th, filmmaker Michael Moore claims in an interview with Film Comment that Pete refused use of "Won't Get Fooled Again" for Moore's movie Fahrenheit 9/11 because "Word came to us that he is not a fan of Michael Moore's and in fact supports the war and supports Tony Blair and doesn't want the song used in any way that would make Blair look bad. Harvey personally made an appeal to him to reconsider. And he wouldn't." The next day, Pete replies: "I have never hidden the fact that at the beginning of the war in Iraq I was a supporter. But now, like millions of others, I am less sure we did the right thing…I have nothing against Michael Moore personally, and I know Roger Daltrey is a friend and fan of his, but I greatly resent being bullied and slurred by him in interviews just because he didn't get what he wanted from me."

 

Also on the 6th, Rush releases the CD Feedback featuring a cover of "The Seeker."

 

 

On the 13th, Moore responds to Pete's remarks: "Last year," he said in the statement, "the Who asked me to do a documentary on their career. I was sorry I had to tell them that due to my need to finish 'Fahrenheit 9/11' I would not be able to make their film for them. ... I am sorry I wasn't able to do the Who documentary like they wanted me to, but this is certainly no way for Pete to show his anger, and frankly it is very embarrassing for him to behave in this manner, as he is the greatest rock star who ever lived."

 

Photo: Matt Kent

Press battles concluded, Pete takes The Who to Japan for the first time, opening for Aerosmith at the Yokohama Festival. The band plays a 90-minute set in near 100 degree Fahrenheit (upper 30's Celsius) heat. Pete smashes his guitar at the end.

 

 

On the 26th, The Who finish their appearances in Japan at the Osaka Festival. From there The Who return to Australia, thirty-six years after the band's previous disastrous tour. They play two nights at the Sydney Entertainment Centre (28th & 29th), then go to the Vodafone Arena in Melbourne on the 31st.

Photo: Matt Kent

 

 

 


 

 

Rachel Fuller Presents

IN THE ATTIC

with Pete Townshend & Friends

Over 3 hours of live music featuring Lou Reed, Ben Harper, Tenacious D, Jimmy Fallon, Amos Lee, Rachael Yamagata, Joe Purdy and Alexi Murdoch.

EXCLUSIVELY AT BEST BUY

 


 

The Smithereens Play TOMMY!

40th Anniversary Tribute to The Who

In Stores and online

 


THE WHO SELL OUT DELUXE EDITION

Containing both the stereo and mono mixes of the album plus bonus tracks and poster.

55 tracks in all!

Now available.


 

MAXIMUM R&B LIVE

2 DVD SET

Now available


 

ALL-STAR TOMMY WITH THE LONDON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

 

The 1972 recording once again on CD from Repertoire Records

in Slip-Case cover with 32-page booklet.


 

THE WHO LIVE AT THE ISLE OF WIGHT FESTIVAL 1970

Available on Blu-Ray Hi-Definition DVD

Now available.


THE WHO 2008

KENNEDY CENTER

HONOREES

 


 

 

Back In Print!

Both the one and two DVD editions of the restored

THE KIDS ARE ALRIGHT

Available now in the U.S.

With liner notes by me!


America's #1 Music Video!

 

The Who's December 15, 1977 concert - the last full concert

with Keith Moon

Also includes the December 14, 1969 concert at

The Coliseum, London

Available regular DVD and Blu-Ray


 

WHO ARE YOU - THE LIFE OF PETE TOWNSHEND

Mark Wilkerson's masterful biography of Pete Townshend has been completely revamped with new interviews.

Now available worldwide!

 

"The most detailed, exacting study of his life and music we'll likely get until Townshend releases his own autobiography...and maybe not even then." - Mark Brown, The Rocky Mountain News

 


 

First two volumes of German-language biography of The Who

by Christoph Geisselhart

Now available!

Volume Three scheduled for September 2009

Click HERE to order.


 

AVAILABLE NOW IN JAPAN!

A Quick One Box

 

Deluxe edition cardboard sleeve box set for The Who's second album "A Quick One." Set features two high quality SHM-CDs (compatible with standard CD players) with mono and stereo versions of the album plus B-sides, outtakes, demos, and tons of album and picture sleeve covers. All tracks feature remastering from Jon Astley.

 

Click HERE for more information

 

Also available My Generation Box.


 

 

The Who's Official Website

 

Go here for exclusive tour Pre-show sales and VIP Packages

 


 

Meets THE WHO!

12 Who classics using the master recordings!

The ultimate gaming experience!

 


 

THE WHO - COMPLETE DISCOGRAPHY

by Christian Suchatski

 

Revised and Updated

5325 different Who and Who solo records

from 64 countries

Click on the book to order

 


 

 

Amazing Journey: The Story of The Who

Official DVD Biography

3 DVD Exclusive Edition

comes with additional feature Six Quick Ones

and 1979 concert video.

 

 


 

READ MY COMPLETE

CLICK ON THE BANNER TO READ

 


 

The Who BitTorrent Site!

 

Check it out!


 

Read my liner notes to The Who's albums

 


 

 

 

Pete's Online Shop

 

John "Rabbit" Bundrick's

website

 


 

As always, thanks to

John Atkins

Richard Barnes

Kevin Berger

Chris Charlesworth

Alan Clayson

Tony Fletcher

Ed Hanel

Gary Herman

Joe Giorgianni

Matt Kent

Max Ker-Seymer

Karen Kimber

Olle Lundin

"Irish Jack" Lyons

Dave Marsh

Alan McKendree

Joe McMichael

Andrew Motion

Andy Neill

Scott Smith

Christian Suchatzki

John Swenson

George Tremlett

Dave van Staveren

White Fang

Mark Ian Wilkerson

Stephen Wolter

and all the others who did the original research and provided the aid that led to this page.

 


A note about photographs: None of the photographs used on this site are by purchase agreement with the original photographer.

 

I try to credit when I can discover the name of the original photographer but, in most case, sources in newspapers, old copies of Creem Magazine, and even some Who books, do not credit photographers.

 

If you are the photographer or represent the photographer and you do not want your photograph posted, please get in touch and I will remove it immediately. This is a wholly non-profit site (if you could see my bank account, you'd know it's quite the opposite!) established to provide an historical overview of The Who.


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

July 1999 (10 Years Ago)

 

UK#1 singles - "9pm (Till I Come)" - ATB; "Livin' la Vida Loca" - Ricky Martin
US #1 singles - "If You Had My Love" - Jennifer Lopez; "Bills Bills Bills" - Destiny's Child; "Wild Wild West" - Will Smith ft. Dru Hill and Kool Moe Dee; "Genie in a Bottle" - Christina Aguliera

 

 

On the 2nd, Spike Lee's movie Summer Of Sam, about the "Son Of Sam" murders in 1977, is released in the U.S. One of the main characters is a punk rocker obsessed with The Who and the film contains sequences edited to "Baba O'Riley" and "Won't Get Fooled Again".

 

 

Meanwhile Roger Daltrey continues his U.K. tour with the British Rock Symphony performing at Powderham Castle, Kenton, Exeter on the 2nd followed by Ragley Hall, Alcester, Warwickshire on the 3rd, and Liverpool Docks on the 5th. The performance at Ragley Hall makes up the bulk of the British Rock Symphony video released the next year.

 

Also on the 2nd, The John Entwistle Band begins their third U.S. tour at The Compound in Deerfield, Ohio. From there, they go to Pine Knob Music Theater in Clarkston, Michigan (5th), Cubbie Bear in Chicago (7th), Club Bene in South Amboy, New Jersey (9th), Joyous Lake in Woodstock, New York (10th - cybercast live on Radio Woodstock), a live performance broadcast on WRAT's Electric Ballroom in South Belmar, New Jersey (11th), The Sound Cafe in So. Norwalk The Equator Bar in Manchester, Connecticut (17th), Stephen Talkhouse in Amagansett, New York (20th), The Lucky Dog Music Hall in Worcester, Massachusetts (21st), and The Call in Providence, Rhode Island (22nd), the Entertainment Center in Medina, Minnesota (23rd).

 

Pete spends the 9th writing lyrics to the as-yet-unreleased songs "Time to Think" and "I Lost Interest."

 

On the 12th, the John Entwistle Band holds a cyberchat on Yahoo! The following day J-Bird Records releases their CD Left For Live.

Photo: Barry King

On the 18th, Roger attends an event for PETA in Los Angeles.

On the 20th, ESP (Eric Singer Project) releases the CD ESP with a cover of "Won't Get Fooled Again".

 

 

On the 22nd, Roger makes a guest appearance playing a crack dealer on the ITV TV program The Bill. The episode is titled "Cracked Up".

 

On the 24th, VH1 in the U.S. does a segment on Pete for their show Where Are They Now?

 

On the 25th, the John Entwistle Band plays the Emerging Artist's Stage at the Woodstock '99 Festival in Rome, New York (25th). The band will fortunately miss a notorious riot that concludes the controversial festival as they continue to Upstairs at Nick's in Philadelphia (27th), and the Voodoo Lounge in Bayside Queens, New York (29th).

On the 26th, The Independent confirms that Lifehouse will appear as a radio play on BBC Radio 3 December 6 with a cast including Geraldine James, David Threlfall, Kelly McDonald and 11-year-old Philip Dowling.

 

On the 28th, Pete performs at the Supper Club in New York City as part of a release party for his forthcoming new CD Pete Townshend Live: A Benefit For Maryville Academy. It is by invitation only with a meet and greet prior. Pete performs a solo set and then is joined by Eddie Vedder who also appears on the CD. The John Entwistle Band is in the audience. Earlier in the day Pete and Eddie tape an appearance on Late Night With David Letterman performing "A Heart To Hang Onto" and "Magic Bus". During a radio broadcast on this day Pete announces that The Who will reunite for a benefit show for the Maryville Academy at the Chicago House Of Blues on November 19th.

 

 

 

On the 29th, Pete and Eddie travel to Chicago for a by-invitation-only press conference at the Chicago House Of Blues to make the official announcement of The Who's upcoming charity show there. Earlier in the day, Pete and Eddie show up at WCKG-FM for an interview with DJ Steve Dahl but after he has to wait several minutes before being interviewed, Pete gets angry and cuts the interview short after less than a minute and storms off. From Chicago Pete travels on to Los Angeles where, on the 31st, he attends the premiere of the movie The Iron Giant. The movie is based on Ted Hughes' children's book The Iron Man. Pete had been trying for years to get a movie made of his musical based on the book but allowed a director to take over who jettisoned all the songs. Pete receives an executive producer credit on the film. He praises the movie as do critics but it fails to find an audience.

 

On the 31st, Roger again appears on the Showtime cable-TV show Rude Awakenings playing an alcoholic rock star.

 


July 1994 (15 Years Ago)

 

UK#1 single - "Love Is All Around" - Wet Wet Wet
US#1 single - "I Swear" - All-4-One

 

On the 4th, the first release from The Who reissue program, the 4CD, 5-hour long box set Thirty Years Of Maximum R&B is released. It goes to #48 in the U.K. charts and #170 in the U.S. Billboard charts. Released at the same time is an over two hour video collection with the same name and packaging featuring new interviews with Pete, Roger and John and performances from 1965 to 1989. Also on the same day a CD from Roger's Carnegie Hall concerts from February, with performances by Pete and John and other special guests is released in the U.K., the following day in the U.S. A Celebration: The Music of Pete Townshend and The Who sells poorly.

 

John is interviewed in Guitar World. The article mentions he currently lives in a "stylish 1920's dwelling underneath the Hollywood sign" with his girlfriend Maxine. His other house in Los Angeles is about to revert to his "soon to be ex-wife."

 

On the 16th, the Spin Doctor's new single "You Let Your Heart Go Too Fast" hits the charts. The CD single includes a cover of "I Can't Explain."

 

Pete spends the middle of the month in Los Angeles, overseeing the touring company of The Who's Tommy and the assembly of the forthcoming Tommy CD-Rom. On the 22nd, he is interviewed for Rolling Stone in San Francisco. He tells them he would give his permission for Roger and John to tour without him as The Who.

 

Roger doesn't accept the offer, beginning his orchestral celebration tour of the music of Pete Townshend at Red Rocks in Denver on the 30th. His band consists of John on bass, Pete's brother Simon on guitar and Zak Starkey on drums. The highlight of the show is an abridged version of Quadrophenia.

 


July 1989 (20 Years Ago)

 

UK#1 singles - "Back to Life (How Ever Do You Want Me)" - Soul II Soul ft. Caron Wheeler; "You'll Never Stop Me Loving You" - Sonia
US#1 singles - "Baby Don't Forget My Number" - Milli Vanilli; "Good Thing" - The Fine Young Cannibals; "If You Don't Know Me By Now" - Simply Red; "Toy Soldiers" - Martika

 

Photo: Neal Preston

The Who's four nights at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey concludes on the 2nd and 3rd. Performances of "Boris The Spider", "I Can See For Miles" and "See Me Feel Me" from these shows are later released on the 30 Years Of Maximum R&B video. All four shows are sellouts earning $5,243,672.

 

From there The Who extravaganza travels to R.F.K. Stadium in Washington, D.C. on the 6th and 7th. On the 8th The Who attend a private party at Cagney's nightclub where Pete, Roger and John blow out the candles on a 25th Anniversary cake. Comedian John Candy does a skit and sings and a videotape of the party is given out to the attendees.

 

Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia is next on the 9th and 10th followed by Sullivan Stadium in Foxboro, Masschusetts on the 12th and 14th, Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh on the 16th, Rich Stadium in Orchard Park, New York on the 18th, Cleveland Municipal Stadium on the 19th, Alpine Valley in East Troy, Wisconsin on the 21st, 22nd and 23rd, the Pontiac Silverdome on 25th, Carter-Finlay Stadium in Raleigh, North Carolina on the 27th, Tampa Stadium in Florida on the 29th, and Joe Robbie Stadium in Miami on the 31st. At this point the tour has to take a break as Roger is suffering horribly with abdominal pains aggravated by his singing.

On the 10th, Advertising Age magazine does a feature on the involvement of Miller Brewing and Anheauser-Busch in The Who's tour and The Who's participation in Miller TV commercials.

Courtesy: White Fang's Who Site

 

On the 13th, Pete answers fans' questions for over two hours on the syndicated American radio show Rock Line.

 

On the 15th, Pete's The Iron Man, a musical version of Ted Hughes' children's book and featuring two new recordings by The Who, hits the U.S. charts. The album opens to generally favorable but not enthusiastic reviews. It peaks at #58 in Billboard. A single "A Friend Is A Friend" backed with "Man Machines" is also released but does not chart. In The U.K. neither the album or single charts.

 

 

In Elle magazine, Pete says among the current generation of musicians, he admires Michael Jackson, Madonna and Prince while in Guitar Player, John says he is writing a book about The Who. Meanwhile Roger appears in Life magazine in a 20th anniversary article on the Woodstock festival. He's says, "I would have been 10 times richer if I'd left England and gone to live as a tax exile, but I chose to stay because I believed in the dream of socialism."

 

Rolling Stone reports that The Who's summer tour is expected to gross between 25 and 30 million dollars.

 

 


 

July 1984 (25 Years Ago)

 

 

UK#1 45 - "Two Tribes" - Frankie Goes to Hollywood
US#1 45 - "When Doves Cry" - Prince

 

 

During the month, Pete joins Mick Jagger at AIR Studios in London to add guitar work to the Rolling Stones' frontman's upcoming solo album, She's The Boss.

 

Roger is interviewed for Musician magazine by Chris Salewicz who remarks that Roger still does not seem reconciled to Pete's disbanding The Who: "I feel his reasons for leaving the Who don't really hold water. The real reason, I think, was not that he couldn't come up with the songs but that he just didn't want to play with us any longer. He was bored."

 


 

July 1979 (30 Years Ago)

 

UK#1 45's - "Are 'Friends' Electric?" - Tubeway Army; "I Don't Like Mondays" - The Boomtown Rats
US#1 45 - "Ring My Bell" - Anita Ward; "Bad Girls" - Donna Summer

 

On the 7th, "Long Live Rock" from The Kids Are Alright soundtrack backed with "My Wife (live)" hits the U.S. charts, reaching #54 in Billboard and #66 in Cash Box.

 

Courtesy: White Fang's Who Site

On the 8th, Pete is on the cover of The London Observer Sunday Supplement.
On the 13th, Pete performs an electric set at The Rainbow Theatre in London as part of the Rock Against Racism benefit. The band, Pete's first of his own devising, consists of Kenney Jones, Tony Butler, John "Rabbit" Bundrick, Peter Hope-Evans and Neil Abbot.

Photo: Virginia Turbett

 

On the 21st, Simon Frith writes an editorial for Melody Maker concerning The Who's business dealings called "The Kids are all wrong."

 


 

July 1974 (35 Years Ago)

 

UK#1 45's - "She" - Charles Aznavour; "Rock Your Baby" - George McCrae
US#1 45's - "Rock the Boat" - The Hues Corporation; "Rock Your Baby" - George McCrae; "Annie's Song" - John Denver

 

 

On the 1st, the Tommy movie shoot begins four days filming in Keswick in the Lake District, Cumbria.

 

On the 4th, John completes final mixing and production of Odds and Sods at Nova Sound Studios.

 

The Link Wray album The Link Wray Rumble is released with liner notes by Pete.

 

On the 17th, Odds and Sods receives its final mastering at Apple Studios.

 

On the 20th, New Musical Express reports that Keith Moon will star in a play with fellow Tommy movie performer and drinking friend Oliver Reed and that Roger will star in two films, one of which will be a biography of composer Franz Liszt. In the same issue is a long article about teenagers in a British school who put on a performance of Tommy.

 

On the 23rd, former High Numbers publicist Pete Meaden takes Pete Townshend to see the Steve Gibbons Band perform at Dingwalls, Camden Town, North London.

 

On the 27th, Pete attends a party thrown by Mick Jagger with guests Rod Stewart, Debbie Reynolds, Bryan Ferry and Mama Cass. Two days later Mama Cass will die of a heart attack in the very same apartment where Keith Moon will die four years later.

 


 

July 1969 (40 Years Ago)

 

UK#1 45's - "Something in the Air" - Thunderclap Newman; "Honky Tonk Women" - The Rolling Stones
US#1 45's - "Love Theme from 'Romeo and Juliet'" - Henry Mancini; "In the Year 2525 (Exordium and Terminus)" - Zager and Evans

 

 

On the 3rd, Brian Jones, ex-member of The Rolling Stones, is found dead in his swimming pool in Hartfield. Shortly afterwards Pete writes an obituary for him entitled "A Normal Day For Brian, A Man Who Died Everyday".

 

Photo: Peter Saunders

On the 5th, The Who close out a week of Pop Proms at the Royal Albert Hall in London. Chuck Berry headlines the first show while The Who headlines the second. Fights break out between Berry and Who fans in the audience and to quell the rioters, roadie Tony Halsam fires a mace canister into the crowd. The second show is quieter as the audience fills up with people who have wandered over from The Rolling Stones' free concert in Hyde Park. Despite the controlled second show, the Royal Albert Hall bans rock performances at the venue for the next few years.

Also on the 5th, "I'm Free" backed with "We're Not Gonna Take It" from the Tommy album is released in the U.S. It peaks at #37 in Billboard, #30 in Cash Box. The single is also released in many other countries, usually with "Tommy Can You Hear Me" on the flip.

Courtesy: White Fang's Who Site

Photo: Eric Jelly

On the 6th, Pete begins producing the Thunderclap Newman album Hollywood Dream. Additional recording sessions will be held on the 7th, 8th, 15th, 16th, and 17th. During the month, the group's single, "Something In The Air", will knock The Beatles out of the #1 spot in the U.K. charts.

 

On the 10th, Pete writes the music for the song "Day Of Silence" while undergoing a day of silence in honor of Meher Baba. He writes the lyrics the next day so as not to break his vow.

 

On the same day, Keith accompanies "Legs" Larry Smith to a Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band show at the Locarno, Bristol where he plays drums as "The Lone Arranger." He does the same at the next days Bonzo show at the Van Dike Club in Devonport.

 

On the 12th, Melody Maker reports that Pete told them backstage at the Royal Albert Hall about The Who's deal with Universal International for a film of Tommy to be made at the end of 1969 with a six-figure budget.

 

The House That Track Built, with The Who's previously unreleased studio version of "Young Man Blues", is released in the U.K. as a Track Records budget album.

 

Roger produces an album for the group Bent Frame. They record Andy Newman's song "Accidents" as a potential Track Records single.

 

The Who are photographed for Vogue magazine.

 

On the 19th, The Who hit the stage at Mothers Club in Erdington, Birmingham. Keith hits the stage literally, passing out halfway through the set but returning later to finish the concert.
Meanwhile on this day, four promotional singles from Tommy (or just three. There is some controversy about the existence of one of them) are sent out to radio stations in Britain and in Melody Maker, Pete continues his description of the upcoming Tommy movie saying he will be working with a scriptwriter on the screenplay, it will have a budget of 2 million dollars, and no member of The Who will play Tommy.

Courtesy: White Fang's Who Site

 

The Who follow with more U.K. dates, playing the Pier Ballroom in Hastings on the 20th, the Redcar Jazz Club, Coatham Hotel in Redcar on the 27th, and opening the new Fillmore North at the Locarno Ballroom in Sunderland on the 28th.

 


 

July 1964 (45 Years Ago)

 

UK#1 45's - "It's Over" - Roy Orbison; "The House of the Rising Sun" - The Animals; "It's All Over Now" - The Rolling Stones; "A Hard Day's Night" - The Beatles
US #1 45's - "I Get Around" - The Beach Boys; "Rag Doll" - The Four Seasons

 

On the 3rd, "Zoot Suit" backed with "I'm The Face" and listed as by "The High Numbers" is released on Fontana Records. Derek Johnson in New Musical Express says, "The High Numbers are highly topical with their novelty lyric about male attire, 'Zoot Suit.' Medium twister, but with an inconsequential tune. Harmonica leads into broken-beat unison vocal on 'I'm The Face.' Compelling styling, but weakish material." Record Mirror, however, gives the single a rave, calling "Zoot Suit," "an ultra-commercial blues-flavoured dance tune that grows and grows on you." Only 1,000 discs are pressed and although members of The Who fan club write to pirate radio stations, using assumed names on multiple letters, asking for the songs to be played, the single fails to get airplay or generate sales.

 

The next day The Merseybeats review "Zoot Suit" during a "Blind Date" blind listening session for Melody Maker. Aaron Banks: "Just a nice ordinary record." Tony Crane:  "I don't particularly like it -- it's too ordinary." Johnny Gustafson: "I don't recognize the sound so it must be a new group. It's well done but there's nothing unusual about it." John Banks: "It's all right but I doubt it will be a hit."

 

On the 7th, still billed as "The Who", the group performs at the Railway Hotel in Harrow & Wealdstone. It is around this time that Pete, jumping around under the venue's low ceiling, cracks the neck of his guitar and, angered by laughter from the audience, smashes his guitar. He is surprised to find at the next appearance at this venue that the audience is expecting another instrument smashing.

 

On the 11th, The High Numbers get one of their first national articles in Record Mirror under the headline "How High Will These Numbers Go?"

 

That night, "The Who" open for Chris Farlowe and The Thunderbirds at the Trade Union Hall in Watford, Herfordshire. The next night, it's "The High Numbers" who give their first live performance under that name at The Florida Rooms in Brighton.

 

On the 13th, Academy Award-winning director John Ford begins production of his movie Young Cassidy in Ireland. Production assistant Chris Stamp works on the film to fund his business partners Kit Lambert and Mike Shaw who have been scouting London's nightclubs for the last few months looking for a visually interesting unknown band. Lambert and Stamp's idea is to manage the band to stardom while making a film of the process.

 

On the 14th, the group, now billed as "The High Numbers", return to the Railway Hotel. Kit Lambert, a posh young man looking quite out of place in a Saville Row suit, watches The High Numbers noisily bash away at their songs between bouts of arguing between themselves. He later says they projected "an evil excitement." Lambert immediately calls Stamp telling him they have found their band.

 

Probably on the 18th, Stamp flies over from Ireland to see the new discovery as Chris Farlowe and the Thunderbirds open for The Who at the Trade Union Hall in Watford. It also may have been at this show that Stamp is accompanied by fellow Young Cassidy crewmember and potential investor Michael Douglas, son of Kirk Douglas. Michael declines to invest in this noisy London band.

 

On the 19th, The High Numbers audition for Lambert, Stamp and Mike Shaw at a gymnasium at Holland Park Comprehensive School in the Campden Hill Road, West London. Needless to say, they pass the audition. From there they catch the 5:15 to play the Florida Rooms in Brighton.

 

According to Pete, also around this time, Pete Meaden, in an effort to keep some control over The High Numbers, has them audition for Andrew Loog Oldham, manager of the Rolling Stones, at The New Carlton Irish Club in Shepherd's Bush. Kit Lambert unexpectedly shows up. Oldham turns the High Numbers down, leaving the way clear for Lambert and Stamp to take over the group. Pete Meaden agrees to relinquish his part of the control of the group for a payment of £250. Meanwhile manager Helmut Gorden, on vacation in the Seychelles, receives a letter informing him his services will no longer be needed. He immediately launches legal action but fails when it is pointed out that the group members who signed his contract were underage.

 

On the 21st, The High Numbers play the Railway Hotel and another show there on the 28th. According to Chris Downing, during one of these dates, former manager Helmut Gorden repossesses the High Numbers' van during the show.

 

Starting on the 22nd, The High Numbers receive their parting gift from Pete Meaden, a five-week residency on Wednesdays at the Scene Club, one of the main Mod clubs, located at the Ham Yard, 41 Great Windmill Street in Soho. An article in Record Mirror on the 25th mentions the residency.

 

Other dates for the month are the Trade Union Hall in Watford on the 25th, the White Hart Hotel in Acton on 26th (for which the band is paid £12), the Scene Club on the 29th, and the Goldhawk Social Club on the 31st opening for The Kinks (again receiving £12).

 


 

July 1959 (50 Years Ago)

 

UK#1 45's - "Dream Lover" - Bobby Darin; "Living Doll" - Cliff Richard and the Drifters
US #1 45's - "The Battle of New Orleans" - Johnny Horton; "Lonely Boy" - Paul Anka

 

Around this time, John and Pete and their trad jazz band The Confederates give their first public performance together at the Congregational Hall Congo Club in Acton.

 


 

 

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Get in touch:

e-mail Brian Cady