Bands, Groups Country and Western and Folk

From my earliest memories the playing of musical instruments was never a problem. Not that I am a good musician but I always worked on the premise of “just flipping do it”. The problem came because I never stuck at any particular instrument long enough to become that proficient, still I managed to fool everyone into letting me join their groups and bands.

One of the first groups that I played with was Cynamon Folk, this included a girl singer with the best female voice I have ever heard, a banjo player and little old me. This was my first true experience of playing in a semi-professional status. I remember that we played at an audition in London and I must have been absolute rubbish because the organiser came up afterwards and said that I should relax more. It was alright for him but I was the one wearing the cycle clips.

After what can only be described as a shaky start we did quite well and worked with many famous acts and bands of the time. One that immediately springs to mind are the Hawaiian Islanders, they were brilliant and not least because they were fronted by two beautiful girls with swaying hips and just about everything else.

The girl singer of Cynamon Folk was a girlfriend at the time until she pranged my beloved Morris 1000, everyman has his limits.

It was time to move on to bigger things, and after a conversation with a manager of another local band, this time the “Country Cousins” I was brought in to add variety to the style of country music they played. I still remember Eric the lead singer, all he wanted to do was sing Buck Owens songs, and very well he did too.

Many will remember him owning a shop on the Broadway in Maidstone and trading by repairing amplifiers and selling musical accessories. He was destined for much greater things moving on to ES Electronics and Mathew’s music shop. I am told that Eric was the largest stockist of pedal steel guitars in the northern hemisphere at one stage, he probably was, and I also remember he made amplification for such people as “The Who”. Another little story that springs to mind was testing “The Who’s” amplification on one of our own gigs (with another band not the Country Cousins) and the damn thing blew up and engulfed the entire hall with smoke. Does that ring any bells?

Moving swiftly on, the next band was “The Virginians”. The main singer had a wonderful voice and surprising range, I wonder where he is now, he should have been famous. We had some great gigs with this band and to my mind it was one of the best in the area. Still all good things come to an end and so we moved on.

We started another band called “Red Wing”; this was formed in the very early days of my married life but as they say temperamental musicians, I moved on and they moved up to Opportunity Knocks. Nothing came of it but they were good.

John G

Maidstone I remember it well: The one major group were Chicory Tip with the No one hit Son of My Father. We followed them to most Kent venues. I remember one of the band lived in College Road.

quin

Country: Australia Maidstone I remember it well: we went to the g ranch 1967 amen corner or andy fairweather lowe had a hit everlasting love it hit no 1 in the charts that nite and because of all the session muses on the recoerd they could hardly play it ...the wesley was a great place to go for a band. ken beckham used to play bass . we also ran dances at maidstone tech coll we had savoy brown and pinkertons assorted colors(sic) we vamped up the heating so everyone drank more....and they did!!!! we had adam faith at the granada and who was gino washington...

we had a closed circuit radio at the tech with lunch time djs and also a radio station at oakwood hospital.

phillip Wood

Maidstone I remember it well: the group chicory tips are still going but i don`t know if they are still the original ones i know the singer colin gilham left a long time ago the group were playing at a birthday do a few weeks ago they have a singer called brian who is very good they play alot of 60`s music.

Peter

Just a thought does anyone know much about Highfield House the old venue for jazz music and general late night drinking. I'm pretty sure that I went there on one occasion for an audition with a band that I played for.

barry

Maidstone I remember it well: hi all,i also used the pubs in loose,was the pub in question the "kings arms" had many a great night there myself and loved the old johny cash and country music.Different times wernt they? bye all

Yes your are correct Barry it was the Kings Arms when Frank and Jennie ran it.

barry hynes

Maidstone I remember it well: hi pete,i remember the virginians very well.The singer was johny kibble.He worked as a bricklayer during the day in fact we worked together as i am a plasterer and i suppose we had couple of years together.john lives in larkfield now and he must be in early 70s!!Ive learnt to play guitar over the last couple of years a late starterand i play mainly merle haggard stuff also old classics from paxton and dylan but to very low standard.All for now.Keep in touch regards barry.

Hi Barry; Johnny Kibble was in the very early days, he was the bass player who had an extremely solemn look. The fronting singer was Johnny Horton brilliant singer who should have been more widely recognised.

Ken Allen

Country: Australia Maidstone I remember it well: Who remembers Billy Kent AKA Dave Kingsman? We were classmates at Southborough until I went on to the Tech. A few years later we met up again & he was now Billy Kent- Rock & Roller as per Tommy Steele etc. Dave was always the class clown & took great delight imitating the teachers.

stephen winch Maidstone I remember it well: 2 more bands were Vanity Fair and Pinkertons Colours they playes at the Tudor House Hotel

Waller (nee Loft)

Maidstone I remember it well: In the early 60's there was a band called The Whirlwinds made up of local talent! Also The Kingfishers whose leading vocals were provided by the inimitable Tony Bathurst. They often played at the London Tavern. In King Street we frequented The Rat Trap, a small cafe where we all danced in the cellar which became very hot and crowded but I don't remember any live bands there. I was treated to the concert by P J Proby which was staged at the Agricultural Hall in the Market Place, a rather controversial exhibition according to the newspaper reports with dear old PJ once again splitting his trousers and complaining that the scaffolding on which he had to perform was decorated with toilet tissue!!Maidstone certainly knew how to look after the'stars'of the era, the best concerts were at the Granada cinema where many of the 60's singers such as Adam Faith, Billy Fury, Cilla Black and many others were staged and showcased. Also the Star in Pudding Lane put on Saturday night dances in the King's Hall Ballroom where we first witnessed Screaming Lord Sutch prancing around the stage wearing a toilet seat around his neck!! There was a very 'Liberace' style organist that played during intervals, flamboyant but wizzard on the Hammond - can anyone remember who he was? Was he ever one of the organists playing at the Granada Cinema who usually preceded the main film and who descended into the orchestra pit with the organ as the lights went down?

rod moodley

Maidstone I remember it well: Maidstone-i-remember, yes i remember lots of the things already mentioned....the chap ted Kingdom dancing with the glass on his head at the 'London Tavern,' was indeed Adrian Cogger - he was the brother of my ex brother-in law!.....and 'Beehive Stores' in week street was where my pocket money went most weeks! ......and the frozen lake in mote park, which I think was 1963, I heard about the cars being driven on there, but never saw them. However, on our cross-country runs from MGS (ground was too frozen to play rugby) one of our short-cuts was across the frozen lake! we did this for a number of weeks, until Kevin Mannerings didn't quite make it across! I can remember a group of us rolling on the iced up ground, splitting our sides laughing at our friends misfortune! It all turned out ok in the end - luckily! Great to recall those innocent happy days. rod

Kenneth Evans

Maidstone I remember it well: Hi my name is Ken Evans and I used to play Lead Guitar in various bands around the Maidstone area inc. Bill Kent, The Kingfishers, The Multitones, The Cats Whisker plus many others Love to here from anyone who remembers Regards Ken

barry hynes

Maidstone I remember it well: hello ken,i bump into bill kent now and then hes still about and hes writing a book about rock and roll

Barbara Neill

Maidstone I remember it well: I remember seeing The Who live, together with The Herd, Traffic, The Tremeloes and Marmalade at The Granada Cinema, (the old cinema in Lower Stone Street) in 1967. Quite a line-up and it still seems incredible that The Who actually played live in Maidstone!

The Friday night gigs at the Art College were always really good as well. Among the bands I saw there were Barclay James Harvest, Focus and Stackridge. Oh the joys of standing at the bar, ankle deep in beer and cigarette ends!