Johnny Kidd & The Pirates — Free listening, videos, concerts, stats and photos at Last.fm oldies Johnny Kidd & The Pirates were a British rock 'n' roll band. Johnny Kidd (birth name Frederick Heath), lead singer and primary songwriter, signed a recording contract with HMV and released his first single " Please Don't Touch " in 1959, under the name of Johnny Kidd with his backing band The Pirates. The classic line-up included Frank Farley (drums), Johnny Spence (bass) and legendary guitarist Mick Green. Johnny Kidd & The Pirates Chords, Lyrics & Bio | utab Johnny Kidd & The Pirates About Johnny Kidd & The Pirates Johnny Kidd & The Pirates were a British rock 'n' roll band. Johnny Kidd (birth name Frederick Heath), lead singer and primary songwriter, signed a recording contract with HMV and released his first single "Please Don't Touch" in 1959, under the name of Johnny Kidd with his backing band The Pirates. The classic line-up included Frank Farley (drums), Johnny Spence (bass) and legendary guitarist Mick Green. Read more about Johnny Kidd & The Pirates on Last.fm. Bio taken from Last.fm Is this bio wrong?

Tell us about it. Johnny Kidd & The Pirates's Songs Johnny Kidd & the Pirates | Biography & History | AllMusic Johnny Kidd & the Pirates google+ Artist Biography Kidd (b. Frederick Heath, 23 December 1939, Willesden, London, England, d. 7 October 1966, England), is now rightly revered as an influential figure in the birth of British rock. Although his backing group fluctuated, this enigmatic figure presided over several seminal pre- Beatles releases. Formed in January 1959, the original line-up consisted of two former members of the Five Nutters skiffle group, Kidd (lead vocals) and Alan Caddy (b. 2 February 1940, Chelsea, London, England, d. 16 August 2000; lead guitar), joined by Tony Docherty (rhythm guitar), Johnny Gordon (bass) and Ken McKay (drums), plus backing singers Mike West and Tom Brown.

Their compulsive debut single, ‘Please Don’t Touch’ barely scraped into the UK Top 20, but it remains one of the few authentic home-grown rock ‘n’ roll performances to emerge from the 50s. Its immediate successors were less original and although they featured session men, most of Kidd’s group was then dropped in favour of experienced hands. By 1960, Kidd and Caddy were fronting a new rhythm section comprising Brian Gregg (bass) and Clem Cattini (b. 28 August 1939, London, England; drums). Their first single, ‘Shakin’ All Over’, was another remarkable achievement, marked by its radical stop/start tempo, Kidd’s feverish delivery and an incisive lead guitar solo from session man Joe Moretti. The song deservedly topped the charts, but its inspiration to other musicians was equally vital. Defections resulted in the formation of a third line-up - Kidd, Johnny Spence (bass), Frank Farley (drums) and Johnny Patto (guitar) - although the last was replaced by Mick Green.

Onstage, the group continued to wear full pirate regalia while the singer sported a distinctive eye-patch, but they were under increasing competition from the emergent Liverpool sound. Two 1963 hits, ‘I’ll Never Get Over You’ and ‘Hungry For Love’, although memorable, owed a substantial debt to Merseybeat at the expense of the unit’s own identity. The following year, Green left to join the Dakotas, precipitating a succession of replacements, and although he continued to record, a depressed leader talked openly of retirement. However, the singer re-emerged in 1966, fronting the New Pirates, but Kidd’s renewed optimism ended in tragedy when, on 7 October, he was killed in a car crash. This pivotal figure is remembered both as an innovator and for the many musicians who passed through his ranks. John Weider (the Animals and Family), Nick Simper (Deep Purple) and John Moorshead (also spelled Moreshead and Morshead) are a few of those who donned the requisite costume, while the best-known line-up, Green, Spence and Farley, successfully re-established the Pirates name during the late 70s.

Billy Fury story - Johnny Kidd Johnny Kidd and the Pirates were dynamic rockers who paid little respect to convention. They based their stage act around the Pirates theme, with Kidd wearing a black eye patch and swinging a cutlass in a very dangerous fashion. Kidd was born Frederick Heath in London in 1941. He formed the Five Nutters skiffle group, which became Fred Heath and the Nutters, then Johnny Kidd and the Pirates, in circumstances explained by Mick Green below. The Nutters and the original Pirates included in their line-up Alan Caddy, who later joined the Tornados. Kidd wrote their first single, Please Don't Touch, which made the top 20 in 1959, and a year later they had a number 1 with Shakin' All Over, which was written hurriedly in the Freight Train coffee bar in London for future use as a B-side.

(In 1965, Canadian group Guess Who had a number 1 in the USA with the number.) From 1961, Kidd and the Pirates began covering US releases, but had two Top 30 entries with I'll Never Get Over You and Hungry For Love, which were written by Gordon Mills, a member of a UK vocal group, The Viscounts. Kidd died in a car crash in 1966. Johnny Kidd's backing group, the Pirates, re-united in 2000, after a break of 18 years. The line-up is Mick Green (guitar), Johnny Spence (bass) and Frank Farley (drums).One earlier version of the Pirates, Green, Spence and Johnny Patto (guitar) were originally the Redcaps, who backed black British rock and roller Cuddly Dudley. Mick recalled the origins of the group's name, and Johnny's trademark eyepatch. "He was playing Wandsworth Town Hall and he was tuning the guitar up and snapped a string which hit him in the eye. It didn't actually do any damage. It was watering and all that so they put an eye patch on it.

Then he went out and he decided after that to wear it all the time and changed the name of the band from Fred Heath and the Nutters to Johnny Kidd and the Pirates." As part of his pirate act, Johnny had a cutlass, which he used to twirl around his head, then throw at the floor, in the hope that it would stick into the stage. Sometimes, this worked. Mick Green recalled: "We did a gig at the Cavern, which had a concrete floor and linoleum over it. "We go in and do this lunchtime session. Kidd used to throw this sword at the stage, and it used to land right at my feet. "So he's got the thing over his lamp (eye) and he's got the sword and he's waggling it around and he throws it and as he throws it I look down and I can see that where I'm standing is concrete because the lino's been worn away. "I'm going: 'No, don't throw it' and he thinks like I'm getting into it, y'know.

He throws this sword and it hits the concrete - I mean, it don't stick in concrete - and it flew straight out at the audience and some Scouse scallywag grabbed hold of it and chased out of the Cavern and we had to go chasing half way down Mathew Street to pick it up." Johnny Kidd | Pirates | ZoomInfo.com name was Johnny Kidd. His crime was to place a patch over one eye for no good reason other than drawing attention to himself for publicity purposes. The trouble with gimmicks is that they tend to outlive their usefulness rather quickly. By the time moptops became a'la mode, Johnny Kidd and his suitably dressed Pirates backing band had lost their lustre. The Merseybeat mutineers were younger, sang cheerier harmonies and, what's more, weren't adored by the Teds and Ton - Up boys from a distinctly pre-Swinging age. Too old fashioned for 1963,and too young to die tragically just three years later, it's clear today that Johnny Kidd and the Pirates had an effect on the course of pop far beyond their immediate contemporaries.

'Shakin' All Over', the band's best known hit record, remains the finest riposte to those that claim that no genuine rock'n'roll ever came out of Britain. ... At least as important was its malevolent mood, encapsulated in Kidd's alienated, highly echoed vocal, and in his Dickensian rogue demeanor. In fact Malcolm McLaren, who appropriated Kidd's pirate look at the end of the 70's,first for Adam and the Ants and then with Bow Wow Wow, claims that Johnny Kidd had a greater sociological impact on the youth of Britain than Bob Dylan ever did. ... No matter: such a legacy wouldn't have overly impressed Johnny, a man who once confessed, 'Tucked away, I have a secret dream to star at the London Palladium and to meet Elvis Presley'. ... Kidd entered the pop business at a time when careers were precarious for all but the most accommodating and well rounded entertainers, and despite his attempts to stay on the gravy train, Johnny knew that he was marooned on something way beyond his control - and therefore at its mercy to toss him overboard.

Someone who certainly never forgot Johnny Kidd was Keith Hunt, a regular correspondent to this magazine, who for many months kept me reliably informed about the progress of his lifetime's work - the definitive Johnny Kidd story. ... Although not as graciously edited as it should have been, 'Shakin' All Over: The Birth Of British R&B - The Life And Times Of Johnny Kidd' is smartly packaged, with dozens of illustrations and contributions from Kidd's friends, family and associates on board. The book rightly places Johnny Kidd at the centre of British rock'n'roll, as the inheritor of a crown once worn by Cliff Richard writer Ian Samwell and Billy Fury, and as someone who passed it on to subsequent generations, from Tom Jones who took much from Kidd's stage show during his early months as a professional) to the entire power trio genre. ... 'Shakin' All Over' wasn't just Johnny Kidd's greatest moment; it was one of those epochal collisions that occur every decade or so in pop, where musical innovation coincides with an immediate public response, resulting in a chart hit. ... Meanwhile Johnny struck out a stage props with his cutlass. ...

A piece of paper informed them that their new name was Johnny Kidd and The Pirates, and Freddie was encouraged to base his character on Captain William Kidd, a 17th century pirate who was hung for killing a mutinous sailor. ... When Johnny complied by stuffing newspaper into his shirt, this soon backfired when, mid show, it started falling out. 'We were in tears laughing and we had to leave the stage', recalls backing vocalist Mike West. ... For an early TV appearance, Johnny sported two golf balls down the front of his trousers in a bid to 'lo ok sexy'. A bit of a Lothario in his spare time, Johnny wasn't necessarily a professional sex symbol. It took around a year before the pirate theme was stumbled upon, by which time Johnny's original band had quit, leaving Johnny and guitarist Alan Caddy to team up with Clem Cattini (drums) and Brian Gregg (bass) from Billy Fury's band. ... Did Jack Good suggest it when Johnny appeared on his 'Wham' TV show? ... Chances are that when Jack Good suggested such a move, Johnny went with it. ...

Johnny would see out of town shows as 'raids', and began to style himself as the 'buccaneer of the ballroom circuit'. But some sections of the press were not amused, particularly when Johnny began telling them that one of his favourite singers was Sammy Davis, who lost an eye in a car crash. ... Johnny, complete with eye patch and black leather, promoted it on Jack Good's 'Wham' TV show, while the hip cats on BBC's 'Juke Box Jury' proudly voted it a 'miss'. ... Instead, Kidd was jettisoned to receive his 15 minutes worth of fame, during which time he told journalists that he would write ballads, conquer America, then return to settle down in a Thames-side family home, complete with low-slung Swedish furniture and a floodlit garden. But when the follow-up, 'Restless', flopped and a trip to the States was cancelled, he was back in the transit van on his way to Grimsby and Wisbech, with his trusty cutlass and red cowboy boots in the trunk. ...

Johnny recruited three more heavy-duty replacements in ex-Redcaps, Johnny Spence (bass), Frank Farley (drums), and guitarist Johnny Patto, who was quickly replaced by the legendary Mick Green. ... That project never happened; instead, like another hero of his, Eddie Cochran, Johnny Kidd died in a car accident outside Bury, Lancashire, in the early hours of 8th October. Pirates members: Alan Caddy Johnny Kidd and The Pirates (Alan Caddy, right) put on a show.. ... Soon, they were picked up by HMV and under the name Johnny Kidd and the Pirates (Caddy on lead guitar) they cut a series of beat classics including " Please Don't Touch", " Feelin", " You Got What It Takes ", "Shakin' All Over " and " Weep No More Baby". ... Except Caddy, who insisted on receiving just the exact amount paid him for his first gig with Johnny Kidd and the Pirates: 3 half Crowns (37.5p!) and 2 bottles of Coca-Cola. Extracts from "Disc" September 1963 - ... Johnny Kidd & The Pirates - News, Photos, Videos, Bio.

Free music downloads at MP3.com Johnny Kidd & The Pirates Genres: 60s , Rock and Roll , Garage Rock , rock , classic rock Biography Johnny Kidd & The Pirates were a British rock 'n' roll band. Johnny Kidd (birth name Frederick Heath), lead singer and primary songwriter, signed a recording contract with HMV and released his first single "Please Don't Touch" in 1959, under the name of Johnny Kidd with his backing band The Pirates. The classic line-up included Frank Farley (drums), Johnny Spence (bass) and legendary guitarist Mick Green. Read More... In 1960, they released "Shakin' All Over", which topped charts and became their biggest hit. Though they never released a full-length album, they released more than twenty singles. The band dissolved after the death of Kidd in a car crash on 6th October 1966. However, the classic lineup reformed as an R 'n' B group in 1976 and would perform sporadic tours until their ultimate disbandment in 2010. Read more on Last.fm . User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.

Top Songs Johnny Kidd 1966-7: Gotta Travel On 5: 1966-67: Gotta Travel On Allan Clarke, Graham Nash and Bobby Elliot of the Hollies pose with the Guv'nor at his wedding in February I n February 1966 Kidd undertook a "solo" session and recording the soul- tinged " It's Got To Be You " plus a second rendition of " I Hate Getting Up In The Morning ". On these the backing was by an orchestra arranged by Johnny Harris and backing vocals courtesy of the Marionettes, with whom Kidd was impressed when he'd first seen them at the Ideal Home Exhibition. H'd also taken the plunge and married long-term girlfriend Jean Complin at Caxton Hall in London on the 18th February, with Johnny Spence in attendance as Best Man. Although a smallish affair the reception was attended by some of his good friends in the biz, including members of the Hollies, Georgie Fame, Tom Jones, maniacal Pretty Thing drummer Viv Prince, and promoter Tito burns.

Eric Delaney was also present - he'd been instrumental in originating the idea of carrying around his own lights and props to the young Freddie Heath. Then it was business as usual, their honeymoon having to wait (until May!) as a gig in Wrexham beckoning on the following night! In the meantime things were not quite so healthy in the working front as bookings had been slowly decreasing in line with their profile as their record sales had taken a dip after the heady days of '63/'64. and Kidd was getting a bit concerned as his home was not a cheap affair to run, located as it was in a desirable area with neighbours such as Carry On star Kenneth Connor. " It's Got To Be You " was finally released on April 15th, which Kidd dedicated to his new wife Jean. Four days later after a gig at at Bletchley's Wilton Hall Johnny Kidd and the Pirates parted company as t he Pirates broke away in an attempt to sink or swim by their own efforts.

In Kidds' view this single was a make-or-break disc, but a much-needed hit still managed to elude the singer, promotion was not what it may once have been, and a much-needed television exposure was given over to the newer "hip" groups whose styles were beginning to leave Johnny Kidd as a rocker behind. He gave thought toward giving up the performing side altogether. Liverpool group the Avengers Not for the first time in his career, Kidd was without a crew. 18- year old Mike Rudzinski of Merseyside group the Avengers saw an ad in the Melody Maker regarding Johnny Spence referring to the fact that had Left Kidd and wanted to form his own band. On cheekily asking "with knocking knees while speaking to one of his ido ls", Rudzinski got Spence to give him Kiddï¿½s phone number. After a long conversation, Kidd (with road manager Johnny Irving in tow) arranged to go to Wallasey and view the band, Rudzinski (bass), Bill Knaggs (lead) and Les Hall (drums). Mike Rudzinski - "We spent most of the day rehearsing [after which] Johnny decided we were to be the new Pirates.

He phoned Wally Ridley to book some studio time. This was unbelievable, first meeting my idol, then rehearsing with him in my dad's garage and being accepted as a Pirate with the chance of recording contract. The following day we left for a short tour of Devon and Cornwall..... The roar from the fans as fantastic the Johnny would stride out onstage with his hands on his hips and looking very menacing in his Pirate gear and again the roar from the crowd as Johnny would throw his cutlass into the stage where it would say from side to side. Then he would grab the audience and go into "Shakin' All Over" or "I'll Never Get Over You". What a great vocalist and the way he worked an audience, played with them and in the end, he would have them eating out of the palm of his hands." 1966. The New Pirates, L-R - Mick Stewart; Roger Truth (behind); Johnny Kidd; Nick Simper; Ray Soaper T he plan was that following the tour the band would be brought to London and kit them out properly for stage wear, plus do some recording sessions.

This sadly came to nothing as both Knaggs and Hall were settled both domestically and employment-wise and thus unsure about the future by going professional. Kidd fronted an assortment of musicians for live dates which were becoming thinner on the ground, and he pondered on his future. He became depressed and began openly talking about quitting performing altogether and it was only when Jean actually walked out for a few days that Kidd pulled himself together and sorted himself out. O rganist Ray Soaper was one of the musicians currently in Kidds' employment, and it was he who contacted Nick Simper, former bassist in Buddy Britten and the Regents and invited him to join. "He knew I idolised Kidd," recalled Simper, who not only welcomed the opportunity but also introduced loud drummer Roger "Solly" Truth (real name Roger Pinner), another ex-Regent. A search for a guitarist failed to pin anyone down until guitarist Mick Stewart arrived to complete the line-up.

Because of Kidd's plan to change tack and go solo he'd actually sanctioned his previous line-up to keep the Pirates' name officially (under which name Mick Green and Johnny Spence are still going strong today) and so the re-jigged line-up commenced live work in May 1966 as Johnny Kidd and the New Pirates. Simper later recounted the increasingly positive feeling to historian Pete Frame. Nick Simper - "After our first rehearsal Johnny said to us "You're the best band I ever had." I was very, very proud but I said 'We haven't got a Mick Green." He replied, "You don't have to worry about my ex-musicians, you are the business." I recall this dance hall up north when this excited fan who'd been following Johnny's career for years said "They are the greatest Pirates I've ever seen." Johnny said, "Let's forget about the Pirates gear, I'm never going to wear the eye-patch again" but on the way to the gig he yells, "Irvo (Johnny Irving the Roadie), get us to a chemist's - quick!" We used to go down a storm, Kidd was really rejuvenated.

He'd been going through some pretty thin times, but now he was back to his old cheerful self." Johnny Kidd and The New Pirates T he portents were indeed highly promising. The new group combined rock 'n' roll appeal with a soul/R&B perspective and seemed destined to find a new audience. Typically, the New Pirates would play half a dozen songs, mostly with Mick Stewart on vocals before the Guv'nor himself took centre-stage, plunging his cutlass into the stage where it would wave from side to side. During "Shakin' All Over" Kidd would literally shake from head to toe. Mike West was the only other singer Simper had ever seen shake like that. "The scenes were so tremendous as to be unbelievable! We received tremendous applause and demands for encores throughout the week. Of course the show-stoppers were "I'll Never Get Over You" and "Shakin' All Over". After the last appearance the fans were so enthusiastic that Johnny had to leap from the rear entrance into the moving van to escape. So it seemed that Johnny had a future in cabaret." The Pirates were a good four-man piece, however fate took a hand in reducing the New Pirate ranks by 25%.

With Kidd having split a while before from manager George Cooper, gigs were a little thin on the ground so when Cooper offered a good date at Weston-Super-Mare in Somerset to sub for an unavailable Georgie Fame they jumped at it. Very much a last-minute arrangement Soaper could not be contacted and was left behind, much to his later annoyance. On the way down they met Eden Kane, apparently also on his way to the same gig. Fearing a double booking, Kidd & Co dashed off to beat Kane to the spot, only to get lost in the back lanes of Somerset. No matter - Kane and Kidd WERE on the same bill, but with Kidd on top! Soaper's absence put the emphasis back to guitar, bass and drums and all agreed afterwards that it sounded better as a Power Trio again. Soaper was unhappy to be dropped but understood why and appreciated Simper breaking the news personally - after all he was the catalyst in teaming the 'old' Regents up with the renewed Kidd.

EMI's interest seemed to perk up again and ac cording to Nick Simper plans were again began for an album, probably titled "Johnny Kidd Sings Gene Vincent", owing to Gene having become a good friend of Johnny's during his stay in the UK in the 1960's. The cabaret scene beckoned and that is the route where Kidd would have gone down. In the meantime, August saw them completing their "debut" single which combin ed a fabulous reading of Rowland Barter's brand new number " Send For That Girl " with a great new interpretation of " The Fool ", a long-time Kidd favourite. Barter was currently bassist in the Issue, backing group for the songwriters turned singers David and Jonathan who Kidd toured with soon after. Two finished masters of the song on the topside exist, the basis of each from the same best take. T he first remained unreleased until 1983, while a remixed version with Harry Robinson's additional orchestration became slated as the "A" side.

Various newspaper cuttings O f the Band's appearances in October, the press described the gig at Cromer in Norfolk; "Always a very visual performer, his voice sounded more powerful today than when he was in the charts! A really tight backing was provided by the Pirates for this legend of British Rock 'n' Roll". RAF Waddington was on 1st October 1966 with Simper describing it as "a tremendous gig, Johnny was in top form." A keen and excited Kidd was looking forward to the next gig at Bolton on Friday 7th October. For this trip Kidd was assisted by friend Wilf Isherwood, his long-time roadie Johnny Irving insisted on remaining behind on this occasion to devote some time to his business. Also accompanying Kidd was his wife Jean and their young daughter Cilla, who was to see her Dad perform onstage for the first time. T rips "oop North" benefited slightly from having the southern part of the M1 in place but only as far as the Midlands, after which the grind of the normal road network took over.

Most of the entourage arrived late at Bolton (Mick Stewart had beaten them to it) but with the doors having only just opened there were few people about and still time enough to get set up. The Manager took a different view however, interpreting this as a late arrival and subsequently a serious breach of contract. Despite protestations Kidd insisting that the band be paid and offering to waive his personal fee in the process, the manager (as Simper put it) "Played the Hitler part" and cancelled the show outright. A disappointed group (minus Jean) instead trooped over to the Imperial at nearby Nelson as they got on quite well with the manager there with a view to look for bookings. It was just after midnight and while travelling back, the car in which Kidd and Simper were passengers was involved in a collision three miles south of Bury, Lancashire. Traffic had to be diverted while firemen cut the injured out of the wreckage. Simper was hospitalised at Bolton Royal Infirmary with lacerations, head and back injuries plus a badly smashed-up arm but tragically Johnny Kidd was pronounced dead on arrival.

Roy Carr (writer for 'Music Press') - "I had just come off stage at the Imperial Ballroom, Nelson, where my band was supporting the Alan Price Set. The time was about 9pm when the manager informed me of the tragedy and asked me if we'd be prepared to rush straight to the Bolton Nevada to dep for Johnny and the Pirates. We did, but it was a sad occasion - filling for a man who helped change the face of British Rock." Screaming Lord David Sutch and his Savages were touring Germany and Dave popped out to get a copy of the previous day's Evening Standard newspaper. He returned to base, deeply shocked at having just read that his mate the Kidd was dead, and the rest of his band just wasn't able to take it in either. After the passing of his friend, Johnny "Irvo" Irving felt somehow responsible for not being there for the Kidd. Resolutely sticking to his guns he refused all future offers including the Shadows and the Who (plus the New Pirates) and was never involved in the music business again. Johnny Kidd's funeral took place at the Golders Green Crematorium on Wednesday 12th October.

The bright and solid " Much of the following was verified by Nick simper - read his own fascinating story on his website . Kidd's 1966 current crew of New Pirates, Mick Stewart (guitar), Nick Simper (bass) and Roger Truth (drums) were thrown badly off-course as a result of the accident that claimed Johnny Kidd's life, especially Simper who was in the same car and subsequently out of action for a while recovering from his injuries. Stewart and Truth went off to back Jerry Lee Lewis with a Pirate line-up that never performed together. Lewis was doing a short European tour and wanted to use his own group the Memphis Beat on stage so he entered an agreement with the Musicians Union that British musicians would be paid ready to stand in, if required. So Stewart, Truth, plus Johnnie Spence and Vic Cooper were duly signed up and toured, but only Stewart ever appeared. Spence went off to join Jon Morshead in Julian Covey & The Machine who broke up after only one single "A Little Bit Hurts" before leaving music to build up a used car sales business. The Pirates, (post Guv'nor) pose on the Cutty Sark in London.

L-R; Nick simper, Mick Stewart; Roger Truth; Johnny Goodison Once recuperated, the three New Pirates enthused about getting out and about again. Stewart, Simper and Truth reorganised, helped by a new tour backing US singer Bobby Hebb who was riding high in the chards with the classic "Sunny", in spite of competition from a home-grown cover by Georgie Fame. Hebb was disconcerted to see only a trio and asked where the brass section was... After heated discussions, the promoter organised an ultra-fast recruitment of organist Johnny "B. Great" Goodison to compliment the trio's loud, powerful sound behind the singer, only for "Solly" Truth to then drop the bombshell that he'd decided to jump ship and join the Freddie Mack Sound, a large, fourteen-piece outfit fronted by a former US boxing championship contender. Kenny Slade from Sheffield was swiftly press-ganged in to fill the suddenly-vacated drum stool. The tour was an eye-opener to Bobby Hebb.

Coming from the US where he had decent weather, travel connections, quality motels and 24-hour diners, in the damp and cold UK his tour criss-crossed across England and Wales where only the southern section of M1 was of any help, eating in foul 'greasy spoon' cafes, and staying in lousy guest houses which Nick Simper reckons nowadays would not even be remotely in the running for an operating license. After reaching Bath in wintry conditions for the gig on the 5th Simper drove all home, then took off straight for Manchester where he was due to appear in the case of Dangerous Driving levelled at Wilf Isherwood. (He had to do all the driving as the only one with a license and Johnny Irving had already declined.) Although being called as a witness for the prosecution the Judge adjudicated leniently, perhaps on the basis that under similar conditions the same might have occurred to anyone else as happened to Wilf. At Rhyl in north Wales where they appeared alongside Billy J. Kramer they re-acquainted themselves with Dakota guitarist Mick Green who like them couldn't believe that Kidd was really gone; instead he preferred to think of Johnny as simply "gigging up the road".

Nick Simper recalls one tour date in particular: "We got to the theatre and we were pleased to see our mates Lord Sutch and the Savages on the bill, plus - of all groups - the Freddie Mack Band including Roger Truth. Dave (Lord) Sutch said, "your ole drummer Truth is hiding from you all, he won't show his face." I said, "If I get my hands on him I'll kill him for letting us down". Anyway, we went on stage, I sang some vocals, we played a lot of Kidd's material. We went down well, some girls started screaming. This gave us more confidence. It was a very hard decision to carry on The Pirates without the Kidd, but we felt he would have wanted us to keep flying the Jolly Roger." Although the likeable Hebb generally enjoyed the gigs, once the tour was over he was glad to return to the dual comforts of America and his fiancï¿½e. The quartet had gelled and decided their sound was good enough to continue, however and once Christmas was over being a Pirate featured in neither Kenny Slade's nor Johnny Goodison's plans, having obtained other work in the meantime.

At Solly Truth's invitation Simper had a go with the Freddie Mack Band. It wasn't really his type of music so wasn't too bothered about being 'fired' after less than two weeks over differences in rehearsal times and took in some temporary decorating work. Solly had started changing his tune and suggested he would leave Mack for another re-convening of the Pirates with Simper and Stewart. Through him, a new manager was organised - Joan Watson who ran the Organ Centre music shop in Ealing. The trio were unsure of their stage presence though and wanted Tony Jackson, the much respected bassman to become a New Pirate. Jackson was initially receptive to the rather intriguing plan which was scuppered not least by the distance between their respective bases - Liverpool and London - which at any rate would have put paid to serious rehearsing. The Organ Centre provided answers for the fourth member and some gigs. Chessman Hammond organist Johnny Carroll was suggested as the New Pirates' fourth member and fitted in very well after initial rehearsals at his parent's Ealing home and Joan Watson organised a trip to the West Country. Things were looking up when Solly informed the others - only days before the tour - that he preferred to remain with Mack instead!

With advertising not possible in the time remaining frantic ringing round obtained the services of John Kerrison who took the job with two sessions of rehearsals at Southall Community Centre. They are lucky in obtaining studio time through their new manager, cutting a Ray Davies song plus a Carroll original. The results are less-than-required so the recording side is put on temporary hold while they focus on the upcoming gigs. In the last week of February they hired an Austin van and drove themselves to the Naval Base at Helston to commence some Cornwall dates. This is their first gig proper as the (New) Pirates, which is complete with Jolly Roger flag and some then-new ultra-violet lighting. Three dates at Glasgows' Kelvin Hall are secured in the company of some of the top acts of the time, including Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tick, Unit 4+2, Screaming Lord Caesar Sutch, and.... The Freddie Mack Sound! The insults flew at their recently-departed drummer until Lord Sutch saved the day by acting as peacemaker so that, in the end, all remained friends.

These large Glasgow gigs proved the act's quality - to the band at least - while an incident after the first one reminded them that the English - at that time - were not so welcome by some sectors of the otherwise largely friendly Scots peoples. Looking for some food they were directed to a pie stall where the enunciated London accent cut through the local dialect resulting in a fast exit with the loss of several windows plus marks and dents to the van. Maybe that incident was an omen, for as the next weeks progressed Joan found it difficult to obtain gigs for the group. As the Morshead-Spence-Farley set of Pirates had previously found it was hard work after forcibly being divorced from the previous guiding light of their illustrious frontman. They were without a record contract; Kidd was the act signed to HMV/EMI and although all Pirates' line-ups had been paid as session men on recordings, this was not an unusual business practise. The results of the recent recording session was decided to worthwhile to carry on with and their recording career was terminated having effectively blown their one and only chance.

On the first of May they convened and decided there wasn't really going to be a future, so shook hands and went their separate ways, thus brought to an end nearly a decade of UK Rock 'n' Roll history. John Kerrison went on to replace Episode Six's original drummer Hervey Shields for about a year whose ranks featured John Glover and Ian Gillan. Mick Stewart would join the pre-fame Sweet, who were signed to EMI but left after three unsuccessful singles on the Parlophone label, a while before they found success on the new Glam Scene. Nick Simper went on the road backing Billie Davis, and then with the Flowerpot Men before joining a group that was being formed around ex-Searcher drummer Chris Curtis that would be called Roundabout. Curtis dropped out and they evolved into Deep Purple with whom Simper was with for barely a year before being unceremoniously dumped in favour of Jon Glover, a move made easier by vocalist Rod Evans having already been ousted to make way for Ian Gillan. Both new Purple men had previously been with Episode Six, in fact Gillan had been recommended to Purple's other members by their drummer Mick Underwood who'd recently replaced Kerrison.

Talk about swings and 'roundabouts'.... Simper followed this by gigs with a string of groups, some of which were his own like Warhorse. In more recent times he was in The Good Old Boys whose ranks has occasionally featured John Kerrison. A decade would pass before the Jolly Roger would be hoisted again in anger, when one of the previous Pirate line-ups would re-emerge on a scene needing relief from the excesses of the Glam Era. Not only that, they would go on to be an explosive, powerful alternative to the soon-to-appear Punk which would dominate the charts and engulf almost everything in its path. Quivers Down The Backbone: the story of Johnny Kidd and ‘Shakin All Over’ | The Rock'n'Roll Routemaster Quivers Down The Backbone: the story of Johnny Kidd and ‘Shakin All Over’ Posted on by rockandrolloutemaster “What are you doing on your radio show this week?” asked Mrs Routemaster. “Johnny Kidd and the story of Shakin All Over” I replied.

She looked at me blankly so I hummed DUM-DUM, DUM-DUM, DUM-DUM, DUM-DUM”, tapping out a rhythm with my hands at the same time. “Ah” she said. “I know that one”. And it occurred to me that that we all know that one, even just the few seconds of the intro, an electrifying, echo-drenched glissando. It wasn’t the first British rock ‘n’ roll single – that’s probably Cliff Richard’s “Move It” in 1958 – but it can probably claim to be one of the most influential and a whole lot fresher, more authentic and menacing than the anodyne Elvis impersonators that were Cliff and his ilk. It came out in 1960 and remains a landmark as a great, great song. Johnny was a very good singer and terrific stage performer, but is often cruelly put alongside other hapless short-lived stars or one hit wonders, which he most certainly wasn’t. His was a short and eventful life, cut short aged only 30 by a car crash up North when he was out hustling for cabaret work.

Johnny Kidd – or Freddie Heath to give him his real name – was born, like my dad, in 1935 in Willesden, North London. After the obligatory wartime evacuation, failed Eleven Plus and National Service, Freddie fetched up by age 20 as an odd job man working variously as a laundryman, warehouseman, bookie’s runner and house painter. With a wife and kid on the way, he was so poor that witnesses attest that the lower part of his socks were so worn out that you could see his white feet, so he used boot polish to dye his feet black so you would think he was rich enough to buy whole socks. Truly a man who was rescued by rock and roll. Starting by jumping up on stage at skiffle competitions, he was soon gigging six nights a week and was finally spotted by EMI, who signed him to a record deal in 1959. During the session for his first single “Please Don’t Touch”, Fred Heath became “Johnny Kidd” and his backing band were re-titled “the Pirates”. No one remembers why or whose idea it was – Captain Kidd was a pirate I suppose.

The Pirates got pirate costumes, Fred got an eye patch, inventing a story that he’d been hit in the eye by a broken guitar string (actually he had a squint). The record got to 25. After a couple of flops, a new single was needed. The song EMI wanted for the A side sucked but they had no choice so they did a deal to write the B side because you got as much money as a writer of the B side as for the A side. The session was set for Friday 13 May 1960 and so after a gig the previous night, they got back to the West End and went to the ‘Freight Train’ coffee bar at the junction of Berwick Street and Noel Street and commandeered the basement to knock out the B side. In a room no bigger than a storeroom and sitting on upturned Coca Cola, they wrote “Shakin’ All Over” in six minutes.

The lyrics came straight outta Willesden: when Fred and his pals spotted a pretty girl in the street, they would say she gives me “quivers down me membranes”, adapted for these purposes to ‘Quivers down the backbone, shakes down the knee bone and tremors in the thigh bone’. Witty and sexy. Now it just needed to sound good. The next morning, at 10am prompt, they arrived at the EMI Studios at 3 Abbey Road, in Studio 2 – where the Beatles later recorded almost all of their stuff – where they quickly knocked off the A side, a rocked up version of “Yes Sir, That’s My Baby'” (you can see why they all thought it sucked) before committing ‘Shakin All Over’ to tape in one take. Session guitarist Joe Moretti then overdubbed the “shimmering” guitar effects at the end of each verse by sliding his Ronson cigarette lighter up and down the strings. Some present say it was all done in 6 minutes, longer than it had taken to set up their equipment. It came out on June 10th and remains a landmark, not just in British pop, but also in the development of rock.

The drums are big, the bass and rhythm guitar double each other, it’s drenched in echo, more than has ever been used before, so much that EMI technicians in their white coats said it can’t be done as it wasn’t not in their manual. Boosted by an appearance on early rock and roll TV show “Wham!”, it had reached number 1 by the beginning of August, the 7th biggest selling disc of the year. However in those days singles were 6 weeks apart, even if you were still in the charts and all his subsequent singles failed. They toured constantly, two shows a night, 1000 miles a week, making good money but barely a year later the best days of the group seemed over and the Pirates reluctantly left en masse. They didn’t care for long – they pretty much became the Tornados and became the first group to top the UK and US Charts with ‘Telstar’. Fred was devastated but simply recruited new Pirates and carried on as before with a pretty full live schedule in clubs and on national tours. It beat painting houses for a living.

One club booking was at the Cavern, Liverpool where he spotted a new sound and nicked it for the very Beatlesque “I’ll Never Get Over You” and just when you think he’s currently residing in the “where are they now” file “I’ll Never Get Over You” only goes and gets to Number 4 in July 1963. Alas, once again his further singles flopped and by 1966 regular work had dried up, so he tried his hand at the cabaret circuit. On October 7, the group arrived late for a gig in Bolton, Lancashire, but the Manager threw a hissy and cancelled them. With free time on their hands they decided to travel over to a neighbouring town where they knew a club to see if they could drum up work as he still had to pay the band. In the early hours of October 8, three miles south of Bury on the A58 in Lancashire, the steering on his brand new GT Cortina froze at 70 mph and the car crossed the central reservation, colliding head on with one of the only cars on the road at that time of night.

Fred and a 17 year passenger in the other car were killed instantly. He would have been 31 in a few weeks’ time and left a wife, an ex-wife and 3 children. There are literally hundreds of cover versions of ‘Shakin’ All Over’, from AC/DC to the Beach Boys, from Led Zeppelin to Van Morrison, from the Who to most bizarrely of all Mae West. And whilst his version was never a hit in America, in 1965 a band called Chad Allen & the Expressions had a hit with it in the US and Canada. In an attempt to build a mystique around the record, the single was credited to The Guess Who? in the hope It that some listeners might assume it might be The Beatles in disguise. It wasn’t but they kept the name and had a few more hits. They later became Messrs’ Bachman Turner and Overdrive. But cover versions is where the real publishing money is and Fred Heath wrote all his own songs. The royalties continue to go to his family. Share this: Johnny Kidd - Timeline 1964 Casting My Spell " released (HMV POP 1250).

Both titles were cut in one take each at the "Hungry For Love" session and this single was a test of the waters to see if the Pirates might become a going concern in their own right away from the Captain of the Beat. January 5th The Ronnettes have arrived in the UK for a George Cooper organised tour for a month. They kick off today at the Rex Cinema in Haslemere in the heart of rural Sussex. Johnny Kidd and the Pirates joined it for two only, as highlighted - Jan 6th - Granada, Harrow Jan 27th - Colston Hall, Bristol February 1st Roxy Cinema, Ulverston. Two performances, 18:00 and 20:00 One of the gigs on this tour of the north organised by band leader turned promoter Denny Boyce. Also appearing were the Fabulous Free-Rekkers; Heinz & the Saints; Ricky Valance; Vince Eager; Danny Rivers.

February - March During February and March, the group appear on the Larry Parnes' Your Lucky Stars Show, which takes a host of big names to towns across the UK including; Finsbury Park, Worcester, Taunton, Mansfield, and (possibly) the Essoldo Cinema in Tunbridge Wells (exact dates unknown). Manfred Mann were enjoying their first top ten success with "5-4-3-2-1", which was adopted as the theme from "Ready Steady Go!" for a while. Manfred Mann's drummer Mike Hugg was sufficiently impressed by Big Frank Farley's drumming technique to alter his style from the more jazz-orientated approach he utilised up until now. February 19th Larry Parnes' Your Lucky Stars Show, Gaumont, Bradford. Joe Brown & his Bruvvers; The Crystals; Johnny Kidd and the Pirates; Heinz and the Saints; Daryl Quist; Mike Preston; Manfred Mann; Kevin Kirk. Al Paige (compere). Joe Brown was a showman - just like Kidd - who was used to headlining tours. But not for too much longer.

Fifth on the bill was a band who would take R'n'B into different avenues with their jazzy overtones before becoming a more outright pop band in the late sixties. Their drummer Mike Hugg was to be impressed with Frank Farley's loud style which persuaded to alter his style to become more beat-orientated. March 1st, Sunday Click here for some insights into touring. March 6th, Friday Another date on the Larry Parnes' "Your Lucky Stars" tour featuring his headline act Joe Brown and the Bruvvers. Joe's face adorns the front cover while visiting American act the Crystals are the back cover pic. The venue is the only information I don't have but the person who attended this show on this day scribbled the date on it, so we know at least there was something going on on this day in Kidd's calendar, if we know not where. March 14th, Saturday The Imperial Ballroom, Nelson, Lancs The Fourmost Mr. X and the Mystery Group Johnny Kidd & The Pirates (was this the mysterious Mr.

X and co?) The Imperial was good to the Kidd and his group, in fact just over two and a half years later he would be found investigating the place again with the New Pirates after a cancelled booking, at a time when they were getting a little rarer. March 6th, Friday Dr. Feelgood " (HMV POP 1268). A-side is essentially "Santa Lucia" with English lyrics attached. All three Pirates plus Johnny Irving (the group's roadie) and George Cooper (Kidd's Manager) sang on the song's refrain. But is not quite in the "Blue Beat" style as Johnny promised to at least one pop paper. On the other hand, the flip - a Dr. Feelgood and the Interns song - is an astonishing powerhouse R&B side that is in contrast to the topside and shows how the group were struggling for commercial success that was opposed to the group's Rhythm 'n' Blues roots. Ironically, Dr. Feelgood had a new single out the same week on Columbia, "Blang Dong".

The same day the group appeared on "Ready Steady Go!" with Adam Faith (another with a new release, "If He Tells You"); Mike Hurst; Louise Cordet; The Marauders. They would get another plug on the same show later in the month. " " was also taped for inclusion on the BBC's "Top Of The Pops" but was never used due to the single's subsequent poor chart showing. March 21st, Saturday Guest DJ Sam Costa JOHNNY KIDD & THE PIRATES #5 Johnny Kidd (vocals); Mick Green (lead); Johnnie Spence (bass); Frank Farley (drums); Vic Cooper (keyboards). (March 1964 - July 1964) March 29 Radio Caroline - the UK's first pirate radio station - begins broadcasting between 6am and 6pm just outside of the law, as far as distance offshore goes anyway. Kidd and his sea-rovers were invited on board to raise the Jolly Roger while taking in the sea air and the sounds of 1964.

Other Pirate stations would follow, Radio Atlanta, and Radio Sutch - yes, Screaming "Lord" David Sutch! April 6th/7th Four weeks after their recent single release the group spend two days in EMI's Abbey Road studios laying down eleven tracks for the long-awaited album. (Read more about it here .) They are joined by organist Vic Cooper who subsequently becomes a full-time band member. Roadie Johnny Irving finds out just how bulky and heavy an organ really is, and the group have to invest in a larger 15 CWT (hundred-weight) mini-bus BMC van to accommodate everything! Photo - Spence; Farley; Kidd; Green; Cooper. April 11th, Saturday Imperial Ballroom ("Ballroom Of The Stars"), Nelson, Lancashire. April 30 Dr. Feelgood " spends one week in the UK top fifty at 46 (source; Guinness) and was Kidds' last charting single. The poor showing meant the album was put on hold for the time being, a major disappointment as the recordings were closer to the heart of the band. At least one contemporary chart reported the single reaching into the Top Thirty.

TRIVIA: As well as the topside, " " also exists in twin-track stereo, and has appeared on at least one European compilation CD. A candidate for the "Lost Album"? June, Whit Sunday Whit-Sunday Dance, Tamworth Assembly Rooms. Admission: 5/- 8.00pm-11.30pm The Clansmen, The Pirates, Johnny Silver and the Cossacks Is this THE Pirates? This is the time when the Pirates - Mick Green, Johnny Spence and "Big" Frank Farley had been officially given the name. Did they go out on their own? Or did another Tamworth-area band borrow the name? Who knows? June 5 The California Ballroom, Dunstable, Bedfordshire Johnny Kidd and the Pirates The Incas with Lyn Barrie Beat Six " (HMV POP 1309). This Gordon Mills-penned single was required to do the trick for any album release to take place. It missed the charts entirely, and the album was postponed indefinitely. June 26 "The Big Star Show" opens at the Rainbow Theatre in Blackpool. The Rainbow was still being redecorated just before opening, after the theatre was burned down back in February.

Alongside the swashbucking sea-rovers were Joe Brown and his Bruvvers; The Tornados; Mike Preston; Lynne ("Coronation Street") Perrie. Comedian Al Paige (with the usual corny jokes) was the compere. The famous northern seaside resort of Blackpool was the place to be in the summer of '64, which was alive with pop shows in many places, some of which were well underway when Kidd & co arrived. During the stay in Blackpool Johnny buys into a small club located near the railway station named the Picador. Not the most salubrious of places it nevertheless becomes a popular meeting place for musicians. June? "The Johnny Kidd Album Of Songs And Guitar Solos", a small booklet of group songs and melodies in sheet music form was published by Danver Music of Soho Street in London, who were linked to the George Cooper Organisation. Most of Kidd's single's were released as sheet music, but this booklet was probably one of the most collectable. Three songs were arranged by Johnny - "I'll Never Get Over You", "Then I Got Everything" and "What Shall We Do With The Drunken sailor".

The others were instrumentals written by Mick Green - "String Picnic", "Spanish Armada" and "Popeye". The instrumentals were played occasionally for sound run-throughs at gigs, and were not part of the Pirates act before Johnny took centre-stage. The latter two at least were recorded, but it will take until 2008 before surfacing from the EMI vaults on a brand new 2-CD compilation. July Still in Blackpool, Mick Green who is dis-satisfied with the way things are going - the group currently follow a poodle act - defects to Billy J. Kramers' backing group the Dakotas who were on their way to Hawaii and Australia. Tornado guitarist Stuart Taylor helps out. Kidd flies to London to seek a replacement and finds John Weider. Returning to Blackpool by car, they are delayed by traffic in Preston and although arriving in the nick of time for their scheduled slot promoter Larry Parnes is unimpressed and gives the group four weeks notice.

JOHNNY KIDD & THE PIRATES #6 Johnny Kidd (vocals); John Weider (lead); Johnnie Spence (bass); Frank Farley (drums); Vic Cooper (keyboards). (July 1964 - September 1965) August An increasing amount of work comes Johnny's way from Surrey Promoter Bob Potter (of the famous Lakeside Club near Frimley Green) in his three venues - the Atlanta Ballroom in Woking, the Palais De Dance in Aldershot and his main venue, the Agincourt in Camberley where the Galleon backcloth hung for many years. Photos of the band in action in front of the galleon backcloth are on The Pirates Website . The photo shows incumbent axeman John Weider back row left. On the right at the back is keyboardist Vic Cooper. Front row; Frank Farley, Johnny Kidd, Johnny Spence. August 14th Johnny Burnette dies in a boating accident at Clear Lake, California. His Rock 'n' Roll trio had been a big influence on the Pirates' appearance.

Despite that, Kidd is not deterred from buying a boat the following month, calling his new craft "Kidnap 1". While this interest in boating may have seemed a good idea at the time it was short-lived however - when it sank. October 24th "BBC Radio's "Saturday Club", edition 317. Also appearing were - The Supremes, the Barron Knights, Skeeter Davis, the Merseybeats, the Fab Five and the Les Reed Combo. October 30th Your Cheatin' Heart " (HMV POP 1353). These tracks with a Country connection (although dealt the full Kidd punch) were culled from the doomed LP sessions. The strongest cut was probably the flipside, although probably just TOO far out to be seriously considered as commercial material. Both tracks demonstrate the gulf between last year's commercial song success and their more natural R'n'B leanings. Read a review of the single here. October 31st Johnny Kidd and Heinz - currently on a Dixie Cups & Hollies tour - fly to Brussels for an appearance on a Belgian TV special. November 6th The Regal, Ammanford. Support group were The Primitives.

Their guitarist Barry Hammett had modelled himself on Mick Green and the Primitives incorporated Kidd & co's material in their act. He impressed enough to tour Hamburg as a temporary Pirate during January '65, John Weider at 17 being too young for the Reeperbahn clubs. November 13th Floral Hall, Morecambe. Support by local band the Milestones. Admission 5/6 on the door, the whole evening lasting till 2am. November 14th, Saturday to December 12th, Saturday Brenda Lee tour, promoted by George Cooper. Johnny Kidd & The Pirates played odd dates. Support acts varied; Marty Wilde (backed by the Bobby Patrick Big Six); Manfred Mann; Bern Elliot; John Barry Seven (who also backed Brenda); Wayne Fontana; Heinz and the Wild Boys (another good group). Compere was Bob Bain. A whole host of television dates on all the regular pop shows are in place, notable additions to this normal itinerary are ATV's Jimmy Tarbuck Show, but most importantly the Royal command Performance which was recorded on November 2nd and was broadcast just six days later.

November 16th, Monday Johnny Kidd & The Pirates appear at the Odeon in chelmsford on the Brenda Lee tour. Little Miss Dynamite was impressed with the UK groups, having a high regard for Marty Wilde, and Heinz's guitarist Ritchie Blackmore. In particular, Johnny Kidd and the Pirates impressed her greatly, believing they would go down great in the US. "My fondest memory of my British Tour was watching Johnny Kidd from the side of the stage. He was great." December 1st 2 performances of the Brenda Lee Show Johnny Kidd and the Pirates John Barry Seven (not "The") The Beat Merchants Geoff Moule and the Diggers "Whole lot of Loving". Tickets: 12'6 to 5'6 December 19th The California Ballroom, Dunstable, Bedfordshire Johnny Kidd and the Pirates The Stilettos Geoff Moule and the Diggers "Whole lot of Loving".

Question: What was the name of Johnny Kidd's backing group
Answer: The Pirates