Pre Art ----> Spooky Tooth
Mp3 320\150 Mb\Covers******************
"THE STORY SO FAR"
FROM VIP's to ART
The VIP's had begun great things since coming to London in autumn '65 - a year earlier. Having conquered Carlisle and the north the only way forward was to enter the "eye of the storm", London, and see what happened. They had driven the blue Commer van, with Albert Heaton at the wheel, to London and somehow moved in. In the beginning accommodation had ranged from a shared cellar, somewhere in Berwick Street to a cosy bed in anybody's flat.
Mike Harrison, Greg Ridley, Jim Henshaw, Frank Kenyon and Walter Johnstone made up a soul/blues based group, with a deep, round sound wrapped in a great amount of confidence. They played at all the popular clubs, and became the band that other bands went to see. They also began to visit The Star Club in Hamburg, where their whole sound and image really did take over where the Beatles had left off. The first adjustment to the line-up came in 1966 when, disillusioned by the life they were leading, and homesick, drummer Walter Johnstone left the group. A very subtle, and important link had already been formed with Birmingham, due to the fact that the manager of The Spencer Davis Group, impressed by the VIP's sound ( & not least) their attitude, had signed the group to a management and recording contract. His name was Chris Blackwell, and he was to play a very important role in the events that led to the creation of Spooky Tooth. At this time Chris's greatest asset, apart from Millie Small and her recording of "My Boy Lollipop", was the singer with The Spencer Davis Group, 17 year old Steve Winwood, who, it was already clear, was more than just lucky! The Elbow Room, in Birmingham was where Steve spent much of his social time, often in the company of Jim Capaldi, Chris Wood and Mike Kellie. Jim was the leader of Worcestershire band," Deep Feeling ", who had a strong following at The Elbow and included in their line-up Gordon Jackson, Polli Palmer, and a young, intense guitarist named Luther Grosvenor. Chris Wood for his part was playing tenor saxophone and flute in a group called "Locomotive", with Mike Kellie on drums. At the suggestion of Winwood, Paul Medcalf { later Mr Fantasy, on the cover of the first Traffic album} telephoned Kellie at the sawmill in Olton, where he had a daytime job, and told him of Steve's idea that he may like to come to London to join a group called The VIP's. They needed someone fast as they were due in France the "day after tomorrow " and then on to Germany for another Star Club appearance. That evening Steve gave Kellie a lift home to Marston Green where they proceeded to explain the great plan to Kellie's father, Peter. A slightly concerned Mr Kellie said," OK, if that's what you want to do I don't mind ", gave him a fiver and the party broke up! The following day, Kellie and his Ludwig drums were met at Paddington Station by Albert Heaton. In the blue Commer van they drove to Blackwell's offices in Oxford Street. There he met Blackwell, secretaries Penny Hansen and Penny Massot and the first two members of The VIP's......Mike Harrison and Greg Ridley, then on to meet the rest of the group. Kellie remembers Jim Henshaw's reaction on meeting him; " 's'this t'new drummer then?, ur, yud betta' be good........" It was now Autumn '66, a year later. NEXT :
Mike Harrison, Greg Ridley, Jim Henshaw, Frank Kenyon and Walter Johnstone made up a soul/blues based group, with a deep, round sound wrapped in a great amount of confidence. They played at all the popular clubs, and became the band that other bands went to see. They also began to visit The Star Club in Hamburg, where their whole sound and image really did take over where the Beatles had left off. The first adjustment to the line-up came in 1966 when, disillusioned by the life they were leading, and homesick, drummer Walter Johnstone left the group. A very subtle, and important link had already been formed with Birmingham, due to the fact that the manager of The Spencer Davis Group, impressed by the VIP's sound ( & not least) their attitude, had signed the group to a management and recording contract. His name was Chris Blackwell, and he was to play a very important role in the events that led to the creation of Spooky Tooth. At this time Chris's greatest asset, apart from Millie Small and her recording of "My Boy Lollipop", was the singer with The Spencer Davis Group, 17 year old Steve Winwood, who, it was already clear, was more than just lucky! The Elbow Room, in Birmingham was where Steve spent much of his social time, often in the company of Jim Capaldi, Chris Wood and Mike Kellie. Jim was the leader of Worcestershire band," Deep Feeling ", who had a strong following at The Elbow and included in their line-up Gordon Jackson, Polli Palmer, and a young, intense guitarist named Luther Grosvenor. Chris Wood for his part was playing tenor saxophone and flute in a group called "Locomotive", with Mike Kellie on drums. At the suggestion of Winwood, Paul Medcalf { later Mr Fantasy, on the cover of the first Traffic album} telephoned Kellie at the sawmill in Olton, where he had a daytime job, and told him of Steve's idea that he may like to come to London to join a group called The VIP's. They needed someone fast as they were due in France the "day after tomorrow " and then on to Germany for another Star Club appearance. That evening Steve gave Kellie a lift home to Marston Green where they proceeded to explain the great plan to Kellie's father, Peter. A slightly concerned Mr Kellie said," OK, if that's what you want to do I don't mind ", gave him a fiver and the party broke up! The following day, Kellie and his Ludwig drums were met at Paddington Station by Albert Heaton. In the blue Commer van they drove to Blackwell's offices in Oxford Street. There he met Blackwell, secretaries Penny Hansen and Penny Massot and the first two members of The VIP's......Mike Harrison and Greg Ridley, then on to meet the rest of the group. Kellie remembers Jim Henshaw's reaction on meeting him; " 's'this t'new drummer then?, ur, yud betta' be good........" It was now Autumn '66, a year later. NEXT :
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Discography
"She's So Good"/"Don't Keep Shouting At Me" (UK RCA, 1964)
"She's So Good"/"Don't Keep Shouting At Me" (UK RCA, 1964)
"Mercy Mercy" / "That's My Woman" (US only single, produced by Derek Lawrence)
"Wintertime" / "Anyone" (as The Vipps, CBS)
"I Wanna Be Free"/"Don't Let It Go" Island Records
"Straight Down To The Bottom"/"In A Dream" Island Records CD Compilation: The Complete V.I.P.s (2 CD, 28 tracks) (Repertoire Records)
Mike Harrison – vocals, piano
Greg Ridley – bass, guitar
Frank Kenyon - guitar
Walter Johnstone-drums
James Henshaw - piano,guitar
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I Wanna Be Free
I Wanna Be Free
Don’t Let It Go
Wintertime / Anyone
Mercy Mercy
That’s My Woman
Fannie Mae
Smockestack Lightning
Straight Down To The Bottom
In A Dream
Blue Feeling
Sad Story
I Got A Woman
Back Into My Life Again
Every Girl I See
You Don’t Know Like I Know
Stagger Lee
Rosemarie
My Babe
Late Night Blues (Wee Wee Hours)
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(Now LINK 2 it`s OK - corrected. )
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