Three times winners on Opportunity Knocks, British television’s hugely popular talent show of the late 60s, the Casuals subsequently left the UK for Italy, where they became a leading attraction. Alan Taylor (b. Halifax, Yorkshire, England; guitar, bass), Johnny Tebb (b. 1 October 1945, Lincoln, England; organ), Howard Newcombe (b. Lincoln, England; guitar, trumpet) and Robert O’Brien (b. Bridge Of Allan, Central Scotland; drums) were based in Milan for several years before returning to Britain in 1968, when their single, ‘Jesamine’, entered the charts. The song was originally recorded by the Bystanders as ‘When Jesamine Goes’, but the Casuals’ inherently commercial reading coincided with a prevailing trend for emotional ballads. The single ultimately reached number 2, but later releases were less successful and ‘Toy’ (1968), which peaked at number 30, was their only other hit. The Casuals continued to record superior pop: Move leader Roy Wood wrote and produced the polished ‘Caroline’ (1969), but as the decade closed, so their style of music grew increasingly anachronistic.
The “British” was added to their name for releases on the Mainstream label in the U.S. to differentiate them from the American band, Ronnie and The Casuals. They formed in the UK in the early 60?s, and transfered to Italy in the mid 60?s, returning to Britain after their single “Jesamine” became a hit. (tymeshifter RYM)
Originally formed by John Tebb (piano and vocals) and Howard Newcombe (guitar), they added Don Fortune (drums) and Zenon Kawolski (bass), and became The Casuals in 1961. Upon turning professional in 1962 Fortune and Kawolski left, to be replaced by Mick Brey and Ian Good.
In 1965 they won the TV talent show Opportunity Knocks three times, leading to a recording contract with Fontana Records who issued their debut single “If You Walk Out”, which was unsuccessful. In 1966 Alan “Plug” Taylor (bass) joined, and the band moved to Italy, where they signed with CBS in Milan to record Italian language covers of British hit singles.
These included a #1 Italian single covering the Bee Gees’ “Massachusetts”. Good left in mid 1967, and was not replaced, but when Brey left later that year, Bob O’Brien joined on drums.
In 1968, whilst still in Italy, The Casuals switched to Decca Records, who released the single “Jesamine” which charted, so the band came back from Italy to promote the record, which reached #2 on the UK Singles Chart late in 1968.
“Jesamine” was a cover version of The Bystanders’ “When Jesamine Goes” issued in February 1968, and was co-written by Marty Wilde and Ronnie Scott (the Bystanders’ manager, not the famous jazz musician), under the pseudonym Frere Manston and Jack Gellar.The follow-up single, “Toy” (written by Chris Andrews) also made the Top 40, peaking at #30.
They were also successful in Germany, where “Jesamine” hit #9, and “Toy” went to #27, but their first and only album, Hour World, was issued too late to capitalise on these successful singles. Chris Evans stood in for Newcombe when he was ill, and when Taylor and O’Brien left in 1970, Evans became a permanent member, along with Lloyd Courtney. None of the following four singles managed to chart, and the group was dropped by Decca in 1971.
They signed to Parlophone in 1972 and released “Tara Tiger Girl”, but the single went nowhere, nor did a single “American Jam” for which the band was renamed ‘American Jam Band’, although, as both singles had the same B-side, the link was obvious. They left Parlophone for Dawn Records in 1974, but after their final single, “Good Times”, flopped, they disbanded in 1976.
You always seem to come up with good stuff
ReplyDeleteThanks
Harv