The Cobras

Members

Barry Dunn - vocals

Mel Brookes - guitar, vocals

Mick Brookes - lead guitar, vocals

Nick Cox - bass guitar

Terry Rhodes - drums

Graham Williams - vocals

Formed in Bilston, Wolverhampton in early 1964.

Graham Williams was the original lead vocalist but was soon replaced by Barry Dunn.

Terry Rhodes was previously in The Jokers.

Mick Brookes was previously in The Rocking Rustlers.

Disbanded in 1966.

Nick Cox later played with Jimmy Powell and the Five Dimensions.

Mick Brookes later played with The Californians.

Known Gigs

Oct 1964 Wolverhampton, Morris Springs Social Club, Ettingshall.

Herbie's People

Members

Danny Robinson - vocals (Died: 23 April 2024)

Mike Taylor - rhythm guitar

Len Beddow - lead guitar

Pete Walton - bass guitar

Alan Lacey - drums

Pete Stevens - rhythm guitar (later bass guitar)

Brian Powney - keyboards

Formerly known as Danny Cannon and the Ramrods.

Managed by Bill Bates.

Later changed their name to Just William and later still to The Bullring.

UK Singles

1965 You Thrill Me To Pieces/Sweet And Tender Romance                                          CBS 202005

   (Released 12 November 1965. A-side written by Bill Bates.)

1966 One Little Smile/You Never Know                                                                        CBS 202058

   (Released April 1966)

1967 Humming Bird/Residential Area                                                                            CBS 202584

   (Released 24 February 1967)

Rave magazine - January 1966.

US Singles

1966 Semi-Detached Suburban Mr. Jones/Residential Area                                           OKeh 4-7265

   (Released November 1966)

Danny Cannon and the Ramrods

Members

Danny Robinson - vocals (Died: 23 April 2024)

Ken Hooper - rhythm guitar

Len Beddow - lead guitar

Pete Walton - bass guitar

Alan Lacey - drums

Mike Taylor - rhythm guitar

Brendan Guest - bass guitar

Formed in Bilston, Wolverhampton in 1959.

In 1964, Ken Hooper left and was replaced by Mike Taylor.

Pete Walton temporarily left and was replaced by Brendan Guest.

In May 1964 they reached the finals of 'New Sound of '64' Beat Contest, coming equal first.

Managed by Bill Bates from around 1964. Bill Bates was a songwriter who also worked as a health inspector. It was with Bill's influence, and with the return of Pete Walton that the group changed their name to Herbie's People.

Danny Cannon and the Ramrods at The Cavern in Liverpool during the finals of 'New Sound of '64' Beat Contest.

They reformed several times to play charity concerts, the last one being in April 2017 at The Robin 2 in Bilston.

Known Gigs

Sep 1963 Wednesbury, Youth Centre, West Midlands. 

15 Oct 1963 Wednesbury, Youth Centre, West Midlands. Supporting The Mersey Beats.

The Riot Squad

This was the short-lived original line-up with Mike Martin in the sunglasses.

Members

Ron Ryan - lead vocals, rhythm guitar

Mike Martin - bass guitar, vocals

Bob Evans - tenor sax, flute, vocals

Mark Stevens - organ, vocals

Graham Bonney - lead guitar, vocals

Mitch Mitchell - drums

Brian Davies - bass guitar, vocals

Nero Gladman - vocals

Terry Clifford - guitar

Butch Davis - Hammond organ

Rodger Crisp - bass guitar

Del Roll - drums 

Rod 'Rook' Davies - lead guitar

Brian 'Croak' Prebble - bass guitar, (later lead vocals)

Pete 'Punch' Allen - six-string Fender bass

John Lee - trombone

David Jones (aka David Bowie) - vocals

Formed in London.

I am not adding too much detail to this post because there is an excellent and very detailed chronicle of The Riot Squad that was researched and published by Bruno Ceriotti, which can be viewed here. Go and look at it and donate a quid if you can.

Gus Travis and the Midnighters

Members

Gus Travis (Graham Bull) - vocals

Dave Carden - lead guitar

Ian McQuair - rhythm guitar

Alan Watts - piano

Bill Bingham - bass guitar

Pete Williams - drums

Brian Woods - bass guitar

John Cochrane - drums

Freddie Starr - vocals

Formed in May 1962 in Liverpool.

Freddie Starr joined in November 1962 as a second vocalist and comedy relief. Gus Travis left a few weeks later and the group changed their name to Freddie Starr and the Midnighters.

Known Gigs

17 Aug 1962 Liverpool, The Cavern Club, Mathew Street. With Freddie and the Dreamers, The Del-Renas, and Vic and the Spidermen.

5 Sep 1962 Liverpool, The Cavern Club, Mathew Street. With The Beatles, and The Dennisons.

The Rainchecks

Members

Tony Ritchie (Richardson) - guitar, vocals

Geoff Grimes - keyboards

Del Spence - bass

Steve Webb - drums

Alan ? - rhythm guitar

Formed in Enfield, London. 

Also known as The Society (according to many sources).

UK Singles

1965 How Are You Boy/Bye Bye Baby                                                                              R & B MRB 5002

   (Both sides written by Tony Richardson)

The Rockin' Vickers

Members

Harry 'Reverend Black' Feeney - vocals

Cyril 'Ciggy' Shaw - drums

Ken Hardacre - guitar

Alex Hamilton - guitar

Peter Moorhouse - bass guitar

Nicholas Gribbon - guitar

Ian Holbrook - guitar, harmonica (joined in 1965)

Stephen 'Mogsy' Morris - bass guitar

Ian 'Lemmy' Kilmister - guitar

Garry Chamberlain - guitar

Formed in Blackpool in 1963.

Also known as Rev Black and the Rockin' Vicars or just The Rockin' Vicars.

The group became known for their intense live shows and outlandish stage costumes, dressing as vicars, amongst other things, and they would use stage props like coffins. They built a solid reputation in Blackpool and nearby cities like Manchester and Liverpool. This led to tours of mainland Europe during which they became popular in Finland where they released a single. They were one of the first groups to play behind the 'Iron Curtain' when they played in Yugoslavia.

The Rockin' Vickers were given a recording contract with Decca.

Their most successful period appears to be as a four-piece, recording their two singles for producer Shel Talmy's production company on the CBS label and supporting some of his other acts like The Kinks or The Who.

Disbanded in 1967.

Ian 'Lemmy' Kilmister was later in Hawkwind from 1971 to 1975 before forming Motorhead.

UK Singles

1964 I Go Ape/Someone Like You                                                                                       Decca F 11993

1966 It's Alright/Stay By Me                                                                                                  CBS 202051

1966 Dandy/I Don't Need Your Kind                                                                                     CBS 202241

US Singles

1966 Dandy/I Don't Need Your Kind                                                                              Columbia 4-43818

Finland Singles

1965 Stella/Zing! Went the Strings of My Heart                                                                 Decca SD 5662

Known Gigs

31 Mar 1964 Manchester, Oasis Club. With The Chasers.

5 Jun 1964 Bradford, Dungeon, Westgate. Billed as Rev Black & The Rocking Vicars.

30 Jun 1964 Bradford, Coffin, Ivegate. Billed as Rev Black & The Rocking Vicars.

16 Jan 1965 Manchester, Oasis Club. Billed as The Reverend Black and the Rocking Vickers.

25 Apr 1965 Manchester, Oasis Club. Billed as The Reverend Black and the Rocking Vickers.

19 Jun 1965 Manchester, Oasis Club. With The Stylos, and Davy Morgan.

24 Sep 1965 Manchester, Oasis Club. With Kris Ryan and the Questions.

9 Oct 1965 Manchester, Oasis Club. With The Stylos.

28 Nov 1965 Helsinki, Natsa, Finland. With The Friends. Billed as Rev. Black And The Rocking Vickers.

17 Dec 1965 Manchester, Oasis Club. With The Alan Bown Set.

28 May 1966 Blackpool, South Pier Theatre, Lancashire. Supporting The Who. With The Birds, and Oscar.

25 Jun 1966 Manchester, Oasis Club. Supporting Los Bravos.

10 Sep 1966 Liverpool, The Cavern Club, Mathew Street. With Eddie Cave and the Fix, The Mack Sound, The Kop, The Hideaways, and The Seftons. All Night Rave. Billed as The Rockin' Vicars. 

8 Oct 1966 Manchester, Oasis Club. With The Measles.

18 Oct 1966 Manchester, Oasis Club.

16 Dec 1966 Manchester, Oasis Club.

20 Jan 1967 Dundee, Dundee University, Scotland.

6 Feb 1967 Chester, Quaintways, Cheshire. Supporting Jimmy James and the Vagabonds. With The Conda Group, and Wall City Jazzmen.

14 Feb 1967 Barrow in Furness, Barrow Public Hall. Billed as Reverend Black and the Rockin' Vicars.