Friday 6 December 2019

The Defiants

















Members

Rob Luke - lead vocals, rhythm guitar
John Gerrard - lead guitar
Les Thompson - bass guitar
Roy Ellis - drums, percussion

Derek Cleary - lead guitar
Sheila McVeigh - bass guitar

Formed in 1963 in Huyton, Liverpool, Lancashire.
Managed by Stuart Morton.
The original lineup split over differences in musical interpretation.
Rob Luke and Roy Ellis sort of kept the name shortening it to 'Defiance'.
Derek Cleary joined as lead guitarist and his then girlfriend, Sheila McVeigh joined on bass guitar.
A later formation included three members of The Approachers (named after a local pub, The Western Approaches).
This lineup of the group went on to perform as The Bent Sect, and possibly under other names.
John Read took over management duties.
Soon after the group split for good.
Roy Ellis played one gig with The Earthlings before leaving the music business.
Rob Luke and Les Thompson teamed up once more to form another group call The Defiants and were both later in Zelda Plum.
Rob Luke later worked as a civil servant.
Les Thompson emigrated to New Zealand and built up a successful media business.
Roy Ellis became an accountant and then moved to Spain.

Many thanks to Roy Ellis for supplying the information and the photos.
















Known Gigs

1963
15 Feb 1964 Liverpool, The Cazzie, Aigburth Road. With The Delmont Four.



















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