ORIGINAL MESSAGE
NAME: Max DysonDATE: 23 October 2014
CONNECTION WITH QE: pupil 1965-72
I was trying to remember the names of all the bands that played in the hall from about 1969 through to 1975 possibly. The school was surprisingly enlightened at the time to let these activities go on. Noir? Kevin Ayres? Quintessence? Sam Apple Pie? Hatfield and the North?
.JPG "Nick Dean gallery")
DATE: 04 December 2014
CONNECTION WITH QE: Pupil 1964-71
Seeing Marianne Faithfull at the Festival Hall last week galvanised me, as I had intended since reading Max's message, to search out an article by my contemporary Alan Edmond in a 1971 Elizabethan (one of two issues I have retained all this time). This reviewed the gigs of that year and mentioned the "Pretty Things" (shown in quote marks, but presumably the same reasonably well known band who also played at the fete in 1966), Ralph McTell (an audience of 550, followed "with some trepidation" by a disco at which "a large crowd grooved to the latest rounds"), the Beggar's Temple (including some QE people) and, of course, Quintessence. Alan noted that the maximum price for these events was 50p (as 10/- had just become) and claimed also that "we are the only school in London which has a flourishing, well organised social life of this sort". In passing, I couldn't help noticing in the March 1970 issue a review of David Patrick's production of Carmina Burana which is described as "an interesting but little-known work". What a difference 45 years makes ...
DATE: 05 December 2014
CONNECTION WITH QE: pupil 1965-72
Ahh - and I now recall the Bridget St John event with a great flyer designed by Chris Filmore as well as Cliff Richard in the dining hall doing an evangelistic acoustic set - he lived in Totteridge at the time. The school band comprised of Martin Enticknap and someone Gray?
DATE: 07 December 2014
CONNECTION WITH QE: Pupil 1964-71
Regarding Cliff Richard's session in the refectory/Queen's Library and Bernie Pinnock's handling of it, please see message 106/4. I referred there to Cindy Kent of the Settlers whom I just missed meeting earlier this year when I was unable to attend a funeral in New Southgate at which she officiated at short notice. Some of those who did so, and had subsequently been very active on their search engines, seemed mightily impressed that I knew who she was!
DATE: 10 December 2014
CONNECTION WITH QE: pupil 1965-72
Yes, the Pretty Things played on Dec 12 1970. Kevin Ayres and the Whole World, and Noir played July 18 1971. Quiver played 18 Dec 1971. Hookfoot played 8 July 1972
.jpg "James Cowen gallery")
Then & NowDATE: 13 December 2014
CONNECTION WITH QE: pupil 56-63
All these band people and groups after the mid 60s are of course double dutch to me, as I have said elsewhere, except for Marianne Faithful, whom you mention, Nick. Did you enjoy the concert? I understand that due to ill-health so many concerts planned for her in recent years have been cancelled. I note that she like me has recently had a hip operation and I hope she has good progress in regard to this. I remember well the films she was in the 1960s, including especially The Girl on a Motorcycle (1968) based on a French book (La Motocyclette) with Alain Delon, as Rebecca and Daniel. When I saw it at the cinema I was still riding motorbikes and it was I think then quite rare for girl bikers. I certainly used to enjoy taking girls on the back of my bike including later my fiancée/wife. Much could be written about films also enjoyed at the time but maybe that is a world wide thread theme. My brother John has now returned to a motorbike, recently seen with a Yamaha 450cc.
DATE: 12 December 2014
CONNECTION WITH QE: Pupil 1964-71
Yes, on the whole I did enjoy the Marianne Faithfull concert, although parts of it were rather ponderous and some numbers over-long. As you say, Jas, she has not been in the best of health; she walked with a stick and sat down quite a bit while members of her band jammed away. On the other hand she did a straight two hours - no interval - and claimed to have given up smoking (tobacco presumably), vaping from time to time what what appeared to be an e-ciggy. She did several familiar numbers, though only two from the Stones period of the 60s; quite a few were, as she said, "rarities" and in some instances you could tell why. She was very talkative and had an engaging way with the audience, sometimes employing the sort of colourful language associated with certain ex-Cabinet Ministers. One woman who called out when she was talking was informed that this was not a dialogue and why didn't she just shut the f*** up. This generated much merriment and not a little sympathy.
DATE: 20 December 2014
CONNECTION WITH QE: pupil 1965-72
Nick [reply 1], is the actual date for the Quintessence gig recorded, as none of my year - '72 - recalled the detail? One reckons they were backed by Spice. Ralph McTell appeared with Bridget St John on 25th March 1972. Kevin Ayres was July 18th 1970 not 1971. Gong and Hatfield and the North played on 15th December 1973. Brinsley Schwarz played on 16th December 1972.
DATE: 22 December 2014
CONNECTION WITH QE: Pupil 1964-71
Max - Alan Emond's article appeared in the September 1971 issue of The Elizabethan and he would have been reporting on the year 1970-71. According to this, "the July [1971] dance was 'a summer evening' with Quintessence". Other timings: Pretty Things & Beggar's Temple, Christmas 1970 and Ralph McTell ("an up and coming folk artist"), Easter Term 1971. It seems from your post that McTell (like the Pretty Things) performed twice - I left at the end of 1971 and rather regret having missed Bridget St John. However, my de luxe CD of her Thank Your For ... album contains 8 tracks live recorded in Montreux on 28 April 1972, ie just over a month after she appeared at the school. Returning briefly to Marianne Faithfull [replies 1,5,6], it was interesting to hear on the Christmas edition of Sounds of the 60s (R2) the Barron Knights' take on This Little Bird (the original version of which was missing from MF's RFH show). This may have had some excruciating rhymes - "Christmas pud/very good" and "Christmas cake/stomach ache" - but often fun to hear these novelty items after so many years.
9th REPLY
NAME: Steve Lucas
DATE: 22 December 2014
CONNECTION WITH QE: Pupil 1964-71 (Leiceester)
It is not Kevin Ayres [reply 7] but Kevin Ayers who, sadly, died in 2013 at the not especially great age of 68. The Whole World included a very young Mike Oldfield (a few years before he went on to 'do' Tubular Bells), as well as the late, great, saxophonist Lol Coxhill. The Whole World did very little touring indeed before they broke up so those of us that saw that concert were a privileged few.
10th REPLY
NAME: Chris PerkinsDATE: 29 January 2015
CONNECTION WITH QE: Pupil 1963-70
I was one of those who organised the Kevin Ayers gig. He was a lovely man, fairly spaced by the time he got to the school having performed at Hyde Park that afternoon. Other than those already mentioned, his band also included Robert Wyatt who started the show by using his drum sticks on everything on stage except his drums. Robert is still producing good music. David Bedford was also in the band and went on to produce fine solo albums. The support band at that show was Noir, who were that rare thing, an all black progressive rock band. They are worth searching out on YouTube. They performed a double set to make up for Kevin's lateness. On 20th December 1968, we put on Juicy Lucy with Spice as a support band. Spice went on to become Uriah Heep. I'd be interested if anyone has any photos or memories of these events.
DATE: 20 June 2016
CONNECTION WITH QE: Pupil 1962-1967
I fondly remember the annual school dances and those years that had Juicy Lucy and the Riot Squad performing. Juicy Lucy had the renowned steel guitar player Glenn Campbell who went on to record Never had a girl like you before with the Misunderstood. The Riot Squad drummer was the legendary Mitch Mitchell of the Jimi Hendrix Experience fame. I remember one year there was a bit of 'bovver' when the local hooligans turned up and started a bit of a fracas. I seem to also remember RW Newton and a few of the first fifteen rugby team waded in and sorted these louts out before the police turned up and restored order.
DATE: 25 June 2016
CONNECTION WITH QE: Pupil 1957-64
I was in Rimini in 1966 and saw the Riot Squad at that great Italian venue The Rose and Crown. This was an ordinary bar with a massive marquee tacked onto the back. It was just after England had won the World Cup and there was a mix of Brits and Germans all having a good time with no hint of trouble. The good old days. A bottle of Asti Spumante cost the equivalent of 2/6 or 3/6 with waiter service. Maybe a bit too cheap - the resulting hangover lasted into the second day. I do remember the band as being very good, in fact I had seen them on TV earlier that year, but I had no idea one of the Jimi Hendrix Experience was the drummer.
DATE: 22 July 2016
CONNECTION WITH QE: pupil 1965-72
I have returned to trying to compile a definitive QE gig guide. According to my research Juicy Lucy only formed in 1969 so the school gig must have been a year later? Another OE, Mike McHugh, reckons Cliff played in 1970 as he (Mike) left at the end of that year; he also heard a support band at one gig 'Toast' playing Hey Joe - anyone recall who they were? Possibly a local group. Gigs to date are Pretty Things 1966, Juicy Lucy and Spice 1969, Riot Squad?, Pretty Things and Beggars Temple 1970, Kevin Ayers and Noir 1970, Cliff Richard 1970, Ralph McTell 1971, Quintessence 1971, Quiver 1971, Bridget St John 1972, Hookfoot 1972, Brinsley Schwarz 1972 and Gong and Hatfield and the North 1973....
DATE: 23 July 2016
CONNECTION WITH QE: Pupil 1964-71
Max - thanks for this. I think the Riot Squad and Art Movement played after the fete in 1967 [see 125/12]. I still have in my mind that Cliff Richard (the Christian Union do in the refectory) was a bit earlier than 1970, but maybe that's because I recall his wearing a frilly shirt similar to one he wore to sing Congratulations in the Eurovision Song Contest (in 1968)!
DATE: 27 July 2016
CONNECTION WITH QE: pupil 1962 - 1969
Nick, further to your reply concerning the various groups that performed at QEs, I left the school at the end of June 1969 and, to the very best of my knowledge, Cliff Richard had not yet appeared at the school. I feel sure that I would have remembered such a well-known figure performing at the school. I do remember Juicy Lucy appearing and being very impressed that the school had booked a group that was so well known.
DATE: 30 July 2016
CONNECTION WITH QE: Pupil 1964-71
Paul - Sounds conclusive to me, and not least because, apart from Cliff, I can recall only two other genuinely famous people coming to the school in my time: Billy Wright and Reginald Maudling (both local too). Can anyone think of any others? On the subject of fame, the very good documentary about Roger Bannister, just shown on BBC4, emphasised the important motivational role of Franz Stampfl, the athletics coach at QE for a few months in 1940 (before he was interned as an enemy alien). He was regarded as a full member of the "4 minute mile" quartet that included also Bannister, Chataway and Brasher, although his role seems to have been less to do with "physical" coaching, than talking (notably over dinner, according to Chris Chataway) to the point when you could believe yourself capable of anything. I wondered what his methods were at the school - probably in Eric Shearly's time? See also obit. in the Independent & Guardian article
17th 
REPLY
DATE: 17 May 2017
CONNECTION WITH QE: Pupil 1963-70
I need to correct a comment I made in reply 10. The Juicy Lucy/Spice gig was Saturday 20th December 1969 (not 1968) as I stated. I partly organised this gig, so should have known better. I attach my only piece of memorabilia for this gig - a photo of the poster I did for any 'Old boy' interested in such things. I'd be interested if anyone else has memorabilia from that period. As an after comment: the 'hooligans' mentioned in reply 11 consisted of my brother and some of his friends from a local Secondary Modern school which was not gifted with the same advantages as QEBGS. I was lucky to have Mr Edwards as Headteacher and he allowed me nd others to organise future gigs. The hooligans and the broader community were welcomed to gigs I had involvement with, caused no bother and helped contribute to their success.
18th REPLY
NAME: Chris PerkinsDATE: 19 May 2017
CONNECTION WITH QE: Pupil 1963-70
I attach a letter that was published in Mojo concerning Kevin Ayers and Noir who both appeared at QEBGS.
DATE: 21 May 2017
CONNECTION WITH QE: Pupil 1964-71
The nearest to the Beach Boys performing at the school was an impromptu rendition of Barbara Ann while we were waiting for Derek Fry to arrive in Room ?Y and his not being impressed with such behaviour. However, I thought I'd mention that, this week, I attended a very enjoyable evening with Mike Love at the Union Chapel in Islington, just down the road from where I had forgone the pleasure of seeing Alexis Sanchez score two goals against Sunderland. Here is ML, with Bruce Johnstone on the left, just before an impromptu rendition of their own.