Monday 30 April 2007

Sunday 29 April 2007

Excerpt of Interview by Paul Cross of Sweet Floral Albion Magazine

Excerpt of Interview by Paul Cross of Sweet Floral Albion on line magazine (http://xoomer.alice.it/sweetfloralalbion/SFA/sfa_32.htm)
Paul Cross puts questions to Mick Trewhella:

PC: Who came up with the group's name?
MT: The group name came from Phillip Solomon, owner of Major Minor Records. We wanted to record under "Shades of Blue" but there was already a group in USA using that name.

PC: What sort of music did you guys play live?
MT: Some contemporary (Beatles, Bee Gees, Kinks, Small Faces etc) some R & B and a number of our own songs (which we often got requests for). We had a repertoire of over 100 songs and about 20 - 30 were our own.

PC: What was the line-up of the band?
MT: Original Line Up was:

Michael (Mick) Trewhella - Lead Guitar
Howard (Howie) Dutton - Rhythm Guitar
Frederick (Fred) Bowes - Bass
Roger (Polly) Pollard - Drums

Line Up on 'Coplington' single:

Michael (Mick) Trewhella - Lead Vocs/Rhythm Guitar
Peter (Pete) Lingard - Lead Guitar
Howard (Howie) Dutton - Bass
Roger (Polly) Pollard - Drums

What Coplington was about by Mick Trewhella

Coplington was about a small village with various characters in it.
The real Coplington was actually based on Boldon Colliery, Tyne & Wear (my home village).
People mentioned in the song were:
Jimmy Jake the undertaker really my Dad's neighbour Jimmy Wake a coalminer, the undertakers in our village were actually the Coop.
Mary Wills was Margaret Willis who ran the off-licence shop across the road from the chemist shop.
Jimmy List was an old fella called Jacky Sparks who played piano in a pub called the Queens Head. He plonked on the pedals of the piano so hard with his feet you could hardly hear his playing (which was a blessing usually).
The only ones not based on anyone in particular were Mrs Purse & Mr Jones. There was a district nurse about the time of the others who used to ride a bike but I never knew her name. Mr Jones was loosely based on the coffin maker at the undertakers.


'Coplington' by PERSIMMON'S PECULIAR SHADES.

Mrs Purse the district nurse
Rides to work each day
Never thinking of her life or if she’s here to stay

Mr Jones the carpenter
Making things from wood
Never cared for no-one in his life
He never could

They’re the people of Coplington
Saturday night when they have a sing song

Jimmy List the pianist
Plonking on the keys
Supping pints for all he’s worth
And leching at the knees

Of Mary Wills who sells the pills
At the chemist shop
No ambition to get far
She thinks she’s at the top
But she’s not

Nobody gets very far
When their one aim in life is a brand new car

Jimmy Jake the undertaker
Is a clever man
In a job that won’t die out
And it never can

They’re the people of Coplington
Saturday night when they have a sing song

Cop Cop Cop Cop (to fade)

Saturday 28 April 2007

A brief history of Shades of Blue

The Shades of Blue became a part of British Army history on 20th April 1967 when they were crowned the first ever official Army Pop Group. A panel of top DJs headed by David Jacobs voted them winners of a competition held at the BBC Playhouse Theatre, London. This event was the final of a series of heats held throughout the Army. The “Shades” were based in Detmold, northern Germany and won the British Army of the Rhine section playing their own composition “I wanna be free”. This was the song that also won them the final.

Shortly after the competition, Major Minor label signed them up and the boys recorded their one and only single at Chappel Studios, London which at that time, was also host to the likes of Jimi Hendrix, The Tremeloes and The Who. The lads appeared all over West Germany and had a strong following of both military and civilian fans wherever they went. They took the same route as the Beatles had five years earlier, playing on the Star Club circuit in the larger German towns and cities.

It was about this time the group had several changes. Fred was posted away leaving the bass guitarist slot vacant. There was nobody in the area to fill this so the band had a reshuffle. A lead guitarist called Pete Lingard became available so Mick swallowed his pride and became rhythm, Howie quickly learnt bass and Pete came in as the new lead guitarist. Not long after the group had a change of drummer. Polly left the Shades and was replaced by Jock (Billy) McCormick. Billy was a very skilled musician, quite into jazz and gave the Shades a new depth and polish. The BBC invited Shades of Blue to appear live on the “Saturday Club” radio show hosted by David Lamb in Koln, Germany and this was broadcast to the UK, Germany, The Middle East and Far East.

In August 1968 after several line-up changes and a posting or two by the Army, the band split up. The Shades of Blue ceased to be.

On 7th November 2001 some 33 years later, the four original members of the Shades of Blue reunited again in UK.

Again on 20th April 2007 , three of the four members, Howie. Fred & Mick returned to Detmold to celebrate the 40th anniversay of winning the cup.

Hear The Shades of Blue

1. A side of single
"Coplington"

2. B side of single
"Watchmaker"

3. Live broadcast made at BFBS Radio Station Koln.
"Barefootin'/Ride your pony"
"To love somebody"
"Can't change me now" (own composition)

4. Detmold revisited. Three of us returned to our old stomping ground.
BFBS radio interview April 2007

Thursday 26 April 2007

Lost for words

On the lead up to Christmas 1967 our RSM informed us the Shades were going to perform at the HQ childrens Christmas party. It was not negotiable. Reluctantly we moved the amplifiers, guitars and drums etc into position in the HQ Cookhouse. There was no stage so it meant the audience were at the same level as the group.
When the doors opened about 50-60 children aging from about 2 year old up to about 10 started charging in followed by about 30 - 40 parents, mostly young mothers, obviously attracted by such a popular band of musicians. We had no repertoire for kids so just played our normal stuff. After performing several songs and requests from the adults Fred announced over the microphone to a group of kids sat on the floor almost at our feet, "Uncle Michael will sing Jingle Bells for you". I nearly collapsed with shock as we had never rehearsed this number. He asked the kids if the wanted this and they all started shouting yes..... I turned from the audience and quickly worked out what I believed to be the chord sequence, shouted to the lads in the band, C F and G and after a count of 3 began playing. It was then I realized I only knew the first verse! After repeating this verse 4 times a big mouth kid right at the front shouted out loudly and his voice got amplified over our microphones, "He doesn't know the f***ing words". This caused me to dry up completely and we quickly finished the song.
I think I accidently stood on the child's hand when we took a break shortly afterwards.

Kim the SoB Group Dog

We had a small alsatian dog called Kim. Howie acquired her but I can't remember where from.
We were all living in Army accomodation blocks and dogs were definitely not allowed. We smuggled her
in and kept her hidden from the NCOs and Officers because if they found out about her, she would have to go.
After a while it was discovered that Howie had this dog so we quickly moved her from downstairs where Howie's room was to my room upstairs. Everything was going fine until about 1 hour before a Commanding Officers Inspection. The Regimental Sergeant Major (RSM) came round on a pre-inspection just to make sure everything was immaculate. I hadn't realized but Kim had got out of our room briefly, made her way to the washrooms and shit several times in there. The RSM discovered the little brown packages and went mad. He carried out a search of the rooms but by then we had her well hidden. A few weeks later the whole Headquarters had to go on military exercise which involved being away from barracks for several weeks. Naturally I couldn't leave Kim behind so we smuggled her out on exercise in a kit-bag. Things were going ok, she sat by my feet in the radio truck whilst I was on shift and I let her run round a bit at night during darkness. Then distaster struck.
One day whist on duty in the radio truck the RSM came to visit. I didn't hear him climb the small steps at the rear of the vehicle until he began opening the door. Kim reacted very quickly. She got to her feet, bared her teeth and sprang forward hitting the RSM about chest height. He gave a muffled cry and fell backwards off the steps. Kim stayed in the vehicle but I jumped out t help to RSM to his feet. He was now a nice shade of purple. He to me the dog was now under arrest and instructed me to take her immediately to the guard tent.
That evening both Kim and I were given guard duties as punishment. The following day the RSM told me he had made arrangements to give the dog to a nearby farmer who had agreed to take her. The last I saw of Kim was as we drove away from the location we had been staying at. I sat in the back of a Landrover and watched as I saw Kim jumping like a kangaroo through swaying corn in a huge field. It was the happiest I had ever seen that little dog.