CLAYTON
SQUARES:
Terry
Hines (vocals)
Peter
Dunn (organ, guitar)
Les
Smith (sax, flute)
Arthur
Megginson (bass)
Mike
Evans (sax)
Bobby
Scott (drums)
(1964)
February
Named after Clayton Square in their native Liverpool, the band is formed by jazz
enthusiast, singer Terry Hines with sax players Les Smith and Mike Evans,
drummer Bobby Scott and former Flintstones guitarist Peter Dunn. Geoff Jones (b.
16 May 1947, Liverpool) replaces Megginson early on after playing local dates
with two school friends in The Georgians.
April
(12) The newly formed group plays at the famous Cavern club in Liverpool with
the Kirbys, The Hideaways and The Escorts.
May
(18) The band plays at the Cavern club in Liverpool with Billy Kinsley’s New
Group, The Centremen, The Mastersounds, The Hideaways, The Nashpool Four, Freddy
Starr & The Flamingoes, The Spidermen, The St Louis Checks, The Georgians,
The Blackwells, The Coins and The Schatz.
November
(6) The Clayton Squares appear at the Cavern club in Liverpool with The Notions.
(1965)
January (16)
The
Clayton Squares play another show at the Cavern club with St Louis Checks, The
Victor Brox Blues Train, The
TTs with Amos Bonny, The TL’s Bluescians, The Jensons and The Gibsons.
February (4)
Denny
Alexander (b. 10 March 1946, Liverpool) joins from The Kinsleys (and before that
Tony and The Chequers), replacing Hines who leaves to form The Terry Hines
Quintet. The Clayton Squares lean increasingly towards Atlantic and Stax-styled
soul music and maintain their regular appearances at the famous Cavern club
where they play three to four times each week.
(9)
The new line up plays a show at the Cavern.
(13)
The band plays at the Cavern with Kris Ryan & The Questions, Earl
Preston’s Realms, The Black Nights, The Factoms, The Hideaways, The Notions
and The St Louis Checks.
(15)
The Clayton Squares appear at Parr Hall, Warrington with The Screaming Lord
Sutch Showband.
March
(27) Returning to the Cavern, the band plays a show with The Mike Allen Group.
April
(10) Heading south, the group appears at the Shoreline club in Bognor Regis with
The Untamed.
(18-19)
The group joins Earl Preston’s Realms, The Hideways and others for an unusual
booking – playing on the River Mersey Dame Cruise Mt Royal Iris.
June
(17) The Clayton Squares appear at Litherland Town Hall with The Spidemen and
The Coins.
July
The musicians travel south for a theatre tour that takes in the Odean, Southend
and the Winter Gardens in Margate.
September
(20) The band performs at the Plaza Ballroom, St Helens with The Masterminds and
The Richmond Group.
(23)
The same groups appear at the Tower Ballroom, New Brighton, joined by The
Escorts and The Hideaways where they support The Walker Brothers.
October
(8) The Clayton Squares’ debut single, a cover of Farrell’s Come and Get It
backed by Mike Evans’s And Tears Fell, is released on Decca Records but does
not chart despite being a strong mod rocker. The single is subsequently issued
in the States on MGM.
(9)
The group plays at show at the Cavern in Liverpool with Cliff Bennett & The
Rebel Rousers, David John & The Mood, The Hideaways, The Klubs, The Blue
Angel and The Richmond Group.
(1966)
January
The Clayton Squares appear at the Teenbeat Rock Club in Redhill Market Hall,
Redhill, Surrey.
March
(7-10) Having travelled to Germany, the group appears at the Storyville club in
Hamburg sharing the bill with Beau Brummell & The Noblemen. During the
festivities, Alexander dresses up as The Noblemen’s singer who is famous for
his 18th Century attire, while the South African singer responds by
dressing up in Alexander’s clothes. Alexander will reunite with Noblemen bass
player Bryan Stevens and keyboard player Mike Ketley in June 1967 when he joins
their group, The Penny Peeps.
(11)
The musicians move on and perform at the SB-51 club in Offenback.
(12)
The Clayton Squares appear at the SB-51 club in Frankfurt.
(15)
Back in the UK, the group makes its debut at the Marquee in London, supporting
The Yardbirds. Having signed to Don Arden’s management, the group records a
cover of Otis Redding’s I’ve Been Loving You Too Long, which his produced by
Andrew Loog Oldham, but it is subsequently shelved. Further sessions produce two
tracks, a cover of John Sebastian’s There She Is backed by group composition,
Imagination, is released as a second single but does not chart.
April
(26) The Clayton Squares return to London for a show at the Marquee, opening for
The Action.
May
(3) The band makes another appearance at the legendary club, the Marquee, once
again opening for The Yardbirds.
(17)
The Clayton Squares return to the Marquee after a two week lay off, supporting
visiting US soul act, Patti La Belle and her Belles.
(20)
Supported by The Creation, the band appears at Links International Club, Boreham
Wood.
(24)
The group returns to the Marquee the following week, opening for The Alan Price
Set.
(31)
The Clayton Squares see out the month at the Marquee, supporting soul legend,
Ben E King.
June
(4th) The group play an all nighter gig at The "70s" Club in Folkestone.
(21) The group returns to London to play another night at the Marquee, opening
for The Yardbirds.
July
(26) The Clayton Squares return to London to start a regular Tuesday night
residency at the Marquee starting with a show opening for The Troggs.
August
(2) The group returns to the Marquee the following Tuesday for a show with Joe
Tex and his American Band.
(9)
The Clayton Squares play at the Marquee with Gary Farr and The T-Bones.
(16)
The band returns to the Marquee, opening for newly formed supergroup, Cream.
(23)
The group appears at the Marquee with The Action.
(30)
The Clayton Squares play their final show at the Marquee with Jimmy James and
The Vagabonds. Barry Womersley from R&B Inc and The Big Three replaces Dunn
on guitar while Albie Donnelly takes over from Les Smith.
October
(15) The band flies to Germany for some tour dates but splits up by year’s
end. Mike Evans subsequently finds fame with The Liverpool Scene while Alexander
joins London group, The Thoughts. Long after the band breaks up, German label,
Eva releases an EP featuring three tracks by The Clayton Squares recorded live
at the Cavern – Watch Your Step, Hey, Good Looking and Tell Me How Do You
Feel, with tracks by The Hideaways on the B-side.
(1967)
March
(9) Alexander’s group, The Thoughts open for Pink Floyd at the Marquee in
London. In June the singer joins southcoast band, The Penny Peeps, which
features a pre-Jethro Tull Martin Barre and records for the Liberty label.
SOURCES:
Music
Echo, week ending 12 March 1966
The
Cavern, The Most Famous Club in the World by Spencer Leigh, SAF, 2008
The
Tapesty of Delights Revisted by Vernon Joynson, Borderline Productions, 2008
Valentine,
26 March 1966 and 17 September 1966
Many thanks to Axel Söhndel for the pics of the Come and Get It/ And Tears Fell single.
Copyright
© Nick Warburton, 2008, All Rights Reserved. No
part of this article may be reproduced or transmitted in any from or by any
means, without prior permission from the author
I
have tried to ensure the accuracy of this article but I appreciate that there
are likely to be errors and omissions. I would appreciate any feedback from
anyone who can provide any additions or corrections. Email: Warchive@aol.com
Visit: www.nickwarburton.com