One of the problems with researching Albert Bonici’s concert listings is how frequently the advertised bands changed. While adverts would often carry details of events two or three weeks in advance, these would regularly change with a different group being named in each advert. So, while we have an advertised listing of events, it didn’t always name support groups and I’ve no way of confirming all events took place as advertised.
What we do know, however, is that Albert Bonici favoured a small rosta of bands as support to the headliners. Here are some of them.
The Copycats
Copycats advertised shows (they may have played more):1966 – 3, 1967 – 2.
In late 1967, the band changed its name to My Dear Watson.
My Dear Watson
My Dear Watson’s advertised shows: 1968 – 8, 1969 – 10.
The Graham Nairne 7
The Graham Nairne 7’s advertised shows: 1966 – 8.
The Rebel Sounds
The Rebel Sounds‘ advertised shows: 1966 – 5, 1967 – 5, 1968 – 1.
The T-Set
The T-Set’s advertised shows: 1966 – 2, 1967 – 10, 1968 – 5, 1969 – 12.
August 22, 2008 at 5:35 am |
I was informed of this website by Drew Green son of the late Benton Green [Benny] ex Rebel Sounds lead guitar and vocalist. I’m James Shand ex drummer with the Rebel Sounds better known as Hamish or nick name ‘Shannies’.
I fondly remeber playing the Ballerina mostly on Friday nights, where the Rebel Sounds like the other local bands played support group to some touring bands who became big names, the most famous band the Rebel Sounds supported was Pink Floyd, and this is noted on the Pink Floyd website ‘Scottish Tour’ they were up and coming then and were way ahead of any other rock bands of the time with their style of music which became massive in the 70’s. I vividly remember they had a projector and screen behind and during their set projected these psychodelic moving images created by hot oil bubbles or something in varying colours behind them on the screen. Little did we know then how big they would become.
I also recall the duo David and Johnathon who we supported, not because they were any good, but we had a stand up fight with their road manager who was a right upstart and very nearly got a hiding from our bass player Sany Petrie who had a very short fuse.
At that time we were contracted to Abert Bonici every Thursday, Friday and Saturday and played all the gigs like the Two Red Shoes where we supported among many the original Yardbirds , the Assembly Rooms, Elgin Town Hall where we supported the Small Faces, Craigellachie Town Hall, Keith, Buckie, [Monday nights when all the fisherman were at sea] Cullen and odd gigs at the Lossie and Kinloss camps. We also played Trades Park outside Nairn on Sunday nights I remember., they had a resident band a local Nairn guy the drummer was the leader, he had receeding hair, who was he ?
We also played a lot in Inverness at the Seaforth Boys Club and the club at the top of the Raining Stairs, what was it called ?, it gut burned down I think.
We occasionally used to meet other bands on the road like the ‘Flock’ from Inverness and later ‘Size Four’
Im currently working and living Singapore and amazingly work with a guy from Forres and another guy whos wife comes from Nairn who remember the 60’s and the Ballerina, we talk about thse days when we get together socially.
I have some photos I could send if of interest
I hope this blog will raise a few memories.
I will keep in touch.
Thanks for the memories,
Shannies [Broken down drummer]
September 11, 2008 at 10:57 am |
Hi and thanks for the memories. I was the drummer in the Grey Wooly Affair from Buckie and we regularly played the NE circuit from Aberdeen to Thurso in a bright orange Austin J2 van which had no reverse gear. We did a lot of support gigs with Johnny & The Copycats who became My Dear Watson. We eventually morphed into Bones when our singer left to join My Dear Watson, The other guys in the band were Sandy Murray (bass) and Richard Cebula (guitar). I remember we once bought an 18″ bass cabinet from the Rebel Sounds. I now live in Aberdeen, Sandy is near Newcastle and Richard near Edinburgh but we still get together occasionally and have recorded a couple of cd’s in the past couple of years neither of which you will find on Ebay (or anywhere else!!). I still play in JB and The Classics with John Barclay (Facells, Throb), John Riddoch (Levi, Atlas) and David Innes (Keith loon ex Dark Star and All Night Decorators). http://www.jbandtheclassics.co.uk
Hoping to organise a reunion gig with The Copycats, Bones and anyone else who might be interested.
Tom Findlay
September 15, 2008 at 8:38 pm |
as a regular friday nighter at The Ballerina I remember
The Rebel Sounds who were a very good band,
to answer Shannies question about the resident band
who played at The Tradespark Hall Nairn on Sunday
nights the band were called The Sinners & the guy
with the receding hair was the drummer Scotty Macpherson
who still lives in Nairn. Happy Days
December 21, 2008 at 9:18 am |
Does anyone remember my old band, The Accents/ Beatstalkers???
December 24, 2008 at 6:13 pm |
Organ player – Stewart Watson
Used to hump gear for the Rebel Sounds
Geordie
January 5, 2009 at 3:52 pm |
The Sounds gear humper .
January 26, 2009 at 10:40 am |
Well so no-one remembers the Accents/ beatstalkers, well we worked for albert for nearly two years going to Tain one night the Thurso the next, we worked the east as well I remember the Craigellachie Hall.. Wow the assembly rooms in Elgin climbing all the stairs to the balcony where we performed , scared we might fall over. Great times!!
got a real job and retired from music but since4 I retired 5 years ago have formed a band abroad playing 60’s stuff and do you know it has rejunavated me
March 1, 2009 at 4:19 pm |
Fit like?
Does anyone remeber The Beatstalkers? Well I wish I did but I’m, alas, not of that vintage. I’m 27 but have been reliving the sounds of the sixties for a good decade now.
I have a couple of Beatstalkers singles, “Better Get A Better Hold On” on Press and “Mr Disappointed”. I have numerous Poets singles too as well as a boot leg LP.
I love The Scots of St James, “Tic Toc” is about the best 2 minutes of music I’ve come across. “Lights Go Up” by Hopscotch comes close too. For now they remain too elusive (and expensive) for my collection.
Great to find this website, I just wish I could have shared some of the memories…
May 12, 2009 at 11:52 am |
I sometimes got a lift to the Beatclub with the Sinners cos my mate’s auntie was the lead singer Marie. Anyone remember The Electrons?
May 25, 2009 at 8:22 pm |
I remember them well !
Jimmie Dingwall, Ricky, Geordie, Neil. I also remember Marie and the Sinners.
I am afraid my memory needs to be jogged nowadays but when it is memories come flooding back.