Nathaniel Spice
Well, what can I say about Nathaniel Spice, where would I pigeon hole them,
Looking at them maybe Credence Clearwater, Dawn with Tony Orlando, Slade,
Totally nutmegged I'm afraid.
Looking at their play list or sets for 1974 they were obviously confused.
Dave (lead guitar) wanted to blast out Cream, Wizard, Hendrix which is fine on the occasional Uni gig but before Bingo at Brighouse Working Mins Club, out of the question.
Dave Bluck however was a great singer and he had an idea how to play the audience. He could sing, play lead or rhythm guitar.
Richard was an good drummer, ( very nice guy) capable of adding whoo's and
bop bops to Dave’s locals and like Ringo he could take the lead on songs like
" When I'm 64" or Ob-La-Di Ob-la-Da,
Richards true skill was talking to the audience, as both Dave’s didn’t want to know.
Their agent was Kevin Meadowcroft well known in the local working men’s clubs and he could get work although not the right kind of work for Dave the lead guitarist.
In need of a change they advertised for a bass player in 1974, the year my son Simon was born and at a time when I was missing music and in need of extra cash. They rehearsed in an old half round chicken hut out in the wilds of Sowerby where they could make as much noise as they wanted.
So I applied, went to a quick interview and got the job and started playing right away. I remember the first gig was in a rough pub in Chapeltown Leeds where one didn’t talk to the audience if fact you tried not to look at them and we were told WHEN they start fighting just keep playing.
Spice also had a roady/ lighting guy and a big fan of Dave lead guitar also an avid Cream Hendrix fan, OK that is fine to the right crowd.
In working men’s clubs you play what they want to hear quietly, let them play bingo, let them have a few beers then you can do what you want and they love it, this was about the norm for most WMC's.
When you finish a gig you are always hungry so we would head for the nearest late night Chippie, if on the A1 we would visit an all night transport cafe, one in particular used to sell rub babab's, forget the name of the place but we would meet other travelling bands there.
You had to be careful eating fish and chips out of the newspaper wrapping stood outside a Chippie as guaranteed someone would set fire to the wrapping whilst you were trying to eat the contents, it was a choice of eating fast or getting burnt.
In 1974 acts like Gary Glitter, TRex, Slade and Wizard were big and Spice (or at least part of Spice) wanted to get into this scene.
Out came the black satin tight trousers, silver lurex tops and stacky boots, we would spray our hair silver and the lighting guy, Dave, would change the colour of your hair by changing the lighting.
Dave Bluck and I could see the act needed to change during the early evening spots when in WMC's.
The heavy side of the band didn’t what to know when we suggested we did some Everly Brothers, Peter and Gordon and a few ballads.
It came to a crunch when Dave and I insisted we offer light music early doors, we tried it; it went very well and totally upset the heavy side of Spice.
Kevin Meadowcroft told Dave and I that we, as a duo, were a far more sort after act than Spice and that we should consider going it alone and we could command the same money as the five of us were getting.
Dave and I decided to start working on a light two-part harmony act singing pop and hits of the day in a hope that we could open for the act of Nathaniel Spice. Dave lead just did not want to play anything he did not personally like, stuff the audience etc etc.
So Dave and I needed to leave the group to head on to better things although we did think it had come to an end anyway.
July 1975 we started to work on a new act, a duo yet to be named.
Phone call from Meadowcroft, hey guys how is your new act coming along because I have got loads of work for you from August onwards !!!!! By the way what is your new name, need to get billboards done.
Looking at them maybe Credence Clearwater, Dawn with Tony Orlando, Slade,
Totally nutmegged I'm afraid.
Looking at their play list or sets for 1974 they were obviously confused.
Dave (lead guitar) wanted to blast out Cream, Wizard, Hendrix which is fine on the occasional Uni gig but before Bingo at Brighouse Working Mins Club, out of the question.
Dave Bluck however was a great singer and he had an idea how to play the audience. He could sing, play lead or rhythm guitar.
Richard was an good drummer, ( very nice guy) capable of adding whoo's and
bop bops to Dave’s locals and like Ringo he could take the lead on songs like
" When I'm 64" or Ob-La-Di Ob-la-Da,
Richards true skill was talking to the audience, as both Dave’s didn’t want to know.
Their agent was Kevin Meadowcroft well known in the local working men’s clubs and he could get work although not the right kind of work for Dave the lead guitarist.
In need of a change they advertised for a bass player in 1974, the year my son Simon was born and at a time when I was missing music and in need of extra cash. They rehearsed in an old half round chicken hut out in the wilds of Sowerby where they could make as much noise as they wanted.
So I applied, went to a quick interview and got the job and started playing right away. I remember the first gig was in a rough pub in Chapeltown Leeds where one didn’t talk to the audience if fact you tried not to look at them and we were told WHEN they start fighting just keep playing.
Spice also had a roady/ lighting guy and a big fan of Dave lead guitar also an avid Cream Hendrix fan, OK that is fine to the right crowd.
In working men’s clubs you play what they want to hear quietly, let them play bingo, let them have a few beers then you can do what you want and they love it, this was about the norm for most WMC's.
When you finish a gig you are always hungry so we would head for the nearest late night Chippie, if on the A1 we would visit an all night transport cafe, one in particular used to sell rub babab's, forget the name of the place but we would meet other travelling bands there.
You had to be careful eating fish and chips out of the newspaper wrapping stood outside a Chippie as guaranteed someone would set fire to the wrapping whilst you were trying to eat the contents, it was a choice of eating fast or getting burnt.
In 1974 acts like Gary Glitter, TRex, Slade and Wizard were big and Spice (or at least part of Spice) wanted to get into this scene.
Out came the black satin tight trousers, silver lurex tops and stacky boots, we would spray our hair silver and the lighting guy, Dave, would change the colour of your hair by changing the lighting.
Dave Bluck and I could see the act needed to change during the early evening spots when in WMC's.
The heavy side of the band didn’t what to know when we suggested we did some Everly Brothers, Peter and Gordon and a few ballads.
It came to a crunch when Dave and I insisted we offer light music early doors, we tried it; it went very well and totally upset the heavy side of Spice.
Kevin Meadowcroft told Dave and I that we, as a duo, were a far more sort after act than Spice and that we should consider going it alone and we could command the same money as the five of us were getting.
Dave and I decided to start working on a light two-part harmony act singing pop and hits of the day in a hope that we could open for the act of Nathaniel Spice. Dave lead just did not want to play anything he did not personally like, stuff the audience etc etc.
So Dave and I needed to leave the group to head on to better things although we did think it had come to an end anyway.
July 1975 we started to work on a new act, a duo yet to be named.
Phone call from Meadowcroft, hey guys how is your new act coming along because I have got loads of work for you from August onwards !!!!! By the way what is your new name, need to get billboards done.