May 26, 2006 - It would please me to see your honest opinions here as well as any additional information you might supply. Many thanks. Todd
April 27, 2008 - Serge Bellerose - Drummondville, Quebec, Canada - FANTASTIC, FANTASTIC, OR AS WE SAY - FANTASTIQUE....came upon your site tribute to Cyril yesterday and have spent much of the 2 last days...reading it but more like soaking it up.
Been a fan of Cyril since I first heard him in the late 60's on the Immediate compilation called 'Beginning of British Blues' and then the Alexis Korner's 'Bootleg Him' with a couple of tracks with Cyril; later I found the Alexis Korner 'R&B at Marquee' (Ace of Clubs) and much later - finding the Alexis '1957' LP. Anyway, what I always wanted to know was...ANYTHING about Cyril (!) BUT I never could find much in print back then. I even asked LJ Baldry during a conference at a blues fest in Toronto but he did not say much that I did not already know. BRAVO pour ton site - MERCI et...do let me know if and when the book comes out & good luck with it.
April 23, 2008 - Michele Whitby - Twickenham, UK - Hi Todd, (I'm) researching and writing a book about Eel Pie Island led me to your site; I have just been fitting Cyril Davies into the tale. I did have the pleasure of taking Long John Baldry around the Island for a trip down memory lane the last time he was over here (2000 I think it was). He came to visit Arthur Chisnall, who ran the club, and was a friend of mine, and we all went over to Eel Pie and then for a few pints and a curry!
More info on this project can be found at www.eelpiebook.typepad.com and www.myspace.com/eelpiebook
March 17, 2008 - Chris Bailey - After seeing Cyril at The Outlook Club on Apr 20th '63, I was immediately captured by the sound of the amplified-harp and the very next day went out to buy one. Trouble was in those days 'there weren't much info on blues harmonicas up North' and as I stared into the huge glass case of my local music-store accompanied by the rest of my 'band' it became a question of "which one?" It took three purchases to find the Echo Vamper (in the key of C.) It cost 7/6d.
By practicing to Cyril's 'Country Line Special' EP, and tracks on (I think) an LP called The Blues Vol. I, I, little-by-little, discovered how to 'bend' a note and that was it! Myself and the band built up quite a repertoire of Cyril's and other blues-greats music. As you can see from the '63 gig list, Cyril's band came back to the Outlook another 4 times that year, and the band and myself caught him every time (including the big fight in the coach outside one night after closing!!) Most of the local bands were Working-men's club outfits, i.e not as specialist as ourselves, and of the few musicians who enjoyed playing blues in our 'backwater' town we'd go and watch each others gigs. This was great for myself as nobody else in the area played blues-harp, so inevitably I'd get asked to sit in! To get that 'crackle-tone' in those days I used a mike off my Dad's reel-to-reel tape machine!
Amongst this little 'clan' were Paul Rogers (later Free), Micky Moody (later Whitesnake), and our own bass-player Bruce Thomas [later Elvis Costello and later still David Coverdale (later Deep Purple)]. By 65-66 we could hold our own against any blues-harp band in the country. But, I was at Art College at the time, and continued with my studies, whilst still gigging. After graduating somehow my interest depleted and by that time most of the above and others had left and gone to London and onwards.
Over the years I've had a couple of 'veterans' bands, and still have a case full of harps (now £25 each!) n' mikes which I get out on a Sunday for a blues-jam down my local. I heard the news on Cyril's sudden death whilst laying in bed listening to Jazz-Club on the BBC Light Prog one Sunday night. I was as staggered then, possibly more than the hearing of the death of John Lennon in 1980! So, next month I'll toast Cyril, and regard myself as a protégé of his for something approaching 45years!
March 18, 2008 - Paul Manning - Reading, UK - Like many of your contributors, I too would dearly love to get a copy of 'Country Line Special' and the other three tracks from that elusive Pye EP. It was very disappointing to hear the proposed two CD 'Memorial Album' had been abandoned.
I do have on cd (from a cassette, from a reel-to-reel recording, from a microphone next to the radio speaker) the Cyril Davies R & B All Stars recorded from a live BBC radio programme sometime around 1963, but the quality is uneven. The tracks are 'Country Line Special', 'Roberta', 'Chicago Calling', plus 'C C Rider' and 'Jump for Joy' featuring Long John Baldry (the tracks are quite short - no doubt a requirement of the radio show format of the time, but do capture the unique and exciting sound the band created. Unfortunately one has Brian Matthew talking over the start).
Following on from Mike Cooper's Feb 2008 entry, I formed with Mike the Reading blues band, 'Blues Committee', inspired greatly, as Mike says, by Cyril Davies and Alexis Korner who played at Reading and the Ricky Tick at Windsor (upstairs in the Star and Garter pub) and many other venues west of London. Although all of the other British blues groups of the time also played these halls, none in my opinion, with the possible exception of the very early Rolling Stones, created the feeling generated by Cyril Davies in those few short months.
From recently reading the book 'The Rolling Stones, Origin Of The Species' by Alan Clayson, it becomes clear that although groups such as ours in Reading were considering themselves to be pioneers in playing blues, inspired by the few American LP's available at the time, similar groups were forming simultaneously in many other towns in England and their main influence and inspiration was the enthusiasm and excitement given to the music by Cyril Davies in his live appearances.
No doubt you can let all the guest book contributors know if there is anything that can be done to get the Memorial CD's back on track.
March 17, 2008 - Chris Bailey - After seeing Cyril at The Outlook Club on Apr 20th '63, I was immediately captured by the sound of the amplified-harp and the very next day went out to buy one. Trouble was in those days 'there weren't much info on blues harmonicas up North' and as I stared into the huge glass case of my local music-store accompanied by the rest of my 'band' it became a question of "which one?" It took three purchases to find the Echo Vamper (in the key of C.) It cost 7/6d.
By practicing to Cyril's 'Country Line Special' EP, and tracks on (I think) an LP called The Blues Vol. I, I, little-by-little, discovered how to 'bend' a note and that was it! Myself and the band built up quite a repertoire of Cyril's and other blues-greats music. As you can see from the '63 gig list, Cyril's band came back to the Outlook another 4 times that year, and the band and myself caught him every time (including the big fight in the coach outside one night after closing!!) Most of the local bands were Working-men's club outfits, i.e not as specialist as ourselves, and of the few musicians who enjoyed playing blues in our 'backwater' town we'd go and watch each others gigs. This was great for myself as nobody else in the area played blues-harp, so inevitably I'd get asked to sit in! To get that 'crackle-tone' in those days I used a mike off my Dad's reel-to-reel tape machine!
Amongst this little 'clan' were Paul Rogers (later Free), Micky Moody (later Whitesnake), and our own bass-player Bruce Thomas [later Elvis Costello and later still David Coverdale (later Deep Purple)]. By 65-66 we could hold our own against any blues-harp band in the country. But, I was at Art College at the time, and continued with my studies,
whilst still gigging. After graduating somehow my interest depleted and by that time most of the above and others had left and gone to London and onwards.
Over the years I've had a couple of 'veterans' bands, and still have a case full of harps (now £25 each!) n' mikes which I get out on a Sunday for a blues-jam down my local.
I heard the news on Cyril's sudden death whilst laying in bed listening to Jazz-Club on the BBC Light Prog one Sunday night. I was as staggered then, possibly more than the hearing of the death of John Lennon in 1980!
So, next month I'll toast Cyril, and regard myself as a protégé of his for something approaching 45 years!
March 17, 2008 - Derek Pedder - Chingford, Essex - What a brilliant website. I found it by accident when searching for skiffle. I used to see Cyril/Squirrel every week at 'The Marquee' in the early 1960s as part - a very major part - of Blues Incorporated. He was superb then with his own band - was it the Hoochie Coochie Men? For us youngsters (in the Cyril days I lived in Barking) Cyril really was a blues singer and there were not many in England at that time (or now?). No specific memories except how great he was and how exciting the Marquee days were. Of course I knew none of the history then and the Alexis Korner programmes on the wireless were a revelation. It is just marvelous to know that Cyril is remembered and appreciated by so many people. As you say he does not receive the credit he deserves although some nice mentions from Mick Jagger and others in the recent BBC documentary series about Alexis.
Just remembered a wonderful Cyril quote from Mick Jagger (I think) on the BBC programme about when he asked Cyril how to play blues harmonica and the reply was "you f*ckin' suck it and you f*ckin' blow it and the sound comes out"…That was Cyril!
-
March 8, 2008 - J. W. Fluke (Wayne) - Clifton Heights, PA, USA - I began collecting records in the mid 1960's and it did not take long to find out what the Paul Butterfield Blues Band was all about, and I thought they were exciting! It took until maybe 1972 before I picked up a brand new copy of Alexis Korner's 'R&B From the Marquee' which was my introduction to Blues Inc. It wasn't too long before I found the Legendary Cyril Davies LP on Folklore and many other early Blues Inc. LP's. I picked up many remarkable records on my first trip visiting London in the last week of June 1976. When we arrived it must have been 100 degrees in London then. My friend and I had a mission, we came looking for vinyl. We shopped around various record shops and had a lot of fun doing so. The busiest place was visiting Roger's stall in Soho where we came with an empty suitcase. When we left Roger in Soho, it was full of records, singles and EP's and Roger drove us back to the hotel. Most likely this is where I found a Pye original 45 of 'Chicago Calling'. That changed my life ... thanks Roger! We went home with the biggest collection of the history of British Invasion and progressive music we could find in one visit. What a blast. I'll never forget it. Like everyone else, I am very excited and overjoyed about the (hopefully) upcoming release of the 'Abandoned Album' on the double CD from Universal/Transatlantic. I have seen so many unexplained wonderful releases come my way via the internet; I pray they do not let us down. Keep Rockin'
-
February 24, 2008 - Mike Cooper - Rome, Italy - Hi there, I stumbled on to your web site for Cyril by pure accident. An American that I don't know at all just sent me an e-mail asking me for thoughts about the Blues Scene in Britain in the 60's - of course Cyril and Alexis figure in my reply. From there I'm here. What I mean is I have been a musician for the past 40+ years and I started because of Cyril Davis and Alexis really. They were the first really exciting musicians that I ever saw live. I saw Cyril several times with and without Alexis. I became a blues singer myself as a result and I even supported (maybe) both of them in Reading where I lived. Well, in fact I was a harmonica player in my first musical life - in Blues Committee. I sang and played harmonica - on my first ever record 'Out Of The Shades', as well as guitar and singing. We worked the Ricky Tick quite regularly in Reading and in Wokingham. I don't play (harmonica) anymore and didn't play much after about 1968. Eventually I became friends with Alexis but never knew Cyril as he had died by the time I became a working player. Cyril and Alexis were a huge influence on my life. It never occurred to me then that white men might not be able to play the blues because as far as I was concerned they did. Maybe more on Cyril at another time...Ciao for now.
http://homepage.mac.com/cooparia, http://www.myspace.com/cooparia, http://www.myspace.com/hipshotrecords
February 1, 2008 - Paul Green - Hereford, UK - I'm very glad to discover this site and see that Cyril Davies is getting some recognition. I first saw him at the Marquee with Alexis & Blues Incorporated in early 62. Soon I became a regular, along with my friend Vincent Crane (later organist with Atomic Rooster). We were overwhelmed by the power and attack of Cyril's playing and singing. I recall chatting with him in the gent's toilet between sets.
"It's a great band, er, Mr Davies…" "Glad you like it, son. Not fucking pop music, is it?"
A few months later of course, Cyril split from Alexis and formed the All-Stars. Vincent and I went to see them at a club near Leicester Square during a massive snow storm and freeze-up in the winter of 62-63. God knows how we got there and back. We were the only people in the audience but Cyril and the band put on a great show; 'Chicago
Calling' was outstanding. Definitely a god-father of British Blues... http://www.qbsaul.demon.co.uk
January 23, 2008 - Dave Berry - Hi Todd, I never worked with Cyril Davies. The harmonica player on all my recordings on Decca was Jimmy Page. He can be heard on 'Not Fade Away', 'Fanny Mae' and any other tracks with harp on them. http://www.cryinggame.co.uk [Ed: Cyril Davies is often credited as performing the version of 'Not Fade Away' mentioned above. Please note that this is a Dave Berry (with Jimmy Page) version of the Buddy Holly tune and NOT Cyril Davies. Geoff Bradford said, "Cyril never recorded 'Not Fade Away' -- he hated pop music of any sort".]
January 17, 2008 - Dave Bowker - Denver, Colorado, U.S.A. - Well in the 60's Blues Boom you HAD to have R&B at the Marquee and the EP on Pye R&B label - 'Country Line Special'!!! I saw Long John, Rod Stewart, and the rest of the 'HC Men' at the REX Ballroon in Wilmslow…what a night!! When I lived in Muswell Hill London, many years later, I befriended Long John, and spent many hours traveling into Central London back and forth on the tube. I always seemed to run into John on the platform at Highgate tube!
I am a fill- in host on ALL BLUES radio show on KUVO 89.3 FM here in Denver I occasionally fill in for the main man Sammy Mayfield . Whenever I do this I always use 'Country Line Special' as my theme tune. I get lots of calls asking what it is! I also play special features on British Blues which are very popular with the listeners - Mayall, Fleetwood Mac (Peter Green), Duster Bennett, Graham Bond, Spencer Davis, Baldry, plus many others regularly getting featured. The groove of 'Country Line' still inspires me every time I hear it , or play it , and it sets the tone for the whole 2 hour show! Great memories.
-
January 16, 2008 - Ron Lowes - San Fransisco, California, U.S.A. - I live in the U.S., in the San Francisco area. Where would I be able to view the film of the Cyril Davies performances? [Ed. - These clips from an old TV program may be the only ones. They are being dusted off for this tribute concert in London and will probably go back in the archive afterwards] I had never seen him since I have never been to the UK. I grew up in San Francisco and was exposed to the music scene of the 1960's which was incredible at that time. I did however find a record of Alexis Korner with Cyril Davies blowing harp. That was my first exposure to Cyril Davies.
I have been involved in music since the 1960's and sing and play harmonica. My band, The Blue Souls, play in the San Francisco bay area. I had seen pictures of Cyril playing and was wondering if you would happen to know the model of amplifier that he was using. He had a good sound. I have a lot of respect and admiration for what he did. His life was way to short.
There are many British bands and musicians that I like. The Pretty Things are going to be performing in San Francisco in March 2008. I will be attending that concert. I did see Savoy Brown at The Fillmore West on the same bill with The Paul Butterfield Blues Band and Renaissance. A few years ago I saw Long John Baldry along with some of the members of Savoy Brown and some other British blues pioneers.
-
January 10, 2008 - Chris O'Donovan - Dublin, Ireland - As schools boys making our way into Worplesdon Village Hall, The Wooden Bridge, and the Plaza to see Cyril Davies (who always looked as old as a bush to me), the other brilliant bands and the imported American blues greats…we must have looked odd. What wouldn't I give to be able to have a second look…the odd details (I do remember) do seem to be bizarre in retrospect. We were incredibly young and even getting to Worplesdon was no easy task. I remember three of us riding out there on one Lambretta. We regarded Cyril Davies & co as the definitive R&B band. I still find it hard to reconcile my memories of Rod Stewart and Long John Baldry from those days with what they metamorphosed into as pop stars. Life became easier when the Ricky Tick Club moved to the Plaza in Guildford but sadly by that time things had moved on and Cyril Davies was no longer on the scene. We were still able to get to see the top American blues singers such as Sonny Boy Williamson, etc. The music moved on, the bands became more glamorous; we grew up and went our separate ways with a fantastic set of memories. I hope that a Cyril Davies release does find its way to the market, I for one would be quite happy to pay a premium price for it. My son-in-law has recently copied over my vinyl 'R&B at The Marquee' and some early Georgie Fame's albums so I have something to keep me going.
January 3, 2008 - Eddy Bonte - Belgium - Finally found time to have a look at your site. Great work! There's more info available that one thinks - you've done it all! I will certainly visit your site again when I pick up the rest of the story for my own site.
December 9, 2007 - Billy Dean - Cairns, Australia - I was talking to my teenage son recently about the 60's, he'd asked me what all the fuss was about. There's an old saying that if you remember the 60's you weren't really there.
I don't remember much, and I wondered to my son as to why things you do remember stick in your memory, when so much fades. The example I gave him was that Country Line Special by Cyril Davies was A1 on the jukebox in the L'Auberge Coffee Shop in Richmond.
Why do I remember that? Could it be because Cyril Davies was a god to us mods?
December 7, 2007 - Ian Hamilton - Surrey, England - I was a callow youth of sixteen when, in 1963, a friend recommended going to Eel Pie Island in Twickenham to see a new group, the Rolling Stones. Needless to say I was blown away by the venue, (a heaving mass of sweaty humanity dancing ourselves silly to the raucous sounds of Brian, Bill & Co.) I became a regular on those balmy Wednesday evenings until someone said that if I liked this sort of music, I should try a more genuine version on Sunday evenings.
Cyril Davies with his Rhythm and Blues Allstars could not have been more different. First impressions were not favourable for this superficial youth. This was an old man (31 at the time!), scruffy and decidedly uncool. But then the band began to play! This was raw, driving, authentic rhythm and blues. The band played as though their lives depended on it, Cyril standing at the side of the stage blowing like a whirlwind. Compared to Jagger's harmonica efforts, this was going from the ridiculous to the sublime. I was hooked. Every Sunday, Cyril Davies didn't just introduce me to real American blues, he also introduced me to visiting American musicians - Howling Wolf, Sonny Boy Williamson, Hubert Sumlin and, of course, his very own soinger, Long John Baldry. (I still maintain that one of Baldry's subsequent bands, The Steam Packet is the best live ensemble I've ever seen and heard).
Sadly Cyril was not well in '63 and towards the end of his stints at the Island he had to relinquish his harp and vocals but still played guitar. Often irascible, always committed, sometimes 'cheerful', Cyril Davies led his band with energy and conviction. He also led the rhythm and blues, with the emphasis on the blues, emergence in the South of England.
November 28, 2007 - Danny Thompson - Wotcher Todd…I never saw Cyril play in any situation, during those times I was seriously into developing my Jazz career and joined I Blues Incorporated in 1964, I think.
Obviously "Blues" was my first inspiration and I was well aware of Cyril and his work, only later, after I had established some sort of success as a player I was able to play with greats such as Josh White, Little Walter and John Lee. I would have loved to have worked with Cyril but it was not my time......pity for me!!
Danny Thompson's website
October 23, 2007 - Danny Altieri - Buenos Aires, Argentina - As a BIG FAN of Nicky Hopkins (I am a R&B keyboard player )I want to send you a big THANK YOU and keep the good work it s a great page…all the best.
October 15, 2007 - Richard Forcey - Tasmania - As an art student at Guildford in the early sixties, I remember fondly the regular Friday night 'dance' put on by the students union reps. We only had three records, 'Country Line/Chicago Calling', 'R&B from the Marquee' and Bill Doggett's 'Honky Tonk Parts 1&2'! Never mind, who needed more than that at the beginning of what was a revolution, musically and socially, the like of which has never been experienced since.
We were privileged to be part of it, and dear old Cyril was there in the vanguard. He played locally on a regular basis, both with Alexis, and subsequently the ex - 'Savages', at the Ricky-Tick Club (Guildford Plaza), and various local venues including, if memory serves correctly, a gig at Worplesdon Village Hall, billed as "The Cyril Davies All-Stars featuring Long John Baldry and Rod 'the Mod' Stewart", which would seem to contradict the "meeting on the station" story told by Rod Stewart researchers. Perhaps the ed. can shed some light on this.
Needless to say, all of us were inspired to purchase harps, and 'Country Line', however badly rendered, was considered the pinnacle of achievement!
A lot of years have passed since those heady days. I'm a codger now, and living in beautiful Tasmania, but I still have those wonderful records, and still play them at every opportunity. I can recall clearly the day that Cyril passed, the news flashed round the town like an electric current. When people ask me "Do you remember what you were doing when Elvis died?" I reply, "No, but I remember what I was doing when Cyril Davies died!"
September 25, 2007 - Roger Dean - I'm afraid I don't have that many memories of Cyril, as in those days we were gigging seven nights a week...there wasn't much time for going to see other people at work.
One particular night however does spring to mind. Myself and Bernie Martin (Nu Notes drummer) had a free night and decided to potter down to Soho to see what sort of action we could find. I remember that we had already had a couple of beers in the A+R club (I think that's right!!) in Tin Pan Alley, and were around the Oxford Street area. We heard these great sounds coming out of the back door to the old Marquee club. The back door was open because it was mid-summer and very hot - of course we nipped smartly in, as there was no-one to stop us. Cyril was raving away with a tremendous band behind him, Nicky Hopkins (piano), Carlo Little (drums), my predecessor in 'The Bluesbreakers' Bernie Watson on guitar, I think the late Cliff Barton on bass, and Long John Baldry on vocals.
The place was jam packed and the band were roaring. When Bernie launched into his solo on 'Countryline Special', I swear you could hear my jaw drop in Glasgow!! Anyway, it was a night that I have remembered for over 40 years. That's how good 'Cyril Davies Allstars' were. I have never forgotten them. Roger Dean interview and
web site.
September 25, 2007 - Colin Richards - One incident that does come to mind, we (ed. CD & The R&B All-Stars!) had a roadie (Mad Harry Jeffries) who used to be a male nurse in the army...Cyril had known for some time the he had Leukemia and was given a month to live by the hospital. He asked Harry how long he would give him? Harry replied two weeks. Cyril died two weeks to the day. Not something that is generally known. He had been playing brilliantly the night he died, at Eel Pie Island as memory serves, when he came off stage he was rushed to hospital and died that night.
We're going back forty odd years now so memory is a bit sketchy, especially since I was not a regular with the band but the line up was mostly John Baldry, Rod Stewart, either Ian Armit or Johnny Parker on piano, who incidentally, was the pianist on "Bad Penny Blues" (Humphrey Lyttelton), Cliff Barton on Bass, Dick Heckstall-Smith (Saxophone). I can't remember the name of the drummer and I never met their regular guitar player. I was more into traditional jazz in those days.
I seem to remember going up and down endless motorways and kept meeting "The Graham Bond Organization", as we played the same circuit.
Please forgive me for not coming up with more at this time, as I've played with dozens of bands since as I did mostly "deps" jobs with all sorts of different types of bands. I first met Roger Dean on a cruise ship when he was with The Joe Loss Big Band. I have played with everything from Big Bands, Rock Bands, Country Bands, and Latin Bands etc. I even worked with an African Hi-Life band.
September 23, 2007 - Clive Murray-White - Australia - Sadly, not many tales to tell just as an art student in England 1963/4. Cyril was a legend, and we used to see him play regularly with the CD All-Stars. I was an art student in Guildford, and like every English Art Student of the time could play Cyril Davis' Country Line Special. We used to go to the local Ricky Tick Club; the regular bands on that circuit other than the old black guys that were going around were The Rolling Stones, original Yardbirds, Cyril Davies, Animals, Graham Bond Organisation. Zoot Money, Pretty Things, Manfred Mann, Georgie Fame and so on. We also used to go to Eel Pie Island to see Long John Baldry and up to town to see the Downliners Sect.
http://www.cowwarr.com/CliveMurray-White
September 12, 2007 - Alan (Fred) Pipes - Brighton, UK - I never actually saw Cyril Davies play, but do possess that amazing EP, one of the first I ever bought! 'Country Line Special' was played regularly by the DJs at the Manchester clubs I frequented in my late teens - such as the Twisted Wheel - where I saw many other blues players, like Sonny Boy Williamson!…I (had) read a rave review of Alexis Korner's R&B from the Marquee (1962) and ordered it from Boots on the Rock. In record shops I also found a couple of EPs with Alexis Korner on guitar called 'Chris Barber presents Jimmy Cotton' in the jazz section, and an LP called 'Murderers' Home' on Golden Guinea - recordings of prisoners' work songs by Alan Lomax ('Early In the Morning' was covered by Alexis Korner and Graham Bond amongst others).
Eventually I found the classic blues EP, 'The Sound of Cyril Davies' with the amazing 'Country Line Special' - there's no line-up listed on the sleeve. Every harmonica player wanted to play 'Country Line Special' like Cyril!
I bought Alexis Korner's Blues Incorporated at the Cavern and also found an old Alexis Korner Skiffle Group EP in a bargain bin, called Blues From The Roundhouse Volume 1 (was there ever a Vol. 2?) also starring Cyril Davies (recorded in 1957 and featuring Cyril Davies on 12-string guitar and harmonica and Mike Collins on washboard!).
www.fredpipes.com,
http://www.geocities.com/fredpipes/blues.html
August 12, 2007 - Nick Beeton - Salisbury, UK - Being a veteran (at the age of 18!) of the "trad band era" (heroes Chris Barber, Ken Colyer and Lonnie Donegan) and having mastered the rudiments of string bass playing in a local New Orleans style jazz band I was approached by an acquaintance to see if I was willing to jump ship and join in the creation of a rhythm'n'blues group. Being curious, I went along to the inaugural practice session where this guy had a Philips portable tape machine (size of a suitcase with 3" reels on the top, maximum record/playback time approx 10 minutes!) and played this fantastic harp track - "Country Line Special" by Cyril Davies. I was knocked out by the raw energy and became an instant convert. Our version became the show opener for our band "The Bohemians" and a showcase for our harp playing vocalist. Our band never got around to recording, although the pirate radio station "Radio Caroline" took an interest in us at the time, mainly because of us having a string bass instead of a bass guitar in the line-up and also because we played a less commercial version of the blues every week in our very own blues club 'The Walkin' Dog'.
Some years later I tried to locate a copy of Cyril Davies, but with no success. Paul Jones played a couple of Cyril Davies tracks on his Thursday Radio 2 Blues programme which I recorded on to reel-to-reel. Then in 2002 Indigo Records put out a 4 CD set "Hoochie Coochie Men - A History of UK Blues and R&B 1955-2001" (IGOBX2501) with two Cyril Davies tracks - 'Country Line Special' and 'Sweet Mary' - Heaven at last! I still play bass, still playing the blues, but nowadays a more manageable 5-string fretless acoustic bass guitar.
August 7, 2007 - Jon Wilks (Assistant Editor, Japanzine) - Japan - Firstly, WONDERFUL SITE! Great that you've uncovered so much on Cyril Davies - so much more than "professional" biographers seem to have managed.
Secondly, I'm currently researching the Ealing Blues Club for a book project, and I'm keen to find firsthand accounts and anecdotes from those who were actually there. Thanks again for all you fellows have already done. Great research!
www.japan-zine.com
-
July 22, 2007 - Robin Mayhew - West Sussex, England - …it's great that you are putting this site together. Unfortunately I never had the privilege to see Cyril in action though, of course, we as a band (The Presidents) were aware of his fantastic contribution to the blues scene in the UK. I will ask Eric Archer, who played harmonica for our band, he used to get out more in those early days and was a great follower of traditional jazz here in the UK. He may have a story to tell - I'll get him to contact you if that's so.
Also our original bass player Colin Golding who, as you may have read on our site, played bass for The Rolling Stones on some of their early gigs before Wyman joined, was a great friend of the late Ian Stuart - the Stone's pianist - he may have some snippets to tell re: Cyril. Again I'll see what I can find out.
http://www.the-presidents.org.uk.
June 18, 2007 - Barry Marshall - South Harrow, UK - Sadly, and to my ever-lasting regret - I never saw Cyril Davies perform "live" (but I did see Screaming Lord Sutch several times).
But I still remember the day in 1963 (I was seventeen) when I bought 45rpm single "Country Line Special/Chicago Calling" on the red and yellow-labelled Pye R&B series. Up to that point I had bought Howlin' Wolf, Chuck Berry & Bo Diddley on that label - so with the little knowledge to hand - that Cyril Davies was BRITISH, but also on that label, told me that he must be very special.
And the sound of that harp played over a driving rhythm resonated through my head as the single was played non-stop for many days. I also loved "Chicago Calling" - but at that time was really a nut for instrumentals, so the "A" side got played most!
I also bought "R&B from the Marquee" around the same time...and the next thing I heard was that Cyril had died.
May 2, 2007 - John Joyce - North Vancouver, BC, Canada - 'Cyril Davies had the island blues'- There is famous picture of the late Boris Yeltsin dancing at a rock concert. He was wearing a tie and looked square. Most of the pictures I have seen of Cyril Davies he is wearing a tie and looking square. He was most decidedly un-hip but then he was much older than the mega stars that he influenced. Cyril was about 31 and they: Paul Jones, Mike Jagger, Brian Jones and Rod Stewart were about 19. The latter except for Rod Stewart were from the bohemian, beatnik pseudo student world. We know Cyril Davies was a pioneer of the British Blues and left his mark.
I saw him play one Wednesday evening on Eel Pie Island. It was the first Wednesday after the Rolling Stones had left, probably early September 1963. The dimly lit dance hall was half empty and there was a sense mourning about the place. The Rolling Stones had left the island. The music that Cyril Davies played was difficult to listen to but I do remember the electrical harmonica playing. I recall him sitting in a chair snapping his fingers and drinking from his pint glass. We drank cider in those days. He may have been smoking a cigar.
I have always been attracted to the blues harmonica and even studied here in Vancouver for several years. I do a fair opening to Little Walters' 'Duke'. I think Brian Jones and Mike Jagger influenced me most with the blues harp who in turn were pupils of Cyril Davies. The name Cyril Davies is certainly a name from my youth. © John Joyce http://members.shaw.ca/altusarts/
April 28, 2007 - Allan Bowley - Costa del Sol, Spain - I was just listening to 'Spider and the Fly' by the Stones on our local Radio Station, REM FM (I am a Technical & Production Manager there), and I harked back to 1964 at the Plaza Ballroom in Guildford watching the Stones playing that track and remember the night that Mick Jagger played a tribute to Cyril Davies, who had passed away a few weeks earlier. Joining him on the stage that night, Sonny Boy Williamson, Long John Baldry, Zoot Money and Jeff Beck...if my memory serves me well. I saw Cyril a few months earlier in Croydon and immediately went and got myself a harmonica and learned to Play Countryline Special…starting a Blues Band a year later - CROW JANES, wow! What a fabulous era that was. I am still trying to find the Countryline Special track; no success so far. I had a 45 of it and it was stolen along with my red label Beatles and a copy of the first pressing of 'Come On' by the Stones too: Life sucks but the music never dies. www.rem.fm
April 20, 2007 - Ray Jackson - Oxfordshire, UK - The music that influenced me greatly was mostly on the Pye R&B label…Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley and Cyril Davies. The song that I remember most clearly of Cyril's was Chicago Calling and I still have the single somewhere in my attic. He was probably the most authentic of British white blues harmonica players of the time but died quite early in life, robbing us of further waxings. Sadly I never saw him perform, being in my early teens and too young to visit London music clubs. He however, paved the way for the likes of Paul Jones to carry on where he left off. http://rayjacksonart.co.uk
April 11, 2007 - Zoot Money - London, UK - Sorry but I never met Cyril Davies. Didn't even see him live - reget not being able to help. I have my own opinions on harp players and I think Paul Jones is pretty good. Used to like Max Geldray...but that's another story (Radio days). Good luck! http://www.zootmoney.org
April 10, 2007 - Tim James - Coventry - UK - What a great idea! I have, from cyrildavies.com, learned more about Cyril in the last couple of hours than I knew was there. The links are all great, especially the Carlo Little site. The Savages were indeed a legendary, hard hitting British Band with no competition other than the Pirates and (later) Dave Berry's Cruisers.
I first heard Cyril Davies on the BBC Light Programme radio show 'Pop Goes the Beatles', where the boys themselves played live tracks from 5 pm every evening and featured musicians they liked and admired. Having just returned from doing my paper round, aged 16, I heard John Lennon open the show by introducing Cyril as "one of the best blues harmonica players in the world, and he's British" and then playing the Countryline Special single. Up until then I was aware of mouth organs featuring heavily in the Charts ('Love me Do' & 'Please Please Me' both featured harps) but I had never heard anything like this. I was astounded by the 'funky violin sound' and the sheer guts of the track. I went upstairs to my bedroom, dug out a mouth organ, and, a couple of hours later, I'd cracked it! Then along came the Stones, Paul Jones with Manfred Mann, and the whole 60's blues boom of which I was now a part, soon playing my first gig as a blues singer & harpist with a Coventry band called the Boll Weevils at a local Youth Club. I also was indoctrinated in authentic blues, such as Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee by a local friend and collector called Pete Waterman who later went on to find (huge) fame in far more commercial projects (e.g. Kylie Minogue) for his sins.
I discovered the 'Sound of Cyril Davies' EP and Cyril with Alexis Korner and Dick Heckstall-Smith on 'R&B at the Marquee' LP. I borrowed the EP and (reel to reel) taped it (paper boy school kids don't earn much money) - what I would now give for a copy!
But before I knew it Cyril was dead - and I never got to see him - I later saw & played support to all of the great names of the era including Alexis Korner, a real gentleman who always tried to help youngsters like me, but I missed ever witnessing the person who had inspired me to start playing. I'm still playing now, 43 years later, I sing, play alto & tenor sax, keyboards and a little guitar but the harp is still my favourite instrument and, to me, my greatest stylistic influence was Cyril Davies.
I have, over the years, played all sorts of music - including blues, rock & roll, heavy metal, avant-garde jazz and all styles of harp but … when I play harp these days that's the way it comes out (Cyril Davies inspired); and still, after all these years people, remembering Cyril, will come up and ask me to play Countryline or Chicago Calling.
I REST MY CASE - HOW SAD THAT HE HAD SUCH A SHORT CAREER - BUT HOW GREAT THAT HE LEFT HIS MARK. I should love to hear of your progress with this project, please stay in touch. p.s. Do you have any idea where one can get hold of a copy of 'The Sound of Cyril Davies' in whatever format might be available?
http://www.timjamesblues.com
-
April 5, 2007 - Bob Cummings - UK - "The Club (the Twisted Wheel) was a coffee bar during the day and a 'beat club' at night. One legend who was due to appear but never made it was Cyril Davis. His signature tune was a harmonica instrumental called `Country Line Special' which was attempted to be copied by many of the young boys who had bought their 'Echo Vamper' harmonicas in the futile hope that the tune would just sort of appear - it rarely did. He was due to appear in January 64'. I already had his EP and we managed to get tickets but Cyril died before he got to the Wheel as a result his "Country Line Special" became even more popular."
http://www.soulbot.com/The%20Twisted%20Wheel.htm
Soulbot was put together by myself and Dave Phillips who wrote much of the stuff. As a result of hearing one of my friends copy Country Line Special note for note, I have never lost my love of the harp - I have a Lee Osker that I pull out now and again - usually when there is no one else in the house. I have been known to play it publicly but only very rarely! I am still in awe of Sonny Boy Williamson who I saw when I was about 15 and find that some of his harp playing is still unbelievable - 'Bye Bye Birdie' and 'Bring it on Home' for example.
Everyone at the time was shocked by Cyril's untimely death - we just couldn't believe it at first. We used to regularly see Alexis Korner perform solo - just him and his guitar, when he had a regular spot at the Old Twisted Wheel. What a pity we didn't have the confidence at the time to talk to him.
[Ed. - This quote was taken from a John Gray & Steve Holmes interview with John Baldry (for the Rod Stewart Fan Club 'Smiler') in 1993 - "More than often we'd perform all night long. Someone reminded me in Nottingham a few days ago, that we did the night Cyril died. The night after we played the late show at the Twisted Wheel in Manchester. We went on stage at midnight and came off at six in the morning! It just went on and on for six hours! When I was in Nottingham the guy had all sorts of pictures from the night." To bad we didn't have those pictures!]
http://www.soulbot.com/home.aspx
-
April 5, 2005 - Mike MacKechnie - Like your site very much. We have linked Nick Simper's web site to yours. I spoke to Nick the other day re: All-Stars bassist, Cliff Barton - if only we had some photos of the man! We've searched everywhere and can't find a single one. Let me know if you find one! Nick never really knew Cyril, the only connection he had with him is that his mother was the cleaning lady at the office where Nick used to work when he was a teenager! http://www.nicksimper.com.
March 26, 2007 - Fred Fox - UK - Last Friday we had a glimpse of Cyril Davies on the BBC4 transmission of a tribute to Long John Baldry - it was from the 'Hullabaloo' sessions, I think. It was all too brief and Cyril was predictably behind his harmonica for the whole time.
I first heard Countryline Special in a Coffee Bar in Nottingham some time in 1963 - it blew my 15 year old mind. Soon after I hitch-hiked to London and saw him perform - brilliant, inspiring! I taught myself blues harmonica and cajoled the band I was with to let me do Countryline Special. They finally agreed and I even managed to squeeze in 'Mannish Boy' and a few more of Muddy Water's numbers - the deal was I had to sing soul for we were a bread and butter Tamla-Soul outfit. But I tell you I enjoyed nothing more than playing Countryline Special to big audiences in the Miners Welfare circuit of Notts, Derbys and Yorks. It seemed to go down well - bless you Cyril.
I only blow and suck a few notes for my own amusement these days - but Countryline Special always seems to pop out!!
March 23, 2007 - Alan Pitt - U.K. When I was about 15 (and so were my friends), we decided to start a blues band. This was on the basis of having a record of Howling Wolf and, most importantly, a record of Cyril Davies doing Country Line Special; this started me playing blues harmonica which has been a source of untold pleasure to me ever since (I am now 58). Cyril Davies is, and always will be, my primary source of the wonderful world of blues music -not withstanding my admiration for the great American originators. Thank you Cyril! Love, Al {blowdaddy} Pitt.
March 18, 2007 - Eric Sandiford - UK - I have read with interest your excellent web site devoted to Cyril Davies. I have a web site for Grimshaw guitars; as you are probably aware Cyril used a 12 string Grimshaw in the fifties. The reason for my e-mail is to ask if you would be kind enough to look into your archives for any photos, etc. of Cyril using the Grimshaw - and also to ask if it would be possible to reproduce on my web site. Any help you can give would be gratefully received. I will also add a link to your web site with your permission. www.grimshawguitars.co.uk
February 23, 2007 - Chris Fosbrook - Hayling Island - U.K. My interest in the blues stemmed from about the age of 9 when I saw Sonny Terry and Brownie Magee on a program featuring American Blues artists that were over in the UK on tour. I first became aware of Cyril Davies in the early 60's, barely a teenager, when I saw him on a TV program on a Saturday evening, playing Country Line Special and I was hooked on his playing style. Unfortunately I never got to see him play live, but purchased his Sound of Cyril Davies EP shortly after his death and it was a long time before I took it off my record player. I still have the recording today, but unfortunately no longer own a turntable.
I also remember seeing the renamed All Stars as the Hoochie Coochie Men in the mid 60's and was disappointed when Long John Baldry didn't show…not too disappointed though as his up and coming understudy, Rod Stewart, sung and played for the whole evening. We were lucky in Portsmouth (and still are!) to have a good Blues following and many of the top Blues bands of the day played here regularly e.g. Graham Bond, Downliners Sect, Mann Hugg Blues Band, John Mayall and many more that I've forgotten.
I was excited when I first heard about this site via the NHL and was pleased that so many people have good memories of Cyril and have documented them for current and future generations of people wishing to learn about the birth of British Blues. Keep up the good work.! http://www.fossy7.com/index.html
February 22, 2007 - Geoff Bradford - Enfield, UK - Hi Todd, brilliant piece of work - a much needed filling of a yawning gap. Is there an Emmy for web sites? If not there should be! There is a video about Jack Elliot about, and on it there is footage of the Roundhouse; he would always drop in if he was in England. Hope you are well. Regards, Geoff.
September 10, 2006 - Giselle Rawlins - Peterborough, UK - Hi, I've just taken a look at your site and I'm amazed I haven't come across it before! Has it only just gone online? It's fantastic, and about time someone dedicated a site to Cyril!!! Well done. UPDATE: January 29, 2007 - I've just been reading through your site. It's very good, well done -it's so well researched. I have just made a Myspace page for Carlo www.myspace.com/carlolittle . You should do one for Cyril.
Carlo told me that during the Hoochie Coochie Men time, the guys in the band had a roadie called Reg (Dwight). He later became Elton John. Carlo said he was a geek and all the guys in the band were mean to him, making him do all the jobs. He also said they all knew he was desperate to be given a chance in the band but none of them took him seriously.
I have been uploading music onto Carlo's site via mp3 streaming. You can hear the Carlo Little All Stars remake of Country Line Special and Chicago Calling on there. Art Wood sings Chicago Calling and his brother Ronnie is playing lead guitar on Country Line Special http://www.carlolittle.com/discography/disc-2000s.htm#clas
January 29, 2007 - Roger Emmerson - Edinburgh, Scotland. I was too young for Cyril Davies (15 when he died) and too far away (Edinburgh) though a friend had a copy of one of his records which encouraged us all to take up the blues harp. I met Alexis Korner at a Blues Convention in London in 1968 but was too shy to play for him. How I regret that now. Still, I have become, in turn, an old (though not remotely as celebrated or talented) bluesman still gigging, still consumed with the music. www.thebluesfather.com.
January 23, 2007 - Graham Shazell - I just came across the site and will read it all at my leisure later. Trying to remember when I saw Cyril Davies & the All Stars? probably when I was about 15, about 43 years ago.
I was a member of the 1st Wandsworth Common scout group and once a month we ran the Trinity Jazz club in the church hall of St Mary
Magdalene, very near to a Surrey tavern pub (too young to go in there!!). My brother before me helped run the club & they used to have trad jazz music inc the Temperance Seven. Anyway, I remember Cyril with his small suitcase full of harmonicas. Long John Baldry was there...what fun & no alcohol in the church hall, just those old fashioned bottles of coca cola.
Other people to play there: Georgie Fame, Graham Bond Organisation, Mann Hugg Blues Brothers and the Downliners Sect. Very good/special memories. They also had a group called Them who changed their name to Themselves due to Van Morrison & his Them!!
I have a copy of the country line special/chicago calling vinyl 45 in my loft - red & yellow paper cover - if I had a record deck I would play it. Did Pye ever release the 5 tracks he recorded? available on CD???
January 22, 2007 - Richard Thomas - Kansas City, Missouri, USA - I first saw the band at the Marquee in the 60's, I still have a copy of Country Line Special I bought at the club. It was an amazing time, I tell my kids the who's-who of the Marquee, the players the stand-ins, what a place, what a time. Anyone out there still remember those days?
January 4, 2007 - Terry Rowe - Is there a recording of 'Country Line Special' anywhere? I bought about 5 copies (separately) in 1963/64 and they all got stolen - nothing else, shows the value! I grew up in Surrey, England, so Cyril Davies was the best around! I remember hitch-hiking with my best friend to Richmond Jazz Festival just to see him. Ended up in a pretty small tent watching an unknown band called The Rolling Stones. Sadly my 'gap year' - wasn't called that then - took me out of GB and when I got back Cyril Davies had died, still don't really believe it. Haven't really got into music since - some opera mainly.
December 31, 2006 - Les Fancourt - Good luck with your project. Cyril's career was certainly all too short! [Ed. Les compiled the book of British Blues on Record 1957-1970 - http://www.eyeballproductions.com/pages/blues%20discography.html]
December 27, 2006 - Tony Higgins - Leeds, UK - I read about the Cyril Davies website via Blues in Britain magazine. I have just been on the site and think it is a great tribute to him. I am a big fan of his and do a solo version of Country Line Special, which I perform regularly in Leeds where I live and I have played it regularly over the last five years on The Sparrow Hawk Hotel stage at the Burnley Blues Festival, I have also played it on the Acoustic Stage in Colne and elsewhere. I know several other blues harp players who are fans too. I will notify my fellow blues fans of this site. How about a Cyril Davies convention or special event sometime in the near future?
Also I must join the National harmonica League (NHL), www.harmonica.co.uk. I have been meaning to do so for a while.
-
December 20, 2006 - Michael Hadley - Brisbane, Australia - Cyril Davis changed my life! He was, for me, the discovery of the Blues. It was the summer of 62. I was 18. I had been following the Trad scene socially, but loved Modern Jazz as well…and then the word got out at some of the Trad venues that Wednesday Night was R&B night at the Chelsea Arts College, Kings Road (now, I have read the history of Blues Inc and there is no mention of Chelsea, yet I am sure they played there on a week night, oh well, senior moments…anyway…). I had never heard anything quite like it; I almost pissed my elephant cord stove pipe-pants. This was my music. This was the click track my heart was beating to. I had to be part of it - eat it, sleep it, play it, perform it!
And so I will never forget the first night I saw and heard Cyril. Alexis and Blues Inc. were already into a number. Half-way through, a young shambolic, balding man ambled onto the stage in a white business shirt and tie. This ensemble was covered by a shabby Burberry rain coat. It appeared as if he had just dropped in on his way from work for a quick drink. He looked at the audience, and then he whipped out a harp from somewhere, grabbed a microphone, waited for the turnaround and waded into the song with sounds that are still resonating with me forty four years later. From then on, every Wednesday???, it became compulsory for me to make the pilgrimage from South London to pay homage to the music, the musicians and to meet chicks.
Sadly I never met Cyril. Six months after this epiphany I was sailing for Australia where I formed, I believe, the first electric Blues / R&B band in the country which was heavily influenced initially by Cyril, Alexis and Graham Bond. The band was the Purple Hearts. A belated thanks, Cyril. www.mickhadley.com
-
December 1, 2006 - Norman Darwen - Lancs, UK -
Cyril Davies recalled by Long John Baldry. When I met Long John Baldry at the Albert Halls in Bolton, England in the early nineties, he was tired. He had just completed a show with Chicago songstress Angela Brown, which included solo sets by both artists and some excellent duets. He was happy to be interviewed - but preferably the next morning! Work commitments meant there was no way I could manage that, so it was on with the tape recorder and a brief chat before Long John went back to his hotel. Given that Long John is no longer with us, I am pleased I got that conversation - here is what he
told me about Cyril Davies:
ND: Can you tell me about Cyril Davies - how did you meet him?
LJB: Oh, I'd known him as long ago as 1956, when he and Alex (Alexis Korner) started up the Blues & Barrelhouse Club at the Roundhouse pub in Wardour Street, the corner of Wardour and Brewer. I used to go there every week and got roped in playing a bit of guitar and singing.
ND: What kind of guy was he?
LJB: A very volatile man - as Alex was laid back and easy going, so he was a very, very volatile person. ...(When Cyril died) It was a shock because Cyril was a young man - he looked old but he was only 31 when he died, he looked a hell of a lot older, but it was a very sudden
illness - leukaemia...Cyril was taken ill in the November of '63 and then died in the first week of '64.
ND: And then you got the Hoochie Coochie Men together.
LJB: Well, that was the core of the Cyril Davies Band actually, and then when Cyril died we decided to rename the band the Hoochie Coochie Men.
November 28, 2006 - Wizz Jones - London, UK -
I was a green 17 year old when a friend took me along to The Roundhouse in Wardour Street in about 1956/57. I was already an amateur skiffler just discovering blues and folk and it was there that I first saw a 12 string guitar. It was in the gigantic hands of Cyril Davies. With plastic and metal(?) picks strumming out the wonderful Leadbelly licks, his eyes shut tight, and his voice booming out "Yellow Gal" while Alexis piddled away behind him on mandolin!
Don't get me wrong - it was a double inspiration for me that night seeing Alexis attacking the strings of the guitar in true Teddy Bunn style and turning me on to Blind Boy Fuller and all the great bluesmen. I became a regular after that night and never missed a week. Seeing the likes of Big Bill Broonzy, Rambling Jack Elliot and Muddy Waters was the greatest education a drop out working class youth could ever have!
How I wish there could be such a place to go these days - run on a shoe string with the musicians playing purely for the love of the music (mind you I do remember a few "cross words" about money sometimes after the gig between Cyril and Alexis!) - www.wizzjones.com
November 17, 2006 - Bob Hall - Sheffield, UK - London, UK - I didn't know Cyril personally although I know a few people who did and I saw him play several times myself. Long John Baldry and Dick Heckstall-Smith would have been my best contacts but sadly they are no longer with us. I will ask those old timers of my acquaintance who are left if they have any stories for you. You should try to contact Chris Barber…All the best. http://www.boogie.demon.co.uk
November 12, 2006 - John Scott Cree - Horley, England - I really wish I had more to contribute. I was just a fan of Cyril Davies and that classic EP "Country Line Special". First time I heard it was on the Take 4 slot which ran for four minutes before the 9 o'clock news for a summer or so in 1963. I recall discussing it with Jed Kearse, who ran the record department in Potter's music shop, Aldershot, where my Dad was manager. Jed told me of the Screaming Lord Sutch connection and said the band had too much soul to continue playing with him and moved to Cyril Davies.
Fast forward to 1978, with Cyril long since deceased. I meet up with Jed, now working for Pye, after a 15 year gap. The only one who'd been at Pye longer than him was the boss, Peter Prince who I last heard of running a diving store in Florida, and Terry Brown, now sadly deceased.
Fast forward again to 2001(?) and Ealing Blues Festival with my son and future daughter-in-law enjoying the excellent Carlo Little All Stars and being able to explain them their role in good British music. They played a storming version of Country Line Special plus other classics with Wee Willie Harris and other names. I really wish I could help more, but I was only ever a fan.
http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/johnscottcree/
October 12, 2006 - Mike Wells - London, UK -
The ex-Savages line-up were an amazing band; Carlo Little on Drums who influenced so many drummers, including me; Bernie Watson on guitar was astonishing - he seems to have vanished; Nicky Hopkins was incredible on keyboard - he quite rightly became a legend; Rick Brown, a formidable bass player that also influenced many up and coming bass players in the early sixties. I remember seeing Rick play Chuck Berry's Talking 'bout you in 1962 -it blew us all away! Rick used his fingers; nearly all bass players in those days used a plectrum.
Cyril was a great bloke, a bit aloof from us 18 year olds as he was that bit older. I remember seeing Cyril and the All Stars at the 100 club in London's Oxford Street, in late '62 or early '63. In the audience were Eric Clapton, Mick Jagger, Bill Wyman, Long John Baldry, Georgie Fame and Ginger Baker. I remember a fracas breaking out; Baldry called Jagger a 'bitch' as he had not returned Baldry's long playing records, which was where Mick got a lot of his early material. In those days nothing stronger than Coca Cola was served. Cyril took it all in his stride saying over the microphone - Alright, alright! Calm down girls! - Country Line Special and Chicago Calling were in the charts. Cyril started Country Line on his harp and immediately the future Rock/Blues generation was on their feet, it brought the house down. What a player, what a Band!
http://www.drysch.com/
September 30, 2006 - Joe Beard - Cheshire, UK - My memory of Cyril was booking him, Long John Baldry and the All-Stars for our school 'hop' at the Kings School in Macclesfield, Cheshire in November, 1963. This included (their) backing group, The Velvettes - and all for £75 cash.
I knew John Mayall slightly as I used to deliver meat to the Mayall house - where John had his legendary 'tree-house - and I was occasionally dating the drummer's sister - Alice Flint - her brother was Hughie Flint - so I was a male groupie around the band. It was the night at Woodford Jazz North West that I had my first guitar lesson from John backstage - and there he told me that he was going to see Alexis Korner's Blues Incorporated at The Bodega Club in Cross Street, Manchester.
We all went down on the train and John had harmonicas in all his denim top pockets; different keys obviously. Cyril was also on the bill and Long John Baldry and the Velvettes. I was 'knocked out' with it all. John did a guest spot on harmonica and later I got talking to Long John and Cyril. It was here that they agreed to the gig later. I took a big risk as it was a 'posh' Xmas hop! When they eventually came to our school - I took Cyril to the pub, The British Flag, down the street for a while. I was not allowed to drink alcohol, but still got into conversation with Cyril about the music scene. I told him I was interested in forming a jugband and he advised me about someone called Noah Lewis who played in Gus Cannon's Jugband. I got to know Long John Baldry later when I took my jugband to London, meeting him in the Marquee dressing room and later with Steampacket - he always remembered me.
At Stockport College, a year after meeting Cyril, I founded my jugband - later to be called The Purple Gang - and we constantly listened to (the) records of Cyril Davies and Alexis Korner. We used to listen to Cyril on an old Dansette record player prior to rehearsals. We learned Country Line Special and Chicago Calling - both went into our set, but Country Line Special was a favourite that is still played by my harp man, Gerry Robinson, who does a great job on it! [ed. - see Gerry's Guestbook comments below]. It has been one of our encores from these day in 1965 to 2006 onwards.
I found Cyril very affable and friendly and remember he looked like an out-of-work bank manager at the time - as I was so young. John Baldry was always very encouraging and friendly towards me. I seem to remember Cyril knocking back several scotches - bought by me, until I ran out of pocket money! That night the band were stunning and they actually went down great - much to my relief! £75 well invested. Good luck with the site. www.myspace.com/theoriginalpurplegang
October 11, 2006 - Barry Marshall - London, UK - I am not a musician - but remember so clearly the impact of hearing COUNTRY LINE SPECIAL on Pye R&B, alongside Howlin' Wolf, Bo Diddley & Chuck Berry - [that was something for a start! ]- in 1963. I played it to death, and also loved the B side "Chicago Calling" - & wonder if that is also available on CD.
Todd A. - You're not alone as far as feeling the impact and influence of Country Line Special...one of the greats for sure! We have been advised that a Cyril disc is on its way; please check back with the site from time to time...we will post any impending release.
B.M. - Thanks for the info, Todd - I'll be interested to see what is on the album.
Incidentally, I had believed that at some point Cyril lived in Southill Avenue, South Harrow [the area, though not the street - too expensive!]. But no mention of this on the site, so perhaps my long-held belief, from vague memories, is incorrect.
I've got Country Line Special on a couple of CDs, but never seen Chicago Calling - although I do still have the original Pye R&B single somewhere. How I wish I'd also picked up the EP which included both singles!
T.A. - I also hope they do a good job on the CD! I have in my notes, Cyril's South Harrow address listed as 34 Roxeth Grove. Are you familiar? I also wondered if there were ways to find out about the autobody shop that he owned...any ideas?
B.M. - Yes, I know where Roxeth Grove is - about half a mile from where I have
always lived. But in 1962 I was still at school & my musical tastes were tamer - & the only live gigs I remember going to where Mike Berry & the Outlaws - and Bobby Vee and the Crickets!!!
I did not get into "R&B" until I began to hear the Beatles' "cover versions" - & saw the Rolling Stones, at the British Legion Hall in South Harrow [Cliff Bennett & the Rebel Rousers were the "local" band]. John Lee Hooker played there the following week, I believe.
From covers I moved on to "originals" especially on Pye R&B [the Howlin' Wolf Smokestack Lightning EP being a prized recording]. I used to work in a record shop on Saturday mornings, and via contacts got backstage at Watford in October 1963 to meet the Stones, Bo Diddley & Little Richard, which seemed a "big deal". I remember Chuck Berry & Carl Perkins at Hammersmith [1964?].
I initially thought that Cyril Davies, who blew the amazing harp, was ALSO American. I bought "R&B from the Marquee" on LP - and it is a cd reissue which is playing now as I type this - & the arrival of which, last week, prompted me to look up Cyril "on the net" - hence my coming across your site! You didn't want to know all that - did you?! But what great music, and great times!
Having looked at your site - & re-read you message/looked at your email address suffix - I hadn't realised that you are in Canada! However, I have to confirm that apart from the rumour of local residence [& it was probably Johnny Kidd - of Johnny Kidd & the Pirates, who lived in "upmarket" Southill Avenue [still a gated, private road], I knew nothing of or about Cyril during his lifetime. There was a car-repair and sales showroom in South Harrow, which disappeared years ago - & the owner had the surname Bennett [I vaguely knew his son, a friend of my cousin]. But of course, Cyril may not have WORKED in South Harrow…Barry
October 1, 2006 - Gerry Robinson - UK - Without doubt, Cyril Davies was a massive influence on my early attempts at harmonica playing. This was earlier 60's, still at school and due to be venturing on to Art College. A school-friend of mine introduced me to the Echo Super Vamper harmonica after hearing a Ewan MacColl song called 'Dirty Old Town' as sung by an English folk group called The Spinners. I fancied a crack at this and proceeded to buy one from the local emporium (key of C) cost 7 shillings and sixpence (now relating to 37½ pence in England). So, on to college, listening to more blues/rhythm & blues!
I was about 15/16 years old and a programme started on English TV called Hullaballoo - not the American show. One of the acts that used to play on this show was The Cyril Davies Rhythm and Blues All-stars. Totally knocked out! Who was this paunchy, middle-aged guy doing things with a harmonica that I as a beginner, could only dream about. Soon, I have moved to college and getting to know the guys with whom I would, eventually, form The Young Contemporaries Jugband (who became The Purple Gang). Someone turned up with an E.P. (extended play record - 4 tracks) of Cyril Davies Rhythm and Blues All-stars. Country Line Special / Sweet Mary / Preaching the Blues / Chicago Calling ... aaaaargh! I immediately learned Country Line and Chicago Calling and played them with the jug band. Have always wanted to give Preaching the Blues a good stuffing but always feel it needs a big drive behind it. I bought the E.P. and loaned it out to a guy (after sufferance) who refused to give it back to me. Lost ever since. I have Cyril's recordings with Alexis Korner from The Marquee (along with Baldry - Hoochie Coochie Man etc) on vinyl. I cannot find the E.P. recordings anywhere. The problem is, and I can bet, if anyone brought them out on CD they would sound nothing like the vinyl recordings. When they take the original tapes and remix them for CD's - everything sounds so totally clean and clinical.
Anyway, I got better on the harp and The Purple Gang did a gig at a club in London, circa 1972, at which we did a support to the late, great, Graham Bond, one of Cyril's great R&B contemporaries. No shit, I hammered Country Line Special that night - don't think I played it better before or since. It was meant to be! I remember walking down towards the bar after and Bondy put his arm around me, virtually lifted me from the floor (he was a big guy) and said "Cyril would have been proud of you lad, Cyril would have been proud". That has lived with me ever since.
Sadly, that is about the only reminiscence that I can come up with. I understand from various TV programmes, relating to early Rolling Stones and such, that Cyril was a great traditionalist and not a great deal into the beefed up version of R&B. That being said, he didn't make a bad job of it himself. Wow! What about Chicago Calling? - Purple Gang Jugband
September 29, 2006 - Nigel White, Somerset, UK - I had a look at the web site, looks good. My main memory is hearing Country Line Special, which inspired me to start playing the blues harp. I had to learn to play that great piece of music and I did. I used to practice for hours on end in L'auberge. I think I got quite good at it according to Andy Robert's, who I was in a band with. I saw Cyril play a few times at the Ealing Club before his untimely death. What a loss that was. He was playing harp; I can't remember what tunes they played, except, of course, Country Line Special…my favourite!
I would love to have heard him play a duet with Sonny Terry, my other favourite blues harpist. I had the joy of meeting Sonny Terry once at the Roundhouse and we played some great stuff in a bit of a jam session. Sonny & Brownie were there doing a sort of Blues Workshop. Jesse Fuller was there and a few others, but can't remember who. Those where the days! Memories are a bit dim of those days for some reason! Most of the blues I saw then was at Eel Pie or some of the other venues around Richmond and that area. Used to go and see Clapton at the Toby Jug in Tolworth and Andy Roberts and I used to do blues gigs together and used to have some great jam sessions with Jeff Beck and others.
September 27, 2006 - John Mayall, USA - Thanks for thinking of me for your project however I never knew Cyril and only saw him once at the Marquee with his band after he split from Alexis. Consequently I don't have any stories etc to tell. Best of luck with the website! JohnMayall.com.
September 20, 2006 Tony Parkin - London, UK - You got me dancing along the hyperlinks - congratulations on work to date on the Cyril Davies site - though I note the best is yet to come!
Really good to know that there are so many others out there who still remember and appreciate the man and his music too…the sad thing that nobody mentions - could a bald bloke looking like a dance band leader ever have been really accepted as the cutting edge of the UK R&B boom led by the Stones and others? None of us up in the north actually knew what he looked like - and his single was a cult hit with spotty boys like me, rather than a real hit. I have a vague suspicion that if we had he would have been the next generation's 'Bill Haley'…great sound but looks like your dad. (This is probably sacrilege).
I did have the great delight of a year or so later lighting a university gig by Long John Baldry & the Hoochie Coochie Men featuring some of the All-Star greats... (and a young Rod Stewart). They point blank refused to play behind LJB when he sang his then chart hit 'Let the Heartaches Begin'. They downed instruments, walked off the stage, he turned on a backing reel-to-reel tape for the orchestral accompaniment, and they stood all around me in the lighting cupboard at the side of the stage absolutely taking the p*** out of his chart-topping ballad and performance. Great days!
As a measure of my respect for the man - at my recent 60th surprise birthday party the star present was not one but two pristine copies of the 'Country Line Special / Chicago Calling' UK single on Pye R&B that I bought on its release but was subsequently stolen from me. I had tracked down the Chicago Calling track on a compilation but never found
the 'Country Line Special' which I still rate as one of the best ever harmonica R&B cuts. Ironically someone else gave me a vinyl copy of a US compilation album of British Blues that included the track shortly afterwards, too.......good luck with the opus!
September 13, 2006 - Rod Jones, Bracknell, UK - Reading the site makes me realize that I was a Johhny-come-lately to the world of Cyril Davies. In fact, although I had seen posters of him with Alexis Korner at the Roundhouse, he really came to my attention when Country Line Special was released and became the record to put on the Dansette at parties that year( 63/64?) Somebody told me that he did a regular gig with the AllStars at the Railway Hotel in Wealdstone and I determined to go and see it since I lived in North Harrow at the time. Just as I got ready to go, he had died.
In those days, blues harp on record was a rarity so the EP with Country
Line Special, Preaching the Blues, Sweet Mary etc was played to death. One
of the first things that I learned to do was a passable version of
Countryline Special. Remembering my experience with Cyril Davies, when Little Walter appeared at
the Hammersmith Odeon with Son House in November 68 (I think) I made damn
sure that I went. Which was just as well because he was dead shortly
afterwards. I'm happy to say that my current harp heroes all seem to be in good health!
September 9, 2006 - John Adams, Kent, UK - I've just visited your site re: Cyril Davies. Boy that brought back some memories. I met Cyril, Rod Stewart & Long John Baldry on a number of occasions, I think sometime between 1963 & 1964 when I was playing with Tony "Duster" Bennett. Although we went to other clubs it was Eel Pie Island that really won our allegiance & where we all got our inspiration. Can't offer many anecdotes other than to say that the gigs were superb with Cyril sharing many of his musicians with John & Rod (who was the back-up vocalist in the Hoochie Coochie Men fronted by John)., The Hoochie Coochies were for all purposes Cyril's All Stars but I guess you know that. The band were the best on the circuit & included a finger style bassist who played either a Gibson or Epiphone semi acoustic 335. I think it was a guy called Geoff (ed. - the amazing Geoff Bradford!) who played guitar....he blew me away; he played sitting down & played finger style on a white Telecaster. From that moment I never used a pick again & eventually bought a white USA Tele myself (only because the shop couldn't sell it & it was dirt cheap) which I still have. Blimey…it seems like a lifetime ago…which for many who are no longer with us it was. Bottleneck Blues
July 13, 2006 - N.E.Atwell, New Brunswick, Canada -
Thank you for the education in British blues. It's interesting to read about some of the forefathers of this scene...and here all along I thought I was listening to the creators,{i.e.,Peter Green, Eric Clapton, John Mayall, Yardbirds,etc., etc.} Very well written and documented. Look forward to reading more postings.
July 11, 2006 - David Stevens, Sydney, Australia -
Though I only worked for a short time in Blues Inc, over 40 years ago, I well remember Cyril and his passionate playing and singing, and his total devotion to the blues. Thanks, Todd, for your amazing research and for filling a big gap in my knowledge of the history of the Blues in Britain.
This page and all its contents, ©2008, all rights reserved.