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This day-by-day diary of Cops ‘N’ Robbers' live, studio, broadcasting and private activities is the result of three decades of research and interview work by Bruno Ceriotti, Mike Stax, and Nick Warburton, but without the significant contributions of other kindred spirits this diary would not have been possibile. So, we would like to thank all the people who, in one form or another, contributed to this timeline: Terry Fox, Henri Harrison, Smudger, Phil Taylor, John H. Warburg, Digby Fairweather, John Ricks, Donovan, Harrow Observer and Gazette, Stockport County Express, Stafford Newsletter, The Herts and Essex Observer, The Guardian, Evening Post, Record Mirror, Herald Express, Evening Post and News, Neath Guardian, Port Talbot Guardian, Pop Weekly, Borough News, New Musical Express, Cornish Guardian.
1963
The story of the Cops ‘N’ Robbers, a group active in the lower echelons of the British rhythm ‘n’ blues scene of the mid-60s, begins in 1963 in Watford, Hertfordshire, just north-west of Central London, where a loosely-knit group of friends used to get together occasionally to jam on some blues. Appropriately enough, they called themselves The Blues. The ad-hoc lineup featured about a dozen people including a trad jazz drummer named Richard John ‘Henri’ Harrison (b. Sunday, June 6, 1943, Watford), a folk singer and guitarist named Mick Softley, and the not-yet famous Donovan! “Stacks of people used to turn up once a week and have this rough sort of bluesy blow,” recalls Henri Harrison, the man who started it all. “It was just a bunch of guys pissing about. Somebody would start a number and nobody would know what it was. For ages we played a song I thought was called ‘Parsnip Farm,’ but it turned out to be ‘Parchman Farm’! I’d never heard of Mose Allison.” “Henri tried to interest me in his group when it was called The Blues,” also recalls the Cops future organ player Terry Fox who had played trad jazz together with Henri and trumpet player Robert ‘Pops’ Kerr back in 1962. “But though it was exciting, it was bluesically a mess. Mick Softley and Donovan Leitch were in it and six or seven other people. Folkies. They played blues but were too lightweight for Chicago style British R&B.”
January 1964
At the dawn of the new year, after a few months of rather aimless fun, Henri Harrison decided it would be a good idea to organise some of the players into a more formal rhythm ‘n’ blues combo and try to get some gigs. “He wanted to form a Rolling Stones type group, not only to emulate their kind of music but, hopefully, their fame and fortune too,” explains Terry Fox. The first musician recruited by Harrison was his old friend Keith Robert Canadine, aka ‘Keef Cannabis’ (for obvious reasons) (b. Tuesday, May 18, 1943, New York City, New York), an harmonica player who had first met Harrison a couple of years earlier in the Room 15 Club in St. Albans, Hertfordshire. It was an advert in the Police Times and a trade paper, that brought along a bass player named Stephen George ‘Steve’ Smith (b. Saturday, September 13, 1947, Deal, Kent), although the others have never discovered which paper was responsible. The next recruited was the singer Brian James Smith, aka ‘Smudge,’ aka ‘Smudger’ (b. Monday, September 15, 1941, Bushey, Hertfordshire), who was found starving over a pint of bitter in a local pub one evening, and he previously had played with a number of rock groups. The last two recruited were guitarist Brian ‘Chuck’ Raines and piano player Barry Jenkins. The fledgling sextet started off still calling themselves The Blues “but that didn’t sound a good name so we started to think of something else,” recalls Smudger. It was at that point that Barry Jenkins came up with a way better name, Cops ‘N’ Robbers, after a Bo Diddley song from 1956. “The name was meant to be written as: Cops ‘n’ Robbers, with a little n, but when Henri bought the stickers to stick the name on his kick drum, the shop only had big Ns left, so that’s why everyone puts Cops ‘N Robbers. Ha,” explains Terry Fox.
COPS ‘N’ ROBBERS #1 (JANUARY 1964 - JUNE 1964)
1) Keith Canadine mouth harp maracas, tambourine, backing vocals
2) Steve Smith bass, guitar, mouth harp, spoons, piano, backing vocals
3) Henri Harrison drums, violin, washboard
4) ‘Smudger’ lead vocals, trumpet
5) Brian ‘Chuck’ Raines lead guitar
6) Brian Jenkins piano
1) Keith Canadine mouth harp maracas, tambourine, backing vocals
2) Steve Smith bass, guitar, mouth harp, spoons, piano, backing vocals
3) Henri Harrison drums, violin, washboard
4) ‘Smudger’ lead vocals, trumpet
5) Brian ‘Chuck’ Raines lead guitar
6) Brian Jenkins piano
March 1964
It was an advert placed by the Cops in a trade paper that prompted Rodney Saxon, the owner of the Studio Jazz Club in Westcliff-on-Sea, to travel to Watford to hear the band. The audition was held at the Hertfordshire Arms on St Albans Road, and evrything, but everything went wrong, the guitar strings broke, the organ fell off the stage, the drummer’s stool collapsed, nevertheless a date was still offered, but it was not until June. The boys gladly accepted and continued working and practising whenever possible.
June 1964
William Terry Fox (b. Monday, February 2, 1942, Watford) replaced Brian Jenkins (who went to form a “rival” rhythm ‘n’ blues band called Paul’s Disciples). “When Henri had sorted out a better line-up and had got an offer of a management contract, I was persuaded to leave my jazz quartet, the Giles-Fox Hot Four, to play blues piano for him,” recalls Terry Fox.
It was an advert placed by the Cops in a trade paper that prompted Rodney Saxon, the owner of the Studio Jazz Club in Westcliff-on-Sea, to travel to Watford to hear the band. The audition was held at the Hertfordshire Arms on St Albans Road, and evrything, but everything went wrong, the guitar strings broke, the organ fell off the stage, the drummer’s stool collapsed, nevertheless a date was still offered, but it was not until June. The boys gladly accepted and continued working and practising whenever possible.
June 1964
William Terry Fox (b. Monday, February 2, 1942, Watford) replaced Brian Jenkins (who went to form a “rival” rhythm ‘n’ blues band called Paul’s Disciples). “When Henri had sorted out a better line-up and had got an offer of a management contract, I was persuaded to leave my jazz quartet, the Giles-Fox Hot Four, to play blues piano for him,” recalls Terry Fox.
COPS ‘N’ ROBBERS #2 (JUNE 1964 - SEPTEMBER 1964)
1) Keith Canadine
2) Steve Smith
3) Henri Harrison
4) ‘Smudger’
5) Brian ‘Chuck’ Raines
6) Terry Fox piano, organ, guitar, sousaphone, alto sax
Cops 'n' Robbers #2, 1964 - from left: Steve SMith, Smudger, Keith Canadine, Henri Harrison, Brian Raines, and Terry Fox
June 1964: Studio Jazz Club, Station Road just east of Palmeira Avenue, Westcliff-on-Sea, Southend-on-Sea, Essex
After three months since their audition, the Cops finally played their first gig (ever?) at the Studio Jazz Club, an old brownstone house that had exterior steps from the street up into the upper room and then you could go down to the jazz cellar, which was very dark, and very long, and it had sofas and a wonderful jukebox with lots of jazz records on it. It was a very romantic place to be and was owned by Rodney Saxon and his wife Vicky. “[After the gig] the local paper described Cops as ‘the Group That Has Hit Southend Like a Bomb’. It was exciting, but I do recall feeling jarred off because we were playing fewer blues numbers than Henry had promised me; more Chuck Berry tha Muddy Waters” recalls Terry Fox. “But the success of it was a thrill. Smudger Smith was a rocker really, an amazing singer, and second only to James Brown and PJ Proby at working an audience. [He was] second only to them because we played on smaller stages.” As Terry said, the gig was a blast and in fact Rodney Saxon not only offered the band a regular gig there but he became their manager too, in partnership with songwriter and producer Peter Eden.
Cops 'n' Robbers #2, Studio Jazz Club, June 1964 - from left: left to right Steve Smith, Henri Harrison, Keith Canadine, Terry Fox (hidden behind singer Smudger), Smudger Smith, Brian Raines
June or July 1964: Studio Jazz Club, Station Road just east of Palmeira Avenue, Westcliff-on-Sea, Southend-on-Sea, Essex
The not-yet famous Donovan, an old friend of the group, attended one of the band regular gigs there and they encouraged him to perform during one of their breaks. “We all jumped in our cars and vans and motorbikes, or hitchhiked to go to a gig in Southend - a good few hours from where we were living,” recalled Donovan. “We arrived at the club and the two managers were there - Geoff Stephens and Peter Eden - who were the scouts looking to sign the Cops'n Robbers as a rhythm and blues event. The whole audience consisted of us, and we were all completely gone—smokin' joints, drinkin' wine and beer and having a great old time. I'd put a few pints away that evening myself. I was asked to sing in the interval and I got up and managed to get through probably a half-a-dozen songs, and Geoff Stephens gave me his telephone number and told me to call and said he wanted to meet me up in London.” Eventually, Donovan scored management deal with Stephens and Eden.
Sunday, July 5, 1964: The Cellar Club, 22a High Street, Kingston upon Thames, Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames, Greater London
Sunday, July 12, 1964: Beach Club, Byron Hotel, Ruislip Road, Greenford, London Borough of Ealing, Greater London
Also on the bill: Group One.
Sunday, August 16, 1964: The Attic Club, 1a High Street, Hounslow, London Borough of Hounslow, Greater London
Also on the bill: Phil Jay introduces Miss Rona Lee Jay.
August or September 1964: Jackson Recording Studios, 13 Denham Way, Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire
The Cops first recording session was a six-track demo cut at the Jackson Recording Studios, a tiny recording studio initially founded by disc jockey Jack Jackson to record his radio shows, and later taken over by his sons Malcolm and John. “It was paid for by our manager Rodney Saxon and co-produced by the Jackson brothers and our co-manager Peter Eden,” recalls Terry Fox. The resultant recordings were pressed up on a small number of 10-inch acetate LPs which were circulated to record companies and booking agencies. “That got us a five-year contract with Decca,” continues Fox. “Pete Eden’s friend, a song-writer and producer called Geoff Stephens, who was a friend of Mike Leander (aka Micky Farr), an up-and-coming young producer at Decca, negotiated our contract.” By the way, the six tracks recorded that day were a cover of John Lee Hooker’s ‘Boom Boom,’ a cover of Bo Diddley’s ‘Here ‘Tis,’ a cover of Muddy Waters’ ‘Baby Please Don’t Go,’ and three covers of Chuck Berry: ‘Let It Rock (Rockin’ On The Railroad),’ ‘Down The Road Apiece,’ and ‘Betty Jean.’
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September 1964
The band become a five piece after Brian Raines left and Smudger “replaced” him handling rhythm guitar duties. “Brian Raines left shortly after we signed our management contract in September 1964,” recalls Terry Fox. “He’d landed the office job he’s hankered after, and jacked in playing music for a living to take it up. We were suddenly without a guitarist and had gigs to do. Smudger volunteered to play rhythm guitar as a stop gap. Life being what happens while you’re making other plans.” Apparently, Brian Raines later suffered some serious health problems and not long afterwards he died.
COPS ‘N’ ROBBERS #3 (SEPTEMBER 1964 - JULY 1965)
1) Keith Canadine
2) Steve Smith
3) Henri Harrison
4) ‘Smudger’ now also on rhythm guitar
5) Terry Fox
1) Keith Canadine
2) Steve Smith
3) Henri Harrison
4) ‘Smudger’ now also on rhythm guitar
5) Terry Fox
Cops 'n' Robbers #3
Cops 'n' Robbers #3
Cops 'n' Robbers #3
Neath Guardian (May 14, 1965)
Friday, November 6, 1964
Cops ‘N’ Robbers’ debut single, ‘St. James’ Infirmary / There’s Gotta Be A Reason’ (Decca F 12019), was released in the UK. The disc was produced by Mike Leander. The topside was a cover of an American blues song and jazz standard of uncertain origin that was made famous by Louis Armstrong in 1928, while the flipside was an original written by Geoff Stephens and Mike Leander. “Groups were told what to record in those days,” recalls Terry Cox. “Mike Leander got it in his head that the time was right for ‘St. James Infirmary’ to make the charts. The song’s similarity to The Animals ‘House of the Rising Sun’ won’t pass unnoticed. Smudger and I had written a couple of songs then and were expecting to have the B-side. We were told our songs were ‘too good for B-sides’ and, surprise, surprise, we did ‘There’s Gotta Be a Reason’ – a Stephens/Farr composition! It is useful to remember the B-sides of singles generated the same money as A-sides. Donovan was there, sitting in a corner watching. We cut both sides in three hours. Our time was up at midnight. As we left Lulu and The Luvvers were coming in for their session.”
Harrow Observer and Gazette (November 5, 1964)
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Pop Weekly (February 12, 1965)
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November 1964
Cops ‘N’ Robbers’ debut single, ‘St. James’ Infirmary / There’s Gotta Be A Reason’ (Parrot 45-9716 / 45 PAR 9716V (promo)), was released in the US.
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Monday, December 7, 1964: ‘Festival of Beat,’ Bath Pavilion, North Parade Road, Bath, North East Somerset
Also on the bill: The Herd, The Redcaps, Peters Faces, Colin Anthony and his Beat Combo, The Mariners, The Sleepwalkers, The Spectres.
Friday, January 1, 1965: Wykeham Hall, Market Place, Romford, London Borough of Havering, Greater London
The Cops played two 45-minute sets.
Saturday, January 16, 1965: ‘Special All Nite Rave,’ Club Noreik, High Road, Tottenham, London Borough of Haringey, Greater London
One show, from 12 midnight to 6am.
Sunday, January 31, 1965: Pigalle, 190 Piccadilly, St James’s, City of Westminster, Greater London
Also on the bill: Georgie Fame and the Blue Flames. The show, which started at 7:30pm, was presented by Malcolm A. Rose.
Saturday, February 6, 1965: Corn Exchange, Tindal Square, Chelmsford, Essex
Also on the bill: Dave Davani and the D. Men. One show, from 8pm to 11:30pm.
February 14, 1965: Bird Cage Club, Kimbells Ballroom, Osborne Road, Southsea, Portsmouth, Hampshire
Also on the bill: J Crow Combo.
Friday, February 26, 1965
Terry Fox and Smudger penned together a song titled ‘Oh My Love’ which was recorded by the Artwoods and released today in the UK on their single, ‘Oh My Love / Big City’ (Decca F 12091).
Thursday, March 4, 1965: Bromel Club, Bromley Court Hotel, Bromley Hill, Bromley, Kent
Friday, March 5, 1965: Kingfisher Club, 25a Warren Street, Andrew Square, Stockport, Greater Manchester
Saturday, March 6, 1965: Twisted Wheel, 26 Brazennose Street off Albert Square, Manchester, Greater Manchester
Also on the bill: Buddy Guy (7pm - 11pm, 12 midnight - 6:30am), Rod Stewart and The Soul Agents (12 midnight - 6:3oam). “We actually backed Buddy Guy as well as playing our own sets for the early session [7 to 11pm],” recalls Terry Fox, “Rod Stewart turned up because he was travelling separately, but the Soul Agents were broken down on the road somewhere and we were asked to stand in for them. They got there in time to play the all nighter [12 to 6:30am], however, when they backed Buddy as well as playing their own sets.”
Sunday, March 7, 1965: The Place, 67 Bryan Street, Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire
One show, from 8:00pm to 12 midnight.
Sunday, March 14, 1965: Imperial Club, Market Street, Eastleigh, Hampshire
Saturday, March 27, 1965: ‘Bunny Hop,’ Rhodes Centre, 1-3 South Road, Bishop’s Stortford, Hertfordshire
Also on the bill: The Who. The show, which lasted from 8:00pm to 12 midnight, was presented by Mark Gold Promotions. “The Who were a fab group to work with,” recalls Terry Fox. “Fantastic. Wonderful musicians. Wonderful songs, and lovely, friendly, grounded geezers. The first gig we opened for them, at Bishops Stortford in 1965, the stage was too small for two bands’ worth of gear. Keith Moon lent Henri his kit. Moonie loved our lead singer Smudger Smith. ‘I love you, man,’ he told him. ‘You loon about like I do.’”
Sunday, April 18, 1965: Redcar Jazz Club, Coatham Hotel, Redcar, North Yorkshire
Also on the bill: Tony Knight’s Chessmen.
April or May 1965
The Cops ‘N’ Robbers and Decca Records ended their contract after just one single and the band soon moved to Pye Records. “Mike Leander was convinced ‘St James’ would be a hit. It wasn’t, but it did enough for Decca to want to get another single out. We recorded some tracks, but were moved across to Pye without them being released,” recalls Terry Fox. “ We went to Pye because Geoff Stephens and Peter Eden had got a contract with them to produce Donovan and they pulled us across because Pete wanted to produce us as well. I would have stayed with Decca. Mike Leander had got a lot of edge as a producer, and I liked that. He was the only bloke other than George Martin to arrange a song for the Beatles – ‘She’s Leaving Home’.”
Saturday, May 1, 1965: Flamingo Ballroom, Illogan Highway, Pool, b/w Redruth and Camborne, Cornwall
Also on the bill: The Misfits.
May 1965: unknown venue, Newport, South Wales
Started tonight, the Cops ‘N’ Robbers secured a coveted spot backing John Lee Hooker for a two week UK tour, which Henri Harrison describes as “an incredible experience.” “A lot of 'authentic' R&B bands were pissed off that we got it," he sneers, “’cos we used to wear pink trousers and dye our hair and more authentic blues bands were supposed to be more subdued in their dress!”
Wednesday, May 12, 1965: Bromel Club, Bromley Court Hotel, Bromley Hill, Bromley, Kent
The Cops backed John Lee Hooker tonight.
Friday, May 14, 1965: Ricky Tick club, Plaza Ballroom, Onslow Street, Guildford, Surrey
The Cops backed John Lee Hooker tonight. Also on the bill: John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers.
Saturday, May 15, 1965: Plaza Ballroom, Onslow Street, Guildford, Surrey
The Cops backed John Lee Hooker tonight.
Wednesday, May 19, 1965: Queens Hall, Morley Street, Bradford, West Yorkshire
The Cops backed John Lee Hooker tonight.
Thursday, May 20, 1965: Manor Lounge, Wellington Road South, Stockport, Greater Manchester
The Cops backed John Lee Hooker tonight.
May or June 1965: Flamingo Club, 33-37 Wardour Street, Soho, City of Westminster, Greater London
The Cops backed John Lee Hooker tonight.
Friday, June 4, 1965
The Cops ‘N’ Robbers’ second single, ‘I Could Have Danced All Night / Just Keep Right On’ (Pye 7N 15870), was released in the UK. The flipside was an original penned by Terry Fox and Smudger, while the topside was a cover of a song from the musical My Fair Lady with music written by Frederick Loewe and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner, published in 1956. “It was Peter Eden’s idea to do that as a bossa nova and I thought it was fuckin’ awful!,” exclaims Henri Harrison. “It was totally a management idea to try anything to get a pop it.” “‘I Could Have Danced All Night’. Whoah! It’s a shocker, isn’t it?!,” also exclaims Terry Fox. “I played alto sax on that. I’d only had it a few weeks. Smudger played the trumpet as well as singing. It was Pete Eden’s idea to record this song. Pete was always one for novelty, the surprise element. He knew Smudger liked Ben E King who had recorded this song on an album. I was so scornful of it I didn’t bother to listen to the King version. Stupid of me as it turned out because there’s some great boogie piano on it that would have perhaps redeemed it for me.” The disc was produced by Peter Eden and Geoff Stephens. “I love Pete,” continues Fox. “We got back in touch after 50 years. He’s a great rarity in the music business, a man of faith, as honest as the day is long. He masterminded Donovan’s success, introduced Don to jazz and produced some wonderful records for Don, and became a great jazz and folk producer. But when he was recording Cops ‘n’ Robbers, Pete was new to the game of recording groups, learning the business, and there wasn’t a budget for retakes, etc. We were all making it up as we went along in those days. [We were] setting the precedents that other groups were to follow.”
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Friday, June 4, 1965 (?): ‘Ready, Steady, Go!,’ ITV-Rediffusion TV Show, Studio 5, Wembley Studios, 128 Wembley Park Drive, Wembley, London Borough of Brent, Greater London
According to Terry Fox, halfway through their tour as backing band of John Lee Hooker (May-June), the Cops performed their latest single ‘I Could Have Danced All Night’ on Ready, Steady, Go!, a pioneering British rock and pop music television programme which used to aired live every Friday evening from 6:08pm to 7pm, and which was hosted by Cathy McGowan. Although no documentation exist, probably because the Cops filled in at last minute unscheduled, it was probably today that the band made their first and only appearance on RSG, supposedly because: 1) Their new single was released today and 2) Donovan made also an appearance on today episode and both acts shared the same management.
New Musical Express (June 4, 1965)
Saturday, June 5, 1965: Twisted Wheel, 26 Brazennose Street off Albert Square, Manchester, Greater Manchester
Also on the bill: John Lee Hooker (backed by the Cops) (7pm - 11pm, 12 midnight - 6:30am), The Blues Giants (12 midnight - 6:3oam).
Sunday, June 6, 1965: Gyro Club, Troutbeck Hotel, Crossbeck Road, Ilkley, Bradford, West Yorkshire
The Cops backed John Lee Hooker tonight.
Tuesday, June 8, 1965: The Corn Exchange, Corn Street, Bristol, Glouchestershire
The Cops backed John Lee Hooker tonight.
Sunday, June 13, 1965: Whitehall Club, The Whitehall, London Road, East Grinstead, West Sussex
The Cops backed John Lee Hooker tonight. One show, from 8pm to 10:45pm.
Thursday, June 24, 1965: ‘Keystone Cops Ball,’ Ritz Entertainments Club, Skewen, Neath Port Talbot, Wales
Also on the bill: The Smokestacks.
Saturday, June 26, 1965: Town Hall, Station Road, Clacton-on-Sea, Essex
Also on the bill: Jeff Curtis and the Flames.
Sunday, July 4, 1965: The Place, 67 Bryan Street, Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire
One show, from 8:00pm to 12 midnight.
July 1965
The Cops ‘N’ Robbers’ second single, ‘I Could Have Danced All Night / Just Keep Right On’ (Pye 45-PV. 15211), was released in France apparently as a jukebox issue.
July 1965
The band fired Keith Canadine and became a four piece for “economic reasons” (according to Terry Fox).
COPS ‘N’ ROBBERS #4 (JULY 1965 - OCTOBER 1965)
1) Steve Smith
2) Henri Harrison
3) ‘Smudger’
4) Terry Fox
1) Steve Smith
2) Henri Harrison
3) ‘Smudger’
4) Terry Fox
Cops 'n' Robbers #4
Cops 'n' Robbers #4
Cops 'n' Robbers #4
Cops 'n' Robbers #4
Saturday, July 24, 1965: Public Hall, Collingwood Road, Witham, Braintree, Essex
Also on the bill: The Pretty Things, The Senates.
Thursday, August 5, 1965: Empire Social Club, The Ropewalk, Neath, Neath Port Talbot, Wales
Also on the bill: The Wild Ones. One show, from 8:00pm to 11:30pm.
Saturday, August 21, 1965: California Ballroom, Whipsnade Road, Dunstable, Bedfordshire
Also on the bill: Shelley, The Johnnie Cousin Combo.
Monday, August 23, 1965
The Cops ‘N’ Robbers’ third and last single, ‘It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue / I Found Out’ (Pye 7N 15928), was released in the UK. The flipside was another original penned by Terry Fox and Smudger, while the topside was a cover of Bob Dylan. “Pete Eden’s idea and production,” points out Terry Fox, “I love Smudger’s singing of that great Dylan song. Not even Van Morrison made as good a job of it. I wasn’t happy about my one-take organ solo. I just laid it down to check the sound out, but Pete said, ‘No. no. Leave it. It’s great.’” The disc was produced by Geoff Stephens and Peter Eden.
Record Mirror (September 11, 1965)
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August 1965
The Cops ‘N’ Robbers’ second single, ‘I Could Have Danced All Night / Just Keep Right On’ (Coral 62462), was released in the US.
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August 1965
The Cops ‘N’ Robbers’ first and only EP, ‘I Could Have Dance All Night / Just Keep Right On / You’ll Never Do It Baby / I’ve Found Out’ (Vogue PNV. 24148) was released only in France. The disc included two songs already released on singles in the UK, ‘I Could Have Dance All Night’ and ‘Just Keep Right On,’ plus two excellent original tracks from an earlier session; ‘I’ve Found Out,’ in a totally different and even more intense arrangement (note sligthly different title from the same song released that same month in the UK), and another original rhythm ‘n’ blues tune penned by Terry Fox and Smudger, ‘You’ll Never Do It Baby,’ which was strangely never released in their home country, at least in their own version, because the Pretty Things actually cut the track and released it on their second UK album, ‘Get The Picture?,’ in December 1965. “We were wilder than the Things onstage when Smudge was with us – apart from Viv Prince, that is,” recalls Terry Fox. “Our songs were signed to Geoff Stephens’ publishing company, and he would plug them to other groups. The Pretty Things were going to do ‘You’ll Never’ as a single. I don’t know what happened there, but it came out the following year on an album. It’s become a bit of a garage classic since then, played by groups across the world.”
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August 31, 1965: Co-Op Hall, Halstead, Essex
Also on the bill: Heinz and The Wild Boys, The Fairies, Soul Foundations, The Original Topics with Dickie Pride (maybe actually The Sidewinders).
Tuesday, September 7, 1965: Mexican Hat Ballroom and Coffee Bar, at the junction of Rowlands Road and Eriswell Road, Worthing, West Sussex
Friday, September 10, 1965: Silver Blades Ice Rink, 386 Streatham High Road, Streatham, London Boroughs of Lambeth and Wandsworth, Greater London
Sunday, September 26, 1965: Plaza Ballroom, Newbury, Berkshire
Also on the bill: The Voyds. One show, from 8:00pm to 10:30pm.
Tuesday, September 28, 1965: Olympia Bruno Coquatrix (aka L’Olympia, aka Olympia Hall, aka Paris Olympia), 28 Boulevard des Capucines, Paris, France
Also on the bill: PJ Proby. “When we played the Paris Olympia, I hit into the organ intro of ‘St James Infirmary’ and a huge cheer of recognition went up from the French audience. It hadn’t been released in France, but they knew it,” recalls Terry Fox.
Thursday, September 30, 1965: Ritz Entertainments Club, Skewen, Neath Port Talbot, Wales
Also on the bill: Geno Washington and The Ram Jam Band, The Kingpins (filled in for early advertised The Eyes of Blue).
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Sunday, October 3, 1965: Manor Lounge, Wellington Road South, Stockport, Greater Manchester
Saturday, October 9, 1965: ‘Sperry Football Club Dance,’ Sperry Canteen, Downshire Way, Bracknell, Borough of Bracknell Forest, Berkshire
One show, from 8:00pm to 12 midnight.
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October 1965
The Cops ‘N’ Robbers’ second single, ‘I Could Have Danced All Night / Just Keep Right On’ (Pye DV 14402 P), was released in Germany with picture sleeve.
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October 1965
The Cops ‘N’ Robbers’ single, ‘I Could Have Danced All Night / It’s All Over Now Baby Blue’ (Pye NH 110), was released in Netherlands. With picture sleeve. The disc coupled the two A-sides of the band’s second and third UK singles.
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October 1965
Smudger left the Cops. The always temperamental Smudger had apparently quit on several other occasions only to return a few days later, but this time the band took him at his word. When he called and asked when the next gig was, he was told he had been replaced. “Smudger had quite a considerable amount of talent but a lot of hang-ups, a lot of personal problems,” explains Henri Harrison. Soon after, Smudger allegedly joined a “rival” rhythm ‘n’ blues called the Fairies for a while, and then disappeared from the music scene. “Smudger is still a talented singer and song writer and a very sweet guy, living in Wales,” says Terry Fox. “He and his partner Josie run a family owned health food shop for the last 40 years.” Anyway, the Cops replaced him with Duff Jackson, who had a good voice and was a better guitarist than Smudger, but, in Harrison’s words, “He didn’t have any charisma.”
COPS ‘N’ ROBBERS #5 (OCTOBER 1965 - EARLY 1966)
1) Steve Smith
2) Henri Harrison
3) Terry Fox
4) Duff Jackson lead vocals, guitar
Friday, November 5, 1965: Twisted Wheel, 26 Brazennose Street off Albert Square, Manchester, Greater Manchester
Sunday, December 5, 1965: Manor Lounge, Wellington Road South, Stockport, Greater Manchester
December 1965
The Cops ‘N’ Robbers’ third and last single, ‘It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue / I Found Out’ (Coral 62473), was released in the US.
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1965
The Cops ‘N’ Robbers’ second single, ‘I Could Have Danced All Night / Just Keep Right On’ (Vogue 45-PV. 15211), was released in France.
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1965
The Cops ‘N’ Robbers’ third and last single, ‘It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue / I Found Out’ (Astor AP-1151), was released in Australia.
Early 1966
At Rodney Saxon’s urging, the Cops fired Duff Jackson and replaced him with a new singer named Douglas Robert ‘Dougie’ Ord (b. July 31, 1942, Colchester, Essex), formerly of the Fairies (where he was known under the nom de plume of Dane Stevens). Along with him, the band also hired a new guitarist named Colin Strange.
COPS ‘N’ ROBBERS #6 (EARLY 1966 - SEPTEMBER ??, 1966)
1) Steve Smith
2) Henri Harrison
3) Terry Fox
4) Dougie Ord lead vocals
5) Colin Strange lead guitar, backing vocals
1966
The Cops recorded an unidentified song in the basement of the Studio Jazz Club in Westcliff-on-Sea. “The one missing recording [from the 1997 album] is a 7-inch acetate we made when Dougie Ord joined the group,” recalls Terry Fox. “I have it in my possession and it is probably the only one in existence. The acetate is of one song. It is in a terrible time-worn state and I think too knackered to be played now. It would need a specialist to bring its music back to life. It is possible one other copy exists.”
Friday, March 18 or September 2, 1966: Locarno Ballroom, Blenheim House, 23 Market Pavement, Basildon, Essex
Also on the bill: The Who. “The second gig we opened for The Who was at Basildon in 1966,” recalls Terry Fox. “Me and Henri went for a Chinese with Pete [Townshend] and Roger [Daltrey] afterwards. I am so pleased that The Who got as big as they did. No group has deserved it more.”
Friday, March 25, 1966: 400 Ballroom, 26 Victoria Parade, Harbourside, Torquay, Devon
One show, from 8:00pm to 11:00pm.
The Cops recorded an unidentified song in the basement of the Studio Jazz Club in Westcliff-on-Sea. “The one missing recording [from the 1997 album] is a 7-inch acetate we made when Dougie Ord joined the group,” recalls Terry Fox. “I have it in my possession and it is probably the only one in existence. The acetate is of one song. It is in a terrible time-worn state and I think too knackered to be played now. It would need a specialist to bring its music back to life. It is possible one other copy exists.”
Friday, March 18 or September 2, 1966: Locarno Ballroom, Blenheim House, 23 Market Pavement, Basildon, Essex
Also on the bill: The Who. “The second gig we opened for The Who was at Basildon in 1966,” recalls Terry Fox. “Me and Henri went for a Chinese with Pete [Townshend] and Roger [Daltrey] afterwards. I am so pleased that The Who got as big as they did. No group has deserved it more.”
Friday, March 25, 1966: 400 Ballroom, 26 Victoria Parade, Harbourside, Torquay, Devon
One show, from 8:00pm to 11:00pm.
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Friday, April 1, 1966: Students’ Union, Farnborough Technical College, Boundary Road, Farnborough, Hampshire
Also on the bill: The Nashville Teens, The Clayton Squares. One show, from 8pm to 1am.
Sunday, April 10, 1966: ‘Great Easter Rave!,’ The Ultra Club, Downs Hotel, Keymer Road, Hassocks, West Sussex
Also on the bill: The Action.
Sunday, April 17, 1966: Nottingham Boat Club, Trent Side North, West Bridgford, Borough of Rushcliffe, Nottinghamshire
One show, started at 8:00pm.
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Monday, May 2, 1966: The Hop, Woodhall Community Centre, Cole Green Lane, Welvyn Garden City, Hertfordshire
Also on the bill: The Trekkas.
Saturday, May 7, 1966: Nottingham Brittania Rowing Club, Trent Side North, West Bridgford, Borough of Rushcliffe, Nottinghamshire
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Saturday, May 21, 1966: The Witch Doctor Club, Marine Court, St Leonards-on-Sea, Hastings, East Sussex
Also on the bill: The Cellmates.
Thursday, June 30, 1966: BRC R&B Club, Burton Manor, Stafford, Staffordshire
One show, from 8:30pm to 11:30pm.
Monday, July 4, 1966: ‘Rag Boat,’ Bournemouth Pier, Pier Approach, Bournemouth, Dorset
Also on the bill: The Bourbon Street Six.
Saturday, July 16, 1966: The Beachcomber Club, St. Mary's Gate, Lace Market, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire
Monday, July 25, 1966: Disc Club, St. Martin’s Centre, West Stockwell Street, Colchester, Borough of Colchester, Essex
August 1966: New Spot, Thorngate Hall, Bury Road, Gosport, Hampshire
Thursday, August 11, 1966: BRC R&B Club, Burton Manor, Stafford, Staffordshire
One show, from 8:00pm to 11:30pm.
Tuesday, August 16, 1966: Le Disque A Go! Go!, 9 Holdenhurst Road, Lansdowne, Bournemouth, Dorset
One show, from 8:00pm to 11:30pm.
Friday, August 26, 1966: ‘Beat Spectacular,’ Pavilion Ballroom, Westover Road, Bournemouth, Dorset
One show, from 8:00pm to 11:30pm.
Sunday, August 28, 1966: Tiles Club, 79-89 Oxford Street, Soho, City of Westminster, Greater London
Also on the bill: The Bystanders, Malcolm Magaron and The Blues Healers.
Saturday, September 3, 1966: 2 “B’s” Club, 2B Bank Street, Ashford, Kent
Also on the bill: ? (unknown supporting group). One show, from 7:45pm to 11:30pm.
Saturday, September 10, 1966: 400 Ballroom, 26 Victoria Parade, Harbourside, Torquay, Devon
One show, from 8:00pm to 11:30pm.
Monday, September 12 - Friday, September 16, 1966: 400 Ballroom, 26 Victoria Parade, Harbourside, Torquay, Devon
One show each day, from 8:00pm to 11:00pm.
September ??, 1966
Henri Harrison left the Cops. It all came to a head one night in the summer of ’66. As the only driver in the band, Henri was starting to feel put upon, especially at the end of gigs when he'd find himself loading up all the equipment while the rest of the band hung out inside the club not wanting to leave. On this particular night Harrison and Steve Smith came to blows when Harrison refused to drive out of his way to drop off some girls who were riding home with the band. “We got out and had a bundle at the side of the road,” remembers Harrison. “And I said, ‘That's it now. I 'm leaving.’ The van was mine anyway, so I took that. I must have been pretty much at the end of me tether by then. It'd been my band and I 'd made these decisions, and it was only when people diverted me from that direction that things went up the Swannee, really. OK, we made some records and things happened but the general forward thrust of the band was all ballsed up by other people saying we gotta do all these soppy things, y'know? I lost control.” After a few weeks of licking his wounds, Harrison joined the New Vaudeville Band and with ‘Winchester Cathedral’ was enjoying the kind of success the Cops ‘n’ Robbers could never even have approached. “Geoff Stephens approached me to set up the band [New Vaudeville Band] for him,” points out Terry Fox. “I was to be the singer, would you believe? I thought it was such a pile of shit, I couldn’t do it. I messed Geoff around badly. Henri had left Cops n Robbers by this time and was looking for work. I passed it on to him.” Anyway, the Cops replaced him with a new drummer named Alan ‘Noddy’ Whitehead, formerly of the Loose Ends, and Crispian St. Peters. “Alan was a fantastic drummer,” recalls Terry Fox. “He is a hugely nice bloke, a great laugh to be around. I can’t speak highly enough of his drumming. He doesn’t just lay down a beat, he plays the song. He brings new life to everything he plays.”
COPS ‘N’ ROBBERS #7 (SEPTEMBER ??, 1966 - OCTOBER ??, 1966)
1) Steve Smith
2) Terry Fox
3) Dougie Ord
4) Colin Strange
5) Alan Whitehead drums
Saturday, September 24, 1966: Blue Lagoon, 27 Cliff Road, Newquay, Cornwall
Also on the bill: The Accoustics. One show, from 8:00pm to 11:30pm.
Also on the bill: The Accoustics. One show, from 8:00pm to 11:30pm.
Sunday, September 25, 1966: ‘Sunday Beat Club,’ Pavilion Ballroom, Westover Road, Bournemouth, Dorset
Also on the bill: The Syn.
Tuesday, September 27, 1966: ‘Big Beat Night,’ Pavilion Ballroom, Westover Road, Bournemouth, Dorset
Also on the bill: The Foot Prints.
Friday, October 7, 1966: Royal Albion Hotel, The Parade, Walton-on-the-Naze, Essex
Also on the bill: The Martells.
Friday, October 14, 1966: The Place, 67 Bryan Street, Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire
Also on the bill: The Accoustics. One show, from 8:00pm to 11:30pm.
October ??, 1966
Terry Cox left the Cops. “It was me dropping out of Cops ‘n’ Robbers with exhaustion and chronic anxiety syndrome brought about by lack of sleep, greasy spoon café food, boredom (remember the Charlie Watts quote about five years rock and roll and twenty years hanging about?), exacerbated, no doubt, by smoking draw and popping pills,” explains Fox. After the band, “I did some factory work before moving up to Stoke-on-Trent to be with [my future wife] Lynda,” he continues. “I played some blues for a while with a wonderful singer/guitarist called Dick Wardell. When he left for a life in Scotland, there was no one up here of his standard to play blues with and my piano playing fell into disuse.”
COPS ‘N’ ROBBERS #8 (OCTOBER ??, 1966 - NOVEMBER 1966)
1) Steve Smith
2) Dougie Ord
3) Colin Strange
4) Alan Whitehead
November 1966
The Cops ‘N’ Robbers disbanded. “The group played two or three gigs without me then packed it in,” explains Terry Fox. At that point, Dougie Ord goes solo (initially under the nom de plume of Zion De Gallier), Alan Whitehead went to play with The Epitaph Soul Band, The Attack, and The Marmalade, while Steve Smith and Colin Strange disappeared from the music scene.
1997
The Cops ‘N’ Robbers’ first and only compilation album, ‘The Cops ‘N Robbers,’ (Distorsions Records DR 1036; Side A: There’s Gotta Be A Reason / St James Infirmary / Just Keep Right On / I Found Out / It’s All Over Now Baby Blue / Boom Boom / Down The Road Apiece - Side B: You’ll Never Do It Baby / I’ve Found Out / I Could Have Dance All Night / Baby Please Don’t Go / Here ‘Tis / Let It Rock / Betty Jean), was released only in the US. The album contained all the eight tracks already released in the UK and France in 1964 and 1965, plus the previously unreleased six tracks recorded as demo in 1964. “I don’t think that the album can be strictly legal as the rights to some of the recordings are owned by Decca and some by Pye,” reflects Terry Fox. “The rest were from an acetate owned by Henri Harrison of demo recordings we made privately at the Jackson brother's studio in 1964. The album was originally released as a limited edition of 500, but second released was issued with a different cover. I own a copy.”
The Cops ‘N’ Robbers disbanded. “The group played two or three gigs without me then packed it in,” explains Terry Fox. At that point, Dougie Ord goes solo (initially under the nom de plume of Zion De Gallier), Alan Whitehead went to play with The Epitaph Soul Band, The Attack, and The Marmalade, while Steve Smith and Colin Strange disappeared from the music scene.
1997
The Cops ‘N’ Robbers’ first and only compilation album, ‘The Cops ‘N Robbers,’ (Distorsions Records DR 1036; Side A: There’s Gotta Be A Reason / St James Infirmary / Just Keep Right On / I Found Out / It’s All Over Now Baby Blue / Boom Boom / Down The Road Apiece - Side B: You’ll Never Do It Baby / I’ve Found Out / I Could Have Dance All Night / Baby Please Don’t Go / Here ‘Tis / Let It Rock / Betty Jean), was released only in the US. The album contained all the eight tracks already released in the UK and France in 1964 and 1965, plus the previously unreleased six tracks recorded as demo in 1964. “I don’t think that the album can be strictly legal as the rights to some of the recordings are owned by Decca and some by Pye,” reflects Terry Fox. “The rest were from an acetate owned by Henri Harrison of demo recordings we made privately at the Jackson brother's studio in 1964. The album was originally released as a limited edition of 500, but second released was issued with a different cover. I own a copy.”
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Thursday, May 14, 2015
Steve Smith passed away in Southend-on-Sea.
