"ROCKIN' ALL OVER THE YEARS" - The Spectres in the year 1965

   german single cover of the Kinks 'All day and all of the night', 38 years later covered by Status Quo    old school certificate of Francis Rossi

concerts, releases, TV, charts, publications

It's impossible to say how many shows The Spectres played in 1965. Certainly they played a lot of shows. Especially the 4 months in Minehead saved them many shows. Every week they played on 6 days. And every day they played 2 times, so its easily 150 shows. And the tour with the Dixie Cups and the regular Monday night shows at the Cafe des Artistes increase the number of played shows.
Press reports of The Spectres are not known at all.
The Spectres were "Nobodys" in the year 1965, nobody thought about stardom. Therefore a little bit more about other things that had happened in the year 1965 - see chapter "Miscellaneous".
Pictures: school certificate of Francis Rossi and the german single cover of the Kinks Single "All day and all of the night".

Chronological:

  • in the first months of 1965 the members of The Spectres still went to school.
  • The line-up of the band was: Francis Rossi (lead-git.); Alan Lancaster (bass); Jess Jaworski (keyb); John Coghlan (drums)
  • Manager Pat Barlow, a gas-fitter from London, signed the band to play as a monday night regular at the Cafe des Artistes, Fulham Road, London.
  • The rehearsals took place at the showroom of Pat Barlow's company.
  • In spring The Spectres had the opportunity to play in front of a big crowd, when Pat Barlow saved them a show in Orpington, Civic Hall as support band of The Hollies. Unfortunately none of the record company representatives have been interested in The Spectres.
  • Not very long after this event the band had the chance to apply for the summer season at Butinl's summercamp in Minehaed. They were chosen and they received a 4 months engagement to play the summer season as show band in Minehead.
  • With the end of the school Jess Jaworski decided to leave the band.
  • At one show Roy Lynes saw the band and when he was asked to join the band he agreed to be a member of The Spectres.
  • After the Butlin's engagement a show as support band with the american vocalist P J Proby followed, who had a UK TOP 10 album in early 1966.
  • The ambitions to get a recording contract failed, but the band was successful in getting more shows. They were signed as backing band on the UK tour of the american female band "The Dixie Cups", who had a major hit with the song "Chapel of love".

    What songs did The Spectres perform on stage?
    As many unknown bands The Spectres covered as well songs of original artists which where big at the time: "Bird Dog"; "The Wanderer"; "Blood Hound"; "Jailhouse Rock" or "Rock around the clock" alongside other songs were played.

    Miscellaneous:
    1. The Kinks had a big hit with their 2nd single "All day and all of the night" in Germany and England. 38 years later Status Quo covered this song on their album "Riffs".
    2. In 2003 two previously unreleased Spectres songs appeared the light of day on the compilation-album "Riots of the Amphetamine Generation". "Love in Vain" and "Say that you need me". Both songs have been written in 1965 as Roy Lynes confirmed. The former drummer of the Spectres, Alan Keys, owned the acetates.
    3. The Beatles and the Rolling Stones dominated the music scenery. After the Beatlemania in the year 1964 the Stones answered with "The Last Time" and "Satisfaction" in 1965 - both No.1 singles in Germany and UK. Germany: the Rolling Stones-Tour in the year 1965 sponsored by german's biggest youth magazin BRAVO was a sensation in every aspect. 1965 was the only year that The Beatles had NO No.1 hit-single in Germany.
    4. the hits of the year 1965 in UK were:
    Singles: 1. We can work it out (Beatles) 2. The carnival is over (The Seekers) 3. Tears (Ken Dodd)
    Albums: 1. Mary Poppins (Soundtrack) 2. The Sound of music (Soundtrack) 3. Beatles for Sale (The Beatles)
    5. the James Bond fever continued: 1965 saw "Thunderball" in the cinemas as well as The Beatles 2nd film "Help".
    6. Football: Manchester United won the english championship; FC Kilmarnock won the scottish championship.