This is intended to be a homage to very many musicians I've loved since I started listening to music. My intention is to tell what I know about them, hoping that those people who like them too, will help me fill numerous gaps, which I may have in their careers and discographies. Sorry, but there are no MP3 audio files here at all, just info (and love for the musicians).


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Tuesday 15 June 2010

Cliff Barton (bass)


BANDS:
  • Ricky Wade And The Crossfires
  • Cyril Davies R&B All Stars [Jun 63-Jan 64]
  • Long John Baldry Band [Jan 64-Nov 64]
  • Original All Stars [Nov 64-Jan 65]
  • Julian Covey & The Machine
  • Alan Price Band [1965]
  • Georgie Fame Band [Dec 65-Jul 66]
  • Free At Last [Sep 66-?]
  • Denny Laine Band [May 67-Jul 67]

BIOGRAPHY:

Superb bass player, he played in some great bands in the 60s. His complete name was Clifford Howard Barton and was born in 1944 in West Ealing, West London.

He started playing guitar under the stage name Cliff Curtis.


RICKY WADE AND THE CROSSFIRES


Cliff was the guitarist in that band, but can´t find info about the other players. Help, please!


CYRIL DAVIES R&B ALL STARS


After turning down an offer to join John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers, in June 1963, Cliff Barton joined famed band Cyril Davies R&B All Stars:

CYRIL DAVIES R&B ALL STARS #
Jun 63
Cyril Davies
vocals, harmonica
Long John Baldry
vocals
Geoff Bradford
guitar
Cliff Barton
bass
Keith Scott
piano
Carlo Little
drums
The Velvettes
vocals

But that same month, mighty Carlo Little leaves.
Micky Waller is called to replace Carlo Little in Cyril Davies R&B All Stars, in June 1963:

CYRIL DAVIES R&B ALL STARS #
Jun 63-end 63
Cyril Davies
vocals, harmonica
Long John Baldry
vocals
Geoff Bradford
guitar
Cliff Barton
bass
Keith Scott
piano
Micky Waller
drums
The Velvettes
vocals

At the end of 1963, Waller and Scott left.
At the end of 1963, there were a couple of changes in the lineup. Johnny Parker replaced Keith Scott, and Bob Wackett replaced Micky Waller:

CYRIL DAVIES R&B ALL STARS #
end 63-Jan 64
Cyril Davies
vocals, harmonica
Long John Baldry
vocals
Geoff Bradford
guitar
Cliff Barton
bass
Johnny Parker
piano
The Velvettes
vocals
(died)ê
Hoochie Coochie Menê
Hoochie Coochie Menê
Hoochie Coochie Menê
Hoochie Coochie Menê

But Cyril Davies died of leukemia on January 7, 1964. He was 32. Then, Long John Baldry took with him most of these musicians, now under the new name Hoochie Coochie Men.
A curious note. While he still was with Cyril Davies, he was asked to join John Mayall. He declined, but recommended a young bass player, John McVie. The rest is history.


LONG JOHN BALDRY & THE HOOCHIE COOCHIE MEN


In January 1964, Long John Baldry leads the former Cyril Davies band, now under the new name Hoochie Coochie Men, with some changes, including a very young singer called Rod Stewart:

LONG JOHN BALDRY BAND #?
Jan 64-?
êCyril Davies R&B All Stars
êCyril Davies R&B All Stars
êCyril Davies R&B All Stars
êCyril Davies R&B All Stars
Long John Baldry
vocals
Rod Stewart
vocals
Geoff Bradford
guitar
Cliff Barton
bass
Johnny Parker
piano
Ernie O´Malley
drums

There's an album released by the band, Long John's Blues, issued with 2 different album covers.
Ernie O'Malley was replaced by Billy Law, sometime late in 1964:

LONG JOHN BALDRY BAND #?
1964 - Oct 64
Long John Baldry
vocals
Rod Stewart
vocals
Geoff Bradford
guitar
Cliff Barton
bass
Johnny Parker
piano

They remained together until October 1964, when the band changed and Billy Law left.
In October 1964, the band changes a lot, with an added horn section:

LONG JOHN BALDRY BAND #?
Oct 64-Nov 64
Long John Baldry
vocals
Rod Stewart
vocals
Geoff Bradford
guitar
Cliff Barton
bass
Ian Armit
piano
Al Gay
sax
Art Themen
sax
Johnny Spooner
drums
Original All Starsê
Original All Starsê
Original All Starsê
Original All Starsê

But this fantastic team sadly parted ways next month, in November 1964. Baldry and Armit recruited a new band, while the other guys (less Rod Stewart) continued under the name Original All Stars.


ORIGINAL ALL STARS


Original All Stars was the band formed in November 1964 from Long John Baldry´s Hoochie Coochie Men with the great singer Brian Knight:

ORIGINAL ALL STARS #1
Nov 64-Jan 65
êLong John Baldry & The Hoochie Coochie Men
êLong John Baldry & The Hoochie Coochie Men
êLong John Baldry & The Hoochie Coochie Men
êLong John Baldry & The Hoochie Coochie Men
Brian Knight
vocals
Geoff Bradford
guitar
Cliff Barton
bass
Laurie Scott
piano
Al Gay
sax
Trevor Watts
sax
Johnny Spooner
drums

But in January 1965, the band split.


AND THEN


Sometime around 1965, Jimmy Page on the producer's role assembled a studio band to record some tracks for an album for singer Andy Anderson. This was the fabulous lineup:

Jeff Beck (guitar)
Cliff Barton (bass)
Nicky Hopkins (piano)
Carlo Little (drums)

The recordings were never released as a proper album, but many jam tracks were also recorded, and many of them have been appearing in lots of compilations from the Immediate label. I have a couple, but there are more than 20 compilations including them.


JULIAN COVEY & THE MACHINE


Julian Covey is pseudonym for drummer Phil Kinorra (from Brian Auger band). Then he formed his own band, Julian Covey & The Machine, probaby around 1965. Many famous musicians played in this band: John Moorshead (guitar, later to join Aynsley Dunbar in Aynsley Dunbar Retaliation), Pete Bardens (keyboards, later in Them and Camel), Pete Solley (keyboards), or Dave Mason (guitar, later in Traffic). Sorry, I don't have more info about the lineups, so any help would be very appreciated!!

Jim Cregan and Cliff Barton played together in the band, but can´t find info about the other musicians or the approximate period. Can someone help, please?

JULIAN COVEY & THE MACHINE #?
?
Jim Cregan
guitar
Cliff Barton
bass
Phil Kinorra
drums
+ others unknown to me. Help!

The band released a single, 'A little bit hurt / Sweet bacon (1967, Island), that was a sort of a hit, but I don't know the musicians featured there. Does anybody know?


ALAN PRICE SET


This was the Alan Price Set around July 1965:

ALAN PRICE BAND #?
1965
Alan Price
vocals, keyboards
Cliff Barton
bass
John Walters
trumpet
Nigel Stanger
sax
Jeff Robinson
drums


GEORGIE FAME BAND


Still in December 1965, Cliff Barton join Georgie Fame & The Blue Flames:

GEORGIE FAME BAND #?
Dec 65-Jul 66
êRiot Squad
Georgie Fame
vocals, keyboards
Colin Green
guitar
Cliff Barton
bass
Eddie Thornton
trumpet
Peter Coe
sax
Glenn Hughes
sax
Speedy Acquaye
percussion
Mitch Mitchell
drums

They released a 3rd album, Sweet things. But in July 1966, Speedy and Cliff leave the band (Cliff was replaced by another great player, Ricky Brown). The band called it a day 4 months later. It was the end of an era...


FREE AT LAST


Soon after, in September 1966, Cliff Barton joins Alexis Korner in his new band, called Free At Last:

FREE AT LAST #1
Sep 66-?
Alexis Korner
vocals, guitar
Cliff Barton
bass
Hughie Flint
drums

But, after some months, Cliff left the band before January 1967 (being replaced by Binky McKenzie).


DENNY LAINE BAND


With Binky McKenzie´s departure, Cliff Barton joins in May 1967, with a few changes in the string section:

DENNY LAINE BAND #?
May 67-Jul 67
Denny Laine
vocals, guitar
Cliff Barton
bass
Viv Prince
drums
+
Clive Gillinson
cello
Haflidi Halynisson
cello
Angus Anderson
violin
John Stein
violin

But Cliff didn´t stay too much, and he was replaced in July 1967 by Andy Leigh.


AND THEN...


He started playing sessions (mostly for Donovan), but it's almost impossible tracking down session credits for recordings made in the 60s. If anyone knows about more recordings with Cliff Barton, please send me a message!

After that, I only know that Cliff sadly died on May 16th, 1968 at the West Middlesex Hospital in London, from septicaemia due to heroin addiction, after spending 5 days at a hospital. He was just 24. Such a great talent disappeared so soon.

DISCOGRAPHY: (16 albums known to me - Status: Quite advanced)

ALBUMS AS A BAND MEMBER (4 credits)
  • The Sound of Cyril Davies (EP) - Cyril Davies (1964)

    • Members: Geoff Bradford, Rick Brown, Keith Scott, Bernie Watson (RIP: Cliff Barton, Cyril Davies, Nicky Hopkins, Carlo Little, Micky Waller)
    • Guests: Madeline Bell
    • Comments: EP with 4 songs. The A side was recorded in February 1963, and it features Cyril Davies, Rick Brown, Bernie Watson, Nicky Hopkins and Carlo Little. The B side features Cyril Davies, Geoff Bradford, Cliff Barton, Keith Scott and Micky Waller, with backing vocals by Madeline Bell & Alex Bradford.
  • Long John´s blues - Long John Baldry And The Hoochie Coochie Men (12/1964)

    • Members: Geoff Bradford, Billy Law, Rod Stewart (RIP: Ian Armit, Long John Baldry, Cliff Barton)
    • Guests: (RIP: Charles Blackwell, Ottilie Patterson)
    • Comments: CD reissue contains 11 bonus tracks: singles (some of them, unreleased) as well as a session for Ottilie Patterson in March 1964.
  • Sweet things - Georgie Fame (05/1966)

    • Members: Peter Coe, Georgie Fame, Colin Green, Eddie Thornton (RIP: Speedy Acquaye, Cliff Barton, Glenn Hughes, Mitch Mitchell)
    • Producer: (RIP: Denny Cordell)
  • Getaway / See saw (SINGLE) - Georgie Fame (06/1966)

COMPILATIONS AS A BAND MEMBER (3 credits)
  • The Very best of Georgie Fame - Georgie Fame (1966)

    • Members: Peter Coe, Mick Eve, Georgie Fame, Colin Green, Tex Makins, John McLaughlin, Boots Slade, Eddie Thornton (RIP: Speedy Acquaye, Cliff Barton, Glenn Hughes, John Marshall, Mitch Mitchell, Red Reece, Phil Seamen, Micky Waller)
  • 1964-1969 - Rod Stewart (06/2000)

    • Members: Dave Ambrose, P P Arnold, Brian Auger, Jeff Beck, Geoff Bradford, Vic Briggs, Rick Brown, Victor Brox, Aynsley Dunbar, Mick Fleetwood, Peter Green, Beryl Marsden, Ian McLagan, Rod Stewart, Art Themen, Julie Tippett, Ron Wood (RIP: Ian Armit, Long John Baldry, Peter Bardens, Cliff Barton, Nicky Hopkins, Johnny Parker, Micky Waller)
    • Guests: Gary Boyle, Mike D´Abo, Keith Emerson, John Paul Jones, Kenny Jones, Mick Liber, Keith Richards (RIP: Kim Gardner, Bobby Graham, Art Wood)
    • Producer: Giorgio Gomelsky, Mick Jagger, Geoff Wright (RIP: Frank Zappa)
    • Comments: Collection of early recordings by Rod, featured with Long John Baldry & Hoochie Coochie Men, The Steampacket, Shotgun Express, Aynsley Dunbar Retaliation and several solo singles and demos.
  • Looking at Long John Baldry - the UA years 1964-1966 - Long John Baldry (05/2006)

    • Members: Geoff Bradford, Billy Law (RIP: Ian Armit, Long John Baldry, Cliff Barton)
    • Producer: George Martin
ALBUMS WITH BANDMATES AND FRIENDS (1 credit)
  • A Shot of rhythm and blues - Rod Stewart (1977)

    • Members: Rod Stewart
    • Guests: (RIP: Ian Armit, Cliff Barton, Micky Waller)
    • Comments: Album compiling unreleased material from Rod early days (1964-1966). It contains mostly blues versions of songs by Sam Cooke, Willie Dixon, Jimmy Reed or Leadbelly.
COLLECTIVE ALBUMS (1 credit)
  • Rock generation volume 5 - VVAA (1965)

    • Guests: Geoff Bradford, Eric Clapton, Spencer Davis, Chris Dreja, Mike Hart, Billy Law, Jim McCarty, Paul Samwell-Smith, Rod Stewart, Muff Winwood, Steve Winwood, Pete York (RIP: Ian Armit, Long John Baldry, Cliff Barton, Sonny Boy Williamson)
    • Comments: This French sampler has the subtitle ´The First Rhythm & Blues Festival in England (Birmingham Town Hall, 28th February 1964)´. It contains live tracks by Spencer Davis R&B Quartet, Long John Baldry and The Hoochie Coochie Men, The Yardbirds and the Liverpool Roadrunners.
COLLECTIVE ALBUMS (1 credit)
  • Blues anytime vol 3 - VVAA (1968)

    • Guests: Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page (RIP: Cliff Barton, Cyril Davies, Nicky Hopkins, Carlo Little, Stuff Smith)
    • Comments: Compilation of rare tracks by the Immediate label, featuring Cyril Davies & The All Stars, The All Stars (with guests Jeff Beck or or Jimmy Page or Nicky Hopkins), Eric Clapton with Jimmy Page, Santa Barbara Machine Head and Stuff Smith.
SOUNDTRACKS (1 credit)
  • Separation OST - VVAA (1968)

    • Guests: Matthew Fisher (RIP: Cliff Barton)
    • Comments: In the original soundtrack for the movie Separation (1968), the players were: Cliff Barton (bass), Matthew Fisher (keyboards, from Procol Harum fame) and Stanley Myers (keyboards).
SESSIONS (3 credits)
  • For little ones - Donovan (1967)

    • Members: (RIP: Harold McNair)
    • Guests: (RIP: Cliff Barton, Keith Webb)
    • Comments: The other half of the A Gift From A Flower To A Garden double album.
  • Wear your love like heaven - Donovan (1967)

    • Members: (RIP: Harold McNair)
    • Guests: Jack Bruce, Mike Carr, Eric Leese (RIP: Cliff Barton, Keith Webb)
    • Producer: (RIP: Mickie Most)
    • Comments: Half of the A Gift From A Flower To A Garden double album.
  • A Gift from a flower to a garden - Donovan (1968)

    • Members: Tony Carr (RIP: Harold McNair)
    • Guests: Jack Bruce, Mike Carr, Eric Leese, Mike O´Neill (RIP: Cliff Barton, Keith Webb)
    • Producer: (RIP: Mickie Most)
    • Comments: Double album, it was finally reissued as two separate albums, Wear Your Love Like Heaven and For Little Ones.
COMPILATIONS (SESSIONS) (2 credits)
  • Donovan´s greatest hits - Donovan (1969)

    • Members: John Cameron, Tony Carr, Spike Heatley, Danny Thompson (RIP: Harold McNair)
    • Guests: Jeff Beck, Madeline Bell, Mike Carr, Clem Cattini, Jim Gordon, Allan Holdsworth, John Paul Jones, Eric Leese, Licorice Locking, Tony Newman, Jimmy Page, Ron Wood (RIP: Cliff Barton, John Bonham, Lesley Duncan, Eric Ford, Nicky Hopkins, Danny Moss, Keith Webb)
    • Producer: (RIP: Mickie Most)
    • Technical: Vic Anesini
    • Comments: The CD reissue from 1999 contains bonus tracks as well as different content in some other tracks.
  • Troubadour - the definitive collection 1964-1976 - Donovan (08/1992)

    • Members: John Cameron, Tony Carr, Spike Heatley, Jim Keltner, Danny Thompson (RIP: Harold McNair)
    • Guests: Jeff Beck, Madeline Bell, Lea Jane Berinati, David Briggs, John ´Rabbit´ Bundrick, Harrison Calloway, Mike Carr, Clem Cattini, Ben Cauley, Clive Chaman, Ronnie Eades, Jack Emblow, David Foster, Jim Gordon, Jay Graydon, Patrick Halling, Eddie Hoh, Allan Holdsworth, Ginger Holladay, Mary Holladay, David Hungate, John Paul Jones, Sheldon Kurland, Eric Leese, Licorice Locking, Henry McCullough, Graham Nash, Tony Newman, Mike O´Neill, Jimmy Page, Shawn Phillips, Charles Rose, Jean Roussel, Tom Scott, Denny Seiwell, Chris Spedding, Harvey Thompson, Ron Wood, Reggie Young (RIP: Cliff Barton, John Bonham, Kenny Buttrey, Lesley Duncan, Eric Ford, Nicky Hopkins, Danny Moss, Cozy Powell, Ronnie Ross, Alan Spenner, Keith Webb)
    • Producer: Norbert Putnam (RIP: Mickie Most)
    • Comments: Compilation with some unreleased rarities.

QUESTIONS:

01. Was Cliff Barton a member of Blues Incorporated before joining Free At Last?


RELATED WEBSITE LINKS: 6


From the superb site Knights in Blue Denim: The British Blues Scene '68 - '70 (by Christer Fridhammar & Vanja), we have:

From the fantastic The British Sound blog (by Bruno Ceriotti), we have rock family trees about:

Wikipedia doesn´t want to include links to this website, but I won´t do the same with them. So, from the great Wikipedia, we have:

Assorted links:

THANKS:

Very Special Thanks to:
  • John McVie: for his message.
  • Chris Mercer: for his recollections on Georgie Fame & The Blue Flames.
  • Ron Brotherson: for info on Cliff and Cyril Davies.

  • Special Thanks to:
  • Norm Rush: for his info about Cliff.
  • John H Warburg: for lots of biographical infos.

  • Thanks to:
  • Alex Gitlin: for the list of musicians in the Rod Stewart compilation.
  • Mike MacKechnie: for info about Cliff´s death date.
  • John Harrealson: for his message.
  • Gerard Bielderman: for info on Long John Baldry´s early recordings.

  • WHAT'S NEW:

    15/June/2010 - Page added to the blog.
    17/September/2003 - Original page written by me (in the old site).

    RELATED MUSICIANS:

    Cliff Barton mostly worked with these musicians: (name + number of credits)
    Ian Armit (5)
    Geoff Bradford (5)
    Donovan (5)
    Nicky Hopkins (5)
    Harold McNair (5)
    Keith Webb (5)
    Long John Baldry (4)
    Jeff Beck (4)
    Mike Carr (4)
    Eric Leese (4)

    Page created by Miguel Terol on: 17/September/2003 - Last modified on: 10/February/2012. If you want to contribute with info, please write to: molympus1@gmail.com

    Please, note than you can check the indexes (musicians, bands, obituaries) at the top of this page.

    9 comments:

    1. Great site, and brings back many memories.
      I believe 'Strawberry' was the original guitarist with Cyril, at least before Geoff Bradford, but I don't recall his real name. And Nicky Hopkins also played with Cyril at some point.

      ReplyDelete
      Replies
      1. Strawberry was the name that Dave Sutch gave to Bernie Watson when he was Sutch's guitarist in the Savages. He was quite a young, shy guy who seemed a bit out of place behind Sutch's wild stage antics; Ricky Brown and Carlo Little were more able to go along with his tough 'in- yer-face' image. Bernie was a good guitarist. though. Played a sunburst Gibson 330 or 335 and left to join Cyril Davies and was replaced by a very fresh-faced Ritchie Blackmore. Sutch gave him an equally ridiculous nickname which I've long since forgotten, and he also concentrated on playing, rather than acting up for the audience. He played a red 335 and seemed to gain confidence rapidly in Sutch's make or break demands. Two different but great guitarists.

        Delete
      2. Sutch gave Blackmore the name 'Bluebell' when he replaced Bernie 'Strawberry' Watson.

        Delete
    2. Interesting film clip of Cliff Barton backing Long John Baldry / Rod Stewart at the Marquee in a BBC tv programme Rod Stewart - Can't Stop Me Now on 9 July 2013.

      ReplyDelete
    3. One of my best friends worked with Cliff Barton in Sound City- the music shop in about 1963. He says he was instrumental in getting Cliff to give up guitar and concentrate on bass. He also told me that it was Cliff that played bass on the early Who singles.

      ReplyDelete
    4. I was delighted to find this page. Clifford ( Cliff) was my cousin, 8 years older than me, and I was in awe of him and what seemed his "trendy and edgy" life in the 60s. I remember him at a family party in Ealing, when he arrived home very late, having just finished a session recording with Donovan. He sat in a corner strumming an air guitar. My aunt told me not to bother him as he was very tired. Sadly that was the last time I saw him. His death was a great shock. The family had tried to get help to get him get off drugs, and they were successful in almost weaning him from his addiction. He died in hospital from septicaemia, but the death was recorded as from drug addiction. The family believed that he had decided to leave the music industry and study somewhere. I always thought that there was a connection with the Moody Blues, and that he played session on their early records, but perhaps that was due to some involvement with Denny Laine. I also seem to remember something being said that he did some work with Hendrix. An article in Melody Maker I read at the time, reporting his death, said that the industry had lost one of its best bass guitarists. Although I knew that he had been a member of many well known groups, I really had had no idea just how good and respected he was.

      ReplyDelete
      Replies
      1. My apologies for not publishing your very interesting comment until now. I'm having some problems with the approval of comments, as I'm flooded with spam comments. Again, thanks for your very valuable contribution. Cliff Barton was indeed a great player.

        Delete
    5. Fantastic information about the most recognized session musicians of that times, I knew some of that info but now that I have read all of this I have enriched my knowledge of early rock music, thank you for sharing this invaluable rock information that I considered lost and help me to know a little bit more about all my heroes.

      ReplyDelete
      Replies
      1. Thanks for your very kind words, it's my only interest, sharing info and love for so many great musicians, many of them quite unnoticed, sadly.

        Delete

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