Screaming Lord Sutch & The Savages in the 60’s

Screaming Lord Sutch (1940-1999) was one of the most eccentric British pop star: the first of the longhairs a freak years before the hippies and the heavy metal singers came along. His band, The Savages had been a breeding ground for many great young musicians such as Nicky Hopkins, Freddie Fingers Lee, Paul Nicholas, Ritchie Blackmore, Nick Simper (both of Deep Purple), Jimmy Page (Led Zeppelin), Jeff Beck, Adrian Gurvitz (Gun), Danny McCulloch and many more. Although he was basically a Britain’s Answer to American "Screaming Jay Hawkins", starting his shows by coming out of big coffins and entertaining his audience with a repertory of horror songs, he was himself emulated by some of his contemporaries: e.g. Karl & The Vampires, Count Lindsay the 3^rd & The Skeletons, Frankestein & The Monsters, The Mersey Monsters or the french rocker "Hector The Chopin of Twist". He would eventually inspire more well known acts such as Arthur Brown, Alice Cooper and Marilyn Manson among others. He was also one of the UK's longest serving political leader since 1963. He released about 20 singles and 4 original albums in Britain from 1961 to 1994 but never achieved a hit. His most well known song was his tribute to “Jack The Ripper”, the guy with a big bag and black top hat.

David Sutch aka “Screaming Lord Sutch” was born in Hampstead, London, on 10th November 1940. He grew up in South Harrow, Northwest London in the early 50s. In early 1959, he started singing at the 2 I's Coffee Bar in Old Compton Street, Soho, London, disguised with a pair of buffalo horns glued to his crash helmet and his aunt's leopard skin jacket, which he tored the sleeves off.

In February 1960, Sutch met drummer Carlo Little, who was fresh out of the army at The Cannibal Pot Coffee Bar in Sudbury, Harrow.

They got a Rock & Roll group together, recruiting pianist, Nicky Hopkins, and guitarists Rick Brown aka “Fenson” and Bernie Watson. They became the Savages after The Shadows’ hit “Apache”.

In June 1960, Screaming Lord Sutch & his Savages got their first gig in Camberley for promoter Bob Potter. However they parted company soon after and Sutch teamed up with a North London-based semi-professionnal band outfit called the Midnighters for more than 6 months, before being backed on tour by Vince Taylor’s Playboys, because Tom Littlewood, the 2I’s manager, wanted to save on cost. Pete Newman was the only one member of the Midnighters who still worked with Lord Sutch, playing saxophone on his debut single "Till The Following Night /Good Golly Miss Molly " (HMV POP 953), produced by the late Joe Meek and released in december 1961. The other musicians on these recordings were, of course, Carlo Little on drums, Ken Payne on bass, Roger Mingay on guitar and Andy Wren on piano.They became full-time professional and played all over the country, then toured Scotland in Summer 1961. They carried Lord Sutch in a coffin on stage and he used to chase some of them with a big knife, generally the pianist dressed as prostitute during "Jack the Ripper". That’s how Andy Wren had been injuried and Britain’s answer to Jerry Lee Lewis, Freddie Fingers Lee took over him. Then the original Savages finally came back to the fold in September 1961. They starred an extravaganza called 'Twist Around The Tower' at the Tower Ballroom in New Brighton on Friday 12 January 1962, but didn’t show up and an unknown liverpuldian quartet called the Beatles played instead. Reg Calvert became his new manager and put him on the road in a tour of Southwest England. They recorded "Jack the Ripper" as single.

In April 1962, Watson and Hopkins left the Savages to take up a residency with Cliff Bennett & the Rebel Rousers in Hamburg Star Club, in Germany.

Ritchie Blackmore, who later founded Heavy Metal bands Deep Purple and Rainbow, became their new guitarist for 7 months. It was a very formative stint according to him: he learnt to act like an imbecile. At that time, The Savages use to dress in animal skins on stage and Ritchie really didn’t like it. By May 1962, Andy Wren, Nicky Hopkins’ replacement, was asked by future Rolling Stones Brian Jones to join the band he built up, standing in for Ian Stewart who was visiting his family in Scotland. During Summer 1962, Carlo Little started giving drum lessons to a young Keith Moon, who later stood in for him in the Savages (just for odd gigs), the following Summer, and became the crazy drummer of the Who from 1964 to 1978. Carlo Little and bass player Rick Brown deputised for the Rolling Stones in late 1962 and it was Little who recommended them drummer Charlie Watts. Little, Brown eventually teamed up with Watson and Hopkins again to become the core of Cyril Davis & His R&B All Stars in November 1962. Nicky Hopkins was to become a prolific session man, recording with the Rolling Stones, the Kinks, the Beatles and many more.

Ritchie Blackmore then left to join The Outlaws and was replaced with Godfrey "Geoff" Mew from a Newcastl-based outfit called The Jestreams.

Derek "Degsy" Sirmon, an acquaintance of Blackmore's, replaced Carlo Little as Savages’ drummer from October 1962 to May 1963. He brought in the band bass player Danny McCulloch (from Frankie Reid & The Casuals), who later worked with Eric Burdon & his New Animals. This new set of Savages, headed by pianist Freddie Fingers Lee finally left Screaming Lord Sutch after a residency at Hamburg Star Club, and then toured North Germany on their own as "The Raving Savages" from Summer to Winter’ 63. They also released an EP covering Californian hits of this summer and untitled "The Surfin' Savages". Meanwhile Sutch started a career in Politics, forming The 'Sod Em All Party' after the "Profumo Affair" in mid’ 63, and then recruited future movie actor Paul Nicholas and 2 members of his previous band, Paul Dean & the Dreamers, Stuart Taylor on guitar and Pete Phillipps on drums. Their sax player Ashton "Toots" Tootell had been previously in the Savages then went to Germany with The Raving Savages. Their bass player, Ray Randall joined the Tornados of "Telstar" worldwide fame and then poached Stuart Taylor. So Paul Nicholas and Pete Phillipps teamed up with bass player Ronnie Harwood, who replaced Freddie ‘Fingers’ Lee in The Raving Savages, and ex-Savages’ guitarist "Geoff" Mew to become the core of the Purple Hearts, a band groomed by Michael Black at the Astor Club. When Screaming Lord Sutch lost his set of Savages featuring Tony Dangerfield on bass, Carlo Little and Tony Marsh (acquaintance of Keith Moon's) on piano, after Joe Meek had signed Dangerfield as a solo artist, he would ask the members of the Purple Hearts, who had recently worked with Johnny Apollo (Winston G), to become his new Savages. They helped him out to launch his own pirate radio station "Radio Sutch" in May 1964. Screaming Lord Sutch first toured Australia and New Zealand, backed by a local band featuring future Easybeat Tony Cahill on drums in Summer’ 64. He finally sold the station to Reg Calvert who installed better equipment and changed its name to "Radio City". Meanwhile Paul Nicholas took the opportunity to begin a career as a solo act, recording on his own like Dangerfield did some month earlier, backed by Pete Phillipps on drums and Stuart Taylor on guitar (see Paul Dean & The Soul Savages). Dave Sutch then got Geoff Mew a job with The Johnny Cliffe Five Show Band doing the American bases in Turkey. Ronnie Harwood then formed a new line up with guitarist Brian Hammick from Burnt Oak (previously with The Stanmore-based Easybeats) but soon after they were both hired by Robert Stigwood to become the core of Winston G & The Wicked. As a result Ritchie Blackmore eventually returned to the Savages, rolling his mates of Neil Christian & The Crusaders, bass player Arvid Andersen and drummer Jim "Tornado" Evans in early 1965. Augmented by 4 Saxophonists (featuring Ashton Tootell, Dick Errington and Noel McManus), they recorded "The Train Kept A Rollin’ "/"Honey Hush" for CBS records. 

After a short stay in France, Screaming Lord Sutch first visited the USA in July 1965, alongwith Ron Kellerman, vice president of the Jerry Lee Lewis fan club promoting “The Train Kept A-Rollin’”.
However Lord Sutch would loose again his band this once to Jerry Lee Lewis who was touring Germany in the summer of 1965 (1).
As the rhythm section of the Savages had taken a gig in France (2), Screaming Lord Sutch went to see Liverpool band Derry Wilkie & The Others in Esher, Surrey, in search of a new band. Phil Kenzie remembers him talking and laughing with Derry Wilkie and then The Others were at his house in North London rehearsing - with two member of the Four Saxes, Noel McManus and Ashton Tootell - to be the new Savages.

They were the set of Savages that backed him on the recording session of "One Eyed Flying Purple People Eater" (5) - with Nicky Hopkins on piano - and during a German TV Show called "Die Drehscheibe", filmed at Kiel Star Palast and aired on ZDF in January 1966, that almost turned into a riot as their roadie Bazz Ward recalls (4).

They also accompanied Dave Sutch during a 3 date trial package tour with 5 acts including The Who, The Fortunes and The Merseys, over a week end in February, starting at the Astoria Finsbury Park, London, and ending up at Liverpool Empire (3).

Wilkie was formerly lead vocalist of the Seniors, the first liverpuldian band who went to Hamburg and eventually paved the way for the Beatles and all the other Mersey Sound Bands.

Sutch made him dress up as a woman for one part of the act so he could chase him around the club with an axe. Derry did it as a good sport for a while but he didn't really enjoy having to but the pay was good and they all needed the money.

Soon after the departure of Noel McManus, the Savages were approached by heavy-weight boxer Freddy Mac to form a larger "Soul" stage show which included American vocalists Cleo Sylvester and Ronald Bertram Greaves aka "Sonny Child".

As a result, the whole band - Phil Kenzie, Derek Bond, Ernie Hayes and roadie Bazz Ward and Billy Adamson ended up involved with this project and left Dave Sutch.
Not only that, when Screaming Lord Sutch decided to run for Parliament against Harold Wilson, who was the Liverpool candidate - as they were from that area - they decided not to continue.

Fortunately Ronnie Harwood (wafter their stint with Winston G & The Wicked) and Pete Phillipps reunited with Sutch and backed him during some gigs in France and a tour of Italy in July 1966.

Meanwhile Carlo Little had joined an Irish showband called Chris Lamb and the Universals that evolved, firstly, into the Circles, recording “Take your Time” on Island records produced by Guy Stevens, then into the new Savages during Summer’ 66. The lead guitarist of the band Bill Parkinson presented some original material of his own such as "Lost Soul" and it would eventually become one of their opening numbers. Later Deep Purple covered it on their first LP as “Mandrake Root”.

Tony Dangerfield, Tony Marsh and Ritchie Blackmore returned to the Savages during 1966.

As 1966 drew to close, Dave Sutch reinvented himself as “Lord Caesar Sutch & the Roman Empire” and the members of his band, featuring among other both Blackmore and Dangerfield, were required to dress as Roman Gladiators even during winter in Sweden where they toured. As a result, Sutch’s continuing desire for ridiculous group images was losing favour with these 2 musicians who finally defected to Neil Christian in April. Dangerfield eventually rejoined the Savages, having recruited a young Adrian Gurvitz (who would later become successful with Gun) on guitar. But this new crew left Sutch once again to back singers Billie Davis and Crispian St Peters then emerged as “Rupert People” in June 1967.

By Summer 1967, Lord Sutch was brieftly backed by a trio consisting of Carlo Little, guitarist Ged Peck and another founding member of Deep Purple, bassist Nick Simper. They all three came from the Billie Davis back up band (The Quality), and then they were hired for playing as the live band for The Flowerpot Men in October 1967.

From late 1967 to early 1968, the eccenctric "Lord" toured Holland & Germany
with a new band called "The Beautiful Quality", consisting in 2 former Wheels, Herbie Armstrong on guitar and Rod Demick on bass, plus drummer Spud Davies. After the tour, Demick & Armstrong left and carried on as a duo (The James Brothers).
So Dave Sutch decided to leave Britain and spent the rest of the decade in America where he would eventually record his debut album that was released only in 1970 and on which he was backed by many of his former Savages acting as “His Heavy Friends”.

An interesting compilation untitled "Screaming Lord Sutch Story" covered most of the singles he released from 1961 to 1966.
Check out a more complete site about their story here.

(1) Indeed Jerry Lee had to find new musicians because guitar player Charles « Redman » Freeman, bass player Herman « Hawk » Hawkins and drummer Robert “Tarp” Tarant were arrested by Texan police after a gig at Grand Prairie Private Function,Texas, on October 11th 1965.

(2) After a gig at the Olympia, Paris, Ronnie Harwood was asked by a french promotor to form a new line up and he booked them for a week in Rouen, France.

(3) These concerts were organised by The Who's managers, Chris Stamp and Kit Lambert, and promoted by Robert Stigwood, with a view to a future 4-5 week tour...

In those days, the Lord's Day Observence Society BANNED stage props on a Sunday, which rather screwed Screaming Lord Sutch's act. When he tried to use props at Liverpool Empire, they dropped the curtain on him, so he started swinging on it. Caused a small riot with the theatre blokes trying to get him off.

(5) Bazz Ward later worked as roadie and Sound Engineer for The Nice, Santana, The Band, Derek & the Dominoes, Medicine Head, Iron Maiden, The Sex Pistols, Gary Glitter, and Gary Moore, French rock band "TRUST" to name but a few...

DISCOGRAPHY

British Singles

1. Till The Following Night / Good Golly Miss Molly (HMV POP 953) 12/1961
2. Jack The Ripper / Don't You Just Know It (Decca F11598) 3/1963
3. I'm A Hog For You / Monster In Black Tights (Decca F11747) 9/1963
4. She's Fallen Love With A Monster Man / Bye Bye Baby (Oriole CB 1944) 7/1964
5. Dracula's Daughter / Come Back Baby (Oriole CB 1962) 10/1964
6. The Train Kept A Rollin’/Honey Hush (CBS 201767) 6/1965
7. Black And Hairy / The Cheat (CBS 202080) 5/1966

(4) One Eyed Flying Purple People Eater / You Don't Care (Hep House HS04) was released only in Germany in 1966 but it became Screaming Lord Sutch's best seller there.

Albums

• LORD SUTCH AND HIS HEAVY FRIENDS (ATLANTIC 2400) 1970
• LORD SUTCH & HEAVY FRIENDS: HANDS OF JACK THE RIPPER (ATLANTIC K 40313)
• ALIVE AND WELL (BABYLON B 80010) 1980
• ROCK AND HORROR (ACE CHA 65/CDCHM 65) 1982
• SCREAMING LORD SUTCH STORY (SKULL N'BONES 7777) - compilation 1961-1990 1991

Line-ups of Screaming Lord Sutch & The Savages

Screaming Lord Sutch & The Savages #1 (Feb’ - June 1960)

• Dave Sutch (Lead Vocals)
• Bernie Watson (Lead Guitar)
• Rick Brown (Rhythm Guitar)
• Nicky Hopkins (Keyboards)
• Carlo Little (Drums)

Screaming Lord Sutch & The Savages #2 (June - December 1960)

• Dave Sutch (Lead Vocals)
• Vic Clark (Lead Guitar)
• Barry Taylor "Whip" then Chris Dors (Bass)
• Charlie Parker (Keyboards)
• Pete Newman (Tenor Sax)
• Jeff Wickens (Barytone Sax)
• Brian Norman (Drums)

Screaming Lord Sutch & The Savages #3 (May - Sept’ 1961)

• Dave Sutch (Lead Vocals)
• Roger Mingay (Lead Guitar)
• Ken Payne (Bass)
• Andy Wren (Keyboards)
• Carlo Little (Drums)

Screaming Lord Sutch & The Savages #4 (Sept' 1961 - May 1962)

• Dave Sutch (Lead Vocals)
• Bernie Watson (Lead Guitar)
• Rick Brown (Rhythm Guitar)
• Nicky Hopkins (Keyboards)
• Carlo Little (Drums)

Screaming Lord Sutch & The Savages #5 (May - Oct’ 1962)

• Dave Sutch (Lead Vocals)
• Dave Wendells (Lead Guitar)
• Ritchie Blackmore (Lead Guitar)
• Ricky Brown (Bass)
• Andy Wren (Keyboards)
• Carlo Little (Drums)

Screaming Lord Sutch & The Savages #6 (Oct’ 1962 - June 1963)

• Dave Sutch (Lead Vocals)
• Geoff Mew (Lead Guitar)
• Danny McCulloch (Bass)
• Freddie Fingers Lee (Keyboards/Vocals)
• Ashton Tootell (Tenor Sax)
• Derek Sirmon (Drums)

Screaming Lord Sutch & The Savages #7 (June 1963 - Jan’ 1964)

• Dave Sutch (Lead Vocals)
• Stuart Taylor (Lead Guitar)
• Rick Brown (Bass)
• Paul Dean (Keyboards)
• Pete Phillipps (Drums)
• Carlo Little (Drums)

Screaming Lord Sutch & The Savages #8 (Jan’ - May 1964)

• Dave Sutch (Lead Vocals)
• John Gilbey (Lead Guitar)
• Tony Dangerfield (Bass)
• Tony Marsh (Keyboards)
• Carlo Little (Drums)

Screaming Lord Sutch & The Savages #9 (May 1964 - Febr’ 1965)

• Dave Sutch (Lead Vocals)
• Geoff Mew then Brian Hammick (Lead Guitar)
• Ronnie Harwood (Bass)
• Paul Dean (Keyboards)
• Pete Phillipps (Drums)

Screaming Lord Sutch & The Savages #10 (Feb’ - Mid 1965)

• Dave Sutch (Lead Vocals)
• Ritchie Blackmore (Lead Guitar) then John Irvin, Malcom Longstaff
• Arvid Andersen (Bass)
• Jim Evans (Drums)
• Ashton Tootell (Barytone Sax)
• Dick Errington (Tenor Sax)
• Noel McManus (Tenor Sax)
• ?? (Tenor Sax)

Screaming Lord Sutch & The Savages #11 (Mid 1965 - Mid 1966)

• Dave Sutch (Lead Vocals)
• Ernie Hayes (Lead Guitar)
• Derek Bond (Bass)
• Mike Holmes then Billy Adamson (Drums)
• Phil Kenzie (Tenor Sax)
• Noel McManus (Tenor Sax)
• Ashton Tootell (Barytone Sax)
• Derry Wilkie (Backing Vocals, Sport) also Nicky Hopkins (Keyboards)

Screaming Lord Sutch & The Savages #12 (June - July 1966)

• Dave Sutch (Lead Vocals)
• George "Smelly" (Lead Guitar)
• Ronnie Harwood (Bass)
• Peter Green (Tenor Sax)
• Peter Mundy (Barytone Sax)
• Pete Phillipps (Drums)

Screaming Lord Sutch & The Savages #13 (August - Sep’ 1966)

• Dave Sutch (Lead Vocals)
• Bill Parkinson (Lead Guitar)
• John Lawson then Tony Dangerfield (Bass)
• Paul Raymond (Keyboards)
• Brian Keith (Trombone/Vocals)
• Carlo Little (Drums)

Screaming Lord Sutch & The Savages #14 (Oct’ - Dec’ 1966)

• Dave Sutch (Lead Vocals)
• John Bedder (Lead Guitar)
• Tony Dangerfield (Bass)
• Tony Marsh (Keyboards)
• Peter Green (Tenor Sax)
• Carlo Little (Drums)

Caesar Sutch & The Roman Empire #1 (Dec’ 1966 - April 1967)

• Dave Sutch (Vocals)
• Ritchie Blackmore (Lead Guitar)
• Tony Dangerfield (Bass)
• Matt Fisher (Keyboards)
• Joel James (Tenor Sax)
• Carlo Little (Drums)

Caesar Sutch & The Roman Empire #2 (May 1967)

• Dave Sutch (Vocals)
• John Bedder (Lead Guitar)
• Tony Dangerfield (Bass)
• Matt Fisher (Keyboards)
• Joel James (Tenor Sax)
• Pete Phillipps (Drums)

Screaming Lord Sutch & The Savages #15 (June 1967)

• Dave Sutch (Lead Vocals)
• Adrian Gurvitz (Lead Guitar)
• Tony Dangerfield (Bass)
• Freddie Fingers Lee (Keyboards/Vocals)
• Carlo Little (Drums)

Screaming Lord Sutch & The Savages #16 (July - August 1967)

• Dave Sutch (Lead Vocals)
• Ged Peck (Lead Guitar)
• Nick Simper (Bass)
• Freddie Fingers Lee (Keyboards/Vocals)
• Art Regis (Keyboards)
• Carlo Little (Drums)

Screaming Lord Sutch & The Beautiful Quality (September 1967 - January 1968)

• Dave Sutch (Lead Vocals)
• Herbie Armstrong (Lead Guitar)
• Rod Demic (Bass)
• Spud Davis (Drums)

Screaming Lord Sutch & The Beautiful Quality #2 (USA, Early - Summer 1968)

     • Dave Sutch (Lead Vocals)

     • Tony Macrini (Harmonica/Vocals)

     • Hal Hollander (Lead Guitar)

     • Ron Kellerman (Organ)

     • Kenny Eichles (Bass)

     • Dennis Connaughton  (Drums)

Screaming Lord Sutch & The Beautiful Quality #3 (USA, Summer 1968)   

    • Dave Sutch (Lead Vocals)
    • Tony Macrini (Harmonica/Vocals)
    • Hal Hollander (Lead Guitar)
    • Glen Maynard (Rhythm Guitar)
    • Kenny Eichles (Bass)
    • Dennis Connaughton  (Drums)
    • "Lady Paulette"  (Dance/Vocals)



Does anybody know the line-ups of the Savages from June 1965 to June 1966?
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Special thanks to Ronnie Harwood, Brian Hammick, Harvey Hinsley, Bazz Ward, Phil Kenzie, Geoff Mew, Ged Peck, Val and Pete Phillipps for providing corrections and additional info