Paul Dean & The Soul Savages/The Thoughts



Actor Paul Nicholas, born Paul Beuselinck in 1945, began his career as pop singer and pianist. As "Paul Dean", he fronted various Rock'n'Roll bands between 1960 and 1966: Paul Dean & The Dreamers, Paul Dean & The Soul Savages, and Paul Dean & The Thoughts. Those 3 bands comprised the same nucleus: Nicholas on vocals, Stuart Taylor on guitar and Pete Phillipps on drums. Those 3 musicians started out in a North London based outfit called Gene White & The Phantoms in the late 50s then were brought all together into the Savages to back Screaming Lord Sutch in summer '63.
While Stuart Taylor was poached in the Tornados by his mate Ray Randall, previously bass player with The Phantoms and The Dreamers, Nicholas and Phillipps first reunited in The Jury backing Jacky Lynton then in the Michael Black’s backing group (Michael was Don Black’s brother) based at the Astor Club in Berkeley Square, London. Both returned to The Savages in May '64 and helped Screaming Lord Sutch out to launch his own pirate radio station "Radio Sutch". As pianist of The Savages, not only Nicholas sang lead during the opening set before Dave Sutch came on stage, but he was also dressed as prostitute during "Jack the Ripper"... ending up covered with blood. That’s how he had been often injuried [1] and hence his another moniker "Paul Redman." That was his first taste of acting. Shortly thereafter he decided to give up playing full-time in favor of studying drama and developing his acting skills and then took the opportunity to begin a career as a solo act in early '65. This is the official version.
In fact, when Screaming Lord Sutch recruited a "shit hot trio" consisting of Ritchie Blackmore on guitar, Arvid Andersen on bass and Jim "Tornado" on drums - all three from Neil Christian & The Crusaders - he sacked his existing band.
Fortunatly at the same time, The Tornados first folded. As a result, Paul Nicholas and Pete Phillipps reunited with Stuart Taylor to become Paul Dean & The Soul Savages. They were joined by bass player Harry Reynolds who'd earlier been with The Premiers, an early 60s outfit first fronted by Ronnie Harwood then Paul Nicholas. They were lined up not only to support but also to back American acts Del Shannon and the Shangri Las on their British tour during March '65 alondside Herman's Hermits and The Mindbenders.
They made an appearance in the episode of ITV "Thank Your Lucky Star" aired on Saturday 29th May 1965 along with The Who (performing "Anyway Anyhow Anywhere"). The previous episode featured Screaming Lord Sutch and his new set of Savages which consisted of Ritchie Blackmore and his 2 mates plus the 4 Saxes including ex-Dreamer Ashton "Toots" Tootell.

They released a couple of singles between March 1965 and March 1966. They first recorded a rendition of “You Don't Own Me” under the name of "The Thoughts" (not to confuse with the Liverpool band of the same name which recorded “All Night Stand” in 1966 [2]) for Decca records. A year later, they released original songs "She Can Build A Mountain"/"A Day Gone By" on Reaction label. According to the Record Collector Rare Record Price Guide, this single first appeared on Polydor in late 1964, and is thought to have remained unreleased.
“A Day Gone By” was penned by Ronnie Harwood who was bass player with The Savages at that time. It was one of his first serious composition.

In April 1966, Paul Dean & The Soul Savages supported The Who on their British package tour promoted by Robert Stigwood, along with The Spencer Davis Group, The Merseys & the Fruit Eating Bears, Jimmy Cliff & The Sound System, Hamilton & The Hamilton Movement and The Band Of Angels (Mike d'Abo).

While Pete Phillipps joined up with Ronnie Harwood and Screaming Lord Sutch [3] for a tour of Italy in summer 1966, Nicholas reinvented himself as “Oscar”, after his father, Oscar Beuselinck, a music business lawyer whose clients included The Who, and kept supporting them in Blackpool or Great Yarmouth, backed by The Stuart Taylor Trio.
He then recorded novelties produced by Robert Stigwood such as "Club of Lights", self-penned "Waking Up", a Pete Townshend composition untitled "Join My Gang" and “Over The Wall We Go” written by David Bowie.

A promotional device used by the record company was a cartoon Oscar 'statuette' (presumably a likeness of the singer), which allowed the Reaction label to issue advertisements alluding to the Hollywood Oscars: "Reaction now award you... Oscar - Club of Light."

But it was "Over The Wall We Go" that brought notoriety to Oscar in February 1967 by attracting some publicity through its controversial lyrics about escaped prisoners and incompetent cops. The chorus was "Over the wall we go, all coppers are 'nanas'." David Bowie, who wrote the song, even sang on one line of it. To promote it, Oscar appeared on TV in a prisoner's uniform and it was aided by Radio City's Ian McRae, who started a spoof spot called 'Breakaway Club'. Despite some strong material Oscar failed to achieve a breakthrough.
Stuart Taylor and "Toots" Tootell, who both passed through the ranks of The Echoes (backing Dusty Springfield then Lulu), later reunited with Paul Nicholas in The London Cast of Production Hair from 1968 to 1970 in which the latter played Claude. He maintained a connection with The Who, playing the sadistic Cousin Kevin in Stigwood's film version of 'Tommy' alondside Roger Daltrey and Elton John in 1975.

Notes:
[1] Tamworth Herald 01/11/63 newspaper cutting: FANTASTIC - that was the runaway verdict of a poll taken on Monday night after Screaming Lord Sutch had brought the house down at Tamworth's Assembly Rooms... The Savages consists of Paul Redman on piano - he played with one hand because he had hurt his shoulder two days earlier...

Paul Nicholas: Me and my money - 6 February 2008
"In 1963, I earned £5 a night as one of Screaming Lord Sutch's savages. I had peroxide hair, dressed up in leopardskin and played the piano. He used to pretend to be Jack the Ripper and I had to dress up in dodgy wigs and frocks as one of the victims.
But then he started pelting me with real animal hearts and ruined my dresses, which was a bit too far. But it was great training for my career: some actors have the RSC, I had Screaming Lord Sutch."

[2] The Thoughts from Liverpool consisted of Pete Beckett (Rhythm Guitar), Phil Broadman (Lead Guitar), Alan Hornby (Bass) and Dave Croft (Drums). They began life backing Liverpool acts like Tiffany (from The Liverbirds) and Johnny & John. They recorded a Ray Davies composition “All Night Stand” which was produced by Shel Talmy.
"All Night Stand"/"Memory Of Your Love" (Planet PLF 118, 1966)

[3] According to Pete Phillipps and Ronnie Harwood, they were both reunited with Paul Nicholas and guitarist “Pussy” Mew to back Screaming Lord Sutch at various times between Mid '65 and Mid '66: e.g. when he stood for the National Teenage Party against British Prime Minister Harold Wilson during the General election, in Huyton, on 30 March 1966, and at a Festival in the castle of Provins, France along with The Yardbirds The Small Faces and Simon & Garfunkel on 27 June 1966 (broadcasted on French ORTF TV programme "Music Hall de France").


Discography


As Paul Dean

45s:
1. You Don't Own Me/Hole In The Head (Decca F 12136) April 1965 - as Paul Dean & The Thoughts
2. She Can Build A Mountain/A Day Gone By (Reaction 591 002) March 1966 - as Paul Dean & The Soul Savages

As Oscar

45s:
1. Club Of Lights/Waking Up (Reaction 591 003) May 1966
2. Join My Gang/Days Gone By (Reaction 591 006) June 1966
3. Over The Wall We Go/Every Day Of My Life (Reaction 591 012) February 1967
4. Holiday/Give Her All She Wants (Reaction 591 016) Mid 1967
5. Open Up The Skies/Wild Ones (Polydor 56267) 1968



Line-ups of Paul Dean & The Dreamers, The Soul Savages and The Thoughts

Paul Dean & The Dreamers (1960 - 1962)
· Paul Beuselinck (Lead Vocals) "Paul Dean"
· Stuart Taylor (Lead Guitar)
· Ray Moxley then Paul Hughes (Rhythm Guitar)
· Ray Randall (Bass)
· Ashton Tootell (Tenor Sax)
· Pete Phillipps (Drums)

Paul Dean & The Soul Savages/The Thoughts (March 1965 - April 1966)
· Paul Beuselinck (Lead Vocals) "Paul Dean"
· Stuart Taylor (Lead Guitar)
· Harry Reynolds (Bass)
· Pete Phillipps (Drums)

Oscar & The Stuart Taylor Trio/The Souls (May - September 1966)
· Paul Beuselinck (Lead Vocals) "Oscar"
· Stuart Taylor (Lead Guitar)
· Ray Randall (Bass)
· Pete Woolf (Drums)


Special thanks to Ged Peck, Ronnie Harwood, Val and Pete Phillipps for providing photos and info

Heinz & The Saints


The Saints were put together and named by Joe Meek who used them on many of his recordings.
This instrumental trio consisted of Roy Philips on guitar, born in Parkstone, Dorset on 5 May 1943, Tab Martin on bass, born Alan Brearley, in Newcastle on Christmas Eve 1944, and drummer Ricky Winters born 27 September 1940, in Aldershot, Hampshire.

Roy Philips was the guitarist in a Bournemouth group who as The Soundtracks (originally called The Drovers) acted as back up band for Everly Brothers influenced duo The Dowland Brothers.

Tab Martin was the official replacement for Heinz Burt in the Tornados but he only stayed with them from January to March 1963. At the time Heinz was leaving the band to become a solo artist and was due to star in the film ‘Farewell Performance’. As the Tornados were also due to appear in the film playing the song ‘The Ice Cream Man’ a new bass player was needed at short notice, and Tab was selected by Joe Meek for this appearance.
That was his father who answered of the ad... Tab had never played the instrument before.

Ricky Winters was the drummer in another act produced by Joe Meek: Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers from 1959 to 1961.

In Spring '63, Joe Meek persuaded Roy Phillips to leave The Soundtracks to work with Tab Martin and Ricky Winters, and together they formed The Saints originally as the backing group for Andy Cavall.
Andy Cavall & The Saints supported Jerry Lee Lewis and Gene Vincent during their British Tour from May 6th to June 2nd 1963.
During that Tour, The Outlaws backed Heinz but they were requiered to back Jerry Lee Lewis and Gene Vincent on the continent till the end of the summer season.
The Saints became the new backing group for Heinz on a series of package and variety shows while The Outlaws only supported him on his discs ("Just like Eddie", Decca records).

The Saints released a couple of singles in their own right on the Pye label in 1963. They covered Surfaris' hit "Wipe Out" on their debut single.

A single was issued only in the US under the name of The Ambassadors, Surfin’John Brown (Dot records) presumably in an attempt to cash in on the then surfing craze. Two further tracks ‘Happy Talk’ and ‘Parade of Tin Soldiers’ have since appeared on Joe Meek reissue compilations.

In February 1964, Heinz & the Saints took part of a Larry Parnes package tour alongwith Johnny Kidd & the Pirates and Joe Brown & his Bruvvers, then supported the Rollingstones during their 3rd British tour the following month.
When Heinz moved to EMI Columbia, in April 1964, he used a new backing band,The Wild Ones, and The Saints called it a day.
Shortly afterwards Tab Martin and Roy Phillips teamed up with drummer Trevor Morais (formerly with Faron's Flamingoes, Rory Storm and the Hurricanes, and Ian Crawford & the Boomerangs) and together they formed The Song Peddlers.

Ricky Winters later played drums with Screaming Lord Sutch & The Savages in the 70’s. He now leads the current Saints.

When Heinz moved to EMI Columbia, in April 1964, he used a new backing band,The Wild Ones, again with Ritchie Blackmore on lead guitar.



Discography
Singles:
· Wipe Out / Midgets Pye 7N 15548 UK, 1963
· Husky Team / Pigtails Pye 7N 15582 UK, 1963

· Surfin’John Brown / Big Breaker (Dot 16528) USA, 1963

Heinz & The Saints (July 1963 - April 1964)
· Heinz Burt (Lead Vocals/Rhythm Guitar)
· Roy Phillips (Lead Guitar)
· Tab Martin (Bass)
· Ricky Winters (Drums)