One of the Screaming Lord Sutch’s copycat groups that started up in the mid-sixties and evolved out of a R&B group originally called The Vampires then rechristened The Sheffields after their hometown. They backed Little Walter and Memphis Slim on their 1964 British tour and cut 3 singles for Pye records that are now very rare and sought-after.
During 1965, they teamed up with vocalist Ray Stuart aka “Frankenstein” and appeared on stage with horror make up. They used to play only 1 or 2 numbers the entire show - usually 'Great Balls of Fire' & 'Good Golly Miss Molly'.
In late 1965, The Sheffields went their own way before splitting and Ray Stuart recruited Dave Robinson, Phil Galley on guitars, and drummer Spud West to form a 'new' Monsters. The band became very popular in Sheffield during 1966.Spud West played the part of The Mummy in the horror show and introduced the new trick of setting himself on fire as he left the coffin, until it got out of hand at Worsley Civic Hall when the fire hose had to be employed.The band frequently played at The Oasis, Jung Frau, Top 20 Club at Droylsden as well as Bolton Palais. They also appeared at The California Ballroom, Dunstable in April 1966, supported by The Flashbacks and The Avengers
They often did 2 spots in a gig, the other one as a conventional beat group "Ray Stuart & The Floorboards". Sometimes the punters never realised it was the same mob, out of make-up.
They did record the Sanford Clark song “Go On Home” for EMI, but it was never released.
The line up of The Monsters fronted by lead guitarist Dave Robinson eventually became the fourth generation of Dave Berry's Cruisers in Spring 1966.
Discography
Singles of The Sheffields
· It Must Be Love/Say Girl (Pye 7N 15600) - January 1964
· I Got My Mojo Working/Hey, Hey Lover Boy (Pye 7N 15627) - April 1964
· Bag's Groove (Skat Walking)/Plenty Of Love (Pye 7N 15767) - February 1965
Various Line-ups of Frankenstein & The Monsters
Frankenstein & The Monsters #1 (Late 1964 - Late 1965)
· Ray Stuart (Lead Vocals) "Frankenstein"
· Roy Ledger (Lead Guitar)
· Dave Fawcett (Rhythm Guitar)
· Paul Jarvis (Bass)
· Richard Smith (Drums)
Frankenstein & The Monsters #2 (Late 1965 - April 1966)
· Ray Stuart (Lead Vocals) "Frankenstein"
· Dave Robinson (Lead Guitar)
· Phil Galley (Rhythm Guitar)
· Paul Jarvis (Bass)
· Spud West (Drums)
Dave Robinson ” Frankenstein & the Monsters played only 1 or 2 numbers the entire show - usually 'Great Balls of Fire' & 'Good Golly Miss Molly' or something similar. I was told that the Monsters without Frank or horror make up were actually The Sheffields, but I've never been able to confirm this, although I did see them both together on one show… The band frequently appeared at The Oasis, Jung Frau, Top 20 Club at Droylsden as well as Bolton Palais and similar surrounding venues. I was lead guitarist in that line up before we became the fourth generation of Dave Berry's Cruisers”
Brian Smith
“I recall they often did 2 spots in a gig, the other one as a conventional beat group "Ray Stuart & The Floorboards". Sometimes the punters never realised it was the same mob, out of make-up. They did record one disc for EMI (as Ray Stuart & The Floorboards, the Sanford Clark song Go On Home, but it was never released to my knowledge.”
Karl & The Vampires
Another Screaming Lord Sutch’s tribute band from Urmston, Lancashire, fronted by Brian Gilbert and managed by his brother Geoff. The band frequently appeared at Shaw Hall, in Urmston as well as Taylor Bros Club, Eccles.
The Vampires from Liverpool were a different band from the previous one but equally obscure.
Karl & The Vampires (1964 - 1965)
· Brian Gilbert (Lead Vocals) "Karl"
· John Featherstone (Lead Guitar)
· Phil ?? (Bass)
· Pete ?? (Bass)
· Peter Hughes (Drums)
Thanks to Paul Gschliesser for completing info about The Sheffields
