BOHEMIANS, THE

Lead Vocals, Guitar: Donald Hood

Vocals, Bass: Eddie Zipfel

Keys: Ian Graves (added member, left but not replaced)

Drums: Stuart Hood 

The mid-sixties see the Edinburgh Hood family resettle in Thetford, Norfolk. In early 1966 a chance meeting between Donald and local lad Zipfel - while riding the bus into Norwich one Saturday - finds budding musician Zipfel interested to hear that the brothers had been in a band before moving to Norfolk. The three joined forces and became The Bohemians.

In January 1966 Stuart had left the town’s Staniforth Secondary Modern school but Donald still had a year to go.

In May 1966, the young trio were featured in the local paper, playing for free at a teenage dance. The new group are a big boost to the quiet Breckland scene and promoters find their youthfulness a big attraction. "Our diary soon filled up and we would be playing six nights a week,” said Zipfel. The schedule took its toll and after backing The Herd, at The Industrial Club, Nch, [Feb '68] Donald was taken ill and later diagnosed with exhaustion.

In February 1968, the band were briefly joined by ex Kace organist Graves, but the group admit many years later that they worked better as a three-piece.

Spotted by a scout from Andrew Loog Oldham’s Immediate Records in June 1968, the group set off to Olympic Studios, Barns Bridge, London to demo for the label. The studio itself had recently been in the news, having caught fire while The Rolling Stones had been recording tracks for their album Beggars Banquet and Stuart and Zipfel said it still bore the scars of the fire when they arrived. Serious about the prospects of a single, Immediate had brought in a harpsichord player to fill out the group’s sound. Having signed The Small Faces, the label were pushing composer-performers Marriot and Laine and gave the band their track Song Of A Baker to record. “The demo came out well, but it went no further. No reason was given to us, but it was possibly because it was on their [Small Faces] album which was doing really well. Recording wise we sounded pretty much like anyone else until the vocals went down,” said Stuart. “Donald and Eddie complimented each other's voices perfectly. Eddie had been a head-chorister and was well trained vocally.”

Up to this point, the band had been managed by the Hoods’ father Alec but realising things were about to move up a gear, he arranged a showcase in London to find a professional manager. "We took a deal offered to us by record plugger turned promoter Brian Tucker," said Stuart "He made a lot of promises, that didn't happen, which was very frustrating" added Zipfel although the pair agree It was Tucker who got the boy’s signed to Brian Epstein's NEMs label and suggested they become known as The Kydds.

Supports: The Herd / The Move / Pinkerton’s Colours / Unit 4 Plus 2 / The Uglys / The Symbols / The System / The Sweet Shop / Quota / The Soul Committee / The Zombies / The Human Instinct / Deuce Coupe / John Mayall’s Blues Breakers / Trap / The Fourtunes / The Tremoloes / The Foundations / The Freddy Mack Show / Emporor Roscoe

Discography:

Actd Mr Pitiful/Hold On b/w You Don’t Know What I Know/Respect[ ]66

Actd Song Of A Baker [ ]68 (untraced)

Mediography:

‘Bohemians attracting attention’ TW 13/5/66[  ](P)

‘Bohemians and their fans’ TW 25/5/67[  ](P)

‘Step up ladder of Fame’ UP --/--/  [  ]

‘Caste, Bohemians In Studio’ EEN H&N 27/5/68[  ]

‘Contract Ahead’ EENH&N04/06/68[  ]

‘Which Local Group For The Charts’ EENH&N24/06/68[  ](P)

‘Thetford Bohemians miss fete’ TW 28/6/68[  ](P)

GROUP SCENE;     

‘Bohemians signed by NEMs’ EENH&N 09/12/68[  ]

(Graves - Kace) <>  Kydds