CAPTAIN BOYTON'S BENEFIT BAND

Lead Vocals: Keith Skipper

Guitar: Charlie Catchpole

Guitar: Sid Langley

Keys: David Wakefield

Drums: Dick Watts

Almost passed over as a spoof, this group of Eastern Counties news reporters pooled their collective talents back in late 1969, and although their self proclaimed 'charity supergroup' status went unnoticed, they did receive some Tin Pan Alley interest in their self-penned compositions.

In 2020 lead vocalist Skipper said, "Natural modesty and brutal reality forbid me from labelling Captain Boyton’s Benefit Band as a Norfolk pop sensation just waiting to happen." Despite the captured audience while contributing to Norwich's weekly 'In The Swim' musical column, the group failed to raise local interest.

Skipper had started out singing in the Sunday school choir and later managed all of 20 minutes in the Swaffham based skiffle band The Harmondians, doing a self appraised 'passable impression of Lonnie Donegan' while scrubbing the washboard.

Note: It appears the lifespan of whole band The Harmondians only lasts 20 minutes, not just Skipper's participation

Skipper added "We penned several numbers of our own and ambitions reached a peak when we were asked to take examples to Chappell’s Music in London. A large woman in a green velvet suit tapped her fingers encouragingly on an important-looking desk. She expressed the most interest in a catchy little number called 'Here on the Ceiling Everything’s Fine'. “Kenny Ball might like that one!” she enthused without the slightest hint we might like to record it ourselves. We left rather deflated but not without hope. We got a very nice letter of thanks, urging renewed efforts to fashion a breakthrough. We didn’t toss aside the day jobs."

The full scope of the band's recordings is unknown although In March 1969 a review appeared for a release by the band called Take Your Place In The Queue and a month later a review of the group’s debut live performance at The Lakenham Cock PH, Nch is printed in the same column. Still, Skipper does elude to some Saturday night sessions in The Fruitier's Arms PH, Nch.

Origin of name: Apart from its obvious Sergent Pepper connotation. Captain Paul Boyton became the first man to swim across the English Channel on April II, 1875 – four months before Captain Matthew Webb.

However, because Boyton was assisted by a small sail attached to his foot, a paddle he used as a rudder and an inflatable life-saver. Webb was credited as first in the record books. 

Mediography:

New Records H&N EEN 10/03/69

More than a fig H&N EEN 21/04/69

Discography:

Take Your Place In the Queue b/w ?? (untraced)

Millet Records ?? released ??/03/69