COUNTDOWNS, THE

Lead Vocals: Mike Wayne [Harrowing]

Guitar: Peter Rump

Guitar: Malcolm Rump

Guitar: Pat Wilmore

Bass: Ivan Harrowing

Drums: Colin Rushmore (2)Brian Eke

The Countdowns rehearsed at The Labour Club, KL. The boys would pick each other up in relay on an army issue, two-seater fold up moped. Mike Wayne & The Countdowns became the resident band at The New Inn PH, KL playing every Thursday, at what was known as The Countdown Club. Management was taken on by Rushmore’s father Eric, who sold his car to buy a Bedford van, sheer luxury compared to the moped we would imagine.

Last to join the band was Lynn Grammar boy, Wilmore, who had overcome a severely lacerated wrist injury to learn to play the guitar. Ivan’s brother Mike then joined and was described as having a Frank Ifield yodelling style.

"In 1963 the group consisted of Mike Harrowing aka Mike Wayne, Colin Rushmore, Malcolm Rump, Peter Rump and Ivan Harrowing. Malcolm was going out with Erica Rushmore, a lovely girl I had known from St Edmund’s Primary School, who was the sister of Colin and the daughter of Mr Rushmore who managed them.

The boys all worked on the farm and one day Malcolm cut his fingers badly. They went in search of a good lead guitarist but, instead found me. In all honesty, this was a band unlike any you have met. Malcolm could sing but no longer play, Peter was left-handed and played a right-handed guitar upside down but with original stringing; If he had learnt it ‘the right way up,’ he would probably have been the best guitarist in the world has ever known! Colin was a lovely guy but his drumming, like my playing, left a little to be desired. They were a lovely bunch of guys and if any of them read this I would love to hear from them.

We mainly did American Servicemen’s weddings at village Halls and, although we never got paid, we did bring cigars, tins of Salmon and bits of wedding cake home which, in the sixties were appreciated by my parents!

We did have one superb asset: Mr Rushmore was a salesman. I remember being approached by older boys at the Grammar School who were keen to know about the contract we had been offered by Rediffusion. It seems that he had put the word around that we had been offered the contract and were ‘on our way!’ Off the back of this, we got a booking for the Priory Hall. That’s when things started to go wrong…

We had to fill a whole evening with only 3 or 4 numbers. Those of you who went will remember what happened but suffice to say, we were lucky not to end up swimming in the Ouse Sound.

We carried on with bags of enthusiasm and some minor success including Hunstanton Pier (no wonder someone burnt it down) and Swaffham Town Hall. I recall one night when we played for a wedding at North Wootton Village Hall. Mike was singing ‘Wooden Heart’ and as he came to the main words… ‘I don’t have a Wooden…’ he fell off the high stage and we heard Haaaaaaaart, Oh me f’king leg!” The manager, bless his socks, shouted “Keep playing, keep playing,” so we did.

We practised at the old Labour Club. I remember that the upstairs wooden floor sort of bounced when you moved on it and not because it was sprung, either. We were rehearsing one night when the door opened and a foreign seaman lurched in, completely drunk. Malcolm squared up to him, I hid behind Malcolm, so I didn’t see all the action, but Malcolm suddenly said, “Let’s go!” so we packed all our gear and left him in the room. He apparently had a large knife!

After a couple of years, I left the group when Fred Steward took over as manager and they became The Charades." PW21/06/21

The group’s theme tune was Let’s Dance but the band did also compose some of their own songs. Rushmore left with Eke taking over on drums and the band acquired a new manager. It is believed the group folded when Wilmore joined the police force. The Rump brothers were next seen in The Charades.

Mediography:

Six young men on the ‘pop’ march EEN 26/11/63

<> The Charades