EYES OF BLOND

Lead Vocals: Colin Clegg -Feb67 (2)David Farrow Sept68-Feb69

Lead Vocals, Sax: Phil Wade -Mar71

Guitar: Ronnie Daring -Apr67 (2)Phil Holmes aka Phil Dimitri Apr66-Aug70

Bass: Johnny Averill -Apr68 (2)Neil Applegate Apr68-Mar71

Keys: Trefor Thomas -May68

Drums: John Marshall -Mar68 (2)Micheal Sullivan Mar68-Nov68

(3)Paul Watts aka Paul England Nov68-Sept70 (5)Harry Rix Sept70-Mar71

Playing through a brief period as The Vitones to become The Circuit 5 the band were still firmly built around founder members Phil Wade and Johnny Averill when they spectacularly made their transition to Eyes Of Blond on the 9 April 1966.

They had acquired a sixth member and for obvious reasons The Circuit 5 was no longer appropriate. The EEN ran a competition to find what the combo should be renamed and it is claimed that 1443 suggestions were received. The winning name was sent in by Beverley Patterson of Lowestoft; Beverley received her prize of £10 at The Gala Ballroom [confirmation required] on [date required].

It later transpires that the name change was a publicity stunt. “I’m not sure what the details were,” smiles Daring, “But we all knew what the new name of the band was going to be and we knew the winner as well.” Marshall and Thomas agree on this point although in 2015 Wade adds they “inadvertently” knew the winner.

Clegg was the eccentric of the band and had appeared under the alias Quadmere Finkbyne and later JJ Dean. He was also the first member to move on in early 1967 and was next seen playing bass for Feel For Soul. Daring left soon after to join a jazz band in London, a short lived venture that soon saw him back in Norwich and also playing with Feel For Soul.

Ex Audio B Band guitarist Holmes, who was better known on the scene as Dimitri, came in on vocals and guitar. Wade said, “We all loved Ronnie, but Dimitri turned out to be a worthy successor. Very different in playing style, he soon proved to be a real find and his contribution went way beyond guitar playing. His song writing abilities changed the direction of the band.”

The beginning of 1968 saw major changes in the band’s line-up; Marshall left in March through ill health but returned to the scene before the end of the decade when he formed the TJ2 with past member Thomas, who had departed in May 1968. The duo later renamed themselves Twice As Nice. The group also lost founder Averill to family life around this period.

Blond rebuilt with Sullivan on drums and poached bassist Applegate from Blue Street Soul, however, Thomas went unreplaced and the band’s sound changed. Wade admits that the group’s popularity took its toll, “The band’s busy work load meant the line-up changed more frequently and the kiss of death would almost certainly be to have a group photo taken.”

A recent reunion in 2015 unearthed many forgotten recordings from this period, including originals by short lived frontman Farrow (Sept68-Feb69), who at one stage had picked up the alias Marco Polo and also Dimitri’s own back catalogue of originals.

The group turned professional in September 1969 and their connection to the Marshall Amplifiers “Hear no Evil” campaign, with its advertising spread across the national music press, lifted their profile. A final change in the band’s line-up sees well known local drummer Rix come in on drums in late 1970,  before the they ground to a halt in March 1971.

Their booking agent Phil Beevis said, “The band were great musically but always struggled vocally, they had a big sound that needed a Daltry type.”

Selected advertised supports:

25/05/66 The Tower Ballroom, Great Yarmouth - The Action

02/10/66 The Tavern Club, Dereham -

Chris Farlowe & the Thunderbirds

25/02/67 Starlight Ballroom, Boston -

Jimmy James & the Vagabonds

26/03/67 The Tower Ballroom, Great Yarmouth - Unit 4 + 2

01/07/67 Rhodes Centre, Bishops Stortford -

PP Arnold & The Nice

20/12/67 RAF West Raynham - Marmalade

13/04/68 Aldeborough Public Hall - The Equals

24/01/69 The Industrial Club, Norwich -

Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich

24/05/69 The Links Pavilion, Cromer - The Move

06/09/69 Belfrey Hotel, Wishaw - Simon Dupree and the Big Sound    

13/09/69 Felixtowe Pavilion The Kinks

24/12/69 Melody Rooms, Norwich Slade

Discography:

RR: Recorded at The Cellar House, PH, Newmarket Road c67/8

Land of Green Ginger  (Dimitri) / Dream of the Whispering Wizard (Dimitri) / Who Knows Where We Come From? (Dimitri)

Blow Your Cool Elijah (Dimitri) / I'd Like To Know (Dimitri)

Felix Fox (Dimitri)

RR/7Act: Recorded at The Industrial Club, (Melody Rooms) Norwich c6?

A Thousand Years of Sand (Dimitri)

Engineered by Granville Hornsby aka Stuart Graham

RR: Recorded at The Worlds End PH, Mulbarton c69/70

I'm Gonna Make Her Mine (Farrow) / Love is Forever (Farrow)

Rock'n'Roll Woman / Hot Smoke and Sassafras

Rolling Stones Medley / Going Back / So You Want To Be a Rock'n'Roll Star / It Keeps Rainin'

The Days Of Pearly Spencer / Blueberry Blue / Why?

RR: Live performance recording

Unknown Venue / Post September 1970

Dream Of The Whispering Wizard (Dimitri)

Hot Smoke And Sassafras / Rock’n’Roll Woman

Blow Your Cool Elijah (Dimitri) / Say You’re Mine (Rix) / Fresh Garbage / Half Dream Reality (Rix) / Rock Around The Clock

Engineered by Jack Chaplin. The recording contained originals written by Rix and Dimitri (listed)

Mediography:

The Eyes Have It H&N EEN 11/04/66

One In A Dozen H&N EEN 04/11/68 (P)

Eyes Roll EEN 05/01/70

Phil Wade Variations H&N EEN 20/04/70 (P)

Night of farewells EEN 21/09/70 (P)

Fan:

David Cossey: Phil Demitri, guitar. I used to transcribe several of their songs for them,then Phil used to post them to himself, to safe gaurd the ownership of the songs.

Wizz Wiseman: May or June 1967. Barn dance at Worstead. My 1st 'On My Own' Roadie job with Eyes Of Blond. At the end of the show I stopped a male from taking a guitar with case from the floor before I could load the van. Bit of a confrontation until Phil Dimitri came and took the guitar back and said "He's my dad" How was I to know? Never met the gent before. One of my best ever gig memory, Framling Village hall. Promoted by the band and was a complete sell-out. So many memories...

Trivia:

Unconfirmed is the fact that Eddy Grant of The Equals, offers the band a track to record but they turn it down as they don't think his style will suit the band.

Fan Club Organiser: Angela Howard (unconfirmed)

(Holmes - The Audio B Band) (Applegate - Blue Street Soul) (Rix - Skinn) The Circuit 5 <

> Twice As Nice / Feel For Soul