Bev Bevan : From Kean and Scotts to Carl Wayne and the Vikings
On rare occasions, for all of us, a day comes along that can change your life forever.
I believe that such a day happened to me in June 1965.
Following the demise of The Diplomats at the end of '64, I found myself, for the second time, with a "proper job", working at the classy and rather snooty Kean and Scotts in Birmingham city centre.
I was fast becoming a nine 'til five man. I'd managed to keep up my hire purchase payments on my Ludwig grey stripe drum kit and found the occasional semi-pro gig, including a stint with ex colleagues Nicky James and Phil Ackrill in Nicky James and the Wild Cherries.
(When I left that band my replacement was Led Zeppelin drummer to be, John Bonham!)
This band was never going to be more than a temporary gig though - more like a paid hobby than an actual career in the music business.
Meanwhile, much to my chagrin, fellow Birmingham beatsters were faring much, much better than me.
The Moody Blues had hit the top of the UK charts with Go Now (although the follow-up I Don't Want To Go On Without You only made No 33).
The Applejacks, meanwhile, had had three top 30 hits during 1964 - Tell Me When, Like Dreamers Do and Three Little Words.
The Rockin' Berries made the top 5 in 1964 with He's In Town and did so again in the summer of '65 with Poor Man's Son. And The Fortunes (including two former pupils of my old school, Moseley Grammar), hit the No 2 spot with the excellent You've Got Your Troubles.
Meanwhile, the exciting Spencer Davis Group had broken into the UK top 50 on three occasions with I Can't Stand It, Every Little Bit Hurts and Strong Love.
(And they were just about to release their first number one, Keep On Running).
What's more, my new employers Kean and Scotts seemed quite impressed with my ability to sell expensive furniture to their well-heeled customers and sent me on a training course.
It was with a view to making me assistant manager of their brand new store in Solihull, which would also include the use of the apartment above it.
And that's when it happened.
There I was, in suit and tie, all deathly quiet apart from the serene piped classical music playing gently in the background, on a lovely sunny afternoon, when who should walk into the store but Carl Wayne?
It was apparent that I had grown apathetic towards the local music scene as I had missed the news that Carl Wayne and the Vikings drummer, Dave Hollis, was about to leave the band. I'd missed, too, the advertisements in the Birmingham Mail seeking his replacement.
Carl had tracked me down, and told me he was surprised that I had not applied for the job and that if I was interested, the auditions were taking place the following evening at Bromford Lane Church Hall in Stechford, close to where Carl lived with his mum.
Carl Wayne and the Vikings were the most established and generally hard-working group in the Birmingham area and the previous year had a record released on the Pye label, albeit an unsuccessful one, with their fine version of Timi Yuro's What's The Matter Baby.
So I should not have been surprised by the big turnout of drummers, around a dozen or so, all keen to become the new sticksman behind the kit.
Auditions are generally difficult and uncomfortable situations. It's never easy to fully relax for anyone, but the bottom line is that I got the job.
Carl asked if I could start working with them in two weeks' time.
"Sure", I replied. "Where are we playing?".
I was expecting to be told the name of a familiar pub or club around Birmingham. It came as quite a shock to be told: "Germany - for a month. It's really hard work, but the money's great.
"Thirty quid a week!"
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Bev Bevan - Musician and radio presenter
You see, that's what I always say about life, let it go and do something else, if it's meant to be it will come knocking. Proved it time and again - and so have you. Great read. MH
Bev I never miss reading your journal entries and always find them enjoyable. Being a frustrated bass player who is a full time computer guy, it makes me wonder what might have happened had I pursued the dream with just a little more vigor and perhaps waited for the right opportunity. Thank you so much for the music over the years and allowing us this small glimpse into your life!