From: "Dik de Heer" 
Date: Fri Sep 23, 2005  1:34 am 
Subject: This Is My Story : Sounds Incorporated  

SOUNDS INCORPORATED (By Steve Walker)

Alan (Boots) Holmes (saxophone)
Griff West (born David Glyde) (saxophone)
Barrie Cameron (born Barrie Elmes) (keyboards/baritone saxophone)
John St. John (born John Gillard) (guitar)
Wes Hunter (born Dick Thomas) (bass)
Tony Newman (born Richard Anthony Newman) (drums)

At a time when Shadows-like guitar combos were dominating the
British pop music scene, Sounds Incorporated featured a Piltdown
Men saxophone-led style that set them apart from the crowd.
With the exception of their drummer, Tony Newman, who came from
north-west London, the band members came from Kent's border with
south-east London. They soon became renowned in that area, especially
around Woolwich, for the fullness of their instrumental sound.
Their big break came in August 1961. Union restrictions having prevented
his own band, the Blue Caps, from crossing the Atlantic with him, Gene
Vincent had been forced to use a British backing group, and the group
selected for his forthcoming UK tour was Sounds Incorporated.
They also backed Gene in the (Abbey Road) studio, on the UK single
"I'm Going Home"/"Love Of A Man" (recorded on July 27, 1961) and
on "Spaceship to Mars" and "There I Go Again" (recorded November
30, 1961). The success of the tour with Gene led to a recording session
with Parlophone Records and further opportunities to back other visiting
American artists, most notably Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, Brenda
Lee and Sam Cooke.

Their only record with Parlophone, 'Mogambo' c/w 'Emily', failed to
achieve any significant sales and even a switch to Decca failed to make
much impact. It was while they were with Decca that they cut the Duane
Eddy-sounding 'Keep Moving' and 'Order Of The Keys' with Joe Meek
producing (probably now their most sought after single).
In March 1963, they made their debut TV appearance on 'Thank Your
Lucky Stars' (the rest of the line-up, introduced by Brian Matthew, was
Brenda Lee, Ronnie Carroll, Mike Sarne, Julie Grant, Gerry & The
Pacemakers and Tony Holland)
They travelled to Hamburg to entertain American servicemen, played the
famous Star Club, and met and befriended the Beatles. Late in 1963,
Beatles manager Brian Epstein signed Sounds Inc. to his management
company.
In 1964, the group not only became singer Cilla Black's backing band,
but toured the world as the Beatles' opening act, including the legendary
show at New York's Shea Stadium. 1964 also saw the group in tandem
with Gene Vincent again on the ATV televised epic 'Whole Lotta Shakin'
Goin' On'. In 1967, the Beatles invited Barrie Cameron, Boots Holmes,
and Griff West to be the saxophone section on their Sergeant Pepper LP
track 'Good Morning, Good Morning'.
Sounds Incorporated's own UK success with singles was very modest
in comparison to their reputation as live musicians, but they managed two
minor hits while still with Brian Epstein ('The Spartans' and 'Spanish Harlem'
reached the lower regions of the UK charts in 1964). Their greatest success
was actually in Australia where their 'William Tell' went all the way to the
#1 spot - despite passing almost unnoticed at home in the UK. However,
as the 1960's progressed the group began to disintegrate. First off, Tony
Newman joined Jeff Beck's group and later went on to work with David
Bowie. He was followed by Barrie Cameron who wanted a career in A&R.
The rest of the group soldiered on, mainly playing in Australia, until 1971
when they finally broke up to each pursue new musical careers.

UK Discography:

Singles:
Mogambo/Emily (Parlophone R4815, 1961)
Sounds Like Locomotion/Taboo (Decca F11540, 1962)
Stop/Go (Decca F11590, 1963)
Order Of The Keys/Keep Moving (Decca F11723, 1963)
The Spartans/Detroit (Columbia DB7239, 1964)
Spanish Harlem/Rinky Dink (Columbia DB7321, 1964)
William Tell/Bullets (Columbia DB7404, 1964)
Time For You/Hall Of The Mountain King (Columbia DB7545, 1965)
My Little Red Book/Justice Neddi (Columbia DB7676, 1965)
On The Brink/I'm Comin' Thru (Columbia DB7737, 1965)
How Do You Feel/Dead As You Go (Polydor 56209, 1967)

EP:
'Top Gear' (Columbia SEG8360, 1964)
[Top Gear/The Spartans/Spanish Harlem/Detroit]

LP's:
'Sounds Incorporated' (Columbia 33SX 1659, 1964)
'Rinky Dink' (EMI Regal [export] SREG 1071, 1965)
'Sounds Incorporated' (Studio Two TWO 144, 1966)

website: http://www.hagstrom.org.uk/Hagstrom_future_is_past.htm