On Monday the 29th March 1965, we supported ‘The Mojos’ at Coed Eva Community College in Cwmbran, which was promoted by Maurice Wight, from the Newport Music Centre. They were best known at the time for a hit single, they had in1964, called ‘Everything’s Alright’.
Like many groups they went through a few personnel changes and by the time they played Coed Eva, the group included 2 people who would go on to greater fame. The drummer was Aynsley Dunbar who would go on to play with the likes of John Mayall, David Bowie & Frank Zappa. The bass guitarist was Lewis Collins who became an actor and went on to star as ‘Bodie’ in the Professionals with Martin Shaw and Gordon Jackson.
I believe Stu James, the vocalist, wanted to diverse into management, so when they were touring, he kept an eye out for groups he thought had potential to make it. Stu liked us a lot and we were invited up to a house in Golders Green that was owned by Bill Collins, who was the father of Lewis.
I was one of those who went and faintly remember that most of the day was spent trying to get us to sign a contract. I was just 19 and the others in the group were a year younger. We were having a whale of a time doing what we did in South Wales, so why should we take a chance on it all stopping. We all politely said no, and went back to enjoying gigging in South Wales.
Sometime later, a group called ‘The Iveys’ was persuaded to leave their homes in Swansea and live in the house in Golders Green. That group later changed their name to ‘Badfinger’. It contained the guitarist, singer songwriter Pete Ham, who tragically committed suicide in 1975.
Like many groups they went through a few personnel changes and by the time they played Coed Eva, the group included 2 people who would go on to greater fame. The drummer was Aynsley Dunbar who would go on to play with the likes of John Mayall, David Bowie & Frank Zappa. The bass guitarist was Lewis Collins who became an actor and went on to star as ‘Bodie’ in the Professionals with Martin Shaw and Gordon Jackson.
I believe Stu James, the vocalist, wanted to diverse into management, so when they were touring, he kept an eye out for groups he thought had potential to make it. Stu liked us a lot and we were invited up to a house in Golders Green that was owned by Bill Collins, who was the father of Lewis.
I was one of those who went and faintly remember that most of the day was spent trying to get us to sign a contract. I was just 19 and the others in the group were a year younger. We were having a whale of a time doing what we did in South Wales, so why should we take a chance on it all stopping. We all politely said no, and went back to enjoying gigging in South Wales.
Sometime later, a group called ‘The Iveys’ was persuaded to leave their homes in Swansea and live in the house in Golders Green. That group later changed their name to ‘Badfinger’. It contained the guitarist, singer songwriter Pete Ham, who tragically committed suicide in 1975.