Candy Bus - Oak acetate demo - Good Morning Mr Wind - 1968

Here is an interesting recording, all the more so since I have had contact with two band members:  John Phillips and Alan George, both of whom kindly presented me with information and a rather splendid promotional band picture.

"Candy Bus was formed out of a band in the Sutton area of Surrey called  The A-Jaes. Members were Trevor White, lead guitar and singer, and later in Sparks, Radio Stars and Jook; John Taylor, drums; Jack ? on bass, and me, John Phillips on Vox Continental ! We specialised in Beach Boys songs mostly with some Four Seasons and Jan and Dean thrown in. We had a manager called Michael B. Savage who at one time was closely connected with The Stones !
I lived in Leatherhead which became well known for the origin of John's Children. They wanted Trevor, who was best friends with John Hewlett, but he wouldn't leave us, so they got Marc Bolan instead .................
The "Good Morning Mr. Wind" was a demo for the song. It was written by Donovan who was a friend of Mike Savage and gave us the song. It was recorded by the second Candy Bus incarnation which was myself, Roger Meakin, lead guitar and vocals; John ? on bass; and Alan George on drums.
There is a rubbish pic attached ! Mike Savage's mum's stairs ..............
Thanks for the interest,
John Phillips

 

" Oak accetate of the Donavan song Good Morning Mr.Wind recorded at R.G.Jones studio Mordon Surry after playing 2 weeks at the Playboy Club Park Lane arriving at approx 6-30am setting up and recording 4 tracks :-Mr. Wind / Expecting to Fly / Original with backing vocal (ala George Martin tapes) but with Alan singing live Backwards!!! Engineer was not impressed and cut a lot of vocals from the tape. We did get a fit of the giggles during the takes. Final track was Susies New Shoes written by John Howe the Bass player that John Phillps couldn't remember his surname. John Howe was the bass player and vocalist of the Wurzals of Cider Drinker and Combie Harvester fame and appeared with them at Glastonbury a few years ago. He is no longer with us.

Im living on the Greek Island of Rhodes. I used to live in the West country in Paignton Devon and was in resident Band at the Grand Hotel Torquay (Mirage). I giged with Function band J B Enigma a Shadows Tribute and a folk rock band called Stormy Monday who are now called Dire Traits (Dire Straits tribute band)

Candy Bus was the Support band for a lot of bands at the time including :-Graham Bond Organisation / Brian Augur Trinity with Julie Driscoll / The Herd with Peter Frampton (Fairfields Hall) twice / Dave Dee Dozy Beaky Mick and Titch / Status Quo (Imperial College) Pictures of Matchstickmen No.8 in the charts / Jethro Tull / Traffic / Amen Corner / Vanity Fair (opening Bird Cage nightclub Harlow) / Harmony Grass (Billericay and we were both ripped off by the promoter who flitted with all the money) / Screaming Lord Such / Sounds Incorporated / Marmalade / The Perishers / Blodwyn Pig /.

We met the Beach Boys twice once in Yorkshire and the second time in Finsbury Park in the pub opposite the theater and gave Mike Love a 3inch tape of Mr. Wind and they said if we got it published in the UK they would put it out in the States on their new Brother Label. Unfortunately it was not to be.

Roger Meakin (top right in photo) Lead Guitar and Vocals. After Candy Bus split toured with the Band Esperanto after they recorded their album "Last Tango". Roger was last heard of in France but has not been in contact with any of us for years

Candy Bus was a fantastic experience but were not in the right place at the right time to get the recording contract although we did turn down the 5 year contract at 1% that the Quos manager did take and got loads of publicity by breaking the contract and going to America for a new one
A fantastic learning curve and a chance to see some of the great groups of the time.

Please let me know if this has been helpful to you and don't hesitate to contact me for any more info.

Best regards

Alan George (front left in photo)

Pre Tintern Abbey to the first incarnation

Prior to forming Tintern Abbey, Don Smith was a member of Twickenham band, The Turnkeys.  Below is a newspaper report from 1964 announcing the band's success in securing a contract to provide the score for a film.

Previously unheard demo acetates can be heard here Tintern Abbey acetates

Advert for the newly released Deram single, and a review:

Below are some previously unseen (in their original form) publicity shots for the first incarnation of Tintern Abbey, circa 1967.  Thanks to Don Smith for providing all scans.

First Istanbul gig; Don Smith in action: