Puneet Varma (Editor)

Colin Hicks and The Cabin Boys

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Genres
  
Beat

Origin
  
England, United Kingdom

Record label
  
PRT Records

Years active
  
1950s

Genre
  
Beat music

Colin Hicks & The Cabin Boys wwwedwardianteddyboycomuserimagesColinHicksthe

Labels
  
Pye, Broadway International

Past members
  
Colin Hicks Jimmie Nicol Mike O'Neill Dave 'Zom' Tick Rod 'Boots' Slade

Albums
  
Lovin' up a Storm: Colin Hicks & His Hits, Vol. 2

Similar
  
Tommy Steele, Vince Eager, Terry Dene, Jimmie Nicol, Joe Moretti

Colin Hicks & The Cabin Boys were a British rock and roll band, led by Colin Hicks, the younger brother of singer Tommy Steele.

Contents

Career

In November 1957, the British music magazine, NME, reported that Steele's manager, Larry Parnes had signed up Hicks, and that Hicks would undertake a ten-week variety tour with Marty Wilde. In March the following year, the same source stated that Hicks and Wilde were fulfilling contracted dates, left after Terry Dene had been diagnosed as unfit to continue touring. In 1958 they had some television appearances, and a recording contract with Pye Records, and released a few singles with the label. However, he did not achieve the same level of success as his brother.

In 1959 they appeared in the Italian film, Europe By Night, with the song "Giddy Up a Ding Dong" that became a hit for them in Italy and resulted in an invitation to tour there. They became popular there and recorded several singles for the Broadway label in Italy.

In the early 1960s just before a concert in Torino, Hicks became ill and lost his voice, and his backing group at the time consisting of Shel Shapiro, Johnny Charlton, Bobby Posner and Mike Shepstone were persuaded by a manager in Italy to sever ties with Hicks which they did. They then became The Rokes, and started playing behind the Italian female singer Rita Pavone. However they were signed to RCA Italiana on their own and debuted with a single, a cover version of "Shake, Rattle and Roll".

Former personnel

  • Colin Hicks - vocals - (born Anthony Hicks, February 1941, Cornwall)
  • Jimmie Nicol - drums - (born James George Nicol, 3 August 1939, Barnes, South West London)
  • Mike Elliott - saxophone - (born 6 August 1929, Jamaica)
  • Mike O'Neill - piano - (born Michael O'Neill, 8 July 1938, Lowton, Lancashire died 10 October 2013, Stevenage, Hertfordshire)
  • Ronnie Mills - Piano - toured Italy - European Nights (born 5 February 1938, Glasgow)
  • Dave 'Zom' Tick - lead guitar
  • Rod 'Boots' Slade - bass guitar
  • Brian Gregg - bass guitar - (born 31 January 1939, North London) (1960-1961)
  • Shel Shapiro - guitar, vocals - (born Norman David Shapiro, 16 August 1943, Stanmore, Middlesex)
  • Johnny Charlton - guitar, vocals - (born Raymond John Charlton, 3 April 1945, Walthamstow, east London)
  • Bobby Posner - bass, vocals - (born Martin Robert Posner, 6 May 1945, Edgware, Middlesex)
  • Mike Shepstone - drums, vocals - (born Michael James Roger Shepstone, 29 March 1943, Weymouth, Dorset)
  • Note: One line-up of the Cabin Boys evolved into a group called Nero & the Gladiators

    Singles

    Pye

  • "Wild Eyes And Tender Lips" / "Empty Arms Blues" - 7N 15114, November 1957
  • "La Dee Dah" / "Wasteland" - Pye 7N 15125, February 1958
  • "Little Boy Blue" / "Jambalaya" - Pye 7N 15163, November 1958
  • Broadway International

  • Europa Di Notte (EP : "Iea-Iea" / "Oh, Boy!" / "Book of Love" / "20 Flight Rock" - Broadway Int. EP B-106EP
  • "Brand New Cadillac" / Tallahassee Lassie - Broadway Int. 1022, 1959
  • "Oh Boy" / "Rock & Roll Shoes" - Broadway Int. 1023
  • "Giddy-Up-A Ding Dong" / "Hanging Around" - Broadway Int. 1024
  • "Sexy Rock" / "Johnny B. Goode" - Broadway Int. 1028, 1959
  • Albums

  • The History Of Rock'n'Roll
  • Songs

    Iea IeaRarity Music Pop - Vol 66 (Part 1) · 2010
    Giddy Up a Ding DongRock and Roll from England · 2011
    Empty Arms BluesRarity Music Pop - Vol 66 (Part 1) · 2010

    References

    Colin Hicks & The Cabin Boys Wikipedia