Nero and the Gladiators

Last updated

Nero and the Gladiators
GenresRock
Years active1960–1964; 1991–2005
Labels Decca, HMV
Past membersMike O'Neill (aka "Nero")
Rod "Boots" Slade
Colin Green
Laurie Jay
Joe Moretti
Tommy Brown
Diz Disley
Jim Cannon
Mick Jones
Alan Bugby
Ralph Danks

Nero & the Gladiators were a British instrumental rock and roll band in the early 1960s. The group was led by keyboard player Mike O'Neill as "Nero", and had two minor hits in the UK, "Entry of the Gladiators" and "In the Hall of the Mountain King".

Contents

O'Neill (born Michael Anthony O'Neill, 8 July 1938 – 10 October 2013) was born in Lowton, Lancashire, and moved to London in 1958. He played in Vince Taylor's band before joining The Cabin Boys, who backed singer Colin Hicks, the younger brother of Tommy Steele. In 1959, Hicks and his band accepted an offer to tour Italy, where they had a hit with a version of "Giddy Up a Ding Dong" and appeared in a movie, Europa di Notte. At the end of the tour, Hicks opted to remain in Italy, and his backing band returned to Britain. Before they left, however, O'Neill and the group's bass player, Rod "Boots" Slade, obtained several sets of gladiator costumes, largely made of plastic, which had been used in the 1951 movie, Quo Vadis , filmed at the Cinecittà studios in Rome. [1]

Returning to Britain, O'Neill and Slade formed a new group, Nero & the Gladiators, with guitarist Colin Green and drummer Laurie Jay (born Laurence Joseph Jacobson, 1941, South Tottenham, North London). [2] Green had been introduced to O'Neill by another young Leigh musician trying to make his way in London at the time, Georgie Fame, who had played with Green in Billy Fury's backing band. The group performed in their gladiator costumes, with "Nero" wearing a toga and a laurel wreath crown. They won a contract with Decca Records, and recorded a rocked-up version of Julius Fučík's well known circus music tune, "Entry of the Gladiators", with a spoken introduction by Slade: "Hey, say there, Brutus, man, like, here come the gladiators..." [3] It entered the UK Singles Chart in March 1961, rising to No. 37, [4] and was later adopted as the theme tune of Leigh rugby league club. The follow-up, "In the Hall of the Mountain King", by Edvard Grieg, reached No. 48 on the chart, [4] with guitarist Joe Moretti having replaced Green who had joined Georgie Fame's Blue Flames. [2] It was not broadcast on BBC radio, because of the Corporation's policy, initiated by Sir Arthur Bliss, of banning pop versions of classical tunes. [1] They only released two more singles, "Czardas" (1961) and "Tovaritch" (on HMV, 1963). [3]

Laurie Jay left in 1961 to form his own group The Echoes, being replaced by Tommy Brown, and O'Neill and Slade kept the group together until late 1962 with a succession of guitarists including Diz Disley. After the group supported the Beatles at the Cavern Club, Slade also left to join the Blue Flames, being replaced on bass by Jim Cannon. For a period in 1963, the position as the group's guitarist was filled by 18-year-old Mick Jones, later of Spooky Tooth and Foreigner. Cannon and Jones were later replaced by Alan Bugby and Ralph Danks, before the group disbanded after a tour of France in early 1964. [1]

Mike O'Neill later played in various bands including The John Barry Seven, The Ivy League, The Echoes and Head Hands & Feet. [5] "Boots" Slade became a member of The Alan Price Set. [1] Colin Green later became musical director for Shirley Bassey.

In 1991, O'Neill and Green re-formed Nero & the Gladiators to play in oldies shows. In 1993, the band performed at the Pipeline Instrumental Rock Convention in London, [6] and again in 1995, [7] and 2000. [8] They continued to perform, with various other non-original band members, until 2005. [1]

Rod "Boots" Slade born 3 September 1941, Weston-super-Mare died at the age of 71 on 3 May 2013 in Murcia, Spain. [9] Mike O'Neill died on 10 October 2013 of liver cancer. [5] Laurie Jay died on 5 March 2017. [10]

Discography

Singles

YearSingleChart Positions
UK
[11]
1961"Entry of the Gladiators"37
"In the Hall of the Mountain King"48
"Czardas"-
1963"Tovaritch"-

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Zombies</span> English rock band

The Zombies are an English rock band formed in St Albans in 1961. Led by keyboardist/vocalist Rod Argent and lead vocalist Colin Blunstone, the group had their first British and American hit in 1964 with "She's Not There". In the US, two further singles—"Tell Her No" in 1965 and "Time of the Season" in 1968—were also successful.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Mayall</span> English blues musician (1933–2024)

John Brumwell Mayall was an English blues and rock musician, songwriter and producer. In the 1960s, he formed John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers, a band that has counted among its members some of the most famous blues and blues rock musicians. A singer, guitarist, harmonica player, and keyboardist, he had a career that spanned nearly seven decades, remaining an active musician until his death aged 90. Mayall has often been referred to as the "godfather of the British blues", and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the musical influence category in 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Surfaris</span> American surf rock band

The Surfaris are an American surf music band formed in Glendora, California, in 1962. They are best known for two songs that hit the charts in the Los Angeles area, and nationally by May 1963: "Surfer Joe" and "Wipe Out", which were the A-side and B-side of the same 45 rpm single.

Surf music is a genre of rock music associated with surf culture, particularly as found in Southern California. It was especially popular from 1958 to 1964 in two major forms. The first is instrumental surf, distinguished by reverb-heavy electric guitars played to evoke the sound of crashing waves, largely pioneered by Dick Dale and the Del-Tones. The second is vocal surf, which took elements of the original surf sound and added vocal harmonies, a movement led by the Beach Boys.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ten Years After</span> British blues rock band

Ten Years After are a British blues rock group, most popular in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Between 1968 and 1973, the band had eight consecutive Top 40 albums on the UK Albums Chart. In addition, they had twelve albums enter the US Billboard 200. They are best known for tracks such as "I'm Going Home", "Hear Me Calling", "I'd Love to Change the World" and "Love Like a Man".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alan Price</span> English musician

Alan Price is an English musician who first found prominence as the original keyboardist of the English rock band the Animals. He left the band in 1965 to form the Alan Price Set; his hit singles with and without the group include "Simon Smith and the Amazing Dancing Bear", "The House That Jack Built", "Rosetta" and "Jarrow Song". Price is also known for work in film and television, taking occasional acting roles and composing the soundtrack of Lindsay Anderson's film O Lucky Man! (1973). He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994 as a member of the Animals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steve Gibbons (musician)</span> British rock musician

Steve Gibbons is an English singer-songwriter, guitarist and bandleader. His music career spans more than 50 years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Colin Blunstone</span> British singer

Colin Edward Michael Blunstone is an English singer and songwriter. In a career spanning more than 60 years, Blunstone came to prominence in the mid-1960s as the lead singer of the rock band the Zombies, which released four singles that entered the Top 75 charts in the United States during the 1960s: "She's Not There", "Tell Her No", "She's Coming Home" and "Time of the Season". Blunstone began his solo career in 1969, releasing three singles under a pseudonym of Neil MacArthur. Since then, he has released ten studio albums under his real name. He was also a recurring guest vocalist with the Alan Parsons Project, appearing on four of their albums between 1978 and 1985.

National Health were an English progressive rock band associated with the Canterbury scene. Founded in 1975, the band featured members of keyboardist Dave Stewart's band Hatfield and the North and Alan Gowen's band Gilgamesh, including guitarists Phil Miller and Phil Lee and bassist Mont Campbell as original members. The band was named after Stewart's National Health spectacles. Bill Bruford was the initial drummer, but was soon replaced by Pip Pyle. Campbell was replaced by Neil Murray and then John Greaves. Alan Gowen left the group before its first album, but returned for their final tours, replacing Dave Stewart, who resigned after their second album. Amanda Parsons sang with the group in its original lineup but also appeared on the first album only as a guest; the group never had another full-time vocalist, although Richard Sinclair appeared a few times as a guest vocalist, and Greaves sang on one track of the second album and occasionally in concerts. Guitarist Phil Miller was National Health's only constant member.

Flaming Youth were a British rock band, active in the late 1960s. They were not commercially successful and are now remembered primarily as Phil Collins' first band that had a recording deal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Put a Spell on You</span> 1956 single by Screamin Jay Hawkins

"I Put a Spell on You" is a 1956 song written and recorded by "Screamin' Jay" Hawkins. The selection became a classic cult song, covered by a variety of artists. It was Hawkins' greatest commercial success, reportedly surpassing a million copies in sales, even though it failed to make the Billboard pop or R&B charts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">It's Not Unusual</span> 1965 single by Tom Jones

"It's Not Unusual" is a song written by Les Reed and Gordon Mills, first recorded by a then-unknown Tom Jones, after it had first been offered to Sandie Shaw. He intended it as a demo for her, but when she heard it she was so impressed with his delivery that she recommended he sing it instead.

The Rockin' Berries are a beat group from Birmingham, England, who had several hit records in the UK in the 1960s. A version of the group, emphasising comedy routines as well as music, continues to perform to the present day.

Sounds Incorporated, first recorded as Sounds Inc., was a British instrumental pop/rock group which recorded extensively in the 1960s.

The Cougars were a short-lived band, formed in Bristol, England, in 1961. They specialised in rock music, mostly instrumental versions of pop and classical pieces.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Georgie Fame and the Blue Flames</span> 1960s British rhythm and blues group

Georgie Fame and the Blue Flames were a British rhythm and blues group during the 1960s whose repertoire spanned R&B, pop, rock and jazz.

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

The Moontrekkers were a British instrumental rock band in the early 1960s, who are best known for their minor chart hit "Night of the Vampire", arranged and produced by Joe Meek, and for their peripheral involvement in the early career of singer Rod Stewart.

Joseph Edward Moretti was a Scottish guitarist renowned for his work on seminal UK rock and roll records such as Vince Taylor's "Brand New Cadillac" and Johnny Kidd & the Pirates' "Shakin' All Over". He later lived in South Africa until his death from lung cancer.

<i>Pipeline Instrumental Review</i>

The Pipeline Instrumental Review, also known as Pipeline Magazine, is a British periodical magazine that focuses on instrumental rock music which was most popular in the 1950s and 1960s with bands and performers such as The Shadows, Duane Eddy, The Ventures, and The Spotnicks among many others. The title of the magazine comes from the 1963 surf rock instrumental hit, "Pipeline" by The Chantays.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Obscure Bands of the 50s & 60s: Nero & The Gladiators". Forgottenbands.blogspot.com. 29 August 1962. Retrieved 20 October 2013.
  2. 1 2 Colin Larkin, ed. (1992). The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music (First ed.). Guinness Publishing. p. 1806/7. ISBN   0-85112-939-0.
  3. 1 2 "Nero and the Gladiators – Entry of the Gladiators / Boots – Decca – UK – F 11329". 45cat.com. 25 February 1961. Retrieved 20 October 2013.
  4. 1 2 Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 390. ISBN   1-904994-10-5.
  5. 1 2 Doc Rock. "July to December". The Dead Rock Stars Club. Retrieved 20 October 2013.
  6. ↑ Taylor, Alan; Burke, Dave, eds. (1993). "Pipeline Convention 1993". Pipeline Instrumental Review (19): 23–29.
  7. ↑ Taylor, Alan; Burke, Dave, eds. (1995). "Pipeline Convention 1995". Pipeline Instrumental Review (27): 8–18.
  8. ↑ "Pipeline Convention 2000". pipelinemag.co.uk. Archived from the original on 26 May 2024. Retrieved 1 September 2024.
  9. ↑ "Rod 'Boots' Slade - Musician - Best of Men !". Memorialwebsites.legacy.com. Retrieved 8 September 2018.
  10. ↑ "LAURIE JAY - The Zoots". Thezoots.com. 29 March 2017. Retrieved 8 September 2018.
  11. ↑ "Nero and The Gladiators". officialcharts.com. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.