The Moments (English band)

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The Moments were a rhythm and blues English group from London, England, formed in late 1963 by Steve Marriott at the age of 16, after giving up a promising early film acting career.

Rhythm and blues, commonly abbreviated as R&B, is a genre of popular music that originated in African American communities in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a heavy, insistent beat" was becoming more popular. In the commercial rhythm and blues music typical of the 1950s through the 1970s, the bands usually consisted of piano, one or two guitars, bass, drums, one or more saxophones, and sometimes background vocalists. R&B lyrical themes often encapsulate the African-American experience of pain and the quest for freedom and joy, as well as triumphs and failures in terms of relationships, economics, and aspirations.

London Capital of the United Kingdom

London is the capital and largest city of both England and the United Kingdom. Standing on the River Thames in the south-east of England, at the head of its 50-mile (80 km) estuary leading to the North Sea, London has been a major settlement for two millennia. Londinium was founded by the Romans. The City of London, London's ancient core − an area of just 1.12 square miles (2.9 km2) and colloquially known as the Square Mile − retains boundaries that follow closely its medieval limits. The City of Westminster is also an Inner London borough holding city status. Greater London is governed by the Mayor of London and the London Assembly.

Steve Marriott English musician and songwriter

Stephen Peter Marriott was an English musician, songwriter and frontman of two notable rock and roll bands, spanning over two decades. Marriott is remembered for his powerful singing voice which belied his small stature, and for his aggressive approach as a guitarist in mod rock bands Small Faces and Humble Pie. Marriott was inducted posthumously into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012 as a member of Small Faces.

Contents

Career

The Moments started out being called the Frantiks or the Frantik Ones, later changed to Steve Marriott and the Moonlights, and finally becoming the Moments. Due to Marriott's hyperactive nature, he had a habit of changing the group's name at this early time, until the success of later band Small Faces made it commercially unviable to do so any more. The original Frantiks line-up included Marriott, Johnny Herve, Tony McIntyre, Colin Green and Dennis Thompson. Marriott would sometimes have his girlfriend, English actress Adrienne Posta (whom he had met when they were pupils at the Italia Conti Academy), share vocals with him on duets. [1] Their early musical style was heavily influenced by Buddy Holly, of whom Marriott was a big fan.

Small Faces English band

Small Faces were an English rock band from East London. The group was founded in 1965 by members Steve Marriott, Ronnie Lane, Kenney Jones, and Jimmy Winston, although by 1966 Winston was replaced by Ian McLagan as the band's keyboardist.

Adrienne Posta is an English film and television actress and singer, prominent during the 1960s and 1970s. She adopted the surname 'Posta' in 1966.

Buddy Holly 20th-century American singer-songwriter

Charles Hardin Holley, known as Buddy Holly, was an American musician, singer-songwriter and record producer who was a central and pioneering figure of mid-1950s rock and roll. He was born in Lubbock, Texas, to a musical family during the Great Depression, and learned to play guitar and sing alongside his siblings. His style was influenced by gospel music, country music, and rhythm and blues acts, and he performed in Lubbock with his friends from high school.

The Frantiks recorded a cover version of Cliff Richard's song "Move It" with former Shadows drummer Tony Meehan who was brought in to help with production. Despite the single being hawked around the major record companies no one was interested and the song was consequently never released. It was at this point that original members Dennis Thompson and Johnny Herve quit the group and Marriott changed the bands' name to Steve Marriott and The Moments. The new line-up now had Barry Hewitt on bass, Tony McIntyre on drums, Steve Marriott on lead vocals and rhythm guitar, Johnny Weider (ex Johnny Kidd and the Pirates) on lead guitar and Allen Ellett on keyboards and vocals. They soon became more R&B influenced and found a manager, Tony Calder (who several years later established the Immediate label with Andrew Loog Oldham. The band were each earning a wage of £30 a week (£10 more than Marriott would later be paid by Don Arden in Small Faces). [2]

Cliff Richard British pop singer, musician, and actor

Sir Cliff Richard, is a British pop singer, musician, performer, actor and philanthropist. Richard has sold more than 250 million records worldwide. He has total sales of over 21 million singles in the United Kingdom and is the third-top-selling artist in UK Singles Chart history, behind the Beatles and Elvis Presley.

Move It single

"Move It" is a song written by Ian Samwell and recorded by Cliff Richard and the Drifters. Originally intended as the B-side to "Schoolboy Crush", it was released as Richard's debut single on 29 August 1958 and became his first hit record, reaching no.2 on the UK singles chart. It is credited with being one of the first authentic rock and roll songs produced outside the United States.

The Shadows British rock group

The Shadows were an English instrumental rock group, and were Cliff Richard's backing band from 1958 to 1968 and have also collaborated again on numerous reunion tours. The Shadows have placed 69 UK charted singles from the 1950s to the 2000s, 35 credited to the Shadows and 34 to Cliff Richard and the Shadows. The group, who were in the forefront of the UK beat-group boom, were the first backing band to emerge as stars. As pioneers of the four-member instrumental format, the band consisted of lead guitar, rhythm guitar, bass guitar and drums. Their range covers pop, rock, surf rock and ballads with a jazz influence.

The band performed concerts as often as six nights a week, including spots at the Flamingo and London's 100 Club. As a result, they achieved a loyal mod following; particularly around their hometown the East End of London and Essex. The band started to write their own material, a blend of soul with fast and furious R&B. Their next recording endeavour was called "A Touch of the Blues", written jointly by Marriott and Ellet, the song was in the same vein as the Dave Clark Five's hit at that time "Glad All Over" in that it had a heavy distinctive drum beat. Andrew Loog Oldham (ex Rolling Stones manager) who had seen the band play was impressed with Marriott's strong vocal performances, and produced the record, but for reasons unknown the recording has never seen the light of day. [3] For a short period in March 1964 Marriott briefly changed the name of the band again, this time to the Wondering Ones, a month later he changed it back to The Moments this is noted by Mark Lewisohn who was the Beatles' chronicler. At a gig at the Albion in Rainham, Marriott first viewed his future Small Faces songwriting partner Ronnie Lane who was appearing with his band the Outcasts. In 1964 the Moments were asked by the World Artists label to provide a cover of the Kinks hit "You Really Got Me" for American release only, with a B-side "Money Money", but the song bombed and Marriott's fellow songwriter Ellet left the band. [1]

100 Club music venue in London

The 100 Club is a music venue located at 100 Oxford Street, London, England, which has been hosting live music since 24 October 1942. It was originally called the Feldman Swing Club, but changed its name when the father of the current owner took over in 1964.

Mod (subculture) subculture in England

Mod is a subculture that began in London in 1958 and spread throughout Great Britain and elsewhere, eventually influencing fashions and trends in other countries, and continues today on a smaller scale. Focused on music and fashion, the subculture has its roots in a small group of stylish London-based young men in the late 1950s who were termed modernists because they listened to modern jazz. elements of the mod subculture include fashion ; music ; and motor scooters. The original mod scene was associated with amphetamine-fuelled all-night dancing at clubs.

East End of London area of London, England

The East End of London, usually called the East End, is the historic core of wider East London, east of the Roman and medieval walls of the City of London, and north of the River Thames. It does not have universally accepted boundaries, though the various channels of the River Lea are often considered to be the eastern boundary. It comprises areas of Central London, East London and London Docklands.

In October 1964 the Moments told Marriott he was no longer wanted in the group, they wanted someone older to represent the band, and so Marriott was given his marching orders. Former member Ellet pointed out that the group were often called Steve Marriott's Moments making them appear as if they were just a backing band and this had started to grate on the other members and may have been a contributing factor in their decision. [4]

The Moments never hit the big time, though original founding member Steve Marriott did, early the next year, 1965, with Small Faces.

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References

  1. 1 2 The Moments- Room for Ravers
  2. ↑ Steve Marriott - All Too Beautiful... p.65
  3. ↑ Steve Marriott - All Too Beautiful... p.66
  4. ↑ Steve Marriott - All Too Beautiful... p.69-70
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