The Applejacks
 The
Applejacks hailed from Solihull in the West Midlands where in 1960
guitarists Martin Baggott and Philip Cash were in a church youth club Skiffle
group called The Crestas.
Drummer Gerry Freeman persuaded Megan Davies, a fellow Sunday
School teacher (and later his wife) to come in on bass. Adding
organist Don Gould in 1962 the band went forth as The Jaguars, specializing
in instrumentals. The following year, with singer Al
Jackson onboard, they started walking in the ways of Chuck
Berry, Ray
Charles and Little Richard.
On the look-out around Birmingham, Decca A&R man Mike Smith visualized
The Applejacks in their bright red smocks as harbingers of
a 'Solihull Sound'. Hunting around publishers' offices, a commercial
vehicle was found to launch this plan - Tell Me When. Not
possessing the vocal arsenal of The Ivy
League, The Applejack's unison
harmonies came and went behind Al's thick Birmingham vocal, while the
lively instrumental backing revolved largely around Gould's Noddy
organ riffing.
For the next A-side, Decca blew the dust off McCartney's Like
Dreamers Do from The Beatles' failed Decca audition tape. Despite
this distinguished antecedent, it wasn't up to Tell Me When
standard and slumped at Number 20. After Three Little Words
also stalled at Number 23 it became clear that the 'Solihull Sound'
was not going to eventuate.
Before signing off with the appropriately titled I'm Through
in 1965, the band had two noteworthy releases - Chim Chim Cheree
(which had an edge over Dick Van Dyke's Illinois Mockney original
from Mary Poppins) and Ray Davies' I Go To Sleep, which
generated some interest in the US. By 1966 The Applejacks were back on
the Birmingham/Solihull circuit, enjoying their reputation as a solid
local group.
| The
Band |
Al Jackson
Vocals
Martin Baggott
Guitar |
Phil Cash
Guitar
Megan Davies
Bass |
Don Gould
Organ, piano
Gerry Freeman
Drums |
|
