Originally a Rock & Roll band, The Pirates’ greatest days were perhaps behind them when the beat boom began.
Formed in 1958, when Rock & Roll was still in its first flush of youth in Britain, they enjoyed several hit records, including the classic Shakin’ All Over, co-written by Kidd and his manager, Gus Robinson, and a British #1 in 1960.
They sustained a seven-year career without ever releasing an album.
Kidd was a fine R&B singer and one of the few credible British pre-Beatles answers to American rock singers, and in The Pirates, he had one of England’s toughest-sounding groups.
Born Fred Heath in Willesden, North London, Kidd was an uncompromising rocker from Willesden who avoided covering US hits and scored with original material.
By the late 50s, his skiffle group (once called The Five Nutters) had evolved into a Gene Vincent-inspired rock group.
Kidd’s stage act saw him wear an eye-patch over his right eye and wield a cutlass, while his Pirates sported colourful swashbuckling gear and played in front of a galleon backdrop.
The band endured a couple of barren years between 1960 and 1962, when their music clashed with the public taste for teen ballads, but had something of an Indian summer in 1963 as beat music gained popularity.
After the hits dried up, the band continued working – predominantly on the Northern cabaret circuit – with various line-up changes.
Kidd was in fact on his seventh group of Pirates when he was killed in a car accident on the M1 just outside Bury, Lancashire, on 7 October 1966. He was only 27.
During the late-70s pub rock explosion, The Pirates made a brief comeback without their famed frontman. Bassist Nick Simper later joined Deep Purple.
Johnny Kidd
Vocals Alan Caddy
Guitar Tony Doherty Guitar Johnny Gordon Bass Ken McKay Drums Brian Gregg
Bass Clem Cattini
Drums Johnny Patto
Guitar Mick Green
Guitar Johnny Spence
Bass
Frank Farley
Drums John Weider
Guitar
Vic Cooper
Organ Jon Morshead Guitar
Mick Stewart Guitar Nick Simper Bass Roger Truth Drums Ray Soaper Keyboards
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