Carlo Little
Encyclopedia
Carlo Little was a rock and roll
drummer
, based in the London nightclub
scene in the 1960s. He played in an early version of The Rolling Stones
. Little was also with Cyril Davies
' All Stars and was the founding member of Screaming Lord Sutch
's Savages.
, Shepherd's Bush
, London
, England
, he was brought up and lived in Wembley
, Middlesex
for most of his life - his fellow townsmen included peers Keith Moon
, Ginger Baker
and Charlie Watts
, all of whom would find fame with the same instrument. He was included in the evacuation of civilians during World War II
as a child, and sent to relatives in Wales
during the Blitz
in London.
As a teenager he discovered Ted Heath
and then skiffle
music, especially Chris Barber
and Lonnie Donegan
. Skiffle inspired Little to join a band, Derek Addison's Rhythm Katz. By the late 1950s rock and roll had arrived in the United Kingdom, and Little became a fan of Chuck Berry
and Little Richard
, whose drummer Earl Palmer
he was influenced by. Little found himself called up in 1958 to join the British National service
, where he served in Kenya
and Malta
, and was singled out to become head drummer due to his loud playing. He was demobbed
in 1960.
On his return to civilian life he met David Sutch and formed The Savages with amongst others Nicky Hopkins
who lived locally. Screaming Lord Sutch
and The Savages toured the UK and became known for their unique British rock and roll shows. The bulk of the band members, including Little, left in 1962 to join the Cyril Davies All Stars, and recorded a single
"Country Line Special", an instrumental
track which influenced Keith Richards
and Ray Davies
. He also played a few gigs with the young Rolling Stones and was asked by Brian Jones
to join permanently before they hired Charlie Watts
as their official drummer in January 1963. In 1998, during their European tour, he was invited as an official guest backstage at one of their Paris
concerts.
Little continued to work as a session drummer throughout the 1960s having further success with The Flower Pot Men, as drummer on their hit single, "Let's Go To San Francisco
". Now with a family, Little played in pub bands throughout the 1970s and 1980s, until he reformed the All Stars in 2000, which included Art Wood on vocals, Alec Chanter on lead guitar and vocals, Johnny Casanova on keyboards and vocals, Eddie Armer on harmonicas and fellow former Cyril Davies band member, Ricky Brown (aka Ricky Fenson), on bass. Carlo and his All Stars recorded an album
, which also featured Ron Wood
, Jeff Beck
, Long John Baldry
, Matthew Fisher and The Chanter Sisters. The album, entitled Never Stop Rockin, (the title track penned by Little), could not be released until 2009, so he was unable to see the finished product.
Next to his musical activities, he worked as a bread salesman and entrepreneur until his retirement.
Little died of lung cancer
in Cleadon
, Tyne and Wear
in 2005, at the age of 66. The Carlo Little All Stars album Never Stop Rockin was released by Angel Air Records
in January 2009.
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
drummer
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
, based in the London nightclub
Nightclub
A nightclub is an entertainment venue which usually operates late into the night...
scene in the 1960s. He played in an early version of The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
. Little was also with Cyril Davies
Cyril Davies
Cyril Davies was one of the first British blues harmonica players and blues musician.-Biography:Born at St Mildred's, 15 Hawthorn Drive, Willowbank, Denham, Buckinghamshire, near London, he was the son of William Albert Davies, a labourer, and his wife Margaret Mary...
' All Stars and was the founding member of Screaming Lord Sutch
Screaming Lord Sutch
David Edward Sutch , also known as "Screaming Lord Sutch, 3rd Earl of Harrow", or simply "Screaming Lord Sutch", was a musician from the United Kingdom...
's Savages.
Career
Born Carl O'Neil Little at the Queen Charlotte's HospitalQueen Charlotte's Hospital
Queen Charlotte's and Chelsea Hospital is one of the oldest maternity hospitals in Europe, and until recently occupied a site on Goldhawk Road, Hammersmith, West London. Originally called Queen Charlotte's Hospital, it merged with the Chelsea Hospital for Women and is now based at the Hammersmith...
, Shepherd's Bush
Shepherd's Bush
-Commerce:Commercial activity in Shepherd's Bush is now focused on the Westfield shopping centre next to Shepherd's Bush Central line station and on the many small shops which run along the northern side of the Green....
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, he was brought up and lived in Wembley
Wembley
Wembley is an area of northwest London, England, and part of the London Borough of Brent. It is home to the famous Wembley Stadium and Wembley Arena...
, Middlesex
Middlesex
Middlesex is one of the historic counties of England and the second smallest by area. The low-lying county contained the wealthy and politically independent City of London on its southern boundary and was dominated by it from a very early time...
for most of his life - his fellow townsmen included peers Keith Moon
Keith Moon
Keith John Moon was an English musician, best known for being the drummer of the English rock group The Who. He gained acclaim for his exuberant and innovative drumming style, and notoriety for his eccentric and often self-destructive behaviour, earning him the nickname "Moon the Loon". Moon...
, Ginger Baker
Ginger Baker
Peter Edward "Ginger" Baker is an English drummer, best known for his work with Cream and Blind Faith. He is also known for his numerous associations with World music, mainly the use of African influences...
and Charlie Watts
Charlie Watts
Charles Robert "Charlie" Watts is an English drummer, best known as a member of The Rolling Stones. He is also the leader of a jazz band, a record producer, commercial artist, and horse breeder.-Early life:...
, all of whom would find fame with the same instrument. He was included in the evacuation of civilians during World War II
Evacuations of civilians in Britain during World War II
Evacuation of civilians in Britain during the Second World War was designed to save the population of urban or military areas in the United Kingdom from aerial bombing of cities and military targets such as docks. Civilians, particularly children, were moved to areas thought to be less at risk....
as a child, and sent to relatives in Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
during the Blitz
The Blitz
The Blitz was the sustained strategic bombing of Britain by Nazi Germany between 7 September 1940 and 10 May 1941, during the Second World War. The city of London was bombed by the Luftwaffe for 76 consecutive nights and many towns and cities across the country followed...
in London.
As a teenager he discovered Ted Heath
Ted Heath (bandleader)
Ted Heath, musician and big band leader, led Britain's greatest post-war big band recording more than 100 albums and selling over 20 million records...
and then skiffle
Skiffle
Skiffle is a type of popular music with jazz, blues, folk, roots and country influences, usually using homemade or improvised instruments. Originating as a term in the United States in the first half of the twentieth century, it became popular again in the UK in the 1950s, where it was mainly...
music, especially Chris Barber
Chris Barber
Donald Christopher 'Chris' Barber is best known as a jazz trombonist. As well as scoring a UK top twenty trad jazz hit he helped the careers of many musicians, notably the blues singer Ottilie Patterson, who was at one time his wife, and vocalist/banjoist Lonnie Donegan, whose appearances with...
and Lonnie Donegan
Lonnie Donegan
Anthony James "Lonnie" Donegan MBE was a skiffle musician, with more than 20 UK Top 30 hits to his name. He is known as the "King of Skiffle" and is often cited as a large influence on the generation of British musicians who became famous in the 1960s...
. Skiffle inspired Little to join a band, Derek Addison's Rhythm Katz. By the late 1950s rock and roll had arrived in the United Kingdom, and Little became a fan of Chuck Berry
Chuck Berry
Charles Edward Anderson "Chuck" Berry is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter, and one of the pioneers of rock and roll music. With songs such as "Maybellene" , "Roll Over Beethoven" , "Rock and Roll Music" and "Johnny B...
and Little Richard
Little Richard
Richard Wayne Penniman , known by the stage name Little Richard, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, recording artist, and actor, considered key in the transition from rhythm and blues to rock and roll in the 1950s. He was also the first artist to put the funk in the rock and roll beat and...
, whose drummer Earl Palmer
Earl Palmer
Earl Cyril Palmer was an American rock & roll and rhythm and blues drummer, and member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame....
he was influenced by. Little found himself called up in 1958 to join the British National service
National service
National service is a common name for mandatory government service programmes . The term became common British usage during and for some years following the Second World War. Many young people spent one or more years in such programmes...
, where he served in Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
and Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
, and was singled out to become head drummer due to his loud playing. He was demobbed
Demobilization
Demobilization is the process of standing down a nation's armed forces from combat-ready status. This may be as a result of victory in war, or because a crisis has been peacefully resolved and military force will not be necessary...
in 1960.
On his return to civilian life he met David Sutch and formed The Savages with amongst others Nicky Hopkins
Nicky Hopkins
Nicholas Christian "Nicky" Hopkins was an English pianist and organist.He recorded and performed on noted British and American popular music recordings of the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s as a session musician....
who lived locally. Screaming Lord Sutch
Screaming Lord Sutch
David Edward Sutch , also known as "Screaming Lord Sutch, 3rd Earl of Harrow", or simply "Screaming Lord Sutch", was a musician from the United Kingdom...
and The Savages toured the UK and became known for their unique British rock and roll shows. The bulk of the band members, including Little, left in 1962 to join the Cyril Davies All Stars, and recorded a single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
"Country Line Special", an instrumental
Instrumental
An instrumental is a musical composition or recording without lyrics or singing, although it might include some non-articulate vocal input; the music is primarily or exclusively produced by musical instruments....
track which influenced Keith Richards
Keith Richards
Keith Richards is an English musician, songwriter, and founding member of the Rolling Stones. Rolling Stone magazine said Richards had created "rock's greatest single body of riffs", and placed him as the "10th greatest guitarist of all time." Fourteen songs written by Richards and songwriting...
and Ray Davies
Ray Davies
Ray Davies, CBE is an English rock musician. He is best known as lead singer and songwriter for the Kinks, which he led with his younger brother, Dave...
. He also played a few gigs with the young Rolling Stones and was asked by Brian Jones
Brian Jones
Lewis Brian Hopkins Jones , known as Brian Jones, was an English musician and a founding member of the Rolling Stones....
to join permanently before they hired Charlie Watts
Charlie Watts
Charles Robert "Charlie" Watts is an English drummer, best known as a member of The Rolling Stones. He is also the leader of a jazz band, a record producer, commercial artist, and horse breeder.-Early life:...
as their official drummer in January 1963. In 1998, during their European tour, he was invited as an official guest backstage at one of their Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
concerts.
Little continued to work as a session drummer throughout the 1960s having further success with The Flower Pot Men, as drummer on their hit single, "Let's Go To San Francisco
Let's Go To San Francisco
"Let's Go to San Francisco" is the only UK-charting single by the British pop group The Flower Pot Men. A light-hearted pastiche of the work of Brian Wilson, the song achieved a similar musical level and has remained popular...
". Now with a family, Little played in pub bands throughout the 1970s and 1980s, until he reformed the All Stars in 2000, which included Art Wood on vocals, Alec Chanter on lead guitar and vocals, Johnny Casanova on keyboards and vocals, Eddie Armer on harmonicas and fellow former Cyril Davies band member, Ricky Brown (aka Ricky Fenson), on bass. Carlo and his All Stars recorded an album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
, which also featured Ron Wood
Ron Wood
Ronald David "Ronnie" Wood is an English rock guitarist and bassist best known as a former member of The Jeff Beck Group, Faces, and current member of The Rolling Stones. He also plays lap and pedal steel guitar....
, Jeff Beck
Jeff Beck
Geoffrey Arnold "Jeff" Beck is an English rock guitarist. He is one of three noted guitarists to have played with The Yardbirds...
, Long John Baldry
Long John Baldry
John William "Long John" Baldry was an English and Canadian blues singer and a voice actor. He sang with many British musicians, with Rod Stewart and Elton John appearing in bands led by Baldry in the 1960s. He enjoyed pop success in the UK where Let the Heartaches Begin reached No...
, Matthew Fisher and The Chanter Sisters. The album, entitled Never Stop Rockin, (the title track penned by Little), could not be released until 2009, so he was unable to see the finished product.
Next to his musical activities, he worked as a bread salesman and entrepreneur until his retirement.
Little died of lung cancer
Lung cancer
Lung cancer is a disease characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in tissues of the lung. If left untreated, this growth can spread beyond the lung in a process called metastasis into nearby tissue and, eventually, into other parts of the body. Most cancers that start in lung, known as primary...
in Cleadon
Cleadon
Cleadon is a suburban village in South Tyneside, North East England in the county of Tyne and Wear. The population of Cleadon is 4,795, and there are a few shops including Bon Appetit Deli, Boutiques store and a Post Office. Cleadon is a short walk from the local East Boldon Metro Station. Nearby...
, Tyne and Wear
Tyne and Wear
Tyne and Wear is a metropolitan county in north east England around the mouths of the Rivers Tyne and Wear. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972...
in 2005, at the age of 66. The Carlo Little All Stars album Never Stop Rockin was released by Angel Air Records
Angel Air Records
Angel Air Records is an English independent record label established in February 1997, specialising in reissues of classic pop and rock albums originally issued in the 1960s and 70s and latterly new albums from known artists up to the 21st century, formed by Peter and Shirley Purnell...
in January 2009.