Ducks Deluxe
Encyclopedia
Ducks Deluxe were an English
pub rock
band
of the 1970s, who have recently reformed. Usually called "The Ducks" by their fans, they were known for up-tempo, energetic performances, and the successful careers of their members, after they disbanded.
roadie Martin Belmont
on guitar, former Help Yourself
collaborator Sean Tyla
, also on guitar, ex Help Yourself bassist Ken Whaley, and Magic Michael (Michael Cousins) on percussion. Cousins was soon replaced by drummer Tim Roper
and former Flamin' Groovies roadie, Nick Garvey, also joined. Playing more energetic music than most others on the London pub-rock circuit, the Ducks soon had a twice weekly booking at the Tally Ho in Kentish Town, and a manager, Dai Davies.
Whaley left, and later rejoined Help Yourself, and in December 1972, the Ducks recorded two tracks at Man
's Christmas party, one of which,"Boogaloo Babe", was released on a double 10" album Christmas at the Patti
, their first appearance on a record.
In 1973 the band signed to RCA and released their first single, Coast To Coast, written by Sean Tyla and Nick Garvey, though Tyla is not credited on the track, because he was trying to untangle himself from a previous publishing deal. They also appeared in BBC TV Play for Today
called Blooming Youth. Their eponymous debut album Ducks Deluxe was released in early 1974, and "captures something of the fire and excitement that the Ducks' live act generated". Keyboard and bass player Andy McMasters joined from The Sabres, to record a second album,Taxi To The Terminal Zone but this was regarded as disappointing and McMasters left. The band recorded its first Peel Session in April 1974 after which Garvey left and former Nashville Teens bassist Micky Groome joined. Despite recording a second Peel Session in March 1975 RCA dropped the band, so they were reduced to issuing an EP, Jumpin on the French label Skydog.
Tim Roper left so former Brinsley Schwarz
members Brinsley Schwarz
and Billy Rankin
played on the final tour, with the final gig being at the 100 Club
in London on July 1, 1975.
with Rob Hendry (later replaced by Bram Tchaikovsky
) and drummer Ricky Slaughter.
Sean Tyla formed "The Tyla Gang", which would later include Ken Whaley, who had joined Man
after Help Yourself broke up. The Tyla Gang featured Canadian Bruce Irvinere and the former Winkies rhythm section of Brian Turrington on bass and Mike Desmarais on drums. They released two albums, Yachtless and Moonproof on the US-based, Beserkley label before the label's UK operation went bankrupt in 1978 and the band disbanded. Tyla embarked on a solo career and released three albums, Just Popped Out, Redneck In Babylon and Rhythm Of The Swing, the first of which produced Tyla's first Top ten single, Breakfast In Marin in Germany in 1980. Tyla and Micky Groome along with drummer, Paul Simmons then joined Man's Deke Leonard
to form "The Force", until Tyla decided to retire from the music business completely, due to ill health. Groome stayed with Leonard to reform "Deke Leonard's Iceberg".
Brinsley Schwarz and Martin Belmont joined Brinsley's former keyboard player Bob Andrews to support Graham Parker as Graham Parker & the Rumour, as well as appearing without Parker, as "The Rumour". Belmont later played in Carlene Carter's CC Riders
and Nick Lowe's Cowboy Outfit
.
Roper, the original drummer, moved to Norwich
, where he became a well known figure in local bands. He died in February 2003 from alcohol related symptoms, following a nervous breakdown
.
Ironically, the first album
, Ducks Deluxe, achieved moderate commercial success after the band broke up, because the members had gone on to greater fame in Graham Parker & the Rumour, The Tyla Gang and The Motors.
on 9 October 2007. The line-up was Martin Belmont, Sean Tyla, Micky Groome and Billy Rankin. A further gig
took place on 9 November at The Musician in Leicester
. On 26 January 2008 they played Centre Culturel de Paul Baillart, Massy, near Paris
, France
. On 20 September 2008 they played the PopXiria Festival in Carbello, near La Coruna in Spain
, headlining the final night of the event.
In 2009, Ducks Deluxe toured Sweden
from March 29 to April 13. The permanent line-up of the band is now Sean Tyla, vocals
and guitar
; Martin Belmont, guitar and vocals; Kevin Foster (of Hank Wangford & the Lost Cowboys and Los Pisteleros fame) bass guitar
and backing vocals
; and Jim Russell, (ex Stretch
, Wild Angels
, and The Inmates
) on drum
s. They released their first new material, a mini CD
"Box Of Shorts" on May 18, 2009 comprising six new studio tracks, produced by Paul 'Bassman' Riley.
A new full album, "Side Tracks And Smokers", is released in June 2010. Artwork is made by famous Stiff Records designer Tobbe Stuhre, and tracks include some recently found and remastered raw mixes of tracks from the early albums but also a brand new Ducks Deluxe recording.
Previous members:
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
pub rock
Pub rock (UK)
Pub rock was a rock music genre that developed in the mid 1970s in the United Kingdom. A back-to-basics movement, pub rock was a reaction against progressive and glam rock. Although short-lived, pub rock was notable for rejecting stadium venues and for returning live rock to the small pubs and...
band
Musical ensemble
A musical ensemble is a group of people who perform instrumental or vocal music. In classical music, trios or quartets either blend the sounds of musical instrument families or group together instruments from the same instrument family, such as string ensembles or wind ensembles...
of the 1970s, who have recently reformed. Usually called "The Ducks" by their fans, they were known for up-tempo, energetic performances, and the successful careers of their members, after they disbanded.
History
Formed in February 1972, with ex Brinsley SchwarzBrinsley Schwarz
Brinsley Schwarz were a 1970s English pub rock band, named after their guitarist Brinsley Schwarz. With Nick Lowe on bass and vocals, keyboardist Bob Andrews and drummer Billy Rankin, the band evolved from the 1960s pop band Kippington Lodge.-Formation:...
roadie Martin Belmont
Martin Belmont
Martin Belmont is a rock 'n' roll and country-blues guitarist.After working as a roadie for Brinsley Schwarz, in 1972 he formed Ducks Deluxe, issuing two albums on RCA...
on guitar, former Help Yourself
Help Yourself (band)
Help Yourself, known to their fans as "The Helps", were an English rock band of the early 1970s whose style developed from “American-flavoured country-rock… …to acid-drenched psych.”.-History:...
collaborator Sean Tyla
Sean Tyla
Sean Tyla is an English rock guitarist, keyboardist, vocalist and songwriter, sometimes known as the “Godfather of Boogie”...
, also on guitar, ex Help Yourself bassist Ken Whaley, and Magic Michael (Michael Cousins) on percussion. Cousins was soon replaced by drummer Tim Roper
Tim Roper
Tim Roper was the former drummer of the English pub rock band Ducks Deluxe , as well as in "Reds, Whites and Blues" with Adrian "Ade" Shaw....
and former Flamin' Groovies roadie, Nick Garvey, also joined. Playing more energetic music than most others on the London pub-rock circuit, the Ducks soon had a twice weekly booking at the Tally Ho in Kentish Town, and a manager, Dai Davies.
Whaley left, and later rejoined Help Yourself, and in December 1972, the Ducks recorded two tracks at Man
Man (band)
Man are a rock band from South Wales whose style is a mixture of West Coast psychedelia, progressive rock, blues and country-rock. Formed in 1968 as a reincarnation of Welsh rock harmony group ‘’The Bystanders’’, Man are renowned for the extended jams in their live performances, and having had...
's Christmas party, one of which,"Boogaloo Babe", was released on a double 10" album Christmas at the Patti
Christmas at the Patti
Christmas at the Patti is a live album, recorded at Man's Christmas party, held at the Patti Pavilion, Swansea, on 19 December 1972. 'The album features Man and Help Yourself with guests Deke Leonard, Dave Edmunds and B J Cole, together with appearances by Ducks Deluxe, The Jets, The Flying Aces...
, their first appearance on a record.
In 1973 the band signed to RCA and released their first single, Coast To Coast, written by Sean Tyla and Nick Garvey, though Tyla is not credited on the track, because he was trying to untangle himself from a previous publishing deal. They also appeared in BBC TV Play for Today
Play for Today
Play for Today is a British television anthology drama series, produced by the BBC and transmitted on BBC1 from 1970 to 1984. During the run, more than three hundred programmes, featuring original television plays, and adaptations of stage plays and novels, were transmitted...
called Blooming Youth. Their eponymous debut album Ducks Deluxe was released in early 1974, and "captures something of the fire and excitement that the Ducks' live act generated". Keyboard and bass player Andy McMasters joined from The Sabres, to record a second album,Taxi To The Terminal Zone but this was regarded as disappointing and McMasters left. The band recorded its first Peel Session in April 1974 after which Garvey left and former Nashville Teens bassist Micky Groome joined. Despite recording a second Peel Session in March 1975 RCA dropped the band, so they were reduced to issuing an EP, Jumpin on the French label Skydog.
Tim Roper left so former Brinsley Schwarz
Brinsley Schwarz
Brinsley Schwarz were a 1970s English pub rock band, named after their guitarist Brinsley Schwarz. With Nick Lowe on bass and vocals, keyboardist Bob Andrews and drummer Billy Rankin, the band evolved from the 1960s pop band Kippington Lodge.-Formation:...
members Brinsley Schwarz
Brinsley Schwarz (musician)
Brinsley Ernst Pieter Schwarz is an English guitarist and rock musician. He formed a band named Kippington Lodge in 1965, which evolved into the eponymous band Brinsley Schwarz...
and Billy Rankin
Billy Rankin (drummer)
William Hector 'Billy' Rankin III was an English drummer and rock musician active in the 1960s and 1970sHe joined Kippington Lodge in 1968 and remained with them when they evolved into Brinsley Schwarz in 1969...
played on the final tour, with the final gig being at the 100 Club
100 Club
The 100 Club is a music venue in London situated at 100 Oxford Street, W1, originally called The Feldman Swing Club.The 100 Club attained legendary status in modern British music, having played host to live music since 24 October 1942....
in London on July 1, 1975.
Later careers
Nick Garvey and Andy McMaster formed The MotorsThe Motors
The Motors were a British pub rock/punk band, formed in London in 1977 by former Ducks Deluxe members Nick Garvey and Andy McMaster together with guitarist Rob Hendry and drummer Ricky Slaughter...
with Rob Hendry (later replaced by Bram Tchaikovsky
Bram Tchaikovsky
Bram Tchaikovsky is the lead singer of an eponymous power pop band. The group scored a U.S. Top 40 hit in the Billboard Hot 100 in 1979, with "Girl Of My Dreams". In the Netherlands "Sarah Smiles" was a minor hit, reaching #33 in February 1979.Tchaikovsky was vocalist and guitarist for his band...
) and drummer Ricky Slaughter.
Sean Tyla formed "The Tyla Gang", which would later include Ken Whaley, who had joined Man
Man (band)
Man are a rock band from South Wales whose style is a mixture of West Coast psychedelia, progressive rock, blues and country-rock. Formed in 1968 as a reincarnation of Welsh rock harmony group ‘’The Bystanders’’, Man are renowned for the extended jams in their live performances, and having had...
after Help Yourself broke up. The Tyla Gang featured Canadian Bruce Irvinere and the former Winkies rhythm section of Brian Turrington on bass and Mike Desmarais on drums. They released two albums, Yachtless and Moonproof on the US-based, Beserkley label before the label's UK operation went bankrupt in 1978 and the band disbanded. Tyla embarked on a solo career and released three albums, Just Popped Out, Redneck In Babylon and Rhythm Of The Swing, the first of which produced Tyla's first Top ten single, Breakfast In Marin in Germany in 1980. Tyla and Micky Groome along with drummer, Paul Simmons then joined Man's Deke Leonard
Deke Leonard
Roger "Deke" Leonard is a rock musician, "serving a life sentence in the music business." Best known as a member of the progressive rock band Man, which he joined and left several times, and for fronting his own rock and roll band Iceberg, which he formed and disbanded several times, he is also...
to form "The Force", until Tyla decided to retire from the music business completely, due to ill health. Groome stayed with Leonard to reform "Deke Leonard's Iceberg".
Brinsley Schwarz and Martin Belmont joined Brinsley's former keyboard player Bob Andrews to support Graham Parker as Graham Parker & the Rumour, as well as appearing without Parker, as "The Rumour". Belmont later played in Carlene Carter's CC Riders
Carlene Carter
Carlene Carter is an American country singer and songwriter. She is the daughter of June Carter and her first husband, Carl Smith....
and Nick Lowe's Cowboy Outfit
Nick Lowe
Nicholas Drain "Nick" Lowe , is an English singer-songwriter, musician and producer.A pivotal figure in UK pub rock, punk rock and new wave, Lowe has recorded a string of well-reviewed solo albums. Along with vocals, Lowe plays guitar, bass guitar, piano and harmonica...
.
Roper, the original drummer, moved to Norwich
Norwich
Norwich is a city in England. It is the regional administrative centre and county town of Norfolk. During the 11th century, Norwich was the largest city in England after London, and one of the most important places in the kingdom...
, where he became a well known figure in local bands. He died in February 2003 from alcohol related symptoms, following a nervous breakdown
Nervous breakdown
Mental breakdown is a non-medical term used to describe an acute, time-limited phase of a specific disorder that presents primarily with features of depression or anxiety.-Definition:...
.
Ironically, the first 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...
, Ducks Deluxe, achieved moderate commercial success after the band broke up, because the members had gone on to greater fame in Graham Parker & the Rumour, The Tyla Gang and The Motors.
Reunion
The band reformed to celebrate the 35th anniversary of their original formation. This was at the 100 Club in LondonLondon
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...
on 9 October 2007. The line-up was Martin Belmont, Sean Tyla, Micky Groome and Billy Rankin. A further gig
Concert
A concert is a live performance before an audience. The performance may be by a single musician, sometimes then called a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, a choir, or a musical band...
took place on 9 November at The Musician in Leicester
Leicester
Leicester is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England, and the county town of Leicestershire. The city lies on the River Soar and at the edge of the National Forest...
. On 26 January 2008 they played Centre Culturel de Paul Baillart, Massy, near 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...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. On 20 September 2008 they played the PopXiria Festival in Carbello, near La Coruna in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, headlining the final night of the event.
In 2009, Ducks Deluxe toured Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
from March 29 to April 13. The permanent line-up of the band is now Sean Tyla, vocals
Singing
Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
and guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
; Martin Belmont, guitar and vocals; Kevin Foster (of Hank Wangford & the Lost Cowboys and Los Pisteleros fame) bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
and backing vocals
Backing vocalist
A backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
; and Jim Russell, (ex Stretch
Stretch (band)
Stretch were a 1970s British rock band that grew from the collaboration between Elmer Gantry and Kirby . Gantry was previously the frontman of Elmer Gantry's Velvet Opera...
, Wild Angels
Wild Angels
-Personnel:*Eddie Bayers – drums*Larry Byrom – electric guitar*Joe Chemay – bass guitar, fretless bass*Ashley Cleveland – background vocals*Rusty "Pedal" Danmyer – steel guitar*Dan Dugmore – electric guitar, steel guitar, Dobro...
, and The Inmates
The Inmates
The Inmates are a British garage rock/pub rock band, formed after the split up of The Flying Tigers in 1977. In the early 1980s, they had a medium sized international hit with a cover of The Standells' "Dirty Water", and a UK Top 40 hit with "The Walk"...
) on drum
Drum
The drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments, which is technically classified as the membranophones. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a shell and struck, either directly with the player's hands, or with a...
s. They released their first new material, a mini CD
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
"Box Of Shorts" on May 18, 2009 comprising six new studio tracks, produced by Paul 'Bassman' Riley.
A new full album, "Side Tracks And Smokers", is released in June 2010. Artwork is made by famous Stiff Records designer Tobbe Stuhre, and tracks include some recently found and remastered raw mixes of tracks from the early albums but also a brand new Ducks Deluxe recording.
Personnel
- Sean Tyla - Vocals, guitar
- Martin Belmont - Guitar, vocals
- Kevin Foster - Bass guitar, vocals
- Jim Russell - Drums
Previous members:
- Ken Whaley - Bass, vocals
- Nick Garvey - Guitars, Bass, vocals
- Tim Roper - Drums
- Andy McMasters - Keyboards, vocals
- Micky Groome - Bass, vocals
- Billy Rankin - Drums
- Brinsley Schwarz - Guitar, vocals, saxophone
Singles
- "Coast To Coast" / "Bring Back That Packard Car" (1973) RCARCA RecordsRCA Records is one of the flagship labels of Sony Music Entertainment. The RCA initials stand for Radio Corporation of America , which was the parent corporation from 1929 to 1985 and a partner from 1985 to 1986.RCA's Canadian unit is Sony's oldest label...
2438 - "Please, Please, Please" / "Please, Please, Please" RCA DJH0-0297
- "Fireball" / "Saratoga Suzie" (1974) RCA LPBO 5019
- "Love's Melody" / "Two Time Twister" (1974) RCA 2477
- "I Fought The LawI Fought the Law"I Fought the Law" is a song written by Sonny Curtis of The Crickets and became popularized by a cover by the Bobby Fuller Four, which went on to become a top-ten hit for the band in 1966 and was also recorded by The Clash in 1979...
" / "Cherry Pie" (1975) RCA 2531
Albums
- Ducks Deluxe LP (1974) RCA LPLI 5008: 8-track cassette (1974) RCA LPSI 5008
- Taxi To The Terminal Zone LP (1975) RCA SF 8402
- Don't Mind Rockin' Tonite (Compilation & Bonus tracks) (1978) - RCA NL 71153
- Last Night Of A Pub Rock Band LP (Holland) (1979) Dynamite - BMLP 001 (bootleg)
- Last Performance Dynamite - TAKE DYR 3505 (UK bootlegBootleg recordingA bootleg recording is an audio or video recording of a performance that was not officially released by the artist or under other legal authority. The process of making and distributing such recordings is known as bootlegging...
of Last Night Of A Pub Rock Band) - All Too Much - Teichiku TECP-25358
- Ducks Deluxe / Taxi To The Terminal Zone CD (1992) BMG/Demon/MAU MAU CD 610 and BGO BGOCD539
- Bonesteak Á La Carte - Ten Dollar TDR 065 (bootleg)
- The John Peel Sessions - Hux Records HUX086 (3 BBC Radio 1BBC Radio 1BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
Sessions from 1973, 1974 and 1975) - All Too Much / Blow You Out - Jungle (combines a Ducks Deluxe and a Tyla Gang album)
- Live at the 100 Club - 9 October 2007 (bootleg)
- Christmas At The Patti (only one Ducks Deluxe track) LP (1973) United Artists: CD (1997) Point PNTVP110CD: CD Re-mix (2007) Esoteric ECLEC 2018
- Box Of Shorts Mini CD (released on 18 May 2009)
- Side Tracks And Smokers (released on 5 April 2010)
External links
- Official site
- MySpace
- Record Company site
- [ Allmusic Biography]
- Alright are you ready .. ready for some rock n roll? An independent article on the history of Ducks Deluxe