The Temperance Seven
Encyclopedia
The Temperance Seven is a British
band
specializing in 1920s-style jazz
music
.
, in 1904. The three founder members were Paul McDowell (who originally played trombone
), Philip Harrison (who originally played banjo
) and Brian Innes. Gradually the band evolved into a nine-piece ensemble with a light-hearted and humorous performing style, although they were all serious musicians. The name "Temperance Seven" was suggested by Douggie Albert, of the Alberts
fame. The Alberts were cult figures in the art scene in the mid 1950s and were forerunners to the sort of humour that became Monty Python
. (This was not the band's only link with Monty Python; see below). The Temperance Seven was a subtle play on words — the number seven being "one under the eight". That there were nine members or "one over the eight" implied intemperance.
In 1961 the Temperance Seven achieved national fame with the #1 hit
"You're Driving Me Crazy
", arranged by Frank Skinner and produced
by George Martin
. It was quickly followed by "Pasadena", which reached #4 in the UK Singles Chart
. They toured the UK
widely that year, and their performances acquired a set routine beginning with the last few bars of "Pasadena", (which became their signature tune) and ending with the stirring strains of the "Gaumont-British News
". By the summer of 1961 their fame was such that they appeared at the London Palladium
.
Before the band became famous, Paul McDowell had also been a member of the Experimental Theatre Club
revue
, with Ian Davidson
, Robin Grove-White and Doug Fisher
. At the time, they had been performing their show, called "****"(Four Asterisks), at the Edinburgh Fringe
, but after the runaway success of "You're Driving Me Crazy", McDowell had to quit the group to tour with his band. This prompted Davidson to look for a replacement, and he found Terry Jones
, future Python member, who thus obtained his first chance to be part of the revue.
The Temperance Seven came to popularity during the resurgent trad-jazz era of the early 1960s. Their unique sound, coupled with their musicianship and ingeniously humorous compositions, set them apart from their contemporaries; however, they arrived at the cusp of that era and as popular tastes changed with the emergence of The Beatles
, the Temperance Seven gradually slipped into obscurity although the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band and Bob Kerr's Whoopee Band
attempted to wear their mantle for several years whilst claiming no affiliation.
The Temperance Seven is also listed as the band for Spike Milligan
and John Antrobus
' stage play The Bed-Sitting Room, which opened at the Mermaid Theatre
on 31 January 1963, with a subsequent production opening on 3 May 1967 at the Saville Theatre
.
The original Temperance Seven were dissolved in the mid 1960s, but the band was resurrected in the latter part of that decade by Innes' friend Ian Howarth who led the band for many years. The band continued to perform with new personnel and, from time to time, original members made guest appearances. Many members of the original band reunited for a BBC Radio
programme about the group in 2003.
During the 1980s, Chris Hook took control of the band which then entered a successful period with the guidance of Upbeat Management. Three CDs were recorded in that time; Tea for Eight, 33 Not Out and The Writing on the Wall. The personnel have not changed much over the last 25 years and the band continues to work around the UK. Some further recordings have been made including Alive and Gigging.
s emphasised by the wearing of a minor yet conspicuous item of clothing — Colin Bowles a dog collar
and John R. T. Davies a fez. "Josef Kronk", who supposedly arranged The Temperance Seven 1961 LP, was the collective pseudonym for the band. A partial "early" line-up included:
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
band
Jazz band
A jazz band is a musical ensemble that plays jazz music. Jazz bands usually consist of a rhythm section and a horn section, in the early days often trumpet, trombone, and clarinet with rhythm section of piano, banjo, bass or tuba, and drums.-Eras:SwingDuring the swing era in the mid-twentieth...
specializing in 1920s-style jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
.
Career
The Temperance Seven were founded at Christmas 1955, although it has been alleged they first "saw the light" in the Pasadena Cocoa Rooms, Balls Pond Road, North LondonNorth London
North London is the northern part of London, England. It is an imprecise description and the area it covers is defined differently for a range of purposes. Common to these definitions is that it includes districts located north of the River Thames and is used in comparison with South...
, in 1904. The three founder members were Paul McDowell (who originally played trombone
Trombone
The trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate...
), Philip Harrison (who originally played banjo
Banjo
In the 1830s Sweeney became the first white man to play the banjo on stage. His version of the instrument replaced the gourd with a drum-like sound box and included four full-length strings alongside a short fifth-string. There is no proof, however, that Sweeney invented either innovation. This new...
) and Brian Innes. Gradually the band evolved into a nine-piece ensemble with a light-hearted and humorous performing style, although they were all serious musicians. The name "Temperance Seven" was suggested by Douggie Albert, of the Alberts
The Alberts
The Alberts were a British music/comedy troupe of the mid 1950s to mid 1960s, featuring brothers Tony and Douglas Gray. They often also appeared with Bruce Lacey. They were influenced by music hall, 1920s jazz and Surrealism...
fame. The Alberts were cult figures in the art scene in the mid 1950s and were forerunners to the sort of humour that became Monty Python
Monty Python
Monty Python was a British surreal comedy group who created their influential Monty Python's Flying Circus, a British television comedy sketch show that first aired on the BBC on 5 October 1969. Forty-five episodes were made over four series...
. (This was not the band's only link with Monty Python; see below). The Temperance Seven was a subtle play on words — the number seven being "one under the eight". That there were nine members or "one over the eight" implied intemperance.
In 1961 the Temperance Seven achieved national fame with the #1 hit
Hit record
A hit record is a sound recording, usually in the form of a single or album, that sells a large number of copies or otherwise becomes broadly popular or well-known, through airplay, club play, inclusion in a film or stage play soundtrack, causing it to have "hit" one of the popular chart listings...
"You're Driving Me Crazy
You're Driving Me Crazy
"You’re Driving Me Crazy" is a U.S. popular song composed by Walter Donaldson for the 1930 musical comedy Smiles. It was recorded the same year by Guy Lombardo & His Royal Canadians and became a hit...
", arranged by Frank Skinner and produced
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
by George Martin
George Martin
Sir George Henry Martin CBE is an English record producer, arranger, composer and musician. He is sometimes referred to as "the Fifth Beatle"— a title that he often describes as "nonsense," but the fact remains that he served as producer on all but one of The Beatles' original albums...
. It was quickly followed by "Pasadena", which reached #4 in the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
. They toured the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
widely that year, and their performances acquired a set routine beginning with the last few bars of "Pasadena", (which became their signature tune) and ending with the stirring strains of the "Gaumont-British News
Gaumont Film Company
Gaumont Film Company is a French film production company founded in 1895 by the engineer-turned-inventor, Léon Gaumont . Gaumont is the oldest continously operating film company in the world....
". By the summer of 1961 their fame was such that they appeared at the London Palladium
London Palladium
The London Palladium is a 2,286 seat West End theatre located off Oxford Street in the City of Westminster. From the roster of stars who have played there and many televised performances, it is arguably the most famous theatre in London and the United Kingdom, especially for musical variety...
.
Before the band became famous, Paul McDowell had also been a member of the Experimental Theatre Club
Experimental Theatre Club
The Experimental Theatre Club is a student dramatic society at University of Oxford, England. It was founded in 1936 by Nevill Coghill as an alternative company to the Oxford University Dramatic Society , and produces several productions a year.Many famous actors and directors have been involved...
revue
Revue
A revue is a type of multi-act popular theatrical entertainment that combines music, dance and sketches. The revue has its roots in 19th century American popular entertainment and melodrama but grew into a substantial cultural presence of its own during its golden years from 1916 to 1932...
, with Ian Davidson
Ian Davidson (scriptwriter)
Ian Davidson is a British actor and scriptwriter who worked in British television comedies from the 1960s to the 1980s. He appeared in the same Oxford University revue as Terry Jones and Michael Palin of Monty Python, and is probably best known for his numerous appearances on Monty Python's Flying...
, Robin Grove-White and Doug Fisher
Doug Fisher (actor)
Douglas Fisher was an English actor.He was schooled at The Royal Liberty - a grammar school in Romford, Essex, where he became a prefect in the sixth form. He later went on to Oxford University....
. At the time, they had been performing their show, called "****"(Four Asterisks), at the Edinburgh Fringe
Edinburgh Fringe
The Edinburgh Festival Fringe is the world’s largest arts festival. Established in 1947 as an alternative to the Edinburgh International Festival, it takes place annually in Scotland's capital, in the month of August...
, but after the runaway success of "You're Driving Me Crazy", McDowell had to quit the group to tour with his band. This prompted Davidson to look for a replacement, and he found Terry Jones
Terry Jones
Terence Graham Parry Jones is a Welsh comedian, screenwriter, actor, film director, children's author, popular historian, political commentator, and TV documentary host. He is best known as a member of the Monty Python comedy team....
, future Python member, who thus obtained his first chance to be part of the revue.
The Temperance Seven came to popularity during the resurgent trad-jazz era of the early 1960s. Their unique sound, coupled with their musicianship and ingeniously humorous compositions, set them apart from their contemporaries; however, they arrived at the cusp of that era and as popular tastes changed with the emergence of The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
, the Temperance Seven gradually slipped into obscurity although the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band and Bob Kerr's Whoopee Band
Bob Kerr's Whoopee Band
Bob Kerr's Whoopee Band, also billed as Bob Kerr and His Whoopee Band, is a jazz band which started in 1967 and continues to perform today. It was an offshoot of the eclectic Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band, and shared many similarities with other outfits of the time such as The New Vaudeville Band and The...
attempted to wear their mantle for several years whilst claiming no affiliation.
The Temperance Seven is also listed as the band for Spike Milligan
Spike Milligan
Terence Alan Patrick Seán "Spike" Milligan Hon. KBE was a comedian, writer, musician, poet, playwright, soldier and actor. His early life was spent in India, where he was born, but the majority of his working life was spent in the United Kingdom. He became an Irish citizen in 1962 after the...
and John Antrobus
John Antrobus
John Antrobus is an English playwright and script writer. He has written extensively for stage, screen, TV and radio, including the epic World War II play, Crete and Sergeant Pepper at the Royal Court...
' stage play The Bed-Sitting Room, which opened at the Mermaid Theatre
Mermaid Theatre
The Mermaid Theatre was a theatre at Puddle Dock, in Blackfriars, in the City of London and the first built there since the time of Shakespeare...
on 31 January 1963, with a subsequent production opening on 3 May 1967 at the Saville Theatre
Saville Theatre
The Saville Theatre is a former West End theatre at 135 Shaftesbury Avenue in the City of Westminster. The theatre opened in 1931, and became a music venue during the 1960s, finally being converted to a cinema in 1970.-Theatre years:...
.
The original Temperance Seven were dissolved in the mid 1960s, but the band was resurrected in the latter part of that decade by Innes' friend Ian Howarth who led the band for many years. The band continued to perform with new personnel and, from time to time, original members made guest appearances. Many members of the original band reunited for a BBC Radio
BBC Radio
BBC Radio is a service of the British Broadcasting Corporation which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a Royal Charter since 1927. For a history of BBC radio prior to 1927 see British Broadcasting Company...
programme about the group in 2003.
During the 1980s, Chris Hook took control of the band which then entered a successful period with the guidance of Upbeat Management. Three CDs were recorded in that time; Tea for Eight, 33 Not Out and The Writing on the Wall. The personnel have not changed much over the last 25 years and the band continues to work around the UK. Some further recordings have been made including Alive and Gigging.
Members
The Temperance Seven dressed in a manner appropriate to the style of music they played. Some members also went under preposterous pseudonymPseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
s emphasised by the wearing of a minor yet conspicuous item of clothing — Colin Bowles a dog collar
Dog collar
A dog collar is a is a piece of material put around the neck of a dog. A collar might be used for control, identification, fashion, or other purposes. Identification tags and medical information is often placed on dog collars. Collars are also useful for controlling a dog manually, as they provide...
and John R. T. Davies a fez. "Josef Kronk", who supposedly arranged The Temperance Seven 1961 LP, was the collective pseudonym for the band. A partial "early" line-up included:
- Clifford Bevan (pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, tromboneTromboneThe trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate...
) - "Canon" Colin Bowles (piano)
- Alan Swainston Cooper (clarinetClarinetThe clarinet is a musical instrument of woodwind type. The name derives from adding the suffix -et to the Italian word clarino , as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet. The instrument has an approximately cylindrical bore, and uses a single reed...
, bass clarinetBass clarinetThe bass clarinet is a musical instrument of the clarinet family. Like the more common soprano B clarinet, it is usually pitched in B , but it plays notes an octave below the soprano B clarinet...
, soprano saxophoneSoprano saxophoneThe soprano saxophone is a variety of the saxophone, a woodwind instrument, invented in 1840. The soprano is the third smallest member of the saxophone family, which consists of the soprillo, sopranino, soprano, alto, tenor, baritone, bass, contrabass and tubax.A transposing instrument pitched in...
, phonofiddlePhonofiddleA phonofiddle is a class of stringed musical instruments that are played with a bow and use a phonograph type reproducer as a voice-box.The sound producing diaphragm may be a metal cone as in the Stroh violin or a mica sheet as in the instruments made by A. T. Howson, London and the Stroviols...
, pedal clarinet, Swanee whistle) - John R.T. DaviesJohn R.T. DaviesJohn R.T. Davies was a remastering engineer of classic jazz records. He was also a trombonist, trumpeter and alto saxophonist and a member of the 1960s jazz revival band The Temperance Seven.Davies was born in Wivelsfield, Sussex...
"Sheik Haroun of Wadi el Yadounir" (trombone, second trumpet, alto saxophoneAlto saxophoneThe alto saxophone is a member of the saxophone family of woodwind instruments invented by Belgian instrument designer Adolphe Sax in 1841. It is smaller than the tenor but larger than the soprano, and is the type most used in classical compositions...
) - Martin Fry (sousaphoneSousaphoneThe sousaphone is a type of tuba that is widely employed in marching bands. Designed so that it fits around the body of the musician and is supported by the left shoulder, the sousaphone may be readily played while being carried...
) (pseudonym: Franklyn B. Paverty) - John Gieves-Watson (banjoBanjoIn the 1830s Sweeney became the first white man to play the banjo on stage. His version of the instrument replaced the gourd with a drum-like sound box and included four full-length strings alongside a short fifth-string. There is no proof, however, that Sweeney invented either innovation. This new...
, spoonsSpoon (musical instrument)Spoons can be played as a makeshift percussion instrument, or more specifically, an idiophone related to the castanets. "Playing the spoons" originated in Ireland as "playing the bones," in which the convex sides of a pair of sheep rib bones were rattled in the same way.- Techniques :# A pair of...
) - Phillip "Fingers" Harrison (alto saxophone, baritone saxophoneBaritone saxophoneThe baritone saxophone, often called "bari sax" , is one of the largest and lowest pitched members of the saxophone family. It was invented by Adolphe Sax. The baritone is distinguished from smaller sizes of saxophone by the extra loop near its mouthpiece...
) - Cephas Howard "Captain, cashiered" (trumpetTrumpetThe trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
, euphoniumEuphoniumThe euphonium is a conical-bore, tenor-voiced brass instrument. It derives its name from the Greek word euphonos, meaning "well-sounding" or "sweet-voiced"...
) - Brian Innes "Professor Emeritus" (percussion)
- "Whispering" Paul MacDowell (vocal refrains)
- Mac White (clarinet, alto saxophone)
- Ray Whittam (clarinet, baritone saxophone, tenor saxophoneTenor saxophoneThe tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. The tenor, with the alto, are the two most common types of saxophones. The tenor is pitched in the key of B, and written as a transposing instrument in the treble...
) - Ian Howarth (percussion)
- Dr Graham Collicott (percussion)
Singles
- "You're Driving Me Crazy" / "Charley My Boy" (1961: 7" Parlophone R4757) - UKUK Singles ChartThe UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
#1 - "Pasadena" / "Sugar" (1961: 7" Parlophone R4781) - UK #4
- "Hard Hearted Hannah" / "Chili Bom Bom" (1961: 7" Parlophone R4823) - UK #28
- "Charleston" / "Black Bottom" (1961: 7" Parlophone R4851) - UK #22
- "Sahara" / "Everybody Loves My Baby" (1962: 7" Parlophone R4893)
- "Runnin' Wild" / "The Mooche" (1962: 7" Parlophone R4934)
- "Shake" / "Bye Bye Baby" (1962: 7" Parlophone R4953)
- "Ain't She Sweet" / "Seven And Eleven" (1963: 7" Parlophone R5022)
- "Thanks For The Melody" / "Easy Money" (1963: 7" Parlophone R5048)
- "From Russia With Love" / "PCQ" (1963: 7" Parlophone R5070)
- "Letkiss" / "Tajkaedi" (1964: 7" Parlophone R5236)
- "Miss Elizabeth Brown" / "Crazy" (1968: 7" MCA 1016)
- "Shepherd of the Hills" (1975: 7" DJM DJS 626)
- "Mach II March" / "Me and Jane in a Plane" (1976: 7" DJM DJS 673)
- "Pasadena" / "You're Driving Me Crazy" (EMI EMI2336)
- "You're Driving Me Crazy" / "Charley My Boy" (Old Gold OG 9385)
- "You're Driving Me Crazy" / "Charley My Boy" (HMV POP 2007)
EPs
- "The Temperance Seven Inch Record" (1960: EP Argo EAF 14)
- "The Temperance Seven" (1961: EP Parlophone GEP 8840)
- "The Charleston and other selections" (1961: EP Parlophone GEP 8850)
- "1961" (1961: EP Parlophone GEP 8857)
- "Runnin' Wild" (1962: EP Parlophone GEP 8872)
Albums
- The Temperance Seven Plus 1 (LP: Argo RG 117) - UKUK Albums ChartThe UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
#19 (re-released as The World of the Temperance Seven 1973 LP: Argo SPA 302) - The Temperance Seven 1961 (1961 LP: Parlophone PMC 1152 & PCS 3021) - UK #8 (re-released as Pasadena: World Record Club ST 10002)
- BBC Sessions (1962 LP: Ristic) [Private Pressing]
- Family Album (1964 LP: Parlophone PMC 1236 & PCS 3059, 1964) (re-released as Family Album: World Record Club TP 727)
- Direct from the Ballspond Cocoa Rooms (LP: Music For Pleasure MFP 1322)
- The New Temperance Seven (1970 LP: Hallmark HMA 205)
- The New Temperance Seven in Sweden (1972 LP: Philips 6414 303)
- The Temperance Seven in Hong Kong (1975 LP: DJM DJSML 2013)
- 21 Years On (1976 LP: DJM DJM 22043)
- Tea for Eight (1989 LP: Upbeat URLP101)
- 33 Not Out (1990 CD: Upbeat URCD103)
- The Writing on the Wall (1992 CD: Upbeat URCD108)
- Pasadena and the Lost Cylinders: Music from the Archives (1997 CD: Lake LACD 77) [recorded 1960(1-9), 1961(10-11), 1962(12-19), 1963(20-26), 1967(27-28)]
- Live & In Full Colour - Part 1 (2000 CD: TS101) (Private Pressing recorded at The Grayshott Club, Hindhead)
- Live & In Full Colour - Part 2 (2000 CD: TS102) (Private Pressing recorded at The Grayshott Club, Hindhead)
- The Parlophone Recordings Vol.1 1960-1962 (2000 CD: Lake LACD 138)
- The Parlophone Recordings Vol.2 1962-1965 (2001 CD: Lake LACD 142)
- Those BBC Years (2002 CD: Upbeat URCD185)
Other appearances
The Temperance Seven also appeared on:- The Alberts, The Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band, The Temperance Seven (1971 LP: Starline SRS 5151)
- By Jingo It's British Rubbish (1998 CD: HUX 015)
Filmography
- It's Trad, Dad!It's Trad, Dad!It's Trad, Dad! , known in the U.S. as Ring-A-Ding Rhythm, is a musical comedy. The film was one of the first films put out by predominantly horror company Amicus Productions, and one of director Richard Lester's first films.-Plot:...
(1962) - Take Me Over (1963)
- The Wrong BoxThe Wrong BoxThe Wrong Box is a British comedy film made by Salamander Film Productions and distributed by Columbia Pictures. It was produced and directed by Bryan Forbes from a screenplay by Larry Gelbart and Burt Shevelove, based on the novel by Robert Louis Stevenson and Lloyd Osbourne.The cast includes a...
(1966) - The Temperance Seven in Hong Kong (1976)