The Troggs
A name change was in order, something a bit quirky. “The Gonks” was decided upon, but soon after a band of the same name appeared in the papers, so another change. We are now “The Troggs”. Conk took on the role as manager, getting us some good local gigs and it wasn’t long before we were one of the most popular groups in the area with residencies at a couple of the leading local venues at that time, one being the King’s Club on Canvey Island and another night club in Southend called The Ancona. Conk would drive us to gigs in his Ford Thames Minibus, later in 1964 my dad bought a new Volkswagen caravanette which we then used all the time, mostly with my brother Hugh driving. Hard to believe nowadays that a whole band, plus driver, plus girlfriends and all the gear including drums & P.A., could get into a ’64 VW minibus. Another vehicle related story that comes to mind was when Mick Harding would pick up Micky Drewer on his BSA Bantam motorbike for band practice at the house. Imagine Micky D on pillion, guitar in one hand, amp in the other, when the back tyre blew out. Shame there’s no video evidence of him running up the road at 30 mph, still with amp & guitar in his hands.
After my sacking from the shirt factory in less than a year, we no longer had the canteen for rehearsals. My dad built a sound proof booth in our living room, made from double panelled thick fibre board panels insulated with fibreglass
insulation. These were 8 ft high by about 2 ft wide with foam on the top and bottom
to squeeze between the floor and ceiling, which would surround us for ‘band practice’
as we called it then. Regular Sunday rehearsals were an event at the house, my parents
were behind us 100% and the Sunday Roasts with ten or so people around the table
will always be fondly remembered. My dad also helped us out at this stage by lending
us the cash for some professional equipment. We soon had a complete Vox set-
Early misspelt Troggs card
Cliffs Pavilion (supporting the Ivy League), with this equipment. Just a Selmer 100 watt amp and four Vox columns for P.A., with no monitors or mics on drums. We were still told to “turn it down” now and then.
We also used the soundproof booth set up to make our first recording, an “E.P.” consisting of “I Took My Baby Home”, “The In Crowd”, “Louie Louie” & “C’mon Everybody”. This was by a blind guy called Nick who would travel around recording groups on his mobile equipment. The tape then being transferred to an acetate record.
By now we had our own ‘fan base’, consisting of a group of girls hanging about outside the house, two of which we will all remember as they became good friends and would carry on to follow us for some time after. Whatever happened to Sandra and Lois?
Rehearsing in my bedroom