A Band Called George - Single NCB Man 1974

A Band Called George 1973

A Band Called George
Rock / Acoustic / Comedy

were formed in 1973 by Bob and Colin Young and managed by the Coventry Sunshine Music Agency in Gulson Road, recorded a single called NCB on the Bell label.

They were a Coventry folk rock comedy recording band.



The band consisted of -
Roger Prince, Guitar, blues harp, Mandolin, Barley wine and vox
Colin Young, Bass, Hilariously funny cigarettes and Vox,
Bob Young, Guitar, Kazoo, keyboards, Bikers Grog (Light Ale with a Barley Wine in it. Quite lethal in the wrong hands) and Vox 

Basil Stephan Andruzko, on double meat pie and chips,who, was said by some to have played Bass and Accordion as well. He also sang. "Ahhhgh the pain".

Harry Heppingstall on drums. Replaced after the single NCB Man was released by  Nick Trevisick.

Roadies - Ricky and Dave

NCB MAN

JACK TAR

Here there music including their 1973 single NCB Man on My Space and a second

My Space HERE
Tracks - NCB Man / One More Brew / A Wonderful way to Die / Sing me Softly

Came out of Heavy rock band Sweeny Todd

Were planning a tour of Germany late August 73. Joe Reynolds (joined a reformed version of the band in

1974)

Original material in similar vein to Lindisfarne. Members from Coventry and Leamington area.

According to HOBO the BBC did not select the single, NCB Man, for airplay and this led to the band’s demise. CET described the song as a ‘ light hearted song about coal miners’

Appeared on Midland’s Today. (CET) ‘It’s a fun folk rock song, not quite representative of the band live’

Managed by Sunshine Agency (SAM) (Managers Craig Ward & Graham Wood). Sunshine Agency was set up to record Bob Young’s songs.

Single:

NCB Man (on Bell Records) released 24th August 1973.


The first line up of A Band Called George consisted of Roger Prince, Guitar, blues harp, Mandolin,

Barley winend Vox, Colin Young, Bass, Hilariously funny cigarettes and Vox, Bob Young, Guitar, Kazoo, keyboards, Bikers Grog (Light Ale with a Barley Wine in it. Quite lethal in the wrong hands) and Vox, Basil Stephan Andruzko, on double meat pie and chips, who, was said by some to have played Bass and Accordion as well. He also sang. "Ahhhgh the pain". Harry Heppingstall on drums.

A single NCB Man was released in 1973 on Bell Records published Island Music.

Harry was replaced by Nick Trevisick shortly after the single was released. We were all replaced by the Branch manager of the Midland Bank when the overdraft became due. Although He allegedly had a very fine tenor voice we believe he remains unsigned

Trev Teasdel remembers -
I met A Band Called George at the Sunshine Music Agency in Gulson Rd. Coventry in 1973 when I

breezed in to introduce myself and Hobo Magazine. Bob Young was one of the managers and there's quite a bit about Sunshine Music Agency on the Hobo Discos and venues blog. Previously some of the members had been in Sweeny Todd (I remember seeing them in the early 70's at the Colin Campbell. Baz Andruszko later played with the reformed Dando Shaft for a while. Nicky Trevisthick was the only one I knew previously - I'd met him at the Lanch and other places. According to Kevin Harrison he went on to play with American Housewives / Café Society / Tom Robinson Band / Moon / The Dukes. Bob Young has a My Space for A Band Called George which you can access at the top of this post.

In their My Space blog they say -


"A Band Called George came out of Sweeny Todd - Sweeney Todd was formed by Brothers Bob and Colin Young in Leamington Spa Warwickshire England in late 1969 early 1970. We got the idea and name Sweeney Todd from the 30s film, starring Todd Slaughter (what a name eh!!)The first lineup of Sweeney Todd consisted of My self (Bob Young) on lead Vox and guitar, Colin on Guitar and backing Vox, John Cirriani on bass and backing Vox and a drummer from Sunderland whose name I'm afraid I cant remember. (If any body remembers him please drop me a line.) Sweeney Todd used to rehearse in St Paul's church hall on Friars St Warwick just up the road from The Seven Stars Pub.( I apologize to the neighbours ).

By now the line up of Sweeney Todd consisted of Me on guitar, and kazoo, Colin on Bass, Roger

Prince on guitar, harmonica, and mandolin, Fat Bas on accordion and I think Harry Heppingstall on drums. The name Sweeney Todd didn't seem to fit what we were doing we weren't a heavy rock band any more. So in a drunken stupor we decided to change the name Sweeney Todd to something more suitable..Some one produced a matchbox, one of those with the little sayings and proverbs on the back, this one was about a young lady trying to find a name for her baby she said to her husband that she would like to call the baby George he said No, every Tom, Dick and Harry's called George. Well we all fell about laughing. Believe me YOU HAD TO BE THERE. From then on we were called A BAND CALLED GEORGE a revolutionary name for the time. We dropped the SWEENEY TODD songs and changed the complete set and later that year released a single NCB Man on Bell Records (p) Island Music."

Read more:http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendId=59493412&blogId=112057396#ixzz0y11CJVbO


The following are From Hobo Magazine (Edited and published by Trev Teasdel)


Issue 2 August 1973

A BAND CALLED GEORGE

"Released their first single on the 24th August entitled NCB MAN, which is out on the Bell label. their music,

which is self composed, is in similar vain to that of Lindisfarne. The members of the band hail from both Coventry and Leamington. They are Bob Young on lead vocals and guitar. Colin Young on bass; Roger Prince on guitar;Nicky Trevisick on drums and Baz Andruszko on accordion. Not forgetting Ricky and Dave the trusty roadies!). (both Ex Indian Summer roadies). ...

Another entry in the same issue....

Whilst on the subject of Indian Summer, the roadies from that long lost Coventry group are now with a Leamington based group. Their name is A Band Called George and their music in the vain of Lindisfarne. Their line up consists of an accordion / bass guitar / 2 guitars with Coventry's Nicky Trevisick on drums. All members contribute to vocals and they have a single released on July 27th called NCB MAN for Bell Records."
(You can hear this single on their My Space )

Hobo - Late News - Issue 2 August 1973
A BAND CALLED GEORGE

"Released their first single on the 24th August entitled NCB MAN, which is out on the Bell label. their music,

which is self composed, is in similar vain to that of Lindisfarne. The members of the band hail from both Coventry and Leamington. They are Bob Young on lead vocals and guitar. Colin Young on bass; Roger Prince on guitar;Nicky Trevisick on drums and Baz Andruszko on accordion. Not forgetting Ricky and Dave the trusty roadies!). (both Ex Indian Summer roadies). ...

Another entry in the same issue....

Whilst on the subject of Indian Summer, the roadies from that long lost Coventry group are now with a Leamington based group. Their name is A Band Called George and their music in the vain of Lindisfarne. Their line up consists of an accordion / bass guitar / 2 guitars with Coventry's Nicky Trevisick on drums. All members contribute to vocals and they have a single released on July 27th called NCB MAN for Bell Records."
(You can hear this single on their My Space )

Hobo - Late News - Issue 2 August 1973
Baz Andruszko, the accordionist with A BAND CALLED GEORGE has left the group. A replacement is

being sought.
(Ed's note - I think Baz left to join a reformed Dando Shaft to provide the sound track for a play - You Must Be Joking (on the history of the car industry in Coventry) at the Belgrade Theatre. Rod Felton also joined Dando on this occasion.

Hobo

Issue 3 Unpublished Version - C January 1974

NCB MAN - NO AIR PLAY

NCB MAN, released on the Bell Label by A Band Called George has not been selected for air play on the Beeb, despite it being a highly commercial song, hailed by discos. The reason however is not owing to the lyrics erupting the Mary Whithouses or the pulsing beat inciting couples to copulate in bus queues, but is, I'm told, the fate of 90% of the singles that are submitted to the BBC. So everyone bombarded the Beeb with requests for it!

The band have ceased live gigs for the time being, coming together for recording only. Bob Young is writing and producing at Snitterfield Recording studios. Rog has written and recorded a solo single for release on Bell called World War 1. Nick has joined Smack! and Baz is joining Dando Shaft.


Issue 4 (Unpublished Version scheduled for May 1974)

SHADES OF NIGHT - have split up and also WILLOW. Joe Reynolds and Willow's other saxophonist are to join a reformed version of A Band Called George.