N' Betweens ~ 1968
1968 was to prove the year that became famous for the band as they trotted off to the Bahama Islands for a one month residency at a club there. A local ex pat, formerly of the lads local area in the Midlands suggested them as a good act to book from England to a club owner he knew.
The Bahamas wasn't a well known destination for many English bands, but there were a few that made the journey. As it was so for The N'Betweens who made their way there in May.
Skullduggery and a heaped spoonful of jiggery pokery saw their stint in the sunshine extended for a further two months as they ended up playing to pay off their debts after the club owner did a bunk with a lot of other people's money, leaving the band having to play on for little remuneration to clear what they had already accrued in bar bills and suites of rooms.
The Grand Bahama stories carry on as they say, but after their three month extended stay they were back to Blighty and the road to stardom. Their experiences however had left them far from satisfied with the level of support they had received from their agency 'Astra'. The band felt that they had been abandoned and more or less hung out to dry by them and upon their return moves were made to break away from Astra and let someone else have a chance to manage their fortunes and shape their career path. Nita Anderson, and her business partner Roger Allen were instrumental in the next step being taken as Allen, using his influence managed to sell the concept of the N'Betweens to Jack Baverstock the then head of A&R at the Phillips record lable.
This was England, 1967, The Beatles and Stones had been and gone (To America) and the UK music scene chock full of first division bands, something new was needed. Baverstock agreed to let the band have some studio time to see what they could do, as a result he offered them a recording deal with the proviso that they changed their name from The N'Betweens to something less likely to suggest homosexuality or any other sexually ambiguous connotation. baverstock believed that the N'betweens made people think the band were at the very least bi-sexual!
Rock N' Roll indeed...however, the band agreed and despite a false start or two it was announced that as from the 1st of january 1969, the N'Betweens would become 'Ambrose Slade'....................
JANUARY/FEBRUARY
THE N'BETWEENS
Date |
Venue |
Notes |
|---|---|---|
2/1 |
The Woolpack,Wolverhampton |
|
5/1 |
W.R.Wheway School,Bloxwich | The ‘Nbetweens-Hari Kari |
7/1 |
Bolero Club, Wednesbury |
|
8/1 |
United Services Club, Bilston |
|
12/1 |
Civic Hall,Wolverhampton |
Dual Purpose-The ‘NBetweens |
13/1 |
College of Technology, Wolverhampton |
Jimmy Cliff-The ‘Nbetweens |
17/1 |
Chubbs S C,Heath Town | |
18/1 |
Kingfisher Country Club,Wall Heath |
The ‘Nbetweens-Dual Purpose |
19/1 |
The Woolpack, Wolverhampton |
|
19/1 |
Connaught Hotel,Wolverhampton |
|
20/1 |
Queens Beat Club, Erdington | |
21/1 |
Queen Mary Ballroom, Dudley |
The ‘Nbetweens-Sweet Sounds |
|
||
3/2 |
Wulfrun Hall,Wolverhampton |
The ‘Nbetweens-The Soul Seekers |
4/2 |
Bolero Club ,Wednesfield |
|
5/2 |
The Park Hall Hotel,Wolverhampton |
The Bystandes-The ‘Nbetweens |
8/2 |
W.M.C.Essington |
|
10/2 |
Connaught Hotel,Wolverhampton |
The ‘Nbetweens-The News |
11/2 |
Adelphi Ballroom, West Bromwich |
|
12/2 |
United Sevices Club,Bilston |
|
14/2 |
Shelfield YC,Shelfield |
|
24/2 |
Le Metro Club, Birmingham |
|
25/2 |
Bolero Club, Wednesfield |
The Herd-The ‘Nbetweens |
29/2 |
Kingfisher Country Club,Wall Heath |
The Californians -The ‘Nbetweens |
|
MARCH / APRIL
Date |
Venue |
Notes |
|---|---|---|
1/3 |
U.S.C.Bilston | |
2/3 |
The Woolpack,Wolverhampton | The ‘Nbetweens-Lucifer Blue |
10/3 |
Queen Mary Ballroom ,Dudley | The ‘Nbetweens-Middle Earth |
13/3 |
Civic Hall,Wolverhampton |
The ‘Nbetweens-The Plastic Penny |
14/3 |
W.M.C.Tettenhall |
|
16/3 |
Ship & Rainbow,Wolverhampton |
‘Nbetweens.-Vivid Cherry |
17/3 |
Carlton Club,Erdington |
|
21/3 |
British Legion,Lower Gornal
|
|
23/3 |
Bolero Club,Wednesbury |
|
24/3 |
Connaught Hotel,Wolverhampton | |
25/3 |
The Park Hall Hotel,Wolverhampton | Amboy Dukes-The ‘Nbetweens |
30/3 |
The Woolpack, Wolverhampton |
|
30/3 |
The Talbot Restaurant,Alton Towers | The Merseys-The In-Betweens |
|
|
||
5/4 |
U.S.C. Bilston |
|
6/4 |
Wulfrun Hall,Wolverhampton |
The ‘Nbetweens-Lucifer Blue |
7/4 |
Connaught Hotel ,Wolverhapton |
|
9/4 |
British Legion Club,Lower Gornal |
|
11/4 |
Willenhall Baths |
John Mayalls Bluesbreakers-The ‘Nbetweens-The Naque |
11/4 |
‘Nbetweens to record within 2 weeks | |
15/4 |
George Hotel,Walsall |
The ‘Nbetweens-The Soul Syndicate |
16/4 |
Stafford Borough Hall |
The Reg Bassett Orchestra-The ‘Nbetweens |
18/4 |
W.M.C.Essington |
|
21/4 |
Scene Club,Hamilton |
|
24/4 |
Mackadown,Kitts Green |
Idle Race -The ‘Nbetweens |
|
MAY / JUNE
Date |
Venue |
Notes |
|---|---|---|
1/5 |
St Andrews Club,Small Heath |
|
3/5 |
Queen Mary Ballroom,Dudley | The Sound Syndicate-The ‘Nbetweens |
4/5 |
Lower Green ,Tettenhall | |
10/5 |
‘Nbetweens recording on Fri 10th May |
|
11/5 |
George Hotel,Walsall |
The ‘Nbetweens- Colour Supplement |
17/5 |
Community Centre,Pelsall |
The ‘Nbetweens-The Gilt Edge |
18/5 |
Ship and Rainbow ,Wolverhampton |
|
19/5 |
Connaught Hotel, Wolverhampton | |
19/5 |
Depart for Bahamas | |
22/5 |
Tropicana Club, Grand Bahamas |
accomodation @ Sheraton Oceanus |
23/5 |
Telegram arrives |
|
|
JULY / AUGUST
Date |
Venue |
Notes |
|---|---|---|
4/7 |
N'Betweens due back on 15th | |
15/7 |
N'Betweens fail to return from Bahamas | |
|
SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER
Date |
Venue |
Notes |
|---|---|---|
6/9 |
U.S.C.Bilston | |
7/9 |
Park Hall Hotel,Wolverhampton |
The Pathfinders-The ‘Nbetweens |
12/9 |
Express & Star | Tamla Motown Contract Reported |
13/9 |
JBolero Club, Wednesbury |
The Showstoppers-The’Nbetweens |
15/9 |
Connaught Hotel,Wolverhampton |
|
20/9 |
Tragfalgar Inn, Hednesford | |
21/9 |
Ship & Rainbow, Wolverhampton | |
29/9 |
Club Lafayette, Wolverhampton | City Limits-The ‘Nbetweens |
30/9 |
Queen Mary Ballroom, Dudley |
|
|
||
3/10 |
British Legion,Lower Gornal | |
5/10 |
Town Hall,Bilston |
The ‘Nbetweens-The Tangerine Slake |
6/10 |
Bolero Club,Wednesbury |
|
10/10 |
Announcement |
‘Nbetweens to record at end of Month |
13/10 |
Ship & Rainbow, Wolverhampton | |
14/10 |
George Hotel,Walsall | Traction-The ‘Nbetweens |
18/10 |
La Bamba, Falkirk |
|
19/10 |
Glasgow University Union |
|
25/10 |
Baths,Willenhall |
The ‘Nbetweens -Crosscut Saw |
28/10 |
Queen MARY ballroom, Dudley |
The ‘Nbetweens -Eaton Paul |
29/10 |
Edward Street W.M.C.Roomhill Cannock |
|
|
NOVEMBER / DECEMBER
Date |
Venue |
Notes |
|---|---|---|
1/11 |
Town Hall,Walsall | Simon Dupree-The ‘Nbetweens-Hari Kari |
2/11 |
George Hotel,Walsall | The ‘Nbetweens-Animated Lime |
3/11 |
Bolero Club,Wednesbury | |
9/11 |
Le Metro Club,Birmingham | |
10/11 |
Connaught Hotel,Wolverhampton |
|
16/11 |
Tall Trees Club,Newquay |
|
17/11 |
Ship & Rainbow, Wolverhampton |
The ‘Nbetweens-Evolution |
20/11 |
W.M.C.Boney Hay |
|
21/11 |
Announcement | Possible name change to Nicky Nacky Noo |
21/11 |
Swan ,Yardley | |
24/11 |
Club Layfayette,wolverhampton | |
29/11 |
Civic Hall,Wolverhampton | The ‘Nbetweens-Animated Lime |
|
||
1/12 |
Ship & Rainbow,Wolverhampton |
|
2/12 |
George Hotel,Walsall |
The ‘Nbetweens-Small Change |
3/12 |
Recording Studio |
|
5/12 |
Civic Hall ,Wolverhampton |
The Fortunes-Finders Keepers-Animated Lime-The ‘Nbetweens |
6/12 |
Baths, Wilenhall |
The ‘Nbetweens-Evolution |
7/12 |
Palais de Danse,Mansfield |
|
8/12 |
Radio session |
|
9/12 |
Social Club,Brownhills |
|
10/12 |
St Giles Y C,Willenhall |
|
11/12 |
Recording studio |
|
12/12 |
AMBROSE SLADE ANNOUNCED |
Name change from 1/1/69 |
12/12 |
Discotheque,Dudley |
|
13/12 |
Baths ,Willenhall |
|
14/12 |
Community Centre.Pelsall |
|
15/12 |
Euston Station, London |
|
16/12 |
Wolves Club,Wolverhampton |
|
17/12 |
British Legion,Lower Gornal |
|
18/12 |
Woolpack,Wolverhampton |
|
19/12 |
Youth Club,Shelfield |
|
20/12 |
John Harper,Willenhall |
|
21/12 |
Youth Club ,Holly Hall |
|
22/12 |
Connaught Hotel,Wolverhampton |
|
23/12 |
Queen Mary ballroom.Dudley |
The ‘Nbetweens-Tangerine Flake |
24/12 |
The Woolpack,Wolverhampton |
The ‘Nbetweens-Tangerine Flake |
24/12 |
Club Lafayette,Wolverhampton |
The ‘Nbetweens-The Montanas |
26/12 |
Bolero Club,Wednesbury |
The ‘Nbetweens-Source of Power |
27/12 |
Ship & Rainbow,Wolverhampton |
The ‘Nbetweens-Montanas |
27/12 |
Civic Hall,Wolverhampton |
Idle Race-The ‘Nbetweens-Evolution |
28/12 |
Wulfrun Hall,Wolverhampton |
The ‘Nbetweens-Californians-Tangerine Flake |
30/12 |
Mount Hotel,Wolverhampton |
|
31/12 |
George Hotel,Walsall |
The ‘Nbetweens-Mother Earth |
This information is presented here in its most basic form, for those of you wishing to flesh out the bones of the story of these early days then simply follow the link to Michael Parkers excellent pages on the subject.