The spring of 1965 was a time of transition for Invasion and a great time in the U.S. With the Invaders occupying nearly 30 percent of the slots on Billboard’s “Hot 100”, including seven in the Top 10 and 11 in the Top 20. The earlier mainstays (think Swinging Blue Jeans, Dakotas, Hullaballoos, even the Searchers and Dave Clark Five) were making way for groups of more complexity like the Zombies, Manfred Mann, Them, The Who, The Kinks, and other welcome arrivals.
It was a time when “Ticket to Ride” and the Dreamer’s “Do the Freddie” would mark the contrast of what was landing on our shores from the Motherland!
A Time of Contrasts - Freddie vs. Townshend
The American market would warm up slowly to many of these new arrivals, just as The Rolling Stones experienced. “Not Fade Away”, “Tell Me” and “It’s All Over Now” all failed to move up any further than the mid 20’s. Incredibly Them’s “Baby Please Don’t Go” would stall at number 102, and “Gloria” the mid 60’s teen anthem at 93.
The Who’s under appreciated debut “I Can’t Explain” would move no higher than number 93, and “My Generation” a meager 74. The talented Kinks would however break through early with three straight top 10 placements, “You Really Got Me” (7), “All Day and All of the Night” (7) and “Tired of Waiting for You” (6) – They would not enter the top 10 again until “Lola” broke through in 1970. The Kinks’ biggest hit ever? the bouncy little ditty from 1983. “Come Dancing” – But they sold a lot of albums!
Unit 4 Plus 2
They started off as Unit 4 with Pete Moules (vocals), Tommy Moeller (guitar), David Meikle (guitar) and Brian Parker. Parker quit performing with the group and was replaced by Howard Lubin. In short order Ron Garwood (bass) and Hugh Halliday (drums) were added as a rhythm section to round out the initial group in 1964 and into 1965.
At least there are Six!
Later in the year former Roulettes Russ Ballard and Bob Henrit would join the group (replacing Garwood and Halliday) and this would round out the group which arrived with “Concrete and Clay”. Of course Ballard and Henrit would go on later to help form Argent, Lubin would go to the group Satisfaction and then Christie (“Yellow River”) and Halliday went later to join Jade Warrior.
David Meikle had formerly performed with Buster Meikle & the Day Busters and would later form the duo Bill & Buster. Many passed through the ranks and I have heard that Alan Price (Animals) signed on briefly (see “Ragadast” for a take on this). The liner notes on their U.S. LP “Unit 4 + 2 Concrete & Clay” for this group are difficult to line up with other membership notes. If anyone has anything further let me know!
The Top of the Charts April 24th (from Billboard)
Number 1 – The Game of Love – Wayne Fontana & the Mindbenders (up from # 3)
Number 2 – Mrs. Brown You’ve Got a Lovely Daughter (up from #12)
Number 3 – I’m Telling You Now – Freddie & the Dreamers (down from #1)
Number 4 – I Know a Place – Petula Clark (2nd week at #4)
Number 6 – Tired of Waiting for You – The Kinks (up from #9)
Number 7 – I’ll Never Find Another You – (up from # 14)
Number 10 – Silhouettes – Herman’s Hermits – (up from #19)
Number 12 – The Last Time – The Rolling Stones (up from #16)
Number 13 – Go Now – The Moody Blues – (down from #10)
Number 16 – Can’t You Hear My Heartbeat – Herman’s Hermits (down from #6)
Number 17 – Eight Days a Week – The Beatles (down from number 11)
Number 21 – Bumble Bee – The Searchers (up from #22)
Chart Debuts April 24th:
Number 59 – Ticket to Ride – The Beatles
Number 78 – Do the Freddie – Freddie & Dreamers
Number 115 – Yes it Is – The Beatles
Number 123 – Concrete & Clay – Unit Four Plus 2
PopBopRocktilUDrop 