Ken Whaley (5 November 1946 – 8 May 2013) was a rock music bass guitar player, best known as a founding member of

Help Yourself Help is a word meaning to give aid or signal distress. Help may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Help'' (2010 film), a Bollywood horror film * ''Help'' (2021 theatrical film), a British psychological thriller film * '' ...

and

Ducks Deluxe Ducks Deluxe are an English pub rock band of the 1970s, who continue to tour and record new material. Usually called "The Ducks" by their fans, they were known for up-tempo, energetic performances, and the successful careers of their members, ...

, and as a member of Deke Leonard's Iceberg,

Man A man is an adult male human. Prior to adulthood, a male human is referred to as a boy (a male child or adolescent). Like most other male mammals, a man's genome usually inherits an X chromosome from the mother and a Y chromos ...

and The Tyla Gang. He also played with The Archers and The Green Ray.

Early career

Whaley was born in

Vienna en, Viennese , iso_code = AT-9 , registration_plate = W , postal_code_type = Postal code , postal_code = , timezone = CET , utc_offset = +1 , timezone_DST ...

, to a British serviceman and a local girl, but raised in east London. His father became a newspaper photographer, which led to him becoming a local newspaper reporter, rising to be sub-editor of the

Islington Gazette The ''Islington Gazette'' is a weekly paid-for newspaper covering the borough of Islington in north London, England. It was established in 1856 and was owned by Independent News & Media until the early 21st century when it was bought by Archant. ...

in the early 1970s. He was, at the same time, playing bass in bands such as "Black Cat Bones" in the 1960s before joining "Growth". In January 1970 was living in Golborne Road, Portobello where he knew Paul Burton, a roadie, who knew that

Malcolm Morley Malcolm A. Morley (June 7, 1931 – June 1, 2018) was a British-American artist and painter. He was known as an artist who pioneered in varying styles, working as a photorealist and an expressionist, among many other styles. Life Morley was ...

was looking for a bass player for his new band,

, so suggested Whaley for the role. Senzatempo history of Help Yourself He played on Help Yourself's eponymous first album, and on the Downhome Rhythm Kings package with

Ernie Graham Ernie Graham (born Ernest Graham; 14 June 1946 – 27 April 2001) was a Northern Irish singer, guitarist and songwriter, active from the mid-1960s to the early 1980s. Early life Ernie Graham was born in Belfast, and was training to be a me ...

and

Brinsley Schwarz Brinsley Schwarz were a 1970s English pub rock band, named after their guitarist Brinsley Schwarz. With Nick Lowe on bass and vocals, keyboardist Bob Andrews and drummer Billy Rankin, the band evolved from the 1960s pop band Kippington Lod ...

, which led to him appearing on Ernie Graham's eponymous album,Sleevenotes by Nigel Cross to CD re-release of Ernie Graham's eponymous 1971 album (Hux 032) before he was sacked from Help Yourself in April 1971 "a sad tale that is probably best glossed over" . Whaley moved in with former Help Yourself roadie

Sean Tyla Sean Tyla (born John Michael Kenneth Tyler, 3 August 1946 – 17 May 2020) was an English rock guitarist, keyboardist, vocalist and songwriter, sometimes known as the "Godfather of Boogie". Best known for his work with Ducks Deluxe and Tyla Ga ...

and together with ex

roadie

Martin Belmont Martin Belmont (born 21 December 1948) is an English rock and country-blues guitarist, best known for being a founding member of Graham Parker & The Rumour. Life and career Belmont was born in Bromley, Kent, England. After working as a roadie ...

on guitars, and Magic Michael (Michael Cousins) on percussion formed

in February 1972. Cousins was soon replaced by drummer

Tim Roper Tim Roper (8 April 1951 in Hampstead, London – February 2003) was the English former drummer of the pub rock band Ducks Deluxe (1972–1975), as well as a member of "Reds, Whites and Blues" with Adrian "Ade" Shaw.

and former

Flamin' Groovies Flamin' Groovies is an American rock band that formed in San Francisco in 1965, originally co-led by Roy Loney and Cyril Jordan. After the Groovies released three albums, on Epic ('' Supersnazz'') and Kama Sutra (''Flamingo'' and '' Teenage Head' ...

roadie, Nick Garvey, also joined. Playing more energetic music than most others on the London pub-rock circuit, the Ducks soon had a twice weekly booking at the Tally Ho in Kentish Town,Ducks Deluxe – The Manband Archive
retrieved 13 November 2008 and a manager, Dai Davies. Whaley left before Ducks Deluxe recorded anything. Although it has been stated that Whaley left Ducks Deluxe to rejoin Help Yourself, in December 1972 both bands performed at the

Christmas at the Patti ''Christmas at the Patti'' is a live album, recorded at Man's Christmas party, held at the Patti Pavilion, Swansea, on 19 December 1972. The album features Man and Help Yourself with guests Deke Leonard, Dave Edmunds and B J Cole, together with ...

concert, but Whaley was in neither band. In 1973, Help Yourself proposed touring with

Roger Ruskin Spear Roger Ruskin Spear (born 29 June 1943 in Hammersmith, London) is an English sculptor, multimedia artist and multi-instrumentalist (saxophones, clarinet, piano, guitars, percussion) who was a member of the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band. Career After Sp ...

, the Flying Aces and Vivian "Spiv" Morris, in a vaudeville show called "Happy Days", which was to be held in a circus tent. They started recording material for this in January, but their bassist Paul Burton was unhappy with the proposed theatrical tour, so he left. Whaley returned and the band started recording their new album in February, finishing the Happy Days album in March and the Help Yourself album in April, when they also recorded their second Peel Session. After a two-month "Happy Days" tour, the fourth album, ''The Return of Ken Whaley'', was released, with the ''Happy Days'' album included free with the first 5,000 copies. The Happy Days tour included Roger Ruskin Spear which led to Whaley performing on Ruskin Spear's 1973 album ''Unusual'' Help Yourself started recording their fifth album in July 1973, with a line-up augmented by Sean Tyla. The album was to be called ''5'' and a cover was commissioned from

Rick Griffin Richard Alden "Rick" Griffin (June 18, 1944 – August 18, 1991) was an American artist and one of the leading designers of psychedelic posters in the 1960s. As a contributor to the underground comix movement, his work appeared regularly in ...

. They only had "half formed ideas" and although they eventually laid down 8 tracks, they gave up recording and disbanded in August 1973.Sleevenotes by Phil Mc Mullen to the 2004 release of ''5'' (Hux 054) They reformed for "The Amazing

ZigZag A zigzag is a pattern made up of small corners at variable angles, though constant within the zigzag, tracing a path between two parallel lines; it can be described as both jagged and fairly regular. In geometry, this pattern is described as a ...

Concert" on 28 April 1974 with a core line up of Morley, Treece, Whaley and Charles with Burton and Leonard guesting. Being incomplete, ''5'' was not issued, the album was finally completed in 2002/2003 by Morley, Treece and Whaley, with Kevin Spacey on drums, as Charles had other commitments. The album was eventually released in 2004. Later in 1973 Whaley, recorded with Deke Leonard's Iceberg, and although he did not perform with Iceberg on that autumn's "Up for the Day" tour with

, he joined Iceberg in November 1973. Leonard was invited to rejoin Man in January 1974 and agreed to take Whaley and Morley with him. Also in 1974, Whaley recorded the album ''Fish'' with

Barry Melton Barry "The Fish" Melton (born June 14, 1947) is the co-founder and original lead guitarist of Country Joe and the Fish and Dinosaurs. He appears on all the Country Joe and the Fish recordings and he also wrote some of the songs that the band re ...

, formerly of Country Joe and The Fish, which was released in 1975 Whilst with Man, Whaley recorded

Rhinos, Winos and Lunatics ''Rhinos, Winos and Lunatics'' (stylized on the cover as ''man: rhinos, winos + lunatics'') is the eighth album by the Welsh rock band Man and was released May 1974 on the United Artists Records label. It was produced by Roy Thomas Baker, noted f ...

which became Man's highest charting album, at No24 in the UK, and toured USA on

The 1999 Party ''The '1999' Party'' is a live album by Hawkwind recorded at the Chicago Auditorium Theatre on 21 March 1974 released retrospectively in November 1997 by EMI. It was issued for the first time as part of EMI's re-releasing re-mastered versions ...

tour with

Hawkwind Hawkwind are an English rock band known as one of the earliest space rock groups. Since their formation in November 1969, Hawkwind have gone through many incarnations and have incorporated many different styles into their music, including hard ...

. He then recorded

Slow Motion Slow motion (commonly abbreviated as slo-mo or slow-mo) is an effect in film-making whereby time appears to be slowed down. It was invented by the Austrian priest August Musger in the early 20th century. This can be accomplished through the use o ...

and toured the US again. The tour was extended but Whaley had had enough, and left the band, so did not play the final concerts with

John Cipollina John Cipollina (August 24, 1943 – May 29, 1989) was a guitarist best known for his role as a founder and the lead guitarist of the prominent San Francisco rock band Quicksilver Messenger Service. After leaving Quicksilver he formed the band C ...

. Shortly after returning to England, Whaley joined The Tyla Gang, led by Sean Tyla, appearing on the albums ''Moonproof'' (1978) and ''Just Popped Out'' (1980). He took up journalism again, and in 1982 returned to the Izlington Gazette where he was a sub-editor until 1992.

The Archers and The Green Ray

In 1987, Whaley, Simon Haspeck (guitar) and former

Yachts A yacht is a sailing or power vessel used for pleasure, cruising, or racing. There is no standard definition, though the term generally applies to vessels with a cabin intended for overnight use. To be termed a , as opposed to a , such a pleasu ...

drummer Bob Bellis supported US Singer/Guitarist Rene Miller on a UK tour. After Miller left, they continued as a trio before recruiting guitarist Richard Treece (who had played with Whaley in Help Yourself, Iceberg and The Tyla Gang) in 1988, and calling themselves The Archers. After recording a demo, Bellis left, so Whaley's brother Simon became the drummer. After seeing The Archers at a Man convention,

Nigel Cross Nigel Cross (born 1942) is a British academic, a design researcher and educator, Emeritus Professor of Design Studies at The Open University, United Kingdom, where he was responsible for developing the first distance-learning courses in design in t ...

released a vinyl LP on his own Shagrat label in October 1993, but shortly after, Haspeck had a motorbike accident, which prevented concerts to promote the album. In 1994, Slithy Tove guitarist Simon Burgin joined. They composed some songs in a different style to The Archers so changed their name to The Green Ray to avoid confusion with the old band. In 1995 The Green Ray, recorded the album ''Sighs, Whales and Trees'' (a play on names:- Simon's Whaley and Burgin, Whaley's, Ken and Simon, and Richard Treece) which was also released on the Shagrat label. In 1995, Whaley and Richard Treece also started a collaboration with Ron Sanchez of US-based band Donovans Brain. 1996 saw the eponymous second album – ''The Green Ray'', on the Father Yod/Soft Cloud label. Many gigs followed, including concerts with Man, and performing at

Terrastock Terrastock is a music festival organised periodically by Phil McMullen, formerly editor of the ''Ptolemaic Terrascope'' and since 2005 the publisher of the Terrascope Online website. The event typically features independent bands playing psyche ...

3 in 1999. In 2000, Burgin died of a

brain haemorrhage Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), also known as cerebral bleed, intraparenchymal bleed, and hemorrhagic stroke, or haemorrhagic stroke, is a sudden bleeding into the tissues of the brain, into its ventricles, or into both. It is one kind of bleed ...

and original guitarist Simon Haspeck rejoined. After extensive concerts, they recorded ''Fragile World'', which was released on CD in December 2004 Whaley continued to play with The Green Ray until 2012, when lung cancer forced him to stand down. Whaley died in London, on 8 May 2013, aged 66. The Green Ray continue to this day with Jeff Gibbs on bass guitar and vocals.

Discography

;With

*''Help Yourself'' (1971) *''The Return of Ken Whaley'' (1973) *''Happy Days'' (1973) *''5'' (2004) *''

The Amazing ZigZag Concert The Amazing Zig Zag Concert was a rock concert held at The Roundhouse on April 28, 1974 to celebrate the fifth anniversary of Zig Zag Magazine. Described as "one of the gigs of the decade", the concert "has taken on legendary proportions over the ...

'' (2010) ;With

*''

'' (1974) *''

'' (1974) *''1999 Party Tour'' (1998) *''Live in London 1975'' (1988) *''Rare Man'' (1999) *''Man Alive'' (2003) *''History of Man: Evolution of the Legendary Welsh Rock Band'' (2005) *''Keep on Crinting: The Liberty/UA Years Anthology'' (2006) ;With The Tyla Gang *''Moonproof'' (1978) *''Just Popped Out'' (1980) ;With Donovan's Brain *''Eclipse & Debris'' (1999) *''Tiny Crustacean Light Show'' (2000) ;With The Green Ray *''Sighs, Wales and Trees'' (1995) *''The Green Ray'' (1996) *''Fragile World'' (2004) ;With other artists *

''Ernie Graham'' (1971) *

''Unusual'' (1973) *

Deke Leonard Roger Arnold "Deke" Leonard (18 December 1944 – 31 January 2017) was a Welsh rock musician, "serving a life sentence in the music business".Barry Melton Barry "The Fish" Melton (born June 14, 1947) is the co-founder and original lead guitarist of Country Joe and the Fish and Dinosaurs. He appears on all the Country Joe and the Fish recordings and he also wrote some of the songs that the band re ...

''Fish'' (1975) *The Flying Aces ''Seashell'' (2002) *Various Artists ''Naughty Rhythms: The Best of Pub Rock'' (1996)

Early career

The Archers and The Green Ray

Discography

References

Further reading