The Riot Squad were a
pop group from London, initially managed and produced by
Larry Page
Lawrence Edward Page (born March 26, 1973) is an American business magnate, computer scientist and internet entrepreneur. He is best known for co-founding Google with Sergey Brin.
Page was the chief executive officer of Google from 1997 unti ...
and later, for their reunion, by
Joe Meek
Robert George "Joe" Meek (5 April 1929 – 3 February 1967) was an English record producer, sound engineer and songwriter who pioneered space age and experimental pop music. He also assisted in the development of recording practices like over ...
.
The band was formed in late 1964 by Ron Ryan (guitar),
(vocals), Bob Evans (saxophone), Mark Stevens (keyboards), Mike Martin (bass), and
Mitch Mitchell
John Graham "Mitch" Mitchell (9 July 194612 November 2008)In his book about the Experience, Mitchell states he celebrated his 21st birthday while on tour on 9 July 1967, which makes his birth year 1946.Mitchell's obituaries in ''Billboard' ''T ...
(drums).
Ron Ryan (born Ronald Patrick Ryan, 20 April 1940, Islington, North London) had, earlier in the decade, written songs and arrangements for
The Dave Clark Five, largely uncredited.
[ Bruno Ceriotti, "The Riot Squad"]
Brunoceriotti.weebly.com, Retrieved 22 August 2020 He left The Riot Squad in early 1965. The only constant member of the band was Bob Evans, who, after the band split for the first time, "reunited" The Riot Squad with all new musicians. Later members included
Len Tuckey (guitar), Brian Davies (bass), Roger Crisp (bass), Terry Clifford (guitar), Butch Davis (piano), and Derek "Del" Roll (drums).
In early 1967, they were joined by
David Bowie
David Robert Jones (8 January 194710 January 2016), known professionally as David Bowie ( ), was an English singer-songwriter and actor. A leading figure in the music industry, he is regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the ...
, who at the time was recording material for his
self-titled debut album. The band consisted of six members: Bowie (vocal, guitar, mouth-harp), Rod "Rook" Davies (lead guitar), Brian "Croak" Prebble (bass, vocals), Bob Evans (tenor saxophone, flute, vocals), George "Butch" Davis (keyboards) and Derek "Del" Roll (drums).
This incarnation recorded several tracks, including a cover of
The Velvet Underground
The Velvet Underground was an American rock band formed in New York City in 1964. The original line-up consisted of singer/guitarist Lou Reed, multi-instrumentalist John Cale, guitarist Sterling Morrison, and drummer Angus MacLise. MacLise ...
's "
I'm Waiting for the Man", and a Velvets-influenced Bowie original called "Little Toy Soldier," which lifts its chorus nearly verbatim from The Velvets' "Venus in Furs."
[David Buckley (1999). ''Strange Fascination - David Bowie: The Definitive Story'': pp. 59-60] These and other songs featuring David Bowie were officially released in 2012 on ''The Last Chapter: Mods & Sods''.
"I Take It That We're Through" was included on the 2004 curated compilation ''Spacelines'' by
Peter Kember
Peter Kember (born 19 November 1965), also known by his stage name Sonic Boom, is an English singer and record producer. He was a founding member, vocalist, guitarist and keyboardist of alternative rock band Spacemen 3, lasting from 1982 until ...
of
Spacemen 3
Spacemen 3 were an English neo-psychedelia space rock band, formed in 1982 in Rugby, Warwickshire, by Peter Kember and Jason Pierce, known respectively under their pseudonyms Sonic Boom and J Spaceman. Their music is known for its brand of " ...
.
Discography
*"Anytime" / "Jump" (
Pye 7N 15752, January 1965)
*"I Wanna Talk About My Baby" / "Gonna Make You Mine" (Pye 7N 15817, June 1965)
*"Nevertheless" / "Not a Great Talker" (Pye 7N 15869, September 1965)
*"Cry, Cry, Cry" / "How Is it Done" (Pye 7N 17041, January 1966)
*"I Take it That We're Through" / "Working Man" (Pye 7N 17092, April 1966)
*"It's Never Too Late to Forgive" / "Try to Realise" (Pye 7N 171730, July 1966)
*"Gotta Be a First Time" / "Bittersweet Love" (Pye 7N 17237, 1967)
References
External links
Walthamstow Memories website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Riot Squad, The
English pop music groups
Musical groups established in 1964
Musical groups from London
Beat groups
David Bowie