pictured with JR in 2008.

John Cartwright
since the JRB ended, John relocated - initially to New York but, more recently to France where he lives and works with his partner, Jaki Whitren whose most recent album was Isis Unveiled. released on June 15th, 2007;


 

John (Anthony) Helliwell
joined Supertramp, found fame with their 'Crime Of The Century' album and has remained with them for over thirty years, he has also contributed saxophone to recordings by Pink Floyd, Diana Ross, Thin Lizzy, Chris de Burgh and fronts his own Crème Anglaise group;


Bruce Roberts
after the JRB parted company, Bruce played sessions – including guitar on Bryan Ferry’s You Go To My Head as well as going out on the road as guitar-for hire; he then formed the R&B tinged Roxoff – featuring Pete Hunt and Ronnie Taylor before Roger Pope (former Elton John, Hookfoot and Kiki Dee drummer) replaced Hunt. Bruce went on to write With My Heart – the b-side ot Shakin’ Stevens’ Merry Christmas Everybody (Epic A6769) before forming Fester and The Vomits, going out on the road with The Groundhogs and Motorhead. Nowadays, Bruce fronts The Bruce Roberts Band who have supported The Mick Taylor Band, Zoot Money & Snowy White and played countless shows across the UK, Germany and France.


Alan Coulter
went on to play drums with Bees Make Honey, Meal Ticket, Roger Chapman as well as becoming a noted session player;


Alan Bown
joined British prog-rock outfit Jonesy in 1973 and recorded two albums with them; he then became an A&R consultant at CBS Records after the group went its separate ways. He is now a music consultant and, in collaboration with Jeff Bannister, the two wrote and published a two-hundred pages-plus biography entitled ‘Before & Beyond’;


Gordon Neville
had a stint with Beggars Opera and also collaborated with Rick Wakeman and was later a member of Elton John's backing band;


Kevyn Gammond
revived the Band Of Joy in 1977, to perform at a benefit gig for the families of a local band involved in a fatal motorway accident. The line up included Paul Lockey, Pasternak, Robinson, and Michael Chetwood (Keyboards). A revised version of the group recorded two albums - 1978's 'Band Of Joy' on Polydor with Francesco Nizza (drums) replacing Pete Robinson and '24K' which remained unissued (due to contractual reasopns) until first released by Thunderbolt Records in 1983. Both records were remastered and issued with previously unreleased material by Cherry Red in 2005. Nowadays a senior lecturer in Music Studies in Kidderrminster, Kevyn Gammond and Robert Plant founded their occasional group, The Priory Of Brion, in 1999.


Ronnie Tayor
of late working with John F. Wands playing first with the electric band Press To Play and subsequently as the duo, ‘Ronnie and Johnny’ as well as contributing to a wide range of radio and television recordings throughout Europe. He also currently plays with local progressive rock band "Damaged Goods" around the Southampton area and has contributed his own material for the band to play. Since 1965, Ronnie has been playing the same saxophone, once owned by Southampton bandleader Gil Hume.


Billy Livesey
after twenty-plus years as an in-demand session player Livsey began to evolve into a successful songwriter, which ironically led to cross-continental co-writing sessions with Nashville writers such as Don Schlitz and Fred Knobloch. Ultimately, he decided to relocate to Nashville, which led to his songs being recorded by artists such as Mark Chestnut, John Berry, Lorrie Morgan, Ty Herndon and Tayna Tucker. Soon Nashville producers started getting wind of Livsey's keyboard chops, and he once again became an in-demand session player, playing on records for Rodney Crowell, Michael McDonald, Jim Lauderdale and Travis Tritt.The evolutionary process continuesd apace with Billy now in-demand for production projects on both sides of the Atlantic.


Peter Wood
possibly most remembered for co-writing Al Stewart's eternal Year Of The Cat (1976), Pete was a founding member of Quiver as well as playing keyboards in Stewart's band besides being one of the original members of The Bleeding Hearts Group (alongside Snowy White, Andy Bown and Willie Wilson) who featured as the unseen backing band during Pink Floyd's The Wall tour. Following The Rivits, Pete continued with session work and features on albums by (amongst others): Carly Simon, Lou Reed, Clarence Clemons, Julian Lennon, Cyndi Lauper, Rodney Crowell, Al Stewart, Bob Dylan and Andy Fairweather-Low. He featured on Roger Waters' The Wall live double CD from Berlin in 1990 but, sadly died in December 1993, aged 43.


Nick Graham
formerly of Atomic Rooster and Skin Alley; composer and musical director for the 1998 / 2001 'The Complete Milennium Musical (abridged)' performed by The Reduced Shakespeare Company - the subsequent album was called 'All Of The Songs And None Of The Dances';


Gary Grainger
formerly of Strider prior to joining Rod Stewart's global touring band and co-writer of 'Hot Legs', 'Passion' and 'I Was Only Joking'; sideman to Roger Daltry, Paul Young, Ringo Starr and the late Jim Capaldi;


Robert Plant
released 'Sixty Six To Timbuktu' during 2003, an extensive retrospective that covered his solo career, noted not only for its inclusion of his rare early solo singles, but also two of the original Band Of Joy demos;


Carol Grimes
started her singing career busking along the south coast in the Sixties, ultimately supporting the likes of Cream, John Mayall's Blues Breakers, The Yardbirds, Graham Bond Organisation, Howling Wolf, Buddy Guy, Freddy King. Nowadays, she performs her "own curious songs & poems and some Jazz Songs, love songs & sad songs, with the musicians I have had the phenomenal pleasure to have worked with over the years". Currently Carol sings with Something Secret, The Shout, UK Funk All Stars, and any other musical opportunities that come her way.






Keef Hartley
came to prominence as a member of the British R&B group The Artwoods before joining John Mayall's Bluesbreakers in 1967. He contributed to the album "Crusade" before leaving in 1968 to form the first line-up of his own band. Over many years, he recorded a series of classic albums, many of which have now been re-released on CD.

 

 

Jeff Bannister
following the demise of the AB, Jeff joined The O Band with whom he made two albums, he then worked with Charlie Dore's Back Pocket and subsequently with the Gerry Rafferty Band when Baker Street topped worldwide charts. In the eighties, he toured America in The Jack Green Band (the former T-Rex bass player) prior to writing The Multichord for all Keyboards (a chord book published by Music Sales in UK & USA). The next decade saw him in The Breakers (led by ex-Ten Years After drummer Rick Lee) before touring with the houseband for The Solid Gold Rock 'n' Roll Show (featuring Marty Wilde, Joe Brown, Eden Kane, John Leyton and The Vernons) and again in 2004 (Craig Douglas, John Leyton, Freddy Cannon and Showaddywaddy) - each tour culminating with performances at The London Palladium.

 

 

Steve Webb
a chequered yet colourful career after the disolution of the JRB that has seen Steve base himself in America, recording extensively on the West Coast but, more recently, in Scandinavia where he is constsntly in demand for live shows. Steve has released over ten albums - either in his own right or as collaborative works in the last fifteen years.

 

 

Robbie Blunt
following the disolution of Bronco, joined Michael des Barres in Silverhead and replacing their original guitarist, Steve Forest alongside Nigel Harrison who would later join Bloindie prior to a multitude of session with the likes of Chicken Shack, Steve Gibbons, Phil Collins and the Jeff Healey Band before working with Robert Plant on four early-to-mid eighties albums. Since leaving Plant's band he has stepped back into sessions, recording with the likes of: Clannad, Eddie Brickell & The New Bohemians, Donovan, Jazz Devils, Julian Lennon, Roberto Vecchioni as well asTom Petty and the Heartbreakers

 

Luther Grosvenor
fronted his own Aeriel Bender Band and, more recently, part of the Mott The Hoople reunion.

 

 

StomuYamashta
initially studied music at Kyoto University before moving to the US and continuing at The Juilliard School of Music and Berklee College of Music. He released a number of 'solo' albums for Island before coming to prominence with Go (that featured Steve Winwood, Al Di Meola, Klaus Schulze, Michael Shrieve with Jess contributing vocals to the third (Arista) album). Stomu has composed for the British Royal Ballet besides writing the soundtrack to the David Bowie film The Man Who Fell to Earth and for Ken Russell's The Devils. His Space Theme was used by the BBC on The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. To date, he has released more than 30 albums.

 

 

Pete Hunt
is still gigging - on an occasional basis - in and around Southampton

 

 

Grace Jones
singer, model, actress, Grammy nominee and cited by VH1 as one of the top 100 greatest women in Rock 'n Roll. She recently headlined one of the Island50 celebratory nights at Sheperds Bush Empire dressed as if en-route to Ascot... tho', perhaps not the Ascot that HRH The Queen attends. Ms Jones, who is 61, released her highly critically acclaimed new album, Hurricane, earlier in 2009.

 

 

Sandy Denny
quintessential English chanteiuse, Sandy's timeless songs form part of not just the backbone but beat as heart and soul of pivotal folk-rock from the seventies. Not only is (for example) Who Knows Where the Time Goes? a stoneground classic, but her enduring musical legacy bridges contemporary to traditional. Sandy, tragically, died from a brain haemorage resulting from a fall at her home during April 1978.

 

Tony Catchpole
after leaving The Alan Bown, went on to record for the BBC’s Radiophonic Orchestra as well as guesting on The Shadows XXV album

 

 

Dougie Thompson
joined Supertramp

 

 

Hal Willner
known best as a 'curator', Hal is among the most eclectic and original producers in contemporary music and, started to work with Joel Dorn aged 23. Over time, he has produced albums for (among many others) Lou Reed, Marianne Faithfull, William S. Burroughs, Gavin Friday, Laurie Anderson and Allen Ginsberg besides presiding over a host of unique multi-artist live events which include The Harry Smith Project (at The Royal Albert Hall, London and Royce Hall, Los Angeles); The Doc Pomus Project (St. Mark's Church, New York); Shock & Awe: The Songs of Randy Newman (Royce Hall); the Rainforest Benefit (Carnegie Hall); Dream Comfort Memory Despair: An Evening of Songs by Neil Young (Celebrate Brooklyn Festival); Perfect Partners: Frederico Fellini and Nino Rota (the Barbican, London); and Came So Far for Beauty: An Evening of Leonard Cohen Songs (Celebrate Brooklyn Festival 2003, the Sydney Opera House for the Sydney Festival 2005; the Point for the Dublin International Theatre Festival 2006). Recent albums productions include Bill Frisell's Unspeakable, which won a Best Jazz Album Grammy in 2005, Leonard Cohen: I'm Your Man the Motion Picture Soundtrack, which captures performances for the Brighton and Sydney productions of Came So Far for Beauty, and Rogue's Gallery: Pirate Ballads, Sea Songs & Chanteys, which includes contributions from Bono, Sting, Nick Cave, Bryan Ferry, Lou Reed, Lucinda Williams, Loudon Wainwright III, Richard Thompson, Gavin Friday, Van Dyke Parks, Andrea Corr and Rufus Wainwright.

 

Vic Sweeney
among many others, worked extensively with the late Kevin Coyne

 

 

 

Paul Lockey
following the dissolution of Bronco Mk11, re-joined The Band Of Joy with whom he recorded two albums

 

 

 

John Pasternak
sadly died of a heart attack on September 23rd 1986 in Kidderminster. At the time he was involved with a local band, Pictures In The Dark Room and had set up Zone To Zone Records. Mourners at his funeral, at St Johns, included Robbie Blunt and Robert Plant - the latter leading an all-star tribute concert at Stourport Civic Hall - scene of a number of early Shakedown Sound gigs - in his memory during December of that year.




Chris Gower
joined Graham Parker & The Rumour on the JRB's disolution before spending much of the eighties involved in either touring or session work with the likes of: Randy Crawford, Desmond Dekker, Kirsty MacColl, Cliff Richard, Amazulu, Musical Youth, Shakin' Stevens, Suzi Quatro and The O-Jays. Chris is currently playing with Digby Fairweather's Half Dozen, his career equally divisble between jazz and rock music, since he's also been a member of The Glenn Miller, Syd Lawrence and Andy Ross Orchestras as well as acclaimed slots with the BBC Big Band, Pizza Express All Stars and the 19-strong Goodmania Band

 

 

Pete Robinson
despite suffering severe injuries in the motorway crash that pretty much saw the end of Bronco Mk1, Pete remained with the band after Jess left and recorded one - final - album with them, Smokin' Mixture; the group at that point comprising Robbie Blunt (vocals, guitar), Kevyn Gammond (vocals, guitar), John Pasternak (bass, vocals), Pete Robinson (drums, harmonica, vocals) with Dan Fone (guitar, keyboards, harmonica) and Paul Lockey (guitar, vocals).

 


Chris Blackwell
Founder of Island Records - arguably the most influential label of the last fifty years and synonymous with Jess' career from prior to Bronco through The Rivits. An intensely private man who never wavered from his maxim of 'The bigger labels are supermarkets, I like to think of Island as a very classy delicatessen' said in 2009: "I never expected Island Records to grow into the international phenomenon it became. I was very fortunate to connect with some great individuals along the way, songwriters, artists, producers and many, many talented people who proudly worked at Island over the years to promote their work". CB was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001.

 

Allen Toussaint
one of the most influential figures in R&B with his roots firmly in New Orleans. A myriad of his songs are covered nightly the world over and it is highly possible that few really know that Working in the Coalmine or Ride Your Pony are Toussaint originals. His songs have been covered by artists as diverse as: The Rolling Stones, The Who, The Hollies, Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, Glen Campbell, Boz Scaggs; his horn arrangements have graced albums by The Band; he has collaborated with Paul McCartney and Elvis Costello as well as produced albums by The Meters, Dr John, and the Wild Tchoupitoulas as well as Robert Palmer, Willy DeVille, Frankie Miller, Mylon LeFevre and Solomon Burke and inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998.

 

Ben Foot
tour managed the JRB from first to last; he was the fourth child of Hugh Mackintosh Foot, Baron Caradon who held the office of Captain-General and Governor-in-Chief of Jamaica between 1951 and 1957; Ben's brother was the late Paul Foot, noted journalist and author as well as founder of Private Eye.

 

 

 

 

Joel Dorn
was one of the most influential producers of the last four deacdes; he worked extensively with Roberta Flack, Max Roach and the Neville Brothers. Originally a disc-jockey at a Philadelphia jazz radio station prior to joining Atlantic Records to versee their prestigious jazz stable from 1967 until 1974 working with Herbie Mann, Eddie Harris, Mose Allison and Roland Kirk. He went on to produce the debut albums for Bette Midler and Roberta Flack as well as records by The Allman Brothers Band Don McLean, Leon Redbone, Lou Rawls and the Neville Brothers. Joel dorn died of a heart attack in New York in December, 2007 aged 65.

 

Leon Pendarvis
over the years, Pendarvis has written, produced and performed for artists such as Eric Clapton, Marvin Gaye, Ike and Tina Turner, Roberta Flack, Quincy Jones and B.B. King. He also owns and operates Pinwheel Productions, a world-class recording facility that has hosted such artists as Pink and Avril Lavigne; over and above his production work, he has performed worldwide - from presidential inaugurations to Sting’s Save the Rainforest concerts as well as a tribute event for Ahmet Ertegun.

 

 

Guy Stevens
was - arguably - one of, if not 'the' most influential music svengalis of the mid-sixties through to the late-seventies: either via his ideas; his truly formidable record collection; extraordinary abilities for naming, production or management - his influence on a vast array of music and muscians is inestimable. He gave both Procol Harum and Mott the Hoople their names; his maverick genius produced The Clash's seminal London Calling album as well as albums by Free and Spooky Tooth; his knowledge of obscure American R&B was second to none, so much so that bands like The Who, Small Faces and The Rolling Stones among many others trawled this knowledge as a source for their own repertoire; and it is - again arguably - correct to state that Guy Stevens made his greatest contribution to music while at the helm of the first modern soul label in the UK, Island's Sue Records subsidiary. Guy died at the tail-end of August 1981, just 38 years old - having overdosed on the prescription drugs he was taking to reduce his alcohol dependency.

 

 

Harry Robinson
besides being the musical director of the BBC’s Six-Five Special and ITV’s Oh Boy! Robinson's score composing encompassed films such as the Hammer House Of Horror’s bodice-ripping yarns as well as work for Sandy Denny, Nick Drake, Judy Garland, Julie Felix, Fairport Convention, John Martyn, Ijahman and Serge Gainsbourg. He died in 1996 and his son, Myles is now the 12th Baron Wharton (inherited through Robinson's wife Ziki Arbuthnot).

 

 

Suzy Worth
originally introduced to JR via Elaine Roden - Suzy was one of the creatives in our gang, she wrote poetry, was an accomplished artist, great cook and, during the Bronco years, she wrote lyrics for several of my tunes.

 

 

'Mac' Mackintosh
photographer for the first two Bronco albums.

 

 

Steve Smith
producer of the 'lost' JRB album. Steve first came to prominence as the keyboard and guitarist in Smith Perkins and Smith who recorded the one, eponymous, album for Island. The record was cut at Muscle Shoals with the (now) legendary rythmn section of David Hood, Barry Beckett and Roger Hawkins who - themselves - would later work with Island stable-mates Traffic (notably their Shoot Out At The Fantasy Factory and On The Road albums). SP&S toured in England on the same bill with Free, Fairport Convention, Argent, Uriah Heep, Family and Vinegar Joe with Robert Palmer. After the band split, Steve moved into production and was one of the key people behind the seminal recording of Bob Marley: Live At The Lyceum

 

 



Steve Smith & JR - Summer 2008

Doane Perry
began his musical life playing piano at the age of 7; discovered drums aged 11 and (other than a brief stint as an ice-cream salesman) has forged an enviable career working with: Lou Reed, Bette Midler, Todd Rundgren, Dave Mason, Pat Benatar, Jim Messina, Martha and the Vandellas, Dweezil Zappa, Stan Getz, Fairport Convention, Dionne Warwick, Liza Minelli, Patty Scialfa, Vonda Shepard, Charles Aznavour, Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil, Freda Payne, Jeffrey Osbourne, Diane Warren, Elliot Murphy, Gary U.S.Bonds, Adrian Gurvitz & Gary Brooker (among many others). During 1984, he joined Jethro Tull - and, in fact, is now their third longest serving member.

 

 

Steve Dwire
initially a drummer, then a bass player, also a children's book author and a photographer whose most recent project is "Wheel" a multi- format film with featured artists that include Erick Montgomery and Jerry Marotta. As well as playing bass on The Rivits' Multiplay album, Steve also contributed (production, playing & arranging) to the Seven Windows project; has worked as a staff composer with Audio Network PLC (UK); collaborated with Grammy award winners PM Dawn on a remake of the George Harrison song “ Within You And Without You”; spent three years as Director Of Custom Music Services for Killersound, Inc. in California and composed music that was contributed to the international charity Breath of Hope Foundation - a not-for-profit, educational organization that was created in response to the 2004 tsunami.

 

 

Rob Mounsey
has worked as a producer, arranger, composer, conductor and performer in pretty much ever genre of music imaginable; he has scored an Oscar-winning documentary, created music for Sex and the City, worked with (among many others) Steely Dan, Paul Simon, Aretha Franklin, James Taylor, Aaron Neville and Madonna, has achieved five Grammy nominations, two Emmy awards and - over the years - collected inumerable Platinum and Gold records.

 

 

Doc Pomus
"I look at music one way. It's either soulful...or not. If it's internal it's great, if it's external it's not great. I can tell where a songwriter has sat with a line for two weeks. To me, any artist who sits there analyzing the lines should be a mathematician instead." Since his death in 1991, Pomus has been elected into the Rock & Roll, Songwriting, Blues and New York Music Halls of Fame. Featured in hundreds of films, TV shows and commercials, his songs have sold over 250,000,000 copies worldwide and achieved more than 50,000,000 broadcast performances. His songs have reached number one on every concievable chart across the globe.

 


Doc Pomus with his songwriting partner Mort Schuman in the 50's

 

 

 

 

 

 

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