The British Walkers
"Are Comin"
© Turkey Mountain
December 10 - 16, 2023
Year of Release: 2009
Rating:
I FOund You
Diddley Daddy
Packin' Up
The Girl Can't Help It
Lonely Lovers Poem
Let Her Go
Watch Yourself
Bad Lightnin'
The Story Of My LIfe
That Was Yesterday
Shake
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We travel back to the 1960s this week, with the Rock band The British Walkers. Were they British? No. One of
the members of this band would become famous on his own -- Roy Butchanan. The British Walkers were a combination in
sound to the Rolling Stones, The Who and The Kinks. The Are Coming album featured this week, has that British
sound throughout, and is a very good set of songs from a band that you (most likely) may NOT have heard of, yet they
could have been as successful as other bands from that "British Invasion." However, the band was not British, and that
may have been the factor in why this band was not as successful (?).
First single - "I Found You" / "Diddley Daddy" the B-side relating to Bo Diddley. Both songs do have that
British Invasion sound, as you first start listening. (And yes, there is more of that British sound heard throughout.)
"Packin' Up" sounds like a live recording, and it has a sound that it could have been recorded at the Cavern, as
the Beatles performed there, when they were first starting out. At the song's end, it seems to have been part of a (live?)
DJ show. The early Rolling Stones has "The Girl Can't Help It," as this song was was written by Bobby Troup
(who was from the TV show Emergency), and originally recorded by Little Richard. "Lonely Lovers Poem" sounds
like a Chad & Jeremy song. "Let Her Go" resembles the Searchers sound ("Needles And Pins"). "Watch
Yourself" has the early sound of The Yardbirds. "Bad Lightnin'" has a more early '60s Blues sound, with
harmonica.
"The Story Of My Life" was a 45 single I had in my start of my music collection. ("Bad Lightnin'" was
the B-side; I only remember "The Story Of My Life" of the two, as I looked this song, and found the information on
what the B-side was.) "That Was Yesterday" sounds a bit like the Beau Brummels' "Just A Little." As many
bands and artists were promitng themselves back in the early years of Rock & Roll, radio announcements were frequent on
the airwaves. A radio announcement of the British Walkers is here. And lastly, the Otis Redding "Shake" ends the
album,
The Brtish Walkers' Are Coming is a great compilation of songs by a band that has the British name as part of
their group name, they have that British sound, yet ironically, the band members were not British.
Click here for an very good biography on
them. Members throughout the band's existence were: Bobby Howard (lead vocals, guitar, 1964-67), Roy Buchanan
(lead guitar, 1964-65), Junior Gill (bass, 1964-?), Mike Kennedy (drums, 1964-?), Jimmy Carter (lead guitar, 1965-67),
Ronnie Welborne (bass, 1965-?), Gary Kingery (drums, 1965-?), Jack Brooks (bass, guitar), Steve Lacey (drums), John Hall
(guitar, vocals, 1967-?), Paul Downing (lead guitar), Geoff Richardson (lead guitar), Ted Speleos (lead guitar), Ray
Lassiter (drums), James Dyer (drums), Mike Zack (drums). The band were together from 1964-1968.
There is a DVD included, American Music, hosted by Billy Hancock. He was an American singer, guitarist, bassist,
and multi-instrumental recording artist. Among his credits was working as a session musician. He had worked with Danny
Gatton, together as Danny & The Fat Boys. His sessions included working with artists as Fats Domino, Gene Vincent, Roy
Buchanan, among others. From 1975 to 2011 he recorded a total of 17 albums to his name. In 2002, he formed with his
brother Turkey Mountain Records, an independent record label. (Which is the label of the British Walkers' Are Coming
release. in 2009.) He American Music was from Arlington, Virginia, where he would interivew and showcase
songwriters, and a music historian. Two of his studio albums were titled American Music (1975, 1997). Hancock
passed away in 2018, age 71.
The DVD interview features (with Hancock) Steve Lacey. On the telephone were other members of the band. A reunion was
soon to be scheduled (2009). Bandmember Bobby Howard was on telephone. Billy, Steve and Bobby discussed the band's history,
and how they first formed in 1964. (Steve Lacey joined the band in 1965.) Funny story mentioned on how they were playing
a 3-day concert with the Four Seasons, as drummer Steve Lacey would throw his drumsticks into the audience. They were using
the Four Seasons' equipment, and Steve had thrown all of the drumsticks out to the audience. The drummer for the Four
Seasons didn't have any drumsticks when the Four Seasons were scheduled to play! The British Walkers band had to sneak
out, and obviously, the Four Seasons were waiting for them. Also mentioned on how they worked with Robbie Robertson and Rick
Danko, who were unknown at the time, and would be future members of The Band. Ray Stevens was also mentioned, as he was an
arranger. Another band member (on telephone) was Geoff Richardson. He was a member during the band's last year. Jack
Brooks was another band member (on telephone). He was in the band as long as Steve Lacey was. Nice memories of songs
recorded, and stories of the band during the 1960s were discussed. The band's reunion tour was scheduled in New York,
July, 2009. Surprisingly, no mention of Roy Buchanan was mentioned during the interview.
A very good collection of "British Invasion" sounding music, from an American Band, The British Walkers. They may not
have been well-known as many popular 1960s band from that time, however, their music is quite good, and great to compare
them to the likes of The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, The Searchers, The Beau Brummels, and The Yardbirds. To be compared
to those great bands of the 1960s, The British Walkers should be a band to discover, and how they just might have been as
popular, if given the chance.
No worries, Roy Buchanan Fans -- He will be reviewed here, at later dates.
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