ANIMAL FARM
Last updated: 15-11-2022
More Info Required
Basic Information
- Ipswich, Suffolk, Uk
- Rock
L1969 - C1972
Musicians
Related Bands
- Little Jimmy's Jamboree Bag
- Smiles, The (2)
- Then There Were Five
- Stoneapple
- Cruiser
- Highway (1)
- Biggles
- Mandala (2)
- Mountain Snow
- Plimsoll Sandwich
- Tangent (1)
- Tanglefoot
- Bert Weedon Inspiration, The
- Wallies, The
- Rave On
- Jane Tyler Quartet, The
- Dynah Mo Hum
- Krackers
- Just Back Dated
- Epics, The
- St Willys Cool School
- Genisis
- Clique, The
- Soultown Chic
- Cruisers, The (1)
- Vapour Trails, The
- Natures Own
- Night Sect, The
- Rhythm Boys, The (1)
- Martells, The
- Toby
- Just Blues
- Shades, The
- Senators, The
- Nix Nomads
- Front Bench
- Sullivan James Band, The
- Big Sister (1)
- Naff Band, The
- Peter Croft Blues Band, The
- Naturels, The
- Cottonwood
- Wichita Linemen
- Unit 4
- Flames, The
- Pale Moon Big Band
- Constellations, The
- What The World Made Us
- Bojangles
- Blend
- Mynts, The
- Dirty Gurty
- Shapes Of Things
Lead Vocals, Keys: Geoff Broom
Guitar: Trevor Durrant (2)Dave Lingard
Guitar: Mick Hanson
Bass: Pete Healey (2)Roger Clarke-Johnson (3)Terry Mayhew (4)Ben Foster
Drums: Johnny Roach (2)Sandy Sutherland (3)John Mayhew (4)Derek Robinson
This group of Suffolk beat veterans saw out the sixties in the Orwell-inspired Animal Farm. They were formed from members of Little Jimmy’s Jamboree Bag and other short-lived pick-up outfits. The Farm were first spotted in November 1969 playing at The Gala BR, Nch, and then supporting Candy Cream Colours at the reopening of The Orford Cellar, Nch, for Gaslight Promotions.
Hanson has delved into the history and explains, “The initial line-up appears to have been Healey and Roach with Broom on keyboards and vocals. We think Trevor Durrant was also there at the start. Dave Lingard later replaced Durrant, and Sutherland took over on drums, and soon Clarke-Johnson came in on bass, and I joined around the same time.”
Clarke-Johnson adds, “I joined on bass after having played with St Willie Cool School. Sandy was on drums when we first spent a month in Munich, Germany, playing at the iconic PN Club. I recall John joining the band; he had come back to Ipswich after playing with Genesis, and I had put him up in a small house on Dove St, Ips. He joined the band and was with us when we played for a month in Zurich, Switzerland arond 1970 or 71."
Robinson recalls the final line-up, “I was playing with Mick and Ben in Mandala, Mick’s fusion jazz band. From there, Ben and I went to Animal Farm, and Mick came a bit later, although he had been in and out of the band at various times.”
"I've got a great gig story about this Band when we came back from Zurick we came via France so we could have a few beers in Paris at 7am in the Paris rush hour the big ends went and smashed the engine up we finally got back via train/ferry to Ipswich and Dave like a true hero borrowed a land rover from the cartoonist Giles drove it to Paris and towed the full Transit back home!!" RCJ 2021
Selected advertised supports:
03/12/69 Orford Cellar, Nch - Candy Cream Colours
16/05/70 Royal Links, Crmr - Trifle
Residencies:
PN Club, Munich Germany udat
??, Zurich, Switzerland udat
NB: Drummer Mayhew’s link to Genesis is well documented. From what we know he left the Ipswich band St Willie Cool School in 1968 and is then chronicled by the majority of Genesis sources as joining the band after guitarist Mike Rutherford noticed his business card in a phone box; not from a press advert as previously suggested. Mayhew was with the band from August 1969 to July 1970 and played on the group’s second album ‘Trespass’, recorded in June/July 1970, and released in October 1970 after he had left.
St Willies Cool School / Little Jimmy's Jamboree Bag / Mandala <> (Robinson - Stoneapple)
