BIG BEAT FOUR, THE
Last updated: 11-03-2018
- The Big Beat Quartet
- Ricky Southern And The Big Beat Four
Basic Information
- Norwich, Norfolk, Uk
- 60s Pop
E1959 - E1962
Musicians
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Lead Vocals: Ricky Southern aka Peter Read
Guitar: Rodney Kidd (2)Mick Large
Guitar: Mike Lorenz
Piano: Andy Field added member
Bass: Pat Barriskill
Drums: Denny Royal (2)Luke Watson
Bs: Pat Baraskill
The Big Beat Quartet as they were originally called had evolved from The Neptunes SG with the addition of ex Blue Star Kidd on guitar. They first appear in early 1959 playing at the rebuilt and newly opened Raven PH, Nch.
In June 1960 they became the first resident rock ’n’ roll band at The Grosvenor BR, Nch, which at the time was known for its jazz and dance orchestras. In April 1961 Read took on the stage persona of Ricky Southern, a pseudonym he then kept throughout his time on the scene, with the band going out as Ricky Southern & The Big Beat Four.
Thorpe St Andrew schoolboy Kidd had been skiffling from the age of thirteen, at first strumming a washboard, like many his age. He formed a skiffle group at school called The Blue Stars. “We would often play The Lewis Buckingham Club, entertaining the old folks, they loved it. I’m pretty sure one day a double booking saw us turn up and play with The Neptunes and that’s how the band got together,” said Kidd, who went on to play guitar.
On the folding of The Norwich Offbeats c1962 some of their members bolstered the ranks of the band. Kidd had already left and had joined up with established local outfit The Continentals, in return departing Continental Large briefly joined The Big Beat Four before moving on to the King’s Lynn Offbeats. Baraskill then joins The Contours, while Read temporarily fronted The Jetblacks before becoming a Cadillac.
Watson, Field and Royal would all later play for The Continentals, although in early 1963 many of the band reunite to form The CBO Incorporated, an acronym of the many bands the members had been involved with - The Offbeats, The Big Beat Four and The Continentals. Royal took some time out to brush up on his qualifications at college. He returns to the scene in late 1962, filling in for measles ridden Watson in The Continentals but ends up joining the group.
Selected advertised supports:
03/01/61 Grosvenor BR, Nch - Shane Lee & The Chancellors
Residencies:
The Grosvenor BR, Nch Jun60-Feb61
NB: It is a posibility that Continentals drummer John Pratt plays briefly with the band in late 1961 due to notes made in his 1961 diary
(Kidd -The Blue Stars) (Field -The Offbeats) The Neptunes <>
> CBO Incorperated / The Continentals (Baraskill -The Contours) (Southern -The Jetblacks)
