ELECTRONS, THE (1)

Lead Vocals: Pete Coley added member, left not replaced

Vocals, Bass: Jim Baldwin

Guitar: Brian Adams (2)Ed Millar (3)Tony Barber + Vocals (4)Mike Barber + Vocals

Vocals, Keys, Bass: Dave Elliot

Vocals, Drums: Len Hamlin (2)Terry McDowell

Electrons, The (Fakenham)                             L59-E64

LVox: Pete Coley am lnr  / Vox, Bs: Jim Baldwin

Gtr: Brian Adams (2)Ed Millar

(3)Tony Barber + Vox (4)Mike Barber + Vox

Vox, Keys, Bs: Dave Elliot

Vox, Drums: Len Hamlin (2)Terry McDowell

In late 1959 Baldwin, Elliot and Adams formed The Electrons skiffle group. In 1961 they added frontman Coley and by early 1962 had completed their shift on to the beat scene. The band had borrowed a succession of drummers including  Hamlin, who was instrumental to bands such as The King’s Lynn, Starlights  and later The Zodiacs, until they acquired McDowell in May 1962. In the same year the band were once again reduced to a four piece when Coley stepped down to become the band’s manager. Barber left in September 1963 and emigrated to Australia; his replacement was his brother Mike but the band only lasted another six months. They folded in April 1964 to the EEN headline Fakenham Beatles disband. Baldwin and Barber moved on to join the Brandon based Bruntones, before becoming part of The Weevils Folk Group. After a break Baldwin resurfaced in February 1969 with The MBJ Trio. Undoubtedly, the biggest story here is the success of Tony Barber. Barber had been a window dresser for a Fakenham store before emigrating to Australia. There he joined a group called Billy Thorpe & The Aztecs, who went on to become the nation’s number one group, having many chart hits. They even kept The Beatles off the top of the Australian chart when they toured there in 1964. Barber then hosted many TV shows, becoming the country’s equivalent to our beloved Wogan. However, in his book Long Way’til You Drop (2003) he makes little of his local musical days and concentrates on the heartbreak of losing his girlfriend Pamela to an office worker with a car. A revised Electrons line-up reformed in November 1989/90 respectively to perform at a Children in Need charity concert. Baldwin and Adams are currently part of the new Starbeats line-up who first reformed in 1997 to perform at the Golden Years charity concerts.

Discography:

Cs The Electrons - You Don’t Love Me Anymore / Moonlit Valley

I’ll Be Faithful To You / No Title / People Say / Zip De Do Da

Love Me If You Dare / Plodding Along / Green Onions

Zip De Do Da / I Think Of You.

Live recordings made between Sept ‘63 & April ‘64 (Unreleased held by the Fakenham Local History Society)

Selected advertised supports:

23/01/62 Dham Memorial Hall - Tommy Thurston Memorial Gig

16/11/63 King’s Lynn Corn Ex - Dance Hall Package Show

Bobby Shafto / Danny Rivers / Michael Cox of Triumph Records

The Falcons (Nch)

Mediography:

Fakenham Beatles disband EEN 07/04/64

Tony is on top down under H&N EEN 05/09/66 (P)

Bibliography: Long Way’Til You Drop TB

It Started As A Hobby But… JB

In late 1959 Jim, Dave & Brian formed The Electrons skiffle group. In 1961 they added frontman Pete Coley and by early 1962 had completed their shift into the Beat/Pop scene. Up to that point they had borrowed a sucession of drummers including Len Hamlin who was instrumental in bands such as the King's Lynn based Starlights and later The Zodiacs, until acquiring Terry McDowell in May that year. In the same year the band were reduced once again to a four piece, when Pete Coley stepped down to become the bands manager. Tony Barber left in 1963 to emigrate to Australia.

The band folded in April 1964, and Jim and Mike moved onto join the Brandon based Bruntones followed by a short spell with The Weevils Folk Group. Jim then resurfaced in February 1969 with The MBJ Trio. Undoubtly the biggest story here is the success of Tony Barber who had emigrated to Australia, there he joined a group called Billy Thorpe & The Aztecs and they became one of Australia's top pop groups of the sixties, having several chart records and reaching number one with a rendition of [song title required]. Tony then went on to host TV shows becoming the countrys equivilant to Terry Wogan.

A revised Electrons line-up reformed in November 89 and 90 respectively to perform at a Children in Need charity concert. Jim & Brian are now currently part of the new Starbeats line-up when they reformed to perform at the Golden Years charity concerts in [date required].

Supports: The Eagles (uk) / The Undertakers / Michael Cox (of Joe Meek fame)

Discography: Cs The Electrons - You Don’t Love Me Anymore/Moonlit Valley/I’ll Be Faithful To You/No Title/People Say/Zip De Do Da/Love Me If You Dare/Plodding Along/Green Onions/Zip De Do Da/I Think Of You. Live recordings made between Sept ‘63 & April ‘64 (Unreleased held by the Fakenham Local History Society)

(Hamblin - ??) <> The Bruntones