MIKE KELLIE



(copyright for this photo: Mike Kellie)

Biography

Bands/Discography:

Great drummer, he has played every style along his long and interesting career. Mike Kellie was born on March 24th, 1947, in Birmingham, England.

LOCOMOTIVE 

This band was commanded by Norman Haines, and it also included the late Chris Wood (Traffic) on sax. Mike Kellie was drummer for this band until he was called to join VIP's. Please, help with lineup!!

VIP's 

This band was based in Carlisle. Formed in 1963, they went through many personnel changes, and recorded two singles for RCA and CBS. Mike joins them in Autumn 1966.

They played with this lineup at the UNICEF variety show at the Olympia Theatre in Paris, who provoked a good success for their then-current single 'I wanna be free / Don't let it go' (1966, Island), although it had been recorded before Mike joined the band.

In December 1966, Henshaw leaves the band.
And Frank Kenyon also leaves a bit later, leaving the band as a trio.
They search for a guitarist, and they think of Luther Grosvenor, then with Deep Feeling. Sometime later, they augment the band with a keyboardist who was headed to be famous... But in April 1967, Emerson leaves them. Their stability came with this lineup: They released one single with Mike: 'Straight down to the bottom / In a dream' (1967, Island), although I don't know the exact lineup on it.

ART 

They were the same guys, but in 1967, they changed their name to Art.

They released an album, called Supernatural fairy tales. They also played in an album by Hapshash and the coloured coat (on Liberty label), called Featuring Human Host & Heavy Metal Kid.

They change their name again in October 1967, when a new member joins.

SPOOKY TOOTH 
(click to watch a bigger image, 45 Kbs.)
 

A legendary band was born. It was October 1967.


(scan courtesy of Alex Gitlin)

Their first album was called It's all about.


(scan courtesy of Alex Gitlin)

It was followed by Spooky Two. This one included the song 'Better by you, better than me' that was covered years later by heavy metal band Judas Priest.

Their third album was a sort of experiment with a French composer called Pierre Henry. The resulting album, Ceremony, didn't get any success, and the first problems started to arise. In February 1970, both Greg Ridley and Gary Wright leave the band.


(scan courtesy of Alex Gitlin)

As a trio, they started recording a new album, with help from some members of the Grease Band: Henry McCullough (guitar) and the late Alan Spenner (bass), as well as Chris Stainton (keyboards). The album was The last puff. They searched for musicians to complete the band, in order to promote the album with a tour.

But that same Autumn 1970, they noticed that something happened, and they finally decided not to continue with the band (although the band was resurrected in 1972 again).

THREE MAN ARMY 

This band was formed by brothers Adrian Gurvitz and Paul Gurvitz (both, ex-Gun), along with Mike Kellie, in 1970.


(scan courtesy of Alex Gitlin)

They released a very good album, A third of a lifetime, recorded with help from Brian Parrish and Buddy Miles. But Mike was to leave the band soon, although he rejoined Paul Gurvitz (and Brian Parrish) soon later.

BALLS  

This band was formed by Denny Laine in 1969. After many personnel changes, Mike Kellie joins them in January 1971, replacing Alan White.

Unfortunately, the band split in February 1971.
(from left to right: Mike Kellie, Trevor Burton, Denny Laine, Steve Gibbons)
(copyright for these photos: Mike Kellie)
(click to watch a bigger, superb image, 93 Kbs.)

They only released a single, 'Fight for my country / Janie slow down' (Jan 71, Wizard).

PARRISH AND GURVITZ  

Brian Parrish (Three Man Army) & Paul Gurvitz (Gun, Three Man Army, later in Baker-Gurvitz Army) assembled a great band to play in a US tour from May to June 1972 to promote his Parrish and Gurvitz album (1971, Regal), where Mike had played:

They recorded a second album, but I think it wasn't released. Shortly afterwards, the three musicians left the duo to join Peter Frampton.

FRAMPTON'S CAMEL  

After the release of Frampton's first solo album, Winds of change, he assembles a live band in June 1972, with part of the musicians that had played in the album.

But Kellie returns to his former band, Spooky Tooth in March 1973 (he was replaced by John Siomos).

Shine on: a collection is a double CD compilation, with some unreleased tracks. The list of performers includes: the much-missed Steve Marriott (guitar, harmonica, vocals), Frank Carillo (guitar), Steve Lukather (guitar), Mick Jones (guitar), Mark Goldenberg (guitar, bass), Rick Wills (bass, vocals), Stanley Sheldon (bass), John Regan (bass), Nathan East (bass), Eddie Watkins (bass), Mickey Gallagher (keyboards), Bob Mayo (keyboards, guitar), Arthur Stead (keyboards), Andy Bown (keyboards, bass), Richard Cottle (keyboards), Pete Solley (producer), Jim Price (horns), John Siomos (drums, percussion), Mike Kellie (drums), Ringo Starr (drums), Steve Ferrone (drums), Anton Fig (drums), Gary Mallaber (drums), John Robinson (drums), Jeff Porcaro (drums), Lenny Castro (percussion), Steve Forman (percussion), Mike Finnegan (backing vocals), Danny Wilde (backing vocals), Jeannie McClain (backing vocals), Mark Williamson (backing vocals), and the Waters family (backing vocals: I assume they must be Oren Waters, Maxine Willard Waters, Julia Tillman Waters, etc).

20th century masters - the millenium collection: the best of Peter Frampton is a compilation of some of his best tracks. Some of the performers are: Frank Carillo (guitar), Steve Lukather (guitar), Rick Wills (bass, vocals), Stanley Sheldon (bass), John Regan (bass), Mickey Gallagher (keyboards), Bob Mayo (keyboards, guitar), Arthur Stead (keyboards), Andy Bown (keyboards, bass), John Siomos (drums, percussion), Mike Kellie (drums), Gary Mallaber (drums), Jeff Porcaro (drums), Steve Forman (percussion), Mike Finnegan (backing vocals) and the Waters family (backing vocals: I assume they must be Oren Waters, Maxine Willard Waters, Julia Tillman Waters, etc).

SPOOKY TOOTH 

After their separation in Autumn 1970, Mike Harrison and Gary Wright put the band to life again in September 1972. But it's in March 1973 when Kellie decides to join again.

They release a new album, Witness. But in February 1974, Mike Harrison leaves again, Chris Stewart also leaving. In spite of the important potential of the band (Mike Patto was a superb singer), it didn't work, and Ellis and Kellie left the band in May 1974, without recording any material.

PAUL KOSSOFF BAND 

Great player Paul Kossoff had left Free in October 1972. After some recovery, he recorded a solo album (Back Street Crawler). Then, he tried to form a band, probably around 1974: 

They rehearsed for a while, and even Peter Green joined them for a very short period. But, finally, the project was sadly dropped, after having recorded just two tracks that weren't released at that time.

and then? 

I don't know about him from 1974 to 1977. Help with info, please!

PETER & THE PETS / THE ONLY ONES 

This was a really unexpected move. I was surprised when I read at that time that Mike was to join a sort of new wave band. Well, years later, I've been able to get some of their albums, and it's not so strange... This was late 1975, when the band is assembled, although the last member to arrive, bassist Alan Mair, wasn't recruited until August 1976.

Originally called Peter & The Pets, the band was commanded by Pete Perrett, a strange, talented guy:

They released a single in their own label Vengeance, 'Lovers of today / Peter & The Pets', before changing their name to the definitive The Only Ones.

Their debut album, the self-titled The Only Ones, contains their best known song, 'Another girl, another planet'. Although the CD edition doesn't say a word, I once read that the album includes the appearance by Mick Gallagher on keyboards.

The second album was called Even serpents shine, and it contains contributions by Adam Maitland (keyboards, sax), and John 'Rabbit' Bundrick (keyboards - well, I guess he is the one; the album only says 'Rabbit'). With killer songs, such as 'Programme'.

Special view was a compilation of tracks from the 1st and 2nd album, plus both sides from their first single in 1977.

Their proper third album is Baby's got a gun. Recorded with help from Barrie Evans (guitar) and Pauline Murray (backing vocals).

But things weren't going fine between the members, and they finally disbanded in 1981, although some more albums have been issued since then.

Remains and Alone in the night are compilations of outtakes and non-album tracks. First editions of Remains came with a free EP (4 songs).

I once saw a vinyl called Live. It said 'limited edition', but I couldn't get it. I don't know if it has been finally released on CD.

The Peel Sessions include live material recorded for the radio from 1977 until 1980.

The big sleep is a live album recorded in November 1979.

It has also been released a video with studio and live footage, called Faster than lightning (Vision Video).

The latest release is Darkness & light - The complete BBC recordings. IIt's a great double CD, with 28 tracks, taken from different radio recordings dating from 1977 to 1980.

THE LIVING DEAD / THE ALL STARS LIVING DEAD 

Johnny Thunders was one of the members of New York Dolls, and also leader of his own band The Heartbreakers. In 1978, while in The Only Ones, Peter Perrett and Mike helped Johnny Thunders in some gigs at the Speakeasy in London, under the monicker The Living Dead. Along the gigs, the musicians were different, but some of those who played with Johnny Thunders are: 

Most of these musicians (including Mike) backed Johnny Thunders in his album So alone, as we'll read in the sessions page. There's also a double single, credited to The All Stars Living Dead. It contains a live recording from February 1978, with this lineup:  That is, 3/4 of The Only Ones (minus John Perry).

and then?

Sorry, I don't have info about his musical activities from 1980 until 1995. A long gap! Help!

VIVIAN STANSHALL 

Around 1995, Mike started working with Vivian Stanshall (from The Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band), who wanted to play live concerts again:

Unfortunately, Vivian Stanshall died soon later.

THE ARIEL BENDER BAND 
(1996: Mike Kellie and ? - maybe Dave Moore)  

This is the lineup announced as The Ariel Bender Band in the Luther Grosvenor latest release, Floodgates.

It's an incredible, lovely album. I love it from start to finish (my favourite track are the fantastic 'Evesham boy', with great guitar work, the bluesy 'Loneliest man in town' and the lovely instrumental 'Cathy' devoted to his wife). With some guests on it: old friends Jess Roden (vocals), Jim Capaldi (backing vocals), and Mick Dolan (guitar). It contains a song written and arranged by Mike, 'Fullness of time', as well as a hidden track on the CD (an acoustic live version of the title track). Recorded along January 1996.

SPOOKY TOOTH (again) 

Well, well, well... After many rumours, it finally happened! They're together again, in 1997.

It has been a long story since the first news about the reunion appeared. At first, they were supposed to record a few tracks, in order to complete a new release containing old live tracks (from 1968, at the BBC) and some rarities (a Deep Feeling track - a band by Luther Grosvenor, Poli Palmer and Jim Capaldi). It was also supposed that Dave Moore was to contribute to the lineup. In July 1997, they recorded three tracks. This was to be the content of Sunrise, but a year later, the album finally appeared including only new tracks under the name Cross purpose.


(scan courtesy of Alex Gitlin)


Sessions

Press here to read about Mike Kellie sessions

Related links:
 

Musicians mentioned in this page that I have projected to cover in my site someday:

Family tree

Coming soon (I hope so!).

Thanks section

Very special thanks to: Mike Kellie, for being so kind (and great musician!).

Special thanks to: Hani So, great fan, for all his interest and support; Alex Gitlin, for some albums, and enquiries about the Spooky Tooth story.

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Page created by Miguel Terol on: 29/September/1999. Last modified on: 19/November/2000. 1