A Mansfield rock group circa 1968 – 1971.

Line up #1
Terry Vickerstaff: Lead Guitar, Organ, Harmonica, Vocals
John “Bass” Daykin: Bass, Vocals
Johnny Magowan: Guitar, Hammond, vocals
Keith Woodcock:  Drums

Line up #2
Terry Vickerstaff: Lead Guitar, Organ, Harmonica, Vocals
John “Bass” Daykin: Bass, Vocals
Keith Woodcock:  Drums

Hear all the gig here

Originally a four piece from Mansfield they formed around March 1968 playing pop harmony songs but soon started to play more adventurous west coast and rock numbers which were becoming increasingly popular in the late sixties.

Terry remembers:
“I started playing guitar aged 14 and me and a few school friends formed the “Defiants” playing Shadows, Ventures instrumentals and rock and roll and pop covers and a few simple originals. Then l had the “Water Melon Men” before Emery Chase. My early influences were Hank Marvin, Lonnie Donegan, Searchers and Chuck Berry. Then John Mayalls Bluesbreakers with early Clapton!, Black Sabbath, Freedom, Uriah Heap, Georgie Fame and Emerson Lake and Palmer“. John “Bass” Daykin had been in Limelight before we nicked him to join the Water Melon Men and he stayed to form Emery Chase”.

“Emery chase didn’t really mean anything we liked the word Emery and tried various words like Lace, race etc then settled on Chase. I suppose “ rough run” is nearest explanation“.

Johnny and Terry would often swap their roles in the band, both adept on Hammond or guitar. Johnny Magowan, however, soon had to leave and they became a three piece group. Drummer Keith Woodcock had previously been in the Mansfield group called simply “The Mansfields” who at one time had Ric Lee in their ranks before he joined The Jaybirds with Alvin Lee and later becoming Ten Years After. With John Daykyn on Bass and Terry Vickerstaff on lead organ and both sharing vocals they were able to take on numbers by the emerging hard rock groups of the day.

Emery Chase shared the scene with local Notts acts like Jaffa-Band, Clockwork Toys, Carls Fables and Whichwhat but also found themselves on the bill supporting the likes of Pink Floyd and Family in Chesterfield. They also supported Band of Joy who had future Led Zeppelin star Robert Plant as their lead singer. At the Newark Festival in Oct 1970 they replaced Black Sabbath whose van had broken down on the way. Also on the bill at the Newark showground were Hawkwind and Nottingham group Medicine Hat.

Terry Vickerstaff captured the sound of Emery Chase in 1971.
“I recorded Emery chase next to last gig at a youth club gig in Ollerton. Grundig tk14? Reel to reel with one mic dangling down side of pa cab it’s not bad after a friend at Carlsbro did his best!“

Some of the venues Emery Chase played were Boat Club Nottingham, Dancing Slipper Nottingham, Carlton Hotel Nottingham, Raven Club Lincs, Birley Hotel Sheffield, Palais Mansfield, Ripley MW, Grey Topper Jacksdale, Hippo Club Derby, Blue Ball Risley, Golden Diamond Sutton-in-Ashfield, 360 Club Bulwell, Lake Rendezvous Club Lincs, Grannys Leicester, Fosseway Hotel Leicester, Lifeboat Club Cleethorpes, Peoples Hall Long Eaton and the Cock Hotel Ripley.

“Dave Marriott joined Emery Chase for a short time on Accordion. He also, later, played drums with ‘Old School’ with me and Mick Penney ( He’s a very versatile musician and singer and is excellent on vocal harmonies)“

“After Emery chase l sold all my gear got married and didn’t gig for about 3 years but then joined “Noggin” club band (Led by Dave Marriot, formerly of Jaffa-a-Band) for a few months but didn’t like the working men’s club scene”.

“I then heard on radio Nottingham Extravaganza sat morning show ( John & Phil Holmes ) that Cisco wanted a piano player so went for an audition with my guitar ( didn’t have a k/board ) and they said can you play piano as good as your guitar playing. I said yes which wasn’t strictly true but anyway they took a chance and l was in“.

Emery Chase disbanded at the end of 1971, with Keith Woodcock concentrating on the business of Carlsbro and becoming managing director of Carlsbro shops in Mansfield. Read about Carlsbro here. Terry Vickerstaff would eventually join Nottingham group Cisco late in 1975 and in the early 80’s play with Old School.

NEWSPAPER CUTTINGS

1968

1969

1970

1971