Beat group 1966-68 maybe from Eastwood, Long Eaton or close by and connections to Newark-on-Trent.

Named after the phrase, which had worked its way into the English language, and which became associated with any chaotic situation.

They were led by Tony Bajcer, real name Antoni Jan Bajcer, born in September 1945, who had previously been the leader of Tony and the Trackers from Newark on Trent and Eastwood. The group played Burton on Trent, Long Eaton and Stapleford and the Lincolnshire area.

The line up of Tony and the Trackers was:
Tony Bajcer: Vocals
Mick Richmond: Drums
Frank Singleton: Bass
Keith Clifford: Organ
Stuart Clifford: Lead guitar
Peter Brown: Rhythm guitar

Some or all of these could have been in Fred Karno’s Army.

A version of Fred Karno’s Army used to play the Running Horse in Nottingham in the 1980’s.

The original Fred Karno (Frederick John Westcott) was born in Exeter, Devon, England, in 1866 but moved to Nottingham in his early childhood. He was a comedian and pioneer who worked alongside Charlie Chaplin and Stan Laurel. Such was Karno’s fame that his name became associated with any chaotic situation, and the disorganised volunteer soldiers of the Great War labelled themselves “Fred Karno’s Army”. The phrase was also adapted into a trench song in the First World War, to the tune of the hymn “The Church’s One Foundation”.

1966

1967

1968