The Kobalts – Notts Music Archive

Grantham beat group 1960 – 1967. Including Street of Sadness 1967 – 1969.
Just over the Notts border The Kobalts were early rock and beat pioneers from Grantham. Aslo known as Don Fayne and the Kobalts in the very early days.

**The Kobalts 1st line up. Six in line up**

The photographs are from a facebook post by Don Holmes in 2021.

The Kobalts started around 1961. The first gig was played in front of 800 people at the Pier Pavillion, Cleethorpes. In the early days they sometimes were billed with a lead singer “Don Fayne and the Kobalts” which was the norm in pre Beatles Britain. Some of the groups they shared the stage with in 1962 were TV and recording personalities like Terry Lightfoot, Johnny Kidd and the Pirates, Lance Fortune and Screaming Lord Sutch and his Savages as well as local rivals from the Lincs, Notts, Northants and Norfolk area and further afield like The Pontiacs, Sandra and the Boyfiends, The Corvairs, The Five Tornadoes, The Marauders, Johnny Silver and the Thunderbirds, The Drumbeats, Johnny Angel and the Chequers, Sonny Child and the Scholars, The Delcounts, The Nighthawks, Tony and the Cadilacs, Pete Storm and the Vikings and The Capitols.

Twins brothers Brian and Tony Bradley were the only mainstays of the group. They recorded a few songs in 1964/65. They can be heard on youtube. By 1967 they had a keyboard player, playing Tamla-Motown soul music but with two more band members Tom Blades and Martin Philips joining the Bradley twins the band eventually turned to the blues rock that became popular in the late sixties changing their name to Streets of Sadness in 1968. The last I know of them playing under that name is at the “12 Hour Happiness” at the Nottingham Racecourse in July 1969 alongside such underground bands as Edgar Broughton Band, Caravan, Status Quo, The Nice and King Crimson.

There is obviously more to this story but this should do as a start.

My best guesses at line ups:

Line up 1: 1960
Brian Bradley: Drums
Tony Bradley: Bass Guitar
Dave Wright: Lead Guitar
Barry Davey: Rhythm Guitar
Don Holmes: Vocals

Line up 2: 1961/64 ish
Brian Bradley: Drums
Tony Bradley: Bass Guitar
Tony Mottershaw: Lead Guitar
Barry Davey: Rhythm Guitar
Don Holmes: Vocals

Line up 3: 1964/65 ish
Brian Bradley: Drums
Tony Bradley: Bass Guitar
Tony Mottershaw: Lead Guitar
Chris Sandham: Rhythm Guitar ?

By 1966-67 – Chris Sandham became their manager
Brian Bradley: Drums
Tony Bradley: Bass Guitar
Pete Nelmes: Lead Guitar, Vocals
Dave: ????

and then
Brian Bradley: Drums
Tony Bradley: Bass Guitar
Pete Nelmes: Lead Guitar, Vocals – left by April 1967
Alec Applewhite: Organ

By April 1968 had became “Streets of Sadness“
Brian Bradley: Drums
Tony Bradley: Bass Guitar
Tom Blades: Lead Guitar
Martin Philips: Vocals

By 1969
Brian Bradley: Drums
Tony Bradley: Bass Guitar
Tom Blades: Lead Guitar
Steve Pullman: Flute? Vocals?
Gerald Saddlington: ?

RECORDINGS

RecordingS circa 1963 or maybe 1964

Line up:
Brian Bradley: Drums
Tony Bradley: Bass Guitar
Tony Mottershaw: Lead Guitar
Chris Sandham: Rhythm Guitar

Songs – Chains, Poison Ivy and In a Persian Market

**The Kobalts in 1962**. This image is from Granthamatters.

NEWSPAPER CUTTINGS
(Many more I could have added)

1960

1961

**The Reg Guest Trio and Farran Kristy were both Nottingham groups.**

1962

**L-R: Tony Bradley, Chris Sandham, Don Fayne, Tony Mottershaw, Brian Bradley**

I’m not sure who Dave Nelson is in the ad above. It could be trying a new name, a publishing mistake or a stand in covering for a gig or two. Linda Lane was once backed in 1961 by the very early Jaycats of Alvin Lee and Leo Lyons fame.

1963

1964

1966

1967

1968

Street of Sadness

1969