PAUL NEWMAN AND THE X’CALIBURS

Retford, North Notts group 1963 – 1971
Beat group that moved into the cabaret and clubland circuit and released three records from 1965 to 1967.

Known as a Retford group and later, with a wider profile, a Nottingham group. Actually they had no connection with Nottingham at all and hardly ever played Retford either but certainly did have roots there. By the mid sixties 3 of the members were from Sheffield so they were sometimes thought of as a Sheffield group.

Group members have included:
Paul Newman: Vocals
Bryan Holden: Drums
Charles Bowles: Lead Guitar
Garry Taylor: Rhythm Guitar
Irving McLeod: Bass Guitar
Rod Baxter: Drums
Mike Summers: Lead Guitar
Jack Barfoot: Rhythm Guitar
Ashley Peach: Bass
Mike Grimes: Lead Guitar

HISTORY

Retford is where we start this story. Guitarist Garry Taylor was in a late fifties Retford group called THE TORNADO’S (one of many Tornadoes up and down the country) possibly with Bryan Holden and Charles Bowles. By 1960 those three were in a group called “THE STORMBEATS“.

THE STORMBEATS 1960- Aug 1963. Line up:
Bryan Holden (17) of Retford: Drums
Charles Bowles of Worksop (18): Lead Guitar
Garry Taylor (26) of Retford: Rhythm Guitar

The Stormbeats sometimes had a vocalist. This was a common practice in the early sixties. Sometimes a regular member of the group and sometimes a one off. Sometimes the same person but with a changed name. It was only after The Beatles exploded onto the scene that this practice of a “lead” and “their group” slowly receded.

Shaun Tempest: Vocalist – Summer 1962
Eddie Rogers: Vocalist – November 1962
Jacki: Vocalist – November 1962
Pet Gail: Vocalist – Jan to Aug 1963 when the Stormbeats changed their name to The X’Caliburs.
Haley: Vocalist – Billed with The X’Caliburs in September when they took part in the “Beat Contest”. Not sure if Haley is a new singer or Pet Gail, or Paul Newman when he just joined or a mistake by the press.

Read more about The Stormbeats

THE STORMBEATS in August 1963 became THE X’CALIBURS with the addition of Irving McLeod.
Line up:
Bryan Holden (17): Drums
Charles Bowles (18): Lead Guitar
Garry Taylor (26): Rhythm Guitar
Irving McLeod (24) of Blackpool: Bass Guitar and manager

Irving McLeod or Michaels (one of the same person) had been in a Blackpool group called THE HY-FY’S. This group also featured Paul Newman. They had a successful residency at the Las Vegas club in Barcelona in December 1962. After Irving joined The X’Caliburs he moved to live in Retford.

THE HY-FY’S
Dec 62 – 1963 L-R
Tony Dymon: Drums
Norman Dean: Guitar
Paul Newman: Vocals
Irving Michaels: Bass
Paul Wilmington: Piano

Vocalist Paul Newman (real name Leonard Bull) was born in 1941. He first played with 59/60ish – THE SKYLINERS, a Derby group, then he formed his own group in 1960/61 called the “PAUL NEWMAN FIVE” who were all Mansfield lads. After an motorcycle accident and recuperation period he sang solo for a while before joining The X’Caliburs in November 1963.

So, in the autumn of 1963 drummer Bryan Holden was still at Retford Grammar School, Charles Bowles an apprentice radiographer, Garry Taylor a Salesman and van driver while Irving McLeod was already professional and acted as the group’s manager. They practiced at Markham Moor House in Retford, the home of Mr. Mrs. Robert Pearl.

THE X’CALIBURS – Nov 1963 – FIRST LINE UP
Paul Newman of Ashover: Vocals
Bryan Holden (17) of Retford: Drums
Charles H. Bowles (18) of Worksop: Lead Guitar
Garry Taylor (or Derrick J. Taylor) (26) of Retford: Rhythm Guitar
Irving McLeod (24) of Blackpool: Bass Guitar

On Saturday 28th September 1963 they entered the Gainsborough heat of the “All-Britain Beat Contest” sponsored by the musical weekly “Disc”. This was the first stage of a national competition with between 350 and 500 groups entering. There was to be £2,000 offered in prizes with the winning group winning £500 at a final in London on December 1st, plus a recording and agency contract, a booking on a “name” nationwide tour and a possible booking on I.T.V.’s “Thank Your Lucky Stars”.

At the Drill Hall they took part with five other groups The Kobalts (Grantham/Sleaford), The Raiders with Jamie, The Delcounts (Grantham), Buddy Vydel and the Nite Flyers (Lincoln) and The Cossacks. Billed as The X’Caliburs with Haley, Paul Newman still hadn’t joined them yet. I’m not sure who Haley was but it is the only time I’ve seen them mentioned. It was organised by the Gainsborough Teen and Twenty Jive Club and judges were Robin Eldridge and EMI singing star Duffy Power. With a large crowd expected the doors were locked and limited to 550 people.

All over the country the heats were taking place. At the Drill Hall, Lincoln The Capitols (Lincoln) won the Lincoln heat against Mike Sears and the Unknowns (Lincoln), The Black Shadows with Danny King (who were runners up), Colin Maye and the Consorts, Lee Rivers and the Consorts and The Vigilantes.

In the Scunthorpe heats another Lincoln group Sonny Child and the Elders Consolidated tied with a Mansfield group and went through qualifying for the Midlands final.

Derby group The Vibrons reached the Midlands final in Bedford and The X’Caliburs won the LincoLnshire Area Final in Scunthorpe on October 9th and reached the Northern Finals in Blackpool on October 27th but were maybe diverted to the Midland finals in Bedford. Nevertheless they went through to the final London. Other winners were Warriors from Nelson in Lancashire.

The final was held at the Granada in Upper Tooting in conjunction with George Cooper organisation with The X’Caliburs winning with 390 points from Johnny and The Copy Cats (Buckie in Scotland) (375 points, The Strangers (Rochester, Kent) (317 points) and The Rapids (Derby) in fourth with 309 points with five other participants. They performed “Donkey Serenade” and “Over The Rainbow” in their set.

From “Midland Beat March 1964”. Shortly after winning the contest, the group visited Joe Meek’s studio and recorded four numbers – “Over The Rainbow”, “Donkey Serenade”, “Count me out” (written by Irving McLeod) and “There’ll Never Be Anyone Else”.

NEWSPAPER CUTTINGS 1963

1964

Much More Coming ……….