Late 60’s Nottingham rock and soul group 1968-72 who recorded an album and five singles for Beacon records in 1969 and 1970.

Whichwhat were formed in Nottingham in October 1968 with most of it’s members coming from The John Smith Affair. They were represented by the Nottingham agency “Banner” run by Phil Smith. Initially playing covers they started to write their own material and eventually signed for Milton Samuels London based fledgling record label Beacon in 1969 and started their recording career achieving some chart success abroad. Although, predominantly a soul group, by the time of their album release they had a progressive element to their sound. Over their four year existence they had many line up changes and up to fourteen people have played in their ranks. This can make getting the right line up for the right record release confusing especially as some of the publicity shots show five members when there was six on some record releases and often the Beacons records promo info was incorrect. Records were released with a line up that didn’t necessarily match the current working line up and so on.

Band members have included at various times:
1. Eddie Young – (lead vocals) previously with Two’s Company
2. Mick Brown – (Sax/flute) previously with The John Smith Affair. Later with Biffo
3. Terry Penn – (bass) previously with The John Smith Affair and later with Terrapin
4. John Bednall – (drums) previously with The John Smith Affair and Robert Hirst and the Big Taste
5. Walt Savage – (keyboards) previously with The John Smith Affair
6. Wayne Ford – (guitar) previously with The Mysteries, Carl and the Starlighters, Carl Pagan and the Heathens and Our Young
7. Bob Todd – (Drums) previously with The Mysteries, Carl Pagan and the Heathens and Our Young and later in Sound Advice.
8. John Barlow – (drums)
9. Mel Munks – (guitar) previously with Rockin’ Ron’s Combo, The Artful Dodgers, The John Smith Affair and later with Terrapin and Biffo
10. Steve Harris – (drums) previously with Woody Kern
Mick Payne – (Guitar) previously with Six Across
11. Kip Wilkes – (Sax / Flute) previously with Six Across
12. Jim Marsden – (trumpet) previously with Six Across
13. Robin Asher – Guitar
14. Possible unknown drummer at the end of the groups existence

In terms of Drummers it was John Bednell from October 1968 up until about mid 1969, then Bob Todd until October/November 1969, then John Barlow took over followed by Steve Harris in April 1970 until April 1971. From April 1971 it was either John Bednall (returning) or someone else and there may have been a dep in the last few months of the groups existence from December 1971 to March 1972.

Discography

Singles
BEA 127, Gimme Gimme Good Lovin’ / Wonderland Of Love – March 1969
BEA 131, Why Do Lovers Break Each Other’s Heart / When I See Her Smile – EMI June 1969
BEA 133, In the Year 2525 / Parting – July 1969
BEA 144, I Wanna be Free / It’s All Over Again – December 1969
BEA 169, Vietnam Rose / Shame And Solution – October 1970

Album
BEAS 14, Whichwhat’s First – December 1970

Early Days

The roots of Whichwhat can be traced back to 1964 with Rockin’ Ron’s Combo, a Nottingham beat group that featured guitarist Mel Munks. In September 1965 they changed their name and became the Artful Dodgers. With a line up of Terry Penn: Bass Guitar, Ken Henshaw: Tenor Sax, Mick Brown: Sax, Mel Munks: Guitar and a drummer, this was a nucleus that stayed together and found a driving soul beat sound. In the summer of 1967 they changed their name again, to the John Smith Affair and in January 1968 drummer John Bednall joined them from the recently defunct Nottingham soul group Robert Hirst and the Big Taste. With a lead singer (John Smith) and keyboard player Walt Savage they were a seven piece group playing hard driving soul numbers. In October 1968 with a change in the air they became Whichwhat. Ken Henshaw left as did lead singer John Smith who was replaced by Eddie Young who had been lead vocalist in Two’s Company in early 1967.

The first line up of Whichwhat was a six piece:

Eddie Young (real name Theodore Demetriou) – (lead vocals)
Mick Brown – (Sax/flute)
Terry Penn – (bass)
John Bednall – (drums)
Walt Savage – (keyboards)
Mel Munks: Guitar

So, with a new name, Whichwhat, and on the books at the Banner agency run by Phil Smith, they carried on with the bookings made as the John Smith Affair.

1968

By October 1968 they had changed their name to Whichwhat but were stilled billed by some venues as John Smith Affair. It is probable that that the venue didn’t know of the name change or thought it better to keep the old name until the local punters got to know.

1969

JANUARY 1969

FEBRUARY 1969

MARCH 1969

In February guitarist Mel Munks decided to leave the group, the travelling to gigs becoming a hassle he decided he could do without, and a replacement was found in Wayne Ford. Wayne played in a succession of groups from 1964, The Mysteries, Carl Pagan and the Heathens, Our Young and Two’s Company and slotted in perfectly. I suspect that the first publicity photo of the group was just as Mel Munks had left and before Wayne Ford joined so is a five piece. This photo was used on their first four singles even though their line up was sometimes a six piece and sometimes featured different personnel.

Whichwhat line up *2:

Eddie Young (real name Theodore Demetriou) – (lead vocals)
Mick Brown – (Sax/flute)
Terry Penn – (bass)
John Bednall – (drums)
Walt Savage – (keyboards)
Wayne Ford: Guitar

Whichwhat were the leading soul group in the Notts region and Phil Smith at the Banner agency was able to get them connected with Beacon Records which was run by Milton Samuels in London and aided by Roger St. Pierre. Milton was an Antiguan businessman, and later a politician who was also described as an American in the Nottingham Evening Post. Milton had been to America looking for a record to release back in Britain so, which he did, so that may account for him being described as American. Nottingham group Sons and Lovers were also signed to Beacon records. A single was planned for immediate release. They recorded the master tapes at Codolar studio’s on Middle Pavement in Nottingham and sent them to Milton Samuels. The Codolar studio was run by Clive Gamble who had until then had been running a mobile discotheque called “Sounds on Location”. Bill Mosely, one time member of early Nottingham beat group The Beatmen, was the studio manager. Gigs advertised at the end of March made sure of letting the punters know about this new “recording group“.

The first single released on Friday March 28th 1969, Gimme Gimme Good Lovin’ / Wonderland Of Love, BEA 127. As was the case in Britain the single was housed in a company sleeve but the overseas releases had a variety of picture sleeves. Gimme Gimme Good Lovin’ was written by Joey Levine and Ritchie Cordell, American song writers and record producers and was first recorded by the American group “Crazy Elephant”. The B-Side “Wonderland of Love” was written by group members Eddie Young and Walt Savage. Even though Wayne Ford had joined the group the first single was recorded by just five members.

The line up for the first single was:

Terry Penn: Bass guitar
John Bednall: Drums
Eddie Young: Vocals
Mick Brown: Sax and Flute
Walter Savage: Keyboards

United Kingdom release

Australian release

French release

Italian release

Italian Juke-box version

Israel release

Japanese release

Dutch release

Spanish release

Turkish release

APRIL 1969

MAY 1969

JUNE 1969

In the summer of 1969 drummer John Bednall left. He was replaced by Bob Todd on the recommendation of his friend, guitarist Wayne Ford. Bob and Wayne had been in groups together since 1964, The Mysteries, Carl Pagan and the Heathens, Our Young and Two’s Company.

Whichwhat *3 line up:

Terry Penn: Bass guitar
Bob Todd: Drums
Eddie Young (real name Theodore Demetriou): Vocals
Mick Brown: Sax and Flute
Wayne Ford: Guitar
Walter Savage: Keyboards

A second single was released in June 1969. “Why Do Lovers Break Each Others Hearts” written by Phil Spector, Ellie Greenwich and Tony Powers backed with “When I See Her Smile” written by group members Eddie Young and Walt Savage, BEA 131. The Beacon Records publicity refers to Whichwhat as “Five Nottingham lads” but then only names four of them. They have forgotten to mention Walt Savage and I think that Wayne Ford was in the group at the time of this release although he is probably not on the recordings which were probably put down at the beginning of the year before he joined.

United Kingdom release

Dutch release

JULY 1969

On 25th July 1969 the third single by Whichwhat was released. “In the Year 2525 / Parting” BEA 131. Although the same publicity photo was being used both recordings were by a six piece line up. The guitar of Wayne Ford can clearly be heard. The sales were initially good but it was suddenly eclipsed by the Zager Evans version which reached No.1

Eddie Young – (lead vocals)
Mick Brown – (Sax/flute)
Terry Penn – (bass)
John Bednall – (drums)
Walt Savage – (keyboards)
Wayne Ford: Guitar

United Kingdom release

Belgium release

German release

Greek release

Italian release

Japanese release

The Japanese release also had a lyric sheet in Japanese and English which I have altered to make them a little easier to read..

New Zealand release

Portuguese release

Singapore release

Spanish release

Turkish release

Yugoslavian release

AUGUST 1969

OCTOBER 1969

NOVEMBER 1969

Whichwhat were in the studio recording for their forth single. Drummer Bob Todd would leave the group to be replaced by John Barlow in November but was on the studio recording of one song.

Bob Todd remembers:

“I do recall playing the Penny Farthing Club at the bottom of Wollaton Street before I left them“.

“The only recording I am on is “It’s All Over Again”, that was the B side of “I Wanna Be Free”. It was recorded in a studio on Middle Pavement just round the corner from the Cross Keys pub. The actual studio was in the basement”.

The studio was “Codolar” which was run by Clive Gamble. There is some background to this studio here.

“Whichwhat were prone to line up changes and I was one of those after a few months. They wanted John Bednell to come back into the band (to be fair he was a better drummer than me) but Wayne told me in advance what was going to happen, testimony to what a true friend he was”.

“We used to take it in turns to drive the van so after Wayne gave me the tip-off I arranged to have the van ASAP and when I got home I unloaded my drums. The next day I phoned the band and told them I had quit and to come and collect the van. It turned out that John Bednell was not going to return so they had to ask me to come back into the band. I returned on the basis that once they found a replacement drummer I would leave for good. (By now I was engaged to Lynne and planning to get married the following May, 1970). The replacement drummer was John Barlow. (incidentally, the very first printer I went on machine with when I started my apprenticeship at Staffords in 1961 was John Barlow’s Dad, Maurice!)

DECEMBER 1969

Whichwhat *4 line up:

Terry Penn: Bass guitar
John Barlow: Drums
Eddie Young: Vocals
Mick Brown: Sax and Flute
Wayne Ford: Guitar
Walter Savage: Keyboards

The forth single was released on December 5th 1969. “I Wanna be Free / It’s All Over Again”, BEA 144

Again, the Beacon Records publicity refers to Whichwhat as a four piece forgetting to mention Walt Savage on keyboards. It still has John Bednall as the drummer but Bob Todd is playing on the B side “All Over Again”. John Bednall is possibly the drummer on the A side but it could also be John Barlow who came in as Bob Todd’s replacement.

United Kingdom release

Turkish release

1970

JANUARY 1970

FEBRUARY 1970

MARCH 1970

By March 1970 drummer John Barlow wanted to move on and Whichwhat advertised for a new drummer to replace him. The ad required the new applicant to be “a reliable, experienced drummer of good character and personality, must be heavy, versatile, have wide tastes in music and be of recording standard“. The ad also stipulated “no dustbin bashers, beginners or egomaniacs“. The ideal person to fulfil this role was Steve Harris. Steve had been until recently the drummer of Nottingham blues rock group “Woody Kern” who had released an album and single in 1969 on Pye records. In the spring of 1970 keyboard player also left leaving Whichwhat as a five piece.

Terry Penn: Bass guitar
Eddie Young: Vocals
Steve Harris: Drums
Mick Brown: Sax, Flute
Wayne Ford: Guitar

APRIL 1970

MAY 1970

JUNE 1970

JULY 1970

In the summer of 1970 the five piece Whichwhat were recording for a future album release. As with the current shift in British groups they started to pursue a slightly more progressive sound.

AUGUST 1970

SEPTEMBER 1970

Guitarist Wayne Ford announced that he was going to leave the group so Whichwhat advertised for a replacement.

OCTOBER 1970

Whichwhat released their fifth single in October 1970. Recorded earlier in the year it still featured the six piece line up of:

Terry Penn: Bass guitar
John Barlow: Drums
Eddie Young: Vocals
Mick Brown: Sax and Flute
Wayne Ford: Guitar
Walter Savage: Keyboards

The overseas picture sleeve’s, however, still showed the old five piece line up with John Bednall on drums.

Vietnam Rose / Shame and Solution. BEA 169.

UK release

Netherlands release

German release

German release 2

Spanish release. This has a picture of the five piece line up that recorded the album “Whichwhat’s first”

Lyrics to Vietnam Rose

My days are so lonely
So tired, feeling down.
And I get to thinking I’m the only man
That lived a hundred miles from town.

Yeah, yeah, we all know
Everybody wants to see the show,
No, no, it’s no shame,
Everybody wants to know about the Vietnam rose.

Big boys from the city,
Keep calling on me,
But I’m gonna tell them to go away,
Come on around and you’ll see.

Yeah, yeah, we all know
Everybody wants to see the show,
No, no, it’s no shame,
Everybody wants to know about the Vietnam rose.

Yeah, yeah, we all know
Everybody wants to see the show,
No, no, it’s no shame,
Everybody wants to know about the Vietnam Rose.

Yeah, yeah, we all know
Everybody wants to see the show,
No, no, it’s no shame,
Everybody wants to know about the Vietnam Rose.

The group advertised further adding to their list of wants, not only a replacement guitarist, but Trumpet or Tenor Sax player and two young “freaky” girl vocalists who can harmonise to expand the group into a Joe Cocker type show.

NOVEMBER 1970

The Vietnam Rose single gets encouraging reviews.

DECEMBER 1970

In December of 1970 Whichwhat undertook a big line up change. Wayne Ford left as had keyboard player Walt Savage earlier leaving the core of Eddie Young, Terry Penn, Mick Brown and Steve Harris to be joined by three members of the Derby band Six Across who had recently broken up. These were Mick Payne on guitar, Jim Marsden on trumpet and Kip Wilkes on sax and flute.

The seven piece line up:

Eddie Young – (lead vocals)
Mick Brown – (Sax/flute)
Terry Penn – (bass)
Steve Harris – Drums
Mick Payne – guitar
Jim Marsden – trumpet
Kip Wilkes – sax and flute

Although Whichwhat were now a seven piece brass led band their album, recorded in the summer and autumn of 1970, was released in December 1970. It featured the five piece line up that featured guitarist Wayne Ford. Even the promo info was incorrect naming the six piece line up that had drummer John Barlow. This was the line up as the album front cover suggests.

Terry Penn: Bass guitar
Eddie Young: Vocals
Steve Harris: Drums
Mick Brown: Sax, Flute
Wayne Ford: Guitar

You can hear the whole album on YouTube

The track Vietnam Rose also appeared on a Decca records compilation released in Germany in December 1970.

1971

JANUARY 1971

FEBRUARY 1971

MARCH 1971

APRIL 1971

Drummer Steve Harris left the group to join “Barracuda“. His replacement may have been original drummer John Bednall.

MAY 1971

JUNE 1971

JULY 1971

Guitarist Mick Payne was set to leave and the group again advertised for a replacement. Maybe they continued without a guitarist in which case they would have become a six piece again.

AUGUST 1971

SEPTEMBER 1971

OCTOBER 1971

NOVEMBER 1971

DECEMBER 1971

The drummer left and Whichwhat advertised again.

1972

The line up of Whichwhat was becoming fragile and the last advertised gigs were in March 1972 before they broke up.

The Whichwhat story finished in the beginning of 1972. They had been touring without a break for years and in that time had also achieved a respectable recording career. Nottingham had always had a reputation for soul and club bands during the sixties and seventies and when Whichwhat ceased that big band soul and rock sound was taken up by Cisco in January 1974.