Exeter band's record release - 50 years on (on Acid Jazz'z 'Rare Mod 5')

AN Exeter band has had its first record release -nearly 50 years after it was formed.

It was back in 1964 that five local Exeter musicians joined together to form a band and named it “The Four Steps Beyond”

The fab five were:

Alan Bryant, vocals; Mike Emery, guitar; Colin Drake, bass; Geoff Cox, guitar and Roger Walker on drums.

The band which enjoyed success on the local circuit headed for London where they went to work for The Eric Easton Organisation, whose manager, Vic Suttcliffe, requested they first record a demo disc so that he could evaluate their musical skills.

Said band member Mike: “Several discs were cut and one was called Keep Your Hands Off my Baby.

All the other discs to my knowledge are with Roger, who left Exeter when the band folded in 1968 and went back to Wales, never to be seen again.”

On the strength of “Keep your hands Off my Baby” the band went on tour of Copenhagen, topping the bill at the Carousel Club for a month, and then travelled on to Germany where they worked for the same club owner as an up and coming Wolverhampton band called The In-betweens (now known as Slade!).

The young men all went their separate ways - and then in July this year Mike received a phone call from London record company Acid Jazz Records.

Mike said: “They were asking if I had any tapes or demo discs from the early 1960’s.

“I told them I had one ‘Keep Your Hands Off My Baby’ and a recording of this was sent to London and an agreement was signed.

“Now the song has been put on to “Rare Mod Compilation CD volume 5” by Acid Jazz Records.

“Also on the CD are great artists of that era like Geno Washington and the Ram Jam Band, Jimmy James and The Vagabonds and many more, so we feel quite privilege to have our song

“Who would have thought after 49 years a The Four Steps Beyond” would see their record released?

“Better late than never!”

 

‘Rare Mod 5’ (Acid Jazz) Track Listing: -

1. I'm a Man - The Top Six 

2. Hey Diddle Diddle - The Montanas 

3. Don't Be Proud - Debrah Aire 

4. Suger Man - Tommy Bishop 

5. My Generation - Unknown Mod Band 

6. Train Train - Tony Colton 

7. Rock My Baby - Geno Washington 

8. Something - TJ Assembly 

9. You'll Call My Name - The Troop 

10. With My Eyes Closed - The March Hare 

11. I Put a Spell On You - Phaethon's Brethen 

12. Sh'mon Part 2 - The Dynamite Orchestra 

13. Green Tamborine - The Disturbance 

14. Private Number - Jimmy James & The Vagabonds 

15. She Is Better - Unknown Mod Band 

16. Look at a Granny Run Run - All Night Workers 

17. Sugar - The Army 

18. Bye Bye Honey - Easy Virtue 

19. Keep Your Hands Off My Baby - Four Steps Beyond 

20. Route 66 - Jeff Curtis And The Flames