The Denmen

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The Denmen

Gordon James & The Injection

My thanks to Jenny Rhucroft for the use of this poster and the above photographs. We understand they were taken when the band appeared at the First Flower-Power-Show in Switzerland which was held at the Volkshous, Zurich, on October 16th, 1967. You can view the images full size, by clicking on them.

Peter "Tubby" Ayton, who played bass with the Denmen, explains how the tour of Switzerland happened and the name of Gordon James and the Injection came about:

"The Denmen had arrived at a stage where we collectively wanted to turn professional. Both Alan and me, as did the rest of the guys, thought this was a good time to give it a try.

"We answered a 'Bands Wanted' advert in the Melody Maker. A proposition was put to us by a British agent that a Swiss singer, Gordon James, wanted an English backing band to work with out in Zurich. We agreed a deal and set off in our Ford Thames van for Switzerland. On arrival in Zurich we were met by Gordon James in a Bentley.

"We initially stayed in a pub - famous amongst bands - called the Hercian Hotel in a part of Zurich called The Niederdorf. A few days later we moved into Gordon’s house in a beautiful road in Zurich called The Kanstrasa.

"When we first arrived Gordon insisted on taking us all in his Bentley to Zurich airport to be photographed by the Newspaper 'Blick.' This was to give the impression that we had arrived in the country in a luxury plane and not in a beaten up van.

"After our arrival we quickly began rehearsing. Gordon was not the best of singers, but we started to get used to him singing in English with a German accent. We were unaware at this time that Gordon 'was not the most popular person' among the some of the locals. On our first gig at the internationally famous Volkshous, the Injection - as we had been named by Gordon - opened up the set with a few numbers on our own. When Gordon came on we all got pelted by this faction of the audience with rotten fruit! I had a stain for months on my two new sound city 4 X 12 cabinets. This was not the opening we had expected!

"Still, we toured Switzerland & Germany as a support band with Procol Harum who were riding high at this time with their hit "Whiter Shade Of Pale." We later continued to tour as a support to a British band who were very big in Switzerland and Germany/Austria called The Creation who had a number of big hits on the continent - in particular one called "Painter Man."

"We got quite popular with the Swiss and were asked to make a personal appearance to open a boutique in Zurich where we were chased by screaming girl fans.

"However, things then started to go a bit 'pear shaped' for us. We were contacted by an agent who offered us work in Spain - so off we went to play dates in Barcelona and Madrid. Unfortunately, we didn't get paid for these gigs and therefore were left little choice but to do a 'midnight flit' from the hotel in Spain back to Switzerland. Upon returning to Zurich we realised that things were really not happening for us. Gordon's wife threatened to leave him and our beloved clapped out van broke down. So, after about three or four months working with Gordon, we decided to part company and returned to England leaving our dearly beloved Ford Thames van - which Alan (Ludley) and Rookie (Paul Rhucroft) had creatively painted flames along its side!

"On arriving back in the UK the band broke up but we all remained friends. Alan Ludley, Merv Jones and myself joined some members of the Real McCoy who had just split at this time (Ron Aspery, Ray Dales and Alan Fearnley) and formed Rivers Invitation - but that's another story!"

Tubby goes on to say: "If we'd only had the opportunity to record a song in Switzerland it could have been aptly titled "Down and Out and Skint in Zurich".

Alan Ludley & Paul Rhucroft

Stan Laundon and Paul Rhucroft in Spain during the 1990s.

My thanks to Peter Ayton, John Bowlt, Mike Gutteridge, Adrian Ludley and Jenny Rhucroft for supplying photographs and background information for this page.

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The Denmen

The Denmen about 1966

This photograph of the Middlesbrough band the Denmen was taken by Bernard Fearnley about 1966. It came to me in a round about way. A gentleman called Don, in Coulby Newham, sent it to John Foster of BBC Tees following a radio show about memories of the sixties. In turn, John, knowing about this website, sent it on to me! It shows, left to right in the back row, guitarist and vocalist Alan Ludley (who sadly died in a car crash in the mid 1960's) drummer Merv Jones, bassist Peter "Tubby" Ayton and George Trigg. In the front row is keyboard player Peter Jackson with Paul Rhucroft on baritone sax.

When they first formed

The Denmen when they first formed featured band members Alan Ludley, Peter "Tubby" Ayton, Bill Randall, Dave Ritchie on drums and Mike Gutteridge on guitar.

The Cave, Billingham 1964

The Denmen at The Cave, Billingham in 1964 - Bill Randall and Alan Ludley are standing with John Bowlt, Peter 'Tubby' Ayton and Mike Gutteridge seated.

Early Denmen

Missing from this photograph - although the neck and head of his guitar can be seen - is Mike Gutteridge.

Colourful

Paul Rhucroft, Alan Ludley, George Trigg, Merv Jones, Peter Jackson with Peter Ayton seated.

Early Days

Another photograph of The Denmen which was kindly sent to us by Adrian Ludley, the son of guitarist and vocalist, Alan Ludley. The line-up is the same as mentioned above.

Publicity photograph