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Peter Ayton

David Coverdale

Thanks to the Fearnley Studio in Middlesbrough we have now managed to obtain photographs from the original session which you can enjoy on this page. Some were taken at the Grade I listed building in Middlesbrough - Acklam Hall in Hall Drive, Linthorpe.

Alan Fearnley, Ray Johns, Alan Ludley and Merv Jones with Peter 'Tubby' Ayton kneeling.

The Evening Gazette newspaper article said: Six young teesside musicians who got together to help with a recent disc-spinning marathon at Redcar enjoyed the experience so much they have formed a permanent group. They are, left to right, Alan Fearnley, of Middlesbrough; David Coverdale, of Redcar; Merv Jones, of Middlesbrough; Mark Boagey, of Billingham and Ray Johns, of Middlesbrough. Seated at the front is Ottie McLoughlin, of Middlesbrough. It's only a sideline at the moment - some of them have commitments in other groups - but when they do get together as the Fabulosa Brothers they enjoy playing "sophisticated soul music".

It's interesting to know what you can find in a garage when searching for important papers. Alan Fearnley found these two rare photos of Rivers Invitation with Alan Ludley at the front on lead vocals, Ray Johns on organ with Alan Fearnley on guitar.

Ottie McLoughlin on congas and Ian Naisbitt on drums during a live show sometime between 1970/72.

Another photograph from the same live show - Alan Fearnley, nearest the camera, on lead guitar, Ian Naisbitt on drums, Terry Sidgwick on bass with Ottie McLoughlin on congas. Missing from the photograph is Ray Johns on Hammond organ and David Coverdale. Thanks to Ian Nasibitt for sharing the two rare photographs above.

Ian Naisbitt, former drummer with Rivers Invitation might have been long retired but it still giving drum coaching lessons. Send him an email if you are interested.

A Rivers Invitation reunion after BBC television featured the band on an "Inside Out' programme having found a missing song after 40 years. They are, back row, Ottie McLoughlin, Merv Jones, Ray Dales and Alan Fearnley with Ray Johns, Ian Naisbitt, Tom Ludley, Adrian Ludley, John McCoy and Terry Sidgwick in the front row. Photograph © John Foster.

Copyright © Stan Laundon

Rivers Invitation

 

Rivers Invitation, one of Teesside's most popular bands during the 1960's. was formed after the Denman had toured Switzerland under the name of Gordon James and The Injection and then disbanded. Bass player, Peter Ayton explains: "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!"

This photo shows Alan Fearnley (guitar), Ray Dales (sax), Ron Aspery (sax), Peter Ayton (bass), Alan Ludley (lead vocals) and Merv Jones (drummer). The band signed for Polydor Records and recorded a few tracks including an 'unknown' song called "Seasons In The Sun" by Jacques Brel. Rivers Invitation were one of the first two bands signed by the Chrysalis Agency. The other band was called Jethro Tull!!

This photograph, from the Fearnley Studio in Middlesbrough, shows Alan Fearnley, Peter "Tubby" Ayton, Merv Jones, Alan Ludley and Ray Johns.

Some of the original photographs of the Rivers Invitaion shoot were taken at Acklam Hall in Middlesbrough. The hall is a Grade I Listed building and, as you will agree, makes a superb backdrop.

Another photograph with Acklam Hall in the background.

All at sea - Rivers Invitation photographed at Paddy's Hole on the South Gare, Redcar.

Alan Fearnley, Ray Johns, Alan Ludley, Merv Jones with Peter 'Tubby' Ayton, at the front, relaxing in Stewart Park, Middlesbrough.

Another one taken in Stewart Park, Middlesbrough.

Relaxing in the park - with Tubby, Ray, Alan Ludley, Merv and Alan Fearnley.

Session almost over in the park.

The original Rivers Invitation playing at the Starlight Club, in Redcar. It shows Ron Aspery and Ray Dales on saxes, Alan Fearnley on guitar, Alan Ludley on vocals, Merv Jones on drums and Peter Ayton on bass. At this time the Pete Appleby Trio were resident band at the Starlight. Pete, of course, played with Lonnie Donegan and was on the record "My Old Man's A Dustman." Peter Ayton also recorded this song some years later with both Pete Appleby and Les Bennetts playing banjo. Les, who hailed from Redcar, also played lead guitar for Lonnie for a number of years.

Rivers Invitation just before Dave Coverdale joined the band.  Left to right - Ian Naisbitt, Terry Sidgwick, Ray Johns, Ottie McLoughlin and Alan Fearnley. The final line up, of course, had David Coverdale on vocals but, sadly, we don't have any photographs of him with the band. Do you? Drop us a line if you have.

Ray Dales, Alan Fearnley, Peter "Tubby" Ayton and Merv Jones share some wonderful memories 40 years on. Rivers Invitation and relatives of Alan Ludley met for a BBC programme after Tubby Ayton had found their early recording of "Seasons In The Sun" - enabling Alan's son, Adrian, to listen to the song for the first time. Adrian, who now lives in America and flew over to England, was just a child when his father Alan was killed in a car crash. As well as the BBC programme "Inside Out" covering the story, it was featured in the Daily Mail, the BBC in-house magazines Ariel and Prospero and on the BBC Tees website. Photograph © John Foster.

A brief history of Rivers Invitation by Alan Fearnley:

About 1968/9 the first change in line-up came about when Ron Aspery, followed by Ray Dales, left the band. Ron was later to form the legendary jazz blues trio "Backdoor".  Ray Johns was brought in on hammond organ in place of the brass section, then Terry Sidgwick replaced Peter 'Tubby' Ayton & Ian Naisbitt took over on drums. Ottie McLoughlin was added on congas & percussion.  The tragic death of singer Alan Ludley then left Terry Sidgwick as lead vocalist & bass player. This was the line-up that won a heat & came second in the final of the television programme "Opportunity Knocks".

David Coverdale had joined the band at this time but was not eligible to sing on the show as he had not been at the audition. Three of David`s compositions, recorded with Rivers Invitation at a rehearsal, were available for a short period as downloads on the Whitesnake website over Christmas 2010.  When the band finally called it a day in 1973, David, Ottie, Ray & Alan played a charity gig for the Cheshire homes with Merv Jones & Mark Boagey. They decided to stay together as the Fabulosa Brothers. After making some demo records with this band, David Coverdale left to make his fame and fortune with Deep Purple and later Whitesnake. Artie McDermott stepped in as lead vocalist to fulfill the bookings and one of the final gigs was at Stockton Fiesta when David, who was then with Deep Purple, joined Artie and the Fabs to sing on stage with them for the last time.

This page is dedicated to the memory of Ron Aspery and Alan Ludley

All photographs on this page, unless otherwise stated, are Copyright © Fearnley Studio and must not be copied or used in any way without prior written permission.

This website is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

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Copyright © Stan Laundon.com

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