The Early Days
The original line-up consisted of Dave "Biffo" Beech (vocals and drums) (born David Beech, 25 September 1945, in Rugby, Warwickshire, died 7 June 2007); Clive Scott (keyboards and vocals) (born 24 February 1945, in Coventry, died 10 May 2009); Barrie Bernard (bass guitar) (born 27 November 1944, in Coventry); Tony Campbell (guitar) (born Anthony Campbell, 24 June 1944, in Rugby); Tony Britnell (saxophone) and Kevin "Beppy" Mahon (saxophone). Biffo left in the first year, and was replaced by Des Dyer (drums) (born Desmond Dyer, 22 May 1948, in Rugby, Warwickshire), who took over lead vocals.
Scott was previously in Scott and The Antarctics; Dyer had played in both The Surfcyders and Clockwork Shoppe; Campbell, Mahon and Beech had worked together previously in The Mighty Avengers; and Bernard had been a member of Pinkerton's Assorted Colours, whilst Britnel had worked with The Fortunes.
Campbell actually named the band after a Manchester nightclub called "The Jigsaw Club", but the way that he 'pieced together' the band from other members of existing groups also gave added credence to the name.
In 1970, the group were given the opportunity of turning fully professional by being the backing band for Arthur Conley, on his European tour. Most of the band took the plunge, but Kevin Mahon decided to keep his day job and left the band. In 1974, Tony Britnell became seriously ill and left the band. After his recuperation he became a member of The Sunsets, the backing band for Shakin' Stevens.
Read more about this topic: Jigsaw (band)
Famous quotes containing the words early and/or days:
“The Americans never use the word peasant, because they have no idea of the class which that term denotes; the ignorance of more remote ages, the simplicity of rural life, and the rusticity of the villager have not been preserved among them; and they are alike unacquainted with the virtues, the vices, the coarse habits, and the simple graces of an early stage of civilization.”
—Alexis de Tocqueville (1805–1859)
“I wish the days to be as centuries, loaded, fragrant. Now we reckon them as bank-days, by some debt which is to be paid us, or which we are to pay, or some pleasure we are to taste.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)