Career
The group had its origins in 1956, when Bruce McCaskill formed a jazz influenced skiffle sextet group called the Blue Genes. The name was chosen by Spud Ward, because there was already a band called the Bluejeans backing Gene Vincent. Their line-up included Bruce McCaskill on guitar and vocals, Arthur Griffiths on rhythm guitar, Kenneth Metcalf on lead vocals and guitar, Ken Metcalfe on washboard (who was later replaced by Norman Kuhlke), and Spud Ward on wooden oil drum bass. Ray Ennis joined from the Rhythm Rockers when Metcalf left. Next came Tommy Hughes on banjo, with Ralph Ellis later joining on guitar, and Ward moved to Rory Storm's band, but came back playing double bass. Ward later joined Ralph Walters and the Dusty Road Ramblers, and Les Braid took over the bassist spot. Hughes and McCaskill left, the former for the Army and the latter over personal disagreements, replaced by John E. Carter and Paul Moss, respectively. By 1962, they were working full-time and playing skiffle at venues in Liverpool and at the Star Club in Hamburg. However the German audiences booed them off the stage, and the group rapidly changed direction and focus.
They switched to rock and roll, and with a name change to reflect their attire, to the Swinging Blue Jeans. This earned them a recording contract with HMV with record producer, Walter Ridley. With the departure of Moss soon after, they were left as a quartet comprising Ray Ennis (rhythm guitar, vocals), Les Braid (bass, keyboards), Ralph Ellis (lead guitar), and Norman Kuhlke (drums). Nevertheless, they made their recording debut as a quintet, with an Ennis penned original, "It's Too Late Now," which made the UK Top 40.
The Swinging Blue Jeans performed on many popular TV shows in the United Kingdom and Europe, appearing with The Beatles, Gerry & The Pacemakers, The Searchers, and The Merseybeats. The Swinging Blue Jeans had the standard Shadows line-up of two guitars, a bass guitar and drums and achieved local fame with their appearances at the Mardi Gras Club and the Cavern Club. They had a three year spell of success, rising and falling with Merseybeat itself.
An album Blue Jeans a' Swinging was released in 1964 by HMV; an contemporaneous American LP composed of 45 and EP tracks, Hippy Hippy Shake included the released-in-the-US-only instrumental, "Wasting Time".
Ralph Ellis who, with Ray Ennis was one of the two songwriters in the group, left in early 1966, and was succeeded by Terry Sylvester from The Escorts. Finding themselves trying to keep up with the rapidly changing times, the band recorded a second album at Abbey Road Studios in early 1966 which had a limited release in Canada. The band drifted into a middle of the road direction which failed to bring them any success. In 1967, the band's producer Ridley decided to try and transform Ray Ennis into a solo star, cutting the disc "Tremblin'" with session musicians and backing vocals by Madeline Bell and Kiki Dee, but it was ultimately released under the band's name. Later that year another member from The Escorts - Mike Gregory joined the band making it a five piece line-up. Gregory played bass and Braid moved to the keyboards until 1972. Gregory left for family reasons and Braid reverted back to playing bass. In June 1968, a one off disc credited to 'Ray Ennis and The Blue Jeans' failed to bring any change in fortune, and Sylvester left at the end of 1968 to replace Graham Nash in The Hollies. "Hey Mrs Housewife" was credited to The Blue Jeans in April 1969, after which they were dropped by EMI. The band then changed their name to Music Motor for a one off single on Deram, "Happy", after which they reverted back to The Swinging Blue Jeans name and the band eventually retired to the cabaret circuit.
The Swinging Blue Jeans, continued with Ray Ennis and Les Braid until Braid's death in 2005. After fifty years as an active member, Ray Ennis announced he would retire after the band's tour which ended in Liverpool on 30 May 2010.
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