The Temperance Seven Explained

The Temperance Seven is a British band originally active in the 1950s, specialising in 1920s-style jazz music. They were known for their surreal performances.[1]

Career

The Temperance Seven was founded at Christmas 1955 by students at the Chelsea School of Art,[2] though the band mythologized its foundation as dating from 1904 at the fictitious Pasadena Cocoa Rooms, Balls Pond Road, North London. The three founder members were Paul McDowell (who originally played trombone), Philip Harrison (who originally played banjo) and Brian Innes (drums).[2] Gradually the band evolved into a nine-piece ensemble with a light-hearted and humorous performing style, although they were all serious musicians. The name "Temperance Seven" was suggested by Dougie Gray, of the Alberts.

In 1960, they recorded "Ukulele Lady" with vocal refrain by Peter Sellers, produced by George Martin. It was featured on Parlophone PMC 1131, a 12-inch album called Peter and Sophia (Loren).[3]

In 1961, the Temperance Seven achieved a UK number-one single with "You're Driving Me Crazy", arranged by Frank Skinner and produced by George Martin.[2] It was followed by "Pasadena", which reached number 4 in the UK Singles Chart.[4] They toured the UK widely that year, often in shows promoted by their manager Ralph Peters, and their performances acquired a set routine beginning with the last few bars of "Pasadena" (which became their signature tune) and ending with the stirring strains of the "Gaumont-British News". By the summer of 1961, their fame was such that they appeared at the London Palladium for a two-week top of the bill performance. This was arranged by Peters in combination with an appearance at that year's Royal Variety Performance.

Between 1962 and 1963, the Temperance Seven provided musical interludes for The Arthur Haynes Show on the BBC Light Programme.[5]

Before the band became known nationally, Paul McDowell had also been a member of the Experimental Theatre Club revue, with Ian Davidson, Robin Grove-White and Doug Fisher. At the time, they had been performing their show, called **** (Four Asterisks), at the Edinburgh Fringe, but after the success of "You're Driving Me Crazy", McDowell left the group to tour with his band. This prompted Davidson to look for a replacement, and he found Terry Jones, future Monty Python member, who thus obtained his first chance to be part of the revue.

The Temperance Seven came to popularity during the resurgent trad-jazz era of the early 1960s. Their unique sound, coupled with their musicianship and ingeniously humorous compositions, set them apart from their contemporaries; however, they arrived at the cusp of that era and, as popular tastes changed with the emergence of the Beatles, the Temperance Seven gradually slipped into obscurity, although the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band and Bob Kerr's Whoopee Band attempted to wear their mantle for several years whilst claiming no affiliation.[2]

The Temperance Seven is also listed as the band for Spike Milligan and John Antrobus' stage play The Bed-Sitting Room,[2] [6] which opened at the Mermaid Theatre on 31 January 1963,[7] [8] with a subsequent production opening on 3 May 1967 at the Saville Theatre.[7]

The original Temperance Seven were dissolved in the mid 1960s, but the band was resurrected in the latter part of that decade by drummer Dave Mills, who had replaced Brian Innes in 1966 and led the band for several years, firstly as The New Temperance Seven, and was instrumental in arranging their appearances in Hong Kong and Bahrain, where he eventually settled, to be replaced by Ian Howarth. The band continued to perform with new personnel and, from time to time, original members made guest appearances. During the 1980s, Chris Hook took over leadership of the band. The personnel has not changed since that time and the band continues to work around the UK. Many members of the original band reunited for a BBC Radio programme about the group in 2003.

Members

The Temperance Seven dressed in a manner appropriate to the style of music they played.[9] Some members also went under preposterous pseudonyms emphasised by the wearing of a minor yet conspicuous item of clothing – Colin Bowles a dog collar and John R.T. Davies a fez.[10] "Josef Kronk", who supposedly arranged The Temperance Seven 1961 LP, was the collective pseudonym for the band. The early personnel included:

Later members included:

Selected discography

Singles

Paul McDowell solo single

EPs

Albums

Other appearances

The Temperance Seven also appeared on:

Filmography

See also

Bibliography

Notes and References

  1. Book: Pop Art and Design. 9781474226202. Massey. Anne. Seago. Alex. 30 November 2017. Bloomsbury .
  2. Book: The Virgin Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Colin Larkin. Colin Larkin (writer). Virgin Books. 1997. Concise. 1-85227-745-9. 1167.
  3. Web site: Peter Sellers And Sophia Loren - Peter And Sophia. 4 July 1960. 4 July 2023. Discogs.com.
  4. Book: Roberts , David . 2006. British Hit Singles & Albums. 19th. Guinness World Records Limited . London. 1-904994-10-5. 552.
  5. Web site: The Arthur Haynes Show - Episodes. 13 July 2023. bbc.co.uk.
  6. Milligan, Spike, & Antrobus, John (1973) The Bedsitting Room. Tandem: London. First published in Great Britain by Margaret & Jack Hobbs, 1970. Published by Universal-Tandem, 1972. © 1970 Spike Milligan and John Antrobus
  7. Book: Scudamore, Pauline . Spike Milligan: A Biography. . 1985 . Granada . London . 0-246-12275-7 .
  8. Book: McCann, Graham . Spike & Co. . 2006 . Hodder & Stoughton . London . 0-340-89809-7 .
  9. Book: David Kynaston. Modernity Britain: Book Two: A Shake of the Dice, 1959-62. 11 September 2014. Bloomsbury Publishing. 978-1-4088-4440-3. 243.
  10. Book: David Toop. Into the Maelstrom: Music, Improvisation and the Dream of Freedom: Before 1970. 5 May 2016. Bloomsbury Publishing. 978-1-4411-0277-5. 156.
  11. News: Alan Cooper. Peter. Vacher. 27 September 2007. 4 July 2023. The Guardian.
  12. News: John RT Davies. C. J. B.. Holme. 29 May 2004. 4 July 2023. The Guardian.
  13. News: Tribute to bon viveur, businessman and artist Cephas Howard. 23 October 2021. Isle of Wight County Press. 4 July 2023.
  14. Web site: Brian Innes obituary. Dave. Laing. 28 July 2014. 4 July 2023. The Guardian.
  15. Web site: Paul McDowell obituary. Dave. Laing. 20 May 2016. 4 July 2023. The Guardian.

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