Benchmark - 1962 saw the Consecration of the the New Cathedral in Coventry with the Queen in attendance. Coventry schools turned out for it (I know I was with the Willenhall Wood school group). There is footage of the consecration and the helicopter fitting the spire on Dean Nelson's site Here.
The average chord sequence in the early sixties was C Am F G (until the Beatles broke the mold) and the most innovative record in the charts in 1962 was Telstar - the first pop record to use a moog synthesizer. Nonetheless it was based on the above chord sequence.
1962 saw the Beatles enter the charts for the first time briefly with Love Me Do. Frank Ifield would put Coventry (and Australia) at the top of the UK charts this year.
Coventry guitarist once tuned John Lennon's Rickenbacker guitar for him at theMatrix Ballroom November 1962.
Known Bands that formed in 1962
The MATADORS 62 / 67 Beat group (actually from Hinkley but played in Coventry) with Hary Heppinstall on drums. In 1964 they signed with Joe Meek as recording manager and cut a number of sides with him. Their first single was leased by Meek to Columbia in 1965 and local sales proved healthy. They released a second single, but dissaffection was setting in with Meek's techniques and they shopped around for another recording manager, and both Tony Hatch and Andrew Loog Oldham both showed interest around May 1966. By 1967 they were being courted by Polydor, but as the label had a low profile in the UK then,but they never released any singles. They became Magazine in 1967 with the addition of a brass section. Single:
As 'The Four Matadors'
A: A Man's Gotta Stand Tall/ B:Fast Cars And Money (Columbia DB7806 1966
Sources Broadgate Gnome / Godiva Rides P46 / P60 / Godiva Rocked to a Backbeat P21
RANGERS (early 60's - not sure what year) Shakin' All Over was one of their best Numbers.
Source Broadgate Gnome
THE STORMBREAKERS / THE ESTABLISHMENT
Formed 1962 - got to support Screaming Lord Sutch, The Hollies, The Undertakers, Emily Ford and the Checkmates and the Pretty Things.
More - Godiva Rocked to a Backbeat P 26 / Broadgate Gnome
THE VENDOR TWINS
Formed 1962 . More in Godiva Rocked to a Backbeat p 35
Coventry in the Charts
1962 was a good year for Coventry in the UK charts thanks to Frank Ifield who spent 13 weeks at the top of the charts.
Frank Ifield - I Remember you - Reached No 1 (8 wks at the top) and on the chart for 28 wks (US No 5)
- Lovesick Blues - No 1 (5 wks at the top) on the charts for 17 wks (US No 44)
Also on the NME charts She Taught me to Yodel No16 for 5 wks
B side of Lovesick Blues
Vince Hill - The River's Run Dry No 41 and 2 wks on the chart. (No 25 in the NME charts for 3 wks)
It would be 1966 before Vince Hill returned to the charts.
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