The Love Affair Mk 2.1
(January 1970 - December 1970)
from left:
Morgan Fisher - keyboards
Maurice Bacon - drums
Rex Brayley - guitar
Mick Jackson - bass
August Eadon - vocals, flute
When Steve Ellis left, the other band members had wanted to replace him with Phillip Goodhand-Tait.
Not only was he a friend of the band and an excellent songwriter, Goodhand-Tait was also a seasoned performer. He had released three singles with the Stormswille Shakers back in 1966, plus he had a solo single issued by Decca in 1970. As it happened, Goodhand-Tait was considered being too old by the bands management, so they asked August "Gus" Eadon to join instead. At the time August fronted the Elastic Band using his real name Ted Yeadon, a band he formed in 1967 with guitarist Andy Scott.
Ted Yeadon had recorded an album with the Elastic Band for Decca in the summer 1969 but he left the band before the album was released, and changed his name to August Eadon at the same time. Bacon: "We got Gus (August) Eadon in from the Elastic Band, a really good frontman. My father carried on co-managing with Ken Street, ex-guitarist with Emile Ford & the Checkmates. John Cokell had left to look after Steve Ellis' affairs."
Gus Eadon was also a multi-instrumentalist. With him the Love Affair added flutes, vibes, congas, harmonica and trumpets to their sound. He joined the band in December 1969 and the new look Love Affair made their recording debut in February 1970, with a single called "Lincoln County". This was the final Goodhand-Tait composition to be recorded by the original band but he would help out a later incarnation of the band later, and it was the last to feature Keith Mansfield's polished orchestrations. It was another flop, so the band decided to finally drop the teenybopper image in favour of an underground approach, having realised that the musical tide was turning and a big new scene was opening up. A new direction had to be found, and the band looked to Jethro Tull for inspiration, having already experimented with progressive music on "Sea of Tranquility", the B-side of "Lincoln County". August Eadon had also gone progressive with the Elastic Band. August: "We couldn't become underground overnight, it had to be a gradual change. We began changing the image when I joined the group earlier this year. And now we have reached the point when we don't feature any of our old hits on stage". In keeping with the new policy, the Love Affair shortened their name to the more psychedelic sounding L.A.
Maurice Bacon: "The problem was, we started as credible and then became this sort of a joke - with the stigma of not playing on our singles. Things were changing, too. We played with the Episode Six, a pop harmony band like the Beach Boys, and suddenly they were Deep Purple! We wanted the same credibility".
L.A. appeared on Top Of The Pops in support of their May 1970 single, "Speak Of Peace, Sing Of Joy" which actually was credited to the Love Affair! Album sessions commenced during the summer. The L.A. album was called "New Day", and band did a few UK dates and toured Europe in order to promote it when it was released in September - they also performed "Bad Girl" and "Gypsy" on the BBC 'Disco 2' TV show on 7 October 1970. The album was produced by Mike Smith and the Zombies drummer Hugh Grundy and featured only group compositions. Sadly the album and single didn't sell - it was apparent that the pop fans didn't like their new, progressive sound and the rock fans wouldn't even give them a chance. Maurice: "The name change didn't work, so we reverted back to Love Affair again!" Love Affair signed with EMI in 1971 and a single was released on Parlophone in February 1971. "Wake Me I Am Dreaming" was credited to "the Love Affair featuring August Eadon". It was produced by Ken Street, ex-guitarist with Emile Ford & the Checkmates, who by then was acting as co-manager of the band as well. The song was a Lucio Battisti cover.
"Wake Me I Am Dreaming" turned out to be Rex Brayley and Mick Jackson's final recording with the band; they both formed bands of their own. Rex played drums in his new band which was called Muscles and included guitarist Huw Lloyd Langton (of Hawkwind fame), but he quit the music business after Muscles broke up around 1973. He resurfaced in 1998 as the co-writer of Steve Ellis' solo single "Step Inside My Love". He also played some live dates with Steve Ellis' Love Affair in the early 90s. In 2002 Rex made some new recordings available on www.mp3.com.
Mick formed the band Calvary who recorded some tracks for EMI that was never released. He eventually left the music business. Around 2010 Mick sold his successful automotive consultancy business (e-Goodmanners Ltd and Jackson Consultancy Plc) to channel all his energies into motor racing (BM Racing), competing with his son Ben across Britain and Europe in sports cars made by the British auto manufacturer Radical. He is currently (as of 2012) chairman of Win Win World.
| Mick Jackson on Calvary (by e-mail): |
When I split from LA I formed another band called "Calvary" with myself on bass and vocals, a guy called Howard on drums and Steve Robinson on vocal and lead guitar. Steve Robinson was the co-soloist guitar player in "Igginbottom" in which Allan Holdsworth was the other guitar soloist. Steve and I wrote all the material. We produced a number of recordings (unreleased) for EMI records. EMI records wanted to sign "Calvary" but a condition was that we change the bands name to Love Affair with myself as "the face". We declined. The EMI recordings by "Calvary" which were written by myself with again myself doing the vocals were called "A Better Way", "High Time" and "Deidre". Maybe something will be done with them someday?
Two years later Peter Frampton asked me to join him in America to set up [Peter Frampton's] Camel, we were friends from the late sixties. I decided to pursue my career in business instead. I don't know what has happened to Steve or Howard but as mentioned previously Allan Holdsworth has gone onto become a world class virtuoso and has put out several jazz rock albums. My own particular favourite is one entitled "Metal Fatigue".
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The Love Affair Mk 2.2 | Mk 2.3 | Mk 2.4
(December 1970 - Summer 1971)
August Eadon - vocals
Morgan Fisher - keyboards
Bob Sapsed - bass
Maurice Bacon - drums
Eunan Brady - guitar
- replaced first by Bernie Holland
- and then by John Watchman
The new bass player was Bob Sapsed (pictured left) from the band Springfield Park. This was another band managed by Sid Bacon and John Cokell and they released a single for CBS in 1968 called "Never An Everyday Thing". The Springfield Park guitar player was Andy Gee who would team up with Steve Ellis in his band Ellis in 1972.
Rex Brayley was replaced first by Eunan Brady, who was sacked after a few weeks, then by Bernie Holland. In April 1971 John Watchman joined the Love Affair on guitar - he played his first gig with the band at Stoke University. With him on-board, the Love Affair recorded a second and final Parlophone single, "Help Get Me Some Help". It was produced by Norman Smith, who did some engineering work on the early Pink Floyd albums. Mike Batt was brought in to do arrangements - he had worked with the band on earlier records as well, not always credited! Interestingly it was Chris Spedding who played guitar on this single - he was a friend of Mike Batt. According to Spedding, the Love Affair guitar player was the only band member present when he was in the studio, but he is not sure who it was. John Watchman explains: "Yes Chris Spedding did play guitar on the single infact the only band member on the song was Gus, we did do some hand claps and harmony vocals, but the song featured all session men as did most of Love Affair singles." The "Help" single, released in September 1971 got to number 5 in the Swedish charts but did nothing in England.
Prior to joining the Love Affair, Eunan Brady (pictured left) was the guitarist in Mighty Mouse. This short-lived band (late 1969 to December 1970) also featured vocalist Nicky Moore (future Hackensack, Tiger, Samson). After the Love Affair, Brady was a short-time member of Bulldozer, a hard-rock band managed by Ric Lee of Ten Years After. He joined Hollywood Brats in 1972, now considered the godfathers of glam/punk rock and icons for many in this genre. The band made one album in 1974. Eunan Brady went on to play with Wreckless Eric in the late 70s.
Bernie Holland (pictured left) toured with Long John Baldry’s band Bluesology throughout 1969 before joining Jody Grind with Tim Hinkley and playing on their second studio album "Far Canal", released in 1970. After the Love Affair he struck a great friendship with the band Patto and in particular the great Ollie Halsall, sitting in for indisposed bass player Clive Griffiths in 1971 during Patto’s European tour. Bernie Holland would briefly join Stealers Wheel in the mid-70s before embarking on a fairly successful career as a session musician. In the 90's, he's been with Van Morrison among others.
Morgan Fisher, Maurice Bacon and Bob Sapsed formed the band Morgan in the summer of 1971, recruiting vocalist Tim Staffel from the pre-Queen combo Smile. The band released two albums before disbanding. Morgan subsequently joined Mott The Hoople. He currently resides in Japan. Maurice took over his father's management company in 1974, and still runs it. He has also been involved with many independent record companies, most notably Empire Records, Strike Back, Ultimate Records and Planet Dog Records.
Bob Sapsed was in a band called Red Rinse with Phil Little in 1978. Said Phil: "1978 was the year of Rock Against Racism and me new band out of the Melody Maker, Red Rinse, were into all that. We played RAR gigs at colleges in places like Stoke and Sheffield as well London pubs, colleges and warehouses. Jim Woodward on vocals, Stuart guitar and my good friend no longer with us Bob Sapsed on bass. We were also joined by my insane Scots friend Danny Rochead as manager. He had energy though and soon we had badges and T shirts. He got some strange gigs too. One time within 24 hours he had us playing at a pub in Kensington, a Handicapped day in Hyde Park and a Greek wedding in the afternoon where we got paid off. No surprise as they played mostly self penned numbers with titles like "Masturbation" and "Sisterhood" - (reprinted from http://www.littlephil.free-online.co.uk/phillittle1.htm with permission).
Andy Gee Formed 'Scandal' 1983 feat. Chris Spencer on vocals, Bob Sapsed on bass and Reg Isadore on drums. Some sessions with Peter Bardens on keys,
Nick South on bass, Chris on vocals still exist and will get an airing one of these days.
Sadly Bob Sapsed died in a motorcycle accident in London in 1985/6.
The Love Affair Mk 2.5 | Mk 2.6 | Mk 2.7
(Summer 1971 - September 1972)
Gus Eadon (vocals - pictured left back)
Sean Jenkins (drums - pictured right back)
John Watchman (guitar - pictured left front)
Paul Martinez (bass - pictured right front)
- replaced first by Robin Lodge
- and then by Ray Auld
Click here for more Mk.8 photos!
The Mk.7 line-up came to a halt when Morgan Fisher decided to form a band of his own with Maurice Bacon and Bob Sapsed, and recruited Tim Staffell on vocals.
After several months Gus Eadon and John Watchman also decided to put a band together, and got Sean Jenkins (who played with Gus in the Elastic Band) on drums and Paul Martinez on bass. The band would be named COLT. However when the record company heard the new material recorded by Morgan (the band), they were deemed to be unsuitable to be called LOVE AFFAIR so for contract reasons COLT went out as LOVE AFFAIR. Adds John Watchman: "Paul was soon replaced on bass by Robin Lodge and in turn he was replaced by Ray Auld and we toured Sweden, Ireland and various other places until we decided to call it a day in September 1972." The "Help" single, released in September 1971 got to number 5 in the Swedish charts but did nothing in England.
Explains John Watchman: "I was offered a chance of a job with Roxy Music in Feb 72 after working in a previous band with Paul Thompson but decided to go to Sweden with Love Affair. After being refused work permits to go back to Sweden in the summer of 72 things got financialy strained, and after disbanding in October 72 the Love Affair gigs were fullfilled by another Barry Collins band called Pebbles going out under the Love Affair name. I started working in Sunderland Locarno in the house band from spring 73 to late 75 when the band transfered to Tiffany's Wimbledon then on again to Tiffanys Newcastle until sept 77. I then recorded two albums with Tommy Morrison on Real Records, the first being co-produced by Paul Rodgers. The second (never released at the time) was produced by Ed Stasium. I then recorded with Paul Rodgers but the material was all demo."
When the band split, August Eadon cut one solo single for Dawn in 1973 (credited to the Gus Eadon Band) before he joined Zzebra for their selftitled Polydor album in 1974. He has kept a low profile since - he now lives in a little village near Wrexham, and is playing the cabaret circuit with his wife (their duo is called Knight & Day). More info!
The Love Affair line-up change was discussed in British music magazines at the time. New Musical Express reported that Gus Eadon was being replaced by Tim Staffell in their 12 June 1971 issue. This was quickly denied however:
Eadon quitting Love Affair? The NME understands that Auguste "Gus" Eadon has either left, or is on the point of leaving. Affair is believed to be busy rehearsing in the country at the moment with new lead singer Tim Staffell. No information could be gained regarding Eadon's future plans, and indeed Love affair's co-manager Ken street refused to confirm that Gus was leaving the group, saying that he had "no comment". Staffell is understood to have answered an anonymous advertisement for a lead singer which had been inserted in a trade paper. (NME 12 June 1971)
Love Affair split denial! A denial that Love Affair lead singer Auguste Eadon is leaving the group was issued this week by the group's manager Sid Bacon. He told NME: "This has been a misunderstanding. We have auditioned singer Tim Staffell, but not to replace Auguste. We are working on a new band." (NME 19 June 1971)
New Love! After the departure of Steve Ellis from Love Affair, Gus Eadon joined. The group tried out new ideas, but all seemed to fail. Now Rex, Mo and Mick have gone their separate ways. But there's a new Love Affair, an new line-up of members, a new sound, which in all make a new and even better group. So forget the past and give Gus, Sean, Robin and John a chance to prove to you all what a great group they are. (Letter to Disc 09 October 1971)
- clippings provided by Christophe Simplex -
UPDATE September 2007 (John Watchman via e-mail): "I spoke with Gus last week, he is working on new songs in his studio. I have not spoken with him in years so you can imagine how surprised he was to hear from me. We had a good talk about old times and I may try to get to see him sometime. Paul Martinez a great musician who I lost contact with played with Led Zeppelin in the american gig of LIVE AID. I never heard of Robin after he left the band. Sean joined a band called City Lights but sadly died this year and Ray Auld went to Canada in 75. I am in regular e-mail contact with him, he lives in Niagara Falls. Myself, I still play in a local band Tommy and the Oddballs, you may get further info here.
John Watchman welcomes contact with fans and old friends and he can be contacted at johnwatchman@sky.com
The Love Affair Mk 1.3
front left Dave Potts (drums)
back left Dick Scarfe (guitar)
front centre Bob England (vocals)
back centre Bill Gibbard (bass)
right John Cook (keyboards)
- Love Affair Mk.9 promo photo ![[pic]](images1/pic.gif)
- Love Affair Mk.9 concert advert
- Love Affair Mk.9 signed postcard
The Mk.9 line-up went on to record a single in 1973 called "Let Me Dance" which was penned by Goodhand-Tait. Dave Potts (drummer with Praying Mantis since 1980) was a member of Mk.8 line-up. Said Dave: "I was in Love Affair but that was the reformation. Although I knew Steve Ellis and all the original guys and the drummer Maurice Bacon. They were managed by his dad Sid Bacon. But then they formed like a moody version of the band with no original members. We were doing Cabaret and things like that."
Update 13 May 2003 (Dave Potts by e-mail): Dave thinks he probably joined in July 73. He had just got married and had been working in a Boutique in London for about 6 weeks. He hated it so he looked in Melody Maker for bands wanting a drummer and Love Affair were the first one he saw. He went to an audition and made a connection with Bob England straight off. They did the Cabaret circuit for a year and Dave didn't really like it. They had 10 dates in Ireland to do and he had got his driving test through for the same time. The band told him to cancel it and get another one but he decided he had had enough and left. He didn't fancy Ireland with all the bombs at the time either. Dave reckons John was a later keyboard player and thinks he had played with Mungo Jerry and was likely to be in the Business after the band (this is probably John Cook). The "original" Mk.9 keyboard player was a guy named Alan.
Update 13 November 2003: Bob England died in January 2003 following a brave battle against cancer. Bob had a lifetime in the entertainment industry, at different times being responsible for guiding the careers of artists as diverse as Average White Band, Nils Lofgren and Darts, also recording Shirley Bassey, Cilla Black, Sacha Distel and Justin Hayward amongst others in the 1980's. He successfully managed Chas and Dave from 1978, sharing his life long love of Tottenham Hotspur with them. By the time of his death, Bob was Managing Director of Surefire Entertainments, a successful business concentrating on producing and touring live theatre and concerts (client list includes Joe Brown, Marty Wilde, Bobby Davro, Jimmy Jones and of course Chas 'n' Dave). Bob England links: Bob England biography | Surefire Entertainments
Update 13 July 2004: a signed postcard from December 1972, obtained at California Ballroom in Dunstable confirms that John Cook was indeed a member of the Mk.9 line-up (along with Bob England and Dave Potts). Be sure to check out the California Ballroom website which details all the bands who ever played at the venue!
Update 13 March 2006 (John Cook by email): I did play with Bob England in the band you are referring to the Mk9 line up of Love Affair. I am in touch with two other members of that line up. They are Bill Gibbard and Dick Scarfe. Having spoken with Bill we think he joined August / September 1972 and I joined approximately 2 months later Oct / Nov 1972. I believe Dave Potts was already in the band at that time, as the other four members of that line-up remained the same while I was in the band. I was offered a job with Mungo Jerry in the Spring 1973, Bill and I left coincidentally on the same day around that time. The picture under the link - Love Affair Mk.9 promo photo - the personnel are as follows from left to right, myself John Cook, Bill Gibbard, Dave Potts, Dick Scarfe, Bob England. The postcard with my name on it (California Ballroom) shows the line up just prior to me joining the band with the previous keyboard player. Bill tells me his name was also Bob but was apparently know as Alan in the band.
The Love Affair Mk 1.4
(1974 - 1975)
pictured left:
Mick Wheeler - vocals
George Williams - guitar
Bill Ball - bass
Barry Barney - keyboards
Phil Chesterton - drums
Love Affair Mk.9 split in late 1973. In 1974, Sid Bacon passed away, and Maurice Bacon took over his management. By now he was fed up being on the road, so he approched promoter Barry Collings for a ready made band to do the outstanding Love Affair gigs. They went to see a British band called Jo Jo Gunne. The line up was Mick Wheeler (vocals), George Williams (guitar - later replace by Dave Wendells ex Cliff Bennett & the Rebel Rousers), Billy Ball (bass), Phil Chesterton (drums) and Barry Barney (keyboards). They were given a new Transit and £40.00 a week each. This line up lasted 15 months as a Love Affair, with Mo Bacon as manager, doing tours of England with the Swinging Blue Jeans, plus dates in Sweden, Hungary, Holland, The Channel Islands and France. The end of this band came when they were contracted to support the Bay City Rollers in Ireland! They all went their different ways, Billy Ball bought a Country Inn in Mid Devon England, and is still there today with his wife Ria and three grown up children.
Jo Jo Gunne (not to be confused with the better-known American seventies band of this name) released two singles for Decca, reportedly very much in the mould of Amen Corner:
- Every Story Has An End b/w Should Live Like That (UK, Decca F 12807) - 1968
- Beggin' You Baby b/w Bad Penny (UK, Decca F 12906) - 1969
