The Cabaret Five (Eccles)

Line-up included

• Ken Griffiths - guitar
• Gordon Collinge - rhythm
• Rob McCormack - drums
• Ray Winstanley - vocals
• Dave Allen - bass
• Bob Lang - drums
• Graham Wright - bass
• Frank Higgens - guitar
• Roy Mozley - guitar

As well as the Re-Sounds, another Eccles based group I played with was the Cabaret Five. Founded in 1964 by Ken Griffiths of Peel Green we recruited Rob McCormack on drums and Ray Winstanley again on vocals. A Romily lad, Dave Allen arrived on Bass to replace Baz Ashall who was determined to go full time pro asap (see Wimple Winch.)

This group rehearsed in the pub next door to the Eccles Borough Brass Band room on Corporation Street then latterly in 1965 at the old Brown Cow in Winton before it was demolished to make way for the M602. Another Brown Cow took its place nearby.

The Cabaret Five hit on a formula of catering for those venues which wouldn't book noisy rock groups and our programme of ballads, country and so on found us in demand in clubs and pubs where no group had played for years.

We fed on the successes of Jim Reeves, The Shadows and the gentler songs of the Beatles and Cliff Richard.

Kenny Griffiths was the kingpin, spending hours of his spare time partly playing the lead parts and partly renovating his Commer van, both of which he did with total dedication.

When Dave Allen and I left to form the Dave Gordon Duo (full time professional) I understand the Cabaret Five carried on for a while with new rhythm and bass players. However, I met Rob McCormack in mid 1966 and by then they had finished as far as he knew.

Gordon Collinge

We toured all the North West socials from Merseyside upto Yorkshire.

Roy Moxley
30/5/11