Elkie Brooks

Elaine Bookbinder aka Elkie Brooks was born in Salford on 25 February 1946. She began her career billed as "Manchester's answer to Brenda Lee". She later toured the UK with drumming legend Eric Delaney and his Band in the early 60s.

ln 1970 she joined jazz-rock group Dada alongside lead singer Robert Palmer. They later became Vinegar Joe - a successful Soul/Rock outfit recording three albums before splitting up in 1974.

Elkie went solo and recorded "Pearl's a singer" and "Sunshine after the rain". ln the 1980's she recorded "Fool if you think its over", "Knights in white satin" and "No more the fool" which reached No 5 in the UK charts.

Elkie. Warra gal! Fancied her from the off. Reckon I was about 16. When she was in Vinegar Joe, she was just the perfect soul/rock crossover voice, - and did she look the part! Got her latest album"Electric Lady",and it's great. Let's have some local gigs please.

Terry Flynn - 21/2/12

Elkie Brooks (b. Elaine Bookbinder, Sunday, February 25, 1945, 1 Castleton Road, Broughton, Salford, Lancashire, UK), was a famous 70's singer, who first made her name in Vinegar Joe (formed in Late 1971). Before that she released a number of singles, starting in 1964.

Elkie Brooks was the daughter of Charlie Bookbinder (b. Kalmon Charles Bookbinder, Friday, May 14, 1915, Salford, Lancashire, UK) and Vi Bookbinder (b. Marjorie Violet Newton, Saturday, August 29, 1914, Salford, Lancashire, UK), a Catholic lady, who converted to Judaism and who both married in 1937. Her paternal grandparents Franklyn Boookbinder and Minni Wientroube were Jewish immigrants, both brought to the UK in the early 1900's from Gdansk in Russian Poland. They married in 1911. 

She was also the younger sister of Ray Brookbinder (b. Raymond Bookbinder, Thursday, August 18, 1938, 1 Castleton Road, Broughton, Salford, Lancashire, UK) and drummer Tony Mansfield (b. Anthony Bookbinder, Friday, May 28, 1943, 1 Castleton Road, Broughton, Salford, Lancashire, UK), who made his name in Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas. 

Tony Mansfield trained to go into his fathers bakery business and had also been in a Dance Band for two years (1958 - 1960), before joining The Dakotas at 17 in September 1960. 

They were all raised at 119 Cavendish Road, Prestwich, Lancashire and Ellkie Brooks first school was Broughton Jewish Propriety School, which she went to from age 3 (1948). Later she went to Sedgley Park Country Primary School in Prestwich and then to North Salford Secondary School in Salford. 

Brooks also taught herself to play both piano and percussion. 

Elkie Brook's first band was called The Black Cats, in which she sang and the group included Lionel X on piano (b. 1943 or 1944). 

At 13 in 1958 Elkie Brooks made her unofficial début at The Laronde Club in Cheetham Hill Road, Cheetham Hill, Manchester 8. She first sang professionally at 15 in 1960 and also left school the same year. She moved to London and sang with The Eric Delaney Band and Humphey Lyttelton. For a while she used the stage name Elaine Mansfield, before she picked Elkie Brooks. 

After passing an audition with Don Arden (b. Harry Levy, Monday, January 4, 1926, Cheetham Hill, Manchester 8, Lancashire, UK d. Saturday, July 21, 2007, Los Angeles, California, USA) he became her manager.

Brooks spent most of the 60's on the UK's cabaret circuit, which she did not enjoy. 

Before moving to London in Late 1963 Brooks had sang with various Manchester outfits like Georgie Fame and the Blue Flames. She also sang with The Animals at The Scene Club in Ham Yard off Great Windmill Street, Soho, West London. It was here that she was spotted by songwriter and artists' manager Ian 'Sammy' Samwell (b. Ian Ralph Samwell, Tuesday, January 19, 1937, Lambeth, South East London, UK d. Sunday, April 13, 2003, Sacramento, California, USA), who had been guitarist in Cliff Richard and the Drifters in 1958 and had written Richard's first hit ''Move It'' in 1958. Samwell released she had vocal talent, which had considerable pop potential.

Brooks was signed to the Decca Record Label in 1964 at 19-years old and one of the first things the bosses at Decca did was to send her off to Belgium to take part in The Knokke Cup, competing against other singers like Ria Bartok (b. Marie-Louise Pleiss, Thursday, January 28, 1943, Einbeck, Germany), Rita Hovink (b. Hendriekje Jenny Finch, Friday, March 3, 1944, Beverwijk, Holland d. Friday, September 7, 1979, Hilversum, Holland) and Trea Dobbs (b. Trea van der Schoot, Friday, April 4, 1947, Eindhoven, Holland).

On Friday, June 19, 1964 she released her first single ''Something's Got A Hold On Me'' / ''Hello Stranger'' on F 11928. This single was produced by Ian 'Sammy' Samwell. The musical director for the single was Earl Guest (b. Reginald Guest, 1930, Birmingham, Warwickshire, UK). It is reported that future Yardbird's and Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page (b. James Patrick Page, Sunday, January 9, 1944, The Grove Nursing Home, Heston, Middlesex, UK) played guitar on the single. 

In Mid September 1964 Brooks released her second single ''Nothing Left To Do But Cry'' and ''Strange Though It Seems'' on F 11983. This single was produced by Ian Samwell and the musical director was Earl Guest again, who also wrote the A-side. 

Between Thursday, December 24, 1964 and Saturday, January 16, 1965, Brooks joined The Beatles Christmas Show at The Odeon Cinema, Queen Caroline Street, Hammersmith, West London. The first date of the show was on December 24, 1964 and the last date of the show was on Saturday, January 16, 1965. Also in the show was The Mike Cotton Sound, Michael Haslam, The Yardbirds, DJ Jimmy Savile, Freddie and the Dreamers, Sounds Incorporated and Ray Fell (b. Liverpool, Lancashire, UK). 

In Late January 1965 Brooks released her third single ''The Way You Do The Things You Do'' and ''Blue Tonight'' on F 12061. This single was produced by Ian Samwell and the musical director was Earl Guest again. 

This was her last Decca single and Brook's moved to HMV. 

Later on Brooks helped the established act The Small Faces in their early career by introducing them at several venues. She also went on tour to the USA, with several bands including The Animals. 

In Early June 1965 she released her only HMV single ''He's Gotta Love Me'' and ''When You Appear'' on POP 1431. 

In Early 1969 Brooks joined Brian Epstein's NEMS Label.

In Late March 1969 Brooks released her last 60's single with ''Come September'' and ''If I Should Go'' on 56-4136. 

At some point Brooks approached guitarist Pete Gage (b. Peter Gage, Sunday, August 31, 1947, Lewisham, South East London, UK) to use his backing group The Ram Jam Band as her backing band. Gage declined, but they became an item and later married. Sadly Gage's first wife Pauline had died in a car crash returning from The Twisted Wheel Club in Manchester. A few months later The Ram Jam Band broke up in Late 1969.

Gage then formed Dada a Stax influenced twelve-piece Jazz fusion band in 1970, which included Elkie Brooks. The band released one eponymous album in 1970. The group was later joined by singer Robert Palmer (b. Robert Allen Palmer, Wednesday, January 19, 1949, Batley, South Yorkshire, UK d. Wednesday, September 23, 2003, Paris, France) (ex-The Mandrakes from 1964, The Alan Bown Set from 1969).

In Late 1971 the band became Vinegar Joe. 

Discography

UK 45's 

• Friday, June 19, 1964 Something's Got A Hold On Me (Woods, Kirkland, James)/Hello Stranger (Lewis) Decca F 11928 
• Friday, September 18, 1964 Nothing Left To Do But Cry (Earl Guest)/Strange Though It Seems (Price, Brooks) Decca F 11983 
• Friday, January 22, 1965 The Way You Do The Things You Do/Blue Tonight Decca F 12061 
• Friday, June 4, 1965 He's Gotta Love Me/When You Appear HMV POP 1431 
• Friday, October 8, 1965 All My Life/Can't Stop Thinking About You HMV POP 1480 
• Friday, February 25, 1966 Baby Let Me Love You/Stop The Music HMV POP 1512 
• Friday, March 28, 1969 Come September/If I Should Go NEMS 56-4136 

Some Elkie Brook concerts: 

• Thursday, December 24 - Saturday, January 16, 1965: Another Beatles Christmas Show, The Odeon Cinema, Queen Caroline Street, Hammersmith, West London, UK, Freddie and the Dreamers opened the show, with The Mike Cotton Sound, Michael Haslam, Sounds Incorporated, Jimmy Savile, Ray Fell. This Christmas Show, with breaks, carried on until Saturday, January 16, 1965. 
• Christmas Eve, Thursday, December 24, 1964: The Beatles Christmas Show, The Odeon Cinema, Queen Caroline Street, Hammersmith, West London, UK, first date of the show 
• Boxing Day, Saturday, December 26, 1964: The Beatles Christmas Show, The Odeon Cinema, Queen Caroline Street, Hammersmith, West London, UK 
• Monday, December 28, 1964: The Beatles Christmas Show, The Odeon Cinema, Queen Caroline Street, Hammersmith, West London, UK 
• Tuesday, December 29, 1964: The Beatles Christmas Show, The Odeon Cinema, Queen Caroline Street, Hammersmith, West London, UK 
• Wednesday, December 30, 1964: The Beatles Christmas Show, The Odeon Cinema, Queen Caroline Street, Hammersmith, West London, UK 
• New Years Eve, Thursday, December 31, 1964: The Beatles Christmas Show, The Odeon Cinema, Queen Caroline Street, Hammersmith, West London, UK
• Friday, January 1, 1965: The Beatles Christmas Show, The Odeon Cinema, Queen Caroline Street, Hammersmith, West London, UK 
• Saturday, January 2, 1965: The Beatles Christmas Show, The Odeon Cinema, Queen Caroline Street, Hammersmith, West London, UK 
• Sunday, January 3, 1965: The Beatles Christmas Show, The Odeon Cinema, Queen Caroline Street, Hammersmith, West London, UK
• Monday, January 4, 1965: The Beatles Christmas Show, The Odeon Cinema, Queen Caroline Street, Hammersmith, West London, UK
• Tuesday, January 5, 1965: The Beatles Christmas Show, The Odeon Cinema, Queen Caroline Street, Hammersmith, West London, UK 
• Wednesday, January 6, 1965: The Beatles Christmas Show, The Odeon Cinema, Queen Caroline Street, Hammersmith, West London, UK 
• Thursday, January 7, 1965: The Beatles Christmas Show, The Odeon Cinema, Queen Caroline Street, Hammersmith, West London, UK 
• Friday, January 8, 1965: The Beatles Christmas Show, The Odeon Cinema, Queen Caroline Street, Hammersmith, West London, UK 
• Saturday, January 9, 1965: The Beatles Christmas Show, The Odeon Cinema, Queen Caroline Street, Hammersmith, West London, UK 
• Sunday, January 10, 1965: The Beatles Christmas Show, The Odeon Cinema, Queen Caroline Street, Hammersmith, West London, UK 
• Monday, January 11, 1965: The Beatles Christmas Show, The Odeon Cinema, Queen Caroline Street, Hammersmith, West London, UK 
• Tuesday, January 12, 1965: The Beatles Christmas Show, The Odeon Cinema, Queen Caroline Street, Hammersmith, West London, UK 
• Wednesday, January 13, 1965: The Beatles Christmas Show, The Odeon Cinema, Queen Caroline Street, Hammersmith, West London, UK 
• Thursday, January 14, 1965: The Beatles Christmas Show, The Odeon Cinema, Queen Caroline Street, Hammersmith, West London, UK 
• Friday, January 15, 1965: The Beatles Christmas Show, The Odeon Cinema, Queen Caroline Street, Hammersmith, West London, UK
• Saturday, January 16, 1965: The Beatles Christmas Show, The Odeon Cinema, Queen Caroline Street, Hammersmith, West London, UK, last date of show 

John H. Warburg - 1/4/15