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Ivan's Meads

Band members included

Alan Powell - Drums
David Bowker - bass
Pat Dempsey - sax
Rod Mayall - organ
Ivan Robinson - vocals
Roger Cox - lead guitar
Keith Lawless - bass (replaced David Bowker)

Managed by Mike Maxfield (of The Dakotas) and were the first band to record for George Martin's production company, A.I.R.

Memories

Rod Mayall moved to Spain after Ivan's Meads, performing with top group LOS BUENOS. They recorded several 45s, including covers of Looking Back and top mod tune Groovy Woovy. When the band split, he formed THE PIPE, another great outfit in a more Hendrix-Progressive mould. The band even released in other countries, such as Italy.

Alex Diez - 2/2/09

I was 19, just signed up with Kennedy St. Artists and was booked to go on one of their many, many tours... this one was just after Wayne Fontana and the Mindbenders had split.

I seem to remember Hermans Hermits , The Mindbenders, Dave Berry, David and Jonathon, Pinkertons Assorted Colours, Ivan's Meads and yours truly bringing up the rear - token Lulu/Cilla girl vocalist.

I was on my tod in it all. Had been picked up by local TV as girl with guitar and had no band so the agents put me and the three songs they required of me in the hands of Ivan's Meads.

During rehearsals at various places, I was taken ill, had my appendix out, then went back into rehearsals and hit the ground running.

They were a great group and treated a scared child with patience and understanding. Their live version of 'Please Stay' was at times heart wrenching - got me in the deepest parts of the lonelyness I felt on that tour.

I only have fun memories of Ivan's Meads, good musicians, good people, good songs and good singing.

Friday Brown

I remember seeing the group at the TOP TEN CLUB Belle Vue Manchester. It was about 1965/1966. Jimmy Savile was the resident DJ. I thought their hit SINS OF A FAMILY was a great song. I have often wondered how long the group stayed together or where they finished up.

John Phenix

Roger Cox was the lead guitarist for Ivan's Meads in '63. He seemed to be the leader and he was the one who asked me to join them on bass after my band the Drifting Hearts (who were drifting nowhere at this time) had opened for them at the Jungrau some weeks before.

They had a manager at that time - Harvey Demmy, the son of Gus Demmy who had the famous chain of betting shops in Manchester. I had never played bass before but I was handed a Hofner Beatle bass, which I played left handed.

We were all using Vox AC 30's but for bass I needed something fatter and was given a Marshall black 4 by 12 bass cabinet and a 100 watt TVM amp on top - nice!

The first bass line I ever played was Howlin Wolf's 'How Many More Years' - thankfully the tune is in the same key all the way through - I was in!

We rehearsed at Cox's Farm in Middleton and ironically the band were to have their high points without a lead guitar player. After I left, due to work pressures, Cox was close to follow and the organ, sax, bass, drums line-up with Pat Dempsey, Keith Lawless, Rod Mayall, Alan Powell and Ivan was the one the girls went nuts for later!

David Bowker

After Ivans Meads and before working in Italy with Los Buenos, Rod Mayall was a member of Carl Douglas & The New Big Stampede. I am currently writing a band history and would be interested to hear from anyone who is in touch with Rod Mayall.

Nick Warburton - 4/1/14

Manchester band Ivan's Meads original line-up was Alan Powell on drums (b. 1948, Manchester, Lancashire, UK), David Bowker on bass, Pat Dempsey on sax (b. Patrick Dempsey, 1947, Manchester, Lancashire, UK), Rod Mayall on organ (b. Rodney Mayall, 1947, Manchester, Lancashire, UK), Ivan Robinson on lead vocals (b. Ivan Oliver Robinson, 1947, Manchester, Lancashire, UK) and Roger Cox on lead guitar.

The band signed to The Kennedy Street Enterprises, which was based at Kennedy House, 14 Piccadilly in Manchester 1.

Bowker was later replaced by bassist Keith Lawless (b. 1946, Manchester, Lancashire, UK).

Ivan's Meads played the famous Twisted Wheel Club at 30 Brazennose Street in Manchester 2. They played their first gig there on Friday, August 7, 1964 and their last gig on Saturday, July 1, 1967 when the club had moved to 6 Whitworth Street, Manchester 1.

In April 1966 Ivan's Meads supported Herman's Hermits twelve date, Twice-Nightly UK Tour, as did The Mindbenders, David and Jonathan and Pinkerton's Assorted Colours. First date of the tour was on Thursday, April 7, 1966 at The ABC Cinema in Dover, Kent and the last on Wednesday, April 20, 1966 at The ABC Cinema in Edinburgh, Lothian, Scotland.

Some Ivan's Meads concerts:

15 September 1965 – Dungeon Club, Nottingham (https://dungeonmods.wordpress.com/)
3 October 1965 – Big Daddy’s, Halifax, West Yorkshire (Website: http://www.musictrailuk.com/index.php/venues/big-daddys-clarences-good-mood)
21 October 1965 – Club A Go Go, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear (http://www.readysteadygone.co.uk/club-agogo-newcastle-2/)
23 October 1965 – Plebeians Jazz Club, Halifax, West Yorkshire (Website: http://www.musictrailuk.com/index.php/venues/the-plebeians-jazz-club)
26 November 1965 – Palin’s/Princess Ballroom, Halifax, West Yorkshire (Website: http://www.musictrailuk.com/index.php/venues/palins-the-princess-ballroom)
27 November 1965 – Britannia Rowing Club, Nottingham (Nottingham Evening Post)
15 January 1966 – Palin’s/Princess Ballroom, Halifax, West Yorkshire (See website above)
26 January 1966 – Club A Go Go, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear (http://www.readysteadygone.co.uk/club-agogo-newcastle-2/)
13 February 1966 – Big Daddy’s, Halifax, West Yorkshire (See website above)
18 February 1966 – Palin’s/Princess Ballroom, Halifax, West Yorkshire (See website above)
6 March 1966 – Big Daddy’s, Halifax, West Yorkshire (See website above)
11 March 1966 – Palin’s/Princess Ballroom, Halifax, West Yorkshire (See website above)
12 March 1966 – Esquire, Sheffield, South Yorkshire (The Star)
22 April 1966 – Palin’s/Princess Ballroom, Halifax, West Yorkshire (See website above)
30 April 1966 – Big Daddy’s, Halifax, West Yorkshire (See website above)
21 May 1966 – Palin’s/Princess Ballroom, Halifax, West Yorkshire (See website above)
25 June 1966 – Palin’s/Princess Ballroom, Halifax, West Yorkshire (See website above)
28 June 1966 – Club de Danse, Colchester, Essex (Evening Star, Ipswich)
2 July 1966 – St George’s Hall, Exeter, Devon with Chevrons (Express & Echo)
23 July 1966 – Palin’s/Princess Ballroom, Halifax, West Yorkshire (See website above)
20 August 1966 – Palin’s/Princess Ballroom, Halifax, West Yorkshire (See website above)
24 September 1966 – Palin’s/Princess Ballroom, Halifax, West Yorkshire (See website above)
29 October 1966 – Palin’s/Princess Ballroom, Halifax, West Yorkshire (See website above)
16 December 1966 – SBYC, St Bernadette’s, Withington, Greater Manchester (Manchester Evening News and Chronicle)
24 December 1966 – The Thing, Oldham, Greater Manchester with Hush (Oldham Evening Chronicle)
25 December 1966 – Top Twenty Club, Droylseden, Greater Manchester (Manchester Evening News and Chronicle)
31 December 1966 – Jung Frau, Manchester (Manchester Evening News and Chronicle)
1 January 1967 – Scene, Halifax, West Yorkshire (NEED TO CHECK)
31 March 1967 – City Hall, Hull, Humberside with Delroy Watson’s Good Good Band and Roger Bloom’s Hammer (Hull Daily Mail)
2 June 1967 – Civic Hall, Nantwich, Cheshire with The Agency (Nantwich Chronicle/Crewe Chronicle)

MEADS

20 January 1967 – Palin’s/Princess Ballroom, Halifax, West Yorkshire (See website above)
7 April 1967 – Palin’s/Princess Ballroom, Halifax, West Yorkshire (See website above)
8 April 1967 – Malborough Hall, Halifax, West Yorkshire (Website: http://www.musictrailuk.com/index.php/venues/marlborough-hall)
8 May 1967 – Carlton Club, Warrington, Cheshire (Warrington Guardian) BILLED AS MEAD

Info courtesy Nick Warburton - 31/10/2016

Discography

"The Sins Of A Family" (P.F. Sloan)/"A Little Sympathy" (K. Lawless) Parlophone R 5342 /1965
"We¹ll Talk About It Tomorrow" (Toni Wine-Carole Bayer)/"Bottle" (Ivans Meads) Parlophone R 5503 /1966