Some Other Guys (Altrincham / Timperley)

Contributed by Les Graham - Photos Mike Lydiate

Line ups included

• David Charles Bailey - Drums
• Richard Henry (Cheese) Hampson - LH Guitar and Vocals
• John Barry (Jabe) Smith - Piano and Vocals
• Howard Ashwood - Bass
• Dave Powel - Vocals 
• Philip (Snowy) Snow - Vocals (replaced DP)
• Ged Harrison - Vocals (replaced PS)
• Eric Lydiate - Bass (replaced HA)
• Les Graham - Bass (replaced EL)

Original Some Other Guys formed in 1965 in or around Altringham / Timperley. Dave Powell was soon replaced by Philip (Snowy) Snow on vocals who gave the group a great "soulful" sound.

At this time the band played a lot of university gigs apart from the usual local gigs alongside bands such as "Them" "The Wheels" "The Pretty Things" doing the "All Nighters" in The Cavern and Heaven & Hell etc. and slowly started to make a name for themselves in the Manchester scene.

In 1966 the Ian Hamilton Organisation (thanks Jem!) offered them a tour of Sweden which meant that the members had to make a decision, go professional or turn down the offer.

Howard decided that he would rather stick with his daytime job and thus left the group. Snowy also departed at the time, somewhat mysteriously, as the group was his day job, as he had dropped out of art college to be Pro, 6 months previously. We still don't know (or I don't) up to this day whether Snowy was fired or whether he left of his own accord. If and when I find out the truth I will post an update as we owe it to Snowy and his fans to get things right :-)

Replacements were soon found. Ged Harrison (Vocalist) and Eric Lydiate (Bass) left the Salford group "The Chasers" and two weeks later after telling all kinds of fibs and sob stories to get into the country (not having work permits), they were touring Sweden with Some Other Guys alongside bands such as "The Hepcats"(with Benni who was later to become part of the group ABBA).

Anyway, a great time was had by all even though they were flat broke (maybe you can get some of the other guys to tell you the "rest of the story!"). (I know that Jem Lees who was the roadie at the time is probably a great source of information).

Following the tour of Sweden, S.O.G. returned to England and for the rest of 66 toured England and Scotland & Wales, playing at most of the clubs and ballrooms around at the time.

In February 1967, S.O.G. stocked up with lots of P.G. Tips and Heinz baked beans, headed off to Germany to play gigs in Wuppertal (Haus der Musik) and in Hannover(???). By this time, Jem had left and the roadie function was taken over by Les Graham from Salford.

After their big old Van broke down on the German Autobahn, S.O.G. were more or less forced to extend their stay in Germany and started to play the clubs on the U.S. Army bases .

After a short while, Eric met an American girl and left the band in order to get married.

His place in the band was taken over by Les Graham (me) who had been "the Roadie" up until this point.

At this time the band also changed their name to "I DRIVE" and for the rest of the story check this out: http://www.city-erlangen.de/graham/

Les Graham  

Memories

Well, your early history of Some Other Guys is mainly accurate, but needs a little tweeking.

Yes, I gradually replaced Dave Powell on vocals in 1965, but most certainly never left them to continue with my 'day job' when the German tour came up [changed at last minute to Sweden] - that was already with the group! [I had dropped out of art college specifically to try to develop my 'soul singing' & make a career of it with the Guys, who also wanted too but were prevented from by their jobs, at the time].
As I remember it, I left because my booze problem was making me very unreliable on stage & they had, not too unnaturally, been training another singer behind my back, from the same group that was supplying them with a replacement bassist.

And the then unknown Joe Cocker sang two Ray Charles numbers with us, 'I gotta Women' & What'd I say', at Sheffield's Esquire Club when I was still with them in Summer 66 - as I remember well & to my ultimate cost!

He blew me away, & that combined with our production of what I thought was a very dull demo single & the Guys reluctance to go pro [plus my own lack of confidence] - all seem to have tipped me over into a 'lost decade' of drink & drugs.

Ironically, it was walking out on the Guys on the eve of their German [Swedish] tour, that kickstarted the decade - & the cause of that petulant walkout was mainly injured pride [that they had been training up the other singer!]

One good thing is that when I heard the demo single again for the first time, 40 yrs later - although sadly at drummer Dave Bailey's Memorial Service - it actually is not that bad, considering it was made in some Stockport terraced front room 'Studio' with mimimum facilities & for about 5 quid!

Anyone who wants to hear it, drop me an email.

Philip 'Snowy' Snow

I saw the group a few times in pubs around Salford, when I went to stay with my sister, she would take me out but I was too young to drink ha. One of the group would put his own words to the Beatles song I'll get you in the end, you must know who.

Hazel Duffy - 17/2/13

I was roadie for these lot in 1966. Before joining the band, Snowy was one of my paper lads, I ran a lock-up newsagents on Moss Lane Bridge, Altrincham. Snowy was chucked out for being unbelievably lazy and unreliable when it came to moving gear. The band just got fed up. A pity because he was an excellent singer and personality on stage. Far better than his replacement. 

Jem Lees - 30/12/13

Some Other Guys were with the Ian Hamilton Organisation at his Kennedy Street offices, not Kennedy Street Enterprises. It was IHO who offered us the Sweden trip at the last minute as the original act (can't remember who they were at the moment) dropped out at the last minute. None of us had passports, so we filled in forms, took photos and the landlord of the pub downstairs signed that he'd known us for years (We'd never previously met!) Ged then got a bus/train to Liverpool to get passports immediately.

When we arrived in Sweden, they wouldn't let us in. We had a van full of equipment and no work permits. Silver tongued Ged eventually persuaded the authorities we were on holiday, despite none of us having any money.

Jem Lees - 4/1/14