John Bracewell

My introduction into the music business came when I joined the Boys Brigade Band at Morton St.Methodists in Middleton with school mate  Johnnie Wellens, snare drum rudiments were the order of the day....not for long.. got my mam to buy me a drum kit for Christmas. A John Grey kit !!

1959

Got introduced to the Deltones at Castleton Rochdale, where Kieron Connels dad managed the band ..and I was in,  don't know to this day how long they had been together  with Kieron was Mick Humpheys  (Rhythm) ,Trevor McCollough (Vocals) and Derek (bass) .

We were raw, but gigs soon came with Youth Club dances and then  you guest it,   Working mens Clubs.    I think we were together about two years.

Kieron O'Connell        Lead guitar
Mick Humphrey         Rhythm guitar
Trevor McCollough     Vocals
Derek    ?                 Bass  Ex."Tremors" Middleton
John Bracewell          Drums

1961.   We parted company to form the Beatones 

We practiced at my mum and dads at Middleton ,my dad Jack Bracewell managed the band ..group
members were ,John Bracewell (drums), Mick Humpheys  (Rhythm) ,Trevor McCollough (Vocals), Len Dyson (rhythm and vocals), Ian Metcalf ( lead Guitar) and  Peter Wolfenden (vocals)

I think we all decided we needed a bit of glamour (and talent) up front, and in 1965 we were joined by Sandra Palmer (ex TNT and the Dynamites) singer from Oldham.

The group went in the direction of cabaret and we were soon to introduce comedy numbers, not unlike what was to follow in the Grumleweeds ... we were a Comedy Showgroup.

Not to take anything away from our vocal talents with four part harmonies ,doing Mammas and Pappas, Hollies ,numbers.

We worked the Yorkshire/Lancashire club scene as well as the Domino and Southern Sporting clubs
also memories of loads of pubs on Cross Lane Salford..Craven Heifer, Bamboo Room,The Fusilliers.

Agents in those would have been Harry Morris , Globe in Glossop

The group members later included    
  
Josie                              Vocals                                 Help needed from 
Fred                               Vocals                                 these members as 
Bob Daveney                  Guitar                                 to their past and 
Pete Baldwin "Barney"     Guitar                                future. inc.Surnames

Billy                               Vocals
John Unsworth                Lead Guitar
Bob Dauber                    Bass

Duncan Watt                   Lead Guitar   
Roger Tattersall              Bass

Les Jones                       Bass             

The Beatones disbanded in 1972.

 Sandra Bracewell ( nee Palmer)  went on to form the Sandy, Citizen Band, and Krystal Kane Band.