| 1960s British Rock and Pop Chronology |
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| 1962 |
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| 1 | West Hampstead, London: Brian Poole & the Tremeloes and the Beatles audition for Decca | ||
| 3 | US: Army expanded to 16 divisions | ||
| 5 | Tony Sheridan with the Beat Brothers: "My Bonnie"/"The Saints" [Polydor NH 66833; UK release; no chart] | ||
| 11 | Cliff
Richard and the Shadows: "The Young Ones" [Columbia DB 4761, charts; UK
#1, 6 weeks] Joe Brown and the Bruvvers: "What a Crazy World We're Living In" [Piccadilly 7N 35024, charts, UK #37] |
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| 14 | Bradford: Musicians supporting the colour bar in dance halls form a rival union, the British Federation of Musicians | ||
| 15 | Britain: weather service begins issuing centigrade temperature measurements with Fahrenheit equivalents | ||
| 18 | Eden
Kane: "Forget Me Not" [Decca F 11418, charts, UK #3] Lonnie Donegan: "The Commancheros" [Pye 7N 15410, charts, UK #8] /"Ramblin' Round" Adam Faith: "Lonesome" [Parlophone R 4864, charts, UK #12] Danny Williams: "Jeannie" [HMV POP 968, charts, UK #14] |
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| 25 | Karl Denver: "Wimoweh" [Decca F 11420, charts, UK #4] | ||
| 30 | Bradford: Mecca Locarno drops its colour ban | ||
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| Other January Events | |||
| London, South Grove Youth Club: The Dave Clark Five give a concert to raise fund for a trip to Holland by the Tottenham Hotspurs F.C. | |||
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| 1 | Miki and Griff: "Little Bitty Tear" [ Pye 7N 15412, charts, UK #16] | ||
| 4 | Sunday Times: First colour supplement | ||
| 5 | Liverpool: Pete Best calls in sick and the Beatles recruit Ringo Starr to sub that night. | ||
| 8 | Matt Monro: "Softly as I Leave You" [Parlophone R 4868, charts, UK #10] | ||
| London: Brian Epstein visits Bob Boast at HMV at Oxford and Bond Streets, has engineer Jim Foy copy the Beatles' Decca demos to discs who puts him in touch with publisher Sid Coleman, who makes an appointment for Epstein with George Martin (Lewisohn 1992: 53). | |||
| 13 | London: Brian Epstein meets with George Martin to discuss recording the Beatles. | ||
| 15 | Helen
Shapiro: "Tell Me What He Said" [Columbia DB 4782, charts, UK #2] Kenny Ball and His Jazzmen: "March of the Siamese Children" [Pye Jazz 7NJ 2051, charts, UK #4] |
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| 20 | Cape Canaveral, Florida: John Glenn in Friendship 7 orbits the earth 3 times | ||
| 22 | Elvis
Presley: "Rock-a-Hula Baby"/"Can't Help Falling in Love"
[UK #1; 4 weeks] Karl Denver: "Never Goodbye" [Decca F 11431, charts, UK #9] Don Charles: "Walk with Me My Angel" [Decca F 11424, charts, UK #39] |
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| 27 | London: Commonwealth Immigrants Bill passed establishing a quota system | ||
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| Other February Artifacts | |||
| Howie Casey and the Seniors (Liverpool): "Double Twist"/"True Fine Mama" | |||
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| 1 | The Shadows:
"Wonderful Land" [Columbia DB 4790, charts, UK #1] Johnny Keating: "Theme from 'Z Cars'" [Piccadilly 7N 35032, charts, UK #8] |
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| 7 | Manchester: The Beatles record their debut performance for the BBC and wear matching suits for the first time (Lewisohn 1992: 52). | ||
| 11 | London: Joe Arbiter (Drum City) dies | ||
| 15 | Billy
Fury: "Letter Full of Tears" [Decca F 11437, charts, UK #32] John Leyton: "Lone Rider" [HMV POP 992, charts, UK #40] |
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| 17 | Ealing, London: Alexis Korner and Cyril Davies open an electric blues club below the ABC tea-rooms | ||
| 20 | Howie Casey and the Seniors: Twist At the Top [probable release date] | ||
| 22 | The
Shadows: "Wonderful Land" [UK #1 for 8 weeks] Craig Douglas: "When My Little Girl Is Smiling" [Top Rank JAR 610, charts, UK #9] Bruce Channel: "Hey! Baby" [Mercury AMT 1171, charts, UK #2] |
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| 29 | Jimmy
Justice: "When My Little Girl Is Smiling" [Pye 7N 15421, charts, UK #9] Joe Loss: "The Maigret Theme" [HMV POP 995, charts, UK #20] |
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| 4 | Finchley, London: Two London gangs, the Mussies from Muswell Hill and the Finchley Boys, battle resulting in several stabbings. Mussie, Peter Quaife (later of the Kinks) escapes by clinging to the bottom of a parked car. | ||
| 5 | Lonnie Donegan: "The Party's Over" [Pye 7N 15424, charts, UK #9] /"Over the Rainbow" | ||
| 7 | Ealing, London: Elmo Lewis (Brian Jones) guests with Blues Incorporated | ||
| 10 | Hamburg, West Germany: Stuart Sutcliffe dies of a brain Hemorrhage | ||
| 12 | Danny Williams: "Wonderful World of the Young" [HMV POP 1035, charts, UK #8] | ||
| 15 | Wembly, London: NME Winners Concert | ||
| 21 | Rome: Law passed banning films "offensive to good custom, by the inclusion of elements contrary to common feelings of modesty and decency, tending towards disturbing morality and the institution of the family..." (Marwick 1998: 187). | ||
| 22 | Blackpool: Brian "Licorice" Locking replaces Jet Harris in the Shadows | ||
| 23 | Tony
Sheridan and the Beat Brothers: "My Bonnie" / "The Saints" [Decca US release] Cape Canaveral, Florida: US Ranger launched for lunar landing |
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| 26 | Cape Canaveral, Florida: UK's first satellite, Ariele, launched | ||
| Moon: US Ranger lunar landing | |||
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| Other April Events | |||
| The Tornados: "Love and Fury" [no significant chart action] | |||
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| 3 | Billy
Fury: "Last Night Was Made for Love" [enters UK charts; UK #4] Adam Faith: "As You Like It" [Parlophone R 4896, charts, UK #5] Billy Fury: "Last Night Was Made for Love" [Decca F 11458, charts, UK #4] John Leyton: "Lonely City" [HMV POP 1014, charts, UK #14] Helen Shapiro: "Let's Talk about Love" " [Columbia DB 4782, charts, UK #23] The Countrymen: "I Know Where I'm Going" [Piccadilly 7N 35029, charts, UK #45] Terry Lightfoot and His New Orleans Jazzmen: "Tavern in the Town" [Columbia DB 4822; charts; UK #49] |
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| London: Blues Incorporated begin playing Thursday nights at the Marquee Club, 165 Oxford St | |||
| 9 | EMI, Abbey Road, St. John's Wood, London: Brian Epstein and George Martin meet. Martin agrees to record the Beatles. | ||
| 10 | Mike
Sarne and Wendy Richard: "Come Outside" [Parlophone R 4902, charts, UK
#1] Cliff Richard and the Shadows: "I'm Looking Out the Window" [Columbia DB 4828, charts, UK #2] / "Do You Wanna Dance" Eden Kane: "I Don't Know Why" [Decca F 11460, charts, UK #7] |
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| 17 | B.
Bumble and the Stingers: "Nut Rock" [UK #1, 1 week] Joe Brown and the Bruvvers: "A Picture of You" [Piccadilly 7N 35082, charts, UK #2] Kenny Ball and His Jazzmen: "The Green Leaves of Summer" [Pye Jazz 7NJ 2054, charts, UK #7] Vernon's Girelease: "Lover Please" [Decca F 11450, charts, UK #16] |
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| 24 |
Elvis Presley: "Good Luck Charm" [UK #1,
5 weeks] Marty Wilde: "Jezebel" [Philips PB 1240, charts, UK #19] Jet Harris: "Besame Mucho" [Decca F 11466, charts, UK #22] |
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| Other May Artifacts | |||
| Howie Casey and the Seniors: "I Ain't Mad at You"/"Twist at the Top" | |||
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| 4 | Bruce Channel begins his UK tour | ||
| 5 | Maidstone: Bruce Channel begins British tour | ||
| 6 | EMI, Abbey Road, St. John's Wood, London: The Beatles record "Love Me Do" and other songs in their first official recording session. George Martin, Ron Richards, and Norman Smith tell them what they think the Beatles need to do to improve. George Harrison doesn't like Martin's tie. | ||
| 7 | Karl Denver: "A Little Love, A Little Kiss" [Decca F 11470, charts, UK #19] | ||
| 14 | Jimmy Justice: "Ain't That Funny" [Pye 7N 15443, charts, UK #8] | ||
| 21 | Tower Ballroom, New Brighton: The Beatles appear with Bruce Channel and Delbert McClinton | ||
| 25 | Wembley Town Hall: Screaming Lord Sutch and the Savages headline. Keith Moon asks drummer, Carlo Little for lessons. | ||
| 28 | Mike
Sarne and Wendy Richard: "Come Outside" [UK #1, 2 weeks] Craig Douglas: "Our Favourite Melodies" [Columbia Db 4854, charts, UK #9] |
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| Other June Artifacts | |||
| Blues Incorporated performs on BBC's Band Beat (e.g., "Everything She Needs") | |||
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| 5 | Frank
Ifield: "I Remember You" [Columbia DB 4856, charts, UK #1] Danny Williams: "Tears" [HMV POP 1035, charts, UK #22] |
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| 10 | Cape Canaveral, Florida: US launches Telstar I | ||
| 11 | Jazz News: "Mick Jagger, R&B vocalist, is taking a rhythm and blues group into the Marquee tomorrow while Blues Inc. is doing its Jazz Club gig. Called 'The Rolling Stones' ('I hope they don't think we're a rock 'n' roll outfit,' says Mick), the line-up is Jagger (vocal), Keith Richards, Elmo Lewis (guitars), Dick Taylor (bass), 'Stu' (piano), Mike Avery (drums)." | ||
| 12 | Ray
Charles: "I Can't Stop Loving You" [UK #1, 2 weeks] Helen Shapiro: "Little Miss Lonely" [Columbia DB 4869, charts, UK #8] |
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| Soho, London: The Rolling Stones make their first appearance at the Marquee Club | |||
| 19 | Billy Fury: "Once Upon a Dream" [Decca F 11485, charts, UK #7] | ||
| 26 | Frank Ifield: "I Remember You" [UK #1, 7 weeks] | ||
| 28 | Richmond, London: Second National Jazz Festival opens with Chris Barber, Humphrey Lyttleton, Alex Welsh, Bruce Turner, Bob Wallis, Wally Fawkes, and Gerry Brown | ||
| 29 | Richmond, London: Second National Jazz Festival concludes with Kenny Ball, Johnny Dankworth, Terry Lightfoot, Tubby Hayes, Dick Charlesworth, Joe Harriott, Forrie Cairns, Don Rendell Quintet | ||
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| Other July Artifacts | |||
| London: The Detours play 3 dates at the Paradise Club, Peckham | |||
| Commonwealth Immigration Act | |||
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| 2 | The Shadows: "Guitar Tango" [Columbia DB 4870, charts, UK #4] | ||
| 5 | Hollywood: Marilyn Monroe found dead | ||
| 6 | Jamaica: Becomes an independent dominion within the British Commonwealth | ||
| 9 | Clyde Valley Stompers: "Peter and the Wolf" [Parlophone R 4928, charts, UK #25] | ||
| 11 | Kazaksthan: Soviet cosmonaut, Andrian Nikolayev begins a 94-hour flight | ||
| 14 | Liverpool: John Lennon calls Ringo Starr and asks him to join the Beatles | ||
| 16 | Lonnie
Donegan: "Pick a Bale of Cotton" [Pye 7N 15455, charts, UK #11] /"Steal
Away" Jet Harris: "Main Title Theme from 'Man with the Golden Arm'" [Decca F 11488, charts, UK #12] |
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| Liverpool: Brian Epstein informs Pete Best that John, Paul, and George want him out of the band. | |||
| 17 | Berlin: East German border guards shoot and mortally wounded 18-year-old Peter Fechter, who is attempting to cross the Berlin Wall | ||
| 18 | Hulme Hall, Port Sunlight, Birkenhead: Ringo Starr officially debuts with the Beatles at the Port Sunlight Horticultural Society's "After Show Dance." | ||
| 21 | London: British Fascist leader, Colin Jordan is jailed for nine months after inciting a riot during a speech in Trafalgar Square the previous month. | ||
| 22 | Cavern Club, Liverpool: Granada Television tapes a performance by the Beatles for later boradcast. | ||
| 23 | Kenny
Ball and His Jazzmen: "So Do I" [Pye Jazz 7NJ 2056, charts, UK #14] Jimmy Justice: "Spanish Harlem" [Pye 7N 15457, charts, UK #20] John Leyton: "Down the River Nile" [HMV POP 1175, charts, UK #42] |
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| 27 | Florida: US launches Mariner II to Venus | ||
| 28 | BBC: The BBC's Third Program begins regular FM broadcasts in stereo | ||
| Paris: Assassination attempt on deGaulle | |||
| 30 | Tornados:
"Telstar" [Decca F 11494, charts, UK #1] Shirley Bassey: "What Now My Love" [Columbia DB 4882, charts, UK #5] Adam Faith: "Don't That Beat All" [Parlophone R 4930, charts, UK #8] Mike Sarne and Billie Davis: "Will I What?" [Parlophone R 4632, charts, UK #18] |
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| 1 | Acton Town Hall, Acton, London: The Detours play the intervals for the Ron Cavendish Orchestra | ||
| 4 | EMI Studios, Abbey Road, London: The Beatles return to record "Love Me Do" and "How Do You Do It" with Ringo Starr on drums. | ||
| 6 | Cliff
Richard and the Shadows: "It'll Be Me" [Columbia DB 4886, charts, UK #2] Vernon's Girls: "Loco-Motion" [Decca F 11495, charts, UK #47] |
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| 8 | Melody Maker: The British Federation of Musicians disbands | ||
| 11 | EMI Studios, Abbey Road, London: The Beatles return to re-record "Love Me Do" and other tunes with Andy White drumming. Ringo Starr provides percussion. | ||
| 13 | Elvis
Presley: "She's Not You" [UK #1, 3 weeks] Joe Brown and the Bruvvers: "Your Tender Look" [Piccadilly 7N 35058, charts, UK #31] |
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| 20 | Karl Denver: "Blue Weekend" [Decca F 11505, charts, UK #33] | ||
| 27 | Mr. Acker Bilk with the Leon Young String Chorale: "Lonely" [Columbia DB 4897, charts, UK #14] | ||
| New York: Houghton Mifflin publishes Rachel Carson's Silent Spring | |||
| 31 | Trinidad and Tobago: Independence within the British Commonwealth | ||
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| Other September Artifacts | |||
| USSR agrees to deliver arms to Cuba for protection | |||
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| 3 | Cape Canaveral, Florida: Astronaut Wally Schirra takes a nine-hour flight aboard the Sigma 7 | ||
| 4 | Tornados: "Telstar" [UK #1, 5 weeks] | ||
| 5 | The Beatles: "Love Me Do" / "PS, I Love You" [Parlophone R 4949, UK release] | ||
| London: The first Bond movie, Dr. No, premiers | |||
| 8 | Little Richard begins UK tour | ||
| London: Tony Richardson releases his film Alan Sillitoe's The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner | |||
| 11 | Susan
Maughan: "Bobby's Girl" [Philips 326544 BF, charts, UK #3] The Beatles: "Love Me Do" [Parlophone R 4949; charts, UK #17] |
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| Rome: Pope John XXIII convenes the Roman Catholic Church's 21st Ecumenical Council (Vatican II) | |||
| 14 | Stokholm: Martin Luther King Jr. named winner of the Nobel Peace Prize | ||
| 15 | Cuba: American reconnaisance flights reveal USSR missile installations | ||
| 18 | Craig
Douglas: "Oh Lonesome Me" [Decca F 11523, charts, UK #15] Kenny Ball and His Jazzmen: "The Pay Off" [Pye Jazz 7NJ 2061, charts, UK #23] Helen Shapiro: "Keep Away from Other Girls" [Columbia DB 4908, charts, UK #40] |
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| 21 | Manchester: Melody Maker's Blues and Folk Festival at the Free Trade Hall opens with Helen Humes, Jump Jackson, Memphis Slim, Willie Dixon, Shakey Jake, Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee, T-bone Walker, and John Lee Hooker | ||
| CBS: Cliff Richard debuts on the Ed Sullivan Show in an elaborate production number | |||
| 22 | Washington: John F. Kennedy announces discovery of USSR missile installation in Cuba and imposes a naval quarantine on Cuba | ||
| 24 | Apollo Theater, Harlem: James Brown records Live at the Apollo | ||
| 25 | Frank
Ifield: "Lovesick Blues" [Columbia DB 4913, charts, UK #1] Billy Fury: "Because of Love" [Decca F 11508, charts, UK #18] Marty Wilde: "Ever Since You Said Goodbye" [Philips 326546, charts, UK #31; last charting single] |
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| 26 | Curly Clayton's Studio, Highbury, North London: The Rolling Stones (Jagger, Jones, Richards and Tony Chapman) record three tunes to encourage EMI and Decca to consider them. The studios reject them. | ||
| 27 | Washington, D.C.: The Joint Chiefs of Staff recommend an air attack to President Kennedy to take out Soviet missles in Cuba | ||
| 28 | CBS:
Acker Bilk & Helen Shapiro debut on the Ed Sullivan Show Moscow: Kruschev agrees to withdraw missles from Cuba |
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| Other October Artifacts | |||
| London: The Rolling Stones record a demo at Curly Clayton Sound Studio | |||
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| 1 | John
Barry Orchestra: "James Bond Theme" [Columbia DB 4898, charts, UK #13] Joe Loss: "Must Be Madison" [HMV POP 1075, charts, UK #20] |
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| 8 | Frank Ifield: "Lovesick Blues" [UK #1, 5 weeks] | ||
| 15 | Joe Brown and the Bruvvers: "It Only Took a Minute" [Piccadilly 7N35082, charts, UK #6] | ||
| 20 | Moscow/Washington: Kruschev announces removal of bombers from Cuba; Kennedy announces end of quarantine | ||
| 23 | Kent: The Detours play at the Grand Ballroom, Broadstairs | ||
| 29 | Maureen Evans: "Like I Do" [Oriole CB 1760, charts, UK #3] | ||
| 30 | New York City: U Thant of Burma elected Secretary-General of the United Nations | ||
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| 6 | Cliff
Richard and the Shadows: "The Next Time" [Columbia DB 4950, charts, UK
#1] Kenny Lynch: "Up on the Roof" [HMV POP 1090, charts, UK #10] |
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| 7 | London: Bill Wyman joins the Rolling Stones | ||
| 13 | Elvis
Presley: "Return to Sender" [UK #1, 3 weeks] The Shadows: "Dance On" [Columbia DB 4948, charts, UK #1] Adam Faith: "Baby Take a Bow" [Parlophone, charts, UK #22] |
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| 15 | Hornsey College of Art and Crafts, Crouch End Hill, London: Ray Davies introduces himself to Alexis Korner after Blues Incorporated performs at the Christmas dance. | ||
| 21 | Piccadilly Jazz Club, Great Windmill Street, London: Ray Davies sits in with Dave Hunt's Rhythm & Blues Band. He also hears the supporting act, "The Rollin' Stones" and is impressed. | ||
| 22 | The Tornados: "Telstar" [US #1] | ||
| 28 | London: Heinz Burt announces he will leave the Tornados to pursue a solo career | ||
| 30 | Soho, London: Top Ten Club opens in Carnaby Street | ||
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| Other 1962 Events | |||
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| Return to 1960s British Rock Chronology | |||
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| This site is a living document. I welcome corrections and suggestions. Gordon Thompson, Department of Music, Skidmore College | |||
| Copyright © 1995 — 8 January, 2008 ; Gordon Thompson |
