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Anyone old enough to remember The Sheffields?


Sandroulla

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They disappeared without trace many years ago, but The Sheffields emerged in the 60's and were managed by Pete Stringfellow for a while. They played several gigs at the Mojo and had minor recording success. The main track I remember them doing was "Got my mojo workin'".

I was but a mere slip of a lass at that time, but my brother was their roadie for a while and ferried the guys and their gear to several gigs around the country. He is now 65 and lives in Canada (where I am currently visiting). He has the memory capacity of a goldfish and cannot remember the names of any of the band members, so if anyone can assist?......

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I found this in "Not Like a Proper Job" by John Firminger & Martin Lilleker, Published:2001, ISBN: 1-872204-80-5:

This is about a Sheffield pop contest put on at the City Hall on 16th September 1963 by Peter Stringfellow.

"The judges - record company representatives - chose the Vampires as the winners, partly thanks to a virtuoso performance on harmonica by singer, songwriter and organ player John E Alexander."

"The line-up also featured Don Allison and Brian Cooke on guitars, Dave Fawcett, bass, and Richard Smith on drums. One of the judges Tony Hatch, later to be better known as a songwriter, took them under his wing, renaming themthe Sheffields. They went on to make three singles for Pye with Hatch as producer."

There's quite a bit more in there.

I think this picture below was there final line up.

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Hi Sandroulla,

By co-incidence, I recently bought an R&B CD whch features Mojo Workin' and another track by the Sheffields. This link should take you to the Amazon web page. Its called 'Doin' the Mod Vol 3 Maximum R&B' Castle label ref no. B100005J19W

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Doin-Mod-Vol-3-Max...705&sr=1-12

You can also buy a reprint of a 60s ad poster done by Colin Duffield, for the Sheffields and their Mojo single from The Bullet Gallery in Sheffield.

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They disappeared without trace many years ago, but The Sheffields emerged in the 60's and were managed by Pete Stringfellow for a while. They played several gigs at the Mojo and had minor recording success. The main track I remember them doing was "Got my mojo workin'".

I was but a mere slip of a lass at that time, but my brother was their roadie for a while and ferried the guys and their gear to several gigs around the country. He is now 65 and lives in Canada (where I am currently visiting). He has the memory capacity of a goldfish and cannot remember the names of any of the band members, so if anyone can assist?......

I recall they changed their name to "The Sheffileds" at the time Sheffield was trying to create a "Sheffield" sound (to compete with the Liverpool sound) - does anyone remember what they were called originally?

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Guest bassman

I recall they changed their name to "The Sheffileds" at the time Sheffield was trying to create a "Sheffield" sound (to compete with the Liverpool sound) - does anyone remember what they were called originally?

The Vampires

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Immortalised in this double LP record cover of "The Beat Merchants, British Beat Groups 1963 - 1964.

Sorry a 12" LP record sleeve is just marginally too wide for an A4 scanner.

This is a great piece of poster art by Tony Wright showing a typical music shop of the era.

Note that advertisement on the wall between the 2 young men, THE SHEFFIELDS

There are also numerous other gems in this picture, blow it up and look at those record covers on the wall behind the girl and on the window display rack.

If Vox reads this he will also notice that amplifier under the Cuban heeled boot of the young guitarist who bears an uncanny resemblance to Mick Jagger!

The double LP has 30 tracks on its 4 sides but only one by the Sheffields which is "Got My MoJo Working"

The record was released in 1977 and incorrectly states that they were from South Yorkshire as the only information about them.

Although Sheffield was in South Yorkshire in 1977 when the record came out it was in the West Riding of Yorkshire in 1963-4 at the time of The Sheffields hits.

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Immortalised in this double LP record cover of "The Beat Merchants, British Beat Groups 1963 - 1964.

If Vox reads this he will also notice that amplifier under the Cuban heeled boot of the young guitarist who bears an uncanny resemblance to Mick Jagger!

The very one - well spotted Dave (and remembered)

Playing an Epiphone semi from the times before they were bought out by Gibson and became the cheaper copies of models in the Gibson range.

Can't make out what the blue amp is supposed to be. Looks like it could say Watkins but it doesn't look like any Watkins model that I know.

Well it is only an artists impression after all.

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The very one - well spotted Dave (and remembered)

Playing an Epiphone semi from the times before they were bought out by Gibson and became the cheaper copies of models in the Gibson range.

Can't make out what the blue amp is supposed to be. Looks like it could say Watkins but it doesn't look like any Watkins model that I know.

Well it is only an artists impression after all.

Seem to remember Watkins made a device called the CopyCat which added echo and reverberation.

A very simple but effective device it consisted of a loop of tape and a deck with a single recording head and several spaced out playback heads. - ingenius.

Not familiar with their amplifiers though.

As far as I know Watkins became a company called WEM as the later models of the CopyCat were called the WEM CopyCat and were based somewhere in Shropshire.

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Seem to remember Watkins made a device called the CopyCat which added echo and reverberation.

A very simple but effective device it consisted of a loop of tape and a deck with a single recording head and several spaced out playback heads. - ingenius.

Not familiar with their amplifiers though.

As far as I know Watkins became a company called WEM as the later models of the CopyCat were called the WEM CopyCat and were based somewhere in Shropshire.

Correct

I had a CopyCat in the 60's. They had a simple speed control which allowed for a sweep between "almost instant echo" and "come back in a week and I'll say it again" he he

Guitarist in our band has quit a few including the WEM ones. He's also got a Watkins Dominator. (Odd looking, quite unique amp.) amongst tons of other stuff. Anything it seems as long as there's a valve in it.

Reverb in fact is a different thing to echo. The earliest effect (And best - still used today in good guitar amps) is/was the spring. Simply put -- part of the dry signal is tapped off to a transducer at one end of a spring, another transducer at the other end. Some of the energy gets delayed in the spring and is transmitted as "reflections" which are then mixed back into the dry signal. They have a very characteristic sound which can't be truly reproduced by modern digital units.

The other early reverb system was the "Plate" which worked on the same principle, but with a large metal plate between the transducers. Most often only used in studios because of the bulkiness.

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Correct

I had a CopyCat in the 60's. They had a simple speed control which allowed for a sweep between "almost instant echo" and "come back in a week and I'll say it again" he he

Guitarist in our band has quit a few including the WEM ones. He's also got a Watkins Dominator. (Odd looking, quite unique amp.) amongst tons of other stuff. Anything it seems as long as there's a valve in it.

Reverb in fact is a different thing to echo. The earliest effect (And best - still used today in good guitar amps) is/was the spring. Simply put -- part of the dry signal is tapped off to a transducer at one end of a spring, another transducer at the other end. Some of the energy gets delayed in the spring and is transmitted as "reflections" which are then mixed back into the dry signal. They have a very characteristic sound which can't be truly reproduced by modern digital units.

The other early reverb system was the "Plate" which worked on the same principle, but with a large metal plate between the transducers. Most often only used in studios because of the bulkiness.

Once read an article in a 1966 (ish) copy of Practical Electronics on how to make your own spring line reverberation unit, - never could work out fully how it worked.

You are right that echo and reverberation are different but the echo unit should tend towards a reverberation sound if the playback heads are very close together and / or the tape loop speed is very high.

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You are right that echo and reverberation are different but the echo unit should tend towards a reverberation sound if the playback heads are very close together and / or the tape loop speed is very high.

Also correct, with the accent on the phrase tend towards :)

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They disappeared without trace many years ago, but The Sheffields emerged in the 60's and were managed by Pete Stringfellow for a while. They played several gigs at the Mojo and had minor recording success. The main track I remember them doing was "Got my mojo workin'".

I was but a mere slip of a lass at that time, but my brother was their roadie for a while and ferried the guys and their gear to several gigs around the country. He is now 65 and lives in Canada (where I am currently visiting). He has the memory capacity of a goldfish and cannot remember the names of any of the band members, so if anyone can assist?......

Found this link to some info about them if its any help

The Sheffields

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Guest Drumbeat62

I found this in "Not Like a Proper Job" by John Firminger & Martin Lilleker, Published:2001, ISBN: 1-872204-80-5:

This is about a Sheffield pop contest put on at the City Hall on 16th September 1963 by Peter Stringfellow.

"The judges - record company representatives - chose the Vampires as the winners, partly thanks to a virtuoso performance on harmonica by singer, songwriter and organ player John E Alexander."

"The line-up also featured Don Allison and Brian Cooke on guitars, Dave Fawcett, bass, and Richard Smith on drums. One of the judges Tony Hatch, later to be better known as a songwriter, took them under his wing, renaming themthe Sheffields. They went on to make three singles for Pye with Hatch as producer."

There's quite a bit more in there.

I think this picture below was there final line up.

Roy Ledger Lives in Dronfield where his wife/partner is a vet in our local practice, still see Roy at jam nights.

I workied with Dave Fawcett at BT when it was GPO, Dave worked for Carlsbro/Academy of Sound for quite a while.

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Guest Drumbeat62

Correct

I had a CopyCat in the 60's. They had a simple speed control which allowed for a sweep between "almost instant echo" and "come back in a week and I'll say it again" he he

Guitarist in our band has quit a few including the WEM ones. He's also got a Watkins Dominator. (Odd looking, quite unique amp.) amongst tons of other stuff. Anything it seems as long as there's a valve in it.

Not sure what 'Copycat' model you're refering to but none that I remember had an actual speed control, regarding the 'Watkins Dominator'; 'Geoff Lewis' at 'Matamp' has started making them again he was also talking about relaunching the 'Copycat'

Here a 65ish Copycat I had recently, it was as new inside.Charlie Watkins was still alive when I spoke to him just over two years ago.

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Not sure what 'Copycat' model you're refering to but none that I remember had an actual speed control, regarding the 'Watkins Dominator'; 'Geoff Lewis' at 'Matamp' has started making them again he was also talking about relaunching the 'Copycat'

Here a 65ish Copycat I had recently, it was as new inside.Charlie Watkins was still alive when I spoke to him just over two years ago.

I would have expected you to show us the outside of a copycat Drumbeat62, not take it apart and show us the inside.

The outer design is a work of art in its sheer simplicity and practicality, - an endless tape loop with several staggered out replay head after an erase head and a record head.

However, I am glad you have shown us the inside, - that's the sort of electronics I was brought up and taught on, valve, colour coded resistors, - all discrete components on a proper circuit diagram.

Not like now with mysterious little black boxes that you don't know what they do, what circuitry they contain or how they work.

With the old circuits, if it went wrong you could troubleshoot it and repair it.

With modern ones its always a case of just replace something.

By the way Drumnbeat62, welcome to Sheffield History, I know you have made several posts already in our music sections but this is the first one I have replied to.

...and thanks for posting, - some really good stuff.

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Not sure what 'Copycat' model you're refering to but none that I remember had an actual speed control, regarding the 'Watkins Dominator'; 'Geoff Lewis' at 'Matamp' has started making them again he was also talking about relaunching the 'Copycat'

Here a 65ish Copycat I had recently, it was as new inside.Charlie Watkins was still alive when I spoke to him just over two years ago.

I to prefer the inside but just to be kind hear's the front. (At least three are on Ebay)

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Guest Drumbeat62

I would have expected you to show us the outside of a copycat Drumbeat62, not take it apart and show us the inside.

The outer design is a work of art in its sheer simplicity and practicality, - an endless tape loop with several staggered out replay head after an erase head and a record head.

However, I am glad you have shown us the inside, - that's the sort of electronics I was brought up and taught on, valve, colour coded resistors, - all discrete components on a proper circuit diagram.

Not like now with mysterious little black boxes that you don't know what they do, what circuitry they contain or how they work.

With the old circuits, if it went wrong you could troubleshoot it and repair it.

With modern ones its always a case of just replace something.

By the way Drumnbeat62, welcome to Sheffield History, I know you have made several posts already in our music sections but this is the first one I have replied to.

...and thanks for posting, - some really good stuff.

In the 70s I took the foot switch off our Copycat and fitted a Jackplug I then plugged this into a volume pedal, you were then able to vary the amount off effect whilst singing/playing which was particularly useful in 'Four Seasons & Beach Boys numbers, the only thing you had to do was sort out the correct type/value variable resistor/pot.

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Guest Drumbeat62

I to prefer the inside but just to be kind hear's the front. (At least three are on Ebay)

That will be one of the late models, the one (below) I posted was of the original four head config although in the new shaped box.

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I to prefer the inside but just to be kind hear's the front. (At least three are on Ebay)

Now you can see what I mean about the beauty of the machine being in its sheer simplicity of design, all there to be admired.

A simple loop of recording tape, 2 spring loaded rollers to tension the tape and pull it against the heads, 4 replay heads one after the other and a single erase / record head.

You can see how it works and almost hear what it will do without having to know anything else.

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Not sure what 'Copycat' model you're refering to but none that I remember had an actual speed control, regarding the 'Watkins Dominator'; 'Geoff Lewis' at 'Matamp' has started making them again he was also talking about relaunching the 'Copycat'

You're probably right. I think the speed control wasn't introduced until the 80's. Ours must have been second hand and quite old because we would not have afforded a new one.

I think there was an expensive Selmer tape echo with speed control in the 60's.

I'll tell our guitarist about the Dominator but knowing him, he'll probably already know. :)

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That will be one of the late models, the one (below) I posted was of the original four head config although in the new shaped box.

Reminds me of the EMI Melatron that had tape loops but many more of them. I knew a lady who was on the production line in Hayes.

jiginc

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Reminds me of the EMI Melatron that had tape loops but many more of them. I knew a lady who was on the production line in Hayes.

jiginc

Didn't the Melatron have a keyboard with a spinning loop of tape behind each key?

Pressing the key activated the playback head for that particular loop.

Each loop contained an "endless" pre- recorded sound pitched at the frequenct you would expect for that key.

This effectively meant that you could play ANY instrument on a keyboard providing you had the right tape loops.

You could also get your granny to sing the scales, put each note on the right loop and then "play" her singing to whatever you wanted, a sort of very early synthesiser! :)

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Didn't the Melatron have a keyboard with a spinning loop of tape behind each key?

Pressing the key activated the playback head for that particular loop.

Each loop contained an "endless" pre- recorded sound pitched at the frequenct you would expect for that key.

This effectively meant that you could play ANY instrument on a keyboard providing you had the right tape loops.

You could also get your granny to sing the scales, put each note on the right loop and then "play" her singing to whatever you wanted, a sort of very early synthesiser!

100% right DaveH. As used by the Beatles.

I remember, thinking about it, that the tapes were not "endless" but spring loaded so you had a limit to the length of each note until releasing the key and it would reset, so to speak.

jiginc

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100% right DaveH. As used by the Beatles.

I remember, thinking about it, that the tapes were not "endless" but spring loaded so you had a limit to the length of each note until releasing the key and it would reset, so to speak.

jiginc

I thought they were loops of tape fastened on a long rotating drum behind the keyboard, - or perhaps that was different version of something similar.

Then of course there was the Moog synthesiser and the Theremin for making alsorts of wierd and wonderful sounds.

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