Them (band)

Them was a Northern Irish band from Belfast, which had its greatest success between 1964 and 1966 . The most important member of the group was from 1963-1966 singer Van Morrison .

Contents

 * 1 Origins
 * 2 Successes
 * 3 After Morrison
 * 4 Them in Netherlands
 * 5 Band Members
 * 6 Discography
 * 6.1 Radio 2 Top 2000

Origins
Them came in 1961/1962, when guitarist and vocalist Billy Harrison in Belfast was playing together with other musicians, including bassist Raymond Sweetman and drummer Ronnie millings . A permanent occupation began after joining bassist Alan Henderson and keyboardist Eric Wrixon . The group called itself The Gamblers and got work in and around the Northern Irish capital. The Gamblers played American rock 'n roll and rhythm and blues . With the joining of vocalist and saxophonist Van Morrison, the popularity in their own city extent to which the five jump to England ventured. Since the name was changed to Them, because there is already a group The Gamblers existed as facilitators of singer Billy Fury . Them came under contract with Decca . Wrixon meanwhile left the band because their parents are still minor son did not agree to enter into a record deal. He was replaced by Pat McAuley (also called John). After Millings also stepped, McAuley swapped the organ for the drums, while his brother Jackie McAuley sat behind the keys.

Successes
Their first single was released in August 1964, with the A-side Don't start crying now and the reserve side One two brown eyes. The success did not come. It is unclear whether that is actually his first album to listen to all Members Them. Van Morrison and Henderson seems certain, but in shooting practice was often worked with studio musicians. Them therein was not unique. Well known is the story Ringo Starr during the shooting of the first Beatles Love Me Do -singel had to make way for a session drummer. Thus, during those first shots Them probably guitarist Jimmy Page, organist Arthur Greenslade and Peter Barden and drummerBobby Graham deployed.

Ex-members of the group themselves are not clear about who is and is not played on the plates. According to Eric Wrixon, who was not of the party, all played Them Members themselves, Billy Harrison, the man of the legendary riff that Baby please don't go opening, said in an interview that he was playing for two years before it was put on the plate, but left open whether he had played in the recording studio. The second single single Baby, Please don't go initially had no success and disappointed Them went to Belfast to come as quickly back to London, when the track proved to be a hit. Live Them could reproduce the sound of the plate in each case, as is apparent from the sparse surviving recordings. The story that most musicians in Them sufficiently mastered their instruments, is thus negated. The song's success led to the LP The Angry Young Them. To this can also be heard eventually biggest hit of the band Gloria. This single peaked in December 1964 the tenth place on the charts. The album was later under the title Mystic Eyes reissued. The album opens with this song that seems improvised around a long harmonica solo by Morrison. When the album was released in the spring of 1965, along with the single Here Comes the Night, Them was almost set.Even Billy Harrison left the group. Peter Barden had meanwhile joined as an organist. He kept brief and would later in the formation Camel emerge, while also remained active as a session musician. In its place stepped Ray Elliot far. After guitarist Joe Baldi and drummer Terry Noon for a short time was worked, Morrison and Henderson presented at the end of that year, their new version of Them, which besides the two Ray Elliot (keyboards, flute, saxophone), Jim Armstrong (guitar) and John Wilson (drums) played. In this occupation, perhaps supplemented by session musicians, came the album Them Again. It displays include the number I Put a Spell on You clearly showing the effects of the implementation of Nina Simone told. The cover It's all over now, baby blue ( Bob Dylan ) would especially after the disintegration of the group given the classic status.

In 1966 recorded another single, Richard Cory. Drummer Wilson was again replaced by Dave Harvey. Them are some version of this film, which captures the band on the banks of the Thames playback at Mystic Eyes and Call my name. Later left Armstrong, whose place Eric Bell for a short time was part of the band. Eventually Van Morrison Them left to start a solo career.

After Morrison
Them continued, with particular Henderson presented itself as the pivot of the band. New singer was Kenney McDowell had a much less typical voice and also as a stage personality could not measure up to its illustrious predecessor. The band tried in 1968 to free ride on the renewed hitsucces Gloria and released the single Walking in the garden of Queens. But the European fans disappointed pulled off. Them left for theUnited States, where the group had some success, but also had to compete against competitors who are servants of the same name. In Northern Ireland, presented Pat and Jackie MacAuley their "reborn" Them-version under the name Belfast Gypsies . Them Hendersons went into the US more psychedelic direction, the Belfast Gypsies were the original Them-fidelity sound. Big hits the two groups did not. With singer and guitarist Jim Parker made ​​Henderson in 1971 the miraculous album Them in Reality, which the old hits Gloria and Baby please do not go were cast in a new garage jacket. It would be the last Them Release, after a decade remained silent. In 1979 there was a brief reunion with some former members Them. Billy Harrison, Alan Henderson and Eric Wrixon names along with singer Mel Austin and drummer Billy Bell LP Shut your mouth up. Most of the songs were written by Harrison. The intention was that the band below on tour would go, but it was far, Harrison and Wrixon dropped out, so Jim Armstrong on guitar and Brian Scott as keyboardist went on a journey.

From the eighties played several former members of the group in varying combinations together yet again. The name Them was admittedly no longer used, but in Northern Ireland, this was the opportunity at each event to see part of the legendary group on stage. Include Alan Henderson, Billy Harrison, Jim Armstrong, Eric Wrixon and Joe Baldi took part in the Them-reincarnations.

Morrison kept himself far from always and will rarely be reminded of his past Them, though Gloria remains part of his repertoire. In the short time that he was part of Them, the group has meant a lot for the development of pop music. Any subsequent bands have been inspired by Them.

Wrixon and (Eric) Bell would emerge in 1969 with Thin Lizzy . Armstrong played in the Belfast Blues Band before starting his own Jim Armstrong Band and Terry Noon was a producer and worked with Honeybus ,Shocking Blue , Jonathan King and George Baker Selection .

Them in the Netherlands
Them got great popularity in the Netherlands. That was partly due to the journal Hitweek . Here published extensive documentation about the group, composition and music. Apart Here comes the night and Gloriahad Them in the Netherlands no big hits, but both albums sold fairly. When the group itself had no more new material, specially for the domestic market composed an album Them, one more time, which came out in the budget series Favourites Parade. When Gloria in 1968 ascended the charts again and again there was demand for records of the group, was four songs from the sessions for Them Again with the song The Story of Them and six different songs bundled to the album The Story of Them, featuring Van Morrison. Them has never played in the Netherlands. Only after Morrison left the band, there was demand for performances in the Netherlands. Morrison arrived alone and was accompanied by Cuby & the Blizzards. Part of the performance they gave in the Buitensocieteit in Deventer in March 1967, was recorded at the (bootleg) LP Please no smoke.

Band Members
(Inter alia)
 * Van Morrison - lead vocals, saxophone and blues harp
 * Kenney McDowell - solo singing
 * Mel Austin - lead vocals
 * Billy Harrison - Guitar
 * Joe Baldi - guitar
 * Jim Armstrong - guitar
 * Jim Parker - lead vocals and guitar
 * Eric Bell - guitar
 * Jerry Cole - lead vocals and guitar
 * Alan Henderson - bass guitar
 * Eric Wrixon - piano and organ and later solo singing
 * Jackie McAuley - piano and organ (and later lead vocals)
 * Peter Barden - piano and organ
 * Ray Elliot - piano, organ, saxophone, flute
 * Ronnie Millings - drums
 * John Wilson - drums
 * Pat McAuley - drums, piano and organ
 * Dave Harvey - drums
 * Terry Noon - drums
 * John Stark - drums
 * Billy Bell - drums

Discography
From the period of Van Morrison After Morrison As Belfast Gypsies
 * The angry young them Them (1965)
 * Them Again (1966)
 * Them One more time (just released in the Netherlands) (1966)
 * The Story of Them, featuring Van Morrison (released only in the Netherlands) (1968)
 * Now and Them (1968)
 * Time Out Time In for Them (1968)
 * Them (1970)
 * Them into Reality (1971)
 * Shut your mouth (1979)
 * Belfast Gypsies (1968)