The Riot Squad

The Riot Squad were a pop group from London, initially managed and produced by Larry Page and later, for their reunion, by Joe Meek.

Members included Graham Bonney (vocals), Ron Ryan (guitar), Len Tuckey (guitar), Mark Stevens (keyboards), Mike Martin (bass), Brian Davies (bass), Mitch Mitchell (drums), Roger Crisp (Bass), Terry Clifford (Guitar), Butch Davis (Piano), Derek "Del" Roll (Drums). Their only constant member was to be Bob Evans (saxophone), who, after the band split for the first time, "reunited" The Riot Squad with all new musicians.

In early 1967, they were joined by David Bowie, who at the time was recording material for his self-titled debut album. The band consisted of six members: Bowie (vocal, guitar, mouth-harp), Rod Davies (guitar), Brian "Croak" Prebble (Vocals), Bob Evans (tenor saxophone, flute), George Butcher (keyboards) and Derek Roll (drums). This incarnation recorded several tracks, including a cover of The Velvet Underground's "I'm Waiting for the Man", and a Velvets-influenced Bowie original called "Little Toy Soldier," which lifts its chorus nearly verbatim from The Velvets' "Venus in Furs."^[1] These and other songs featuring David Bowie were officially released in 2012 on "The Last Chapter: Mods & Sods".

Discography

• "Anytime" / "Jump" (Pye 7N 15752, January 1965)
• "I Wanna Talk About My Baby" / "Gonna Make You Mine" (Pye 7N 15817, June 1965)
• "Nevertheless" / "Not a Great Talker" (Pye 7N 15869, September 1965)
• "Cry, Cry, Cry" / "How Is it Done" (Pye 7N 17041, January 1966)
• "I Take it That We're Through" / "Working Man" (Pye 7N 17092, April 1966)
• "It's Never Too Late to Forgive" / "Try to Realise" (Pye 7N 171730, July 1966)
• "Gotta Be a First Time" / "Bittersweet Love" (Pye 7N 17237, 1967)

References

External links

• Walthamstow Memories website