The Tremeloes

The Tremeloes
The Tremeloes in 1968. L–R: Dave Munden, Rick Westwood, Chip Hawkes, Alan Blakley
Background information
Origin	Essex, England
Genres	Beat
Years active	1958–present
Labels	Decca, CBS (UK), Epic (US)
Members	Len "Chip" Hawkes Eddie Wheeler Mick Clarke Richard Marsh Jodie Hawkes
Past members	Alan Blakley Dave Munden Alan Howard Bob Benham Paul Carman Dave Fryer Eddie Jones Rick Westwood
Website	thetremeloes.co.uk

The Tremeloes are an English beat group founded in 1958 in Dagenham, Essex. They initially found success in the British Invasion era with lead singer Brian Poole, scoring a UK chart-topper in 1963 with "Do You Love Me". After Poole's departure in 1966, the band achieved further success as a four-piece with 13 Top 40 hits in the UK Singles Chart between 1967 and 1971 including "Here Comes My Baby", "Even the Bad Times Are Good", "(Call Me) Number One", "Me and My Life" and their most successful single, "Silence Is Golden".

Career

They were formed as Brian Poole and the Tremoloes (the spelling "tremoloes" was soon changed because of a spelling mistake in an East London newspaper) influenced by Buddy Holly and the Crickets.

On New Year's Day, 1962, Decca, looking for a beat group, auditioned two promising young bands: Brian Poole and the Tremeloes and another combo (also heavily influenced by Buddy Holly) from Liverpool, the Beatles. Decca chose Brian Poole and the Tremeloes over the Beatles, reportedly based on location – the Tremeloes were from the London area, making them more accessible than the Liverpool-based Beatles.

The original quintet consisted of lead vocalist Brian Poole, lead guitarist Rick West (born Richard Westwood), rhythm guitarist/keyboardist Alan Blakley, bassist Alan Howard and drummer Dave Munden.

Brian Poole and the Tremeloes first charted in the UK in July 1963 with a cover version of "Twist and Shout", a song previously popularised in America by the Isley Brothers, and already released by the Beatles in the UK in March 1963 on their first British LP, Please Please Me. They followed "Twist and Shout" with a chart topping cover of the Contours' US million-seller "Do You Love Me" in the same year, in turn followed by "I Can Dance". The group also had success in the UK in 1964 with covers of Roy Orbison's B-side "Candy Man" and a previously obscure Crickets' B-side ballad, "Someone, Someone"; both entered the UK Singles Chart Top Ten, with the latter peaking at no. 2. Other Decca-era chart singles included "Three Bells" and a version of "I Want Candy".

With Poole leaving to attempt a solo career (which proved unsuccessful) in 1966, the Tremeloes continued as a four-piece band with a revised line-up (Howard left the band in 1966). Len "Chip" Hawkes, (father of Chesney Hawkes), replaced Howard.

Their first single as a four piece, released on Decca, was a cover of Paul Simon's song "Blessed", which failed to chart. After switching from Decca to CBS Records, with Mike Smith producing, The Tremeloes' first single on CBS was a cover of The Beatles Revolver song "Good Day Sunshine". This also failed to chart, but established a new image of a more contemporary group in tune with the times, which set them up for future continued chart singles as they then started a successful hit run from 1967 onwards with Cat Stevens' "Here Comes My Baby"; "Hello World"; three Italian hits translated into English: "Suddenly You Love Me", which is Riccardo Del Turco's "Uno tranquillo" ("One quiet man"), "I'm Gonna Try", which is Riccardo Del Turco's 1968 hit "Luglio" ("July"), and "My Little Lady", based on Orietta Berti's "Non illuderti mai" ("Never deceive yourself"); and their number one recording of a Four Seasons' B-side "Silence Is Golden". Both this last single and "Here Comes My Baby" also entered the Top 20 of the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 on CBS' co-owned Epic Records.

All members shared vocals, though most of the songs featured either Hawkes or drummer Dave Munden as the lead singer. Guitarist Rick Westwood sang falsetto co-lead vocal with Hawkes' lower range vocal and group harmonies also featured on "Silence Is Golden". Their regular hits were accompanied by frequent appearances on BBC's Top of the Pops TV programme. Their songs were popular with younger music fans and parents rather than rock music fans, although their albums and 'B' sides included more rock-styled tracks such as band compositions "Try Me" and the instrumental "Instant Whip". Their more commercial songs, such as "Even the Bad Times Are Good" (UK no. 4, 1967), "Helule Helule" (UK no. 14, 1967), "Suddenly You Love Me" and "My Little Lady" (both UK no. 8 in 1968), proved to be more popular than the falsetto-led "Be Mine" sung by Rick Westwood, which stalled in the lower top 40, or a string accompanied cover of Bob Dylan's "I Shall Be Released" (UK no. 29, 1969), but the more ambitious group-composed "(Call Me) Number One" reached no. 2 in the UK in 1969. Altogether, without Poole the group had nine UK Top 20 hits.

Westwood and Blakley were dual lead guitarists with guitar/sitar and banjo, pedal steel guitar and keyboards featured on their songs. Hawkes could play drums in addition to bass guitar. Blakley-Hawkes composed much of their original material, mostly on albums and 'B' sides, then some later singles, while Munden and Westwood also made songwriting contributions.

Their cover version of Jeff Christie's song "Yellow River" (sung by Dave Munden) was shelved at the time, but Christie's lead vocal set to their backing became a UK chart hit for Christie in 1970. The Tremeloes versions sung in both English and Spanish later were released on compact disc compilations. "Me and My Life", written by Blakley-Hawkes, was a no. 4 UK chart hit in 1970, while "By the Way" reached no. 35 that year. Their album Master, which they released a few weeks later, failed to sell well, and they had no British hits after "Hello Buddy" (no. 32) in 1971. Nevertheless, they recorded several more singles throughout the decade, with further chart singles in Europe, including "Blue Suede Tie" (no. 38 Germany), "Too Late to Be Saved" (no. 33 Germany), "Ride On" (no. 16 Germany), "It's OK (Say Ole If You Love Me)", and "Do I Love You", some of which received heavy airplay, particularly on Radio Luxembourg. "I Like It That Way" even made the Dutch Top 10, reaching no. 9 after the Dutch service of Radio North Sea International promoted it as its weekly Treiterschijf. They also released another three albums of original material, Shiner (1974), Don't Let the Music Die (1975), with some copies being credited to a group Space on the record label although the Tremeloes' pictures were on the sleeve (this album was also credited to The Tremeloes on the cover and featured Dave Munden, with Bob Benham, Paul Carman, and Paul Issac making up the group), and All for One and One for All (1992).

After the hits

Their music is still available on CD, and they quite often play concerts and are part of the pop-revival shows that constantly tour the UK. Their line-up changed several times from 1972 onwards, the first new entrants being Bob Benham and a year later Aaron Woolley (replacing Blakley and Hawkes, both of whom later returned to the band), effectively a merger with a Tremeloes-managed group called Jumbo. Munden remained the only constant member. Hawkes pursued a solo career for a while producing two albums for RCA Records in Nashville, Tennessee. In 1979 he returned to England and rejoined the Tremeloes where he remained until 1988. Chip left the Tremeloes to focus on managing his son, Chesney, who had a number one hit record entitled "The One and Only". By 1992 Hawkes was touring once again as a solo artist. Blakley produced records for other acts, including the Rubettes, Bilbo Baggins and Mungo Jerry. In 1983 the original quartet reformed and made the lower reaches of the UK Top 100 with their cover version of the Europop hit "Words", losing out to a reactivation of the original by F. R. David.

As a soloist, Poole failed to chart with subsequent records, but pursued a successful cabaret career. His daughters, Karen and Shelly, hit the charts in 1996 as Alisha's Attic. Blakley died from cancer in June 1996, leaving Munden and West to continue in concert with newer recruits Dave Fryer (bass) and Joe Gillingham (keyboards). Jeff Brown, former bass player and lead vocals for The Sweet, replaced Fryer in 2005. Dave Fryer retired to live in Germany after leaving the band, and continues to write music and play occasionally.

In April 2004, at the request of the Animals, who were about to do their 40th anniversary tour, Hawkes was asked to form a band to tour with the Animals. This he did, bringing together a supergroup including Mick Avory (ex-the Kinks), Eric Haydock (ex-the Hollies), who teamed up to perform as the Class of '64, also featuring guitarists, Telecaster Ted Tomlin and Graham Pollock. The band toured around the world and recorded an album of past band hits and a new single called "She's Not My Child".

Brian Poole, Chip Hawkes and the Tremeloes toured the UK as part of their 40th anniversary reunion in September 2006.

In November 2015, Westwood and Hawkes were both charged with sexual assault relating to a case from 1968. They were acquitted in July 2016.

In 2019 two separate entities were touring - the latest incarnation of the original Tremeloes with Westwood, Clarke and Hawkes, along with Hawkes' son Jodie and Richard Marsh, and a tribute band "The Trems" with Gillingham, Brown, Twynham and Phil Wright (of the band Paper Lace). Hawkes stated in an interview that Munden had retired following knee issues resulting from a fall. Brian Poole toured with the band again in 2016, and played with his own band Brian Poole & Electrix. As of 2019 he appeared to no longer be actively performing.

Dave Munden (born on 2 December 1943) died on 15 October 2020, at age 76.

As of 2021, Chip Hawkes, Rick Westwood, Mick Clarke, Jodie Hawkes and Richard Marsh are still performing live as The Tremeloes in the UK nostalgia circuits.

Members

Current members

The Tremeloes

• Eddie Wheeler's – guitar, vocals (2021– present)
• Len "Chip" Hawkes – bass, vocals (1966–1972, 1979–1988, 2019–present)
• Mick Clarke – bass, vocals (1966–1967, 1992–1996, 2019–present)
• Richard Marsh – guitar, vocals (2019–present)
• Jodie Hawkes – drums, vocals (2019–present)

The Trems

• Joe Gillingham – keyboards, vocals (1988–present)
• Jeff Brown – bass, vocals (2005–present)
• Syd Twynham – guitar, vocals (2014–present)
• Phil Wright – drums, vocals (2019–present)

Former members

• Rick Westwood – guitar, vocals (1961–2012, 2019-2021)
• Dave Munden – drums, vocals (1958–2018) (died 2020)
• Alan Blakley – rhythm guitar, keyboards, vocals (1958–1972, 1979–1996; his death)
• Brian Poole – vocals (1958–1966, 2006, 2016)
• Alan Howard – bass, vocals (1958–1966)
• Ron Townsend – guitar, vocals (1958-1959)
• Bob Benham – guitar, vocals (1972–1979)
• Aaron Woolley – guitar, vocals (1975–1977)
• Dave Fryer – bass, vocals (1988–2005)
• Eddie Jones – guitar, vocals (2013–2014)

Discography

As Brian Poole and the Tremeloes

LPs

• Big Big Hits of '62 (UK. Ace of Clubs ACL 1146 (Decca Budget Imprint), May 1963)
• Twist and Shout (UK. Decca LK 4550, April 1964)
• Brian Poole Is Here! (USA. Audio Fidelity AFLP 2151, April 1965)
• It's About Time (UK. Decca LK 4685, April 1965)

EPs

• Swinging on a Star (UK. Decca DFE 8566, January 1964)
• Time Is on My Side (UK. Decca DFE 8610. March 1965)

As the Tremeloes

• Here Come The Tremeloes (USA. Epic LN 26310, / UK. CBS 63017, May 1967)
• Even the Bad Times Are Good / Silence Is Golden (USA. Epic BN 26326, October 1967)
• Alan, Dave, Rick and Chip (UK. CBS BPG 63138, November 1967)
• Suddenly You Love Me (USA. Epic BN 26363, March 1968)
• World Explosion! (USA. Epic BN 26388, May 1968)
• Live in Cabaret (UK. CBS S63547, August 1969)
• May Morning (UK. CBS S????? Unreleased LP, February 1970) (released in 2000 on Castle Music – CMRCD 025)
• Master (UK. CBS S64242, November 1970)
• Shiner (UK. DJM Records DJLPS 441, November 1974)
• Don't Let the Music Die (UK. DJM Records DJLPS 447, July 1975)

Singles

Release date	Title Songwriter(s)	Chart Positions
		UK	US	AUS	CAN	RIAA Certification
Brian Poole and the Tremeloes releases
1962	"Twist Little Sister" (John Beveridge / Pete Oakman)	–	–	–	–	–
	"Blue" (Ennio Favilla / Tony Renis / Arthur Altman /Giulio "Mogol" Rapetti)	–	–	–	–	–
1963	"A Very Good Year for Girls" (Fred Tobias / Clint Ballard Jr.)	–	–	–	–	–
	"Keep on Dancing" (Brian Poole/Alan Blakley /Mike Smith)	–	–	–	–	–
	"Twist and Shout" (Phil Medley / Bert Russell)	4	–	–	–	–
	"Do You Love Me" (Berry Gordy)	1	–	19	–	–
	"I Can Dance" (Martin Simpson)	31	–	24	–	–
1964	"Candy Man" (Fred Neil / Beverley Ross)	6	–	18	–	–
	"Someone, Someone" (Violet Ann Petty / Edwin Greines)	2	97	17	–	–
	"Twelve Steps to Love" (Terrence Lowly)	32	–	84	–	–
1965	"The Three Bells" (Jean Villard Gilles / Marc Herrand / Bert Reisfeld)	17	–	29	–	–
	"After a While" (Chris Stomsworth)	–	–	–	–	–
	"I Want Candy" (Bert Berns / Bob Feldman / Gerald Goldstein / Richard Gottehrer)	25	–	81	–	–
	"Good Lovin'" (Rudy Clark / Arthur Resnick)	–	–	98	–	–
The Tremeloes releases
1966	"Blessed" (Paul Simon)	–	–	–	–	–
	"Good Day Sunshine" (John Lennon / Paul McCartney)	–	–	–	–	–
1967	"Here Comes My Baby" (Cat Stevens)	4	13	47	7	Gold
	"Silence Is Golden" (Bob Crewe / Bob Gaudio)	1	11	5	8	Gold
	"Even the Bad Times Are Good" (Peter Callander / Mitch Murray)	4	36	46	7	Gold
	"Be Mine" (Alfredo Ferrari / Vito Pallavicini / Mike Smith / Duilio Sorrenti)	39	–	–	–	–
1968	"Suddenly You Love Me" (Peter Callander / Mario Panzeri / Daniele Pace / Laurenzo Pilat)	6	44	20	9	–
	"Helule Helule" (Daudi Kabaka)	14	–	29	–	–
	"My Little Lady" (Alan Blakley / Len Hawkes)	6	–	51	–	–
	"I Shall Be Released" (Bob Dylan)	29	–	47	–	–
1969	"Hello World" (Tony Hazzard)	14	–	–	–	–
	"Once on a Sunday Morning" (Luis Aguile / Larry Kusik / Eddie Snyder / Alan Blakley / Len Hawkes)	–	–	–	–	–
	"(Call Me) Number One" (Alan Blakley / Len Hawkes)	2	–	27	–	–
1970	"By the Way" (Alan Blakley / Len Hawkes)	35	–	–	–	–
	"Me and My Life" (Alan Blakley / Len Hawkes)	4	–	–	–	–
1971	"Right Wheel, Left Hammer, Sham!" (Alan Blakley / Len Hawkes)	46	–	–	–	–
	"Hello Buddy" (Alan Blakley / Len Hawkes)	32	–	–	–	–
1972	"I Like It That Way" (Alan Blakley / Len Hawkes)	–	–	–	–	–
	"Blue Suede Tie" (Alan Blakley / Len Hawkes)	–	–	–	–	–
1973	"Make It, Break It" (Alan Blakley / Len Hawkes)	–	–	–	–	–
	"You Can't Touch Sue" (Alan Blakley / Len Hawkes)	–	–	–	–	–
	"Ride On" (Alan Blakley / Len Hawkes)	–	–	–	–	–
1974	"Do I Love You?" (Alan Blakley / Len Hawkes)	–	–	–	–	–
	"Say O.K. (Say You Love Me)" (Alan Blakley / Len Hawkes)	–	–	–	–	–
	"Good Time Band" (Ted Summers)	–	–	–	–	–
1975	"Rocking Circus" (Alan Blakley / Len Hawkes)	–	–	–	–	–
1976	"Caminando" (Alan Blakley / Len Hawkes)	–	–	–	–	–
1977	"Gin Gang Goolie" (Traditional)	–	–	–	–	–
1978	"Lonely Nights" (Alan Blakley / Paul Carman)	–	–	–	–	–
1979	"Lights of Port Royal" (Alan Blakley / Len Hawkes)	–	–	–	–	–
1983	"Words" (F. R. David)	91	–	–	–	–
1987	"Angel of the Morning" (Chip Taylor)	–	–	–	–	–
1989	"Lean on Me Baby" (Alan Blakley)	–	–	–	–	–

Bibliography

• The Guinness Book of 500 Number One Hits – ISBN 0-85112-250-7

External links

• Tremeloes biography and discography at 45-rpm.org.uk
• The Tremeloes discography at Discogs
• Entries at 45cat.com
• The Tremeloes at IMDb
• The Official Tremeloes website
• Website of The Trems, made up of former members of The Tremeloes