Casuals

Having triumphed three times on Opportunity Knocks, the enormously popular British talent programme of the late 1960s, the Casuals relocated from the UK to Italy and quickly established themselves as a major draw. The line-up comprised Alan Taylor (b. Halifax, Yorkshire, England; guitar, bass), Johnny Tebb (b. 1 October 1945, Lincoln, England; organ), Howard Newcombe (b. Lincoln, England; guitar, trumpet) and Robert O’Brien (b. Bridge Of Allan, Central Scotland; drums). They remained based in Milan for several years, returning to Britain in 1968 just as their single ‘Jesamine’ began its chart climb. Originally cut by the Bystanders under the title ‘When Jesamine Goes’, the Casuals’ version possessed a markedly commercial character that aligned with the contemporary appetite for heartfelt ballads, ultimately peaking at number 2. Subsequent releases fared poorly, leaving ‘Toy’ (1968), which reached number 30, as their sole additional success. The group persisted in delivering refined pop material; Move leader Roy Wood both wrote and produced the sleek ‘Caroline’ (1969). By the close of the decade, however, their musical approach had come to seem increasingly out of step with prevailing tastes.