Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers

Born on 4 June 1940 in Slough, Middlesex, England, Bennett ranked among the foremost British R&B singers of his generation. He assembled the Rebel Rousers toward the close of 1958, adopting the name from a then-current Duane Eddy recording. The founding members were Bennett on vocals, Mick King on guitar, Frank Allen on bass, Sid Phillips on piano and saxophone, and Ricky Winters on drums. By 1961 the configuration had shifted to Bernie Watson on guitar, Moss Groves on saxophone and Mick Burt on drums, retaining Bennett, Allen and Phillips. Dave Wendells took Watson’s place in December 1962, and Roy Young joined the following year on keyboards and vocals.

The group drew on rock ‘n’ roll, blue-eyed soul and R&B material. Producer Joe Meek briefly oversaw several singles that failed to chart. Further attempts with R&B covers likewise yielded no commercial traction. Early in 1964 Frank Allen left to replace Tony Jackson in the Searchers and was succeeded by Bobby Thompson. Despite an intensive schedule of domestic and overseas dates, the band finally scored a Top 10 placing in November 1964 with the brassy, upbeat reading of the Drifters’ “One Way Love.” The follow-up, “I’ll Take You Home,” reached only number 43. Subsequent covers of other R&B writers brought no further chart action.

Signing with Brian Epstein’s NEMS organisation placed the Rebel Rousers under the Beatles’ aegis; Paul McCartney produced their version of “Got To Get You Into My Life” from the newly issued Revolver album, which climbed to number 6 and became the band’s final Top 10 single. Shifting tastes soon marginalised beat groups, prompting a name change to Cliff Bennett And His Band and a brief pursuit of material by contemporary writers including Mark London and Roy Wood.

In mid-1969 Bennett disbanded the outfit and formed Toe Fat in an attempt to reach the progressive audience; the project is chiefly recalled for its provocative sleeve artwork. Rebellion followed in 1972 and Shanghai three years later, yet neither venture succeeded. Bennett eventually moved into advertising while continuing to perform on a semi-professional basis.