Biography
Before the Beatles ignited the early-1960s Beat Boom, Johnny Kidd & the Pirates ranked among England’s foremost rock & roll acts. Today they are recalled principally for the worldwide rock standard “Shakin’ All Over” and for shaping several later, better-known bands, chief among them the Who.
Frederick Heath, who performed as Johnny Kidd, launched his first group, the skiffle ensemble the Five Nutters, in 1957. After moving beyond skiffle and briefly leading the Fred Heath Combo, he assembled Alan Caddy on guitar, Tony Docherty on rhythm guitar, and Ken McKay on drums in early 1958; an EMI representative discovered the quartet, which was promptly christened Johnny Kidd & the Pirates and placed under contract.
In April 1959 the band cut its debut single, the striking “Please Don’t Touch,” whose menacing lead vocal propelled the track to number 26 on the British charts. Follow-up releases alternated strong R&B-inflected originals with clumsily interpreted standards.
During a May 1960 session intended for the standard “Yes Sir, That’s My Baby,” the group also taped an unfinished Heath composition earmarked as the B-side. Retitled “Shakin’ All Over,” the new number was promoted to the A-side, reached number one, and became the first wholly British rock song to attain international standard status. Powered by Caddy’s guitar figures and Heath’s brooding vocal delivery, the record astonished listeners who had not expected such intensity from an English band.
EMI, like other British labels of the period, remained uncertain how to exploit rock success; consequently the Pirates were compelled to record abundant inferior material alongside several worthy follow-ups. Lineup shifts ensued, the most consequential being the arrival of lead guitarist Mick Green. The group delivered one of the era’s most potent live shows, complete with pirate costumes, yet never secured the sustained hits needed to remain at the forefront of British rock, though it earned admiration from younger musicians.
The Who shared bills with Johnny Kidd & the Pirates early on and, after observing the Pirates’ configuration of solo singer backed by guitar, bass, and drums, adopted a similar format while adding “Shakin’ All Over” to their own set. Heath and his musicians persisted through the mid-1960s, even re-recording the hit; Green departed in 1964 for the Dakotas, Billy J. Kramer’s backing band, and was replaced by John Weider as Heath formed a fresh ensemble.
The mid-1960s briefly offered a more receptive climate for Heath’s R&B-rooted style. He assembled the New Pirates and appeared poised for renewed activity when a car crash on 7 October 1966 claimed his life. The New Pirates carried on under Johnny Carroll until mid-1967, at which point the group disbanded.
In the 1970s the Pirates, again featuring Mick Green, resumed performing and have continued to appear in England ever since, issuing several albums throughout the 1970s and 1980s that blend Johnny Kidd-era numbers with new material. Among the New Pirates alumni, bassist Nicky Simper later became a founding member of Deep Purple.
Frederick Heath, who performed as Johnny Kidd, launched his first group, the skiffle ensemble the Five Nutters, in 1957. After moving beyond skiffle and briefly leading the Fred Heath Combo, he assembled Alan Caddy on guitar, Tony Docherty on rhythm guitar, and Ken McKay on drums in early 1958; an EMI representative discovered the quartet, which was promptly christened Johnny Kidd & the Pirates and placed under contract.
In April 1959 the band cut its debut single, the striking “Please Don’t Touch,” whose menacing lead vocal propelled the track to number 26 on the British charts. Follow-up releases alternated strong R&B-inflected originals with clumsily interpreted standards.
During a May 1960 session intended for the standard “Yes Sir, That’s My Baby,” the group also taped an unfinished Heath composition earmarked as the B-side. Retitled “Shakin’ All Over,” the new number was promoted to the A-side, reached number one, and became the first wholly British rock song to attain international standard status. Powered by Caddy’s guitar figures and Heath’s brooding vocal delivery, the record astonished listeners who had not expected such intensity from an English band.
EMI, like other British labels of the period, remained uncertain how to exploit rock success; consequently the Pirates were compelled to record abundant inferior material alongside several worthy follow-ups. Lineup shifts ensued, the most consequential being the arrival of lead guitarist Mick Green. The group delivered one of the era’s most potent live shows, complete with pirate costumes, yet never secured the sustained hits needed to remain at the forefront of British rock, though it earned admiration from younger musicians.
The Who shared bills with Johnny Kidd & the Pirates early on and, after observing the Pirates’ configuration of solo singer backed by guitar, bass, and drums, adopted a similar format while adding “Shakin’ All Over” to their own set. Heath and his musicians persisted through the mid-1960s, even re-recording the hit; Green departed in 1964 for the Dakotas, Billy J. Kramer’s backing band, and was replaced by John Weider as Heath formed a fresh ensemble.
The mid-1960s briefly offered a more receptive climate for Heath’s R&B-rooted style. He assembled the New Pirates and appeared poised for renewed activity when a car crash on 7 October 1966 claimed his life. The New Pirates carried on under Johnny Carroll until mid-1967, at which point the group disbanded.
In the 1970s the Pirates, again featuring Mick Green, resumed performing and have continued to appear in England ever since, issuing several albums throughout the 1970s and 1980s that blend Johnny Kidd-era numbers with new material. Among the New Pirates alumni, bassist Nicky Simper later became a founding member of Deep Purple.
Albums
