Biography
Formed amid the first stirrings of the British Invasion, Rupert & the Red Devils operated as a racially integrated ska/rock outfit. The previously unissued 1962 cut “It’s for You” later surfaced on the anthology The In Crowd: U.K. Mod R&B/Beat 1964-1967. Its hybrid Merseybeat-ska flavor, however, points to a probable 1963 recording date, since the Merseybeat imprint feels too pronounced for 1962. The track remains engaging despite occasional lapses in intonation. Guitarist Ray Fenwick ranked as the band’s most prominent alumnus, later appearing with the Syndicats and in the post-Steve Winwood edition of the Spencer Davis Group.