The Liberators

In 1964, a five-piece beat group assembled in Rugby. Sam "Widge" Kemp supplied lead vocals, Barrie Bernard played bass, Tom Long handled lead guitar, Tony Newman covered rhythm guitar, and John Wallbank sat at the drums. The ensemble collaborated with Shel Talmy on a lone single, the driving "It Hurts So Much" b/w "You Look So Fine," issued by the Stateside label in 1965. Afterward the musicians shifted both their image and sound; Sam Kemp shed the nickname "Widge," adopted "Pinkerton" instead, and took up the electric autoharp, allowing the band to evolve into Pinkerton's Assorted Colours and enjoy a short run near the top of the charts.