RAPIERS ARE GO!

Defaced Walkers Brit Trips Advert

No update on a reconstituted Walkers advert, but prankster DanielReidTheEditor from Exeter added several salacious destinations and sponsorship (e.g., the National Bust) to the original. Says DRTE: "I edit videos and remix music and all that kind of funky stuff. Enjoy my home made efforts. If not then up your bum!!!"

Warning: Avert your eyes if you're easily offended.

Rapiers 25 Pictorial

Bournemouth's Barry Gillam left his seat to bag this colourful quartet of Rapiers images from their Silver Anniversary concert.

Top to bottom, from upper left: 1) Billie Davis offers sweets for the lads (long-time fan Jacky Cain at right), 2) Neil Ainsby, Dave Lawes and Nathan J. Hulse sync into a red triangle during the final set, 3) The entire front line put an emphatic exclamation point on The William Tell Overture, 4) Colin Pryce-Jones and Roger Cover "put it there" on a job well done.

Rapiers Walkers Advert Withdrawn, Re-mixed Following Complaints Over Bus Losing Its Top

"Absolutely seething" over "political correctness gone stark staring mad", Dave Lawes tipped me this morning to the news. "I am thinking of contacting Hollywood to ask them to suspend every action epic just in case any scene in any film may offend someone somewhere!" he roared.

The article below ran in the Yorkshire Post. Has anyone seen the new advert? Do The Rapiers still get to go on holiday?

Crisp company pulls bus crash TV advert

A crisps manufacturer has withdawn a TV advert which shows the top of a bus being sliced off, following dozens of complaints from viewers.

Walkers said it had cut the offending scene from the ad and a a new version will be aired today.

Among those who complained was the survivor of a Glasgow bus crash in which two adults and three children died.

The advert shows former footballer Gary Lineker driving a bus while eating crisps. He is so busy munching away he fails to notice a low bridge sign and hits it. The top of the bus is sliced off with a loud crash.

Louise Penman spent two weeks in hospital after a double-deck carrying Girl Guides from the Drumchapel area of the city crashed into a railway bridge in 1994.

The 24-year-old, who now lives in Kilmarnock, Ayrshire, was shocked by the advert. She was among 91 people who complained to the Advertising Standards Authority.

She said: "It has been a horrific couple of weeks. We feel more for people who lost family—we are still here. I do not see how they can justify an advert like that for a bag of crisps.

"It's so graphic and horrific. I can't believe they think it is fine because it was such a tragic time for us."

Walkers said they had never set out to cause offence and apologised for the distress.

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NB: Reader reaction in The Scotsman here, Evening Times Online here and at MSN Shadow Music here.

They Came, They Saw, They Posted

Sentiment drawn from the Amersham Rock 'n' Roll Club guestbook.

Roger White: What a superb evening last Saturday. First time my wife and I have been to the Rock 'n' roll Club. Not that we haven't been to the hall before, but you forget what a friendly place it is and the super atmosphere. We went to see The Rapiers and that was a first too. Fantastic band with a brilliant and gifted leader in Colin. Jet Harris, Bruce Welch in attendance. Mike Berry, "Cliff", Billie Davis, just a non-stop electric night. We are both 60, but on the night, we were 21 again. Well done to all.

Len Williams: My compliments on the excellent sound at your venue. The Rapiers show was what my son would call "awesome". Great band with a great sound. Bruce Welch, Jet Harris, etc. It was truly a star-studded night and you get a five-star rating for putting on such a wonderful concert.

Yvonne Radcliffe: Agree with what others have said about Saturday's show—FANTASTIC!!!!!!!!!!! So looking forward to the June one with Steve Ellis and New Amen Corner. I hear Steve is still in great voice. New Amen Corner are just superb. You certainly put on some wonderful shows.

Ben White: Just got home from a great weekend away that included a first visit to your superlative show with The Rapiers and their guests. What a memorable night. They're a magnificent band and Jet Harris was spectacular. Bruce Welch in the audience. It was like a dream, but true! I wish you every luck and even though I live a long way away I will be back. So good to see you doing so much for charity too. Bravo.

Karen Middleton: Great great great show on Saturday. I didn't know about The Rapiers but my husband and I decided to give it a chance because your shows are always so good. Well we were just amazed at what a talented band they are and so much energy. It was like WOW. Jet Harris had us spellbound. It was a fantastic experience to see a Shadow up there. And then we met Bruce Welch. What a lovely man. Mike Berry, Billie Davis, it was just an awesome night. Thank you all. We're booking this week for New Amen Corner and Steve Ellis and for the October show at the same time with Chip Hawkes. How do you do it? These shows at those prices are nothing short of excellent value for money and they're always more exciting than other places we've gone to.

2 Rapiers for Walkers, Routemaster as Seen on TV

You're never alone with a packet of Walkers Crisps, eh, fellas?

Snowy Easter Sunday, the afternoon after their Silver Anniversary party, found John Tuck and Colin Pryce-Jones enjoying the 16th annual Pipeline Magazine Instrumental Convention at the Bushey Sports Club, run by Rapiers historian J.C. "Dick" West. Wisely, the venue's bar stocked our lads' favourite snack food.

Shadow Bruce Welch (below with Colin) made the scene as well, honoured as combos galore—e.g., Los Jets, Silhouets, Runaways—peppered their sets with Shads tracks. The affable host of the all-instro-no-vocals affair was Glaswegian George Geddes (bottom, chatting with my missus and John).

Meanwhile, during my five-night London holiday, SKY3 TV had the Walkers Routemaster ad in rotation thrice hourly. Anorakishly, I videoed the spot off my hotel telly for posterity. Here 'tis.

Amersham Set 3: Blue Suits: William Tell Overture

The Rapiers don't smash guitars, spit at punters down front, fire laser beams or trot out other noisy attractions.

They do, however, remember The William Tell Overture "at the gallop", once a crowd-pleasing, breathless closing staple of their live set. For me, it was merely a distant rumour, retired for good; over 16 years of live Rapierwatching I'd never witnessed its spectacle.

Saturday, a blue moon rose in the Buckinghamshire sky. Before the show came the whispers: Yes, they were going to have another go, the first in seven years; furthermore, it would be Nathan J. Hulse's first attempt ever.

And it happened.

To cap their Silver Anniversary concert, after three sets and 43 numbers, Dave Lawes, Neil Ainsby, John Tuck, Colin Pryce-Jones and Nathan summoned a last drop of petrol and raced headlong into a manic version of this forgotten number, high-stepping, scurrying back and forth across the stage, leaping on the final chord.

Rapiers are go, indeed.

Amersham Set 3: Blue Suits: FBI

The first clip I ever saw of The Shadows was their 1961 appearance on the British TV show Crackerjack, performing FBI live in glorious monochrome. Instantly cool I thought. Especially the loose-as-a-goose kicking from bassist Jet Harris. Forty-seven years on, the tune loses nothing of its swagger, nothing of its menace.

Amersham Set 3: Blue Suits: Short Shorts

In the late '80s, the Dallaston-Lawes-Tuck-Pryce-Jones Rapiers backed singer Freddie Garrity, famous for outrageous Merseybeat numbers like "Do the Freddie", "You Were Made for Me" and "Short Shorts" with his band of Dreamers.

Here the ever-effervescent Neil Ainsby, in glasses and brandishing a feather duster, channels Freddie's delirious stage persona, earning the title "Bootleg Freddie Garrity" for his efforts. Highlight: Listen for the "we're real knackered" response from Dave and Colin.

Dave Lawes Recovered, Looks Forward to 2013

"A truly magical evening, a fantastic 25th."

That's how Dave Lawes summarised The Rapiers' Silver Anniversary concert the morning after, adding tongue-in-cheekily: "We have just recovered from doing The William Tell Overture, our last number, for the first time in years!"

On a serious note: "Colin, John, Nathan, Neil and I would like to express our gratitude to all our friends and fans who made the effort to attend the show (completely sold out) and to the musicians who made a special trip to support us: Bruce Welch, Jet Harris, Mike Berry, Billie Davis, Danny Rivers, Roger Cover, Bill Bonney, to name but a few."

What about the future? Believe it or not...

"We have already spoken about our 30-year anniversary as being the next milestone," Dave said. "Don't know what we'll do for that yet, but God willing we'll all still be here."

AND ON BASS GUITAR: Nathan J. Hulse (with camera) and Neil Ainsby check Dave Lawes, John Tuck and Colin Pryce-Jones rehearsing with legendary ex-Fentone bassist Bill Bonney—bow down, this man played on giant early '60s tracks like "I'm a Moody Guy" and "The Breeze and I". Bill flew from his home in Canada especially for the show, joining The Rapiers in their opening set for instrumentals "The Mexican" and "Just for Jerry", plus Eddie Cochran's "Somethin' Else".

GATHER ROUND: Colin, Bill B., Dave, his wife Alex, and Neil admire Pipeline Magazine's Summer 2004 Rapiers special backstage at the Amersham Rock 'n' Roll Club.

Amersham Set 1: Black Suits: I'll Never Get Over You

Recorded for The Rapiers' second LP (1961) by the Lawes-Tuck-Dallaston-Pryce-Jones line-up, this Johnny Kidd and The Pirates slice of Merseybeat has always been in my all-time British Beat Top 10. And why not with highlights like ringing chords, pinpoint guitar solo and close harmonies. Wasn't it Colin who once famously said, "As long as I can draw breath, I will honour the memory of Johnny Kidd".

Amersham Set 2: Silver Suits: Buckleshoe Stomp

"Like at the time of Nelson's fleet, everybody dance to the buckleshoe beat..."

Now there's an "only-from-the-'60s" crazy pop line if ever I heard one. Fortunately, I heard it again Saturday night. In my book, Buckleshoe Stomp stands and delivers as The Rapiers' No. 1 calling card in Beat Band shakedom, an absolute stormer I can't scream enough for. Alas their 2001 single recording of this Snobs original is out of print (though I did see a copy for sale at the merchandising table).

So, until BS gets re-recorded at Toe Rag Studios or compiled by a smart-thinking label, see it done live and loud.

Total Numbers Performed=44

Lordy, where would I be without Rob Bradford documenting a special Rapiers evening song by song in almost complete darkness? If I may slide into baseball parlance, his box score from Amersham Saturday night is below—it's tiring just to peruse.

For what it's worth:

• The Rapiers subtitled the sets "Dave", "Neil" and "Dave/Neil".
• Founding Rapiers bassist Roger Cover guested on Fool's Errand and Peppermint Twist.
• Three wardrobe changes saw the lads wearing, in order, black, silver and blue stage suits.
• Shadow Bruce Welch attended the show.
• Meet The Rapiers.

Nearly a show-stopper, Colin Pryce-Jones' left index finger starting cramping terribly during a hard-driving Saturday Night at the Duckpond, forcing him to improvise his playing for the rest of the set, an heroic feat that stunned the audience ("I was praying for him," said one witness). Despite stretching, shaking and massaging, "my finger just wouldn't work," Colin said. "That's only happened to me twice on stage in my life."

Set 1
Teen Scene / Move It Baby (v) / Peak Hour / Linda Lou (v) / Husky Team / Farmer John (v) / Love Potion #9 (v) / The Phantom Widow / Telstar / I'll Never Get Over You (v) / Fool’s Errand (v) / Peppermint Twist (v) / The Mexican* / Just for Jerry* / Somethin’ Else* (v) (15)
* = with Bill Bonney (bass)

Set 2
Shadoogie / The Savage / On the Beach* (v) / Bachelor Boy* (v) / Move It* (v) / Do You Wanna Dance?* (v) / Buckleshoe Stomp (v) / That’s Alright (v) / Wooly Bully (v) / Tribute to Buddy Holly (v)** / On My Mind (v)** / Maybe Baby ** (v) / Don’t You Think It’s Time? ** (v) / Wipeout (14)
* = with Kytson "Cliff" Wolfe
** = with Mike Berry

Set 3
Saturday Nite at the Duckpond / Good Golly Miss Molly (v) / I Want You to Be My Baby* (v) / Little Sister** (v) / Movin’ In** (v) / Please Don’t Touch (v) / Scarlett O’Hara*** / Theme From Something Really Important*** / Diamonds*** / Wonderful Land*** / FBI*** / Short Shorts (v) / Go Back to Daddy (v) / Right Behind You Baby (v) / William Tell Overture (15)
* = with Billie Davis
** = with Danny Rivers
*** = with Jet Harris

Total numbers performed = 44 (Vocals 27, Instrumentals 17)

Amersham Set 3: Blue Suits: Neil + Dave

Oi! You're not hallucinating, dreaming or seeing double. That's Dave Lawes and his successor Neil Ainsby playing live side by side for the first time in Rapiers lore, a sea of Stratocaster red.

And now some lead guitar showing off, on Right Behind You Baby, as Dave and Colin did back in the day.

Rapiers Roll Call at Silver Anniversary Show

Laughter and pain, precision and risk taking, merriment and reunion. A once-in-a-25-year-lifetime evening. A triumph. A sold-out hall as witness. There's much to tell and show...

At the climax, taking their final bows, I counted six assembled Rapiers, including two generations of rhythm guitarists and bassists, on stage last night at the packed-out Amersham Rock 'n' Roll Club.

Below, from left: Dave Lawes, Neil Ainsby, Nathan J. Hulse, John Tuck, Roger Cover (in original Rapier black) and Colin Pryce-Jones. If Dave and Neil look positively knackered, well, hours of rehearsal plus three lengthy sets (back to back to back)—capped by a stormingly monumental sprint-in-place through the breathtakingly rare William Tell Overture—would floor any guitar-wielding mortal.

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"Thanks, chum!" Here Colin introduces the lads, one by one, then gets the homilies turned on himself courtesy wise-cracking Neil:

Saturday Night at Amersham

London, 21 March 2008: Under rain gray skies, it's less than 24 hours to Rapiers 25. Late word has 1) cagey Roger Cover, founding Rapiers bassist, attending (hooray!), 2) a lamentable "No, sorry!" coming from his successor Brad Dallaston (phooey!), and 3) "Sold Out!" greeting you at the door (well done folks!).

See you soon.

Post o' the Week: Tempting Miss M.

Dear Rapiers:

[Your Walkers Crisps advert] makes me really want to go on another FAB trip to Britain soon! Sipping tea (with scones), enjoying endless walks in the rain (wearing my wellies and waxcoat and a funny hat with a feather) and last but definitely not least going to a pub (probably called "The Fox and Hound") having a pint of bitter (with Walkers salt and vinegar crisps on the side) whilst listening to The Rapiers on the jukebox.

Toodle pip!
Miss Marlypenny
Rotterdam, Netherlands

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"Welcome to Girlsville," notes the swinging Miss M. on her MySpace pad. She's a "'60s addicted interior designer" who "might be tempted to tell you more" should you buy her a beer "when you meet me on the dancefloor". And remember her general interests: "Collecting girls on 45 and occasionally playing them in public, mid-century modern design, Googie architecture, playing old-fashioned board games, talking (usually too much), laughing (never enough), watching bands (I'm the one at the front yelling 'Yoohoo' 'cause I still can't whistle properly), dancing and playing the air guitar."

Is That Mr. Wilde on "Summer Holiday"?

Sorry Gary Lineker, rumour says the voice actually singing Summer Holiday in the Walkers Crisps advert is none other than legend Marty Wilde.

Rapiers Are Go! for Walkers Crisps in TV Advert

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Watch that low bridge, boys!

A month ago, Colin Pryce-Jones briefed us on the band's Walkers Crisps ad featuring British footballer Gary Lineker piloting a classic Routemaster bus through the English countryside, singing Cliff and The Shadows' Summer Holiday melody while our lads—Colin, Dave Lawes, Nathan J. Hulse and John Tuck—frolic upstairs as Gary's Shadows, all promoting "Great Brit Trips" and the fast food snack.

Colin, ever cautious, asked us to keep the news under wraps until today's official campaign launch during Sky-TV and ITV programing.

Media Time

• Beam.tv lets you play the advert double size or download a 16.4 MB version of the spot for close-up viewing of our lads' cheery and Uh, oh! expressions.
• YouTube has viewer comments.
• MSN Shadow Music does, too.

Colin Pryce-Jones on the Back Story

GO: Colin, How did this advert come about?

CP-J: We have Shadows manager Brian Goode and Bruce Welch to thank. Brian was approached by an advertising company to find a Shadows-styled group for a new Walkers Crisps advert. Brian phoned Bruce, who recommended us. He rang up, "Do you want to play The Shadows in new TV advert?" We said yes.

GO: Well, it's certainly a stretch.

CP-J: We were asked by the production company, "Do you have stage suits that look like The Shadows?" We said, "Why, yes we do!"

GO: That's not you on the soundtrack behind Gary Lineker?

CP-J: No, we had to mime to a new version of Summer Holiday with different words promoting British holidays. We were also given Squier guitars to play. In fact, one is being raffled off Saturday at Amersham, signed by us and Gary, to benefit Macmillan Cancer Support.

GO: Where was everything filmed?

CO-J: Outdoors at Goodwood Race Track in West Sussex, indoors at Shepperton Studios in Surrey. Two days altogether. We did eight takes on the bus. The first run with the top ripped off was hair raising. The bus was going only 15 to 20 mph but slammed on the brakes. We went all over the place. That got a good reaction from the director! Unfortunately, during one take, Dave Lawes cut his hand pretty badly—lots of bleeding. We had to summon the medics!

Walkers Watch

Says adbrands.net:

Walkers Crisps is the UK's best-selling branded food snack. Walkers have a special place in the nation's affections as a result of a long-running advertising campaign featuring former England footballer Gary Lineker, which has been running since 1995. Total sales are estimated at more than £1bn a year. Since 1981 the business has been the UK arm of global salty snack giant Frito-Lay, a division of Pepsico.

Perusing the Walkers site, I see perennial flavour favorites such as salt and vinegar, cheese and onion, even steak and onion, but spud oddities like, erm, marmite. Would you pack that on your holiday?

OT Video Triple Play + 1: Dave Clark Five Joy Is Eternal, Said Tom Hanks

If you were away on a mission to Mars, Tottenham, England's beloved Dave Clark Five are now members of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, a long time coming.

Below, in a four-part series from the Rock and Hall of fame induction ceremony, actor Tom Hanks (pure genius) tells us why we should be glad all over, surviving DC5 members Dave Clark, Lenny Davidson and Rick Huxley bask in the spotlight again, Joan Jett goes Bits and Pieces, and John Fogerty takes us home.

Waiting

Dreamily overexposed by Nathan J. Hulse, this crisp snap shows silhouetted John Tuck, Dave Lawes and Colin Pryce-Jones on break... yet on call. But where? For what?

1. A clue: Walkers might prefer this mode of transport.
2. Another: It's in the bag and you can get your fill (but it's got nothing whatsover to do with the Hippy Hippy Shake).
3. And this: Where does a Tottenham legend go on holiday?

UPDATE 16 MARCH 2008: Trust me, I don't like waiting, not even to "save a packet". Until all is revealed, here's a second "lads on the set" snap, this one blue on blue, thanks to Nathan J. Hulse. I see John Tuck's got sticks, but can anyone fathom what Colin Pryce-Jones is carrying?

UPDATE 17 MARCH 2008: At last, it's here—The Rapiers starring in a UK TV advert alongside Gary Lineker for Walkers Crisps.

Countdown Starts to Easter Weekend Celebrations

Six days to the Big 25 on 22 March. For you laggards, still fence sitting, hope is closing, per Ralph Gowling this morning:

Please note The Record Shop Ltd has sold out its allocation of its tickets for The Rapiers' 25th Anniverary Concert at the Amersham Rock 'n' Roll Club on Easter Saturday.

There has been in surge in ticket sales in the last few days and now only about 30 tickets remain for sale through the Club. If you wish to get in before the SOLD OUT notice goes up, please send your cheque (£13.50 per ticket) to Ian Hamilton, Manager, The Polish Club, Raans Road, Amersham, Bucks HP6 6LX to secure your bookings.

Please make cheques payable to "The Polish Club" and send your order with your phone number in case of queries. Phone Ian on 01494 727173 to tell him to expect the cheque and at this stage he will keep your tickets for collection on the night.

As always, learn more on the Amersham Rock 'n' Roll home page.

Cut Us Some Slack

Holy reprise, Batman! Seems the two Yanks in Amersham angle has legs. From David Parker's Beat Magazine, March 2008. BTW: Rapiers were not was.

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From the Archives: Cliff The Musical

Wherein our lads doffed a casual look, at London's Prince of Wales Theatre, April 2003.

That's Gordon Kenney as "Welch" behind the wheel, and The Rapiers—the late Wayne Nicholls, Nathan J. Hulse and Colin Pryce-Jones—surrounding singer Ricky Aron and Mike Read (second from right, portraying "Sir Cliff") during a breezy Cliff The Musical scene inspired by Cliff Richard's Summer Holiday.

Image courtesy Colin Rozee. Photo by Louise Strickland.

Will Kaiser George See In Rapiers' 25th?

Ralph G. can spread rumour, so can I.

Fingers crossed, I hear George Miller, leader of the defunct Kaisers, The Rapiers' brothers-in-British-Beat, may deign to make his way from Glasgow to witness the Amersham Rock 'n' Roll Club happening.

Besides leading the ubermost post-Hamburg Beatles combo, George could pass for Colin Pryce-Jones's long-lost twin brother, sharing musical controls permanently set for 1962, a passion for analogue recording techniques epitomised by producer Liam Watson's fabled Toe Rag Studios in East London and sartorial choices down to the choice of winkle-pickers and eyeglasses.