The Nervous Fellas
Encyclopedia
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
's premier Rockabilly
Rockabilly
Rockabilly is one of the earliest styles of rock and roll music, dating to the early 1950s.The term rockabilly is a portmanteau of rock and hillbilly, the latter a reference to the country music that contributed strongly to the style's development...
bands, The Nervous Fellas began in Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
around the winter of 1986.
The band took its name from the lyrics of a Smiley Lewis
Smiley Lewis
Smiley Lewis was an American New Orleans rhythm and blues musician. The journalist, Tony Russell, in his book The Blues - From Robert Johnson to Robert Cray, stated "Lewis was the unluckiest man in New Orleans...
song titled "Real Gone Lover".
Their set list comprised obscure covers from the Fifties and their own original songs.
With Butch Murphy on vocals, Ronnie Hayward on bass, Chris Colt on guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
and Al Black on drums
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, they played mostly in Canada and were known for their exciting stage show and fast-paced Rockabilly.
They often played at "The Railway Club" ( http://www.therailwayclub.com/ )in Vancouver, where the idea of the band was formed.
By the winter of 1987, the band had a huge following and were billed as "Canada's rockabilly Madmen".
In the beginning, they started as an opening act for such bands as The Pogues
The Pogues
The Pogues are a Celtic punk band, formed in 1982 and fronted by Shane MacGowan. The band reached international prominence in the 1980s and early 1990s. MacGowan left the band in 1991 due to drinking problems but the band continued first with Joe Strummer and then with Spider Stacy on vocals before...
, Tragically Hip, George Thorogood
George Thorogood
George Thorogood is an American blues rock vocalist/guitarist from Wilmington, Delaware, United States, known for his hit song "Bad to the Bone" as well as for covers of blues standards such as Hank Williams' "Move It On Over" and John Lee Hooker's "House Rent Boogie/One Bourbon, One Scotch, One...
, and Junior Wells
Junior Wells
Junior Wells , born Amos Wells Blakemore Jr., was an American Chicago blues vocalist, harmonica player, and recording artist...
, but it was not long before they grabbed the main stage themselves.
They had several recordings on EastSide Records. Their first self-titled release was produced by Jimmy Roy from the Ray Condo
Ray Condo
Ray Condo was a Canadian rockabilly singer, saxophonist, and guitarist.-Life:Born Ray Tremblay in Hull, Quebec, Ray grew up across the river in Ottawa, Ontario the third of five children. Ray's two brothers, William and Robert were younger; his two sisters, Eileen and Maureen were older...
band. It was recorded in Jimmy Roy's living room.
Their second studio recording "Born To Be Wild" was released on the UK label Nervous Records
Nervous Records
Nervous Records is a UK based rockabilly music independent record label. It was formed in 1979. Artists include Nekromantix, Restless, The Nervous Fellas, The Quakes and many more. The website sells CDs and mp3s. Nervous Records an independent record label based in the UK born out of years of DJ...
in 1990.
While the band had a strong showing on the college radio charts, they were unable to break into mainstream radio play.
Personnel
Many personnel changes happened during the fellas short life. Chris Colt left in late 1987 to be replaced by Mark Johnson.Al Black left in 1990 to play fulltime in the Last Wild Sons. Butch Murphy was also in the Last Wild Sons.
Al Black was replaced by John Decan, who was later replaced by Billy Rogers.
Billy Rogers ( http://urotsukidojispad.com/rogers.html )had tasted some success with such bands as Johnny Thunders
Johnny Thunders
Johnny Thunders, born John Anthony Genzale, Jr. , was an American protopunk guitarist, singer and songwriter.He came to prominence in the early '70s as a member of the New York Dolls...
and the Ramones
Ramones
The Ramones were an American rock band that formed in the New York City neighborhood of Forest Hills, Queens, in 1974. They are often cited as the first punk rock group...
.
Billy Rogers died from complications due to pneumonia, at his home in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, on Tuesday, August 7, 2001.
Ronnie Hayward left in 1990 and was later replaced by Pete Turland. Pete, originally from England, had been in The Baskervilles along with Darrel Higham. The only original member to stay to the end, which was in the beginning of 1992, was Butch Murphy. Butch and Ronnie later teamed up to start the Bughouse 5.
Recent postings of the band on YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
have piqued the interest of rockabilly fans.
Reunion Show : Nervous Fellas (featuring the original members), Swank, The Deadcats @ Rickshaw Theatre June 20, 2009.
At the reunion show, a CD release was made available for the first time, which contained lost recordings from 1987.
On their Facebook
Facebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
page, it has been reported that Ronnie Hayward was no longer in the band. Phil Addington from SWANK is now playing upright bass.
Keyboardist Gary Fraser joined the band in 2012.
All members are currently living in the west coast of British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
.
Butch Murphy is currently playing with "The Bloody Miracles" which includes Phil Addington.
Al Black is currently the Vice President for the Nanaimo Blues Society ( http://www.nanaimobluesfestival.com/ )
Ronnie Hayward is currently playing with "The Ronnie Hayward Trio" in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
There is word of a new Nervous Fellas CD of currently unreleased material from the original band coming out in 2012
The Nervous Fellas name was also used by a band in UK after the original band broke up but does not have any of the Canadian members.
Discography
- The Nervous Fellas - Born to be Wild - Released in 1990 http://www.nervous.co.uk/nervousfellas.html
- The Nervous Fellas - Raw & Biting - Lost recording from 1987 - Released in 2009
- The Nervous Fellas - Live at the Rickshaw - Released in 2010
- The Nervous Fellas - The Other Side of Rock & Roll - Released in 1987 - very rare tape release
External links
- http://www.nervousfellas.ca Home of the Nervous Fellas
- http://www.myspace.com/nervousfellas
- http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Nervous-Fellas/228603537154516