The New Vaudeville Band
Encyclopedia
The New Vaudeville Band was a group
created by songwriter
Geoff Stephens
(born 1 October 1934, New Southgate
, North London
) in 1966 to record
his novelty
composition "Winchester Cathedral
", a song
inspired by the dance bands of the 1920s and a Rudy Vallee
megaphone
style vocal. To his surprise, the song became a transatlantic hit
that autumn, reaching the Top 10 in the UK
and rising to #1 in the US
. Global sales of the single were over three million, with the RIAA certification
of gold disc
status. The track also won a Grammy Award
for Best Contemporary Song
in 1967
. The lead vocal was sung by John Carter
, formerly of The Ivy League
, who had sung on the demo
of the record
, which Stephens decided to keep for the commercial release. An initial long-playing album was also issued in late 1966 by Fontana Records
, also titled Winchester Cathedral.
When Stephens received several requests for The New Vaudeville Band to tour, he had to put together a group, as the song was recorded by session musician
s hired only for the recording session. He contacted a real group, the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band
, which played similar music at the time. Only Bob Kerr
from that group was interested, so he left The Bonzos to help Stephens form a touring version of The New Vaudeville Band, which included original session drummer
Henri Harrison. The lead singer of the touring version of the group was Alan Klein
, who was billed as 'Tristram - Seventh Earl of Cricklewood'.
In 1967, The New Vaudeville Band released the On Tour album
, with the single "Peek-A-Boo," which made the Billboard
chart
that February and reached #7 in the UK Singles Chart. Further UK hits followed with "Finchley Central" (#11) and "Green Street Green" (#37), both based on locations in London and therefore less appealing to the American public. In 1968, the group played a major role on the film
soundtrack
, The Bliss of Mrs. Blossom
, but their novelty was beginning to wear off with the record
-buying public.
The New Vaudeville Band was managed
by Peter Grant. Kerr left the group following disputes with Grant. He then formed his own group, Bob Kerr's Whoopee Band
, which continues to perform with Henri Harrison.
A further privately released album (While We Are All Assembled !) did not bear a date but was apparently released in 1979, and stated in the sleeve notes that the band "have firmly re-established themselves in the higher echelons of the British club scene" since returning four years previously from "their successful three years in the USA and Canada".
Musical ensemble
A musical ensemble is a group of people who perform instrumental or vocal music. In classical music, trios or quartets either blend the sounds of musical instrument families or group together instruments from the same instrument family, such as string ensembles or wind ensembles...
created by songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
Geoff Stephens
Geoff Stephens
Geoffrey 'Geoff' Stephens , was one of the top British songwriters of the 1960s and 1970s.-Career:...
(born 1 October 1934, New Southgate
New Southgate
New Southgate is a residential suburb in the south-east corner of the London Borough of Barnet and the south-west corner of the London Borough of Enfield in North London, England....
, North London
North London
North London is the northern part of London, England. It is an imprecise description and the area it covers is defined differently for a range of purposes. Common to these definitions is that it includes districts located north of the River Thames and is used in comparison with South...
) in 1966 to record
Sound recording and reproduction
Sound recording and reproduction is an electrical or mechanical inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording technology are analog recording and digital recording...
his novelty
Novelty song
A novelty song is a comical or nonsensical song, performed principally for its comical effect. Humorous songs, or those containing humorous elements, are not necessarily novelty songs. The term arose in Tin Pan Alley to describe one of the major divisions of popular music. The other two divisions...
composition "Winchester Cathedral
Winchester Cathedral (song)
"Winchester Cathedral" is a song released in late 1966 by Fontana Records, whereupon it shot to the No. 1 spot in Canada on the RPM 100 national singles charts and shortly thereafter in the U.S. on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It was released by The New Vaudeville Band, a novelty group established...
", a song
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
inspired by the dance bands of the 1920s and a Rudy Vallee
Rudy Vallée
Rudy Vallée was an American singer, actor, bandleader, and entertainer.-Early life:Born Hubert Prior Vallée in Island Pond, Vermont, the son of Charles Alphonse and Catherine Lynch Vallée...
megaphone
Megaphone
A megaphone, speaking-trumpet, bullhorn, blowhorn, or loud hailer is a portable, usually hand-held, cone-shaped horn used to amplify a person’s voice or other sounds towards a targeted direction. This is accomplished by channelling the sound through the megaphone, which also serves to match the...
style vocal. To his surprise, the song became a transatlantic hit
Hit record
A hit record is a sound recording, usually in the form of a single or album, that sells a large number of copies or otherwise becomes broadly popular or well-known, through airplay, club play, inclusion in a film or stage play soundtrack, causing it to have "hit" one of the popular chart listings...
that autumn, reaching the Top 10 in the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and rising to #1 in the US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Global sales of the single were over three million, with the RIAA certification
RIAA certification
In the United States, the Recording Industry Association of America awards certification based on the number of albums and singles sold through retail and other ancillary markets. Other countries have similar awards...
of gold disc
Music recording sales certification
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...
status. The track also won a Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
for Best Contemporary Song
Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Song
The Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Song was awarded between 1960 and 1971. The award had several minor name changes:*In 1960 the award was known as Best Performance by a "Top 40" Artist...
in 1967
Grammy Awards of 1967
The 9th Grammy Awards were held March 2, 1967. They recognized accomplishments of musicians for the year 1966. The 9th Grammy Awards is notable for not presenting the Grammy Award for Best New Artist.-Award winners:*Record of the Year...
. The lead vocal was sung by John Carter
John Carter (musician)
For the jazz clarinet player John Carter, see John Carter .John Carter is an English singer, songwriter and record producer.-Overview:...
, formerly of The Ivy League
The Ivy League (band)
The Ivy League are an English vocal trio, created in 1964, who enjoyed two Top 10 hit singles in the UK Singles Chart in 1965. The group's sound was characterised by rich, three-part vocal harmonies.-Career:...
, who had sung on the demo
Demo (music)
A demo version or demo of a song is one recorded for reference rather than for release. A demo is a way for a musician to approximate their ideas on tape or disc, and provide an example of those ideas to record labels, producers or other artists...
of the record
Gramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
, which Stephens decided to keep for the commercial release. An initial long-playing album was also issued in late 1966 by Fontana Records
Fontana Records
Fontana Records is a record label which was started in the 1950s as a subsidiary of the Dutch Philips Records; when Philips restructured its music operations it dropped Fontana in favor of Vertigo Records. In the seventies PolyGram acquired the dormant label....
, also titled Winchester Cathedral.
When Stephens received several requests for The New Vaudeville Band to tour, he had to put together a group, as the song was recorded by session musician
Session musician
Session musicians are instrumental and vocal performers, musicians, who are available to work with others at live performances or recording sessions. Usually such musicians are not permanent members of a musical ensemble and often do not achieve fame in their own right as soloists or bandleaders...
s hired only for the recording session. He contacted a real group, the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band
Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band
The Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band are a band created by a group of British art-school denizens of the 1960s...
, which played similar music at the time. Only Bob Kerr
Bob Kerr (musician)
Bob Kerr is a comic musician who plays trumpet and cornet. He was originally a member of the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band and was persuaded by Geoff Stephens to join The New Vaudeville Band before forming his own Bob Kerr's Whoopee Band...
from that group was interested, so he left The Bonzos to help Stephens form a touring version of The New Vaudeville Band, which included original session drummer
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
Henri Harrison. The lead singer of the touring version of the group was Alan Klein
Alan Klein
Alan Klein is an English singer-songwriter and musician. He wrote the soundtrack for the stage play and film, What a Crazy World...
, who was billed as 'Tristram - Seventh Earl of Cricklewood'.
In 1967, The New Vaudeville Band released the On Tour album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
, with the single "Peek-A-Boo," which made the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
chart
Record chart
A record chart is a ranking of recorded music according to popularity during a given period of time. Examples of music charts are the Hit parade, Hot 100 or Top 40....
that February and reached #7 in the UK Singles Chart. Further UK hits followed with "Finchley Central" (#11) and "Green Street Green" (#37), both based on locations in London and therefore less appealing to the American public. In 1968, the group played a major role on the film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
soundtrack
Soundtrack
A soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, book, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the...
, The Bliss of Mrs. Blossom
The Bliss of Mrs. Blossom
The Bliss of Mrs. Blossom is a 1968 British comedy film directed by Joseph McGrath. The screenplay by Alec Coppel and Denis Norden was adapted from a play by Coppel that was based on a short story by Josef Shaftel, who served as the film's producer.-Plot:...
, but their novelty was beginning to wear off with the record
Gramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
-buying public.
The New Vaudeville Band was managed
Management
Management in all business and organizational activities is the act of getting people together to accomplish desired goals and objectives using available resources efficiently and effectively...
by Peter Grant. Kerr left the group following disputes with Grant. He then formed his own group, Bob Kerr's Whoopee Band
Bob Kerr's Whoopee Band
Bob Kerr's Whoopee Band, also billed as Bob Kerr and His Whoopee Band, is a jazz band which started in 1967 and continues to perform today. It was an offshoot of the eclectic Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band, and shared many similarities with other outfits of the time such as The New Vaudeville Band and The...
, which continues to perform with Henri Harrison.
A further privately released album (While We Are All Assembled !) did not bear a date but was apparently released in 1979, and stated in the sleeve notes that the band "have firmly re-established themselves in the higher echelons of the British club scene" since returning four years previously from "their successful three years in the USA and Canada".