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Faron's Flamingos
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'''Faron's Flamingos''' were an English band. In spite of having a lack of real success their records due to poor decisions, they remain an important part of the [[Merseybeat]] history. They also have trhe distinction of being the first major example of the Mersey Motown sound.
==Background==
Fronted by William "Faron" Ruffley, the group was considered of the best live groups on the Merseybeat scene.<ref>''[[Liverpool Echo]]'', 23 JUN 2013 - [https://ift.tt/2YChby2 Flashback: Remembering Merseybeat 50 years on By Catherine Jones]</ref> The Faron name came about as a result of the lead singer's antics on stage. Bob Wooler, the DJ from [[The Cavern]] nicknamed him Faron, 'the panda-footed prince of prance'.<ref>''The Beat Makers: The Unsung Heroes of The Mersey Sound'', By Anthony Hogan - [https://ift.tt/31dRIsl -]</ref> Their blistering version of "[[Do You Love Me]]", according to ''[[Record Collector]]'' magazine was the first major example of the Mersey Motown sound.<ref>''[[Record Collector]]' - [https://ift.tt/2YF5BSI MERSEY MOTOWN]</ref>
==Career==
===The Hi-Hats and The Ravens===
The group's history can be traced back to The Hi-Hats which came together at the Liverpool Mercury Cycling Club. The group then changed its name to Robin and The Ravens with the lead singer Robin dressed in a yellow silk suit and the band in pink jackets. <ref>Nostalgia Central - [https://ift.tt/31dRIZn Faron's Flamingos]</ref>
===The Flamingos===
They made their first appearance at [[The Cavern]] in 1962 with [[The Beatles]] singing backup.<ref>''Liverpool Echo'', 23 JUN 2013 - [https://ift.tt/2YChby2 Flashback: Remembering Merseybeat 50 years on By Catherine Jones]</ref> Also that year and with a growing following, they were offered a chance to go to France and play at the US army bases. Band member Eric London didn't want to give up his job, so he didn't want to go. He was replaced by Dave Cooper. Bands touring France had to bring a female singer with them and they took a lady called Pam Connolly on tour with them. In spite of doing well, there were some issues with a member Billy Jones leaving the band. When the group returned to the UK, the line up was Nicky Crouch on lead guitar, Paddy Chambers on rhythm guitar, Faron Ruffley on bass and vocals and [[Trevor Morais]] on drums.
In May 1963, the group accepted an invitation to record some material for the album ''This is Merseybeat''.<ref>''The Beat Makers: The Unsung Heroes of The Mersey Sound'', By Anthony Hogan - [https://ift.tt/31dRIsl -]</ref> Also in 1963, their version of "[[Do You Love Me]]" was released on the Oriole label. Their lack of success with this song may have had something to do with publishing company [[Leeds Music]] pushing the other side of the single which was "See If She Cares".<ref>''Motown Encyclopedia'', By Graham Betts - [https://ift.tt/2YF5CpK DO YOU LOVE ME - THE CONTOURS (SINGLE)]</ref>
Lead singer William "Faron" Ruffley came into contact with [[Brian Poole]] of [[The Tremeloes]] who asked him for a copy of the lyrics. Ruffley wrote them by hand for Poole. Poole learnt the song and recorded it with The Tremloes and took it to the Top 5 in October that year.<ref>''Motown Encyclopedia'', By Graham Betts - [https://ift.tt/2YF5CpK DO YOU LOVE ME - THE CONTOURS (SINGLE)]</ref> The group split up that year.<ref>''Liverpool Echo'', 23 JUN 2013 - [https://ift.tt/2YChby2 Flashback: Remembering Merseybeat 50 years on By Catherine Jones]</ref> Paddy Chambers and Faron joined up as members of [[The Big Three (English band)|The Big Three]].<ref>''Liverpool Echo'', 23 JUN 2013 - [https://ift.tt/2YChby2 Flashback: Remembering Merseybeat 50 years on By Catherine Jones]</ref>
In 1965, Faron reformed the band and performed in France until the late 1960s.<ref>[[AllMusic]] - [https://ift.tt/31flygi Faron's Flamingos Artist Biographyby Bruce Eder]</ref> He also had a version of the group running in the 1970s.<ref>''Liverpool Echo'', 23 JUN 2013 - [https://ift.tt/2YChby2 Flashback: Remembering Merseybeat 50 years on By Catherine Jones]</ref>
==Discography (selective)==
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable"
|+ Singles
|-
! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Title
! scope="col" | Catalogue
! scope="col" | Year
! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Notes #
|-
! scope="row" | "See If She Cares" / "[[Do You Love Me]]"
| [[Oriole Records (UK)|Oriole]] CB 1834
| 1963
|
|-
! scope="row" | "Shake Sherry" / "Give Me Time"
| Oriole CB 1867
| 1963
|
|-
! scope="row" | "Let's Stomp" / "I Can Tell"
| [[Columbia Records]] 4-43018
| 1964
| B side is by [[Rory Storm and the Hurricanes]]<br>USA release
|-
! scope="row" | "[[Bring It On Home To Me]]" / "[[C'mon Everybody]]"
| Raw RAW 27
| 1978
| As Faron's Flamingoes<ref>45Cat - [https://ift.tt/2YCheKe Faron's Flamingos - Discography]</ref>
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable"
|+ Album
|-
! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Title
! scope="col" | Catalogue
! scope="col" | Year
! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Notes #
|-
! scope="row" | ''Faron's Flamingos 1963, See If She Cares''
| Mastersound MS CD.585
| 1963
| Compilation<ref>Discogs - [https://ift.tt/31fRktx Faron's Flamingos, Compilations]</ref>
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable"
|+ Appears on
|-
! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Act
! scope="col" | Album title
! scope="col" | Catalogue
! scope="col" | Year
! scope="col" | Song
! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Notes #
|-
! scope="row" | Various artists
| ''Take Six from "This Is Merseybeat''
| Oriole EP-7080
| 1963
| "Let's Stomp"
| EP<ref>45Cat - [https://ift.tt/2YCheKe Faron's Flamingos - Discography]</ref>
|-
! scope="row" | Various artists
| ''This is Merseybeat Volume 1''
| Oriole PS 40047
| 1963
| "Let's Stomp", "Talkin' Bout You"
| <ref>Popsike - [https://ift.tt/2YF5Ehm THIS IS MERSEY BEAT VOL 1 - VARIOUS ARTISTS RARE 1963 UK ORIOLE LP - CAVERN CLUB]</ref>
|-
! scope="row" | Various artists
| ''This is Merseybeat Volume 2''
| Oriole PS 40048
| 1963
| "Sherry Sherry" / "So Fine"
| <ref>Popsike - [https://ift.tt/31cgTLO THIS IS MERSEYBEAT Vol 2 RARE 1963 UK BEAT LP Oriole]</ref>
|-
! scope="row" | Various artists
| ''The Exciting New Liverpool Sound (The Authentic Mersey Beat)''
| Columbia CL 2172
| 1964
| "Let's Stomp", "Talkin' 'Bout You"
| <ref>''Schwann Monthly Guide to Stereo Records'', Volume 16, Issues 4-6 - [https://ift.tt/2YChh8S Page 150]</ref><ref>''The Beatles in Canada: The Origins of Beatlemania!'', By Piers Hemmingsen - [https://ift.tt/31flwFc - ''April 1964'' -]</ref>
|-
|}
==Documentary and film==
* ''Beat City'', 1963 - on-screen participant<ref>[[British Film Institute]] - [https://ift.tt/2YChhFU Faron's Flamingos, Filmography]</ref>
* ''Flashback: Remembering Merseybeat 50 years on'' - Themselves<ref>''Liverpool Echo'', 23 JUN 2013 - [https://ift.tt/2YChby2 Flashback: Remembering Merseybeat 50 years on By Catherine Jones]</ref>
==References==
==External links==
* [https://ift.tt/31flz3Q Big Sixties Music Blog: Faron's Flamingos]
==Background==
Fronted by William "Faron" Ruffley, the group was considered of the best live groups on the Merseybeat scene.<ref>''[[Liverpool Echo]]'', 23 JUN 2013 - [https://ift.tt/2YChby2 Flashback: Remembering Merseybeat 50 years on By Catherine Jones]</ref> The Faron name came about as a result of the lead singer's antics on stage. Bob Wooler, the DJ from [[The Cavern]] nicknamed him Faron, 'the panda-footed prince of prance'.<ref>''The Beat Makers: The Unsung Heroes of The Mersey Sound'', By Anthony Hogan - [https://ift.tt/31dRIsl -]</ref> Their blistering version of "[[Do You Love Me]]", according to ''[[Record Collector]]'' magazine was the first major example of the Mersey Motown sound.<ref>''[[Record Collector]]' - [https://ift.tt/2YF5BSI MERSEY MOTOWN]</ref>
==Career==
===The Hi-Hats and The Ravens===
The group's history can be traced back to The Hi-Hats which came together at the Liverpool Mercury Cycling Club. The group then changed its name to Robin and The Ravens with the lead singer Robin dressed in a yellow silk suit and the band in pink jackets. <ref>Nostalgia Central - [https://ift.tt/31dRIZn Faron's Flamingos]</ref>
===The Flamingos===
They made their first appearance at [[The Cavern]] in 1962 with [[The Beatles]] singing backup.<ref>''Liverpool Echo'', 23 JUN 2013 - [https://ift.tt/2YChby2 Flashback: Remembering Merseybeat 50 years on By Catherine Jones]</ref> Also that year and with a growing following, they were offered a chance to go to France and play at the US army bases. Band member Eric London didn't want to give up his job, so he didn't want to go. He was replaced by Dave Cooper. Bands touring France had to bring a female singer with them and they took a lady called Pam Connolly on tour with them. In spite of doing well, there were some issues with a member Billy Jones leaving the band. When the group returned to the UK, the line up was Nicky Crouch on lead guitar, Paddy Chambers on rhythm guitar, Faron Ruffley on bass and vocals and [[Trevor Morais]] on drums.
In May 1963, the group accepted an invitation to record some material for the album ''This is Merseybeat''.<ref>''The Beat Makers: The Unsung Heroes of The Mersey Sound'', By Anthony Hogan - [https://ift.tt/31dRIsl -]</ref> Also in 1963, their version of "[[Do You Love Me]]" was released on the Oriole label. Their lack of success with this song may have had something to do with publishing company [[Leeds Music]] pushing the other side of the single which was "See If She Cares".<ref>''Motown Encyclopedia'', By Graham Betts - [https://ift.tt/2YF5CpK DO YOU LOVE ME - THE CONTOURS (SINGLE)]</ref>
Lead singer William "Faron" Ruffley came into contact with [[Brian Poole]] of [[The Tremeloes]] who asked him for a copy of the lyrics. Ruffley wrote them by hand for Poole. Poole learnt the song and recorded it with The Tremloes and took it to the Top 5 in October that year.<ref>''Motown Encyclopedia'', By Graham Betts - [https://ift.tt/2YF5CpK DO YOU LOVE ME - THE CONTOURS (SINGLE)]</ref> The group split up that year.<ref>''Liverpool Echo'', 23 JUN 2013 - [https://ift.tt/2YChby2 Flashback: Remembering Merseybeat 50 years on By Catherine Jones]</ref> Paddy Chambers and Faron joined up as members of [[The Big Three (English band)|The Big Three]].<ref>''Liverpool Echo'', 23 JUN 2013 - [https://ift.tt/2YChby2 Flashback: Remembering Merseybeat 50 years on By Catherine Jones]</ref>
In 1965, Faron reformed the band and performed in France until the late 1960s.<ref>[[AllMusic]] - [https://ift.tt/31flygi Faron's Flamingos Artist Biographyby Bruce Eder]</ref> He also had a version of the group running in the 1970s.<ref>''Liverpool Echo'', 23 JUN 2013 - [https://ift.tt/2YChby2 Flashback: Remembering Merseybeat 50 years on By Catherine Jones]</ref>
==Discography (selective)==
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable"
|+ Singles
|-
! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Title
! scope="col" | Catalogue
! scope="col" | Year
! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Notes #
|-
! scope="row" | "See If She Cares" / "[[Do You Love Me]]"
| [[Oriole Records (UK)|Oriole]] CB 1834
| 1963
|
|-
! scope="row" | "Shake Sherry" / "Give Me Time"
| Oriole CB 1867
| 1963
|
|-
! scope="row" | "Let's Stomp" / "I Can Tell"
| [[Columbia Records]] 4-43018
| 1964
| B side is by [[Rory Storm and the Hurricanes]]<br>USA release
|-
! scope="row" | "[[Bring It On Home To Me]]" / "[[C'mon Everybody]]"
| Raw RAW 27
| 1978
| As Faron's Flamingoes<ref>45Cat - [https://ift.tt/2YCheKe Faron's Flamingos - Discography]</ref>
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable"
|+ Album
|-
! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Title
! scope="col" | Catalogue
! scope="col" | Year
! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Notes #
|-
! scope="row" | ''Faron's Flamingos 1963, See If She Cares''
| Mastersound MS CD.585
| 1963
| Compilation<ref>Discogs - [https://ift.tt/31fRktx Faron's Flamingos, Compilations]</ref>
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable"
|+ Appears on
|-
! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Act
! scope="col" | Album title
! scope="col" | Catalogue
! scope="col" | Year
! scope="col" | Song
! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Notes #
|-
! scope="row" | Various artists
| ''Take Six from "This Is Merseybeat''
| Oriole EP-7080
| 1963
| "Let's Stomp"
| EP<ref>45Cat - [https://ift.tt/2YCheKe Faron's Flamingos - Discography]</ref>
|-
! scope="row" | Various artists
| ''This is Merseybeat Volume 1''
| Oriole PS 40047
| 1963
| "Let's Stomp", "Talkin' Bout You"
| <ref>Popsike - [https://ift.tt/2YF5Ehm THIS IS MERSEY BEAT VOL 1 - VARIOUS ARTISTS RARE 1963 UK ORIOLE LP - CAVERN CLUB]</ref>
|-
! scope="row" | Various artists
| ''This is Merseybeat Volume 2''
| Oriole PS 40048
| 1963
| "Sherry Sherry" / "So Fine"
| <ref>Popsike - [https://ift.tt/31cgTLO THIS IS MERSEYBEAT Vol 2 RARE 1963 UK BEAT LP Oriole]</ref>
|-
! scope="row" | Various artists
| ''The Exciting New Liverpool Sound (The Authentic Mersey Beat)''
| Columbia CL 2172
| 1964
| "Let's Stomp", "Talkin' 'Bout You"
| <ref>''Schwann Monthly Guide to Stereo Records'', Volume 16, Issues 4-6 - [https://ift.tt/2YChh8S Page 150]</ref><ref>''The Beatles in Canada: The Origins of Beatlemania!'', By Piers Hemmingsen - [https://ift.tt/31flwFc - ''April 1964'' -]</ref>
|-
|}
==Documentary and film==
* ''Beat City'', 1963 - on-screen participant<ref>[[British Film Institute]] - [https://ift.tt/2YChhFU Faron's Flamingos, Filmography]</ref>
* ''Flashback: Remembering Merseybeat 50 years on'' - Themselves<ref>''Liverpool Echo'', 23 JUN 2013 - [https://ift.tt/2YChby2 Flashback: Remembering Merseybeat 50 years on By Catherine Jones]</ref>
==References==
==External links==
* [https://ift.tt/31flz3Q Big Sixties Music Blog: Faron's Flamingos]
August 03, 2019 at 12:17AM
