Formed in Manchester, England, the original line-up consisted of (b. Peter Walker; vocals, kazoo), Deejay Robinson (b. Gerry Robinson; harmonica, mandolin), Ank Langley (b. Trevor Langley; jug), Geoff Bowyer (piano, washboard) and James "Joe" Beard (guitar). All were students at Stockport College of Art.They adopted the name, The Purple Gang when they changed their image to the well-dressed, clean-cut "gangster" style in the sixties.
Although they were associated with the London psychedelic scene at the time of their near-brush with fame, they originated in Stockport in Cheshire, in north-west England, as a Jugband.
In London, they engaged Joe Boyd as their producer, and shared a studio with Pink Floyd as they cut their first single, Granny takes a trip (named after the eponymous shop in the Kings Road). Floyd were making their own first single, Arnold Layne, at the time. Unfortunately, the BBC spotted the word trip in the title and assumed it to be a reference to LSD. They banned the record from their airwaves.
Also noticing that the band's lead singer at the time Pete Walker, they said that the group "would not be tolerated by any decent society". An LP, "The Purple Gang strikes" was released in 1968, but failed to sell. Pirate radio station DJ's such as John Peel praised the group, but without backing from the big record companies, fortune would elude them.
Although disappointed, the band continued during the early 1970s with a slightly different lineup.
Without the jug, and with the addition of drums and bass player Chris Millward (who is still with the band today), they embarked on a new career, playing the student circuit in the 1970s with a spectacular live act based on Robinson's soaring electric mandolin.
"Davey Bowie & Band" (yes, that Davey Bowie), Marc Bolan, the Moody Blues ("they lent us their PA system") and Love were among other big names they played with.
"We supported Yes at Leicester University and there was a power cut," Beard recalls. "Now Yes used more electricity than a small country, so of course they couldn't go on.
There would have been a riot, but we went on, did our old acoustic set and Yes were standing at the side of the stage applauding us." Thanks to Phrock.
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