When the original Blossom Toes split at the end of 1969. Jim Cregan went off to Italy to live with Shawn Phillips (he subsequently joined Stud, Family, Cockney Rebel and Rod Stewart) and drummer Barry Reeves went off to Germany and joined the James Last Orchestra (with whom he still plays). The last thing the band did together was to play on Julie Driscoll’s solo album “69” (polydor 2383077) after which Julie suggested that she’d like to join the band. This wasn’t really a surprise, she was (and is) Brian Godding’s sister-in-law – Brian having met and married Angie Driscoll several years previously – and was therefore “family”. Unfortunately there was no real band for her to join. However, the two Brians enlisted ex-Animals drummer Barry Jenkins (who was an old friend) and did a few low key gigs with Julie. The most publicised of these was a special “Implosion” gig at the Roundhouse, part organised by another old friend, Peter Swales. Swales had worked for the Rolling Stones, but had latterly been managing a Leicester group Gypsy (formerly Legay) and had acquired financing to set up three companies, Sahara Music (publishing), Sahara Records (recording) and Sahara Management – primarily to handle Gypsy. However with the collapse of Marmalade and Paragon and the break-up of the Blossom Toes, he decided to divert some of the money in other directions.


The highlight of the Roundhouse gig was a version of Brian Godding’s anthem – “New Day” on which the band were backed by a huge choir, made up primarily of school kids, that Swales had put together. “New Day” was a song that the Blossom Toes had recorded – more than once. It very nearly became their last single, in October 1969, and got as far as a test pressing and the allocation of a number (Marmalade 598 022).The band felt that it could have been better and – as far as anyone knows – it was never released. Shortly after the gig and under the auspices of Sahara, the band went into Advision studios and recut “New Day”, with guest musicians Mick Taylor and Brian Auger, plus a cast of thousands (who are listed elsewhere) known as the “Combined Network Forces Choir!”


Peter Swales was under the impression (which he still believes to be true) that this was the first session of what would have led eventually to a Brian Godding solo album. Brian however is quite fervent that this was not the case and that it (and any subsequent recordings) were band efforts – whoever happened to be in it – and in any case he never, ever wanted to do a solo album. In any event by the time they went into the studio again (around late March) Barry Jenkins had dropped out. They therefore needed a drummer, so they roped old mate Kevin Westlake, at which point the band essentially became Blossom Toes Mk II. (with, for the time being, Julie as “extra” member).


Kevin, of course had never really lost touch with the Brian’s. After leaving the Blossom Toes at the end of ’67, he continued to live for some time in the communal house in Holmead Road. He had virtually given up the drums and was now concentrating on acoustic guitar, singing and song writing. Early in ’68 he teamed up with Gary Farr, to make a “pop” single. It came out on Marmalade around March ’68 and very good it was too. Gary’s side was “Green” and Kevin’s was “Everyday”, but instead for using their own names, Marmalade called them “The Lion and the Fish” (an astrological reference, which wasn’t even correct in terms of their own signs). The record flopped and is now very rare. The duo did do a few gigs, including one in the south of France that was broadcast over Europe I. The gig was somewhat ruined by Giorgio, pissed out of his head, dressed in a sheet, jumping up and down shouting, “Green”, I want to hear “Green” during the middle of the number. The next day they met Giorgio on the beach at Cannes, and Gary poured beer all over him. They were sacked and had to head back to London with no money. 


On another trip to Cannes (possibly the same one?) Kevin and Gary acted as roadies to their heroes, Capt. Beefheart and The Magic Band. The Magic Band had flown over with no equipment, but turned up at the Midem festival (enroute to a proper gig presumably) for When the original Blossom Toes split at the end of 1969. Jim Cregan went off to Italy to live with Shawn Phillips (he subsequently joined Stud, Family, Cockney Rebel and Rod Stewart) and drummer Barry Reeves went off to Germany and joined the James Last Orchestra (with whom he still plays). The last thing the band did together was to play on Julie Driscoll’s solo album “69” (polydor 2383077) after which Julie suggested that she’d like to join the band. This wasn’t really a surprise, she was (and is) Brian Godding’s sister-in-law – Brian having met and married Angie Driscoll several years previously – and was therefore “family”. Unfortunately there was no real band for her to join. However, the two Brians enlisted ex-Animals drummer Barry Jenkins (who was an old friend) and did a few low key gigs with Julie. The most publicised of these was a special “Implosion” gig at the Roundhouse, part organised by another old friend, Peter Swales. Swales had worked for the Rolling Stones, but had latterly been managing a Leicester group Gypsy (formerly Legay) and had acquired financing to set up three companies, Sahara Music (publishing), Sahara Records (recording) and Sahara Management – primarily to handle Gypsy. However with the collapse of Marmalade and Paragon and the break-up of the Blossom Toes, he decided to divert some of the money in other directions.


The highlight of the Roundhouse gig was a version of Brian Godding’s anthem – “New Day” on which the band were backed by a huge choir, made up primarily of school kids, that Swales had put together. “New Day” was a song that the Blossom Toes had recorded – more than once. It very nearly became their last single, in October 1969, and got as far as a test pressing and the allocation of a number (Marmalade 598 022).The band felt that it could have been better and – as far as anyone knows – it was never released. Shortly after the gig and under the auspices of Sahara, the band went into Advision studios and recut “New Day”, with guest musicians Mick Taylor and Brian Auger, plus a cast of thousands (who are listed elsewhere) known as the “Combined Network Forces Choir!”


Peter Swales was under the impression (which he still believes to be true) that this was the first session of what would have led eventually to a Brian Godding solo album. Brian however is quite fervent that this was not the case and that it (and any subsequent recordings) were band efforts – whoever happened to be in it – and in any case he never, ever wanted to do a solo album. In any event by the time they went into the studio again (around late March) Barry Jenkins had dropped out. They therefore needed a drummer, so they roped old mate Kevin Westlake, at which point the band essentially became Blossom Toes Mk II. (with, for the time being, Julie as “extra” member).


Kevin, of course had never really lost touch with the Brian’s. After leaving the Blossom Toes at the end of ’67, he continued to live for some time in the communal house in Holmead Road. He had virtually given up the drums and was now concentrating on acoustic guitar, singing and song writing. Early in ’68 he teamed up with Gary Farr, to make a “pop” single. It came out on Marmalade around March ’68 and very good it was too. Gary’s side was “Green” and Kevin’s was “Everyday”, but instead for using their own names, Marmalade called them “The Lion and the Fish” (an astrological reference, which wasn’t even correct in terms of their own signs). The record flopped and is now very rare. The duo did do a few gigs, including one in the south of France that was broadcast over Europe I. The gig was somewhat ruined by Giorgio, pissed out of his head, dressed in a sheet, jumping up and down shouting, “Green”, I want to hear “Green” during the middle of the number. The next day they met Giorgio on the beach at Cannes, and Gary poured beer all over him. They were sacked and had to head back to London with no money. 


On another trip to Cannes (possibly the same one?) Kevin and Gary acted as roadies to their heroes, Capt. Beefheart and The Magic Band. The Magic Band had flown over with no equipment, but turned up at the Midem festival (enroute to a proper gig presumably) for some record company publicity. The Blossom Toes were also playing in town, so The Magic Band borrowed their equipment and Kevin and Gary set up the gear on the beach. This accounts for the photo of the band that appeared on the French version of ‘Safe As Milk’ (and latterly an UK re-issue). The band played a full set and were magnificent, according to Kevin.


Towards the end of ’68, Kevin got to know the sister of one of Blue Cheer’s managers and was invited to the States to help them write songs. He ended up going on a cross-country tour with them, about which there are a great many stories, mostly unprintable. He did, how-ever, sit in with them on several occasions. This happened when Paul Whaley (their then current drummer) “couldn’t be found”, although he was usually known to have been in the building somewhere. Whilst on the tour Kevin got to know Leigh Stephens and somewhat later he played on Stephens “Red Weather” album, recorded over here. He regards it as a pretty dreadful record, “but at least I got paid for it”.


By the beginning of 1970 Kevin wasn’t doing a great deal in music, although he still did the occasional gig with Gary Farr – in fact they played on the Implosion gig and both were part of the “Combined Network Forces Choir’ on “New Day”. He was however, happy to get back in the drum seat and the quartet entered Olympic studios. The first sessions produced the magnificent “Rise” and “Seed” and it was obvious to all concerned that whatever the original plan had been, this was an actual band. The sessions went really smoothy, the rapport between the musicians was instant and the whole thing was exciting and dynamic. Apart from anything else they show how far Godding had progressed as a guitarist and demons-trate his growing interest in the sounds that could be obtained from the guitar, as well as just simply playing it. The only problem, according to Brian, was the Olympic had just installed an “early” Dolby machine studio, which no one really knew how to operate. He would listen to the playback and say, “where’s the top end, the treble?” and the engineer would say, “It’s there, but you just think you can’t hear it because the Dolby cut out all the hiss’. In fact it had cut out a lot of the top notes. It seems that the “in” and the “out” in the Dolby had to be lined up (or something like that) in order for it to work properly. 


There was no more time at Olympic for a while so they all moved over to Island studios, recording mainly Kevin’s songs. Unfortunately something had gone temportarily askew and nobody liked the results. So it was back to Olympic, in the early summer, where “Lost Horizons” and “Research” were cut totally spontaneously – allegedly as background music for an avant-garde French movie that never got made (this may or may not be true). Either way it put them back on course and over the next couple of months or so the remainder of the album was recorded.


Notable amongst the other tracks is the neo-funky “Sticky Living” which features brass by Nick Evans and Marc Charig, both of whom were part of the contemporary jazz scene that Brian Godding was moving towards, via his involvement with Keith Tippett (which was happening around this time) and ultimately Mike Westbrook, with whom he still plays.


An edited and remixed version of “Sticky Living” was issued as a single (probably in Germany only – U.A. 35203B) with Kevin’s raucous “Irish Sex Thriller”, “Rocky Yagbag” on the b side (called for some reason “Rocky Yagbatee Yagbag” on the record). After the record was finished the two Brians and Kevin moved into a cottage in Pembrokeshire – for two weeks almost non-stop jamming. After which they came back to London and recorded a couple more of Brian Godding’s songs (probably “Backstreet” and “Ever Since A Memory”) but these remain unissued.


The album came out in early 1971, under the title “Workers’ Playtime” in a sleeve designed (amongst other things) to look like a copy of the Radio Times, with the songs and lyrics printed-out in the gatefold – to resemble the programme schedules. The idea seemed pretty funny at the time (especially the band on the cover in boiler suits, bus uniforms etc.) but today has lost some of its charm. Also who now remembers the radio programme “Workers’ Playtime”? The name B. B. Blunder was hardly a killer either. It arose during the less than successful month at Island, when engineer Chris Kimsey scribbled on a tape-box - containing less than wonderful tapes – “B. B. (ie Brian & Brian) Blunder” (ie screw-up). Great. The point is that the name and package bear so little relation to the music inside that most people ignored the album. Also, it has to be said, that like the second Blossom Toes album, it came out at a time when such music was unfashionable. Rock fans at the time were into Yes, ELO and Alice Cooper. In fact overall the music is really a continuation of the second Blossom Toes album. A little funkier in parts, a bit jazzy in places and – dare one say it – a bit more sophisticated, but undeniably melodic. Once again it failed to set the charts alight, which is a pity because it really was one of the best albums of the early 70’s. By general consent and agreement the “Blunder” name has been dropped for the re-issue, in favour of what it really was – a second version of Blossom Toes. 


Anyway around the time the album was released it was decided to put the band on the road. Julie had sort of faded out of the picture and Brian Godding didn’t really want to be the lead singer. They thus brought in another old mate. Reg King – late of the Action and possessor of one of great rock voices. They had known Reg since the Holmead Road days, when the Action resided around the corner in Lotts Road. They kept in touch and Reg became one of the people to come under Sahara’s wing. In 1970, around the time the Blunder album was being recorded, Reg cut a solo album (“Reg King” U. A. USA 29157) on which Kevin and the two Brians guested. The two tracks on which they play, “Little Boy” and “10,000 Miles” were later released as a single under the name “Reg King and B. B. Blunder”. (U. A. UP 35204). Certain parties swear blind that the single tracks are later versions, but to my ears they sound like the album cuts, but with a new and considerably improved mix. In fact if there is one problem with the album – which is musically excellent – it’s that overall the mix is pretty dire. 


As well as Reg, the band also recruited keyboard player Nick Judd and performed their first live gig in the early summer of 1971, at the Country Club in Hampstead. Unfortunately Reggie’s behaviour on the gig was erratic to say the least, so much so that Kevin (one feels with a certain justification) quit that night. Subsequently he moved back to Wales and started playing solo acoustic gigs around the pubs. In due course he and Ronnie Lane put together the Slim Chance band, which was pretty successful and even led to Kevin doing Top Of The Pops. After a year or so the original line-up broke up and Kevin has been out of music more or less ever since. 

Blunder carried on, replacing Kevin with Chris Hunt, who had been in Thunderclap Newman’s band. They also fancied a second guitarist and rehearsed with several players, but in the end the only one who played on stage with them was Bam King, who like Reg had been in the Action, plus its successor, the magnificent Mighty Baby. Sadly with the album a commercial failure (relatively) the Blunder were almost doomed to failure. The new line-up gigged until about the end of the year but they were all broke (again) and no more money could be found to support the thing. Unlike the original Blossom Toes, where a conscious decision was made to end the band, B. B. Blunder essentially just collapsed. 


After the split Brian Belshaw spent some time in the second incarnation of Ronnie Lane’s band, after which he dropped out of fulltime music – he went back to Soho to run his family’s fruit and veg. empire. He continued to play on and off but finally knocked it on the head (for the time being anyway) in 1979. Brian Godding, however, has remained in music all the way through, playing mainly with Mike Westbrook’s multi-various jazz projects. At other time he has toured extensively with Kevin Coyne (with whom he also recorded) and Eric Burdon.


Some people might argue that the whole Blossom Toes/Blunder saga is no more than a footnote in rock history. This may in some sense be true, but any band that produced music as adventurous and challenging as they did, deserved a far better fate than it received at the time. If you missed out then – shame on you. But a least you can listen to the records.

John Platt, with thanks to the two Brians, Kevin and Peter Swales.

Note: For the full story of Blossom Toes see “The Blossom Toes Collection” Decal LIK D 43. For further informations about Brian Godding visit his site: www.lotsawatts.co.uk and Kevin Westlake: The Musicians’ Olympus/www.geocities.com. 

Very special thanks to Brian Godding, who made this project possible. Many thanks to John Platt for his comprehensive story of B. B. Blunder. 

Kevin Westlake died on 30th September 2004. R.I.P.

Sticky Living! 06:32
You’re So Young 05:26
Lost Horizons 02:07
Research 04:36
Rocky Yagbag 04:00
Seed 05:31
Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is 03:33
Rise 05:05
Moondance 01:24
New Day 04:44

Extra Tracks Freedom 05:46
Extra Tracks Backstreet 03:55