John Stewart's Sixties Memories

Early 1960s –
During the week, youngsters would meet in cafes like Marandolas, the Soda Fountain, the Square or the Kings cafe, drink cokes & listen to the “juke box” playing the latest sounds of rock & roll. Local dances were held in the Fishermans Hall, or the St. Andrews Hotel & sometimes in the Town House Hall. Other venues, like the Two Red Shoes, Elgin, the Longmore Hall, Keith & the Town Hall in Cullen were popular too.

In those days, the pubs closed at 10pm, so those who were 18 or over (& sometimes those who were not) would get “tanked up” and then make their way to the dance. Playing at these were local bands like the Apaches, the Sabres, Sonny Rodgers & the Rainbows. Big “names” from the south included the Allisons, Checkmates, Mike Berry & the Outlaws, Shane Fenton & the Fentones and Bert Weedon amongst others.

1962 –
In the early summer of '62, four “youths” met & toyed with the idea of forming a group. Iain Lyon, an apprentice painter, who played guitar with skiffle group the “Saints”. Rob Lawson, a schoolboy, who had played up-turned biscuit tins & later, drums with the B.Bs. Ali Ewen also a schoolboy, who along with Bill Cameron, an apprentice photographer, had guitars & “jammed” at weekends. They got together to practice mostly in local church halls.

At one of the practice sessions, they were heard by Ronnie Rossvoll, who was organising a “record hop” in the Commercial Hotel hall & he asked them to come along to do a guest spot at it. So, armed with a 5 watt amplifier, two small 'speakers', a snare drum & little else, they first performed in public, calling themselves the “Cimmarrons”. playing mainly instrumentals, they went down quite well, but what was needed was a singer. John Stewart, an apprentice butcher from Portknockie, who had sung with the Apaches, was invited along to the next practice. John knew a lot of song lyrics & he was the missing piece of the “jig-saw”.

A few days later John's elder brother Alex was asked to “manage” the group, so he set about arranging funding for better equipment. Along with Ian Johnston (Bill's boss) they persuaded the Buckie Round Table to loan the Band some money to buy equipment so that they could play in the local venues & in return the Band would play at 3 “charity dances” so raising money for the Round Table.

Of course, the original loan would be paid back as the band would now be able to earn from playing. Another change was the name. Taken from an echo unit, (the “Watkins Copycat”) & the tradition of the day to put the singers name first, they became Johnny & the Copycats. Alex also persuaded Elgin promoter, Albert Bonici, of Modern Dancing Enterprises, to give the boys a two week-end “trial”. This happened in early December & the reports from the dance managers must have been favourable as they got more & more bookings from M.D.E.

1963 –
One of those dates was to play in the Longmore Hall, Keith, on Wednesday 2nd playing support to a little known group from Liverpool called the Beatles. But, as snow-storms ravaged the North East, the “Love me do” boys, as they were advertised, were stuck down south, somewhere. The two groups would appear together the following year, but in totally different circumstances.

During 1963, they played all over the north-east, supporting such names as Eden Kane, The Big Three, Brad Newman & the Nashville Teens. In October, they won the Elgin heat of a national beat contest, going on to the Scottish Finals in the Town Hall, Hamilton but weren't allowed to play their “spot”. After much bad publicity, it was decided to re-run the finals at a “neutral” venue, the City Hall, Perth. A bus load of Buckie & district fans went down to give support & to make sure the “boys” would get to play this time. They did get to play & they came first! Then in December, they flew down to London to compete in the finals in the Granada Theatre, Tooting & after watching the contest “Judges” Heinz & the Saints, Bert Weedon & Joe Brown & the Bruvvers play their set, the boys were told they had been awarded 2nd place. During that month the work-load was getting so hectic that they decided to take a chance & go full-time.

1964 –
Being able to travel farther afield, this year would see the “Cats” playing in central Scotland & with groups like Johnny Kidd & the Pirates, the Ronettes, & the Hollies, at places like Dundee's Caird Hall & Paisley Town Hall. They also went back down to London to play at clubs & to make their first record “I'm a hog for you”. Then on April 29th & 30th the “big” one, opening for the Beatles in the ABC Theatre, Edinburgh & the Odeon, Glasgow. They also appeared on STVs' Dig This & One Night Stand and opened the show for Billy J. Kramer & the Dakotas at Aberdeen's Capitol Theatre & supported the Kinks on their tour of Scotland.

1965 –
In late January, they set off for Germany, for a one month stint at an American army base. Things went so well that they stayed until the end of June. Returning home for the summer, they were to appear with Herman's Hermits, Sandi Shaw, Adam Faith & the Roulettes. September saw them back in Germany, playing the Cologne & Frankfurt area & again in November / December, supporting the Searchers.

1966 –
In 1966, that trend would continue. Playing in England, Germany & then home for a while, playing support to the Mindbenders, the Moody Blues, Cliff Bennet & the Rebel Rousers, before heading off for Germany in September, this time to stay for the rest of the year.

1967 –
It was in April '67 while in the Top Ten Club, Hamburg, that a group called the Easybeats saw the Copycats & offered to record them later that year in London. During their summer at home in the North-East, they supported Pink Floyd, Paul & Barry Ryan & Geno Washington. They were also supposed to play support on the Small Faces Scottish Tour, but that ended up as one date only, in the City Hall, Perth after which the “Cats” headed south again, to England & Germany for the rest of the year.

1968 –
A deal had been fixed with EMI Parlophone & the song “Elusive Face” written by John, was released in April, 1968, with their new name “My Dear Watson” on the label. This was followed by “Stop, stop, there I'll be” in October. Meanwhile, the big name groups kept coming up to Scotland, MDW providing support to the Casuals & Dave Berry.

1969 –
In 1969 the B.B.C. started the “Radio One Club” & every Friday 12 – 2pm, it would broadcast live, from Scotland, featuring a Scottish Band. My Dear Watson would play on the show several times in the coming years. In August, John left the band to settle down to family life in Portsoy, but he kept writing songs & would be a regular visitor at the Rathven Hall practice on Wednesday afternoons with new material. The usual format of playing all over England & Germany continued & on visits home they played support to the Foundations & Gun.

1970s –
MDW were invited down to DJM studios to record a possible LP & single. Another young “hopeful” Reg Dwight was there too & the Watsons' were asked if they would like him to play some keyboards on their recordings. They did and they also asked him to do some vocal backing on the single “Have you seen your saviour” & flip side “White Lined Road”. Young Reg would change his name to “Elton John” record a number called “Your Song” and the rest as you say, is history. In the summer of '70, My Dear Watson were invited to the Loch Ness location “shoot” of the film “The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes.”

Because of the name connection, somebody thought it would be a good idea to get the boys to meet some of the crew, including director Billy Wilder, actors Colin Blakely, Robert Stephens & Christopher Lee and have photos taken with them for “mutual” publicity. In October that year, they were joined by Siggi Slater on Keyboards.

They continued to play all over the country & on several occasions on the BBC “Radio One Club”, from places as far apart as Galashiels in the borders, to Kirkwall in Orkney, as well as Glasgow, Dundee, Aberdeen and even one from the Elgin Town Hall, with D.J. the “Emperor Rosko”.

On some of their visits home to the north of Scotland, they played support to names like the Alan Price Set, Slade, the Troggs, Dave Edmunds Rockpile, Hot Chocolate, Johnny Johnson & the Bandwagon, Christie, Manfred Man, the Jack Bruce Band, Fleetwood Mac & Status Quo. The boys decided to “call it a day” on Saturday 2nd of September, 1972, playing their last gig at the Fulmar Club, RNAS Lossiemouth.