High Seas Showband Gallery (1966-1970)
Photo Gallery -
Band Lineups -
Discography
- Audio samples -
Where Are They Now?
The Story
The first mention of the High Seas Showband
from Larne that we could find was in May, 1966 when they were
playing in the Temperance Hall in Loughrea. As the band was based in
the Belfast area, it is possible they had been playing long before
this as newspaper archives from the 1960s are not available (at of
May 2020) for the Belfast Telegraph. Cecil Thompson was the
band's manager. Interestingly, there were a lot of adverts for the
band mainly playing two venues in the south: The Temperance Hall and
the Rainbow Ballroom in Glenfarne.
As far as we know the original lineup was:
Thelma Hall (vocals and keyboards), Norman Purdy (vocals), Jackie
Gault (guitar), Wilbur "Billy" Clements (bass), Alec Newell (drums),
Jim Hill (sax), Alec Brown (sax), and Billy Duff (trombone). Stuart
Gillespie would join the band shortly after its formation, but we
think he left shortly thereafter as a May 21, 1966 report named
Louis Craig as the band's lead guitarist.
Glen Brown told us in an email that the band was resident in the
Kings Arms Ballroom in the late 60s and also toured Ireland,
Scotland and North of England. The band cut a demo Extended
Play (EP) record (disc) featuring the following four numbers.
Side 1.
(a) I'D STILL BE THERE (vocal).
(b) I CAN'T GO ON (vocal).
Side 2.
(a) IN MY ROOM (vocal).
(b) ORANGE BLOSSOM SPECIAL.
In December 1968 Donal K. O'Boyle reported in
his column in the Donegal News that Merv Allen had joined the
band, replacing Norman as the male lead singer.
In January 1970, Donal O'Boyle reported that
the High Seas had disbanded after four years on the road. Thelma
Hall would move to the growing cabaret scene.
"From
l-r :Jerry
McIlduff (Mcilduff), Mike Niblett, Mervye Allen ( also sang with
Jimmie Johnstone Showband), Thelma Hall, Bobby Duff, Billy Herron
(see Red Admirals) the last one I can't remember,although i
remember he played brass
." ©Mike Niblett, 9 November 2003
More to come.....
click on thumbnails for full image
