Soul Express
Circa 1966 - R&B / Soul outfit - Source Broadgate Gnome.
From the Coventry Telegraph - by Pete Chambers Feb 27th 2007
Line Up - John Warwick - vocals, Mick Keel - bass(also played in Bitter Suite), Kevin Dempsey guitar (later with Dando Shaft)
https://www.coventrytelegraph.net/lifestyle/nostalgia/cov-kid-whos-king-blues-3116624
Cov Kid Who's a King of the Blues.
"WHEN I hear a great musician I get excited, when I find out he's from Coventry, well I
know it's truly Backbeat time.
From time to time, up comes a hidden gem, and today's "gem" is none other than London-based blues singer John Warwick - London based but Coventry born.
JOHN is a big man with a big voice, it's a treat to behold, full of character and yet always smooth on the ear, a prefect blues voice.
John was born on January 10, 1949, and lived in Broomfield Road, Earlsdon, Coventry.
His fledgling association with the world of music began at school, with guitarist friend Roy Butterfield.
"There used to be a youth club in Tile Hill," reveals John.
"I was about 13 and I used to go down and watch and play the harmonica and sing a little with Roy who was a great blues guitarist, we started playing together as a duo in the local jazz clubs."
From there John joined the Earlsdon band The Rare Set, and continued to learn his trade in The Ravens playing in and out of Coventry.
Time was right then for John to spread his wings and London was calling and a nine-month stint in the capital saw him heavily involved with session work.
It was now 1968 and John was back in Coventry, London had taught him well and he began making plans to form a soul band.
A little later The Soul Express emerged, and began making a great reputation for themselves in the area.
This eight-piece had the soul power of a brass section.
Now if you are talking Coventry, 60s and soul, there's one name that invariably pops up, Pete Waterman.
So as to be expected, when The Soul Express played, Pete Waterman was usually the DJ.
"I bumped into Pete a while back and had a good chat, about those days," said John. "I don't think he remembered me, but he surely remembered the band."
The band played the Locarno, The Orchid, The Lanch, The Co-op Hall Nuneaton, and they were voted the best band in Britain by none other than Melody Maker.
The Soul Express had performed well for nearly three years, but the blues was in John's blood, and it was time to try London once again.
Another 12 months in London saw John mess around with various bands, forever honing his trade.
On his Midlands return he joined guitarist Chris Jones in the band Chris Jones Aggression.
"That never really went anywhere," admits John. "After that I went solo for the first time, this was about 1975. I had just got fed up with all the travelling with bands and all the equipment.
"So this way I just went and sang with the house band, doing popular songs, in clubs, Majorca, holiday camps and on cruise ships.
"I was living in Binley at the time, but I hated every minute of the playing, because this wasn't the kind of music I wanted to play.
"In 1984 I went back to London once again and worked with Long John Baldry and later former Fleetwood Mac guitarist Peter Green."
John was finally playing the kind of music he loved, with real blues people. The next natural step was to form his own band.
The John Warwick Blues Band was formed around an exciting line-up of musicians who went under the name the sixties all stars.
These included former Kinks drummer Mick Avory; John Dee, once bassist with the Foundations; Del Mandel, a guitarist who worked with George Harrison; and Crispin St Peter and Charlie Lancaster.
John, always a working musician, is happy in what he is doing, he doesn't crave a recording contract and has little desire to bring an album out.
He was good enough to give me a sample CD of just what he is capable of.
Take track one too cool, screaming guitars punctuate John's incredibly soulful vocals, a match made in heaven.
I make no secret of the fact that I can't stop playing it!
John doesn't often play in his home-town, feeling his type of music is better promoted in the London area, where there are custom blues venues.
That's a shame because Coventry folk should be aware of this huge talent.
Britain's finest blues god John Mayall has enjoyed working with John, as has the great B B king.
And in case you don't believe how good Mr Warwick is, I'll leave the last words to B B king: "John Warwick is the best European blues singer I have ever heard."
Enough said.
"Vampire Squid Blues. John Warwick & Del Mandel"
Now that the magic has gone- John Warwick
......
Gigs
"Ray King Soul band 10 February 1967 – Nicholas Chamberlain Hall, Bedworth, Warwickshire with Ronnie Jones & The Blue Flames, The Soul Express and The Dynamics (Nuneaton Evening Tribune)"
"Ray King Soul Band 4 July 1968 – The Walsgrave, Coventry with Soul Express (Coventry Evening Telegraph/Melody Maker)"
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