The Stellas Showband
Right to Left is, John Del Bianco lead,Guitar
Davy Walker Tenor Sax,
T.G. Ford lead singer,Jimmy Martin drummer,
Stanley Johnstone Rthymn Guitar, Tenor Sax,
Baritone Sax, and Vocals/backing vocals,
myself Mike Niblett bass Guitar,backing Vocals
and Henry Magee Keyboards and backing vocals.
manager at that time was Dave Whitram.
This is another pic for the Stellas site,
taken in 1965 Frankfurt A.M.
At the time we were playing at the K52
, in the Kaiserstrasse.
It was taken right after we had finished
playing, about 5.30am
and that photo session went on for another
couple of hours round the City.
Ian,
MY original band was "The Stellas" although
we were from the north, we were based in Dublin. that band was very successful
in Europe, and the sort of music we were doing was just coming to the fore
in ireland when the band broke up. Other Bands I have played with were,
The
Silhouettes(listed) on your site,The People
(who became Eire Apparent), Thelma and The
High Seas, The Real McCcoy,(listed)
I was to be their bass player at the formation,
Eddie Campbell,
a friend of mine was lined up to play lead
with the
Real MCcoy,(he was The Stellas last lead player)
and he wanted me to play bass,
so I got the job, then turned it down,so I
kind of let him down.
Eddie was one of the nicest persons you could
meet, a great lead player, and a fine singer.
Sadly Eddie died quite some time ago, he went
Canada and died there.
The Stellas recorded a single for CBS (Frankfurt)
in 1965 "Wooley Bully"/ "Fortune Teller" both sides made the german
top-ten. Fortune Teller went on to be something of a icon of the
era song,and it is still on sale today in Europe. Bomp records have the
original CBS recording on a compilation record, No:PC111RV2
Crypt records title "Too much monkey business", also a compilation. Other
work by The Stellas was an lMPORT(part of the Top-Ten club,Hamburg "Allstars"
recordings, "Live at the Kaskade club, Cologne" also an LP. We also did
a LP for "Hamburg Radio" when we were at the Top-Ten Club. Our first radio
show was for Larry Gogan around 1964, which was of course live. Also
The Stellas did The Showband Show, and at the time had the record for the
longest live performance, on TV,
All the best, Mike.
From Mike Niblett collection
MchlNiblett@aol.com
