It's forty years since one of Coventry's coolest blues / rock bands formed in Coventry c 1969 with their hippy following. It's lead singer John Gravenor with his shock of red hair was an integral part of the Coventry scene, albeit a wandering one,hanging out in the muso pubs like the Dive bar and the Cross when not playing.
Lead guitarist John Alderson - known otherwise as Johnny Slide recently played with Neol Davies formerly of the Selecter.
Line up was
John Gravenor - Vocals
John Alderson - lead / rhythm and slide guitar
Ade Taylor -Bass
Al Walder (and later Jim Pryal - Drums)
Sadly the band split up as bands often do leaving a live tape behind which has never seen the light of day.It was to be the basis of their first album on the 'Pig Mother Label' back in those alternative days.
Recently their former manager - Dave Sullivan - passed away and as a tribute to him, and through the work
of his wife - Julie Sullivan, the band is set to reform for a tribute gig in Coventry. Details are yet to be circulated but a CD of the live tapes is on the cards. It will be great to hear the band once again - such great music - songs like Catfish, Doncha Worry, Take me Where I belong, Hangman,Dead Dog Dead (a tribute to Beefheart) and Image of Ezra may re-emerge. The album is to be called Wandering John - Captured Live In Coventry
Bassist Ade Taylor e mailed me out of the blue with the news the other day and I spoke on the phone to him for the first time since 1980 when I left Coventry. The band are looking for somewhere to rehearse for 2-3 days practise, and maybe the loan of some equipment if anyone can help. A possible venue, could be The Beer Engine, in Far Gosford St. They are also still trying to locate their original drummer Al Walder if anyone knows of his whereabouts. It could the band will have two drummers or share duties if they can find Al, as I'm sure Jim Prayal will be up for it.
The band formed from two other bands one of which was Interior War.I plan to interview Ade Taylor to get a fuller history of the band. Ade Taylor is now living in Devon with his wife Angie and has returned to music -
"I got back into music in the mid ninetys, after a long lay-off. At first on bass and then I
switched to guitar round '97 as a band needed a guitarist and not a bass player!
I have come on in leaps and bounds and my last band were called "Misspent Youth".
We did 3 Gigs in Germany, last year.
My latest project is my own band called "Mint Condition" which includes some really
good musicians and great singer. I play guitar and do backing vocals. We do lots of
good oldies like; Stones, Beatles, Green Day, Snow Patrol, Wilson Pickett, Chuck Berry,
Bryan Adams etc."
switched to guitar round '97 as a band needed a guitarist and not a bass player!
I have come on in leaps and bounds and my last band were called "Misspent Youth".
We did 3 Gigs in Germany, last year.
My latest project is my own band called "Mint Condition" which includes some really
good musicians and great singer. I play guitar and do backing vocals. We do lots of
good oldies like; Stones, Beatles, Green Day, Snow Patrol, Wilson Pickett, Chuck Berry,
Bryan Adams etc."
John Gravenor is down near Hastings and John Alderson now lives in Leicestershire, so there's some distance logistics to sort out there.
This is something that a lot of people who have contributed to the Hobo site have wished for, although it's sad that it took Dave's passing to make it happen. Our thoughts go to Dave's wife Angie who is organising all this.
Wandering John always had an entourage loyal to the band who were friends many of whom left for Brighton in 1970. Neil O Connor (Hazel's brother) was one of them. Here is a You Tube tribute song for Alex Murphy, one of the band's roadies.
Read more about Wandering John on hobo - A to Z of Coventry bands https://sites.google.com/site/bandsfromcoventry/coventry-bands-a-to-z/coventry-bands-w/wandering-john
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