In 1969 and 1970, musicians moved around a lot. They’d leave one band, join another, then go off and create a different band.
One such musician was a 17-year-old Scarborough lad called Allen Palmer. He’d later be known as Robert Palmer, but in those formative years in Yorkshire, his band called The Mandrakes were making waves. Local photographer Brain Cooke joined the band as manager and the rest is history. Brian took some of the most creative images, which he has kindly allowed us to reprint in The Island Book of Records 1969-70.
By the following year, the Mandrakes had become well established locally and I’d photographed them quite a few times. My brother joined them on bass and I joined as a driver-cum-roadie. Within a year, the Mandrakes were changing fashions as quick as what was happening in Carnaby Street or on the King’s Road, which meant I was photographing them a lot. Since Allen was working for the Scarborough Evening News, he was not only able to place my pictures but that also gave the Mandrakes much-needed exposure locally. Win win if you like.
One highlight in 1967 happened on March 9. We supported Jimi Hendrix. He was playing the Skyline Ballroom in Hull and we had a regular spot there. Which meant we were the opening act before The Strollers, The Small Faces (although they were billed as the Small Four), Family, before finally Jimi took the stage. The one night I didn’t have my camera with me. I shudder when I think back on it. The kitchen at the Skyline doubled as the dressing room and we got to share those facilities with the likes of Geno Washington, The Move, The Alan Bown. Loads of bands played there.
And there’s more to read about those days
We’ve had our very first review of the Island Book of Records 1969-70 and it has been discovered on a fabulous French website dedicated to Robert Palmer...
It describes itself as “the unofficial but most complete site dedicated to the late great British singer.” but it’s certainly worth a look – if only for the large number of pictures it has on board. (If you have Google Translate loaded on your device, it should convert French to English or your home language immediately in your default browser.) The picture research is just exhaustive…
