Listen to The Cheynes’ 1964 single ‘Going To The River’ here:

Founded in London in 1963 by organist Pete Bardens, nowadays the Cheynes are mostly remembered for the fact that their drummer was Mick Fleetwood. The band frequently appeared at the Marquee and released three singles through Columbia, ‘Respectable’, ‘Going To The River’ and ‘Down And Out’, the last being co-produced by Rolling Stone Bill Wyman, who also co-wrote and played bass on the B side ‘Stop Running Around’. Producer-director Kenneth Hume also commissioned the band to perform a number of Beatles’ songs for a notorious short ballet film ‘Mods And Rockers’, but despite having a good reputation as a live act, lack of chart success led to them splitting up in 1965. Bardens joined Van Morrison’s band Them and later founded prog rock band Camel, while Fleetwood had a spell in John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers before forming Fleetwood Mac with bassist John McVie and guitarist Peter Green.

Did you see The Cheynes in the Sixties? Were they one of your favourite bands? Join our discussion and share your memories of music in the Sixties.

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