From 1964 to 1965, the Authentics played the Marquee every Friday night for about 12 months. During that time, the big crowd pullers were Long John Baldry with Rod Stewart, at the Marquee on Wednesday nights I think, and Georgie Fame and Chris Farlowe at the Flamingo on a Thursday and Saturday. That seemed to be the year when all the magic happened.

At the time, the Yardbirds were the ‘in group’ for people in the know, mostly due to Eric Clapton’s growing reputation, but as they got more hyped, a lot of Friday night ravers came to see us and we built up a huge loyal group of followers. It was then always trendy to support the support band, and we were more of a blues band.

We were the support band for the Who on their first appearance at the Marquee, because they’d opened for us couple of times before at Greenwich Town Hall, when they were still called the High Numbers, and when they suddenly took off, they asked us to support them at the Marquee. And we remained friends thereafter. We also supported the Moody Blues on their first appearance at the Marquee.

While we were resident Friday nights at the Marquee with the Yardbirds, we were also resident headline band at the Croydon Crawdaddy Cub (at the Star Pub) on the Saturday.nights. Julie Driscoll, who went on to have a big hit single, ‘This Wheel’s On Fire’, with the Brian Auger Trinity, used to take the money on the door for us and she sang with us a few times as well. Eventually, we did the Richmond Crawdaddy as well, on a Thursday, and we played a lot of the other London clubs like the Harrow Railway.

We also supported The Rolling Stones and Mose Allison at the Richmond Jazz & Blues Festival in 1964. We supported Sonny Boy Williamson on several of his gigs and Sugar Pie De Santo at the Twisted Wheel in Manchester and the Mojo Club in Sheffield.

Check in tomorrow to read how Berne introduced Jimmy Page to the Yardbirds!

Did you see the Authentics performing in the clubs around London in the Sixties? Which were your favourite clubs? Share your memories here