I was with the London City Agency for about 18 months. I was a new face, but I very quickly got to know all the other agents around the scene.

We booked a lot of bands into Eel Pie Island [in Twickenham] and I used to go down there, especially when the American acts came in. Eel Pie Island was run by a guy called Art Chisnall, who sadly died a couple of years ago, and we got on quite well.

In the end, I said to Art, “Why don’t you let me book all the bands, to save you the hassle of phoning around and being phoned by all these people?” He said, “OK, we’ll give it a try”, and that was a big feather in my cap, because everybody worked there, all the R’n’B bands – it was like the Marquee, it was de rigueur. It turned out to be a very successful partnership and it lasted as long as I stayed at London City, but then I was headhunted by John Gunnell.

I’d worked with John back and forth, because I booked a lot of his bands and occasionally he booked mine, and eventually, he said, “Are you alright there?” and I said, “Yes, they gave me my first break, I like them and I like working here.” He said, “How much money are you making?” and I said, “Oh, John, come on…” and he said, “I bet I can pay you more.”

I did see it. Johnny Jones and Barry Dunning at the London City Agency were nice guys, but we only had the Artwoods and Darrell Adams who was a folkie guy, a few trad bands, some American bands who only came in now and then, and that was about it. And then I looked at Gunnell’s company, who had Georgie Fame, Alan Price, Geno Washington, John Mayall, Long John Baldry and later Fleetwood Mac – it was like moving from the Coca Cola League to the Premier League! So I succumbed.

Johnny and Barry were pretty upset, but I think they realised that their agency would be a stepping stone for all bookers. So I went to work for John and Rik Gunnell and while I was there, I handled all of those bands I’ve mentioned. Of course, within those bands were guys I’d known from South-East London and it was all leading up to the major period of my career there, which was Colosseum.

Did you visit the club at Eel Pie Island in the Sixties? Which bands did you see there? Share your memories here: