The Sorrows 2012 ( Official Page)

Very few rock bands can claim to have created a whole new genre of music but Coventry’s SORROWS not only have that distinction but have celebrated more than 50 years of putting the beat into FREAKBEAT. The Midlands hit-makers are back on the road half a century after they first achieved fame when their frenzied version of R&B created a proto-punk sound that lit the charts alight. Rightfully credited as the first band to create ‘freakbeat’, The Sorrows were the raw, real deal that thrilled the mods of the day with a sound that was pure sweat and excitement. More rhythm & bruise than rhythm & blues, the Sorrows took similar influences as their contemporaries the Rolling Stones, the Yardbirds & the Small Faces but added a ton of dynamite to the groove to detonate dance floors. Formed by guitarist Pip Whitcher, lead singer Don Fardon, bassist Phil Packham, rhythm guitarist Wez Price and drummer Bruce Finley in 1963, their first recording was a version of ‘Smoke Gets In Your Eyes’ recorded in the legendary Joe Meek’s bathroom which led to a record deal with Pye Records subsidiary, Piccadilly, working with famous producer John Schroeder. Their début single ‘I Don’t Wanna Be Free’ created the mould for a run of records that shook the industry with their raw, almost snarling sound that was more akin to the garage-punk records being created in America than their rivals at home. The follow up, ‘Baby’ was an astonishing 45, mixing kooky rhythms, a “far out” rave-up, pounding off kilter drums and a teenage angst that instantly connected with their audience. Gigs all over the UK and Europe cemented The Sorrows’ reputation as one of the hottest bands of the mid 60s. Their third single ‘Take A Heart’ saw the quintet on TV’s seminal ‘Top Of The Pops’ as they crashed into the UK top 40 and reaching 21 while an album of the same title further enhanced the group’s reputation. Singer Fardon, with his tall stature (he was known as the tallest man in 60s pop!) and stage persona of waving his arms like a crazed hand-clapping octopus set the group apart from others. The brooding menace in their records inspired others to follow suit and bands like The Creation, The Birds, Wimple Winch and many others started to release singles with a Sorrows-like power and a new musical genre was born. The following year saw more excellent single releases including the sizzling ‘You’ve Got What I Want’ which was paired with the screaming ‘No No No No.’ ‘Let The Live Live’ continued the Sorrows remarkable output while its brilliant B side ‘Don’t Sing No Sad Songs For Me’ proved the group were no mugs in the studio as they turned their hands to a more folk-rock sound with Dylan-esque harmonica peppering the groove. After the release of ‘Let Me In’ Fardon and Packham decided to quit allowing Whitcher to switch to lead vocals, Price moving to bass and Roger Lomas came in on lead guitar. The Sorrows relocated to the Italian capital Rome to record a series of new cuts during the psychedelic summer of love. Notably, the single ‘Pink, Purple, Yellow And Red’ turned heads with its brilliant psychedelic sound continuing to enhance the band’s legend. The group carried on recording throughout 1967 and 1968 when drummer Nigel Lomas, Roger's brother, joined the band and has since gone on to become The Sorrows' longest-serving member. Nigel had been a pro session drummer with Decca Records and has been an ever present Sorrow since he arrived in the psychedelic tail-end of the 60s. But with the hits drying up The Sorrows eventually went their separate ways. Fardon's post-Sorrows career included global chart success as a solo artist, selling more than 45 million records and performing soul, psychedelic and country records. Whitcher and Roger Lomas continued to work as song-writers, recording at Air Studios in the 1970s together with Nigel on drums. Roger latterly became a successful producer in the 1980s, eventually winning a Grammy Award in 2003 for producing dub reggae legend Lee “Scratch” Perry. The Sorrows reformed for live performance in 2011 by Fardon & Packham together with Nigel Lomas. Fellow Covenry musician Brian Wilkins had hung around the Sorrows during their mid 60s heyday and was the natgural chooice to come in on rhythm guitar, harmonica and vocals. The lead guitarist role was filled by youngster Marcus Webb from Poole in Dorset. Gigs followed all over Europe including major festivals and when Packham left in the winter of 2013 he was replaced by DC Fontana songwriter and bass player Mark Mortimer. The band relocated to Roger Lomas’ studios in January 2014 to begin work on the group’s first recordings for decades including long-lost tunes by Lomas and Whitcher while interest in them soared… A limited edition 7" vinyl release on Rise Above Records followed in November 2014 with "Gonna Find A Cave" backed by "Don't Do That" & "Doin' Alright Tonight." The band took a sabbatical for most of 2015 after illness forced Fardon to spend the year recuperating and undergoing surgery but the Sorrows are back on the road at the start of 2016. The Godfathers of Freakbeat.....Coventry's rocking Sorrows are celebrating more than 50 years in the business!