Players

This page is for the Verithin players, there are very few really famous musicians who used the Verithin, however I have found a few of the guys and gals who will be mentioned here.
Phil Rylance plays a Verithin bass Serial 553. Phil joined Tommy Bruce and the Bruisers whilst at school in 1961, then went on to a pro.career recording at Abbey Road for Columbia, doing the iconic Radio Luxemburg, and The Star Club/Palast circuit in Hamburg. He has had a love affair with Hofners since a friend lent him an accoustic President in 1957. His next might just have to be a six string Verithin to match the bass !
Here we have an Irish Verithin player from the early 1960's along with a picture of a 1963 model.
Old Guitar Monkey Otherwise known as Dave Monk. Plays some nice stuff on various Fenders and a Verithin	Here's a nice piece from Youtube
The Kills Alison Mosshart is the guitarist with the American band "The Kills"
Here's Big John with his Verithin
The meteors Next comes John Forster. John is a well respected musician, luthier and teacher. He joined a group called the Meteors in 1961 and played with them until 1968, and carried on gigging until he retired from the stage in 2001. John can be contacted via his website http://www.johnforsterguitars.co.uk/
The Konchords Formed towards the end of 1965, The Konchords were noted for their close-harmony singing, playing the dancehalls in Cumberland, Westmorland and the Scottish Borders. The boys split up in 1966.
The Invaders Another Cumbrian band	Des Murdoch (lead guitar), Ralph Watson (bass), Joe Thwaites (drums), Bob Macfarlane (vocals), Steve Woodend (guitar)
Derek Tolson's Reunion Band While not strictly a sixties band. the Reunion Band (as it's name implies) is composed largely of former members of local sixties bands who still enjoy playing the music of the fifties and sixties together with some country music. They have recorded a couple of impressive CDs which were well received locally.
Tony Benson and the Skylines One of Southampton's most popular groups of the early Sixties, who travelled all over the UK with great success as well as working alongside some of the biggest names around.
The Long Bones
Chuck and Nic In the early '70s
An apprentice from the 100th Entry at RAF Holton
An unknown Verithin player
Brian Diamond and The Cutters
The Inserts James owns Verithin 3759, seen here on stage with the Inserts in 1977
Patrick Walden The Babyshambles Plays a 4575 on "Albion"
Queens Of The Stone Age
These bands are all from Hartlepool Pictures courtesy of Stan Laundon Here's a link to Stan's website
The Concordes From Darlington, and formed in the early summer of 1963 they played together for just over two years. They turned professional in January 1965, but the travelling up, down and across the UK got the better of them and they finally disbanded in September 1965.
The Crestas First paid booking at the Knights of St Columbia Club, Church Road, Stockton-on-Tees. It shows Kevin Frank, pre-bass days, Clive Avison on rhythm guitar, Lewis Johnson on drums, Keith Roberts on lead with Ian Carrick on vocals. This was taken in 1960 at The Corporation Hall, West Row, at a works function. It shows Clive Avison, Ian Carrick, Kevin Frank with Keith Roberts on lead. Lewis Johnson, the poor drummer, as in many band pictures, is totally hidden! Winners 'Grand Final of Rock 'n' Roll' contest at the Pier Ballroom in Redcar, 1962. Clive, Kevin, Lewis, Ian and Keith.
The Victors On stage at the Billingham Arms Hotel. They are, left to right, Trevor Davis on bass, Dennis Howe on vocals, Billy Cockerill lead guitarist and George Kitching on rhythm guitar. The drummer, hidden behind singer Dennis, is Eric Whitfield who was kind enough to provide us with the names of the bands personnel.
Tony and the Miazzis Bob Ferry is holding a Verithin Stereo, unfortunately hidden by the bass player
Hey Geoff, first of all "THANK YOU" for putting up this wonderful website. I was quiet lost when I bought these great guitars and I keep coming back to your site to look at the pictures. I bought my first Verithin on Ebay, and what a coincidence, it is exactly the one shown on your website: https://verithingeoff.com/Pictures/4574%20Germany%20180512.htm The guitar is now back in wonderful 100% functioning condition! My Uncle still plays Bass in a Band called "Percy & the Gaolbirds". http://www.gaolbirds.de/ The had a few releases in the sixties in Germany. Here are some pictures of the record sleeves: This is the Various Artists Compilation Double LP called Beat-Protest & Folksongs: This is one of their two 45's on Columbia Records: They won the Beat Contest in 1966 and got a record contract with Columbia. They bought all these nice Verithin Guitars the same year, but I think those might have been made in 1965 Unfortunately, all of the guitar players sold their instruments back then. My uncle kept his bass but let somebody else borrow a it for a long long time. When he finally got it back, it looked really terrible and had lots of modifications. This year, September 14th "Percy & the Gaolbirds" will have their 50th Year Band anniversary. It's still the Original Line-Up from the sixties. They already got their old sixties band outfits tailored and I'm in charge with gettin' the old instrument ready to go. It was really some work! At first gettin' the instruments, and then gettin' them into a condition that they could be played. But I managed and now we are so happy with these instruments, that we decided to play them in our own band the "Dukes of Hamburg", too. http://www.dukesofhamburg.com/ I can send you some more pictures of the Instruments if you like. Kind regards from Bielefeld, Germany Thilo
The 4 Blades Graham Palmer with 2572 From Graham The line up is ,on lead Roger Hank Bailey( white strat), Kenny Timms on base note the guitar its a hofner i think converted to a base . Ken put four strings on it. On drums Phill Galley , me on rythm. The vocalist is non other than Bobby Knutt the comedian, look for his life story he has written two books we appear in both of them. The first is called EY UP KNUTTY the second EY UP AGAIN. We are all still in touch and get together now and then.

This page is for the Verithin players, there are very few really famous musicians who used the Verithin, however I have found a few of the guys and gals who will be mentioned here.

Phil Rylance
plays a Verithin bass Serial 553.

Phil joined Tommy Bruce and the Bruisers whilst at school in 1961, then went on to a pro.career recording at Abbey Road for Columbia, doing the iconic Radio Luxemburg, and The Star Club/Palast circuit in Hamburg. He has had a love affair with Hofners since a friend lent him an accoustic President in 1957. His next might just have to be a six string Verithin to match the bass !

Here we have an Irish Verithin player from the early 1960's along with a picture of a 1963 model.

Old Guitar Monkey
Otherwise known as Dave Monk.

Plays some nice stuff on various Fenders and a Verithin

Here's a nice piece from Youtube

The Kills

Alison Mosshart is the guitarist with the American band "The Kills"

Here's Big John
with his Verithin

The meteors

Next comes John Forster.
John is a well respected musician, luthier and teacher. He joined a group called the Meteors in 1961 and played with them until 1968, and carried on gigging until he retired from the stage in 2001.

John can be contacted via his website

http://www.johnforsterguitars.co.uk/

The Konchords
Formed towards the end of 1965, The Konchords were noted for their close-harmony singing, playing the dancehalls in Cumberland, Westmorland and the Scottish Borders.
The boys split up in 1966.

The Invaders

Another Cumbrian band

Des Murdoch (lead guitar), Ralph Watson (bass), Joe Thwaites (drums),
Bob Macfarlane (vocals), Steve Woodend (guitar)

Derek Tolson's Reunion Band

While not strictly a sixties band. the Reunion Band (as it's name implies) is composed largely of former members of local sixties bands who still enjoy playing the music of the fifties and sixties together with some country music.

They have recorded a couple of impressive CDs which were well received locally.

Tony Benson
and the Skylines

One of Southampton's most popular groups of the early Sixties, who travelled all over the UK with great success as well as working alongside some of the biggest names around.

The Long Bones

Chuck and Nic
In the early '70s

An apprentice from the 100th Entry at RAF Holton

An unknown Verithin player

Brian Diamond and The Cutters

The Inserts

James owns Verithin 3759, seen here on stage with the Inserts in 1977

Patrick Walden

The Babyshambles
Plays a 4575 on "Albion"

Queens Of The Stone Age

These bands are all from Hartlepool

Pictures courtesy of Stan Laundon

Here's a link to Stan's website

The Concordes
From Darlington, and formed in the early summer of 1963 they played together for just over two years.

They turned professional in January 1965, but the travelling up, down and across the UK got the better of them and they finally disbanded in September 1965.

The Crestas

First paid booking at the
Knights of St Columbia Club,
Church Road, Stockton-on-Tees.
It shows Kevin Frank, pre-bass days, Clive Avison on rhythm guitar, Lewis Johnson on drums, Keith Roberts on lead with Ian Carrick on vocals.

This was taken in 1960 at The Corporation Hall, West Row, at a works function.

It shows Clive Avison, Ian Carrick, Kevin Frank with Keith Roberts on lead. Lewis Johnson, the poor drummer, as in many band pictures, is totally hidden!

Winners
'Grand Final of Rock 'n' Roll' contest at the Pier Ballroom in Redcar, 1962. Clive, Kevin, Lewis, Ian and Keith.

The Victors

On stage at the Billingham Arms Hotel. They are, left to right, Trevor Davis on bass, Dennis Howe on vocals, Billy Cockerill lead guitarist and George Kitching on rhythm guitar. The drummer, hidden behind singer Dennis, is Eric Whitfield who was kind enough to provide us with the names of the bands personnel.

Tony and the Miazzis

Bob Ferry is holding a Verithin Stereo, unfortunately hidden by the bass player

Hey Geoff, first of all "THANK YOU" for putting up this wonderful website. I was quiet lost when I bought these great guitars and I keep coming back to your site to look at the pictures.

I bought my first Verithin on Ebay, and what a coincidence, it is exactly the one shown on your website: https://verithingeoff.com/Pictures/4574%20Germany%20180512.htm

The guitar is now back in wonderful 100% functioning condition! My Uncle still plays Bass in a Band called "Percy & the Gaolbirds". http://www.gaolbirds.de/ The had a few releases in the sixties in Germany.
Here are some pictures of the record sleeves:
This is the Various Artists Compilation Double LP called Beat-Protest & Folksongs:
This is one of their two 45's on Columbia Records: They won the Beat Contest in 1966 and got a record contract with Columbia.

They bought all these nice Verithin Guitars the same year, but I think those might have been made in 1965 Unfortunately, all of the guitar players sold their instruments back then. My uncle kept his bass but let somebody else borrow a it for a long long time. When he finally got it back, it looked really terrible and had lots of modifications.

This year, September 14th "Percy & the Gaolbirds" will have their 50th Year Band anniversary. It's still the Original Line-Up from the sixties. They already got their old sixties band outfits tailored and I'm in charge with gettin' the old instrument ready to go. It was really some work! At first gettin' the instruments, and then gettin' them into a condition that they could be played. But I managed and now we are so happy with these instruments, that we decided to play them in our own band the "Dukes of Hamburg", too. http://www.dukesofhamburg.com/ I can send you some more pictures of the Instruments if you like. Kind regards from Bielefeld, Germany

Thilo

The 4 Blades

Graham Palmer with 2572

From Graham

The line up is ,on lead Roger Hank Bailey( white strat),
Kenny Timms on base note the guitar its a hofner i think converted to a base .
Ken put four strings on it.
On drums Phill Galley , me on rythm.
The vocalist is non other than Bobby Knutt the comedian, look for his life story he has written two books we appear in both of them. The first is called EY UP KNUTTY the second EY UP AGAIN.
We are all still in touch and get together now and then.