HOLD TIGHT! COVERS
The Sean Buckley Set - Hold Tight / Please Do Something (Germany: Hit-House 52.803) 25/04/66
Originally Sean Buckley & the Breadcrumbs, this British group were: Sean Buckley (vo), Colin Banyard, Kevin Sheehan (gt), Vince Nichols (bs) and David Simmonds (dr). In early 1966, they also released an entire album of international hits in Germany, "Hit House Hits".
Pat Simon - Hold Tight / You Make It Moven (Germany: Vogue 14.524) 5/66
For more info: See covers You Make It Move
The Riats - Hold Tight / Vara's Fanclub Tune (Netherlands, Omega 35.495) 1966
The Riats were a Dutch group from The Hague. The members: Ko van der Hoeven (Guitar), Steve Biesot (Guitar), Frans Doolaard (Guitar) and Louis Debij (Drums). In 1969 they split up. Some members went to Casey & The Pressure Group and some to Fungus.
The Beat Kings - LP Beat aus England Vol. 12 (Germany: Pop Schallplatten ZS 10.012) 6/66
The “Original Beat aus England” Albums were budget LP’s collecting obscure German Groups who played the Hits of the Day.
The Beat Kings tracks on "Beat aus England Vol.12" are : Hold Tight, Sha La La La Lee, Somebody Help Me
The Snappers - Hideaway / Hold Tight (Germany: Decca 19.838) 7/66 ?
For more info: See covers Hideaway
The N'Betweens - Demo (UK: Columbia) 7/66 ?
John Howells (voc), Mick Marson (guit) and Don Powell (drms) formed a group called the Vendors in 1963, in Wolverhampton. Cass Jones later joined on bass and Dave Hill on lead guitar. And in 1965 they adopted the name ’N Betweens.
This lineup released one EP in December ‘65, in France, labelled as “In-Betweens” for a better understanding : “Feel So Fine”/“Take A Heart”/“Little Nightingale”/“You Don’t Believe Me” (Barclay EP 70907).
Cass Jones left at the end of 1965, and was replaced by Jim Lea. Another Wolverhampton band, Steve Brett & the Mavericks, had just split in early 1966, so guitarist Noddy Holder was called in to take the place of Mick Marson. With Don Powell and Dave Hill, the group was noticed by American producer Kim Fowley, and recorded a few tracks, including a version of “Hold Tight”.
One single was issued in August ’66: “You Better Run”/“Evil Witchman” (Columbia DB 8080).
The group continued touring with the same lineup until they became Ambrose Slade for one LP in 1969, changing their name to Slade in 1970.
Spanish cover: Los Belmont's - Apriétalo EP (Mexico: Orfeon EP-596) 1966 [+ LP The Belmont's A Go Go] 
Mexican quintet, created in 1963, and consisting of Jorge Mendoza (vocal), Francisco "El Pancho" (piano), Jorge Roig (drums) and Rogelio Boyzo (bass).
They made a first album in 1966: Amarrado (cover of Dave Clark’s “Glad All Over”).
They issued their second Hit Apriétalo (Hold Tight) on a 45 EP in 1966, along with “Ven ya” (Dave Clark Five cover), “Corriendo” and “Que les das” (Drafi Deutscher cover) [Orfeon Records].
Apriétalo was subsequently featured on their second LP in ’67 : The Belmont's A Go Go (Dimsa Records).
Amarrado, Apriétalo and Alcánzalo were to remain their three biggest hits, forever associated with the group.
The Jay Five - LP B-B-B Big Beat Bombs (Germany: Cornet 15.001) 10/66 ?
A German Jazz group which switched to Beat to earn a living, with the growing success of this formula.
They consisted of 5 “J’s”: Tom ‘Jock’ Wohlert (Husum, Schleswig-Holstein, guitar), Elmar ‘Jerry’ Kast (Walldürn, Würtemberg, bass), Eric ‘Jay’ Thöner (Bucarest, Rumania, keyboard/vocals), ‘Joe’ Thaler (Passau, guitar) & Dieter ‘Jiggs’ Blahak (Leobschutz, Oberschlesien, drums), wh
o came together in Würzburg in 1965.
Around October 1966, their LP "Big Beat Bombs" (Cornet 15001) contained covers of current hits, including "Hold Tight" and "Hideway". They made many more albums before and after, but never had a real hit in the hit-parade under their own name. But they backed Graham Bonney in 1967 on his Top 10 single "Siebenmeilenstiefel" and Roland W. in 1968 on his international smash "Monja" as well as on "My Maria".
They were a prolific band, as can be seen from this album discography:
Polydor 94 070 - Beat Beat Beat (1966)
Polydor 179 029 - Beat Parade ‘66 (1966)
Cornet 15 001 - B-B-B Big Beat Bombs (1967)
Cornet 15 002 - Got A New Direction (1967) [Bill Ramsey & The Jay Five]
Cornet 15 007 - A ‘One A ‘Two A ‘Three (1967) [instrumental album]
Cornet 15 014 - Strictly Instrumental (1968)
Cornet 15 024 - Anytime (1968)
Cornet 16 058 - Originals (1968)
S*R International 77 267 - Music To Watch Girls By (1968)
The Ravers - LP Little Man (Germany: Tip 63-3065) 11/66 ? [The Tonics]
This German group were the Tonics under a different name. In fact, the Tonics story is a long one, and they recorded lots of singles and albums all through the sixties changing their name according to the label for which they played. From 1963 onwards, they recorded covers of current hits for the budget label “Tip” as The Ravers.
The group came together in Hamburg in 1959: Manfred Oberdörfer (Toni Tornado, vocals/rhythm), Volker Tonndorf (bass), Erich Götze (drums) and Helmut Franke (guitar). In 1965, Joachim 'Benny' Bendorff replaced Volker on bass, and in 1966 Herbert Bornholdt took Erich’s stool on drums.
This line-up released the album “Little Man” (Tip 63-3065) at the end of 1966, containing two covers of Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich’s Repertoire: "Hold Tight" and "Bend It".
"Bend It" was also released under the moniker of The Pick-Ups on the album “Keep On Dancing II” (Metronome HLP 10.084) in early 1967.
In 1968 Helmut Franke formed Wonderland with ex-Rattles Achim Reichel after his spell in the army. They had only one hit, with the wonderful heavy-phased psychedelic “Moscow”. Helmut was replaced by Hajo Teschner in the Ravers, who finally split in 1970.
The Ravers released about one album a year for “Tip” from 1964 until 1969, while recording at the same time as: The Tonics, The Ginger-Rockets, The John Hamilton Band, Memphis Brown’s Band, The Movers, The Pick-Ups, The Pop Spots, The Seven Souldiers, The Soho Gamblers and The Spots. Then Toni Tornado followed with a successful solo career.
Paul Nero Band - LP Nero’s Dance Party (Germany: Philips 843.930) 1966 [Medley] 
Hugo Strasser - LP Die Tanzplatte Des Jahres 1966/67 (Germany: EMI Electrola SME 74 172) 1966 
Spanish cover: Los Huracanes - No lo pienses más EP (Spain: Regal SEDL 19.537) 1967 
Italian cover: I Monelli - Sotto il mio ombrello / Chi sei ? (Italy: Fox HF 1017) 1966 ? 
The Marauders came from Bergamo, Italy, 1958.
One of their members was Roby Facchinetti, who later joined i Pooh, (check the entry for the Clockwork Oranges) before this group made any recording. The others included Gino Frigeni (gt/vo, leader of the band) and his brother Bruno.
Their first record was a cover of the B-side of a Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich Hit, “You Know What I Want”.
Their second single included the Italian version of “Hold Tight”.
For more info: See covers You Know What I Want
Spanish cover: Los Simuns - Hold Tight EP (Spain: Happyband HA 103) 1967 
Os Incriveis - LP Os Incriveis Nêste Mundo Louco (Brazil: Continental 123.096) 3/67
Os Incriveis Nêste Mundo Louco is both an album and a movie shot in 1966, in the manner of The Beatles in 1964 in England, The Rattles in 1965 in Germany, or Los Bravos in Spain in 1967... One song from the movie is available on YouTube.
The tracklist for the LP is : 1 The girl like you (Troggs cover), 2 Renascerá (Los Brincos cover), 3 Hi-Lili Hi-lo, 4 Hold tight, 5 La fisarmonica (Gianni Morandi cover), 6 My mummy put sugar on me (Mamãe passou açúcar em mim), 7 Piangi com me (Let's Live For Today), 8 Giulieta (Los Brincos cover), 9 Feliz foi Adão, 10 Don Pepe Legal, 11 Que será será (Whatever Will Be, Will Be), 12 Um sorriso champagne (Los Brincos cover)
Los Walkers - Hold Tight / Gloria (Argentina: Music Hall 30.924) 1967 [+ LP Los Walkers]
For more info: See covers Hard To Love You
The Charing Cross Boys - LP Dance To The Songs Of Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich (Germany: Decca ND 186) 1968 ?
The Howard Blaikley Orchestra - LP Silhouettes Of Success (UK: Rim ZS 3) 10/68 [instrumental]
For more info about Ken Howard and Alan Blaikley see the special Howard/Blaikley section
Jo Ment’s Happy Sound - LP Jo Ment's Midnight Party (Germany: Ariola 61077) 1969
[Re-released as LP Happyment (UK: Joy JS 5024/5) 1970] 
The Twins - Hold Tight / What's Your Name (Germany: CBS 12.8273) 1980
Medley: Tight Fit - LP Back To The Sixties [Hold Tight/Legend Of Xanadu] (UK: Jive 002) 9/81
