MAY 1968
May 1968 
Yardley’s “The London Look” Promotion Continental Tour:
Herman’s Hermits, Graham Bonney, The Robb Storme Group, Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich
Thu 2/05/68 Yardley’s “The London Look” French Tour: Paris, France
Fri 3/05/68 Yardley’s “The London Look” French Tour: Orléans, France
Sat 4/05/68 Yardley’s “The London Look” French Tour: Rennes, France
Sun 5/05/68 Yardley’s “The London Look” French Tour: Nantes, France
Mon 6/05/68 Yardley’s “The London Look” French Tour: Bordeaux, France
Tue 7/05/68 Yardley’s “The London Look” French Tour: Toulouse, France
Thu 9/05/68 Yardley’s “The London Look” French Tour: Marseille, France
Fri 10/05/68 Yardley’s “The London Look” French Tour: Nice, France
Sat 11/05/68 Yardley’s “The London Look” French Tour: Saint Etienne, France
Sun 12/05/68 Yardley’s “The London Look” French Tour: Lyon, France
Tue 14/05/68 Yardley’s “The London Look” French Tour: Strasbourg, France
Wed 15/05/68 Yardley’s “The London Look” French Tour: Lille, France
Thu 16/05/68 Yardley’s “The London Look” French Tour: Le Havre, France
Fri 17/05/68 Yardley’s “The London Look” French Tour: Paris, France
This was the Yardley’s Promotion Tour through France as advertised in France in March 1968.
This scheduled second leg of the Yardley’s Promotion Tour, by special train and compered by “Président” Rosko, either did not take place, or without Dave Dee & Co.
(Was it due to the political upheaval spreading from France all over Europe through May 1968 ?)
Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich had other performances scheduled at the same time.
May 1968
Disc & Music Echo: Bardot . . . Dave Dee Fan
BARDOT. . . DAVE DEE FAN
Dave Dee, who's been stopping the show with his brilliant stage act on the Bee Gees tour, stopped the traffic in Piccadilly Circus last Thursday . . . when he and girl-friend Rosemary Franklin stood chatting to Brigitte Bardot.
Brigitte turns out to be a big Dave Dee fan and seized the chance to speak when she saw him in the street, asking particularly whether "Legend Of Xanadu" film was to go ahead as planned.
But Dave still walked off at the end of the conversation with Rosemary Franklin . . .
. . . And without mentioning his latest project – producing his own group discovery, Gospel Garden. A couple of months ago he told me he wanted to sign up some new group and was sticking to the real outbacks of Britain rather than London. Gospel Garden come from Scunthorpe, so I see his point.
The group has been signed up by Double R Productions, the agency which launched the Herd.
"We're as enthusiastic about Gospel Garden as we were with the Herd," I was told. "They play a progressive West Coast style, but their singing is a fantastic falsetto, four-part harmony. Something like the Temptations or Miracles."
May 1968
Single release: Gospel Garden - Finders Keepers / Just A Tear (Camp 602 006)
Gospel Garden were John Gladwin (vo), Terry Wincott (gt), Craig Austin (bs), Steve Cox (dr) & Geoff Eaton Tindle (gt). Their only single was produced by Steve Rowland and Dave Dee. 
May 1968
Single release: Orange Bicycle - Jenskadajka / Nicely (Columbia DB 8413)
A cult group with former Whispers leader Robb Storme issue a good Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich imitation. Replete with “Okay”-chapka on the picture sleeve!
Contrary to what is being repeated here and there, their first single "Hyacinth Threads", was not a number-1-hit in France, where it never even charted. The fact it was released as an EP on the Impact label, the same as The Smoke, is itself an event.
May 1968
German single release: Ken Howard – Miss Ashwood / No, Sweetheart, No (Telefunken U 56006)
The singer is not the songwriter of all Dave Dee & Co. Hits, but Hartmut 'Kuli' Kulka, ex-member of The German Blue Flames with his second and last single. A very fine old-time sound, reminiscent of David Garrick’s Mrs. Applebee.
Wed 1/05/68
Savoy Ballroom, Cork, Ireland
Bee Gees and Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich Tour
Thu 2/05/68
Adelphi Cinema, Dublin, Ireland
Bee Gees and Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich Tour [ABC Cinema in Bee Gees Biography]
Fri 3/05/68
ABC Cinema, Belfast, Northern Ireland
Bee Gees and Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich Tour
Sat 4/05/68
Record Mirror: Pop Films (Derek Boltwood)
And we return to those thrilling days of yesteryear as Dave Dee Dozy Beaky Mick and Tich ride West.
The tall Texan sun beats mercilessly down upon the dry dusty desert. It's high noon. The high noon of gunfights and gunslingers, of cow-boys and cattle drives. Just along the trail, not more than a hundred cotton-pickin' yards away, is a roughly hewn signpost cellotaped onto a thirsty cactus plant. The sign says "Xanadu". Suddenly, out of the distance, in a cloud of dust, two spurred and booted riders appear — one large on a large horse. The other small, on a small horse. And in front of the horsemen runs a man in a hairy sports jacket and a cloth cap. Holding a carrot.
Because that's the only way Dave Dee and Dozy could get their horses to move. And, let's face it, you can't make a cowboy film with horses that don't move.
And this is only one of the problems that Mark Edwards has to face when he's filming a pop group. Mark is the guy who makes most of those short three minute pop films you see on Top Of The Pops — and on American and Continental television.
Needless to say, the film with Dave Dee and Co. wasn't actually made in the wild and woolly West, nor were we in that land of pioneers and plenty when I was chatting to Mark the other day.
"Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick and Tich are a great group to work with," said Mark "We had a lot of fun making the film — they're very professional, and very co-operative. And a nice bunch of guys as well. But the whole thing was quite funny. The only horses we could get hold of for the filming were a couple of old hacks. And the minute you let them go, they ambled off back to the stables. But that was the only time you could get them to move — in the end we had to coax them along inch by inch with a carrot held in front of their noses. It was just after this that one of the horses suddenly came to life, though, and shot off into the distance with Dozy hanging on for all he was worth. We were all killing ourselves laughing — and it's one of the few times I've seen Dozy wide-awake!
"Every member of the group is a good actor, though, which is a great help when you're making a film. The thing is that they've all been in the business a long time, and they use a lot of showmanship in their stage act as well.
"Another group I enjoy working with is the Herd. When their second disc was out, 'Paradise Lost', we filmed them in a strip club. You know, because the record used music from 'The Stripper'. We had to be very careful filming in the club in case we upset too many of the regulars who take their striptease very seriously.
"In the particular club we used, the strip sets that were going on downstairs were televised onto a screen in the club entrance, so that passers-by in the street could see what was happening. It used to be on all day, but apparently it caused so many traffic jams and minor accidents through drivers and pedestrians staring at the strippers that they had to stop televising it! [...]
Fri 10/05/68
Koningin Elizabethsaal, Antwerp, Belgium
Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich supported by Paul Severs & The Criminals, Euson & Stax, Brian & The Hi
Five
Fri 10/05/68
Earl Warren Showgrounds, Santa Barbara, California, USA
The Yardbirds, Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich and Turquoise
For a British quintet to travel to the USA for a one-off concert, without any tour or promotion, is highly unlikely. It makes this poster all the more interesting !
Simon Napier-Bell (‘Black Vinyl White Powder’, Ebury Press, London):
When I went to the States to set up a tour for the Yardbirds the first person I spoke to at the record company was a promotions man who told me, 'This ain't England, kid. In the States we got 7,000 radio stations to be bribed each time a record's released. That's a lotta cocaine!'
In America, there were other complications too. When an artist with an Italian name or background made it big, their management would be made an offer they couldn't refuse by one of the mafia-controlled entertainment agencies. And though British artists were safe from such things, it was just as well to be aware of how the business worked. Thirty years later, Wall Street journalist Frederic Damien would write: There's corruption in just about every business, but I've never seen it anything like the level of the record business. I've covered the coal business, insurance, investment banking, the chemical industry, and trucking; and although they all have roguish elements, they're nothing like the record business, which to my way of thinking is no business at all. I don't know how to describe it except as some sort of cartel. 
Fri 10/05/68
Paris: The Night of the Barricades
During the night, the students occupying the Latin Quarter erect dozens of barricades which the police will assault and dismantle. The reports on this police violence will push the population into the students camp.
The following monday, a massive demonstration will turn into a general strike and by 22 May, 10 million workers are on strike. Factories are closed and the country comes to a standstill.
No more petrol, no telephone, no school, and even the Cannes Festival will be shut down.
Sat 11/05/68
Record Mirror: Dave Dee on stage – What forms the basis of a good stage act?
DAVE DEE ON STAGE – What forms the basis of a good stage act? (Lon Goddard)
[...] The group's act is both professional and entertaining, but most of all, it bridges quite amply, the gap between the performer and the admirers. It is effective because it is constructed with care and undertaken with a relaxing easiness. By far the most appealing segment of the current Bee Gees, Foundations, Grapefruit and Dave Dee tour.
As the lights come on, five cloaked figures are seen with their backs to us. Suddenly our ears are belted with the theme from the “Magnificent Seven”. Then, in succession, the cloaks begin to drop off. The hats are flipped aside. The five figures turn round to reveal none other than Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, and your actual Mick plus Tich, outfitted in wild Spanish caballero gear. Dave cavorts about doing some tricky acrobatics as the legendary “Hold Tight” is played. Fervor in the auditorium is building up as we strain to hear through the cries.
Now all quiets down. Dave urges the fans to hush. The music stops. He begins a sensual version of Tim Hardin's “If I Were A Carpenter”. Kneeling down on stage in his transparent silk shirt and leather sleeveless open front jacket, he stops on the words “would you have my baby?”. No one can control the uproar and the music continues on again.
On the conclusion of that number Dozy comes crashing across stage and leaps daintily into Dave's awaiting arms as they sing “Dozy oh Dozy” in the tradition of one Don Partirdge, plus the famous “You’re my little Davy and I'm your little Dozy” after Esther and Abi. An amusing and well received comedy bit. The lights then black out to reveal fluorescent collars, cuffs, guitars, drumes, yes and even drum sticks, ZABADAK in glowing blue.
Next the ever versatile Dave goes into his inviting one finger “Bend It” exercise. The participation starts and fingers everywhere are bending it in formation.
A clever and almost hypnotic concentric circle lighting technique is used on their version of “Paint It Black!” Dave does his Mick Jagger routine and causes the noise to reach fantastic volumes as young ladies are desperately persuaded by guards not to storm the stage. But there wasn't any convincing them, and Dozy went down during the closing number “Legend Of Xanadu”. At least it was more pleasant than being accidentally thwacked with the famous Xanadu Bull-whip, wielded by Dave during his song. [...] 
Sun 12/05/68
NME Poll Winners Concert, Empire Pool, Wembley, London, England
6th Annual New Musical Express Concert, compered by disc jockeys Jimmy Savile & Tony Blackburn
Status Quo, Don Partridge, Love Affair, The Association, The Paper Dolls, Lulu, Cliff Richard – end of 1st half
Amen Corner, The Herd, The Move, Dusty Springfield, Scott Walker, Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich, The Rolling Stones
(+ Shadows, Showstoppers, Tremeloes, Breakaways)
Jimmy Saville had announced a big surprise : The Rolling Stones were not on the bill, and hadn’t played Britain for two years, but appeared to close the show (their last concert with Brian Jones)
Dave Dee interviewed by Carl Wayne (The Move) for the BBC on 2nd July 2002:
CW: I live in the memory of you at the NME Poll Winner’s Party concert, cracking that whip, “All the kinky ones up the front!!” See you Dave, this is “The Legend of Xanadu”.
DD: That’ll be on my tombstone, “You’re the one with the whip!!” (laughter from both)
Mon 13/05/68
(USA) Billboard May 18, 1968 page 58: Top 60 Pop Spotlight
Spotlights predicted to reach the Top 60 of the HOT 100 Chart
Horst Jankowski – Zabadak (Writer: Blaikley) (Gallico, BMI) – By far the most commercial outing for Jankowski since his “Walk Through The Black Forest.” This infectious rhythm number, a recent hit for Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, 
Mick and Tich, lends itself beautifully to the lush arrangement by Jankowski. Watch this one! Flip: “And We Got Love” (GEMA). Mercury 72809
Mon 20/05/68
(Germany) Bravo n°21 page 78: Cosmetical Beat Tour through Germany
Yardley realised what no concert agency could achieve. To promote their new Teenager series, the company brought together all the Beat groups that count: Herman's Hermits, the Flower Pot Men, Dave Dee & Co, the Robb Storme Group and Graham Bonney.
BRAVO Leser sind BRAVO Reporter
Kosmetische Beat-Tour durch Deutschland
Hamburg. Was kaum eine Konzert-Agentur schafft, schaffte bei uns in Hamburg eine Kosmetikfirma. Um ihre neue Teenager-Serie vorzustellen, holte Yardley alles was in der Beat-Welt Beine hat, zu uns. Ihr werdet es kaum glauben. Wir erlebten zusammen: Herman's Hermits, die Flower Pot Men, Dave Dee & Co, die Robb Storme-Gruppe und Graham Bonney. Sie werden mit einem besonders ausgestatteten Bus durch Deutschland fahren. Ich konnte nur immer wieder meine Kamera hochreißen. Ich hoffe, die Bilder gefallen euch.
Photo: Die Yardley-Kosmetikerinnen waren am meisten von Dave Dee & Co entzückt
Christian Ebert, Hamburg Honorar: 75 Mark
Thu 23/05/68
Melody Maker: “If No One Sang” next Dave Dee & Co. LP - Breakout out in the USA in 3 weeks
NEW DEE SINGLE – Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick and Tich release “Break Out”, a track off their forthcoming album “If No One Sang”, as their next American single in three weeks time. Their managers, Ken Howard and Alan Blaikley, are currently writing their next British single.
The group's forthcoming appearances include Kelso Corn Exchange tomorrow (Friday), Auchinleck Community Center (Saturday), Dunfermline Kinema (26), Nelson Imperial Ballroom (June 1), The Sands, Whitley Bay (6 & 7), and Domino Club, Bridlington (8).
Fri 24/05/68
Corn Exchange, Kelso, Scotland
Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich
Sat 25/05/68
(USA) Billboard May 25, 1968: Spotlight on London (Special Feature)
Philips Has Diversified Bag – Popular musical tastes are diversified. All types of records are in the hit parade, and the market is wide open to practically every aspect of pop music. We at Philips consider this to be a healthy situation.
We have had the first, second and third positions in the hit parade simultaneously with Manfred Mann’s “Mighty Quinn,” Dave Dee’s “Legend of Xanadu,” and Esther and Abi Ofarim’s “Cinderella Rockefella,” all of which attained a No. 1 rating. […]
British Groups Lead in Austrian Charts – Five years ago, except for the Beatles and the Rolling Stones, hits sung in English were not very popular in Austria. Cliff Richard, for example, often recorded German versions of his songs, and only those were usually sold. However, today, due to the influence of English beat groups, as many as six out of the 10 top numbers are in English, notwithstanding the fact that few English groups visit Austria. […]
The Beatles continue to be leading in Austria. […]
The Rolling Stones lost some of their popularity, while Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich became more popular. Sales of the Bee Gees records were very successful. It is only natural that the English groups influence Austrian pop singers who adopt their style, and their dress. […]
Promotion Through Film Clips – Eyemark Films is a pioneer in the developing area of record promotion through film clips. The company has a staff of 10, headed by ex-BBC-TV cameraman Mark Edwards, and is a division of Eyemark Records.
Its most recent project was a movie short designed to promote the current EMI album release, “The Sounds and Songs of London.” The list of British and overseas hit paraders filmed by Eyemark in this fashion is impressive, and includes Scott and John Walker; Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick and Tich; the Herd, the Love Affair, Manfred Mann, Dusty Springfield and Esther and Abi Ofarim.
“We do what we think is best according to the record and its subject,” Edwards explained. “For instance, in the case of Dave Dee’s ‘Legend of Xanadu,’ we produced a mini Western.” […]
Sat 25/05/68
Community Center, Auchinleck, Scotland
Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich
Sun 26/05/68
Kinema Ballroom, Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland
Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich supported by The Falcons and The Shadettes 
Mon 27/05/68
(Germany) Bravo n°22: short - new - hot - short - new - hot
Dave Dee is dating former Miss World Rosemary Franklin – stop
(Welsh Miss Rosemary Frankland became Miss World 1961)
Bravo page 33: kurz - neu - heiß - kurz - neu - heiß
Dave Dee ist vielbeneideter Fast-Verlobter von Rosemary Franklin, einer vormaligen “Miss Welt” – stop
Mon 27/05/68
(Germany) Bravo n°22: The 20 favourite Beat-Groups in Germany
Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich lost their position on the podium, but stay ahead of their rivals 
Die 20 beliebtesten Beatgruppen :
1. Bee Gees (117,672) 2. Beatles (99,324) 3. Monkees (54,674)
4. Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich (31,635) 5. Lords (29,804) 6. Rolling Stones (12,435) 7. Kinks (5,507) 8. Beach Boys (3,009) 9. Small Faces 10. Who 11. Troggs 12. Herman's Hermits 13. Jimi Hendrix Experience 14. Herd (486) 15. Hollies 16. Traffic 17. Flower Pot Men 18. Creation 19. Manfred Mann 20. Move
Fri 31/05/68
Album release: “If No-One Sang” LP – Fontana (S)TL 5471 [Rec. Nov. 1967 & Feb. 1968]
If No-One Sang / Where From Where To / I've Got A Feeling / In A Matter Of A Moment / Mrs Thursday / Zabadak / Mama Mama // If I Were A Carpenter / The Legend Of Xanadu / Look At Me / The Tide Is Turning / Breakout / Time To Take Off / If No-One Sang
Long awaited sequel to “If Music Be The Food Of Love”. Not a concept album, although it is built on a theme. Contains original material, apart from the 2 hit-singles. It charted only in Germany : n°30.
Record Mirror (8/06/68):
"If No One Sang" is a folk-tinged opener to the L.P. with eerie sound effects and Dave singing a lone, melodious lead vocal. Lovely acoustic guitar-work here, and this leads straight into "Where From Where To", an organ-based builder with Dozy singing a languid lead, to a set of thoughtful lyrics.
"I Got A Feeling" has a bright bossa-nova flavour and an excellent Latin-combo backdrop. Jerky sort of song in their hit single style with lusty group vocals.
"In A Matter Of A Moment" is a dreamy beat ballad, repetitive lyric and beat, but imaginative arrangements which saves the side from being over-syrupy; the vocal is nice, too.
"Mrs. Thursday" opens with limousine sound effects, and the jaunty song is based on the TV character with a clear, send-up type vocal from Dave Dee, Beaky and Dozy. Amusing, gossipy and again, the backing arrangement sounds out.
You've all heard their "Zabadak", so I'll skip that and go on to the last track on side one – "Mama Mama" which has a rocking vocal from Dozy, set against a boogie-based piano and a Spanish flavoured tune running hotly throughout – an exciting climax to the side.
Side two commences with their version of Tim Hardin's "If I Were A Carpenter", and their version is more subdued-rock, as opposed to the brash Four Tops treatment, or the folksy Darin-Hardin versions. They handle it well, and credit must go to Dave for his delicate vocal, which is attractive without being weak.
I'll skip their chart-topping "The Legend Of Xanadu" and go on to Dave's solo on "Look At Me", a dramatic, but terrifically corny number. Well-performed with the building backdrop that marks this L.P.
"The Tide Is Turning" features the whole group on vocals, and is a fine plaintive side with a good tune and harmonious vocals which blend well. All of the arrangements on this L.P., incidentally, are by Reg Tilsley and John Gegory, while the production is by Steve Rowland, and Roger Wake did the recording.
"Breakout" has a big backing, and is a strong ballad, with Dave singing solo. Cellos intrude well, and there's enough drama here to appeal to their fans.
Airport announcements open "Time To Take Off", and this is a fast-moving pacey teen-slanted number with a commercial flavour – it runs into "If No One Sang" again, but the whole group join in the finale which ends with the same sound effects as open the L.P. (Norman Jopling)
“If No-One Sang” was inspired by a poem from a young girl fan, just like the idea of “Lucy In The Sky” came from the drawing of a young schoolgirl. Dave Dee’s dog, Oliver, can be heard barking at the end of “I’ve Got A Feeling”, and the Sgt. Pepper’s album ends with a sound only dogs can hear. This “silent” sound echoes the 2 minutes of silence Dave Dee And Co. wanted to use in their LP, to reinforce the feeling of what would happen “If No-One Sang” (silence which John Lennon did incorporate in his “Life With the Lions” LP in 1969, as a track called “Two Minutes Silence”). DDDBM&T used Mexican Brass on their album, while The Beatles called upon the brass section of Sounds Inc.
Fri 31/05/68
Single release: Lulu – Boy (Columbia DB 8425)
After Glenda Collins in 1966, and Lynn Holland in 1967, a new girl singer for the Howard Blaikley Repertoire. Lyrics are straightforward! Lulu also sang "March" on the B-side of her Eurovision song.
Fri 31/05/68
Philips Studios, Stanhope House, 2-4 Stanhope Place, London W2, England [Released on 28/06/68]
Recording session for Last Night In Soho (produced by Steve Rowland)
A gangster story in the “Bonnie and Clyde” period. Soho was the Kray Brothers territory. Session guitarist Big Jim Sullivan helped on that one.
Fri 31/05/68
Town Hall, Abergavenny, Wales
Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich
