The Roulettes

The group originated among friends at Sutton High School for Boys, including guitarist Peter Thorp. Originally called the Strangers, they were seen by publicist Leslie Perrin, who recommended them to Adam Faith's manager Eve Taylor. Faith was looking for a touring band that would enable him to perform similar music to that of the beat bands then emerging from Merseyside. Renamed the Roulettes, the band - then comprising Peter Thorp, Martin Blackwell, Tony Burgess and John Roberts - first performed with Faith at the Royal Albert Hall in September 1961. The group toured widely with Faith between 1961 and 1963, with several changes of personnel, many instigated by Faith. They recorded one unsuccessful single for Pye, "Hully Gully Slip 'N' Slide". By early 1963, the group comprised Thorp (guitar), the only remaining Strangers member, John Rogers (bass), Bob Henrit (drums), and Russ Ballard (guitar and keyboards). ==Members==

• Peter Thorp – lead guitar, rhythm guitar (born 25 May 1944, Wimbledon, South West London), died 2 January 2021 from COVID (original band member when still named the Strangers) • Brian Parker – lead guitar (born Brian William Parker, 1940, Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, died 17 February 2001) (brought in to replace Thorp and left after two weeks, with Thorp resuming) • Johnny Rogers – bass guitar (born John Rogers, 1941, Hertfordshire, died 27 May 1963, Lincolnshire from injuries in a car crash) • Alan 'Honk' Jones – saxophone (Alan Evan Thomas Jones, born 19 August 1933, Norwood, London, died 3 October 2022 Kent, (left The Roulettes) • Norman Stracey – rhythm guitar, also keyboards (born Norman Henry Stracey, 1941, Ware, Hertfordshire) (left in February 1963) • Bob Henrit – May 1962 onwards, drums (born Robert John Henrit, 2 May 1944, Broxbourne, Hertfordshire) • Russ Ballard – March 1963 onwards, keyboards, later lead guitar and lead vocals (born Russell Glyn Ballard, 31 October 1945, Waltham Cross, Hertfordshire) (replaced Stracey in the band, was recruited to play keyboards and shared lead guitar with Thorp) • John 'Mod' Rogan – May 1963 onwards, bass guitar (born John George Rogan, 3 February 1944, Hartlepool, County Durham) (replaced Rogers after he died) ==Discography==

Singles • "Hully Gully Slip 'N' Slide" / "La Bamba" – Pye Records 7N 15467 – October 1962 • "Soon You'll Be Leaving Me" / "Tell Tale Tit" – Parlophone R 5072 – 8 November 1963 • "Bad Time" / "Can You Go" – Parlophone R 5110 – 6 March 1964 • "I'll Remember Tonight" / "You Don't Love Me" – Parlophone R 5148 – June 1964 • "Stubborn Kind of Fellow" / "Mebody" – Parlophone R 5218 – 11 December 1964 • "I Hope He Breaks Your Heart" / "Find Out The Truth" – Parlophone R 5278 – May 1965 • "The Long Cigarette" / "Junk" – Parlophone R 5382 – 26 November 1965 • "The Tracks of My Tears" / "Jackpot" – Parlophone R 5419 – 11 March 1966 • "I Can't Stop" / "Yesterday, Today And Tomorrow" – Parlophone R 5461 – 3 June 1966 • "Rhyme Boy, Rhyme" / "Airport People" – Fontana TF 822 – 21 April 1967 • "Help Me To Help Myself" / "To A Taxi Driver" – Fontana TF 876 –October 1967 Albums • Stakes And Chips – LP - Parlophone LC 0299 – 1965 • Russ, Bob, Pete & Mod – Compilation LP – Edsel Records ED 113 – 1983 ==References==