T H E B A R O N S
Cossack / Summertime Oriole CB1608 - 1961
Samurai / Whirlwind Oriole CB1620 - 1961
The Barons hailed from Dartford, Kent, and were one of the many outfits born out of the skiffle era. They began life as the Colin Bourner Skiffle Group and performed in and around the Dartford area. After a couple of years they re-christened themselves The Barons and in early 1961 were spotted by Oriole Records boss Fred Dennis who promptly signed them for a 12 month contract. The line-up of Colin Bourner (aka Bobby Lee Brown) on lead guitar, James Collins on sax, Paul Myers on bass, Michael Moore on rhythm and Tony Wayrd on drums cut their first single at Oriole's Levy Sound Studios in Bond Street, London, in early '61. Both sides were instrumental, the top side was a tasty Russian-flavoured guitar romp called Cossack, written by Colin, and on the flip a honking sax-led arangement of Gershwin's Summertime.
The record hit the shops in March 1961 but lack of promotion by Oriole ensured the single never troubled the Hit Parade.
Radio coverage was thin on the ground too except for a handful of spins on Radio Luxembourg and the occasional play on the BBC's 'Saturday Club' show. The record was as good as any other instro around at the time and certainly deserved a trip to the charts.
The Barons' follow-up single, released the same year, coupled two Colin Bourner originals; Samurai and Whirlwind.
Once again they are superb examples of the genre but as with their previous disc it never entered the Hit Parade.
A third release was on the cards with Joshua (at the battle of Jericho) as the A-side and another Bourner original entitled Nightrider on the flip but it never passed the acetate stage.
Interestingly, another Oriole signing, the Ted Taylor Four, issued their version of Jericho as a single A-side in 1962.
The Barons continued playing gigs into 1963 but Colin Bourner quit the band after his father passed away. A new line-up of Barons formed but only stayed together for a few months before disbanding.
RECOMMENDED LISTENING:
Samurai appears on the Diamond Zircon CD '60's Brit-Pop Instrumentals Volume 1' (Zirc 1014 - 1999).
Samurai / Whirlwind Oriole CB1620 - 1961
The Barons hailed from Dartford, Kent, and were one of the many outfits born out of the skiffle era. They began life as the Colin Bourner Skiffle Group and performed in and around the Dartford area. After a couple of years they re-christened themselves The Barons and in early 1961 were spotted by Oriole Records boss Fred Dennis who promptly signed them for a 12 month contract. The line-up of Colin Bourner (aka Bobby Lee Brown) on lead guitar, James Collins on sax, Paul Myers on bass, Michael Moore on rhythm and Tony Wayrd on drums cut their first single at Oriole's Levy Sound Studios in Bond Street, London, in early '61. Both sides were instrumental, the top side was a tasty Russian-flavoured guitar romp called Cossack, written by Colin, and on the flip a honking sax-led arangement of Gershwin's Summertime.
The record hit the shops in March 1961 but lack of promotion by Oriole ensured the single never troubled the Hit Parade.
Radio coverage was thin on the ground too except for a handful of spins on Radio Luxembourg and the occasional play on the BBC's 'Saturday Club' show. The record was as good as any other instro around at the time and certainly deserved a trip to the charts.
The Barons' follow-up single, released the same year, coupled two Colin Bourner originals; Samurai and Whirlwind.
Once again they are superb examples of the genre but as with their previous disc it never entered the Hit Parade.
A third release was on the cards with Joshua (at the battle of Jericho) as the A-side and another Bourner original entitled Nightrider on the flip but it never passed the acetate stage.
Interestingly, another Oriole signing, the Ted Taylor Four, issued their version of Jericho as a single A-side in 1962.
The Barons continued playing gigs into 1963 but Colin Bourner quit the band after his father passed away. A new line-up of Barons formed but only stayed together for a few months before disbanding.
RECOMMENDED LISTENING:
Samurai appears on the Diamond Zircon CD '60's Brit-Pop Instrumentals Volume 1' (Zirc 1014 - 1999).
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The Barons - Samurai