By Nick Warburton
West London six-piece horn band Simon K & The Meantimers recorded a Hammond-drenched dance-floor classic called “Bring Your Love Back (To Me)”, which was coupled with “You Know I Do” for a UK single on the B&C label in November 1969.
Fronted by current Hot Chocolate lead singer Kenny Simon, The Meantimers had originally formed around late 1964/early 1965 in West Hampstead before linking with Simon during 1966.
Simon K and The Meantimers from left to right: Bill Pitt (organ), Mick/Michael Armes (Drums), Kenny Simon (Vocals), Rick Thomas (Lead Guitar) and Paul Hewson {Bass Guitar) (photo used with kind permission of Michael/Mick Armes)
Managed by Arthur Armes, father of the band’s drummer Michael, the original Meantimers also comprised lead guitarist Rick Thomas, classically trained organist Bill Pitt, bass player Warwick Rose and a rhythm guitarist called Tony, who also handled lead vocals.
According to Michael Armes, his father turned the basement of his shop on Belsize Road in Kilburn into a rehearsal and recording room. It may well have been here that Simon cut some demos with West London band, The Tribe, including future Sweet guitarist Frank Torpey, that were picked up by Arthur Armes.
Michael Armes (photo used with kind permission of Michael/Mick Armes)
When Simon replaced the original singer, prompting a name change to Simon K & The Meantimers, former Overlanders’ bass player Paul Hewson had already taken over from Warwick Rose, who’d moved on to join The Soul Survivors, an early incarnation of The Love Affair.
The new line up lasted into early 1967 when Michael Armes was succeeded by former Quiet Five drummer Ray Hailey.
Simon K and The Meantimers (photo used with kind permission of Michael/Mick Armes)
However, the changes did not end there and by summer 1967 an entirely new line up came together, starting with lead guitarist George Teo.
Originally, from Singapore, Teo had migrated to the UK in the early 1960s with friends Sam Young on bass and brothers Andrew and John Gwee on guitar and drums respectively and formed The Etceteras. After two singles on the Oriole label in 1964, Teo next joined the Ying Tongs before hooking up with The Meantimers.
Also on board were siblings, bass player Mick Glyde and drummer Tony Glyde (brothers of Major Glyde, the lead sax player from Sounds Incorporated) together with sax players Brent Carter and Ken Hendy, who subsequently made way for former Cliff Bennett Rebel Rousers’ baritone sax player Sid Phillips.
The new line was active for the rest of 1967 and the best part of 1968, although another former Quiet Five sticks man Roger “Tex” Marsh took over the drum stool during the spring of 1968.
By the end of the year, Simon had pieced yet another version of the band together, bringing in Marsh’s former band mate from The Quiet Five, Roger McKew on lead guitar. Sid Phillips had already left by this point to go on to Redwind and his place was taken by Tony Hall, whose CV including Peter’s Faces, Wainwright’s Gentlemen and Rupert’s Spoon.
Resuming gigging, the new-look Simon K & The Meantimers carried on until autumn 1969 before Brent Carter and Tony Hall left to join Geno Washington & The Ram Jam Band.
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Bringing former keyboard player Bill Pitt back, Simon also added Irish trumpet player Ron Carthy, who’d previously worked with The Blue Aces and Wynder K Frog to the six-piece line up that came together in time to cut the group’s lone ‘45 in November 1969.
When the band splintered in the early 1970s, Pitt ended up working with Espirit de Corps, while Carthy joined Gonzales and also did a multitude of sessions for artists like Freddie King, Slade and Suzi Quatro.
Kenny/Kennie Simon today (photo from http://www.hot-chocolate.co.uk/kennie-simon.html)
Many thanks to Kenny Simon, Michael Armes, Tony Hall, Sid Phillips and Bruce Welsh for their help. Thank you Michael Armes for the photos.
Note: Very little is known about the personnel in Simon K & The Meantimers. Strange Brew would be interested to hear from anyone that can provide more detail on the group for a future, updated version. Please email the author, Nick Warburton at Warchive@aol.com
Update
Simon K & The Meantimers gig list:
- 13 November 1966 – Tofts, Folkestone, Kent (billed as Meantimers)
- 14 January 1967 – Tofts, Folkestone, Kent (billed as Meantimers)
- 19 January 1967 – Tiles, London (billed as Meantimers)
- 11 February 1967 – Witchdoctor, Hastings, East Sussex (billed as Meantimers)
- 12 March 1967 – Upper Cut, Forest Gate, Essex with Pussyfoot (billed as Meantimers)
- 12 April 1967 – Flamingo, London
- 28 April 1967 – Witchdoctor, Catford, Kent with The Groove (billed as The Meantimers)
- 24 June 1967 – Witchdoctor, Catford, Kent (billed as The Meantimers)
- 22 July 1967 – Witchdoctor, Hastings, East Sussex
- 25 August 1967 – Witchdoctor, Catford, Kent (billed as Meantimers)
- 17 February 1968 – Chelmsford Corn Exchange, Chelmsford, Essex with Geno Washington & The Ram Jam Band
- 20 April 1968 – Locarno Ballroom, Swindon, Wiltshire
- 11 May 1968 – Locarno Ballroom, Swindon, Wiltshire
- 6-7 August 1968 – Hatchettes, London (billed as Meantimers)
- 24 August 1968 – Savoy Rooms, Catford, Kent
- 14 September 1968 – Burton’s, Uxbridge, Middlesex
- 26 October 1968 – Locarno Ballroom, Swindon, Wiltshire
- 23 November 1968 – Fellowship Inn, Eltham, Kent
- 30 November 1968 – Burton’s, Uxbridge, Middlesex
- 10 December 1968 – Black Prince Hotel, Bexley, Kent with Olaf Groups Kneed
- 28 December 1968 – Burton’s, Uxbridge, Middlesex
- 22 February 1969 – Starlight Room, Boston Gliderdrome, Boston, Lincolnshire with Jon, James & The Swamp
- 17 May 1969 – Alex’s Disco, Salisbury, Wiltshire
- 22 May 1969 – Klook’s Kleek, London
- 9 August 1969 – Savoy, Catford, Kent
- 4 October 1969 – Savoy, Catford, Kent
- 29 October 1969 – Starlight Room, Boston Gliderdrome, Boston, Lincolnshire with The Lovin’ Spoonful
- 8 November 1969 – Alex’s Disco, Salisbury, Wiltshire
- 7 February 1970 – Cloud 9, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire
