The Story of The Swinging Blue Jeans

As The Beatles rose to prominence in 1963, it triggered off the Merseybeat craze where suddenly Liverpool acts were being snapped up by record companies and primed for success. The craze was to last the best part of two years bringing to the world the talents of The Searchers, The Merseybeats, Billy J.Kramer and The Dakotas, Gerry and The Pacemakers, The Fourmost, The Escorts, Beryl Marsden, Cilla Black, Tommy Quickly and various others. Another band who seemed destined to do well were The Swinging Blue Jeans when they hit number two at the end of 1963 with their blistering take on “Hippy Hippy Shake.”

The band had been formed back in 1956 by vocalist and guitarist Ray Ennis under the name of The Blue Genes in homage to Gene Vincent and The Blue Caps who had recently hit with the memorable “Be Bop A Lula” yet despite drawing the name from such a raucous source, The Blue Genes didn't quite embrace rock and roll, instead favouring a heavy trad jazz influence. Over the remainder of the 50's, the bands core settled upon Ray Ennis (guitar/vocals), Ralph Ellis (guitar), Les Braid (double bass) and Norman Kuhlke (drums) and became renowned around Liverpool for their lively and versatile act. They became so popular they were given their own residency in The Cavern in 1961 where one week they hosted guests The Beatles.

Though trad jazz was proving to be very popular in Britain in the late 50's and early 60's thanks to the successes of Kenny Ball, Acker Bilk and Chris Barber, the band now called The Swinging Blue Genes were starting to look a little antiquated amongst their peers who were brandishing electric guitars, turning up the volume and rocking out whereas the Blue Genes still featured a heavy acoustic element using banjo and double bass. Still, they stuck to their guns.

On February 18th 1963, EMI producer Walter J.Ridley auditioned the band at the EMI Studios on Abbey Road in London. They performed several songs from their live set as well as a hastily written band original, “It's Too Late Now.” Ridley took his time deciding whether to sign them or not but eventually caved in, though it was obvious the band would need to shake up their sound and image. Les Braid invested in an electric bass guitar, the banjo was dropped and they started toughening up their sound. The name was changed once more to The Swinging Blue Jeans which sounded more contemporary yet there was another method to their madness. They figured this would enable sponsorship from a Liverpool based company which specialised in making denim outfits! Their first two singles, a remake of “It's Too Late Now” and “Do You Know” were flops.

This put the band in a difficult situation. It was standard practice amongst record companies at the time to give new acts three chances to gain a hit. If they failed, they would usually be dropped. Realising the situation was desperate, they gambled upon adopting a number The Beatles had performed often in their live set, Chan Remero's “Hippy Hippy Shake.” Recorded on November 7th 1963, producer Ridley was uncertain and reluctant to release it preferring to find another song. For once the band stood their ground insistent it be released and Ridley gave in. They were rewarded with a smash hit, Ridley apologised to them and their recording contract was now safe. They had finally gained national recognition, but now they had to try and sustain the success.

Walter Ridley's biggest problem with the band was they were not strong songwriters which meant having to rely on outside material. Their fourth single released in March 1964 was a cover of Little Richard's “Good Golly Miss Molly” which again boasted a larynx shredding vocal from Ennis that gave them another hit. The next single, just two months later saw a change of pace and style with the sophisticated beat ballad “You're No Good” which again was a big hit for them. Having now had three hits in a row, they were able to release an album “Blue Jeans A Swinging” which didn't sell too well and was far too over reliant on cover material. The next single “Promise You'll Tell Her” didn't sell too well, being a little too bland and derivative.

The times were changing fast and already the Merseybeat style was beginning to sound passe as tough Rhythm and Blues became the dominant musical form popularised by The Rolling Stones. Unfortunately the band responded with another flop ballad. “It Isn't There” released in December 1964 was a lovely song the band were proud of, but it was too maudlin to catch on. Ray Ennis played a very moving harmonica solo that some has suggested was marking the end of Merseybeat. Indeed from this point on, all Merseybeat bands were starting to wane with the exception of The Beatles and The Searchers. Sadly, The Swinging Blue Jeans were caught up in the declining fortunes.

April 1965 saw the release of “Make Me Know You're Mine” which saw them taking on the R'n'B style to good effect with a great moody performance, but nobody was convinced and the single flopped. As a follow up the band recorded a ballad, the Bacharach – David number “Don't Make Me Over.” Recorded on July 30th 1965, Walter Ridley refused to release it, much to the bands annoyance. In the meantime they released “Crazy 'Bout My Baby” a very unusual and radical change, a manic number with acoustic guitars heavy to the fore and a curious flute part. It sounded different and gained much radio play, but a hit it was not. Meanwhile, recalling the “Hippy Hippy Shake” episode, Walter Ridley thought maybe the band had a point about “Don't Make Me Over” so on December 15th 1965 - over 5 months since it was recorded - added an orchestral arrangement to the song and released that in January 1966 as a new single.

“Don't Make Me Over” was a superb record and thankfully became a hit but charted much lower than everybody expected and was to be their last hit single. By now guitarist Ralph Ellis had gotten fed up with the bands hectic schedules and declining fortunes plus he was unhappy about the material the band were recording so he left the band. He was replaced by the much younger Terry Sylvester from The Escorts who were also facing ever more uncertain times. Sylvester added a new voice to the band and what's more was a budding songwriter who hoped he could turn the bands direction around.

The band were granted the privilege of recording a second album. Though a handful of Terry's songs were recorded for it, it was clear the band really didn't have a clue which direction to go in. Thinking that Walter Ridley may had been a restrictive influence, they entered a private recording studio to cut a song written by Scouser Jimmy Campbell called “Keep Me Warm Till The Sun Shines” - a fine harmonic balladic rocker it fitted perfectly with the changing times, but when they took it to EMI, they refused to release it, berating the band telling them they would not release recordings not made in their studios without their staff.

Unfortunately Walter Ridley was pushing the band to record more softer based material and cluelessly the band went along with it. How absurd it was that in one of the other Abbey Road studios, The Beatles were resident, working on the “Revolver” album whilst the Blue Jeans were recording a cover of the 1963 B'side “This Boy” which sounded very out of date. And that was the problem with the second album... it could had been recorded 2 years earlier. In the event, EMI chose not to release it and it only got a limited release in Canada.

Late 1966 saw the band recruit Terry's old pal from The Escorts, Mike Gregory. Gregory was a bassist and as a result, Les Braid switched to keyboards being a frustrated and talented piano player at heart. A June 1966 single, "Sandy" was another ballad, featuring a lead vocal from Terry. Walter Ridley - surprise, surprise - didn't want to release it but since the previous single had been a hit, he let the band have their way. As charming as the song was, it was a flop so for the next single, Ridley was back in control forcing the band to record a song they absolutely loathed - “Rumours, Gossip, Words Untrue” and they were relieved it ended up flopping. It again showed a band wildly out of step with the times.

7 months was to pass before a new single appeared in form of the lovely “Tremblin'” but in reality it was Walter Ridley's attempt to make Ray Ennis a solo artiste. Conceived as a solo single, the band were replaced by session men and Kiki Dee, Lesley Duncan and Madeline Bell were brought in on backing vocals. In the end Ridley lost his nerve and released it credited to the band where once more it flopped.

More than aware of their ever flagging fortunes, the band began to consider changing their name completely to "Music Machine" feeling that “The Swinging Blue Jeans” was outdated but this didn't quite happen even though the next single, August 1967's “Don't Go Out Into The Rain” stiffed. The band were now veering dangerously to middle of the road territory. Tensions and frustrations with Walter Ridley were getting worse.

It wouldn't be until June 1968 that they tried another return with the sombre if drippy ballad “What Have They Done To Hazel?” which was credited to Ray Ennis and The Blue Jeans. It was absurd to think this was the same band who just 4 years earlier were doing lively rockers. Terry Sylvester was also getting itchy feet feeling his songwriting talents were going to waste and in January 1969, he was unveiled as the replacement for Graham Nash in The Hollies. For Terry, this was the success he had long sought since he was placed on a very generous salary in an established hit group where he was able to submit his songs. Drummer Norman Kuhlke had also had enough and left at the same time.

Now minus Kuhlke and Sylvester, morale within what was left of The Swinging Blue Jeans must had been low. As a hopeful reprieve, they teamed up with manager and producer Gerry Bron who had success with The Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band and Manfred Mann plus gave them a new song written by Tony Hazzard who was writing a few hits during that era.

So, EMI took one last roll of the dice in April 1969 with the Hazzard song “Hey Mrs Housewife” an upbeat almost bubblegum number backed with the moody “Sandfly” this time credited to simply “The Blue Jeans.” It was too little too late, the bands time had long passed plus it had been over three years since their last hit. Therefore the band were dropped.

The band finally changed their name completely to Music Motor, adopted a more moody image and in February 1970 released their one and only single on Deram, "Happy" backed with the ironically titled “Where Am I Going?” to total indifference. As the 70's got underway, there was a new lease of life that began to appear for bands long past their prime – Cabaret. There was also some kind of 60's revival so The Swinging Blue Jeans – now with Ray Ennis and Les Braid as sole original members – simply became an oldies band, playing the hits and rock and roll covers wherever the demand was. It provided steady work for them. They did try two or three times recording new singles, but they could never shake the oldies band tag so eventually gave up trying.This was a shame since a 1973 single, "Rainbow Morning" was an interesting song mixing folk with psych to nice effect but up against the current Glam Rock fad, it didn't stand a chance.

Les Braid finally had to leave in 2005 due to ill health and he sadly died of cancer in 2006. Ray Ennis soldiered on until he retired in May 2010 following one final gig in, where else? Liverpool. Unbelievably despite his 54 years of service, the band continue to this day with a bunch of 60's veterans none of whom ever played on any of the records.

The Swinging Blue Jeans 1960's work remains pleasant and enjoyable if undemanding. Even some of the later flops have their merits but sadly they weren't really forceful enough, lacking strong leadership and songwriting skills to be able to stand on their own feet hence being pushed into directions that did them no real favours. They remain a fond memory for older people and will forever be remembered for the handful of great hits they had.