Tony Morgan (known these days as Mojo Morgan) was at the school c 1964 / 5. Although I remember him at school, he was in a year two below me. I caught up with him again in 1970, just as Free were racing up the charts with Alright Now. Tony was the bass player of the Mick Green blues band and asked me to write some lyrics for the band.
In 1980 Tony once again asked me to write some songs for another new band EMF which, with the Specials and Selecter (Two Tone) putting Coventry on the map, was a Ska band. Tony's concept was to form a Ska band but with blues bass lines. I wrote some songs but Tony got two girl singers in who had their own material. i used to go along to early gigs and start the dancing off - you couldn't stand still at a ska gig after all!
I left Coventry to do my degree up in Teesside and noticed that EMF had won the Battle of the Bands 1981, had made a single for RCAwhich was on the Battle of the Bands album. I bought the single. Tony left the band and returned to the blues in the Travelling Riverside Blues Band and now lives in South Wales where he is the singer with the ever popular Hoochie Coochie Blues Band.
Below - EMF's RCA single -
EMF were
Donna Elkington, vocals.
Sharron Elkington.vocals.
Jim Allen, sax and vocals.
Mojo Morgan, bass.
Fitzroy Wilson, ryth'em
Leroy Wright, drums.
Dave Gordon, lead guitar.
EMF supported the likes of The Specials, Bad Manners, The Beat, and the Bodysnatchers.
Hi there! I think Donna is living in London and singing some jazz now, and Sharon I really don't know! We all lost touch after the band split and I moved away! I'm still in touch with Dave the lead guitarist, and now plays bass who live down under now, and Fitzroy I phoned him last year and is hanging out with UB42 and still lives in Coventry...Mojo!
Thanks very much for your information; my partner Ralph Aldhous survived the school. When we met in November 1968 in London he hated his school! I just love certain female vocalists, esp. backing singers on Lou Reed, Joe Cocker and Paul Simon and the African sound of "Freshly Ground" and when I heard the tracks I wanted to know more. I will do some research, you never know. Thanks again.
In 1980 Tony once again asked me to write some songs for another new band EMF which, with the Specials and Selecter (Two Tone) putting Coventry on the map, was a Ska band. Tony's concept was to form a Ska band but with blues bass lines. I wrote some songs but Tony got two girl singers in who had their own material. i used to go along to early gigs and start the dancing off - you couldn't stand still at a ska gig after all!
The two female vocalists are great!
ReplyDeleteStill can not stand still! What happened to EMF and to the two female singers?
Hi there! I think Donna is living in London and singing some jazz now, and Sharon I really don't know! We all lost touch after the band split and I moved away! I'm still in touch with Dave the lead guitarist, and now plays bass who live down under now, and Fitzroy I phoned him last year and is hanging out with UB42 and still lives in Coventry...Mojo!
ReplyDeleteThanks very much for your information; my partner Ralph Aldhous survived the school.
ReplyDeleteWhen we met in November 1968 in London he hated his school!
I just love certain female vocalists, esp. backing singers on Lou Reed, Joe Cocker and Paul Simon and the African sound of "Freshly Ground" and when I heard the tracks I wanted to know more.
I will do some research, you never know.
Thanks again.