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RAY
JONES
The Liverpool pop manager Brian Epstein
was manipulative, removing Pete Best from the fledgling Beatles and teaming
Billy J. Kramer, the lead singer of the Coasters, with a Manchester group,
the Dakotas. The decision was not welcomed by the Coasters’ fans,
but it was a masterstroke as Kramer and the Dakotas had international success.
In 1959 Ray Jones formed a group with singer
Pete Maclaine in Oldham. By 1962 they were called the Dakotas and
the line-up had solidified to Mike Maxfield (lead guitar), Robin MacDonald
(rhythm guitar), Ray Jones (bass) and Tony Bookbinder (drums), who was
the brother of singer Elkie Brooks. The Cavern’s DJ, Bob Wooler,
says, "I held them up as a role model to the Liverpool groups as they didn’t
lark around and were always on time. They were excellent."
Brian Epstein recognised the charm of the
semi-professional Billy Kramer, who worked for British Railways, and secured
his contract from the elderly Ted Knibbs for £50. John Lennon
added a "J" to make him sound more American - and Epstein replaced the
Coasters with the Dakotas. They were desperate to join Epstein’s
NEMS Enterprises and ditched Maclaine, although knowing that Kramer was
nowhere near as versatile. They insisted on the billing, "Billy J.Kramer
with the Dakotas", to assert their individuality.
After a month at Hamburg’s Star-Club, they
promoted their first single, "Do You Want To Know A Secret?", written by
Lennon and McCartney and produced by George Martin. It topped the
UK charts as did the follow-up, also a Lennon and McCartney song, "Bad
To Me". The Dakotas made the Top 20 with a frenzied instrumental "The Cruel
Sea" and, with Kramer, they had further hits with "I’ll Keep You Satisfied",
"Little Children" (a No.l) and "From A Window". Mike Maxfield recalls,
"We were separate from Billy so when he made his records, we only got a
£7.10s. session fee each. Maybe it wasn’t such a good deal!"
Bookbinder adds, "We shared appearance money and that’s why we were the
hardest-working band in Brian’s stable. We worked seven nights a
week."
Ray Jones was disgruntled with their earnings
and was sacked by Epstein in July 1964. Kramer recalls, "I didn’t
know he’d gone until he was fired. It was a pity because I liked
Ray very much." The Dakotas recruited Mick Green from the Pirates
and Robin MacDonald switched to bass guitar.
Ray Jones worked with different bands but
he stopped playing in 1967. He moved to Morecambe in 1983, eventually
giving his bass guitar to his son and occasionally joining for a pub performance.
He made his living in psychiatric nursing and latterly, has been teaching
computer skills to the handicapped. "He was a very good bass player,"
says Mike Maxfield today, "but you don’t need me to tell you that.
Just listen to the records."
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