Downliners Sect
OriginTwickenham, London, England
GenresBritish rhythm and blues, rock, R&B, freakbeat, garage rock
Years active1963–1968
1977–present
LabelsEMI Columbia
MembersKeith Grant
John O'Leary
Mark Freeman
Past membersDon Craine
Del Dwyer

Downliners Sect are an English R&B and blues-based rock band, formed in the 1960s beat boom era.[1] Stylistically, they were similar to blues-based bands such as The Yardbirds, The Pretty Things and the Rolling Stones, playing basic R&B on their first album The Sect.[2] Critic Richie Unterberger wrote: "The Sect didn't as much interpret the sound of Chess Records as attack it, with a finesse that made the Pretty Things seem positively suave in comparison."[1]

History

In 1962, Mick O'Donnell, later known as Don Craine, started a band called the Downliners, who, despite touring France, were unsuccessful.[3] The name of the band came from the Jerry Lee Lewis B-side "Down The Line".[4] After several lineup changes, the band folded, but in 1963, O'Donnell and drummer Johnny Sutton formed a new band out of the remnants of the previous act.[3] Keith Evans, formerly a drummer, joined on bass guitar. Shortly thereafter the band would be named the Downliners Sect.[3] At this time some of the members decided to change their names. Mick O'Donnell took the new name, Don Craine, and Keith Evans became Keith Grant.[3]

The band was iconic during its time in the early 1960s, partly owing to Don Craine's deerstalker cap which he wore to mock the aristocracy.[4] The band has many fans who have achieved commercial success, including Van Morrison, Steve Marriott, and Rod Stewart, the latter two had even auditioned for a place in the band but were turned down because they both wanted to be frontmen, while Don Craine and Keith Grant did not wish to relinquish that role.[4]

They subsequently modified their musical style, and after an EP of 'sick' songs (e.g. "I Want My Baby Back"), they experimented with both country The Country Sect) and rock (Rock Sect's In).[2][1] They later collaborated with Billy Childish's Thee Headcoats, and released two albums under the name Thee Headcoats Sect. They performed regularly at the Studio 51 club in Great Newport Street near Leicester Square tube station in London on a Friday night and Sunday afternoon,[2] from which came the first EP featuring the songs "Beautiful Delilah" and "Little Egypt". The EP started off with the sound of the bells of Big Ben. The lead guitarist was Terry Clemson (Gibson) who played his Gibson 335. Studio 51 was also known as the Ken Colyer Club and the Rolling Stones made many performances at this club, but according to Rod Harrison, guitarist with Asgaerd and school friend of Terry Clemson, "you could say the Downliners Sect were almost residents."

A reformed line-up with three original members, Keith Grant, Don Craine and Terry Gibson, released a new album Showbiz in 1979. A subsequent reformation featuring Grant and Craine who were joined by guitarist Del Dwyer in 1989 released Savage Return in 1991, Dangerous Ground in 1998 and Chinese Whispers in 2007.

Don Craine (born Michael O'Donnell) died on 24 February 2022, at the age of 76.[5]

Members

Current members
  • Keith Grant – vocals/bass
  • John O'Leary – vocals/harp
  • Mark Freeman – drums
Past members
  • Don Craine – vocals/guitar (born 29 March 1945, died 24 February 2022)
  • Del Dwyer – vocals/guitar (died 31 December 2021)
  • Al Brooks – drums (died 4 January 2010)
  • Barry Cooper – keyboards
  • Rod de'Ath – drums (died 4 August 2014)
  • Matt Fisher – keyboards
  • Kevin Flanagan – drums
  • Terry Clemson – lead guitar (died 19 September 2020)
  • Pip Harvey – harmonica (died 14 February 2014)
  • Paul Holm – drums
  • Mel Lewis – lead guitar
  • Nat Maynard – keyboard
  • Ray Sone – harmonica
  • John Sutton – drums
  • Bob Taylor – lead guitar
  • Paul Tiller – harmonica
  • Zach Wilson – guitar
  • Paul Martinez – vocals/bass
  • Mike Chapman – vocals/guitar

Discography

Singles

  • Jun 1964 – "Baby What's Wrong" / "Be a Sect Maniac" (Columbia DB 7300)
  • Sep 1964 – "Little Egypt (Ying-Yang)" / "Sect Appeal" (Columbia DB 7347)
  • Nov 1964 – "Find Out What's Happening" / "Insecticide" (Columbia DB 7415)
  • ??? 1965 – "Wreck of the Old '97" / "Leader of the Sect" (Columbia DB 7509)
  • Jun 1965 – "I Got Mine" / "Waiting in Heaven Somewhere" (Columbia DB 7597)
  • Oct 1965 – "Bad Storm Coming" / "Lonely and Blue" (Columbia DB 7712)
  • Jan 1966 – "All Night Worker" / "He Was a Square" (Columbia DB 7817)
  • Jun 1966 – "Glendora" / "I'll Find Out" (Columbia DB 7939)
  • Sep 1966 – "The Cost of Living" / "Everything I've Got to Give" (Columbia DB 8008)

7" EPs

LPs

  • The Sect (1964)
  • The Country Sect (1965)
  • The Rock Sect's In (1966)
  • Showbiz (1979)
  • Savage Return (1991)
  • Dangerous Ground (1998)
  • Chinese Whispers (2007)

The Sect (December 18, 1964)

The Sect
Studio album by
Downliner's Sect
Released1964
GenreRock, R&B
Length32:29
LabelColumbia Records
  1. Hurt by Love
  2. One Ugly Child
  3. Lonely and Blue
  4. Our Little Rendezvous
  5. Guitar Boogie
  6. Too Much Monkey Business
  7. Sect Appeal
  8. Baby What's on Your Mind?
  9. Cops and Robbers
  10. Easy Rider
  11. Bloodhound
  12. Bright Lights
  13. I Wanna Put a Tiger in Your Tank
  14. Be a Sect Maniac

Columbia 33SX 1658

The Country Sect (1965)

The Country Sect
Studio album by
Downliners Sect
Released1965
GenreRock, R&B, Country
Length32:32
LabelColumbia Records
  1. If I Could Just Go Back
  2. Rocks in My Bed
  3. Ballad of the Hounds
  4. Little Play Soldiers
  5. Hard Travellin'
  6. Wait for the Light to Shine
  7. I Got Mine
  8. Waiting in Heaven
  9. Above and Beyond
  10. Bad Storm Coming
  11. Midnight Special
  12. Wolverton Mountain

Columbia 33SX 1745

The Rock Sect's In (April 1966)

The Rock Sect's In
Studio album by
Downliners Sect
Released1966
GenreRock, R&B
Length34:36
LabelColumbia Records
  1. Hang on Sloopy
  2. Fortune Teller
  3. Hey Hey Hey Hey
  4. Everything I've Got to Give
  5. Outside
  6. I'm Hooked on You
  7. Don't Lie to Me
  8. Why Don't You Smile Now (Phillips, Vance, Reed, Cale)
  9. May the Bird of Paradise Fly up Your Nose
  10. He Was a Square
  11. I'm Looking for a Woman
  12. Rock Sect's in Again
  13. Brand New Cadillac

Columbia 33SX 6028

The Definitive Downliners Sect: Singles – A's & B's (1994)

Definitive Downliners Sect
Compilation album by
Downliners Sect
Released1994
GenreRock, R&B
LabelSee For Miles
  1. Cadillac
  2. Roll Over Beethoven
  3. Beautiful Delilah
  4. Shame, Shame, Shame
  5. Green Onions
  6. Nursery Rhymes
  7. Baby What's Wrong
  8. Be a Sect Maniac
  9. Little Egypt (Ying-Yang)
  10. Sect Appeal
  11. Find Out What's Happening
  12. Insecticide
  13. Wreck of the Old '97
  14. Leader of the Sect
  15. I Want My Baby Back
  16. Midnight Hour
  17. Now She's Dead
  18. I Got Mine
  19. Waiting in Heaven Somewhere
  20. Bad Storm Coming
  21. Lonely and Blue
  22. All Night Worker
  23. He Was a Square
  24. Glendora
  25. I'll Find Out
  26. Cost of Living
  27. Everything I've Got to Give
  28. I Can't Get Away from You
  29. Roses

See For Miles SEECD398

References

  1. 1 2 3 Richie Unterberger. "The Downliners Sect | Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved 22 July 2017.
  2. 1 2 3 Colin Larkin, ed. (1997). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Popular Music (Concise ed.). Virgin Books. p. 393. ISBN 1-85227-745-9.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "The story of the Sect". Angelfire.com. 11 September 1965. Retrieved 22 July 2017.
  4. 1 2 3 Walton, Christian (16 November 2014). "Music-Drop Magazine: Interview with Don Craine of The Downliners Sect". Musicneedshelp.blogspot.co.uk. Retrieved 22 July 2017.
  5. ↑ "R.I.P. Don Craine", Downliners Sect. Retrieved 2 March 2022
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