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Downliners Sect

Downliners Sect were a British 1960s group with an R&B style similar to The Yardbirds or Rolling Stones, formed by rhythm guitarist/vocalist Mick O'Donnell with drummer [a=Johnny Sutton] when their group the Downliners disbanded after a disastrous French tour. Arthur Evans, originally a drummer, joined the band and became bass guitarist/vocalist, whilst an earlier lead guitarist was replaced by [a=Terry Gibson] (AKA [a=Terry Clemson]) from an Orpington band called The Hoods. O'Donnell and Evans decided to change their performing names to [a=Don Craine] and [a=Keith Grant (2)] respectively, although they retained their real names in writing/arranging credits. The band's first studio recordings in 1963 were "Cadillac" & "Roll Over Beethoven", but were not released until much later. The first Downliners Sect release was a self-financed EP of 400 copies, titled "Nite In Gt. Newport Street" - recorded live in the street's club Studio 51, run by Vi Highland & Pat Mayhew, later to become the [a=Ken Colyer] Club. It was here that the band met and took on [a=Ray Sone] as harmonica player. They signed a deal with [l=EMI]/[l=Columbia] in 1964, recording "Baby What's Wrong" and the album "The Sect". Their EP had gained attention on Swedish pirate radio and a single, "Little Egypt", reached No 2 in the Swedish charts in April, 1965 - at the same time Sone was replaced by Pip Harvey. Harvey left before the band recorded the album "The Rock Sect's In" and a single "The Cost Of Living", after which Gibson & Sutton quit the band. One notable session musician & arranger in four of their albums was [a=John Paul Jones]. In 1967 Craine and Grant formed a new line-up and continued as [a=Don Craine's New Downliners Sect]. (Including Bob Taylor, [a=Matthew Fisher], Kevin Flanagan, Barry Cooper). Craine & Cooper departed in 1967 and Grant took over the band to record Swedish releases on [l=Garageland Records], back under the name Downliners Sect. After many lineup changes, the band continues to play together.