WITNESSES, THE

Lead Vocals, Guitar: Mike Davenport

Guitar: Neil Honeywood

Bass: Dave Woods

Keys: Tim Davidson

Drums: Howard Richardson 

Neil and Dave were pupils at Hellesdon secondary modern when they paired up with best friends Mike and Howard to form the first line–up of the band. Big fans of Chuck Berry the bands name came from his hit Can I Get A Witness and their set featured many more of his tunes

The group purchased an old beaten up black bedford van and began to travel around in style, well travel anyway said Mike. Mike had the fortune to meet up with Andy Fields, lead vocalist and Keyboard player of top Norwich band The Continentals whilst attending Norwich Art School and managed to get support slots to the group on quite a few occasions

For a brief spell the band were managed by Julie Morgan and it was during her time as manager that the group played in round 4 of the great Mercury Beat Contest at the Norwich Gala on Tuesday 18th of May 1965. The evening was won by The CBO Incorperated

In 1967 the group entered another beat music competition held at the Earlham School, but were unplaced with the eventual winners being Precious Few who had won with their rendition of Pretty Flamingo. For the groups final 18 months Tim Davidson, from Thorpe came in on keyboards. The band would often run their own gigs at Bacton Village Hall Mike said "Thinking back, my weekly wage was £3.10 and the group was earning £2.50 a night! We went for about five or six years but then I got the chance to work away and it was a case of get really serious about the music or give it up, most of the band were going steady so it seemed the right choice."

Mike made a return to the music scene in the eighties whilst teaming up with Rumblestrips, Phil Bird and Hal Chanal but in summing up said "We were essentially a Rock’n’Roll band, I think the groups biggest highlight was backing coloured singer Sharon Tandy at the Tower Ballroom in Yarmouth."

Supports: Sharon Tandy

Mediography:

Mike Sarne for beat finals NM&J 02/04/1965[ ]