Norman Stracey : 'It was a shambles'

A few months after joining in April 1962, saxophonist Alan Jones loses interest in the band. Faith doesn’t search for a replacement, but follows bass-player John Rogers’ advice to re-establish the original Roulettes format by recruiting a rhythm guitarist. Rogers knows exactly whom to call: rhythm guitarist and keyboardist Norman Stracey of The Hunters. He joins in August, only to leave the music business a mere six months later.

NORMAN STRACEY WAS IN THE ROULETTES August 1962 - Spring 1963)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The author (left) with Norman Stracey, 8th March 2023.
çPicture is  © Eddy Bonte)

 

Norman Stracey:
‘John [Rogers] and I were at school and in The Hunters together, we knew each other well. I joined [he Roulettes] in August. I was working in a record shop when I received a message to come to the Liverpool Empire as soon as possible. I remember rehearsing with Alan Jones, though I’m not sure if we gigged together. We started going through the numbers when Adam burst into the room in a sort of very agitated fashion. He started to lay down what he expected and explained how he wanted things to be done, telling me to change my beloved Gibson guitar for a Jumbo and that he wanted open strings played all the time. I then began to realize why Brian had had problems (Brian Parker had replaced Peter Thorp in Wolverhampton earlier that month for just a few days – EB). Anyway, I was thrilled with the opportunity to spend time in New Zealand, Australia and Hong Kong and was willing to accept anything thrown at me to take part. I’d never flown, never been out of the country. So I took it on myself to change my guitar which I wasn’t very happy about. On 21st October, we joined John Leyton for an 18- day tour of Australia, New Zealand and Hong Kong, returning in time for the Aladdin pantomime at the end of the year [Pavilion, Bournemouth, 22nd December 1962 > 5th January 1963]. It was the trip of a lifetime and I’ll always be grateful for that. By late January or early February [1963], I had lost all interest in music. It was boring me really’.

Q: In his autobiography, Faith says The Roulettes ‘weren’t cutting it as a group’ during that tour.
Norman Stracey: ‘He’s surely right, but he doesn’t say it was almost entirely his fault because he didn’t take any notice of us at all. He had no idea what he wanted, but said what he thought he wanted and when he got it he didn’t like it. He never asked us how things could be improved, we just carried on. Because Faith didn’t want us to look like The Shadows with all three guitar-players out front, he put me up by the side of Bob. Seated! All I could hear was Bob’s drums (laughs), it was bizarre really. We hardly rehearsed, it was a shambles. Franky, as far as I was concerned I was playing in a skiffle group with my big Jumbo guitar and him wanting open strings… It was hopeless’.  

© Eddy Bonte

As told to Eddy Bonte by Norman Stracey. This is an abridged version of several conversations the author had with Norman Stracey. 
First published in Ugly Things issue 57 www.ugly-things.com

Norman Stracey’s contribution to The Roulettes can be heard on their debut single ‘Hully Gully Slip’n’ Slide’ c/w ‘La Bamba’.