Sunday 2nd January 1966 – The week of the birth of the Knees Club!

Pinkerton's Assorted Colours has lost half its band name on this Dutch pic sleeve! The band went by the abbreviated name for its second release, then became simply Pinkerton's Colours. The Guinness Book of Hit Singles (1979 edition) uses a photograph of the band so similar to this one, that it must have been taken at the same session. The book points out that the band was never pictured without its autoharp. 'Mirror Mirror', shooting up to #5 in this week's Fab 40, was also a Top Ten hit in the Nationals and Caroline Countdown of Sound and the band mimed to it on BBC TV's children' sprogramme, Blue Peter on 3rd January 1966.

– 33 That's My Life (My Love And My Home) Freddie Lennon Piccadilly 7N35290 John Lennon had met Big L Programme Director Ben Toney at a New Year's Eve party and told him in no uncertain terms how disgruntled he was about his father's single being played on Radio London. (There is currently no climber information for the previous Fab Forty, but Ben's story does confirm that That's My Life (My Love And My Home) must have been played on the station for at least one week.) Ben had promised John he would get the record off the ship – and the playlist – as soon as possible, but it seems he was unable to do so before it had spent this and next week in the Fab Forty. Mint condition copies of That's My Life (My Love And My Home) can now command around £75.

This band from Hull, originally called the Mustangs, released no fewer than eight unsuccessful Decca singles between 1965 and 68. We Kiss In A Shadow is a Rodgers and Hammerstein song from the musical, The King and I. With Ring the Bells, a Ray Davies composition, on the B side, the single can command in excess of £40.

The band evolved into Majority One, and Cherry Red records released their album Rainbow Rocking Chair in 2005. The Cherry Red website reveals:

Mary Payne, Knees Club Founder, says:

January 7th 1966 was the first National Knees Day. I can't recall whether the idea came from me or from Radio London, but I regard the date as being the beginning of the Knees Club.

The first group to join, at Beaconsfield Youth Club, Buckinghamshire, were The Sorrows, who had enjoyed a long spell in the Fab Forty in the summer of '65, peaking at #3 in October. Bruce Finley became member #5, Wez Price, #6, Pip Whitcher, #7, Phil Packham, #8 and singer Don Maughn #9. Don later changed his name to Don Fardon and had a US Top 20 solo hit in '68 with Indian Reservation. It was not until 1970 that the single became a UK success, peaking at #3.

Also on January 7th, Paul Kaye judged a beauty contest 'Miss Pretty 1966'. (They were hardly likely to call it, 'Miss Ugly 1966', were they?) No doubt the judges were impressed by the winner's knees.

The Caroline 'Countdown Sixty' chart (south ship) for this week is here

Tune in next week for another Big L Fab 40!