THE OVERLANDERS – "Michelle"

Here’s another UK number one that didn’t drift over to this side of the Atlantic–and probably for a good reason. Around this time I did hear David and Jonathan’s icky version of “Michelle” and must wonder why, including this one, TWO lifeless Brit acts bothered to cover it, especially when the Beatles’ original had been released only a few months before. Was it a matter of Beatles cover for people who didn’t like the Beatles??

While I hold that good Beatles covers rarely stand up to the originals, there are notable exceptions–Joe Cocker’s “With a Little Help From My Friends” perhaps the most notable. I’d give honourable mention to Annie Lennox’s “Don’t Bring Me Down” (but then Annie has done many incredible covers, beginning her career with one of the best Dusty covers ever), Sandie Shaw’s interesting “Love Me Do,” and–dare I say it?–Bananarama’s “Help!”

Doctor Mod

This record has particular memories for me. In September 1966, some seven months after it topped the “hit parade”, I began junior school in South London. A boy in my class called Lance was of special interest as his dad was in The Overlanders and indeed drove around in a van advertising the fact. Of course by this time, the group had sunk without trace and nobody gave a flying foxtrot about them anymore.

As for the record itself, I personally think it is a good effort and far superior to the rather slovenly original from “Rubber Soul”. I shall have to concede, however, that the song itself is absurd. The guy should have left the exchange student alone and gone and pulled a local sort down at The Cats Whiskers in Steatham.

Terry

Thanks ever so much for the update. It’s nice to know that my memories as a five year old have not betrayed me thirty-one years down the line. Lance Mason! That was the boy. The school was Hazelrigge Primary in Clapham and Lance lived in Larkhall Rise.

I am sorry that Laurie is no longer with us. I’ve often wondered what became of Lance.

As for The Overlanders, I have another one of your singles on Pye called “My Life”, which was written by Tony Hatch. It was clearly recorded post “Michelle” and was a cracking little pop song in my opinion. Too bad it bombed.

I’m sure that I speak for everyone at Freaky Trigger when I wish you all the best, Terry. It must be the only istance one of the actual artists have contributed to the project. Thanks again. God Bless.

Hi , I was sorry to hear that Laurie Mason was no longer with us . I played bass with the Overlanders along with Laurie, Paul Brett under the Harry Hammond agency,the drummer originally with us was Brian Middleditch as I remember ? and then Phil Wainnman joined us for a few months,the other member was Ian Griffiths, I trust they are all well ?? All the best Paul

Marcello:- another 1966 number one bucked that trend spectacularly.

Can’t find the hit that you referred to – was it in the USA?

Geoff

So very,very sorry to hear Laurie died a few years ago, what happened? I had an crush on him when I was at school and went on to meet him and his wife in 1969 , when I was “down south” at a friends house in Kew. I live on Merseyside and met Laurie when he starred with the Overlanders at th Garrick in Leigh and then later at his house. They were wonderful hosts to me and my friend and Laurie took us to the Chelsea Drug Store for a drink. People can make fun of his records all they want, but I am a folk fan and found the music very entertaining I have the LP Michelle and one of them with the Settlers, he had a great voice and far better than half the rubbish sung by X Factor “stars” of today. I am really sad to hear he had dies he must have only been in his early sixties, I wish I’s kept the letters I received from his wife, I called my daughter Cheryll after hearing the name for the first time of his daughter.

I think we’d all like to know that…

AFAIK the only other direct contributions by involved parties to Popular thus far are Joe Moretti, who played on “Out Of Time” (and with the People Band – rock on Joe!), and Mitch Murray who was a bit put out by our “Ballad Of Bonnie And Clyde” remarks since he co-wrote the song.

not forgetting DOUG YULE who googled himself and discovered that our very own ms “i hate music” had declared him best of all the velvets!

Next expected celebrity Popular contributor:

Ian Bairnson evens
Steve Harley 2-1
Windsor Davies 5000-1

Hi – First post for me. I stumbled into this thread via Google and The Overlanders.

When Beatles covers were mentioned by bza above I thought, “Surely there’s plenty of good ones?” thinking immediately of Joe Cocker, of course – Let It Be, Bathroom Window, Little Help, Something – golden, magical stuff.

Then I remembered Cliff Bennett – Got To get You Into My Life – and Billy J Kramer – Do You Want To Know A Secret? – which weren’t necessarily covers but which I’ve always liked as much as the originals.

Then Cilla, excellent, not always covering – Step Inside Love, Love Of The Loved, Yesterday (haven’t heard that, bet she’s big-ballad-tastic).

Then Gordon Giltrap’s In My Life – which was majestic. Not better than the original but magnificent. I requested it last year at a gig and he said that he doesn’t sing any more because he was never much good at it! Never mind, Gordo, you’ll get the hang of the guitar soon….

The Stones did I Wanna Be Your Lover very competently, again not really a cover.

The covers webpage that I looked at said that Duffy Power with Graham Bond covered I Saw Her Standing There, which I would love to hear. It said that Hendrix did Day Tripper, Sgt Pepper and Tomorrow Never Knows, which I can’t begin to imagine.

I could go on – I do, I know – but I’ll close with a bursting-with-pride mention of my son’s cover on private CD of Come Together. The band, Daddy Rabbit, were all aged 12/13 and they did a bang-up job on a difficult-to-deliver song featuring an important tricky drum line. Oh, he was the drummer – didn’t I say that?

You can catch one of the “Overlanders 1967/68 line up gigging in Torrox Spain where he lives these days.He was a member along with Paul Arnold under the Harry Hammond agency which also had “the Settlers and for a while “the Crazy world of Arthur Brown” He plays at the ” el Playazo ” Nerja and ” el Ancla ” in Torrox costa amongst other places. his melodic soft rock style has matured, but he still plays some of the old “overlanders ” repertoire

I worked with Lawrie Marsh in the early 1960’s at Olivetti in London and when he left he was the lead singer for the Overlanders and had the agreement from the Beatles to take this version of Michelle to the UK no 1 spot. They decided not to release it other than on an LP. The reason that you heard no more about them is that he used his share of the money made (£35K alot in those days) to form his own pop agency in Soho. By the way he was a natural as we used to tour the south London pubs on a Friday night after work when he used to get up and sing on their stages (yes stages) in the days before Karioki.

L

I went to Worthing Boys High School with Laurie from 1952 – 1956. We also joined the Sea Cadets together. As a young boy, even before his voice broke,he was a very good singer. He entered and won a BBC radio talent programme hosted by Carol Levis and we were all very impressed. He and I were great friends and even though it is nearly 50 years ago I still remember how he was so full of life and ‘into everything’. I was very sorry to read that he died in 1994 of a heart attack but knowing him as I did all those years ago I reckon he had one helluva life. My guess is ‘Never a dull moment’. Laurie was great fun to be around

Lance,
I worked with Laurie and Maggie on the cruise ship(Thompsons)Ithaca-
I was stunned to learn in these colunms of his passing-what has happened to Maggie-did they part?
I knew them both very well in the 70s-please let me know.
He was a superb singer.
Allen Warrender(organist)
warrender651@btinternet.com

Paul Arnold Friswell 3 Feb 2011

Discovered this site only recently as a newcomer to todays technology. Have read with interest the comments made about the Overlanders. Take it from me as one of the original trio comprising Laurie Mason Peter Bartholomew and myself Paul Arnold Friswell and the first to leave in summer 1966, we had no delusions of grandeur and we didn`t think we were the greatest thing since sliced bread as many do today.We made our first single late in 1962 produced by Mike Collier and Al Saxon. Typically early sixties pop it was shelved when the producer phoned to say that a new group called The Beatles had released their first single called Love Me Do and in his opinion would change the face of pop music. How right he was. We decided we would have to go down another avenue. I had written a number of folksy/country type songs and since we all enjoyed the music of Bob Dylan and Peter Paul And Mary, that was the avenue we decided to go down. Our first single for Pye Records “Summer Skies And Golden Sands” was released in July 1963. It didn`t chart but put us in front of the British public as an original sound. The song had seven covers in the States one charting in the Bilboard Country Charts. We worked as a trio until 1965 when we added bass and drums Terry Widlake and Dave Walsh.Michelle was our tenth single getting to No 1 Jan 1966.I don`t really give a monkeys what people think of it, its history, Getting to No 1 was my Mount Everest and I climbed it alongside some great people. Laurie had a wonderful sense of humour and I used to curl up hearing him ask for a pint of milk in a pub or club he never drank or smoked.Peter was a talented musician /singer/writer and you coudn`t wish to meet a nicer bloke,wonder where he is today.Terry was a mean bass and was a good vocalist.We shared some unbelievable moments of madness listening to Spike Jones And The City Slickers. Dave was a first class drummer, myopic as hell which was just as well in less favourable venues, he used to take his bioculars off before a gig so he didn`t spoil his image. After I left, musician singers came and went and the Overlanders disbanded in 1967. I made a couple of singles for Pye and reformed the group as The New Overlanders, there`s originality. We finally folded in 1972 and I formed a duo with my then wife. I left the business in 1981 and got a proper job. I`ve been singing as a semi pro ever since in and around my home county Warwickshire.We had great times and a lot of fun but it`s history. To Lance Mason, you can be proud of your Dad. We were writing to each other late eighties until we lost contact when I was made redundant and my life nose dived for a while.He kept asking me to come out to Florida,I wish I had.To Terry Widlake, our last contact was a phone call from Indian Wells from you. By that time I was a bit of a waste of space with no job and a failed marriage. Wish I could have kept in touch with you.So here we are in 2011 and I`m enetering my 49th year as a singer. I still go out as I have done for the last twenty years singing to my own backing tracks and I`m also a member of my local Male Voice choir.To all of you out there I was fortunate to work with,my thanks for some great and fun years and I wish you all the best for the future.

Paul Arnold (Friswell)

Am trying to trace lance mason and sister without going into to much detail on here its regarding Eunice Mason my mother who is ok.
please contact me on face book under nick spooner, littlehampton. west sussex.

When I was 16 years old back in the 60’s my Mum was in hospital, Lauries wife was in the next bed to my Mum, they became friends and I remember my sister and myself along with Mum and Dad visiting Laurie and family in the address at Larkhill Rise you speak of. Those were the days!!
I remember collecting ‘most’ of the records the Overlanders made and I still have them to this day.
I am so sorry to hear that Laurie is no longer with us but I have to admit that he left a lasting reminder with the records he made with the Overlanders, God bless Laurie, proud to have known you and the rest of the group xx

Well, hello Paul!
I was the drummer with Terry, Paul, Peter and Laurie and well remembering joining the Overlanders (in late November 1965) My first gig was a test/audition recording at the BBC where we did ‘Freight Train” and a couple of others that I don’t recall. After a few days rehearsal we went to Bradford for a week at the ALHAMBRA Theatre and on the last but one day (Friday) Harry Hammond the manager called to say Tony Hatch had procured a Beatles number (Michelle) from Rubber Soul and he wanted us to record it ASAP. Harry rushed the acetate recording up to Bradford and we rehearsed it the next day (Saturday) and had a Pye studio session booked the following day (Sunday).
Time was of the essence as we were to leave the UK on the same Sunday night Dover to Ostend ferry and drive to Germany for a two week stint in the Storyville club, Frankfurt.
When we returned to England (I think, New Years day 1966.) all the music papers were giving the release of Michelle, rave reviews and none of us imagined that how our lives would change in the course of the next few weeks. Fantastic times: touring, radio, TV and meeting an unbelievable galaxy of stars.
It was very disappointing not to have a follow up hit and it all started to come unglued from the middle of 1966.
I left on New Years Eve 1966 and joined a Birmingham group called Second City Sound with whom I remained until the mid-seventies. I joined British Airways as Cabin Crew in 1978. I then became an Instructor at BA’s training school at Heathrow. In the mid 80’s I had my myopic vision fixed by a wonderful eye surgeon in Harley Street ( Paul is right about my appalling short-sightedness.) and I obtained my commercial flying licences and went on to fly. In 1990 I made contact with Laurie – (it may have been through contact with Terry Widlake ?) and me and my wife Jan visited him several times in St Petersburg Florida where he and his wife had a restaurant in one of the shopping malls.
He didn’t have a Green card and was deported a couple of times but made his way back to Florida quite easily This was very pre 9/11 and immigration procedures were a lot less stingent. We wanted to emigrate to the States and were incredibly lucky to win green cards in the US government lottery. This coincided with BA offering early retirement and as Jan and I were both BA crew, we took the offer and opened our own restaurant in Florida too!
Once we were up and running I well remember phoning Laurie to tell him we were in the USA but the phone was on voice mail so I left a message for him. I was absolutely dumbstruck when, an hour later, I received a call from Lance (who I’d last seen as a child) telling me his father had died a couple of days before !!
Jan and I had a very successful restaurant for 4 years but I desperately wanted to return to flying and in 1997 I joined Alaska Airlines in Seattle as a flight crew instructor and subsequently US Airways in Pittsburgh and Charlotte NC. as a Flight Crew Instructor and training developer in the International Section for pilots on the A330 Airbus and the Boeing 767.
Fast forward to January this year and we retired to our home in Spain where we are incredibly content to remember the fantastic sixties and occasionally get a phone call from friends far and wide to say they just heard Michelle on the radio!

Hi Erithian,
What a quick response !
Bugger ! forgot to watch the BBC 4 prog – I had an idea Terry might be in it as well, so… double bugger!
Terry was actually responsible for me joining the Overlanders……he used to come into an insurance brokers I worked for in Birmingham and through him I was put in touch with Harry Hammond and got a job working in Germany.
I was incredibly touched to see Paul’s complimentary remarks about my drumming (although it’s not very apparent on Michelle !!)

Canada calling: http://musicsoundsbetterwithtwo.blogspot.com/2011/08/on-guard-for-thee-crispian-st-peters.html

Thanks to Dave Walsh, my old friend and colleague, Terry Widlake and Lance for filling in some gaps in my story! I was with Terry in The Sherwoods – managed by The Overlanders manager, Harry Hammond. I hadn’t realised that the Overlanders did The Storyville Club in Cologne, too! I visited the site just a few weeks ago and that part of the city is now a tip; the club long since gone. I was shocked, too, when Terry told me of Laurie’s death. I really loved the Overlanders and they gave me a real zing to be more professional in what I do. I now tour with either a solo rock ‘n’ roll show or else with Dave Morgan from ELO… Spain seems to be the place we’re most wanted although, for me, I’m grateful that Sweden and Japan want in as well. Would love to hear from Lance and DW…. Terry often mails me and keeps in touch. Very bestests to all of you. Alan George Smith – keyboards, The Sherwoods

To Nick Spooner,
Have tried to find you on fb to no avail. Do you have an e-mail address I can write to you on? Glad to hear you’re okay. How’s Beverley?
Best wishes from Cherry Carter (nee Mason)

Hi! I just thought I’d say hi to everyone. I still have good memories and my three Guitars, Guild Manhatten, Echo 12 string (now unplayable) and the Hawk accoustic.
It was very sad about Laurie, he did visit my wife and I as did Terry Widlake, and we exchanged Chrismas cards. I still have the tapes of our rehearsals. Laurie sang using Tremolo in his voice, (like Dolly Parton) whereas some singers use Vibrato (like Tom Jones in his latest recordings) and this is difficult to harmonise with as the notes can vary up and down too much, depending on how controlled the Vibrato is.
Paul and I both lack natural tremolo which made us good harmony singers as we could sing a tuneless harmony hitting every note dead on key, while Laurie added the rich colour to the vocal sound.
We lost it a bit after Michelle. If you have the CD, listen to the Mason Friswell song “Girl from Indiana” and then to “Boy from New York City” by the Manhatten Transfer.
Though I miss those days, for personal reasons I could not go back on stage and only in the last two decades have I played and sung in local folk clubs.
I hope the other Overlanders and all friends and contributers are fit and well.
PS That Wikipedia entry for The Overlanders Band has me baffled! That is why I wrote this.