MICK WAYNE info


Mick Wayne (guitar, vocals)

Very good, underrated guitarist, he had been in several bands before forming Junior's Eyes. He started his career in a band from Hull called The Hullaballoos, around 1965:

Although the band recorded three singles, Mick doesn't appear in any. But he does appear in a single by a band called The Outsiders, also in 1965. The single was 'Keep on doing it / Songs we sang last summer', produced and penned by Jimmy Page. I don't know other members in the band.

Next band for Mick was The Bunch of Fives, around 1966:

This band was formed by great drummer Viv Prince after leaving Pretty Things. Also with superb keyboardist Dave Stewart, later to play in Hatfield & The North. They released a single in 1966: 'Go home baby / At the station'.

Next project was called The Tickle, in 1967. Only Mick Wayne is known from the lineup. One single, 'Subway (smokey pokey world) / Good evening', released in 1967. If someone knows the other members of this band, please send me a message!!

Next project was Junior's Eyes in 1969:

(Junior's Eyes: from left to right: John Lodge, John Cambridge, Mick Wayne, Tim Renwick, Graham Kelly)

Other members of the band were John Redfern and Steve Chapman.

They released one album, Battersea power station, full of progressive music, but their most famous contribution was playing (Wayne, Renwick and Cambridge) in David Bowie's famous album, Space Oddity, because Tony Visconti was the producer for both acts.

After the lack of success of Junior's Eyes, part of the band was asked to back David Bowie for live concerts. The first known lineup is:

They recorded some sessions for the BBC in 1969 under the name David Bowie & Junior's Eyes. Soon later, they turned into The Hype, with John Cambridge suggesting his old bandmate in The Rats, Mick Ronson to join the band.. What a killer 3-piece guitar team!

In just one month, John Cambridge left the band, being replaced by the great one Mick 'Woody' Woodmansey (another ex-member of The Rats).

But after a short period, Wayne and Renwick left the band.

This period is quite unclear. Not long ago, it was announced an album with BBC sessions, and there is a track credited to David Bowie & The Hype, recorded in 1970, with this lineup (not including Tim Renwick): David Bowie (vocals, guitar), Mick Ronson (guitar), Tony Visconti (bass), John Cambridge (drums).
 

Finally, after many years circulating in numerous bootleg albums, some of the Bowie BBC recordings have been officially released in year 2000. Bowie at the Beeb is a 2CD comprising 37 tracks recorded for the BBC between 1968 and 1972. Magnificent album, it was about time it was available to everybody! We can hear the best Bowie, and Mick Ronson never sounded better to me! The album contains two tracks recorded by Bowie with Junior's Eyes on 20/October/1969: 'Let me sleep beside you' and 'Janine'. The lineup is:

Other musicians featured in the album: Tony Visconti, Barry Morgan, Alan Hawkshaw, Tony Visconti, Steve Peregrine Took, Mick Ronson, Trevor Bolder, Mick Woodmansey, and the lovely Dana Gillespie, among others.

By the way, the first edition of this album includes a 3rd bonus disk with a Bowie live concert from June/2000 (with the great Earl Slick).

After leaving The Hype, Mick joined Steve Peregrine Took (from T.Rex fame), as he was forming a new band for recording again the demos he had taped with his band Shagrat (watch Larry Wallis bio for more details).

In 1972, they recorded the song 'Amanda' (from Shagrat demo) at Olympic Studios, as well as two more songs, 'Blind owl blues' and 'Mr. Discrete'. But the session was finally abandoned before it was complete. The musicians stayed together (without Took), under the mythical monicker Pink Fairies. This was August 1972: He only appeared in a single, 'Well well well / Hold on' (Nov 72), as he left the band very soon, in November 1972 (being substituted by Larry Wallis).

And then, I don't know more info about him for a long time. He became a producer in the States, but in 1993, he played again, in Paul Lucas band:

Sadly, he died in 1994, in Michigan, in a house fire. :(

Sessions:
As a sessionman, he appeared in albums by James Taylor (James Taylor, his debut album, Dec 68, with Paul McCartney and Louis Cennamo), David Bowie (Space oddity, 1969), and in an album by a band called Ozo (Listen to the Buddah, 1976).

There are sessions by Steve Peregrine Took, recorded around 1972, with appearances by Twink, Mick Wayne, Larry Wallis, Duncan Sanderson and Syd Barrett.

Related links:

Thanks section

Special thanks to: Sarah Wayne, for all her great help; Mike, for sharing his memories about Mick with me; David Mantell, for great info on Steve Took and Pink Fairies.

Thanks to: ...

If you can contribute (with additions, corrections, opinions, etc.), please, send me an e-mail message at mterol@myrealbox.com

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Page created by Miguel Terol on: 17/August/1999. Last modified on: 04/October/2000.