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Brian in Frankfurt 1984. 📸 Robert Weissmann

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It's been going around! I just wanted to add the source. This time round he seemed to be ready and prepared for reactions to his post, because I read him interacting with everyone's comments and seemed quite pleased, so good for him 🥰

He's also been sharing some vinyl rarities which I'm much more interested about... I hope it's easier for him to post these, along with any anecdotes about them ❤️

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Brian and Roger's letters for the OIQFC magazine summer 2024.

Love that Roger sent a handwritten letter. And Brian all excited about being neighbours with Roger (which was a while ago already!) is lovely to hear! 💖

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Humpy Bong now available on streaming!

In case you missed the announcement last week, Tim Staffell has put the two tracks he recorded with Humpy Bong up on streaming platforms!

Spotify | Apple Music | Amazon Music

If you plan on looking them up anywhere else, make sure you search for "Humpy Bong" specifically because Tim released these under the band's name and not his own!

Left: Modern logo for Humpy Bong, designed by Tim Staffell / Right: Humpy Bong (Colin Peterson, Jonathan Kelly, and Tim Staffell)

Humpy Bong was the short-lived group that Tim joined immediately after leaving Smile in the spring of 1970. Founded by ex-Bee Gees drummer Colin Peterson and Irish musician Jonathan Kelly, the band only recorded two songs and broke up by the end of the year.

"Don't You Be Too Long" was released as a single, backed with "We're Alright Till Then". Both songs were written by Jonathan Kelly but feature Tim Staffell on lead vocals. "Don't You Be Too Long" was performed on Top of the Pops on October 22, 1970 and was the only "live" show that Humpy Bong ever did, as the band had significant issues finding additional permanent members to round out their line-up. The tape for their Top of the Pops performance has never been released and is presumed to be lost.

Tim Staffell had previously released the Humpy Bong tracks on his digital album "Parallel World", which features unreleased or forgotten songs from his 1970s musical career.

Note: The Wikipedia page for Humpy Bong has some significant errors with regards to the band's timeline and Top of the Pops appearances. "Don't You Be Too Long" was not released until August 1970 (as per dates printed on the records), making it impossible for Tim to have appeared on Top of the Pops to promote the single "within a month or so of leaving Smile" as is claimed on the wiki page.

Rather, Tim's first Top of the Pops appearance was as part of Jonathan Kelly & Friends performing "Don't You Believe It" on July 23, 1970. Kelly had released the single as part of his solo career earlier in the year and it originally featured Eric Clapton on the guitar. However, Clapton was unavailable for the Top of the Pops performance. It was policy at the time that no performer could mime an instrument that they didn't play on the backing track, so Tim was chosen to re-record the guitar part and appear on Top of the Pops in place of Clapton.

The dates for both appearances (with Jonathan Kelly & Friends and with Humpy Bong) can be confirmed on the Top of the Pops archive website.

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I am wheezing

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Brian, 1986 (photo via @my_beautiful_bri on IG)

From the same time as this?

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Brian May and Phil Lynott on a plane during Queen and Thin Lizzy joint US tour in 1977.

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A (possibly) previously-unseen article about 1984

At least it's new to me :) Very interesting to see the band described as a "psychedelic" group, and there's some nice bits here from Brian and Tim too!

Originally printed in the 17 February 1967 issue of the Middlesex Chronicle. (Open in a new tab for better quality)

Pop Notes by Ray Hammond

(Image caption - The 1984 pop group, left to right: Tim Staffell, Dave Dilloway, Richard Thompson, John Garnham, and Brian May.)

Futuristic group

What will pop music be like in 1984? One group who thinks it has the answer to this question is based in Twickenham and called, of course, "1984".

The group comprises vocalist Tim Staffell, who lives in Teddington, bass man Dave Dilloway, from Whitton, lead guitar Brian (Brimi) May, from Feltham, rhythmist John Garnham, from Teddington, and drummer Richard Thompson, from Hounslow. They are all 19 years old except John, who is 20.

I talked the other evening to the boys about their group, their ideas and their plans for the future. "The psychedelic music is certainly here to stay," said Tim. "It makes more of music than mere sound, it makes it a whole and complete art form."

On stage

The boys told me about their stage performances. Dave said: "We use everything in our act, including things like shaving foam, and plastic bricks that we throw around." Dave, as well as playing bass, also rigs lighting to the group's requirements to provide the "psychedelic experiences".

Although the group have been playing for over a year - is [sic] was founded first at Hampton Grammar School - the boys have only recently had enough experience and equipment to become serious semi-professionals.

Last month the group won an area semi-final at Croydon in a national talent search, and it is now awaiting news of the national winners, who will have the chance of a test recording for a major record company.

There are problems that stand in the way of success though. Four of the group are students and in consequence they have not got unlimited time and money to give to group work. Brian stated his personal ambition as being "able to play well enough to respect ourselves," and while this sentiment is echoed by the rest of the group, it was obvious that big success is the wish of most members.

The boys show their many talents on stage. Brian made his own guitar (the product is amazing. It is in many ways superior to the mass-produced instruments, and has a wiring system that Brian has built and designed). All stage electronics are handled by Dave.

New ideas are always formulating in Tim's mind, although he is keeping quiet about some which he calls "the most revolutionary."

After we had finished chatting, the boys went back to their instruments and gave vent to several numbers.

Treatments

Standards like "Heatwave," receive a very original treatment, mostly due to the sounds that Brian coaxes out of his guitar. Jazz chords and electronic sounds add feeling and nuance to numbers that are often churned out wholesale.

Using two bass drums for a fuller sound, Richard's drumming, combined with the full bass riffs and the steady work of John, provides a firm basis for experiments in sound - an opportunity which is not wasted.

Whatever does happen to pop music in 1984, I hope that the teenagers then will have the chance to hear excitement of the type that is generated by "1984", one of the most forward looking groups today.

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Brian May performing with Queen in 1979

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September 25, 1982

the end of the one and only episode of SNL that featured Queen as performing artist

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Credits to deakycheaky.

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Source _letusclingtogether_ on Instagram.

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Budokan, 1976. 😍

📷 : Koh Hasebe

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John and Freddie on stage with Roger and Brian during “A Kind Of Magic” on the 2017 tour …

Bonus Brian

Bonus Roger