Thanks to Tony Cousins for the information below on Easy Moses. While not strictly a 'Cornish' band they spent sufficient time in the county and became a large part of the local music scene, so warrant an inclusion in Kernow Beat!
Tony Cousins , Mick Johnson, Tony “Tatt” Lett and Ray Radford
John Wilson remembers the early days of Easy Moses;
"We played Middle Earth in Covent Garden in 1968, backing Pink Floyd. The gig was quite an experience. The concert went on all night. At dawn we went out to a tea and burger stall outside. The wholesale veg market of Covent Garden was just coming to life. We were chatted up by a couple of very young groupies, until we noticed they were transvestites."
Easy Moses moved to Cornwall from Cambridge after spending a year in London trying to “make it”. We were aware of the potential here as for 2 previous years we had enjoyed a “working holiday” in an exchange deal whereby a Cornish Band gigged in Cambridge. All this was arranged by Pete Brown of BCD Entertainments and there was hardly any money in for us, hence the “working holiday”.
As we moved to the area Mr Lucifer moved away and we took over their little cottage in Lamorrick, near Lanivet.
Line up was myself, Tony Cousins (Keyboards), Ray Radford (Lead) and Tony “Tatt” Lett on drums. Originally I “pedalled” the bass on the organ but we were later joined by Mick Johnson on Bass Guitar.
Material was basically good, old-fashioned heavy rock (Led Zep, Deep Purple, Henrix, Free, Uriah Heep, Spooky Tooth, etc) interspersed with a couple of our own, (in particular I remember a very heavy version of “English Country Garden” with an acoustic section in the middle.)
Official publicity photo
We played throughout the county with favourites being “Wints” (Winter Gardens, Penzance) where we supported Status Quo and the pop band Vanity Fair; Flamingo, Redruth where we supported Hawkwind; Penmare Hotel at Hayle plus the 2 major bases at St Mawgan and Culdrose. One of the most memorable for me was one of in-vogue open air concerts held near Mevagissey where we played with the impressive “MARVELOUS KID” who I later found out featured Steve Betts (later of The Eurythmics).
First gig in Cornwall was July 21st 1969 at the YMCA, St Austell. We gigged 6/7 nights a week throughout the summer but when winter arrived we became hungry as much of the work dried up. Enter PORKY, a band we formed playing cover versions enabling us to do the social clubs and “lighter” gigs. At any time, at the flick of a volume knob (yes, up to 11) we could turn on the rock.
During our existence we also lived in St Ives (Parc an Creet) and Hayle (the caravan park behind the old Penmare Hotel)
The demise of Moses occurred when we all met local girls! Once upon a time we would sit up for hours sorting out our arguments and differences but once we had someone else to spend time with, (and who had real jobs and money…………….and FOOD) we gradually drifted apart.
Can’t remember what came next and in what order but it involved such bands as Smart Alec, She, Kingdom, Flair, Tosh, Trilogy, Trix, Beaver, Willpower and probably many more. One in particular, soon after Moses featured an enigmatic, charismatic character called Nigel May, (stage name Bart Blaze) who was lead vocalist with huge stage presence and even huger hair. The line-up was Tony Cousins (keyboards), Ray Radford (Lead Guitar), Tony “Tatt” Lett (Bass) and Bill Gill on drums.
Reunion 2009. On the left original vocalist, James Le Bec
If anybody knows the whereabouts of Ray Radford please get in touch!
Nigel May (aka Bart Blaze) 2008
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