Gerry Brooke looks back on performances by Mott (of the Hoople), David Essex, Chantilly Lace and Wayne Fontana

With the touring season back into full swing by September 1975 you would have expected to find a lot of good bands and top acts arriving in Bristol.

Well, there were, but not for a few weeks yet.

On their way to the Colston Hall were Thin Lizzie, Peter Skellern, Tod Rundgren, and Tangerine Dream.

Meanwhile we had to make do with Mott, the remains of a band known as Mott the Hoople, who had a big hit in 1972 with a David Bowie song All the Young Dudes.

Their leader Ian Hunter, had departed for pastures new and this, as the Post’s James Belsey pointed out in his review, was an exercise in picking up the pieces.

“This gig, despite the speed and noise of the music, began slowly” Belsey wrote the next day.

“ New faces Ray Major on guitar and singer Nigel Benjamin gradually grew in confidence after friendly nudges from former Hoople faces Overend Watts, Morgan Fisher and Dale Griffin – and the audience responded.

“When they drew towards the close of a lengthy set they returned to old, familiar Hoople material and had the half full audience on its feet.

“Despite this Mott have a couple of lessons to learn.

“Their new material isn’t strong enough yet and their new singer is a pale shadow compared to Ian Hunter.

“But maybe he’ll grow – after all, it’s early days yet.

Mott the Hoople are playing five Hammersmith Odeon concerts later this year with a warm up gig in Monmouth on Saturday, September 26th.

Earlier in the week the ever popular David Essex had stood on the same stage.

“Last night was the opening show of the current tour” said James Belsey.

“ But the act is already shaping up beautifully and proves – if it needs further proof – that Essex is a star.”

“ Girls hurled themselves at him like meteorites aimed at earth, a couple hitting their target but then almost fading away in the arms of the paternal strongmen

Top of the local bands, and well worth going to see, was Chantilly Lace, who were appearing at Hickey’s Club in Clifton and then, a few days later, at The Granary on Welsh Back

Led by the ever-green saxophonist Frank Fennell, the band, who featured a tongue in cheek look back at the golden oldies of the 1950s – had first got together over 20 years previously.

Other long standing members were Derek Trace and Slim Hendy on drums.

Out of town you could catch Wayne Fontana – real name Glyn Ellis – on stage at the Webbington Country Club near Axbridge.

The Mancunian singer had formed his group Wayne Fontana and the Mindbenders in 1962 but later went solo.

His most successful record was “Pamela, Pamela“, which reached Number 11 in the UK charts in 1967.

Wayne Fontana continues to perform today, notably in the Solid Silver Sixties Tours.

Other stars in Bristol this week in 1975 were artist David Hockney on a visit to the Arnolfini and Marianne Faithfull, who was starring in The Rainmaker at Bath’s Theatre Royal.

The actress told the Post that she was due to release her first record for seven years, a sad ditty called “Dreaming My Dreams.”