Nite People

Background

Nite People formed in Bournemouth in early 1964 when drummer Chris “Fergie” Ferguson assembled guitarist and singer James William Shipstone, bassist Tubs Turner, organist Barry Roderick Curtis, and saxophonist Nigel Street.

Ferguson developed on the Bournemouth circuit through the Ravens, Kapota All Stars, Tall Men, and Sands Combo. Shipstone and Street played modern jazz in the Crispin Street Quintet, while Curtis played local jazz engagements with the Jack Horwood Quartet, Andy Somers Quartet, Rhythm Section, and Jimmy Daemon Combo.

Street soon left to train as a solicitor; saxophonist and flutist Patrick Leyburn Bell filled the vacancy. Bell arrived with touring experience in the United States and Europe plus a stint with Georgie Fame and the Blue Flames. Turner left to form the eight-piece Tubs In Crowd; bassist Francis Gordon Shipstone, younger brother of James, took the vacant role. James adopted the stage name Jimmy Warwick, while Francis used the surname Gordon.

The group played the Cellar Club in Poole on April 1, 1964, then joined Len Canham at the Southampton booking agency Avenue Artistes under manager Terry Rolph. Rolph expanded the schedule from college and club dates across southern England to extended engagements in Germany and Austria.

Early Activity

The Nite People backed Martha Reeves and the Vandellas on a London club run in April 1966, with appearances at the 100 Club, Tiles, Ram Jam, and the Flamingo. A May profile in the Bridgwater Mercury identified Warwick, Gordon, Ferguson, Curtis, and Bell as the established five-piece under Rolph and Avenue Artistes. Fontana signed the band later that year and issued “Sweet Tasting Wine” (b/w “Nobody But You”) on September 16, 1966, as the first Nite People record.

Nite People opened the Stax/Volt Revue show at the Roundhouse on March 31, 1967, and joined the Beach Boys on a six-date British package in May. The group also became a regular Marquee act through repeated London support dates and an appearance at the National Jazz, Pop, Ballad and Blues Festival at Windsor. Fontana continued the sequence with “Try to Find Another Man” and an instrumental treatment of “Summertime Blues.”

Bassist Martin Clarke replaced Francis Gordon Shipstone for “Morning Sun,” which Spencer Davis produced in early 1968 for Fontana. The group reached Marquee headline status that spring. By autumn, Clarke stepped aside for Scott Kirkpatrick, an Alton bassist from the Memo Band. Fontana ended the contract after Patrick Bell’s departure.

The remaining quartet dropped the definite article and continued as Nite People with Warwick, Curtis, Kirkpatrick, and Ferguson. Former Kinks manager Larry Page signed the group to Page One, which issued “Love, Love, Love, Love, Love” (b/w “Hot Smoke and Sasafrass”) in July 1969 and “Is This a Dream” (b/w “Creme Tea”) in November. Page subsequently financed an album for the quartet; Phil Waller produced Nite People at Maximum Sound Studios on Old Kent Road in London for P.M.