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Saturday 4th April 1959 to Saturday
29th August 1959
"Drumbeat was certainly a wonderful and exciting experience for me. Every week we were rehearsing our solo numbers, the backing for artists and any camera movements that we might be involved in. I have been involved with many TV series but never one that was as innovative, exciting and had such a team spirit."
Vic Flick
Drumbeat has often been unfairly overlooked when compared with
similar pop shows such as Six-Five Special and Oh Boy. Yet this
one-off, 22-week BBC series deserves much more attention. Apart
from the fact that it launched the careers of Adam Faith & John
Barry, song-writers Les Reed, Johnny Worth and Trevor Peacock, it
also managed to include guest stars of the calibre of Petula Clark,
Billy Fury, Dickie Valentine, Paul Anka, Cliff Richard & Anthony
Newley.
Below you will find details of the majority of the programmes,
both artists and songs. Over the next few weeks and months we hope
to add further information about the show, the artists and the songs
– some of which may never have been heard since!
Sadly none of the episodes appears to have survived, but as one
of them was telerecorded there is just a chance it has.
If you have any memories of Drumbeat, whether it be watching, taking part, or even any photos of the artists, please get in touch and we'll be happy to add them to this page.
Please enjoy our tribute to DRUMBEAT!!
Your submissions: |
July 9, 2011
Although I enjoyed Drumbeat, it never had the same buzz as Oh Boy!
Adam Faith hadn't really developed his style, and sang horrible things like Runk Bunk. Roy Young was, and still is terrific. Sylvia Sands looked lovely, but was really a band singer. I think Dusty appeared, when still in the Lana Sisters.
Mick Daley |
April 2, 2011
My Dad was in Bob Miller and the Millermen.
His name was Bill Golding.
He is on the Drumbeat cover (above)directly behind Danny Williams. He
was the Tenor Saxophone player. Denise Golding.
I did my best to identify all the people on the cover of Drumbeat when it was recently re-issued on CD, mainly through asking some of the ones there I recognised, but sadly nobody identified your father. Geoff Leonard. |
| As a teenager growing up in Shepherds Bush, I attended many of the Drumbeat shows. Some were at the Riverside studios in Hammersmith and others at the Television theatre in Shepherds Bush.
I remember one show when before the show started John Barry and his band were doing sound checks and he noticed someone in the audience.
Waving aknowledgement he then went off and Stewart Morris came on to warm up the audience and then introduced the mystery man as "The producer of the greatest rock n roll TV show Oh Boy....Jack Good. And he was sitting a few seats away from me...
Brian Dolan |
| Vince Eager was the first and last singer each week.
I remember one programme not ending with Vince, he was second last.
This particular progamme ended with three drummers on the studio floor in front of the bandstands.
The three drumkits were on a low step-high platform.
I never forgot the sight of three drummers soloing.
John Doyle |
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