The King Pins (Stoke)

info courtesy Nick Warburton
images courtesy Dietmar Steffan

Line-up included 

• HARVEY FROST/ LANCE HARVEY - lead/vocals
• TERRY KING - drums
• LES PROBYN - bass
• DAVE STIRRUP - guitar/vocals 
• ROGER WOOD - drums
• ROY GRANT - vocals
• KEITH TURNER - lead/vocals
• COLIN TURNER - bass/vocals
• ALAN SAUNDERS - guitar

The King Pins were a Stoke band that enjoyed several spells playing at the Star Club in Hamburg, Germany. At the end of 1965 Frost and Harvey left and Roy Grant (ex-The Saints) and Keith Turner came in as replacements.

In 1966 a line up featuring Grant, Turner, Stirrup, Wood (and what looks like Terry King on the picture sleeve) recorded a 45 in Germany on Star-Club, Gotta Get A Good Thing Going / Willow Tree.

In late 1966, Keith's brother Colin came in on bass and the band relocated to the Stoke-on-Trent area and signed up to the Keith Fisher agency. They also returned to Germany to play at the Star Club.

The new line up recorded the 45 for Columbia in 1967. Towards the end of 1967/start of 1968, The King Pins became The Ivy League's backing band.

When the band broke up in mid-1968, Colin Turner joined Hedgehoppers Anonymous. Some members joined Kensington Mews, a local super group formed with members from The Marauders, The Iting and Hari Kari.

Memories

I played drums with a band called The Quandowns and we were playing the Top Ten Club in Hamburg in February 1967. On our breaks we would go round the corner and watch the bands at the Star Club.

We were impressed by The King Pins who were a very tight outfit. They used to do a great version of 'Little Girl' by The Syndicate of Sound.

We were so impressed, we rehearsed the track the next day and included it in our set. Great memories and I wish the live scene now was as vibrant. 

John Reed - 19/7/10

I can remember sitting in Keith Fisher's ofice in Burslem. S-O-T with Lance Harvey and the Kingpins in 1963 or 4.They were a Stoke band not Manchester. 

Terry King was a singer with the Saints, not a drummer. Their drummer was a guy called Jim. Roy Grant was a Roy Orbison type voice.

Phil Ryan - Phil Ryan and the Crescents - 4/10/10

I was drummer with Kingpins - Jim was the old drummmmer with The Statesmen pre-kingpins 

Roger Wood - 21/1/11

Harvey Frost and Lance Harvey were one and the same person.Harvey and I went to the same school in Kidsgrove in the Mid 50's. Phil Ryan was correct in saying that The Kingpins were a Stoke-on-Trent band. Incidently Phil's drummer from the Crescents, Roger Keay and I work regularly together on the Jazz Scene around Cheshire and Staffordshire.

Nigel Cartwright  - 20/8/13