Ian and the Invaders
Ian and the Invaders was a Jedburgh band in 1964 and 1965. They started life as an instrumental group but quickly became a normal 60s ‘beat group’. They mostly played in and around Jedburgh but did a few support gigs for Border Dances.
Original Members
Graham Dolan (lead guitar)
Lionel Finlay (rhythm guitar)
Andrew McBain (bass guitar)
Kenny Hogg (drums)
Mike McGuigan (vocals)
They soon became Ian and the Invaders when joined by Ian Clarkson and John (Pud) Woods.
The best known line up was
Ian Clarkson (vocals and bass guitar)
John (Pud) Woods (vocals)
Graham Dolan (lead guitar)
Andrew McBain (rhythm guitar)
Kenny Hogg (drums)
In the very earliest days it wasn’t musical ability which was the main consideration, rather whether or not you would be likely to buy the fairly expensive gear or convince your parents to sign hire purchase forms! In the early 60's all three electric guitars went through one small home-made amplifier made by George Burt who was an electronics apprentice with Ferranti in Edinburgh at the time. Two chipboard speaker cabinets were made by ‘Cud’ Wood.
The group in this early form played at a public audition in the town hall for newly formed Border TV’s popular ‘Cock of the Border’ inter-town talent programme. The band’s home-made amplifier failed soon after the start of Hava Nagila (an instrumental made popular by the Swedish version of the Shadows, the Spotniks) and that was the end of possible early TV fame! The Invaders in that form also played in the drill hall, which is now the Royal British Legion. The rehearsal room in the earliest days was in Andrew McBain’s mother’s dressmaking shop in Exchange Street where the Sea Rover chip shop is now. Soon the group was practising in the old PNEU School, halfway up the Castlegate on the right, which was also the town band’s headquarters at the time.
The next stage involved the group as most Jethart folk who are now in their 60s will remember it. The group then involved Graham Dolan (lead guitar), Andew McBain (rhythm guitar), John Woods (bass guitar), Kenny Hogg (drums) and Ian Clarkson (vocals). As the band now had a singer and the trend with the big pop groups was to use the singer’s name in the title (Ciff Richard & the Shadows, Brian Poole & the Tremeloes etc) the name became Ian and the Invaders. Before too long Ian Clarkson took over playing the bass guitar and John Woods became the front man singer. The band operated in this form for a couple of years, now practising in the Scout Hall which had previously been the Abbey Church, standing where the Jedburgh leisure centre now stands.
Favourite songs the group performed from that time were Del Shannon’s Kelly, The Paramounts’ Poison Ivy (also recorded by the Rolling Stones), Under the Boardwalk, and the Cryin’ Shames’ Please Stay.
In August 1965 Andrew McBain left the town to join the Black Watch as a bandsman, after which the group continued to play as a foursome
Ian and the Invaders played most of the Borders venues of the day including ones organised by Duncan MacKinnon’s Border Dances agency. (We are still waiting to be paid for those!) Their most prestigious gigs were probably Kirckaldy YMCA (where they were billed as The Border Invaders) and Edinburgh University Union, supporting top Edinburgh band of the day, the Athenians. The last ‘gigs’ according to a 1966 diary seem to have been the Tait Hall, Kelso supporting the Golden Crusaders (a popular band with 2 saxophones from Bathgate) on 30th April (for £6), Jedburgh Town Hall on 14th May (for £12) and Edinburgh University Union supporting the Avengers on 17th June (for £10 + expenses).
For a while in 1964 the group itself organised very successful Wednesday night dances in the town hall ‘cellar’ which was renamed the Crypt for the occasion. These nights were very popular with the town’s teenagers and were the highlight of the week. Another popular cellar venue was the Cavern Club in Hawick which was the cellar of a large house near the Haugh. Ian & the Invaders played there on a few occasions.
In the 60s it was important that a band had a manager, whose job it was to find gigs, organise transport etc. Ian and the Invaders can remember having Alistair Wilson and Gordon Kinnes as managers. Both these young men were from Fife and worked for Miller Construction. They lodged with Mrs Dodds at Honeyfield Farm at the top of Honeyfield Road.
The formation of Ian and the Invaders was closely followed a few months later by that of their 1960s rivals, the Worlocks, (originally called the Alley Cats, then the Coasters) When Ian and the Invaders stopped playing in 1966, Ian Clarkson joined the Worlocks and the band had a successful spell on the local scene and a bit further afield. There was some secrecy involved in early 1967when Ian had to practise with the Worlocks at Pennymuir Hall in readiness for the time when Peter Johnston would be declared Callant. If anyone had known he was doing that the cat would have been out of the bag! Later on the Invaders’ drummer, Kenny Hogg, joined Worlocks and the band changed its name to Sun Shiloh.
In 1986 in the days when there was a Festival street party on Murray’s Green, Ian and the Invaders reformed to play a nostalgic ‘twenty years later’ gig. Later on, in 1996, the Worlocks did the same.
In 2010 the members of Ian and the Invaders decided to meet and try and piece together the band’s history before it was too late. (See photo)
If you can tell us more or have a photo contact us on [email protected]
Ian and the Invaders was a Jedburgh band in 1964 and 1965. They started life as an instrumental group but quickly became a normal 60s ‘beat group’. They mostly played in and around Jedburgh but did a few support gigs for Border Dances.
Original Members
Graham Dolan (lead guitar)
Lionel Finlay (rhythm guitar)
Andrew McBain (bass guitar)
Kenny Hogg (drums)
Mike McGuigan (vocals)
They soon became Ian and the Invaders when joined by Ian Clarkson and John (Pud) Woods.
The best known line up was
Ian Clarkson (vocals and bass guitar)
John (Pud) Woods (vocals)
Graham Dolan (lead guitar)
Andrew McBain (rhythm guitar)
Kenny Hogg (drums)
In the very earliest days it wasn’t musical ability which was the main consideration, rather whether or not you would be likely to buy the fairly expensive gear or convince your parents to sign hire purchase forms! In the early 60's all three electric guitars went through one small home-made amplifier made by George Burt who was an electronics apprentice with Ferranti in Edinburgh at the time. Two chipboard speaker cabinets were made by ‘Cud’ Wood.
The group in this early form played at a public audition in the town hall for newly formed Border TV’s popular ‘Cock of the Border’ inter-town talent programme. The band’s home-made amplifier failed soon after the start of Hava Nagila (an instrumental made popular by the Swedish version of the Shadows, the Spotniks) and that was the end of possible early TV fame! The Invaders in that form also played in the drill hall, which is now the Royal British Legion. The rehearsal room in the earliest days was in Andrew McBain’s mother’s dressmaking shop in Exchange Street where the Sea Rover chip shop is now. Soon the group was practising in the old PNEU School, halfway up the Castlegate on the right, which was also the town band’s headquarters at the time.
The next stage involved the group as most Jethart folk who are now in their 60s will remember it. The group then involved Graham Dolan (lead guitar), Andew McBain (rhythm guitar), John Woods (bass guitar), Kenny Hogg (drums) and Ian Clarkson (vocals). As the band now had a singer and the trend with the big pop groups was to use the singer’s name in the title (Ciff Richard & the Shadows, Brian Poole & the Tremeloes etc) the name became Ian and the Invaders. Before too long Ian Clarkson took over playing the bass guitar and John Woods became the front man singer. The band operated in this form for a couple of years, now practising in the Scout Hall which had previously been the Abbey Church, standing where the Jedburgh leisure centre now stands.
Favourite songs the group performed from that time were Del Shannon’s Kelly, The Paramounts’ Poison Ivy (also recorded by the Rolling Stones), Under the Boardwalk, and the Cryin’ Shames’ Please Stay.
In August 1965 Andrew McBain left the town to join the Black Watch as a bandsman, after which the group continued to play as a foursome
Ian and the Invaders played most of the Borders venues of the day including ones organised by Duncan MacKinnon’s Border Dances agency. (We are still waiting to be paid for those!) Their most prestigious gigs were probably Kirckaldy YMCA (where they were billed as The Border Invaders) and Edinburgh University Union, supporting top Edinburgh band of the day, the Athenians. The last ‘gigs’ according to a 1966 diary seem to have been the Tait Hall, Kelso supporting the Golden Crusaders (a popular band with 2 saxophones from Bathgate) on 30th April (for £6), Jedburgh Town Hall on 14th May (for £12) and Edinburgh University Union supporting the Avengers on 17th June (for £10 + expenses).
For a while in 1964 the group itself organised very successful Wednesday night dances in the town hall ‘cellar’ which was renamed the Crypt for the occasion. These nights were very popular with the town’s teenagers and were the highlight of the week. Another popular cellar venue was the Cavern Club in Hawick which was the cellar of a large house near the Haugh. Ian & the Invaders played there on a few occasions.
In the 60s it was important that a band had a manager, whose job it was to find gigs, organise transport etc. Ian and the Invaders can remember having Alistair Wilson and Gordon Kinnes as managers. Both these young men were from Fife and worked for Miller Construction. They lodged with Mrs Dodds at Honeyfield Farm at the top of Honeyfield Road.
The formation of Ian and the Invaders was closely followed a few months later by that of their 1960s rivals, the Worlocks, (originally called the Alley Cats, then the Coasters) When Ian and the Invaders stopped playing in 1966, Ian Clarkson joined the Worlocks and the band had a successful spell on the local scene and a bit further afield. There was some secrecy involved in early 1967when Ian had to practise with the Worlocks at Pennymuir Hall in readiness for the time when Peter Johnston would be declared Callant. If anyone had known he was doing that the cat would have been out of the bag! Later on the Invaders’ drummer, Kenny Hogg, joined Worlocks and the band changed its name to Sun Shiloh.
In 1986 in the days when there was a Festival street party on Murray’s Green, Ian and the Invaders reformed to play a nostalgic ‘twenty years later’ gig. Later on, in 1996, the Worlocks did the same.
In 2010 the members of Ian and the Invaders decided to meet and try and piece together the band’s history before it was too late. (See photo)
If you can tell us more or have a photo contact us on [email protected]
