The Hectics (1958 - 1962)

The Hectics

Line-up

  • Farrokh Bulsara (piano)
  • Bruce Murray (lead vocals)
  • Derrick Branche
  • Farang Irani
  • Victory Rana

Dates are unknown but all the concerts took place in the St. Peter's School, Panchgani, India.

Ibex (May 1969 - October 1969)

Ibex

Line-up

  • Freddie Bulsara (vocals)
  • Mike Bersin (guitar, vocals)
  • Mick 'Miffer' Smith (drums, vocals)
  • John 'Tupp' Taylor (bass, flute, vocals)
  • guests on 23.8.1969: Geoff Higgins (bass), Richard Thompson (drums)

Ibex were successors of a band called Colours (1966) which was based in Widnes (near Liverpool) and the members were: Mike Bersin (electric organ), John 'Tupp' Taylor (bass), Mick 'Miffer' Smith (drums, vocals), Gordon Fraser (guitar), Ken Hart (drums), Colin McDonnell (lead guitar). Ibex were actually formed in 1966 but Freddie joined the band in 1969.

Tour itinerary

23.05.1969 Honiton Hall, Penketh, UK
1969 Wade Deacon Grammar School For Girls, Widness, UK
August 1969 Technical College, St. Helens, UK
23.08.1969 The Bolton's Octagon Theatre, Bolton, UK
24.08.1969 Open Air Festival, Queen's Park, Bolton, UK
09.09.1969 The Sink, Liverpool, UK
19.09.1969 College Of Technology, St. Helens, UK

Known setlists

23.08.1969 The Bolton's Octagon Theatre, Bolton, UK
01. Jailhouse Rock
 
09.09.1969 The Sink, Liverpool, UK
Recorded by Geoff Higgins (Ibex roadie) on his Grundig TK14 reel-to-reel machine, later sold in an auction to a private collector, then lent to Queen Production for the purpose of including 'Rain' in the FM Solo Collection box set, then leaked to the bootleg market. This concert was very important because Ibex were joined by Brian May and Roger Taylor for the encore which means it's the very first concert with Freddie, Brian and Roger on one stage. Sadly, the tape ran out after 30 minutes so it misses this encore.

01. I'm So Glad (Skip James) - Cream
02. Communication Breakdown (Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones & John Bonham) - Led Zeppelin
03. Rain (John Lennon & Paul McCartney) - The Beatles
04. We're Going Wrong (Jack Bruce) - Cream
05. Rock Me Baby (Riley. BB. King & Joe Josea) - Truth
06. Stone Free (Jimi Hendrix) - Jimi Hendrix
07. Jailhouse Rock (Jerry Leiber & Mike Stoller) - Elvis Presley
08. Crossroads (Cross Road Blues) (Robert Johnson) - Cream
09. Vagabond Outcast (Freddie Bulsara)
10. We're Going Home (I'm Going Home) (Alvin Lee) - Ten Years After

Wreckage (October 1969 - November 1969)

Wreckage

Line-up

  • Freddie Bulsara (vocals)
  • Mike Bersin (guitar, vocals)
  • Richard Thompson (drums) - from '1984'
  • John 'Tupp' Taylor (bass, vocals)

Wreckage were basically Ibex, only the name has changed (yes, you can guess who was responsible for the change :-)

Tour itinerary

26.10.1969 Ealing College Of Art, London, UK
31.10.1969 Ealing College Of Art, London, UK
November 1969 College Of St. Martin & St. John, , UK
November 1969 Ealing College Of Art, London, UK
November 1969 Hall, Fulham, UK
05.11.1969 Imperial College, London, UK
12.11.1969 Rugby Club, Richmond, UK
14.11.1969 Liverpool, UK
24.11.1969 Wide Deacon Grammar School For Girls, Widness, UK
26.11.1969 Rugby Club, Twickenham, UK

Known setlists

26.10.1969 Ealing College Of Art, London, UK
01. Green
02. Without You
03. Blag-A-Blues
04. Cancer On My Mind
 
31.10.1969 Ealing College Of Art, London, UK
01. Cancer On My Mind
02. Vagabond Outcast
03. F.E.W.A
04. Without You
05. One More Train
06. Lover
07. Jailhouse Rock
08. Crossroads
09. 1983/Rain
10. We're Going Wrong
11. Communication Breakdown
12. Boogie
13. Universal Theme
14. Blag-A-Blues
15. Green
16. Rock Me Baby
17. Let Me Love You

Sour Milk Sea (February 1970 - Spring 1970)

Sour Milk Sea

Line-up

  • Freddie Bulsara (vocals)
  • Chris 'Dummett' Chesney (lead guitar, vocals)
  • Jeremy 'Rubber' Gallop (rhythm guitar)
  • Paul Milne (bass)
  • Robert Tyrell (drums)

Sour Milk Sea were formed in 1968 as "Tomato City" and became Sour Milk Sea in late 1968.

Sour Milk Sea were named after a track by a guy called Jackie Lomax - written by George Harrison and featuring Eric Clapton on guitar. Sour Milk Sea started off doing mostly blues covers but then also introduced some original songs that mostly Chris had written. One of them was Lover, which was probably a base for Queen's Liar. Once also Sour Milk Sea played on the same bill as Smile (in All Saints Hall, Notting Hill, in front of about 10 people) but I'm not sure if it was with Freddie or not because the last concert of Smile was in January 1970 while Freddie joined Sour Milk Sea in February 1970. Sour Milk Sea broke mainly because Paul and Jeremy were unhappy about the band's direction. Thank god :-) Freddie has joined Brian and Roger and the rest is history...


Tour itinerary

spring 1970 Randolph Hotel, Oxford, UK
20.03.1970 Highfield Parish, Oxford, UK
28.03.1970 The Temple at Lower Wardour Street, London, UK
04.04.1970 Dagenham Roundhouse, London, UK