Derek Leckenby

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Derek 'Lek' Leckenby (14 May 1943 - 4 June 1994) was an English guitarist, most famous for his work with Herman's Hermits.

Leckenby was born in 1943, in Leeds, West Yorkshire. He was educated at William Hulme's Grammar School, Manchester, and commenced a civil engineering degree course at Manchester University, before leaving to become a professional musician.

An accomplished guitarist and musician,gifted with perfect pitch, he played the lead guitar for Herman's Hermits. He played on many of the band's early hits and composed songs with band mates Keith Hopwood, Peter Noone and Karl Green. He admired record producer Mickie Most, but was bothered at times by Most's use of session musicians on the band's mid career hits, despite the Hermits' more than acceptable skills as players. Leckenby played on all the band's U.S. and U.K. Number One hits and provided the excellent solo on Henry VIII which is the songs most redeeming feature. Karl Green of the band commented on VH1's My Generation-Herman's Hermits that Most's use of session musicians on some of the band's records was unfair to Leckenby in particular. During the 1970s and 1980's Leckenby tried to set the record straight with the rock media explaining the large body of guitar playing he contributed to the band's records but even now his talent is for the most part unrecognized as is the contribution of his fellow band mates to Herman's Hermits records. Even the band's U.S. label ABKCO failed to credit the Hermit's playing in the liner notes to its retrospective on the band. Leckenby's skills are apparent not only on Herman's Hermits records (solo on Henry V111 for example) but also on videos of the band's live appearances including the 1965 NME music awards and Herman's Hermits Hilton Show both of which are available from internet sources. Additionally, Leckenby's skills as a guitarist can be heard on several rare releases by Keith Hopwood's Pluto Music including the compilation Vault 69.

Leckenby is credited with arranging the band's first big hit, "I'm into Something Good". His skills on guitar and later dobro are most apparent not only on the Herman's Hermits tracks on which he played, but also on releases such as the LP A Whale of a Tale, and the later singles such as, "Ginny Go Softly", "Heart Get Ready for Love" and the compilation album, Vault 69, available from Pluto Music.

Despite the split with Peter Noone, Leckenby always spoke highly of his friend and defended the singer's vocal abilities to critics, who tended to overlook the singer and the band. To his credit Peter Noone has praised Leckenby's talent in numerous interviews over the years.

Leckenby succumbed to cancer on 4 June 1994, at the age of 51.