Talk:Magnum (band)
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[edit] Les Kitcheridge
Les Kitcheridge is mentioned in many online biogs of Magnum as being the first Guitarist whilst being a house band for the Rum Runner in Birmingham. None of these however are referenced. Reeferboy 14:46, 2 July 2007 (UTC)
I interviewed Dave Morgan at the end of 2005 and he stated he had never heard of Les and that when he (Dave) joined the band at the Rum Runner they were known as White Rum and the line-up was Catley / Gorin / Clarkin / Morgan; Tony Clarkin then coming up with the name Magnum after the hand gun. This would seem to indicate that whilst Les may have played at the Rum Runner with Bob and Kex he wasn't around when Dave joined and they were not known as Magnum.
This paragraph was written by Martin Vielhaber (e-mail: M-Vielhaber (at) T-Online (dot) de)
MAGNUM - what a great name for a great band. But, although it is widely believed that Tony invented the name, he didn't. The original idea for the name came up when Les Kitcheridge, the first guitarist was still in the band, then called the HOUSE BAND. When they were looking for a proper name his mum had the idea of calling it MAGNUM! At that time the still unknown band was playing gigs in a little Birmingham club called “The Rumrunner“. Tony Clarkin replaced Les shortly after. He had started his professional career as a ladies' hairdresser(!) after having finished school. The real reason for him to learn how to play a guitar was that he “wanted to have a stock of girlfriends“. In his early twenties he had started to play in several amateur bands, the first one being called the BOULEVARDS. Bob Catley had got to know Tony when their first bands both played at a college around 1968. In 1972 Bob Catley and Kex Gorin, asked him to join MAGNUM and he soon became head of the band. Bob had previously worked for the GPO (now British Telecom) and his first band was called the SMOKESTACKS. Then he had joined THE CHANTELLES , CAPITAL SYSTEMS, LIFE and CLEAR WATER, but his first professional band was called PARADOX. They consisted of Charlie Harris on bass (later replaced by Dave Morgan, John “Pank” Panteney on drums, John Sargent on guitar and Dave Bailey on the keyboards. Bob also recorded a single with them called “Ever Since I Can Remember“.
Source: http : // magnum-biography . piranho . com / new_page_2 . htm
So perhaps Les played guitar with Catley / Gorin in early 1972 before Tony Clarkin or Dave Morgan joined. This biography was also published in Magnum's fanzine “Nitelight“ edited by Ashley Mortimer. Can anyone contact these people to confirm these details. It is clear however that Les did not spend much time in Magnum... Reeferboy 14:09, 3 July 2007 (UTC)
Reply from Martin Vielhaber:
Hi Dominic,
this info originates from an early article on MAGNUM. I believe it was in the "Foundation-box" booklet, but I cannot really tell.
Anyway, when I asked Tony to verify this a few years ago I believe he said that's how it was.
As far as I know Les left indeed before Dave arrived.
As you know, I'm constantly trying to update my biography and correct any possible mistake. As thousands of fans have meanwhile read it and the band have recieved their personal copies some time ago (with nobody telling me this information was wrong) I assume that I've got it correctly.
All the best
Martin
Original Message ----- From: "Dominic Hatton" <dominic _ hatton @ hotmail . com>
To: <M - Vielhaber @ T - Online . de> Sent: Wednesday, July 04, 2007 1:22 PM Subject: Magnum Biography
Hello Martin,
Just a query regarding your Magnum Biography posted here: http : // magnum - biography . piranho . com / new_page_2 . htm
You mention that Les Kitcheridge was Magnum's first guitarist back in 1972 and came up with the name "Magnum". Where did you find out this information?
I am asking because I have been recently editing Magnum's page on Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: http : // en . wikipedia . org / wiki / Magnum_(band)
And there is currently a dispute over Les Kitcheridge's contributions to Magnum. Another user interviewed original bass player Dave Morgan, and it is claimed that he'd never known Les. I'm sure it's possible that Les left before Dave Morgan joined, but I have no reverence to say this. It would be great if this matter can be cleared up.
Regards, Dominic Reeferboy 12:05, 4 July 2007 (UTC)
Just for completeness here is an extract from my interview with Dave in December 2005:-
I never knew a Les– as far as the geneology is concerned, I thought that the group arose out of ‘Freds Box’; I had worked at the Rum before, for four months in 1970 as part of the resident group, ‘Fred’s Box’ (just before recording my album with Lou Reizner). By 1973 – where we are now in this tale – guitarist Fred had left ‘Fred’s Box’ taking his box with him. (Yes the ‘box’ actually existed - it was a piece of electronic wizardry, a sort of prototype guitar effects pedal that Fred had built. I am told the gadget became enshrined as their name one day when they had been casting around, looking for something to call themselves. But I never did get to know just why university graduate Howard Williams answered to the name of ‘Fred!’) Anyway, by 1973 the only one remaining from the original line-up was singer Bob Catley. Around him a new ‘Fred’s Box’ had arisen with Tony Clarkin on lead guitar and Kex on drums – a group that would shortly be calling itself ‘Magnum’ . I don’t recall the instance the group changed its name from ‘Fred’s Box’ but I do remember the new name being Tony’s idea. ‘What’s a magnum?’ I asked him.. Of course it was the gun Clint Eastwood used in ‘Dirty Harry.’
[edit] Images
It appears that someone has systematically deleted all of the Magnum album covers, presumably under some banner of fair use. This amounts to vandalism, but there doesn't seem to be anything that can be done about it..... Mikejstevenson 13:30, 23 February 2007 (UTC)
