Jimmie Nicol - Early Career

Early Career

Jimmie Nicol's first professional break came in 1957 when he was talent spotted by Larry Parnes whilst drumming with various bands in London's The 2i's Coffee Bar; an era that saw Britain's skiffle dominated music scene giving way to rock and roll which at that time was being popularised by its Teddy Boy youth. Parnes then invited Nicol to join Colin Hicks & The Cabin Boys whom Parnes co-managed with John Kennedy. After a brief sojourn playing as part of the original pit band in the Lionel Bart musical Fings Ain't Wot They Used T'Be at the Theatre Royal Stratford East Nicol rejoined Hicks's band for their appearance in the 1958 Italian film documentary Europa Di Notte, breaking them in Italy and subsequently allowing them to tour there extensively (Colin Hicks is the younger brother of English entertainer Tommy Steele, whom Parnes also managed. In 1960 Larry Parnes would hire The Silver Beetles for a week to back another of his performers, Johnny Gentle, on a mini-tour of Scotland). During the early sixties Nicol went on to play for a number of artists including: Vince Eager, Oscar Rabin, Cyril Stapleton and, through a well known session fixer during that period, Charlie Katz, was kept in regular work. He has cited drummer Phil Seamen and saxophonist Cannonball Adderley as being influential.

In 1964 Nicol helped to form The Shubdubs along with ex-Merseybeats bassist Bob Garner, a jazz line-up similar in musical style to Georgie Fame and the Blue Flames (another group with whom Nicol had sat-in with when they were the resident house band at London's now defunct Flamingo Jazz Club). Other members of The Shubdubs were: Tony Allen (vocals), Johnny Harris (trumpet), Quincy Davis (tenor saxophone), and Roger Coulam (organ - who went on to form Blue Mink). It was at this point that he received a telephone call from George Martin, The Beatles' producer. Nicol would recall: "I was having a bit of a lie down after lunch when the phone rang."