Roger Dean
[ the one with the guitar ]

The Real Dean - Timeline

Roger Dean born 16th March 1943

First played piano at age 7, took up guitar at age 10.

Education: Staines Grammar School, later Slough College of Further Education.

Proper job: Maple and Co. London W1

Musical Training: Eric Guilder guitar school in London - Teacher Ivor Mairants

  1. 1957
    • Youth club gigs in Slough with Dave Ballinger drummer with The Barron Knights)
  2. 1961
    • Bob Xavier and the Jury (2nd guitar to Albert Lee)
  3. 1962
    • Joined Russ Sainty's band The Nu-Notes replacing Rhett Stoller/Big Jim Sullivan.
    • Recorded and released instrumentals Kathy, Hall of Mirrors, Fury and Sunset
    • Extensive touring throughout UK.
    • Broadcasts on Saturday Club, 20's to the Twist. The most broadcast band in the country at that time
    • Residency at the Crazy Horse Hamburg.
    • Toured with John Leyton, Bobby Vee, The Crickets.
    • Odd gigs with The Outlaws for Chas Hodges (Chas n Dave)
  4. 1964
    • Joined John Mayall's Bluesbreakers, touring with John Lee Hooker, T Bone Walker, Sonny Boy Williamson.
    • Recorded first album "John Mayall plays John Mayall" Live at Klooks Kleek Album, Single "Crocodile Walk"
  5. 1965
    • Left Mayall, replaced by Eric Clapton
    • Short spell back with Nu-Notes
    • Joined top London soul music band Ronnie Jones and the Bluejays featuring P P Arnold.
    • T Bone Walker UK tour
    • With P P Arnold on the Roy Orbison/ Small Faces tour. Billed as Four of a Kind
    • Summer residency Papagayo club St Tropez.
    • Private party for Brigitte Bardot
    • Residency at St Raphael / Frejus
    • Residency Star Club, Hamburg
  6. 1967
    • To Italy to join number one band The Bad Boys
    • Recorded Pleasure Machine
    • Residencies in Milan, Turin, Rome, Cattolica
  7. 1968
    • The Tumbleweeds pioneering English country band. Supported Willie Nelson at the Nashville Room and Hank Locklin on UK/Germany tour. Replaced by Gerry Donohue
  8. 1969
    • Joined Country Fever replacing Albert Lee. Extensive tours backing visiting American country singers:
    • Guy Mitchell
    • Hank Locklin
    • Slim Whitman
    • Melba Montgomery
    • Don Gibson
    • Marvin Rainwater
    • Carl Belew (Crystal Chandelier)
    • Charlie Pride - Saturday Club live broadcast
    • Joined Fever which morphed into Easy which then became Harley Quinne and had a chart hit called New Orleans. Appeared on Top of the Pops
  9. 1970-1976
    • Mick Greenwood Band replacing Gerry Donohue. Soft Machine Tour
    • PJ Proby
    • Leapy Lee Band (Little Arrows) #1 hit.
    • Micky and Griff LP
    • Session Musician, ITV, Anglia TV, BBC, Benny Hill Show, Hi De Hi television theme tune, The Munch Bunch advert and TV series theme
    • The Flirtations (Bobby Patrick Band),
    • Sheer Elegance (Life is Too Short Girl) #1 hit,
    • Resident guitarist Aphrodites club Piccadilly,
    • Reident guitarist Chaplin's club Piccadilly,
    • resident guitarist Silver Skillet restaurant Maidenhead
    • Tour with The Platters replaced Ray Flacke
    • Phil Allen Sound
    • Labi Siffre Band on the Linda Lewis tour
    • Two years with Three Degrees (When will I see you again) #1 hit, UK and European tours
    • Prince Charles 30th birthday party (3 Degrees) Buckingham Palace
    • Leonard Rossiter ( Rising Damp film sessions),
    • Andrew Sachs (Manuel Fawlty Towers) single (Oh Cheryl !).
    • Jonathan King album.
    • Jimmy Helms album Demolition Man.
    • Hi De Hi single (Paul Shane)
    • Les Dawson (Jersey)
    • Des OConnor album (The Country Side Of Des)
    • Elaine Page's first album "Sitting Pretty". and single Don't Walk Away Till I Touch You,
    • Diane Soloman album,
    • Randy Edelman London gigs.
    • Wally Whyton 50 childrens songs by Woodie Guthrie
    • Joe Brown Brown's Home Brew album)
    • Faith Brown single
    • Bobby Patrick's Flashback Band and LP
    • J J Barrie - No Charge #1 hit 1976
    • Isla Grant Band
    • Shaun Michael Band
    • Ship's musician on the Arcadia - Australia / Fiji / New Zealand
  10. 1977-1991
    • Invited to join Joe Loss Orchestra many broadcasts/ TV shows including... Come Dancing, Workers Playtime, Surprise Surprise with Cilla Black.
    • Twelve world cruises on QE2.
    • Extensive touring in UK and Ireland.
    • Gig For Australian Prime Minister... Sydney.....
    • Gig for Muhammed Ali (Grosvenor House Hotel)
    • Live New Year's Eve broadcasts at the Hilton
    • Sacha Distel (Hilton London)
  11. 1978
    • First Western dance band to play concert in China (Dalien) after cultural revolution. Took first electric guitar to China (Fender Telecaster)
  12. 1980
    • Backed various artists as part of the job on QE2:
    • Jack Jones
    • Max Bygraves
    • Vera Lynn
    • Chita Rivera/Rita Moreno (West Side Story)
    • Neil Sedaka
    • Vic Damone
    • Juliet Prowse
    • Royal Command Performance
    • Private functions for the Queen at Windsor Castle, Buckingham Palace.
    • This is Your Life (Joe Loss) twice
    • Dean Martin (Hilton London, televised)
  13. 1992-2004
    • Specialist instrument teacher, St. Aloysius College, Highgate.
    • Saint Joseph's Primary School, Highgate
    • Mount Carmel Technical College for Girls, Islington
    • Park Hill School, Kingston
    • The Beacon School, Amersham
    • Islington Youth Orchestra (guitar supervision)
    • Retired following a car crash