This band was formed from "The Spartans" in the Summer of 1963 with the intention of touring for three months to the Hamburg nightspots and West German clubs (a la Beatles) with the object of getting some experiemce and returning to stronger gig prospects in the UK. In the end John Knowles and Howard Watling withdrew. John Knowles went to college and became a teacher and Howard a Coffee entrepreneur! Gerry Kirk had moved on earlier. This band had Tony Parnell on lead, Pete on drums and Allen on rhythm - John Knowles is playing bass, but did not go on the tour and left the band.

The photographs below were taken as publicity shots for the tour, but in the event were not used. Rumours that David Bowie sang with this Riot Squad are untrue. He did sing with a band called "The Riot Squad", but they were a different band.

The Riot Squad

The Riot Squad

Contact Daniel

Daniel J Quinn
Editor of Walthamstow Memories

It's always a pleasure to receive your messages! If you have your own memories and pictures of Walthamstow you'd like to share, just drop me an email and, if you wish, I shall post it in our Current Postbag, where all visitors may read it.
This is what "Walthamstow Memories" is here for. Read our aims [HERE]

• Email Daniel