Teddie Boy, Gleemen, The Horrors

So what were the milestone recordings of Ulster rock in the early Sixties? One of these would certainly be ‘Foolin’ Time’ by Phil Coulter's The Gleemen, released during Rag Week, 1963. This was produced by another Queen’s student, Peter Lloyd and released on his UED (Ulster Electronic Developments) label. A year later and Lloyd had a recording studio at 23 Cromac St, where he ushered in Van Morrison and Them for a session that delivered a version of Bobby Bland’s ‘Turn On Your Love Light’. This led to a management deal and soon after, sessions for Decca Records #2 Studio in West Hampstead, July 5.

The UED label was resurrected in 1965 for a Rag Week release by The Spectres, an act based in the Stranmillis area of Belfast. They had previously earned a living as a Shadows-style instrumental combo but like many bands of the time, they were getting enthused about the beat boom. And so they delivered ‘The Facts Of Life’. Lyrics by Teddie Palmer. Music by John ‘Dinger’ Bell. Recorded straight to a Revox tape machine. It’s an oddly menacing song about the seductive import of rhythm and blues and it makes its excuses just after the two minute mark. The flip side, ‘Whirlpool’ is a more sedate instrumental that harks back to the pre-Teddie sound.

The record is currently selling for £300 and The Horrors are apparently fans of the tune. Teddie would find further popularity with The College Boys, The Rumble Band and other adventures, but ‘The Facts Of Life’ was a significant first lesson.