Giving their views on the performances the panel for this heat were Tony Hatch, George Elrick, Ted Ray and, making his first appearance on the show, Jack Parnell.
The seven hopefuls looking to book a place in the first All Winners Final of the new series were;
- Ian Noble (vocalist)
- Bladderak (vocal folk duo) from Warwickshire
- Next Of Kin (five-piece group)
- Silver Cloud (soul group)
- Les Parker (vocal / comedy)
- Pippa Dell (vocalist)
- Tony Maiden (impressionist)
The winner of the heat was teenage impressionist Tony Maiden, who was already a successful TV star, having appeared as Albert in the series Black Beauty. Tony’s victory secured him a return appearance on the first All Winners Show of the series.
The Warwickshire folk duo, Bladderak, were Coventry-born Rog Webb, who lived in Leamington Spa, and Nick Springett from Kenilworth. They had been playing pubs and clubs around Warwickshire for the previous year and at the time of their appearance were Saturday night regulars at the King’s Arns, Kenilworth.
A few years after his appearance on the show the popular Leeds based entertainer and agent Les Parker had a spell in Leeds General infirmary. It was rumoured that during his stay there were so many of his friends from the world of club entertainment around his bedside during visiting hours, that the nursing staff on the ward thought that he was staging auditions.
In June 1978 the Liverpool based Mike Hughes agency teamed up with Les Parker to put on a show at Leeds’ Alexandra Club, featuring all Liverpool artists. Appearing on that show were New Faces discoveries Al Dean, Colin Areety and Chuck Ford.
Vocalist Ian Noble had already enjoyed considerable success in Northern clubs during the mid-1960s. In May 1970 a review of Ian’s set, which featured With A Little Help From My Friends, Yeh Yeh and The Impossible Dream, written by James Towler in The Stage stated that Ian ‘could be one of the biggest finds of the year.’
Performing last on the show, the judges scored Ian well in presentation and content categories, but lower marks for star quality meant that he finished behind the winner. After the show Ian was introduced to Tony Maiden’s agent, Tom Layton. Tom would become Ian’s agent for the next five years until Ian retired from the business in 1979. During his time with Tom Layton, Ian recorded two songs written by Nat Kipner, who had produced the Bee Gees first hit Spicks and Specks, but ended up disappointed when a suggested release by Polydor Records didn’t amount to anything and the track The Meaning of Love remained unreleased.
In 1975 Tom introduced me to Nat Kipner. Nat was an American song writer/producer working in London at the time. I recorded two of his songs and was told that Polydor Records were keen to release one of them, a song called The Meaning of Love. In the end they didn’t, another disappointment.
Having made his mark in Northern Clubs, Ian later worked in many London clubs. In the early seventies Ian was resident at The Latin Quarter in Wardour Street and also appeared at The Cafe de Paris, The Cafe Royal, The Eve Club and the Penthouse Club. Ian appeal centred on two things, an excellent voice and a pleasing, modest personality. Some of the songs he performed during his appearances at The Latin Quarter were Wives and Lovers, By The Time I Get to Phoenix, Proud Mary and Everything Is Beautiful.
During his time at The Latin Quarter in the early 1970s Ian performed with a number of future New Faces acts, including Karen Russ, Annie Bright, Jacqueline Renay. In July 1976, Ian lined up with another New Faces act when he joined comedy juggler Eddie Idris in Sandown Pier Pavilion Showtime on the Isle of Wight. The show was one of four Summer Season shows that Ian made an appearance in and he also enjoyed tours of Africa and Malaysia, which included one appearance at The Merlin Hotel in Kuala Lumpur with The Platters.
Credits: Thanks to Ian Reid (Ian Noble) for providing details of his entertainment career for this page.
Hi. Ian Noble here. Surprised and pleased to find this site. I came a close second to Tony Maiden this heat. I was on last and after the first two votes, for presentation and content, felt that I had to win. But no, when it came to the third vote ‘star quality’ I got marked down and didn’t make it. Tony Maiden went on through to the final.
After the show I met Tony’s agent/manager Tom Layton. Tom was part of a London agency ‘Savile Artists’. They had an office just off Savile Row.& Tom then became my agent for the following five years. I remember walking down a crowded Regent Street with Tom when he suddenly said Hi to someone. I said ‘who was that’ he said ‘Les Cocks’. (producer of New Faces). He clearly new him quite well. I also met Patti Boulaye in Tom’s office one day. She became the winner of the 1978 New Faces series. Tom was a thoroughly decent guy. I Liked and had a lot of respect for him. The Savile Artists stable of acts included Cliff Richard, The Shadows, Olivia Newton-John, Labi Sifre, Clifford T Ward, Tony Maiden and me ‘for a few months’. Sadly the agency closed. The principle, Ed Jarratt, Cliff’s agent at the time, had been unwell and wanted to slow down. Olivia Newton-John had gone off to the States, Cliff was the main fee earner and Ed Jarratt decided to focus on him and moved his office to the Marylabone Road. Tom Layton joined the Barry Brown Organisation as a result I then appeared in several TV Ads among other things.
In 1975 Tom introduced me to Nat Kipner. Nat was an American song writer/producer working in London at the time. I recorded two of his songs and was told that Polydor Records were keen to release one of them, a song called The Meaning of Love. In the end they didn’t, another disappointment.
I didn’t know it at the time but Nat Kipner had previously owned a record company in Australia and was, I believe, the first person ever to record the Bee Gees. He later co-wrote ‘Too much too little too late’ which became a hit for Johnny Mathis. Nat’s son Steve Kipner had a hit in the US with a song called ‘Love Sick’. He also wrote ‘Physical’ for Olivia Newton-John.
It mentions on this site that I was an experienced Northern Club singer. This is true, however I also work in many London night clubs. In the early seventies I was at The Latin Quarter’ in Wardour Street on numerous occasions. I also appeared at The Cafe de Paris, The Cafe Royal, The Eve Club and the Penthouse Club. I did four Summer Seasons/Shows, appeared at several Country Clubs and made at least six tours of Africa and Malaysia appearing at various hotels for three or four weeks at a time. I remember in particular appearing at The Merlin Hotel in Kuala Lumpar with ‘The Platters’.
Well, that’s my comment, potted history. I had a pretty good time, went to some interesting places and met some interesting and well known people. I retired, hung up my tonsils, in 1979. Such a long time ago.
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Hi Ian
What a fantastic career retrospective, thanks for taking the time to add this.
I will, when time allows, update the page for this show with some of the details you have shared.
Glad you liked the site.
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I was in the band The next of kin in series 3 heat 5 is there any way I could get a copy of the show ?
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Thanks for your comment, Unfortunately this is one of the many, many shows that were wiped by ATV so it no longer exists in the archives. Sorry I couldn’t bring you better news, but please consider sharing any memories of your appearance via the contact page on the site.
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