No, no. Not that Mickey Finn. Not Marc Bolan’s percussionist sidekick in Tyrannosaurus Rex and T. Rex.

This was an East London band that began life as an R&B outfit, The Strangers around 1961. However, when the glorious Jamaican sound of ska arrived on the UK shores, and was adopted by the Mod generation, drummer Richard Brand and guitarist Mick Waller formed Mickey Finn & The Blue Men.

Richard and Micky’s liking for ska was reflected in the band’s earliest recording, which coincidentally was on the Blue Beat label that specialised in Jamaican ska and R&B music. The bouncy and fun sounding ‘Tom Hark‘ – probably best known for the cover by The Piranhas in the ’80s – was released in 1964 and backed with the equally Caribbean sounding ‘Please Love Me.’ This resulted in many people believing the band were themselves from that part of the world.

However, they hadn’t forsaken their R&B sound completely, and their second single was a cover of Bo Diddley‘s ‘Pills.’ There was another little coincidence occurred surrounding this one – it was released just prior to police discovering some ‘purple heart’ amphetamines hidden in Micky Waller’s guitar amp. The single, which also featured friend of the band, Jimmy Page on harmonica, was subsequently banned!

The third, and final single as Mickey Finn & The Blue Men was another cover, this time a terrific, stomping R&B version of Chuck Berry’s ‘Reelin’ & A Rockin” The band were attracting some attention by this time, and this particular release was selected for the hit television show, Juke Box Jury, where it was voted a ‘hit.’

It wasn’t. Far from it!

Around this time, bass player John Burkitt left the band and was replaced by an old pal from The Strangers, Mick Stannard and the band dropped ‘The Blue Men’ from their name.

Known now simply as The Mickey Finn, the band secured tour slots supporting likes of The Kinks, The Yarbirds and The Hollies throughout UK in 1965.

The following summer, and I’m unsure how this came about, they managed to bag a residency at a club in St Tropez, in the South of France. They were also invited to play at a private party held by actress Brigitte Bardot.

Although ‘Ain’t Necessarily So‘ and ‘God Bless the Child’ were initially recorded around 1966, they were released until the Noiseburger label did so in 1995.

And so it was, some may say The Mickey Finn saved the best till last. In 1967 the band acknowledged the changing musical landscape, and just as they had earlier gravitated to a more Mod style some years earlier, so they moved into a heavier and psyche-laden sound with ‘Garden of My Mind.’

This one reflects Jimi Hendrix at various points, I think, and the vocals sound a mix between Jimi and Phil Lynott of Thin Lizzy.

Again, the single bombed and though the band continued another four years, I can find no other recordings other than subsequently released compilations. However, Micky Waller and organist ‘Fluff’ did go on to play with The Heavy Metal Kids.

MICKEY FINN & THE BLUE MEN

Richard Brand – Drums|
Micky Waller – Guitar
John Burkitt – Bass
John Cooke – Organ
Alan Marks – Vocals
Alan Anthony – Vocals
‘Fluff’ – Organ
Jimmy Page – Harmonica

THE MICKY FINN

Richard Brand – Drums
Micky Waller – Guitar
Alan Marks – Vocals
Mick Stannard – Bass
‘Fluff’ – Organ

TITLE	FORMAT	YEAR	LABEL	NOTES
Tom Hark	7″ single	1964	Blue Beat	Recorded as Mickey Finn & The Blue Men.
Pills	7″ single	1964	Oriole	Recorded as Mickey Finn & The Blue Men.
Reelin’ & A Rockin’	7″ single	1964	Oriole	Recorded as Mickey Finn & The Blue Men.
The Sporting Life	7″ single	1965	Columbia
I Do Love You	7″ single	1966	Polydor
Garden of My Mind	7″ single	1967	Direction