Kingsize Taylor RIP

The new year has started in the same way as 2022 ended with the death of an artist who has appeared at Tales From The Woods shows in recent years. Ted 'Kingsize' Taylor. (83) was among the first Liverpool singer/guitarists to make his mark in the early sixties. A towering six foot five he enjoyed early success as Kingsize Taylor and the Dominos in his native Liverpool, with Cilla Black often singing with them. He played at the Star Club in Hamburg and it was there that he had his greatest success. He recorded for Polydor as the Shakers and for Ariola as Kingsize Taylor and the Dominos and had several records released in the UK, including 'Memphis Tennessee', 'Hippy Hippy Shake' and his biggest hit, a cover of Solomon Burke's 'Stupidity', plus an EP of live recordings at the Star Club (pictured below). After he left the music business Ted ran a butcher's shop for several years before returning to Germany to live. He starred at the Tales From The Woods show in 2012 and again at the Borderline in 2015 (top photo) where he showed that he continued to have a powerful voice and great stage presence. I wrote at the time 'Kingsize kicked off with a vibrant version of Bobby Parker's 'Watch Your Step' and his set included no fewer than four Larry Williams numbers ('Dizzy Miss Lizzie', 'Bad Boy', 'Bony Moronie' and, as an encore, 'Slow Down') plus a couple of Solomon Burke covers ('Down In The Valley' and his 'Stupidity' hit), Chuck Berry's 'Sweet Little Sixteen' and 'Mama Come Home', a track recorded by Ronnie Hawkins. So, nothing original, but with the Tales From The Woods band providing great support his was a set that really rocked and was a fitting climax to the evening.' Bear Family released a CD featuring 31 of his recordings. All were covers but they showed how Ted influenced other beat groups that followed their lead, including of course the Beatles. RIP Ted.

By coincidence another early Liverpool artist who led a beat group in the city and went on to play in Germany has died in the last few days. Brian Cassar led Cass and the Cassanovas and later Casey Jones and the Engineers (one of Eric Clapton's first bands) and Casey Jones and Governors, who also played at the Star Club and had success with 'Don't Ha Ha', a version of Huey Piano Smith's 'Don't You Just Know It'. Cassar opened a music club in Liverpool, the Cassanova, and legend has it that he advised the then Silver Beetles to change the spelling of their name from the earlier spelling of 'Beatals'.

Another death over the Christmas and New Year period is that of Anita Pointer of the Pointer Sisters at the age of 74. She was a founder member of the group and sang lead on 'Fairytale', 'Fire', 'Slow Hand' and 'I'm So Excited'. RIP to them all.