 Ken
was managing and playing drums in a fairly successful university group
known as The Talismen Beat Unit. When Ken departed from
Glasgow University, he took time off playing to establish his "day
job" as a film cameraman/sound recordist in a small Glasgow film
and recording company.
Brothers, Ian and Eric McCredie, had been playing together in and around
Glasgow since the early sixties in a band called The Dominos.
It was at this time that Ian and Eric approached Ken to join their outfit.
He was not really interested in the music business any longer and declined
their offer.
A
year or so later, Ken received a phone call from Ian to see if he would
change his mind about performing and join a small group, to be called The
Electrons, playing interval breaks in one of Glasgow's
best known dance halls; The Dennistoun Palais.
 Missing
his time behind a drum kit, Ken agreed and the three formed a musical
relationship which, together with a petite, vivacious blonde (left)
from a small mining village in Lanarkshire, was to artistically ravish
the International Music Business in the years to come.
 After
the season at the Palais ended, Ken, Ian and Eric continued playing
together backing a Glasgow girl, Jan Douglas (right),
who had had a hit single in the British Charts a year or so earlier.
 Together
they performed as Jan Douglas and the Douglas Boys and
fulfilled a summer season in a seaside show featuring such Scottish stalwarts
as the classic comedian, Chic Murray and the darling
of the Scottish blue rinse brigade, Sidney Devine (see left).
 Sally entered
the fray in 1967 as a temporary replacement lead singer when Karen took
time off due to illness. Sally was due to leave for a life in America
after 3 months but she changed her mind when the boys asked her to join Part
Three.
Part Four was now formed and this time everyone sang.
The seeds of a successful vocal group were sown and soon they were in
demand all over the central belt of Scotland.
 By
this time, the successful 4 were spotted by an astute management organisation
who suggested that they become a specialty band and dress up in latin
gear to complement the half dozen or so latin pop songs they included
in their popular repertoire. Los Caracas was born and
the next stage in the group's career began.
For
the next three years the band travelled the length and breadth of the
UK appearing in night clubs and restaurants and finally won a spot on
a very popular national TV talent show known as Opportunity Knocks.
 They
appeared on the show 4 times making their final appearance on the All
Winners programme in October 1968.
It
was obvious that the band could no longer continue to perform part time
since they were now very much in demand the length and breadth of the
UK (click on the audio link for a 1968 cinema "ad" soundtrack).
 Sally,
Ken and Eric turned professional with the group in 1969 but it wasn't
until April 1970 that Ian, always at the tail end, took the plunge and
joined them full time.
After
turning down offers of work from London Agents they decided to hook up
with two croupiers from South America, who were working in a Glasgow
Casino. (Sounds like good judgment!).
 Before embarking on what was planned to be a trip to Argentina, they
took an engagement on a cruise ship to the Caribbean, backing Kathie
Kay, a well known British Big Band singer and wife of the man
who was their friend and much-loved UK impresario, Archie McCulloch.
They were also given their own spot in the cabaret which was to be a
precursor to their future act, but the name had to change. It was not
considered appropriate to migrate to South America with a Latin American
name. Ken came up with the idea of the name Middle of the Road and
all four agreed to adopt the new image, still keeping the Latin content
of their set but putting more of an accent on middle-of-the-road pop. |
