Ken Whaley

Ken Whaley (5 November 1946 – 8 May 2013) was an Austrian-born bass guitar player, best known as a founding member of Help Yourself and Ducks Deluxe, and as a member of Deke Leonard's Iceberg, Man, and The Tyla Gang. He also played with The Archers and The Green Ray.

Whaley was born in Vienna to a British serviceman and a local girl, who raised him in Epping, Essex. His father became a newspaper photographer, which led to him becoming a local newspaper reporter, rising to be a sub-editor of the Islington Gazette in the early 1970s. He was, at the same time, playing bass in bands such as "Black Cat Bones" in the 1960s before joining "Growth". In January 1970, he was living in Golborne Road, Portobello, where he knew Paul Burton, a roadie, who knew that Malcolm Morley was looking for a bass player for his new band, Help Yourself, to which he suggested Whaley for the role.

He played on Help Yourself's eponymous first album, and on the Downhome Rhythm Kings package with Ernie Graham and Brinsley Schwarz, which led to him appearing on Ernie Graham's eponymous album, before he was sacked from Help Yourself in April 1971 "a sad tale that is probably best glossed over" .

Whaley moved in with former Help Yourself roadie Sean Tyla and, together with ex Brinsley Schwarz roadie Martin Belmont on guitars, and Magic Michael (Michael Cousins) on percussion, formed Ducks Deluxe in February 1972. Cousins was soon replaced by drummer Tim Roper, and former Flamin' Groovies roadie, Nick Garvey, also joined. Playing more energetic music than most others on the London pub-rock circuit, the Ducks soon had a twice weekly booking at the Tally Ho in Kentish Town, and a manager, Dai Davies.

Whaley left before Ducks Deluxe recorded anything.

Although it has been stated ^[where?] that Whaley left Ducks Deluxe to rejoin Help Yourself, in December 1972, both bands performed at the Christmas at the Patti concert, but Whaley was in neither band.

In 1973, Help Yourself proposed touring with Roger Ruskin Spear, the Flying Aces and Vivian "Spiv" Morris, in a vaudeville show called "Happy Days", which was to be held in a circus tent. They started recording material for this in January, but their bassist, Paul Burton was unhappy with the proposed theatrical tour, so he left. Whaley returned and the band started recording their new album in February, finishing the Happy Days album in March and the Help Yourself album in April, when they also recorded their second Peel Session. After a two-month "Happy Days" tour, the fourth album, The Return of Ken Whaley, was released, with the Happy Days album included free with the first 5,000 copies.

The Happy Days tour included Roger Ruskin Spear which led to Whaley performing on Ruskin Spear's 1973 album Unusual