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Downliners Sect
Downliners Sect
Downliners Sect
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Downliners Sect are an English R&B and blues-based rock band, formed in the 1960s beat boom era.[1] Stylistically, they were similar to blues-based bands such as The Yardbirds, The Pretty Things and the Rolling Stones, playing basic R&B on their first album The Sect.[2] Critic Richie Unterberger wrote: "The Sect didn't as much interpret the sound of Chess Records as attack it, with a finesse that made the Pretty Things seem positively suave in comparison."[1]

Key Information

History

[edit]

In 1962, Mick O'Donnell, later known as Don Craine, started a band called the Downliners, who, despite touring France, were unsuccessful.[3] The name of the band came from the Jerry Lee Lewis B-side "Down The Line".[4] After several lineup changes, the band folded, but in 1963, O'Donnell and drummer Johnny Sutton formed a new band out of the remnants of the previous act.[3] Keith Evans, formerly a drummer, joined on bass guitar. Shortly thereafter the band would be named the Downliners Sect.[3] At this time some of the members decided to change their names. Mick O'Donnell took the new name, Don Craine, and Keith Evans became Keith Grant.[3]

The band was iconic during its time in the early 1960s, partly owing to Don Craine's deerstalker cap which he wore to mock the aristocracy.[4] The band has many fans who have achieved commercial success, including Van Morrison, Steve Marriott, and Rod Stewart, the latter two had even auditioned for a place in the band but were turned down because they both wanted to be frontmen, while Don Craine and Keith Grant did not wish to relinquish that role.[4]

They subsequently modified their musical style, and after an EP of 'sick' songs (e.g. "I Want My Baby Back"), they experimented with both country (The Country Sect) and rock (Rock Sect's In).[2][1] They later collaborated with Billy Childish's Thee Headcoats, and released two albums under the name Thee Headcoats Sect. They performed regularly at the Studio 51 club in Great Newport Street near Leicester Square tube station in London on a Friday night and Sunday afternoon,[2] from which came the first EP featuring the songs "Beautiful Delilah" and "Little Egypt". The EP started off with the sound of the bells of Big Ben. The lead guitarist was Terry Clemson (Gibson) who played his Gibson 335. Studio 51 was also known as the Ken Colyer Club and the Rolling Stones made many performances at this club, but according to Rod Harrison, guitarist with Asgaerd and school friend of Terry Clemson, "you could say the Downliners Sect were almost residents."[citation needed]

A reformed line-up with three original members, Keith Grant, Don Craine and Terry Gibson, released a new album Showbiz in 1979. A subsequent reformation featuring Grant and Craine who were joined by guitarist Del Dwyer in 1989 released Savage Return in 1991, Dangerous Ground in 1998 and Chinese Whispers in 2007.[citation needed]

Don Craine (born Michael O'Donnell) died on 24 February 2022, at the age of 76.[5]

Members

[edit]
Current members
  • Keith Grant – vocals/bass
  • Mark Freeman – drums
Past members
  • John O'Leary – vocals/harp (died 3 April 2024)
  • Don Craine – vocals/guitar (born 29 March 1945, died 24 February 2022)
  • Del Dwyer – vocals/guitar (died 31 December 2021)
  • Al Brooks – drums (died 4 January 2010)
  • Barry Cooper – keyboards
  • Rod de'Ath – drums (died 4 August 2014)
  • Matt Fisher – keyboards
  • Kevin Flanagan – drums
  • Terry Clemson – lead guitar (died 19 September 2020)
  • Pip Harvey – harmonica (died 14 February 2014)
  • Paul Holm – drums
  • Mel Lewis – lead guitar
  • Nat Maynard – keyboard
  • Ray Sone – harmonica
  • John Sutton – drums
  • Bob Taylor – lead guitar
  • Paul Tiller – harmonica
  • Zach Wilson – guitar
  • Paul Martinez – vocals/bass
  • Mike Chapman – vocals/guitar

Discography

[edit]

Singles

[edit]
  • Jun 1964 – "Baby What's Wrong" / "Be a Sect Maniac" (Columbia DB 7300)
  • Sep 1964 – "Little Egypt (Ying-Yang)" / "Sect Appeal" (Columbia DB 7347)
  • Nov 1964 – "Find Out What's Happening" / "Insecticide" (Columbia DB 7415)
  • ??? 1965 – "Wreck of the Old '97" / "Leader of the Sect" (Columbia DB 7509)
  • Jun 1965 – "I Got Mine" / "Waiting in Heaven Somewhere" (Columbia DB 7597)
  • Oct 1965 – "Bad Storm Coming" / "Lonely and Blue" (Columbia DB 7712)
  • Jan 1966 – "All Night Worker" / "He Was a Square" (Columbia DB 7817)
  • Jun 1966 – "Glendora" / "I'll Find Out" (Columbia DB 7939)
  • Sep 1966 – "The Cost of Living" / "Everything I've Got to Give" (Columbia DB 8008)

7" EPs

[edit]

LPs

[edit]
  • The Sect (1964)
  • The Country Sect (1965)
  • The Rock Sect's In (1966)
  • Showbiz (1979)
  • Savage Return (1991)
  • Dangerous Ground (1998)
  • Chinese Whispers (2007)

The Sect (18 December 1964)

[edit]
The Sect
Studio album by
Downliner's Sect
Released1964
GenreRock, R&B
Length32:29
LabelColumbia Records
  1. Hurt by Love
  2. One Ugly Child
  3. Lonely and Blue
  4. Our Little Rendezvous
  5. Guitar Boogie
  6. Too Much Monkey Business
  7. Sect Appeal
  8. Baby What's on Your Mind?
  9. Cops and Robbers
  10. Easy Rider
  11. Bloodhound
  12. Bright Lights
  13. I Wanna Put a Tiger in Your Tank
  14. Be a Sect Maniac

Columbia 33SX 1658

The Country Sect (1965)

[edit]
The Country Sect
Studio album by
Downliners Sect
Released1965
GenreRock, R&B, Country
Length32:32
LabelColumbia Records
  1. If I Could Just Go Back
  2. Rocks in My Bed
  3. Ballad of the Hounds
  4. Little Play Soldiers
  5. Hard Travellin'
  6. Wait for the Light to Shine
  7. I Got Mine
  8. Waiting in Heaven
  9. Above and Beyond
  10. Bad Storm Coming
  11. Midnight Special
  12. Wolverton Mountain

Columbia 33SX 1745

The Rock Sect's In (April 1966)

[edit]
The Rock Sect's In
Studio album by
Downliners Sect
Released1966
GenreRock, R&B
Length34:36
LabelColumbia Records
  1. Hang on Sloopy
  2. Fortune Teller
  3. Hey Hey Hey Hey
  4. Everything I've Got to Give
  5. Outside
  6. I'm Hooked on You
  7. Don't Lie to Me
  8. Why Don't You Smile Now (Phillips, Vance, Reed, Cale)
  9. May the Bird of Paradise Fly up Your Nose
  10. He Was a Square
  11. I'm Looking for a Woman
  12. Rock Sect's in Again
  13. Brand New Cadillac

Columbia 33SX 6028

The Definitive Downliners Sect: Singles – A's & B's (1994)

[edit]
Definitive Downliners Sect
Compilation album by
Downliners Sect
Released1994
GenreRock, R&B
LabelSee For Miles
  1. Cadillac
  2. Roll Over Beethoven
  3. Beautiful Delilah
  4. Shame, Shame, Shame
  5. Green Onions
  6. Nursery Rhymes
  7. Baby What's Wrong
  8. Be a Sect Maniac
  9. Little Egypt (Ying-Yang)
  10. Sect Appeal
  11. Find Out What's Happening
  12. Insecticide
  13. Wreck of the Old '97
  14. Leader of the Sect
  15. I Want My Baby Back
  16. Midnight Hour
  17. Now She's Dead
  18. I Got Mine
  19. Waiting in Heaven Somewhere
  20. Bad Storm Coming
  21. Lonely and Blue
  22. All Night Worker
  23. He Was a Square
  24. Glendora
  25. I'll Find Out
  26. Cost of Living
  27. Everything I've Got to Give
  28. I Can't Get Away from You
  29. Roses

See For Miles SEECD398

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Downliners Sect

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
The Downliners Sect is an English rhythm and blues band formed in 1963 in Twickenham, a London suburb, during the 1960s beat boom era, renowned for their raw, garage-style R&B influenced by American blues and rock 'n' roll artists like Chuck Berry and Bo Diddley. The band originated when rhythm guitarist and vocalist Mick O'Donnell (stage name Don Craine) and drummer Johnny Sutton regrouped after their previous outfit disbanded, initially naming the group the Downliners before adding "Sect" to reflect their lineup. Core early members included O'Donnell/Craine on guitar and vocals, bassist and vocalist Arthur Evans (stage name Keith Grant), lead guitarist Terry Gibson (stage name Terry Clemson), and Sutton on drums, with frequent lineup shifts over the years that also featured harmonica player Pip Harvey and later additions like Bob Taylor and Matthew Fisher. They self-financed their debut EP in 1963 before signing with EMI's Columbia label in 1964, releasing their first album, The Sect, that same year, which captured their energetic covers of R&B standards alongside original material. Notable singles included "Little Egypt," a cover that peaked at No. 2 on the Swedish charts in 1965, leading to successful Scandinavian tours, and "Glendora" in 1966, while albums like The Rock Sect's In (1966) showcased their evolving sound with tracks co-written by figures such as Lou Reed. The group disbanded in late 1968 amid the shifting British music scene but reformed in 1976 amid the punk rock revival, adopting the name Don Craine's New Downliners Sect briefly before reverting to the original moniker; they continued recording and touring sporadically through the 1980s and beyond, with later lineups including Paul Tiller on harmonica and Rod de'Ath on drums by 1980, and remaining active into the 2020s, releasing the album Dangerous Ground in 2024 following the death of harmonica player John O'Leary in April 2024, while maintaining their cult status for eccentric humor and unpolished live performances.

History

Formation and early years

The Downliners Sect originated in Twickenham, London, in the spring of 1963, when rhythm guitarist and vocalist Mick O'Donnell—better known as Don Craine—and drummer Johnny Sutton reformed a band from the remnants of their earlier school group, The Downliners. The name drew inspiration from Jerry Lee Lewis's 1958 B-side "Down the Line," reflecting their early rock 'n' roll influences alongside Chicago blues and R&B artists like Chuck Berry and Bo Diddley. Initially turning professional in late 1962, the group faced setbacks including a failed tour of U.S. military bases in France, prompting the 1963 lineup adjustments that solidified its core sound. The early lineup featured Don Craine on rhythm guitar and vocals, Johnny Sutton on drums, Keith Grant on bass, and Terry Gibson on lead guitar, with the addition of harmonica player Ray Sone by mid-1964. They honed their raw, aggressive R&B style through performances at local venues, including their debut gig at Eel Pie Island in October 1963 and regular sets at the Railway Hotel in Harrow. To distinguish themselves, the band evolved their name to Downliners Sect, emphasizing a cult-like dedication to the music, while Craine adopted his signature deerstalker cap during early 1964 gigs, contributing to their eccentric imagery. Amid the explosive British Invasion and the rising R&B beat scene, the Downliners Sect secured a recording contract with Columbia Records in 1964, leading to their first studio sessions and EP release that captured their no-frills, high-energy approach. This period positioned them alongside contemporaries like the Rolling Stones and Yardbirds in London's vibrant club circuit, including a residency at Studio 51.

1960s breakthrough and decline

The Downliners Sect achieved their initial breakthrough in 1964 with the release of their debut single "Baby What's Wrong" b/w "Be a Sect Maniac" on Columbia Records, which charted at No. 29 in the UK and marked their entry into the beat boom scene. The band, consisting of Don Craine on guitar and vocals, Keith Grant on bass, Terry Gibson on guitar, and Johnny Sutton on drums, secured a residency at London's Studio 51 club, where they performed regularly throughout 1964 and 1965, honing their raw rhythm and blues sound. They also supported major acts, including The Rolling Stones at Alexandra Palace in June 1964 alongside John Lee Hooker and The Barron Knights, boosting their visibility in the competitive British R&B circuit. Their debut album The Sect, released in December 1964, captured this energetic R&B style through covers of tracks by artists like Chuck Berry and Jimmy Reed, earning modest UK success but resonating strongly in Scandinavia. Follow-up singles like "Little Egypt (Ying-Yang)" in September 1964 propelled international tours, including a headline slot at Stockholm's Ice Hockey Stadium before 20,000 fans, where it topped the Swedish charts. In 1965, the band experimented with The Country Sect, shifting toward country influences with songs like "Ballad of the Hounds," positioning them as early pioneers of country rock. By April 1966, The Rock Sect's In leaned into garage rock elements, incorporating psychedelia-tinged tracks amid the evolving scene. During this period, harmonica player Ray Sone joined in April 1964 before departing in 1965, followed by saxophonist Pip Harvey's brief tenure from 1965 to 1966. Auditions for vocalists highlighted internal dynamics, as Rod Stewart tried out but was rejected for not fitting the band's established sound, despite his occasional onstage collaborations with them. Tensions arose with further lineup shifts; in November 1966, drummer Johnny Sutton and guitarist Terry Gibson exited, replaced by Bob Taylor on guitar, Barry Cooper on organ, and Kevin Flanagan on drums, straining cohesion amid grueling tours. As musical trends pivoted toward psychedelia by the late 1960s, the Sect's blues-rooted style lost momentum; their final Columbia single, "The Cost of Living" in 1967, featured session musicians and signaled the label's waning support. These factors, compounded by logistical challenges from constant changes, led to the band's effective disbandment by April 1968, ending their original run.

Reformation and later career

The Downliners Sect reformed in 1976 amid the punk and garage rock revivals, which brought renewed attention to their raw R&B sound as an influence on emerging bands. Founding members Don Craine (rhythm guitar and vocals) and Johnny Sutton (drums), joined by Keith Grant (bass) and Terry Gibson (lead guitar), reconvened with harmonica player Paul Tiller to capitalize on this interest, initially focusing on live performances and reissues of their 1960s material by Charly Records. The reissued album The Sect reached No. 12 on the alternative charts in Sounds magazine, prompting the group to resume recording and touring activities. In 1979, the band signed with Sky Records and released Showbiz, their first new studio album in over a decade, recorded at Berwick Sound Studios and featuring a blend of their classic garage energy with punk-era edge. This was followed by extensive touring, including multiple trips to Germany in the early 1980s to promote the record and build a dedicated European following, where they became near-residents on the rock circuit. Lineup stability came from core members Craine, Grant, and Sutton, though Gibson departed post-Showbiz, leading to occasional rotations like drummer Paul Holm for select European dates; later, Rod de'Ath replaced Holm on drums around 1981. A live album, Live in the 80's, later captured their high-energy performances from this period. The 1990s saw further output with Savage Return in 1991, released on Penniman Records, which revisited their rock 'n' roll roots with tracks like "Bad Girls Looking for Fun." Collaborations highlighted their enduring appeal: in 1993, they partnered with Procol Harum keyboardist Matthew Fisher for A Light Went Out in New York on Endangered Records, blending R&B with progressive elements; later, in the mid-1990s, Craine and Grant teamed with Thee Headcoats—led by Billy Childish—for joint albums Ready Sect Go! (1996) and Deerstalking Men (1996) on Damaged Goods, fusing garage punk lineages across generations. A 1994 compilation, The Definitive Downliners Sect: Singles A's & B's on See for Miles, collected their classic 1960s hits and underscored their revival-era relevance. Into the 2000s, the band released Chinese Whispers in 2007 on Shamrock Solutions, incorporating harmonica from Savoy Brown alum John O'Leary and maintaining their bluesy aggression on songs like "We're Broke" and "Cold Steel." Occasional live shows and one-off reunions persisted through the 2010s, often in the UK and Europe, though advance bookings were required due to members' side projects. Guitarist Terry Gibson (real name Terry Clemson) died on 19 September 2020. Following Craine's death from lung cancer in February 2022 at age 76, the group has remained inactive, with no performances scheduled as of November 2025; tributes, including a 2022 EP by Thee Headcoats Sect, honored his legacy as the band's driving force.

Musical style and influences

Core style elements

The Downliners Sect's core musical style was characterized by raw, energetic British rhythm and blues infused with garage rock edges, delivering a no-frills, rollicking sound that emphasized unpolished authenticity over polished production. This approach featured fast-paced, driving rhythms drawn from American blues origins, often propelled by simple, distorted guitar riffs and minimalistic arrangements that evoked the raw power of early rock 'n' roll influences like Bo Diddley. Harmonica played a prominent role, with player Ray Sone adding gritty, wailing blues textures to tracks that bridged traditional R&B with emerging freakbeat sensibilities in their mid-1960s output. Vocalist Don Craine's delivery further defined their signature, marked by yelping, gritty tones that conveyed a rebellious, sensual urgency, often shared in dual leads with Keith Grant to create a chaotic, group-dynamic energy. The band's live performances amplified this raw aesthetic, showcasing high-energy, unrefined delivery at venues like the Studio 51 club in Soho, where their savage, rootsy R&B style thrilled audiences with an active, humorous stage presence. A distinctive visual element complemented their sound: Craine's iconic deerstalker cap, worn to mock aristocratic norms, reinforced a "sect-like" rebellious image that tied into their eccentric, anti-establishment humor. Over time, their style evolved from pure R&B roots to hybrid experiments, notably in the 1965 album The Country Sect, which incorporated country-tinged elements like twangy guitars and folk-blues covers, positioning them as early pioneers of country-rock fusion.

Key influences and evolution

The Downliners Sect drew heavily from American blues traditions, particularly the raw, energetic styles of artists like Howlin' Wolf and Bo Diddley, which informed their gritty R&B sound during the early 1960s British beat boom. This influence was compounded by skiffle and country elements from Lonnie Donegan and Hank Williams, as well as rock pioneers like Chuck Berry, shaping the band's foundational approach to rhythm and blues. Among British contemporaries, they shared stylistic affinities with the Rolling Stones, whose residencies at venues like Eel Pie Island the Sect later inherited, and expressed admiration for Van Morrison's Them and Steve Marriott's Small Faces, evident in their comparable blues-infused garage energy. The British Invasion amplified these influences, propelling the Sect's adoption of unpolished R&B as they emerged alongside peers in the mid-1960s London scene. A notable intersection occurred when Rod Stewart auditioned unsuccessfully for the band, performing songs onstage and highlighting alignments in their raspy, soulful vocal styles rooted in shared blues inspirations. Over time, the band's style evolved from their core R&B framework, experimenting in the mid-1960s with country on The Country Sect (1965), a tribute to American roots genres that marked an early foray into hybrid sounds. This was followed by a shift toward garage rock and psychedelia on The Rock Sect's In (1966), incorporating edgier, proto-punk elements while retaining blues undertones. By the 1970s, after a hiatus, they reformed amid the punk explosion, returning to garage roots with punk-infused vigor on Showbiz (1979), which charted at No. 26 on new wave lists and revitalized their raw energy. In subsequent decades, the Sect adapted to the mod revival of the late 1970s and 1980s, linking back to their British Invasion heritage through connections like Rod Stewart's mod associations, while maintaining their foundational R&B but infusing greater maturity and roots-oriented depth into later works like the 2007 album Chinese Whispers. No major new releases have been issued since 2007, with the band continuing sporadic performances rooted in their classic style as of 2025.

Band members

Original and core members

The Downliners Sect was founded in 1963 by Mick O'Donnell, who adopted the stage name Don Craine and served as the band's lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist. Renowned for his signature deerstalker cap, Craine acted as the iconic frontman and primary songwriter, driving the group's raw R&B energy from its inception through multiple reunions until his death in 2022 at age 76. Johnny Sutton, a co-founder alongside Craine, handled drums for the original lineup, providing the propulsive beats that defined the band's early beat boom sound from 1963 to 1968. Sutton's involvement extended to sporadic reunions, including sessions in the late 1960s. Keith Grant (born Arthur Evans), the original bassist and backing vocalist, formed the core rhythm section anchor during the band's formative 1963–1965 period before departing briefly, yet remained a longstanding mainstay through reformations into the 2000s. Terry Gibson (stage name Terry Clemson) contributed lead guitar to the debut-era lineup from 1963 to 1968, shaping the band's gritty guitar-driven style with influential riffs on tracks like their debut EP cuts. He rejoined intermittently for post-reformation efforts, bolstering the sound in select live and recording contexts, until his death in 2020. Post-1977 reformations centered on Craine and Grant as the enduring constants, with Gibson and Sutton participating sporadically to recapture the original quartet's chemistry.

Additional and later members

Throughout the band's career, the Downliners Sect incorporated various supporting musicians to fill roles during lineup changes, particularly on harmonica, guitar, and rhythm sections, which helped sustain their raw R&B sound amid transitions. In the early 1960s, Ray Sone served as the initial harmonica player from 1963 to 1964, contributing to the self-financed debut EP Nite In Gt. Newport Street (1963) and early singles like "Baby What's Wrong" (1964), providing the gritty blues edge central to their live performances. He was succeeded by Pip Harvey in 1965, who played harmonica on the 1965 EP The Sect Sing Sick Songs including tracks such as "Leader of the Sect," enhancing the band's Chicago-style blues influences before departing around 1966 prior to The Rock Sect's In. By 1967, following core member departures, the band briefly operated as Don Craine's New Downliners Sect with Bob Taylor on lead guitar, Matthew Fisher on keyboards, Kevin Flanagan on drums, and Barry Cooper on bass; this short-lived configuration recorded limited material but marked an experimental shift toward psychedelic elements before disbanding later that year. Keith Grant, a longstanding bassist, then led a post-1967 version, maintaining continuity through Swedish releases on Garageland Records. During the 1970s reunions, Paul Tiller joined as guitarist in 1976 alongside core members, supporting energetic R&B sets that garnered positive reviews and helped reestablish the band's presence. Grant remained prominent in the 1970s and 1980s lineups, appearing on the 1979 album Showbiz and participating in German promotional tours that revitalized their European fanbase. In the 1977 reformation, John O'Leary added harmonica for ongoing tours and recordings, while Mark Freeman contributed guitar, bolstering the group's pub rock revival sound; O'Leary remained involved until his death in 2024. The 1990s saw further changes, with guitarist Del Dwyer joining in 1989 for the 1991 album Savage Return, where he collaborated with Craine and Grant on tracks blending classic R&B with newer material, including guest appearances like Matthew Fisher on piano. The band contributed to the 2007 Bob Dylan tribute album Whatever Colors You Have in Your Mind, highlighting their enduring connections in the R&B scene. As of 2025, the band continues with Keith Grant and Mark Freeman as core members. This rotational membership ensured adaptability, preserving sonic consistency through declines and revivals by emphasizing interchangeable blues proficiency over fixed personnel.

Discography

Singles and EPs

The Downliners Sect's singles output during their initial 1960s run primarily consisted of R&B covers that captured the raw, energetic style of the British beat and blues revival, helping to build their fanbase through radio airplay on pirate stations and jukebox placements in London's mod clubs. Released on Columbia (an EMI imprint), these 7" singles emphasized high-octane performances of American blues and rock standards, contrasting with the more pop-oriented output of contemporaries like the Rolling Stones. Their commercial impact was modest in the UK, with no major hits on the national charts, though several tracks gained traction in Europe, particularly Sweden, via export releases and touring. Later singles shifted toward originals and novelty numbers, reflecting the band's evolving interests in country and freakbeat, before a brief move to Pye Records in 1967. Key singles from this period include:
YearA-Side / B-SideLabel / CatalogNotes
1964Baby What's Wrong / Be a Sect Maniac!Columbia DB 7300Debut single; cover of Jimmy Reed's R&B track, establishing their gritty blues sound.
1964Little Egypt / Sect AppealColumbia DB 7347Cover of the Coasters' hit; reached No. 2 on Swedish charts in April 1965, boosting European visibility.
1964Find Out What's Happening / InsecticideColumbia DB 7415Original B-side paired with a cover; highlighted their garage edge and contributed to jukebox popularity in mod venues.
1965Wreck of the Old '97 / Leader of the SectColumbia DB 7509Shift toward country influences on A-side; B-side original promoted their humorous, self-referential style.
1965I Got Mine / Waiting in Heaven SomewhereColumbia DB 7597Bluesy cover A-side; helped sustain radio play amid the band's growing live reputation.
1966Glendora / I'll Find OutColumbia DB 7939Freakbeat original cover of Jack Lewis' novelty hit; marked a playful evolution from pure R&B.
1967Roses / I Can't Get Away from YouPye 7N 17261Final major-label single under Don Craine's New Downliners Sect; originals emphasizing romantic themes, signaling the end of their initial phase.
These releases, totaling around 12 on Columbia alone, rarely broke into the UK Top 40 but played a crucial role in cultivating a dedicated mod and R&B audience through live performances and import success abroad. The early covers, such as those on the 1964 singles, drew from Chicago blues influences, while later tracks like "Glendora" incorporated more experimental, humorous elements, foreshadowing the band's post-reformation work on independent labels. The band's extended plays further diversified their short-form output, blending covers with originals to appeal to niche audiences. Their debut EP, Play Rhythm & Blues At Nite In Gt. Newport Street (Contrast RBCSP 001, 1963), was a limited self-financed live recording (400 copies) capturing early gigs at Studio 51, featuring tracks like "Beautiful Delilah," "Shame, Shame, Shame," "Green Onions," and "Nursery Rhymes"—raw R&B interpretations that aired on Swedish pirate radio and built underground buzz. On Columbia, the 1965 EP The Sect Sing Sick Songs (SEG 8438) offered a novelty twist with morbid humor, including covers of "I Want My Baby Back," "Leader of the Sect," "Midnight Hour," and "Now She's Dead," which tied into their provocative stage persona and garnered attention in beat magazines despite controversy over its "sick" theme. These EPs, like the singles, prioritized high-energy delivery over commercial polish, reinforcing the Sect's role in the rawer end of the 1960s British R&B spectrum through club and radio exposure.

Studio and compilation albums

The Downliners Sect's studio albums span from their raw rhythm and blues origins in the mid-1960s to later reunions infused with garage rock revival energy, reflecting the band's evolution and genre explorations. Their early work, produced under EMI's Columbia imprint, captured the gritty British R&B scene, while subsequent releases in the 1970s and beyond nodded to punk influences and archival retrospectives. Major compilations have preserved their 1960s output, emphasizing singles and album tracks that defined their cult status.

Studio Albums

TitleRelease YearLabelNotes
The Sect1964Columbia (EMI)14-track debut featuring raw R&B covers and originals, recorded at De Lane Lea Studios in London.
The Country Sect1965Columbia (EMI)Country-blues hybrid with folk influences, experimenting beyond standard R&B; 12 tracks including covers like "Hard Travellin'".
The Rock Sect's In1966Columbia (EMI)Rock-oriented shift with beat and pop elements, featuring 14 tracks amid lineup changes; featuring session contributions from John Paul Jones on piano.
Showbiz1979Sky RecordsReunion garage revival album with punk-era energy, 10 original tracks recorded at Berwick Street Studios.
Savage Return1991Promised LandPost-reformation effort blending R&B roots with new material, 12 tracks including guest appearances.
Dangerous Ground1998SteadyBoy RecordsReunion album with 15 tracks blending R&B and rock.
Chinese Whispers2007Intersection ProductionsLate-career release with 17 tracks nodding to origins, mixing rock and pop elements.

Compilation Albums

The band's compilations primarily archival their 1960s singles and album cuts, spanning over four decades of activity with numerous reissues on labels like Charly and See For Miles. A key retrospective, The Definitive Downliners Sect: Singles – A's & B's (1994, See For Miles), collects 30 tracks from their early hits, highlighting R&B essentials like "Glendora" and "Find Me a Family". Another notable entry, Insecticides (2002, Munster Records), compiles 1960s garage rock and psychedelic tracks in mono, underscoring their beat-era influence. These releases, alongside reissues of the original LPs, maintain the Sect's discography from 1964 onward, with modern editions often adding bonus material from De Lane Lea sessions; recent reissues include The Sect (2024 vinyl, Gomelsky Records).

Legacy

Cultural impact and reunions

The Downliners Sect's raw approach to British R&B has exerted a lasting influence on garage rock and mod revival movements, with bands like Thee Headcoats citing them as a primary inspiration for maintaining the unpolished energy of 1960s R&B sounds. Their style also resonated within the mod subculture, where they garnered significant support and achieved international cult status alongside contemporaries like The Who. This preservation of authentic R&B elements has been echoed in later punk and garage scenes, including tributes from Dr. Feelgood, who acknowledged the Sect's foundational role in raw blues-rock. The band reformed in 1976, recording a session for John Peel's BBC Radio 1 show in September 1977, which helped revive interest in their sound amid the punk era. This reunion culminated in the 1979 album Showbiz, sparking a series of European tours that solidified their presence on the continent, particularly in Germany and Sweden, where they achieved commercial success. Throughout the 1980s, they toured extensively across Europe and the UK pub rock circuit, performing at venues like the Hope & Anchor alongside emerging acts such as Siouxsie and the Banshees, further embedding their legacy in live R&B traditions. In the 1990s, amid a garage rock resurgence, Downliners Sect members Don Craine and Keith Grant collaborated with Billy Childish in the supergroup Thee Headcoats Sect, blending their vintage R&B with Childish's punk-infused style on releases that honored the original band's aesthetic. The 2007 album Chinese Whispers marked a significant late-career milestone, featuring new material that revisited their blues roots and attracted renewed attention from garage enthusiasts. The band's cultural footprint includes appearances in documentaries exploring British R&B's origins, such as Rock’n’Roll Island, which highlights their role in the Eel Pie Island scene, and contributions to broader narratives on the 1960s beat boom. They cultivated a loyal fanbase in Germany through repeated tours and in the UK via pub rock networks, fostering ongoing appreciation for their contributions to mod and R&B culture. The Downliners Sect maintained sporadic performances into the early 2020s until the death of founding member Don Craine on 24 February 2022.

Critical reception and tributes

Upon its release in 1965, the Downliners Sect's debut album The Sect garnered favorable critical attention for its raw, energetic take on rhythm and blues, with Them frontman Van Morrison hailing the band as an exemplary R&B act by declaring, “The Downliners Sect are it!” Music critic Richie Unterberger praised the album's aggressive interpretation of Chicago blues influences, noting that the band "didn't as much interpret the sound of Chess Records as attack it, with a finesse that made the Pretty Things sound almost polite by comparison." AllMusic described the group as a "raw and rollicking British R&B act," emphasizing their no-frills style that captured the gritty essence of 1960s beat music. In contrast, the follow-up The Country Sect (1965) drew mixed responses, with critics and fans alike finding its shift to country-inflected rock jarring and less authentic to the band's R&B roots, leading to poorer reception overall. Retroactively, The Sect has been celebrated as a freakbeat classic, its high-energy tracks exemplifying the raw edge of mid-1960s British rock. The band's 1970s and later output, including reunion albums like Savage Return (1991), received renewed acclaim within revival and pub rock circles for maintaining their visceral and humor amid evolving scenes. Their influence extended to modern acts, evidenced by inclusion on the seminal Nuggets II: Original Artyfacts from the and Beyond (2006) compilation, where tracks like "Glendora" highlighted their proto-punk rawness. Tributes from peers underscored their underground legacy; following Don Craine's death in 2022, Billy Childish collaborated with original members as Thee Headcoats Sect to release A Tribute to Don Craine EP, honoring the band's enduring cult appeal through covers and new material that echoed their R&B ferocity. Despite commercial overshadowing by more mainstream contemporaries like the Rolling Stones and Yardbirds, the Downliners Sect have been recognized as unsung heroes of British R&B, fostering a dedicated cult following that appreciates their authentic, uncompromising sound.

References

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