Page 11 - BiTS_03_MARCH_2024

JOHN MORSHEAD—The Lost Master of Blues Guitar

by John Holmes
During the 1960s UK “Blues Boom” a plethora of fine guitar players emerged from these shores - Eric
Clapton, Peter Green, Mick Taylor, and Stan Webb, to name but a few. However, there was one who easily
stood alongside the blues guitar stars of the day, in terms of his playing, but remained somewhat under
the radar to most of the music listening public (although in 1969 he was once Player of the Month in
Beat Instrumental magazine!).

However, those in the know acknowledged that he was a
master of blues guitar.
I first saw John Morshead one evening in January 1968,
when I went to The Marquee Club, in Wardour Street, in
London’s Soho, to see US bluesman Eddie Boyd, backed by
Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac. Incidentally, that evening
also marked the debut of Jethro Tull, who were advertised
as the support band called Navy Blue, but apparently
changed their name whilst sitting in the dressing room
prior to playing! Having arrived, we learned that the Mac
would not be playing, and that Boyd would instead be
backed by The Aynsley Dunbar Retaliation. Dunbar had
previously played drums with Liverpool band The Mojos,
and then a 6 month stint with John Mayall in 1967, prior to
a brief period with the Jeff Beck Band, but had left to form
his own band (citing the fact that Beck played so loudly you
couldn’t hear anything else!).

I was aware of the Retaliation, and had a copy of their
impressive debut 45rpm single from late 1967, and was
subsequently more than pleasantly surprised by how good
they were live. Quite apart from the excellent rhythm
section of Dunbar and bassist Alex Dmochowski, and the
fine vocal and keyboards from Victor Brox, guitarist John
Morshead really caught my attention. Here was someone
who had a great sound, which was not “in yer face”, and a subtlety of touch that was in the same area as
B. B. King and Peter Green. Playing a black 3 pick-up Gibson Les Paul Custom, and with the bluesman‘s
“uniform” of long curly hair, sideboards, rugby shirt, Levi’s and python skin boots, he not only played
the part, but also looked it!

So, what was the background to John Morshead? In truth, it is a little bit muddled, with lots of rumour
and half-truths. I have heard it said that he was born in India, and is related to the titled Morshead family,
who lived in Dorset, and that may be true, based on a story told to me by Victor Brox, with whom I played
in a band, The Famous Bluesblasters, in 1979/80. Apparently, the Retaliation were booked to play for
a hunt ball at a large country mansion in that county, after the black tie dinner had finished. The band
were directed to the kitchen to eat, but Morshead had disappeared, only to reappear a little later, dressed
in dinner jacket and bow tie, ready to join those upstairs!

Anyway, according to various sources we first hear of John Morshead in a band called The Moments,
which also featured Steve Marriott, who then moved on to form The Small Faces. However, I have never
seen any evidence to substantiate the fact that they worked together. In September 1965 Morshead then
replaced John Weider, in Johnny Kidd and the Pirates (Weider was also previously a member of The
Moments, so it could just be a case of the names getting mixed up). He does not seem to have been
featured on any of their recordings, prior to leaving to become a member of Shotgun Express, around
May 1966, which at various times also featured Rod Stewart, Peter Green (who he replaced) and Peter
Bardens. Once again, his time with them seems to be have been short, and he doesn’t appear on any
recordings. However, he became good friends with Green, and they likely influenced each other in their
guitar styles. He then surfaced, in November 1966, with Julien Covey and the Machine, a band that had
a great many different lineups, that included such luminaries as John McVie, Dave Mason, Jim Cregan
and Cliff Barton. Covey (not his real name) was a jazz drummer who moved into soul based music, which
had given him a pretty full gig diary until the band split in September 1967.