‘WE’RE just normal people doing an extraordinary career.” That’s the view of John Dymond – better known as Beaky from the 60s band Dozy Beaky Mick and Tich.
Back in 1966, they were in the charts for 50 weeks out of 52 – no mean feat. And their hits include Bend It, Zabadak and The Legend Of Xanadu.
Their sounds will be brought to life once again as part of the Sensational 60s Experience, coming to The Hexagon on Wednesday, April 24.
The hugely popular touring show has a line-up comprising some of the original bands from the decade that changed music forever. This year, joining Dozy Beaky Mick and Tich will be The Trems (former members of The Tremeloes), The Fortunes, The Swinging Blue Jeans, and Vanity Fair.
It’s a rare chance to catch the stars of the 60s performing their hits as if time has stood still.
“There’s great camaraderie among us,” Beaky says. “We all have a laugh and a giggle. There’s no idiots among us. It’s a great team and very friendly. It’s such a great tour to be on.”
Beaky still enjoys playing all those favourites.
“When I go on stage, when the lights go down, the music comes and we walk on I still get chills,” he says. “I’ve played all my life, and now I’m on a tour will all my old mates.”
Surely playing the old hits over and over and over again must get boring? Not a bit, Beaky says.
“When you play to an audience, you get the same feeling you get when it first came out, it’s great,” he says.
“The 1960s were such great years, people remember them,” Beaky says on why his band’s music has endured. “My parents grew up on legends like Nat King Cole, and then rock ‘n’ roll came in.”
The rest is history, and the music has kept on coming: “People still want to know about the 60s.
“It all stays with you. I’m 80 this year and I still love it. It’s not a job, is it?
“Musicians are different to most people… we don’t belong in nursing homes, we go around the world and we get paid for it. What a life!”
The Sensational 60s Experience is a tour that criss-crosses the country, and The Hexagon is a favourite spot – Beakty laughs as he lets slip it’s close to home. But it’s more than that.
“We love it. Reading is great, people come along, and they have a good time,” he says.
“I still get a buzz out of touring. Travelling comes with the job, and it can be the draining part, but the playing is what makes it worthwhile. We’ve got used to it.”
After the show, he can meet the fans, and it is a very different experience to the swinging 60s when they’d go to Blackpool for a tour and not be able to leave the hotel for fear of being mobbed by adoring fans.
“It was crazy back then, we couldn’t go out, even to Blackpool beach,” he remembers, before thinking on what awaits him: “We still get a buzz out of the tour. We do the show, playing in front of people, and then go to the bar and enjoy meeting people. We don’t get pushed and shoved but get to have a conversation.”
So why should people come and see the show?
“I think most comes to see different bands and music, and to go down memory lane,” he says. “And I don’t think they will be disappointed at all – it brings back so many memories.
“And it’s a great show. It’s us, all together with the audience. We tell stories, play music, we take the mickey out of ourselves, and talk about the 60s. It’s like we’re back there again.”
The Sensational 60s Experience is at The Hexagon on Wednesday, April 24 from 7.30pm. Tickets cost £28 or £31, with £3 discount for groups of 10 or more. For more details, or to book, call the box office on: 0118 960 6060, or log on to: whatsonreading.com
