Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
Bringing on back the good times
In the mid-60s, The Countdowns was the group every Canterbury teenager wanted to see.
They used to fill out venues such as the St Thomas’ Church Hall and the Frank Hooker School, as the Canterbury Academy was known then.
Incredibly, all six members of the band have just celebrated a reunion 53 years after they were formed in 1963.
They came together for an open mic night at The Blean Tavern pub.
The groups consists of Rob Simmons, Mick Stokes, John Wilson, Cliff Edwards, Alan Davies and Colin Gow. Alan is still performing locally, but for Colin the reunion meant crossing the Atlantic from the Mexican city where he now lives and performs with a swing band.
Lynette Coleman, who runs several local history pages on Facebook, was among those who attended the reunion.
The 67-year-old, of Pine Tree Avenue, said: “They were a very popular band in the 1960s and it was good to see them back again. The pub was packed for their performance.”
The Countdowns were often billed alongside another local group, The Swinging Secret, at Canterbury’s youth dances. The Secrets had comedian and Marlowe Theatre pantomime legend Dave Lee as their drummer.
Lynette added: “Rob Simmons working at the local metalworks factory heard his workmate Alan Davies sing and asked him to their practise night at the Hop Poles pub in Wincheap, now the Cafe Solo.
He was joined later by fellow lead vocalist Colin Gow.
“Their polished musical performances with the unusual twin lead vocals of Alan and Colin singing harmonies earnt them great popularity.”
Lynette said the Canterbury youth dances were premier social occasions for teenagers.
“They were such days and we would buy patterns and materials to make our dresses.”