THE EARLY DAYS
Nicky was born in London on 24th February 1944.He began playing piano at the age of three when his mother bought him a piano. In 1950 at the age of six he began formal private lessonsBetween 11 and 16 (1955-1960) studied piano at the London's Royal Academy of Music.He always had a piano at home; that's why Nicky dedicated his album "No More Changes" to his mother:"This album goes with love to my mother (God bless her for having a piano when I was a kid)"
1960 - 1964
In February 1960 he leaves the London's Royal Academy of Music and becomes a member of "The Savages" his first band with Carlo Little on drums, Bernie Watson on guitar and Rick "Fenson" Brown on bass and guitar the three of them who were classically trained in London. Nicky lived down the road from Carlo; he knew Bernie and Bernie knew Ricky. "When I played him Chuck Berry records, Nicky just duplicated the piano playing! It was astonishing!" Says Carlo.
Carlo Little was one of the many drummers for the Rolling Stones before Charlie Watts and who was not hired by the Stones because of budget as Carlo was one of the best in-demand drummers in the London circuit and it was too much for the Stones when Mick, Keith, Brian and James Phelge were sharing an apartment in Edith Groove.
If you want to see the best photos of Nicky during this period, please do yourself a favour and visit Carlo Little's website, you'll see several great photos of Nicky in his very early days.
In April 1961 Dave "Screaming Lord" Sutch" who was a close to the band and jammed with them in the early days disbanded "Screaming Lord Sutch" [The band was Tony Harvey on guitar, Johnny Vande on bass, Alan Le Claire on piano, Bobby Woman on drumas and of course Dave on vocals] and in May joined the band renaming it to "Screaming Lord Sutch and The Savages".
In May 1962 Nicky Hopkins and Bernie Watson left the new Savages and moved to Hamburg, to join "Cliff Bennett and his Rebel Rousers"; Cliff invited Bernie to replace Mickey King a great guitarrist and Nicky joined. They had a residency at "The Star Club". some weeks later Cliff fired Bernie because "he was difficult to work with", Nicky as a good friend of Bernie quit and returned to London in June 1962. To note this band was the first London band to be signed by The Beatles manager, Brian Epstein. During these days Nicky met the Beatles, who would soon be among his notable "employers."
Nicky and Bernie returned to London and joined the legendary Cyril Davies in November 1962; Cyril was just cut out from Alexis Korner's band "Blues Incorporated" to form "Cyril Davies & The Allstars" also known as "Cyril Davies and his Rhythm and blues Allstars".
The new band was rocking the London circuits packing out London's Marquee Club every week and sometimes twice a week; in may shows having the Rollin' Stones opening for them!!!. The line-up for the band was Cyril Davies on vocals and harmonica, Nicky Hopkins on piano, Long John Baldry on Lead Vocals, Bernie Watson on guitar, Rick Brown/Cliff Barton on bass and Carlo Little on drums. This super group was disbanded because of Cyril's health in July 1963; one year and one month after it was started.
Nicky made his first studio recording with Cyril to record "Country Line Special" b/w "Chicago Calling" (Pye International 7N25194) which was released in 1963 with Nicky playing acoustic and electric piano. This is an MP3 and the single image of this treasure, Nicky's first released work.
[The first ever recording with Nicky]
Later again in 1963 another single by Cyril Davies and the Allstars was released: "Preachin' The Blues" b/w Sweet Mary" (Pye International 7N25221)
Nicky made his first "guest appearance" in the studio with "Casey Jones & The Engineers" a band with Brian Casser (aka Casey Jones) on vocals, Eric Clapton and Tom McGuinness on guitars, Dave McCumisky on bass and Ray Smith on drums. They invited Nicky to play the piano for the release of the single "One Way Ticket" b/w "I'm Gonna Love" for Columbia Records.
Cyril got sick and later passed away on January 7, 1964. After he died an EP with picture sleeve "The Sound Of Cyril Davies" (Pye International NEP44025) was released with the songs of the previous singles: Side A: "Country Line Special" and "Chicago Calling"; Side B: "Preachin' The Blues" and "Sweet Mary"
Note for collectors: The first single was re-released in 1969 (Pye International 7N17663) and in 1984 in 12" format (PRT 12P308). These recordings were also recorded in CD in 2000 "Preachin' The Blues" (NEXCE 191).
Eighteen months after Cyril's death (July 1965) the "Allstars" tapes were re-recorded with the original members: Carlo Little on drums, Nicky Hopkins on Piano, Cliff Barton on bass, with the addition of Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page on lead guitar. They recorded at least six tracks, which were later officially released in the "British Archive Series - Blues for Collectors Vol. Three [RCA LSP 4488(e)]
This is the cover and some tracksTrack 1: Piano Shuffle.
Track 2: Steelin' With Jeff Beck.
Track 3: L.A. Breakdown with Jimmy Page
Nicky's career was interrupted in May 1963 by a real lengthy hospital spell, for a total of eighteen months in the hospital with between other symptoms: stomach trouble, which eventually resulted in him losing his gall bladder, his left kidney and suffering a collapsed lung. This tragic situation stopped Nicky's career for more than eighteen months as he relaxed at home after the hospital long-stay as he was suffering also from exhaustion and emotional problems: he was inactive from May 1963 to early 1965.
Also in May 1963 his music-school mate, bandmate and closest friend Bernie Watson became a Bluesbreaker and stayed with John Mayall until April 1964.1965
