John Summerton
John Summerton | |
|---|---|
| Born | 10 January 1961 Essex, England, UK |
| Genres | Rock, pop |
| Instrument(s) | Guitar, vocals |
| Years active | 1970s–present |
| Member of | Herman's Hermits |
| Formerly of | |
John Summerton (born 10 January 1961[1]) is an English guitarist and vocalist. He was the guitarist for Flintlock in the 1970s.
Career[edit]
Summerton's career began in the late 1960s with the group Flintlock.[2] The group began under the name The Young Revivals, formed by John and drummer Mike Holoway, when Summerton was eleven years old, but after two years changed their name to Flintlock. They came to national attention in the mid-1970s through regular appearances on the British children's television programmes You Must Be Joking[3] and Pauline's Quirkes, the latter hosted by the then teenage actress Pauline Quirke.
Flintlock also appeared on programmes such as Blue Peter, Magpie and Top of the Pops, and their own programme Fanfare. The bands other members were: Derek Pascoe (vocals/saxophone), Mike Holoway (drums/percussion), Jamie Stone (bass/vocals), and Bill Rice (keyboards).[4] Their only charting song was "Dawn" in 1976. The song peaked at number 30 on the UK singles chart.[5] Flintlock disbanded after two tours in Japan in 1980.[6] According to Summerton, the main reason for the bands sudden end was due to the rise of punk music.[3] As a result of the band having a one-hit wonder status and having many television appearances to their name, Summerton has described Flintlock as a "TV band", comparing them to The Monkees.[3]
Afterwards, he spent a number of years working in the business. He appeared with Flintlock for a one-off reunion concert in 2007. In 2018, he joined The Rubettes featuring Bill Hurd. After three years of touring, John left Bill Hurd's Rubettes to join Gerry's Pacemakers,[7] the new version of Gerry and the Pacemakers that carried on after Marsden's retirement and death.[2] In January 2023, Summerton joined Herman's Hermits,[8][6] replacing Geoff Foot. Outside of working in bands, he runs a Music Academy and recording studio (Basildon Studios[3]) in Essex.[2]
Summerton has often played at the Isle of Wight Festival with different groups.[3] In 2023, Summerton played at a charity event in the Isle of Wight.[3][9] Summerton's influences include Jeff Beck; Summerton praises Beck's works on his 1975 album Blow by Blow.[3]
References[edit]
- ^ "John SUMMERTON personal appointments - Find and update company information - GOV.UK". find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk. Retrieved 2024-04-28.
- ^ a b c "The Band – Gerry's Pacemakers". Retrieved 2023-12-24.
- ^ a b c d e f g "John Summerton - Guitarist and Vocalist with Flintlock & The Rubettes".
- ^ "Flintlock - Relationships - MusicBrainz". musicbrainz.org. Retrieved 2024-04-28.
- ^ "FLINTLOCK". Official Charts. 1976-05-29. Retrieved 2024-04-28.
- ^ a b "Band Members – Herman's Hermits". Retrieved 2023-12-24.
- ^ "Retunesday in July: John Summerton, The Blue Highways and The Sugarcoated Sisters on Retune bill at South Mill Arts". 24 December 2023.
- ^ "Herman's Hermits".
- ^ Highlights from the White Gates set at the Tower Party, Isle of Wight, July 2023. This year this charity event supported Cure Parkinson's.... | By The White Gates BandFacebook. Retrieved 2024-04-28 – via www.facebook.com.