Trying to locate members of Bern Elliott & The Klan

Michele Wilson asks

I am trying to locate the old band members of Bern Elliott’s group The Klan. They were on Ready Steady Go 4th September 1964. Can you help me. I am trying to put a programme together about the band. Thanks. Miles & Michele Wilson.

Terry Lucas… Hi luv I tidied Bern and The Klan Dave cameron, ex Fleewrekkers, lead guitar, Tim Hughes rhythm guitar and vocals( passed away) Andy Knottley skins, Trevor Haworth bass I think, memory is failing me, this might help though

Michele Wilson… Hi Good to be in touch, I was Tims sister. I remember you well. Please send me details of Bern Elliot and any e-mils to get in touch with. Love to tlk to you again. Michele

Bob Pateman… Hi – I know of Tim Hughes more as a Hasher than a musician. I just looked up the Fernmen on Wikipedia and did not see Tim listed as a band member? Any explanation?

Roger Humphries… Terry Lucas. …. I’m sure that John (Silbey) Pierce was the bass player with The Klan. and the band also had an organist (Vox Continental) played by a guy who lived in Maidstone Road, Chatham.

Roger Humphries… John Pearce was definitely the bass player with The Klan. …. When the band split he joined Candy Choir and in 1968 he became a police officer based in Kent. …. John is on Facebook.

John Pearce… Hi There, I’m John Pearce and was the bass player of Bern Elliott & The Klan when it was formed in 1964. In any documentation you have about the band, it will show my name as Jon Silby Pearce. This was the idea of Ronnie Vaughan Bern’s manager, Silby being my second Christian name and H being dropped from John was also his idea. If you need any further info I’d try to help.

John Pearce… in reply to Bob Pateman… Tim Hughes was rhythm guitarist of The Klan and I played bass. We were both head hunted from a semi pro group called The Cortinas based in the Medway Towns when The Klan was formed. Tim passed away some years ago, I believe in Thailand.

Lee Elliott… Hi I’m Berns son Lee, my email is leebelliott@yahoo.co.uk

John H Warburg… (in reply to Terry Lucas) Bern Elliott on lead vocals (b. Bernard Michael Elliott, November 17, 1942, Erith), Dave ‘Tex’ Cameron on lead guitar (b. David Cameron, October 21, 1939, Ealing, West London), Tim ‘Magic’ Hughes on rhythm guitar (b. Timothy John Patrick Hughes, 1944, Little Ashton Park, Staffordshire d. Friday, January 23, 1998, Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand), John Pearce on bass, a guy on Vox Continental organ and Pete Adams on drums (b. Peter Adams).

Harry Barned… (in reply to John Pearce) This a long shot, but my name is Harry Barnes and I have stumbled on this text trail by accident, but I do have an interest and a connection. I played lead guitar and vocals for a band called Ray Cleveland and the Statesmen, we too were managed by Ronnie Vaughan along with Steve Marriott and the Moments. I would dearly love to catch up with any of the band, but for years I have failed on social media. So, if anyone, Roy Lucas (bass), Ray Dickinson (vocals) etc, please contact me at admin@barnes-net.com
Cheers

Jimmy McMaster… Peter J. Mason was the organist and there was also an Andy Torley listed as a sax player (maybe for session). I live in Australia and got this info from a magazine called Fabulous in 1964.

John Pearce… I confirm Peter Mason was our keyboard player (Vox Continental). He was a classically trained pianist and lived in Chatham, Kent. I was with The Klan from start to finish and we never had a sax player, either for gigs nor in the studio.

Harry… Hi. I’m trying to sort out the line-up on the ‘Good Times’ 45 for a website and (thanks to all you people who’ve contributed) I’m nearly clear but there’s an extra bassist called Pete Shelton who mentions being in this band in 1964 (I believe September 1964 was when the single was released). He posted in detail on Facebook and said; “In mid 64… joining Bern Elliott and the Fenmen…the name later changed to the Klan. I stayed with them until Christmas 64.” Is anyone able to clarify – I realise it was a quite a while ago! Thank you

John Pearce… Harry, I’ve never heard of a Pete Shelton playing for either the Fenmen or The Klan. Eric Wilmore played bass for The Fenmen and I played bass for The Klan. That aside, I can help you with ‘Good Times’ because I played bass and provided backing vocals at the session with Bern. It was recorded at the Decca studios in London. Line up Dave ‘Tex’ Cameron lead guitar, Tim Hughes (aka Hamilton) rhythm guitar and backing vocals, John Pearce (aka Jon Silby Pearce) bass guitar and backing vocals , Peter Mason keyboard (Vox Continental) and Pete Adams drums. I hope this helps.

Harry… Thank you John.

John Warburg… (in reply to Terry Lucas)… Hi Terry I have a bit more info. Bern Elliott on lead vocals (b. Bernard Michael Elliott, November 17, 1942, Erith, Kent), Dave ‘Tex’ Cameron on lead guitar (b. David Cameron, October 21, 1939, Ealing, West London), Tim ‘Magic’ Hughes on rhythm guitar (b. Timothy John Patrick Hughes, 1944, Little Ashton Park, Staffordshire d. Friday, January 23, 1998, Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand), John Pearce on bass (b.John Silby Pearce, 1947, Gillingham, Kent), P.J. Mason on Vox Continental organ (b. Peter J. Mason, 1945, Chatham, Kent) and Pete Adams on drums (b. Peter Adams, London). Cheers John

Ian King… I was talking to Bern son Anthony, he said was doing ok, he now live in Margate with his second wife Carol, Bern use to live next door to me, he live in Stone, Dartford, Kent.

Peter Adams… Hi John, It’s Pete Adams the drummer here with the Klan in 1964. I note that someone by the name of Wilson is trying to trace all the members . Please can you forward this message to whoever it needs to go to. My email address is telstar779@gmail.com Stay safe and well Regards Peter Adams

Pete Mason… Hi I’m Pete Mason and played Vox Contintal with the Klan in 1964. It was a very important part of my life since I earned enough money to go back to college and took a Physics degree. I then became an airline pilot and then a college lecturer and retired in 2003. Happily married with two children and three grandchildren. Don’t play publically any more but have busked for charity. Just purchased a Yamaha Genos which is the most amazing keyboard I’ve ever played. Would really like meet up with Dave Cameron. He was a fantastic guitarist and band leader.

Peter Adams… Hi Peter, I was the drummer in The Klan back in the sixties, it was nice to hear from you. I spoke to John Pearce on the same website, he was the base player and is doing well. I was informed that Tim sadly died in Thailand. Regarding Dave, I’ve not seen him in years. I went on to join The Tornados and became a session drummer as well.
Keep in touch, lots to tell you. Regards  Peter Adams

Pete Mason… Hi Peter, Pete Mason here. Good to hear you have had a wonderful music career. Session man and drummer for the Tornados, doesn’t get much better than that. Do you still play? I live in a close in Weymouth and a chap in the close started learning guitar a couple of years back and has been coming round once a week for a jamming session, it’s been great fun. I’m also into photography . Flying was very interesting, I have a terrible memory and had a job remembering the drills, I am also afraid of heights which isn’t good for a pilot, I was also nearly killed during training, so after a few years I gave it up. The stress relief was amazing. I loved teaching. Physics is really interesting to teach. I’m sure that having a bad memory was an advantage because I could give the students lots of ways of remembering things. My name is actually Peter Kenneth Mason, it was Ronnie Vaughan who decided PJ sounded better! Actually, I think he was right!

Kirsty Foran… Hello, I am Tex (Dave) Cameron’s great Niece, unfortunately he very recently passed away. I can’t tell you much band stuff because my knowledge on that is limited but what I can tell you is that he was still rocking strong and giving it some welly until the very end and remained very proud to have been apart of these bands. Thank you.

Peter Adams… Hi Kirsty. I was with the Clan back in the 60s and had the pleasure of playing with Tex. Unfortunately there was a lot of disagreement within the band and I left and joined The Tornados. Me and Tex did quite a lot of television shows together and I kept in touch with him. There was a place available for a guitarist in The Tornados and got Tex the job alongside me. We made four or five records together then the band split and I joined Tony Orlando and became a session drummer. Howe, I am sad to hear that Tex has passed away and he will be sadly missed. My email address if you want to get in touch is telstar779@gmail.com Kind regards Peter Adams.

Ian King… Bern Elliott past away on 13-09-2022 in Margate.

John Pearce… Thank you for this information Ian. So sorry to hear that. Rest in Peace Bern.

John Warburg… (in reply again to Terry Lucas)… Hi Terry I have a bit more info. Bern Elliott with the Klan, who had a line-up of Bern Elliott on lead vocals (b. Bernard Michael Elliott, Tuesday, November 17, 1942, Erith, Kent d. Tuesday, September 13, 2022, Margate, Kent), Dave ‘Tex’ Cameron on lead guitar (b. David Cameron, Saturday, October 21, 1939, Ealing, West London), Tim ‘Magic’ Hughes on rhythm guitar (b. Timothy John Patrick Hughes, 1944, Little Ashton Park, Staffordshire d. Friday, January 23, 1998, Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand), John Pearce on bass (b. John Silby Pearce, 1947, Gillingham, Kent), P.J. Mason on Vox Continental organ (b. Peter J. Mason, 1945, Chatham, Kent) and Pete Adams on drums (b. Peter Adams, , February 3, 1944, Camberwell, South East London). Cheers John

Pete Adams… Hi John, Peter Adams here, I just noticed your comments regarding the band. Unfortunately Bern Elliot passed away just over 2 years ago. Also, Dave Cameron passed away. Tim our rhythm guitarist also died in Thailand. Pete Mason the keyboard player after leaving the band went on to become a pilot. John Pearce our base player became a police inspector but now retired. Hope this helps. Keep in touch. Regards Pete

25 thoughts on “Trying to locate members of Bern Elliott & The Klan”

  1. Hi luv I tidied bern and the klan Dave cameron, ex fleewrekkers, lead guitar, Tim Hughes rhythm guitar and vocals( passed away) andy knottley skins Trevor Haworth bass I think memory is failing me this might help though

    Reply
    • Bern Elliott on lead vocals (b. Bernard Michael Elliott, November 17, 1942, Erith), Dave ‘Tex’ Cameron on lead guitar (b. David Cameron, October 21, 1939, Ealing, West London), Tim ‘Magic’ Hughes on rhythm guitar (b. Timothy John Patrick Hughes, 1944, Little Ashton Park, Staffordshire d. Friday, January 23, 1998, Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand), John Pearce on bass, a guy on Vox Continental organ and Pete Adams on drums (b. Peter Adams).

      Reply
    • Hi Terry I have a bit more info. Bern Elliott on lead vocals (b. Bernard Michael Elliott, November 17, 1942, Erith, Kent), Dave ‘Tex’ Cameron on lead guitar (b. David Cameron, October 21, 1939, Ealing, West London), Tim ‘Magic’ Hughes on rhythm guitar (b. Timothy John Patrick Hughes, 1944, Little Ashton Park, Staffordshire d. Friday, January 23, 1998, Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand), John Pearce on bass (b.John Silby Pearce, 1947, Gillingham, Kent), P.J. Mason on Vox Continental organ (b. Peter J. Mason, 1945, Chatham, Kent) and Pete Adams on drums (b. Peter Adams, London). Cheers John

      Reply
  2. Hi – I know of Tim Hughes more as a Hasher than a musician. I just looked up the Fernmen on Wikipedia and did not see Tim listed as a band member? Any explanation? On on Bob Pateman

    Reply
    • Time Hughes was rhythm guitarist of The Klan and I played bass. We were both head hunted from a semi pro group called The Cortinas based in the Medway Towns when The Klan was formed. Tim passed away some years ago, I believe in Thailand.

      Reply
  3. Terry Lucas. …. I’m sure that John (Silbey) Pierce was the bass player with The Klan. and the band also had an organist (Vox Continental) played by a guy who lived in Maidstone Road, Chatham.

    Reply
    • John Warburg… (in reply again to Terry Lucas)… Hi Terry I have a bit more info. Bern Elliott with the Klan, who had a line-up of Bern Elliott on lead vocals (b. Bernard Michael Elliott, Tuesday, November 17, 1942, Erith, Kent d. Tuesday, September 13, 2022, Margate, Kent), Dave ‘Tex’ Cameron on lead guitar (b. David Cameron, Saturday, October 21, 1939, Ealing, West London), Tim ‘Magic’ Hughes on rhythm guitar (b. Timothy John Patrick Hughes, 1944, Little Ashton Park, Staffordshire d. Friday, January 23, 1998, Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand), John Pearce on bass (b. John Silby Pearce, 1947, Gillingham, Kent), P.J. Mason on Vox Continental organ (b. Peter J. Mason, 1945, Chatham, Kent) and Pete Adams on drums (b. Peter Adams, , February 3, 1944, Camberwell, South East London). Cheers John

      Reply
  4. John Pearce was definitely the bass player with The Klan. …. When the band split he joined Candy Choir and in 1968 he became a police officer based in Kent. …. John is on Facebook

    Reply
  5. Hi There, I’m John Pearce and was the bass player of Bern Elliott & The Klan when it was formed in 1964. In any documentation you have about the band, it will show my name as Jon Silby Pearce. This was the idea of Ronnie Vaughan Bern’s manager, Silby being my second Christian name and H being dropped from John was also his idea. If you need any further info I’d try to help.

    Reply
    • This a long shot, but my name is Harry Barnes and I have stumbled on this text trail by accident, but I do have an interest and a connection. I played lead guitar and vocals for a band called Ray Cleveland and the Statesmen, we too were managed by Ronnie Vaughan along with Steve Marriott and the Moments. I would dearly love to catch up with any of the band, but for years I have failed on social media. So, if anyone, Roy Lucas (bass), Ray Dickinson (vocals) etc, please contact me at admin@barnes-net.com
      Cheers

      Reply
  6. Peter J. Mason was the organist and there was also an Andy Torley listed as a sax player (maybe for session). I live in Australia and got this info from a magazine called Fabulous in 1964.

    Reply
  7. I confirm Peter Mason was our keyboard player (Vox Continental). He was a classically trained pianist and lived in Chatham, Kent. I was with The Klan from start to finish and we never had a sax player, either for gigs nor in the studio.

    Reply
  8. Hi. I’m trying to sort out the line-up on the ‘Good Times’ 45 for a website and (thanks to all you people who’ve contributed) I’m nearly clear but there’s an extra bassist called Pete Shelton who mentions being in this band in 1964 (I believe September 1964 was when the single was released). He posted in detail on Facebook and said;
    “In mid 64… joining Bern Elliott and the Fenmen…the name later changed to the Klan. I stayed with them until Christmas 64.”
    Is anyone able to clarify – I realise it was a quite a while ago!
    Thank you

    Reply
  9. Harry, I’ve never heard of a Pete Shelton playing for either the Fenmen or The Klan. Eric Wilmore played bass for The Fenmen and I played bass for The Klan. That aside, I can help you with ‘Good Times’ because I played bass and provided backing vocals at the session with Bern. It was recorded at the Decca studios in London. Line up Dave ‘Tex’ Cameron lead guitar, Tim Hughes (aka Hamilton) rhythm guitar and backing vocals, John Pearce (aka Jon Silby Pearce) bass guitar and backing vocals , Peter Mason keyboard (Vox Continental) and Pete Adams drums. I hope this helps.

    Reply
    • Hi John,

      It’s Pete Adams the drummer here with the Klan in 1964. I note that someone by the name of Wilson is trying to trace all the members . Please can you forward this message to whoever it needs to go to. My email address is”telstar779@gmail.com”.

      Stay safe and well

      Regards
      Peter Adams

      Reply
  10. Hi I’m Pete Mason and played Vox Contintal with the Klan in 1964. It was a very important part of my life since I earned enough money to go back to college and took a Physics degree. I then became an airline pilot and then a college lecturer and retired in 2003. Happily married with two children and three grandchildren. Don’t play publically any more but have busked for charity. Just purchased a Yamaha Genos which is the most amazing keyboard I’ve ever played. Would really like meet up with Dave Cameron. He was a fantastic guitarist and band leader.

    Reply
  11. Hi Peter,

    I was the drummer in The Klan back in the sixties, it was nice to hear from you. I spoke to John Pearce on the same website, he was the base player and is doing well. I was informed that Tim sadly died in Thailand. Regarding Dave, I’ve not seen him in years. I went on to join The Tornados and became a session drummer as well.

    Keep in touch, lots to tell you.

    Regards

    Peter Adams

    Reply
    • Hi Peter, Pete Mason here. Good to hear you have had a wonderful music career. Session man and drummer for the Tornados, doesn’t get much better than that. Do you still play? I live in a close in Weymouth and a chap in the close started learning guitar a couple of years back and has been coming round once a week for a jamming session, it’s been great fun. I’m also into photography . Flying was very interesting, I have a terrible memory and had a job remembering the drills, I am also afraid of heights which isn’t good for a pilot, I was also nearly killed during training, so after a few years I gave it up. The stress relief was amazing. I loved teaching. Physics is really interesting to teach. I’m sure that having a bad memory was an advantage because I could give the students lots of ways of remembering things. My name is actually Peter Kenneth Mason, it was Ronnie Vaughan who decided PJ sounded better! Actually, I think he was right!

      Reply
  12. Hello, I am Tex (Dave) Cameron’s great Niece, unfortunately he very recently passed away. I can’t tell you much band stuff because my knowledge on that is limited but what I can tell you is that he was still rocking strong and giving it some welly until the very end and remained very proud to have been apart of these bands. Thank you.

    Reply
    • Hi Kirsty,

      Peter Adams here. I was with the Clan back in the 60s and had the pleasure of playing with Tex. Unfortunately there was a lot of disagreement within the band and I left and joined The Tornados. Me and Tex did quite a lot of television shows together and I kept in touch with him. There was a place available for a guitarist in The Tornados and got Tex the job alongside me. We made four or five records together then the band split and I joined Tony Orlando and became a session drummer. Howe, I am sad to hear that Tex has passed away and he will be sadly missed. My email address if you want to get in touch is “telstar 779@gmail.com”.

      Kind regards

      Peter Adams

      Reply
  13. Hi John,

    Peter Adams here, I just noticed your comments regarding the band. Unfortunately Bern Elliot passed away just over 2 years ago. Also, Dave Cameron passed away. Tim our rhythm guitarist also died in Thailand. Pete Mason the keyboard player after leaving the band went on to become a pilot. John Pearce our base player became a police inspector but now retired. Hope this helps. Keep in touch.

    Regards
    Pete Adams

    Reply

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