Monday is the 25th Day of Death of Jimmy McCulloch

He sadly died very young, in London, on September 27, 1979, due to a drug related heart failure. He was only 26. I still remember that month, when I read about his death in a rock magazine. At that age, I was very much into Wings music, and I adored him. The guitar team between Denny Laine and Jimmy McCulloch was really magical. Many years have passed since that day, but today I can make my 'umble tribute to him. Thanks for your music, Jimmy!

nice post Anyroads69 R.I.P jimmy

Peace Be With You Jimmy

I think its a nice gesture to remember sidemen or people that were an integral part of their careers, even if it was for a short time. This might sound a little over the top, but I think if he hadn't died and had the chance to develop his career, he would be up there with the greats. Pete Townshend discovered him when he was 17 and they released a single, I think it was called 'Lily the Pink'. The irony is that he wrote 'Medicine Jar' on Venus & Mars and next thing you know...

JIMMY McCULLOCH

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Biography

Bands/Discography:

The Jaygars/One in a Million
Thunderclap Newman
McCulloch/Newman/Keen lineup:
Hollywood dream (1970, Track) (CD reissues: Repertoire, 1991; Polydor, 1991) (CD reissue with 6 bonus tracks: 1997, Touchwood)
McCullochs, Struthers and Paterson
Steve Ellis Band
John Mayall Band
Bent Frame / Jimmy McCulloch Band
Stone The Crows
'Ontinuous performance (1972)
several lineups:
BBC Radio 1 Live in concert (1998, Strange Fruit) (live)
Blue
Tundra
Wings
P.McCartney/L.McCartney/Laine/McCulloch/English lineup:
Venus and Mars (May 75, Columbia/Parlophone) (remastered CD: 1993, MPL)
Wings at the speed of sound (Mar 76, EMI)
Wings over America (Dec 76, EMI/Capitol) (3LP, 2CD), (live)
London town (Mar 78, Capitol/Parlophone) (remastered CD: 1993, MPL)
Wings greatest (Dec 78, Capitol/Parlophone) (compilation, it included several non-LP tracks)
Jimmy McCulloch and White Line
WHITE LINE complete - featuring JIMMY McCULLOCH (Little Wing) (1994, Mouse)
Hinkley's Heros
Small Faces
78 in the shade (Sep 1978, Atlantic)
Wild Horses
The Dukes
The Dukes (1979, Warner)
Jimmy McCulloch was a very talented guitarist. He was born in Glasgow, Scotland on June 4, 1953 (although some other sources incorrectly say August 13, 1953).

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THE JAYGARS
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He started his musical career in 1964, when he was 11!! He formed a band in Cumbernauld, Scotland with his older brother Jack. This was the lineup:

Robert Ross (vocals)
Jimmy McCulloch (guitar, vocals)
Billy McGowan (vocals, guitar)
Norrie Gilligand (guitar)
Frank Quin (bass, vocals)
Jack McCulloch (drums)

(historical photo: The Jaygars original lineup, backstage in the Barrowlands in Glasgow - very special thanks to Frank Quin for this treasure!)
(click here for a bigger image, 48 Kbs.)

They mainly played around Glasgow and Central Scotland. They supported a lot of the big name bands on tour in the area, including The Who. This is probably where Jimmy's friendship with them started from, as they were amazed with his guitar playing even at that stage.

The band evolved, changing their name to One In A Million.



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ONE IN A MILLION
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This was the lineup:

Jimmy McCulloch (guitar, vocals)
Alan Young (guitar)
Billy Fisher (bass, vocals)
Jack McCulloch (drums)
They released 2 singles, before they split in 1968.


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THUNDERCLAP NEWMAN
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Next year, 1969, Jimmy formed a new band, Thunderclap Newman:

Jimmy McCulloch (guitar)
Andy Newman (keyboards)
John "Speedy" Keen (vocals, drums)
They recorded, with the help of Pete Townshend (playing bass under the pseudonym of Bijou Drains, and producing the song) a hit #1 single, "Something in the air", in July 1969.

(cover of the single "Something in the air"/"Wilhelmina")


(scan courtesy of Alex Gitlin)

They only released one album, Hollywood dream. The CD reissue contains the complete album, but some of the editions also include 6 bonus tracks (mainly the singles they released).

Some time later, Jimmy and his brother are together again, as they augment the lineup for the tours:

John 'Speedy' Keen (vocals)
Jimmy McCulloch (guitar)
Jim Avery (bass)
Andy Newman (keyboards)
Jack McCulloch (drums)

(from left to right: Jim Avery, Jack McCulloch, Andy Newman, Jimmy McCulloch, Speedy Keen)

They split in 1970.

As we'll see in the sessions part, Jimmy maintained a close contact with the guys from The Who.

Singles with Thunderclap Newman:

'Something In The Air/Wilhelmina' (1969, Track)
'Accidents/I See It All' (1970, Track)
'Wild Country/Hollywood' (1970, Track) (reissue: 1979)
'The Reason/Stormy Petrel' (1970, Track)
'Something In The Air/Accidents' (1984, Old Gold)

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McCULLOCHS, STRUTHERS AND PATERSON
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This was a short-lived venture. Jimmy and Jack remained together, bringing new mates:

Jimmy McCulloch (guitar, vocals)
Robbie Paterson (guitar)
Dave Struthers (bass)
Jack McCulloch (drums)
I don't know if they recorded any material.


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STEVE ELLIS BAND
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Steve Ellis was the leader in Love Affair. When he left them, he tried to form a supergroup with great musicians:

Steve Ellis (vocals, harmonica, keyboards, guitar)
Terry Reid (vocals)
Jimmy McCulloch (guitar)
Zoot Money (keyboards)
+ others unknown to me. Help, please!
But the plans sadly never materialized... although next year (1971) Jimmy still played in a single by Steve Ellis, as we can read in the sessions page.


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JOHN MAYALL BAND
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Next step for Jimmy was in the blues path. He joined John Mayall band. But his association with Mayall was very short: only during the summer of 1971, just for a tour. Chas Chandler recommended Jimmy after he had done some sessions for Steve Ellis. After Jimmy got the call from Mayall, he played his first gig just two days later.

John Mayall (vocals, harmonica, keyboards, guitar)
Jimmy McCulloch (guitar)
Larry Taylor (bass)
Keef Hartley (drums)

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BENT FRAME / JIMMY McCULLOCH BAND
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After the tour with John Mayall finished, Jimmy formed his own band in October 1971. The name he chose was Bent Frame, but he changed it into The Jimmy McCulloch Band soon afterwards. This was the lineup:

Jimmy McCulloch (guitar, vocals)
Robbie Paterson (guitar)
Barry Smith (bass)
Nigel Baker (drums)
Their first gig was played at The Roundhouse in London.
Jimmy composed some new songs with Robbie Patterson, and they started rehearsing for a future album, but the recording never happened, as Jimmy got the call from Stone The Crows.

And now, we have some confusion here. While an article from a rock magazine from 1971 states that Nigel Baker was their drummer, it seems that it was Jack McCulloch who was sitting in the drum chair. So, we should have instead:

Jimmy McCulloch (guitar, vocals)
Robbie Paterson (guitar)
Barry Smith (bass)
Jack McCulloch (drums)
Jack was later replaced by someone called Tony, who used to be a roadie for The Who. Does anybody know his complete name, please?
There are a couple of tracks credited to a band called Bent Frame. The songs are "Fairylights" and "It's only me". The 2nd song was probably produced by Roger Daltrey. Rumour has it
about a single also released for the Track label. I guess we're speaking of the same band, due to Jimmy's involvement with Roger Daltrey. Can anyone confirm this point, please?



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STONE THE CROWS
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His next step was due to a sad fact. On May 3, 1972, Les Harvey, guitarist in Stone The Crows (and younger brother of the late Alex Harvey, from the Sensational Alex Harvey Band), died after being electrocuted on stage, and the band called Jimmy to help complete the album Les Harvey left unfinished. Thus, he joined this fantastic band.

Maggie Bell (vocals)
Jimmy McCulloch (guitar)
Steven Thompson (bass)
Ronnie Leahy (keyboards)
Colin Allen (drums)

They tried to make their best, but the group impulse was gone. They broke in 1973. In the album 'Ontinuous performance, we can find some tracks played by Les Harvey, and some others played by Jimmy.


(click here for a bigger image, 96 Kbs.)

(scan courtesy of Alex Gitlin)

Recently, two live CDs with live tracks from BBC archives have appeared. One of them, BBC Radio 1 Live in concert, features some tracks with Les Harvey and Jim Dewar, while some others feature Jimmy.



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BLUE
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After the end of Stone The Crows, Jimmy immediately joined Blue, a Glasgow-based band formed by ex-Marmalade guitarist, Hugh Nicholson. This had to be probaby in June or July 1973.

Hugh Nicholson (guitar)
Jimmy McCulloch (guitar)
Ian MacMillan (bass)
Timi Donald (drums)
Jimmy left again after just a few months in August or September 1973, so they didn't recorded any album with Jimmy.


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TUNDRA
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Around winter of 1973, the great Chris Stainton forms a new band, called Tundra, with Jimmy McCulloch:

Jimmy McCulloch (guitar)
Chris Stainton (keyboards)
Mickey Feat (bass)
Henry Spinetti (drums)
Mickey Feat left at the end of 1973 (or early 1974) to join Aliki Ashman in the band Casablanca. He was replaced by Glen Turner:
Jimmy McCulloch (guitar)
Chris Stainton (keyboards)
Glen Turner (bass)
Henry Spinetti (drums)
When Jimmy McCulloch left the band in April 1974 (to join Wings), Turner moved to guitar and bassist Charlie Harrison joined.


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WINGS
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His most famous step in his short career was joining Wings, Paul McCartney's band. In late 1973, Paul McCartney, his wife Linda, and Denny Laine were recording a Linda solo album, under the name of Susie & The Red Stripes. They chose some musicians who subsequently were billed for Wings. Jimmy McCulloch was contracted. He joined them in May 1974, and he stayed with them until September 1977. From those Linda sessions, there is only one single available: "Seaside woman" (later released, in Jun 77).

Paul McCartney (vocals, bass, guitar, piano)
Denny Laine (guitar, vocals, bass)
Jimmy McCulloch (guitar, vocals)
Linda McCartney (keyboards)
Geoff Britton (drums)



(from left to right: Linda McCartney, Paul McCartney, Geoff Britton, Denny Laine; Jimmy McCulloch below)
(click here for a bigger image, 65 Kbs.)

This lineup makes their debut with single 'Junior's farm'. But soon after, in February 1975, they change the drummer, in the middle of the recording for a new album, Venus and mars.


Paul McCartney (vocals, bass, guitar, piano)
Denny Laine (guitar, vocals, bass)
Jimmy McCulloch (guitar, vocals)
Linda McCartney (keyboards)
Joe English (drums)
Great band! They were augmented live with a horn section for their British tour in September 1975.
Tony Dorsey (trombone)
Howie Casey (sax)
Steve Howard (trumpet, flugelhorn)
Thadeus Richard (sax, clarinet, flute)
Fortunately, the CD reissues usually have a lot of bonus tracks. On Venus and Mars we can find 3 bonus tracks: 'Zoo gang', 'Lunch box/Odd sox' and 'My carnival'. There is even a song composed by Jimmy along with Colin Allen (bandmate in Stone the Crows), 'Medicine Jar'. I think that putting a song of your own in a Paul McCartney album is a milestone. The album also includes short contributions by Geoff Britton (later in Rough Diamond, watch Clem Clempson page), Dave Mason (from Traffic, lately in Fleetwood Mac), Allen Toussaint and sax player Tom Scott (L.A. Express).

(scan courtesy of Alex Gitlin)

On Wings at the speed of sound, there's another track composed by Jimmy with Colin Allen, 'Wino junko'.



The live album Wings over America was originally a 3LP, but the CD reissue has been reduced to a 2CD, without losing any track. Recorded live in the American tour (from 3/May to 23/June), it contains several Beatles renditions, the song composed by Jimmy, 'Medicine jar', an old Moody Blues hit sung by Denny Laine, 'Go now', and even a Simon & Garfunkel version, 'Richard Cory'. A great live album.



London town CD edition has two bonus tracks: 'Girl's school' and lovely song 'Mull of Kyntire', a #1 in UK. When that album was released, Jimmy (and Joe English) had left the band, that's why we can see only Paul, Linda and Denny on the cover. Jimmy left the band in September 1977.


We can see the whole Wings band in the documentary "Rockshow" (1981), taken from some Wings old live concerts. I'd love to get a copy of it. Can somebody help me, please?!!

Recently, it has been released a special, 25th Anniversary edition of the Wings album Band on the run. No, Jimmy didn't play in it, but it has been released a new video for the song, that's being aired in musical TV channels. Well, the video includes images with Jimmy, playing live that song.

Singles with Wings:

'Junior's Farm / Sally G' (Oct 74) (with Geoff Britton)
'Listen to what the man said / Love in song' (May 75) (side A with Joe English; side B with Geoff Britton)
'Letting go / You gave me the answer' (Sep 75) (side A with Geoff Britton; side B with Joe English)
'Venus & Mars Rock Show / Magneto and the Titanium Man' (Nov 75) (with Joe English)
'Silly love songs / Cook of the house' (Apr 76) (with Joe English)
'Let 'em in / Beware my love' (Jul 76) (with Joe English)
'Maybe I'm amazed / Soily' (Feb 77) (with Joe English)
'Mull of Kintyre / Girls school' (Nov 77) (with Joe English)
'With a little luck / Cuff link - Backwards traveller' (Mar 78) (with Joe English)
'I've had enough / Deliver your children' (Jun 78) (with Joe English)
'London Town / I'm carrying' (Aug 78) (with Joe English)

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JIMMY McCULLOCH AND WHITE LINE
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This was a trio, where Jimmy rejoined his brother Jack. It was formed as a fun band, whilst Jimmy was still with Wings.

Jimmy McCulloch (guitar, vocals)
Dave Clarke (bass, vocals)
Jack McCulloch (drums)

(scan courtesy of Reggy Tan)
They released a single, credited to Jimmy McCulloch and White Line, dated 1976, 'Call My Name' (Clarke) / 'Too Many Miles' (McCulloch/Allen). They appeared on Twiggy's 'Jukebox show' and performed "Call My Name". Dave sang that song and, on the record, Jimmy sang 'Too Many Miles'.

Surprise, surprise! Now we know about the existence of a complete CD by the band!! Well, I never include complete song listings for albums, but I think this is a special case, so here it is the content of the CD:

songs:

Call My Name (Single release)
You're a Loser
Champagne Eyes
Mr. Jones
Down Bound Train
Just Another 'B' Side Song
Call My Name (Original Demo version)
The Same Mistakes Again
Too Many Miles (Single Release - B side)
Reindeer Rockets
White Line
The Shannon and the Chesapeake
Call My Name (Live on The Twiggy Show)

The album is called WHITE LINE complete - featuring JIMMY McCULLOCH (Little Wing) on Mouse records (Mouse CD 004) copyright 1994. Mouse seems to be a UK label. (Please, if someone knows where to get it, send me a message!)



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HINKLEY'S HEROS
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In July 1976, there is assembled a band comprising some friends and bandmates of keyboardist Tim Hinkley, under the name Hinkley's Heros. They were together two months, until September 1976. They didn't release any official album, but they did some concerts with different all-stars lineups. Jimmy played two shows with the band.

Maggie Bell (vocals)
Jimmy McCulloch (guitar)
Brian Robertson (guitar)
Boz Burrell (bass)
Tim Hinkley (keyboards)
Mitch Mitchell (drums)
+ others unknown to me

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SMALL FACES
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Just after leaving Wings, Jimmy joined the great Steve Marriott for a short one-month tour under the name Small Faces, in September 1977. It wasn't a complete reunion, because original member Ronnie Lane didn't join the band, being replaced by Rick Wills.

Steve Marriott (guitar, vocals)
Jimmy McCulloch (guitar)
Rick Wills (bass)
Ian McLagan (keyboards)
Kenny Jones (drums)
They recorded the album 78 in the shade, that also included the collaboration of Ronnie Lane, Sam Brown and Madeline Bell.


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WILD HORSES
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In 1978, in a very unknown episode, Jimmy was for a very short time a part of Wild Horses with Brian Robertson (from Thin Lizzy) and Jimmy Bain (from Rainbow). They were rehearsing for a while, but Jimmy was soon to be replaced by Neil Carter on early 1979.

Brian Robertson (guitar, vocals)
Jimmy McCulloch (guitar, vocals)
Jimmy Bain (bass, vocals)
Kenny Jones (drums)

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THE DUKES
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(from left to right: Jimmy McCulloch, Miller Anderson, Charles Tumahai, Ronnie Leahy)
It was around 1979, when Jimmy joins The Dukes:

Miller Anderson (guitar, vocals)
Jimmy McCulloch (guitar, vocals)
Charles Tumahai (bass, vocals)
Ronnie Leahy (keyboards)
There are two guest drummers in the album: Stuart Elliott and Barry DeSouza, but they got Nick Trevisick for live concerts. They toured supporting Wishbone Ash.
Miller Anderson (guitar, vocals)
Jimmy McCulloch (guitar, vocals)
Charles Tumahai (bass, vocals)
Ronnie Leahy (keyboards)
Nick Trevisick (drums)
They had a minor success with the single 'Hearts in trouble', and soon after that, Jimmy died. The band went on tour with Mick Grabham, but they soon split.

All the best to you, Jimmy, wherever you are! We miss you!