Graham Bond Organisation

Graham Bond Organisation - Harmonica

The Graham Bond Organisation were a live band who appeared several times at the Brazennose Street Twisted Wheel in Manchester in the early 1960’s. Graham’s theme tune was Wade In The Water which had an excellent Hammond Organ introduction which he played.

‘With Jack Bruce – and presenting on drums probably the best drummer in the world, Mr Ginger Baker – come on Ginger!’. We can remember him saying this as if it was yesterday. Of course, these drum solos were heavily jazz influenced and would last for up to fifteen minutes. As we were mainly around sixteen to seventeen years old with limited attention spans, we would tend to drift off into another room after about five!

Graham Bond committed suicide in 1974, throwing himself under an underground train after being accused of sexual misconduct with his step daughter. He was 34 and she was underage. He was also short of money and in debt. He was a drug addict and in debt to dealers.

The Graham Bond Organisation with Ginger Baker
The Graham Bond Organisation

He had a history of Occult interest, he claimed to be an illegitimate child of Aleister Crowley (Black Magician), he formed a couple of occult groups – musical ones. Rumour has it to stop being followed by ‘his dealers’ he attempted to be arrested, to turn himself in at a police station, where he showed them a small amount of Marijuana. Later he was supposedly chased into the tube station by his unpaid dealers, next he was found mangled under a train.

U.K. Singles

Duffy Power with the Graham Bond Quartet
I Saw Her Standing There/Farewell Baby Parlophone R 5024 1963
Graham Bond Organisation
Long Tall Shorty/Long-Legged Baby Decca F 11909 1964
Tammy/Wade In The Water Columbia DB 7471 1965
Tell Me (I`m Gonna Love Again)/Love Come Shining Through Columbia DB 7528 1965
Lease On Love/My Heart`s In Little Pieces Columbia DB 7647 1965
St. James Infirmary/Soul Tango Columbia DB 7838 1966
You`ve Gotta Have Love Babe/I Love You Page One POF 014 1967
Graham Bond
Walking In The Park/Springtime In The City Warner Bros. WB 8004 1970
Ginger Baker`s Airforce
Man Of Constant Sorrow/Doin` It Polydor 56 380 1970
Graham Bond with Magick
Twelve Gates To The City/Water Water Vertigo 6059 042 1971
Bond & Brown
Lost Tribe/Macumbe/Milk Is Turning Sour In My Shoes Greenwich GSS 104 1972

Born: 28th October 1937 – Romford, Essex, England

Died: 8th May 1974 – London