NIGEL TUFNEL and DAVID ST HUBBINS grew up in the same city block in London's Squatney District, where David played guitar in a skiffle band, the CREATURES, while Nigel did the same for the LOVELY LADS. The two began jamming together outside tube stations, and eventually formed their first legitimate band, the ORIGINALS, later changed to the NEW ORIGINALS when the East End ORIGINALS (now the REGULARS) threatened suit.
The New Originals collapsed in 1964 without record company support, but David and Nigel were hired by the legendary JOHNNY GOODSHOW REVUE and played the Seaside Circuit, gigging after hours at local pubs. It was in a Southampton tavern, the Bucket (now the Bucket and Pail), that they met and jammed with JOHN "STUMPY" PEPYS, then drummer for the LESLIE CHESWICK SOUL EXPLOSION (now LES and MARY CHESWICK).
When the weather turned cold, the three hooked up with bassist RONNIE PUDDING from the CHEAP DATES (now CHEAPDATE) and began working in London as the THAMESMEN. They released their debut single on Abbey, "GIMME SOME MONEY" b/w "CUPS AND CAKES", in late spring 1965. It did not hit the charts immediately.
Meanwhile, the band played extensively in the Benelux regions nations, particularly Amsterdam's Long-Hair Club, where they met sixteen year old keyboard prodigy JAN VAN DER KVELK, who did musical charts for the band and used his Dutch music biz connections to get them work. Leaving Amsterdam and Van Der Kvelk behind, the band returned to Britain as the DUTCHMEN and found "Gimme Some Money" climbing the charts. The band quickly changed their name back to the Thamesmen but the single had peaked and vanished from sight.
