Researching this feature is always a pleasure. I'm forever surprised by how many... and occasionally, how few... bands there are with a particular name. Some bands are truly unique - there will only ever be one Duran Duran, for example (although there is a band called, cheekily, Duran Duran Duran). Likewise, Pulp, Blur and The Stone Roses will never feature here. No REM, The Cure or Bon Jovi. The Who, The Beach Boys, Creedence... the list of bands without Namesakes is almost as long as the list of bands that share their name with a dozen other chancers.
And surely, there can't be more than one group called The Chocolate Watch Band...
Can there?
THE CHOCOLATE WATCH BAND #1
We start today in Los Altos, California, in 1965 with some fuzzy psychedelia courtesy of a Chocolate Watch Band dubbed by one critic, "America's answer to the Rolling Stones". Although their most famous tune is a cover version of an Kinks song. Looking through their discography, it seems most of their tunes were actually covers, but they built a pretty impressive following regardless (it never stopped Elvis). Here's one that was (I think) written by lead singer David Aguilar, from their third and final album of the 60s, One Step Beyond. They broke up shortly after this was released, only to reform thirty years late in 1999 because: money. I imagine.
THE CHOCOLATE WATCH BAND #2
Meanwhile, around the same time, on this side of the pond... Gary Osborne and Jack Oliver formed their own Chocolate Watch Band. Perhaps there's a difference between a Chocolate Watchband and a Chocolate Watch Band. The former, if you asked me, would be the strap of a chocolate watch. Yes? The latter, a band named after a Chocolate Watch. Or... a band the likes to watch chocolate?
Anyway, these guys released far fewer records than their American counterparts, and also appear to have resisted offers for a comeback tour 30 years on. Gary Osborne went on to work with Jeff Wayne, recording the original version of Justin Heyward's Forever Autumn as part of the duo Vigrass & Osborne. He was also chairman of The Ivor Novello Awards for some time. Jack Oliver didn't do any of those things. Presumably, he got a proper job instead.
Only two two choose from today... but it's still one more than I would have ever expected.
The Chocolate Watch is a military unit that mostly performs ceremonial tasks. Like the Beefeaters but even more unhealthy.
ReplyDeleteAlso if there was to be a UK band named after the same thing as #1 it would surely be called The Chocolate Watchstrap?
As far as voting goes, definitely #1
Hmm. I would ask how you know so much about covert military operations, Ernie... but I think that answers itself.
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