Mike Forde & The Fortunes

Mike Forde – lead vocals Jimmy Collins – lead guitar Geoff Chinnery – bass guitar/vocals John Turner – rhythm guitar/vocals Lindsay Bex – drums This west London band was formed in April 1961 and were originally called Mike Forde & The HiFi’s but were renamed the following year as Mike Forde & The Fortunes. Over the next few years, the group played many well-known venues in west London and Middlesex, including Eel Pie Island in Twickenham, Botwell Hall in Hayes, the Clay Pigeon in Eastcote and the Ealing Club. On 27 October 1962, they backed singer Frankie Vaughan at Southbourne School in Eastcote. Forde also remembers that the group was due to play in the interval for The Beatles at a show at Botwell House in February 1963 but the show was cancelled at short notice. Despite the setback, they were rebooked about three weeks later at the venue to support Gerry & The Pacemakers. Sometime in the latter half of 1963, an interested party named Gordon Eddie showed an interest in managing the…