Stephen Cupsey Cutmore

 Born on 25th August 1951 when Men were Men and Women were glad to have them, Baby Stephen lay in his pram, soaking up the sound of the radio while his diaper was soaking up something else! Even at this tender age, Stephen had noticed that amongst the crap that the Disc Jockeys played on BBC Light programme a new exciting sound was beginning to filter it’s way through the airwaves.

Rock’n'Roll had already taken America by storm and by the end of the 1950′s this exciting new kind of music had made it’s way over to the UK. The likes of Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard, Buddy Holly and Chuck Berry were queuing up for the top spot on our Hit Parade .It wasn’t long before UK acts like Cliff Richard, Tommy Steele, Adam Faith and Billy Fury were jumping on the bandwagon to try and copy this explosive new sound. 

The Swinging Sixties?

By the early 1960′s, England’s fairly limp attempt at copying American Rock’n'Roll was on the wane. Popular music, at that time, was in the Main, bland meaningless two minute songs about sugar-coated love. Then in 1963 a band had come along to change the whole face of British popular music No, not The Beatles, It was, of course, The Rolling Stones. After watching them mime to their first single’ Come On’ on ‘Thank your Lucky Stars’ Stephen was blown away with the look, the sound and the attitude of these five ‘dogtooth’ clad long-haired cats from London. From now on listening to music wasn’t enough, Stephen had to be a part of it. He got a guitar for Christmas and soon had formed his first group. After a few rehearsals the rest of the group realised Stephen wasn’t going to make it as a guitarist. “Why don’t you turn the bloody thing over and tap on the back or something” said one of the group. Stephen, although feeling slightly hurt by this comment, did just that and it wasn’t long before he had his own real drum kit to play on. In those days drum tutors were practically unheard of, so Stephen taught himself by watching and listening to other drummers that he admired. Practice, practice, practice was the order of the day and it wasn’t long before the group were out, playing at local clubs and dance halls. Still at school and undergoing various band names and personal changes, ‘The Chain Reaction’ got a gig to play with Chart toppers ‘The Swinging Blue Jeans’. Quite an achievement, for a group so young