“It was in 1972 that the Drifters quietly left the talent roster of Atlantic artists The Drifters moved to England and continued with several different vocalists. Although early lineups included golden era singers Moore, and later Ben E. King, they fell off the US radar, but continued to have UK chart successes, notably “Like Sister & Brother”, “Kissin’ in the Back Row of the Movies”, “There Goes My First Love” and “You’re More Than a Number in My Little Red Book”. Butch Leake and former Ink Spot Grant Kitchings replaced Sheppard and Thomas. Fredricks was replaced by Clyde Brown the next year, and Kitchings by Billy Lewis the year after. Leake was replaced by Joe Blunt in 1976, making the lineup Johnny Moore, Clyde Brown, Joe Blunt, and Billy Lewis. This year, Faye Treadwell renamed the group’s management company Treadwell Drifters Inc. Moore left in 1978 and was replaced by Ray Lewis. Blunt and Billy Lewis left in 1979 and were replaced by the returning Johnny Moore and former Temptations lead Louis Price. Moore left again in late 1982, along with Clyde Brown. They were replaced by two returning members, Benjamin Earl Nelson (a.k.a. Ben E. King) and Bill Fredricks.”
That was the story of the Drifters in the UK, dropped from Atlanta, off to the UK, headed by old time Drifter Johnny Moore, they recorded a handful of indelible hits as a sort of sound of Philly meets the Drifters (with Clyde and Ben. E.) harmonies in the heart of the glam world of 70s rock. Dressed in white polyester, and willing to sing anything stuck at them, to sometimes frightening results, try “Midnight Cowboy” But if at their worse, the Drifters in the UK were singing synthetic sub-Stylistics disco pop, at their best, lead by Johnny Moore, they grasped the moment with a clutch of huge hits which seem to have disappeared from the repertoire. “Kissin’ in the Back Row of the Movies”, “There Goes My First Love”, “Can I Take You Home Little Girl”, “Hello Happiness” and “You’re More Than a Number in My Little Red Book” are all first rate, “Every Night’s A Saturday Night With You” is worthy of the late 1950s Drifters.
For us kids, from so far away, there was something a little naive about it: teen bopper songs with a synthetic sheen, but addictive, and hits, and they worked on the dancefloor. I was visiting the UK in the summer of 1972 and I remember these hits as a soundtrack to the time, unlike 2015 there wasn’t the undertow that is all over hip hop, it didn’t drag you down.
I saw the Drifters a coupla years ago, whoever was with them then, with the Drifters at least there was always a lot of singers coming and going ( around 60 by my reckoning) but they didn’t go within a million miles of their 70s hits. Still, more than a number in your little black book,go on Amazon to check em out, the 70s Drifters isn’t on Itunes or Spotify.
