THE ROLLING STONES

The Dover- based group was formed as a skiffle group in 1956. Its first ‘core members’ were Dover Grammar School pupils Kitson ‘Kit’ Keen, Bob Hopkins and Brian Scotcher. Kit took the name from the Muddy Waters song. They were joined the following year by Pete Piddock and Ronnie Hambrook and became one of the first groups in Kent to progress from the tea chest basses, acoustic guitars and washboards of the skiffle era to a ‘proper’ drum kit, string bass and electric guitar and graduate to playing real rock ‘n’ roll.

The first complete line up 1956-1959 was Kit Keen - lead vocals & rhythm guitar, Peter Piddock - lead guitar (from 1957), Bob Hopkins - rhythm guitar, Ronnie Hambrook - string bass (from 1957), Brian Scotcher - drums

During 1959 Pete Piddock left to go to univeristy. Bob Hopkins took over temporarily as lead guitarist and was replaced by Johnny Smith on rhythm guitar. When Kit left in 1960, Ronnie Hambrook took over as lead vocalist, Bob changed to playing bass guitar and Pat Cahill (later Neil Landon) joined on guitar & vocals. When Pat Cahill left at the end of the year, I was invited to join as lead guitarist. Johnny Smith left in the summer of 1961 and Pete Inwood joined to play rhythm guitar.

During the band's final year, the line up was Ronnie Hambrook - lead vocals, Mick Morris - lead guitar, Pete Inwood - rhythm guitar, Bob Hopkins - bass guitar, Brian Scotcher - drums

During 1961 the band played more than sixty gigs mostly in the Dover, Folkestone, Deal and Ashford areas, made two TV appearances, recorded an unreleased single (‘When My Little Girl Is Smiling’ b/w ‘Summertime’). The group’s popularity was further increased by the exposure they got supporting visiting bigger name acts including Joe Brown, Sounds Incorporated, The Barron Knights, The Spotniks, Screaming Lord Sutch, Shane Fenton (later to become Alvin Stardust) and numerous others. That year, they also took part in the London final of a national rock group competition.

It was shortly after this that the existence of a newly-formed, London-based band using the same name was brought to their attention. There was some brief discussion among us as to whether we should object or not. It was well documented that we'd been playing under the name for years and if we had acted quickly they might well have had to find another name, but to be honest we were beginning to think it was time for a change anyway, so we didn't bother and the rest is history. But I must admit I have often wondered what would have happened if we had!.

Around the same time (in mid-1962), Ronnie Hambrook left the band and Dave English was recruited to replace him. Bob and Brian were now the only remaining members of the original line-up. After six years as one of the busiest and most popular groups in the South East, The Rolling Stones decided to change their name and became The PLAYBOYS.