Davie Jones / David Bowie and The Lower Third (April 1965 - 29th January 1966)

David Bowie (Davie Jones): Vocals, tenor & alto saxophone.
Denis 'Tea-Cup' Taylor: Lead guitar.
Graham Rivens: Bass guitar.
Les Mighall: Drums.
Neil Anderson: Occasional vocals.
Phil Lancaster later replaced Les Mighall on drums.

The group originally formed, as a five piece, in 1963, as Oliver Twist and The Lower Third. They had all but split up (after losing three members), but decided to carry on and search for new recruits. The band held auditions and accepted both David Jones (Bowie) and Steve Marriott into their ranks in April 1965. Bowie was to play saxophone for the group, whilst Marriott was to be the singer. But, almost immediately, Marriott left the group (and went on to form The Small Faces), leaving David to take on the job of lead singer! The group agreed to a small change in name and were now known as Davie Jones and The Lower third, though Bowie would occasionally be billed as Davy Jones and then, eventually, David Bowie (on September 17th 1965).

The groups first recording session with Bowie included the demo 'Born Of The Night', which came to nothing! After a short stint of recording jingles for a US radio station, David's producer (he had previously produced The Manish Boys single 'I Pity The Fool') Shel Talmy managed to persuade Parlophone records to let the group record a single. 'You've Got A Habit Of Leaving' was produced by Shel at IBC Studios in Portland Place and written by Bowie himself (credited to Davy Jones). The single was released on August 20th 1965 to universal un-interest from the buying public!

Now signed to Pye Records, the group released a new single 'Can't Help Thinking About Me' on January 14th 1966. Like the rest Bowie's output thus far, the single flopped.

The band was by now in a pretty bad way, the preferential treatment David was getting as lead singer wasn't going down too well with the rest of the band and even though they had managed to secure a booking on tv's Ready Steady Go! it was decided that David would leave the group.

Records released by The Lower Third -
You've Got A Habit Of Leaving / Baby Loves That Way
Parlophone R 5315
Recorded at IBC Studios in Portland Place and released on August 20th 1965

Can't Help Thinking About Me / And I Say To Myself
Pye 7N17020
Recorded at Pye's Marble Arch Studios and released on January 14th 1966

Songs known to have been performed by The Lower Third:
You've Got A Habit Of Leaving / Baby Loves That Way / The London Boys / Can't Help Thinking About Me / Chim Chim Chree / Mars. The Bringer Of War / Born Of The Night.

Known performances by The Lower Third (with David Bowie) performing as Davie (also Davy) Jones & the Lower Third and eventually, David Bowie & the Lower third -

1965 April ?? Soho, La Discotque - Auditions for - The Lower Third
1965 May 17th - Littlestone, Grand Hotel
1965 May 28th - Bournemouth, Pavilion
1965 May 30th - Bournemouth, Pavilion
1965 June 4th - Bournemouth, Pavilion
1965 June 5th - Queensborough, Borough Hall
1965 June 11th - Brighton, Starlight Rooms
1965 June 12th - Manchester, King's Head
1965 June 13th - London, Roebuck Pub
1965 June 14th - Leeds, White Bear
1965 June 19th - Edgbaston, Happy Towers Ballroom
1965 June 23rd - Tadcaster, Fairlight Gardens
1965 June 26th - Bromley, Bromel Club
1965 June 27th - Bournemouth, Pavilion (Audition for Ralph Horton)
1965 July 2nd - Bournemouth, Pavilion
1965 July 3rd - Isle Of Wight, Ventnor Winter Gardens
1965 July 4th - Bournemouth, Pavilion
1965 July 9th - Bournemouth, Pavilion
1965 July 10th - Isle Of Wight, Ventnor Winter Gardens
1965 July 11th - Bournemouth, Pavilion
1965 July 16th - Bournemouth, Pavilion
1965 July 17th - Isle Of Wight, Ventnor Winter Gardens
1965 July 18th - Bournemouth, Pavilion
1965 July 23rd - Bournemouth, Pavilion
1965 July 24th - Isle Of Wight, Ventnor Winter Gardens
1965 July 25th - Bournemouth, Pavilion
1965 July 30th - Bournemouth, Pavilion
1965 July 31st - Isle Of Wight, Ventnor Winter Gardens
1965 August 1st - Bournemouth, Pavilion
1965 August 6th - Bournemouth, Pavilion
1965 August 7th - Isle Of Wight, Ventnor Winter Gardens
1965 August 8th - Bournemouth, Pavilion - The Lower Third
1965 August 13th - Bournemouth, Pavilion - The Lower Third
1965 August 14th - Isle Of Wight, Ventnor Winter Gardens
1965 August 15th - Bournemouth, Pavilion
1965 August 19th - London, 100 Club
1965 August 20th - Bournemouth, Pavilion
1965 August 21st - Isle Of Wight, Ventnor Winter Gardens
1965 August 22nd - Bournemouth, Pavilion
1965 August 26th - London, 100 Club
1965 August 27th - Bournemouth, Pavilion
1965 August 28th - Isle Of Wight, Ventnor Winter Gardens
1965 August 29th - Bournemouth, Pavilion
1965 September 4th - London, Marquee
1965 September 7th - London, 100 Club
1965 September 11th - London, Marquee
1965 September 14th - London, 100 Club
1965 September 18th - London, Marquee
1965 September 21st - London, 100 Club
1965 September 25th - London, Marquee
1965 September 28th - London, 100 Club
1965 October 8th - London, Marquee
1965 November 5th - London, Marquee
1965 November 19th - London, Marquee
1965 December 10th - London, Marquee
1965 December 24th - London, La Discotque
1965 December 31st - Paris, France, Golf-Drouet
1966 January 1st - Paris, Montmartre Bus Palladium
1966 January 2nd - Paris, Golf-Drouet
1966 January 6th - London, Victoria Tavern
1966 January 7th - London, Marquee
1966 January 12th - Newmarket, Community Hall
1966 January 15th - Harrow, Alexander Tavern
1966 January 17th - Carlisle, Holly Bush
1966 January 19th - Birmingham, Cedar Club
1966 January 28th - Stevenage, Town Hall
1966 January 29th - Bromley, The Bromel Club
1966 February 3th - London, The Marquee Club
1966 February 4th - London, The Marquee Club
1966 February 5th - London, The Marquee Club