The Moontrekkers
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | December 0, 1960 in Hornsey, London, England |
| Founder | Gary Leport, Jimmy Raither, Peter Johnson, Tony White, Robert Farrant |
| Defunct | 1963 |
| Headquarters | London , England |
Area served | United Kingdom, Sweden |
Key people | Gary Leport, Jimmy Raither, Peter Johnson, Tony White, Robert Farrant, Rod Stewart, Peter Knight, Joe Meek (producer) |
| Products | Singles: "Night of the Vampire", "There's Something At The Bottom Of The Well", "Moondust" |
The Moontrekkers were an instrumental rock ensemble from Britain active in the early 1960s, primarily recognized for their modest chart success with "Night of the Vampire," a track arranged and produced by Joe Meek, as well as their early association with vocalist Rod Stewart.
Career
The band initially formed as The Raiders circa 1960 in Hornsey, located in north London. The founding members were teenage schoolmates Gary Leport (guitar), Jimmy Raither (guitar), Peter Johnson (bass), Tony White (drums), and Robert Farrant (vocals). After Farrant's departure—who later recorded under the name Bobby Shafto—they recruited 16-year-old Rod Stewart as his replacement. The group secured an audition with producer Joe Meek, who appreciated the band's sound but was not impressed by Stewart. Consequently, Stewart exited, Meek brought in keyboardist Peter Knight, and the band adopted the name The Moontrekkers. They recorded Leport’s instrumental composition "Night of the Vampire" at Meek’s home studio in Islington, featuring Leport on lead guitar, Knight playing the clavioline, and Meek contributing haunting screams. Upon its 1961 release on Parlophone, the track was banned by the BBC due to being deemed "unsuitable for people of a nervous disposition," yet it still reached number 50 on the UK singles chart. The Moontrekkers toured independently and also served as backing musicians for singer Vince Eager.
In 1962, Leport, Johnson, and White departed from the band. Knight and Raither carried on with new members Bob Frost on bass and Derek Dampier on drums. This lineup released two singles: "There's Something At The Bottom Of The Well" (1962) and "Moondust" (1963). Although these records did not chart in the UK, "Moondust" achieved a top ten position in Sweden. The group disbanded shortly thereafter.
Later activities
Peter Knight collaborated with guitarist George Bellamy and drummer Max Temple following his time with The Moontrekkers. After leaving the band, Gary Leport founded The Dimensions alongside bassist Louis Cennamo in 1962. When their singer Tommy Bishop departed, Rod Stewart stepped in as his successor. In September 1963, they toured the UK supporting singer Jimmy Powell under the name Jimmy Powell & The Five Dimensions, with Stewart contributing on harmonica. Both Leport and Stewart exited before the end of that year. Leport then withdrew from music for a period but returned to performing in the late 1980s with a semi-professional outfit called Cut Glass, occasionally reuniting with Knight, Johnson, and White under The Moontrekkers banner. More recently, he has played with Hampshire-based group The Plonkers as well as Bournemouth jazz quartet Swing 39.
Rhythm guitarist Jimmy Raither passed away in Scotland in 1993.
The band reunited for performances at the Pipeline Instrumental Rock Convention held in London in both 1995 and 2001.
Bass guitarist Peter Johnson died due to COVID-19 complications on 8 January 2021 amid the pandemic. A 2007 interview featuring him is accessible via Hertbeat FM.
In 2008, composer Harry Whitney’s arrangement of "Night of the Vampire" was performed by the Kronos Quartet at New York City’s Carnegie Hall.
Singles
| Year | Single | UK Chart Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | "Night of the Vampire" | 50 |
| 1962 | "There's Something At The Bottom Of The Well" | - |
| 1963 | "Moondust" | - |
External links
- The Moontrekkers on GuitaresetBatteries.com (content in French)