The Symbols
| Company type | Pop group |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1965 |
| Defunct | 1974 |
| Headquarters | United Kingdom |
| Products | Music recordings, singles, albums |
The Symbols were a British pop group established in 1965 and remained active until 1974. They are primarily recognized for two UK charting singles: "Bye Bye Baby" (1967) and "(The Best Part of) Breaking Up" (1968).
Career
Initially known as Johnny Milton and the Condors during the early 1960s, the group released two singles under Fontana before adopting the name the Symbols in 1965. The original members included John Milton on vocals, Mick Clarke handling bass, Shaun Corrigan on lead guitar, and Clive Graham playing drums. Their first single as the Symbols, "One Fine Girl," produced by Mickie Most, did not achieve commercial success. A subsequent cover of "Why Do Fools Fall in Love" also failed to gain traction, resulting in their contract termination by 1966. They frequently played at the California Ballroom located in Dunstable.
Following this period, Clarke left to join the Tremeloes and was succeeded by John Bachini (also known as John Baccini), with Adrian Gurvitz later taking over bass duties. Clarke is credited with introducing the Tremeloes to "Silence is Golden," a song originally part of the Symbols' catalog. Bachini departed to join the Robb Storme Group (which evolved into Orange Bicycle), while Chas Wade stepped in as drummer amid ongoing lineup changes.
In 1966, Edward Kassner founded President Records and signed the Symbols to produce covers of American hits. Their first release under this label, "See You in September," did not make an impact on the charts. However, persistence led to success with their rendition of "Bye Bye Baby," originally by the Four Seasons, which climbed to number 44 on the UK Singles Chart in August 1967. This track later gained wider recognition when covered by the Bay City Rollers in 1975. Their next single, "(The Best Part of) Breaking Up," a cover of a Ronettes song, reached number 25 in early 1968. Following releases failed to chart.
By late 1972, Shaun Corrigan was replaced by Trevor Mee from Unicorn, and Phil Chesterton took over drumming duties from Clive Graham. Corrigan and Graham formed a separate version of the band concurrently. Early in 1973, Mee departed and Brian Gill joined as guitarist. The group continued performing extensively across college venues, clubs, and cabaret shows, including a summer engagement in Costa Dorada, Spain. They worked on an unreleased single titled "Something Crazy's Happening," penned by Chesterton. In late 1973, Clarke exited to join the Rubettes, with Dave Guscott stepping in on bass. Milton left early in 1974 to become part of Sparrow; unable to find a suitable lead vocalist replacement, the band ultimately dissolved. Meanwhile, the Corrigan-Graham lineup persisted briefly.
In 1975, the band issued a single named "Canadian Sunset" on Crystal Records, composed by E. Heywood and N. Gimbel.
Band members
- John Milton – lead vocals
- Mick Clarke (born Michael William Clarke, 10 August 1946, Grimsby, Lincolnshire, England) – bass guitar / vocals
- Shaun Corrigan – lead guitar
- Clive Graham – drums
- John Bachini – bass guitar / vocals
- Chas Wade – drums
- Adrian Gurvitz – bass guitar
- Trevor Mee – guitar
- Phil Chesterton – drums
- Brian Gill – guitar
- Dave Guscott – bass guitar
Chart singles
| Year | Title Songwriters |
UK Singles Chart |
|---|---|---|
| 1967 | "Bye Bye Baby" (Bob Crewe / Bob Gaudio) |
44 |
| 1968 | "(The Best Part of) Breaking Up" (Phil Spector / Peter Andreoli / Vince Poncia) |
25 |
Compilation albums
| Year | Album Title |
|---|---|
| 2004 | The Essential Selections of The Symbols: Presidential Recordings 1966–1968 |