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Candy Band Feature (1969-1975?)

Photo Gallery - Band Lineups - Discography - Audio samples - Where Are They Now?

The Story

Editor's Note: Researching the history of Candy has been made quite complex by the fact that their history is so intertwined with that of the band "Sunshine." However, we have done our best...enjoy!

It would appear the beginning of Candy actually started on Easter Sunday, April 6th, 1969 when the band, based in Larne near Belfast, hit the road as a new pop "showband." Managed by Cecil Thompson, the original line-up was: Bryce Norrie (vocals), Stuart Bingham (guitar), Ray Toal (bass), Barry Patterson (drums), George Doherty (keyboards), Sam Greenaway (trumpet), and Dave Smyth (sax). Their seven piece line-up was typical for a showband at the time, but they were one of a growing number of pure pop bands which started as the split between country and pop bands became more pronounced at the end of the 1960's.

Within a few weeks, in late May, they released their first single, "A Little Bit of Soul" with the George Doherty-penned song, "Signs of Love," on the B-side. Although considered a "showband" by the standards of the day, they made it clear in publicity, that they were to be known as simply "Candy," a trend which would continue with pop bands like Chips, the Memories, etc. However, they were often mistakenly referred to as "The Candy."

In June,  1969, after only a few months on the road, they had a single out and found themselves playing on the same bill as the chart topping Troggs when they came to Ireland in June. For the rest of 1969, the band went from strength to strength, playing further afield and making great strides as they appeared to pack ballrooms across the country. Cecil Thomason was doing his job as they were receiving plenty of press for being "Sweeter than Sugar - That's Candy," their advertising slogan. They were also being compared to the North's leading pop outfit at the time, the Freshmen.   

In April, 1970, the band released it second single, "Put Your Bell Bottoms On" with "Crazy Bout My Baby" as the B-side. The release coincided with their one year anniversary on the road. An interesting side note was that for weeks before the release it was reported that their new single would be "Girls, Girls, Girls." By mid 1971, the band, who had been huge in the north, finally conquered Dublin with a few gigs around the city, including the famous Television Club. Word was, they had finally arrived.

At some point in, we think, December, 1971 (we can't find any specific references to it in the papers) four members of Candy left and formed a new pop band called "Bang." This band was also a "showband" sized outfit with seven members. The band would basically replace Candy and played the same gigs, in fact one advert for the Ardree Hotel in Waterford was "welcoming the band back," although the previous time they played there they were Candy. Within a few months, Bang had disappeared and their new name was Sunshine. The band would be advertised as "ex-Candy" initially. We have also read that the rest of Candy may have become a group called "Spring" for a short time.         

In March, 1973 Stuart, Ray and Barry left Sunshine to join up with Paul Lyttle's new band (Paul left Chips) Lyttle People after he split with his original members. Stuart also did a short stint with The Sands around that time. For a short time, Sunshine was forgotten. Also in March the band Candy reappeared on the scene playing the Adelphi Ballroom in Dundalk, so we assume they were back on the road after the split. The band's history gets quite confusing here as when the three lads left Sunshine, it appears the remaining members, including Bryce Norrie, reformed Candy. 

In late 1973, Lyttle People split with Paul and Linda rejoining Chips, this left Stuart Bingham without a job. At the same, it was reported that Candy was going through its own problems and the end result was the reformation of Sunshine with the lineup as: Bryce Norrie (vocals), Ray Toal (bass), Stuart Bingham (guitar), Sammy Johnson (keyboards), Barry Patterson (drums) [both Sam and Barry were with the original Sunshine], Fran Dennis (trombone) and Gerry Mulryan (trumpet). However, despite being reported in Spotlight, Bryce did not leave Candy, and we do not know what Stuart and the others actually did for the next few months.

While all this was going on a report in the "Popping Around" column in the Connaught Telegraph reported that future legendary promoter, Louis Walsh, was putting together a band also called Sunshine but this apparently never happened. An advert for the band in the September, 1973 issue of Spotlight named George Doherty as the manager, but he was still playing with the band as far as we know.  

However, in May 1974 an article in Spotlight reported that Bryce was leaving Candy and was going to team up with his old bandmate Stuart Bingham, who was playing cabaret with a band called Tapestry. Tapestry had been on an extended tour of Canada and when they returned they started looking for a guitarist.

In late 1973, although it was reported that Stuart and Ray left the band to reform Sunshine, Stuart joined cabaret band, Tapestry. The lineup in December, 1972 was: Bryce Norrie, George Doherty, Denis Forbes, Colin Unknown, Martin Hughes, Alan Black and one un-named member. A small blurb in the April 25, 1974 issue of Spotlight reported that Bryce Norrie had quit the band and was replaced by Jimmy Kirk. The same article said that the band had been together for five years, but took a break for a year when everyone in the band but George Doherty left to form Sunshine.  

In August, 1974 Spotlight's Rock On column reported that Colm Martin and George Doherty had both left the band, leaving it to continue as a 5 piece.

More to come.......

Photo Gallery

Click on thumbnails for full images

CANDY

Candy - 1969 Candy - 1969 Candy - 1969 Candy - 1969 Candy - 1969
Candy (KS) Candy (MN) Candy - 1971 Candy - 1970 Candy - 1969
Candy - 1969 Candy - 1970 Candy - 1970 Candy - 1970 Candy - 1970
Candy - 1971 (RF) Candy - 1973 (RF) Candy - 1969 (RF) Candy - 1973 Candy - 1973
 
Candy - 1975 Candy - 1974 Candy - 1973 Candy - 1973 Candy - 1970
Candy - 1970 Candy - 1970 Candy - 1970 Candy - 1970 Candy - 1971

BANG

   
Bang - 1972 Bang - 1972 Bang - 1972    

SUNSHINE

Sunshine - 1972 Sunshine - 1972 Sunshine - 1972 Sunshine - 1972 (RF) Sunshine - 1973

CANDY

Candy - 1973 Candy - 1973 Candy - 1973 (RF) Candy - 1973 Candy - 1973
Years Vocals Guitar Bass Drums Keyboards Trmpt/Vocals Sax/??

CANDY

April
19
69
Bryce
Norrie
Stuart
Bingham
Ray
Toal
Barry
Patterson
George
Doherty
Sam
Greenaway
Dave
Smyth

BANG

Sept
1971
Bryce
Norrie
Stuart
Bingham
Ray
Toal
Barry
Patterson
Sammy
Johnson
Brian
Thompson
Mike
Brown

SUNSHINE

May
1972
Bryce
Norrie
Stuart
Bingham
Ray
Toal
Barry
Patterson
Sammy
Johnson
Brian
Thompson
 

CANDY

Mar-Nov
1973
Bryce
Norrie
Denis
Forbes
Colin
Martin
Martin
Hughes
George
Doherty
Alan
Black
 
1974 Jimmy
Kirk
Denis
Forbes
Colin
Martin
Martin
Hughes
George
Doherty
Alan
Black?
 
Aug
1974
Jimmy
Kirk
Denis
Forbes
Unknown Martin
Hughes
  Alan
Black?
 

Discography

A Little Bit of Soul / Signs of Love
Emerald Records - MD 1119 - May, 1969
Put Your Bell Bottoms On / Crazy Bout My Baby 
Emerald Records - MD 1139 - April, 1970

 

Audio Clips

Coming Soon

Where Are They Now?  

Bryce Norrie:
Stuart Bingham:
Ray Toal:
Barry Patterson:
George Doherty:
Dave Smyth:
Sam Greenaway:
Denis Forbes:
Alan Black:
Martin Hughes:
Colin Unknown:
Jimmy Kirk:

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In Loving Memory of Grant Gallagher: Sept. 21, 1990 - Nov. 18, 2006