Mick Brownlee, 1944 – 2017

Christine Sexton in the Southend Echo, June 2017

Southend musician Mick Brownlee, who once persuaded legendary guitarist Eric Clapton to play a set in a high street pub, has died.

The drummer, music promoter and inspiration for two generations of local musicians has lost his ten-year battle with cancer.

He played with some of the biggest names in the music business, rocked across the Channel with Gene Vincent and played with Hunt Runt Shunt and Cunningham, the Alvin Jones Band and Mickey Jupp’s Band.

He was one of the guiding lights of the Essex Live Aid benefit which raised thousands for charity in the Eighties, and also enjoyed playing golf with showbiz friends.

Mick, 73, was born in Chiswick but raised in Leigh, taking up drumming while still at Belfairs School in Leigh. He joined bands like Mickey Law and the Outlaws, and the Planets before becoming a founder member of the first beat group from Southend to score a chart hit, The Paramounts.

They played regularly at the Shades, a basement coffee bar on Southend seafront, where crowds of Mods and Rockers paid the equivalent of eight pence with their first bottle of Coca-Cola for free, at regular Sunday night sessions featuring rock ‘n’ roll hits of the day.

But by the time Robin Trower, Diz Derrick and Gary Brooker had success with a revival of the Coasters’ Poison Ivy, Mick was gone from the group. Former bandmates spoke glowingly of both his quick wit, and his refusal to surrender to his disease.

Guitarist Dave Barnes was in the influential rock ‘n’ roll band The Rockafellas, and remembers meeting Mick at the Palace Hotel at the top of Pier Hill, home of live music at the time, in 1960.

He said: “Not only was he a great mate, he was also a fantastic drummer. I was in awe of him. He put a lot back into the music, when he was not playing he was organising shows, always with great enthusiasm.

“I, and no doubt hundreds of others, will miss him.”

Bandmate Tony Sumner added. “He was such a good drummer, I tried to poach him for my own band back in the day.

“No one had the feel he had. Of course, years down the line, we played together in a number of bands, which I always enjoyed.”

He was a hugely successful salesman, helped no doubt by his infectious sense of humour, and when he was offered a new job in Cambridge, he put the band on the back burner and left town.

Mick is survived by his wife of 34 years Doreen, and fought bravely against the cancer and renal failure that claimed his life.

The Paramounts, with their new drummer BJ Wilson morphed into the world-famous Procol Harum, active today with Gary Brooker still out front.

Mick never expressed any regret about failing to ride that gravy train to fame and fortune, and remained on the best possible terms with Gary, promoting shows at Club Riga with Gary’s side-band No Stiletto Shoes.

He was also responsible for the reunion of The Paramounts with its original members in 2005

Mick is survived by his wife of 34 years Doreen, and fought bravely against the cancer and renal failure that claimed his life.

Former band mates speak glowingly of both his quick wit, and his refusal to surrender to his disease.

Guitarist Dave Barnes was in the influential rock’n’roll band The Rockafellas, and remembers meeting Mick at The Palace Hotel at the top of Pier Hill, home of live music at the time, in 1960.

Dave said: “Not only was he a great mate, he was also a fantastic drummer. I was in awe of him. He put a lot back into the music, when he was not playing he was organising shows, always with great enthusiasm.

“I, and no doubt hundreds of others, will miss him.”

A view echoed by bandmate of both Dave and Mick, Tony Sumner. “He was such a good drummer, I tried to poach him for my own band back in the day. No-one had the feel he had. Of course, years down the line, we played together in a number of bands which I always enjoyed.”

Any amusing anecdotes about Mick? “Well, he was coming up with a new joke every five seconds. But I clearly remember one tale when Mick was in the band dressing room, and there was a character dressed in a cowboy hat, shirt, boots, with a gun in his holster.

“Mick said: ‘Who are you?’

“The cowboy character said he was from the other band on the bill, The Ranchers.’

“Quick as a flash, Mick came back with ‘Really...what sort of music do you play?’”

[Re. the repetitions in the text above ... BtP has advised the author]

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