ECHO Memories often feels like it is an international dating agency, putting family and friends from around the world in touch with one another.
Here's a fantastic request I've just received:
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Hello Chris, I am working on a book about the Copenhagen beatmecca Hit House, where Gemini 5 played 14 days in 1966. Do you by any chance have an email address of one of the guys or could you help with a 1960s picture of the band.
Greetings from Denmark, Thomas Gjurup
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In 2006, the column had a long-running series about 1960s pop bands, and Gemini 5 from Crook were one of them. In fact, I reckon the series inspired them to have a reunion.
Sadly, because I am not the most organised of people, I no longer have contact details for Tony Greensmith or any of his fellow bandmembers. Someone out there must have. Please let me know, so I can let Copenhagen know!
In the meantime, I'll forward Thomas the picture, and below is the article I did in 2006:
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Band that reached for stars is reunited
March 8, 2006
FORTY years ago, The Gemini 5 were one of the biggest Beat bands in the area.
Born in Crook during the space race, they based themselves in Brian Rinaldi's coffee shop, and played hundreds of gigs across the North-East before splitting up in 1968.
The five lads had gone their separate ways and had not even bumped into one another in the intervening three decades.
But, inspired by the Echo Memories series on 1960s Beat bands, lead guitarist Tony Greensmith decided to make contact once more and, last Thursday night, The Gemini 5 reformed - around a pub table.
"We'd come across many of the groups that had been featured in the column, like the Blue Chips, the Gringos and Styx, but since we called it a day in 1968, I had seen the singer once 15 years ago and never the others, " said Tony.
After a long round of telephone dialling and wrong numbers, he successfully found Trevor Singleton (vocals), Brian Oswald (drums) Alan Vipond (bass) and Ron White (rhythm).
The band had formed in August 1965 when Nasa launched the Gemini 5 space mission - an eight-day manned flight that broke the Russian space endurance record.
They practised above the Moravian Chapel in Crook, and played their first gig in St Stephen's Church Hall in Willington (now the Kensington Hotel).
The bookings began to mount. When Styx - a south Durham band - split, Tony bought their Gretsch Tennessean guitar and Vox AC30 amp. Brian bought a set of Premier gold litter drums, Alan bought a Hofner fiddle bass (the same model as Paul McCartney's) and The Gemini 5 were ready for the big time.
They covered songs by The Who, the Kinks, the Small faces and the Beatles.
"In those days, new records were released on Fridays, " says Tony.
"I'd pick one from Brotherton's in Bishop Auckland and, by Saturday afternoon practice, I'd have worked out the guitar parts and Trevor would have taken down the lyrics. We'd turn out that night at a dance or working men's club and play it."
ATthe Elite in Crook, they backed such big names as Eden Kane - No 1 with Well I Ask You - and the Mojos (best known for their non-hit Got My Mojo Working and for having in their line-up Lewis Collins, who later starred in The Professionals on TV).
"Ferryhill Gaiety Ballroom was always an interesting venue, " remembers Tony.
"It was an old picture hall with the seats taken out but the floor still sloped like in a cinema.
"At the beginning of the night, people were dancing all over the floor but by the end everyone was crushed together at the front because they'd come down the slope."
BY 1968, the Beat boom was over and the boys were getting older.
"I was working as a trainee accountant at County Hall and the Treasurer issued me an ultimatum: group or career, but not both, " says Tony.
"As Brian was going to university, the boys called it a day."
And their paths never again crossed. Until last Thursday.
Trevor went bricklaying in Germany and is now a construction site manager living in Crook.
Alan runs a painting and decorating business in Wolsingham.
Brian owns the Speedo motor factor shops and still plays the drums; Ron worked as a builder and still writes songs.
The Gemini 5 reuinon has inspired him to write Times Have Changed, and country singer Stu Stevens has just recorded It's the Story of My Life, which Terry Wogan has played on Radio 2.
And Tony qualified as an accountant and ended up as chief executive of Chester-leStreet District Council.
"I retired in 2002 and I had never touched a guitar since the band split, " he says. "But now I've got a guitar tutor and I'm back into it."
So will The Gemini 5 reform properly and take to a stage again?
"I wouldn't think so, " says Tony, "but it was mentioned.
It's a lovely thought, but maybe it's dangerous to try to recreate the past. But I would do it if the others would."
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