Representative Albums: "Sectuality", "The Definitive Downliners Sect: Singles A's & B's", "The Sect/The Rock Sect's In
Representative Songs: "One Ugly Child", "Everything I've Got to Give", "Why Don't You Smile Now
Biography
Of all the British R&B bands to follow the Rolling Stones' footsteps, the Downliners Sect were arguably the rawest. The Sect didn't as much interpret the sound of Chess Records as attack it, with a finesse that made the Pretty Things seem positively suave in comparison. Long on crude energy and hoarse vocals, but short on originality and songwriting talent, the band never had a British hit, although they had some sizable singles in other European countries. Despite their lack of commercial success or appeal, the band managed to record three albums and various EPs and singles between 1963 and 1966, with detours into country-rock and an EP of death-rock tunes. Although they recorded afterwards, it is the Sect's early work that continues to attract connoisseurs of '60s garage and punk. ~ Richie Unterberger, All Music Guide
The Downliners Sect were a British rhythm and blues band of the beat boom era, formed in 1963 when the existing Downliners band split up.
Stylistically, they were similar to The Yardbirds, The Pretty Things and the Rolling Stones, playing basic R & B on their first album The Sect. They subsequently modified their musical style, and after an EP of 'sick' songs (eg "I Want My Baby Back") they experimented with both country ("The Country Sect") and rock ("Rock Sect's In"). They later collaborated with Billy Childish'sThee Headcoats, and released two albums under the name Thee Headcoats Sect.
Don Craine (born Michael John O'Donnell, 29.3.1945, at Chiswick Maternity Hospital, Hounslow, Middlesex) - guitar, vocals, tambourine, maracas, autoharp
Keith Grant (born Arthur Keith Evans, 26.3.1946, in Farnworth, Lancashire) - bass, vocals
Johnny Sutton - drums (born John Sutton, in 1944).
Terry Gibson (born Terence Frederick Clemsom, 7.2.1947, at the Mayday Hospital, Croydon, Surrey) - guitar (replaced the short-lived original guitarist Melvin)
Ray Sone - harmonica (joined in 1964, beating Rod Stewart and Steve Marriott)
Pip Harvey - harmonica (replaced Sone in 1965, left in 1966 because he was wanted by the police!)
Zach Wilson - guitar (replaced by Craine)
Discography
Singles
Jun '64 - Baby What's Wrong / Be A Sect Maniac (Columbia DB 7300)
Sep '64 - Little Egypt / Sect Appeal (Columbia DB 7347)
Nov '64 - Find Out What's Happening / Insecticide (Columbia DB 7415)
??? '65 - Wreck Of The Old '97 / Leader Of The Sect (Columbia DB 7509)
Jun '65 - I Got Mine / Waiting In Heaven Somewhere (Columbia DB 7597)
Oct '65 - Bad Storm Coming / Lonely And Blue (Columbia DB 7712)
Jan '66 - All Night Worker / He Was A Square (Columbia DB 7817)
Jun '66 - Glendora / I'll Find Out (Columbia DB 7939)
Sep '66 - The Cost Of Living / Everything I've Got To Give (Columbia DB 8008)
"Brite Lites": Bright Lights Big City/I need you baby(mona)/Do the Dog/Roll Over Beethoven (Contrast RBCSP 002, 1964) :Unreleased, finished sleeves exist. Tapes lost in 1964, rediscovered in 2009
"The Sect Sing Sick Songs" - I Want My Baby Back/Leader of the Sect/Midnight Hour/Now She's Dead (Columbia SEG 8438, 1965)