Its members at that time included pianist Gil Lucas (born Gilbert James Lucas, 20 September 1936, Kensington, South West London) and bass player Lenny Blanche (born Leonard Frederick Arthur Blanche, 1 June 1936, Woolwich, South East London).
They then added tenor saxophonist Alan "Earl" Watson (born Alan Michael Watson, 8 July 1940, Forest Gate, East London), formerly a member of Georgie Fame and the Blue Flames, so becoming The Migil 5, and won a residency at the Tottenham Royal dance hall, replacing the Dave Clark Five.
Expanding their repertoire to cater for a younger audience, they recorded their second single, "Mockin' Bird Hill"[2] - a country song which had been a US hit for Les Paul and Mary Ford - in a style then known as "bluebeat" and later as ska.
[2] It was released the same week as Millie Small's ska hit "My Boy Lollipop", and entered the UK Singles Chart in March 1964, rising to No.
Watson brought a harder R&B sound that made them more appealing to teenagers, but they all looked more like music teachers than rock & rollers.
Subsequent singles and an EP, Meet the Migil Five, failed to make the British chart,[2] although the group remained popular in Ireland.