The Special Agents

THE release of the "Bulletproof Beat" album heralds a welcome return to stage and screen for the former kings of the South Yorkshire beat & instrumental scene: The Special Agents. FORMED in 1959 in response to the wave of excitable panic caused by the first generation of British rock 'n' rhythm, The Special Agents were originally a one man skiffle troupe led by AGENT GEOFF RUSSELL (guitar / Hammond organ). THE first true configuration of The Agents coalesced in 1962 when guitarist AGENT ROD AIKEN (one time member of the 'Calendar News' house band, alongside legendary saxophonist Richard Whiteley) plus drummer and former prodigious child actor AGENT MIKE RAYNOR (star of such classic shows as "Suburb of the Apes" and "Michael Monkey Muckles Many") were added to the group. THE SPECIAL AGENTS soon became legendary sessioneers. Forced into the studio at gunpoint in 1965 to perform as backing musicians to 'King of Merseybeat' Jimmy Tarbuck, The Agents met jobbing bassist AGENT CHRIS CREWE (real name Davros von Klinkerhoffen)...and a band was born! Cynically co-opting the then-popular cinematic image of suave super spies, The Agents proceeded to hitch their cart to whichever bandwagon was coasting along Tin Pan Alley at the given moment: beatle pop, surf guitar, hammond beat or simple novelty rock 'n' roll. THE SPECIAL AGENTS proceeded to spread their concept thinly over a series of many albums including "A Sideboard of Sounds" (1966), "The Crazed Ideas of the Special Agents" (1969) and the rare vocal excursion "Voice of an Agent" (1976), not to mention a string of singles for a plethora of different labels; for example, "Bullet Proof" (Intermediate, 1967), "The Wailing Asteroid" (Pie, 1976) and "Valley of the Jason Kings" (Stuff, 1983). NOW, after an enforced period of detention, The Special Agents are BACK. They promise yesterday's sounds at tomorrow's prices...TODAY! FROM HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE, TO HER MAJESTY'S PRISONS...AND BACK AGAIN!!!!!!!!! We present...The Special Agents! Members: AGENT GEOFF - Joined Band: 1998, Role: organ / guitar AGENT ROD - Joined Band: 2000, Role: guitar AGENT CHRIS - Joined Band: 2002, Role: bass guitar AGENT MIKE - Joined Band: 2005, Role: drums Former Members: AGENT SCOTT - Years with Band: 1998-2005, Role: drums AGENT NEIL - Years with Band: 1998-2001, Role: bass AGENT CALVIN - Years with Band: 2001, Role: bass