Windmill (2)

English pop rock band, active between 1966-1970. Dick Scott (2) (lead guitar, and vocals), having gained a small following in Germany, resolved to put together a band, The Dick Scott Company, back in the UK. He advertised in the Melody Maker, and through this he succeeded in recruiting Paul French (keyboards, and vocals), and Nigel Reveler (drums, and percussion). In a 2005 interview, French recalls that also "joining the band was Dave Knowles on sax/ flute and Gavin Wilkinson, known as Chris Gavin in those days, on bass". They toured Germany for a couple of years, before signing a management deal with Ken Howard and Alan Blaikley, who changed the band's name to Windmill. They also began to write for, and produce the act, and it was they who penned their first release, and subsequent no.1 in Belgium, 'Big Bertha'. Howard and Blaikley had successfully managed and written for The Honeycombs, Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich, and The Herd. However, they failed to make any further impact with their next two singles, and Scott decided to return to touring in Germany where he could "command pretty good wages". After performing at such a gig in Cologne (Köln), they all took to a Mercedes saloon and a van in order to drive overnight to Berlin, but on the way Ilsa, Dick Scott's wife, veered off the road and crashed into a tree killing herself, Scott, and the promoter's wife. After regrouping back in the UK, the remaining four members decided to continue to write, and perform together but in a different musical direction, and under a new name. Howard and Blaikley, who were still managing them, chose Tonton Macoute.