| In 1930 a talented musician aged 21
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| | The constable cycled away with a smile on
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| decided to form a dance band, and hey
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| | his face with two prized autographs in
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| presto, the country's, if not the
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| | his notebook!
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| world's, longest serving entertainment
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| | But I digress. It was with an eight-piece
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| unit was born and has been doing jus that
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| | band, playing in the style of Oscar
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| non-stop ever since! The Joe Loss
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| | Rabin's Romany Band at the Astoria
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| Orchestra now directed by Todd Miller is
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| | Ballroom, that Joe took the first steps
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| still appearing countrywide to this day.
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| | to becoming well-known. His growing
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| I say "entertaining" because Joe always
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| | popularity brought him a job at the Kit
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| said, "although we are in the music
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| | Kat Club where he made many of the BBC
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| business we are also entertainers." When
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| | outside broadcasts. During his time there
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| Joe became ill in 1990 he asked Todd to
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| | he raised the personnel to 11 plus a
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| take over the Orchestra and not one
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| | young lady vocalist - a croonette as they
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| booking was cancelled. Todd himself
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| | were known. She made her first broadcast
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| joined the Orchestra in 1972 and is now
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| | singing "Red Sails In The Sunset" the top
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| regarded by many as one of the best front
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| | hit of the day in 1935. She was only 18
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| men in the business.
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| | and in years to come became the "Forces
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| It was in 1969 that Joe decided, for
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| | Favourite" none other than Vera Lynn.
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| financial reasons, that he would reduce
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| | After a long residency in London Joe
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| the personnel to ten musicians and three
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| | began to tour the music halls, as did
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| vocalists. He felt that when the moment
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| | many bands of the day. During the war he
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| was right he would re-assemble the big
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| | took the band to entertain the troops
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| band. Indeed to this day there are many
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| | around the UK and eventually to France
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| musicians playing in present day big
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| | and Holland. In 1946 Joe began a regular
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| bands who appear in the Joe Loss Big Band
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| | residency in the Isle of Man from May
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| whenever the band is booked.
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| | until the end of September, which lasted
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| On the subject of big bands and their
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| | until 1959. With the coming together of
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| leaders there is an amusing story
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| | the ITV companies Joe and the orchestra
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| relating to Joe and Billy Cotton. It
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| | became the house band for ABC and opened
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| appears that one morning just after the
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| | up all of the television regions
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| end of the war, Joe arrived home after a
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| | throughout the UK during the period from
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| gig just before breakfast. Having had a
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| | 1956 to 1960. They were to be seen
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| quick cup of tea and still in pyjamas and
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| | regularly on television often up to four
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| dressing gown, who should be knocking at
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| | times a week. This was followed by a long
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| the front door other than Billy Cotton
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| | residency at the Hammersmith Palais until
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| with a brand new motor car. He insisted
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| | August 1969 broken only by an 18-week
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| on taking Joe for a spin and although the
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| | season at the Empire Leicester Square and
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| weather conditions were pretty grim,
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| | 12months at the Lyceum in 1967. They then
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| bitterly cold and with thick snow off
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| | moved on to the Empire until November
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| they went into the surrounding
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| | 1970 at which point Joe decided to
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| countryside. Unfortunately, before too
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| | retire. He told Sam Watmough, the current
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| long the car ran out of petrol (it still
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| | manager of the band, who joined in 1956
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| being rationed that time didn't help) and
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| | that during the meeting he was to inform
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| Billy left Joe in the car whilst he set
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| | the band of his decision.
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| off in the quest for a garage. There sat
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| | Joe opened his speech saying "Gentlemen,
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| Joe as cold as ice and with teeth
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| | we shall be leaving the Empire and Mecca
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| chattering when along came the local
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| | in 6 weeks time on November 30th." This
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| bobby. Pushing his bicycle, he enquired
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| | brought Stan Pickstock, lead trumpet, to
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| as to why Joe was sitting in the car in
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| | his feet, Stan had been with the band
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| freezing weather wearing his pyjamas and
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| | since 1961, who said, "bloody great, now
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| dressing gown. Joe informed the police
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| | we can get back on the road," at which
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| constable that he was Joe Loss and that
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| | point the band applauded.
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| Billy Cotton had gone off to try and get
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| | Joe however was taken aback and said, "I
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| some petrol. By the look in his eye the
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| | didn't think you would want to go on the
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| constable was finding it hard to believe
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| | road again, but if you do that's fine."
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| such a story, until Billy re-appeared
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| | So the Joe Loss Orchestra was back on the
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| with a can of petrol and convinced the
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| | road once again and had remained so ever
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| sceptic that the story was indeed true!
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| | since.
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