them

Biography

Them is a Northern Irish rock and R&B band formed in Belfast in 1963–64, best known for the garage rock anthem “Gloria” and for launching the career of singer‑songwriter Van Morrison.[1][2][5][6] Emerging from the East Belfast group The Gamblers, the classic early lineup featured Van Morrison on vocals, harmonica and saxophone, Billy Harrison on guitar, Alan Henderson on bass, Ronnie Millings on drums, and Eric Wrixon on keyboards.[1][2] Their residency at the Maritime Hotel in Belfast quickly became legendary for its raw, improvisatory energy and blues‑soaked sets, attracting industry attention and leading to a recording contract with Decca Records.[1][2]

Between 1964 and 1966, Them released a string of influential singles and two albums, blending American R&B, blues, and beat music with a gritty, youthful attitude.[1][2][5] Their versions of “Baby, Please Don’t Go,” “Here Comes the Night,” and the hypnotic instrumental‑driven “Mystic Eyes” all charted, while “Gloria”—originally a B‑side—became a cornerstone of garage rock, endlessly covered by bands such as the Shadows of Knight and The Doors.[1][2][5] Behind the scenes, however, tensions over management, finances, and creative control, combined with constant lineup changes and heavy touring, strained the group; Van Morrison left in 1966 to pursue a solo career, while bassist Alan Henderson carried the Them name forward through new lineups that explored psychedelic rock on albums like Now and Them and Time Out! Time In for Them after relocating to the United States.[1][3][4]

Although the band’s commercial peak was brief, Them’s impact has been long‑lasting. Their fusion of R&B, blues, and aggressive, minimalist rock helped define mid‑1960s British and Irish R&B and laid key foundations for garage rock and later punk.[1][2][5] “Gloria” in particular became a rite of passage for countless bar bands and an enduring standard of raw rock simplicity, while the Maritime Hotel era is often cited as a defining moment in Belfast’s 1960s music scene.[1][2] Van Morrison’s subsequent success has further cemented interest in Them’s catalogue, and the group’s best‑known recordings are still praised for their intensity, soulful vocals, and surprisingly adventurous arrangements for their time.[1][2][4]

Fun Facts

• The name “Them” was suggested by keyboardist Eric Wrixon and taken from the 1954 science‑fiction horror film Them!, giving the band a short, mysterious moniker.[1]
• Although Van Morrison became the focal point, early members have noted that guitarist Billy Harrison was originally regarded as the band’s leader before recording success shifted attention toward Morrison.[3]
• The single “Baby, Please Don’t Go” features session contributions from future Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page on rhythm guitar, a fact later surrounded by debate over exactly which parts he played.[1][3]
• Their breakout song “Gloria” started life as the B‑side to “Baby, Please Don’t Go” before covers by American bands turned it into one of rock’s most enduring three‑chord anthems.[1][2]

Members

• Van Morrison - lead vocals, original (from 1964-04 until 1966)
• Ronnie Millings - drums (drum set), original (from 1964 until 1964)
• Billy Harrison - original (from 1964 until 1965)
• Eric Wrixon - keyboard, original (from 1964 until 1965)
• Jim Armstrong - electric guitar
• Ray Elliott
• Alan Henderson - original
• Pat McAuley

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• American blues and R&B artists (e.g., Big Joe Williams, Jimmy Reed, John Lee Hooker) - Core stylistic influences; Them built their sound on American blues and R&B repertoire, covering songs like Big Joe Williams’s “Baby, Please Don’t Go” and drawing heavily on the feel of Chicago and Delta blues. (Single “Baby, Please Don’t Go” and other R&B/blues covers in their early live sets and recordings.) [c. 1963–1966]

Key Collaborators

• Van Morrison - Founding frontman, primary songwriter and voice of the classic era; his vocals, harmonica and songwriting defined the band’s early identity before he departed for a solo career. (Singles “Gloria,” “Baby, Please Don’t Go,” “Here Comes the Night,” “Mystic Eyes”; albums The Angry Young Them and Them Again.) [1963/64–1966]
• Billy Harrison - Founding guitarist and early band leader; provided key guitar parts on early singles and helped shape the group’s R&B‑garage sound. (“Baby, Please Don’t Go” (lead guitar), “Gloria,” early Decca singles and material on The Angry Young Them.) [1963/64–mid‑1960s]
• Alan Henderson - Founding bassist and only constant member through multiple lineups, anchoring the rhythm section and later stewarding the band into its psychedelic phase. (All major 1960s recordings, including The Angry Young Them, Them Again, Now and Them, and Time Out! Time In for Them.) [1963/64–late 1960s/early 1970s]
• Eric Wrixon - Original keyboardist whose organ and piano work contributed to the early club sound and recordings. (Early live sets at the Maritime Hotel and first Decca sessions leading into The Angry Young Them.) [1963/64 (early period)]
• Ronnie Millings - Founding drummer providing the driving R&B and beat rhythms of the first lineup. (Early live performances and initial recordings leading up to “Baby, Please Don’t Go”/“Gloria.”) [1963/64–mid‑1960s]
• Jimmy Page - Top British session guitarist who contributed rhythm guitar in the studio on “Baby, Please Don’t Go,” adding to the single’s distinctive drive. (Single “Baby, Please Don’t Go” (session contribution).) [1964]
• Phil Coulter - Session musician brought in on second keyboard for the “Baby, Please Don’t Go” single. (Single “Baby, Please Don’t Go.”) [1964]
• Terry Noon and Joe Baldi - Later members who joined after early hits, helping fill out the touring and recording lineup as the band evolved. (Post‑1965 singles and live work following the initial Decca successes.) [1965 (brief tenure)]
• Kenny McDowell - Singer who replaced Van Morrison as frontman after Morrison’s departure, leading the band through its U.S.‑based psychedelic‑leaning period. (Albums Now and Them and Time Out! Time In for Them, singles such as “Walking in the Queen’s Garden.”) [1967–late 1960s]
• Ray Ruff - American producer who invited Them to the U.S. and oversaw their later recordings as they shifted toward psychedelia. (Production and guidance on U.S. recordings including Now and Them and Time Out! Time In for Them.) [c. 1967–late 1960s]

Artists Influenced

• Shadows of Knight - Chicago garage band whose hit cover of “Gloria” helped turn the song into a U.S. garage rock standard and broadened Them’s influence. (1966 U.S. top‑ten single version of “Gloria.”) [mid‑1960s]
• The Doors - American rock band that incorporated “Gloria” into their live repertoire, extending the song’s—and thus Them’s—reach into the late 1960s rock underground. (Live performances and later recordings of “Gloria.”) [late 1960s and after]
• Later garage rock and punk bands (various) - “Gloria” became a template for simple, driving three‑chord rock, inspiring countless garage bands and later punk‑era acts who adopted its raw vocal style and riff‑based structure. (Numerous covers and live versions of “Gloria” and R&B‑garage arrangements modeled on Them’s early singles.) [late 1960s onward]

Discography

Top Tracks

1. I'm Not Them (A Kiss Dressed His Cheek)
2. bathed in grey (bathed in grey)
3. lover's grip (lover's grip)
4. a tape for what i couldn't say (a tape for what i couldn't say)
5. light blue linen (light blue linen)
6. Blue Catharsis (Blue Catharsis)
7. worship or love (worship or love)
8. I'm Not Them (A Kiss Dressed His Cheek)
9. Anchor (Anchor)
10. I'm Not Them (A Kiss Dressed His Cheek)

External Links

• Spotify
• Wikipedia
• MusicBrainz

Tags: #blues, #blues-rock, #british-blues