Clockwise :
Keith "Ginge" Taylor, Bill Covington,
Rob Tucker and Dave Gummer.
The photo was taken by Bob Freeman who
also took the pictures for
the cover of The Beatles "Rubber
Soul" album.
It
was cold, it was windswept, in was May 1965 and polo-neck sweaters were
very much in fashion - Paul's polo looks like those The Rustiks were
wearing.
Maybe that's why Brian Epstein chose them for his new proteges.
Bills career took off when he joined The Rustiks, who had been signed by The
Beatles manager Brian Epstein. He said "I was in Gordon Clark's Music
Centre when a call came through from their lead guitarist.
"They were looking for a drummer and Gordon put my name forward.
"I auditioned and got the job. I never forgot Gordon for that break.
"I went to London and became involved with The Beatles and the scene that
went along with the Brian Epstein organisation.
"In December 1965, I was at Brian Epstein Christmas party at NEMS office
headquarters.
"I was slightly the worse for wear after some excessive celebrations, and I
traded insults with John Lennon.
"Nevertheless, I was still chauffeured back to my flat in Lennon's Rolls
Royce by Peter Brown.
"Brian Epstein was very good to us: he bought all out stage clothes and
generally looked after us.
"Mal Evans, The Beatles road manager came to our hotel in December 1965 to
borrow our van for a trip to John's house to pick up presents to be delivered to
Zak, Ringo's son.
"I could have gone with him, but as I was playing at the Savoy Hotel in the
evening it was doubtful that I would get back to central London in time.
"After the demise of The Rustiks and the split with Epstein in March 1966,
The StaggerLees were looking for a drummer.
"Another Plymouth drummer, Dave Cawse, suggested that I should join them.
"After leaving The StaggerLees, I studied at Nottingham University, then
went to Warwick University, before returning to playing drums full time."
Bill is now percussionist at the Northern School of Contemporary Dance in Leeds,
and plays for Contemporary Dance Companies including the Phoenix Dance Company,
The Ballet Rambert and The British Ballet Organisation.
The Rustiks had two singles released on Decca - What a memory can do (Sept. '64)
and Not the loving kind (Jan '65).