Lover, where are you now
in the summer of my life,
Spring has gone
and Autumn days
have yet to come
where are you?'
(From the song Lover, written by Jenny Darren and Robert Webb)
Publicity shot, from the DJM times, circa 1980, taken by Vogue photographer Bob Carlos-Clarke
The summer of 1980 was spent in a mad rush of rehearsals, and getting ready for the forthcoming ongoing tour, during which it became evident to Jenny that although seemingly on the brink of stardom she only had two pairs of jeans to her name! There were three roadies with the band, a four ton hired truck for equipment and a lighting rig, a minibus to take the band and Jenny around in, plus reasonable hotel accommodation....but Jenny was still on £50 a week. After a little pressure from the band after getting nowhere with Friarmere, Jenny made an appointment to see Dick and Steven James. It was then that jenny was told about all the massive extra moneys being paid out to Friarmere as a Management subsidy, whist they had Bentley cars, farms, and a house in Cheyney Walk, Knightsbridge, Jenny had a bedsit in Ladbroke Grove! The James boys proposed a plan...to take Jenny over themselves, but in order to do so there had to be a cooling off period between Friarmere and themselves. Jenny offered a solution - she would get a resident singing job! A week later she was working in Reading Top Rank with the Ray Markham Band. As this was a completely different music scene from the last few years, no one recognized Jenny in this new arena, and with a more staid image (Jenny found it a great irony that only in the previous year had she been appearing at the Reading Festival with her own band of musicians!)
As for the Band.. Kelly the drummer went back to LA, and Mike the guitarist went with him. Mike Tomich the bassist went on to study Law...and Bob and Jenny moved in together into a dingy little council flat in Vauxhall.
Newspaper write-up - Melody Maker, circa 1980
It was spring and things were much improved. Jenny had just signed up to a five year recording deal with the James', plus Bob and Jenny also signed up to a joint songwriting deal with them. Their first batches of songs were ecstatically received by Steven and his Father, her career was on the way up again. The good thing about doing other gigs was. that you met other musicians. And Reading was where she met bass player 'Steve Carmen'. a brilliant bassist and off the wall character, Steve introduced a drummer called 'Nico Mcbrain' to Jenny and Bob (Nico was later to become the drummer with the successful rock band iron Maiden) ..but then he was just a struggling musician. Steve also introduce J and B to 'Louis Jardin' bass player and percussionist of the 'Buggles' (Video killed the radio star) fame. plus 'Ronnie Johnson' (guitarist) and Geoff Dunn (drummer) As a first singles project, DJM bought in 'Steve Katz' the guitarist /producer from the American band 'Blood sweat and tears'. The A side was to be 'Lover' a rolling Latin style summer ballad, and on the B side 'With the band' which was about 'Dusty Springfield' who Jenny was very disappointed not to have seen on one of her rare public performances (I was back home playing music with the band!) as the song went. Hence the band consisted of Ronnie on guitar, Geoff on kit, Steve Carmen on bass, and Bob on keys. It was a great single, which unfortunately was not released, but was re-arranged into a more ‘beaty' format and put on the next album. The next thing was the album. A guy called 'Tony Sadler' (producer/guitarist) was brought in, plus his wife Gaynor who was later to sing backing vocals on the album. Tony was an excellent producer and everyone became firm friends. Tony and Bob played guitars on the album, with Steve on bass, and now Nico Mcbrain on druns and Louis Jardin on percussion. It was a brilliant album...all songs penned by 'Jenny and Bob'. The James' once again were knocked out, and decided that Jenny had to have a permanent rehearsed band just in case a quick tour came in. It was decided to bring in a second keyboard player Andy Richardson (of later on Frankie goes to Hollywood fame) so that Bob could play either keys or guitar. Then Jenny drafted in old friend and guitarist 'Chris West' (who was working with the Japanese percussion player 'Stomu Yamashta'..Steve Carmen unfortunately was sacked (of reasons we won't go into here) and replaced with 'Chas Kronk' (bassist with the Strawbs) Jenny was very upset, as she really liked Steve. but as far as the record company was concerned they were paying the bands retainers every week, plus their reasons were sound...so that was it. The weeks went by, weeks of constant rehearsing. A concert was scheduled for the 'Fulcrum Hall' Slough , attended by an army of Showbiz Royalty. It was highly successful, and the James' once again were ecstatic. By this time, Jenny and the band were rehearsing in the DJM 24 track studio. Both Jenny and Bob were under constant pressure to come up with more and more songs, well past their quota of 15 a year. In the summer of 1980 jenny became ill and went into hospital for a few days. Whilst in there, her dog Trixie died, and her divorce came through, it was all a big shock. After coming out of hospital, Bob had a breakdown, and was in a hospital in Tooting Beck for two weeks. During this time jenny used to cycle down there in the morning and watch the dawn come in. hence the song 'Daybreak'. Bob came out of hospital, but was acting very strange. Two weeks later Jenny's Mother died of a heart attack. Things were never to be the same again.
A few months later jenny went to Finland on her own for two months to do a gig. What followed was the total disintegration of her relationship with Bob Webb. In the summer of 81, Bob moved out, lock stock and shed! In the interim, Bob had had a huge argument with Dick and Steven and his contract was severed. Jenny carried on with the band, writing other material with other band members, but things had moved on. That summer Jenny was dropped by DJM with still 4 years to go on her contract. It was too difficult to fight it. Besides she had no more energy left. A year went by, a year of just sitting in the garden, and writing poetry. This exasperated Jenny's friends. And so Jenny's friend Jan Pulsford (later to become Cyndi Lauper's keyboard player) decided enough was enough. So herself, Tom Blades (guitarist) and bassist Dave Flay got together with some new material that Jenny and Jan wrote together. Gigs were arranged...some regular rock gigs at the Cartoon in Croydon, and the Greyhound in the Fulham Palace Road . There Jenny met sound engineer Steve Chaplin. it was a whirlwind courtship and they married in the Summer of 83. From the start there was a power struggle...plus the fact that Jenny had written herself out trying to fulfill her songwriting obligations to DJM. They turned down every song (so that jenny would not be free to go to another company, should any already previously published songs become successful in the interim, they would still have Jenny under contract without paying her any extra money!) It was a bitter pill to swallow; Plus from the start of her marriage it was apparent that Jenny was supposed to give up her career and be a 'housefrau'. Escape came in the form of a months Cabaret work in ' Singapore ', then an offer from a resident Band at the 'Samson and Hercules' club in Norwich . Jenny Stayed with Dave White (the bandleader) and his family for three nights a week for two months. That was until Steve put his foot down and insisted Jenny pack in singing. Instead of packing in, Jenny left London and moved to Norwich where she spent the next two years singing with The Dave White Band and The Lee Vasey band, and following this, a summer stint with drummer John Groom's Band. For the first time in her life, Jenny was doing a Summer Season… And then another!
Publicity shot and handout, circa 1980
In the fall of 1985 Jenny had regained her energy and strength and moved back to London . Initially to earn money she worked lunchtimes as a com è re in a sleazy watering hole in Piccadilly. The money was ok, but the tips were enormous, for her singing and joke telling. Jenny got back with Jan and Tom, with Neil Sadler on drums, plus a collage of bass players- Dek Vasey (brother of Lee who lived in Morden), Dave Flay again and many others. After six months on the gay gig circuit, Jenny got in with BPR agencies, who were the bookers for 'Ronnie Scotts Jazz Club' At the same time Jenny got a job in the chorus of the musical ‘Jeanne', which was on at the Sadlers Wells Theatre. As the evening consisted of two sets at Ronnie's, Jenny had to let the band do the first set on their own, and come down after the Jeanne show and perform the 12.00 spot at Ronnie's. Jenny became friends with Brian Theobald head of BPR Agency, but Brian wanted jenny to settle down and only do a few gigs here and there. This was not what Jenny wanted at all. and although Brian had great contacts he didn't want Jenny to pursue her career. However, through Brian, Jenny met 'Lyn Seymour' the prima ballerina. Her husband (who's Name escapes me) was a Hungarian Impresario friend of his.
In 86, Jeanne finished, and Jenny went to the ‘Queen's Theatre' in Hornchurch to do 'Jesus Christ Superstar'. In 87 Jenny joined the Denny Wise Orchestra, and went down to Minehead to play the Summer Season at Butlins. After the summer the Band carried on doing the London Function circuit, and interspersed with other Bands - 'Johnny Howard'; Del Bingley, etc. Jenny carried on working within this genre. In the summer of ‘88 Jenny met drummer Mark Thomas. They formed a small band together and played a whole stream of jazz/funk gigs in and around London , plus a gig with a resident band at a club in Dover Street , Piccadilly. In the autumn of '88, Jenny and mark joined the 'Nick Smith Orchestra' - a band full of wonderful players, notably the marvelous Nigel Hitchcock on lead alto - only 16 years old and already a genius!
The Darren Thomas Orchestra (From the left: Scott Garland, Nigel Crane, Lorraine Craig, Gary Cribb, Jenny Darren, Mark Thomas and Pete Long, ) - circa 1987
With Nick Smith, Jenny and Mark went for a two month stint to Geneva , Switzerland , returning in the march of 89. After which, Jenny moved to South Wimbledon and formed the ‘Darren Thomas Band', another band full of wonderful players - Pete Long on alto, Scott Garland on Tenor, Gary Cribb on bass, plus Lorraine Craig (From NYJO) as an extra Vocalist. Jenny and Lorraine were also working together in drummer Robin Hurst's function band. They soon became best friends. After moving to Wimbledon , Jenny began moving into the jazz sphere. After meeting up with drummer Mark Fletcher on a gig with the 'Chris Fletcher Band' (no relation) Jenny went on to form her new jazz quartet, consisting of Mark Fletcher on drums, Geoff Gascoigne on bass, and the marvelously talented young Liam Noble on Piano. It was almost the start of the nineties, and here was Jenny with different music, and a completely different style; and on her way up again!
<Read about Jenny's recordings with Dave Hill (Slade)>
Jenny with her parents and pets, circa 1980