The Monarchs, a group from Belfast that changed regularly, attracted Van. The group had previously performed with singer Evelyn Boucher ('Deanie Sands') as Deanie Sands & The Javelins.
Guitarist Billy McAllen often visited the Morrison family. "Often he would visit From home to school and listen to obscure blues records. He was amazed to discover that the Morrisons actually owened a television set ".
When Boucher left the Javelins they had to start again and called themselves the Thunderbolts, later the Monarchs. Initially they performed instrumental music as was around in 1960. Popular with them were, for example, guitarist Duane Eddy, Johnny & the Hurricanes and the Shadows (who previously performed as the Drifters). Wesley Black ('Blackie') played piano in the style of Jerry Lee Lewis.
During a rehearsal in the spring of 1959 Van Morrison appeared on stage, 'armed with a tenor saxophone bought by his father'. On that instrument he had been taught by a local music teacher, who himself was an admirer of saxophonist Lester Young. Van played with the Monarchs for a while until he was gradually banished from the group, partly because of excessive drinking, which did not fall in favor with everyone, and certainly not with guitarist George Jones. But his behavior also stood out, the author heard. "A lot of people thought he was simply mad".
However, there was plenty of interest for a saxophonist. In the early years of pop music you heard that wind instrument on numerous famous American rock and rhythm & blues albums (Louis Jordan, Bill Haley, Fats Domino, Ray Charles). Van performed with all kinds of groups in Northern Ireland.
An important moment in the life of the boy was the death at the age of 29 of his favorite cousin Gloria (Gordon) on December 28, 1961. Van found a strong connection with Gloria. Rogan: "When he later sang 'Gloria' it was certainly memories of touching, reassuring moments that made him chant 'Lord, she makes me fell all right'".
Van was now sixteen years old. "No doubt he needed some healing at the beginning of 1962". He missed his friends with the Monarchs, who had rejected him. Van sought consolation from the mother of group member George Jones, who was particularly annoyed by his alcoholism.
George: "Totally out of the blue he came to my house. My mother was very fond of Van and said 'Come on in son, what's the problem?' He told me he did not want to go back to the group but he did not know how to go about it ".
Van was allowed to drink a cup of tea and it came back well between him and his former mates. When Van asked if he could play again, mother Jones stated: "He's a nice wee lad, give him another chance". That made the difference, especially when the saxophonist promised to moderate himself with drinking wine.
Occasionally Van would also sing with the Monarchs. He performed as a vocalist on 'I go ape' (Neil Sedaka), 'Yakety Yak' ( Coasters ) and 'Turn on your lovelight' (Bobby Bland). What's more, Van came up with a saxophone solo in 'Things', a hit by Bobby Darin. At that time he also wrote his first song, 'I think I'm in love with you'.
In the spring of 1963 the Northern Irish Monarchs came into contact with two Scots: bass player Bill Carson and singer George Hethrington, a fan of Ray Charles. Carson immediately became a member of the group as a substitute for Noel Clyde, who got married.
The singer had to make more effort to make it with the young people from Belfast. If they accepted him as their new vocalist, he promised, he would introduce them to his manager Frank Cunningham. He had contact with life everywhere, Hethrington claimed. With Cunningham for business, it was easy to make a six-week tour through Scotland, then to conquer London and then manifest on the European continent. In that case, the Monarchs would become the International Monarchs.
Guitarist Billy McAllen immediately won. At home he proudly told his mother: "I'm going to be a professional musician".
The parents of most members of the Belfast pop group were less enthusiastic. Violet, Van Morrison's mother, had her doubts as well, the biographer later heard from her mouth: "I tried to tell him that it was a bad life and that is the way to go. But nothing would put him off. He was determined to go ".
After a lot of discussion, the parents decided not to block him. "His father and I talked about it and we decided to let him go. It would either kill him or cure him ". Not all parents were that easy. The new (international) Monarchs finally stayed with five: Morrison, McAllen, Jones, Black, Carson and Hethrington - the latter would come to the fore as a singer.
The claims of the Scottish singer were largely bluff. The capacities of his 'manager' were rather limited. But with a Scottish drummer there (Lawrie McQueen), the Monarchs soon moved around hoping to earn some money with their music. Most income, however, benefited gasoline with a van from one place to another. Sometimes the young people simply went hungry.
Revenues came mainly when they could join Don Charles, a singer with some fame in Scotland. After a performance with the artist in Aberdeen, they had enough money to take the van all the way to London - in search of the big breakthrough. They did not have the slightest idea how to approach it.
After a few days, all the money was gone. The youthful and inexperienced pop artists had a harder time than ever in the capital of Great Britain. Rogan: "Within days their money had dwindled to a pittance and they were reduced to sleeping in the crowded minibus while suffering harassment from patrolling policemen".
Every night was looking for a parking space where they could spend the night as clochards. They ended up in an underground garage, where they felt safe. "They are stripped to their underwear, lining their shoes and socks along the roof of the wagon. They were a gross spectacle, unwashed and stinking to high heaven ".
And now sleep. "Lawrie McQueen is rolling with his feet protruding through the vehicle's side while Morrison wisely decided to sleep beneath the minibus".
The next morning it was scaring. The Monarchs were surrounded by Rolls Royces, Jaguars and Daimlers. Men with bowler hats in neat suits, with briefcases in their hand, stepped out and 'greeted' the pop artists with "Good Lord, what is that ?"
The Irish and Scots were, without realizing that, landed in the parking garage of the British Senate, the House of Lords. They did not know how fast they could get away. "Revving up the wagon, they drove off pursued by the near-naked Morrison who was clinging on the car park."
Singer Don Charles felt sorry for the beginning artists. With some money, he helped them get their feet up so that they could present themselves in London. It worked. Ruby Bard, manager of successful orchestras such as that of Kenny Ball ('Midnight in Moscow') and the Temperance Seven ('You're driving me crazy') managed to house the Monarchs for a few gigs.
Bard: "We booked them into a few Irish dance halls. They were not easy to deal with - they were a bunch of tearaways ".
The group also acted for American soldiers who were stationed in London. In London you found German impresarios at that time looking for British groups to perform in West German nightclubs. Many of those groups, including the Beatles, had gained months of experience in Hamburg and other German cities in such a way.
The Monarchs were allowed to take an aptitude test at the London Flamingo Club thanks to Ruby Bard. Bard: "I deal with a German promoter who has a few of my jazz bands and he has decided to take the Monarchs. It was a good experience for any young group to play Germany at that time. They have their set in order to survive.
Van Morrison could not just travel to West Germany. He was only seventeen years old. The British authorities had to give special permission before he could work in that country. There was also a lot of bureaucracy involved, before the International Monarchs could make the crossing.
The last hurdle, which still had to be taken, was mother Violet Morrison in Belfast. He did not like it. Rogan: "She was extremely concerned about allowing her innocent son to taste the forbidden fruits of a country whose language he did not even understand. 'He said he wanted to go to Germany - well, he was still a boy' ".
Van's mother even called in a policeman to eliminate as many risks as possible. "We had a friend in the police and the made inquiries for us. He made sure everything was above board. We got a copy of the contract. His pay was around £ 42 a week which seemed to us good money for a boy ".
Van got the advice of his mother not to spend everything immediately, some money to keep behind. He promised that. With this he managed to overcome the resistance in Belfast.
The International Monarchs traveled by public transport (train, boat, train) to Heidelberg where according to their contract they performed for a month in the Odeon Keller. Every evening, seven days a week, they were on the stage from eight o'clock in the evening until three o'clock at night. On Saturday and Sunday they also had to be in the afternoon. With seven, the British shared two rooms to spend the night.
Apart from Germans, the artists in the basement also had to deal with American soldiers. Many of them had a black skin color. Because they kept (rhythm &) blues Van Morrison soon connected. One of them turned out to be a fan of Bobby Bland, whose song 'Turn on your lovelight' was already on the repertoire. Van now received numerous singles from the record collection of the military songs by Bobby Bland and other black music. Morrison: "I do not like talking in biblical terms, but it was like the road to Damascus. I really wanted to do songs like these ".
Van also took over expressions like 'Yeah man', 'It's crazy' and 'Let's dig it'. The contacts with black American soldiers in Heidelberg were a source of inspiration for Van Morrison. For the first time, the Irish harmonica played in public - especially during 'Elevate me mama', a Sonny Boy Williamson song.
In Germany, the Monarchs underwent a total change. Instead of behaving like an Irish show band with neat suits, they went on the rhythm & blues tour. Not only the previously mentioned 'Turn on your lovelight' but also 'What'd I say' and 'Sticks and stones' from the repertoire of Ray Charles were performed in long versions. More and more Van Morrison turned out to be the singer, the face, of the group. His black friends soon called him 'the little white negro'. On August 31, 1963 was From eighteen years. During a surprise party he was put in the spotlight in the Odeon Keller.
The Monarchs did well in Heidelberg. The owner of the cellar therefore decided to extend the contract by four weeks. Ruby Bard in London came to pass to arrange that they (for that reason) would only occur later in Frankfurt and Cologne.
During the stay in Germany, the Scots and Northern Irish, who formed a pop group out of opportunism, did not grow together in the two chambers that they had to share together. Obviously there were incidents, including about women and drink. George Jones, who had previously put Van Morrison out of the Monarchs because he was annoyed by his excessive drinking, resumed - with all the consequences that entails. After a week or six the bomb burst.
Rogan: "The hard-drinking Scottish musicians were reprimanded by the bossy George Jones and did not take kindly to his killroy attitude. After a heated argument, they were ignominiously sacked ".
The International Monarchs were suddenly halved in Heidelberg, far away from home. But they had to go further because of contractual obligations. What could they do differently than to call Belfast in hopes of getting other young musicians to fill the vacant ranks immediately.
Oliver Trimble, drummer of the King Oliver Showband, was the first to play. But more urgent was the replacement of Scottish singer George Hethrington. With great urgency they approached ex-Monarch Roy Kane, who had not grumbled about going along with the 'big march' to Scotland, London and Germany. The Irish young people in Heidelberg kept insisting. They told Kane that the group in West Germany was becoming more and more popular. That claim proved to be enough to draw him over.
The need was high. Roy Kane had to get on the plane immediately. In Frankfurt he was picked up on 25 September 1963 and taken to the Odeon Keller by car. There he was welcomed by the remaining group members. That same evening he played with him, without any rehearsal.
Roy Kane later: "It was only after the gig that I learned all the hassles they were having with the Scottish boys, and all the fights and threatening. They had wanted to get them out of their way. They were still hanging about and they were trying to get back in the band ".
Thanks to the arrival of Oliver Trimble and Roy Kane, it became even more enjoyable in Heidelberg. They kept the best memories of the farewell of their American friends (with American cigarettes) and girlfriends.
From Heidelberg the Monarchs traveled by train to their second location: Cologne. In the Storyville jazz club they were busy setting up their equipment when the manager came running and asked what they were doing.
After the Irish had explained that they were International Monarchs, they were informed that they had registered with a wrong Storyville club. They were not expected that day in Cologne but in Frankfurt.
The panic was great among the disorganized pop artists. In great haste they went to the right establishment, packed with people who had been waiting for them for hours. Rogan: "The club was already packed and the manager berated them for their unpunctuality". What could they do differently than put their things on the stage as quickly as possible and make music.
The conditions in Frankfurt were very similar to those in Heidelberg. Once again black American soldiers acted as presence and women ('showgirls') were not missing either. The group, now without the three Scots, was getting better and better read in the book. For Van Morrison, his stay in Germany, particularly in Frankfurt, was instructive. He did not come to the fore a lot. Rogan: "Morrison was happy to play the sax and enjoy his vocal spots. He could fade into the background or perform wildly, depending on his mood ". The real decisions were mainly taken by George Jones.
In Frankfurt there were more clubs than Storyville. During a break, the members of the Monarchs sometimes went exploring to hear what other groups were doing. One group made so much impression that it was not forgotten - the Tielman Brothers. "McAllen was especially enamored by the Tielman Brothers, an Indonesian group with a fantastic guitar sound".
Of course there was not much time to look around. The Monarchs had to play themselves. A pause could not last too long.
Healthy youth did not lead a healthy life. The money earned was largely spent on alcohol and unhealthy food. Drummer Roy Kane: "We lived on hamburgers, bacon, eggs and chips". According to Van Morrisson's mother they had hardly anything to eat, at least she had heard of her 18-year-old son at that time. "He was telling me that all the boys were absolutely starving and had nothing to eat for ages. From used to go into these supermarkets where they were giving free samples or cheese, just to get something to eat. Another time, he said, he had a stale loaf or bread between the lot of them and had to eat it ".
Johnny Rogan did not believe that kind of communication. In the photos, taken at that time, Van Morrison looked prosperous. "Period photographs picture Morrison with a sizeable girth and a visible tissue of fat beneath his chin".
Working together and living together in a few rooms gradually took its toll. Although they could go through one door more easily, and had the same kind of 'Ulster humor', conflicts sometimes broke out. Roy Kane later said: "We all lived in each other's dirt". Especially the leadership led to disagreement.
Van Morrison was pretty cool. He did not quite belong to it. Afterwards his fellow musicians understood: "He was just a bit strangely compared to the rest of them", "He was obviously different from everybody else" and "He was weird". It hardly occurred to them that Van was quite aloof. They led a superficial existence: "The next girl, the next bear, the next fag, the next gig - nothing was that deep".
At the end of their stay in West Germany, the Monarchs traveled to Cologne for the second time to perform in the local Storyville club.
In Cologne it was different than elsewhere. The pop group no longer worked in the American sector of the Allied occupation army, but in the British. There were no more black soldiers to listen. The British soldiers were also much more restricted in their nightlife.
The audience in the Cologne Storyville club consisted for a large part of German young people. They did not want to hear black rhythm & blues, but the beat music from Liverpool, which in 1963 was rapidly becoming very popular. The Monarchs in Cologne were expected to play covers of the Beatles' first hits, Billy J. Kramer & the Dakotas ('Do you want to know a secret') and Gerry & the Pacemakers ('How do you do it').
The Irish artists, who, thanks to the American audience, had made the leap from showband to performers of black music, had to make a musical step back. They were also expected to dress neatly in identical suits, like the Beatles did in England when they played hits like 'Love me do', 'Please Please Me' and 'From Me to You'.
Van Morrison certainly did not feel like it, George Jones stated later. "I think it really frustrated From a lot. We did not go well in Cologne ".
In Cologne, the Monarchs also came into contact with drugs. Billy McAllen: "In Cologne, I started taking dexedrine, and some other thing. There was an RAF section there and we got friendly with the airmen. One was a medic and he had access to these pills ". A German single for the Monarchs
The German record industry was open to foreign artists. Not only foreign vocalists were invited to German recording studios - this also applied to groups that performed in German clubs. During their stay in Hamburg, the Beatles, led by orchestra leader Bert Kaempfert, made recordings for the local record company Polydor. The Dutch (White) Shoes were also in the studio for the first time in Germany.
Cologne was the home of the big record company Electrola (EMI). But the new CBS label was also active. A & R manager Ronald Kovacs came to listen and offered George Jones a contract with the words "I want to make you a star. Make a record for me ". In a Cologne studio the group recorded a single with the songs 'Boo-zooh (Hully Gully)' and 'O Twingy Baby'. The single appeared under the name Georgie & The Monarchs on the German record market.
According to Kovacs, the single was a success. According to Rogan, however, there has never been anything to be seen on German charts.
As said, Cologne was a disappointment for the Irish, especially the last weeks. That also applied to Van Morrison. When he was asked in the club to perform 'Petite Fleur' (Monty Sunshine) it was not in good condition. Morrison did no more than shrug his shoulders when asked if he had ever heard of the Dave Clark Five ('Glad all over'). The relatively simple and superficial British pop music from 1963 did not have his interest. That was a step back in his musical development.
At the end of 1963, everyone was back home in Belfast, not far from Liverpool on the other side of the water. "The homecoming was brutally anti-climactic. Tired of each other's company, they were drifted into other projects and suddenly the Monarchs were no more ".
The international adventure of Van Morrison cs had gone out as a night candle. In 1964 Van Morrison made his comeback in pop music. A few months after the disintegration of the Monarchs, he became the face of a new group that, like the Rolling Stones, profiled with white rhythm & blues music. Van Morrison became the singer and the face of Them.