There’s a book about the sixties that I can’t wait to read when it finally comes out. Jeff Dexter is in the process of writing his memoir and I predict this will be the seminal book on the thriving music scene of the 1960s and 1970s. Born Dexter Jeffery Bedwell on August 15, 1946 in Lambeth London, Dexter started out as a dancer and singer, progressing to become a well-known DJ, promoter, rock band manager, record producer, club host and event planner.
Jeff Dexter has made just about every move in and around the entertainment industry. He started with Mecca Dancing in 1961, he was a dancer and singer with the Cyril Stapleton Orchestra at London’s Lyceum Ballroom, where he was banned for obscenity after doing The Twist on the dance floor. Dexter was also a boy in the band when he was on the road, which meant taking care of all the props, extra instruments and sheet music. During his Lyceum days, Dexter became a disc jockey and MC at Record Hops, working with Ian “Sammy” Samwell and also Jimmy Savile (then the dance hall manager at Leeds Locarno). Dexter also worked with many other dance bands, and elsewhere in London he started and introduced new rhythm bands.
Dexter helped lead Britain’s first mobile record break in February 1962, starting at Greenwich Town Hall followed by other regular promotions in Brighton and Croydon. He also became a partner in a record promotion company with Tony Calder. The first album they promoted together was Love Me Do. Dexter gave up on his singing career after he had to follow Ike & Tina Turner at the Hammersmith Palais. Dexter and Samwell organized many late-night disco shows in London’s West End nightclubs, including The Flamingo on Wardour Street, The Roaring Twenties on Carnaby Street and The Crazy Elephant on Jermyn Street.
In 1966-7, Dexter worked as a presenter and DJ at the Tiles Club on Oxford Street hosting all the soul and pop acts, including the late Otis Redding. He hosted the record-breaking lunchtime shows immortalized in Tom Wolfe’s book Noonday Underground. Dexter then started The Jeff Dexter Light & Sound Show with the emerging underground and psychedelic scene, featuring acts like Pink Floyd. Dexter also took up residence at the Middle Earth Club in Covent Garden with John Peel, but did not accept an offer to join BBC Radio One.
From 1968 to 1973, Dexter promoted and presented rock shows at the legendary Roundhouse at Chalk Farm, primarily under the Implosion banner. Dexter helped organize and present nearly every major festival, including many of the free concerts in Hyde Park. He also renamed Eric Clapton & Friends as Derek & The Dominos. Dexter introduced and arranged most of the acts performing at the 1971 Glastonbury Fayre. He also led the band America and co-produced their first number one album in the US, as well as their first single for Warner Brothers Records.
Between 1973 and 1979, Dexter managed and produced numerous artists, negotiating deals with Atlantic Records (Isaac Guillory), Warner Brothers (Peter Sarstedt, BIM) and EMI (Alfalpha), and Sire Records (Hawkwind). Dexter also toured the UK, US and Europe, ran merchandising concessions for many acts and ran his own music publishing company.
During 1979-81, Dexter moved between Milan and New York, working with well-known Italian groups and recording disco records, but he also worked with some of his favorite musicians.
In 1981-83, he moved back to the UK to manage a new band called BIM (Cameron McVey was on vocals and Andy Harley on keyboards), signing them to Arista Records, then Warner Brothers Records. Dexter then began promoting retro record shows in West End clubs, and during 1983-89 promoted a regular club, called The 2I’s on Tottenham Court Road in the Empire Rooms, worked with Time Out, organized music and entertainment at large corporate parties. .
In 1990, Dexter started managing rock bands again, took on new partnerships, made several records, and wasted too much time and money. He joined a group of old friends to bid for a radio license and joined a consortium aiming to relaunch shows at the Roundhouse.
Jeff Dexter, who is currently a successful lifestyle consultant, is separated from his wife Simona Perlasca (after 30 years), has two sons Wesley (event manager and DJ Loki) and Lincoln (art history student).