JEFF HIBBARD
MY HISTORY & SOME LINKS
1951 I was born on the 12th day of April from the marriage of, Beatrice and Leslie Hibbard at
Shady
Lane, Great Barr, Birmingham U.K.
I am one of five children, Leslie Terence, Peter John, Patricia June,
Jeffrey David, Shirley Ann.
1957
I was run down and nearly killed by the local wine lodge van, featured
in the Birmingham Evening Mail, I spent Xmas
in Birmingham
Childrens
Hospital.
1962 The first guitar I ever played was built by my cousin Keith, from a kit, then a neighbour
showed me how to play a repetitive note run on the bass strings of his classical guitar.
1963 I bought my first guitar from a class mate called Robert Plant, we both went to Warren Farm Senior School, Robert has two sisters and a brother.
1965
I met the singer Tony Orlando, we were on
holiday at the Ponderosa Club at Great Yarmouth, I
also saw my first famous group live, The Shadows, Tony told me to carry
on playing the guitar.
1967
I
Played in my first group The Approach, with
Ozzy and three others.
1968
The Approach split
up, I got involved in
motorbikes and got arrested during the Hells Angels
and Skin Head riots, which were featured in the Sutton Coldfield News.
1971
We used to see an old white ambulance which Black Sabbath used in the
early years
parked outside Bill Wards house, my parents and Bills parents were good
friends and neighbours.
1976
Joined a local working group who were called Amber and we were featured
in the Sutton Coldfield News, and we played the pub and club circuit for
about eight years, we played songs like Paranoid, Smoke on the Water,
Sultans of Swing, Imagine, I shot the Sheriff, plus many other songs.
1982
Apart from playing lead guitar, I started writing songs and poems, and
began doing artwork.
1984
I left a group who were then called Trapper and began to write more
songs.
1989
Had a part of one of my songs King, played on Radio W.M. by Les Ross.
1995
I went public for the first time about playing in The Approach with
Ozzy, I sent a short letter to Total Guitar
Magazine, and they published it in the October 1995 issue number 11, on
the Letters Page, and they called it OZZYS FIRST HIT.
Total Guitar Magazine,
30
Monmouth Street, Bath, BA1 2BW, U.K.
1996
I met the guitarist Tony
Iommi at the
Birmingham Guitar Show, and Steve Gibbons at the launch of a book about
Birminghams music scene,
I was interviewed by Cable T.V.
The book contains
Ozzstory and the book is
called Swinging in the Sixties, costs £2.00 and is available from
bookshops or, Central Library, Chamberlain Square, Birmingham, B3 3HQ,
U.K.
1997 The B.B.C. wrote to ask me if I have any photos of The Approach, as they are doing a documentary on Black Sabbath, I am also mentioned in a book called, Mothers 1968-1971, which is all about that famous club and contains a list of all the bands that played there, costs £7.95 and is available from bookshops or, Central Library, Chamberlain Square, Birmingham, B3 3HQ, U.K.
1999 I discovered Ozzyhead which is a great website all about Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath,
Mitch is a dedicated Ozzy/Sabbath fan. To see Mitch’s site, all the photos and songs,
Click here: http://www.ozzyhead.com
2000-07-09
I was interviewed by Birminghams Historian
Doctor Carl Chinn, on Radio W.M., at Pebble Mill Studios, the interview
lasted 15 minutes.
2001 I discovered Brumbeat which is a great website all about Birminghams music scene in the 1960s,
John put a small piece about me on his site. To see John’s site, all the groups and photos,
Click here: http://www.brumbeat.net
2003 My story was published in, Brum rocked On, by Laurie Hornsby, a second book about Brums
great music scene.
2004-06-05 Today I was listening to a new show on Radio WM presented by Jimmy Franks, the show is
all about Brums famous Groups and Musicians, imagine my surprise when Jimmy said at the end
of the show, “We will try and track down Jeff Hibbard who played in the Approach with Ozzy Osbourne
before Ozzy went on to sing in Black Sabbath”.
So I emailed Jimmy after the show and am awaiting his reply, it looks to be a great show every Saturday.
2004-06-13
( This is an email that I sent to the Jimmy Franks show )
Dear
Jimmy Franks, Thanks for mentioning my name on your first show, I think the
show is great and the people with all their memories too; I’ve seen some
great bands myself.
Hows
about-WHITESNAKE at the Odeon up town, superb, first live famous group in
1965, The Shadows at Great Yarmouth, the Bootleg Beatles at the NIA,
fantastic, also Gary Moore, Stevie Wonder, at
the Odeon.
Trevor Burton Band at Erdington, and of course, Black Sabbath, my daughter
said,
“My
God, they are so Gothic”.
Yes I
played in The Approach with Ozzy, the lead was
called Tony and he was the tallest in that group, I remember the bass as
being called Terry?, the drummer only played with us a few times so I did
not get to know his name.
I was
on the Carl Chinn show about The Approach and my music and website; I found
out later that Geezer's brother only lives 3 miles from me.
Anyway, you must look at my site to read that story, a brief biog and maybe
listen to my songclips on the
frontpage if you wish.
Regards, Jeff Hibbard.
2004-07-17 Jimmy Franks read out my email message on his show today.
2004-09-17 Eddy completed an interview with me for Rock of Ages, Eddy has a passion
for groups and musicians that can only be appreciated by visiting his website.
To see my interview, and others too,