Wayne Fontana

(& The Mindbenders)

  • Real Name: Glyn Ellis
  • Birth Date: 28th October 1945
  • Birth Place: Manchester
  • Wayne Fontana took his name from the drummer D.J.Fontana and not his record label as is sometimes supposed. He and his group, the Mindbenders, were one of the many talented acts to come out of Manchester during the 1960s 'beat boom'. Wayne was an accomplished R&B singer and soon gained a useful following of female admirers in the north of England.

    The band had immediate chart success with their first single, but its lowly #46 position and the failure of its follows up were disappointing. However, their fifth and sixth releases made the top 5, though 'Game Of Love' was held back from the top spot by 'I'll Never Find Another You' by the Seekers.

    The 'Game Of Love' EP shown here is possibly the easiest to find of the group's output on that particular format. It bears the catalogue number TE17449 and carries an unusual mixture of material. Along with both sides of their best selling single- from which it gained its title- it also has "She's Got The Power" and "One More Time", which are tracks that don't appear on any of their UK singles issues.
    Sadly, by the end of 1965, although the hits had continued, Fontana decided to go solo. This appears not to have done him too much harm because he managed to achieve four more hits without the aid of his former backing musicians. However, he faded from the scene rapidly after 1968 and although he continued on the club rounds he fell into obscurity for many years. Fortunately, after putting personal problems behind him, he was persuaded out of his retirement during the late 1980s and can still be found at 1960s nostalgia concerts occasionally.

    1950s & 1960s 45rpm UK Discography

    • Listings include UK 45 singles releases only
    • Collector's Items are shown In Red
    • See lowest list for EP releases

    Wayne Fontana & The Mindbenders
    Fontana TF404 1963 Hello Josephine/ Road Runner #46
    Fontana TF418 1963 For You For You/ Love Potion Number 9.  
    Fontana TF436 1964 Little Darlin'/ Come Dance With Me  
    Fontana TF451 1964 Stop Look And Listen/ Duke Of Earl #37
    Fontana TF497 1964 Um Um Um Um Um Um/ First Taste Of Love #5
    Fontana TF535 1965 The Game Of Love/ Since You've Been Gone #2
    Fontana TF579 1965 Just A Little Bit Too Late/ Long Time Comin' #20
    Fontana TF611 1965 She Needs Love/ Like I Did #32

    Wayne Fontana
    Fontana TF642 1965 It Was Easier To Hurt Her/ You Made Me What I Am Today #36
    Fontana TF684 1966 Come On Home/ My Eyes Break Out In Tears #16
    Fontana TF737 1966 Goodbye Bluebird/ The Sun's So Hot Today #49
    Fontana TF770 1966 Pamela Pamela/ Something Keeps Calling Me Back #11
    Fontana TF827 1967 24 Sycamore/ From A Boy To A Man  
    Fontana TF866 1967 In My World/ The Impossible Years  
    Fontana TF889 1967 Gina/ We All Love The Human Race  
    Fontana TF911 1968 Storybook Children/ I Need To Love You  
    Fontana TF933 1968 Words Of Bartholemew/ Mind Excursion  
    Fontana TF976 1968 Never An Everyday Thing/ Waiting For A Break In The Clouds  
    Fontana TF1008 1969 Dayton Ohio 1903/ Say Goodbye To Yesterday  
    Fontana TF1054 1969 We're Building A Love/ Charlie Cass  

    EP Discography

    • Note: all EPs credited to Wayne Fontana & The Mindbenders
    • Collector's Items are shown In Red
    • See Upper List For Singles releases

    Fontana TE17421 1964 "Road Runner"  
    Road Runner/Young Blood/Duke Of Earl/Talkin' About You
    Fontana TE17435 1965 "Um!, Um!, Um!, Um!, Um!, Um!" #7
    Um, Um, Um, Um, Um, Um/First Taste Of Love/Stop, Look And Listen/Too Much Monkey Business
    Fontana TE147449 1965 "The Game Of Love" #19
    Since You've Been Gone/The Game Of Love/She's Got The Power/One More Time
    Fontana TE17453 1966 "Walking On Air"  
    Remind My Baby Of Me/Walking On Air/She Needs Love/I'm Qualified


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