The inception of THE BABYS began in Smalls Café on Fulham Road in London 1973, where a chance meeting had taken place between two unlikely gentlemen: one a well-traveled, ever-aspiring musician; Michael Corby and the other, a clever, supremely-confident mentor; Adrian Millar, who presented himself as a financier of bands. Results, after a great deal of posturing and the dust firmly settled, ended with Corby giving way to allowing a band to be molded around his image…

~ a Flamboyant, Magnetically Glittering, Streetwise Rock-and-Roll Outlaw ~


“Within my first ten minutes in London, on my way to the hotel carrying my prized Fender P-Bass (in its original case) when this guy comes walking towards me who looked like Marc Bolan. Without hesitation he says to me ‘Is that a bass guitar you’re carrying?’ I wanted to give him my best east coast New York deal and say ‘No…it’s a fucking Xylophone!’ But instead, I was polite saying ‘Yes, it’s a bass.’  It was Michael Corby and I knew I’d come to the right place. I’ll never forget the sight; he had on all these rock star clothes, blue boots and stars, a glitter in his eye, wearing this amazing belt”

~ Gary Shea ~



~ ‘The Belt’ Courtesy of “Sharpie” ~


After months of preparation (plotting, actually), plans were laid to form a coveted four-man rock outfit. Auditions would commence with only one goal in mind: become the Greatest Rock Band in the World!

The Story Line goes something like this:


On a cold, dark, rain-soaked Chelsea night, Corby enters the ordinary and usually calm café wearing tight bootleg jeans, Moroccan embroidered 'grandad' shirt, leopard skin choker, a most unique Concho styled Spanish belt, dark blue silver-starred boots and a long silver tasseled scarf tucked beneath a black bolero leather jacket. The visual masterpiece is completely adorned with chains, studs and plenty of exotic jewelry rattling away insuring that nobody would miss the parade…

Millar: “Like the gear…”

Corby: “Thank you, I've got ten outfits that I wear… they all look exactly like this one”

Millar: “You look like a Rock Star, whaddya do…? I mean for all I know you push a broom for a living”

Corby: “I play a guitar…as it happens. You look like a manager, what do you do…?


 Millar: “I manage bands…as it happens.”

So…as it happened, a rare case of the perfect place at the exact same time. After this initial clash of collaborative egos, and at least one false start, an ‘agreement’ was drafted and signed on September 4, 1974 with Corby as guitarist and Millar as the manager.

“Mike Corby was without a doubt, the most photogenic and charismatic musician I had ever come across. Although I had serious doubts as to whether he would be manageable, I reckoned my biggest challenge would be to convince others with an acceptable bravado to tolerate him”

~ Adrian Millar ~


~ Photograph by Ray Bailey Courtesy of The Bath Chronicle ~


“Adrian was a larger than life, terrifying ‘Peter Grant’ style manager. He had an absolute gift and was precisely what every group wanted…and desperately needed to succeed in the business”

~ Michael Corby ~



~ Signed Managed Agreement between Corby & Millar…now in search of “the Artistes” ~

Through this mutually resourceful contractual effort, many talented ‘artistes’ were auditioned with hopes pinned on unearthing those equal in musical fortitude, charisma, personality and desire. The fruition of this intensely fierce and somewhat-testy union introduced the world to that of: (in proper order)





“A sustaining, intangible personality on flight with one of the most unmistakable vocal signatures who is still able to defy an aging decade of classic rock artists. An indispensable lead vocalist, with scarf, missed only by the lone bass guitar slung round his neck, accentuating the once-swaggering appeal…that defined his image”




“An unassumingly confident, one-of-a kind extraordinaire drummer with a ‘throne-able strut’ rightfully elevated to a posture that merely acted as a platform in which to later showcase his sincere vocals upon “Silver Dreams”…a true musical statement”

  


~ Photographs by John Prew ~

“A quiet, naturally-gifted musician, possessing an ability to translate his guitar mastery with the utilization of painting with majestically broad strokes, topped only by a lovable ‘doll-like’ stature that made him…truly irresistible”