- Karl Lee (Rodney Peters) - drums, group leader (1964 - Early Oct 1964)
- Chet Mason (David Whittaker) - lead vocals, congas (1964 - Early Oct 1964)
- Derek 'Del' Grace - lead guitar (1964 - Early Oct 1964)
- Michael 'Mick' Holland - bass (1964 - Early Oct 1964)
- Michael 'Mick' Fletcher - organ (1964 - Early Oct 1964)
- David 'Dave' Rolfick - baritone sax (1964 - Early Oct 1964)
- Michael 'Mick' Lyle - alto & tenor sax (1964 - Early Oct 1964)
The Epitaphs formed in 1964 with a line-up of Karl Lee on drums, group leader (b. Rodney Peters, 1943, Bexley, Kent, England) Chet Mason on lead vocals, congas (b. David Whittaker, 1947, Bexley, Kent, England), Del Grace on lead guitar, vocals (b. Derek Grace, 1946, Sidcup, Kent, England), Mick Holland on bass (b. Michael Holland), Mick Fletcher on organ (b. Michael Fletcher, 1948, Bexleyheath, Kent, England), Dave Rolfick on baritone sax (b. David Rolfick, 1944, Streatham, South West London, England) and Mick Lyle on alto & tenor sax (b. Michael Lyle, 1942, Battersea, South West London, England).
The Epitaphs had started out as Karl Lee and the Epitaphs formed in January 1963 in Welling, Kent.
Lee lived in Glenhurst Avenue, Bexley, Mason lived at 19 Crofton Avenue, Bexley, Grace lived in Alama Road, Sidcup, Holland lived at 18 Wellington Avenue, Sidcup, Kent, Fletcher in Broom Mead, Bexleyheath.
On early Saturday, October 3, 1964 The Epitaphs were involved in an accident when a burst tyre forced their van to swerve from the road, they were on the Rochester Way near Blackfen, Kent. They were returning from an engagement in Lewisham, South West London and as a result of this, two members of the group spent a month in The Woolwich Memorial Hospital, Shooters Hill, Woolwich, South West London. One being Mason and the other Holland.
In early February 1965 The Epitaphs reformed as The Epitaph Soul Band without Holland as he was unable to return because of his health.
Some Epitaphs concerts:
- Saturday, May 2, 1964: Beat Group Contest, Wickham Hall West Wickham, Kent, England Also on the bill: The Blackhawks, Chris Finn and the Solents, The Sonics, The Melvin Toole Combo, The Original Deltones, The Electrons, The Copains, The Consorts, Paul and the Playboys. Billed as The Epitaph.
- Thursday, October 1, 1964: The 100 Club, 100 Oxford Street, Soho, West London, England Supported and opened for The Graham Bond Organisation.
- Friday, October 2, 1964: Unknown venue, Lewisham, South East London, England The last Epitaphs gig, as on early Saturday, October 3, 1964 while the band were returning from this engagement, on the Rochester Way near Blackfen, Kent, the group were involved in an accident when a burst tyre forced the van to swerve from the road.
- Thursday, October 15, 1964: The 100 Club, 100 Oxford Street, Soho, West London, England Supported and opened for The Tridents.
Info courtesy John H Warburg