David Bowie’s guitarist with the Buzz, John ‘Hutch’ Hutchinson, left the band on Wednesday 15 June 1966.
Hutch had become frustrated with the lack of a regular income, and chose to return to his family in Yorkshire.
The Buzz held auditions for a new lead guitarist, and played several shows without a replacement before recruiting Billy Gray before the end of the month.
My new wife was pregnant, and though I had enjoyed my first taste of London’s rock and roll world and I did still have faith that David Bowie would eventually succeed, I was broke and a little homesick and so I decided to return to Scarborough and get a proper job once again. A job that paid.I knew that in my home town I should stand a reasonable chance of making a living and finding an affordable place to live, and so in June 1966 I said goodbye to David, Ralph, Chow, Dek and Ego. Very sadly I would never see four of these five old band mates again and three of the guys, Ralph Horton, Dek Fearnley and Chow Boyes have since passed on. We had a great time together, great days that I will never forget.
David Bowie and The Buzz were to soldier on without me for the remainder of 1966. My replacement for a short time was a Scot called Billy Gray, who the management of course duly nicknamed ‘Haggis’.
Bowie & Hutch
In 1968 Hutch reunited with Bowie in the trio Feathers, which also featured Hermione Farthingale. The following year the two men worked as a duo, known as David Bowie and Hutch.