For five guys from London time just stood still ten years ago. Des Henly, Sean Mayes, Mario Ferrari and Barry Pike - all of them about 16 years old - had just quit their jobs and under the name of 'The Baloons" formed a rock band. With everything that goes with it: Hair quiffs, beat-up leather jackets and a wild show.

For months they had rehearsed the songs of Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry, Bill Haley and Little Richard in an old warehouse. They already saw themselves as big stars. But their dreams were shattered. Because when the Baloons had acquired the skills they needed for their first gigs, with a clap of thunder the Beatles suddenly appeared. With new music and a new style.

The fans jumped on the bandwagon and only had ears for the four boys from Liverpool.

Not so the Baloons.
"We just couldn't believe that Rock'n'roll was dead. We just carried on," says singer Des Henly these days, "however, nobody wanted to hear us in England. So we went abroad. We played in America, in France, Romania, Bulgaria, Germany and in Switzerland. And we always hoped to find acknowledgement in England some day."

Their exile lasted ten years. In the meantime they had changed their name to Fumble, brought their style to perfection - but nevertheless earned only modest wages.

But their persistence paid off in the end, since the good old Rock'n'Roll hat its comeback this year. Fumble made the big jump back to England - and into the charts.

Their album "Fumble" became a landmark of the new Rock'n'Roll wave: It contains well known songs such as "Take Good Care Of My Baby" and "Nutrocker" - only played with more power, more creatively arranged and sung with more enthusiasm than the early songs. Chuck Berry asked them to back him on his gig at the last Pop Festival in Frankfurt. Drummer Barry Pike is wondering: "Today the people fancy us though we played the same sound already ten years ago..."

Translated from original German text: Durch Sturheit zum Erfolg