It was John Repsch's excellent book on producer Joe Meek that sparked the chain of events which led to their story being revealed. Bassist John Barber was given a copy of the book by his wife, and subsequently he got in touch with the author as Meek had once recorded the group. Alan Blackburn of the Joe Meek Appreciation Society suggested they get back together  again and proposed a gig at the Society's monthly gathering; The Scorpions decided a warm up gig was called for, after all they hadn't played together for twenty-five years!  One of John's friends is a journalist on a local paper and he ran a small feature about the forthcoming gig. Ridgemount Records' John Kirby spotted the article and immediately contacted Pipeline. With the interest of the Joe Meek Appreciation Society also aroused, The Scorpions found themselves being bombarded with questions about their past career as well as suggestions that they should re-form on a more permanent basis. They were delighted, bemused and amazed. As John Barber told me later: 'We were staggered. We couldn't believe that anyone would be interested in our past career. To be honest it never occurred to us that anyone would even remember us at all.

Inevitably the roots of The Scorpions go right back to the Skiffle era. Ted Barber (b.11/40) heard "Rock Island Line" on the radio and immediately set his heart on a guitar. Before long he had saved enough money to purchase the ubiquitous £5 spanish acoustic. By sheer dint of hours of practice, listening to skiffle records, and a little help from other guitarists, Ted taught himself to play. By mid 1956 Ted had formed his own skiffle group, The Penitentiary Five. Thus named as many skiffle numbers originated from American negro worksongs, and some of their most famous performers (eg Leadbelly) were jailbirds. 

Ted was a Battersea lad, and the group was formed in the rooms of the Battersea Central Mission Youth Club. The original line-up comprised Ted Barber (guitar/vocal), Barry Eastwell (guitar/vocal), Terry Russell washboard/vocal), Len Brimfield (banjo) and Ken Page (tea chest bass). The group regularly played three nights a week at the Mission in York Road and before long they were appearing at other youth clubs as well as Battersea Jazz Club. Soon they were getting bookings for dances, wedding receptions, parties, club socials etc.