Pictured in one of the earliest promotional photos of the band
Ben (Sax) Joey Gilheaney (Trombone) Joe (Vocals  & guitar) Jimmy Horan (Bass)  Tommy Swarbrigg (Trumpet)
Front Row    Sid Haughey (Drums)   Des Doherty (Keyboards)

Novel way of promoting their first record
The Answer to Everything
1964

The original band broke up in mid 1968, a crisis which hit many top bands at the time. Tommy Swarbrigg and the rest of the Drifters decided it was time for a change in direction and left to form The Times. Jimmy Swarbrigg returned to front the new pop band. Joe and Ben alone set about forming a new band and they went about rebuilding process that would eventually go on to even greater success at home and abroad. They recruited: Frankie McDonald (trumpet), Gordon Coleman (guitar), Maurice Walsh (drums), Kieran Mc Donnell (keyboards), Seamus Shannon (trombone), and Patrick Hoye (bass). After adding a guitarist and having broken his arm as a result of Driftermania, being pulled from the stage, Joe resorted to vocals only.   

Final colour photo before the break-up

Joe and Ben won the race to be 1st with their respective new bands. The New Drifters playing days before The Times who made their debut at the Irene, Dublin 17/8/1968.

Both bands produced stickers, a sarcastic one from The Times referring, IMO, to the reluctance of Joe and Ben to change—ps The Driftermaniacs are still going.