Front: Billy McCoy (guitar), Sam Mahood (vocals), Harry Curry (bass). Back: Ray Irwin (drums), Mervyn Crawford (guitar).

Just Five were a powerhouse R & B act and one of Belfast's hottest R & B acts. The band was founded by pork butcher Sam Mahood (born in 1946, in Banbridge on the River Bann, Co Down, Northern Ireland), who had long wild red hair, staring eyes, and a voice steeped in gospel, who lived in University Street with John Cox, brother of Mick Cox later of Eire Apparent. Promising guitar player John Cox nearly joined The Just Five. The band included Frank Connolly vocals; Billy McCoy guitar and Mervyn Crawford guitar. Just Five also played a Friday night dance at the Annadale Boat Club and played the Maritime Hotel. Their repertoire featured blues classics and the latest Rolling Stones songs like 'Paint It, Black' and as a tribute to Them they regularly included a version of 'Baby Please Don't Go'. Among their rivals were up-and-coming group the Few, a quintet of hip schoolboys. Just Five appeared on a package recording released as 'Ireland's Greatest Sounds - Five Top Groups From Belfast's Maritime Club' on Emerald Records established by Mervyn Soloman. Several groups include on the package were The Alleykats, The Bats, The Luvin Kind and The People.

Thanks to John Warburg