Hogan - The Beat Makers: The Unsung Heroes of The Mersey Sound

This book is dedicated to two very special people:

Austin Muscatelli

A warm, friendly, generous, intelligent, and funny man who always pushed and backed me in my writing. I still miss the wind-ups that we would give each other over which Liverpool music club was the most important. I stood strong with my belief in the Iron Door, while Austin would inform me that I needed to be educated in the legend that was Erics. Of course, it was all in jest and we had mutual respect for one anothers taste. The guy who was a friend to everyone left us far too soon, though the memory of his infectious smile and entertaining manner will never leave those who knew and loved him. Rest on bud. COYB.

Valerie Gell

The lead guitarist and secondvocalist of the Liverbirds, who we sadly lost during the research of this book. Her insight and belief in music were major contributions to the success of the band that she created with Mary, Sylvia, and Pam. This wonderful, talented, and special lady will remain in our thoughts

First published 2017

Amberley Publishing
The Hill, Stroud
Gloucestershire, GL5 4EP

www.amberley-books.com

Copyright Anthony Hogan, 2017

The right of Anthony Hogan to be identified as the Author of this work has been asserted in accordance with the Copyrights, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without the permission in writing from the Publishers.

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data.
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

ISBN 9781445672083 (PRINT)
ISBN 9781445672090 (eBOOK)

Origination by Amberley Publishing.
Printed in the UK.

The subtitle of this book includes the words Unsung Heroes. Now, I am certain there will be a number of people thinking that Geoff Nugent, Johnny Guitar, Derry Wilkie, and Ted Taylor are hardly unsung, and they would be correct. After all, they are big names who played in big bands of the Mersey music scene. However, they still do not get the credit they fully deserve, and that is why I have made their inclusion. You will also find mention of a number of artists who were also a part of that incredible musical period. A number of those will be well known, yet others may be more obscure. Many will bring back memories, while some will offer a new story to many readers. Whatever the case, I hope that you will enjoy reading about a small section of those who created the music that made the world sit up and take notice.

During the final years of the 1950s, something special began to happen around the Merseyside area: bands began to spring up. Washboards and T-chests were sought after by teenagers, while acoustic guitars became a popular purchase. Of course, it happened elsewhere across the country, but nothing like it did on either side of the River Mersey. Electric guitars, amps, and drums had replaced the household items that had stood in for instruments by the start of the 1960s. Then, something wonderful and truly incredible happened, which would peak with the success of the Beatles.

The Fab Four need no introduction. They remain one of the biggest bands ever to grace the planet and they will crop up as you read through these pages. After all, it is impossible to keep them out, nor would I want to. They have their roots firmly planted within those early years of the Mersey sound. The Beatles, like others, watched their fellow musicians and adapted things to their own style. Many of the people that you will read about here were friends and associates of theirs.

The Beatles went on to worldwide fame, yet they were not the only Mersey artists of that era to find success. Gerry and the Pacemakers had a string of chart hits, with their first three singles How Do You Do It, I Like It, and Youll Never Walk Alone, all reaching the No. 1 spot. Their fourth single, Im The One, made it to the No. 2 position, so they were that close to the quadruple. Their version of Youll Never Walk Alone became an anthem for one of the Merseyside football teams, Liverpool FC. The guys wrote Ferry Cross the Mersey, and also featured in the film of the same name. That song has remained very popular, and you can now hear it blasting out from the ferries as they cross the River Mersey.

The Searchers had a number of Top 10 hits, including three No. 1s with Sweets For My Sweet, Needles and Pins, and Dont Throw Your Love Away. Cilla Black had chart hits up to the mid-1970s, including two No. 1 singles, with Anyone Who Had a Heart and Youre My World. The Swinging Blue Jeans took Hippy Hippy Shake to the No. 2 spot and the brilliant Youre No Good to No. 3, as well as charting with a number of other singles. The Merseybeats took a number of singles into the charts, with I Think of You selling over a million copies. In 1966 the band split, with Tony Crane and Billy Kinsley forming the duo the Merseys. They had a major hit that same year when they took Sorrow to No. 4 in the UK charts. Billy J. Kramer, backed by the Manchester band the Dakotas, found chart success with a number of Lennon- and McCartney-penned tracks. He had a No. 1 hit with Bad To Me, while Do You Want To Know a Secret? and Ill Keep You Satisfied came close to hitting that top spot. Little Children became his second No. 1 in 1964. Lennon and McCartney also provided the Fourmost with two chart hits: Hello Little Girl and Im In Love. The band also recorded A Little Loving, which gave them their highest chart position when it reached No. 6.

The Big Three were one of the most popular bands from Merseyside. They were certainly one of the loudest and produced a pulsating live show. Sadly, their live act did not come across on the singles that they recorded and that was partly down to the choices of the producers. Have a listen to their version of Whatd I Say that was recorded at the Cavern Club. It is truly brilliant and will give you a good idea of just how good this band was. Lee Curtis and the All-Stars released a number of singles, though chart success never came their way. They also recorded for the album Live at the Cavern and forged out a decent career for themselves in Germany.

The Remo Four were one of the big Mersey sound bands and included the guitarist Colin Manley, who many considered to be the best around. They went on to record a number of singles before releasing a few instrumental songs, including the wonderful Peter Gunn. The band joined up with George Harrison in 1968 to appear on his first solo album Wonderwall Music. Earl Preston (George Spruce) probably has the most complicated background of all Merseybeat performers, having fronted so many bands. He was singing his own composed songs on stage before the Beatles had decided to take that route. He also has credit for a number of recordings, though sadly too few for someone with such a superb voice.

Cilla Black was not the only lady of the Mersey sound. There were many talented female performers on the scene who should not be overlooked. As you will see later in this book, the first all-girl rock band grew out of this era. There are some who consider Tiffany and Beryl Marsden to be the finest female vocalists ahead of Cilla. That is, of course, a matter of ones own opinion though why judge them when you can enjoy them all? Tiffany will appear in the book, while the rumours of a forthcoming biography about Beryl Marsden leaves this author reluctant to detail her too much, hoping that her long-awaited story will finally be here for us all to enjoy in the not-too-distant future. Beryl was, and still is, an incredible vocalist.