Gerry and the Pacemakers were an English beat group prominent in the 1960s Merseybeat scene. In common with the Beatles, they came from Liverpool, were managed by Brian Epstein, and were recorded by George Martin.
William Ellis "Billy" Kinsley is an English musician with The Merseybeats until 1966 The group disbanded in January 1966 to resurface as a duo called The Merseys. They recorded The McCoys' song "Sorrow" with the band before embarking on a solo career, where he recorded "Bye Bye Baby". This song is not to be confused with a Four Seasons track of a similar title, but rather a typical Merseybeat tune. Followed by the singles: "Annabella", and "You Make My Day". Kinsley also undertook session work, which most notably included working for Apple Records. He also worked on the popular Top of the Pops record series, which contained anonymous cover versions of recent and current hit singles. During this time he worked with fellow musician friend, Jimmy Campbell, and formed the band Rockin' Horse. They recorded one album and toured England and Europe as the backing band for Chuck Berry.
Beat music, British beat, or Merseybeat is a popular music genre that developed in the United Kingdom in the early 1960s.
Rory Storm was an English musician and vocalist. Born in Liverpool, Storm was the singer and leader of Rory Storm and the Hurricanes, a Liverpudlian band who were contemporaries of the Beatles in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Ringo Starr was the drummer for the Hurricanes before joining the Beatles in August 1962, replacing original drummer Pete Best.
Peter 'Pete' Frame is an English music journalist and historian of rock music.
The Mersey Sound is an anthology of poems by Liverpool poets Roger McGough, Brian Patten and Adrian Henri first published in 1967, when it launched the poets into "considerable acclaim and critical fame". It went on to sell over 500,000 copies, becoming one of the bestselling poetry anthologies of all time. The poems are characterised by "accessibility, relevance and lack of pretension", as well as humour, liveliness and at times melancholy. The book was, and continues to be, widely influential with its direct and often witty language, urban references such as plastic daffodils and bus conductors, and frank, but sensitive depictions of intimacy.
The Black Knights were a Merseybeat three-piece band formed in Liverpool in the early 1960s. Their lead singer and rhythm guitarist was Ken Griffiths, the bassist and backing vocalist was Bill Kenny, and the drummer was initially Taffy Jones, who left to join The Tempos and later Allan Schroeder, formerly of Cliff Roberts & the Rockers.
Bill Harry is the creator of Mersey Beat; a newspaper of the early 1960s which focused on the Liverpool music scene. Harry had previously started various magazines and newspapers, such as Biped and Premier, while at Liverpool's Junior School of Art. He later attended the Liverpool College of Art, where his fellow students included John Lennon and Stuart Sutcliffe, who both later performed with the Beatles. He published a magazine, Jazz, in 1958, and worked as an assistant editor on the University of Liverpool's charity magazine, Pantosphinx.
"Ferry Cross the Mersey" is a song written by Gerry Marsden. It was first recorded by his band Gerry and the Pacemakers and released in late 1964 in the UK and in 1965 in the United States. It was a hit on both sides of the Atlantic, reaching number six in the United States and number eight in the UK. The song is from the film of the same name and was released on its soundtrack album. In the mid-1990s a musical theatre production also titled Ferry Cross the Mersey related Gerry Marsden's Merseybeat days; it premiered in Liverpool and played in the UK, Australia, and Canada.
Liverpool has a lengthy tradition of music both classical and pop. It is well known for The Beatles. Its pop and rock music scene has also been important in the development of a number of other bands and artists since the 1950s.
Jimmy Campbell was an English musician and songwriter from Liverpool, England. He was a member of Merseybeat groups The Kirkbys, The 23rd Turnoff, and Rockin' Horse, as well as releasing three solo albums.
The Hideaways were a pop group that flourished in the mid-1960s as part of the Merseybeat era, and played at The Cavern Club over 250 times, more frequently than The Beatles; they are also noted for their connection to the Timex Watches advertising campaign of the time. The band included Ozzie Yue, later to become a well-known actor and Frankie Connor, now a BBC Radio Merseyside DJ. Judd Lander later to become a well-known London session musician who performed on Spice Girls & Culture Clubs worldwide No1 hits, along with performances on Paul Mc Cartney Annie Lennox Beach Boys and a host of other major artists albums, Lander became a director at various major record labels working closely with artists such as Michael Jackson ABBA The Ramones Run DMC Salt & Pepper and instrumental in the breaking of Meat Loaf's muslrti platinum album 'Bat Out Of Hell' - now heads his own PR agency Lander PR Ltd. As a group, The Hideaways now hold the official world record for over 300 Cavern performances in both old and new venues, and still perform annually at the Cavern Club.
Wayne Bickerton was a British musician, songwriter, record producer and music business executive. He became well known, with Tony Waddington, as writer and producer of a series of UK chart hits in the 1970s for The Rubettes, and as a leading figure in SESAC – one of the three major American performing rights organisations.
Lathom Hall is a former cinema and music venue in Seaforth, Liverpool, England. Built in 1884, the venue became synonymous with Merseybeat in the 1960s.
The Aintree Institute was a live music venue in Walton, Liverpool, England. From the late 1950s, the venue was associated with Liverpool's growing Merseybeat scene.
Spencer Leigh is a BBC radio presenter and author, with particular expertise in the development of pop and rock music and culture in Britain.
The Dennisons were an English Merseybeat band, that emerged from the Liverpool scene in the early 1960s. Despite their background, and a couple of minor hit singles, they failed to achieve more than a local following and were unable to find a footing on the British Invasion. However, in 1963, Bob Wooler stated that "The Dennisons have created the biggest impact in Liverpool since the Beatles". The band's drummer, Clive Hornby, later became the actor best known for portraying Jack Sugden in British soap opera Emmerdale.
