Deltachord

Previously, I had written a few posts about the Merseybeat and promised more so here it is. It sprang from Liverpool, England—a musical sound of the early sixties that mixed skiffle, rock n’ roll, and rhythm and blues together. This style changed popular music forever and even the alternative sounds of today wouldn’t be what they are without it. Albeit, there have been other innovations since then that have contributed to today’s sounds. Still, the Merseybeat overwhelmingly affected popular music and continues to influence it today.

Bob Wooler had a lot to do with the Mersey sound spreading around and getting out to the rest of the world. Wooler was the DJ at the Cavern Club in Liverpool. He announced and introduced all of the live bands at the club and played records between acts. The place where he purchased his records was N.E.M.S., which stands for North End Music Stores. Brian Epstein owned N.E.M.S.; he became the manager of The Beatles.

The music scene in Liverpool exploded during the years of 1958 to 1964. More than four hundred groups played at the clubs and dance halls during the early sixties. Two of the bands that of the Merseybeat that became famous are Gerry and the Pacemakers and The Searchers.

There was a publication that also contributed to the publicizing of the Merseybeat sound and about other musicians that came to Liverpool. Bill Harry started the paper; he was a friend of John Lennon; they both went to Liverpool Art College. Brian Epstein wrote for the paper about new records that he offered at his music store.

Next: Skiffle Explained

The Searchers had a hit in 1963 Sweet For My Sweet, which leaped to the top of the UK charts. The Drifters originally recorded it and Mort Shuman wrote it.

They targeted a hit in 1964 with Needles and Pins, US. Chart #13 and British chart #1, co-written by Jack Nitzsche and Sonny Bono. It is my favorite Searchers song, competing with Love Potion Number 9, which hit the Top Ten in the U.S. The Beatles were the first group from Liverpool to score a hit and The Searchers were second.

Two six-string guitars are playing in the intro (Needles and Pins), which sounds like a 12-string, as the echo switch is still on because the engineer luckily forgot to turn it off and decided it sounded great, so it is said. They definitely had a unique guitar sound in 1963.

The were originally a skiffle group founded in 1957 by John McNally and Mike Pender. Apparently, they were John Wayne fans, as they got their name from his 1956 Western called The Searchers.

The group changed members many times, but the main members are John McNally, Frank Allen, Billy Adamson, and Mike Pender

As the members changed, the name sometimes changed too. The other names are Tony and The Searchers and Johnny Sardon and The Searchers.

The band had a residency at the Iron Door Club and sessions were taped, so that a contract came about with Pye Records. They also got a deal with Kapp records in the U.S.

In 1965 the fascination with The Merseybeat sound dwindled and only bigger groups like The Beatles (a Merseybeat group that developed other sounds) and other British Invasion groups like The Rolling Stones (with their blues based sound) survived as very popular bands.

The Searchers had good fortune in the late 70’s and Sire Records cut a deal for two albums: The Searchers and Love’s Melodies. Bruce Eder, All Music Guide says,”Those records, The Searchers and Love’s Melodies, were the best work the group ever did, highlighted by achingly beautiful yet vibrant and forceful playing and singing, and an unerring array of memorable hooks and melodies.”

The group had a sizeable audience well into the eighties. In 1985 Rhino released the Searchers the Greatest Hits.

References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Searchers_%28band%29
http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=2285
http://www.answers.com/topic/the-searchers-band
Bruce Eder, All Music Guide
http://www.tsimon.com/searcher.htm

See The Searchers Official site:

http://www.the-searchers.co.uk/

Hear The Searchers at:
http://www.rhapsody.com/thesearchers

Five for Fighting: 100 Years Performed by Five for Fighting. Single for voice, piano and guitar chords. G Major. 11 pages. Published by Hal Leonard. (HL.352716) See more info…

“Music is our witness and our ally. The beat is the confession which recognizes, changes, and conquers time.”

–James Baldwin

The Merseybeat takes a sharp turn and vibes with its voice…a capella. The Chants hailed from Liverpool 8, a black district that esteemed their own cultural influences in music. They are considered the first British Doo-wop group according to SoulPool.

They had outstanding vocal harmony and listened to the future r&b brought over by American GI’s like the Del Vikings (doo-wop), Johnny Otis, Little Richard, and The Miracles. They also were influenced by American fifties groups: The Ravens, The Flamingos, The Drifters, and The Coasters.

Joe and Edmond Ankrah started a vocal group called The Shades, later renamed The Chants because a rock n’ roll group in London had the same name.

The members of The Chants changed over the years. Nat Smeda and Alan Harding were members. By 1964, the members were Rob Eccles, Brendan McCormick, John Bedson, and Bob Gilmore.

Joe first met Paul McCartney at The Tower Room where The Beatles had a gig. The Beatles played backup for The Chants several times, including their debut at The Cavern, in 1962. They then found a regular backup band called the Harlems.

Soon, in 1963 Brian Epstein spread his managing wing over the group, but it didn’t work out and The Chants then signed with Ted Ross. He got them a recording agreement with Pye Records during the 1963-1964 Merseybeat eruption of musical creativity.

They released quite a few singles, two of them are Trying, Trying, and Man Without a Face. Their first single, I Don’t Care impressed Bessie Braddock, an MP of Merseyside and she added her voice to their supporters.

The chants were well into the cabaret circuit when the 1970’s rolled around. In 1975 they broke up. Joey and Edmond Ankrah, joined with Ashanti and appeared on lTV’s New Faces and Eddie and Chris Amoo joined The Real Thing, which was a Liverpool soul group and in June 1976 they topped the UK charts with You Are To Me Everything.

SoulPool says that, “Yet it is forgotten that as the Beatles and other groups went global, kids locally started to listen and dance to the “gut-bucket” soul music pouring into the city from Detroit, Chicago and Memphis, and local favourites were binned accordingly.”

Again, SoulPool notes that the contribution made to the Merseybeat by black groups and artists aren’t yet given due recognition. Though the documentary Who Put the Beat in Merseybeat? (1996) does give some credit to the black groups. Let’s hope that trend continues.

Note: a capella

1876, earlier alla capella (1847), from It., “in the manner of the chapel,” lit. “according to the chapel,” from cappella “chapel.” Originally in ref. to older church music (pre-1600) which was written for unaccompanied voices; applied 20c. to unaccompanied vocal music generally.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper

For More Information:

http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Villa/9500/chants.htm
http://www.nostalgiacentral.com/music/chants.htm
http://www.geocities.com/soulpooluk/cityblues.htm
http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_20000707/ai_n14327504
http://www.kinemagigz.com/’r’.htm#The_Real_Thing_
http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/title/544772?view=synopsis
http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/title/544772

Chordie Guitar Chords

Tony Crane (lead guitar/vocals) and Billy Knisley (bass guitar/vocals) founded a group in 1960 called The Mavericks. The other original members were Dave Elias (rhythm guitar), Frank Sloane (drums), and Billy Butler (vocals).

The Mersey Beats derived their name from the local music newspaper, Mersey Beat, and got permission to use it from its owner Bill Harry in 1962, as one story goes, but the Merseybeats official website, www.merseybeats.co.uk says that Bob Wooler, the MC of the well-known Cavern Club renamed them in 1962. Still others say it was a local music reference anyway, by then. They later changed their name to the Merseybeats.

They were one of the best bands of the Merseyside, but they didn’t impact the American charts. They were the third group that Brian Epstein gathered under his wing, but they soon flew away because of differences in musical taste, a regrettable move in their career.

According to merseybeatnostalgia.co.uk “They had a residency at St. John’s Hall, Bootle on a Monday night and on one occassion had The Beatles as their guest group.” Their gigs at the Cavern Club with The Beatles exceeded those of all the other groups in that magical/mythical era.

Their first big 45, Its Love That Really Counts, a cover of The Shirelles’ hit, came in 1963 with a label named Fontana. In 1964, they released I Think of You, which sold a million copies. Don’t Turn Aound and Wishin’ and Hopin’ were also huge hits, while other songs that made good were Last Night, Don’t Let It Happen To Us, I Love You Yes I Do, I Stand Accused, Mister Moonlight, The Fortune Teller, and Lovely Loretta.

The Merseybeats had that rockin’ beat, but usually released ballads for their singles.

See The Merseybeats videos Don’t Turn Around and Milkman at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PsysUPLCkdU

Hear The Merseybeats:

http://www.merseybeats.co.uk/
http://www.pandora.com/music/artist/4014aecc59c8c5bf

More Information:

http://www.merseybeatnostalgia.co.uk/html/the_merseybeats.html
http://www.answers.com/topic/the-merseybeats
http://www.merseybeats.co.uk/
http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/villa/9500/merseybeats.htm

Videos of Merseyside, British Invasion, American Rock ‘n Roll, Blues, artists and more at:

http://www.tv.com/top-of-the-pops-uk/show/8566/episode_guide.html

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What about Gerry and the Pacemakers?

Gerry Marsden (guitar, lead vocals) and his brother, Freddie, (drums) were born in Liverpool. Gerry and the Pacemakers were second in a list of bands managed by The Beatles manager, Brian Epstein. They were most popular from 1964-1966. Gerry, formed the band in 1959.

They first named the band The Mars Bars, but they were faced with the threat of a law suit and changed their name. They had wanted backing from the company.

Their style was pop, but they had the beat, with the ryhthm guitar propeling their sound. Les Chadwick, played bass. Arthur Mack played piano until 1961, then Les McGuire took over that instrument. The movie Ferry Cross The Mersey was named after one of their hits.

Others singles of theirs include How Do You Do It?, I Like It, You’ll Never Walk Alone, which were back to back hits in 1963 in England. Don’t Let The Sun Catch You Crying, is another big single they had.

Richie Unterberger, of All Music Guide discloses that “it is not universally known that Gerry Marsden actually wrote much of the band’s material.” Unterberger also explains that Gerry and the Pacemakers, along with other Liverpool groups, couldn’t attain the level of creativity that The Beatles, and other top-notch British invasion groups did.

This isn’t to say they weren’t good, but they didn’t grow in style, and their mode grew outdated. They broke up in 1967.

Which of the Merseyside groups will be up next? Keep your eyes peeled to see. And what about those other top-notch bands of The British Invasion? When do we heard from The Merseyside metal, indie, punk, and jazz artists.

And, remember that moog?

Well, don’t get out of tune, but stay tuned to get your musical mind tickled.

For More Information:

http://www.geocities.com/sunsetstrip/palms/6315/film.htm
http://www.answers.com/topic/gerry-the-pacemakers
http://oldies.about.com/od/artistindexaz/Oldies_Artists_and_Bands.htm?terms=Gary+and+the+Pacemakers

Hear Gerry and the Pacemakers:

http://www.rhapsody.com/gerryandthepacemakers

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The Fourmost, formed in 1959, were part of the Merseybeat. Two
songs basically define the group: “Hello Little Girl” (written by John Lennon) and “A Little Loving” (written by Russell Alquist). They got a break in 1963, when Brian Epstein took them under his wing.

According to merseybeatnostalgia.co.uk they were a rock/jazz/comedy act. They were successful as a cabaret act into the ’70’s. The Fourmost were in the flick Ferry Cross the Mersey, which highlighted Gerry and the Pacemakers.

Concerning The Fourmost’s part in the movie Nostalgiacentral.com says “this consolidated their position as one of the leading Liverpool groups.”

What about Gerry and the Pacemakers?

To be continued…

For more Information:

http://www.merseybeatnostalgia.co.uk/html/the_fourmost.html
http://www.answers.com/topic/the-fourmost
http://www.nostalgiacentral.com/music/fourmost.htm

Hear The Fourmost

http://www.rhapsody.com/thefourmost

Cool Site

http://www.emeraldcoastarts.com/
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In our continuing story, we go to the Merseyside. Here we find Billy Fury, born Ronald Wycherley, in Liverpool. He had his own skiffle group by 1955. Skiffle, which had started in Louisville, Kentucky around 1905 became mania in England by 1955.

While his style isn’t as furious as the name might imply, “the beat” can be heard in songs like Since You’ve Been Gone, Colette, Letter Full of Tears, and in the ballad Because of Love an Elvis like style is evoked. These songs are on the album The Best of Billy Fury.

In 1958, Wycherley saw a performance by Marty Wilde and offered his own compositions to him. Instead, Wycherley was booked by Larry Parnes. As his agent, Parnes dubbed him Billy Fury. Fury was such a good rocker that Eddie Cochran thought he should tour the U.S. But Cochran died in a car wreck before he planned Fury’s tour.

For More Information:

http://www.answers.com/topic/list-of-famous-bands-from-merseyside
http://www.answers.com/topic/billy-fury
http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9105715/skiffle

Hear Billy Fury:

http://music.yahoo.com/ar-303062-downloads–Billy-Fury

Last night, while chatting with a friend about music, he expounded on the bottom (bass) and the beat (drums). He said that another friend of his, an African American, had once asked him if the members of Queen were black.

The reason for the question, of course, the heavy bottom and beat of many of the group’s songs. This is a distinctive sound that originated in rhythm and blues.

My friend Mike happily continued by saying that “the beat” drove the unique music of The Beatles and we discussed the Merseyside bands and Little Richard.

So what’s happening in the Merseyside today? Where is the bottom and the beat now?

Stay tuned…

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