Gerry & The Pacemakers
Gerry Marsden formed the group in the late 1950s with his brother, Fred, Les Chadwick and Arthur Mack. They rivalled the Beatles early in their career, playing in the same areas of Hamburg, Germany and Liverpool, England. Mack was replaced on piano by Les Maguire around 1961. They are known to have rehearsed at Camell Laird shipping yard at Birkenhead. They began recording in early 1963 with "How Do You Do It?"...
The Merseybeats
Originally called The Mavericks, Tony Crane (born Anthony Crane, 17 April 1945, in Anfield, Liverpool) and Billy Kinsley (born William Ellis Kinsley, 28 November 1946, at The Mill Road Hospital, Mill Road, Anfield, Liverpool) formed their first band in late 1960 and became The Pacifics in September 1961. They were re-named The Mersey Beats in February 1962 by Bob Wooler, MC of the famous Cavern Club. Later in April 1962 they became The Merseybeats. By now Crane and Kinsley had joined up with guitarist Aaron Williams (born 23 June 1942, in Liverpool) and drummer John Banks.
Brian Poole & The Tremeloes
Brian Poole & the Tremeloes were an English beat group founded in 1958 in Dagenham, Essex, England. Lead singer Brian Poole left the band in 1966 and the band continued as The Tremeloes. The group formed in 1958 as Brian Poole and the Tremoloes (the name soon being changed thanks to the spelling mistake of a local newspaper), and were initially cast in the Buddy Holly and the Crickets mould. Decca notoriously chose them over The Beatles, whom they had auditioned on the same day.
Wayne Fontana
Wayne Fontana (born Glynn Ellis on 28 October 1945, Manchester, Lancashire), was a popular mid sixties pop singer. In 1962, he formed his group Wayne Fontana and The Mindbenders and got a recording contract. Hit tracks with The Mindbenders included 1964's UK top 5 single "Um Um Um Um Um Um", and 1965's "Game of Love" which hit US #1. He was still under contract to Fontana Records after parting with The Mindbenders. He soldiered on alone, using musicians under the name of the Opposition.
The Rapiers
The Swinging Blue Jeans
The Swinging Blue Jeans are a five piece 1960s British merseybeat band, best known for their proto-rave-up hit single "Hippy Hippy Shake". Intriguingly, while "Hippy Hippy Shake" sounds rather Beatles-clone like, The Beatles did in fact do a cover version of this song for the BBC. The beat group had a three year spell of moderate success, flying along with the all-pervading merseybeat success story. Once the novelty started to pale, the hits dried up, and the band eventually retired to the oldies circuit.
Herman's Hermits
Herman's Hermits was an internationally successful 60s British rock band, from Manchester, England, formed in 1963. Part of the British Invasion, their trademark simple, non-threatening, clean-cut "boys next door" image made them easier to listen to and more accessible than other British Invasion bands. Their first hit, "I'm Into Something Good", was produced by Mickie Most, reaching #1 in the UK (1963) and #13 in the US (1964). Other hits followed such as "Mrs. Brown, You've Got a Lovely Daughter" (1965) and "I'm Henry VIII, I Am".