Vince Earl and the Zeros

Members

Vince Earl - vocals

Barry Ezra - lead guitar

Ray Whitehead - bass guitar

Brian Hilton - rhythm guitar

Mike Oldam - drums

Formed in Birkenhead, Wirral, Cheshire.

Barry Ezra was later in The Rainchecks, who backed Gus Travis.

Vince Earl was later an actor and appeared in 'Boys from the Blackstuff' and 'Brookside'.

Known Gigs

17 May 1962 Wallasey, New Brighton, Tower Ballroom. Supporting Jerry Lee Lewis. With The Echoes, The Big Three, The Undertakers, Lee Castle and the Barons, The Pressmen, Kingsize Taylor and the Dominoes, The Strangers, Billy Kramer and the Coasters, Steve Day and the Drifters, and Rip Van Winkle and the Rip It Ups.

The Zeros

Members

Barry Ezra - lead guitar

Ray Whitehead - bass guitar

Brian Hilton - rhythm guitar

Mike Oldam - drums

Formed in Birkenhead, Wirral, Cheshire.

Later backed Vince Earl and changed their name to Vince Earl and the Zeros.

Known Gigs

10 Feb 1962 St. Paul's Presbyterian Church Hall, North Road. With The Beatles.

The Jaguars

Members

Dave Scarratt - vocals, bass guitar
Greg Murphy - guitar
Alan Swindles - guitar
Ken Hughes - drums

Formed in Birkenhead in 1963.

Clay Ellis and the Raiders

Left to right: Kenny Cochran, Malcolm Shelbourne, Clay Ellis, John Edmonds and Les Belamere.

Members

Clay Ellis (William Carruthers) - vocals (Died: 1996)

Malcolm Shelbourne - bass guitar

John Edmonds - lead guitar

Les Belamere - rhythm guitar

Kenny Cochran - drums

Bobby Turner - guitar (Born: 14 February 1949 - Died: August 2018)

Formed in 1960 in Wallasey, Wirral, Cheshire.

John Edmonds left the group about 6 months after its formation when he had to go back to Essex after his Unilever apprenticeship training finished in Bromborough village on the Wirral.
After Les Belamere left, Bobby Turner joined as the only guitarist.

Clay Ellis was apparently approached by Brian Epstein in 1962 to sign a deal, but it would have meant that Ellis would be separated from The Raiders. He turned it down.
Recorded a demo acetate of 'Put The Blame On Me', 'I'm a Fool For You', 'Here's Hopin'', and 'I'm A Hog For You' in 1963.

Disbanded in late 1963.

Clay Ellis was later in Clay Ellis and the Corsairs, and Mr. Lee & Co.

Malcolm Shelbourne was later in Savva and the Democrats, Gerry De Ville and the City Kings, and Purple Grass, who later changed their name to Rainbow (not the Rainbow formed by Ritchie Blackmore).

Kenny Cochran was later in The Koobas before joining the backing group for The Excelles.

Bobby Turner later formed The Landsliders in 1963 who changed their name to The Black Abbots around 1964.

Thanks to John Edmonds for the pictures and additional information.

1960.





















Known Gigs

A village hall gig in 1960.

14 Mar 1962 Liverpool, The Cavern, Mathew Street. Supporting The Beatles. With Gerry and the Pacemakers.
23 Apr 1962 Liverpool, St. John's Hall, Oriel Road. Easter Monday Carnival. With Faron's Flamingos, The Dennisons, and The Toreadors.
22 Jun 1962 Liverpool, The Cavern, Mathew Street. Supporting The Beatles. With The Olympics.
3 Aug 1962 Liverpool, The Cavern, Mathew Street. With Alby and the Sorrals, and Ray Malcolm and the Sunsets.

8 Sep 1962 Heswall, Heswall Jazz Club (Barnston Women's Institute), 118 Barnston Road, Heswall, Wirral. Supporting Gerry and the Pacemakers.

14 Sep 1962 Liverpool, The Cavern, Mathew Street. With The Dakotas, Alby and the Sorrals, Dee Fenton and the Silhouettes.
30 Sep 1962 Liverpool, The Cavern, Mathew Street. Supporting The Beatles. With The Red River Jazzmen.

1960.

The Dimensions

Members

Jimmy Clarke - vocals, bass guitar
Mike Easthope - drums
Les Williams - guitar
Dennis Swale - guitar

Formed in Birkenhead.
See also The Four Dimensions.

UK Singles

1965 Tears On My Pillow/You Don't Have To Whispers                                  Parlophone R 5294
   (Released June 1965. Produced by George Martin. According to Les Williams this was done in one take as a test for producer George Martin in 1965.)

Tiffany's Dimensions

Members

Tiffany (Irene Green) - vocals
Jimmy Clark - vocals, bass guitar
Mike Easthope - drums
? - guitar
? - guitar

Les Williams - guitar
Dennis Swale - guitar

In April 1964 The Four Dimensions teamed up with Tiffany, a solo singer from Liverpool whose real name was Irene Green, and called themselves Tiffany's Dimensions. They also continued to get gigs as The Four Dimensions and Tiffany continued to do solo gigs.
Irene Green (Tiffany) was previously in The Debutones who later became The Liverbirds.
Tiffany later teamed up with The Thoughts as Tiffany's Thoughts.

Known Gigs

11 Aug 1964 Liverpool, The Cavern, Mathew Street. Billed as Tiffany and the Four Dimensions. With The Escorts, and The Vampires.

13 Nov 1964 Liverpool, Orrell Park Ballroom, Moss Lane. With The Mersey Gonks, and Johnny Ringo and The Colts.
26 Dec 1964 Burton upon Trent, 76 Club, High Street. With The Four Aces.
14 Feb 1965 Liverpool, Orrell Park Ballroom, Moss Lane. With The Pretenders, and The Renicks.
28 Mar 1965 Burton upon Trent, 76 Club, High Street.
16 Apr 1965 Liverpool, Orrell Park Ballroom, Moss Lane. With The Black Knights, and The Mersey Gonks. 

The Four Dimensions

Members

Jimmy Clarke - vocals, bass guitar
Mike Easthope - drums
Jimmy Lynch - lead guitar
Grae Pugh - rhythm guitar

Les Williams - guitar
Dennis Swale - guitar

Formed in Birkenhead in September 1963.
In April 1964 they teamed up with Tiffany, a solo singer whose real name was Irene Green, and called themselves Tiffany's Dimensions. They also continued to get gigs as The Four Dimensions and Tiffany continued to do solo gigs.
Irene Green (Tiffany) was previously in The Debutones who later became The Liverbirds.
Les Williams and Dennis Swale had replaced Jimmy Lynch and Grae Pugh by 1965.

See also The Dimensions.

Known Gigs

3 Dec 1963 Liverpool, Blue Ball Hotel, Prescot Street. With Phil Ryan and the Crescents, and The Delmont Four. Final of the £50 Talent Competition.
14 Feb 1964 Liverpool, The Cazzie, Aigburth Road. With The Three Deuces and The Photons.

The Pathfinders

Members

Tom Earley - rhythm guitar, vocals
Roy Brockhurst - bass guitar, vocals
Pete Brockhurst - guitar
Dave Stephenson - guitar
Tony Berry - drums

Mike Jones - guitar
Billy May - lead guitar, vocals (Died: 2019)
Brendon McCormack - lead guitar (temporary stand-in around May/June 1963)
Frank Bowen - lead guitar (temporary stand-in around May/June 1963)
Richie Prescott - lead guitar
Tommy Bennett - drums
John Hinton - piano
Frank Hopley - piano
Tony Aldridge - drums
Kinglsey Foster - organ

Formed in Birkenhead in 1960.
Dave Stephenson was replaced by Mike Jones.
In February 1963 Tom Earley left and joined The Kinsmen. He was replaced by Billy May from The Valkyries.
Mike Jones left around May 1963 and Tom Earley returned. Billy May went back to his old group, The Valkyries.
Brendon McCormack and Frank Bowen stood in at various gigs as lead guitarists on a temporary basis.
Pete Brockhurst left in 1963 to concentrate on a career.
Tony Berry left to join The Asteroids in 1963.
Richie Prescott and Tom Bennett joined in late 1963. They had both previously been in Derry Wilkie and the Pressmen.
John Hinton joined on piano in late 1963.
Tommy Bennett left in early 1964 to join The Kinsmen. Tony Aldridge left The Kinsmen to join The Pathfinders.
Billy May returned in January 1964 to replace Richie Prescott.
Entered the national groups competition 'Ready, Steady, Win!' and came second in the national heat.
John Hinton left in the first half of 1964 to pursue a career in journalism. He was replaced by Frank Hopley who had recently left The Mastersounds.
Frank Hopley recorded The Pathfinders' first single but decided to leave just before its release in December 1964 to complete his professional studies.
In June 1965 Kingsley Foster joined on organ.

After recording the second single with the group, Kingsley Foster left before the end of 1965.
The Pathfinders recorded another single for Parlophone with the songs 'I'll Always Love You' and 'Come Back Baby' but this was never released.
Played in Paris and the surrounding area for a time in March 1966, and also played a festival in Monte Carlo. At this time The Pathfinders also appeared on French television on 13 April 1966 performing a half hour set.

Managed by Barry Lloyd from 1964 to 1966.
Disbanded in 1966.
More details about The Pathfinders can be found on this website.

UK Singles

1964 I Love You Caroline/Something I Can Always Do                                       Decca F 12038
   (Released on 4 December 1964. Recorded at Decca's London studio on 13 Jan 1964. Produced by Mike Smith. Both sides were written by guitarists Tom Earley and Billy May. I Love You Caroline was considered for the signature tune to Radio Caroline, but The Fortunes song 'Caroline' was used instead.)

1965 Don't You Believe It/Castle of Love                                                  Parlophone R 5372
   (Released on 12 Nov 1965. Recorded at Abbey Road Studios, London. The A-side was written by Tom Earley and Billy May, but was credited to manager Barry Lloyd)

Known Gigs

3 Feb 1964 Chester, Quaintways.
8 Feb 1964 Loughborough University, Telford Hall.
4 Apr 1965 Wallasey, The Kraal, New Brighton.
25 Jun 1965 Park High School, Sixth Form Summer Dance. With The Cordes, and Steve Day and the Drifters
17 Feb 1966 Connah's Quay, Flintshire. Supporting The Moody Blues.

Reunion Gigs

31 Mar 1989 Tranmere Rovers Club. (Line-up: Tom Earley, Billy May, Tony Aldridge, Roy Brockhurst and John Hinton)
Oct 1989 Buxton, Derbyshire. The Palace Hotel, The Buxton Beagle Hunt. (Line-up: Tom Earley, Ian Hunter, Tony Aldridge, Roy Brockhurst and John Hinton)

The Valkyries

Members

Billy May - rhythm guitar, vocals (Died: 2019)
Tony Conway - saxophone
Allen Burton - bass guitar, vocals
Ian Hunter - lead guitar, vocals (not to be confused with the Mott the Hoople frontman) (Born: November 1944 - Died 2018)
John Adams - drums

Terry McCusker - drums

 
















Formed in Birkenhead.
Managed by Adrian Campbell-Kelly.
The Valkyries played the American Air Bases in France.
Billy May temporarily left The Valkyries to play with The Pathfinders in February 1963. Although he returned, he left again at the beginning of 1964 to become a permanent member of The Pathfinders.

Left to right: Allen Burton, John Adams, Tony Conway and Ian Hunter.














Auditioned in front of Henry Henroid at the Rialto Ballroom, Liverpool in December 1963, to be considered for playing at The Star Club in Hamburg.
Made a single on Parlophone after Billy May left the group.
Tony Conway left in 1964 to go to university.
John Adams left in 1964 and was replaced by Terry McCusker who had previously been in The Dymonds and also Rip Van Winkle and the Rip-It-Ups.
Ramiro Arango became the manager in 1966.
The Valkyries toured Italy, Japan, Taiwan and Persia.
Allen Burton was later in The Nashpool (Four).
Terry McCusker played with Colonel Bagshot in the 1970s.
Ian Hunter played with The Pathfinders in the late 1980s and the 1990s and later with Karl Terry and the Cruisers.

UK Singles

1964 What's Your Name/Rip It Up                                                   Parlophone R 5123
   (Released in April 1964)

'What's Your Name' was written by lead guitarist Ian Hunter. According to the band, some time between the recording session and the final single, the recording was speeded up much to the discontent of the group.

Known Gigs 

 

28 Jul 1963 Liverpool, The Cavern, Mathew Street. With The Dennisons, The Merseybeats, and Red River Jazzmen.

3 Dec 1963 Liverpool, The Mardi Gras Club, Mount Pleasant. With The Panthers. 

26 Feb 1964 Liverpool, The Cavern, Mathew Street. Supporting Sonny Boy Williamson who was backed by The Yardbirds, The Road Runners, and The Mersey Bluebeats.

3 Apr 1964 Liverpool, The Cavern, Mathew Street. Lunchtime session. With The Escorts, The Green Beats, The Chants, and The Harlems.

12 Apr 1964 Liverpool, The Peppermint Lounge, Fraser Street. With The Karacters, and The Buffaloes.

24 Apr 1964 Liverpool, The Iron Door, 13 Temple Street. With Tony D and the Shakeouts, Lee Paul and the Boys.

25 Apr 1964 Liverpool, The Cavern, Mathew Street. Evening session. With Bobby Sansom and the Giants, and The Soundsmen.

23 May 1964 Birkenhead, The Arts Ball, Beechcroft Hall, Whetstone Lane, Cheshire. With The Druids, The Prowlers, and The Abstracts.

11 Jul 1964 Liverpool, The Peppermint Lounge, Fraser Street.

12 Aug 1967 Italy, Capannina Arsego. Billed as Ian Hunter and his Valkyries.

 

 

 

 

The Blackjacks

Members

Phil Norman - lead guitar
Ian Macdonald - bass guitar
Alex McLachlan - drums

Formed in Birkenhead.
After The Blackjacks disbanded in 1964, Phil Norman, Ian Macdonald and Alex McLachlan formed The Prowlers with Alan Davies on vocals and Dave Stanton on guitar.

The Prowlers

Members

Alan Davies - vocals, harmonica
Phil Norman - lead guitar
Ian Macdonald - bass guitar, percussion
Dave Stanton - guitar, vocals
Alex McLachlan - drums

Malcolm 'Mally' Coram - drums

Peter Wharton
Phil Munro
Dougie Hughes

Formed in early 1964 in Birkenhead.
Phil Norman, Ian Macdonald and Alex McLachlan had previously been in The Blackjacks (Wirral group).
Dave Stanton had previously been in The Abstracts from Birkenhead.
Alan Davies had previously been in The K Men.
Mally Coram replaced Alex McLachlan on drums in August 1964. Mally had previously been a member of Vince Earl's Talismen.
Played in Kiel, Germany at the Star Palast over three separate months during 1965.
Peter Wharton and Phil Munro replaced Alan Davies and Dave Stanton in early 1966.
Recorded six demo tracks at different times during their career.
Disbanded in 1967.

Known Gigs

Sat 6 Feb 1965 Birkenhead, Technical College. Supported by The Talismen and The Bluesville Bats.
23 Jul 1966 Liverpool, The Cavern. Supporting Rufus Thomas and Solomon Burke.
1 Oct 1966 Liverpool, The Cavern, Mathew Street. With The Mad Lads (a US group), The Knack, The Iveys, The Bojacs, and Chapter Six.

For more information see The Prowlers website here.

The Abstracts

Members

Mike Molloy - vocals
Gordon Didsbury - bass guitar, vocals
John Thompson - lead guitar
Jimmy ? - rhythm guitar
Alan Westcot - drums

Dave Stanton - guitar, vocals

Formed in Birkenhead.
They were formerly known as Mike Molloy and the Mountwoods.
Dave Stanton was later in The Prowlers.