The Zephyrs

Members

Ray Malcolm - vocals

Geoff Taggart - lead guitar

Les Stocks - guitar

Johnny Olive - bass guitar

Gordon Marsh - drums

Formed in St. Helens, Merseyside.

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.

Gus Travis and the Midnighters

Members

Gus Travis (Graham Bull) - vocals

Dave Carden - lead guitar

Ian McQuair - rhythm guitar

Alan Watts - piano

Bill Bingham - bass guitar

Pete Williams - drums

Brian Woods - bass guitar

John Cochrane - drums

Freddie Starr - vocals

Formed in May 1962 in Liverpool.

Freddie Starr joined in November 1962 as a second vocalist and comedy relief. Gus Travis left a few weeks later and the group changed their name to Freddie Starr and the Midnighters.

Known Gigs

17 Aug 1962 Liverpool, The Cavern Club, Mathew Street. With Freddie and the Dreamers, The Del-Renas, and Vic and the Spidermen.

5 Sep 1962 Liverpool, The Cavern Club, Mathew Street. With The Beatles, and The Dennisons.

12 Oct 1962 Wallasey, Tower Ballroom, New Brighton, Cheshire. Supporting Little Richard, and The Beatles. With The Big Three, Pete Maclaine and the Dakotas, Lee Curtis and the All-Stars, Billy Kramer and the Coasters, Rory Storm and the Hurricanes, The Undertakers, The Merseybeats, and The Four Jays.

Gus Travis and the Rainchecks

Members

Gus Travis (Graham Bull) - vocals

Derek Bond - bass guitar

Barry Ezra - lead guitar, vocals

Neil 'Spike' Sherratt - rhythm guitar

Phil Duggan - drums

Formed in Liverpool.

See also The Rainchecks.

Gus Travis had formerly been in The Rockin' Six, Gus and the Thundercaps, Gus Travis and the Midnighters, and Gus Travis and the Dymonds.

Derek Bond was formerly in Johnny Rocco and the Jets, Steve Day and the Jets, and Steve Day and the Drifters.

Barry Ezra was formerly in The Firecrests, Vince Earl and the Zeros, and Steve Day and the Drifters.

Spike Sherratt was formerly in Johnny Rocco and the Jets, Steve Day and the Jets, and Steve Day and the Drifters.

Phil Duggan  was formerly in Johnny Rocco and the Jets, Steve Day and the Jets, and Steve Day and the Drifters.

Known Gigs

17 May 1963 Tamworth, Assembly Rooms. With The Three Spirits, Gerry Levene and the Avengers, and Johnny Fox and the Hunters.

17 Aug 1963 Prestatyn, Royal Lido, Wales. With Johnny Sandon and the Remo Four, and Rory Storm and the Hurricanes.

 

The Riot Squad

Members

Bob Reece - vocals, rhythm guitar

Billy Ennis - lead guitar

Pete Ritson - bass guitar

Alan Noone - drums

Formed in Prescot, Liverpool.

Not to be confused with the London group who recorded for Pye.

The Beathovens

Members

Gerry Bach - vocals

Keith Dodd - lead guitar

Graham Beasley - bass guitar

Rod Long  - rhythm guitar

Charlie Evans  - drums

Jimmy Stevens - vocals

Formed in Liverpool.

The Victims

Members

 

Rita Ludden - vocals

Eddie Gale - guitar

Peter Francis Barton - guitar

Paul Hitchmough - drums

 

Formed in Liverpool.

Recorded some acetates.

Heatwave

Formed in Merseyside.

Known Gigs

9 Sep 1966 Liverpool, The Peppermint Lounge, Fraser Street. With The Connoisseurs.

The Rebels

 

Members

Derek Brough - bass guitar

Roy Smith - rhythm guitar

Keith Hubbard - lead guitar

Chris Kenny - drums.

Kel Harrison - bass guitar

Roy David - drums

Formed in 1963.

Backed vocalist Ian Gregson, then later Ricky Gleason. Later still the Rebels backed J.J. who had been in the Hi-Lites.

Disbanded in 1967.

Keith Hubbard, Roy Smith and Chris Kenny reformed in 1970 with the addition of bass guitarist Ray Chapman, as the rock band Caliban. 

The Rebels and Caliban have bricks in the Cavern wall with Caliban performing on the Cavern's final night on 27th May 1973.

Not to be confused with The Rebels from the early 1960s with saxophone player Brian Jones.

The Quarry Men

 

 

Members

 

John Lennon - guitar, vocals (Died: 8 December 1980)

Len Garry - tea-chest bass, vocals (Died: March 2026)

Eric Griffiths - guitar (Died: 2005)

Pete Shotton - washboard (Died: 2017)

Colin Hanton - drums

Rod Davis - banjo, guitar

Chas Newby - guitar (Died: 2023)

 

Paul McCartney - guitar, vocals

George Harrison - guitar

John Duff Lowe - piano 

Ken Brown - guitar

 

Formed in 1957 in Liverpool.

Evolved into The Beatles.

Several original members reformed The Quarry Men in 1997 including Len Garry, Eric Griffiths, Pete Shotton, Colin Hanton and Rod Davis. 

Former Beatles temporary bass player Chas Newby joined the Quarry Men and played with them until 2022.

 

The Trends

 

Members

 

Freddie Ryder - guitar, vocals (Born: 3 April 1942 - Died: 22 January 2021, London, England)

Tony Priestley - guitar

Mike Kelly - bass guitar

John Hayes - drums

 

Formed in Liverpool.

Previously known as The Beatcombers.

Signed to Larry Parnes management.

Played at the Star Club in Hamburg. 

Disbanded by the end of 1964.

UK Singles

1964 All My Loving/Sweet Little Miss Love                                                                 Piccadilly 7N 35171

   (Released January 1964.)

1964 You're A Wonderful One/The Way You Do The Things You Do                             Pye 7N 15644

   (Released 8th May 1964.)

Johnny Ringo and the Colts

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Members

Les Holt - lead guitar

Fred Fargher - rhythm guitar, vocals

Derek Kay - drums

'Miffy' (Possibly John Smith) - bass guitar 

 

 

Formed in Liverpool.

 

Known Gigs

 

9 Feb 1962 Dunstable, California Ballroom. Supporting Eden Kane backed by Peter Jay and the Jaywalkers. With The Cannons, and The Diamonds. 

3 Aug 1963 Liverpool, The Cavern, Mathew Street. Supporting The Beatles. With The Merseybeats, The Escorts, The Sapphires, Faron's Flamingos, and The Roadrunners. This was The Beatles' farewell performance at The Cavern.

12 Feb 1965 Liverpool, The Cavern, Mathew Street. With The Notions, and The Road Runners.

15 Nov 1965 Liverpool, Orrell Park Ballroom. With The Mersey Gonks, and Tiffany's Thoughts.

 

 

Lee Shondell and the Boys

 

 

Members

 

Lee Shondell - vocals

 

Lee Shondell was formerly in Lee Shondell and the Capitols.

 

 

Known Gigs

 

2 Apr 1963 Liverpool, The Cavern, Mathew Street. With The Dennisons, The Black Knights, and The Citrons.

 

 

The Corinthians

 

Members

 

Ken Griffiths - guitar, vocals (Born: 1942, Neston-on-the-Wirral, Cheshire)

 

 

Formed in Wallasey in the early 1960s.

Formed out of Wallasey Technical Grammar School, Wallasey, Cheshire.

Ken Griffiths was later in The Black Knights.

Vikki Lane and the Moonlighters

 

 

Members

 

Vikki Lane (Vicki Cheetham) - vocals

Dave Lundy

Joe Collins

Paul Leyland

John Trust - drums

 

Formed in Liverpool.

Vikki Lane started her career with Ian and the Zodiacs as an occasional guest vocalist at gigs.

The Klubs

 

Members

 

Paddy Breen - vocals

 

 

Lots to write here. Just need time to sort it out.

 

Known Gigs

 

27 Feb 1967 Liverpool, The Cavern, Mathew Street. Supporting Chuck Berry. With The Canadians, The Tremas, and The Multivation.

 

The Otters

Members

Trevor Jones - vocals, harmonica
Mike Dickinson - lead, vocals
Geoff Jones - bass, vocals
Stuart Gilvey - organ, vocals
Nigel Foster (or Forster) - drums

Formed in Aigburgh, Liverpool.

Known Gigs

18 Apr 1964 Liverpool, The Cazzie. With Gerry De Ville and the City Kings, and The Dions.

The Escorts

Members

John Kinrade (John Knowles) - rhythm guitar, vocals (Born: 25 June 1946, Southport, Lancashire)
Mike Gregory - bass, vocals (Born: 7 November 1946, Kensington, Liverpool)
Terry Sylvester - lead guitar, vocals (Born 8 January 1947, Allerton, Liverpool)
Johnny Sticks (John Foster) - drums

Ray Walker - vocals
Pete Clark (Peter Gaskell. Born: 1946) - drums
Kenny Goodlass - drums
Tommy Kelly - drums

Frank Townsend - guitar
Paddy Chambers - rhythm guitar, vocals
Paul Comerford - drums

Formed in Liverpool in 1962.

Ray Walker was an early vocalist for the group.

John Foster left in 1963 and was replaced by Pete Clark.

Pete Clark had two stints drumming for The Escorts; from 1963 to 1964 and then from 1965 to 1966.

Kenny Goodlass played drums from 1964 to 1965, in between the two stints by Pete Clark. Goodlass had previously been in The Kirkbys.

Tommy Kelly had a brief stint playing drums with The Escorts in 1966, replacing Pete Clark. Kelly had been in Earl Preston's Realms.

Terry Sylvester left in 1966 to join The Swinging Blue Jeans. He was later in The Hollies replacing Graham Nash. 

Terry Sylvester was replaced by Frank Townsend, who had previously been in The Easybeats of Liverpool and The Beachwoods. Townsend was later a member of Tony Rivers and the Castaways when he left The Escorts later in 1966.

Paddy Chambers joined in 1966. He had previously played with Faron's Flamingos, The Big Three and Paddy, Klaus and Gibson.

Paul Comerford joined in 1966 replacing Tommy Kelly on drums. He had previously played with The Cryin' Shames.

Disbanded in 1967.

Mike Gregory joined The Swinging Blue Jeans in 1967.

Known Gigs

5 Nov 1963 Liverpool, The Cavern, Mathew Street. Supporting The Rolling Stones. With The Mastersounds, and The Roadrunners. 

11 Jan 1964 Liverpool, The Cavern, Mathew Street. With Herman's Hermits, Johnny Anger and the Wild Ones, and Savva and the Democrats.

1 Aug 1964 Nantwich, Civic Hall, Cheshire. 

2 Aug 1964 Nottingham, Dungeon Club. With The Mansfields. 

26 Dec 1964 Nottingham, Dungeon Club.

23 Jul 1966 Liverpool, The Cavern, Mathew Street. Re-opening of The Cavern. All day/All night session. With The Hideaways, The Signs and The Times, The Tremas, The Chants, Dark Ages, Georgia's Germs, The Excelles, The Strandmen, The Seftons, The Carrolls, The Dollies, The Senates, The Dark Ages, The Rock House Band and The Prowlers. Marty Wilde, Georgie Fame, Dave Dee Dozy Beaky Mick and Titch, The Bachelors, The Searchers, Billy J Kramer, The Fourmost, The Merseys, Solomon Burke, Rufus Thomas, The Scaffold and The Pete Best Combo. Plus DJs Jonathan King, Simon Dee, and Jimmy Savile.

The Pilgrims

Members

Keith Ellis - bass guitar, vocals

Dave Keighley - lead guitar, vocals

Peter Corcoran - rhythm guitar, vocals

Tony O'Reilly - drums

Formed in 1963 on the Wirral, Cheshire.

Tony O'Reilly was formerly in The Counts.

Known Gigs

18 Jul 1964 Nantwich, Civic Hall. With The Silver Stones.