The Undertakers

lyle_from_minneapolis · Mon May 14, 2007 9:23 am

Welcome back, Geoff!

I've been reading a bit about The Undertakers. Do you have any remembrances, reviews of this group?

Thanks, -Lyle

13_temple_street · Post by **13_temple_street** » Mon May 14, 2007 11:37 am

Yes Lyle,Geoff Nugent who was one of the original band members in the 60s & now fronts the band,is on record as saying the Iron Door gave the Undertakers there first start.
I have a great deal of admiration for the band.
Geoff Nugent insists the band wear the undertakers garb on important engagements.Top hat black coat,pin stripe trouser's,they used to bring a coffin on stage but appear to have dispensed from this.
I understand the band are of to Germany again shortly,where they have a huge following.
Thank you Lyle for your warm welcome.

lyle_from_minneapolis · Tue May 15, 2007 6:22 am

Wow, that's fascinating. Did they do the same sort of routine at the Iron Door?

13_temple_street · Post by **13_temple_street** » Tue May 15, 2007 9:15 am

In the 60s the band were into all kinds of crazy antic's,I remember on two occasion's having to remind them that their sense of humour was not in good taste.
Yes they nearly always managed to appear on stage with at least the black frock coat's and hat's.

The present day band under Geoff Nugent are much more placid on stage.
They have however managed to retain the unique rhythm & blues style that helped to make the band one of the popular bands on Merseyside.
On the Iron Door site under "artists" Peter has a interesting article on the Undertakers.
Brian Jones is known as "Jones the Sax" is still around blowing, can be seen playing with various 60s groups.
The band came under the wing of Tony Hatch yes! the same Tony Hatch who first recorded the Searchers.

The coffin was an extension to the Undertakers name, was mainly used by the band for publicity shot's, in the early days they dragged it around to different venues,after a while it became a much smaller object about the size of a very large suitcase then disappeared of the scene .

hamilton_square · Post by **hamilton_square** » Tue May 15, 2007 12:59 pm

Of groups performing in and around Liverpool at that time The Undertakers’ sound was different to others precisely because of the bespectacled presence of Brian Jones and his saxophone. Although commonplace now, back then any kind of wind instrument competing on stage with amplified guitars was a rarity. The only other notable Liverpool group around at the time that I can recall, who likewise featured a saxophone in their line-up was a group that I’m sure Geoff Hogarth remembers only too well - Derry and the Seniors. The particular saxophone player in question being one Howie Casey, who, if memory serves me correct, had the reputation of being a right hand-full when masculine tempers would sometimes get a little frayed after an evening’s entertainment. Also for a time in the Seniors line-up giving vocal support was young Freddie Fowell, who later kept the Freddie part of his name but changed Fowell to Starr. Derry and the Seniors other claim fame was that they were first Liverpool group to venture over to Hamburg at the start of the 60s. It was principally because of their relative success during their time in Germany that other Liverpool groups were encouraged to follow suite – and, as they say, the rest is history.

Anyway, back to the Undertakers, from the safe distance of my computer keyboard, I’m going to make an ungracious comment about them that I would never have dared make personally to them all those years ago – they were an ugly looking bunch, with one notable exception – Jackie Lomax, lead vocalist and bass player. On stage he could look like a little baby-faced angelic choirboy. From the perspective of certain female audience members he was most definitely a babe-magnet of the highest order.

Geoff, do you remember the incident back in 1964 when Chris Huston did a “Dick Cheney” on Jackie Lomax and accidently shot him in the neck with an air rifle. For those of you who may want more background on what went down than perhaps Geoff Hogarth can recall. Linked below is Chris Huston’s account (courtesy of Bill Harry) about it posted on another site.

http://triumphpc.com/mersey-beat/a-z/shotjackie.shtml

admin · Post by **admin** » Tue May 15, 2007 1:03 pm

Peter: Many thanks for these memories with regard to The Undertakers and Derry and the Seniors. One wonders whether these groups might have inspired players such as Denny Payton with the Dave Clark Five a few years later. Payton passed away on December 18, 2006 so the answer to this question may never be known.

shamustwin · Post by **shamustwin** » Tue May 15, 2007 1:36 pm

So one of my favorite songs, Jackie Lomax' "Home Is In My Head" could be re-titled "Hole Is In My Head".

13_temple_street · Post by **13_temple_street** » Tue May 15, 2007 3:05 pm

Where have you been hiding Peter we have missed you!!
Howie Casey is still playing the Saxaphone,true to form most of it is in Germany.Howie spent a great deal of time in Germany during the 60s.
Howie joined the British Army as a regular,that's where he learned to play the Saxaphone in one of the Regimental Bands.
Also other members of Derry & the Seniors was Derry Wilkie.
Peter McCormack on the Iron Door site has written a article on King size Taylor.
Howie Casey was the brass section of the Dominoes
and features on most of the recordings cut in Germany.
I was very concerned to read about the shooting incident, was greatly relieved at the outcome.
Chris Huston mentions John Booker the roadie in his account of the incident John is still around.

admin · Post by **admin** » Wed May 16, 2007 2:37 am

Perhaps we can find John for comment, Geoff.

13_temple_street · Post by **13_temple_street** » Wed May 16, 2007 4:17 am

Yes Peter,
I'm sure John will be delighted!!

13_temple_street · Post by **13_temple_street** » Sat May 19, 2007 2:56 am

In early 1960 the Grosvenor Ballroom Birkenhead,double booked two groups a band led by Bob Evans called Five Shillings,& the Top Spots.
The bands resolved the situation performing together with ten musician's on stage.
The outcome of this get together resulted in the formation of a group called The Vegas 5,later to change to the UNDERTAKERS, I believe the leader was Bob Evans on drums,also in the group was **LES MAGUIRE(sax) GEOFF NUGENT(gtr/voc) CHRIS HUSTON(lead) JIMMY McMANUS(vocals)MUSHY COOPER (bass).
**Les Maguire later joined Gerry & the Pacemakers on piano.
Bob Evans left the group with health problem's later turned up playing again with a Wallasey based band the Renegades.

In 1962/64 the line-up for The Undertakers consisted of JACKIE LOMAX(bass/voc) BUGS PEMBERTON(drums) BRIAN JONES (sax) GEOFF NUGENT (gtr/voc) CHRIS HUSTON(lead) JIMMY McMANUS(vocal)

lyle_from_minneapolis · Sat May 19, 2007 5:18 am

Poor Jackie Lomax...never caught on by the buying public, did he? But he appears to have been very well regarded.

royclough · Post by **royclough** » Thu Jul 26, 2007 9:28 am

Geoff I am sure that Lomax is going to start playing with Undertakers again, on odd gigs when he is in UK I think he will be playing with them at Liverpool Empire on August 27th as part of Beatle week as indeed are Mike Pender's Searchers

See J Lomax as he is today.

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=158912885

13_temple_street · Post by **13_temple_street** » Fri Aug 03, 2007 12:07 pm

The Undertakers appeared on the last Empire show on Beatles week they had Jackie Lomax as a guest
I did not recognize him he has grown a long flowing beard,he stayed on stage for a few numbers.
I thought the line up for this years show was to be headed by Gerry Marsden.
It is surprising news Roy that they have decided to include Mike Pender.