Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

The BIG 3 because of the impact and influence they had on the other musicians around, not just in the 60s I might add but the 70s too. They were the first power three piece. The Big 3 live at the Cavern still sounds great today, and a true account of Merseybeat AT ITS BEST. Other fave's , The Mersey Beats, The Undertakers, The Chants,

Can I vote for Echo and the Bunnymen twice? They're still playing...Longevity has to count for something.

rickrout wrote:They were the first power three piece.

Yes, I very much go along with that. The Big 3 were indeed, in my opinion the early pioneers of that drums and two guitars approach that was a feature amongst more successful British groups that later emerged throughout the remainder of the 60s and early 70s.

But unfortunately, while being superb musicians and interpreters of their genre that they undoubtedly were. The price they paid, as did the vast majority of other Merseybeat groups that were around at that time, was that to a wider record buying audience they were ultimately just another cover group amongst hundreds of competing others.

rickrout wrote:The Big 3 live at the Cavern still sounds great today, and a true account of Merseybeat AT ITS BEST.

While that may be so, it is nevertheless, a poor memorial as to the Big 3’s prowess as live stage performers of their type. For on Merseyside at the time, they were the livest of live groups – if that makes any sense. But let’s face it; they needed an audience to feed off. To hear the Big 3 driving at their finest full-throttle, taking them out of a live environment and putting them on the clock, in a sterile recording studio with only four walls to play to was not the best way of doing it in my opinion.

My biggest disappointment of that period was that live recording techniques were still at a rather primitive stage in their development. Oh! What I would have given to be able to fast forward a mere 7 years and the availability of the type of equipment used for capturing those early ‘Live at the Fillmore’ Cream concerts. Or to the University of Leeds on 14th February, 1970 for the Who’s legendary ‘Live at Leeds’ gig.

And, I might add, somewhat further anecdotal evidence that lends weight to the claim that Liverpool’s Big 3 were indeed the British forerunners of the three-piece, drums and two guitars line-up.

The group I always had a soft spot for, mainly because they were all my own age and also, I was briefly quite friendly with the lead singer, the late Eddie Parry, were the DENNISONS. A five-piece group who, if a fading memory serves me correct, I seem to recall originated from the Aintree part of Liverpool.

What set the Dennisons apart from other Liverpool groups of the time and generated a large local following was the dynamic stage presence of their slightly built lead singer, the already mentioned Eddie Parry. See…..

http://www.merseybeatnostalgia.co.uk/ht ... isons.html

Unfortunately, for some reason it appears that previously installed play links have been removed from the above site. Therefore, to-date the only free-to-listen remaining online access of a Dennisons’ recording I’ve been able to track down can be found by going to……

http://www.last.fm/music/The+Dennisons

…..and as already stated, Ray Scragge and not Eddie Parry takes the lead vocal on their version of Walkin the Dog.

I saw the Big Three live at Redbridge School on the outskirts of Southampton. They were by far one of the best and most dynamic lesser known groups from Liverpool that I had seen. They certainly could hold their own with the all the other Liverpool luminaries that populated the scene at the time.

Count me as a fan. In fact I know one of their alumni personally, although he only played with them briefly and he is not ever mentioned as being a former member.

GRIFF FROM THE BIG 3 [2008] Still playing and teaching music in Canada

ONE FOR THE GUITAR PLAYERS [GRIFF] FROM THE BIG 3 [2008] Still playing and teaching music in Canada
try this link.
go into pics, in the album Merseybeat Greats Brian GRIFF with his guitars and grandchildren
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fu ... =403696042

Nobodys mentioned Ken Dodd

tHer,s no taking it away from Elvis Costello, but the Searchers helped carve out a special niche, I was about 13 years old when the whole mersey sound erupted and the Searchers I think helped to mold that Rickenbacker sound, along with the Hollies from Manchester and the Animals from my home town Newcastle.

I would say the 1973 band LIVERPOOL of course. Their minor hit song DOLLY, I still think as one of the best "Beatle-like tracks" I ever heard... Has anyone else here ever heard of them? By 1978 they had chanegd ther name to Ariel as I recall.

Brian

Haven't looked all the way through this thread, so I don't know if they've already been mentioned. How's about The Liverbirds?
"....Peanut, peanutbutter...."

I never forget those early radio days...Gerry and the Pacemakers !!
and my vote goes for SUUUUPERCHARGE !!! Really hot ! They toured a lot over Europe and Germany in special.

I have always liked The Big 3. Their live EP is great, and I have it on one of the See for Miles reissues.

just now seein' this post-you and i are in agreement,kira. i had no idee that the elvi was from liverpool,but his early stuff is among my all time favorites,and of course badfinger are just swell.

Actually Badfinger were from Swansea