Some Other Guys

[royclough]

Some Other Guys


When The Beatles hit big in UK in February 63, with “Please Please Me”, “Love Me Do” issued in October 62 did not contrary to some reports start the phenomenon, record executives despatched scouts to Liverpool to sign up other bands.

It did seem for a time that any group who could string a few tunes together were in, however most who were signed up had little success or their success was fleeting.

Even The Searchers, who some say were arguably the second best group to come out of the Merseybeat era, saw their releases get lower and lower in the charts until in December 65 they charted for the last time in terms of Top 20.

I have included here a small compilation of tracks by some of the groups who never had a hit in US and in some cases even UK, but in my book made some fine singles.

The Fourmost - I’m In Love

Fourmost did have some success in UK as part of Epstein stable, had 6 hits but only 3 made top 20, this track their second single, a Lennon-McCartney number, never recorded by Beatles, only made no 17 but for me still one of my favourite tracks by a Liverpool band. Tragedy struck the band twice to some degree, at height of popularity one of the group died of leukaemia, some years later another founder member committed suicide. There is a group still doing the circuit in UK under Fourmost name but none of the members were with them in 60’s.

The Mojos – Forever

Only 3 hits and only one made top 20, this track, another of my favourites, was wasted on B side of their first release, which did nothing.

The Crying Shames – Nobody Waved Goodbye

Had one top 30 hit with a track produced by Joe Meek, which some cite as a classic, this was their last single, an ironic title in some ways.

The Kubas – Magic Potion

Made some fine singles,none charted, The Searchers also recorded this track on their fourth album

Johhny Sandon & The Remo Four – Yes

Probably a favourite song of some Merseybeat bands Billy J Kramer did the song on his first album.
Johnny Sandon was originally the lead singer for The Searchers, he left to join Remo Four who had secured a contract to tour American bases in Germany, he felt his future was better with them, he was wrong.

Tragically took his own life in the 90’s.

The Chants – I Could Write A Book

A rarity in some ways especially in the beat group dominated Liverpool scene. The Chants were a coloured vocal group, who had no success, but in 70’s the nucleus of the group became another band, The Real Thing and had a few hits in UK.

Tony Jackson & The Vibrations –Stage Door

Tony took over as lead vocalist for The Searchers when Sandon left, he was the lead vocalist on the first two singles and first two albums, he left after Searcher’s fifth single allegedly to pursue a solo career, truth is he was forced out.
His first solo single was a minor hit in UK charts, but no other hits followed, he made some fine singles though, this being one, a Goffin-King number.

The Swinging Blue Jeans -Promise You'll Tell Her

Now it would be easy to say, “but they were successful” yet facts are 5 hits in UK, only 3 made top 20, they notched up just one top 40 entry in US.
This was one of their singles that failed to chart, yet to me best thing they did.

The Merseybeats - I Stand Accused

Both the SBJ’s and The Merseybeats have continued to play to this day, Merseybeats are another example of a band that really had few hits, 7 in total of which 3 made top 20, they never charted in US, yet one would have thought that their mere name would have enabled them to have some success, on the strength of the so called British Invasion. This song was their last hit in UK, just making the top 40 in 1966.

Tommy Quickly – Wild Side Of Life

Snapped up by Brian Epstein, which many thought would guarantee success, but after early singles, including one given to him by Lennon and McCartney, failed to chart he was teamed up with the Remo 4 and achieved his only top 40 entry with this track.

to get tracks click here

[sowhat]

Great compilation, thanks for sharing! Especially liked Cryin' Shames track - never heard it before - simply unearthly!
(however, personally, i'd have chosen "Watch your step" for Tony Jackson, and my favorite Jeans track is "Ol'man mose", but then again, that's just my personal - ehm - taste )

[royclough]

Glad you liked it Sheena

[sowhat]

Glad you're glad i liked it. (sorry, couldn't resist...)

[jingle_jangle]

I presume the Chicago group The Cryan' Shames was spelled that way to distinguish themselves from the Liverpool group of the same name, spelled "Cryin' Shames."

Is my presumption correct, Roy?

[lyle_from_minneapolis]

Roy, as I listen to these I wonder: were most of these groups trying to sound like the Beatles, or did the early Beatles sound like Merseybeat? Which came first?

[royclough]

Paul

I doubt the Canadian Band Cryan' Shames who covered Searchers Sugar and Spice, would have probably never heard of Crying Shames.


I assumed it must be some language interpretation. IE Colour -Color

Mark

I personally would say the latter but others may disagree.

[jingle_jangle]

Canadian? When I was growing up in Chicago, There was a band from Morton East High School in Cicero, Illinois (western suburb of Chicago) called the Cryan' Shames, who had a smash hit with "Sugar and Spice". Several members of the band passed on, but they still do oldies shows.

I also remember "First Train to California"--superbly crafted pop rock song that I thought of often in those days.

Are we talking about the same group, Roy? That would make three, two with exactly the same name...

[royclough]

I clearly had a senior moment when I put they were a Canadian band, but you are correct Paul, not sure about smash hit though, may have been locally but did not make US Top 40.

[jingle_jangle]

And you're correct about my "smash hit" comment, which I should have qualified!

During that summer (1967?) it played virtually non-stop on WCFL in Chicago. I remember seeing them live several times between 1967 and 1970 with other local Chicago groups like The Flock and the Shadows of Knight...

It's a nostalgic afternoon here at the shop.

[rictified]

Sugar and Spice by the Cryin' Shames was huge in Boston also, that's who I thought you were referring to Roy. I can hear it in my head right now.
Shadows of Knight did THE definitive version of Gloria, at least for me, it was magic. Never heard Them's version until years later although of course here in the US they rewrite history and claim that Them had the hit whenever you hear it on the radio, never play the Shadows of Knight version anymore. A band called The Jorden (sp?) Bros. had a hit with Gimme Some Lovin' before Spencer Davis as far as I know also and you never hear that one at all. Love that garage rock.