Merseybeat Groups with Links
Deep Purple, Eric Clapton, Bill Wyman, The Who and so many others have links to early 1960s Merseybeat groups – Merseybeat groups with links.
To hear the Frank Carlyle Show live…
Merseybeat Groups with Links
Derek Shelmerdine author of Rock’n’Roll Unravelled
is a guest on The Frank Carlyle Show.
Live on Facebook – Monday 31 October 2022
The whole show: 8.00 to 10.00 pm (UK)
Derek Shelmerdine’s guest spot: 8.15 to 9.00 pm (UK)
PODCAST
Merseybeat Groups with Links
– without The Searchers there would be no Deep Purple
Merseybeat Groups with Links
Many of the artists and bands who found fame in the second half of the 1960s and 70s, have direct connections to the Merseybeat groups of the early 1960s.
THE SEARCHERS
The Searchers were one of the most successful Merseybeat groups. They are also a great example of how groups developed in the early-1960s beat era.
In mid-1966 drummer Chris Curtis left the Searchers. He had plans for a new band with a concept. A core lineup with guest musicians joining and leaving. As a result of this, he called the band Roundabout. He recruited, Jon Lord, Ritchie Blackmore and Nick Simper. Chris Curtis left the band before it reached fruition. The rest of the band stayed together. As soon as they started gigging, they changed their name to – Deep Purple.
HOWIE CASEY
Sax player Howie Casey is one of the most successful musicians to have played in the Merseybeat scene.
He played with some of the most respected Merseybeat groups including, Howie Casey and the Seniors. The band also included Freddie Fowler, who went on to international fame as Freddy Starr. He also played with Kingsize Taylor and the Dominoes. Before Casey joined the band, the lineup featured another future international star, Cilla Black.
After that, Howie Casey worked with a host of internationals stars. This included Paul McCartney’s band Wings. As well as appearing on three albums he also toured with band. In addition, he toured or worked in the studio with some of the greats including, Chuck Berry, T.Rex and David Bowie. Moreover, he appears on the movie soundtrack of the The Who’s Tommy.
CASS AND THE CASSANOVAS
In 1957 Brian Casser (Cass) played in a skiffle group with future Rolling Stone Bill Wyman. Subsequently, he formed the well-respected Merseybeat group Cass and the Cassanovas. Following this, he moved to London and formed Casey Jones and the Engineers. This lineup featured guitarist Eric Clapton and Tom McGuinness, who went on to play with Manfred Mann.
When Brian Casser moved down to London, the Cassanovas stayed together and renamed to The Big Three. After that they were rated as one of the best live bands on the Liverpool Scene.
The Big Three’s drummer, Johnny Hutchinson, stood in with the Beatles on a number of occasions. Likewise, the Big Three’s bass player, Johnny Gustafson, played with some great bands. After the Big Three he was with, The Merseybeats, Quatermass, Roxy Music and Ian Gillan, to name a few.
BERYL MARSDEN
Singer, Beryl Marsden is probably Liverpool’s best kept secret. During the early 1960s Beryl Marsden built up a strong reputation singing with bands such as the Undertakers, The Kansas City Five and Lee Curtis and the All Stars. She also released a handful of singles in the first half of the 1960s, sadly, they all failed to trouble the UK charts.
After that Beryl Marsden joined future stars Rod Stewart, Mick Fleetwood and Peter Green in Shotgun Express.
Are they on tour now?
Check if any of the artists mentioned in the show are ON TOUR NOW
About the Book – Rock’n’Roll Unravelled
In short, Derek Shelmerdine’s Rock’n’Roll Unravelled tells the story of rock’n’roll from its roots to mid-1970s punk.
In addition to the music, the book looks at the social factors influencing the music. The Vietnam War, fear of communism and Civil rights struggle certainly helped to shape the sounds of the time.
For more information about Rock’n’Roll Unravelled‘s unique three-part structure
Consequently, as the review in Record Collector magazine puts it in its review of the book, “Shelmerdine has made a painstaking effort to documented pretty much every event that will prove significant in shaping popular music”. In addition, the review went on to describe the book as, “comprehensive… invaluable”.
