When I was thirteen Merseybeat burst on to the scene. I was a kid. It was exciting. For the first time it felt that we had music of our own. The Big Three, Mojos, Beatles, Searchers, Merseybeats, Billy J and Gerry.
It was all very light and poppy but it sparked a revolution.
In a year it was blown away by the heavier bluesier sounds of the Stones, Yardbirds, Who, Downliners Sect, Animals, Them, Kinks and Pretty Things. But without Merseybeat the rest would not have happened, would it?
The Beatles moved on and developed their music. Gerry, like most of the other Merseybeat bands, didn’t.
A while back I went in to the New Theatre in Hull to see Gerry and the Pacemakers doing their story. I wasn’t expecting too much and was knocked out at how powerful they were. They were actually a great R&B band. It’s a shame that all they’ll be remembered for are their pop songs.
Cheers Gerry!!