OK, noticing the recent 'first bands you saw' & other musical topics, can I ask which purely local, amateur groupd people remember plus 'what happened to them', if anyone knows!
Personally, I lived in West Kirby and our local grop was 'The Morockans' (spelling?), a.k.a "The Moronkas"!!
What happened to them - any group members alive out there?
The Dick Smith Band Rocking Horse Politburo Alternative Radio Street Legal Mr Zero French Lessons Hoi Poloi Attempted Moustache The Snipe (if anyone has their self produced tape I'd like a copy...) Afraid Of Mice No Exit Thin End Of The Wedge Cook Da Books Body
In pubs & clubs around Wallasey , Birkenhead & Liverpool:-
Seacombe Labour Club Sir James (The Jimmys) The Empress Peepers / The Grand Daily's Dandelion The Warehouse The Shepherds Rest (Sheep's Head) The Dale Inn
Most of these bands played their own material , quite a few released a single or two , some produced cassettes & one or two released albums .
Hope this rings a bell & brings back a few memories .
I saw most of those bands regularly at The Dale mostly, & Id like to add some of the bands Ive been in & associated with in around that time & played the same circuit. Dirty Eddy, Brook Band Tips, Legsakimbo, Know The Code, XS Baggage. Also Great bands missing off that list, Thunderboots, Export, Scharnhorst, Bunter, Prey, Next, Dante & many more I will remember later...ah happy days!
Legsakimbo!! I know 2 of the ex members (one no longer with us unfortunately ). Whatever happened to Mixie's Men? Half Man Half Biscuit is another one that I've not heard of for quite a while.
Sometimes Police Officers give more than just speeding tickets!
It�s hard to be fit as a fiddle when you�re shaped like a cello!
Another group who played locally in the 80's were The Touch. Seem to think they did the theme song for a series on telly, but can't remember what it was now.
How about Bob,Bob,Bob&Bob saw them at birkenhead park and the adina in cavendish street in the 80,s they were a punk band i have just googled them and it looks like they are still together and producing records.
Half Man Half Biscuit are still going strong. They are very big in Scotland for some reason. Blackie can be seen cycling the lanes of Wirral with Denise. He is a legend.
It is difficult to get a following if you play original music because there are very few decent venues around to play. Some of the writing talent in the Wirral is amazing. Check out "The Vivid Hollow". Two of the band (the lead guitarist and the drummer) are Wirral-based and responsible for a great deal of the writing along with the other three members of this female-fronted band. They are all amazingly talented individuals (average age only 22) who have a great chemistry as a band. They are appearing live at the Krazy House in Liverpool next month. Be there-or be square!! :-)
The lead singer was my older brother's brother-in-law. I believe they went everywhere in a fire engine (not sure if that's just legend or not).
Made up about Cat Scratch Fever & HMHB. I've not seen Mixie for years! Last time I saw him was a lock-in gig in Birkenhead. Can't even remember the name of the pub - I could sink a fair few in those days & regularly did
Sometimes Police Officers give more than just speeding tickets!
It�s hard to be fit as a fiddle when you�re shaped like a cello!
OMG!! i used to watch Mister Zero and Alternative Radio. In fact I was humming a tune the other day and realised it was a Mr Zero one. haha - showing my age now!! We used to watch them in the Leasowe Pub in Reeds Lane. I also liked half man half biscuit - but never watched them live. A lad I worked with used to play their tapes in work and I got to know the music through him. Memories!!
Pegasus - with a hippie Andy McCluskey Radio Blank - First Punk Band in Wirral Next - Phil Jones's prog rock band Attempted Moustache - other early Punks Strife - Big hair prog rock
I saw most of those bands regularly at The Dale mostly, & Id like to add some of the bands Ive been in & associated with in around that time & played the same circuit. Dirty Eddy, Brook Band Tips, Legsakimbo, Know The Code, XS Baggage. Also Great bands missing off that list, Thunderboots, Export, Scharnhorst, Bunter, Prey, Next, Dante & many more I will remember later...ah happy days!
I remember most of those mentioned & mostly from the Dale too .
Half Man Half Biscuit are still going strong, selling out the likes of the Manchester Academy and Shepeherd's Bush Empire. They recently released their 12th album "90 Bisodol (Crimond)".
The band with the "mad drummer" was undoubtedly Engine (as opposed to Caspar's Engine, different band). The mad drummer has been playing in The Jalapenos for 15 years. Despite being a Wirral-based band, they hardly ever play around here but still manage 3 or 4 gigs a week elsewhere. Great band.
All far too recent for me - the 1960s were my era! Interesting, though to see how many (fairly) recent local groups there have been. When my local started having 'live music' in the 80s it was always a guy singing along to backing tapes and I thought that signalled the end of the road for groups.
I took the dog on the "deathwalk" today and noticed a blue plaque on the stone by the Tower Grounds saying that The Beatles played there on 27 occassions between 1961 - 1963. I took a picture of it but need to find the lead for the phone to send it I'll post it once I find it.
Found it
Last edited by Wench; 13th Jan 20124:46pm. Reason: Found the bluetooth dongley thing.
Sometimes Police Officers give more than just speeding tickets!
It�s hard to be fit as a fiddle when you�re shaped like a cello!
I think the best local band not to "make it" were Colonel Bagshot's Incredible Bucket band....they were like a "Beatles" in the early 70's, they were the tightest band around ...and people like me who were in a band would be totally in awe of these guys....when they finished their set with " A little help from my friends" (Joe Cocker version) it was like an epiphany ....you were totally gobsmacked....How I'd love to be back in The Embassy Club watching these guys again ...they are all still doing their own thing ...but just like the fab 4 ...It's the chemistry that made it special.
Remember "Engine" always used to play Stairways. Phil the bass player used to work at Candy domestic appliances. Used to be loads of bands around in the early 80's that played the Hamlet and the Cleveland in Birkenhead. My old band "Frontline" used to play the Cleveland and the Rock Station and we used to do the Muso's jam session on a Sunday in the Cleveland with Rob and Allan from AR and Saxophone Jones, Jimmy Summertime etc. Happy memories. Our singer, Steve Mason, went on to work at Ronnie Scotts and now lives in Ireland. Kenny and Steve McKinney are still playing and are in a Blues Band called the "SHED BROTHERS". They often play the Wellie in Bebington.
hi torryman sorry about late reply dont get to computer to often. you dont say whitch two bands so that makes it real hard ive been in a band or two. i am sitting here trying to make my head work all i can think of is skonny or dave donnely let me know GED
Did you play in XS-Baggage with Biffo? He was my uncle.
Originally Posted by wellie111
hi torryman sorry about late reply dont get to computer to often. you dont say whitch two bands so that makes it real hard ive been in a band or two. i am sitting here trying to make my head work all i can think of is skonny or dave donnely let me know GED
Did you play in XS-Baggage with Biffo? He was my uncle.
Originally Posted by wellie111
hi torryman sorry about late reply dont get to computer to often. you dont say whitch two bands so that makes it real hard ive been in a band or two. i am sitting here trying to make my head work all i can think of is skonny or dave donnely let me know GED
PM me if you don't want to say on here.
Sorry 
