FOR MORE BAND INFORMATION PLEASE READ THE BLOG ENTRIES ABOVE
THE BEAT BOYS - An immortalised Rock 'n' Roll Band from Leigh in south-east Lancashire. They formed in 1960 and were one of the first groups to play Rock and skiffle at Leigh Casino Ballroom. The band were a regular feature as rock 'n' roll took over from traditional ballroom dancing. They played in and around Leigh on the same stages as many of the worlds best Rock and Blues acts of the time. Such as, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, John Lee Hooker, Memphis Slim, Gene Vincent, Screamin' Jay Hawkins, The Hollies, The Dave Clarke Five, Gerry & The Pacemakers and not forgetting their childhood friend Georgie Fame from Leigh.
1956-'57 - THE DOMINOES
''We had no amplification back then.'' (Ronnie Carr)
Ronnie Carrs' career actually began earlier than 1960 it began in 1957. He recalls his debut at the famous Leigh Miners' welfare club. "I was the first person to play there back in 1957. The upstairs room was n't built. I sang on a billiard table and we didn't have any amplification back then, it was a good laugh though!" That year he formed a teenaged skiffle group called The Dominoes. "Back in the early days my teenaged mate Clive Powell used to sing in 'The Foresters' pub in Glazebury and we practised in The Railway, near Leigh station." says Ronnie. The Two have maintained a close friendship even though their careers are now on quite different fame levels.
1958 - '59
Amongst 'The Dominoes' first live appearances were on Monday nights at the Leigh Casino Ballroom. Ronnie Carr recalls how Leigh Casino boss Joe Brierley used to lock-up his Bechstein grand piano when the band were around. "I don't want him (meaning the future number one recording artist and international jazz keyboard maestro Georgie Fame) plonking on it," Brierley would firmly say. Joes' wife Winnie remembers the many times Joe banned Clive Powell (Georgie Fame) from playing the grand piano too. She chuckled: "He used to bounce on the keys like Jerry Lee Lewis and nine out of ten times he broke a string and we had to get a piano tuner in to fix it.'' A famous Leyther of the time was Opera singer Thomas Burke or 'The Lancashire Caruso' who did help the young skiffle band by allowing them to perform regulary at Leigh Arts Club, on Lord Street in Leigh. As local arts patron he was very supportive of local music and especially fond of the young Dominoes.
In July 1959, Clive Powell left Leigh at the tender age of 16 years. He found a new agent and together they reached for stardom. He soon became known as 'Georgie Fame' and was a teenaged heart throb and household name after enjoying number one chart hits such as: ''Yeh, Yeh'' (1965), ''Get Away'' (1966) and ''The Ballad of Bonnie & Clyde'' (1968). He later formed a duo with Alan Price (The Animals) and made numerous albums and plays many styles of music. He has also become a world class session musician and in 2008 is still recording with Van Morrissons' band, Bill Wymans Rhythm Kings and regulary plays gigs with his two sons.
1960 - '62 - THE BEAT BOYS
Early in 1960, after Georgie Fame had quit The Dominoes, The rest of the young skiffle band decided to change their name to 'THE BEAT BOYS'. They appeared more often in the popular Leigh venues and also in the surrounding towns. Their local crowds were becoming big too. (in 1960 they broke the attendance record at Bolton Palais) in Fames' place in stepped Jimmy Bilsbury on piano/vocals who filled the gap nicely (Jimmy went on to form cult band 'The Magic Lanterns' and have number one hits on the continent with 'The Les Humphries Singers', as well as writing a major hit for 'Boney M'). The Beat Boys played live most days at 'Jive-nights' and dances all over the Northwest. Maybe at the time the local fans thought that their Clive had taken a huge gamble on his luck moving on, away from 'all the action' and at such a tender age too. Though to this day, He still dazzles everyone with his continuous musical achievements both vocally and on his trademark B3 organ.
Georgie Fame in 2003:
''I went home to Leigh in 1963 and one of my friends, who I used to play with in The Dominoes said you've got to come around to The Casino because there's this band from Liverpool and they're tearing the place apart. And I went in and there were The Beatles. And all these girls were screaming... in my home town! I went back to London, and nobody had ever heard of them. (laughter) But then soon enough, this whole avalanche came and the whole group scene started''.
1963 - '64 (The 'Decca' Years)
Finally in 1963 after a few years of hard work (and to local amazement) 'The Beat Boys' signed a recording contract with Joe Meek and recorded 15 songs with RGM. Joe put them forward to Dick Rowe at Decca Records and a contract was signed to print singles and get the boys in the limelight. This was considered a huge step. Their record was eventually released in 1963 but a printers strike at the Decca plant at the wrong moment spelt the beginning of the end for the band. Ronnie Carr: ''The point about the record strike, was that we were really selling records at a better than average chart rate. When whoever it was who printed them stopped, it put paid to a very possible high chart entry. It was a shame, as a chance like that doesn't come along too often''.
In November that year The Beat Boys played at Wigan Empire backing a band from London who went on to world superstardom. The Rolling Stones (consisting in 1963 of: Jagger, Richards, Jones, Wyman, Watts & Stewart). Ronnie Carrs' now famous quote may sum the whole night up in a sentance. 'We blew them off the stage at Wigan Emp'. Beat Boys lead guitarist Kenny Fillingham played a green coloured Gretsch countryman guitar on stage, which (by coincidence?) went on to look very similar to that played by Brian Jones later that year!
The Beat Boys record release on Decca was entitled 'Thats My Plan/Third time lucky' of which leader Ronnie Carr says: 'It didn't do too badly. We personally liked rock and blues, but we had to record what the company chose.'' (The 45 rpm single is now over forty five years old and a rare gem and collectors item. In 2008 it retails on ebay for around £15!) 'The Beat Boys' were now one of the top live groups in England and were being 'looked after' by Jack Abadie from Manchester who had wonderful connections all over the UK. Jack part owned 'The Twisted Wheel' The 'hippest' coffee bar/ beat cellar in central Manchester. The famous beat club has since moved and is now nearby on Whitworth Street.
In 1964 - '65 'The Beat Boys' were still performing but the Decca releases had somehow ceased. Their undoubted musical talent lead to them being in much demand as a backing band. And they were now performing very regulary as a star attraction with US touring Blues stars. Effectively the beat boys had become 'The Blues Set'. Ronnie Carr says: ''In early 1960 nobody knew there were Two bands in Britain called The Beat Boys. Both bands had used the name for gigs and recordings and it was now confusing for fans.''
It now seems that 'The Beat Boys' various forced name changes on various television shows threw a few of their loyal fans and the band had missed a vital chance to build a solid national 'beatleman-ic' type fanbase. Ronnie Carr: ''We backed the Blues Artistes on TV using different names and we were also finding that many venues would simply not book Rock 'n' Roll bands anymore, because there had been trouble in some clubs.'' So in 1964 we met Don Arden and thought ok we can just call ourselves 'The Blues Set' and get some more work.''
1965 - THE BLUES SET
''He was by far the best performer ever for me. No one could sing like Jay could. I really loved my time working with that lad''. Ronnie Carr (2008)
The Blues Set played on a hugely succesful UK tour with Screamin' Jay Hawkins in 1965. Jay Hawkins based his career on scaring people to death by leaping out from a coffin on stage (as copied by Arthur Brown, Screaming Lord Such & Black Sabbath). When Hawkins arrived in London for his first UK tour in February 1965 (clad in an astrakhan cape, turban and sunglasses) He tested the efficiency of his theatrical 'flashpowder' in the airport's public lounge and set fire to his own beard!
Ronnie Carr recalls good times at The Flamingo Club in Soho backing Screamin' Jay. They were matched up by Don Arden, Sharon Osbourne's father, and watched by her future husband, wildman Ozzy then at the start of his career. Gun totin' bluesman Jalacy Hawkins, who dressed from head to foot in black complete with cloak and carried Henry, a skull on a stick, stayed at Ronnies' Leigh home and again using 'stage props' scared the local newsagent's wife to death when he went into the shop with flames shooting from his fingertips. For those that do not know, J. Hawkins wrote the Rock classic 'I put a Spell on You''.
1965 - 'THE BEAT BOYS' QUIT TOURING!
''A change in the era of Rock.'' (Ronnie Carr, 2008)
Even though some of their recordings appeared on various 'Decca beat-era' or 'Joe meek compilation cd's' Ronnie says that ''The royalties have never been forthcoming, but so what? We had wonderful times and saw wonderful places, so we've no regrets whatsoever.'' He adds ''I just thought the band had run its course, plus like the others we thought a change of life and music may be good for us, which turned out to be the right thing to do. No arguments. No money rows. Just the change in an era of rock and we needed time to refresh the body and mind. Plus we all had families who needed a bit of tender loving care.''
1966 - 'THE BEAT BOYS' - RESIDENT BAND
After Six years of UK tours and a mixed bag of recordings 'The Beat Boys' consisting of Ronnie Carr, Kenny Fillingham, George Twist & Ronnie Simms play a one year Residency at The Sportsman Club in Wigan. After which they take a long break from performing under 'The Beat Boys' band name.
1982 - 'THE BEAT BOYS' - IMPROMPTU CONCERT
Kenny Fillingham, Ronnie Carr & Malc Grundy of The Beat Boys play an impromptu performance at Leigh Miners Welfare Club. This was to help out a local charity event organiser, whose original booking had failed to appear. The band (including: Gordon Urmston - drums) recieved a huge welcome from the local crowd (who could still jive) and featured in all local press.
1997 - 'THE BEAT BOYS' - IMMORTALISED AT THE CAVERN CLUB
In '97 The band were officially recognised on 'The Cavern Club Wall of Fame' in Liverpool for their wonderful cellar concerts during the '60s. The brick facade to The Cavern Pub was declared open by their old friend Gerry Marsden (The Pacemakers) and still remains to this very day. The Beat Boys are very proud of this honour and thank all their fans deeply. Ronnie Carr: ''We played the real Cavern cellar with it's dripping walls and horrible smells. Great times. We also played at The Casbah Club on a few occasions too.''
2001-02 'THE BEAT BOYS' - CHARITY RE-UNIONS
The Beat Boys reformed for Two shows in Leigh and Hindley to raise money for a local charity hospice. The Two concerts held at Leigh Miners Club (2001) and The Monaco Ballroom, Hindley were both a huge success, the complete sell out shows raised some serious cash on the night, fans loved it!
2008 'THE BEAT BOYS' - OFFICIAL MYSPACE LAUNCH
In February 2008 UKFM contacted and teamed up with founder member of the band Ronnie Carr and have since compiled this myspace 'scrapbook'.
2008 'THE STORY OF LEIGH CASINO' (DVD)
Ronnie Carr hosts a Musical Documentary DVD film about the history of the recently demolished Leigh Casino Ballroom. The film Premiered on the 18th of September 2008 at Leigh Miners Welfare Club to huge local acclaim. The new DVD costs £5 and all profit is for Charity. ~ORDER ONLINE HERE~
2009 'THE BEAT BOYS' (DVD)
UKFM 50th Anniversary film 'The Beat Boys' a one hour colour film Directed by Chris Miller. Featuring original band members Ronnie Carr, Allan Parkinson, Ronnie Simms, Malc Grundy and friends. The complete band history, music, interviews, documentation + dvd extras - Available soon!
