The Beat Makers: The Unsung Heroes of the Mersey Sound

2017 | History & Politics

In the late 1950s, a flourishing culture of groups began to emerge in major UK cities such as Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham and London. This was particularly true in Liverpool, where an estimated 350 different bands were active, often playing ballrooms, concert halls and clubs. This new music became known as Merseybeat. Local author and historian, Anthony Hogan, has chronicled the fascinating and little-told stories of many of the characters from that era; the people and the bands who made a big contribution to Liverpool's rise to Rock'n'Roll prominence. You can read about the often-overlooked black music scene in Liverpool and its importance to Merseybeat, as well as the amazing story of The Liverbirds, who became the first all-girl beat band, and Derry Wilkie, the black singer who fronted a number of different bands and was the first Merseybeat artist to play in Hamburg and to release a record. And with chapters on the great names such as Ted Kingsize Taylor, Johnny Guitar and Geof Nugent, 'The Beat Makers' is essential reading for all self-respecting lovers of rock'n'roll history.

Anthony Hogan (Author)