Following the continuing success of Backstage Pass : Redcar Jazz Club, author Chris Scott Wilson has produced a sister volume, this time concentrating on local bands who honed their ‘chops’ in Teesside’s pubs and clubs.
To buy the book, go to Chris' website www.chrisscottwilson.co.uk and visit the Boys In The Bands page.
Back in the 1960s messenger boys, bobbin boys and apprentices in all the trades of this heavily industrialised area fell in love with the sheer rawness of rock ‘n roll as it permeated across the Atlantic. Some started dreaming about electric guitars and making some of that wonderful noise themselves. And if they had ducked and dived at work, they soon found themselves ducking and diving as they played the first gigs of their musical careers, often underage in licensed premises where they worked. Those early gigs in front of hard working and hard drinking men and their wives were a proving ground, probably the toughest audiences in the UK. If you could learn to entertain them, you could entertain anybody.
Musical styles may have changed throughout the decade, rock ‘n’ roll, R&B, blues, pop, blues-rock, progressive and hard rock, but the experiences were shared - drooling over instruments they couldn't afford, trying to learn tunes from records, lifting the needle, working out that bit, lowering the needle on the record again to learn the next bit, getting excited buying an amp, new drum kit, dealing with concert secretaries, promoters, agents, travelling, always looking towards better equipment, trying to build a sound, playing better, supporting other artistes who had made it and trying to work out why they had and you hadn't, looking for a break, working to get up to the next level, trying to get the stars to align so it would happen. Chasing a dream.
If you played in the 1960s the author aims to kick-start your memories, and if you didn’t, but want to know what it was like to be a band then, this book will tell you.
“…devoured it almost in one sitting! Fabulous stuff! I thought the Pete Frame type family trees with each band was an inspired move and the band members’ anecdotes and vignettes were a joy to read.” Ken Robinson, bass player.
“don’t miss out, this book is full of information, photos, family trees wonderfully presented by the author.” Dave Julian
“ …the book far exceeds all my expectations. The format and content is superb, full of wonderful photos, memorabilia and anecdotes from band members. The photos and stories are interspersed with some great images of guitar catalogues, musical equipment, adverts, flyers, tickets, promo cards etc. All this is perfectly backed up by Chris's excellent narrative of how the music scene evolved over those 10 years.” Terry Carter, guitarist
“Brilliant book by Chris Scott Wilson…I can't put it down. I thought I knew everything about the Teesside group/band era of the 1960's because I was there at the time. After reading just a few pages of ‘Boys in The Bands’ I now realise I know very little… this book will live on long after we've all gone.” Mark Aynsley Hay, singer
“A truly magnificent book – I have to keep putting it down because it’s so heavy. Packed with facts and information.” Stan Laundon
“Thanks for having the energy, tenacity and perseverance to produce such a great piece. A truly remarkable tome.” Colin Bradley, singer & guitarist
“Like the Redcar Jazz Club book this new one is a great document of a special musical time.” Paul Flush, keyboard player