An Audience with Some Other Guys

60 years ago, The Merseybeat, heart, soul and sounds of Liverpool were about to explode across the globe, just a few short years after originating in the city’s music clubs. In February 1961, The Beatles did their first performance at the Cavern under that name, and a year later their first televised performance was recorded by Granada. By the end of 1962 they had given 262 performances, helping The Cavern become the most famous club in the World.

However, the Merseybeat musical genre was so much more than just the goliath that was The Beatles. With live music lunchtimes and evenings, many other clubs and pub venues across the city were a haven for music lovers and performers alike, and so many great names from across the North West emerged from that scene. In 1962 a young drummer from Prescot called Alan Noone stepped on to the stage in the Cavern Club for the first time. Just 16 years old, it was the start of a long career that saw him play alongside The Riot Squad, SKY, The Mark Peters Method, The Steve Alan Set and more. The epitome of the “Some other Guys” famed for creating and developing the Mersey Sound, he would never walk alone. Hundreds of young men and women from the Liverpool area, picked up a guitar, a drum, a brass instrument, or a microphone, and made their claim to fame on the stages of Liverpool and Manchester. And many are still playing today.

Alan thought it was time some of the other guys had one more shot on a famous stage in Merseyside, and where better than the magnificent surroundings of the Shakespeare North Playhouse, built within just a few hundred yards of his childhood family home.

Your host is Steve Willock (Writer and Producer) who will take us through the stories, the influences and the music that have everyone on their feet and singing along.

Alan, with our fantastic live band led by Gillan Edgar and Jim Wilson, with female vocalist Daisy Kate, provide the platform for our special guests. November 9th sees the return of Pete Maclaine (Original lead singer of The Dakotas) and Ian Goodall (Tony D and The Shakeouts), and new for Prescot, we welcome Tony Coates of the Merseybeats, to perform the songs that provided each with their brush with fame and musical memories for us all across six decades.

Shakespeare North Playhouse is proud to be able to welcome them back to perform again for a special night, to remember back to when the world adopted the music of Liverpool!

Alan Noone: Drummer – Without Alan there would be no show tonight. It was his dream to put together a show, that recognised the 1000’s of ‘other guys’ and girls that played their part in the development of Merseybeat. Alan, a Prescotion by birth, and  an original “other guy”, considered himself blessed and lucky to have become a professional musician, but also recognises the huge contribution the Liverpool bands made, even though very few ever became household names. His early days with the Riot Squad, Liverpool Express and The Mark Peters Method included time spent in Hamburg and touring France in the  sixties were a special time for him as it was for so many Liverpool youngsters.

Tony Coates: Singer / Guitarist – Tony is a new addition to the show lineup for 9 November, but far from a new face to the Liverpool Music Scene. Cut from the same vintage as Alan Noone, the two Mersey men played alongside each other throughout the early and mid-Sixties.. Tony first found Mersey beat fame with The Corsairs from 1961 but went on to Join The Mark Peters Method and the Liverpool Express often alongside Alan Noone including European Tours in 1966. The Merseybeat’s had had success under Tony Crane and Billy Kinsley since 1961 and later as The Mersey’s and band members changed and interchanged with other bands as they often did in the early years of Mersey Beat. Tony Coates became a regular member of the Merseys in the late 1960’s and continued to play with them through the following two decades. Taking lead vocal and Guitar responsibilities in his stride, and we are delighted he is with us tonight to replay some of The Merseybeats classic hits alongside Alan Noone one once more and the Some Other Guys Band

Pete Maclaine: Singer – Pete Maclean is the slightly elder statesman of our originals this evening. Performing in the early sixties as Pete Maclaine and The Dakotas in Manchester, (The first ever Manchester band to play The Cavern). Pete was close to Brian Epstein and became a regular on the Liverpool scene becoming a good friend of the fab four, with John and Paul even offering to write his songs. Pete has shared the bill with The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Gerry and the Pacemakers, The Big 3 and so many more. He moved to Decca Records after forming Pete Maclaine and the Clan after the Dakotas went to work with Billy J Kramer under Brian Epstein’s Management. (But that is part of the shows story!)

Ian Goodall: Singer / Guitarist – Ian Goodall completes our four originals. A lifelong love of making, writing and performing music, continues . As lead singer, guitarist and writer for Tony D and the Shakeouts, Ian originally from Oldham, Lancashire travelled to Liverpool with the band, playing the many clubs and finding his audience for beat inspired originals. After been tempted away by Management in Nottingham, the Shakeouts recorded on the PYE/Piccadilly label, only to be disappointed when recording were not released. A rare talent but a common story amongst the Other Guys of the era. We can enjoy a brilliant performance from Ian tonight.

Steve Willock: Producer, Writer Singer, Musician – Steve’s history includes roles as producer and musical director for the South Manchester Show & Music Festival for over ten years, a gigging musician and businessman, he also enjoys the roles of; son-in-law to Alan Noone, father-in-law in waiting to Big Jim Wilson and father to Daisy Kate. So these shows have been a real family affair!

“When Alan approached me with his wacky idea to help create a show to celebrate 60 years of Merseybeat, I expected we would probably put out a few pub gigs for fun. But through his relentless enthusiasm and the obvious love and passion that still exists for the Merseybeat music, here we are with a packed house at Prescot again!”

Gillan Edgar: Musical Director– Gillan is a dislocated Scotsman currently living in Manchester in the Northwest of England. Gillan is a self-confessed, Beatles obsessed and regarded authority on 60’s music. A multi-instrumentalist, singer and songwriter, composer, arranger, and the only cast member still sporting a mop top haircut. As a working musician he is regular performer at The Cavern in Liverpool.

“Music is the life-giving river that runs through my existence – it’s my favourite hobby, my livelihood, my distraction, my therapy.”

BIG Jim Wilson, Guitarist and Vocalist – Jim is a master of the guitar. A graduate from Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts, Jim left to pursue a professional career in music. As part of a signed band “MPC” with Liverpool’s Honey Records they toured and released their first single “CULT” and album in 2004, enjoying the supporting video playing on MTV Europe. But when the lead singer returned home to Peru, the band disbanded and the second album was not to be, creating another generation of the ‘some other guys’ phenomenon. Jim continues to play professionally, including regular appearances at the Cavern, and is an award nominated Voice Over Artist for TV, Radio and Online. He somehow also finds time to be a school music teacher for 11–18-year-olds.

Daisy Kate: Singer, Musician – A muti- instrumentalist including guitar and piano, with a pitch perfect vocal range across many musical genres, she has a passion for the great female vocalists of 1960; soul, jazz and popular music. Daisy plays professionally at large private and public events including Premiership sports venues as pre-and-post-match entertainment for Champions League Football and Rugby Union. She also has experience with live online performances and has previously appeared as one of the global featured online artists for Taylor Guitars. Daisy in also a 2024 finalist in the Wedding and Corporate Entertainment awards.