Sound of Teenbeats
BACK in the 60s Southport was a wondeful place to live, especially if you were in your teens.
Yes, we had all the top names on the pop scene: Freddie & the Dreamers at the Cambridge Hall; The Spotnicks; Gerry & The Pacemakers at the Floral, The Beatles at the Kingsway.
All of which inspired many of our local lads to get together in the shed and form a group.
There were a few that should have stayed there but two groups stood out and had a friendly rivalry.
I grew up following both, and my teenage years were spent every weekend at various chuch halls dancing the night away to the Teenbeats and the Diplomats.
At 17 my friend Pat and I loved Saturday nights and couldn’t wait for the van to roll up and unload speakers, mike stands and cables... from 7.4511pm the hall was full of bodies bopping and twisting to John, Boo, Kevin and Doug, namely the Teenbeats.
I can’t remember if it was Pat or myself who decided they were so good we would write to Hughie Green and get them an audition, and how giddy we were when the letter arrived to say they had been accepted.
Saturday night huddled round the telly, hearts pounding, we thought they were fab – alas, the rest of the nation didnt, but at least we tried.
Naughty I know, but it wasn’t long before Pat’s loyalty stayed with the Teenbeats and I moved to the rival camp and started to enjoy the music of the Diplomats, whose music just had the edge.
A great bunch of lads with loads of talent, one of which was a boyfriend for several years, oh my gosh, let’s just say 239986742.
The lead guitar was Barry, then Kevin, Dave and Quent.
Still only playing at chirch halls, we would pile into the van and take off on arrival.
It would take almost an hour to unload the equipment and get set up.
It was my job to grab an item, any item, so I could say to whoever was on the door that I was with the band. After all the 3/entry fee was a lot of money back then.
It was a long night, especially after packing everything up back into the van.
Many times we would head home to my house, where mum had prepared home made soup and sandwiches.
I often wonder if Barry still hates chutney.
Money was tight but I always remember dad made new speakers for the group and mum finished them off and lined them with her best cushion covers, all done with love.