Gerry Marsden, a former truck driver who grew up with and was a neighbor of the Beatles, formed a band called The Pacemakers in 1959. Epstein signed the group in June 1962, and Gerry And The Pacemakers began establishing a following at Liverpool's Cavern Club, often sharing the same bill as the Beatles.
In 1963, they scored a no. 1 British smash, “How Do You Do It?” (This was originally intended for the Beatles, but legend has it that the group didn't like the song at all, and deliberately sang this off-key at a session.) ”I Like It” and ”You'll Never Walk Alone”” followed, which I believe were also no. 1 British smashes. The group capped off the year with an appearance on the British show ”Saturday Night At The London Palladium”.
By May 1964, Gerry and the Pacemakers made their American TV debut on Ed Sullivan. Their U.S. single debut? The classic (and beautiful!) ”Don't Let The Sun Catch You Crying”. And like the Beatles, they also starred in a movie, ”Ferry Across The Mersey”, with a same-titled hit.
Another Epstein act, signed on in late 1962, was Billy J. Kramer (born William Ashton), a British Railways worker, who originally sang with a group called The Coasters (No. not the US Coasters!). On Epstein's advice, Kramer teamed with a Manchester group, The Dakotas. Amd minor rock history was made.
According to George Martin, also this group's producer, Kramer “didn't have the greatest voice in the world”, but Martin worked his magic. The result was Kramer's first British hit, ”Do You Want To Know A Secret?” (yes, it's that Beatle song) in June 1963. That same month the group also did a U.K. tour with the Beatles.
Their follow-up was the no. 1 British smash, ”Bad To Me”, written by John Lennon, for Kramer. The group hit the British top 10 again with two Lennon/McCartney songs, ”I'll Keep You Satisfied” and ”From A Window”. In mid-1964 they made their American debut with ”Little Children”.
The Searchers were yet another Liverpool group who became very successful in both England and America. They were formed in 1961 and named after a John Wayne movie. They also played regularly at the Cavern and other clubs. In August 1963, the group had a no. 1 British smash with ”Sweets For My Sweet” (a remake of the Drifters' hit).
The copyright of the article The British Invasion in 1960s Pop Music in 60s Music is owned by . Permission to republish The British Invasion in 1960s Pop Music in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
