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THE SPORTSMEN Paul Craig & The Theme. The New City Showband Wigan * "I met Reg Parker in town yesterday, not seen him for years. He's not very well and walking with a stick. He soon showed signs of his old-self when we started reminiscing. I reminded him of the time he was practising in his house with my brother Peter and he was doing the singing. He was singing Billy Fury's 'Because of Love' but when he came to the words, 'like a cherry cream pie,' he wouldnt sing it. Too much of a machoman you see. 'I'm not singing words like that!'     He still has his Fender guitar but says he doesn't play very often. I hope he gets better soon. As you know he really is the nicest of people. Regards." Michael Vose: April 2011 "Yup: Get well soon Reg".  From Bill and the Lanky Beat family     Reg Parker: Rhythm Guitar. George Chamberlain: Guitar. George Twist: Keyboards. Keith Wright: Lead Guitar. Dave Rylance: Drums. Derek Taylor: Vocals. Maurice Myers: Bass Guitar.     The Sportsmen took their name from The Sportsmens Club opposite the Half-Way House pub in Pemberton Wigan. Winning a heat of the Music Echo sponsored 1965 Northern Sounds Contest, they lost in the final to the group Tabs. In 1965 they secured a recording contract.     "I've got a pretty battered 45 rpm single,the title on one side is ''I Miss You (When I Kiss You)'' and the other side 'If It's Love' The record was given to my girfriend, now wife and I in the late sixties by one of the band members Reg Parker. Jack Bit: Wigan World May 2010                                                                                                       The Sportsmen The Sportsmen again..   And again..   *"After leaving The Sportman’s Club in Wigan we became resident at Bolton Casino on Crompton Way for about 16 months. At this time we made our record at CBS then we disbanded soon after.     George Chamberlain: Vocal. Keith Wright: Lead Guitar. Kenny Fillingham: Bass - ex Beat Boys. Johnnie Kearns: Drums - ex Vaqueros. George Twist: Keyboards - ex Beat Boys.   "George Twist of The Blues Set, The Sportsmen, The New City Showband etc, owns Tracy’s Discount Store in Ashton and Pemberton Wigan. He also drives a 4x4 Merc' with reg. G TW15T. He also used to be resident organist at Scholes LC with me on drums in the late 60’s." Billy Winston: August 2010

*BLUE RUST Wigan      Winter Gardens Ballroom Blackpool. Phil Wakefield: keyboards - Vox Continental two manual - Vocal. Bill Halliwell: Fender Jazzman Bass - Lead Vocal. John Watkinson: Fender Guitar - Lead Vocal. Eric Westwood: Premier Drums -   Winter Gardens, Llandudno.   All the material was pop - harmony type stuff and some of our own interpretation. When I left the group it was decided that we'd visit  The Answers recording studio in Farnworth and record four tracks - not necessarily the best tracks - but one each that we each did the lead singing.  Several copies were produced - an EP - and we dished them out.  As far as I know I have the only one remaining copy. The tracks we recorded were - Eric: Bluberry Blue. Phil: Here Comes the Sun. John: Carpet Man and the fourth one by Bill - I simply can't remember?   Winter Gardens, Llandudno.     After I had left, Bill Halliwell bought the one-off bass speakers - mentioned elsewhere in Lanky Beat from  The Answers when they disbanded and we used them until Blue Rust folded after a bad road accident in Sheffield.       In 1978 I was given a challenge by one of the top local groups to build a three pylon, four colours lighting-set that would run off a 13 Amp socket.  I did it!  Couldn't get to sleep last night racking my brains as to who it was.  I know we tested it out for the first time at Gidlow Lane Bowling Club in Wigan - I think Billy Birchall might have been the drummer at the time.    One Saturday night will I was still building the rig, the group went to Halifax for a gig and then realised the lead box was at my house!  After a quick dash from Hindley Green to Halifax they managed to start their first spot on time! Manic!"              After about 3 months of serious practice we messed around trying to break into the Cabaret Circuit but as soon as William at L. E. Agencyheard us he wanted us to be a straight harmony pop group working for him.  We all got on well together and soon we were building up quite a following and a good reputation.  The good old red Bedford van had to go and the grey Commer JU van took over.  Boy did that van have a character – like rust in the fuel tank!  How many times we must have run the engine being fed from a 1 gallon can of petrol via a bit of plastic pipe!!     Again packed out with much bigger gear and little room for the four of us and two roadies.  Phil, the keyboard player was always concerned that his Vox Continental Duo was susceptible to condensation which affected the tones somewhat so each evening we had to unload the key board on dropping him off! New Premier Drums arrived - Dec 1970 which I still own today - to quote Doug Larby – 'the smartest antique drum set in the world!'     Bill Halliwell: Bass Guitar. John Fishwick: Answers: Kettle: Keyboards. John 'Wokky' Watkinson. Billy 'Winston' Birchall: Drums.   Below I have listed a few of the most memorable venues we played..     Milnthorpe Memorial Hall – now everyone said this was a place to be avoided!  And they were right.  We were told ‘make sure you back your van right up to the doors so no-one can get around the sides’.  What!  Basically there was no-one in until the local pub shut then they flocked in. The organisers collected the money and when everyone was in, cleared off!  Fighting was part of the night including a do at the group.  We managed to befriend the leader of the pack and survived to play another day!   The Pink Elephant Club - Colours-Who didn’t play here as it was William’s own club? – 'Don’t play for me son and you don’t get any work.'  To be fair we had some great nights there and it was good crowd.  Obviously what comes to mind was the ‘Stripper Nights’ Who could forget sitting in the dressing room at the side of the stage with girls wearing absolutely nothing but a smile.  What you’ve got to remember is that when they turn their backs on the audience at the end they are facing us!!!   Kirby Central LC - A massively popular club packed on a Saturday night.  Who can forget standing at the bar at the end of the night drinking pints of orange juice as the melee winds it’s way past you and on to outside.  The night was incomplete without a bust-up but generally speaking they were so drunk - women and all! - that no-one really got hurt.   Reeces Club, Liverpool - Now this was a true frightener!  It was on the second floor of a department store and during the day was a restaurant.  Everyone we spoke to telling them we were booked here told us it was the ‘last place on earth’ you wanted to play.  Stories of groups being beat up and vans overturned and smashed up – we were scared to say the least. It was true – most of the lads had umbrellas that you drew out a sword!  To pick a fight with us the leader came across to where we were sat and drunk Phil’s pint – we said nothing!  It was clear at this point we were in trouble so a strategy was formed.  When they charged us we would each pick up a mic’ stand and take a few down with us.  Second spot – they all gathered at the back ready to charge.  They charged – we picked up our weapons and then lo and behold, they split and went to the windows at either side of the stage.  Ian Paisley the Irish politician had just arrived on the ferry from Ireland and was on the soap box shouting at all.  They all dashed out the place as it would be far more fun out there.  Never have we left a place so fast – no getting changed – all the gear thrown into the van, nothing packed up – bugger! The cases and the clothes are in the kitchens!  We dashed back for them switched on the lights and the place was awash with cockroaches!!  So much for a food establishment.  Once we were clear of the place we had to park at the side of the road, get changed and load the van properly.  Never have I been so glad to get away from a place without being paid.  As far as I know, no-one went there again from the L.E. Agency.    Winter Gardens, Llandudno - A great place to play.  We always went early so that we could play footy on the beach and eat in the posh Forte Restaurant upstairs.  The window table was always reserved for us.  We used to put mustard on the chips and feed the seagulls – you could watch them crash!  The next time we visited there was a big sign up saying ‘Do NOT feed the Seagulls!    The Cavendish Club, Blackburn - 13th Nov 1970. My best memories were double billing with The Hollies.  They were superb and great to be with. Also billed with Dave Berry, The Paper Dolls just to name a few.   Top Cat Club, Keswick - Interesting place!  Anyone who was in a group will tell you it is not good to have members of the audience behind you.  Nothing better than a solid wall!  Well this place was an old converted theatre where the stage was now the bar so you had the audience all around you – not good!  Inevitably trouble started when pint pots were flying over and bouncing off the drums – immediately a fight broke out below us but what happened next was amazing!  The side doors were suddenly flung open and the fighters were thrown out by the organisers straight into the river  where a section of the fence had been removed.  They were then not allowed back in until the evening was over – you’ve never seen such a cold miserable quiet set of people!  Worked a treat!   Nevada Ballroom,Bolton - Without a doubt our favourite place.  We felt like and played like pop stars!  We double billed with the likes of Pickety Witch, Mud, and The Sweet etc. but we were always the 'local favourites' group.  I’ll never forget the first time we played there to a full-house – as soon as you started to sing the solo spot – the pencil spot-light came on you and you felt like a million dollars!  We always tried to do something different like supposedly filming for Top of the Pops - my brother–in-law with a cine camera and massive floodlights!  What used to go down a storm was playing some songs that involved getting up on stage members of the audience to play something or other.  The audience loved it!!  One night on leaving I went out the main entrance to open up the van.  The next thing I knew there was this bloody great big barking mad Alsatian pinning me to the wall.  Glad to see that there was a police dog handler not far behind.  On seeing I wasn’t part of the trouble he called it off – scary stuff Alsatians!     Finally, I left the group on the 21 June 1971.  Billy Birchall took my place and what a great drummer he was.  I remember thinking that I wish I had formally learned to play as Billy had but at least I could whack out a great beat! - Or so people say! After that saw me doing stand-in drumming in the clubs and building working at the L.E. Agency Recording Studio with the likes of Rainbow Cottage.   Eric Westwood: March 2011

THE LONG & THE SHORT L'Ringos: The Lemmings: Ashton in Makerfield *New pic below.. Les Saint Stuart: Lead Guitar - Vocal. Bob Taylor: Bass Guitar. Gerry Watt: Piano.  Alan Grindley: Drums. Bob McKinley: Guitar - Lead Vocal. Bob McKinley 19th All-Time Place.  The British Country Music Hall of Fame www.bcmhof.co.uk   L'Ringos brick in the Cavern Wall of Fame - Liverpool.   "This skiffle group were formally known as The L'Ringos which won a beat contest watched by Decca Chief Dick Rowe. In August 1964 they appeared in a film called 'Night at Beat City' which was set at Londons Beat City Club, As it goes I think I had been in Beat City club in Oxford Street in my yoof. They split around 1965.'The Long & The Short' released two singles and both were on Decca.. 1. The Letter/Love Is A Funny Thing: 1964: Charted at No 30. 2. Choc Ice/Here Comes The Fool 1964: Charted at No 46.    "I didn't know the band or and neither did I ever hear The L&TS play. I just used to knock-around with Bob McKinley in London after the group folded. He was a great guy. I just saw Lanky Beat and in a fit of nostalgia I really wondered where he might be now.?" Robin Holland: June 2010 ~ "1964 saw this TL&TS appear in the now cult-nonsense-pop-film 'Gonks Go Beat'. William Leyland of LE Agency, Wigan, gathered most of the bands together who made their silver screen debuts. Mike Hurst & Trekkers were a 'Lankyland named band of time who appeared with Lulu & The Lovers who took the starring role.   "Bob McKinley was always going to be an outstanding musician of his time who had all the ingedients to make it big in pop music sadly to no avail. However, his good looks and natural ability did keep him in the music scene longer than most. In the 1970s his musical affectations soon extended to the British version of the Americana Country Music scene and later on into Country Rock.   2009 brought him the award of 19th place Inductee in the all-time British Country Music Hall of Fame. www.bcmhof.co.uk     With is band Dixie Fried he was noted for his fine delivery style with ballads and in rockabilly songs. He wrote some very successful songs including his English Born Dixie Fried signature number." Bill Hart: September 2010   ~ "Graham Hill of Rainbow Cottage was the young lad who Bobby Taylor - The Long & The Short - used to try and teach me to play the guitar during his dinner break." David Darbyshire: June 2010 "They went on Top Of The Pops in 1964 with a record: 'The Letter'. It went to No.35 in the pop charts." Marieg: Wigan World May 2010 ~   "Bob McKinley of The Long & The short: I knocked about with him when he was in London in the sixties. He sung late evenings in the pub where I used to work in New Cavendish Street, we would go to the Flamingo Club in Wardour Street (Heady Days) and go to east-end pubs where he would often sing with the groups (The Two Puddings)."       "The Answers: Brian Gibbs then joined dear Graham Hill at Rainbow Cottage. Bobby Taylor apprentice painter and decorator for Almond Breweries at Standish - tried to learn a certain landlords son to play the guitar at lunch times before joining The Long and the Short."    "I just read post about Bob McKinley. Played with him in the '70s. He was studying at Hull University at the time and was a gentleman and a scholar. He eventually went to Nashville Tennesse and did very well. Really nice lad." ^KatieD: Wigan World: May 2010 ~   "I have known Bob McKinley from when he was in the Long & The Short in the sixties. We used to go to see him when he did country and western in the clubs. I know he still lives in Abram Nr Wigan, but does anyone know if he still does any singing?" Anon ~  "I am a friend of Bobs from when we lived in the Bryn Area, Ashton-in-Makerfield nr Wigan. I am a bit younger – 59 - than Bob and used to go and watch him and the lads practice at St Peters Church Hall on Bryn Road. I noticed this in the Wigan Evening Post about Bob I went on to come and watch Billyshym of - The Shyms at Room at the Top with my mate from Goose Green, Brian Holland: Ollie to his mates.  David Fairhurst: August 2010    * Pic courtesy Roy Davies: February 2011   "I remember seeing Bob McKinley of The Long & The Short at Wigan Rugby Union Club and they were then called The Lemmings - and very good they were too. Very Rock and roll, but that's Bob - a cracking Rock and Roll singer. He ended-up in a later incarnation of The Mojos from Liverpool."  Mitch Mitchinson: March 2010

WINSTON    Wigan *WINSTON: The Final Countdown: Below..   Winston in LE Studios 1976 Billy Birchall: Drums. Eddie Leverington: Guitar.  Brian 'Spud' Rudd ex Ipso Facto: Lead Guitar. Geoff Duckworth: Bass Guitar.   One of a trio of Wigan based super-groups - Winson - together with Rainbow Cottage and Copper Kettle - they professionally dominated the 1970/1980's scene with their particular version of progressive rock. As a pro-band, their collective talents were in huge demand all across the Euro Zone and when playing much closer to home, they would pack places out to rafters every time they played. Something which they still do to this very day..     Each member too has fond memories of the slightly erlier times of the 1960's when they were cutting their teeth as fledgling musicians in local groups. Bands like the immensly popular Ispso Facto produced lead guitarist Brian Rudd for instance.       Like many band's personelle line-up's changed many times over the years before eventually swapping Rock 'n Roll for 'proper jobs' in the 1990's. James Carter Stringfellow on keyboards replaced Brian when he stood down in the mid 1970's.     Today however, they are still performing, if a little less frequently. Going for the Fun Band Reunion Theme they can be seen in places like Goose Green Labour Club, Wigan as they did just very recently  - and with Copper Kettle on the bill too.. I'm told the shows are unmissable! I'll keep you posted.. Bill Hart: August 2010 Another packed venue in the mid 1970's. The line-up with James Carter Stringfellow on keyboards Geoff - Billy - Eddie   Spud               Geoff                Eddie           Billy   Winston in Holland 1979         *WINSTON: The Final Countdown 1987-89     Joe Moss takes a short break from his mixing desk. Joe was sound engineer for Rainbow Cottage many years then..   "In the last few weeks of the lifespan of Rainbow Cottage in 1987, I was approached by Billy Birchall of Winston to do the same job for them. I can’t recall whether their sound guy had or was leaving and they needed someone to replace him. I was very fortunate, therefore to walk from one job straight into another.                                        Kevin Longworth RIP                           Dave Flintoff     Winston had been around for quite a number of years by then in various line-ups - I don’t know enough about their earlier career to add anything to that time - and by the time I was recruited the band consisted of; Billy Birchall on drums and vocals, Dave Flintoff on bass guitar and vocals, Kevin Longworth - who sadly passed away a few years ago - on guitar and vocals and Phil Needham on keyboards and vocals.     Winston had, by this time, been in existence for quite a number of years and had created a very good reputation on a similar circuit to Rainbow Cottage and regarding onstage line-up and musical approach were closely related. Philip Stokes, an original member of Rainbow Cottage was also an original member of Winston.           Billy Birchall                              Phil Needham     From the.. iron curtain..   Winston’s orbit of work was very similar to that of Rainbow Cottage, including several trips out to Germany. A notable first was when we had to go to Berlin to perform some shows. This was at a time when the two halves of the country were separated by the Iron Curtain and the Berlin wall. It was very interesting and a little scary going through those stark concrete checkpoints with heavily armed guards inspecting the documentation and looking through all the gear in the back of the van.     Another example of first-class planning occurred when we were going out to Germany in December 1987. We were booked to appear at R.A.F locking near Weston-super-Mare on Wednesday 9 December, so we set out that morning and arrived late afternoon, played the show and got away from Weston SM in the early hours of the morning driving straight to Dover through the night and arriving in time to catch an early ferry across to France. We travelled through the day to arrive at L.E Agency’s base in Germany in the early afternoon, only to be told that we were expected in Detmold right away. This meant we had to go another three hours along the road to arrive by tea-time. We were met at the gates by an army officer who wondered why we were late as he had been expecting us the day before. Without any further delay, we had to go in and set up to be ready to play as quickly as possible. Now, in case you don’t know, the forces 'Christmas Balls' are very formal and long drawn-out occasions with the intention of eating and drinking as much as you can. The night went on and on until finally we were able to finish in the small hours of Friday morning. You will note that there was no mention of bed and sleep here.     To the.. final curtain   Throughout 1988 we continued to trek around Britain, The Isle of Man and Germany and so we were spending quite a lot of time away from home with not a great deal of time off. By now Winston had been around for about sixteen years in various forms, but always with Billy 'Winston' Birchall as the one constant. Whether this was a factor in the decision late in the year to disband, I’m not sure; certainly the lifestyle makes maintaining outside relationships more difficult. So on the 17 January 1989, Winston performed for the final time at Goose Green Labour Club, Wigan.     In recent years Winston have revived themselves and perform locally mostly, I believe, at weekends. The featured line-up is now; Philip Stokes on guitar & vocals; Eddie Leverington on guitar & vocals; Geoff Duckworth on Bass & vocals; Billy Birchall on Drums & vocals. Their original sound & lighting engineer, Barry Hurst is also back with them." Joe Moss: February 2010

*THE NIGHT RIDERS

Ian & The Rebels

Ormskirk

Keith Hubbard: Lead Guitar

*NEVER NEVER Wigan Mick Williams: Bass Guitar.  Shaun Grove: Drums. Barry Speke: Guitar-Vocal. Mike Seary: Keyboards.   Shaun's dad, Wayne Grove *THE OUTLAWS Wigan Shaun Grove: Guitar. Pat Bray: Lead Guitar. Stuart Farrell: Drums. John Carroll: Lead Vocal. John Lewis of Copper Kettle: Bass Guitar.   Shaun Grove: January 2011

COPPER KETTLE Kettle Wigan      Roy Gaskell: Drums. Jimmy Dyke: Lead Vocal. Eddie Leverington: Guitar-Vocal. John Lewis: Bass Guitar-Vocal.