Boys in the Band: Teesside’s groups 1960-70

They say if you stood on any street corner in Liverpool in the 1960s you could hear a group practising. The same could be said of Teesside. That decade in this heavily industrialised area bred hard working and hard drinking men who, along with their wives, could comprise maybe the toughest audiences in the UK. Along with the introduction of rock ‘n roll across this side of the Atlantic, messenger boys,  bobbin boys and apprentices in all the trades fell in love with that raw music and 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 to avoid being hit by beer glasses or brawling drinkers as they played the first gigs of their musical careers. Often underage to be on the premises where they were working, after hard shifts at their day job, those early gigs were a proving ground where they learned to become entertainers. 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 in a band then, this book will tell you.

“It’s a work of art… a beautiful book…” Gary Phillipson, Radio Tees DJ

“…arrived a few days ago and certainly worth the wait! Really captures the whole vibe of how everything was changing in the 60s and how creative the whole scene was!” Alan Grange, road manager, Average White Band, Wishbone Ash, Van Der Graff Generator, Gnidrolog, The Engine.

“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.

“spent last night engrossed… not only the exhaustive detail, but brilliant descriptions of that atmospheric period.” Mike Gutteridge, singer & guitarist.

“Boys in the Bands is a stunning work of art. Thank you so much for the tremendous work  in compiling this masterpiece.” Phil Udall, bass player

More info and how to buy the book here.