This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Wasted Time R (talk | contribs) at 02:07, 5 November 2005 (add US singles). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.
Revision as of 02:07, 5 November 2005 by Wasted Time R (talk | contribs) (add US singles)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)Gerry & the Pacemakers was a British rock and roll group during the 1960s, and one of the few groups to challenge The Beatles in popularity. Like the Beatles, they came from Liverpool and were also managed by Brian Epstein.
History
Gerry Marsden formed the group in the late 1950s with Fred Marsden (his brother), Les Chadwick, and Arthur Mack. They rivalled the Beatles early in their career, playing in the same areas of Hamburg, Germany and Liverpool, England.
They began recording in 1963 with "How Do You Do It?", a song that both Adam Faith and The Beatles had turned down (in the latter case because they wanted to record their own material). The song became a no. 1 hit.
Their next two songs, "I Like It" and "You'll Never Walk Alone", both reached no. 1 in the UK. Never before had the first three singles by a performer all reached the top spot, and the feat would not be duplicated until Frankie Goes To Hollywood did it in the 1980s. Despite this early success, Gerry and the Pacemakers never had another number one single in the UK. In the US, their first hit was also their biggest, "Don't Let the Sun Catch You Crying".
Marsden began writing most of their own songs, including "It's All Right" and "Ferry Cross the Mersey". The band also starred in a moderately successful film called Ferry Cross the Mersey. By 1965, though, their popularity was rapidly declining on both sides of the Atlantic and they soon seemed un-hip. They disbanded in 1966 (see 1966 in music).
After the breakup Gerry Marsden maintained a career as a television personality, and starred in the West End musical, Charlie Girl. With a new set of Pacemakers, he has made over twice as many albums than he did in the 1960s, including one of Beatles songs. In the 1980s he returned to top the charts as part of The Crowd. In 2001 he recorded a John Lennon tribute called "Much Missed Man", written 20 years earlier by musician Joe Flannery.
Fred Marsden went to work for British Telecom. He put his drum kit in his garage and never touched it again. Leslie Maguire joined the Royal Navy, and is occasionally recognised playing piano in the Wallasey on Mersey area. Les Chadwick moved to Australia, where he formed a successful employment agency.
Discography
UK albums
- How Do You Like It? (October 1963)
- Don't Let The Sun Catch You Crying (July 1964)
- Gerry & the Pacemakers' Second Album (November 1964)
- I'll Be There! (February 1965)
US singles
In America a different series of Gerry & the Pacemakers singles was issued, as their Laurie Records label created more albums and at least two singles which were never issued in England. This seemed a standard American practise as it also happened with the Beatles and the Dave Clark 5. Peak chart positions are from the Billboard Hot 100.
- 1964 "Don't Let the Sun Catch You Crying" #4
- 1964 "How Do You Do It?" #6
- 1964 "I Like It" #17
- 1965 "I'll Be There" #14
- 1965 "Ferry Cross the Mersey" #6
- 1965 "It's Gonna Be Alright" #23
- 1966 "Girl on a Swing" #28