ARTBEAT64

Hello and welcome to the Merseybeat section of Artbeat64, I'm Simon Pritchard based in Old Catton, Norwich, Norfolk, UK. - here I will be featuring a collection of paintings based around the Merseybeat era of the early to mid '60s. You will be able to see pieces based around some top Liverpool musicians that achieved national and international chart success like Cilla Black, The Merseybeats, Billy J Kramer and of course a certain popular beat combo called the Beatles. Alongside these are some of Merseyside's lesser known outfits that gained huge followings in their native city's club scene such as Rory Storm & the Hurricanes, King Size Taylor and the Big Three.

The photo to the left is me on the doorstep of George Harrison's old family home in Liverpool during our first visit.

To complement the collection I've included some works depicting images of the Hamburg Rock 'n' Roll scene, including the notorious Star Club, where German kids, sailors, prostitues and gangsters could rave to a variety of British, especially Scouse groups on it's thriving club circuit. The British bands often appeared alongside American Rock 'n' Roll icons like Gene Vincent and Jerry Lee Lewis.

And to add a little something extra to the mix I've included several pictures of Billy Fury, not someone you'd normally associate with the term Merseybeat but he was the first true Rock 'n' Roll star to come from Liverpool.

My interest in Liverpool's beat scene stems from my love for British Rock 'n' Roll music in general. I grew up hearing '60s Beat records from my folks' collection from the '60s and it helped form a love of the music that inspired it, namely 1950s US Rock 'n' Roll, Rockabilly, Blues and roots music.

After my first visit to Liverpool with my partner Susie in 2000, primarily to see the main Beatles & music related sights, we became acquainted wih June Lornie, curator of the Liverpool Academy of Arts, who holds a big annual Beatles art exhibition. Asked to submit some of my own Beatles art for the inclusion the following year, I succeeded in selling all my pieces and I have taken part in ths event now every year since, which also led to an offer to hold a solo exhibition of my work at June's gallery which I entitled 'Scousebeat', on the theme of Liverpool's Rock 'n' Roll and Beat scene from the late 1950s to the mid 1960s. Also included were images of other UK and US Rock 'n' Roll artists that had visited Merseyside and influenced the local musicians, such as Gene Vincent, Jerry Lee Lewis, Buddy Holly and Johnny Kidd.

During this event we met and became good friends with Harry Prytherch, original drummer with top Mersey band The Remo Four and further visits introduced us to good friends Dave Williams, guitarist with Dale Roberts & The Jaywalkers and Karl Terry of the Cruisers. We had previously met the members of the current Sonny Webb and the Cascades featuring original singer Kenny Johnson, and drummer Kenny Guy from '60s band the Detours. (surprising who you can meet in the depths of Norfolk!)         

My first and second solo exhibitions were opened by Albie Wycherley, brother of Billy Fury, who we had met and befriended at a Billy Fury event in New Brighton. A performer himself in the '60s, Albie recorded some great rockin' records under the name Jason Eddie for legendary producer Joe Meek, and still performs using this name today. This is something I'm very proud of, as we've both always been Billy Fury fans and also fans of Albie's recordings. The photo to the left shows myself and Susie with Jean and Albie Wycherley at my first exhibition in Liverpool.  

Billy and Albie's Mum Jean has also become a treasured friend and has attended my exhibitions, along with the likes of Billy Kinsley of the Merseybeats, Ian Edwards of the Zodiacs, Teddy 'Kingsize' Taylor of the Dominoes and Mike Rudzinski of the Avengers who I learned had also played guitar with British rocker Johnny Kidd in 1966. We've also enjoyed meeting Alan Williams. the Beatles first manager and the guy responsible for getting them and  Rory into Hamburg, and also Sam Leach, Operation Big Beat promoter back in the '60s. Obviously meeting and becoming friends with these people has been hugely important to us as music fans.

I've recently  held my third solo exhibition in Liverpool entitled 'Rebel Yell - Bad Boys of Rock 'n' Roll'  featuring works on some of Rock 'n' Roll's most notorious bad boys like Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Gene Vincent, John Lennon, Brian Jones, The Sex Pistols etc.

I'm very proud to have connections and friendships in Liverpool, one of the most rockin' cities of the '50s and '60s, and still rockin' today!