This is such a great pic of the early band. Check out Les's hair!
The Liverpool Insitute High School, 1956. I put arrows over George Harrison and Les Chadwick. They weren't hard to spot. Paul McCartney is in the photo too and I think I found him but I'm not sure. The entire photo is HUGE!
Gerry's always been very afraid of spiders!!
Fred was quoted in a magazine saying he didn't really like fussy clothes or food. Just cookin' like Mum makes!
Les was an only child. The Pacemakers sometimes used to kid him and ask for his passport when he came into Liverpool!"
Chad has an older sis named Joan. He started out as lead guitarist!
Speaking of the monthlies, Gerry's girlfriend (now his wife) Pauline ran the fan club. A reader wrote to the monthly asking what kind of girl Gerry likes! Of course Pauline answered "small, dark haired girls," which she was! I guess it was a big secret! Also, Les was already married when they gained fame!
When "How Do You Do It" and "Away From You" were recorded in the afternoon of Jan 20, 1963, the band had just drove down to London from Liverpool. It was freezing, they had no heater in the van, they hadn't eaten either. They did about 15 takes of "How Do You Do It." The song would be their first number one! They thought it was funny when people said it would reach the top.
The Lifelines section of NME would feature a different band/artiste every week. The boys were done up in the May 17, 1963 edition. Some notes are: Gerry and Freddie's parents are Fred and Mary. Les's are Charles and Margaret, and Chad's are John and May. Gerry once worked for British Railways (Britrail) and Fred was a clerk. Gerry's hobbies were golf and snooker, Les loved driving and tinkering with mechanical things. He once built a sterophonic record player when he was in his teens. Fred liked football and cricket, and Chad liked football and golf too. He also enjoyed reading and did very well in school in English. Chad listened to Peggy Lee and Brook Benton, Freddie liked Ray Charles and Brenda Lee. Gerry enjoyed Roy Orbison, while Les was into Ella Fitgerald and modern jazz. Along with Coca-Cola, Fred liked mild beers, Chad preferred tea, Gerry was a milk drinker, and Les liked rum with his Coke! Les also listed curried pineapple as a fave food. They all preferred dark, smart suits. Gerry loved to swim, while Fred liked sleeping in! Chad was happy with sleeping, reading and eating, but also had a thing for thunderstorms! (A man after my own heart...) Les liked driving and washing clothes!! Gerry and Chad hate insincere, arrogant people, while Les disliked buses and trains. Fred just hated getting up early! (See pic below) Their goals? Fred wanted to be the best drummer he could, Les wanted to play the Hollywood Bowl with Ray Charles, Gerry wanted to top the US charts, and Chad wanted a big house and car! Their TV debut was ABC's "At Large." Their radio debut was "Talent Spot" on the BBC.
Sleeping Beauties. Dezo Hoffman followed them around one day and took these. Note the Coke bottle by Chad's bed, and Fred apparently was really sleeping and didn't believe the photos had been taken until he saw them!
In 1963-64, the boys' cars were: Gerry-A Sunbeam Rapier. Fred-A Zephyr. Chad-A Humber. Les-A Cortina. Later, according to Gerry's book, Les bought a Mini Cooper S, and Chad an Alfa Romeo!
Fred once snuck a free ride on a coal truck, but fell off and hit his head. He lied about how he got the bump because he knew his mum would have killed him if she knew the truth!
While the band was on a plane in Australia flying from one town to another, one of the engines caught fire!
The band arrived back in England on Chad's birthday, and he was bombarded with gifts and well-wishes!
One of the reasons Les hooked up with bands on the 'Pool side of the Mersey is because he was tired of taking dates back to Wirral, it was easier to stay in Liverpool!
Next page: My stuff and why the heck I do this.
Ad in the Gerry and the Pacemakers Monthly Magazines. Anyone have one?
