| Collection | Andrew Sherlock Radio Collection |
| Description | Interviews recorded by Andrew Sherlock for 'Best of Order', a programme which looked at the history and influence of Working Men's Clubs in Merseyside. The recordings were made in the Atlantic pub.
[summary to follow]
Side A [33 min. 30 sec.] [00.07] Sound checking the tape [00.22] AS introduces the interviewees to how he is going to conduct the interview [01.05] John Cordwell introduces himself, a banjo player on the variety circuit. He began in the 1950's in a skiffle group called The Blue Diamonds. He went to the army in 1958 and when he came out everything had gone electric. He then went to play banjo in the USA and came back and toured around the clubs of England. He used to play the Flyhouse, the Lomar (Dock Road) & Oily Joes. The popular songs at the time were the sing-a-long type songs. Country and Western was popular but had to be mixed with a bit of everything. The audiences wanted to just be entertained. [04.07] AS asks JC about the other types of variety acts that he used to be on the circuit [04.13] JC says that most acts on the Dock Road were amateur acts. The Mediterranean was a pub where trained acts would come at the end of the night and do a set. Mickey Keaton, Johnny Mac, Jackie Hamilton & Micky are all comedians that started in pubs and went on to clubs. [06.42] Interviewer asks why there was a ban on music in pubs at this time. [06.51] JC said Liverpool at the time was very conservative. There was only one place that had music and they were a dinner venue. This was until the clubs opened up in the 1960's and this is when pubs began to put more music in. In 1958, when he joined the army, even jukeboxes were banned. [09.55] Ron Allen introduces himself as the bass player in the band & Ken Doherty, guitarist & singer introduces himself a.k.a. The man of a thousand songs [10.36] KD says that the band started when he saw RA play and they began to collaborate. Then when JC returned from touring, he was famous and invited them to play with him when he began to play the pubs again. They have now been playing together for 15 years. They met in the Sand & Lion pub. JC then got his own pub, the Clarence in Canal Street. [12.31] KD says that their act replies on playing a wide range of music and seeing what gets a good response [13.13]- JC says the range is country & western, musical , jazz etc. [13.54]- JC says their set is mostly adlibbed [14.27] AS asks about the variety acts on the scene [14.37] RA talks about recently loosing acts like Suitcase Murphy, John Brownhill (Mr Jazz), Burt Smith & Bobby Nick.
15.31- JC talks about the surprises they would get form undiscovered singers. [16.47] KD talks about the festival in comedy in Liverpool and performing with an American juggler. He told them that there was not a stage like this for variety acts in New York. [19.19]- RA tells a story about a show they did recently with a Greek captain in the audience. [26.12] Live performance by John Cordwell & band.
Side B [20 min. 59 sec.] John Cordwell & Band (Ron Allen and Ken Doherty) play. |