It’s August 1961 and the rumours that rock ‘n’ roll had died were a bit premature. The Beatles started playing a regular engagement at the Cavern Club in Liverpool on August 2, 1961. On August 14, Gene Vincent collapses on stage from exhaustion during his tour of the United Kingdom. Vincent’s life had been plagued with injury and illness. Before he started his singing career he had been knocked off his motorcycle by a car, leaving him with chronic leg injuries for which he had to wear leg irons for the rest of his life. In 1960 he was in the car crash that killed Eddie Cochran, and left him with more injuries. He then developed a drinking problem that would contribute to his premature death in 1971.
Musicals like South Pacific, My Fair Lady, West Side Story, and the Sound Of Music, were still incredibly popular sellers in the charts and in Australia a new musical was staged. Bye, Bye Birdie poked the fun at rock ‘n’ roll and the American culture. The musical contained two important songs ‘Put On A Happy Face’, and ‘One Last Kiss’ a top 10 hit in Australia for Billy ‘Crash’ Craddock.
In the top 10 in Australia is ‘Dream Girl’ by Bryan Davies, a cover version of the UK hit by Mark Wynter. Davies was born in Sydney in 1945, and with Jay Justin writing his hits, had a succession of great songs including ‘Five Foot Two’, ‘Love And Money’, ‘I Don’t Want To Be Alone’, and ‘Ten-Pin Bowling’. In 1962 he became the youngest act to have his own TV show, The Bryan Davies Show and in 1963 he met Norrie Paramor during a Helen Shapiro tour in Australia and was persuaded to try his luck in the UK. He had little success in England and returned home. Although he had a minor success in 1967 with ‘Alberta’, the British Beat scene saw the end of his career.
Moving up the charts in the UK is ‘Brand New Cadillac’ by Vince Taylor and his Playboys. Critics praised the record as being the best rock ‘n’ roll disc since Cliff Richard and The Shadows released ‘Move It’ and Johnny Kidd and The Pirates had their hit ‘Shakin’ All Over’. Taylor was Anglo-American and was discovered in the birthplace of British Rock, Soho’s 2i’s Coffee Bar in Old Crompton Street. He attracted enough attention to be signed to launch the new Pallette Records in 1960. Their earlier recordings were ‘I’ll Be Your Hero’, and ‘Jet Black Machine’.
The much respected Playboys consisted of Tony Sheridan, who would perform with The Beatles in Hamburg; Brian ‘Licorice’ Locking; and Brian Bennett. Locking and Bennett would eventually join The Shadows.
Eden Kane had his first number 1 in the UK with ‘Well I Ask You’ (which reached number 15 in Australia). He was born Richard Graham Sarstedt in 1941, his two brothers also were successful, Peter Sarstedt had a number 1 in 1969 with ‘Where Do You Go To, My Lovely’ and another top 10 with ‘Frozen Orange Juice’, younger brother Clive Sarstedt hit the top 10 in 1976 with ‘My Resistance Is Low’.
Eden Kane’s other hits were ‘Get Lost’, (UK number 10 in September 1961); ‘Forget-Me-Not’, (UK number 3 in January 1962); ‘I Don’t Know Why’, (UK number 7 in May 1962); and ‘Boys Cry’ (top 10 in the UK and Australia in 1964). During the ’60s beat-boom, Kane was unsuccessful with his own Liverpool group Earl Preston And The TTs.
1. ‘I’m Gonna Knock On Your Door’, Eddie Hodges
2. ‘Hats Off To Larry’, Del Shannon
3. ‘Travellin’ Man / Hello Mary Lou’, Ricky Nelson
4. ‘Moody River’, Pat Boone
5. ‘Baby Face / How Many Tears’, Bobby VEE
6. ‘The Battle’s O’er’, Andy Stewart
7. ‘A Scottish Soldier’, Andy Stewart
8. ‘Yellow Bird’, The Arthur Lyman Group
9. ‘Dream Girl’, Bryan Davies
10. ‘Together’, Connie Francis
5th: ‘Well I Ask You’, Eden Kane
12th, 19th, 26th: ‘You Don’t Know’, Helen Shapiro
‘Tossin’ And Turnin’’, Bobby Lewis was number on for the whole month.
‘I’m Gonna Knock On Your Door’, Eddie Hodges was number one for the whole month.