Scaffold
All radio stations, TV companies, recording firms and booking agents make their decisions at the end of the week.

I’m convinced of this – because every time, or nearly every time, you ask someone about their impending contract or record or whatever, the almost invariable reply is – “Oh, well, I should know by the end of the week.”

This was demonstrated again this week when I asked ROGER McGOUGH of THE SCAFFOLD to reveal to me the secret plans of the satirical group for the future.

The plans are still pretty secret, actually, since about all I gleaned from Roger – who tore himself apart trying to give me something more constructive – was that the group’s recent TV trial was not a smash-hit success and that they were waiting to hear from the TV people about another programme for autumn.

I suggest they make a satirical L.P. on the line of ‘Songs For Swinging Sellers,’ with a title like the Scaffold to conjure with, ‘Swinging’ could be a pretty useful adjective!

Jacki
Bubbling over with glee and excitement last week was glamorous Jacki Martin.

Jacki, at 17, had good reason to be pleased.

She’s recently had her first record released – ‘Will you,’ on the Fontana label, and had a very successful appearance at the Cavern.

Late on Saturday night Jacki moved on to the Blue Angel where she sang for half-an-hour with THE HILLSIDERS – and BILLY J. KRAMER was one of those in the audience who rated her tops!

Meanwhile, her manager, Prescot G.P. DR. BERNARD HART, tells me that he’s now collecting a stable of all talents around him as his interest in the pop scene grows.

His latest signing is a group from Aintree called THE PULSATORS, whose line-up is PAUL COMERFORD, drums; MARTIN SHARP, lead; JIMMY CHADWICK, rhythm and BRIAN McWILLIAM, bass.

“I expect the girls will go for this group,” says the Doc. “I think they’re one of the best looking bunch of boys I’ve seen locally.”

Dr. Hart has also signed up THE MAL CRAIG THREE, a harmony group now resident at one of Liverpool’s main restaurants; THE CARROLLS (Irene, 22, and Michael, 17, a brother and sister act he’s also putting on tape); and he’s interested in a top-line C&W group which is already well established!

There hasn’t been so much activity since the early days of Epstein.

Editor’s Note: Mal Jefferson of the Mastersounds now runs a successful business on Merseyside, making CDs and DVDs of original Mersey Sound material. Billy Hatton is completing his autobiography. Johnny Hutchinson is proving elusive – yet he is a Liverpool legend whose story is much-needed for the Mersey Beat site. The Spinners retired some years ago and a book of their story was published. Ken Johnson of the Hillsiders is now a disc jockey on Radio Merseyside.

Gerry Marsden is still extremely active and continues to tour Britain, Europe and America – even China! He has been trying for years to obtain the rights to his film ‘Ferry ‘Cross The Mersey’, which is owned by Apple, but has never been screened on TV or issued on videotape or DVD. He has approached Apple on numerous occasions and we can only hope – there is a big demand for DVD copies of the film.

Billy J. Kramer and his wife Roni have lived in Long Island, New York for many years, but may be moving to another State soon. Eddie Francis was a talented songwriter and it would be interesting to learn if any artists recorded his songs. Jankel Feather lives in Hove and is a prominent artist whose paintings, in annual exhibitions in London, sell for an average of £8,000 each.

Irene Carroll became Faith Brown and in November 2006 was one of the celebrities stuck in the jungle in ‘I’m A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here!’

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