You can't keep the Fourmost serious for long, but I managed to stop the gagging for a few minutes to talk about their new Parlophone release, 'Baby I Need Your Loving', which goes on sale on November 6.

"For once," said Brian, "we're all agreed that we like the record, which hasn't always been the case in the past. We've tried to do something different, but at the same time make it more commercial than the marching beat of the last one."

Different it certainly is - for they are accompanied on this version of the Four Tops American hit by a 21-piece orchestra and a choir.

Commented Mike, "We know it's only a short time since the original was issued here and didn't happen. But we felt it was too good a number to miss and we thought that with our being around to plug it that it stands a reasonable chance. After all, the Searchers did pretty well with those Jackie De Shannon numbers which didn't sell here when she sang them."

Billy Hatton broke his silence at last. "Actually, Mike is a bit biased. He likes it so much because he sings solo for most of the record. But what he hasn't told you is that he was scared stiff about it. Serves him right, though, he was the first one to get a look at the words and he hogged the solo part for himself."

Mike agreed, "Seeing that huge orchestra there just for us was bad enough, but to make things worse I had to sing without my guitar. In fact, I don't play on the record at all and I didn't know what to do with my hands. Now I know what solo singers go through - and I wouldn't like to be one."

The Fourmost had to miss their riding lessons one weekend recently when they made an unannounced visit to Liverpool to take part in an American documentary TV film about Merseyside music.

But they are determined to ride whenever they have the chance. "We are talking about buying our own horses," said Mike. "Who knows, one day we might even ride to the hounds."

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