THE BEAT MAKERS
In the late 1950s, a flourishing musical culture began to emerge in major UK cities such as Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham and London. This was particularly true in the Merseyside area, where an estimated 350 different groups were active, often playing ballrooms, jive hives concert halls and clubs. This new music became known as Merseybeat. Local author and historian Anthony Hogan has chronicled the fascinating and little-told stories of many of the characters from that era; the people and the bands who made a big contribution to the region’s rise to rock ’n’ roll prominence.
The Beat Makers describes the often-overlooked black music scene in Liverpool and its importance to Merseybeat, as well as the amazing story of the Liverbirds, who became the first all-girl beat band, and Derry Wilkie, the black singer who fronted a number of different bands and was the first Merseybeat artist to play in Hamburg and to release a record along with the Seniors. And with chapters on the great names such as Ted Kingsize Taylor, Johnny Guitar and Geoff Nugent, The Beat Makers is essential reading for all self-respecting lovers of rock ’n’ roll history.
The book is available in all good retailers, from the publishers Amberley, and worldwide through Amazon
http://authl.it/7my Amazon link
Canadian Spill Magazine review of the book
Canadian Spill Magazine interview with Ant Hogan
The Penniless Press review the book
The Nerve Magazine review the book
The Merseysider Magazine review the book
On 15 August 2017, The Beat Makers book was released. That same evening saw the book launch at Toxteth Library. Wes Wilkie, Sugar Deen, and Ray Quarless had organised the event, while Joey Ankrah, Ivan Stax, and Ozzie Yue, had agreed to sit on the panel. It was a very enjoyable evening attended by fans as well as family members of many of the stars of the Liverpool music scene. We also had a number oif performers in attendance, including Willy Wenton, Arty Davis, George Dixon, Faron Ruffley, Bobby Cortes, along with Dave Roberts and Derek Bond, who had both played with Derry Wilkie in the Pressmen. Books were signed and photos taken during a very enjoyable and memorable night.
The Beat Makers Blog
Joey Ankrah and Ozzie Yue at the Toxteth library book signing
Norma Jean was happy with her copy
Another short film made about the book by Pino Lo Giudice and Stevie T
On 24 August I was at the Lathom Hall again to sign the books and enjoy the music. This time in the company of ex Quarryman Bill Smith and American music producer Tom Troville.
Photo-bombing with former Quarryman and the American Owner/Producer at Let It Be Studios. Bill Smith, Tom Troville and his daughter Tammy.
Two days later I was back signing at Penny Lane Development Trust. This is always a great event so try and come along one year.
In September 2017, The Liverpool Echo featured a two-page feature about the book and the artists involved. I was quoted as .........................
"BEING a musician and a historian with a love of '50s/'60s music, as well as the history of my city, I suppose that me writing about the early Merseyside music scene was always going to happen.
I have never had any ambition to produce something about The Beatles - don't get me wrong, they were amazing, but there have been thousands of books written about them. I have always been interested in the music scene as a whole. There were an estimated 400 bands playing the venues of those early Mersey Beat days, yet only a handful are ever covered in the books and articles that we read.
There are hundreds of stories that deserve to be brought into the limelight and although I will never have the time to cover them all, I can at least bring a number of them to my books.
I was born after The Beatles had found fame and fortune, though I have always enjoyed the music that they and their fellow Merseybeat stars produced, as well as many of the artists that inspired them.
The working test cover for the book
"Simply put, essential reading and one of the best rock books we have ever read. If you think you know about The Liverpool sound, think again and read this book"
Spill Magazine
"For those who can remember those heady days it will bring memories rushing back. For younger generations this is the bible to turn to as the Merseybeat sound continues to roll out"
Nerve Magazine
"Every now and then you read a book that you think deserves never to go out of print. Anthony Hogan’s The Beat Makers is one of those books"
Merseysider Magazine
"The Beat Makers contains a wealth of information and photographs. The section on the African/Caribbean influence deserves to be developed into a book in its own right."
Penniless Press
Once more, I was invited back on to Radio Merseyside by Sean Styles, we are becoming buddies now ha ha. An interview was recorded with Talk Radio Europe, as well as stations in Germany, France, and Ireland. A Dutch TV crew also recorded a short piece about the book.