One of the sounds of my youth as passed away, he as died from a infection in his heart. He had Triple bypass over 10 years ago and later a pacemaker fitted, he used to joke it went well with the band’s name.
Oh my another part of my youth has gone.
Pauline
As a scouser it was very sad news . Gerry was a very visible character. One of his children went to the same school as my daughter and he used to turn up in his Rolls Royce . Did such a lot for Charity . These great pillars of our youth are dropping like flies at the moment
As a fellow scouser (well a plastic one 😂), it does make it extra sad 😢
Ditto. Plastic scouser also. Non locals wouldn’t understand that though lol
When you here it sung by the Kop, if the hairs on your back don't stand up, or tingle - move to Manchester dead quick.
Still have my Plastic Scouse Citizenship in the off chance I get to move back 👍
I saw them live often. That era was wonderful. Freddie and the Dreamers,the Hollies, Shadows, Dave Berry. Never liked the stones or the Beatles. Ferry Across the Mersey will always remind me of Gerry Marsden. Sadly reminds us we are all getting older.
For once I am lost for words - you don't like the Rolling Stones the greatest group on the planet! 😢
Can't stand them, or the Beatles. It's only recently I've started to appreciate some of the Beatles' songs and I was at the Cavern often when I lived in Ormskirk
Wow.. I think you're the first person out of thousands who voiced their opinion 'In my life' who didn't like the Beatles. Stones...I'd say more like 90%, but Beatles??? I think 99.99% have told me they like them, meaning you're the .01% iconoclast.
Interesting that the Beatles and the Pacemakers were connected from the start of both their careers. When the Beatles were making their first album March '62 at Abbey Road, George Martin, feeling it was a hit, pushed "How Do You Do It" on them. Although they resisted they recorded it, they did fight harder to keep it from being their first A side single., which Martin wanted. They lobbied for it to be 'Love Me Do'. & Martin finally relented to these 'nobodies' and gave the Mitch Murray tune to Gerry... who had a #1 hit with it April of '63 in the UK (# 9 in '64 in US).
Murray had an identifiable sound - catchy tho' a bit lightweight writing 'I Like It' for the Pacemakers and 'I'm Telling You Now' and 'You Were Made for Me' for Freddie and the Dreamers. Not for the slightly harder edged Beatles and definitely not for the Stones.
Well, there's some memories for me. Thank you and. RIP Mr. Marsden. Beautiful voice and speaking of hearts, for me it's 'Ferry Cross the Mersey', which he wrote, that always goes straight to mine.
Oh well, I like to be different LOL. I was an obsessive Hollies fan, probably because I went to the same primary school as the drummer and Tony Hicks is the cousin of a friend- they were local lads; closely followed by Gerry and the Pacemakers and yes Ferry cross the Mersey was my favourite. It was his voice and accent that made it for me.; Also liked the slightly stranger ones like PJ Proby and Dave Berry. Freddie and the Dreamers were fun but silly. The Beatles had a few catchy songs but the Stones left me literally stone cold. I think it was Mick Jagger who put me off.
Well I like the Hollies but in real time I was 100% behind Graham Nash's move to the states to join C S N because I loved Graham Nash's vocal harmonies and as I was to learn his songwriting talent. As a matter of fact starting with the doc, I've recently had binged my way from the doc Laurel Canyon to Nash's Wild Tales autobiography to every CSN and CSN &Y doc, including a half dozen interviews on youtube. For me my top two musical bands in the 10 years from '63 were The Beatles from 1963 to 1969 and Nash in his various groupings from 1969 to 1973. Anyway, I was all in when it came to be invaded by your country that decade.... much more than in the 1760's and 1770's... though that was more a coup than an invasion.
Be well, stay safe... and Happy New Year (got to be happier, no?)
Graham Nash made the Hollies. He did right to move. Superb musician
yeah and he got to go out for a couple of years with his lifelong heartthrob Joni Mitchell and we got Our House out of it. In the late 60's he was just ready to expand and grow while Hicks and Clarke felt they had a good thing going. That they didn't care for Marrakesh Express and decided on a whole album of Dylan covers was pretty much the death knell... that and Joni and California weather (suppose better than Nelson or Manchester.😜... gm
Yes they pretty much disappeared overnight, was it just after He Ain't heavy? They didn't do a great deal more. Shame. They had a very distinctive sound.
Well actually after Nash left they were fine for a while with 3 top 5 hits in the next 4 or 5 years - He Ain't Heavy, Long Cool Woman, and Air That I Breathe.
From there they never cracked top ten again. But seems they remained semi-active recording & touring, averaging around 10 tour dates per year in the '80s and '90s and more like 40 per year throughout the 2000s. Matter of fact they were to do a tour in 2020 until Covid and I see that they'll be in about 2 dozen UK cities this fall. Maybe we'll be all vaccinated by then. So go relive your youth. Take Care.
Yes I remember the Air that I breathe but not long cool woman at all. I wasn't keen on the ones after He Ain't Heavy and really stopped following them after Graham Nash left.
You're right. The sound did change post-Graham. All their hits were a departure from the Hollies of the 60s (bet if you heard Long Cool Women you'd recognize)
Oh Well ,there's always one, 😂
Two! Can't abide Oasis either. Does that make me a bad person or just courageous? !
I am with you on Oasis. lol
Who? Yes I have heard of them but have never listened to them.
They were supposed to be the new Beatles. Two very arrogant brothers for which I am grateful they aren't my son's.
With you, Can't stand Oasis, especially that arrogant rude Liam Gallagher
I’m with you on the Stones, never liked them.
BUT THE BEATLES omg 😱
Each to their own as they say ☺️
I saw him on his farewell tour. Still belting them out. Some iconic songs... 🎵🎶🎶
Ferry cross the Mersey always puts a lump in my throat.Hope your recovering from your tumble.
Ribs are slightly less painful now but cannot really do much in the way of exercise - even propelling the wheelchair is hard at the moment! More worrying all physio cancelled until further notice. ☹️
Mine as well. I'm not from Liverpool, have never taken the ferry. But that song more than any other made me terribly homesick for GB every time it played on the radio where ever I was in the world.
Like you, a part of my youth went with Mr Marsden the other day and if you ask me, 78 is a bit young to be popping off to Heaven!
Is it just me or does it seem that lots of those iconic singers of the sixties and seventies are leaving us?
Not just you, I'm seeing it as well.
My dad disliked the Beatles because of their long hair and mode of dress .🙄 we often discussed this aspect of the group , me saying its modern and fine dad !If you see a picture of the group together now don’t they look so very smart .
Can’t imagine the chats with my dad if still alive today about subsequent fashions .
Turning and grave comes to mind .
I loved that era !
Have a couple of granddaughters who just love the sixties fashion and music, think Nana was so with it when they see old photos 😂
great time to grow up with such musical riches. That conversation with Dad, I believe, was being conducted in a vast majority of homes across the globe.
Saw an interview with Peter Asher yesterday and he brought perspective to that reflex reaction that the WWII generation had of that time especially with the Beatles. He said 'people were so fearful that this Elvis and The Beatles would would corrupt the youth....but they were all so polite and charming (well maybe not John at all times); if only they could have looked ahead and seen Marilyn Manson coming - they'd be "okay... we love the Beatles and Elvis"'. Guess it's hard to get proper perspective in the present moment.
I went to bed, very tearful, humming You'll Never Walk Alone. Losing too many legends. xxx
I find it puzzling how the Beatles really took off compared to Gerry and the Pacemakers. Another group who I thought would have gone further were the Eric Burdon and the Animals - Eric's vocals were brilliant! In fact "We Gotta Out Of This Place" is my favourite track in my current situation!
Eric Burdon went to the USA and went into rhythm and blues. The Stones were more rhythm and blues. The best Beatles, in my opinion, were John Lennon and George Harrison. I used to live the Dave Clarke Five. I can still hear the DJ telling us not to ‘stomp’ as the floor wouldn’t stand it. We still did and the floor stayed in tact.
This tribute to George featuring Tom Petty, Jeff Lynne, Steve Winwood, Prince and Dhani Harrison (George’s son) is one of my favourite clips. But tonight let's dedicate it to Gerry...
I loved the Travelling Wilburys especially those songs with Vocals from Roy Orbison.
Oh yes, love the Travelling Wilburys and anything by Roy Orbison is ok with me.
Talking of stamping, who sang Bits n Pieces? Bet that took a few floors out.
I've been offline the past two days so read all the comments here first thing - Gerry and the Pacemakers were THE BEST, I'm with Qualipop (I think it was Mick Jagger who put me off the Stones and the Beatles were OK but Ferry Cross the Mersey is my desert island disc).
Blimey, every single song mentioned by contemporary bands with Gerry and the Pacemakers is in my head now - going to have to dig out the Eric Burden and the Animals CD
Also Long Cool Woman, was that a brilliant tune or what?! I could go on and on, 'they don't make 'em like they used to' really applies to the music of our younger days.
My first job was in Liverpool so whenever I hear Ferry Cross the Mersey I get a lump in my throat.
i love Mick Jagger, love Rolling Stones, my youth
Everyone is different, thank-goodness!
exactly
Pacemaker set HR 40BPM
What's life like with a pacemaker?
Pacemaker repositioning procedure 
Alternatives to ICD + pacemaker 
Whether to have pacemaker or not.
