The Klubs formed at the Birkenhead Institute for Boys, located in a borough called Wirral, which is across the Mersey River from Liverpool. Originally a band by the name of the Klubs was put together in just two days so that they could enter an R&B contest on the Isle of Man in September 1965 – and they actually won the contest.
By the end of the year, the line-up had settled into a sextet: Paddy Breen (vocals), Alan Walker (vocals, harmonica), Trevor Griffiths (lead guitar), John Reid (rhythm guitar), Norris Easterbrook (bass) and Kenny Marshall (drums). In the early years, they were a hard-driving rhythm and blues band that performed a lot of covers of Rolling Stones and Pretty Things songs.
But mostly the Klubs began establishing themselves as a leading band in the post-Beatles Merseyside scene. They were fixtures at the legendary Cavern Club; the Hideaways boasted more dates there (over 250 appearances) than the Beatles themselves, but the Klubs are ranked #3 in that regard. After they signed a management contract with Cavern Enterprises, the Klubs were beginning to perform more original material; as a harmonica player, Alan Walker became sort of a sixth wheel in the Klubs and moved on.
(July 2013)
