Biography
Billy Kinsley helped launch the Merseybeats as co-founder, bassist, and vocalist. Born in Liverpool during 1946, he developed a passion for rock & roll well before adolescence and joined longtime associate Tony Crane to start the Mavericks, a band that later passed through the names Pacifics and Mersey Beats before settling on the Merseybeats. By age sixteen the Liverpool native was already living the era’s dream for young English rockers when the group backed Little Richard at a New Brighton concert; together Kinsley and Crane steered the outfit through everything from raw R&B numbers to polished harmony pieces.
Late in 1963, after the band had placed one single on the British chart and stood poised to break with the follow-up “I Think of You,” Kinsley announced his departure, citing his approaching marriage and a wish to remain based in Liverpool. While the group performed in Germany, Crane, Kinsley, and their manager met bassist and singer Johnny Gustafson—formerly of the Big Three—at Frankfurt’s Arcadia club and offered him the vacated position. Bob Garner covered bass duties until Gustafson could return from the Continent. Crane and Gustafson soon began writing together, while Kinsley formed the Kinsleys back home with guitarist-vocalist Dave Percival, drummer Dave Preston, and rhythm guitarist Danny Alexander. That quartet never recorded and stayed strictly local, yet by December 1964 Kinsley had rejoined the Merseybeats after Gustafson was dismissed for questioning the division of earnings. The Kinsleys continued briefly into 1965 with Garner taking Kinsley’s old spot.
Kinsley’s reappearance kept the Merseybeats active through another eighteen months of fading prospects. At that point he and Crane abandoned their instruments, adopted the name the Merseys, and placed their affairs with managers Kit Lambert and Chris Stamp. The new lineup scored a major success with “Sorrow,” supported on record by the Fruit Eating Bears. Their version of Pete Townshend’s “So Sad About Us” failed to connect, however, and planned collaborations involving the Beatles’ Apple label never materialized; the Merseys disbanded by the close of 1968. Kinsley then turned to session work, appearing alongside Paul McCartney and contributing to the first two solo albums by Liverpool singer-songwriter Jimmy Campbell, an alumnus of the Kirkbys and the 23rd Turnoff. The pair subsequently launched Rockin’ Horse, which issued the Philips album Yes It Is, and they also served as part of Chuck Berry’s backing band during his 1972 British tour.
After releasing the Epic singles “Annabella” and “You Make My Day,” Kinsley reassembled Rockin’ Horse in 1975 as a four-piece featuring Tony Coates on guitar and vocals, keyboardist Roger Scott Craig, and drummer Derek Cashin. The group signed with British Warner Bros. but quickly adopted the name Liverpool Express. An initial single made little impact, yet 1976 brought “You Are My Love,” which climbed just short of the British Top Ten, earned four appearances on Top of the Pops across a nine-week run, and was followed by the more modestly charting “Hold Tight” and “Every Man Must Have a Dream.” The band’s profile earned them a European tour slot with Rod Stewart, while the albums Tracks and Dreamin’ appeared in 1976 and 1977 respectively; three consecutive hits in South America further boosted their standing that year. Liverpool Express remained active into the 1980s, accumulating chart singles worldwide and receiving an invitation from Prince Charles to perform at a Royal Gala Performance.
Throughout this period Tony Crane had already begun performing again under the Merseybeats banner. Kinsley pursued his own projects until the late-1980s resurgence of interest in early British rock & roll drew him back; he recorded with the Class of 1964, whose members included Searchers veteran Michael Pender, and the resulting album later surfaced on CD as Cavern Days. By 1993 he had resumed working with Crane, and the reconstituted Merseybeats have continued to perform regularly in England well beyond the group’s fortieth anniversary.
Late in 1963, after the band had placed one single on the British chart and stood poised to break with the follow-up “I Think of You,” Kinsley announced his departure, citing his approaching marriage and a wish to remain based in Liverpool. While the group performed in Germany, Crane, Kinsley, and their manager met bassist and singer Johnny Gustafson—formerly of the Big Three—at Frankfurt’s Arcadia club and offered him the vacated position. Bob Garner covered bass duties until Gustafson could return from the Continent. Crane and Gustafson soon began writing together, while Kinsley formed the Kinsleys back home with guitarist-vocalist Dave Percival, drummer Dave Preston, and rhythm guitarist Danny Alexander. That quartet never recorded and stayed strictly local, yet by December 1964 Kinsley had rejoined the Merseybeats after Gustafson was dismissed for questioning the division of earnings. The Kinsleys continued briefly into 1965 with Garner taking Kinsley’s old spot.
Kinsley’s reappearance kept the Merseybeats active through another eighteen months of fading prospects. At that point he and Crane abandoned their instruments, adopted the name the Merseys, and placed their affairs with managers Kit Lambert and Chris Stamp. The new lineup scored a major success with “Sorrow,” supported on record by the Fruit Eating Bears. Their version of Pete Townshend’s “So Sad About Us” failed to connect, however, and planned collaborations involving the Beatles’ Apple label never materialized; the Merseys disbanded by the close of 1968. Kinsley then turned to session work, appearing alongside Paul McCartney and contributing to the first two solo albums by Liverpool singer-songwriter Jimmy Campbell, an alumnus of the Kirkbys and the 23rd Turnoff. The pair subsequently launched Rockin’ Horse, which issued the Philips album Yes It Is, and they also served as part of Chuck Berry’s backing band during his 1972 British tour.
After releasing the Epic singles “Annabella” and “You Make My Day,” Kinsley reassembled Rockin’ Horse in 1975 as a four-piece featuring Tony Coates on guitar and vocals, keyboardist Roger Scott Craig, and drummer Derek Cashin. The group signed with British Warner Bros. but quickly adopted the name Liverpool Express. An initial single made little impact, yet 1976 brought “You Are My Love,” which climbed just short of the British Top Ten, earned four appearances on Top of the Pops across a nine-week run, and was followed by the more modestly charting “Hold Tight” and “Every Man Must Have a Dream.” The band’s profile earned them a European tour slot with Rod Stewart, while the albums Tracks and Dreamin’ appeared in 1976 and 1977 respectively; three consecutive hits in South America further boosted their standing that year. Liverpool Express remained active into the 1980s, accumulating chart singles worldwide and receiving an invitation from Prince Charles to perform at a Royal Gala Performance.
Throughout this period Tony Crane had already begun performing again under the Merseybeats banner. Kinsley pursued his own projects until the late-1980s resurgence of interest in early British rock & roll drew him back; he recorded with the Class of 1964, whose members included Searchers veteran Michael Pender, and the resulting album later surfaced on CD as Cavern Days. By 1993 he had resumed working with Crane, and the reconstituted Merseybeats have continued to perform regularly in England well beyond the group’s fortieth anniversary.
Albums
