Biography
Fans of British rock & roll long regarded Mike Sheridan and Mike Sheridan & the Nightriders merely as an incidental detail in the genre’s development, notable chiefly for giving Roy Wood his first studio experience. In truth the group and its leader achieved more than that reputation suggests, both within their native Birmingham and amid the wider early-’60s British rock & roll scene. Born Michael Tyler, Sheridan belonged to the same generation as the Beatles and the Searchers; he reached his teens just as Elvis Presley’s singles began dominating British charts. Bypassing skiffle, he embraced rock & roll in 1958 after a reluctant appearance in a local talent contest planted the idea of a musical career. He subsequently joined Billy King & the Nightriders; by early 1963 Billy King had departed and the remaining musicians coalesced around Sheridan, with Big Al Johnson on lead guitar, Brian Cope on bass, Dave Pritchard on rhythm guitar, and Roger Spencer on drums. At that moment Birmingham’s music circuit was gaining momentum, evidenced by releases from Jimmy Powell & the Dimensions and similar acts appearing in local shops. The Nightriders quickly built a substantial regional audience, and once Liverpool acts began dominating the national charts, major labels turned their attention to other northern centers, including Birmingham. Producer Norrie Paramor, who had signed Cliff Richard & the Shadows in 1958 and overseen their recordings ever since, selected the group from a talent competition, securing them a contract with EMI’s Columbia imprint.
The band’s initial recordings displayed a tight, solidly played sound that, while not especially innovative, remained engaging and revealed a clear grasp of melodic construction, at least in their instrumental work. Sheridan possessed a capable voice, yet the group’s vocal blend lacked refinement; that shortcoming was remedied when Big Al Johnson departed and Roy Wood took his place. Wood’s arrival prompted richer, more intricate harmony singing and infused the ensemble with key elements of the Merseybeat style. In 1965 the musicians adopted the name Mike Sheridan’s Lot, yet none of their subsequent releases managed to reach the charts. After cutting Jackie DeShannon’s “Don’t Turn Your Back on Me,” the existing lineup dissolved: Wood left to help form the Move, and the others soon dispersed as well. Sheridan persisted, taking steady employment while assembling a succession of later “Nightriders” aggregations; meanwhile the original band, now without Wood, evolved into the Idle Race under Jeff Lynne’s leadership. At the close of the ’60s Sheridan teamed with former Move member Rick Price to record an attractive, McCartney-esque album, and during the ’70s he enjoyed success as a songwriter. He also issued a version of Roy Wood’s “Do Ya” on Tony Stratton-Smith’s Charisma label in the early ’70s. After stepping away from music for several years, Sheridan returned at the start of the ’80s, fronting a fresh group and playing bass alongside Keith Statler and Tony Kelsy; he also performed with veteran British rock & roller Joe Brown.
The band’s initial recordings displayed a tight, solidly played sound that, while not especially innovative, remained engaging and revealed a clear grasp of melodic construction, at least in their instrumental work. Sheridan possessed a capable voice, yet the group’s vocal blend lacked refinement; that shortcoming was remedied when Big Al Johnson departed and Roy Wood took his place. Wood’s arrival prompted richer, more intricate harmony singing and infused the ensemble with key elements of the Merseybeat style. In 1965 the musicians adopted the name Mike Sheridan’s Lot, yet none of their subsequent releases managed to reach the charts. After cutting Jackie DeShannon’s “Don’t Turn Your Back on Me,” the existing lineup dissolved: Wood left to help form the Move, and the others soon dispersed as well. Sheridan persisted, taking steady employment while assembling a succession of later “Nightriders” aggregations; meanwhile the original band, now without Wood, evolved into the Idle Race under Jeff Lynne’s leadership. At the close of the ’60s Sheridan teamed with former Move member Rick Price to record an attractive, McCartney-esque album, and during the ’70s he enjoyed success as a songwriter. He also issued a version of Roy Wood’s “Do Ya” on Tony Stratton-Smith’s Charisma label in the early ’70s. After stepping away from music for several years, Sheridan returned at the start of the ’80s, fronting a fresh group and playing bass alongside Keith Statler and Tony Kelsy; he also performed with veteran British rock & roller Joe Brown.
Albums
