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Ex "The
Club Four" member Ivor Roberts recalls Mikes first introduction to
the "Beatlemania" effect of the early 60's:
In 1963, We had a gig in the town hall: a
ball no less, for the Swansea Hospital. This was to raise money for the
Children’s Wards. So as well as Doctors and Nurses, there were also two
hundred teenagers all between the ages of ten and fifteen.
A regular dance band provided the main music,
and we were billed as the guest artists.
The other band played first, doing big band
songs. We followed to a mixed reception. The adults were not too
impressed, but the teenagers were exited, and spent most of the time around
the stage.
Now at the time, the Beatles were in the
charts, and Beatlemania was in the headlines. But we thought that was a
different world. It wasn’t.
We finished our spot, and retired to our dressing room. After a brief
spell we came out along the corridors and made our way back towards the hall
to find some drinks.
Halfway along, some thirty or so kids
appeared around the corner. There was one or two screams of "There
they are!" and they started towards us. There were too many for
me...I turned and started running back to the dressing room...the others soon
followed in a panic. All but one. Mike was still very young and
naive, so I turned and yelled "Run Mike!" He did.
They chased us around the corridors and through the Judges chambers. We
had to split up to try and lose them.
Twenty minuets later, two of us were safe in
our dressing room. When Tony (Bass) entered, we asked him where Mike
was?
"Mike? They got him."
Tony said, " I got away but they ripped my shirt".
Upon hearing this I felt worried enough to go
and look for Mike. When we found him, he was dazed, and his
clothes were all ripped....he was missing buttons, a shoe and even locks of
his hair had been pulled out! Add to that a nose bleed and you might
imagine the scene!
We had a second spot to do, and it took a
while to tidy Mike up. We were late going on, but we were glad the kids
couldn’t climb onto the stage! We finished our spot amidst claps and
screams, but had to stay in the wings until the ball was over in case they
found us again.
I remember someone saying "If this is
fame, you can keep it"
Famous last words.
Thanks to Ivor, ex: "he
Club Four": One of Mikes first bands before The Iveys.
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