Freddie and the Dreamers were an English

beat Beat, beats or beating may refer to: Common uses * Patrol, or beat, a group of personnel assigned to monitor a specific area ** Beat (police), the territory that a police officer patrols ** Gay beat, an area frequented by gay men * Battery ...

band that had a number of hit records between 1963 and 1965. The band's stage act was enlivened by the comic antics of

Freddie Garrity Frederick Garrity (14 November 1936 – 19 May 2006) was an English singer and actor. He was best known as the frontman of Freddie and the Dreamers from 1959 until his retirement in 2001. Biography Born in Crumpsall, Manchester, the eldest ...

, who would bounce around the stage with arms and legs flying.

History

The band, formed in March 1962 in

West Didsbury Didsbury is a suburban area of Manchester, England, on the north bank of the River Mersey, south of Manchester city centre. The population at the 2011 census was 26,788. Within the boundaries of the historic county of Lancashire, there are ...

Manchester Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of Salford to the west. The tw ...

, consisted of vocalist

(1936–2006), guitarist Roy Crewdson (born 1941), guitarist/harmonica player Derek Quinn (1942–2020), bassist Peter Birrell, and drummer Bernie Dwyer (1940–2002). Although the band was grouped as part of the

Merseybeat Beat music, British beat, or Merseybeat is a British popular music genre that developed, particularly in and around Liverpool, in the late 1950s and early 1960s. The genre melded influences from American rock and roll, rhythm and blues, skiffl ...

sound phenomenon centered around

Liverpool Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. With a population of in 2019, it is the 10th largest English district by population and its metropolitan area is the fifth largest in the United Kingdom, with a populat ...

, they came from Manchester. Prior to becoming a singer, Garrity had worked as a

milkman Milk delivery is a delivery service dedicated to supplying milk. This service typically delivers milk in bottles or cartons directly to customers' homes. This service is performed by a milkman, milkwoman, or milk deliverer. (In contrast, a co ...

in Manchester and bassist Birrell was a shoe salesman. They had four Top 10 UK hits: a cover of James Ray's hit "

If You Gotta Make a Fool of Somebody "If You Gotta Make a Fool of Somebody" is a song written by Rudy Clark and first recorded by James Ray in 1961. Ray's recording on the Caprice label, arranged by Hutch Davie and produced by Gerry Granahan, reached number 10 on the US ''Billboa ...

", which reached number 3 in the

UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top ...

in mid-1963, "

I'm Telling You Now "I'm Telling You Now" is a 1963 song by Freddie Garrity and Mitch Murray, originally performed by Freddie and the Dreamers, which, in 1965, reached number one on the American ''Billboard'' Hot 100. "I'm Telling You Now" was first released in th ...

" (number 2 in August), " You Were Made for Me" (number 3 in November) and a

cover Cover or covers may refer to: Packaging * Another name for a lid * Cover (philately), generic term for envelope or package * Album cover, the front of the packaging * Book cover or magazine cover ** Book design ** Back cover copy, part of copy ...

of The G-Clefs' "I Understand", which hit the number 5 spot in November 1964. Their eponymous debut album was released in the United Kingdom in 1963, peaking at number five in the UK Albums Chart and reaching number 19 in the US albums chart on May 22, 1965. It was the only LP by the group to chart in America. Their subsequent four albums in the UK failed to chart. On stage the group performed rehearsed, synchronised wacky dance routines. They appeared in four British films: ''

What a Crazy World ''What a Crazy World'' is a 1963 film directed by Michael Carreras from a script by Carreras and Alan Klein, from the latter's stage play. It is a pop musical featuring a number of late 1950s and early 1960s musical performers, including an a ...

'' with Joe Brown, ''Just for You'', ''

Cuckoo Patrol ''Cuckoo Patrol'' is a 1967 British musical comedy film directed by Duncan Wood and starring Freddie Garrity, Victor Maddern, John Le Mesurier and Kenneth Connor. It was produced in 1965 but held back for two years. The film's tag line, "Bas ...

'' with

Kenneth Connor Kenneth Connor, (6 June 1918 – 28 November 1993) was a British stage, film and broadcasting actor, who rose to national prominence with his appearances in the ''Carry On'' films. Early life Connor was born in Highbury, Islington, London, ...

and

Victor Maddern Victor Jack Maddern (16 March 1928 – 22 June 1993) was an English actor. He was described by ''The Telegraph'' as having "one of the most distinctive and eloquent faces in post-war British cinema." Life and career Born in Seven Kings, ...

and '' Every Day's A Holiday'' (US title ''Seaside Swingers'') with

Mike Sarne Michael Sarne (born Michael Scheuer; 6 August 1940) is a British actor, writer, producer and director, who also had a brief career as a pop singer in the 1960s. Sarne directed the films ''Joanna'' (1968) and ''Myra Breckinridge'' (1970). He h ...

Ron Moody Ron Moody (born Ronald Moodnick; 8 January 1924 – 11 June 2015) was an English actor, composer, singer and writer. He was best known for his portrayal of Fagin in ''Oliver!'' (1968) and its 1983 Broadway revival. Moody earned a Golden Globe ...

and

John Leyton John Dudley Leyton (born 17 February 1936) is an English actor and singer. As a singer he is best known for his hit song "Johnny Remember Me" (written by Geoff Goddard and produced by Joe Meek), which reached number one in the UK Singles Cha ...

. Between 1968 and 1973, Garrity and Birrell appeared in the UK ITV children's show ''Little Big Time'', a zany music/talent/adventure show with audience participation.Nostalgia Central
''Little Big Time'' and ''Oliver in the Overworld'' Garrity and Birrell formed a new version of Freddie and the Dreamers in the mid 1970s, releasing three albums on the Arny's Shack label in 1976, 1978 and 1983, although Birrell had left before the third release.

Legacy

In the 1980 ''

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its cov ...

History of Rock & Roll'', writer

Lester Bangs Leslie Conway "Lester" Bangs (December 14, 1948 – April 30, 1982) was an American music journalist, critic, author, and musician. He wrote for ''Creem'' and ''Rolling Stone'' magazines, and was known for his leading influence in rock music c ...

paid tribute (of a kind) to the group:

Founding members

– vocals (1962–2000; died 2006) *Derek Quinn – lead guitar (1962–1971; died 2020) *Roy Crewdson – rhythm guitar (1962–1971) *Pete Birrell – bass (1962–1971; 1974–1980s) *Bernie Dwyer – drums (1962–1971; died 2002)

Discography

References

External links