This document discusses several British bands that were part of the British Invasion in the 1960s along with the Beatles and Rolling Stones. It separates the bands into those that were more pop-oriented like Gerry and the Pacemakers and Dave Clark Five, and those that were more blues-based like The Yardbirds and The Animals. It provides brief overviews of the musical styles and some of the notable hits of these bands, including how The Yardbirds and Led Zeppelin were connected through guitarist Jimmy Page.

1. Other British Invasion Bands
MUS 1240
Fall 2014

2. Divide in British Invasion Bands
• Beatles-like bands who were more pop-oriented
– Gerry and the Pacemakers, Dave Clark Five
• Stones-like bands that were more blues-based
– The Yardbirds, The Animals
• Some groups did not fit one of these
categories
– The Who, the Kinks

4. Gerry and the Pacemakers
• Also from Liverpool, England like the Beatles
• At the height of Beatlemania, Gerry and the
Pacemakers were almost as popular in the UK
as the Beatles were.
• First #1 hit – “How Do You Do It?” – 1964
– A song that had been passed on by the Beatles
• Other hits included “I Like It” and “You’ll
Never Walk Alone”
• Also eventually had 7 Top 40 hits in the U.S.

6. Other Beatle-type bands
• Dave Clark Five; from London
– Some thought that they would be bigger than the Beatles;
7 Top 40 hits in US in 1964 (Beatles had 19)
• Herman’s Hermits
– “I’m Into Something Good” – 1964
– Peter Noone; lead singer whose looks made him popular at
a time when the Beatles were moving away from the boy-band
image
• The Hollies
– Influences heavily by the harmony singing of the Beatles
– Featured lead singer Graham Nash, who would later
become part of Crosby, Stills, and Nash

7. Blues-Based Bands
• Blues revival in the UK during the 1960s
• Chicago Blues
• Became popular in the US as well after the Beatles’ popularity
– People in the US became interested in all things British
• All were (at least initially) marketed like the Beatles, with the suits
and everything. Most lost the suits eventually.
• US Blues records were hard to find in London, so a sophisticated
trading system among the UK blues scene.
– Gave it a very underground feel
• John Mayall, Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, Steve Winwood, Jack Bruce,
John McLaughlin all part of this scene
– Mick Jagger and Keith Richards as well

9. The Rolling Stones
• Influenced more by Chicago Blues and traditional R&B than were the
Beatles (who were more influenced by rockabilly and Motown)
• Signed to Decca Records by Dick Rowe (“The man who turned down the
Beatles”) and move to more of a pop-influenced style
– George Harrison story where he recommends the Stones
• Followed a similar imitation/emulation/innovation arc as the Beatles
– Initially did covers of Chuck Berry, Buddy Holly, etc.
• Seen in the media in the 1960s as the foil to the Beatles’ slick pop image;
Stones were more aggressive, sexual, unkempt, etc. (the Anti-Beatles)
• “Can’t Get No Satisfaction” - #1 hit in US summer 1965
• Followed with hits such as “Paint It Black” – 1966
• Temporary ban from the Ed Sullivan show; come back in 1967, Sullivan
makes them change lyrics of their hit “Let’s Spend the Night Together”
• Jagger felt that a white Brit writing blues originals was rediculous, so most
of the Jagger/Richards hits were based on other more pop-oriented styles
and forms (contrasting verse-chorus like Buddy Holly or Chuck Berry)

11. The Yardbirds
• Initially more devoted to the blues than the Stones
• Eric Clapton – lead guitarist was so angry over the
band’s concessions toward pop music to gain
popularity that he left the band in 1965.
• Jeff Beck replaces Clapton, brings more of an
experimental nature to the band
– “Heart Full of Soul”, “Shapes of Things”
• Jimmy Page joins as a second guitarist in 1966, Beck
leaves the band in late 1966. Page stays with the group
until 1968, when the band dissolves. Page creates a
new group to fulfill the remaining concert dates on the
Yarbirds’ calendar. This band was Led Zeppelin.

13. The Animals
• Eric Burdon – lead singer/harmonica
• Big break – opening for Chuck Berry on a UK tour
– Added a folk/blues number to their set for this tour –
“House of the Rising Sun” – becomes #7 hit in US in
summer 1964
• Band breaks up in 1966, Eric Burdon goes on with
new group of musicians as Eric Burdon and the
Animals, bassist Chas Chandler becomes Jimi
Hendrix’s manager.

15. The Kinks
• Formed in 1963 by brothers Ray and Dave
Davies
• Focused on a sound that was more aggressive,
can be described as proto-metal.
• “You Really Got Me” - #7 US 1964
• “All Day and All of the Night” – 1964

17. The Who
• Formed in 1962
• Pete Townshend – guitarist and songwriter
• Roger Daltrey – vocalist
• John Entwistle – Bass (was trained on French Horn, and contributed
brass to some the Who’s recordings)
• Keith Moon – legendary drummer
• Success limited to the UK until “I Can See For Miles” in 1967
• Embraced by the “Mod” culture in 1960s UK. Mods listened to
American R&B and Jamaican Ska, rode motorscooters, and took
amphetamines.
– Clashed with “Rockers”, who rode motorcycles and wore leather
jackets like Marlon Brando in the 1953 film The Wild One.
– Who’s Quadrophenia (1973) tackles the battle between Mods and
Rockers.