Decca signed Tremeloes instead of the Beatles
Peter Durward Harris | Leicester England | 09/10/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"On New Year's Day, 1962, the Tremeloes auditioned for a recording contract immediately after the Beatles (then with Pete Best - later to be replaced by Ringo Starr). The man who had to choose only one signed the Tremeloes, although he eventually redeemed himself by signing the Rolling Stones to Decca on a recommendation from George Harrison. It is easy to laugh at the decision with hindsight, but the Tremeloes were a more experienced group and had a regular slot on BBC radio, therefore were known to many more people than the Beatles. Furthermore, the Tremeloes were based in London where the record company was located, so this also counted against the Beatles.
The Tremeloes were originally formed by a group of teenagers in 1958 with Brian Poole as their lead singer. Following their signing to Decca, the record company insisted that they put Brian's name up front, so they became Brian Poole and the Tremeloes. They found plenty of work, having non-charting singles of their own as well as backing other recording artists. Among these were the Vernon girls, who had minor UK hits with covers of Lover please (Clyde McPhatter) and Locomotion (Little Eva) - it was Locomotion that featured the Tremeloes.
Their first chart entry (a UK top five hit) was Twist and shout, a cover of an early Isley Brothers song that they'd recorded after hearing it on the Beatles' debut album. They followed it with Do you love me, a cover of a Contours song, which topped the UK charts for three weeks, knocking She loves you (Beatles) off the top - temporarily. The latter record returned to the top a couple of months later. The Dave Clark Five also covered Do you love me, but their version (their debut single) only made number 30 in the UK, though it did much better for them in America.
Brian Poole and the Tremeloes continued to succeed on the UK charts with covers of American songs including Candy man (number six) and Someone someone (number two), the latter being their only American hit, peaking at 97 on Billboard.
As the UK hits dried up, tensions within the group caused a split. Because Brian had been the focus of the group, it was generally assumed that he would go on to succeed as a solo singer while the group would fade into obscurity. Much to everybody's surprise, the reverse happened. Brian failed to establish himself as a solo act, eventually quitting the music business although he made periodic returns on the sixties revival circuit. The Tremeloes, with further line-up changes, re-emerged as a very different group in 1967. In that new form and on a different record label, they became much more successful and much more famous, but those recordings are to be found separately.
This compilation will interest Tremeloes fans wishing to trace the early history of the group and will also interest Brits who actually remember the hits. Beyond that, it will appeal to sixties collectors who enjoy the blend of pop, rock'n'roll and R+B that Brian Poole and the Tremeloes were noted for."
My Name Sake
Brian Poole | 09/16/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Brian Poole and myself went to the same school in the UK.
A young girl asked for my autograph for her younger sister
as she thought I was the singer with the Tremeloes.
I could not disapoint her young sister ,so I gave her my
signature and she thanked me and said that her sister will
be thrilled to piecies to get the autograph."
Track Listings (20) - Disc #1
