See our Photo Feature on Gerry HERE.
 (Steve and the Pacemakers...not a catchy name, I agree)
Talk about magic...Gerry Marsden has been making magic for over 50 years, and he's still got the voice and energy of a teen idol, which he once was during the sixties. His charm and stage presence is undeniable. He's a true legend who was (and is) friends with his fellow Liverpudlians, the Beatles, and who continues to play the hits we all know and remember, although the original Pacemakers (which included his brother on drums) are long gone from the scene.
I remember watching Gerry on the Ed Sullivan Show, as well as on Shindig, and all those other TV shows that featured the British Invasion bands who followed in the footsteps of the Beatles. Managed by Brian Epstein, who masterminded the Beatles rise to fame, he signed Gerry & the Pacemakers as the second band he wanted to turn into stars, and often had them all tour together. I bought (and still have) all of those early albums, and must admit I have been a huge fan of Gerry since the very first time I heard that distinctive sound.
 Surprisingly, in his long career as a rocker, Gerry has only appeared in Las Vegas 3 times, the first time only a few short years ago, at Boulder Station, an engagement that almost went unnoticed. The small showroom (The Railhead) only holds a few hundred people, and it's off strip location makes it more of a place for local bands to play, and very few tourists would head out to the place.
(At Right: Gerry and Jan first met at the Boulder Station concert, his first time ever in Vegas)
He was fabulous there, and what struck me the most was his jovial manner and sincere love of the audience. That, and his willingness to sit and sign autographs after the show for all who wanted to meet him. I remember the line stretched all around the showroom and clear out into the casino, yet he stayed and patiently posed for pictures and joked with each and every person who came to say hello.
We watched as the entire line passed and Jan and I were the last two, yet he talked with us for quite a while, answered questions and we talked about Liverpool, his beloved home town, and a place we have visited many times ourselves.
Then, his second appearance in Vegas came last year when he played the Cannery. Jan and I put together a framed photo of the two of us with him from the year before and presented it to him. He was happy to see us again, introduced us to his wife (whom he wrote "Don't Let The Sun Catch You Crying" for) and did a great interview which we ran here the next day, complete with a short video of our dressing room visit.
Fast forward to his most recent Vegas outing, this time a 3 night engagement at the Suncoast, and we were there once again (for ALL of the 3 nights). We had some great talks, he told me lots of things about Liverpool and the Beatles that I never knew and signed a couple of my albums for our Rock Wall Collection.
And Gerry even shared the stage with the longtime pal Chip Hawkes of the Tremolos, who sang "Silence is Golden" and their other huge hit, "Here Comes My Baby", of that group he founded back when dinosaurs roamed the earth.
 Of course the subject of magic came up and he asked me to show him something, so before the second show, I found myself performing for him and others in his dressing room.
I also took the time to pose for a great photo with him, and also with the Pacemakers, or at least, this version of them.
See our Photo Feature on Gerry HERE.
Really wonderful to watch him play with the crowds each night, and singing his hits with the same energy and enthusiasm he always had decades ago.
I asked him why he thought that so many big stars came from Liverpool. Was it something in the water?
"We are a seaport town, and most of us were poor and had no skills, so we turned to music from when we were very, very young, and sang for each other all the time. And we discovered what people liked, the old rock and roll and blues songs that we heard from America. Guys like Chuck Berry and Jerry Lee Lewis and Little Richard. And we wrote simple songs, songs that people could remember and sing along to after hearing them only once or twice. That was really the key to the Beatles, and the Searchers, me, and so many others."
Knowing that he was friends with the Beatles since they were children growing up in Liverpool, I had to ask...So, which Beatle was your favorite?
"That's a hard question to ask me, I loved all of the boys. George was great, he was the little baby of the group, so we always had to watch over him, especially when we went to Hamburg, he was not yet 18, and you couldn't go there if you were under 18, so we used to hide him away between shows...he was a very special guy in later years, I loved George. But I would have to say, John and I were the closest, we talked all the time about the music and touring and such. I miss him very much. He was one of a kind. We all looked up to John."
I brought out one of my old albums, the soundtrack to the movie, "Ferry Cross the Mersey", and when he saw it he said, "That piece of colorful cardboard made me a whole lot of money. It really did. Not only did the song hit number one, but the film became a huge hit and made me into a huge star, bigger that I already was."
Tell me about the film.
"It was shot all over the city of Liverpool, including scenes on the Pier on the Mersey River, and in the Cavern Club, as a matter of fact that picture on the cover is the original Cavern. You performed magic in the reincarnation of the original club, but the wall on the stage is the same one, they saved all the bricks and recreated it exactly as it was."
"You wrote a bunch of songs for that film, right?
"I did, 9 songs in 8 days time. Including "It's Gonna Be Alright" which went to number one."
 "Your first 4 records went to number one, right?"
Gerry smiled. "Actually, the first 3 hit the top, an the fourth one stayed at number 2, thanks to four lads from Liverpool who held onto the top spot..."
"The Searchers, right?"
Gerry laughed. "You've done your homework, my boy. Yes, it was the Searchers who kept me from hitting number one four times in a row. That's okay, though, I was happy for them."
I asked him if he actually put up the framed photo that Jan and I gave him last year. "You told us you were putting it into your new home. Did you?"
"Oh yes, I did, indeed. It's hanging in the guest bathroom."
Perfect. |
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| Proud Pappa: Bill Medley with his son Darrin backstage |
The adorable Mr. & Mrs. Darrin Medley |
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| Paul Revere and Steve |
The Raiders (yep, that's Darrin Medley in the role of lead singer, or as Paul Revere calls him, "Baby Raider". |
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| Jan, normally behind the camera, proves she was there... |
Bobbie Katz has known Bill for decades |
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 TRINI
LOPEZ
READ
OUR DRESSING ROOM CHAT WITH TRINI LOPEZ NOW
Trini
was a poor boy from the barrio of Dallas, Texas. He remembers barely
enough food for the family, the amount always determined by his
parents' ability to get whatever work they could. "They worked
and struggled together just to survive," he recalls. "They
plowed fields together. My mother washed clothes in the neighborhood
for extra income. You cannot imagine how hard it was."
(At
left, Trini with his freind Carol Burnett back in the 70's when
Trini was a guest on her TV show)
This
weekend, the legend will be singing all of his hits when he appears
as the special guest star at the Cannery, on Saturday.
Many
people were not around when Trini was a huge singing sensation,
and also a well-known actor, so here's a look at his career.
Trini
learned to play the guitar from his father. Then he played for money
on the street corners. He eventually went on to form his own group.
It was then that the world saw the beginnings of the singing, acting,
and very talented Trini Lopez. Trini's first songs were Mexican
sing-alongs with his mother, father, brother, and sisters. He dropped
out of high school to help his father support the family by singing
around Dallas and the Texas "Southland." Trini's quality
could not be denied. He went on to the El Cipango Club in Dallas,
(a more affluent part of Dallas) and to other big clubs throughout
the Southwest. He realized music would make him something special.
Indeed it did, enabling him to get himself, and his family, out
of the barrio.
Trini
got a job at the Ye Little Club in Beverly Hills. He was hired with
no group, just with his guitar. His engagement was to last two weeks
and ended up lasting a year.
The
first big break came at the popular night spot called P. J.'s. Here,
he was spotted by the world famous record producer, the late Don
Costa, who then brought Trini to the attention of his longtime idol,
Mr. Frank Sinatra. The great singer recognized a fellow stylist
and immediately signed Trini to an exclusive eight-year contract
with his own label - Reprise Records.
Reprise
released his first album, "Trini Lopez at P. J.’s,"
which became a No. 1 hit album. Out of that album a single, “If
I Had a Hammer" became a No. 1 hit in twenty-five countries."If
I Had a Hammer," hammered his name in GOLD with many albums
and several singles ...and in the hearts of millions of fans throughout
the world! Following "Hammer" were many hits which he
wrote, as well as songs like "I'm Coming Home Cindy,"
"Michael," "Lemon Tree," Kansas City,"
"America," and, of course, "La Bamba." The list
goes on, but that's another story!
From
there, it was standing room only audiences for Trini across the
face of Europe and the world. He had earned about half a million
dollars by then, and his weekly salary was twenty five thousand
dollars.
In
mid-June of 1963, he made his New York debut with his own eleven-man
orchestra that included his brother, Jesse. The tough Manhattan
critics were unanimous in their praise of the young man from the
Texas barrio. Trini Lopez had become a superstar in every sense
of the word.
Trini
was honored on the floor of Congress in Washington D.C. by Congressman
Thomas Rees of California "in recognition of his work on behalf
of International relations," and Trini has the honor of sharing
prestigious company with Louis Armstrong and Frank Sinatra in being
named Goodwill Ambassador for the United States. He was also cited
by the LULAC Council #12 of Laredo, Texas, as "Mr. International."
Successful
singers are often described as acting out their songs, so it is
only natural that Trini would be discovered as an equally talented
actor.
He
began by playing a priest and a parole officer on two of Jack Webb's
"Adam 12" TV shows for Universal, which was aired
on the NBC network. From there he went to movies. Trini's first
appearance in a movie , Frank Sinatra put him in Marriage on
the Rocks, starring Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin. His second
movie appearance was in A Poppy is Also a Flower, starring
Sean Connery, Marcello Mastriani and a star-studded cast. Following
this was the classic The Dirty Dozen starring Lee Marvin and Charles
Bronson and another star studded cast. Trini's first starring role
was in Antonio with his co-star, the infamous “J.R.,"
Larry Hagman. Then he became an army G.I. for a TV Movie of the
Week called The Reluctant Heroes for Aaron Spelling Productions.
Singer,
song writer, Goodwill Ambassador, charitable volunteer, humanitarian,
actor, and nightclub performer throughout the world, including spots
like the Waldorf Astoria and the Copa Cabana in New York City, as
well as popular Las Vegas major hotels, and many, many more. Trini
never forgets what he really is... "I'm a public servant."
It
wasn't until "If I Had A Hammer" ultimately sold five
million copies (and still selling throughout the world) that he
got it through his head he IS something special!!!
From
the barrio to Beverly Hills! This lean Latin singing sensation took
the world by storm beginning in the early '60s and continues the
tempest even today!!!. Trini elicits standing ovations everywhere
he performs, and his smooth style knows no age barrier.
Trini
has enjoyed a resurgence in popularity since the release of the
major motion picture La Bamba. One of Trini's most successful international
hits of all time was "La Bamba." This very old Latin folk
song was first taught to Trini by his father, at the age of 11,
who had been a performer himself in Mexico.
Other
notable appearances have been an entire segment devoted to him on
Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous, an internationally acclaimed
TV show hosted by Robin Leach, who met and was mesmerized by Trini
during a celebrity tennis tournament at Las Hadas in Mexico, where
Trini again headlined the star-performance gala. In addition, Trini's
appearance on Fox Network's Late Show in 1987 garnered accolades
from around the world. Of course, "La Bamba" was performed
on the popular late night show, and the audience responded in their
usual concert style... moved by the magic!!! Trini has so enthralled
the world with this famous tune, that he has been globally proclaimed
as "Mr. La Bamba."
The
future for Trini will be active as usual, with touring around the
world, a new album in the making, and hopefully, a movie, but now
he is more selective and chooses his projects carefully. Since his
move to Palm Springs, where he now resides year-round, the "laid-back"
atmosphere has sort of rubbed-off on him, and it's not necessary
for Trini to do every project he's offered. So, you'll find him
on the tennis courts or golf course almost any day, as it has become
a new passion with him, and he has the trophies to prove it.
One
of Trini's latest efforts is a CD titled "Trini Lopez Dance
Party,” on the BMG label out of Hamburg, Germany, and was
release in Europe and South America in the summer of 1998. In February
through March, he went to Europe on a promotional tour to promote
his latest CD on the BMG label titled, "Trini Lopez Dance Party!!!"
. Trini
also appeared at many resorts including several shows at the Maritim
Hotel in Timmerdorfer Strand, outside Hamburg, Germany.
On
July 30, 2000, Trini had a very successful engagement at the Mohegan
Sun Indian Casino in Connecticut.
On
February 16-25, 2001, Trini did 16 very successful theatre concerts
all over Florida. He received standing ovations at every show and
sometime 2 and 3 ovations.
In
July, 2001, Trini was honored by the group "Nosotros"
in Beverly Hills, California. He was presented with the prestigious
LIVING LEGEND AWARD.
April
12, 2002, was a very exciting day for Trini. He was inducted into
the Las Vegas Casino Legends Hall of Fame at the Tropicana Resort
& Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. Trini performed his version of
"America" as a tribute to 9-11 and then continued with
"If I Had A Hammer." He closed the show with "La
Bamba." He received 3 standing ovations and everyone there
was very impressed with his voice, his charisma, and his wonderful
ability to include the audience in every song. It was a super day
and a real treat for all in attendance.
Whatever
Trini plans for his future, the fruit of his endeavor will be the
same ... fresh, tasty, and timelessly appealing to millions! It
has been said that this dynamo "broke the Latin sound-barrier"...
and that he did, but you never know what's next for "Mr. La
Bamba" I Perhaps, some of this magical life will be revealed
in an expected "life story"... or maybe the mystery will
just go on forever! But Trini ... he is forever!!!
Herman's
Hermits Invade Vegas after conquering Primm and
Boulder CIty. Herman's
Hermits
Peter Noone and Herman's Hermits attacked Vegas from two sides.
Sounds crazy, but follow me here. Rock legend Peter Noone, aka "Herman"
and his Hermits have played Las Vegas at least once a year for the
past few years, with knock-out shows in the Silverton and the Cannery.
Last year, they were also appearing on the outdoor stage in Boulder
City, in a free concert with another pop icon, Micky Dolenz of the
Monkees. A fun show, indeed.
Now, in another
attack, this time, through Primm, the Hermits hit Whiskey Pete's
stage for a wild night of rock and roll and laughs in the very intmate
showroom at the edge of the land of casinos.
Below: Herman's
Hermit's drummer Dave Ferrara gave me an autographed stick (it sits
in my collection next to Carmine Appice, and Ringo)
 You'd
think the Hermans Hermits fans would be kept away by that long drive
down the highway to Primm, but not so. Peter Noone loyalists began
arriving in Primm around noon, and by 5 pm, there were so many lined
up at the doors to the showroom,they decided to just open the doors
early and allow the party to begin.
And it is a
party. I know this because, I must admit, that since 1964, I've
been a fan of Peter Noone, which means I've seen him on television
way back when on "Shindig" and "Ed Sullivan",
I have all of his albums, and seen him perform live number of times
over the years (okay, over the decades), and together with my equally
insane wife, Jan, we have attended many concerts and met Peter so
many times that he often points me out in the audience and makes
some funny remark (at this Primm show, for instance, he walked up
to my seat, pointed to me and said, "ladies and gents, say
hello to Tony Orlando, right here in the front row") And then
I stand and wave to the crowd. It's a party atmosphere, Peter is
a riot, his banter between the songs, and his stories, are fun and
full of surprises. And the music is flawlessly delivered by his
super-tight band, and infectious sirit stays with you long after
the concert has ended..
 Herman's
Hermits fans will enjoy another special appearance by Peter Noone
and the boys this weekend, when they return to the Cannery, on Saturday
night, June 30th. Also on the bill; The Turtles, featuring Flo and
Eddy, another bunch of nuts who deliver the goods, both musically
and in terms of a funny, entertaining set. Perfect combo.
I sat
down with Peter after his concert at Whiskey Pete's and my chat
can be read here..
Herman's Hermits return
to Primm- a photo tribute
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