The Harbour Lights

info and pics courtesy Brian Higham

Ready Steady Win | Advision Studios | Harbour Lights MK 2 

Line-up included 

• Brian Higham - Guitar
• John Lee - Bass Guitar
• Mike Foord - Drums
• Pete Pattenden - Drums

The group made the finals of READY STEADY WIN in 1964, where they came 5th. The Toggery Five came 2nd. That's 2 from Manchester in the top five - out of 17,000 entries.

Check out their own website and listen to the Harbour Lights on Radio 2 in 2012!  

Memories

The Harbour Lights Trio were famous for their brilliant covers of the Beatles songs. John said "We were singing "All my Loving " even before the Beatles. Everybody thought it was our song.

Mike was the quiet one of the three, only his nocturnal habits produced more wierd noises than his singing.

John was the good one in the band always straight home after the gig and never drank more than two lager shandies.

Then there was Chad our trusty roady, Mr Beech at the Belfrey, Big Doreen and her exotic dancing Ruth and Les at The Royal Oak.

The fooball table always there to give us an alibi especially when being goaded by somebody shouting "HAVE ANOTHER PINT"

Many Manchester musicians would know Brian, who worked worked at "Barratts of Manchester" and supplied all the groups with gear right thru the 60s and 70s. He also supplied the Halle, NDO, BBC, Granada and all the local schools.

Anon 

Before they formed I played guitar in a group called "Dee and the Lindmen" (No idea what a Lindman was!) and Mike Foord joined on drums. He was more professional than we were and took rehearsals in an old factory in Stockport very seriously. His attitude taught me a lot. I began evolving from a kid playing with mates for fun to getting myself together musically. If he ever reads this, Hi and best regards.

Bob Ainsworth 

I was invited to join Harbour Lights in the early 1970's. We were the resident band at Bredbury Hall Country Club. The line up consisted of highly talented Brian Higham on lead vocals and guitar, the equally talented Brian Lewis also lead voacals and guitar, the infamous Griff Bailey on bass and Rick Henshaw on drums.

Later brother Steve Henshaw who had played with Shane Fenton and the Fentones and Les Bluesettes, shared the gigs with me on alternate weeks.

The club had seven bars and often during our spot, we'd hear over the tannoy, " Pound Notes to Bar One, Pound Notes to Bar One".

They used to have the "Stockings and Suspenders Contest", for young or occasionally older ladies willing to give a flash, with a bottle of Bubbly as the prize. Needless to say the lads packed in.

Other line up's included Bill on Bass when Griff moved on and Glynn on Keyboards when Brian Lewis went on the Cliff Richard Tour of Japan.

Brian H now lives on Anglesey and we are again in touch.

I was chuffed to receive a photo from Brian proving I was with the Harbour Lights and proud to have been so. It's in the Gallery, tpgether with a pic of Brian and myself taken at Bredbury Hall probably in 1975.

We also gigged as The Country Gentlemen and Gentle Pulse.

Brian H got myself and Brian Lewis on the Big Jim Sullivan Roadshow. We were as a trio and went down really well. See BJS section on my site.

One gig we did at Manchester Airport rusulted in us meeting Tommy Cooper who had us in stitches.

Rick Henshaw 

I remember the group playing at my parents house in Wilmslow (next to the New Inn) they played at my 21st (1971) and at another party maybe my sister's in 1973. We all thought they were fantastic. Great memories also my brother bought a guitar from Barretts soon after and I think it was the group that inspired him to play guitar - he was 17 the first time they came to our house.

John Offer - 20/9/12

No mention of our band "Mike Hales Combo" we had to change our name from the Images at the last minute because of another band with the same name. We were from Harrow and Kingston. I think we were beaten by the Harbour Lights. We had a great time at the TV studio at Wembley- and well paid too!
Most of us were playing for many years after.
Anybody know what happened to Mike Hales - a great singer and really nice guy. I still have the contracts and some photos.

Peter Burford - bass player - 18/8/13

Gigs

Resident at The Royal Oak Alderley Edge Cheshire - Sat, Sun, Mon from 1961 - 1967