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Mervs Bardots (Middleton)

Line-up included

Merv (Melvyn) Horrocks - Rhythm
Ian 'Bubble' Todd - Guitar or bass
Johnny Hart - Drums
Keith McDonald - Bass
Richard Bimson - Vocals
Tony Best - Vocals
Alan 'Twig' Quigley - Vocals
Derek Foley - Lead
Phil Quigley - Drums
Pat McQuillen - Bass

Merv played with The Bardots, Mervs Bardots, The Black Watch, The Clyne County Four, The Sioux Showband and very briefly backed Cannon & Ball who were then called The Harper Brothers.

mervs4

The Bardots: Mervyn Horrocks lead, Ian Todd rhythm and itchy neck (below), Kieth McDonald bass, Johnny Hart drums. Taken at Aldwyn youth club Audenshaw about 1962.
Used to play regular at The New Luxor Club.

I think!!! the unknown singer refered to in the photo above is a guy called Trevor Hopkins. He was also singer in the band "Pip & The Popcorns" fabulous showman from recollection! Played alongside him in a scratch band about 1964 ish. Tony Heath would probably be able to confirm this guy.

David Roylance - 30/1/10

Line-up #1
Courtesy Phil Quigley

Merv - Rhythm guitar
Derek Foley - Lead guitar - later Grisby Dyke, Palladin, Bond and Brown
Phil Quigley - Drums - later Chosen Few
Alan Quigley - Vocals
Tony Best - Vocals

Phil, Alan and Derek are cousins.

Mac from Oldham - Roadie– 63/64 - drove the Bedford Van

Pete’ and Tony Vallente? - Roadies - drove the Thames Van

Line-up #2
Courtesy Tony Heath, who joined the band in 1961 or 1962 and was the drummer until the break-up in 1966

Merv - Rhythm guitar
Derek Foley - Lead guitar - later Grisby Dyke, Palladin, Bond and Brown
Tony Heath - Drums
Alan Quigley - Vocals
Tony Best - Vocals
Ian "Bubble" - Bass

After the break-up Tony played with the briefly reformed Mervs Bardot. The only members of this line up Tony can remember are: a guy called Colin who played guitar and another drummer (they had 2) called Algeo. Both these guys came from the same band.

Tony has no idea where Merve is now.

Tony Best became a solo singer and changed his name to Tony Simons working the Clubs. He is now selling property in Spain.

Alan Quigley moved to the North East and owns a successful plumbing business.

Derek Foley played with Palladin, went to America and became one of America’s top session musicians.

Ian (Bubble) lives somewhere in the South.

Tony Heath is still playing, backing cabaret, ads and doing session work. He also works with ‘The Bachelors’.

When Tony left Mervs Bardots and went in to backing cabaret, he worked with Clive Allen of ‘The Clive Allen Sound" who also has a long career in the business. Clive, incidentally, remembers going to see Merv's Bardots. Clive was still wearing his school uniform, including short pants!

Tony remembers that on one of the gigs, Merv painted the van with the name SMALL FACES. The following morning the van was covered in lipstick kisses and messages. Why The Small Faces? Tony says, “we were supporting act to The Small Faces the week before at Ashton Palais’.

From Paul, webmaster: I can remember putting "THE FREE" on the back of our trannie on the way to Carlisle. They had just got to number one and no one really knew what they looked like, so we mooned at people and gave rude signs.

Line-up #3
Info courtesy David Roylance

Merv - Guitar
Ian Todd - Guitar
Johnny Hart - Drums
Richard Bimson - Vocals
Keith Macdonald - Bass

I was in another band (Banshee) with Tony Heath, Stan Kwesi Nelson and Tony Heath but we all used to hang out together and join each others rehearsals.

David Roylance

Merve’s Bardots played venues such as:

The Top 20 Club - Droylsden (Dave Eager was DJ there)
The Top 20 Club - Failsworth
All the dance halls in Middleton and Oldham
Youth Cubs - too many to mention
The Top Ten Club - Belle Vue
Bury Palais
Ashton Palais
The Ice Rink - Derby Street, Cheetham Hill (It was Bloody Freezing)
Beat City - Fountain Street, Manchester (These were all night shows)
The Cavern - Manchester
The Cavern - Liverpool
Mr Smiths - Winsford

mervs2007

The group at a party 17th November 2007

L to R: Alan Quigley (vocals), Tony Valente (roadie), Tony Best (vocals), Ian (Bubble), Merve himself, Front: Tony Heath (drums)

Tony Valente was the roadie for nearly every band in Manchester. He was ours for a time and saved the life of the guitarist by yanking the plug from the wall when Roy was getting 240 volts.