THE late 50s and 60s could be described as one of the most iconic and popular musical eras of all time.

And Lancashire played a major role, as hundreds of rock ’n roll bands suddenly burst onto the scene, to the frenzy of screaming audiences.

Dance halls became a mecca for teenagers as they danced to the latest sounds from emerging bands, some of whom would become headline acts, while others would fall by the wayside.

The Beatles, The Hollies, The Four Pennies, Wigan Casino, The Cavern, The Imp in Nelson, and the Astoria at Rawtenstall, have all become synonymous with that era, and its sounds.

If it is your era, the website www.lankybeat.com gives you the opportunity to walk down memory lane, looking back at the various dance venues and bands which hit the scene more than half a century ago.

It includes facts and photographs centred on East Lancashire, too, with references to the Majestic, in Barnoldswick, The Tender Trap, in Bacup, Haslingden Ambulance Hall, King George’s Hall, in Blackburn, New Mocambo, in Darwen, and The Golden Penny, in Chorley.

Visitors to the site can also add their own memories. One recalled the night when The Beatles stayed at the Station Hotel, in Nelson, after appearing at The Imp, and fans camped outside all night for the chance to see them.

East Lancashire also became a hot bed for new groups, as young teenagers got together, with guitars and drums, to create their own new sounds, and dream of stardom to come.

They played regularly at local venues, sometimes appearing with bands that would go on to become household names, and top the hit parade.

An early sixties band from Blackburn was The Brethren, earlier known as BACS+1 with Rob Rose, Kevin Miller, Martin Tatlow, Jerry Tattum, Geoff Marsden, and Barry Smethurst.

They played many of the same venues, including East Lancs CC, as the Electones, from Blackburn, who once played a memorable night-of-nights at the Co-operative Hall, in Darwen, in January 1963, when The Beatles topped the bill.

The group, which changed its name to The Summers, comprised Barry I’anson, Tony Jordan, Jim Hopwood, Pete Taylor, and Pete Eddleston.

One band that had a very profound influence in the late sixties was a four-piece band, later a trio, from the Rawtenstall and Nelson area, called Glass Menagerie.

They were more than just a local band, as they could occasionally be heard on John Peel's Sunday afternoon show ‘Top Gear’, played at leading clubs of the time, and released a couple of singles. The line- up was Lou Stonebridge, who wore a black tail coat and knee-length boots, on the organ, Bill Atkinson on drums, John Medley on bass, and guitarist Alan Kendal.

At the age of 14, Pat Belshaw, who is third left, and Tony Hicks, then 12, third right, formed Les Skifflettes, a seven-piece skiffle-group, with tea-chest bass and washboard, who would go on to become the chart-topping Hollies.

Then there was a group called The Atlantics, from Burnley, with John Thomas, Pete Sowrey, Colin Edmondson, Andy Russell, and Jim Payne.

They played everywhere, from Nelson Imperial, where they supported The Troggs and Manfred Mann, to the Burtonwood US base.

Many may also remember Eddie G Martin and the Sabres from Pendle, who hold the prestige claim to fame as the support band to John, Paul, George and Ringo, when they made their first appearance at The Imp in May 1963.

  • Lankybeat website, creator, Bill Hart has also founded Lankykats, where musicians get together to play the music of their youth, as well as raise funds for charity, meeting on the first and third Thursdays, at Standish Unity Club.