The British Beat Boom


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Georgie Fame & The Blue Flames
Chris Farlowe & The Thunderbirds
Faron's Flamingos
Gary Farr & The T-Bones
Les Fleur de Lys
Wayne Fontana & The Mindbenders
Dean Ford & The Gaylords
The Four Just Men
The Fourmost
The Four Pennies
Freddie & The Dreamers

 

Rod Allen - bass guitar/vocals

Glen Dale - guitar/vocals

Barry Pritchard - guitar/vocals (born April 3rd 1944, Birmingham, died January 11th 1999))

David Carr - keyboards

Andy Brown - drums

 

Dale, Pritchard and Allen began their career as a vocal trio, The Cliftones in 1963, in Birmingham. They added keyboards and drums later in the year with the advent of the beat groups and became "The Fortunes".

Their sound was different from their contemporaries in that they specialised in dramatic ballads containing impeccable vocal harmonies augmented by lush orchestral arrangements.

Their second single failed to chart but it was chosen as the theme tune by pirate radio station "Radio Caroline", therefore receiving plenty of airplay. 1965 would be their golden year with two sizeable hits "You've Got Your Troubles" and "Here It Comes Again" plus a tour of the United States with Peter & Gordon and The Moody Blues.

Glen Dale quit the group for a solo career in mid-66 and was replaced by Shel McCrae.

The Fortunes would enjoy a mini-revival in the early seventies.

 

Singles

1963

Summertime, Summertime/I Love Her Still

Decca F 11718

-

Mar '64

Caroline/If You Don't Want Me Now

Decca F 11809

-

Jun '64

I Like The Look Of You/Come On Girl

Decca F 11912

-

Sep '64

Look Homeward Angel/I'll Have My Tears To Remind Me

Decca F 11985

-

May '65

You've Got Your Troubles/I've Got To Go

Decca F 12173

UK#2

Oct '65

Here It Comes Again/Things I Should Have Known

Decca F 12243

UK#4

Jan '66

This Golden Ring/Someone To Care

Decca F 12321

UK#15

Jun '66

You Gave Me Somebody To Love/Silent Street

Decca F 12429

-

Sep '66

Is It Really Worth Your While?/Am I Losing My Touch?

Decca F 12485

-

 

 

L.P.

1965

The Fortunes - You've Got Your Troubles/One More Chance/Coloured Lights/This Empty Place/I'm Still Alone/If We Lived On Top Of A Mountain/You Can Have Her/Maria/Laughing Fit To Cry/Looking Through The Eyes Of Love/All Cried Out/Voice Your Choice/Time To Be Going/Here It Comes Again

Decca LK 4736

 

Re-issues

1997

You've Got Your Troubles - You've Got Your Troubles/Here It Comes Again/Here Comes That Rainy Day Feeling Again/Freedom Come, Freedom Go/This Golden Ring/Storm In A Teacup/That Same Old Feeling/Caroline/Seasons In The Sun/When I'm Gone

1999

Singles - Caroline/You've Got Your Troubles/Here It Comes Again/This Golden Ring/You Gave Me Somebody To Love/Silent Street/Is It Really Worth Your While/Our Love Has Gone/Idol/Loving Cup/Seasons In The Sun/Celebration Of The Year/Ballad Of The Alamo/Books And Films/That Same Old Feeling/Here Comes That Rainy Day Feeling Again/I Gotta Dream/Freedom Come, Freedom Go/Storm In A Teacup/Baby By The Way/Everything Is Out Of Season/Wait Until September/Secret Love/Whenever It's A Sunday