List of bands from Merseyside

This is a list of notable bands from Merseyside, North West England. For at least fifty years the area has had a thriving pop and rock music scene, and particularly since The Beatles popularised Merseybeat.

0-9

• The 747s: 2006 indie group.

A

• APAtT (a.P.A.t.T.): 2000s Prog Pop/Experimental Rock band
• A Flock of Seagulls: 1980s New wave/synthpop band
• Alexis Blue: 2000s indie pop group.
• Alterkicks: 2000s indie rock band led by singer/songwriter Martin Stilwell.
• Amsterdam: Led by singer/songwriter Ian Prowse
• Anathema: formerly Death/Doom Metal(currently alternative rock).
• Apollo 440: 1990s dance act who have had hits with "Ain't talkin 'bout dub" and "Stop the rock".
• Arkaidence: 2000s Progressive Rock band
• Astronaut: 1990s alternative band
• Atomic Kitten: Girl band, formed in 1997 by OMD's Andy McCluskey.

B

• The Bandits: 2000s blues rock band
• BB Mak: 1990s boyband
• The Beatles: 1960s pop/rock band
• Benny Profane: 1985-90 indie pop band.
• Big in Japan: 1970s punk band that launched the careers of Budgie, Ian Broudie, Bill Drummond, David Balfe, Jayne Casey and Holly Johnson.
• The Big Three: Mersybeat band managed by Brian Epstein
• Cilla Black: 1960s singer discovered by Brian Epstein, later to become a successful television presenter
• Black: 1980s band best known for the hit Wonderful Life.
• The Boo Radleys: 1980s/90s britpop/indie rock, biggest hit Wake Up Boo!

C

• Carcass: 1990s death metal band and forebears of Melodic Death Metal
• Cast: 1990s pop group
• The Cheap Thrills
• China Crisis: 1980s electro-pop band
• Christopher Starkey and The Sweats: Founders of terrible odour music (record label) signed bands such as Stink Floyd and top female solo artist St!nk.
• The Christians: 1980s/90s soul-influenced Sophisti-pop band
• Clinic: 2000s indie-rock band
• The Coral: 2000s indie group inspired by old-fashioned country, 1960s-style psychedelia and folk.
• Elvis Costello: 1970s post-punk singer/songwriter/composer, has since successfully transitioned into other genres
• The Crescent: 2000s indie band influenced by the La's
• Crucial Three: 1980s "supergroup in reverse" which launched the careers of Ian McCulloch, Julian Cope and Pete Wylie.
• The Cryin' Shames: 1960s pop group
• The Chain Gang: 1980s to now pop rock voodoo swamp psychobilly surf blues. Signed to Warner Chappel and released More Than A Dream/Long Time Gone followed by the album They Came From Out of Town. Still gigging to this day though members involved in other projects, The Netherley Brothers, The Shakers, Synthostat, Machineville.

D

• Dalek I Love You: 1970s synthpop precursor to Teardrop Explodes, Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark & Big in Japan
• Dead or Alive: 1980s electro-dance band
• The Dead 60s: Current punk/ska/reggae band.
• Deaf School: mid to late 1970s art rock band, home of many successful Merseyside musicians
• Death Kit: early 1970s band mixing free-jazz and proto-punk musical aesthetics and performing multi-media shows in Liverpool and at Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 1972 & 1973

E

• Echo & the Bunnymen: 1980s post-punk band, one of the most successful and long-lived of the era
• Ellery Bop, 1980s indie band
• Electrafixion: Echo & the Bunnymen side-project
• Engine: 1979 - 1997 boogie-rock trio
• The Escorts, 1962 - 1967 who's members later graced The Swinging Blue Jeans and The Hollies
• Eddie and the falcons (hard pop/death metal)1967-1998 once said by their bassist Roy i am the band ever

F

• Fallen Paradise Up and rising 20011 hard-rock band. Famous for headlining Download Festival. Hit single 'Jade Warlow's Left Toe' reached No.6 in the Slovakian Synth-Pop charts.
• The Farm: Pop band, famous for the track All Together Now.
• Farons Flamingos : Merseybeat band whose members later graced The Peddlers and The Mojos
• Fine Young Firecrackers 2000s pop-punk band with famous songs such as Neon and Diamond Eyes.
• Flight: indie rock band, Formed from The Movement mid-1990s. Released albums on Desolation Records.Fiction Romance.
• The Foundry: Wirral Rock Band
• The Fourmost: 1960s Merseybeat band, managed by Brian Epstein and recorded songs written by Lennon–McCartney
• Frankie Goes to Hollywood: mid-1980s dance-pop band
• Fergus: Early 1990s indie band released one album on own label. They had a big local following but split in 1994. Ian Clavis Leon De Sylva

G

• Gerry & the Pacemakers: 1960s beat group, most notable for their version of "You'll Never Walk Alone", which became an anthem for Liverpool F.C.
• Gomez: late-1990s onwards indie rock band and Mercury Prize winners

H

• Half Man Half Biscuit: 1980s post-punk surrealist pop band from Tranmere, Birkenhead
• Hot Club de Paris: 2000s indie rock band
• Honey indie band 1990's
• The Hideaways, 1960s Merseybeat band in which Ozzie Yue began his career.

The Hexmen: 1981 to present day. Amphetemine fuelled Punk blues. Original line up: George Wickstead ( aka George Hexman) Vocals & Harmonica, Sam Brew on Guitar (Afraid of Mice), Gary Mac Drums ( Malchix) Pete Well Bass ( Azania )

I

• Icicle Works: 80s power pop stalwarts, led by Ian McNabb. Reformed in 2006 for a 25th anniversary tour.
• It's Immaterial
• Insanity Beach: Wirral Rock Band

J

• Holly Johnson: Former lead singer of Frankie Goes to Hollywood, had solo hits in the late 80s.
• Joker - late 1970s band featuring Ozzie Yue on guitar

K

• Kling Klang : Experimental rock band using lots of monophonic synthesisers, drums and guitars.
• Billy J. Kramer and The Dakotas: Performed as Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas and billed as a Merseybeat band when under Brian Epstein's management in the 1960s.

L

• The La's: late 1980s to early 1990s pop group.
• Lightning Seeds: Pop band, whose Ian Broudie wrote the Three Lions music for Euro96.
• The Little Flames: 60s-inspired indie band.
• The Liverbirds
• Ladytron
• The Lotus Eaters: early - mid 1980s pop group. Emerged with another album in 2001 called silentspace.
• Liverpool Express
• The Listening Pool - former members of Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
• LOST - Early 90's Indie band
• Lovecraft Liverpool supergroup.

M

• George Melly: Jazz musician, writer and expert on surrealist art.
• The Merseybeats
• Metro Manila Aide Founders of the genre life-metal.
• Melthead Punk/grunge rock band 1990's
• Mexico Party 1990's pop band
• The Mojos
• Miles Kane (born 17 March 1986) is an English musician originally from the Wirral , best known as the co-frontman of The Last Shadow Puppets and former frontman of The Rascals. He was formerly the vocalist and lead guitarist for The Rascals, but announced the band's break-up in August 2009.He is currently pursuing a solo career, and continues to be a part of his side-project The Last Shadow Puppets. His debut solo album, Colour of the Trap, was released on 9 May 2011.
• The Maybes?- 2001–present
• Marseille - 1970s Heavy Metal band from Liverpool, featuring television celebrity Neil Buchanan
• The Mastersounds 1961-1964
• Matchstickmen- 2005–present
• Mojo Pin- 2010–present
• Marsha Ambrosius is a singer/songwriter. A former member of the English Soul/R&B duo Floetry, she released her first solo album Late Nights & Early Mornings on March 1, 2011.Her debut album topped the Billboard's R&B chart and she has been nominated for Grammy Awards for her work.
• Machineville- Electro. Featuring Gordon Longworth (Motion Pictures, Visual Aids, DDA Seex, Black) and Jon Genno (Visual Aids, DDA Seex, The Chain Gang).

N

• Nutz : 1970s heavy rock band who released four albums and supported Black Sabbath and Budgie on tour.
• The Nashpool Four - Mal Jefferson, Paul Eker, Sid & Eddie Edwards 1964-66

O

• Ooberman: Indie-pop band (late 1990s - present)
• Organ Freeman: Extreme pop music band.
• Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark: (aka OMD) Electronic music band.
• The Open: 5-piece indie band (2003–2006)
• Our Kid 1970s boy band whose hit "You just might see me cry" went to No. 1 in the UK charts.

P

• The Pale Fountains: Bacharach and Love-influenced early 80s pop group, led by Mick Head. Later metamorphosed into Shack
• Pele: Ian Prowse lead 90s Celtic pop outfit. Released 3 albums on Polydor/M&G and had number 1 hit "Megalomania in South Africa". Ian now leads Amsterdam.
• THE PIES: Rebel music - Big graffiti - http://www.o2academyliverpool.co.uk/event/23721/the-pies-tickets

R

• Rain: Short lived 90's band
• The Rascals: 2000s band from Hoylake (The Wirral)
• The Real People: Proto-Britpop band from the early 90s.
• The Real Thing: Band who sang the 1970s classic "You To Me Are Everything".
• Red Flag: Liverpool-born and USA-raised synthpop duo.
• The Reynolds Girls: 80s vocal duo signed to PWL.
• River City People: a folk rock quartet formed in Liverpool, England in 1986, by vocalist Siobhan Maher, guitarist Tim Speed, his drummer brother Paul Speed, and bassist Dave Snell.
• Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra.
• Rebecca Ferguson X Factor Finalist who's Debut album went Platinum in it's first two weeks of release who went on to sign an International deal with EMI to take her music Worldwide.

S

• The Scaffold. 60s group featuring Mike McGear, Roger McGough and John Gorman. Had a Number 1 with "Lily the Pink", and other hits with "Thank You Very Much", "Do You Remember?", and "Gin Gan Goolie" in the 1960s and "Liverpool Lou" in the 70s.
• The Seal Cub Clubbing Club: Current post-punk band often compared to the likes of The Fall and Radiohead.
• The Searchers: 60s Merseybeat group. No. 1 Hits include "Sweets For My Sweet", "Needles And Pins" and "Don't Throw Your Love Away".
• Shack: Cult band led by Mick Head, formerly of The Pale Fountains. Highly influential on Britpop bands such as Oasis. Noel Gallagher repaid the debt by signing them to his record label.
• The Stairs- fronted by Edgar Jones (Summertyme)
• Short Sharp Shock: Crossover hardcore/thrash band from Wirral/Liverpool.
• Skinny - 1995 to 1998 90's Indie pop band later known as Monochrome
• Smaller - Mid 90's Indie band featuring Digsy of Oasis fame
• Sonia: Pop singer from the PWL stable. Born in Skem but mostly associated with Liverpool.
• Space: 1990s indie-rock band best known for "Female of the Species" and their 6 other Top 20 hit singles.
• The Stands: 2000s rock'n'roll band led by songwriter Howie Payne. Split in 2006.
• Stig Noise ( Sound System ): heavily influential DIY - World Noise - No Wave - Wonkstep - Grunge project from 1998–present day.
• Rory Storm and the Hurricanes: Merseybeat group.
• Supercharge: 1970s funk/rock band, led by Albie Donnelly and featuring Ozzie Yue
• Synthostat- Electro.
• The Swinging Blue Jeans: 60s Merseybeat group. Top 3 Hits include "Hippy Hippy Shake" and "You're No Good".

T

• The Teardrop Explodes: Julian Cope led an ever changing line-up mixing pop, new wave and psychedelia with surprising commercial success. Split in 1982 after a mere two albums.
• The Tempest: 1980s Acoustic-Pop band, signed to Magnet Records and produced by Glenn Tilbrook. Members included Ian Finney and ex-prefab Sprout Steve Dolder.
• The Troubadours: Liverpool indie band, known for the single "Gimme Love".

U

• The Undertakers: '60s Merseybeat group, launchpad for the careers of Jackie Lomax and Chris Huston

W

• Wah!: Pete Wylie vehicle, variously known as Wah! Heat and The Mighty Wah!
• Wave Machines: indie band (2007–present).
• We Dive At Dawn (band): 5 piece rock, alt band (2011 - present day)
• The Wayward Travellers: Bootle based rock n roll band (2011 - Present day)
• The Wild Swans: Post-punk band.
• The Wombats: Pop punk/Powerpop 3 piece consisting of Matthew Murphy, Tord Overland Knudsen and Daniel Haggis from the famed Paul McCartney LIPA academy

X

• Xebra - Wirral based, indie 5 piece band 2000s - Present

Y

• Yachts - Eric's era band featuring future members of The Christians and It's Immaterial.

Z

• The Zutons: 2000s indie group inspired by 60s psychedelia.
• Zombina and the Skeletones: 2000s pop punk band

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