The Liverpool Scene. Photo Credit: Don McCullin
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The band were ahead of their time, wonderfully weaving together music, poetry and satirical humour.

Liverpool Scene were absolutely brilliant live and were one of the busiest bands in the country and a huge favourite of college audiences. The band broke up in 1970.

The Liverpool Scene re-formed around 1974 with Dave Richards on bass and Mike Kellie on drums and played a short tour of the UK.

link Andy's Solo Career

Article from UNCUT magazine

Christmas photo of the Liverpool Scene in 1969

Poster from Buxton Festival for the Liverpool Scene

The Liverpool Scene onstage at the Bath festval 1969

 

THE

LIVERPOOL

SCENE

Band members comprised: ANDY ROBERTS, ADRIAN HENRI, MIKE EVANS, MIKE HART, PERCY JONES,
BRYAN (BRIAN) DODSON, (replaced by) PETE CLARK, (and later) FRANK GARRETT.

Andy accepted an offer to study law at Liverpool University, almost immediately bumping into Roger McGough at a bookshop as soon as he got there. The ‘jazz and poetry’ movement was at its peak, and Roger invited Andy to dive in: ‘February 1966 was the first time I did a thing with him and Adrian Henri, at the Bluecoat Theatre in Liverpool. It just took off from there. Within a couple of months I was doing poetry events at The Cavern and playing with a band at the University. There was loads going on.’

Soon, on the back of a 1967 poetry anthology entitled The Liverpool Scene, Adrian Henri, Roger McGough and Andy, along with jazz saxophonist Mike Evans and songwriter/guitarist Mike Hart, were taking bookings as ‘The Liverpool Scene Poets’. Roger had to drop out of the poetry gigs (The Scaffold), leaving Andy to suggest to the charismatic Adrian Henri that all they needed was a bassist and drummer to become a bona fide band. Percy Jones and Bryan Dodson (later replaced by Pete Clarke) filled those roles respectively and The Liverpool Scene was born.

An album for CBS had already been recorded, prior to the band’s formation, called The Incredible New Liverpool Scene – basically Andy accompanying Adrian Henri and Roger McGough, recorded over a couple of hours in Denmark Street, London. BBC Radio’s champion of ’the underground’ John Peel took a shine to it and regularly booked the now fully-fledged band (or, as a duo, Roberts & Henri) for his show and for his own live engagements. He also nominally produced their first full-band album, Amazing Adventures Of… (RCA, 1968), in a recording deal secured by their new manager Sandy Roberton – a key figure in the careers of many now legendary acts at the progressive ends of folk and rock music of the time.

1969 saw the Liverpool Scene at their peak – delivering their second album Bread On The Night, touring the UK on a three act bill with Led Zeppelin and Blodwyn Pig, playing to 150,000 at the Isle of Wight Festival and touring America for a gruelling, and revelatory three months. ‘Absolute disaster', is Andy’s verdict on the tour. ‘We suddenly came up against the utter reality of it. With a British audience, given this poetry and a band that were never rehearsed, we got away with it through being so different and [through] our verve and irreverence. None of which worked in America.’

The American experience would nevertheless inspire the band’s best work – the lengthy ‘Made In USA’ suite, one side of their last LP proper, St Adrian Co, Broadway And 3rd (1970).
Discography  

THE AMAZING ADVENTURES OF THE LIVEPOOL SCENE | ECLEC22138 | 2009

The 2-CD package features most of the band’s recorded output, along with some previously unreleased live material. Many of the included tracks have never been available on CD before, others have been meticulously remastered from the original master tapes from 40 years ago. This release has been made possible with the co-operation of the original members of the band and Adrian's estate. [ more info here ]

the amazing adventures of...

LIVERPOOL SCENE - TWO ALBUMS | BGOCD 538 | 2001

A CD re-release of The Liverpool Scene's first two albums. Remastered from vinyl, it's nice to have this material without the crackles and clicks ... there's a story to this release. [ more info here ]

THE LIVERPOOL SCENE FEATURING ADRIAN HENRI & ANDY ROBERTS | POLYDOR 2310055 | 1972

Another 'Best-Of' featuring some of the Liverpool Scene and a couple of Andy's solo songs. [ more info here ]

RECOLLECTIONS | CHARISMA CS3 | 1972

'Recollections' was a later 'Best - of' album on Charisma. [ more info here ]

HEIRLOOM | RCA SF 8134 | 1970

The Official post break-up 'Best of' album, comprising of material already recorded and in the archive. Contains Adrian's beautiful poem 'Love is'. [ more info here ]

ST. ADRIAN & CO, BROADWAY & THE 3RD | RCA SF8100 | 1970

Pete Clark replaced Brian Dodson on Drums. Side 2 recorded live at Warrick University. [ more info here ]

BREAD ON THE NIGHT | RCA SF 8057 | 1969

Mike Hart had left before recording began for this album. Contains '64' and 'I've got those Fleetwood Mac, Chicken Shack, John Mayall Can't Fail Blues'. [ more info here ]

AMAZING ADVENTURES OF... | RCA VICTOR SF 7995 | 1968

The cover shows the regulars outside O'Conners Tavern in Liverpool, the band's home venue."O'Conners is still there (now renamed). Basically it was the creature of its landlord, Jimmy Moore, (the big fella on the cover). A pretty utilitarian drinking hole, but large, with a good sized upstairs room which we took over for poetry and music sessions on Wednesdays. The downstairs was lit with orange bulbs, lending a curious ambience to the experience." ANDY [ more info here ]

THE INCREDIBLE NEW LIVEPOOL SCENE | CBS 63045 | 1967

The beginning! An album of poetry with Roger McGough, Adrian Henri and Andy Roberts. Brian Patten didn't make it to the album... but that's another story! [ more info here ]