Federals/The Manchester Federals/Joni Fayne and The Federals/Fayne and The Federals

Line-up

• John Evans - vocals
• Brian Cusick - drums
• Bob McDonough - rhythm
• Trevor Johns - lead
• Chris Evans - bass

The original members of The Federals were:- John Evans, lead vocals from Irlams'o'Heights, Brian Cusick, drums from Worsley. Bob McDonough, rythmn guitar from Swinton, Trevor Johns, lead guitar from Swinton, and Chris Evans, bass guitar from Irlams'o'Heights.

Brian later joined the Cymerons in place of their drummer Max. Both John and Chris attended Halton Bank Secondary School Pendleton in the sixties.

The band played a gig at Birmingham Silver Blades Ice Rink, and discovered that a Birmingham band also had the name the Federals, so they changed the name to The Manchester Federals about 1964.

Chris Evans

I once had the good fortune to see The Federals at a pub in Salford called The Fusiliers. I walked in with Rod Gerrard (ex Hells Angels, Herman's Hermits, Salford Jets, etc) and they were playing a cover of the just released Beatles song "All my lovin" - note perfect and identical to the record.

The memory still remains even though I am now 61 - good stuff lads!!!!

Geoff Parkinson

I remember playing at the Fusiliers on Cross Lane, there were two rooms. On a Saturday night the Stylos played in the main room, and I played in the smaller room with The Federals. Must have been mayhem standing at the bar between the two rooms!

Chris Evans

I think the Manchester Federals were one of the first bands to play Bredbury Hall in the early '60s. We were resident every Wednesday night for about 2 years. Does anybody remember?

Chris Evans - 15/2/09

Yes Chris you are right we were the first group to play at Bredbury hall. The owner Frank Michell saw us working in the Bodega in Manchester and booked us for the following New Years Eve.

It went down a bomb as the audiance did not know that a live band was coming on. I still have the demo disc we made and lots of photos. We are in the middle of moving at the moment and they are all in storage but when we get settled I'll post them on site.

Bob McDonough - 20/4/10

Just to let you know the strange guy in the picture was our first lead guitarist Dave Hankinson. He was realy some brilliant guitarist. He was with us for a couple of years (or may be less). Any way after a night at the Hare and Hounds in Bury (we were resident there on friday nights) we found him collapsed in our changing room. Some sort of break down, but his mother banned him from the group. A few years earlier his younger brother had died, and his mother didn't want any more grief.

Took us a while but we found Trevor Johns, he joined us and there you go.

I worked with Trev Johns in the sixties, lost contact when I emigrated to Australia. Does anyone know if hes still knocking about,'Would like to get his Email address 

Al Gee - 14/11/12

I met Bob back in the 60s. They played at the Peppermint Lounge, London Rd, Liverpool. We became mates. I lived in Bootle. Bob visited and my parents loved him but we went our ways and lost touch. They were a good band up against good bands in Liverpool but they where nice guys and Bob I never forgot. 

Jackie - 13/7/13 

Yes I recall the Manchester Federals. I played bass in The Electrons (Burnley) and we shared the support act slots with the MFs at the Nelson Imperial - The Searchers were the star act (1965).

Dave Wood - 21/5/11