The Firing Squad
- Bernie Shelmerdine - guitar
- Frank Shelmerdine - drums
- Kevin Nally - bass
- Alan Faulkner - guitar
Memories
I played my first ever gig in public supporting them at St Werburgh's Hall in Chorlton, about 13 at the time so this would have been in 1962. There were only 3 of them at the time, (Alan Faulkner was a late addition), and they were called The Defenders. We were an exact copy of them as a three piece and even played the same numbers. We even rehearsed at the same place, Chorlton Park School.
They changed their name to The Firing Squad when they got the recording contract and it was at this point that Alan must have joined.
They "morphed" into a soul band at one point, adding some brass and I remember us doing an all-nighter with Rumble Fat Band at a club on Deansgate and they had played the evening spot.
I remember speaking to Bernie who had had a terrible night. He had just got his guitar back after having it resprayed and it wouldn't stay in tune all night.
Stuart Bunyan - Rumble Fat Band
Hi Bernie and Frank - Remember we both played St Werburgh's Battle of the Bands? We won the toss and finished off.
Steve (sax), The Tavenerers
Discography
A Little Bit More/Bull Moose - Parlophone R5152 1964
"The track "Bullmoose" was the "b" side of "A Little bit more". There is a bit of a tale to this track. because they needed a heavy tambourine sound, they got it by taking a brush handle and nailing "Bottle Tops" along the length of it. The nails weren't hammered all the way in so the bottle tops "rattled". Bang pole on the floor and you have the sound of about 6 tambourines."
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