Fly-B-Nites

Line-Up 

• Robin Inston - rhythm
• Brian Fletcher - lead
• John Inston - bass
• Martin Fidler - drums

The group were a first class 'surfing' group. Close harmonies second to none. In line with 'Factotums', another Manchester group of the times. Four piece harmony group - Beach Boys, Jan & Dean, Assosiation and others. Brilliant musicians and vocalists.

Atlas - A H Agency

I was looking at our page on M/c Beat and it seems a lot smaller than it was several years ago, when I updated the group member names, some of which were wrong. Anyhow, onwards and downwards to the update.

In '63 Rob Inston left the group to get married; we all thought he was mad, but that's love, I suppose.His place was fillrd by Trevor (Tinner) Lear. Trevor came from the Avengers, a popular Rochdale group. In those days he had a fine falsetto voice, which we iiked to think made us sound just likr the Four Seasons.

In 1965, our drummer Martin Fidler left us. We continued, with two new members - drummer Martin Brewster, who lives in Rochdale, where I originally hail from and Alan Lord, guitar, now resident in South Africa. At the same time, we turned exclusively to being a harmony band. This continued until 1968, when the work situation was such that quite often we would arrive at our "real" jobs an hour late, straight from the previous night's job and so, by mutual agreement, we disbanded.

I continued "musicless" for around six months until I was invited to join the Reg James Explosion, playing bass guitar, which I didn't particularly enjoy and so, again after six months, I left and joined "Candy Choir," a harmony group from Kent.

I got the grand total of one afternoon's rehearsal and that same evening found myself, terrified, on stage with them at the - then - Devonshire Sporting Club. We worked with Barry Ryan (of Eloise fame, if anyone remembers him), as his backing group.

Eventually, in 1975, I quit because I was sick of all the incessant travelling. I moved to Blackpool, where I live until this day, although I do miss Rochdale ... a lot!! I backed cabaret until I retired. I've taken the liberty(if ok) of posting links to a couple of my own solo projects done on my home studio.

https://app.box.com/s/c41fxmyb2zylf1hez0ir

https://app.box.com/s/wfu240zc0rt4n8szn7ym

Brian Fletcher - 28/7/14

We used to watch these guys at St Marks in Glodwick Oldham, a brilliant band with fantastic harmonies, Tinner Lear joined them in 63 and later joined us Peppertree in 68. What a great falsetto Tinner had, fab memories.

Mick Ward

Discography:

Hitch Hike (Decca)

Alan Lord: great guitarist and tutor.

Played with the Waterboard (Fly-b-Nites) and seen here in 2001 at The Bamford in Heywood with two other members of that band, Brian Fletcher and Martin Brewster (Drums), with myself on bass. Alan will be sadly missed. RIP.