Innovation

I was a founder member and drummer for the Innovation. The sax players were Cathy Malcolmson and June Potter and we were billed as the group with sax appeal as Cathy also played sax.  Not sure who else was in the band when this piccy was taken as we changed personnel a bit in the early days.

We were managed by Terence Morton-Smith. Before that I was in 'The All Blacks'

Paul Morris

I never actually saw Gerry and the Pacemakers because we got on, did our set and went home to bed (probably via a curry house). I was determined to rectify this. So about five years ago, Gerry was appearing in Blackburn, my adopted home town, so I went to see him, specifically to fill in that gap. Took about 40 years!

Paul Morris

The picture was taken at an Ice Rink - I don't remember where. Possibly Birmingham, but I don't think we ventured South of the Mersey!

Mike Clark

Going through old papers I came across 1966 and 1967 diaries - not a lot of detail, but here's what I recorded on the Innovation bookings:

1966
Jun 20 - Bob Owen and myself - auditioned with Paul, Kathy & June - we got the job (yeeHaaa!)
Ray Frost joined sometime in Aug or Sep and Tery Morton-Smith became our Manager later in 66 - I don't have the dates written down.

Oct 2 - Auditioned at The Seen(sp?)
Oct 18 - Northumberland Rd YC, Stretford
Oct 30 - Top Rank Bowling Ally, Stretford
Nov 8 - Northumberland Rd YC, Stretford
Nov 12 - Langdale Hall, Manchester University
Nov 21 - Shawe Hall, Flixton
Nov 24 - Collinwood YC, Flixton
Nov 25 - Derby St Ice Rink Manchester (where the picture was taken?)
Nov 26 - Zion YC, Stretford
Nov 30 - Gainsborough Club, Pendleton
Dec 5 - Shawe Hall, Flixton
Dec 6 - Northumberland Rd YC, Stretford
Dec 9 - Reddish YC
Dec 13 - Jubilee Hall, Duckinfield
Dec 15 - Stretford Bowling Ally
Dec 18 - St Alphonsus YC, Old Trafford
Dec 19 - Shawe Hall, Flixton
Dec 20 - Northern Club Rochdale Rd, Manchester

1967
Jan 7 - Majestic, Manchester
Jan 9 - Shawe Hall, Flixton
Jan 16 - Shawe Hall, Flixton
Jan 21 - Greenfield Co-Op Hall
Feb 3 - Switchgear & Cowen SC, Stretford
Feb 11 - Warrington
Feb 16 - Hartford Community Club, Flixton
Feb 25 - Morris Hall
Feb 25 - Group Disbanded - so short a time, but fun while it lasted, and such a defining period in my life!

Mike Clark