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The Tremeloes
REACQUAINT yourself with the sounds of the sixties when three of the decade's biggest bands come to the region this autumn. Llandudno's Venue Cymru will see a British Invasion on September 24 by The Tremeloes, The Dreamers and The Marmalade, and Tremeloes star Dave Munden reckons audience will enjoy a blast from the past.
"There are three bands playing at the same gig, including us, and between us we've got a lot of history. Lots of people know the songs, which are really easy to sing along to, which makes for a great atmosphere" he says.
"Everyone's reacted really well to the show so far and as we even sign memorabilia before the show, we have a really good relationship with the audiences, and it's always great to see them get into it."
The Tremeloes, who are the last of the three bands who will be playing at the Llandudno performance, have enjoyed not only hits including Silence Is Golden, but are also veterans of the 1960s rock and roll scene, when British beat bands dominated the pop charts.
"Everybody remembers the 1960s being a great time, and we had a lot of fun at the time. In truth, there was a lot of hard slog, travelling and bad hotels to put up with, but the excitement really made up for it" adds Dave.
"We even had to book the accommodation ourselves, and at one gig in Leicester we just couldn't get a room anywhere, so we actually kipped on the stage, which was an experience. At another one in a cinema we sprawled out across the seats. We terrified the cleaner when she came in the following morning."
The band can even lay claim to beating the Beatles to a record deal, when in 1962 the Decca label plumped for the Essex band over the fab four.
"Decca weren't the only company to turn them, but in all truth I think Decca's A‘n'R man, being an Essex boy, too, probably swung it in our favour," he adds.
"The Beatles were a bit knackered too that day, because they'd just driven down from Liverpool to London, but we were still amazed we got the deal. We didn't see much of them after Beatlemania took off but I remember them all being decent blokes."
The Tremeloes, who were also behind Here Comes My Baby and Even The Bad Times Are Good, say they have no plans to return the recording studio any time soon but say they are looking forward to coming to Venue Cymru and revisiting their big hits.
"The North Wales audiences are very good at their singing, so it should make for a good gig."
"If one of one of our songs got a lot publicity, like The Hollies got after the beer advert, we'd plug it, but for now we're happy to rest on our laurels."
The Sensational 1960s Experience, Venue Cymru, September 24. Tickets from £18, 01492 872000 or venuecymru.co.uk
