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The Georgians in the Mardi Gras

In the second wave of the Mersey Scene, after The Beatles had taken the world by storm, the class acts coming in to Liverpool were unbelievable, and we were privileged to play with many of them. Most of our R & B heroes came over from America and British legends such as Alexis Korner's Blues Inc [Including Graham Bond, Ginger Baker and Jack Bruce] London bands such as The Yardbirds [including Eric Clapton] and John Mayall's Bluesbreakers also appeared and, whilst the Rolling Stones were definitely in Liverpool [I was in The Beehive with them when, I think, they were staying at The Adelphi], I cannot remember them playing at The Cavern, though the Roadrunners tell me they shared the bill with them there.

At this time also The Mardi Gras was having class acts from America and Britain. I remember playing with The Alan Price Set, Alan consuming a bottle of scotch during the course of the evening, and with Ike and Tina Turner, Tina changing in the band room whilst we young lads were looking on, feigning disinterest naturally but being in a severe state of distress.

The two DJ's at The Mardi Gras were Chris Wharton and one William Butler. Billy Butler, from his Tuxedos days, was always a frustrated rock singer and insisted on rendering Long Tall Sally or Whole Lotta Shakin with whichever band was on. This could be either great or dire, depending on how much alcohol had been consumed and, if a tone deaf Chris Wharton also joined in the refrain, the results could be excruciating. As the audience at The Mardi was always as pissed as the groups, however, nobody minded. The Mardi was, of course, a licensed club long before the Cavern ever got a drinks licence.