Following in the wake of the Beatles and the remarkable surge of Merseyside groups, many that went on to achieve national and international fame, there came a memorable resurgence of arguably the greatest influential grass roots form of music – the ‘Blues’. Not only on Merseyside but throughout the UK. This was a particulary significant revival, one of several over the years, but this unique spell in the mid-sixties saw the only performances by some of the legendary American bluesmen at the world-renowned original Cavern Club.
Liverpool born Raymond David’s book, ‘Blues at the Cavern’, is a fascinating journey through these times and is a story that has never been told before. He gives an intriguing and personal account of his days playing alongside those visiting bluesmen at the famous Club and also chronicles the Merseyside music scene of the Sixties. The book contains many new facts about the bands and personalities of the era and makes compulsive reading. If you love the blues, you’ll love this.
In addition, he paints a vivid picture of what it was like to grow up in the suburbs during the post war years with his own humorous recollections that are well worth reading in their own right and give an intriguing glimpse of that period in an austere Britain. A mix of wit and pathos, the author tells it as it is, pulling no punches of life in a tough, uncompromising city where the ultimate priority is a sense of humour.
Blues at the Cavern was reviewed on BBC Radio Merseyside by a live interview with the author. Smokestack Lightning by Howlin Wolf played the programme in and Jimmy Reed’s, Bright Lights, Big City rounded it off.
