206 pages, 348 black & white illustrations, size 8.25 x 11 inches (210 x 279 mm).
While most books that have been written about the 1960’s Liverpool groups tend to focus on the individual members and while this book is obviously the Notions story, it also includes details and information that their manager, Frank Delaney, had accumulated that was not totally exclusive to the Notions. Consequently, this publication will appeal not only to fans of the Notions but to any of the groups that appeared on the same bill as the Notions as well as anyone that is interested in the ‘Liverpool Sound’ phenomenon.
What happened? Named as the ‘Cavern’s choice for 1964’ by its famous DJ and Compere, Bob Wooler, the Notions played the Cavern more than 100 times from 1963 through 1967. During that time they also had numerous recording sessions with a number of different radio stations, record companies and recording studios and even a Granada TV appearance in 1967. So why did the Notions not ‘make it big’?
1964 was also a time when record companies and music producers were zeroing in (and cashing in) on the ‘Liverpool Sound’ phenomenon. As such, the Notions repertoire and sound was different to the sound that had become associated with the Liverpool music scene. The Notions excelled at close vocal harmony and there was no other Merseyside group which they could be compared to. Certainly, there were other ‘vocal harmony’ bands such as the ‘Excelles’ and the ‘Chants’ but they were comprised of vocalists only and, as such, they required a separate musical backing group. However, the Notions, along with their close vocal harmony abilities, were also musicians and songwriters which allowed them to create a unique sound of their own.
I am of the opinion that Bob Wooler (the DJ and compere of the Cavern) chose the Notions as the ‘Cavern’s choice for 1964’ because of the fact that they had such a unique sound and were musically different from the hundreds of ‘Liverpool Sound’ groups that regularly played the Cavern. Bob had a knack of predicting the next great musical ‘breakthrough’ and, while I believe that he was ‘right on target’ with his Notions selection, I also believe that his timing was off. Had the Notions been the ‘Cavern’s Choice for 1974’, at a time when vocal harmony bands like the ‘Eagles’ became popular, I think there is a good possibility that the Notions would have ‘made it big’. Unfortunately, I believe that they were ten years ahead of the musical time curve, which may explain why they never found the success they so rightly deserved.
