With the world’s only Liverpool-born Beatles tribute band playing Kalamazoo Saturday, Local Spins asked The JetBeats’ Morgan Moallemian to quiz the group about its roots and fandom.
The Mersey Beatles: Playing all eras of The Beatles with “special attention” to the “White Album” in the second set.
Morgan May Moellemian of The Jetbeats (Photo/Daniel Terpstra)
EDITOR’S NOTE: When the publicity manager for The Mersey Beatles offered Local Spins an interview, it was a no-brainer to ask Morgan Moellemian, the frontman for West Michigan’s The JetBeats, to jump in and chat with the world’s only Liverpool-born Beatles tribute band, who play Kalamazoo’s State Theatre on May 5. After all, Moellemian’s band not only lives, breathes and embraces the early ’60s vibe of The Beatles, but The JetBeats played venues in the United Kingdom last year, including the iconic Cavern Club made famous by the Fab Four. Here’s his Q&A with Steven Howard who plays Paul in The Mersey Beatles (which also features Mark Bloor as John, Craig McGown as George, Brian Ambrose as Ringo and Tony Cook on keyboard). Scroll down for ticket details and a video.
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Q: When did the group form and is it the original members?
A: Ringo, John and Paul (Brian, Mark and Steven, that’s me) were at school together and are original members. Next year marks our 20th anniversary as a Beatles tribute band. Craig joined recently as “George” after Steven’s cousin, Dave (the fourth original member) tired of life on the road. We took our time and we think we found the best George out there. We have a fifth original member called Tony C. who plays all the orchestrated parts from the later years on keyboard and also adds percussion. Four-fifths original members and now the best George.
Q: Do you play from the entire discography of The Beatles? Do you prefer early years (I do!) to later years?
A: We play all eras. We will bring our hits show once again this year after the “Sgt. Pepper” celebrations of last year. The hits show is fun and we don’t just stick to the regular set. If you’ve seen us before, there are always a few surprise selections in the set and we will pay special attention to the “White Album” on the second set on this tour as it’s 50 years since that album’s release.
Next year, we dedicate one-half of the show to the “Abbey Road” album and will play the whole record live before playing a set of early hits in the second half.
I can’t pick a favorite era. For example, my three favorite albums are, “Please Please Me,” the “White Album” and “Revolver,” and the order changes from one day to the next.
‘World’s Most Famous Club”: The Mersey Beatles playing The Cavern Club.
Q: Do you have to be a Beatles super fan to play in a serious Beatles tribute band?
A: It helps … a lot. I think it shows when people are going through the motions on any form of music. Music is not just about technical ability, it’s about feel, soul and passion, too. We are the biggest Beatles fans you will find, so we’re always happy and at our best when we are on stage playing Beatles music.
Q: Do any band members play in other non-Beatles related bands? Any that we might know of?
A: We have all written original material, but we are so busy with The Mersey Beatles that our energy is and focus is for this only these days. There is not much time to write when you want to learn songs like “Happiness Is A Warm Gun” and albums like “Pepper” and “Abbey Road.”
Q: I personally had the opportunity to play at the Cavern Club last year. It was an amazing experience playing that stage. You guys were the house band there for some years. What was that like? How many gigs would you play per week?
A: Congratulations on playing the world’s most famous club. To all intent and purpose, the Cavern is the original. It stands on the same site and was reconstructed using many of the same bricks. Paul McCartney gave it his blessing by playing his last show of the millennium there in December 1999. My dad remembers going to the originals and seeing the Beatles. He will be with us and visits the U.S.A. for the first time in May. I’m sure he would share his memories with you if you met him on the night. You’ll find him at the bar no doubt. Playing at the cavern was an honor and privilege. We started off playing every other week, then weekly and in the end, we played there twice a week for around four years.
Q: I understand the current Cavern was rebuilt. Did you ever get a chance to play at the original or ever been?
A: Unfortunately not. See my dad for stories of the original.
On Stage: The Mersey Beatles are on a May tour of the United States.
Q: Can you describe growing up Liverpudlian and how the city has evolved? Seems very intimate, yet cosmopolitan. Was my fave city in England that we visited.
A: You’ve hit the nail on the head. A unique city in the U.K. for its politics (left leaning) attitudes (friendly but straight-talking) culture (a disproportionate amount of artists, writers, musicians, actors hale from the city) and accent (unique within 10 miles of the city boarder).
Football (soccer) and music, music and football. That’s the culture. Liverpool is a seaport and was known as the second city of the British empire at one time. We had a thriving dock and many beautiful and historic buildings were built as the cities wealth grew. The city is hundreds of years old. In the ’50s and ’60s, the dock land was still thriving and this was the route through which many of the new rock ‘n’ roll records would find their way into the hands of the young Beatles brought home from the U.S.A. seafaring relatives.
By the ’80s, the city hit hard times and thriving dock became a distant memory. Unemployment was high. The city looked run down and only the success of our soccer teams Liverpool and Everton gave the city a boost. I discovered the Beatles in 1980 as an 8-year-old after the tragic death of John Lennon. This gave me two great cultural lifelines The city never stays down for long and we rebuilt as one of the world’s fastest growing tourist destinations thanks in no small part to the legacy of The Beatles. New York 2008 were European capital of culture and new buildings started to pop up everywhere making the famous maritime skyline look like mini-New York. Long live Liverpool, the true 5th Beatle.
Q: We had a great time visiting locations in Liverpool associated with Beatles history. Even got to meet and befriend Quarrymen Len Garry at Ye Cracke. Do you lads, as Liverpool natives and Beatles fans, visit Beatles related locations too? Have a pint with the ghost of a young Lennon at The Grapes? Lol
A: We drink regularly at The Cavern, Grapes and Jacaranda pubs. I was born in the same hospital as John Lennon. Oxford Street hospital is no longer there, unfortunately.
Q: Have you previously toured America? Do you enjoy it?
A: We have played 7 or 8 tours of 10-12 shows in the U.S.A. over the past three years. We really love it.
Q: What is each band member’s favorite thing about visiting America?
A: Brian – The true American Burger
Mark – The views as we travel in the van
Craig – The shows are always full and the crowd is always fun. Perfect combination.
Ste – The people are so friendly and always genuinely interested in our story.
Tony C – Playing on Broadway.
The Mersey Beatles at Kalamazoo State Theatre
When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday (May 5)
Tickets: $27-$35, VIP $47 (includes meet-and-greet between 6:30 and 7:30 p.m.)
Get tickets online here
VIDEO: The Mersey Beatles, Live at the Cavern Club
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