CRUISERS, THE (1)

Lead Vocals: Dave Lingard

Guitar: Derek Noller

Guitar: Mick Lynch

Bass: John Game

Drums: Johnny Roache

Fed up going round doing nothing - is how this band came together in 1961. Roache was a member of the Ipswich Catholic Youth Group and knew Lynch played the guitar. They then met up with Noller and Game, and it was Games' sister who suggested using The Castle Hill Youth Club for rehearsals.

Early sessions saw the guitar amplified through an old projector. The group were still not fully kitted out when the youth club leader, Mr Westlake informed them they would be representing the club at the end of the month and had to learn four numbers. Noller said at the time. "That's when we got down to really seriously practising hard and bought two guitars and an amplifier." The youngest member of the band was Dave Lingard who at 17, joined as the group's vocalist.

It was not long before The Cruisers were playing on the circuit "We bought uniforms costing £3 each, which were red waistcoats, white shirts with black bow ties along with black trousers, and an old Austin to travel about in for £10" said Noller.

The band split around 1963 "I left in late 1962 to join The Vapour Trails." said Lingard "The band did play instrumentals, but I can't be sure how long they continued for." Roache, Game and Noller all go on to be connected to other local bands: Les Blues and Unit 4 to name two.

Mediograpy:

Rhythm Group known as The Cruisers WEM 07/09/62 (P)

Self-Taught Pop Players Look back on the road to success UP Udat

NB: The Cruisers was a popular mantle for bands in the late fifties and the sixties, seen spelt, with and without, an I. We believe there were more than one band operating locally (East Anglia) with this name and countless of national acts too. The well-remembered Dave Berry & The Cruisers being one.

Picture: The White Horse PH, Whitehouse Estate. (The Archive has no picture)

<> (Lingard - The Vapour Trails)