Derry Wilkie

Derry Wilkie and Freddie Starr shared the business lead vocals in Howie Casey AS WELL AS THE Seniors, however the group divide in 1962, leaving Wilkie to create his own music group, Derry Wilkie AS WELL AS THE Pressmen. In the Rialto Ballroom in Liverpool, they documented ‘Hallelujah I REALLY LIKE Her Therefore’ for the Oriole recording, THAT IS Merseybeat. The documenting is rather placid but Wilkie was a crazy performer, climbing up drapes and screaming like Small Richard. He was rejected by Decca Information because he’d not maintain still before the microphone. Following the Pressmen folded, he required saxophone participant Phil Kenzie and created Derry Wilkie And OTHERS, which was handled by Mike Jeffery who also dealt with – or rather, mishandled – the Pets. He spent some years with Screaming Lord Sutch’s music group, being wiped out by Sutch every evening within his ‘Jack port The Ripper’ regular. Whenever a stunt proceeded to go wrong, he informed Sutch, ‘I can’t make it, guy. I’m a vocalist, not an acting professional.’ The good-natured Wilkie emigrated to Australia, without doubt continuing his mission to get the perfect group.