The Big Three (English band)
| The Big Three | |
|---|---|
| Also known as | Cass & The Cassanovas (1959-1961) |
| Origin | Liverpool, England |
| Genres | Beat, Pop, Rock and roll |
| Years active | 1959–1966, 1973, 1999 |
| Labels | Decca, Polydor |
| Associated acts | The Seniors |
| Past members |
Adrian Barber Brian Casser Brian J. Hudson Johnny Hutchinson Johnny Gustafson Brian Griffiths Faron Ruffley Paddy Chambers Paul Pilnick Roy Marshall Barry Womersley Nigel Olsson J. Peter Robinson Arty Davies |
The Big Three were a Merseybeat group from Liverpool. They are best known for their 1963 recording of "Some Other Guy".
The Big Three evolved from a group called Cass & The Cassanovas, formed in May 1959 by Brian Casser as a trio comprising Casser (rhythm guitar, lead vocals), Adrian Barber (lead guitar, vocals), and Brian J. Hudson (drums). The original line-up played at St George's Hall, Liverpool, on Friday, 15 May 1959. Johnny 'Hutch' Hutchinson replaced Hudson in July 1959. In need of a bass guitarist, Hutchinson brought in Johnny Gustafson in December. At that time, Gustafson did not have a proper bass guitar, so Barber converted an acoustic for him. Gustafson's first gig was at The Tower Ballroom, New Brighton, on Thursday, 31 December 1959.
In May 1960, the band auditioned for Larry Parnes at the Wyvern Social Club, Seel Street, Liverpool, with a number of other bands including The Silver Beetles. Hutchinson sat in with the band when their drummer Tommy Moore (born Thomas Henry Moore, in 1931, Liverpool died in 1981) failed to turn up. In December 1960, Casser left the group and moved to London, reducing them to a trio again, and the band re-emerged in January 1961 as The Big Three. Despite being a three-piece they were known as "one of the loudest, most aggressive and visually appealing acts" in Liverpool due to Barber's talents in the electronics field. He built the band giant amps, standing over five feet high, which were nicknamed 'coffins', and built one for Paul McCartney.
Brian Epstein signed them to his agency and sent them over to Hamburg. It was during that trip in August 1962 that Brian Griffiths (born 27 August 1943, Liverpool) joined the group when Barber left, and the best-known line-up of the Big Three was established. Barber would subsequently emigrate to the United States, where he would later become known as an in-house recording engineer and producer at Atlantic Records, perhaps most notably producing the Allman Brothers Band's debut album in 1969.
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