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Mike Berry and the Outlaws Mike Berry first saw the light of day in Northampton on September 24, 1942 - born Michael H. Bourne. Soon after, his family moved to London and by the time he was seven-years-old was singing in the local church choir. He later went to Hackney Grammar School and at the age of fifteen left to become an apprentice printer/compositer. It shouldn't have surprised anyone, however, that Mike followed a career in entertainment. His father was a well known singer and brother an acknowledged Shakespearean actor, but Mike credits his sister Val for his initial interest in pop music. In common with teenagers of the late fifties and early sixties, Mike became involved with a Skiffle group called the Rebels in which he played the washboard. Later, under the name of Kenny Lord and the Statesmen, a four-track demo containing "BeBop A Lula", "Please Don't Tease", "Dream Lover" and "Peggy Sue Got Married" was submitted to legendary A&R man Joe Meek. Mike had also taken the eye of Jack Good, the producer of Britain's first television "Rock 'n' Roll show - Oh Boy - but Mike chose Meek because he preferred Joe's ideas more. Meek immediately made changes, Mike was renamed "Berry," (as in Holly berry) and then replaced the Statesmen with the Outlaws, who included amongst their ranks some very fine musicians including Chas Hodges and Richie Blackmore. Mike and the Outlaws' first cut for Meek was titled "Set Me Free," but was not released until 1989, on an album which contained all the early 'RGM' tracks and called "Mike Berry - Sounds of the Sixties." The first public released record came in January 1961, but was not the Holly-esque type rocker which Joe had planned but a cover of the Shirelles hit "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow," - recorded in Joe's flat with the violin section on the stairs and other musicians spread around a variety of rooms including the bathroom - a poor choice, and one which Mike himself has described as "diabolical". Mike's next big impression on the top-twenty came with "Don't You Think It's Time" which reached number 6 after the disappointment of not charting with the excellent "It's Just A Matter Of Time. "Disillusioned with the material coming his way, Mike made only two more records for Meek - "My Little Baby," and "It Really Doesn't Matter" - before signing for Robert Stigwood. An appearance on the popular teen show of the time, "Thank Your Lucky Stars," promoting the chart entry, brought Mike into contact with John Lennon, who as part of the emerging Beatles were making their television debut. History recalls that during a break in recording Lennon offered to write Mike a song. The offer never came to fruition and to be fair, never chased, Lennon's talents as a songwriter at this point had still to emerge. A change of direction during the "seventies" saw Mike join a top London acting/modelling agency, and for the next ten years, combined music and acting, appearing in over fifty different T.V. commercials - including the memorable 'Blue Ribband Blues' - also writing the music for many of them. During this period Mike had some major chart success in Europe with a unique rendering of Elvis Presley's "Don't Be Cruel" and a coveted Number One with a re-recording of "Tribute To Buddy Holly," and finally a top ten entry with "I'm A Rocker." A meeting with director James Hill while making a commercial for TV Times, led to Mike being offered the part of 'Mr. Peters,' the father of the two children, in the cult series "Worzel Gummidge," starring Jon Pertwee. Mike portrayed the character over four series. Mike was a regular on television at this time playing various roles in: The Raven and The Cross; Warship; Sporting Scenes; Man About The House and a faded footballer in The Olympian Way. He also appeared as a panelist in Give Us A Clue, and Pop Quiz, he performed one of his own compositions in Video Entertainers and appeared in the ever popular It's A Knockout Star Gala. He also did a series with Tom O'Connor for the BBC. www.mikeberry.net  back
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