Brian Poole

While still in their teens, the band members met and befriended Dave Munden, who shared a love and passion for rock n’ roll.

A swift change of tactics saw Blakley switch to guitar, which Poole relinquished to take the title of lead vocalist and thus front the band.

They quickly gained local fame by playing at small venues in the area; during that time, their singing style developed and flourished.

With Poole's Holly-style glasses and the band's unique style of harmony, the Tremeloes soon developed a wide fan-base and following.

Their regular slot on BBC Radio and large following meant that the Tremeloes were an obvious choice, and they were signed by the record label.

Upon signing with Decca, the company bosses insisted that the band be billed as 'Brian Poole and the Tremeloes', since this was the trend at the time.

By the late 1960s, Poole was unable to keep up his reputation and spent most of the 1970s out of the music business working in his brother's butcher shop.

Although he initially jokingly explained his focus on the family business by saying “My brother asked me to mind the shop one afternoon, he went out and never came back”, he clarified "It would be nice if that WAS the story.

[2] In 1988, Poole formed the supergroup The Corporation with Tony Crane (of The Merseybeats), Clem Curtis (of The Foundations), Mike Pender (of The Searchers), and Reg Presley (of The Troggs), all of whom were the lead singers for other 1960s beat groups.

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, Karen and Shelly comprised the pop duo Alisha's Attic, who released three hit albums.

Brian Poole & The Tremeloes in 1963 (Poole in centre)