The Rattlesnakes (1950s band)

The Rattlesnakes
The Rattlesnakes in Manchester, early 1958, from left to right: Paul Frost, Kenny Horrocks, Maurice, Barry and Robin Gibb.
The Rattlesnakes in Manchester, early 1958, from left to right: Paul Frost, Kenny Horrocks, Maurice, Barry and Robin Gibb.
Background information
Also known asWee Johnny Hayes and the Blue Cats[1]
OriginManchester, Lancashire, England
GenresSkiffle, rock and roll, doo-wop, roots rock
Years active1955[2]–58
Past membersBarry Gibb
Robin Gibb
Maurice Gibb
Paul Frost
Kenny Horrocks

The Rattlesnakes was a British skiffle/rock and roll group, founded in Manchester in 1955 by Barry Gibb, which later changed to become the Bee Gees in 1958.[3][4] They were one of the many skiffle bands that were formed in the United Kingdom in the 1950s since the revival of the American skiffle in the UK that was originally started in the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s.[5]

Barry started a skiffle group, in which his younger brothers Robin and Maurice Gibb also joined as vocalists, after they returned to their parents' hometown in Manchester, England, in 1955. They were later joined by their friends and neighbors, Paul Frost (drums) and Kenny Horrocks (tea-chest bass). Their first public performance took place at Gaumont Cinema in December 1957, performing the Everly Brothers' "Wake Up Little Susie".[6] Some of their influences at that time were Elvis Presley, the Everly Brothers, Tommy Steele, Buddy Holly and Paul Anka.

  1. ^ Patricia Romanowski Bashe; Patricia Romanowski; Holly George-Warren; Jon Pareles Fireside (1995). The New Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock and Roll. Fireside. ISBN 978-0-684-81044-7. Retrieved 31 March 2015. barry gibb the rattlesnakes 1955.
  2. ^ Teenager, Volume 10. 1979. p. 43. Retrieved 31 March 2015.
  3. ^ Talevski, Nick (1998). The Unofficial Encyclopedia of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Bloomsbury Academic. ISBN 9780313300325. Retrieved 31 March 2015.
  4. ^ Dafydd Rees; Luke Crampton (1999). Rock Stars Encyclopedia. DK Pub. ISBN 978-0-7894-4613-8. Retrieved 31 March 2015. barry gibb the rattlesnakes 1955.
  5. ^ M. Brocken, The British folk revival, 1944–2002 (Aldershot: Ashgate, 2003), pp. 69–80.
  6. ^ Adriaensen, Marion. "History Part 2 - The story about the Bee Gees: 1950-1960". brothersgibb.org. Retrieved 31 March 2015.