The Roadrunners
The Roadrunners were an English band that emerged from the burgeoning music scene in 1960s Liverpool. (They were billed either as The Roadrunners or as The Road Runners. The word "Liverpool" has been added to distinguish them from other bands who subsequently used the name.)
Unlike many of their Liverpool contemporaries, they specialised in a Chicago blues / Muddy Waters / Bo Diddley / Bobby Bland style of rhythm and blues – a genre of music which was more popular in Southern England at the time, led by the up-and-coming Rolling Stones.
Bill Harry, editor of Mersey Beat, recollects that George Harrison once said that "The Stones are good – almost as good as the Roadrunners".
The band was resident at the Hope Hall (now the Liverpool Everyman Theatre). Here they entertained students from the nearby university and art school. They also took part in "happenings" organised by Liverpool poet Adrian Henri. The band also performed many times at the Cavern Club. They were invited to support The Beatles on their last Cavern gig on 3 August 1963 and, on 28 February 1964, were on the bill of the first annual British Rhythm and Blues Festival held in Birmingham. They supported the Rolling Stones when they played at the Cavern 5 November 1963.
Two trips were made to Hamburg's Star-Club, first over the Christmas and into the New Year period of 1963 / 64 and again during July / August 1964. While at the Star-Club, the group recorded two sessions for the club's own Star-Club Record label that were initially only released in Germany under the titles of "Twist-Time im Star-Club 4" and "Tanz-Show im Star-Club 2".
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