Some of the most celebrated names in UK music history brought you the legendary beat sound originating in Liverpool and made famous by The Beatles.

A stellar line up of those original Wild Things are still going strong and appearing at a Butlins near you.

Beat is a pop music genre that evolved in the early 60s a fusion of Rock & Roll, Doo Wop, R&B and skiffle that featured guitar-dominated line-ups with vocal harmonies and catchy tunes. Originating in Liverpool, The Cavern Club and The Beatles brought the sound to the nations attention, paving the way for legendary Liverpool groups such as Gerry and the Pacemakers, The Searchers and The Merseybeats. The sound caught on with the rest of the UK and a host of new bands were formed, including The Hollies, Hermans Hermits, The Kinks and The Dave Clark Five.

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The Searchers

This Liverpool-based band had hits with Needles and Pins and Don't Throw Your Love Away. They even knocked The Beatles off the top spot of the Hit Parade in 1963 with Sweets for my Sweets. Originally founded as a skiffle group by John McNally and Mike Pender, they took their name from classic John Wayne movie The Searchers. Theyve never stopped touring in over 45 years and have had the honour of playing to a crowd of 75,000, supporting Cliff Richard at Wembley. Founder John Mcnally (guitar) and Frank Allen who joined in 1964 (vocals, bass) feature in todays lineup, along with Eddie Roth (drums) and Spencer James (lead guitar, vocals). www.the-searchers.co.uk

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The Nashville Teens

The present-day Teens play just a handful of gigs a year, a few of which take place at Butlins Festival of the 60s. They cut their teeth as residents of the famous Star Club in Hamburg where they backed Jerry Lee Lewis. At one of these gigs they were spotted by Mickie Most, who produced their smash debut single Tobacco Road in 1964. They split in 1973 but reformed in 1980 with Phillips as the only original member. As well as performing mostly at private gigs, Ray also works with the Maclaren Motor Racing Team. www.nashville-teens.com

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The Troggs featuring Reg Presley

Reg Presley was still working as a brick layer in Andover when he heard his bands recording of Wild Thing on the radio. Imagine his surprise when he discovered it was at number 8 in the charts! Written by New York songwriter Chip Taylor, the song reached number one in America in 1966 and Jimi Hendrix proclaimed it as a modern day national anthem. The Troggs also had hits with I cant Control Myself and Love is all Around. The original line-up split in 1969, although since then the band have reformed from time to time, re-uniting with their producer Larry Page in the 70s and collaborating with R.E.M in 1991. The current line up consists of original members Reg Presley and Chris Britton, with Pete Lucas on bass and Dave Maggs on drums. Love is All Around was rerecorded by Wet Wet Wet in 1991 and spent a record 15 weeks at number one. Presley spent the proceeds on crop circle research and is now a self-proclaimed expert on the subject. www.thetroggs.com

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The Merseybeats

Tony Crane and Billy Kinsley formed the band in 1961, although they didnt become the Merseybeats for another year. They performed regularly alongside The Beatles at the world famous Cavern Club, and both bands were under the same management until a dispute with Brian Esptein. He refused to get them shiny new suits like The Beatles, so they left him. The Merseybeats had hits with Dont Turn Around, Wishin and Hopin and Lovely Loretta, as well as their own show on Italian television, before separating for the first time in 1966. Their line up has undergone several changes and they now perform as a five piece, Crane and Kinsley being joined by Bob Packham, Adrian Cane and Lou Rosenthal. www.merseybeats.co.uk

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The Swinging Blue Jeans

The Blue Jeans were the original residents of The Cavern Club in Liverpool. The first band that they invited to fill their Tuesday night guest slot was The Beatles. Formed by Les Braid and Ray Ennis, they recorded Hippy Hippy Shake in 1964 and it went to be a smash hit in 19 countries. During the 60s they also had hits with Good Golly Miss Molly and Its Too Late Now, as well as their own show on Radio Luxemburg. The band still play regularly on the 60s circuit with founding member Ennis alongside Alan Lovell and Phil Thompson. Since the death of Braid in 2005 guest bass players, including Billly Kingsley from the Merseybeats, have appeared with the band. www.swingingbluejeans.co.uk

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The Fortunes

Hailing from Birmingham, The Fortunes brought a sophisticated sound to pop with complex harmonies and dual lead vocals. Originally a vocal harmony trio called The Clifftones, they switched to electric guitars and gained two band members in 1963, thus becoming The Merry Men. They performed as backing band for vocalist Robbie Hood, although this did not last long, as the band were already proficient vocalists in their own right and the gigs involved wearing Merry Men style outfits with green tights. Renamed The Fortunes their second single Caroline became the theme tune of the pirate radio station of the same name. Original band member Rod Allen continues to tour with Michael Smitham, Paul Hopper and former Badfinger keyboard player Bob Jackson. www.thefortunes.co.uk

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Hermans Hermits

This Manchester five piece formed in 1963 and secured a recording deal with producer Mickie Most. Hermans Hermits were so named when the owner of a pub they were rehearsing in remarked how much lead vocalist Peter Noone looked like a cartoon character called Sherman. The band, who had misheard him, thought this was hilarious and nick named Noone Herman. Thus Herman and the Hermits were born. They had hits with Im Henry VIII I Am and Mrs Brown Youve Got a Lovely Daughter for which they were nominated for two Grammys. Noone left in 1971 and the only member still touring with the band is drummer Barry Whitman. He is still going strong and performs 220 gigs a year all over the world. www.hermanshermits.co.uk

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Gerry and the Pacemakers

Gerry Marsden and his brother Fred formed the band along with Les Chadwick and Arthur McMahon in 1959. Gerry and the Pacemakers were the first band ever to have their first three singes go straight in at the number one spot. Also signed by Brian Epstein they were the only band from the Liverpool scene to seriously rival The Beatles for popularity. How Do You Do It and I Like It were followed by You'll Never Walk Alone, which is still the stadium anthem for Liverpool Football Club. The original band split in 1966, although Gerry continues to perform today. www.gerrymarsden.co.uk

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The Dreamers

Freddie and the Dreamers were made famous by their cover of You Were Made for Me, but are perhaps more memorable for the wacky on stage antics of their pintsized front man Freddie Garrity. The group would appear on stage and perform zany dance routines, bouncing about and whirling their arms and legs around. They're still not past it and The Dreamers current line up includes Alan Mosca and Bryan Byng, who performed with the original band on the British Invasion Tour of America, and played on the Greatest Hits Album as well as the single, Im a Singer in a 60s Band. www.thedreamers.co.uk

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Related links

• Festival of the 60s Big Weekends