The band continued appearing in cabaret during the 1970s, but split in 1978. Three of the members – Joey Bower, Billy Hatton and Dave Lovelady – teamed up with Joey’s wife to form a quartet called Clouds, which performed on a semi-pro basis in Liverpool clubs until 1993.

Owie found three other musicians and continued performing for a time and then allegedly sold them the name the Fourmost for a reputed £1000. He was said to have regretted it. The group then appearing as The Fourmost had no association with the original hit-makers and was locally referred to as the Fraudmost or the Four Almost.

Sadly, Owie hung himself at his home in Wavertree on 17 June 1999. He was 58 years old. The coroner reported that he had committed suicide due to depression over financial problems.

Brian, who was born on 12 March 1942 was on guitar and vocals; Mike, who was born in Bromborough, Cheshire on 9 May 1942 was on guitar and vocals; Billy, who was born on 9 June 1941 was on bass guitar and Dave Lovelady, born on 16 October 1942 was on drums.

Their singles were:

Hello Little Girl c/w Just In Case, issued on Parlophone R 5056 in September 1963, which reached No. 9 in the British charts.

I’m In Love c/w Respectable issued on Parlophone R 5078 in December 1963, which reached No. 17 in the charts.

A Little Lovin’ c/w Waiting For You, issued on Parlophone R 5128 in April 1964 which reached No. 6 in the charts.

How Can I Tell Her c/w You Got That Way, issued on Parlophone R 5157 in July 1964 which reached No. 33 in the Charts.

Baby I Need Your Loving c/w That’s Only What They Say, issued on Parlophone R 5194 in November 1963 which reached No. 24 in the charts.

Everything In The Garden c/w He Could Never, issued on Parlophone R 5304 in July 1965 which didn’t chart.

Girls, Girls, Girls c/w Why Do Fools Fall In Love, issued on Parlophone R 5379 which reached No 33 in the charts.

Here, There And Everywhere c/w You’ve Changed, issued on Parlophone R 5491 in August 1966 which didn’t chart.

Auntie Maggie’s Remedy c/w Turn The Lights Down, issued on Parlophone R 5528 in November 1966, which was penned by Mike’s replacement Georgie Peckham.

Rosetta c/w Just Like Before, issued on CBS 4041 in February 1969.

Easy Squeezy c/w Do I Love You? issued on CBS 4461 in 1969.

Their first E.P. ‘The Sound of the Fourmost’ on Parlophone GEP 8892 was issued in March 1964 and contained the tracks Hello Little Girl; Just In Case; I’m In Love’ Respectable.

Their second E.P. was ‘The Fourmost’ issued on Parlophone GEP 8917 in August 1964 and contained the tracks A Little Lovin’; Waiting For You; How Can I Tell Her/; You Got That Way.

Their album ‘First And Fourmost’ was issued in November 1965 on PMC 1259. It contained the tracks Till You Say You’ll Be Mine; Yakety Yak; Girls, Girls, Girls; My Block; So Fine; Some Kind of Wonderful; Today I’m In Love; The In Crowd; Baby-Sittin’ Boogie; Heebie Jeebies; Sure To Fall; Bound To Lose My Heart; Something’s Got A Hold On Me.

In 2005 EMI Gold issued a 33 track CD ‘The Best of the Fourmost,’ which led Billy Hatton to comment, “This compilation brings back memories of the most exciting time in my life and it demonstrates what can be achieved with just a four-track machine and lots of enthusiasm.”

Billy Hatton revealed to me that he was joined by original members Joey Bower and Dave Lovelady to appear in a tribute to his former best friend, Billy Fury. The fourth member was Dave Morgan, a guitarist who’d played in the post-Fourmost band Clouds.

Joey’s brother Alan writes plays for the Dingle Community Theatre and penned a one-act play about Billy Fury which appeared at the Albert Dock. It was then suggested that he make it into a two-act play with the Fourmost playing some of Billy’s hits in the second act.

The musical played to capacity audiences at the Unity Theatre on April 11, 12, 13 2006 with Tony Crane (not the Merseybeats leader) playing Fury.

Billy used his Burns Flyte guitar, which he’d originally bought in 1974. Burns was an English guitar maker and this particular guitar was designed in the shape of the Concord.

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