Ian & The Zodiacs

Relatively few Britons had heard of a place called Crosby, eight miles from the centre of Liverpool, before the 1981 by-election that swept Shirley Williams to victory, but twenty years earlier it was a base for many Merseyside groups – Ian and the Zodiacs amongst them.

Starting out as a trad jazz band, the Zodiacs saw which way the wind was blowing and joined the beat revolution, becoming fixtures on the Liverpool circuit and playing two nights a week at Jive Hive at St Luke’s Hall.

Often compared to Gerry & The Pacemakers, the group recorded their version of The Marvelettes‘ Beechwood 4-5789 in London and played a long residency at the Star Club in Hamburg, also backing Gene Vincent for a show at a large stadium.

Remaining under the Star Club’s management for four years, The Zodiacs had Top Ten records in Germany and went to #1 in Texas with The Crying Game. Their biggest-selling record in the UK was a double album of Beatles songs recorded as The Koppykats.

The album was released on a budget label and did very well – but Ian and the Zodiacs had taken a fee and did not receive any royalties.

The band disbanded in 1967, but Ian Edwards came back to music in later years, reforming the band with some excellent German musicians.

Ian never made the big time but realised his mistake in retrospect; “Paul, George and John were always practising in The Cavern‘s band room. They didn’t come with us to The Grapes and that’s probably why they made it and we didn’t. We spent too much time in The Grapes “.

Ian Edwards passed way in 2007.

Ian Edwards
Vocals, guitar
Pete Wallace
Guitar, vocals
Charlie Flynn
Bass, vocals
Geoff Bamford
Drums
Cliff Roberts
Drums