Arrows was formed in August 1973 when Alan Merrill (born Allan Preston Sachs in New York) – who was enjoying solo success in Japan – moved to England at the request of high school friend and fellow New Yorker, Jake Hooker, to form a band with English drummer Paul Varley, who had worked with Jake in another group, Streak.
Producer Mickie Most suggested they record Touch Too Much as a single. It hit the Top Ten in several countries.
The band released the original version of I Love Rock & Roll in 1975 on RAK.
The song was written by band members Alan Merrill and Jake Hooker and was later covered successfully by Joan Jett (and others).
By 1976 the band had their own TV show on ITV (pictured below). Terry Taylor joined the band on guitar and they performed for a while as a four-piece.
The band were ultimately unable to shake off the teenybop tag they had once studiously courted and Jake Hooker departed after the TV series ended.
Hooker retired as a musician after marrying actress/singer Lorna Luft on Valentine’s Day 1977 and becoming her manager. He passed away on 4 August 2014 in California.
Alan Merrill passed away in March 2020 after contracting coronavirus. He was 69.
Alan Merrill
Vocals, bass, piano
Jake Hooker
Guitar, vocals, saxophone
Paul Varley
Drums, vocals, piano
Terry Taylor
Guitar, vocal
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