Arrows was formed in August 1973 when Alan Merrill (born Allan Preston Sachs in New York, the son of famous 1950s jazz singer Helen Merrill) – who was enjoying solo success in Japan – moved to England at the request of old high school friend and fellow New Yorker, Jake Hooker (born Jerry Mamberg), to form a band with English drummer Paul Varley, who had worked with Jake in another group, Streak.
The band originally went to RAK Records to see Dave Most but ended up playing their tapes to his older brother, Mickie Most, who ran the company.
Most suggested they record Touch Too Much (written by leading songwriters Nicky Chinn and Mike Chapman) 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 13-week TV series ended.
Drummer Paul Varley died on 2 July 2008 at the age of 59.
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 (Allan Sachs)
Vocals, bass, piano
Jake Hooker (Jerry Mamberg)
Guitar, vocals, saxophone
Paul Varley
Drums, vocals, piano Terry Taylor Guitar, vocal
Video
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The band originally went to RAK Records to see Dave Most but ended up playing their tapes to his older brother, Mickie Most, who ran the company.
