Skillen/Scouse Pop, 2. To be Somebody: Ambition and the Desire to be Different

The purpose of this chapter is to demonstrate how the individuals who dominated the music scene in Liverpool were determined to bring something new and innovative to pop music. The desire to be different would separate the individuals from the bland derivative groups of the day who dominated the charts. The stories of how the bands became auteurs and established themselves as ‘Somebody’ took several routes. Colin Vearncombe of Black comments that We were all in our late teens and thought that we knew what to do despite the fact that we were all foot-shooters. When you are young you can only see the thing that you are aiming for and the road that you are on. It didn’t matter about our circumstances we were going for it. Ian McNabb of The Icicle works comments that People just laughed at anyone considering a career in music at the time. After The Bunnymen the ground became more fertile. Everyone in our band had their own style and we did what we wanted to do. Liverpool at the time had so many bands and the competition to stand out became the main focus for many. Strong personalities were being formed to stand out and attract attention in whatever ways they could. The likes of Pete Burns, Paul Simpson and a Flock of Seagulls developed their music along with a distinctive look which would distinguish them from all others. Ali Score from A Flock of Seagulls recalls the efforts they made to stand out from the crowd: Liverpool was a hotbed of music and all the bands were different. It was an exciting time. If you wanted to do anything or be anybody you had to be in music. Mike had a hairdressers and Frank worked for him. Music and weird hairstyles was on way of being different. The hair was a big part. People need something to focus on. Our fashion was a factor. Other individuals such as Julian Cope and Henry Priestman arrived in Liverpool from outside the city to discover their own personality and be part of a scene. In a city of many bands with fierce competition for success, doing something different was a necessity and being different was essential. As Henry Priestman explains about his early days at Art School in Liverpool “I had no idea what to do with my life. I couldn’t write, so what type of band was I going to be in. I wanted to do something new and different.”