Introduction

The cast

Oral histories

Cuttings

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Dr WAYNE BICKERTON

Wayne Bickerton, along with his future songwriting and producer partner Tony Waddington, was a member of the Pete Best Three. Not necessarily the most auspicious start to your career, but Bickerton & Waddington went on to better things: Waddington turned into a decent songwriter whilst Bickerton mostly looked after business, first at Deram and later as Head of A&R at Polydor.

It was whilst he was at Polydor that the two of them wrote 'Sugar Baby Love', originally intended as a Eurovision Song Contest entry (where it would have lost to 'Waterloo') and then offered to Showaddywaddy. When they turned it down, Bickerton & Wadington went back to the session-musicians who'd been on the original demo and asked them if they wanted to form a band. They did and The Rubettes were born.

The success of 'Sugar Baby Love' and subsequent Rubettes records, together with 'Sugar Candy Kisses' by Mac & Katie Kissoon, encouraged Bickerton & Waddington to set up State Records. They had some success there, but they were never quite prolific enough to challenge the real leaders in the songwriting/production league: double-acts like Chinn & Chapman and Martin & Coulter probably didn't lose too much sleep. Which is not to say they were lightweights: 'I Can Do It' by The Rubettes was one of the great singles of the decade.

Dr Bickerton went on to occupy senior executive positions within the Performing Rights Society and SESAC International.



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Eddie Amoo
Ken Andrew
Dave Bartram
Mike Batt
Wayne Bickerton
Biddu
David Blaylock
Trevor Bolder
Jacko Boogie
Tony Burrows
Sally Carr
Tina Charles
David Courtney
Danielz
Rob Davis
Richard Dodd
Patrick Doonan
Ray Dorset
Herbie Flowers
Ken Gold
Graham Gouldman
Dave Hill
Harvey Hinsley
John Hughes
Jim Irvin
Jimmy James
Steve Jones
Lorraine Kelly
Paul Layton
Les McKeown
Russell Mael
Johnny Moore
Mike Moran
Chris Norman
Bill Oddie
David Paton
Lyn Paul
Phil Pickett
Suzi Quatro
Chris Rae
Chris Redburn
Norman Rogerson
Ron Roker
John Rossall
Andy Scott
Eddie Seago
Mat Snow
Chris Spedding
John Springate
Ray Stiles
Sunny
Alwyn W Turner
David Van Day
Phil Wainman
Johnny Wakelin
Jeff Wayne
Alan Williams
Pip Williams