Blues shouters were blues singers, usually men, capable of singing unamplified with a band. Their voice projected fervour and energy and got audiences to their feet, driven by the power of the music.

Ray Thomas (harmonica, vocals), John Lodge, and Michael Pinder keyboards, vocals) were members of El Riot & the Rebels in Birmingham in the early 60s. The group disbanded when John Lodge went to technical college and Mike Pinder left to join the army. Mike Pinder and Ray Thomas later formed the Krew Cats and recruited Denny Laine, Graeme Edge and Clint Warwick. They appeared as the Moody Blues in 1964 for the first time in Birmingham.

Janis Lyn Joplin was born in Port Arthur, Texas, in 1943. She had two younger siblings, Michael and Laura Growing up her parents felt Janis needed more attention than their other children and at school, she was never part of the crowd and proved to be a misfit.

P.J. Molloys in Dunfermline, Fife could become as iconic for The Shambolics as The Cavern was to The Beatles at the start of their respective careers.

They started as the Kansas City Five with Alan Price (pianist), John Steel (drummer), and Eric Burden (vocalist). In 1962, Eric left to try his luck in London and Alan Price formed The Kontours which became the Alan Price R&B Combo with big Bryan “Chas” Chandler (bassist) and John Steel on drums.