The Pleasers

(c’76-79) Nick Powell (guitar/vocals), Dave Rotchelle (drums), Steve McNerney (guitar/vocals), and Steve “Bo” Benham (Bass/Vocals).

Forming in ’76, they were described as a Beatles influenced power pop group, with a sound dubbed ‘Thamesbeat’. A debut single, titled “You Know What I’m Thinking Girl” backed by “Hello Little Girl”, was released on the Solid Gold [SGR104] label in May ’77. This was with original vocalist Chris Alexander, who was replaced by Powell just before the band signed to Arista and released the single “(You Keep on Tellin’ Me) Lies” in ’77, which was promoted as their ‘debut’. The promotion for this single included an appearance on ITV Granada’s ‘Get It Together’. “You Know What I’m Thinking Girl” was subsequently re-released in June ’77. Late in ’77 the band supported The Rezillos at Eric’s, Liverpool on 17 November.

The next year opened with the NME’s 21 January ’78 issue writing “If you missed The Pleasers last year slap your wrists, it’s easy to get the wrong idea about the band, easy to hate them before you’ve seen them, it’s time to open your ears to a new scene.” Their second single with Arista, “The Kids Are Alright” [ARIST180] came out in early ’78, followed by “A Girl I Know” [ARIST217] and “You Don’t Know” [ARIST209]. On 31 January ’78, The Pleasers headlined at The Nashville Rooms, London, supported by Tonight, and The Boyfriends; they also performed at Rafters, Manchester, supported by The Heat, on 18 March ’78. They would go on to appear on ‘Get It Together’ two more times in ’78 performing “A Girl I Know” and “You Don’t Know” as well as Manchester TV’s ‘What’s On’ with Tony Wilson performing “The Kids Are Alright” that same year. The “Cheggers Plays Pop” air date 10 April ’78 saw the band performing “The Kid’s Are Alright” which they also recorded live at BBC Theatre, Shepards Bush for “Crackerjack”. This was the year that Bob Geldof reportedly said of The Pleasers “If the Jam were The Who, The Stranglers The Doors: and we were The Stones, why can’t these guys be The Beatles.” At some point in ’78, they supported Burlesque at a local gig and in the tenth month of ’78 they were supported by The Autographs at Barbarella’s, Birmingham on 20 October, played the Town Hall, Walsall (24 October), and The Triad, Bishop Stortford supported by The Banned (25 October). The next month The Valves and The Flames supported The Pleasers at The Nashville, Kensington on 3 & 4 November, respectively.

Benham and Powell, would later team up with Steve Prudence (bass) and Dickie Knight (drums) to form Bo and The Generals in mid ’79. In ’96 the compilation LP “Thamesbeat” was released on Lost Moment Records [LMCD052]. Some of the original members of The Pleasers reformed in 2009 and performed at The 100 Club and Marquee, London and venues in Japan, about the same time as “Thamesbeat” was re-released in Japan by Air Mail Recordings [AIRCD-099]. In 2020, the Grapefruit Records label released “Surrender to the Rhythm – The London Pub Rock Scene of The Seventies” [CRSEG074T], a 3-CD compilation that included The Pleasers “Rock N’ Roll Radio” on the 3rd CD of Pub Rock classics.

In 2005, Rotchelle, who had toured with The Count Bishops and The Rockets prior to The Pleasers and made a living in photography for newspapers, magazines and commissions after The Pleasers, was recovering from a leg amputation, thanks to diabetes which had also robbed him of dexterity in his hands and clarity in his eyesight. In October 2020, he was admitted to the Royal Free Hospital, Hampstead, where he died of diabetes, pneumonia and sepsis. That same year, Powell, who’d also spent time in Evening Sun and Dr JJ’s Blues Band, sadly died from COVID 19. McNerney joined forces with Trace Graham in ’82 to form Dream Cycle 7, was the main mover in Changing Man in ’95/’96 and set up Hannah Music in 2000 and was the composer/performer/producer of original music for a number of documentaries/films/T.V. including The Deadliest Catch and has worked with Bruno Mars, Jim Capaldi, Robert Plant, Noddy Holder, Shaggy, Joe Cocker and many others.

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