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Nostalgia: Chart-topping Lowry tribute in 1978

Tameside’s chart-topping duo Brian and Michael were given a rousing ‘welcome home’ as their cheery sing-a-long Matchstalk Men and Matchstalk Cats and Dogs held on to the number one spot.

Stalwarts of the local music scene for more than a decade, Kevin Parrott and Mick Coleman struck gold with the heartfelt tribute to the artist LS Lowry who spent his final years in Mottram. 

Amid a whirlwind few weeks of Top of the Pops and other TV appearances, their live concert at Tameside Theatre was a triumphant home-coming.

First released towards the end of 1977, the single on the famous Pye label was initially slow to take off but began to gather pace early the following year and went on to knock the Kate Bush classic Wuthering Heights off its perch.

On the never-to-be-forgotten day that Radio 1’s Paul Burnett announced the weekly chart revealing Matchstalk Men to be the new number one, the duo were in London for a show at the famous Palladium. After seeing off tough competition from the likes of Showaddywaddy, Suzi Quatro and Gerry Rafferty, it was finally toppled by The Bee Gees’ Night Fever.

The long road to national fame had seen an unexpected twist. Mick had recorded the song with Brian Burke who became disillusioned with life on the road and decided to quit to devote more time to his family.

Kevin had been closely involved as the record’s producer and agreed to step into the spotlight as Brian’s replacement alongside Mick, who had written the song. They had little choice but to keep the names on the record label ‘Brian and Michael’ but also continued the duo’s established stage name ‘Burke and Jerk’.

Matchstalk Men was recorded at Pluto studio, Stockport, with Tintwistle Brass Band and the choir from St Winifred's Primary School, Heaton Chapel, who went on to have their own number one a couple of years later - There’s No-One Quite Like Grandma.

The North Cheshire Herald caught up with Kevin during the single’s three-week run at number one in April ‘78. 

Originally from Dukinfield, he had settled in Tintwistle and had recently started up his own recording company when he was approached by old friend Mick who asked for a second opinion on the song. Suitably impressed and convinced of its hit potential, Kevin agreed to invest ‘almost every penny he had’ to produce the single. Many sleepless nights would follow as three record companies turned him down before Pye said ‘yes’.

Woodley-based Mick, who previously worked at Walls meat factory, Godley, had known Kevin since the mid ‘60s. They first met in 1965 at the Albion Inn, Stalybridge, and played in a ‘Stax’ style soul band called The Big Sound. 

It was a far cry from their massive success of Matchstalk Men which culminated in an Ivor Novello award for the outstanding lyric of the year. Further success as a producer beckoned for Kevin who returned to the Top 20 the following year with The Sparrow by The Ramblers singing group from Abbey Hey Primary School.

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