Raring to go for Solid Silver 60s Show

You knew when you were a star in the '60s – because you had windows in your tour van.

"That was the signal that you'd made the big time," laughs Brian Poole who, as the singer with The Tremeloes, was one of the biggest stars of the swinging decade, scoring 14 top 20 UK hits and massive international success.

"When we started out, we all used to sleep in the back of this freezing transit van while we were on the road, in-between shows," he says. "It was a horrible, pokey thing with no windows but, at the time, we were all young and didn't mind. It was all a big adventure back then.

"As we started to become more successful the quality of the vans started to improve," he smiles.

"The way to tell if you were a pop star or not was: If you had a pair of cowboy boots, a Fender Stratocaster and a van with windows in it, you'd made it."

These days, Brian doesn't have to sleep in a van any more. After more than half a century in rock 'n' roll, it would probably be unreasonable to ask him to do so.

When he arrives at Hull City Hall on Friday, March 5, alongside fellow 1960s stalwarts Dave Berry, Mike Pender, Peter Sarstedt, The Troggs and The Swinging Blue Jeans, as part of the Solid Silver 60s tour, it will be comfortable hotel rooms all the way.

"We all old enough to be collecting our pensions now," says the singer, who still enjoys the thrill of performing live.

"So I think the back of vans is right out. Actually, these tours are really good because they have someone always around to look after us and sort everything out.

"I'm making it sound like sheltered accommodation aren't I?" he says, laughing again.

"But it's not really that bad. We may be getting on a bit but we still know how to party and we've still all got that drive to put on a good show."

Brian's contribution to the show includes revisiting some of the tracks that originally made his name more than four decade ago. Although he left the group before it enjoyed arguably its biggest hit, Silence Is Golden, Brian did preside over a host of million-selling hits – both in the UK and US – including Twist And Shout, Do You Love Me?, Candy Man and Someone Someone.

Add to this the rest of the touring ensemble's repertoire, including Sweets For My Sweet, Wild Thing, Hippy Hippy Shake, Needles And Pins and Where Do You Go To My Lovely, plus the rest, and you've got an enticing evening of entertainment for anyone who enjoys music from rock'n'roll's golden era.

Brian is just amazed he's still making a living out of music.

The Tremeloes may have been the band to clinch a Decca Record deal ahead of The Beatles – but the singer says he never expected to on stage 40 years later.

"Nah, to be honest I thought I'd be finished by the time I was 25," he grins. "Then, when you get to 25 you think, 'I definitely won't still be here when I'm 35'. Then 35 arrives and you start to think, 'blimey, this is a long one'.

"The good thing about being on this tour now is that we're all mates. We've known each other for 40-odd years and we're like family."

The Solid Silver 60s Show arrives at Hull City Hall, Queen Victoria Square, Hull, on Friday, March 5, at 7.30pm. Tickets cost from £17.50 to £22. To book call (01482) 226655.