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Born at the end of World War Two on 7th January 1944 and brought up in
Liverpool, Mike McCartney was educated at the Liverpool Institute High
School, tried to get into Art School, but ended up a
ladies hairdresser.
From here he entered ‘showbiz’ in the ‘One Fat Lady All Electric Show’ which
eventually became SCAFFOLD. Because of Beatlemania, Mike had to change his
name to ‘McGear’, and was an integral part of the 60’s Merseybeat era, but
on the more theatrical, poetic side. |
DOOOO
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Scaffold were mainly a university, satirical comedy act, but in 1967 Mike
got them into the pop world by writing their first top 5 single ,and Prime
Minister Harold Wilson’s favourite record!…
‘Thank U Very Much’.
In 1968 their big popular hit ‘Lily The Pink’ reached the top of the
National charts (here and abroad) and stayed number 1 for FIVE weeks. |
Mike’s songs were responsible for introducing decimalisation to Britain!,
and Scaffold’s last top five single, produced by Paul McCartney with Wings,
was ‘Liverpool Lou’.
The eighties saw the release of his autobiography ‘Thank U Very Much’ (a
personal favourite of Andy Warhol’s) and his photographic book and
exhibition ‘Mike Mac’s White and Black’s’, was staged at the Walker Art
Gallery, Liverpool and the prestigious Photographers Gallery, London, before
touring Britain, Japan and America, plus guest appearance in New York on the
notorious Howard Stern’s ‘K-Rock’ show, extended to one and a
half hours! |
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In the nineties Scaffold reformed for Chris Tarrants ‘Telethon’ charity TV,
alongside Bill Wyman, Peter O’Toole, 10cc and… Geoffrey Archer!, EMI
released CD’s entitled ‘The Best of Scaffold EMI Years’ plus ‘Scaffold at
Abbey Road’, Rykodisc records (USA) re- released Mike’s 1974 ‘McGear’ album,
with UK release on ‘See For Miles’, and the children’s book he’d worked on for six
years, ‘Sonny Joe and the Ringdom Rhymes’, was published by Collins Books.
As a result of seeing Mikes photographs , the National Trust restored and
opened his old 20 Forthlin Road home, and 1998 saw the transmission of‘Abbey Road, 65 Years Celebration’ TV show, with Mike alongside Elgar,
Beatles, Pink Floyd, Glen Miller, Fred Astaire!, etc. |
In 2000, Q Magazine commissioned Mike’s photographs for their ‘Greatest
Rock and Roll Photographs of All Time’, and his images were shown on the
worldwide MTV ‘Rolling Stone 100 Greatest Pop Songs’ TV programme.
To experiment with his photography Mike started their Silk Screen printing
at Liverpool Art College, continued the process in Guadalajara, Mexico and
finished the art in New York, where he exhibited at the exclusive Friars
Club (president Frank Sinatra) He was then asked by Curwen Press, associated
with the Royal Academy, to print images of Little Richard and Gene Vincent
live in Liverpool, for their new Lithographic process, which ended up as a
signed, limited edition. |
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Mike had the honour of having eleven of his photographs bought for the
nation and exhibited at the National Portrait Gallery London (with ‘best
wishes’ from Prime Minister Tony Blair)and his ‘Mike McCartney’s Liverpool
Life’ exhibition (and MMLL book) was seen in Liverpool, Canada and finally
at the world famous Smithsonian Institution in Washington DC, for one year.
On September 5th 2004 Mike’s and his family life changed quite dramatically
for the next year and a half… but more of that in A4B.
Also in 2004 Liverpool JMU University awarded Mike an Honorary Fellowship
at Liverpool Cathedral and the Bishop of Birkenhead appointed Mike the ‘Cultural
Ambassador for Wirral’ where his now lives with his wife and sons, having
brought up his three daughters. |
In 2005 his brother invited him to Live8 Hyde Park, which resulted, one
year later, in
‘Mike McCartney’s Live8 Coolpix’ hard back (to mark such an
important occasion) which he and his publisher have donated the first
thousand book profits to the Band Aid Trust. To date over £6,000 has been
raised, but even more…with your help. Both covers of Live8 and MMLL were
designed by eldest son Josh (www.group-hug.com)
Mike was a strong supporter of Liverpool as European Capital of Culture 2008 and is currently working on a Liverpool photographic book with Willy Russell for 2009.
Jan. 27th this year sees the launch of 'Mike McCartney's North Highlands' exhibition at Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh, followed by a book with forwards by Prince Charles, Billy Connolly, and Sir Peter Maxwell Davies. This exhibition and book then feature at the 'ArtDeCaf' Gallery, Brunswick Street, Glasgow from Feb. 9th (with prints for sale) and then tours Scotland and possibly America as part of The Year of Homecoming celebrations.
Mike and son Sonny fly to Dublin's Leinster Gallery in February to open the Irish exhibition and Genesis book by Lew Allen (and him!) entitled...' Elvis & the Birth of Rock' featuring the King, Buddy Holly,and Everly Brothers,etc...but more in 'LINKS' section. |
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