John Maycraft

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BERNIE CALVERT & MUSIC COLLEAGUE JOHN MAYCRAFT

Published on 3/29/2008

By Words: Julie Burns Pictures: Paul Simpson

For well-known musicians Bernie Calvert and John Maycraft, their professional lives struck a harmonious chord from the moment their paths overlapped. Bernie had made his name in the ‘60s as the bass player with one of Britain’s biggest hit-making bands, The Hollies. Over 15 years and 296 recordings he helped create chart-toppers from ‘Bus Stop’ to ‘The Air That I Breathe’ and the legendary anthem, ‘He’s Not Heavy, He’s My Brother.’ For John, 47, a keen commercial music composer, artistically producing for clients from TV soundtracks to community based educational projects – including Oldham Theatre Workshop Bolton Museum’s Heritage Project and Fulwood Arts College, Preston - a fruitful and ongoing musical collaboration beckoned. Both with families of their own, nevertheless thanks to their regular music meet-ups, Bernie’s second home is almost in effect over at John’s. ‘’It’s bigger than my present house and closer to our studio in Bolton,’ Bernie laughs. Born in Nelson, Lancashire, Bernie’s famous musical journey kicked off in 1966, a trigger time that led to ‘living like a gypsy out a of a suitcase for many years.’ On the same Manchester gig circuit as the already formed Hollies with his own first band, Ricky Shaw& The Dolphins, their guitarist Tony Hicks was lured away earlier by the ‘competition’ on gaining their first recording contract. Still working at his local factory, one summer day the Hollies manager phoned through and enlisted Bernie to join them as a one-off on a tour. Three weeks of Scandinavia later, he was soon resigned to hearing their breakthrough hit, ‘Bus Stop’ on the intercom back in the factory, By the autumn he was offered the Hollies job permanently. Unlike their contemporaries The Stones, the boys in the band were never the hard-living rock and roll band on tour. ‘The Hollies was run professionally like a business and we were all too level-headed ordinary somehow.’ In addition, the globe-trotting touring initially was ‘like a shock to the system.’ Bernie was moving in A-list circles, backing the Everly Brothers one minute, finding time for a sideline studio group, the Bread and Beer Band – including one Elton John – the next; on the same bills as acts the Small Faces and the Spencer Davis group, between recording at the Abbey Road studios having cups of tea with the Beatles – ‘Paul was great, John always stayed a little apart.’ Their sound had taken off on both sides of the Atlantic yet despite friendships with stars such as Mama Cass from the Mamas and the Papas and staying in her Hollywood hills home, Bernie still ‘felt very much a homebird.’ ‘I always felt that cities like New York and places like the pubs there were like recreations somehow. I often longed for the authentic and liked to get back to my local! The peace and tranquility of Pendle always appealed; the genuine aspect.’ Burnley was Bernie’s general UK base for 27 years. Early on in this time he met and married a girl from Colne and settled for a time in a bungalow by Lake Burwains in Fouldridge – ‘an oasis to come back and forth to.’ But the sweet smell of success brought with it considerable pressure and by 1981 a great turning point came. ‘I blamed music for everything going wrong in my life and put my guitars away in the loft.’ However, he couldn’t leave it out of his life for too long. Amongst the rollercoaster pros and cons of this crossroads, Bernie met and married his second wife, Jill. The ceremony in effect led to a new musical path, the pastor playing a party in useful introductions. Bernie formed part of a band with John, initially playing music at services. Over twelve years it has grown into a fully-fledged professional partnership. Today we find them in John’s favourite room of his four bedroomed detached house, the open-plan airy kitchen. This backs into a ‘snug’ or living-room where John often starts jamming sessions with Bernie. The gentle décor reflects his love of nature, a constant presence also in his own original music. The feel’s cosy with earthy textural carpets and tactile beige suede slouchy settee placed beneath a vibrant red poppy print. From wide sliding windows, the room backs out onto a neat square of garden. John and his several guitars live here with partner Wendy. Like Bernie he also has three children, all from his previous marriage and living just 100 yards away. Wendy is apparently very ‘understanding about all the musical to-ing and fro-ing. Inside their home appears so pristine, co-ordinated and ‘sorted’, it’s a surprise to hear that the couple have only lived here a month. ‘It was pretty ready-made to move into with no major DIY jobs to do,’ explains John. ‘Apart from the studio extension that is,’ he adds, music never far from mind. He considered building a studio in the living-room corner but with soundproof issues, felt in the end it would be too obtrusive. This works as a dining room area instead, furniture in darkwood to match the focal point fireplace. The colour theme’s in a calming lavender palette with three settees adding to the inviting open space. Across from the cream swag curtains, interrupting the floral pictures is a solitary print of a couple dancing by Scottish artist, Jack Vettriano. It serves to remind John of the other career high he has, outside of making music with Bernie: ‘Early Years music and movement pre-school curriculum work – ‘about enthusing all kids regardless of music ability.’ Bernie who is tinkling the ivories in this corner at the time, agrees with this philosophy. Considered a bit of a musical child genius, he was playing the theme to the Damnbusters film, aged nine. (He later occasionally played keyboards, organ and harpsichord for the Hollies and was persuaded onto bass as main instrument with the advent of rock and roll). His grandmother played piano for silent movies while his grandfather played for Yorkshire colliery bands. ‘But,’ he claims, ‘academically I was never the brightest light in the chandelier but had something in here,’ he says pointing to his heart, humble to a fault. We adjourn to the makeshift studio in one of the four bedrooms – one out in the garden may be next. The largely instrumental music they create they have difficulty in describing – ‘like a hybrid of classical and ambient, more intuitive than formal’. Musical action speaks louder than words with a sudden rendition of their latest creation, ‘Snow on Heather Moor.’ It’s a sublime James Bond film theme sounding revamp of Bernie’s composition from 1968, soon to be released online. Along with one of John’s self-penned favourites, 24/12 and ‘Reflections of a Long time Past’, from another Hollies album in ’67, ten more tracks may also be forthcoming. ‘Though reams of material are available on The Hollies – (a changed line-up still going strong after 30 plus years) – ‘it’s always said little is known now about me,’ says Bernie. ‘Although I’m private, I’ve still done a lot musically such as charity evenings and ‘60s gigs, sometimes with my son Mark, on guitar.’ He also remains in touch with fellow bandmate Terry Sylvester, now in Toronto. For Bernie, however, since’93, Lancs is where it’s at. ‘Where people smile and say ‘hello’. It’s also relatively green and unspoiled and where Ilive, there’s a lovely market and castle.’ ‘Thanks to the wonders of technology, it’s now immaterial where you live,’ chips in John, originally from down the road in Horwich. ‘It’s a global village. In the past as Bernie learned, you had to go to London to even make records. I can write for the States one day, do Early Learning work the next, all based here in Lancs. There’s no need to relocate. We can work internationally, making music in our own backyard.’ With their joint working from home ethic, the peaceful surrounds of John’s semi-detached gets their creative juices flowing. ‘Not that music’s really a job for either of them. ‘It’s always been a way of life,’ concludes Bernie as he sets off back to his ‘first’ home. ‘Like the soundtrack to life,’ agrees John.



Article Credits and References

LANCASHIRE DESIGN & LIVING MAGAZINE. Words: Julie Burns Pictures: Paul Simpson Want the hottest news on Bernie and John’s projects to info on the Hollies? In the first instance, check out the following: www.maycraft.info

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BERNIE CALVERT & MUSIC COLLEAGUE JOHN MAYCRAFT