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Society co-ordinators upto 2016…… Dr. George Ingram...Newsletter Editor: Ray Nichol—Record Researcher: Lynn Boleyn—Secretary; Ken Charmer—Webmaster/Researcher |
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About Us |
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The very first UK Four Seasons fan club was started by a girl in Lewisham, London called Carol Lewis during the early 60s but this failed due a lack of co-operation from the record company Philips and the management.
This was to become a familiar story. Then in 1969 after finding Steve Bailey’s fan club in the USA, Stuart Miller established a UK group in 1970 comprising 17 dedicated fans. This coincided with the low point of the Four Seasons’ career which accounted for the low numbers of members. A new British and European society was formed in 1971 which retained a close relationship with the US. The group grew slowly but steadily through the 70s…but Stuart found running the club too demanding, even though the issue of a ‘bootleg’ vinyl album of rarities was a huge achievement. Because of a move to Manchester, Stuart was forced to quit and Dave Quick took over. He couldn’t cope with the expectations of fans and as the group’s resurgence started, a group of fans took control and formed a committee which took over the management of the fan club led by George Ingram and John Riley.
The hey-dey days of the 70s resurgence were the UK Appreciation Society’s best days with membership rising to the hundred’s and recognition as the ‘official’ fan club for 1976 , 1977 and 1980 tours.
But once the group was disbanded in 1977, when Frankie Valli went solo, it became increasingly difficult to get information and when the USA fan club led by Steve Bailey disbanded in 1981 the UK one almost did too.
From 1982 George Ingram continued solo generating newsletters regularly with news of new releases, re-issues and old articles from his archive. A few supported him with research once e-mail became possible and research became easier.
Attempts to create a Four Seasons ‘official’ web site in 1997 met initially with encouragement from Frankie Valli and Bob Gaudio’s lawyer Peter Bennett but ultimately failed as communication with former Four Seasons such as Joe Long was prohibited by the Partnership.
This happened again when a re-interested Stuart Miller and Frank Rovello in the USA tried to establish a regular communication channel with the Partnership resulting in the officially ‘unofficial’ web site The Genuine Imitation Life Gazette. This is the fans most comprehensive focus on the groups work.
Today we continue to help fans and research the history of the Four Seasons. The Partnership seems to have accepted this along with the e-groups and UK web sites and blog. whilst our paper based Newsletter has been revolutionized by the www and computer based desk-top publishing.
Now endorsed by former Four Seasons Joe Long and John Paiva we celebrate all the great music created by the Four Seasons |
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To contact us: |
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Lynn and Ray at JB London Opening Night |
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Tina and Lynn with Frankie Valli at JB London Opening Night |
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...with of course our blog master Casey Chameleon |
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Phone: UK (0044) 01384 830862 Lynn Boleyn E-mail: chameleon@seasonally.co.uk Membership…….lynn.boleyn@sky.com |
