A S A young musician in the 1960s, Gerald Brookes played guitar in the Tremeloes.

But this wasn't the group of the same name who had a hit in 1967 with Silence Is Golden.

In fact, Gerald's band ended up changing their name because of the clash.

"I first started playing guitar in 1960," recalls the 65-year-old, who grew up in Chesterton.

"My first group was Sean Campbell and the Tremeloes, but we later changed the name to the Mysteries because we played on the same bill as Brian Poole and the Tremeloes at Leicester.

"We weren't the Tremeloes people have heard of, but there were times when the two groups were on the same bill, and we used to have snowball fights with them."

The Mysteries broke up in 1965 and two years later Middle Earth was formed, with Dave Knight on vocals, Steve Elkin on drums, Brian Addlington on bass, and Bert Wood and Gerald on guitar.

"We went professional and played all over the country at colleges and dances," says Gerald, of Sneyd Green, "and we also did a tour of Scotland.

"We once played at a hotel in Coventry where Long John Baldry was playing in a group called Bluesology, which included Elton John on keyboards.

"But we played darts while they were on because we didn't like their music. At the time we were doing all soul stuff and they were doing blues."

While on the music circuit, Gerald and his band-mates enjoyed passing time with card games, and well-known groups would often take part as well.

"We played on the same bill as The Troggs in Hull when Love Is All Around was in the charts," he recalled. "I think it was about 1968.

"We were playing Three card brag and The Troggs joined in, but they lost all their money – we skinted them."

Another group Gerald played with during his musical career was The Spirits, from Alsager.

"I was with them for 10 years, doing the clubs around Sheffield and Leeds," he says.

Gerald was inspired to reminisce after reading about Alan Ibbs, who played in bands in the same era (All Our Yesterdays, January 16).

In 1994, Gerald, who has a daughter and four grandchildren, stopped performing in groups and alongside his music he worked as an electrical tester at a company in Fenton.

Do you have any memories of being in a band? Send them to All Our Yesterdays, including your full name, address and telephone number, at Features Desk, The Sentinel, Forge Lane, Etruria, Stoke-on-Trent, ST1 5SS, or email yesterdays@thesentinel.co.uk