2022 has been quite the year for the McCartney clan. Back in June, Paul celebrated his 80th birthday with a legendary performance at Glastonbury, while this month saw The Beatles mark 60 years since their debut single, Love Me Do, was relased.

But 1962 was also the year, Paul's younger brother, Mike, now aged 78, embarked on his musical career alongside John Gorman and Roger McGough as the trio performed their first shows at Hope Hall, the venue that would soon evolve into the Everyman Theatre. At first they were billed as The Liverpool One Fat Lady Non Electric Show before switching to the simpler and more memorable name, The Scaffold.

As well as becoming stars of the comedy circuit, The Scaffold went on to top the charts with a string of unforgettable hit records including Thank U Very Much, Do You Remember, Liverpool Lou and of course, Lily the Pink, which was the 1968 Christmas number one.

"It's unbelivable isn't it?" chuckles Mike, who will celebrate the anniversary later this month by reuniting The Scaffold alongside Roger and John for two unforgettable reunion shows at the place where they first began - The Everyman Theatre.

"I'm not sure who came up with the idea to reform - I think it was John - Roger wasn't sure if he was interested but I put a few points to him including firstly the fact that the three original members of The Scaffold are alive which is a hell of a feat and secondly that fact that we are all still talking to eachother after 60 years.

"The fascinating thing then was deciding what we were going to do for the two performances - it's an interesting prospect and I think what is going to happen is unknown to everyone including The Scaffold!"

Mike, who has lived in Wirral since he was 21, remembers fondly how at the beginning of the 1960s a growing community of artists and writers began to meet in the Hope Hall basement and what was described as an “increasingly populist bohemia” developed in Liverpool.

It was among this community that Gorman and McGough met Mike who was then working as a hairdresser in the same city centre stylists as future actor and Professionals star Lewis Collins and comedian Jimmy Tarbuck.

"It felt like it was all happening in Liverpool at that time," he says. "It was so vibrant, exciting and fun and it wasn't just Merseybeat and rock n roll. All over Liverpool from venues like The Cavern and the Iron Door or up the hill to the Everyman Theatre you had everyone from pop artists, poets and all these things happening at the same time."

Wirral Globe:

The Scaffold were booked to appear on ABC TV's weekly series Gazette performing "improvised" sketches based on the week's news headlines. The success of the TV series meanwhile led to residencies in London, including at Peter Cook's Establishment Club in London, Ronnie Scott's and The Open Space Theatre and annual Edinburgh Festival appearances at the Traverse Theatre. 

"To sum up at that era I remember being in Edinburgh and legging it to the bar during the interval of our show and getting there first before this couple who I could see where giving me daggers," remembers Mike. "I got my drinks and I didn't want to look at them but glanced over and realised it was Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor. 

"That's how excting it was back then and that's before you throw in 'our kid' and his lot. It was a unique moment in time."

Hearing Mike refer to his elder brother as 'our kid' you have to remind yourself he's talking about arguably the greatest songwriter of all time.

"Who would've known? I look back on Forthlin Road where we lived and there was me with my love of photography in one room and our kid in another room with his love of music. 

"My photographs have ended up in the National Portrait Gallery and the Smithsonian and then in the other room our kid...well he did alright too."

Mike's photography continues to win him plaudits and his recent book Early Liverpool saw him bring together much of his finest work including a wealth of previously unseen photographs and treasured drawings.

"I never stop taking pictures," he added. "Anything and everything is waiting to be taken - it's so easy now with an iphone and I still love photography.

"I really discovered the joy of it in Forthlin Road where I would develop and print my own pictures - that joy of watching those images materialise has never left me."

John Gorman, Roger McGough and Mike McCartney are appearing in An Audience With The Scaffold at the Everyman Theatre, Hope Street, Liverpool on 29 October 2022 with performances at 2pm and 7.30pm. Further details and tickets are available from the Everyman website: https://www.everymanplayhouse.com/whats-on/an-audience-with-the-scaffold