Red Rum Club have followed being praised by Elton John and a place in the Cavern Wall Of Fame in Liverpool by winning the Sefton Arts Award, sponsored by Fitton Estates, at the 2024 Grand Pride Of Sefton Awards.
In a year of yet more firsts for Red Rum Club they topped the lot in March by being interviewed and praised by Elton John on his RocketHour Podcast.
It follows the huge success of their new Western Approaches album and their near sell-out tour.
In what has been an incredible continuation of their success story, they’ve packed so much with the last 12 months, including:
– headlining the inaugural music festival at Bootle’s Salt & Tar (Tom Jones and Status Quo now trying to emulate Red Rum Club’s lead);
– unveiled a huge mural of all 6 band members at Salt & Tar to celebrate their local links to Bootle;
– first indie band to partner with a council (Sefton Council) on a regeneration programme;
– broken into the top 10 with their new album (ousting Taylor Swift on their way);
– mid-tour getting courted for interview and praised for the quality of their music by the Rocket Man himself, Elton John.
– being immortalised alongside The Beatles, Gerry and The Pacemakers and others with their own place in The Cavern Wall of Fame
Red Rum Club have followed being praised by Elton John and a place in the Cavern Wall Of Fame in Liverpool by winning the Sefton Arts Award, sponsored by Fittons Estates, at the 2024 Grand Pride Of Sefton Awards. Finalists were Abbie Billington and Southport Hookers. Photo by Kevin Brown Photography
And with their homecoming at the M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool in April, and hopefully more collaborations with Sefton Council to come, 2024 promises to be even more memorable for the band. Couldn’t happen to a nicer, more genuine and more talented group of lads.
At the Grand Pride Of Sefton Awards, the audience were treated to a video of the band’s recent achievements.
Red Rum Club are made up of Fran Doran (lead vocals, guitar), Tom Williams (guitar, backing vocals), Michael McDermott (guitar, backing vocals), Simon Hepworth (bass), Neil Lawson (drums), and Joe “The Blow” Corby (trumpet).
All members of the band were born around the areas of Waterloo, Crosby and Thornton and grew up within two miles of each other.
They were recently celebrated with a huge mural, painted by local street artist Paul Curtis and commissioned by Sefton Council, at the Salt & Tar events space in Bootle.
A new mural dedicated to local band Red Rum Club has been unveiled by Sefton Council at its Salt and Tar site in Bootle. It was created by Paul Curtis Artwork. l-r Stuart Barnes, Assistant Director Place, Karen Yates, Senior General Manager of Salt and Tar, George Wilson, Manager for Red Rum Club, Paul Curtis, artist, Jo Corby from RRC, Simon Hepworth from RRC, Neil Lawson from RRC, Cllr Atkinson, Francis Doran RRC, Mike McDermott RRC, Tom Williams RRC, Peter Dowd
Michael and Simon met in Year 2 primary school and then met Joe during a Battle of the Bands competition in Crosby Civic Hall when they were 14 and would go on to form a band together. Francis and Neil met while attending Holy Family Catholic High School in Thornton although they attended different year groups.
Francis and Tom are cousins and both started to learn how to play guitar after seeing their cousin Jake play. Neil would later meet Michael in South Sefton College and be asked to join his current band The Lazy Guns with Simon as their drummer had just left.
Most of the videos for their album tracks and singles are shot in Sefton, a great showcase for the borough featuring our coastline, the Mersey Estuary, Bootle FC, The Strand, Crosby Lakehouse, Ince Blundell, Crosby Village to name but a few.
Red Rum Club have followed being praised by Elton John and a place in the Cavern Wall Of Fame in Liverpool by winning the Sefton Arts Award, sponsored by Fittons Estates, at the 2024 Grand Pride Of Sefton Awards. Finalists were Abbie Billington and Southport Hookers. Photo by Kevin Brown Photography
A nomination for them said: “Red Rum Club are simply sublime. They have an endless production of unique and distinctive music, great advocates for our area and the most normal, humble, lovely but hugely talented guys.
“Their star is massively on the rise and a Sefton Prode accolade would be a fitting recognition for their contributions to Sefton’s music, art and culture scene.”
The 2024 Pride Of Sefton Awards saw 13 categories on the night at The Grand in Southport, with incredible stories behind all the finalists.
Red Rum Club have followed being praised by Elton John and a place in the Cavern Wall Of Fame in Liverpool by winning the Sefton Arts Award, sponsored by Fittons Estates, at the 2024 Grand Pride Of Sefton Awards. Finalists were Abbie Billington and Southport Hookers. Photo by Kevin Brown Photography
There were over 1,300 nominations for community figures from Southport, Bootle, Crosby, Formby, Maghull and across Sefton.
The Grand Pride Of Sefton Awards were organised by Mikhail Hotel and Leisure Group and Stand Up For Southport in association with media partners In Demand Radio.
The night was hosted by In Demand Radio presenter Claire Simmo, with entertainment from Whitney Houston tribute performer Michelle Lawson, soul singer Dave Broe and DJ Baz Todd.
Red Rum Club have followed being praised by Elton John and a place in the Cavern Wall Of Fame in Liverpool by winning the Sefton Arts Award, sponsored by Fittons Estates, at the 2024 Grand Pride Of Sefton Awards. Finalists were Abbie Billington and Southport Hookers. Photo by Kevin Brown Photography
As Sefton celebrates its 50th birthday, VIP guests attending the awards included Sefton Council Leader Cllr Marion Atkinson; Mayor of Sefton Cllr June Burns; and council Chief Executive Phil Porter.
Also enjoying the evening were boxing world title challenger Martin Murray and Liverpool FC legend Gary Gillespie.
Pictures on the night were taken by Kevin Brown Photography with videography by Zack Downey from ZED Productions.
Fundraising took place on the night with proceeds going to ICU Steps, the intensive care patient support charity.
- For more details about the Pride Of Sefton Awards please visit: www.prideofseftonawards.co.uk or email: standupforsouthport@gmail.com
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