Burnley rockers 59th Street Bridge reunite to record long-lost song in memory of Slack Alice singer

Malcolm Crossley, one third of 1960s Burnley guitar band 59th Street Bridge, reunited with former bandmates Geoff Lingard and Niel Brierley, to record the song “Dreaming”, which Malcom co-wrote in the 1990s with the late Cliff Stocker in their days as members of another local band Slack Alice.

Malcolm (73) is the only member still living in Burnley of the original 59th Street Bridge, formed with Burnley Grammar School pals Geoff and Niel in 1967.

He said: “Geoff, Niel and I were all friends at Burnley Grammar School. We formed 59th Street Bridge in 1967. We actualy gave up our day jobs for a few years when we first formed and made a living playing gigs across the region. My first job was at the TSB in Burnley earning £28 a month but we were getting £15 to £20 per gig. We did a lot around Blackpool.”

But it was a recent discovery that struck a chord with Malcolm.

“I recently came across a box of old tapes and discovered ‘Dreaming’ which I co-wrote with Cliff in the 1990s when we were in Slack Alice together,” he said.

“Sadly, Cliff died a few years ago, so I thought it would be nice to finally record the song but I needed some help. I immediately thought of my old 59th Street Bridge bandmates Geoff and Niel. Unfortunately, we’d gone our separate ways in the years since with Niel moving to Kent and Geoff to Lytham.

“I asked Geoff to sing on the track, he was reluctant at first but thankfully Niel and I persuaded him. Niel, a drummer, even drove up from Kent in one day to put down his part for the track at Studio Studio in Whitworth. It was the first time we had all played together in around 50 years, so it was a great experience. We recorded a song on a CD and gave it to Cliff’s widow Anne who loved it.”

Guitarist Malcolm is still rocking, now playing with the Rory Hendrix Experience, including at the Great British Rhythm and Blues Festival in Colne.