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Here's a selection from the (surprisingly small) collection of photos we could find. If you click on a photo, you'll be shown a larger version of it, so be warned...


preston st
Personal Column in Preston St, which is the street that the Ministry rehearsal rooms was on. It was also the location for the Yates's Wine Lodge where we finished up after those rehearsals.

The Gilmore was at the back of the Ministry, and most of the bands that rehearsed there seemed to get photographed outside it at some point. It was only much later that i looked at the building itself, and realised that it must have been tiny inside. L to R: Colin Brown, Mike McCarrol, Marc Vormawah, Mike Hayes.
outside the gilmore

PC on a staircase
And here's the band on the Ministry staircase. As you can see, they were highly image-conscious...;-)

Rehearsing at the Ministry. Although it was a bit scussy, the Ministry was better than some places, it had padded walls, you could keep your gear there, and as it was in a bit of town that no-one really used (except the patrons of the Gilmore, of course), there weren't really any problems with noise. So it had its advantages.
PC in rehearsal

PC in rehearsal
A posed shot at the Ministry. You can just see Colin's favoured keyboard stand, ie a Black & Decker workmate, although the shot has been set up so you can't see Colin's face, for some reason.

poster for the left bank gig
A live gig at the Left Bank Bistro, on Mathew St. It's now called 'Lennon's Bar', though i don't think John Lennon is seen in there much, these days. As you can see, the ceiling in the cellar was alarmingly low.

The gig was promoted by Neil Tilly, and the poster for it is on the left.
PC at the left bank

on stage at the masonic
If you're of a certain age, then this shot will take you right back: it's the stage of the Masonic, on Berry St. It was arguably Liverpool's number one rock pub, and definitely the number one for drug dealers. It had bands on seven nights a week, and Personal Column signed off from there with a flourish by playing three consecutive nights there in 1983.

You may have read (if you're keen on soaps) that Mark Moraghan, ex of Holby City, was lead singer in a band called Personal Column at one point. Well, it's half true: he was actually backing singer and percussionist for a while, but he was invited to leave due to a persistent failure to acquire any percussion. He was forced to console himself by becoming rich and famous, but here he is, singing with Personal Column.
mark moraghan

marc & colin
An early promo shot of Marc & Colin, now finally dressed as if they're in the same band, at least, but still not looking much like Dead or Alive...

This was shot for an article in Sounds, outside St Georges' Hall on Lime St. It's the first thing you see as you come out of Lime St Station, and it's got columns all outside it. Columns! Did you see what he did there? Columns...
marc & colin

PC at the everyman
Here's a venue that's actually still there: it's the Everyman Bistro on Hope St. These days the gigs are in the third room, but then there was the occasional gig in the main bistro itself, right at the bottom of the stairs. Nowadays it's much too smart to consider that sort of thing.

A publicity shot taken in the Walker Art Gallery: they were looking for something classy, and felt that a little Victorian art might do the trick.
marc & colin

marc & colin
This is in the Walker as well. Marc is in the middle, Colin's the one with the beard. The one with the beard on the right, that is. Like a lot of these pictures, this one was taken by Royce Naylor, the band's then manager.

Marc & Mick on stage at the Masonic. This was taken by Penny Potter, unbeknownst to the band, and she passed it on later: just one of those quick shots that works really well.
marc & mick

underpass shot
This staged shot was done in an underpass near Lark Lane, and was much used on Personal Column publicity material for some time. L to R: Terry Sterling, Mike Hayes, Marc Vormawah, Colin Brown.

'The Venue' was on Seel Street, though it wasn't open for long. That's Robbie Boardman on guitar, to the right of Marc, late of the Jass Babies.
on stage at the venue

zigzag club
The Zigzag Club in London: this may not have been the ideal venue for Personal Column, as the audience look like extras from Prince's Purple Rain movie.

On Stage in Switzerland, as part of a festival of Liverpool bands in Swiss venues. Thats Shaun McLoughlin on bass, formerly of Afraid of Mice.
onstage in Switzerland




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