A CAISTER man has looked back fondly to his days in a successful 1960s pop band.Buster Meikle of St Hilda's Road, was a member of the pop sextet, Unit Four + 2, which had a number one hit in 1965, Concrete and Clay - thanks in large, he said, due to the airplay from the offshore station, Radio London.

A CAISTER man has looked back fondly to his days in a successful 1960s pop band.

Buster Meikle of St Hilda's Road, was a member of the pop sextet, Unit Four + 2, which had a number one hit in 1965, Concrete and Clay - thanks in large, he said, due to the airplay from the offshore station, Radio London.

Now retired, Buster said: “We started out as four-piece folk group and had a minor hit in 1964 entitled Greenfields. But it wasn't until 1965 that we scored a number one with Concrete and Clay, which was largely due to the airplay we received from the offshore station, Radio London.”

Buster, who is in his 60s, was speaking on Radio Yare's Afternoon Delight programme, jointly produced by the Mercury.

He said there were a lot of good harmony bands around and they knew they would have tough competition but they were determined to mark the era with their own unique sound.

He said: “The Hollies and the Merseybeats were two cases in point. At the time all this was happening I was still doing a day time job in Enfield, Middlesex, but when we had the number one and we had already been signed to the Decca record label, we thought it was time to go full time professional.”

What followed was an endless round of live gigs, TV appearances and what he described as not the most comfortable accommodation.

He added: “I was also trying to play football for a local side at the time as well. But that had to wait as we were always gigging somewhere. There were the six of us and all the equipment in a van. You can imagine how cramped that was.

“But I am glad I lived through that era with a hit-making group.”

Other hits the group enjoyed included You've Never Been in Love Like This Before, You've Got To Be Cruel to be Kind, and Hark.

He believes the reason why the 1960s was so successful musically, was down to the fact there were real songs with lyrics and a melody.

The band broke up in the late 1960s and Buster continued with a solo music career - and he still does the odd gig.

He also congratulated the efforts of the Vauxhall Holiday Park for promoting the periodic Gold shows as this was keeping the music fresh with a number of the original artists. He said he “could be tempted” to have another go if he was asked.

Afternoon Delight is a joint venture between Radio Yare and the Great Yarmouth Mercury and can be heard on Fridays from 2-4pm on 1350 kHz AM or medium wave.