A million billion reasons to bring back the soul

Million Billion Band in New Zealand

MUSIC: Fans of Oldham’s former Million Billion Band may be disappointed to hear that Boots, Terry and the guys reformed for a special one-off gig the other week.

Disappointed because you would have have travelled almost 12,000 miles to see it - at the Prince’s Gate Hotel in Rotorua, New Zealand.

Proud Oldhamer Paul “Boots” Errock (aka Boris Billion) and Kiwi-born Terry Oldham (aka Maurice Million) led the Million Billion Band through successful times from 1986-96, when the former was taken seriously ill and the dance-orientated Atlantic Soul Stax band was forced to disband.

Oldham emigrated from Oldham back to New Zealand in 2003, but the band returned for a one-night special reunion last summer, when they packed Holmfirth’s popular Picturedrome venue for a gig that went down a storm.

Memories of their heyday were rekindled on the other side of the world to celebrate Oldham’s 60th birthday. He and Errock played at the Monarch Hall in Rotorua with a band made up of revered Kiwi musicians.

“Last year was great, but to get the chance to perform in New Zealand was a dream come true, really,” said Errock. “We played with some truly gifted musicians over there and it gave me a great sense of pride to be on stage with them. They were brilliant.

“We thought it was going to be pretty low key, but word got out pretty fast and the reception was absolutely unbelievable.”

At their peak, the Million Billion Band was the country’s top dog for raucous soul, and regularly filled venues when Manchester was the centre of the musical universe.

“We were lucky really,” said Errock. “We just hit the scene at the right time. It was exploding in Manchester in the mid to late-Eighties, and we were in there right. We played the Roadhouse, the Hawthorn, Oscar’s in Bolton, and in front of 2,500 people at Trentham Gardens one day. It was just a vibrant scene to be a part of.”

The success was never destined to last, however. Errock was busy building up a Lees-based building business which flourished today. Serious illness forced him to call time on the Million Billion Band in 1996, and at the time thee were no regrets.

He said: “I always had mixed opinions about taking it much beyond what we had done. I’m a bit of a home bird. I love Oldham and Saddleworth, and while it is good fun touring here and abroad, it got to the stage where I was asking myself if I really wanted to do that for the rest of my life.”

Errock and Oldham have already picked and chosen a rough date for the next Million Billion Band get-together - and it’s next summer, in the UK!