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The Clan McGann The most fabulous foursome to come out of Liverpool since the Beatles, the McGann brothers, Joe,Paul, Mark and Stephen, have all established successful careers as actors and musicians.But their lives now are very different from their humble beginnings..........All 4 brothers have worked together in the past, notably in the west end musical Yakety Yak and on TV in The Hanging Gale. Now 3 of them (Paul had other commitments) have written and recorded their first album. here they tell what they like and dislike about each other. [As its only the 3 interviewed, they don't mention Paul at all in this, but I'm sure we can assume that Paul was also doing these things. -- Caz] What is the earliest memory of your brothers? Stephen: Going with them on the ferry to New Brighton, which is Liverpool's equivalent of a seaside town.I must have been 3 or 4. It seemed magical, like going to Disneyland. Joe: One of our cousins got married and we were all made to wear these Beatle outfits.The leg of my trousers had to be split down the seam cos I had broken my leg, I must have been about 6 or 7, and I was very upset at the time. Mark: Our house was always jam packed with relatives and my earliest memory is of all 4 brothers standing on the couch entertaining various aunts and uncles. We were using tennis rackets for guitars and imitating the Beatles. I couldn't have been more than 3 or 4. What was your childhood like? Stephen: One of the most important things was that it was so free. In the 60s the streets were so much safer. We were allowed to run free and use our imaginations, it was a wonderful time and a wonderful place to come from. Having grown up in a loving family I look back at my childhood with enormous gratitude. But I hated being a teenager. I became agoraphobic. I was depressed by the fact that I had all this imagination but no job. I felt I had nowhere to go. I find adulthood a doddle by comparison Joe: I had a very happy childhood. We were living right in the middle of a city and there was lots going on.There were always people willing to help us do things. For an inner city kid I got away a lot. I climbed mountains, went camping, and walking. That's stayed with me, and recently I walked along the Great Wall of China for charity. Mark: It was first and foremost typical Liverpool working class. John Lennon may have written working class hero but our family was more typical working class than his. He was brought up in a middle class suburb. We lived slap bang in the middle of a city centre. I came from quite a gentle family but we were expected to be tough.You couldn't be a pacifist on the streets of Liverpool and hope to survive. How would you describe your brothers? Stephen: Joe makes me laugh so much. He has such a dry sense of humour. He is very intelligent and knows more than any of us what he wants in life. Mark is more similar to me. He is very sensitive, analytical, often pensive and extremely and demonstratively kind. He is very liked because he has great charm.Yet he is still searching for something he hasn't found. Joe: They both have a great sense of humour, and we always laugh when we are together. Mark is incredibly serious about what ever he is doing and really immerses himself in things. Stephen flits from one thing to another although he has his passions too which he is very verbal about. They are both inspirational and can really infect you with their enthusiasm. We are all very different. I think Mark is quieter than Stephen, and I'm probably louder that the pair of them put together. Mark: Stephen has an imaginative active mind and is a bit of a dreamer. He is creative, stubborn, loyal and has an incredibly warm personality. Joe is soft, protective, erudite, hard working and generous.
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