Mini moptops
Four lads from Woodstock, Ill., are world's youngest Beatles tribute band
by Tamara Ikenberg
The Courier-Journal

Stockwood is in the middle of a hard day's work.

But, like the legendary musicians they represent, they don't let it show on stage. Last weekend, the world's youngest Beatles tribute band powered through three hour-long sets at Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom, keeping their adorable faux Liverpudlian accents, head-bobbing and musicianship intact as they whirled through "She Loves You," "Eight Days a Week" and other classics.

The mini moptops, whose name is a twist on their hometown of Woodstock, Ill., were a sensation at last year's Fifth Third Abbey Road on the River festival. They're back again this year, with their black suits and Beatle boots, to rock Beatles fans of all ages.

The massive festival of all things Beatles begins at noon today and runs through 11 p.m. Sunday at the Kentucky Center and Belvedere Festival Park. Seventy-five Beatles tribute bands, including Stockwood, will play on 10 stages.

Each member of Stockwood has a corresponding Beatles identity: John Morefield, 11, is George; Collin Berg, 13, is John; Evan Berg, 9, is Ringo; and J.D. Fuller, 13, is Paul McCartney (with braces).

J.D. has no opinion on McCartney's recent split from Heather Mills. He enjoys playing Paul because "I get to sing really rockin' tunes and slow ballads."

Like the Beatles, the Stockwood boys have a sharp sense of humor.

"At this age, Ringo was still learning to tie his shoes," Collin said.

The precocious foursome contributed to the overall success of last year's Abbey Road on the River. Louisville's first crack at hosting the event attracted more than 20,000 Beatles nuts. This year, organizers expect 30,000 attendees.

The festival also provided some networking opportunities for Stockwood. A colleague of concert promoter Mark Johnson caught their act, told Johnson about them, and they were invited to play before an audience of 1,700 at the Genesee Theater in Waukegan, Ill.

Still, Abbey Road on the River is Stockwood's biggest gig to date. At last year's festival, the lads felt a little bit like the real Beatles, hiding from the press and throngs of admirers in "A Hard Day's Night."

"Last year, we had to do that," Collin said. His and Evan's mom, Shelley Berg, said their followers weren't dangerously pushy, but "it was hard to move about." The band should brace itself for even more audience appreciation this year.

Stockwood was formed two years ago by J.D.'s dad, Jay Fuller, a gym teacher at the elementary school all four boys attended. Each member was already playing an instrument. He convinced them to come together for a school talent show. They just happened to sing the Beatles tunes "Can't Buy Me Love" and "I Wanna Hold Your Hand," and it clicked.

"The kids were just nuts over them," said Stockwood's business manager, Rob Murphy. People who saw them at the talent show started requesting them for parties and charity events, and their career took off from there, with Beatles music as the focus. "It just seemed to be the right fit," said Shelley Berg.

Now they're seasoned performers with a real love for the Beatles and an impressive knowledge of the band that broke up a quarter-century before they were born.

"Any question you ask us about the Beatles, we'll know," Collin said. When put to the test, they prove themselves. They know Cynthia Lennon is Julian Lennon's mother and that the Beatles were working on "The White Album" while they were studying with the Maharishi in India. John is the first to answer "Ravi Shankar" when asked who Harrison's sitar muse was.

"I play Ravi Shankar while I'm doing my homework," he said.

There is one major difference between Stockwood and the real band. In the Beatles, George was always known as the quiet one. In Stockwood's case, it's quite the opposite. John, who plays George, is the most vocal and has already developed an it-boy attitude.

"I suggested we get a private jet (to travel to and from performances)," he said. And once he becomes a real rock star, he intends to "always have Fiji water at the table."

Despite his rarefied preferences, "I don't want to be part of Hollywood; it's an illusion," he said, adding that he hates fake pop tarts like Paris Hilton and the Simpson sisters. He also has a contingency plan if he doesn't end up a star: "If that doesn't work, I'm just going to be a hobo living in the street."

But judging from their talent and intelligence, it's highly unlikely that any of the members of this floppy-haired foursome will end up a nowhere man.

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