By GEORGE AUSTIN
January 17, 2008 6:00 AM

MIDDLEBORO — They don't wear the Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band outfits, cut their hair in mop tops or have a lead singer that acts with the rebellious spirit of John Lennon. Other Beatles tribute bands may go to those lengths to recreate the magic of the most well known band of all time. But that is not what you are going to get with Beatlejuice and Friends.

"I do believe that since we started this band 14 years ago, the focus has been and remains doing as much of the Beatles music catalog as we can," John Muzzy, the band's drummer, affectionately known as Muzz. "Other bands have tried to be look-alikes. We're focused on the music. Perhaps that's why we have grown in popularity."

In fact, Beatlejuice, which will play a benefit concert to help Middleboro school sports, consists of some professional musicians who had been successful on their own before coming together to form a tribute band. Muzz was a member of the '80s band Fahrenheit and has recorded with Stryper singer Michael Sweet, Fusion guitarist Bobby Enick and Yes keyboardist Igor Koreshov in addition to forming another band called Juice in the Machine that is a tribute to the Police and Sting.

Muzz is joined on stage by keyboardist/guitarist Steve Baker, bass player Joe Holaday and guitarist Dave Mitchell. Before he passed away last year, Brad Delp, former singer with the band Boston, was the lead singer and one of the founders of Beatlejuice. Despite being a rock star of stature that is usually not accessible to the public, Delp was known for spending hours with fans, signing autographs and talking to them after performances. The band formed in 1994 after Delp and former Beatlejuice guitarist Bob Squires saw a Beatles tribute band in Newburyport and decided to start their own. The band has continued on with different singers since Delp's death.

And you won't just find a "Fab Four" playing the songs. They will put an extra guitar player or percussionist on stage for certain songs. Muzz said only having four players on stage sometimes can limit what can be done with the music.

"We don't care how many people are on stage, as long as we can portray the music as close as possible," Muzz said.

Muzz said the band has moved forward in the nine months since the "horrible loss" of Delp.

"People who have been coming to see the band have been as enthusiastic as ever," Muzz said. "It has breathed new life into something that could have easily fallen apart."

The band is being brought to the Middleboro High School by the Middleboro All Sport Boosters Association, a group formed to keep sports alive in Middleboro schools, where freshmen and middle school sports have been cut and $175 per sport user fees have been charged to student-athletes for the first time at the high school this year because of cuts to the school budget.

John Siciliano, president of the Boosters Club, said the group has raised $30,000 so far and hopes to at least double that this year. Mr. Siciliano said the first goal of the boosters is to reinstitute freshmen sports and then they would like to see user fees reduced. He said the group has been trying to increase awareness of the need to increase the school budget. The boosters club has raffled off New England Patriots tickets, and will have a pizza sampling, flat screen television raffle. Boston Bruins ticket raffle and golf tournament. The concert, which is being promoted by Limelight Entertainment, is part of that effort to raise another $30,000.

"We liked the idea because it's a different venue," Mr. Siciliano said. "Nothing like this that we know of has been done in this area. It's something new. We figured we'll try it and see what happens. Everyone likes Beatles music. A lot of the kids nowadays listen to the Beatles. That kind of music is making a comeback. We thought we could get a good mix in the crowd."

Beatlejuice has not chosen one lead singer to replace Delp yet. Hundreds of auditions have been held and audition CDs are still being accepted. The band has continued to play concerts, but it has been singer by committee, with Mike Girard of The Fools, Buddy Bernard from Aces and Eights, Jimmy Rogers from Velvet Elvis and Juice In the Machine, and Bob Jennings from Plymouth, a singer and guitar player who Muzz has been a big fan of for a long time, sharing the microphone. Muzz said each singer can do all of the Beatles songs, but are more in tune with certain selections they sing. Squires, who left the band after 10 years because of a hearing problem, has also sat in with the band to help out with the vocals. Muzz said that sometimes all of the singers will join in on stage and trade verses during "I Saw Her Standing There."

"Brad would have just loved to be a part of that and would have loved to have seen it, so I hope somewhere, Brad is smiling down and saying I knew you guys could do it," Muzz said.

The band has also had some of the people who have auditioned for lead singer sit in during concerts. Muzz said he believes the band will find the right lead singer, but he said the most important thing for now is that the band still feels that it is viable.

"At this point, we haven't decided on a single singer because we have enjoyed the variety of singers who have been with us and so have the audiences," Muzz said.

Richie Bartlett, a guitar player for The Fools, Brian Dixie, who has played guitar, and Evan G. on percussion have sat in with Beatlejuice.

"Brad always used to joke that we had the most over qualified road crew," Muzz said. "Some of our road crew actually get to perform with us now."

With so many songs to choose from in the Beatles catalog, Muzz said the members of the band are always learning something new about the music when they rehearse.

"It keeps the band moving forward and it gives the people who come to see us something new to see all the time," Muzz said.

It is not uncommon to see three generations of a family at a Beatlejuice concert. While they may have grown up with different tastes in music, it is also not uncommon to see them all enjoying the Beatles music together.

"I think all of us, first and foremost are fans of the music and being able to perform it for people who are fans of it, grew up with it or recently discovered it is a great joy for us," Muzz said.

Beatlejuice has played in a lot of fund-raisers. Muzz said the band loves to be a part of such events and likes the atmosphere. He said the band has played benefit concerts to help many different causes, including schools.

"It's really, really important for kids to have an outlet to put their energy into, like sports or music," Muzz said.