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Liverpool Echo Rock Of Ages Special:
50 Years Of The Beatles. Beginning on Saturday 22nd September 2012 you can catch the weekly BeatlesLiverpoolandMore column in the Liverpool Echo Newspaper. |
Part 1, 22nd September 2012
The Skiffle Explosion.
In today’s musical world of synthesisers, computers and expensive amplifiers, the idea of creating music with a washboard and a tea chest is laughable, but it wasn’t always as such.
Arguably the most humble of music forms, ‘Skiffle’ became a contemporary mainstay during the 1950’s due to the success and exposure of Lonnie Donegan.
With it being easy to play, and more importantly, cheap to start your own group, teenagers all over started practicing the art of Skiffle.
In November 1956, Lonnie Donegan was scheduled to appear at the Liverpool Empire, the advert in the Liverpool Echo at that time read “Direct from his Terrific American Success” and two teenagers in particular were desperate for tickets. Both were big Donegan fans, and had already developed a taste for music, but they had completely different motives for wanting to see him.
A 14 year old Paul McCartney had recently lost his mother, and was looking for any means to escape his grief and sorrow; whereas a 13 year old George Harrison wanted inspiration as he doubted his own skills of mastering his guitar, even at that early age.
Although the two boys attended the same school the Liverpool Institute High School on Mount Street, they didn’t know each other at the time of the concert.
George’s brother, Harry, and Harry’s girlfriend, Irene McCann had noticed George’s obsession with guitars and his struggle to learn to play, so they bought him a ticket to the Lonnie Donegan show in the hope that it would encourage him to keep at it.
During the show, George was mesmerised with Donegan, and studied what Donegan was doing. Not just how he worked a crowd, but even down to memorising chord changes.
Paul McCartney was also lucky enough to acquire a ticket, and came out of the show a new person. He had a focus that had been missing, and the very next day while sitting in his back garden, thinking of his mum who had died a few days earlier at the young age of 47, he started strumming his guitar, it was said by Paul in later years, that was when he wrote his first song titled “I Lost My Little Girl”.
A teenager who wasn’t fortunate enough to get a ticket for the show was a 16 year old John Lennon. While he still revered Lonnie Donegan high up in his inspirations, John Lennon was busy at the time forming his own skiffle group, with some of his school friends from Quarry Bank High School, Rod Davis, Len Garry, Eric Griffiths, Colin Hanton and Pete Shotton. The newly formed group took the name The Quarrymen, which was the first line from the school song “The Song of the Quarry” “Quarrymen old before our birth, Straining each muscle and sinew”
While McCartney and Harrison were admiring Donegan live, the Quarrymen were rehearsing covers of his songs in the hope that one day they too would be rock and roll stars, and more personally, sell out the Liverpool Empire.
This was the joys of Skiffle. With its simplicity and honesty, it inspired many and is still considered an important genre in today’s world.
While Lonnie Donegan can’t take full credit for the Beatles success, he can definitely be regarded as a pioneer in laying the foundations, and the hunger, into those young boys who wanted to one day do what he did.
The Skiffle Explosion.
In today’s musical world of synthesisers, computers and expensive amplifiers, the idea of creating music with a washboard and a tea chest is laughable, but it wasn’t always as such.
Arguably the most humble of music forms, ‘Skiffle’ became a contemporary mainstay during the 1950’s due to the success and exposure of Lonnie Donegan.
With it being easy to play, and more importantly, cheap to start your own group, teenagers all over started practicing the art of Skiffle.
In November 1956, Lonnie Donegan was scheduled to appear at the Liverpool Empire, the advert in the Liverpool Echo at that time read “Direct from his Terrific American Success” and two teenagers in particular were desperate for tickets. Both were big Donegan fans, and had already developed a taste for music, but they had completely different motives for wanting to see him.
A 14 year old Paul McCartney had recently lost his mother, and was looking for any means to escape his grief and sorrow; whereas a 13 year old George Harrison wanted inspiration as he doubted his own skills of mastering his guitar, even at that early age.
Although the two boys attended the same school the Liverpool Institute High School on Mount Street, they didn’t know each other at the time of the concert.
George’s brother, Harry, and Harry’s girlfriend, Irene McCann had noticed George’s obsession with guitars and his struggle to learn to play, so they bought him a ticket to the Lonnie Donegan show in the hope that it would encourage him to keep at it.
During the show, George was mesmerised with Donegan, and studied what Donegan was doing. Not just how he worked a crowd, but even down to memorising chord changes.
Paul McCartney was also lucky enough to acquire a ticket, and came out of the show a new person. He had a focus that had been missing, and the very next day while sitting in his back garden, thinking of his mum who had died a few days earlier at the young age of 47, he started strumming his guitar, it was said by Paul in later years, that was when he wrote his first song titled “I Lost My Little Girl”.
A teenager who wasn’t fortunate enough to get a ticket for the show was a 16 year old John Lennon. While he still revered Lonnie Donegan high up in his inspirations, John Lennon was busy at the time forming his own skiffle group, with some of his school friends from Quarry Bank High School, Rod Davis, Len Garry, Eric Griffiths, Colin Hanton and Pete Shotton. The newly formed group took the name The Quarrymen, which was the first line from the school song “The Song of the Quarry” “Quarrymen old before our birth, Straining each muscle and sinew”
While McCartney and Harrison were admiring Donegan live, the Quarrymen were rehearsing covers of his songs in the hope that one day they too would be rock and roll stars, and more personally, sell out the Liverpool Empire.
This was the joys of Skiffle. With its simplicity and honesty, it inspired many and is still considered an important genre in today’s world.
While Lonnie Donegan can’t take full credit for the Beatles success, he can definitely be regarded as a pioneer in laying the foundations, and the hunger, into those young boys who wanted to one day do what he did.
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Our Rock of Ages special series, Beatles author Kevin Roach celebrates the 50th anniversary of The Beatles we look back at the Fab Fours first recording.
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Part 2, 29th September 2012
The First Ever Recording
After the excitement of the Lonnie Donegan concert at the Liverpool Empire, George and Paul returned to school on a high. And they soon became friends after sharing the long bus ride together from Speke to the city centre, picking each other out because of the school uniform.
On the bus journey George and Paul would talk about the latest bands, and guitars, and they soon started strumming together, learning the chords to all the Rock – N – Roll tracks that they would listen to on the radio.
Another boy from the Liverpool Institute School, called Ivan Vaughan who was a childhood friend of John Lennon, became friends with Paul McCartney and decided to introduce the two of them.
The date was 6th July 1957, when John Lennon was booked with his group The Quarrymen, to appear at The Woolton Village Fete, Ivan thought this was a good time to introduce McCartney to Lennon, Ivan put this to Paul, who a began to rehearse his routine, to try and impress John.
On the day, Paul arrived with his guitar, a found The Quarrymen on the back of a lorry half way through their first set, after the set Ivan introduced the two boys, and John asked Paul what he could play, to which Paul replied by playing the Eddie Cochran classic ‘Twenty Flight Rock’ a few days after that first meeting, Ivan contacted Paul and said “John would like you join the band” to which Paul became a member of The Quarrymen.
Once Paul had settled to The Quarrymen he tried to get his school friend George Harrison into the band, but John thought he was to young, George wasn’t really bothered about the band as he was already going around the different clubs and dance halls with his guitar and joining in with other groups, that were on the scene.
Paul wouldn’t give up on George and still wanted him in the band, so one night on the bus home after a gig, John let George audition, to which George played ‘Raunchy’. After that Paul tried to convince John that George would be good for The Quarrymen, but John still thought “no he looks to young”
Paul came up with another plan, he and George started writing together and came up with a few good songs, at this point The Quarrymen had heard of a studio in Kensington where you could make a record, so with that information they clubbed together what little money they had and booked themselves into the studio.
The date was 14th July 1958 when The Quarrymen accompanied by George Harrison, headed to Percy Phillips Studio at 38 Kensington, in Mr Phillips diary he had them listed simply as ‘Skiffle Group’ This Skiffle group consisted of John Lennon, John Lowe, Colin Hanton, Paul McCartney and George Harrison, the two records they had decided on recording was the Buddy Holly track ‘That’ll Be The Day’ and a track written by Paul McCartney and George Harrison titled ‘In Spite Of All The Danger’
The First Ever Recording
After the excitement of the Lonnie Donegan concert at the Liverpool Empire, George and Paul returned to school on a high. And they soon became friends after sharing the long bus ride together from Speke to the city centre, picking each other out because of the school uniform.
On the bus journey George and Paul would talk about the latest bands, and guitars, and they soon started strumming together, learning the chords to all the Rock – N – Roll tracks that they would listen to on the radio.
Another boy from the Liverpool Institute School, called Ivan Vaughan who was a childhood friend of John Lennon, became friends with Paul McCartney and decided to introduce the two of them.
The date was 6th July 1957, when John Lennon was booked with his group The Quarrymen, to appear at The Woolton Village Fete, Ivan thought this was a good time to introduce McCartney to Lennon, Ivan put this to Paul, who a began to rehearse his routine, to try and impress John.
On the day, Paul arrived with his guitar, a found The Quarrymen on the back of a lorry half way through their first set, after the set Ivan introduced the two boys, and John asked Paul what he could play, to which Paul replied by playing the Eddie Cochran classic ‘Twenty Flight Rock’ a few days after that first meeting, Ivan contacted Paul and said “John would like you join the band” to which Paul became a member of The Quarrymen.
Once Paul had settled to The Quarrymen he tried to get his school friend George Harrison into the band, but John thought he was to young, George wasn’t really bothered about the band as he was already going around the different clubs and dance halls with his guitar and joining in with other groups, that were on the scene.
Paul wouldn’t give up on George and still wanted him in the band, so one night on the bus home after a gig, John let George audition, to which George played ‘Raunchy’. After that Paul tried to convince John that George would be good for The Quarrymen, but John still thought “no he looks to young”
Paul came up with another plan, he and George started writing together and came up with a few good songs, at this point The Quarrymen had heard of a studio in Kensington where you could make a record, so with that information they clubbed together what little money they had and booked themselves into the studio.
The date was 14th July 1958 when The Quarrymen accompanied by George Harrison, headed to Percy Phillips Studio at 38 Kensington, in Mr Phillips diary he had them listed simply as ‘Skiffle Group’ This Skiffle group consisted of John Lennon, John Lowe, Colin Hanton, Paul McCartney and George Harrison, the two records they had decided on recording was the Buddy Holly track ‘That’ll Be The Day’ and a track written by Paul McCartney and George Harrison titled ‘In Spite Of All The Danger’
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Continuing our Rock of Ages special series, Beatles author Kevin Roach celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Fab Four with a look at the days up to their first Hamburg trip
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Part 3, 6th October 2012
First Trip To Hamburg
ON MAY 20 1960 John Askew of Scotland Road, better known as pop star Johnny Gentle, was booked to do a tour of Scotland. His agent Larry Parnes also managed Ronald Wycherley from Haliburton Street, Dingle, who was better known as Billy Fury. Parnes was in search of a backing group to support Johnny and approached Liverpool agent Allan Williams who ran a number of pubs around the city centre including The Jacaranda on Slater Street and The Blue Angel on Seel Street.
One of the groups Williams looked after was The Silver Beetles, consisting of John, Paul, George and Stu Sutcliffe. Williams would provide gigs for The Silver Beetles around Liverpool and the North West, Williams also knew Brian Kelly who ran his own promotion company under the name of Beekay Promotions who would regularly have bookings for The Silver Beatles.
When John Lennon and George Harrison heard about Larry Parnes looking for groups they insisted that Allan Williams let the group audition for Parnes although Williams was at first reluctant to let them audition because they didn’t have a drummer in the group. Allan Williams set the auditions at his club The Blue Angel and invited The Silver Beetles along with a stand-in drummer for them, Johnny Hutchinson of Cass and the Cassanovas. The auditions went well and The Silver Beetles were offered a one-week tour of Scotland – May 20-28 supporting Johnny Gentle.
For George Harrison this was a big offer and he had to make a big decision, he went to his big brother Peter and told him about the Scotland tour and asked his advice, should he pack in his job at Blackler’s and take the chance? Peter replied: “You might as well, you never know what might happen, and if it doesn’t work out you’re not going to lose anything.” So, with that advice George agreed to go to Scotland. The other problem was the group was booked to play a gig in Liverpool the same night that the Scotland tour started. The promoter Brian Kelly of BeeKay Promotions had them headlining on May 21 at Lathom Hall, Seaforth. When the Silver Beetles failed to show for Brian Kelly he said he wouldn’t book them again.
First Trip To Hamburg
ON MAY 20 1960 John Askew of Scotland Road, better known as pop star Johnny Gentle, was booked to do a tour of Scotland. His agent Larry Parnes also managed Ronald Wycherley from Haliburton Street, Dingle, who was better known as Billy Fury. Parnes was in search of a backing group to support Johnny and approached Liverpool agent Allan Williams who ran a number of pubs around the city centre including The Jacaranda on Slater Street and The Blue Angel on Seel Street.
One of the groups Williams looked after was The Silver Beetles, consisting of John, Paul, George and Stu Sutcliffe. Williams would provide gigs for The Silver Beetles around Liverpool and the North West, Williams also knew Brian Kelly who ran his own promotion company under the name of Beekay Promotions who would regularly have bookings for The Silver Beatles.
When John Lennon and George Harrison heard about Larry Parnes looking for groups they insisted that Allan Williams let the group audition for Parnes although Williams was at first reluctant to let them audition because they didn’t have a drummer in the group. Allan Williams set the auditions at his club The Blue Angel and invited The Silver Beetles along with a stand-in drummer for them, Johnny Hutchinson of Cass and the Cassanovas. The auditions went well and The Silver Beetles were offered a one-week tour of Scotland – May 20-28 supporting Johnny Gentle.
For George Harrison this was a big offer and he had to make a big decision, he went to his big brother Peter and told him about the Scotland tour and asked his advice, should he pack in his job at Blackler’s and take the chance? Peter replied: “You might as well, you never know what might happen, and if it doesn’t work out you’re not going to lose anything.” So, with that advice George agreed to go to Scotland. The other problem was the group was booked to play a gig in Liverpool the same night that the Scotland tour started. The promoter Brian Kelly of BeeKay Promotions had them headlining on May 21 at Lathom Hall, Seaforth. When the Silver Beetles failed to show for Brian Kelly he said he wouldn’t book them again.
On the Scottish tour there were mixed reviews, Johnny Gentle thought the group were really good, John Lennon thought they were terrible, Paul thought they did okay, and George thought the whole thing was a shambles. They had no money, what little they did have was spent on food and the odd hotel bill, and they would spend most nights having to sleep in the van. George thought they shouldn’t have gone.
At this point George Harrison had left his job and committed himself to The Beatles, as they were now called. They had upset Brian Kelly of BeeKay promotions and couldn’t go back to him for work, so with the help of Allan Williams they went on the Wirral circuit playing clubs around Neston and Liscard. In August an opportunity came up for The Beatles to go to Hamburg.
Allan Williams put this to The Beatles, who then had to find a full time drummer, George remembered the Casbah Club, where Ken Brown his old mate was playing with his group The Blackjacks. On drums was Pete Best, George told Paul McCartney, who then phoned Pete Best, Pete agreed to join The Beatles as their drummer, leaving The Blackjacks and Ken Brown.
A few days later the group arrived in Hamburg and in August 1960 made their debut at The Indra, at this point George was only 17 years old.
At this point George Harrison had left his job and committed himself to The Beatles, as they were now called. They had upset Brian Kelly of BeeKay promotions and couldn’t go back to him for work, so with the help of Allan Williams they went on the Wirral circuit playing clubs around Neston and Liscard. In August an opportunity came up for The Beatles to go to Hamburg.
Allan Williams put this to The Beatles, who then had to find a full time drummer, George remembered the Casbah Club, where Ken Brown his old mate was playing with his group The Blackjacks. On drums was Pete Best, George told Paul McCartney, who then phoned Pete Best, Pete agreed to join The Beatles as their drummer, leaving The Blackjacks and Ken Brown.
A few days later the group arrived in Hamburg and in August 1960 made their debut at The Indra, at this point George was only 17 years old.
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Liverpool Echo Rock Of Ages Special:
50 Years Of The Beatles. 50 years of The Beatles: Kevin Roach looks back at the Fab Four in Hamburg . |
Part 4, 13th October 2012
The Beatles in Hamburg
The Beatles in Hamburg
THE Beatles arrived in Hamburg in August 1960. John, Paul, George, Stuart Sutcliffe and Pete Best were fresh out of Liverpool and on the start of a big adventure, but they soon realised that all they dreamt about the rock-n- roll life, was not as glamorous as it was made out to be.
The digs where they were staying were little more than a squat at the back of a cinema, the hours were long and the meals were very basic – sometimes they were just living on cornflakes – but the group of young friends put up with all of this because they were The Beatles.
At the first gig at The Indra Club, the reception was poor so the manager took them to one side to tell them to (Mach Shau) basically let yourselves go and have a good time and make a show for the customers. At first The Beatles were a bit reserved, but slowly they learnt how to Mach Schau.
Musically, the other Liverpool groups who were in Hamburg thought The Beatles were rubbish, and letting Liverpool down, but with the long hours on stage The Beatles soon improved the playing style.
Hamburg in the 1960s was well known for it’s rough and tough gangster culture and being a seaport for its red light district. This was a real eye-opener for the five young Liverpudlians fresh out of school and college, and as George Harrison said it was Hamburg that made men of them.
The digs where they were staying were little more than a squat at the back of a cinema, the hours were long and the meals were very basic – sometimes they were just living on cornflakes – but the group of young friends put up with all of this because they were The Beatles.
At the first gig at The Indra Club, the reception was poor so the manager took them to one side to tell them to (Mach Shau) basically let yourselves go and have a good time and make a show for the customers. At first The Beatles were a bit reserved, but slowly they learnt how to Mach Schau.
Musically, the other Liverpool groups who were in Hamburg thought The Beatles were rubbish, and letting Liverpool down, but with the long hours on stage The Beatles soon improved the playing style.
Hamburg in the 1960s was well known for it’s rough and tough gangster culture and being a seaport for its red light district. This was a real eye-opener for the five young Liverpudlians fresh out of school and college, and as George Harrison said it was Hamburg that made men of them.
Back at The Indra Club, The Beatles started to get a following and their style of Mach Schau was bringing more and more customers into the club, and the local residents started complaining about the noise. The Beatles were then moved to another club called The Kaiserkeller, where they would work the shift with Liverpool group Rory Storm and The Hurricanes. The word soon got around to other club managers about The Beatles and by November of 1960 they were offered a bigger venue, the Top Ten Club.
The owner of the Kaiserkeller was furious with The Beatles moving to a rival club and reported George Harrison to the police for working in the clubs underage. George was still only 17 years old and when the police heard of this George was deported back to Liverpool, George was devastated.
The other four members of The Beatles decided the Top Ten Club was a chance of a lifetime and wanted to honour their contract, but fate was to step in and help George. Unbeknownst to George back in Liverpool, Paul McCartney and Pete Best had been arrested in Hamburg on a charge of arson.
What had happened was as they were leaving the digs at the cinema, Paul and Pete as a prank decided to leave a going away present so they pinned a condom on the bare concrete wall and set light to it, After their arrest they were cautioned and deported. This left John Lennon and Stuart Sutcliffe in Hamburg, so John gave in and returned to Liverpool, Stu had met a girl in Hamburg and became engaged so he stayed behind.
Between 1961 and 1962, The Beatles would return to Hamburg and The Top Ten Club, which led them to a recording session backing Tony Sheridan, the were credited on the label as The Beat Brothers. The tracks they recorded were not Beatles tracks but a mixture – My Bonnie Lies Over The Ocean, When The Saints Go Marching In, Why (Can’t You Love Me Again) and Nobody’s Child.
One other song was recorded at that session which was Cry For A Shadow – an instrumental credited not to Lennon/ McCartney but to John Lennon and George Harrison.
The owner of the Kaiserkeller was furious with The Beatles moving to a rival club and reported George Harrison to the police for working in the clubs underage. George was still only 17 years old and when the police heard of this George was deported back to Liverpool, George was devastated.
The other four members of The Beatles decided the Top Ten Club was a chance of a lifetime and wanted to honour their contract, but fate was to step in and help George. Unbeknownst to George back in Liverpool, Paul McCartney and Pete Best had been arrested in Hamburg on a charge of arson.
What had happened was as they were leaving the digs at the cinema, Paul and Pete as a prank decided to leave a going away present so they pinned a condom on the bare concrete wall and set light to it, After their arrest they were cautioned and deported. This left John Lennon and Stuart Sutcliffe in Hamburg, so John gave in and returned to Liverpool, Stu had met a girl in Hamburg and became engaged so he stayed behind.
Between 1961 and 1962, The Beatles would return to Hamburg and The Top Ten Club, which led them to a recording session backing Tony Sheridan, the were credited on the label as The Beat Brothers. The tracks they recorded were not Beatles tracks but a mixture – My Bonnie Lies Over The Ocean, When The Saints Go Marching In, Why (Can’t You Love Me Again) and Nobody’s Child.
One other song was recorded at that session which was Cry For A Shadow – an instrumental credited not to Lennon/ McCartney but to John Lennon and George Harrison.
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Liverpool Echo Rock Of Ages Special:
50 Years Of The Beatles. Kevin Roach looks back at The Beatles return from Hamburg. |
Part 5, 20th October 2012
From Litherland Town Hall, to the Cavern.
From Litherland Town Hall, to the Cavern.
After The Beatles shambolic return to Liverpool, from their first Hamburg Tour in November 1960, when three of the group had been deported, George Harrison for being underage, Paul McCartney and Pete Best for attempted arson, and John Lennon leaving Stuart Sutcliffe behind so Stu could be with his German born fiancée Astrid Kirchherr.
It was a few weeks before the four got intouch with each other, the first move was made by Pete Best, who phoned George to ask what was happing with the group, this came as a surprise to George who did’nt realise the others had returned to Liverpool, and he wasted no time in contacting Lennon and McCartney, and they decided to meet up at The Jacaranda, whilst they were there they then ask Allan Williams to get them a gig, Williams pointed them in the direction of Bob Wooler, a well known Disc Jockey and Compere on the Liverpool music scene, and it was Wooler who secured them a booking with Beekay Promotions, although Brian Kelly the promoter was reluctant to work with The Beatles, Bob Wooler gave Kelly his word that they will be there.
With that endorsement from Bob Wooler, The Beatles were booked to play The Litherland Town Hall on the 27th December 1960, Wooler had them advertised ‘Direct From Hamburg, The Beatles’ on the evening of the gig four Beatles arrived on stage wearing the leather gear, and went straight into the routine they had learnt while working in the clubs in Hamburg, their impact was immediate the crowd all stopped dancing and rushed to the front of the stage to have a closer look at what was thought to be was four young German Rock – Roller’s from Hamburg. John Lennon and the rest of the group thought it was funny after the show that the girls commented on how good their English was?
It was a few weeks before the four got intouch with each other, the first move was made by Pete Best, who phoned George to ask what was happing with the group, this came as a surprise to George who did’nt realise the others had returned to Liverpool, and he wasted no time in contacting Lennon and McCartney, and they decided to meet up at The Jacaranda, whilst they were there they then ask Allan Williams to get them a gig, Williams pointed them in the direction of Bob Wooler, a well known Disc Jockey and Compere on the Liverpool music scene, and it was Wooler who secured them a booking with Beekay Promotions, although Brian Kelly the promoter was reluctant to work with The Beatles, Bob Wooler gave Kelly his word that they will be there.
With that endorsement from Bob Wooler, The Beatles were booked to play The Litherland Town Hall on the 27th December 1960, Wooler had them advertised ‘Direct From Hamburg, The Beatles’ on the evening of the gig four Beatles arrived on stage wearing the leather gear, and went straight into the routine they had learnt while working in the clubs in Hamburg, their impact was immediate the crowd all stopped dancing and rushed to the front of the stage to have a closer look at what was thought to be was four young German Rock – Roller’s from Hamburg. John Lennon and the rest of the group thought it was funny after the show that the girls commented on how good their English was?
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After that performance Brian Kelly put his grievances with The Beatles to one side and would book them play regularly at his venues, it was because of this, that Pete Best was nominated to manage the group and Pete agreed, he had the experience as his father John Best was an established Boxing Promote around Liverpool and the North West , Pete thought if my Dad can do it, so can I, Pete started to bring in regular gigs for his group which included The Casbah at 8 Hayman’s Green, West Derby is home., he also stored the band gear at home, sorted out a van, with a driver in Neil Aspinall a lodger at Haymans Green, Neil agreed to be part time road manager for the group would pay him for driving them from gig to gig.
1961 started with The Beatles in high demand thanks to Pete’s hard work and dedication, Pete had also secured a gig at The Cavern Club on Mathew Street, although The Beatles had played there before they had never been listed on the bill, until the 9th February 1961, later that month George Harrison had turned 18, and it was back to Hamburg in the April returning in July, The timing of The Beatles return was just right, a friend of John Lennon’s, Bill Harry was about to launch is music magazine ‘The Merseybeat’ Bill Harry printed 5000 copies, and covered The Beatles as a feature, from then on The Beatles would have consent coverage in ‘The Merseybeat’ one of the stockiest for the magazine was the record shop N.E.M.S in Whitechapel which was run by Brian Epstein.
1961 started with The Beatles in high demand thanks to Pete’s hard work and dedication, Pete had also secured a gig at The Cavern Club on Mathew Street, although The Beatles had played there before they had never been listed on the bill, until the 9th February 1961, later that month George Harrison had turned 18, and it was back to Hamburg in the April returning in July, The timing of The Beatles return was just right, a friend of John Lennon’s, Bill Harry was about to launch is music magazine ‘The Merseybeat’ Bill Harry printed 5000 copies, and covered The Beatles as a feature, from then on The Beatles would have consent coverage in ‘The Merseybeat’ one of the stockiest for the magazine was the record shop N.E.M.S in Whitechapel which was run by Brian Epstein.
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Liverpool Echo Rock Of Ages Special:
50 Years Of The Beatles. Kevin Roach looks back at how The Beatles met Brian Epstein. |
Part 6, 27th October 2012
How The Beatles met Eppy
I hope you have enjoyed are look back to the birth of The Beatles, This week we look at how The Beatles meet Brian Epstein.
The Beatles in the meantime was, thanks to the endeavours of drummer Pete Best were extremely busy sometimes having three bookings in one night, also thanks to Best they had secured the afternoon sessions at The Cavern Club. It was at The Cavern Club late 1961 that The Beatles announced that a record they had recorded in German the year before “My Bonnie” was now available in the shops, and the adoring Beatles fans started going into Epstein’s record shop NEMS on Whitechapel to buy The record, however “My Bonnie” was not available in the UK, and it was shop assistant Alistair Taylor who put an order in to buy 25 copies, which sold out within the hour.
Epstein ran NEMS record store which was only a few hundred yards away was the Cavern Club on Mathew Street, in 1961 Epstein was aware of The Beatles through the music magazine The MerseyBeat which was foundered by Bill Harry in July of 1961.
The attention The Beatles were getting intrigued Epstein who together with his assistant Alistair Taylor decided to visit The Cavern to see The Beatles for himself, on his arrival at the Cavern, D.J. Bob Wooler announced his appearance, which got back to The Beatles who were ready to go on stage, after their show Epstein approached The Beatles who were at this point still managed and promoted by Pete Best, however Epstein offered The Beatles a management contract, but The Beatles only agreed to this if he could get them a record contract.
A few days after that meeting in the Cavern Club, The Beatles visited NEMS and signed a contract with Brain Epstein who made a pledge to get them a record deal, Epstein also wanted to change The Beatles image, he laid down his rules, Stop eating, drinking and smoking on stage, and lose the leather outfits. Brian polished up The Beatles act and put them into suits, he also started getting them more upmarket gigs, he recorded a demo tape and would set up meetings with record companies to get that record deal he promised The Beatles.
Pete Best at this point was happy to pass all that responsibly to Epstein after all Best had looked after that side of The Beatles for the last 12 months and took his group as far as he could, On New Year’s 1961 Epstein asked The Beatles to travel to London for an audition with Decca.
Unfortunately The Beatles were rejected by Decca, things were getting desperate for Epstein who had previously been rejected by most of the big record labels, Pye, Columbia and Oriole. Epstein’s break came in June 1962, thanks to Parlophone which was part of EMI. The Beatles recorded a number of tracks at the studio in Abbey Road, London and secured a contract, there was one more problem for Epstein to sort out, and that was Pete Best for whatever reason he was sacked from the group, allsorts of reasons have come forward over the years for his dismissal, but there are only two people who know the reason, and that is Paul McCartney and Pete Best.
After the sacking of Pete Best, Epstein followed The Beatles instructions to replace him with Richard Starkey better known as Ringo Starr from the Dingle, Ringo joined the group to record ‘Love Me Do’ which was released 50 years ago this month, although reaching No1 in Liverpool, it only claimed to No 17 in the nation charts. But what was more important Brian Epstein had fore filled his promise to get The Beatles a record deal.
How The Beatles met Eppy
I hope you have enjoyed are look back to the birth of The Beatles, This week we look at how The Beatles meet Brian Epstein.
The Beatles in the meantime was, thanks to the endeavours of drummer Pete Best were extremely busy sometimes having three bookings in one night, also thanks to Best they had secured the afternoon sessions at The Cavern Club. It was at The Cavern Club late 1961 that The Beatles announced that a record they had recorded in German the year before “My Bonnie” was now available in the shops, and the adoring Beatles fans started going into Epstein’s record shop NEMS on Whitechapel to buy The record, however “My Bonnie” was not available in the UK, and it was shop assistant Alistair Taylor who put an order in to buy 25 copies, which sold out within the hour.
Epstein ran NEMS record store which was only a few hundred yards away was the Cavern Club on Mathew Street, in 1961 Epstein was aware of The Beatles through the music magazine The MerseyBeat which was foundered by Bill Harry in July of 1961.
The attention The Beatles were getting intrigued Epstein who together with his assistant Alistair Taylor decided to visit The Cavern to see The Beatles for himself, on his arrival at the Cavern, D.J. Bob Wooler announced his appearance, which got back to The Beatles who were ready to go on stage, after their show Epstein approached The Beatles who were at this point still managed and promoted by Pete Best, however Epstein offered The Beatles a management contract, but The Beatles only agreed to this if he could get them a record contract.
A few days after that meeting in the Cavern Club, The Beatles visited NEMS and signed a contract with Brain Epstein who made a pledge to get them a record deal, Epstein also wanted to change The Beatles image, he laid down his rules, Stop eating, drinking and smoking on stage, and lose the leather outfits. Brian polished up The Beatles act and put them into suits, he also started getting them more upmarket gigs, he recorded a demo tape and would set up meetings with record companies to get that record deal he promised The Beatles.
Pete Best at this point was happy to pass all that responsibly to Epstein after all Best had looked after that side of The Beatles for the last 12 months and took his group as far as he could, On New Year’s 1961 Epstein asked The Beatles to travel to London for an audition with Decca.
Unfortunately The Beatles were rejected by Decca, things were getting desperate for Epstein who had previously been rejected by most of the big record labels, Pye, Columbia and Oriole. Epstein’s break came in June 1962, thanks to Parlophone which was part of EMI. The Beatles recorded a number of tracks at the studio in Abbey Road, London and secured a contract, there was one more problem for Epstein to sort out, and that was Pete Best for whatever reason he was sacked from the group, allsorts of reasons have come forward over the years for his dismissal, but there are only two people who know the reason, and that is Paul McCartney and Pete Best.
After the sacking of Pete Best, Epstein followed The Beatles instructions to replace him with Richard Starkey better known as Ringo Starr from the Dingle, Ringo joined the group to record ‘Love Me Do’ which was released 50 years ago this month, although reaching No1 in Liverpool, it only claimed to No 17 in the nation charts. But what was more important Brian Epstein had fore filled his promise to get The Beatles a record deal.
Brian Epstein's stable, starting left is The Beatles, jumping for joy, far right Eppy looks on.
