Beatles Liverpool and More
  • Shop
  • Home
  • About BL&M
  • Beatles
  • JOHN
  • RINGO
  • PAUL
  • GEORGE
  • & More
  • Liverpool
  • Contact Us

New Book by Spencer Leigh.                                                                     "Could This Be Magic: The Story Of Doo-Wop".

13/5/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture
Could This Be Magic? has been a journey for me as I wanted to tie up what I knew about doo-wop and work out the full back (and black) history of the music.

I also thought it would
be great fun to spend a summer listening to doo-wop and then writing about it in the winter.

This book tells the story of doo-wop from the start and has profiles of key musicians and players along the way. We follow the music through the 1960s to the present and see how it has been taken up by other performers. In particular, I wanted to show the virtues of British doo-wop, which has been all but ignored. Indeed, the very juxtaposition of those two words will fill some diehard rockers with horror. I also look at doo-wop in the rest of the world.
Read 1st Chapter Below.
Read More Kindle Edtion availble here @£4.02
There Has been some Great 5 star reviews on Amazon.
​5 out of 5 stars Shang-a-lang-a-ding-dang
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 26 April 2020
To most serious lovers of popular music author Spencer Leigh will need no introduction. For many years a highly regarded broadcaster on Radio Merseyside his long-running programme 'On The Beat' is the stuff of legend, always well worth tuning into. As are his extensively researched and highly readable biographies on artists such as Buddy Holly, Paul Simon and Frank Sinatra, just three I can highly recommend. His latest tome, 'Could This Be Magic?' is the perfect introduction to and exploration of 'Doo-wop'. Pacy and superbly detailed it will have fans delving through their record collections to seek out those gems they have not played in a while, surely the best commendation for any book about music.


MK
5.0 out of 5 stars Entertaining and informative.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 23 April 2020
This is a very entertaining, informative read which fills a definite gap in music history.

T. Adams
4.0 out of 5 stars A British perspective on one of the classic American music genres
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 7 May 2020
A very interesting read, of extremely broad scope, covering the origins of "doo-wop", the great groups and records of its heyday, and its influence on later pop and rock music.


Spencer talked about the book with Janice Long on BBC Radio Wales who says, “Spencer is an absolute icon. His passion for music is inspirational. I love the way he passes it on with his writing and broadcasting. Long may he reign.”


Danielz from T. Rextasy has been reading Could This Be Magic:
“Phew! Just finished reading this most interesting and informative book. So much falls into place with its intricate interweaving between songs, singers, bands and writers.”


David Charters of the Liverpool Echo comments,
“Spencer Leigh is the master of his craft. And that craft is telling how popular music has influenced the lives of countless millions, becoming the great cultural force of the 20th century. As well as telling the story of doo-wop, his essays on the Prisonaires and Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers touch with passion on nerve-scraping subjects, whilst also celebrating genius, endurance,courage and love. Nothing is unnecessarily dramatised. It all happened. The staying power of Dion is a lesson for all those young musicians who now offer us their tortured souls. This book is masterful and comprehensive and facts are always placed before sentiment, as they should be”



Ron Ellis of the Southport Champion says
“Everybody who has any interest at all in doo-wop has got to buy this book. It has everything –a detailed history of the genre from the very first doo-wop record (by the Ravens); details of release dates; biographies of the artists and background to the music scene. What really makes it exceptional are Spencer Leigh’s acerbic comments and observations (‘Earth Angel’ must be the best use of an oxymoron in popular music’). There are realms of interesting information about both artists and songs that would never be found in a straight reference book.”


As Garry Christian of the Christians says in the Foreword,
“Spencer Leigh's book reminds me of how great these records are.”

Could This Be Magic: The Story of Doo-Wop is available on Kindle and is only £4. Buy a copy and spend the whole day being transported back to the late 1950s.


0 Comments

Penny Lane Needs A Little Help from Its Friends

25/2/2020

0 Comments

 

Penny Lane ​Not Just Any Lane.

Picture
Leetter Of Support from the McCartney's
Picture
Picture
Picture
Donate Here
Picture
Visit Penny Lane Shop
 Penny Lane – Liverpool is the most famous lane in the world, immortalized by the Beatles when they recorded the song Penny Lane.
The ground which the Penny Lane Development sits within, has a huge history and is steeped in culture. It is famous for the Grove Mount Playing fields, home to the once famous Liverpool Schools Boys FC.

Home to the playing field in which John Lennon and George Harrison one played sports.
Today the grounds have been secured for the foreseeable future (99yrs) In fact. Our story starts in 1998 when the School Boys left the hallowed Penny Lane Fields to venture in to pasture new.
The land was designated prime land and was due to be sold to housing developers. A group of local people came together and set up a paper campaign to save the fields forever. How many groups have set up a campaign and after 12 months of battling they gave up? Our group battled for 13yrs to save this field.

We became a reg Charity and a Limited Company by guarantee. The board members were from the local community and we all had the same vision.
Sir Paul’s brother Mike even sent a letter of support saying that we can’t lose yet another iconic Beatles site. Stating that Penny Lane was not just any lane!
The trustees took this comment on board and with a little help from our friends we trade marked the “not just any lane” and made it copy right to PLDT. n 2008 the council finally agreed that we could have a lease on the designated section of the lad for 99yrs. The Trustees gained a capital grant from Central Government to refurbish the disused, burnt out building. There was no funding for staff or activities, just the refurb.
The journey has been fascinating and exciting, but also very hard. We have had our fair share of peeks and troughs and many mountains to climb.
In 2010 we opened the doors to a beautiful Community Centre. Our core activities include delivering a range of Health& Wellbeing classes to the local community. We host events, and socials.
Before long the many Beatles visitors started to arrive. We did not have anything to offer the visitors. Bit by bit Beatles fans were donating some wonderful artifacts, posters, records and the like. Our main office is now a small unique gift shop. Many of the items we sell our made locally. Thus, supporting our local artist.
Technically we are not recognized as a tourist destination. But that does not stop the visitors from coming. We have been in operation for over 10yrs now and have grown into life on the lane.
We have made friends from all over the world. The Centre operates to serve local people and visitors. The visitors love to see what we are doing and want to get involved. We have many of our visitors who make regular donations to the trust as they feel like they are a part of the family and want to see this hard-fought project go from strength to strength It is lovely to see many of our friends returning year on year, to see their families growing up when once they were boys.
We are seeing young children who love the Beatles come through the door………
If you have never been to Penny Lane and been in our Centre then you can keep in touch via our FB page. ( Penny Lane Development Trust)
We are a very small but dedicated team who keep this amazing project alive.

If you can make a small donation to help us on our way, we would be most grateful. In return you will receive an E- Certificate of appreciation. As we always say, “Every Penny Counts”

Thank you all in advance.
My kindest regards A founder member of Penny Lane Development Trust
Julie Gornell
Senior Charity Officer
0 Comments

New Children's Book by Shaun Millea.

8/10/2019

0 Comments

 
Picture

"Hillsborough
"When Will Dad Be Home?"
One Boys Story Of A Tragedy.

By Shaun Millea.
​
£11.79 - £14.79Available to Pre-Order,                                Publishing date 26th October 2019.


This is the fictional story of Frankie who was aged 9 years old in 1989, when his Dad went to watch Liverpool v Nottingham Forest in the semi-final of the F.A. cup at Hillsborough Stadium on the 15th April.

Frankie tells his story of the heartbreak of that day, the story is added to with factual information about the tragedy, which enhances this book to help parents, carers and teachers explain why the Hillsborough tragedy will always be remembered by the people of Liverpool.

This book by author Shaun Millea has been a work of passion. 
Shaun was born, lives and works in Liverpool, he teacher’s history to primary school children.
It was while he was delivering a history talk at Toxteth Library in Liverpool, when a chance meeting with a lady from Bath, who explained that her children didn’t understand what Hillsborough meant to the people of Liverpool. It was that comment which inspired him to write this book.

In purchasing this book 10% of the royalties of this book will be donated to Alder Hey Children's Hospital.
Available To Pre-Order Here.
0 Comments

New Book - The Art of Tom Donohue.

29/7/2019

0 Comments

 
Picture
The Art Of Tom Donohue.

Liverpool born Tom Donohue has always had a passion for art. From an early age Tom produced some magnificent art work which he would sell to his fellow pupils in Primary School.

He has been commissioned to produce illustrations for many authors across the globe.

​He is invited to showcase his art in Galleries, independent businesses, hospitals and universities.

Tom is a very skilled artist, and attends many events, especially at the Beatles conventions.

This is Tom's first book in which he shares his talent and passion for his  ART.

Product details
  • Paperback: 100 pages
  • Publisher: Beatles Liverpool and More Ltd (15 August 2019)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-13: 978-1-9164192-6-1
  • Product Dimensions: 21x 29 cm
                                                                                      RRP £25.00                                                                                      
available to pre-order here for £20
0 Comments

New Book - The Beetle Who Loved To Sing.

29/6/2019

0 Comments

 
Picture
By P.E.Martin. 

Ron the beetle from Liverpool loves to sing and play the guitar. Along with his friends, Small George and Dingo, they form a band and attempt to take the world by storm!

​In this charming children's poetry book, debut author P.E. Martin, re-imagines the stories of bands conquering America in his own quirky way: set entirely in the insect kingdom.

This is a wonderful 26 page paperback book that all children will enjoy size 210mm x210mm
​




Product details
  • Paperback: 26 pages
  • Publisher: Beatles Liverpool and More Ltd ( 29 June 2019)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1916419259
  • ISBN-13: 978-1916419254
  • Product Dimensions: 210mm x 210mm
  • ​Price - £9.99
Click Here To Order
0 Comments

Lusitania and Liverpool: A City In Mourning

19/2/2018

0 Comments

 
Picture
0 Comments

The Lusitania - 100 years in May 2015

1/1/2017

1 Comment

 
The Lusitania is and always will be remembered in Liverpool, the reason is it belonged to Liverpool built for the Cunard Line, and crewed by many Liverpool men and women, and it is the Liverpool families who hold the memory of the Lusitania close to their hearts for the terrible event which to place on 7th May 1915, when the Grand Lady was torpedoed.

This section is to take a look back at the liner that ruled the waves from its creation to the fateful day when it was lost. There are many books and web pages dedicated to the Lusitania which are all excellent points of research also the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website lists the casualties who were lost on the Lusitania and this can be searched at their website www.cwgc.org


The Beginning

The contract to build the Lusitania was awarded to John Brown & Co, Ltd, Clydebank, during the construct of the ship the company was photographing the progress.

Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture

Read More
1 Comment

The Lusitania and her links to Liverpool Documentary

1/1/2017

0 Comments

 
Picture
Picture
On Monday 24 November, we made a trip to London to meet with Igor who is a freelance reporter currently working for Belarus TV on the Russian passengers on board the Lusitania.  The filming took place outside the British Library and the St. Pancras area, we managed to have time to look around this magnificent building, the British Library and the exhibition on the Beatles including some lyrics.  

The documentary for Belarus TV will be shown in December 2014.  The Russian passenger list totalled 71, of which 40 perished and 31 survived.
Three of the survivors was a young mum and her two children aged 3 and 4.

Picture
0 Comments

Charles Dickens and Liverpool

27/3/2015

0 Comments

 
Charles Dickens was born on the 7th February 1812.  His first visit to Liverpool took place in 1838, Dickens became a regular visitor until April 1869, which was his last lecture in Liverpool.

1838
Charles Dickens first novel Pickwick Papers was serialised between 1836 - 1837,  in November 1838 he made his first visit to Liverpool. During a trip to North Wales, with Hablot K. Browne who had planned to visit his son Edgar Browne who lived in Rodney Street, Liverpool, Dickens wrote a letter dated 3rd November 1838 to his colleague and friend John Forster, he wrote:

"I wrote you last night but by mistake the letter has gone to heavens knows where in my portmanteau. I have only time to say go straight to Liverpool by the first Birmingham train on Monday morning, and at the Adelphi Hotel in that town you will find me." 

Dickens was aged 26 and this was his first known visit to Liverpool.

1842
Charles Dickens next visit to Liverpool was January 1842, it was during a planned visit to Boston, America, on the Cunard steamer 'The Britannia' that he arrived in Liverpool the day before the sailing. He stayed once again at the Adelphi Hotel. 

On the eve of their 18 day voyage he wrote to his friend Thomas Mitton, letter dated 3rd January 1842.

Read More
0 Comments

Liverpool Air Raid Shelters

1/3/2015

0 Comments

 
Picture
With the frequent bomb attacks on LIverpool. street shelters and air raid shelters were essential for survival of the people of Liverpool to take cover and protect themselves.

Here is an instruction sheet to help with building an air raid shelter.
Picture
This shelter was built at Lower Lane, Liverpool.

Read More
0 Comments
<<Previous

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Shop
Advertise
About the Team
Contact Us
Registered in England 8666565
© Beatles Liverpool and More Ltd 2007-2020