On this day in 1959 Johnny and The Moondogs played an audition for a talent show. Sadly they did not win.

Why should we be bothered about a failed band? Simply because they later became The Silver Beetles, then The Silver Beats and eventually The Beatles. It seems that Lennon took names seriously as The Beatles had some 8 names, including The Beatles (twice!).

Carroll Levis was Canadian born but moved to the UK to work for the BBC. In 1958 and 1959 he ran talent shows and the prize was to appear on either his radio or TV shows both called “Star Search” (some sources say it was called “Search for a Star”). The set up was that the acts performed and later reprised their act while the audience applauded. Using a clapometer it was decided which act was most popular and so the winner.

On 15 November 1959 (or possibly 26th November) The Quarrymen morphed into Johnny and the Moondogs for the talent show. Their line up was John, Paul, George, Colin Hanton (drums), and John Lowe (piano). The auditions took place in The Hippodrome Theatre, Manchester and the band turned up to play. However, they did not have enough money to stay overnight if they had progressed to the next heat and returned to Liverpool without knowing whether they has won or not (they didn’t).

There are several questions about this whole episode. The 15th November 1959 was a Sunday, would the theatre be open on a Sunday in those days? Possibly not. An alternative date given for their performance is the 26 November 1959. There is also some question as to what, if anything Lennon was playing at the time. There are reports that Lennon was singing but notplaying at this time. There are other reports that Lennon was indeed playing guitar, a Hofner Club 40. It is known that Lennon was playing this guitar a little later when the Quarrymen (they had changed the name back) played the Casbah club. This is the guitar that Lennon’s aunt Mimi bought for him. The photo above is from 1958 and shows Lennon without a guitar, but obviously that proves nothing. There are also reports that Lennon actually stole a guitar to play at the competition. (It has to be said that I was told that some time ago but I have not been able to corroborate this story).

So what do we know? The proto-Beatles took part in a talent show, did not win but did not give up. It is hard for us to look back now and appreciate the change that was happening to society. In post war Britain skiffle had roused something among the youngsters. They became enamoured of the energetic music that was coming from the States, then rock and roll took their desire to express themselves further. There were difficulties and deprivations but a generation was beginning to reject the old staid mores of their parents and the existing society. From such small beginnings………..

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There is a letter going to be actioned that shows that The Beatles were looking for a drummer who would have replaced Pete Best.

In 1960 a drummer placed an advert in the Liverpool Echo the advert said “Drummer-Young-Free.”

McCartney replied and the letter that going to auction is his reply; It is interesting because the letter invited the (unknown) drummer to an audition. It also said that the drummer should be prepared to drop everything and go off to Hamburg for 2 months. The letter said that the pay would be £18 per week. (Not too shabby in 1960).

So, this was not someone to replace Ringo – he replaced Pete Best a couple of years later. It was was someone to take to Hamburg instead of Pete Best. It is known that PB was in The Beatles, not so much because he was a great drummer but more that he had a drum kit!

Bruce Spicer, a well known Beatles Scholar said “This shows that Pete wasn’t the only person they were interested in,” Spizer said. “They needed a drummer and Pete was convenient. It makes sense that they would have responded to some drummer in Liverpool looking for work. My speculation is that two months in Hamburg intimidated him, maybe he didn’t want to go and never replied. If he had responded, and if he was good, it might have changed everything.”

It was in Hamburg that The Beatles grew into a tight and professional unit ready to take the world by storm. Years later Lennon said that The Beatles were the best rock band in the world at the time when they were playing in Hamburg. (He probably meant the later stints in Hamburg in ‘62 rather than the first one). He also said, “I might have been born in Liverpool – but I grew up in Hamburg”

Somewhere there is a man who was a drummer in his youth, who might have, just might have become the best known drummer in the world. Who he was we will probably never know. There are lots of unanswered questions; Did he have an audition? Was he offered the job? Did not bother to reply to Sir Paul ‘cos he did not fancy Hamburg? How did this letter turn up being used as a bookmark in a book at a car boot sale? Why do I never find things like this when I go to car booties?

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In fact, you probably did not hear it here first, it is all over the media. Even in the Daily Mail (that well known organ obviously has its finger on the pulse of Yooth Kulture). That being inspite of a press conference being set for Tuesday 18th October to make “an announcement”.

It now seems common knowledge that the reunion will start next year and 2 concerts in Manchester being widely touted.

While not a big fan myself it is good to see an iconic band coming together again. It seems that Ian Brown and John Squire have put those “musical differences” behind them. That was the big stumbling block to the band getting together again.

For younger readers The Stone Roses’ first self titled album in 1989 was hailed by may as the best debut album, ever. (Mainly, their PR team to start with and then music journos, and then the more gullible of the public. A good debut, even a great debut, but the best ever? I think not. Think of Zappa’s Freak Out, The eponymous Bob Dylan album, A Girl Called Dusty, Please Help Me by the Fab Four, I Wanna Be Your Dog by The Stooges. AND obviously, The Velvet Underground with Nico debut.

Nothing wrong with hype, the music industry lives off it, but a bit of realism would be nice.

Anyway, expect huge competition for the tickets – and suitably large prices. I will be hovering my lap top when they go on sale, so perhaps I will see you there. I will be the old fart saying “yeah, not bad but not as good as Iggy, Frank, Don, Lou et al………….

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On this day in 1963  The Beatles topped the bill at The Royal Variety Show at The Prince Of Wales Theatre, London.   The Queen Mother and Princess Margaret were in the audience.  The event was made famous by John Lennon with his famous remark “In the cheaper seats you clap your hands. The rest of you, just rattle your jewellery”.

The rest of us plebs watched the show when it was broadcast on UK television on the Nov 10th 1963.

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On this day in 1976 Bowie gave an interview in which he said that Britain would benefit from having a dictator and that he would be good at it. He also said that Hitler was the first rock star and that Hitler drew more fans than Jagger. Then there were the stories about his Nazi salute, the detention of Bowie’s train (yes he had a train) as it crossed between Russia and Poland. Lots of Nazi memorabilia, books, etc. were confiscated.

So what was it with Bowie at the time?

Bowie had been interested in Buddhism for some time (yes, this is relevant, honest). From there he moved (descended?) into an interest in the Occult, accompanied by an ever growing consumption of cocaine.

From a general interest in the occult came painting mystic symbols on the walls of his house, burning candles, and reciting rites to protect him from the evil ones who were trying to get to him. He also began to retain his hair and nail clippings and urine in bottles in the fridge so that they could not be used in magic rituals against him. In other words serious chemical induced paranoia.

From there he became aware that the Nazis were heavily involved in the occult. (The idea that they hunted the Ark of the Covenant is not just an invention of the Indiana Jones film’s writer). It is this interest in the occult that drew him towards the Nazi symbolism. It is even possible that he got to Nazi symbols via an interest in the Kabala.

The quotes ? Not quite as they were reported at the time, it would seem, Yes he said that Britain would benefit from a dictator, a socialist none not a fascist one, he also said that he thought that he would be quite good at the job………. Hitler the first rock star? If you think of Hitler in the terms of the public rallies and adoration of the crowds, then yes, you could make some sort of comparison. However, you really have to be off your head on something to think that comparing Hitler with anything other than the spawn of the devil is a good idea.

So there you have it, paranoia, caused by ingesting the whole of Columbia’s export trade on his own, and spiralling interest in the occult, combined to encourage Bowie to make some outrageous comments and act as a cretin.

Mind you there were some upsides for Bowie. It would seem that the comments broke just before the Bowie tour reached England. Ticket sales were poor before the comments, sold out afterwards. Remember, he had previous for playing the media. There was the Hunky Dory tour, poor sales up until the “I’m Gay” interview in the music press and, hey presto!, tickets sales soar.

So, what is the truth? Probably, drugs and a descent into paranoia. If you do not inhabit your brain for a length of time you are likely to do some strange stuff.

As for the Nazi salute. I saw the clip some time ago and went to look at it again but it has been taken down on YouTube. However, there is an equally shocking clip featuring a Nazi salute by Ringo! (Or he may just be waving to his fan).

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On this day in 1960 The Nerk Twins played a couple of gigs at the Fox and Hounds in Caversham.  As these were the only bookings fulfilled by the Nerk Twins that in itself would merit an ‘On This Day’ mention,  the more so that the location was the world famous Fox and Hounds.

However, the reason why there is some interest in the Nerk Twins was that they later became part of a local pub band called the Beatles.  After the artistic peak of playing to 3 people in Paul’s cousin’s pub Paul and John took the almost precedented step of turning their  back on fame for the obscurity of rock band mediocracy.

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Ravi Shankar celebrates his 90th birthday today.

Best known by the wider western world for his connection with George Harrison and the Beatles Ravi is a master of the sitar. He has received 3 Grammys, played with Yehudi Menuhin. He is a great performer, he is also a noted composer, teacher and writer. Certainly he has done more for Indian music than any other musician.

He began as a dancer touring Europe in his brother’s dance troop and did not start to study the sitar until he was 18. Apart from his music (as if that was enough) he was awarded India’s highest civilian honor, the Bharat Ratna, in 1999, as well as serving in the upper house of the Indian Parliament.

I have been lucky enough to visit India a few times and have witnessed various types and stiles of music and performances from formal religious ceremonies to scratch bands playing together for the joy of music which we all share. The music is complex but accessable formalised but improvised, it has a religious basis but is secular in its appeal.

If you ever get the opportunity I urge you to listen to Ravi and to Indian music in general. You will love it!

Also check out tabla music….

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On this day in 1970 Max Yasgur who owned the farm where Woodstock was sued by neighbours for damages caused by the rampaging hippies. The suits either totaled $25,000 0r $35,000. Eventually, they were settled. The finances of ‘Woodstock Ventures’ are a bit murky but it seems that although it was planned as a profit making venture (it only became a free concert after so many people turned up) but the some 80 lawsuits filed against them were paid from the profits of the film. The film also helped to settle their $1.4m debts.

The people who didn’t play Woodstock?

The Beatles, some say because the organisers would not also book
the Yoko Ono Band, some because Lennon could not get into the states because of visa difficulties.

The Doors because they thought it would not be worthy of them ‘a second class Monteray’.

Led Zepp ‘cos they did not want to be just another band on the bill.

Dylan was negotiating but his son became ill.

The Moody Blues decided to play a gig in Paris instead. That was either a really bad decision or an inspired one. Bad because of the loss of exposure good because more than most they relied on a good sound system when playing live and the sound at Woodstock was bad, very bad.

Missed opportunity?

Keef Hartley played Woodstock but did not make the film because their manager refused to give the rights away. Shame ‘cos KH was ‘my’ band in the 60’s and they deserved much better recognition.

Best way to experience Woodstock? Watch the film turn up the volume, sit in a tub of mud, and smoke your little smoke, drink your little drink, while I dance the night away…….(No FZ wasn’t there either)

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The Fab Four at their most Fab.......

Gawd knows what he would have made of the Stones.

They were embarking on their first tour in the UK on which they were the headliners having previously backed people like Bo Diddley, Little Richard and The Everly Brothers. This tie round they were supported by the Ronnettes (as was usual at the time a strange pairing it seems to me). Jack Paar may not have liked the Beatles’ hair Phil Spector did not like the Stones’ morals. He sent a telegram to the Stones warning to stay away from ‘his girls’. Mind you Ronnie of the Ronnettes was his wife at the time.

Apparently, the Stones ignored the telegram.

The tour started in the Harrow Granada, not the best venue they would ever play, but certainly not the worst. One notable thing from the tour was that the Stones stopped wearing their band uniform. One of the first bands to do so. These days it seems hard imagine that any band would wear a uniform, but it was the norm in those days. That they stopped wearing them enhanced their loutish, bad boy image. parents (mine included) hated them because of it. The kids (me included) loved them because of it (and the music, of course).

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On this day in 1969 Paul McCartney said officially that he was not dead, unless the statement was issued by William Campbell after the surgery.

There had been persistent rumours that Paul had died in a car accident and that he had been replaced with a look-a-like called William Campbell.

The story begins on 9th November 1966 while the Beatles were working on Sgt. Pepper’s but things were not going well. In frustration Paul left the Abbey Road studios and jumped in his car. While driving he picked up a woman hitch hiker (called Rita). She became hysterical when she realised who he was and in the fracas that ensued he crashed the car. She was able to get out of the now burning car but Paul, sadly, died.

What happened then was a massive cover up. Local papers bribed, as were the police and ambulance services. In desperation to keep the Beatles’ brand alive Brian Epstein found William Campbell who had won a Paul Look-a-like competition. He was flown from Canada where he was living, given elocution lessons, plastic surgery, and taught to be left handed rather than right. Simple!

There followed years of lies and deceit. However there were clues. The Sgt. Pepper cover is full of clues; crashed cars, Shiva the destroyer pointing towards Paul, the wreath spelling out ‘Paul’, the open palm sign. In the gatefold Paul is wearing a badge that says ‘OPD’ which stands for ‘Officially Pronounced Dead’. It is all so obvious.

Look at ‘Revolver’. Who is the only Beatle not looking straight out of the cover? You’ve guessed it, Paul. Could that mean that the others are looking towards the future and Paul isn’t (‘cos he’s dead)? The open palm death symbol is there again.

Look at ‘Magical Mystery Tour’. On the back cover, how many band members do you see? (By the woman with the red dress one third of the way down) Five. Is the fifth, who looks like Paul, really William Campbell?

There is more. Remember that Paul was left handed and often said that there was nothing he could do about it, he could not ‘cure’ himself of being a lefty, and he had tried.

So, page 4 of the Magical Mystery Tour booklet with which hand is ‘Paul’ holding his wand? The right. During MMT film, the beginning of the ‘Fool on the Hill’ bit is smoking, using his right hand. During the same film the cast are on the bus, drunk and singing. In which hand does ‘Paul’ hold his beer bottle? His right.

‘Nuff said.

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