On this day in 1955 one of the all time rock classics was recorded by Carl Perkins at Sun Records in Memphis. It later went on to reach number 2 in the US and number 10 in the UK. It has been covered by loads of artists including Elvis (also a Sun Recording artist) and John Lennon.

He had a very poor upbringing. The son of a sharecropper in Tiptonville Tennessee he started working in the cotton fields at the age of 6. He would often finish his school day and then work for several hours in the fields. This upbringing made him resilient and exposed him to Southern Gospel music, whether during regular worship on Sundays or while working in the fields as the black workers sang in the fields.

In what now seems to be almost trite his first guitar was home made cigar box and broom handle affair made by his dad. He learnt to play being taught by a 60 year old John Westbrook a fellow field worker who Carl referred to as “Uncle John”. The African American played Gospel and blues and instilled a love of music into a willing Carl.

Later the family moved to Madison County and so closer to Memphis and more musical influences. From the age of 14 Carl and his brother played in local bars (while still having day jobs in the fields). Gradually, his repertoire and confidence grew. In 1954 he auditioned for the great Sam Phillips of Sun Records. Later Phillips would say of Carl “I knew that Carl could rock and in fact he told me right from the start that he had been playing that music before Elvis came out on record… I wanted to see whether this was someone who could revolutionize the country end of the business.”

Records followed but the great success was “Blue Suede Shoes” recorded on this day in 1955 (or on 19th December depending on who you believe. Carl’s immortality was assured.

Perkins was the son of poor sharecroppers near Tiptonville, Tennessee.[3] He grew up hearing Southern gospel music sung by whites in church, and by black field workers when he started working in the cotton fields at age six. During spring and autumn, the school day would be followed by several hours of work in fields. During the summer, workdays were 12–14 hours,

1955, Carl Perkins recorded ‘Blue Suede Shoes’ at Sun Studios in Memphis. The rock ‘n’ roll classic became a US No.2 & UK No.10 hit for Perkins in 1956, and has been covered by many acts including Elvis Presley and John Lennon.

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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 1962 the beatles started a 2 week run at the Star Club in Hamburg.

By This time Ringo had replaced Pete Best after he left Rory Storm and the Hurricanes.  It was on this trip that the Beatles found out that btheir original bass player Stuart Sutcliffe had died of an aneurysm.  He had been suffering from headaches and a sensitivity to light for some time but his condition had never been diagnosed and treated.

Sutcliffe had left the band the previous time that they had been in Hamburg to pursue a career in art and to stay with his german girlfriend  Astrid Kirchherr.  It was Surtcliffe’s departure that prompted McCartney to pick up the bass, and so become the most famous bass player in the world, though certainly not the best (my vote goes to Mike Watt I love his Ball-Hog or Tugboat album – but then what do I know?)

By the time they arrived in Hamburg their reputation was growing.  It was of this time that Lennon was commenting when he later said that The Beatles were once the best rock group in the world.  The set included “I saw Her Standing There” (which appeared on their debut album),  “Hippy Hippy Shake (written by Chan Romero in 1959 and a hit for the Swinging Blue Leans a year later) as well as Roll Over Neethoven, Sweet Little Sixteen, Red Sails in the Sunset (!) and “You Feet’s Too Big” (made famous by the great Fats Waller).

There is no doubt that The Beatle learnt their trade (like the majority of great bands) when playing live over a period of time.  These days most people just want to be famous………………………….

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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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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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Derek Acorah filming a seance and trying to contact Michael Jackson is not the first time programmes for TV have been made in which mediums have tried to reach the departed famous. (my original post here)

In 2006 a pay to view TV seance programme was made in which the object was to contact John Lennon. The show – which cost $9.95 (£5.60) to watch – was made without the consent of Lennon’s estate or his widow Yoko Ono. The result? John came through and had a message for us all. It was, “peace… the message is peace”

No surprise there then. Look, all of us could have predicted the result, does that make us all mediums, or psychics, or whatever?

I note with interest that the makers of the Lennon seance programme made one with Lady Dianna as the objective in 2003. The result of that on? She was having fun, again no surprise there either.

I am somewhat surprised to find that the subscription for Dianna’s seance was more than for Lennon’s. Actually, perhaps I am not. There does seem to be a constituency for stories about Dianna (who died in 1997) The Daily Mail (a national ‘newspaper’ in the UK) had yet another front page lead about here just last week…….

If you can not wait until December for the seance with Michael then there is some hope for you. It seems that there will be a seance on Twitter on 30th October. Called a “Tweance” it will be available on Twitter from 10 a.m (GMT). I am not sure of the format, if you can ask questions or whatever, so if you are interested give it a go just search for @tweance on Twitter.

The Psychic is Jane Wallce part of the ‘Psychic Sisters’ who provide consultations in Selfridges (London) and have appeared in the world renowned Psychic TV cannel….

If you have been trying to tweet Michael Jackson over the last few weeks without even a squeak of success, might I sing you a song of hope? A remarkably forward-thinking psychic has decided to hold a seance on Twitter. A “Tweance,” if you will. According tothe Sun newspaper , Jayne Wallace, who claims to have been a psychic since she was (at least) 7 years old, will be available to every member of the world’s tweeting population on October 30, between 10 a.m. and noon British Miserable Autumn Time (that’s 3 a.m.

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There is going to be a worldwide growth in fabness. Mop tops will be back in fashion and lovable Liverpudlian accents everywhere. At least according to the media including a simpering Sunday Times this week, the reason?

The Beatles’ albums have been remastered and reissued together with a magnificent box set. The box set contains all the albums and costs a paltry (!) £169 while the albums cost about £11 each making the box set the most cost effective choice if you want to replace all your existing CDs and vinyl.

Now, most remastered CDs are less than impressive, more of a marketing opportunity than a valuable addition to your collection. From everything that I have read these reissues are different. From the fawning Sunday Times to an anonymous commenter on Yahoo Answers the verdict is that the reissues are like new records.

The original dynamics have been retained (original from the master tapes, not the bland CDs of the past). The trend has been to make the softer bits louder and the louder bits softer to make the overall sound more even. That may sound good on radio but does lose the original attack of the recording.

Overall, these reissues are well worth the money. I will be replacing Revolver (the only Beatles album that I own currently) as well as investing in Sgt. Peppers, Rubber Soul, and Past Masters. Past masters is an interesting album. It contains all those singles that never appeared in albums – seems strange these days that anyone would not issue all their singles on albums – but that is what happened way back when. As well as She Loves You, I Want To Hold Your Hand (so innocent) etc. there are some rarities. Well worth the money even for those of use who are Beatles completists (and I am certainly not one of those). What CDs should you avoid? Yellow Submarine has to be at the top of this list, absolutley useless more Monkees than Beatles….. Also avoid Beatles For Sale. The 4th album in 2 years, whoever thought that would be a good idea?

I was never a huge Beatles fan, (my mother liked them, hated those dirty and loutish Rolling Stones so guess which band I favoured?) but it is true that they were a good band and did change a lot of things for those that came later. I do have some quibble (quite a lot of a quibble, in fact) with John’s statement that they were the best rock band in the world, at least when they were playing in Hamburg. As virtually no one saw them in Hamburg it is hard to argue with him though.

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