Leslie Cavendish, hairdresser to the Beatles, recalls one of his favourite Paul McCartney stories.
My Grandmother who lived with us said to me when I got home in her thick eastern European accent that “a Paul McCartney” phoned for you. Really? What did you say to him?
“We had a nice little chat and told him that I would pass on the message.”
She wasn’t quite sure who he was so I said to her that he was a member of The Beatles, and she replied, “Oh, when you speak to him tell him he needs a haircut.”
Grandma, you do know that I cut his hair?
Really!
Discover more great stories in Leslie’s fascinating book:
The Cutting Edge (Paperback)
The Beatles’ hair changed the world. As their increasingly wild, untamed manes grew, to the horror of parents everywhere, they set off a cultural revolution as the most tangible symbol of the Sixties’ psychedelic dream of peace, love and playful rebellion. In the midst of this epochal change was Leslie Cavendish, hairdresser to the Beatles and some of the greatest stars of the music and entertainment industry.
The iconic character in the movie Almost Famous notwithstanding, Penny Lane is a place, not a person. Paul wrote this loving tribute to a street in his hometown of Liverpool. In the Barry Miles biography Many Years from Now, McCartney talked about the song and Penny Lane itself:
Childhood Reminiscences
“It was childhood reminiscences: there is a bus stop called Penny Lane. There was a barber shop called Bioletti’s with head shots of the haircuts you can have in the window and I just took it all and arted it up a little bit to make it sound like he was having a picture exhibition in his window. It was all based on real things; there was a bank on the corner so I imagined the banker, it was not a real person, and his slightly dubious habits and the little children laughing at him, and the pouring rain.
“The fire station was a bit of poetic license; there’s a fire station about half a mile down the road, not actually in Penny Lane, but we needed a third verse so we took that and I was very pleased with the line “It’s a clean machine.” I still like that phrase, you occasionally hit a lucky little phrase and it becomes more than a phrase. So the banker helped me with the third verse, as often was the case. We were writing childhood memories: recently faded memories from eight or ten years before, so it was a recent nostalgia, pleasant memories for both of us. All the places were still there, and because we remembered it so clearly we could have gone on.“
Lennon and McCartney
This song and the flip side of the double-A-sided single – “Strawberry Fields Forever” – are an object lesson of Lennon and McCartney at the peak of their creative collaborative powers. And if you would like a true visual and auditory treat to go with today’s Beatles song, scroll 31 minutes into this special show in the East Room of the Barack Obama White House:
Play Elvis Costello’s rendition of “Penny Lane.” And I’ll defy you not to get goosebumps when Master Sergeant Matthew Harding of the Marine Corps Band absolutely nails the piccolo trumpet solo. The entire hour and a half show is all-star performances of some of Paul McCartney’ songs, capped by McCartney himself and his band.
Think of Penny Lane
I’d invite all of you to think of “Penny Lane” as an invitation to pay attention to what is going on in your community. Notice what is happening, what is not happening, who is in need, what you’re willing to do to be involved. These would be important goals for any community, and especially during any challenging time.
Find out more about the songs the Beatles wrote in Tim Hatfield’s great book:
When We Find Ourselves in Times of Trouble: The Beatles: All Their Songs with Encouraging Words for Challenging Times
KINDLE (OR DOWNLOAD THE FREE APP TO READ ON YOUR LAPTOP)
This book addresses all the songs of the Beatles, from their earliest demos to Abbey Road, in a conversational, accessible format. Special attention is devoted to the band’s creative process and its influence on and synergistic relationship with the culture at large. The book’s genesis was the author’s hope that a daily Beatles song could provide a brief respite from the significant stress and uncertainty caused by the coronavirus pandemic, and beyond that, from the challenges of any personally difficult time – our times of trouble.
Paul is the rare musical talent, which only comes by once so often. Of course, all Beatles had great musical talents: John’s contribution to contemporary music cannot be overestimated, George wrote beautiful songs, and Ringo was an excellent drummer and even he wrote some nice songs. But even among those musical talents Paul did stand out.
The Day John Met Paul
Already on July 6, 1957, the day when Paul met John, Paul’s musical talent became obvious. That day, the Quarry Men played at a church party at St. Peter’s church in Woolton Liverpool. Paul McCartney was invited by a mutual friend, Ivan Vaughan, to see and meet them. Paul was impressed with John, the singer, who had great presence and clearly was the leader of the band. After some time, he noticed that John was playing banjo chords on his guitar, using only four of the six strings.
Twenty Flight Rock
After the show John and Paul met and started talking music. After a while Paul, being only fifteen years of age, asked whether he could have a go on John’s guitar. He corrected the banjo tuning, turned the guitar upside down, being left-handed, and played Twenty Flight Rock by Eddie Cochran, from the beginning to the end, knowing all the words. None of the Quarry Men could do anything like this.
Throughout The Beatles Years and after that, there are many illustrations of Paul’s special talent. You can find them in …
With all of the publicity surrounding the “new” Beatles Get Back film directed by Peter Jackson, I have had countless conversations about the new film. The anticipation is at almost fever pitch as the trailers we have seen look incredible.
It made me decide to back and watch the original “Let It Be” film that was directed by Michael Lindsay-Hogg. It has been years since I last watched it and through all the discussions over those years, one theme seems to permeate through everything: we were watching The Beatles fall apart. But were we?
Paul and George Argue
The most famous element was always the argument between Paul and George, where George tells Paul that he will play whatever Paul wants him to, or he just wouldn’t play. Fans also refer to Yoko being permanently at John’s side, which she was.
But was it a negative film? Is it too painful to watch?
I have to admit that I thoroughly enjoyed watching it again, and it was filled with lots of fun scenes where you could see all four of them enjoying what they were doing, especially when they break out into funny arrangements, or the silly voices come out, like in “Besame Mucho”. But, it wasn’t the dark, depressing film that I seemed to think it was.
The Beatles Rooftop Concert
Then of course, we end with that incredible rooftop concert. How Lindsay-Hogg and his team were able to capture that is incredible, with the limited technology and space available. Plus, when you see them performing, I think they were recapturing memories of playing to crowds, which they hadn’t done since August 1966. The Beatles were enjoying themselves and it still such an iconic film.
Apology Needed?
We know Peter Jackson’s 6 hour special series is going to be superb, and it will have been worth the wait. However, I believe we also owe an apology and debt of thanks to Michael Lindsay-Hogg who has probably had a lot of negativity surrounding the film he made. He did a great job with what he had to work with.
Let It Be or Get Back?
Yes.
Enjoy the original, but I can’t wait for the new one too.
On 31st May 1981, Nigel filmed Mike McCartney’s wedding when Mike decided to get married at St. Barnabas Church on Penny Lane, where brother Paul had once sang in the choir. Nigel Greenberg was asked to film the wedding, where, of course, Paul would get lots of attention as the best man.
Debbie Greenberg Recalls What Happened
Mike had told Nigel that the wedding party would be leaving the church by the rear door in Elm Hall Drive. We sat in the car for as long as possible before setting up the camera outside the rear door of the church because we knew that if someone saw a film crew they would realise what was happening.
St Barnabas Church
We had barely had the chance to set up the equipment when a torrent of excited onlookers flooded around the corner of the church from Penny Lane to where we were positioned in Elm Hall Drive outside the rear entrance to the church. We could hear them coming long before they came into view. It wasn’t long before the road was bursting at the seams.
Camera at the ready, everybody was anxious to get a bird’s eye view of the bridge and groom and of course their idol Paul and his wife Linda.
We had to make sure that we were right at the front to capture every moment of this memorable occasion.
This first-hand account of Debbie’s teen years frequenting and eventually helping to run the original Cavern Club is the authentic inside story of the Beatles launch pad, full of triumphs and failures – and surprise celebrity encounters.
£17.25Original price was: £17.25.£13.50Current price is: £13.50.
“It was 25th October 1968 and I had paid my usual Friday visit to the hairdressers and arrived at the club mid-morning to start work. Dad was stocking the Top Bar when I arrived.
“We’ve had a visitor,” he said.
“Who was it?” I asked.
“Paul McCartney,” he said.
“So I’ve missed him?” To say I was disappointed doesn’t come close.
“Don’t worry, he’s coming back,” Dad assured me. “You finish stocking the bar and put some champagne on ice. I’m going to the photography shop to buy a camera.”
Dad walked across North John Street to Photo Optics in Dale Street. He had to spin the photographer a yarn that he wanted to take photographs of a group in the club and asked if he’d come over and set up the camera so he wouldn’t have to do anything but take photos.
“Paul had just walked into the club and out of the blue, while Dad was stocking the Top Bar ready for the evening.
Recognising him instantly, Dad held out his hand.
“Hi, Alf Geoghegan, the Cavern.”
Paul shook his hand and replied, “Hi, Paul McCartney, the Cavern. I’m going over to the Wirral to deliver a record player to Ruth, my stepsister, and I’d like to come back later. I’ve got my girlfriend in the car and I’d like to show her the Cavern, on one condition – you don’t tell the press.”
“You’ve got it,” Dad said. “Would you mind if we took some photographs?”
“No, that’s fine, I’ll be back in about an hour.”
Dad locked the main door to prevent any visitors wandering in. We gathered by the bar where Dad offered them a drink and proceeded to open the champagne.
Curiosity Shop?
Paul Sits at the drums for the band, Curiosity Shop. At the rear is Alf Geoghegan and Billy Butler
Linda Eastman Takes a Photograph
“I’ll do that,” Linda said. “I’m a good bartender.” She took over and served the champagne.
Dad made a toast: “To Paul and the Cavern.”
He asked Paul again if he could take some photographs and was about to pick up the camera, when Linda said, “I’ll do that, I’m a good photographer.”
She picked up the camera and after altering all the settings started to take the shots. Dad was afraid she’d messed up the camera!
This first-hand account of Debbie’s teen years frequenting and eventually helping to run the original Cavern Club is the authentic inside story of the Beatles launch pad, full of triumphs and failures – and surprise celebrity encounters.
£17.25Original price was: £17.25.£13.50Current price is: £13.50.
