Cha-Chi and David talk with music journalist Mark Brickley, author of Postcards From Liverpool, and Paul Ferrante, who penned 30 Minutes in Memphis: a Beatles Story
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Remembering John Lennon
It seems incredible to think that it is 40 years since John Lennon was senselessly murdered in New York outside the Dakota building. I was 15 at the time and remember it clearly. My alarm/clock/ radio went off at the same time every morning. This time, on 9th December in the UK, the usual jingle music wasn’t playing on BBC Radio Merseyside. I just heard the radio click, and a voice saying, “John Lennon is dead…..” The rest was a bit of a blur. I was stunned.
At Least He Was 40
It is strange but I remember thinking that at least he was 40. After all, I was 15 and 40 seemed old. When I reached 40 and had 3 young children, I realised how young 40 was. It made it all the more poignant.
Let us try and remember the positives about his life and what he contributed to this world and our lives.
At the Beatles Bookstore, we are fortunate to have several authors who have been writing about John and studying his life.
Jude Kessler – The John Lennon Series
Jude Kessler has dedicated many years, and has many in front of her, as she covers his whole life, in her own unique style.
Michael Hill
One of those people who knew John personally in his formative years is Michael Hill. Michael became friends with John at Dovedale School aged 5, and accompanied John to Quarry Bank School. It was Michael who introduced John to the music of Little Richard, a moment that John said changed his life. Read his incredible story in “John Lennon: The Boy Who Became A Legend.”
Aidan Prewett
A brand new book to the Beatles Bookstore is “To Know John Lennon” by Aidan Prewett, which is a fascinating collection of interviews from people who personally knew John Lennon as Aidan tells us more about the real John Lennon.
Tony Broadbent
If you want a different take on the John Lennon story, then Tony Broadbent’s great book, “The Only After 9:09”, named after John’s great rock ‘n’ roll song. It is a mystery story, joining fact with fiction into a great story!
Welcome to the Country of Liverpool
Beatles Historian David Bedford to Release New Book
LIVERPOOL, England – Renowned Beatles historian and author David Bedford – a Liverpool native and lifelong resident of the city – is releasing his new book on 1 December, 2020.
The first of its kind, The Country of Liverpool delves into the strong yet often overlooked influence of country music on the Beatles. At the center of the story is Phil Brady, a Liverpool music legend who became the UK’s #1 country artist, and his personal scrapbook of memories.
“Phil’s story is essential to the country music scene in Liverpool,” says Bedford. “In fact, a lot of that story is untold – and its roots are at the heart of the Beatles’ recording career. The Quarrymen, the group that became the Beatles, were rooted in the skiffle music of Lonnie Donegan; the skiffle was rooted in American country and folk music. And John Lennon was a huge fan of country legend Hank Williams, too.”
That influence followed the band throughout their career and even after their breakup. Ringo Starr’s solo music probably leans the most towards country, though Paul McCartney and Wings and the others had their moments as well. As Bedford says, “Even die-hard fans of the Fabs and their solo work might be surprised at some of the country influences they didn’t realize were there.”
Bedford, who grew up in the Dingle near where Starr was born and also attended the same primary school as Starr and Alf Lennon (John’s father) did, has dedicated his life’s work to the music of Liverpool. He was a founder of the British Beatles Fan Club, is the author of multiple books including Liddypool, The Fab One-Hundred and Four and Finding the Fourth Beatle, and was associate producer on the film Looking for Lennon.
Kevin McManus, Head of UNESCO City of Music in Liverpool, wrote the foreword for The Country of Liverpool and said, “This is a must-read not just for those interested in country music but for anyone with even a passing interest in Liverpool’s rich music history.” Beatles scholar Kenneth Womack, author of Solid State: The Story of Abbey Road and the End of the Beatles and John Lennon: 1980, says The Country of Liverpool “provides a superb, granular history of Liverpool’s affinity for country music and roots music.” And John Lennon Series author Jude Southerland Kessler calls it essential for “Beatles fans and music scholars alike.”
The Country of Liverpool is 408 pages with full-color photos, and is available from Amazon and on beatlesbookstore.com. A select number of limited-edition signed copies are also available through: thecountryofliverpool.com
The Country of Liverpool
You can get the book in either Limited Edition Hardback, Softback and Black and White Softback too.
Get Your Copy of The Country of Liverpool
David Bedford is represented by 910 Public Relations, and is available for interviews, book signings, and speaking engagements. Copies of his book are available for review upon request. For more information, please contact nicole@910pr.com
Launch at The Cavern Club
My book, CAVERN CLUB-THE INSIDE STORY was launched at the CAVERN CLUB on 24th October 2016.
More than 200 guests were welcomed with a glass of bubbly. The Beatles and early sixties music filled the air as the evening got off to a great start. I was overwhelmed by the support that I had received from family and friends old and new, who had helped me to fulfil my dream.
My publisher Peter Stansill of Jorvik Press had faith in me for which I will be eternally grateful and he had flown in from Portland in Oregon U S. to be with me for the launch.
I thanked everyone personally who had been instrumental in the journey from manuscript to the finished result.
They’re Playing My Song
I was doubly blessed to also have a disc launched on the same evening. Fifty years earlier, my late father Alf Geoghegan, who had owned the original Cavern in the mid-sixties had written a song for me entitled “Little Girl-Bells of ChristmasI”. I did nothing with the song for over fifty years except to play the demo disc at Christmas for friends and family.
Abbey Road
I always knew it was a great song and in 2016 Michael Armstrong, Warren Bennett and I collaborated to produce a modern version of the song. The recording was mastered at Abbey Road Studios and Warren’s dad, Brian Bennett (The Shadows drummer) kindly agreed to play on the track with Michael Armstrong singing.
Michael and Warren entertained the guests at the launch on stage with the first public airing of the song.
To have my book launched at the Cavern was a dream come true but to have my dad’s song launched there on the same night was the icing on the cake.
Debbie Greenberg
GET YOUR COPY OF CAVERN CLUB: THE INSIDE STORY NOW
Letter from Brian Epstein Reveals Another Part of Pete Best’s Exit from The Beatles
This letter has turned up in an auction of some of Joe Flannery’s things following his death. Joe was an integral member of Brian Epstein’s circle around The Beatles. You can read more about the auction here.
There are some interesting points which need clarification. When researching the supposed “sacking” of Pete Best for my book, “Finding the Fourth Beatle”, I uncovered a number of key points:
1. Pete Best was never sacked by Brian Epstein. He couldn’t be! The Beatles employed Brian as their manager. They could sack him, but Brian had no authority or power to sack Pete or any of The Beatles.
2. To achieve the removal of Pete Best, Brian had to convince Pete that he was being sacked, without saying the words!
3. As Brian didn’t sign the management contract with The Beatles in February 1962, he could not enforce the contract on The Beatles. However, John, Paul, George and Pete could enforce the contractual obligations on Brian!
4. Because of this fact, Brian was still legally tied to Pete and responsible for finding work for him, Brian was assisted by Joe Flannery by Flannery offering Pete the drummer’s position in Lee Curtis and the All Stars (Lee Curtis was Joe’s brother). By doing this, Pete effectively quit The Beatles.
5. It was for this reason that Brian wrote to ” release him from his obligations under contract to myself”. Brian was finally free.
If you want to read the full story, then it is in FINDING THE FOURTH BEATLE.
Happy Birthday John Lennon
Today is John Lennon’s 80th birthday. There were some wonderful memorabilia items made in the US from 1964-66. They were whimsical, weird, wacky, and just plain cool! Many represented his amazing personality and characteristics that helped fuel the Fab Four craze worldwide. We salute John on his birthday, and join the world in this celebration.
Find out more in Terry’s book
