Bill Harry, friend of John Lennon and Founder of Mersey Beat, who wrote the foreword to the book, says:
“This is a treasure chest of research and a visual delight, this will prove to be a work no Beatles fan should be without.”
After “Liddypool“, David Bedford expanded a chapter from “Liddypool” called the Fab 27, which told how John’s first Quarrymen ended up as John, Paul, George and Ringo.
By the time he had expanded the story to include those who taught The Beatles to play and the artists they backed on stage, he had 104 people and couldn’t believe how many he had, and the connection with the Fab Four.
Geoff Lee, classmate of John Lennon at Quarry Bank School reveals for the first time how he suggested to John Lennon that, because of his great singing voice, he should start a skiffle group. The group Lennon started was called The Quarrymen: the Quarrymen became The Beatles.
Not only did Geoff suggest John start the group that became The Beatles, but gave the young Lennon his first guitar. Bedford says, “We had always thought that John’s first guitar was purchased by his mother, but it wasn’t!” John later remembered Geoff’s generosity.
“I used to borrow a guitar at first. I couldn’t play, but a pal of mine had one and it fascinated me. Eventually my mother bought me one from one of those mail order firms. I suppose it was a bit crummy, when you think about it. But I played it all the time and I got a lot of practise.”
Geoff’s story is featured in the new book by Beatles historian and author David Bedford, “The Fab one hundred and Four” which tells of the evolution of The Beatles from The Quarrymen to the Fab Four.
Featured in The Fab one hundred and Four are:
1. the first published photographs of Silver Beatles’ drummer Norman Chapman.
2. the real influences in their formative years – family members, schoolmates, mentors and musical
contemporaries.
3. profiles of every musician who was a member of the group – from The Quarrymen to The Beatles –
from 1956 through 1962. Whether they were in the group for a night, a week, a year, two years or
more, they are all mentioned here.
Listen to David’s interview with podcaster Bob Sorrentino about the book.
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