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The Beatles

Page 120

by Bob Spitz


  Bursting with shame: “For awhile I tried to ignore the problem. The difficulties were almost too great to contemplate.” Ibid.

  “crummy” meals: Author interview with Dot Rhone Becker, 11/19/98.

  took the stairs “two at a time”: Hello!, 5/14/94.

  “As the words sunk in”: Ibid.

  “I thought it would be goodbye”: Davies, Beatles, p. 153.

  Resignedly, he proposed: “There’s only one thing for it, Cyn, we’ll have to get married.” C. Lennon, A Twist, p. 73; “I was a bit shocked when Cynthia told me, but I said, ‘Yes, we’ll have to get married.’ ” John Lennon in Davies, Beatles, p. 153.

  “John didn’t share much”: Author interview with Bill Harry, 8/5/97.

  “was [their] last chance”: “According to Brian, it was very much a case of like—‘okay, this is your last chance.’ ” Pete Best, Abbey Road transcripts, 2/19/97.

  “Where’s the recording studio?”: Ibid.

  “It’s a house!”: Ibid.

  It had originated in 1831: Southall, Abbey Road, p. 14.

  the world’s first “purpose- (or custom-) built” studio: Spitz, “The Long and Winding Abbey Road,” Sky, 9/97, p. 53.

  The fundamentals of stereo: Author interview with Alan Brown, 6/23/97.

  “stepping into… another world”: Pete Best, Abbey Road transcripts, 2/19/97.

  “Coming into Abbey Road”: Paul McCartney in Southall, Abbey Road, p. 130.

  “corner suite”: Sky, 9/97, p. 56.

  “We were nervous”: Pete Best, Abbey Road transcripts, 2/19/97.

  “Look at the size of this place!”: Ibid.

  “it was love at first sight”: Martin, All You Need, p. 122.

  “wasn’t terribly impressed”: Author interview with Ron Richards, 12/27/97.

  John had patterned it after: “It was my attempt at writing a Roy Orbison song.… I heard Roy Orbison sing ‘Only the Lonely’ or something. That’s where the song came from.” Sheff, Playboy Interviews, pp. 142–43.

  “They didn’t impress me at all”: Southall, Abbey Road, p. 81.

  George Martin shared their reservations: “Frankly, they didn’t impress me, least of all their own songs.” Martin, All You Need, p. 123.

  “They were rotten composers”: Ibid.

  “Their own stuff wasn’t any good”: George Martin, Arena archives.

  “suitable material”: Martin, All You Need, p. 123.

  “embellish[ing] the sound”: Norman Smith in Southall, Abbey Road, p. 81.

  “the drummer was no good”: Author interview with Ron Richards, 12/27/97.

  “During that one conversation”: Dowlding, Beatlesongs, p. 35.

  refer the band to a venereologist: Author interview with Rex Makin, 11/1/97.

  “[Paul] was trying to be good about it”: Author interview with Dot Rhone Becker, 11/19/98.

  Jim McCartney… “was delighted”: Ibid.

  Between the Parlophone audition: Lewisohn, Chronicle, pp. 70–71.

  “the Eppy-center”: Author interview with Tony Barrow, 10/31/97.

  Everyone was crammed: Author interview with Beryl Williams, 10/7/97.

  “He was very meticulous”: Author interview with Frieda Kelly Norris, 10/5/97.

  “We’d talk in his office”: Author interview with Bob Wooler, 10/30/97.

  “Sometimes he’d rub his hands”: Ibid.

  “It was an amazing scene”: Author interview with Bill Harry, 8/1/97.

  CHAPTER 18: STARR TIME

  “reminded him of a German concentration camp”: Author interview with Johnny Byrne, 10/8/97.

  “boring” image: “We had our original names at Butlins. Rory said, ‘It doesn’t sound good, it sounds boring.’ ” Ibid.

  The only group member who balked: “Ringo was a bit reluctant to do that.” Ibid.

  one of the city’s fleetest dancers: “His dancing used to amaze us.” Ibid.

  “Rings”: “In Liverpool, I was still wearing a lot of rings, and people were starting to say, “Hey, Rings!’ ” Ringo Starr in Anthology, p. 39.

  an effort to amend it to Johnny Ringo: Clayson, Ringo Starr: Straight Man or Joker (hereinafter, Straight Man), p. 34.

  “Ritch wasn’t that interested”: Author interview with J. Byrne, 10/8/97.

  “Starr was a natural”: Melody Maker, 11/14/64.

  “He was an excellent drummer”: Author interview with Adrian Barber, 10/4/97.

  “There was a feeling we all had”: G. Harrison & D. Taylor, I, Me, Mine, p. 33.

  “always made for the drums”: Richie Galvin in Leigh, Drummed Out!, p. 56.

  “Paul was showing Pete”: Ibid.

  it was no secret that the other Beatles resented Mona: Clayson, Straight Man, p. 56.

  “Mona was an attractive, strong… woman”: Author interview with Bill Harry, 8/4/97.

  “she could also be a harridan”: Leigh, Drummed Out!, p. 67.

  “If she said it was Sunday”: Richie Galvin in ibid.

  “didn’t want her interference”: Bill Harry in Clayson, Straight Man, p. 56.

  Kingsize Taylor’s band, on tour: Clayson, Straight Man, p. 54.

  “Teddy wrote to Ringo”: Leigh, Drummed Out!, p. 44.

  “the lifestyle… was ideal”: Author interview with Johnny Byrne, 10/8/97.

  “fabulous… the best place”: Ringo Starr in Anthology, p. 39.

  “But Ringo was… ruthless”: Author interview with Johnny Byrne, 10/8/97.

  “Is it possible for us to talk later?”: Author interview with Bob Wooler, 10/31/97.

  “his face looked scared”: Davies, Beatles, p. 137.

  “found Brian in a very uneasy mood”: Best & Doncaster, Beatle!, p. 166.

  “hedged a little”: Epstein, Cellarful, p. 69.

  “Pete, I have some bad news”: Best & Harry, Best Years, p. 157.

  “in a state of shock”: Ibid., p. 159.

  “Why?”: Best & Doncaster, Beatle!, p. 166.

  And neither did George Martin: “George Martin had not been too happy about Pete Best’s drumming.” Epstein, Cellarful, p. 68.

  “The lads don’t want you”: Pete Best in Leigh, Drummed Out!, p. 41.

  “my mind was in a turmoil”: Best & Doncaster, Beatle!, p. 166.

  “stab in the back”: Ibid.

  Brian offered to form another group: “I suggested many alternatives. That he could be the nucleus of a group that I would form, that he could be fitted into one of my existing groups…. ” Epstein, Cellarful, p. 69.

  “What’s happened?”: Best & Doncaster, Beatle!, p. 166.

  Pete was stunned: “The fact that they weren’t at my dismissal hurt me a lot more than the fact that Brian told me that I wasn’t a Beatle any longer.” Leigh, Drummed Out!, p. 49.

  Where were the Beatles?: John said, “We were cowards when we sacked him.” Davies, Beatles, p. 140.

  “disgusted”: Best & Doncaster, Beatle!, p. 167.

  Throughout his residency there: Author interview with Bill and Virginia Harry, Johnny Byrne; also Leigh, Drummed Out!, pp. 36–37.

  The birth certificate: City of Liverpool, Legal Services, Registrar of Births.

  It was all Pete could do: Best & Doncaster, Beatle!, p. 167.

  “I’m not going to the gig”: Best & Harry, Best Years, p. 159.

  “Once I was home”: Best & Doncaster, Beatle!, p. 167.

  “I never felt sorry”: Ringo Starr in Anthology, p. 72.

  “ordinary, poor”: Ringo Starr in Anthology, p. 33.

  “He was not a barefoot, ragged child”: Author interview with Marie Crawford, 11/1/97.

  “really rough”: Ringo Starr in Anthology, p. 34.

  “artisan working class”: Author interview with Quentin Hughes, 10/3/97.

  “Most of us were brought up there”: Author interview with Marie Crawford, 11/1/97.

  “palatial”: Ringo Starr in Anthology, p. 33.

  “the cherry on top”: Author interview with Marie Crawford, 11/1/97.
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  Big Ritchie: Clayson, Straight Man, p. 1.

  “no real memories of dad”: Ringo Starr in Anthology, p. 33.

  “filled me up with all the things”: Beatles Book Monthly, 12/86.

  Richard provided support: Norman, Shout!, p. 160.

  “You kept your head down”: Author interview with Adrian Barber, 10/4/97.

  told by his doctors to prepare for the worst: “They told my mother three times that I’d be dead in the morning.” Ringo Starr in Anthology, p. 34.

  “was very lucky to survive”: Ibid.

  “doted on him”: Author interview with Marie Crawford, 11/1/97.

  “cotton bobbins to hit”: Ringo Starr in Anthology, p. 36.

  “Someday, I’m going to play”: Author interview with Marie Crawford, 11/1/97.

  never went back to school: “I never went back to school after 13.” Ringo Starr in Anthology, p. 36.

  “biscuit tins”: Ibid.

  “He was a really sweet guy”: Ibid., p. 35.

  339–40 Harry had access to all the luxuries: Author interview with Marie Crawford, 11/1/97.

  “great gentleness”: Ringo Starr in Anthology, p. 37.

  “because they give you suits”: Ibid., p. 36.

  “But it was a great gang”: Author interview with Roy Trafford, 11/3/97.

  “We knew him pretty well”: Author interview with Johnny Byrne, 10/8/97.

  Ritchie borrowed £46: Ringo Starr in Anthology, p. 36.

  “lapped” pigskin: Clayson, Straight Man, p. 23.

  “had about three lessons”: Ringo Starr in Anthology, p. 37.

  Ritchie was influenced: “I went through modern jazz—Chico Hamilton, Yusef Lateef, people like that.” Melody Maker, 8/7/71.

  “a bubble of personality”: Author interview with Iris Caldwell Fenton, 9/10/97.

  “who liked to take care of the other guys”: Ibid.

  “He always loved his rings”: Author interview with Marie Crawford, 11/1/97.

  “was nominally of the Orange lodge”: Ibid.

  “to say [he] was actually something”: Ringo Starr in Anthology, p. 38.

  “It was a difficult decision”: Author interview with Johnny Byrne, 10/8/97.

  “Why not?”: Author interview with Roy Trafford, 11/3/97.

  CHAPTER 19: A TOUCH OF THE BARNUM & BAILEY

  “We felt sorry for him”: Author interview with Ray Ennis, 10/1/97.

  “I felt sorry for the lads”: Author interview with Colin Manley, 10/2/97.

  “From the time the doors opened”: Author interview with Bob Wooler, 10/30/97.

  “very solid beat”: Paul McCartney in Anthology, p. 72.

  “Ringo didn’t try and direct the beat”: Author interview with Adrian Barber, 10/4/97.

  “it had all been settled”: Author interview with Dot Rhone Becker, 11/19/98.

  “a bizarre affair”: Hello!, 5/14/94.

  Fortunately, Brian sent a car: Ibid.

  “was never even told”: Ringo Starr in Anthology, p. 73.

  John waited until the last minute: “I went the day before to tell Mimi.” John Lennon, 1965 interview, in Anthology, p. 73.

  “a fucking pad”: Author interview with Peter Brown, 12/3/97.

  “We actually did a gig that night”: George Harrison in Anthology, p. 73.

  “the only one thinking about the future”: Cynthia Lennon in Coleman, Lennon, p. 176.

  Bruce Welch of the Shadows: Abbey Road archives.

  “intimidating”: Author interview with Ray Ennis, 10/1/97.

  “a very strong engineering discipline”: Author interview with Alan Brown, 6/23/97.

  “You had to polish your shoes”: Geoff Emerick, Abbey Road archives.

  “a right time to speak to artists”: Martin Benge, Abbey Road archives.

  “had to know your place”: Ibid.

  “blissfully unaware”: Southall, Abbey Road, p. 78.

  the Beatles rehearsed six songs: Norman Smith in Pritchard & Lysaght, The Beatles, p. 105.

  “any evidence of what was to come”: George Martin in Southall, Abbey Road, p. 81.

  “it might have made a good ‘B’ side”: George Martin in Pritchard & Lysaght, The Beatles, p. 104.

  “Do it!”: Paul McCartney in ibid., p. 104.

  “We just don’t want this kind of song”: Paul McCartney in Lewisohn, Sessions, p. 7.

  “Ringo at that point”: Paul McCartney in Anthology, p. 76.

  “he didn’t have quite enough push”: Norman Smith in Pritchard & Lysaght, The Beatles, p. 106.

  “Ringo had a lot more zest”: Author interview with Ron Richards, 12/27/97.

  “probably the top session drummer”: Author interview with Ron Richards, 1/8/98.

  Ringo was stunned: “I was devastated that George Martin had his doubts about me.” Ringo Starr in Anthology, p. 76.

  “I knew he could play the beat”: Author interview with Ron Richards, 12/27/97.

  “but he was not pleased”: Ibid.

  “It didn’t call for any drumnastics”: Goldmine, no. 425, p. 40.

  Martin called it “much too dreary”: George Martin in Arena archives and in Lewisohn, Sessions, p. 20.

  “work out some tight harmonies”: George Martin in Lewisohn, Sessions.

  “undesirable” image: George Harrison in Anthology, p. 73.

  “open doors”: “It did open doors for us.” Paul McCartney, Arena archives.

  He’d blame the outfits on Paul: “So Brian put us in neat suits and shirts and Paul was right behind him.” Wenner, Lennon Remembers.

  quite “gladly”: George Harrison in Anthology, p. 73.

  “Hey, listen, Cavernites”: Author interview with Bob Wooler, 10/30/97.

  “an extra two hundred kids”: Ibid.

  It was Brian, not the Beatles: “Brian was furious—he was livid. He complained to Ray, and Ray must have been very contrite.” Ibid.

  “He’d been picking my brains”: Author interview with Tony Barrow, 10/31/97.

  “John… likes the colour black”: EMI press release accompanying demo disc of “Love Me Do,” 10/62.

  “It was a hell of a job”: Author interview with Ron Richards, 12/27/97.

  Even Parlophone was chagrined: Ibid.

  EMI did buy time: Lewisohn, Chronicle, p. 80.

  Jimmy Saville… was “unimpressed”: Author interview with Tony Barrow, 10/31/97.

  “wasn’t at all that thrilled”: Author interview with Dot Rhone Becker, 12/19/98.

  “Brian bought boxes”: Author interview with Alistair Taylor, 1/17/98. “They bought many boxes of records. That’s how they got it into the charts.” Author interview with Ron Richards, 12/27/97.

  “EMI never gave us any budget”: Author interview with Ron Richards, 12/27/97.

  “When you can write material”: Martin, All You Need, p. 129.

  “We’ve revamped it”: Ibid., p. 130.

  “He spent all day”: Author interview with Frieda Kelly Norris, 10/5/97.

  he met promoter Sam Leach: Author interview with Sam Leach, 10/6/97.

  “Sam had a habit of not paying groups”: Author interview with Bob Wooler, 10/30/97.

  “Even before the Beatles exploded”: Author interview with Peter Brown, 12/3/98.

  “the Beatles had really hit the big time”: Lewisohn, Chronicle, p. 82.

  “When I saw them on the stage”: Author interview with Frieda Kelly Norris, 10/5/97.

  “Immediately… the kids started screaming”: Author interview with Tony Barrow, 10/31/97.

  “Everyone had said, ‘You’ll never make [it]’ ”: Miles, Paul McCartney, p. 97.

  “take a look up North”: Author interview with Bill Harry, 8/9/97.

  Alistair Taylor, who left NEMS that November: Author interview with Alistair Taylor, 1/17/98.

  “No one ever mentioned London”: Author interview with Tony Bramwell, 8/6/97.

  “His own press officer”: Author interview with Tony Barrow, 10/31/97.

  “did vi
rtually nothing”: Martin, All You Need, p. 127.

  Though it placed at forty-nine: Record Mirror, 11/22/62.

  “a riff”: Norman, Shout!, p. 171.

  “Dick said, ‘Why don’t we sign… ’ ”: George Martin, Arena archives.

  “a slave deal”: Paul McCartney, ibid.

  “Dick James’s entire empire”: Author interview with Paul McCartney, 3/21/97.

  Northern Songs to acquire Lenmac Enterprises: Harry, Ultimate Beatles Encyclopedia, p. 339.

  CHAPTER 20: DEAD CHUFFED

  Thank Your Lucky Stars: Taped 1/13/63 at ATV’s Birmingham Studios for ABC, ATV archives.

  the spots were all “mimed”: Author interview with Kenny Lynch, 1/16/98.

  “To those of us in England”: Author interview with Ray Connolly, 8/7/97.

  Radio Luxembourg had added it: “You’ve Please—Pleased Us,” NME, 1/2/63.

  And sensing some ground gained: Author interview with Frieda Kelly Norris, 10/5/97.

  “Things were going so well”: Author interview with Tony Bramwell, 8/8/97.

  “probably fancied the lad”: Author interview with Alistair Taylor, 1/17/98.

  “I was just a wild card”: Author interview with Billy J. Kramer, 12/16/97.

  “Whenever word spread”: Author interview with Frieda Kelly Norris, 10/5/97.

  Harry Epstein wasn’t pleased: “Mr. Epstein was very upset about it. He made Brian make other plans.” Ibid.

  “I’ll ask Bob Wooler”: Author interview with Bob Wooler, 10/30/97.

  “The Beatles made little or no impression”: Author interview with Kenny Lynch, 1/16/98.

  happy “just to get out of Liverpool”: Davies, Beatles, p. 171.

  “the audience repeatedly called for them”: “An Improved Helen!” NME, 2/8/63.

  the cast album for Beyond the Fringe: “George and I went up to Edinburgh and sat under the stage for three nights recording Beyond the Fringe.” Author interview with Ron Richards, 12/29/97.

  Instead, Martin prepared a list: “I knew their repertoire from the Cavern… and said, ‘Right, what you’re going to do now… is play me this selection of things I’ve chosen.’ ” Martin, All You Need, p. 130.

  sessions ran “strictly to time”: Author interview with Martin Benge, 3/98.

  “[His] voice was pretty shot”: Norman Smith in Pritchard & Lysaght, The Beatles, p. 119.

  “the sound of the Beatles singing”: “What I tried to do was to create the live pop group on tape.” Ibid., p. 118.

 

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