DM's Beatles forums

Beatles forums => Books, Magazines, Articles => Topic started by: Bill Harry on January 17, 2008, 11:32:57 AM

Title: Bill Harry
Post by: Bill Harry on January 17, 2008, 11:32:57 AM
Marshall has been on to me for some time to join a forum so that I can answer questions from Beatles fans. I must admit that I'm something of a recluse these days. I do get asked to become involved in various things, but I have to be careful. I have only been to one or two conventions because friends specifically asked me, but I haven't been to many. I also write a great deal for various Beatles fanzines - literally hundreds of articles over the decades and, of course, I never charge because they are friends and also to help out whenever I can. But, as I said, I have to be careful. for some reason you do get the people who say I am 'cashing in on the Beatles.' In fact, I notice one comment to that effect in the forum on Mersey Beatles.
Title: Re: Bill Harry
Post by: pc31 on January 17, 2008, 11:48:40 AM
bill if anyone deserves to cash in on the beatles,i am sure you would be included...there are some factors that earn you the rights to do such...so don't let some random moron tint your veiw towards the rest of us....thanks for climbing on board...i would love to shank off work and post and read more but the bills gotta be paid
peace marshall
Title: Re: Bill Harry
Post by: Bobber on January 17, 2008, 12:36:28 PM
On behalf of the management of this theatre, welcome Bill. I sincerely hope you enjoy your stay here!
Title: Re: Bill Harry
Post by: zipp on January 17, 2008, 12:43:05 PM
Welcome to the board, Bill.
Title: Re: Bill Harry
Post by: tkitna on January 18, 2008, 01:12:50 AM
Its great to have you here Bill. Welcome and I hope you stay awhile.
Title: Re: Bill Harry
Post by: fendertele on January 18, 2008, 03:40:58 AM
welcome to the forum bill, hope you have fun :)
Title: Re: Bill Harry
Post by: Bill Harry on January 18, 2008, 11:23:28 AM
I'm still trying to get the hang of figuring this out as I've never been on a forum in my life. Marshall and Bobber are helping me, so I hope to work it out with a bit of practice.
Title: Re: Bill Harry
Post by: Bill Harry on January 18, 2008, 11:29:14 AM
I've been busily detailing the stories from each individual issue of Mersey Beat and posting them on the www.rockandpopshop.com site. They are in the Editorial section under 'Bill Harry's Mersey Beat.' There are individual tales of my time with John, Brian Epstein and information on all the Mersey groups of the time, the venues they played and some funny stories. I hope you like them.
Title: Re: Bill Harry
Post by: Bobber on January 18, 2008, 11:36:41 AM
Quote from: 1062
I'm still trying to get the hang of figuring this out as I've never been on a forum in my life. Marshall and Bobber are helping me, so I hope to work it out with a bit of practice.

So far so good Bill.  ;D
Title: Re: Bill Harry
Post by: pc31 on January 18, 2008, 11:36:51 AM
cool you are rolling along again...just take your time bill we will have you posting like an old pro in just a few days....you'll be posting pictures and maybe even videos....this as i told you will be monumentous...maybe ever bigger than paul mccartney and eings  ;D
Title: Re: Bill Harry
Post by: BlueMeanie on January 18, 2008, 11:49:16 AM
Quote from: 1062
I've been busily detailing the stories from each individual issue of Mersey Beat and posting them on the www.rockandpopshop.com site. They are in the Editorial section under 'Bill Harry's Mersey Beat.' There are individual tales of my time with John, Brian Epstein and information on all the Mersey groups of the time, the venues they played and some funny stories. I hope you like them.

Thanks Bill! I look forward to reading them.
Title: Re: Bill Harry
Post by: Bobber on January 18, 2008, 11:54:40 AM
Bill, can you help us out on collecting more information on Lord Woodbine here: http://www.dmbeatles.com/forums/b-fifths/m-1177584536/
Title: Re: Bill Harry
Post by: Kevin on January 18, 2008, 12:09:41 PM
Welcome aboard. Good to have you here.
Title: Re: Bill Harry
Post by: An Apple Beatle on January 18, 2008, 12:24:31 PM
Tip of that again to you sir. ;) Glad Marshall helped you to find your way here.
Title: Re: Bill Harry
Post by: The End on January 18, 2008, 02:23:14 PM
It's great to have you here Bill!! :)

I have a copy of your book that featured facsimile pages from Mersey Beat - it really is a fascinating read, I especially love those adverts that John Lennon placed! Did he pay for those himelf, or did you have a hand in them?

Once again welcome ;D
Title: Re: Bill Harry
Post by: Bill Harry on January 18, 2008, 04:22:46 PM
Yes. It wasn't enough that I was printing his 'Beatcomber' columns, he was thirsty for more of his humour in print. Classifieds cost 4d a word and when he'd come into the office he'd dig into his pockets to see how much money he had
Title: Re: Bill Harry
Post by: Kevin on January 18, 2008, 05:29:27 PM
Hi Bill. Hope you don't mind all these questions. What are your thoughts on Pete Best? Did his personality really set him apart from the others?  
Title: Re: Bill Harry
Post by: Bill Harry on January 18, 2008, 06:43:26 PM
I always liked Pete, but he was a man of few words. I remember when we used to sit around in the Jacaranda and I tried to interview him and found it initially difficult because he didn't seem to have much to say. But to me that was his personality - taciturn. Actor Gary Cooper was the same way - a few words, but the personality was there. Perhaps that is why Bob Wooler referred to him as 'mean,moody and magnificence' (I know that came from the film 'The Outlaw'). but he was always a nice and friendly guy. The girls went mad because he hardly said anything. It gave him a sort of mysterious air. There is no doubt that he was definately the most popular member of the Beatles with the Liverpool girls during 1961 and 1962. As you know, girls used to sleep in his garden just to be near him. Bob Wooler, reckoning Pete's popularity, did the most unusual thing. He had Pete moved to the front of the stage with his drums, with the other three behind him. It was unprecedented, but the girls rushed forward and pulled him off the stage. It hadn't happened before with any of the others. They couldn't repeat the experience.
Title: Re: Bill Harry
Post by: manon on January 20, 2008, 11:29:16 PM
Quote from: 1062
I always liked Pete, but he was a man of few words. I remember when we used to sit around in the Jacaranda and I tried to interview him and found it initially difficult because he didn't seem to have much to say. But to me that was his personality - taciturn. Actor Gary Cooper was the same way - a few words, but the personality was there. Perhaps that is why Bob Wooler referred to him as 'mean,moody and magnificence' (I know that came from the film 'The Outlaw'). but he was always a nice and friendly guy. The girls went mad because he hardly said anything. It gave him a sort of mysterious air. There is no doubt that he was definately the most popular member of the Beatles with the Liverpool girls during 1961 and 1962. As you know, girls used to sleep in his garden just to be near him. Bob Wooler, reckoning Pete's popularity, did the most unusual thing. He had Pete moved to the front of the stage with his drums, with the other three behind him. It was unprecedented, but the girls rushed forward and pulled him off the stage. It hadn't happened before with any of the others. They couldn't repeat the experience.

Welcome and thank you Bill for your implication on this forum.

Title: Re: Bill Harry
Post by: alexis on January 21, 2008, 05:46:27 AM
Quote from: 1062
I always liked Pete, but he was a man of few words. I remember when we used to sit around in the Jacaranda and I tried to interview him and found it initially difficult because he didn't seem to have much to say. But to me that was his personality - taciturn. Actor Gary Cooper was the same way - a few words, but the personality was there. Perhaps that is why Bob Wooler referred to him as 'mean,moody and magnificence' (I know that came from the film 'The Outlaw'). but he was always a nice and friendly guy. The girls went mad because he hardly said anything. It gave him a sort of mysterious air. There is no doubt that he was definately the most popular member of the Beatles with the Liverpool girls during 1961 and 1962. As you know, girls used to sleep in his garden just to be near him. Bob Wooler, reckoning Pete's popularity, did the most unusual thing. He had Pete moved to the front of the stage with his drums, with the other three behind him. It was unprecedented, but the girls rushed forward and pulled him off the stage. It hadn't happened before with any of the others. They couldn't repeat the experience.

Wow, tha5's incredible. I wonder how much of his departure was because of his drumming, vs. jealousy on the part of Paul and John ...
Title: Re: Bill Harry
Post by: pc31 on January 21, 2008, 11:24:53 AM
hello manon...how are you .....i hope you and yours are fine...maybe you can go meet bill when you move to london for 6 weeks...don't worry bill she is shyer than you are..lol
Title: Re: Bill Harry
Post by: Bill Harry on January 21, 2008, 12:30:17 PM
To Alexis: Paul McCartney finally admitted in his 'Wingspan' documentary some years ago that the sacking had nothing to do with Pete's ability as a drummer. After all, it was Pete who developed 'the atom beat' which was copied by all the Liverpool drummers. And Paul McCartney, Ron Richards and George Martin didn't like Ringo's drumming when the Beatles went to Abbey Road after sacking Pete, which is why they hired Andy White. He was hired because they had no confidence in Ringo. Yet, both Ringo's and Andy's version of the recordings were issued, one on the single, one on the album. John Lennon had got on well with Pete and was embarrassed by it all, he was to say they were cowards when they sacked Pete. George was the main one responsible for getting rid of Pete. Brian Epstein actually wanted the replacement to be Johnny Hutchinson of the Big Three.
Title: Re: Bill Harry
Post by: harihead on January 21, 2008, 07:44:19 PM
Thank you for these fascinating insights, Bill! Ah, Pete Best: the original Mr. Spock. ;)

Do you recall George's reason for wanting to get rid of Pete? Thanks.
Title: Re: Bill Harry
Post by: Bill Harry on January 21, 2008, 08:59:31 PM
He had a special rapport with Ringo. He even went to Ringo's house to ask if he'd join, but Ringo's mum told him he was at Butlin's with Rory Storm & the Hurricanes. I printed that in Mersey Beat, but I don't know if that's the reason why Bruno gave him that black eye. On the Mersey Beat cover where they are gathered at Speke airport to fly down to London and record, you can see George's shiner!
Title: Re: Bill Harry
Post by: harihead on January 21, 2008, 09:25:38 PM
Yes, poor George! Or "bad Bruno". I do love that airport picture.

In your opinion, did the band seem to click better after Ringo joined? George has said so (naturally), and George Martin said so (at least eventually), but was it noticeable at the time? I think one of the things that was most appealing about the Beatles when we Americans finally saw them was their "all for one and one for all" kind of camaraderie.


As an aside, I fell into your site awhile back and didn't come out for two days. It sounds like you're still adding to it. I guess I'd better get back over there.

Thanks for participating in this forum! I feel like I'm visiting the oracle. Would you prefer sheep or goats for your offering? Cheers!
Title: Re: Bill Harry
Post by: Bill Harry on January 21, 2008, 11:23:21 PM
If you like the Mersey Beat site you'll like my other site. It's www.rockandpopshop.com If you go to the home page, see 'Editorial' at the top and click that, you'll see several editorial features. 'Mersey Artists' has detailed profiles of around 80 Mersey artists. 'Bill Harry's Mersey Beat' ifeatures issue by issue  of the original paper with my comments and anecdotes on the original stories. there is also the full story of the Mersey Beat paper.
Title: Re: Bill Harry
Post by: harihead on January 22, 2008, 05:26:01 AM
Thanks for the link, Bill! I can see I'll have to fall into the archives for a while.  ;D
Title: Re: Bill Harry
Post by: JimmyMcCullochFan on January 22, 2008, 05:59:42 AM
Hi Bill, This isn't really Beatle related although it sorta is since it has to do with Paul but at the moment I am researching information for a biography that I'm writing on former Wings guitarist Jimmy McCulloch and I was wondering if you could offer any advice or stories if you saw Wings or Jimmy or anything?

Thanks and welcome to the forum. I hope you enjoy your stay  :)
Title: Re: Bill Harry
Post by: Bill Harry on January 22, 2008, 08:41:10 AM
Here is a piece I wrote about him in my 'Paul McCartney Encyclopedia.'
McCulloch, Jimmy.
 A young guitarist who had a brief, but glorious spell with Wings.
     Jimmy was born in Glasgow on June 4 1953. At the age of 13 he joined a band called One In A Million. He was sixteen when he performed on a No. 1 record,
Title: Re: Bill Harry
Post by: JimmyMcCullochFan on January 22, 2008, 09:21:57 AM
thanks for that  :)
Title: Re: Bill Harry
Post by: Paul Doherty on January 22, 2008, 11:37:00 AM
Great stuff,welcom Bill
Title: Re: Bill Harry
Post by: Andy Smith on January 24, 2008, 09:47:06 PM
Hey, Welcome Bill! You've finally found DM's! i really enjoy reading your books very much!
i'm always looking through them for information.
just wondering, when was the last time you saw Paul McCartney?

Andy  :)
Title: Re: Bill Harry
Post by: tkitna on January 26, 2008, 07:39:59 AM
Hey Bill, I was wondering if you could possibly shed some light on a topic Marshall and I and few other members talked about before. When Ringo was playing with Rory, he had a showcase called 'Starr Time' and as far as we know, he played 'Boys', 'Your Sixteen', 'Alley Oop', and 'Big Noise From Winetka'.

My question to you is would you possibly know if that was the complete setlist for the showcase or if there were other songs involved. Also, is there any known soundclips to any of those showcases avaliable anywhere?

If i'm barking up the wrong tree, I apologize, but it never hurts to ask. Thanks.
Title: Re: Bill Harry
Post by: Bill Harry on January 26, 2008, 10:26:44 AM
A number of years ago, backstage at a Rod Stewart concert, I was talking to Iris Caldwell, Rory's sister. She told me that she had a tape of a complete set of Rory Storm & the Hurricanes playing at the Cavern, when Ringo was a member. She said it had been recorded on a domestic tape recorder. I told her this was a fantastic discovery and there'd be no trouble releasing an album. I contacted Abbey Road Studios and they said to bring the tape along as they had all the equipment to turn it into an acceptable form.
Then Iris phoned me. She said she'd try out the tape and see what was on it. She began playing it and the voice of Bob Wooler was making their introduction "...and now the golden boy himself..." and then a Cliff Richard radio show came on. Iris' mother had recorded over it!
On the Mersey Beat site www.mersey-beat.com in the A&Z section, I have Johnny Guitar's diaries of the early career when Ringo was a member and he has given a list of the group's repertoire of the time.
Title: Re: Bill Harry
Post by: tkitna on January 26, 2008, 11:11:36 AM
Taped over it!  :'(

I'm going to check the site out now. Thanks Bill. Its a real pleasure and an honor to have you here.
Title: Re: Bill Harry
Post by: pc31 on January 26, 2008, 03:23:08 PM
did gibson kemp remind you of stu at all????in a few pictures i thought so....he seemed to have a stu demeanour too...
Title: Re: Bill Harry
Post by: alexis on January 30, 2008, 11:41:31 PM
Dear Bill -

Please come back, we miss you!
Title: Re: Bill Harry
Post by: Bill Harry on January 31, 2008, 08:47:16 AM
No Gibson didn't remind me of Stu. Perhaps the resemblance is in the pictures that Astrid took of him - her style of photo. After all, Gibbo and Astrid did get married. After they divorced he moved to Australia as a record executive, then returned to a village called Radlett and opened a pub there. When Klaus came to Liverpool he invited Pete and Roag Best, John Frankland and his wife, me and Virginia, Paddy Chambers and Gibbo to dinner. It was a re-union of Paddy, Klaus & Gibson. Sadly, Paddy was too ill to attend and died soon after. Gibson found that the chef had left his pub and couldn't attend.
Gibson and his second wife and daughter returned to Hamburg a few years ago to settle there. He has opened a pub restaurant. Kingsize Taylor and his wife also moved there, so they re-unite for live performances
Title: Re: Bill Harry
Post by: on February 03, 2008, 04:00:52 PM
Dear All,

Forgive me for posting material from my own book, but as a writer who is also a professional drummer, I've been asked constantly about my opinion of Ringo as a drummer, both in his own right and in comparison with Pete Best.  To be sure, we don't have a whole lot of recorded evidence of Pete Best's playing circa 1960-62 apart from the Polydor Tony Sheridan tapes and the Parlophone audition tapes, but what we do have is pretty telling.  In the interests of stimulating this discussion, I offer the following from Chapter 11 of "Can't Buy Me Love":

"Though their handling of the matter was utterly callous, the Beatles
Title: Re: Bill Harry
Post by: An Apple Beatle on February 03, 2008, 04:20:24 PM
Welcome Jon Gould...I agree about the description of Ringo's style as a muso myself. Well written & nice quotes. ;)
Title: Re: Bill Harry
Post by: The End on February 03, 2008, 10:08:06 PM
Great article,thanks Jon :)
Title: Re: Bill Harry
Post by: BlueMeanie on February 04, 2008, 03:04:59 PM
Great article Jon, thanks. And nice to see you finally posting! ;)
Title: Re: Bill Harry
Post by: harihead on February 05, 2008, 04:52:33 AM
Yes, Jon. Many thanks. Great to see you again. :)
Title: Re: Bill Harry
Post by: Kevin on February 05, 2008, 09:56:42 AM
Great stuff. Though I can't get Jimmy Nicol out of my mind. The bandwagon rolled on, the fans kept screaming, and despite a silent drummer the press interviews were just as sharp and witty as the other press interviews.
Title: Re: Bill Harry
Post by: alexis on February 11, 2008, 02:33:08 AM
Quote from: 185
Great stuff. Though I can't get Jimmy Nicol out of my mind. The bandwagon rolled on, the fans kept screaming, and despite a silent drummer the press interviews were just as sharp and witty as the other press interviews.

"All novel is fascinating. The roosters come home to play only after the sun goes down."

Somerset Maughley
Title: Re: Bill Harry
Post by: alexis on February 11, 2008, 02:33:51 AM
Quote from: 901
Dear All,

Forgive me for posting material from my own book, but as a writer who is also a professional drummer, I've been asked constantly about my opinion of Ringo as a drummer, both in his own right and in comparison with Pete Best.  To be sure, we don't have a whole lot of recorded evidence of Pete Best's playing circa 1960-62 apart from the Polydor Tony Sheridan tapes and the Parlophone audition tapes, but what we do have is pretty telling.  In the interests of stimulating this discussion, I offer the following from Chapter 11 of "Can't Buy Me Love":

"Though their handling of the matter was utterly callous, the Beatles
Title: Re: Bill Harry
Post by: The End on February 11, 2008, 10:51:53 PM
Hi Bill!

I was just wondering whether you could shed any light on the "Raymond Jones" story - was he a real person or was he invented by Alistair Taylor (and possibly Brian Epstein)?

AL :-)
Title: Re: Bill Harry
Post by: The End on March 05, 2008, 06:38:06 PM
Bump!
Title: Re: Bill Harry
Post by: Bill Harry on March 05, 2008, 07:34:10 PM
Raymond Jones actuially existed. He was one of several people who went into Nems to ask about the Beatles record which had dominated the entire front page of issue No. 2 of Mersey Beat in July 1961. Paul McCartney had brought me a copy of the single from Germany and he also gave a copy to Bob Wooler, who played it locally. Brian Epstein, my record reviewer in Mersey Beat from issue No. 3 used to drop into the Mersey Beat office with his adverts, which went on the same pages as Beatles features, he'd come into the office with a present for Virginia after a visit to Amsterdam and took me to lunch at the Basnett Bar in Basnett Street on two occasions to discuss what was happening on the local scene. Every time I visited Nems to drop in the latest issue, he'd invite me into his office to discuss it. Therefore, i was suprised when, in his autobiography, he made out that he'd only heard of the Beatles when a lad came into his shop to order the single later that year. I'd been discussing them with him for months and he was aware of them, not only from Mersey Beat but for the fact that they dropped into Nems regularly in the afternoons after their lunchtime sessions at the Cavern and he asked the girls on his staff about them. This can also be confirmed by Pete Best.
Bob Barroch is another person who asked for the record at Nems. He said he asked for it before Jones because Paul McCartney told him about it at the Cavern.
Alistair Taylor did claim that he was Raymond Jones, but this is not so. Raymond Jones now lives in Spain. But his only relevance to the Beatles story would be if Brian had never heard of the group before his enquiry. This is not so. I was the first person ever to discuss the local scene with Brian and that was in July 1961 - and it can all be proven in black and white in the pages of Mersey Beat.
Why Brian decided to put the story in his book is probably because it sounds a lot better that saying he discovered them via Mersey Beat. I was also the one who arranged his visit to the Cavern. He phoned me up and asked if I could smooth the way. He didn't want to have to stand in a queue with youngsters and pay at the door. So I phoned Ray McFall and arranged it for Brian.
Title: Re: Bill Harry
Post by: The End on March 05, 2008, 09:40:47 PM
Thanks for setting the record straight Bill :-)
Title: Re: Bill Harry
Post by: harihead on March 06, 2008, 02:19:52 AM
Thanks, Bill. It's great to have you share your memories with us.:)
Title: Re: Bill Harry
Post by: An Apple Beatle on March 06, 2008, 09:57:47 AM
Nice one Bill. ;)
Title: Re: Bill Harry
Post by: Bobber on April 17, 2008, 07:32:14 AM
Bill, where can I find an overview of your books? And are they all still available?
Title: Re: Bill Harry
Post by: Sgt. Pepper 45822 on April 18, 2008, 02:41:25 AM
Gosh I love when you post Bill!!
Title: Re: Bill Harry
Post by: Bill Harry on April 18, 2008, 07:31:02 AM
Virtually none of my books is currently available. I'm afraid they never got the distribution that other similar books get. My book with Pete Best, 'The Best Years Of The Beatles', gives a completely different insight into Pete's life than the previous book 'Beatle!' and is quite lavishly illustrated, but it was only published in Britain and soon went out of print. I believe copies are still available from Pete Best's own site and I asked Roag to request all the original film of the book from the publisher. I spent about 20 years compiling my encyclopedias, but apart from 'The Beatles Encyclopedia', which was originally published in America by Hyperion, the rest had little distribution in the States. They include the revised edition of the Encyclopedia and the encyclopedias on George, John, Paul and Ringo.
The books on George, Paul and Ringo are still available at www.merseybeat.co.uk at less than half their original price - and signed!
I've had bad luck with my books - lots of times the corrections I made were never done. In a book with 500,000 words and hundreds of dates, occasionally a printer would put 1968 when it would be 1962 and so on - and although I'd correct the proofs, often they wouldn't be corrected. With the original encyclopedia all the reviews of Beatles publications weren't used, all my colour photos of the Beatles were lost with the publisher, with the revised edition the publisher lost 40,000 words - and so on. With my original Mersey Beat book in 1977 I didn't get my set of original copies of Mersey Beat back, so I went to the publishers office and found them spread across some shelves in the basement - with half of the issues missing!
For an insight into author's publishing problems, I now give authors a forum to write about their books themselves in the 'Rock Books' section of www.merseybeat.co.uk
Title: Re: Bill Harry
Post by: Bobber on April 18, 2008, 08:29:35 AM
Thanks Bill. Great publisher you got there!  :-/
Title: Re: Bill Harry
Post by: Geoff on April 18, 2008, 01:56:01 PM
Quote from: 1062
I've had bad luck with my books - lots of times the corrections I made were never done. In a book with 500,000 words and hundreds of dates, occasionally a printer would put 1968 when it would be 1962 and so on - and although I'd correct the proofs, often they wouldn't be corrected. With the original encyclopedia all the reviews of Beatles publications weren't used, all my colour photos of the Beatles were lost with the publisher, with the revised edition the publisher lost 40,000 words - and so on. With my original Mersey Beat book in 1977 I didn't get my set of original copies of Mersey Beat back, so I went to the publishers office and found them spread across some shelves in the basement - with half of the issues missing!
For an insight into author's publishing problems, I now give authors a forum to write about their books themselves in the 'Rock Books' section of www.merseybeat.co.uk

I suspect your case is probably not all that unusual. That in itself deserves some sort of publication.
Title: Re: Bill Harry
Post by: harihead on April 18, 2008, 02:10:34 PM
Ugh! That's scandalous, how they abused your original material! And not making your corrections after the labor of proofing-- I bet you bit a nail in two.

I have published books on occasion as well. I had to retire a children's book I was shopping round because the publisher lost the beautiful and expensive color photos of the illustrations, and the struggling artist couldn't afford to do a reshoot. One of my books was published with a great chunk duplicated and another section missing-- and the publisher wouldn't recall it! I had to wait for people to write me so I could supply good copies from my stock. Just think of how many people didn't write, and threw away the defective book!

I'll drop into your author's forum sometime-- when I can stand the pain! Cheers.
Title: Re: Bill Harry
Post by: Bill Harry on December 28, 2008, 05:49:28 PM
Dave Bedford has just had his book published called 'Liddypool.' This was the title John Lennon gave to thed city in a Mersey Beat feature.
Title: Re: Bill Harry
Post by: nowhereman71 on August 31, 2009, 04:29:53 AM
Thanks Bill, for the great insights and information about the Raymond Jones incident.  I tend to agree with you that it was better for Brian not to give credit to you, a known expert on the scene. 

Luckily for me, I've got your books, though not signed!

I've always thought you a very meticulous man and it's a crying shame that your corrections weren't put in and that your books didn't get the distribution deals they deserves.  It's especially wrong when you know that there's some awful books on the Beatles around, written by people who didn't know them in any sense at all.  You were/are a friend and that alone should carry some weight.  The fans at least know you and your work if the blinkered and blind publishing industry doesn't!

Thanks again.

James
Title: Re: Bill Harry
Post by: Bill Harry on October 01, 2009, 03:10:21 PM
Here are some details about my new book:

http://www.merseycats.com/Liverpool-Bigger-than-The-Beatles.html (http://www.merseycats.com/Liverpool-Bigger-than-The-Beatles.html)

Title: Re: Bill Harry
Post by: Xose on October 10, 2009, 09:04:21 AM
Here are some details about my new book:

[url]http://www.merseycats.com/Liverpool-Bigger-than-The-Beatles.html[/url] ([url]http://www.merseycats.com/Liverpool-Bigger-than-The-Beatles.html[/url])




I have just ordered it...

Xosé
Title: Re: Bill Harry
Post by: Xose on October 15, 2009, 09:13:50 AM
I have just ordered it...

Xosé

The book is now in my hands...

Xosé
Title: Re: Bill Harry
Post by: Bill Harry on October 15, 2009, 03:27:57 PM
Dear Xose, I hope you like it. Originally it was going to be a large size book with photos virtually on every page. I wrote 135,000 words. Then the recession hit and publishers were affected, so I was asked to cut out 45,000 words and it became a paperback. However, I have started work on Volume Two. Could you put an image of the cover on the site as I don't know how to do that?
Best
Bill.
Title: Re: Bill Harry
Post by: Bobber on October 15, 2009, 07:28:47 PM
Should be this:

(http://www.merseycats.com/images/billharrybooksmall.jpg)
Title: Re: Bill Harry
Post by: Bobber on May 11, 2010, 03:36:37 PM
Raymond Jones actuially existed. He was one of several people who went into Nems to ask about the Beatles record which had dominated the entire front page of issue No. 2 of Mersey Beat in July 1961. Paul McCartney had brought me a copy of the single from Germany and he also gave a copy to Bob Wooler, who played it locally. Brian Epstein, my record reviewer in Mersey Beat from issue No. 3 used to drop into the Mersey Beat office with his adverts, which went on the same pages as Beatles features, he'd come into the office with a present for Virginia after a visit to Amsterdam and took me to lunch at the Basnett Bar in Basnett Street on two occasions to discuss what was happening on the local scene. Every time I visited Nems to drop in the latest issue, he'd invite me into his office to discuss it. Therefore, i was suprised when, in his autobiography, he made out that he'd only heard of the Beatles when a lad came into his shop to order the single later that year. I'd been discussing them with him for months and he was aware of them, not only from Mersey Beat but for the fact that they dropped into Nems regularly in the afternoons after their lunchtime sessions at the Cavern and he asked the girls on his staff about them. This can also be confirmed by Pete Best.
Bob Barroch is another person who asked for the record at Nems. He said he asked for it before Jones because Paul McCartney told him about it at the Cavern.
Alistair Taylor did claim that he was Raymond Jones, but this is not so. Raymond Jones now lives in Spain. But his only relevance to the Beatles story would be if Brian had never heard of the group before his enquiry. This is not so. I was the first person ever to discuss the local scene with Brian and that was in July 1961 - and it can all be proven in black and white in the pages of Mersey Beat.
Why Brian decided to put the story in his book is probably because it sounds a lot better that saying he discovered them via Mersey Beat. I was also the one who arranged his visit to the Cavern. He phoned me up and asked if I could smooth the way. He didn't want to have to stand in a queue with youngsters and pay at the door. So I phoned Ray McFall and arranged it for Brian.

Nice to find this included in Eric Krasker's book, plus a footnote with DM Beatles Forum as a source.
Title: Re: Bill Harry
Post by: aerolls on September 19, 2010, 03:05:51 PM
Virtually none of my books is currently available. I'm afraid they never got the distribution that other similar books get. My book with Pete Best, 'The Best Years Of The Beatles', gives a completely different insight into Pete's life than the previous book 'Beatle!' and is quite lavishly illustrated, but it was only published in Britain and soon went out of print. I believe copies are still available from Pete Best's own site and I asked Roag to request all the original film of the book from the publisher. I spent about 20 years compiling my encyclopedias, but apart from 'The Beatles Encyclopedia', which was originally published in America by Hyperion, the rest had little distribution in the States. They include the revised edition of the Encyclopedia and the encyclopedias on George, John, Paul and Ringo.
The books on George, Paul and Ringo are still available at [url=http://www.merseybeat.co.uk]www.merseybeat.co.uk[/url] ([url]http://www.merseybeat.co.uk[/url]) at less than half their original price - and signed!
I've had bad luck with my books - lots of times the corrections I made were never done. In a book with 500,000 words and hundreds of dates, occasionally a printer would put 1968 when it would be 1962 and so on - and although I'd correct the proofs, often they wouldn't be corrected. With the original encyclopedia all the reviews of Beatles publications weren't used, all my colour photos of the Beatles were lost with the publisher, with the revised edition the publisher lost 40,000 words - and so on. With my original Mersey Beat book in 1977 I didn't get my set of original copies of Mersey Beat back, so I went to the publishers office and found them spread across some shelves in the basement - with half of the issues missing!
For an insight into author's publishing problems, I now give authors a forum to write about their books themselves in the 'Rock Books' section of [url=http://www.merseybeat.co.uk]www.merseybeat.co.uk[/url] ([url]http://www.merseybeat.co.uk[/url])


Bill,

I own all four copies of your individual Beatles Solo, John, Paul, George and Ringo Encyclopedia's. I love them. They are essential, I recommend everyone in here to find copies because I reference them daily. One of the things I mentioned to another DM forum member was that I was "surprised" to see that George and Ringo's volumes weren't as comprehensive as John and Paul. I know, I know it's Lennon and McCartney but there's a lot about Ringo and George that I would love to discover. Any chance, all four Encyclopedia volumes will be released with new info, any time in the near future?

Thanks,

Adrian
Title: Re: Bill Harry
Post by: larainefan on September 23, 2010, 02:41:39 PM
I wish there would be more info published on George and Ringo too! 
Title: Re: Bill Harry
Post by: Bill Harry on September 23, 2010, 07:27:13 PM
This was at the request of the publishers. I could easily have made all four volumes of equal length, but publishers generally
have their way. For instance, with 'Liverpool Bigger Than The Beatles' I was asked to produce 135,000 words, which I did. The book was supposed to be a large book with photos on every page. Due to the recession the publishers told me to cut the book to 95,000 words and it became a paperback with just a handful of pictures. People often complain to me that the Beatles Encyclopedia has no index - but the publishers didn't want want one and cut 40,000 words out of the book anyway - and lost all my colour transparencies of the Beatles. The publishers of my original Mersey Beat book borrowed all my copies. When I asked for them back they said they were in the storeroom. When I went there, half the copies were missing, including Issue no. 13, and I've never been able to collate a full set ever since.
Title: Re: Bill Harry
Post by: Jane on July 06, 2011, 08:43:06 PM
Dear Bill!
May I turn to you with a question? Please, what is the correct spelling of the early name of the band, I mean was it the Quarrymen or the Quarry Men? Was it spelt in one or two words? Different writers and the participants of the band itself express different ideas concerning the problem. Many fans are at a loss and need your help... )))
Thank you very much!   :)
Title: Re: Bill Harry
Post by: Nada Surf on January 20, 2012, 02:39:52 AM
From what I can tell, it's Quarry Men.
Title: Re: Bill Harry
Post by: Bill Harry on May 14, 2012, 10:00:34 AM
If you notice the early photo of the Quarry Men performing on the back of a lorry, you will notice that the drums have only two words 'Qyarry Men.' the visiting card that Nigel had was 'Quarry Men'. All early references to them had the name as two words. Later on, the words were truncated by writers years after the group had disbanded. it's the same with the group the Merseybeats. When they originally asked my permission to use the name, they went out as 'The Mersey Beats.' Over the years there have been numerous minor changes in details such as these.
Title: Re: Bill Harry
Post by: Casbah on July 20, 2014, 02:38:50 PM
Did you ever get your transparencies back?
Title: Re: Bill Harry
Post by: KEROUAC on December 02, 2014, 06:27:39 PM
I really enjoyed reading some of Bill's posts. I never knew the info about Brian's story of finding The Beatles was wrong.

I noticed some of those website links are now not working though.
Title: Re: Bill Harry
Post by: Bobber on December 02, 2014, 08:11:35 PM
Bills site is here: http://www.mersey-beat.com/ (http://www.mersey-beat.com/)
Title: Re: Bill Harry
Post by: Bobber on April 01, 2015, 10:55:50 AM
Bill has recently started his own blog. It's here: http://billharry.co.uk/ (http://billharry.co.uk/)
Title: Re: Bill Harry
Post by: KelMar on April 01, 2015, 05:10:09 PM
Bill has recently started his own blog. It's here: [url]http://billharry.co.uk/[/url] ([url]http://billharry.co.uk/[/url])


Excellent! I look forward to reading it.
Title: Re: Bill Harry
Post by: KEROUAC on May 29, 2016, 02:50:15 PM
Just wondering what the difference is between Bill's books on Mersybeat: Mersey Beat: The Beginnings of The Beatles &.... Bigger Than the Beatles  Is the more recent one an update? I was interested in Mark Lewisohn's comment that what was happening in Liverpool in the late 50's - early sixties wasn't happening anywhere else in the world so the music scene there was totally unique.

Bill hasn't been on here for a while has he?
Title: Re: Bill Harry
Post by: Bobber on May 29, 2016, 07:21:52 PM
Just wondering what the difference is between Bill's books on Mersybeat: Mersey Beat: The Beginnings of The Beatles &.... Bigger Than the Beatles  Is the more recent one an update? I was interested in Mark Lewisohn's comment that what was happening in Liverpool in the late 50's - early sixties wasn't happening anywhere else in the world so the music scene there was totally unique.

Bill hasn't been on here for a while has he?

No, Bill hasn't been here since long. But I have occasionly contact with him on Facebook and I can ask him your question.