Hi Bill -
I was reading some things on the merseycats site, and I found something written by a poor lady who has been trying to get a copy of her photo in Merseybeat from 1962 or so - she was photographed doing the Twist with Rory Storm in Bath Hall in Warrington. She's tried and tried, but can't remember what issue it was. By any chance would you be able to help her, and make her day, her month, her year, and really bring her back to the good old days with a smile?
I can just imagine how she will feel if you can help her out
Thanks!
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http://www.merseycats.com/venues.htmThe Mersey Beat Venues
This is an alphabetical list of some of the famous Mersey Beat venues – more to follow. If you have any photos, send them to David Bedford, 50 Heydale Road, Liverpool L18 5JQ and we can include them on our site.
All photographs are copyrighted and may not be used without permission.
FIFTIES & SIXTIES MERSEYBEAT VENUES - Select the first letter of the club, and then click on the link.
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To give you an appetiser, here are Merseycats' committee member Kay Shepard's memories:
My first experience with the Merseybeat scene was in 1960 at the tender age of 14 everyone will know now how old I am!!, there was a small hut in Westvale Kirkby by where I use to live it only held about 40 people, and I remember that was the first time I saw Earl Preston and the TTs I was totally gob smacked and hooked, the music was fantastic, and of course Wally was in the band at the tender age of 17, and when it finished at 10.30pm my dad would be outside waiting for me to walk me home god love him.
I then progressed onto the Aintree Institute, I absolutely loved that place, one of my favourite places. Every Thursday, Friday and Saturday the Beatles were on, also Earl Preston and the TTs were on most weekends, Earl was such a good looking guy all the girls would be screaming for him, walking up those stone steps feeling the bass guitar thumping in your chest was so exciting. There was one time when they held a band competion between the Beatles and Earl Preston and the TTs, the winner of the competion went on the response of the audience and believe it or not, the TTs won and I remember George Harrison saying to him "Wally don't forget your friends on the way up", how ironic is that.
I also went to the Orrell Park Ballroom I never enjoyed it there as much as the AI it was too big and dark and not much atmosphere. Myself and a few friends started following the TTs to all the venues, and the same excitement was always there, my stomach would turn as soon as I heard the music. At one venues called the Civil Service club in Lower Castle Street we were coming out of there on Sunday night and walking down to the Pierhead where everyone use to get their bus home and I can remember there was a gang of us walking towards the Pierhead for our bus and Paul McCartney, John Lennon and George Harrison were walking behind us calling to us we were all acting cool not answering them. There use to be a hut at the Pierhead that sold pies and drinks and when we reached there, we were sitting on a bench and Paul McCartney said to me "What time is your bus", I told him 11.00pm he said cant you get a later one, the last one left at midnight, I said I could do so I told my friends not to make a noise going passed our house as mum would wake and know that I wasn't with them. Back to the Pierhead I had a bit of a kiss and cuddle with Paul and got home around 12.30 as soon as I put my key in the door it was opened by my mum who gave me a good hiding with every smack she spoke I will Paul McCartney you, one of my friends knocked and told my mum where I was, oh the good old days.
Another favorite place of mine was the Iron Door, they use to have all nighters there, bands such as the Searches played there as well as the TTs. It was about this time that I started courting Wally I was about 15 he was 18 we got engaged on my 16th birthday and got married when I was 18 and here we are 41 years later still together, my first and only boyfriend, I love him to bits.
There was also a placed called Bath Hall in Warrington we were there when Rory Storm and the hurricanes were on and he asked me would I like to get up on stage and dance with him during a particular number I was delighted I felt like star it was the same night I won a twisting competion and had my picture in the Merseybeat paper and for the life of me I still cant find which edition it was in Dave William bless him sent me a few copies hoping that it was me, and none of them were, maybe one day.I remember the Cavern, the condensation use to run down the walls, there was long benches along the wall you could sit on and when you got up your back was soaking wet with it, but the atmosphere was brilliant, I was one of the Cavern stompers in my day, loved it. I remember Heinz out of the Tornadoes appearing this night and he borrowed Wally,s amp he did Telstar it was fantastic.
There was so many clubs around in the early 60s to name them all, but the same feeling you use to get in your gut was there in them all.
Kay Shepard
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