I collaborated on a book with Pete called 'The Best Years Of The Beatles' and spent a week with him at his home taping his entire life story. The book was published in Britain by Headline, but not published internationally. Pete told me in detail what had happened and he was unaware that the planning to oust him had been going on for some time. I do know that George went to Ringo's house to ask him to join them, but Ringo was in Butlins with Rory Storm & the Hurricanes at the time. I mentioned it in Mersey Beat which is perhaps why Bruno gave him that black eye!

Quoted from Bill Harry

I collaborated on a book with Pete called 'The Best Years Of The Beatles' and spent a week with him at his home taping his entire life story. The book was published in Britain by Headline, but not published internationally. Pete told me in detail what had happened and he was unaware that the planning to oust him had been going on for some time. I do know that George went to Ringo's house to ask him to join them, but Ringo was in Butlins with Rory Storm & the Hurricanes at the time. I mentioned it in Mersey Beat which is perhaps why Bruno gave him that black eye!

Wow! I know about the black eye, I think there are pics of George in Studio #2 (for the first time) sporting a shiner. Who was Bruno?

BTW, was it Mona Best that Mal fathered a child with?

Mona fathered a child with Neil.

Yes, Roag Best is Neil's son. Bruno was a Best fan and he hit George in the eye when they appeared at the Cavern. On the front page of Mersey Beat, where Brian had a special photo taken for me of the Beatles at Speke Airport on their way to London for the recording session, George can clearly be seen with the black eye. This issue is now available on  http://www.rockandpopshop.com

Wonderful entries. Thanks, Bill.

Amazon's copy of  'The Best Years Of The Beatles'  is for sale for over $100, so I don't think I'll be buying it anytime soon. Any chance of a reprint?

Quoted from alexis

Who was Bruno?

Bruno Koshmider. He owned the Kaiserkeller in Hamburg where The Beatles played in 1960.

What a magnanimous, healing gesture it would be for Paul to invite Pete over for a little chat. Even better to ask him over to jam on a new project. It really would benefit Paul more than anyone. Such an amazing amount of good karma would accrue.

Pete really has been such a gentleman about the whole thing. God, if it were me, I would have quite an ax to grind. It would be hard to hold my tongue and be civil.

I have to say that Pete's Anthology windfall was a first step by Paul etc. in the right direction. That largess allowed Pete to take early retirement and get back into playing music and meeting the fans on a regular basis.

Goodbye Liverpool Employment Office 9 to 5 grind. Back to the drum kit.

As an aside, I was once visiting Liverpool almost twenty years ago, to research a writing project and I telephoned Pete at his job. The man was such a gentleman, so polite. He was extremely courteous to this complete stranger who called out of the blue. He took the time to explain that he was terribly busy at the moment and that he wasn't doing interviews at that time in his life. I got the message and apologized for bothering him at work. He wished me the best of luck with my project; and I was left with an after image of a warm, kind and generous person.

I still feel fortunate to have been able to talk to him on the telephone for five minutes.


Come on, Paul.

Quoted from alexis

... Who was Bruno?

Quoted from Bill Harry

... Bruno was a Best fan and he hit George in the eye when they appeared at the Cavern...

Quoted from BlueMeanie

Bruno Koshmider. He owned the Kaiserkeller in Hamburg where The Beatles played in 1960.

BM, are you sure you are talking about the same Bruno that Bill Harry is? I guess your Hamburg Bruno would have to have been visiting the Cavern to bop George one...?

Quoted from alexis

BM, are you sure you are talking about the same Bruno that Bill Harry is? I guess your Hamburg Bruno would have to have been visiting the Cavern to bop George one...?

I don't know for sure, but it's quite possible. Koshmider had been in England before. Didn't he hire Derry & The Seniors?

Quoted from BlueMeanie

I don't know for sure, but it's quite possible. Koshmider had been in England before. Didn't he hire Derry & The Seniors?

Yes, and I'd LOVE to see/hear them in action. They looked jamming at the Weymouth social club from the still photo. I suppose we'll never see/hear them. I wonder what Paul thought about them?

Mr. Harry, if you're reading this, did you ever get to hear/see them?

Quoted from alexis

Yes, and I'd LOVE to see/hear them in action. They looked jamming at the Weymouth social club from the still photo. I suppose we'll never see/hear them. I wonder what Paul thought about them?

Mr. Harry, if you're reading this, did you ever get to hear/see them?

Bill's on holiday. But referring to his site (http://www.mersey-beat.net/), the band, under the name of Howie and the Seniors, did record and they even did so before The Beatles made their first record. Bill might be of help here!

Quoted from Bobber

Bill's on holiday. But referring to his site (http://www.mersey-beat.net/), the band, under the name of Howie and the Seniors, did record and they even did so before The Beatles made their first record. Bill might be of help here!

Wow, is all I have to say!

Well, not really of course, but I remember reading a thread a while back that asked if any other Liverpool groups had recorded before the Beatles, and here is the answer. THANKS, Bobber.

I will start a new thread for Mr. Harry's attention to see what he might know about the recording, or even what it might have been like to hear them.

Thanks again, Bobber!

bruno k didn't punch george...http://beatlesstory.com/wiki/ow.asp?BrunoKoschmider
i thought that it was around this time...
but no black eye there...

Not yet. You can see it in this session:

Quoted from alexis

Wow, is all I have to say!

Well, not really of course, but I remember reading a thread a while back that asked if any other Liverpool groups had recorded before the Beatles, and here is the answer. THANKS, Bobber.

I will start a new thread for Mr. Harry's attention to see what he might know about the recording, or even what it might have been like to hear them.

Thanks again, Bobber!

You're welcome. Not groups, but artists like Billy Fury and Frankie Vaughan came from Liverpool and recorded before The Beatles did.