Since I started interviewing people connected with The Beatles back in 2000, I have amassed a huge archive of stories, interviews and photos. I will be adding their interviews to this site over the coming months.
For Liddypool, I interviewed:
Pete Best, former Beatles drummer – who also wrote the foreword to the book – and his brothers Rory and Roag; Julia Baird – half-sister of John Lennon, plus school friends of John and George from Dovedale School, as well as John’s former teacher Harry Holmes; May Pang – John Lennon’s girlfriend in the 1970s; Chas Newby – Beatles bass player at the end of 1960, Allan Williams – first Beatles manager; The Quarrymen – Rod Davis, Eric Griffiths, Len Garry, Colin Hanton and John Duff Lowe; Ken Brown – played with The Quarrymen in late 1959 at the Casbah; Bill Harry – founder of Mersey Beat, and art college friend of John Lennon and Stuart Sutcliffe; Faron – Merseybeat legend of Faron’s Flamingos; Alistair Taylor – Brian Epstein’s PA; Tony Barrow – Beatles PR guru who wrote their sleeve notes; Tony Booth – created posters for The Beatles and promoted them too; Sam Leach – legendary Beatles promoter; Monty Lister – recorded first interview with John, Paul, George and Ringo; Billy Butler and Spencer Leigh – friend and biographer of Bob Wooler; Sid Bernstein – booked The Beatles for Carnegie Hall in New York; and other friends of The Beatles from Liverpool.
For the Fab one Hundred and Four: The Evolution of The Beatles, I also interviewed:
Geoff Lee (exclusive) – suggested to John that he should start a skiffle group; Bill Smith – founder member of The Quarrymen; Michael Hill – friend of John Lennon who introduced him to the music of Little Richard; Charlie Roberts – friend of The Quarrymen who took the first photos of the group; Ian James – Paul McCartney’s friend who taught Paul to play guitar; Geoff Nugent – friend of George Harrison and member of The Undertakers; Dennis Littler – on the first colour photo of John, Paul and George; Rod Murray – friend of Stuart Sutcliffe and almost a Beatle; Everett Estridge and Jimmy James from the Royal Caribbean Steel Band; Cheniston Roland – Jacaranda photographer who took the photos of The Silver Beatles; The daughter of Norman Chapman (exclusive), Beatles drummer in 1960; Royston Ellis – the man on the flaming pie; Howie Casey – from Derry and the Seniors; Roy Young – on stage collaborator of The Beatles in Hamburg; Andy White – session drummer on “Love Me Do” and “PS I Love You”; Joe Ankrah – member of The Chants. Plus other friends of The Beatles.
For Finding the Fourth Beatle, I interviewed:
Pete Best – former Beatles drummer; Johnny Hutchinson – drummer with the Big Three; Colin Hanton – The Quarrymen; family and friends of Beatles drummer Tommy Moore (exclusive); Alan Leyland (exclusive) – played drums once for The Beatles; Terry McCann – friend of Sam Leach; David Harris – Brian Epstein’s lawyer; Peter Pilbeam – BBC Radio producer; friends of Ritchie Galvin – asked to replace Pete Best; friend of Bobby Graham – first drummer asked to replace Pete Best; Peter Bounds – solicitor; Roy Trafford – friend of Ringo Starr; Lady Judy Martin – widow of George Martin; biographer of Norman “Hurricane” Smith; friends, fans and musicians who saw The Beatles play with Jimmie Nicol; several drummers, including Gary Astridge and Rob Shanahan who are friends of Ringo Starr; Steve Levine – record producer; and many other drummers whose expertise was invaluable.
