John Lennon Archives |

60th Anniversary of Ed Sullivan

Lots of exciting things happening this week.

I’m off to New York on 8th Feb for the Fest for Beatles Fans weekend, where I will be giving some talks and doing panels etc. If you’re going, come and find me.

The latest video on our YouTube channel is with my friend Jude Southerland Kessler, talking about her new audiobook with the incredible Scott McKinley who dies 183 voices!!

Check it out here:

Also this week, my interview in 2 parts with Bruce Spizer as we dissect how the Beatles really got to be on the Ed Sullivan Show. Check those out this week too.

David

The Day John met Paul – Audio from 6th July 1957

It is amazing that, not only did John and Paul only meet through Ivan Vaughan, their only connection, but their friend Geoff Rhind took a photo, and another friend, Bob Molyneux, recorded them that evening.

This is the audio that survived.

The Day John Met Paul

Enjoy!

David

6th June 1962 – The Beatles Audition with George Martin

On this day in 1962, The Beatles rolled up at EMI STUDIOS in Abbey Road, London, to do their audition with George Martin.

It didn’t all go well, plus there were conversations which led to misunderstandings, which led to The Beatles getting rid of drummer Pete Best.

What really happened that day?

Find out in my latest video.

David

The Beatles EMI Audition

The Quarrymen: Pete Shotton and John Lennon

In Episode 5 of my new series on how The Quarrymen became the Beatles, using rare interviews, I look at Pete Shotton, John Lennon’s best friend.

Pete Shotton and John Lennon

Liverpool- the Fifth Beatle?

The latest video on our Brightmoon Liverpool channel is the first podcast episode of Liddypod, with myself and good friend Paul Beesley.

We cover the history of Liverpool and ask the question: is Liverpool the Fifth Beatle?

What do you think?

Liddypod Episode 1

Liddypool Walks is Back! John, Cynthia, Brian and Ringo

Happy New year to you.

Brightmoon Liverpool is back after our successful 12 Days of Beatles Christmas videos in December. If you didn’t see, them, catch up now.

We kick off 2023 by going back to the walking tour, this time looking at Falkner Street and Myrtle Street Hospital, with stories to tell!

David

Watch the video now

Denis Littler – The Fourth Quarryman?

Sad news on the passing of Dennis Littler. As you will read from this article, I interviewed Denis for my book The Fab One Hundred and Four. He was the guy on the right of Mike McCartney’s famous colour photo of the Quarrymen.

Lovely guy and what a story too!

The passing of Dennis Littler

Inside Julia Lennon’s House

I had the opportunity to take a look inside 1 Blomfield Road, home to Julia Lennon, her partner John “Bobby” Dykins and their daughters Julia and Jackie.

John, of course spent a lot of time there with his mother and family. It was here that Julia taught John how to play banjo chords on his guitar, and so much more.

Come inside with me now:

Inside Julia’s House

Stuart Sutcliffe

I am writing this from Hamburg where I celebrated Stuart’s birthday yesterday, passing near to the house where he sadly died in 1962.

But I wanted to celebrate his life, so I out together this short video of the places he lived in Liverpool and how John and the Beatles became part of his life.

Stuart’s Liverpool

The Beatles at EMI on 6th June 1962 – the day it all changed!

When The Beatles went down to EMI Studios on 6th June 1962, were they under contract or was it an audition?

This was the day that would change the story of the Beatles forever. It would lead to the Beatles obtaining their recording contract from Parlophone and working with George Martin.

It also led to the end of the road for Pete Best in the Beatles.

Examine the evidence with me now in this video.

David

The Beatles EMI Audition