The Beatles Bookstore

March 11-12 — The Iron Door Club | ‘Rock Around The Clock’ 12-hour all-night gig | Liverpool’s very first ‘Saturday night and Sunday morning’ rock session for Sam Leach.

“LADIES AND GENTLEGERMS, welcome to the Iron Door Club and ‘Rock Around the Clock’…Liverpool’s first ever all-night rock session. Now, to open the show, we proudly present the best group ever to come out of…Where did you say you come from, lads?”

Rock Around The Clock

Terry McCann, minder-cum-compère, threw a wink at his boss, Sam Leach, standing down by the side of the stage. Johnny Rocco and The Jets were making their first professional appearance anywhere and Sam was as nervous as a newly neutered cat the band wouldn’t be up to scratch. But there was no time for a snappy comeback line. The Jets’ drummer bashed a cymbal, yelled “Onetoofreefawr!” and led the group straight into ‘Rock Around the Clock’.

Terry laughed, ran off stage, waving to the crowd.

“You know, Tel,” Sam shouted. “I’m sick to death of that bloody song, but they don’t sound too bad, do they? Clever of them to start off with it, I should’ve thought of it myself and I will next time.”

Sam Leach

The club had barely been open half an hour and the dance floor was already one heaving mass of beat fans. Sam shook his head in wonder. “I knew they’d come in droves if I gave them what they wanted.” He waved at a poster on the wall. Read it aloud. “‘Twelve groups for twelve hours. Price: only six shillings and sixpence’. But that’s me. Isn’t it? Sam Leach, the only Liverpool music promoter who’ll never get rich, because he always gives it straight back to the fans. Who else has the balls to turn this old ‘Trad-jazz only’ dive into Merseyside’s very first Mecca of rock ‘n’ roll?”

“Nobody’s got your balls, Sam,” Terry said. “And even if they did, none of them have got a pair of trousers big enough to fit them in.”

Sam sniffed. Nodded. How true. “I don’t know how much I’m paying you, Tel, but give yourself a bonus.” Suddenly feeling peckish, he turned, his eyes alighting on a fresh-faced teenager with an unruly mop of hair. He called the lad over. “Here, Spike. I know I said you being the new boy meant you had to get your feet wet, but I didn’t mean for you to go swimming in your soddin’ clothes.

“When I sent you outside to check on the size of the queue you obviously didn’t see the great, big, bloody umbrella by the front door did you? You’ve got to learn to use your head in the music business. Anyroad…do us another favour, will yers? Pop upstairs and get Tel and me some hot dogs…lashings of tomato sauce, onions…whole lotta mustard. And get one down your neck, too. You look like you could do with it.”

Beat fans were still pouring down the stairs into the huge basement cellar that served as the dance floor. Glory be, thought Sam, there must be well over five hundred of the lovely buggers and The Beatles aren’t even due on until eleven. He turned and shouted into Terry’s ear, “You know, Tel, I think it’s going to be a very successful night. And, unless I’m very much mistaken, I hear the sound of cash registers a-ring-a-ding-dinging.”

Sam sang along to ‘Hound Dog’, the Jets’ third number—and when Spike handed him a hot dog in a paper wrapper, he paused, curled his lip and mumbled, “Thank you, very much.” Then he bit the head off his hot dog and yelled, “This is the life…rock ‘n’ roll!”

Check back for Part 2

Get Tony Broadbent’s great book celebrating the early history of The Beatles

The One After 9:09

A DISAFFECTED LIVERPOOL TEENAGER BECOMES INVOLVED WITH THE BEATLES WHEN HE’S HIRED TO HELP PREVENT THE MURDER OF THE GROUP’S MANAGER, BRIAN EPSTEIN.

PURCHASE ON AMAZON

Kindle from $2.99 and Paperback from $6.99

£2.16

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Join our resident Beatles memorabilia expert Terry Crain on the Plastic EP show, discussing some of the best Beatles novelty songs and records.

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?extid=NS-UNK-UNK-UNK-AN_GK0T-GK1C&v=3092159084378192

Get a copy of Terry’s great book on Beatles memorabilia

NEMS and the Business of Selling Beatles Merchandise in the U.S. 1964-1966 (2ND EDITION)

The book covers the approximately 150 licensed items that dotted store shelves and helped fuel the band-crazed fan during the time right after the band landed in America and performed on The Ed Sullivan Show. Toys, games, dolls, jewelry, clothing, wigs, and more!

Barnes and Noble site: httpss://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/nems-and-the-business-of-selling-beatles-merchandise-in-the-us-1964-1966-terry-crain/1137422952?ean=9783347096165#

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If you had to select the 100 Most Pivotal Moments of The Beatles’ career, what would you choose…and why? And by “The Beatles’ career,” I mean both their years together and their solo years. Quite a daunting task, isn’t it? But that was the opportunity afforded to Goldmine writer and author of John Lennon: Life is What Matters, John Borack. John was recently asked to write a great new book, The Beatles 100: One Hundred Pivotal Moments in Beatles History. And it is really, really interesting!

Please join Lanea Stagg, the author of The Recipe Records Series of rock’n’roll cookbooks and Jude Southerland Kessler, author of The John Lennon Series of narrative biographies as they sit down with Borack to discuss his choices.

This is one of the most thought-provoking, conversation-starting podcasts that “She Said She Said” has ever published. Here’s a teaser: Pivotal Moment #1 is John meeting Paul. Pivotal Moment #2 is America Greets the Fab Four in 1964 and Moment #3 is Pete Best is Replaced by Ringo Starr.

So, the moments are NOT in cause-and-effect, sequential order. You will agree and disagree. You will nod and shout at the show. You will be totally engaged. Don’t miss this lively podcast! And buy John’s intriguing book wherever great books are sold! 

Listen to this great interview with Jude Southerland Kessler and Lanea Stagg

Get Jude’s and Lanea’s Books too:

Should Have Known Better (Vol. 4) – 1964

1964 in John’s life! “A Hard Day’s Night”, and created/recorded the accompanying, best-selling soundtrack; a World Tour, a Scottish sojourn, a lengthy North American Tour hitting cities all across the U.S. and Canada.

£24.50

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Recipe Records – A Culinary Tribute to The Beatles

Invite your friends to “jam” with recipes such as “Stuffed Sgt. Peppers,” “Strawberry Pie Forever,” “Savoy Truffles,” “You Say Goodbye, I Say Jell-O,” and more! The cookbook contains recipes which “pair well” with song selections, trivia, stories, quips, and quotes about the Fabs. 50 recipes to celebrate 50 years of the Fabs are cleverly set out, and feature recipes from Beatles Book Store friends, Jude Southerland Kessler and David Bedford! This book makes a terrific gift for anyone who likes to eat….and dig The Beatles!

£9.40

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