A special surprise came in the mail, the NEW BOOK!!!
I have helped promote the work of author Martin Orkin since I first purchased his first book entitled, Rivals of the Beatles.I have never had any problems in promoting people that I believe in because of the inherent quality evident in their work. When I was first starting out on this blog, Martin was one of the first authors that worked with me to help make the blog very successful. That is the type of man he is. I have enjoyed every one of his titles and I KNOW this book will not be an exception to that standard…
If you have not yet ordered your copy here is the site where you can purchase your copy…Martin’s prices for Hit Singles Parts 1 & 2 are due to go up on or about 1st October, after his special introductory offer ends on 30th September – so Beatle fans should get in quick before they rise! (His books will still be very good value after that – GBP £15 per book, or £25 for both.) But at present he is selling Part 2 for £9.99 and both for only £20! All plus P&P.)
I have already enjoyed reading Hit Singles Part 1 (1962-1965), to which this new book is the sequel. If you have one volume you will certainly want to own the complete set!
Not only is Martin Orkin a wonderful author about music, but he is also a good and kind man as well. So proud, appreciative, and grateful for his kindness since I first began corresponding with him a few years ago when I purchased his first book, Rivals of the Beatles. I sincerely wish him the best. His books are never over-priced, and he is always sensitive to absorb and consider his customers suggestions! Despite never having met him, I consider him a good friend!Finally, his books are well-written and well-researched and are entertaining and informative to Beatles fans of all levels of knowledge
In 1958, Paul McCartney invited his school friend John Duff Lowe to play piano with the Quarrymen. That same year, Duff played on the first record made by the Quarrymen, consisting of himself, Colin Hanton, John Lennon, Paul McCartney and George Harrison. That alone would be enough to secure Duff’s place in musical history, but it’s only the beginning of the fascinating tale of the mysterious missing Quarryman.
In 1964, The Beatles had their biggest reception ever, with 300 000 people lining the streets of Adelaide to see the band (minus Ringo). Adelaide and South Australia also had other (sometimes surprising) connections to The Beatles, many of which have never been written about before this book. One Dream Ago‘s striking cover artwork was created by Klaus Voormann.
THE SIGNATURE OF THE FORMER PIANO PLAYER FOR THE QUARRYMEN – JOHN DUFF LOWE ON A BLUE PLAQUE PHOTO COMMEMORATING THE GROUP:
I communicated with John Duff Lowe on Instant Messenger when I ran a Facebook page several years ago. He was a very kind man, and I purchased a signed cd from him of a Quarrymen album he helped to instigate entitled Open for Engagements. He will be missed but he had the satisfaction of knowing that he was a part of history and we all can take stock in that wonderful achievement! Enjoy John Duff Lowe’s story and the wonderful book that preserves it for posterity.
Special thanks are extended to author and punster, Michael Savvas in Australia. I respect and admire your quality work!
In 1958, Paul McCartney invited his school friend John Duff Lowe to play piano with the Quarrymen. That same year, Duff played on the first record made by the Quarrymen, consisting of himself, Colin Hanton, John Lennon, Paul McCartney and George Harrison. That alone would be enough to secure Duff’s place in musical history, but it’s only the beginning of the fascinating tale of the mysterious missing Quarryman.
I like Dhani Harrison as an artist. He is committed to chart his own course in the music world and has done a great job thus far with his releases. This new album was co-written with noted producer, Nigel Godrich who is also the producer of this LP. You may also know Nigel from his role as producer of the Paul McCartney, Chaos and Creation album!
This new album is called Dragonflies, and I just received my special signed copy in the mail. Here are a few photos from the signed limited edition of the LP that I purchasedfrom Rough Trade Records in the UK.
The pensive writer and producer along with the writer/musician (staring upward (at the stars?)This is featured on the inner sleeveof the LP!
Credits page on the sleeve containing the LP
The hand-signed insert of this edition of the album featuring Dhani Harrison’s signature in the upper right-hand corner and Nigel Godrich’s signature just below the title of the album!
Nigel Godrich produced Paul McCartney’s 2005 solo album Chaos and Creation in the Backyard. George Martin recommended the producer to Paul for the LP
From what I see from Amazon the physical media appears to be only available in the UK:
Please note the following links to the contents of the LP are not the signed edition of the LP which I obtained at another source which was called Rough Trade:
1967 – The World of Brian Epstein and The Beatles by Gary Kemp (Author), Simon Halfon (Author)
Publisher HarperCollins Publication date 13 Oct. 2026
October 2026 will be a bountiful month for Beatles fans. There are many book titles coming out that month and the Rubber Soul boxset will be released! Now thanks to Gary Kemp and Simon Halfon, we can experience some of the excitement of swinging London and the UK in the 60s!
YOU KNOW MY NAME, LOOK UP THE NUMBER!
The World of Brian Epstein and The Beatles
AMAZON UK BOOK DESCRIPTION:
“A little peep behind the net curtain of swinging London. Meet the people that made the 60s tick.” Noel Gallagher
When I first saw Brian Epstein’s black Twinlock binder, I was struck by how small and unassuming it was – just 160 by 100 millimetres, the kind of thing you could slip into a coat pocket. But inside, it held a universe. The book felt alive, buzzing, ready and waiting to be explored. So I dug deeper.
1967 – The World of Brian Epstein and the Beatles is a remarkable fusion of biography and detective story, offering a vivid portrait of The Beatles’ inner circle and the cultural energy of the 1960s. This engaging work delves into the extraordinary cast of characters – from Mick Jagger to David Bailey – a dazzling mix of celebrities, musicians, icons, power players and the occasional shady character. Everyone who was anyone in the 1960s found their way into its pages.
When Gary first acquired the book, he was seized by an irresistible curiosity. Who was Brian Epstein, really? And who were all these fascinating names? This project offers an intimate and unprecedented exploration of the connections he forged and the figures who helped define a generation.
More than just an address book, it is a time capsule of one of the most electrifying years in modern culture: 1967.
Perfect for Beatles fans, music historians, and anyone curious about the electric culture and untold stories of the 1960s.
“A little peep behind the net curtain of swinging London. Meet the people that made the 60s tick.” Noel Gallagher
“This incredibly clever book is like an alternative history of Swinging London, a pop cultural detective story that sheds new light on a period which continues to fascinate all of us. I loved it.” Dylan Jones
“This is an Encyclopedia of a time and a place that makes you jealous you weren’t there and appreciate how close we are to it. This book’s pleasures are vast and delicious. Captures The Beatles and what London must have really felt like at the time: The center of the world.” Paul Thomas Anderson
Please note:
Please note that while the Amazon links are provided here for the book as a convenience to you, the listing of Amazon does not reflect a recommendation that you should buy the book at this source. It is up to you to select the site you find most comfortable in making your book choices & purchases. You can also find most books at Barnes and Noble, for example or at Abe Books and many other books search sources. The motivation for providing the Amazon listing is simply to provide a commonly known convenient place to order book titles. Buy or acquire the books wherever you feel most comfortable in doing so!
This new book seems like it is approaching the subject from a unique and distinct style. I will be very interested in how the authors have written the narrative to this new title! The only disappointment I have is the differing release dates between the US and the UK. In the UK the book comes out in October of 2026. In the US the book is not issued until January, 2027!
OK, I admit the title of this post was used to grab your attention, but it is also indicative of the mental gymnastics that many Beatles fans have participated in when they wonder what might have been if certain events in the Beatles lives and history had turned out differently.
Would John Lennon still be alive if he had not moved to New York? Would the Beatles have the same cross-generational following if they had continued as a group into the 70s and 80s? Would the Beatles have expanded to more than 4 members as time progressed? That is just a small sampling of some questions that fans have speculated about over the years.
Recently I acquired a musical trade magazine from 2022 that speculates about another Beatles “What If” scenario. What if the Beatles had used the excitement of their 1969 rooftop performance at 3 Savile Row to motivate them to go on tour that year?
The Music Industry Magazine – POLLSTAR from January 24, 2022 – article by Andy Gensler
What If The Beatles Had Toured Again?
Fair use sampling of the opening page of the article by Andy Gensler-the photo is by AP
What If The Beatles Had Toured Again?
The Beatles: What If?
My interest in acquiring a copy of the above magazine was inspired by my obtaining the great book written by the blog administrator of this site, David Bedford and his good friend, Andrew Phillips. They have written an excellent book that deals with many of these Beatles “What If ” scenarios!
ON SALE NOW AT THE BEATLES BOOKSTORE
The Beatles What If?
SPECIAL OFFER: Get Your Copy Here at The Beatles Bookstore FOR ONLY £20!
Would love to hear your own Beatles “What If” scenarios that you have speculated about over the years. Are there significant differences between younger and older fans?
JOHN DUFF LOWE – PIANO PLAYER FOR THE PRE-BEATLES GROUP THE QUARRYMEN!!!
Recently acquired a signed 8×8 photo of the Quarrymen plaque honoring the 1958 recording of “That’ll Be the Day” and “In Spite of All The Danger” by the pre-Beatles, The Quarrymen. The signature on the photo belongs to the late John Duff Lowe who was the piano player for the Quarrymen for a very short time. Lowe was part of the first ever recording of the core group that would become the Beatles. He played piano on their first studio recordings in 1958.
John Duff Lowe had possession of the disk as the Beatles were scouring for rare material in the archives for the Beatles Anthology. Paul McCartney purchased the disk from John Duff Lowe, and they were used on the Beatles Anthology Volume 1. The recordings were made at the Percy Phillips recording studio in Kensington.
The date of the recordings is provided on the plaque below!
THE SIGNED PHOTO OF THE QUARRYMEN PLAQUE:
The following photo of John Duff Lowe appeared on this site following his passing:
Priceless archive dredging this. Four CDs containing 54 tracks from a treasure trove of mainly unreleased recordings made in Liverpool from 1955 to 1969. The major labels weren’t interested, so this astounding box set is being offered online. What a haul! Through the portals of the Phillips Sound Recording Service walked the soon to-be-famous and the forever obscure, from Ken Dodd, The Beatles and Billy Fury to a host of names that don’t even appear as footnotes in Liverpool rock histories. For the Quarrymen tracks alone, Beatles fans need this: for those interested in the history of Merseybeat in general, this is the Rosetta Stone.
Ken Kessler. Hi Fi Magazine.
Disc 1 01 UNCHAINED MELODY (North / Zaret 1955) Betty Roy and Percy Phillips. Hilda Phillips on piano. 1955 02 THIS IS YOUR LIFE Harry Wardle. 1956 03 IT IS NO SECRET (Hamblen 1950) Ken Dodd. 1957 03:12 04 SHE’S GOT IT (Marascalo 1956) Johnny “Guitar” Byrne and Paul Murphy. 1957 05 MESSAGES TO EVE / WHEN YOU WORE A TULIP (Wenrich / Mahoney 1914). 1957 06 MARCH OF THE SIAMESE CHILDREN (Rodgers 1951). Christ Church Kensington Choir. 1957 07 CHRIST CHURCH CONCERT Christ Church Kensington Choir. 1957 08 BABY / HAVE IT TOLD YOU LATELY / PARALYSED Billy Fury. 1958 09 THAT’LL BE THE DAY (Holly / Allison / Petty 1956) The Quarry Men. 1958 10 PIANO MEDLEY Harry Wardle. 1960 03:37 11 CROWNING OF THE ROSE QUEEN Christ Church, Kensington. 1961 12 SOME OTHER GUY (Leiber / Stoller / Barrett 1962) The Beatles. 1963
Disc 2 01 MEAN WOMAN BLUES (Demetrius 1957) Savva and the Democrats. 1963 02 SHAKIN’ ALL OVER (Kidd 1960) Savva and the Democrats. 1963 03 E-V-E-R-T-O-N (Stewart 1963) Everton Football Team with John Dunbar. 1963 04 THE OTHER MERSEY SOUND Liverpool Supporters Club. 1964 05 WEB OF LOVE (Byrne) Mike and the Thunderbirds. 1964 06 ON WINGS OF SONG Wirral County Girls School Choir. 1963 07 F.A CUP FINAL HIGHLIGHTS – LIVERPOOL FC V LEEDS UNITED 1965 08 WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT IT / SHE BELONGS TO ME The Shakespears. 1966 09 POSSESSION IS 9/10THS OF THE LAW Diane Marshall. 1967 10 EASY COME EASY GO Diane Marshall. 1967 11 STEVE LARRABY INTERVIEW 1968 12 OKI FROM MUSKOGEE (Haggard) Steve Stuart. 1969 13 MY OWN PECULIAR WAY (Dolan) Steve Stuart. 1969 14 CECELIA (Simon 1969) M2. 1969 15 LET IT BE ME (Curtis 1957) M2. 1969
Disc 3 01 BONNY MARY OF ARGYLE (Jeffries / Nelson 1850) Percy Phillips. 1955 02 MR. SANDMAN (Ballard 1954) Carol Phillips. 1955 03 XMAS DAY Phillips Family. 1955 04 I’VE GOT SOMETHING THRILLING Betty Roy. 1956 05 THE GIRL IN THE WOOD (Gilkyson / Stuart 1951) Unknown Singer. 1957 06 TONIGHT BELOVED Ken Dodd. 1957 07 MESSAGES TO EVE / WE’LL MEET AGAIN (Parker / Charles 1939) 1957 08 CHILDREN OF THE BIBLE Christ Church Kensington Choir. 1957 09 CHRIST CHURCH CONCERT Christ Church Kensington Choir. 1957 10 PLAYING FOR KEEPS / YOU’RE RIGHT I’M LEFT SHE’S GONE / LOVE’S A CALLING Billy Fury. 1958 11 IN SPITE OF ALL THE DANGER (McCartney / Harrison 1958) The Quarry Men. 1958 12 PIANO MEDLEY Harry Wardle. 1963 13 KEEP YOUR HANDS OFF MY BABY (King / Goffin 1962) The Beatles. 1963
Disc 4 01 PLEASE DON’T TEASE (Welch / Chester 1960) Savva and The Democrats. 1963 02 LOVE TOO MUCH Savva and The Democrats. 1963 03 EVERTON FOR ME (Stewart 1963) EFC Team with John Dunbar. 1963 04 THE OTHER MERSEY SOUND Liverpool Supporters. 1964 05 ON WINGS OF SONG Wirral County Girls School Choir. 1965 06 F.A. CUP FINAL HIGHLIGHTS – LIVERPOOL FC V LEEDS UNITED 1965 07 LITTLE EGYPT / SATISFY The Shakespears. 1966 08 I’LL TALK TO MARY ONE MORE TIME Diane Marshall. 1967 09 I’M SORRY FOR YOU MY FRIEND Diane Marshall. 1967 10 STEVE LARRABY INTERVIEW 1968 11 ME AND BOBBY MAGEE (Kristofferson) Steve Stuart. 1969 12 HOBO BILL’S LAST RIDE (Rogers) Steve Stuart. 1969 13 ABELINE (Loudermilk / Gibson / Brown / Stanton 1957) M2. 1969 14 COUSIN NORMAN (Nicholson 1969) M2. 1969 Disclaimer
Please note that all tracks in the Percy Phillips Collection are taken from acetate discs cut by Percy Phillips between 1955 and 1969. Wherever possible the equalisation has been made to enhance the listening quality of the Collection. Purchasers must bear in mind that these recordings were not made initially for commercial release and are predominantly of historical interest only.
In 1958, Paul McCartney invited his school friend John Duff Lowe to play piano with the Quarrymen. That same year, Duff played on the first record made by the Quarrymen, consisting of himself, Colin Hanton, John Lennon, Paul McCartney and George Harrison. That alone would be enough to secure Duff’s place in musical history, but it’s only the beginning of the fascinating tale of the mysterious missing Quarryman.
In 1958, Paul McCartney invited his school friend John Duff Lowe to play piano with the Quarrymen. That same year, Duff played on the first record made by the Quarrymen, consisting of himself, Colin Hanton, John Lennon, Paul McCartney and George Harrison. That alone would be enough to secure Duff’s place in musical history, but it’s only the beginning of the fascinating tale of the mysterious missing Quarryman.
