Posted on 05/12/202405/12/2024 by Buzz — 3 Comments

THE CAVERN – BOOKS ABOUT THE CAVERN CLUB

Cavern Club: The Inside Story – October 16, 2016

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Jorvik Press; 1st edition (October 16, 2016)

Available at Amazon, eBay and at David Bedford’s Beatles Bookstore

This book was a pure pleasure to read. Written by one of the few people who was present at the Cavern for all of the Beatles nearly 300 appearances at the venue. Later, her family was to purchase and operate the Cavern. So many interesting stories in this book and a fabulous photo of when Paul McCartney revisited the Cavern in 1968. The author is one of the most kind people that I have ever corresponded with. If you do not have this book, it is certainly one that you will want to have in your collection. Debbie shares her many memories and you feel as if you are there in the cellar to feel that early MAGIC!!!

GET YOUR COPY NOW, SIGNED BY DEBBIE, ON SPECIAL OFFER!

Cavern Club – The Inside Story

This first-hand account of Debbie’s teen years frequenting and eventually helping to run the original Cavern Club is the authentic inside story of the Beatles launch pad, full of triumphs and failures – and surprise celebrity encounters.

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The Beatles from Cavern to Star-Club Hardcover – January 1, 1997

Premium Forlag AB; UK ed. edition (January 1, 1997)

Hans Olaf Gottfridsson. A fabulous and well-researched book. This is also a must-have title dealing with early Beatles live performances as they honed their skills on their climb to fame…

Cavern Club: The Rise of The Beatles and Merseybeat

by Spencer Leigh

McNidder & Grace

2016 is worth getting this title

Alternate version-2008

SAF Publishing LTD

Let’s Go Down the Cavern:

Story of Liverpool’s Merseybeat Spencer Leigh and Pete Frame

Vermilion-1984-a great book

The Best Of Cellars: The Story of the World Famous ‘Cavern Club’ Paperback – 1 Dec. 1994

by Phil Thompson (Author)

Bluecoat Press 1994-Many excellent photos in this title. Well worth getting!

Spencer Leigh, Beatles Twist & Shout

Published in 2004 by Nirvana Books-Another excellent book by Spencer Leigh

CAVERN CLUB THE OFFICIAL AUTHORISED ANNIVERSARY LIMITED EDITION BOOK

The Official Authorized 60th Anniversary Limited Edition Cavern Book.
Limited edition of 1957 copies to commemorate the date when the club first opened. Early subscribers to the book got their names included as sponsors to the title within the book

Published 2017-Published by the New Cavern Club

Foreword by Paul McCartney

Peter Kaye-Beatles in Liverpool published by Starlit Liverpool Ltd 1987- Peter published a book which shows early photos of the Beatles in Liverpool including a few interior shots of the Cavern. This is a signed copy of the title:

The Best of Fellas-The Story of Bob Wooler-Liverpool’s First D.J.

Published by Drivegreen Ltd.- December 2002 by Spencer Leigh

The man who introduced the Beatles so many times at the Cavern,

COMPÈRE, BOB WOOLER

A pamphlet released to coincide with a Cavern anniversary and tied in with a radio series:

1964 “On The Scene at the Cavern” Magazine

It contains pictures of The Beatles, Gerry and the Pacemakers, and other groups that appeared at the famous club

In conclusion, Buzz’s Beatles Book/Print Blog member, Ronnie Dannelley, has informed me that he is working on a book about the architecture of the Cavern Club with photos showing certain areas of the club that have not often been seen before. Really looking forward to this title when it is eventually released as Ronnie is taking a total unique perspective for his book idea and trust me, he is doing his homework on this title!

TOPIC OF DISCUSSION

In light of how Liverpool has become such a tremendous tourist attraction for worldwide visitors, how do you think the decision-makers who decided to demolish the original Cavern feel about that choice now???

Question #2 – It has been reported that Paul McCartney has a tape of the Beatles performing a full set of numbers at the Cavern in his possession. Would you want to see AI technology used to enhance the sound quality of the set and issue it as a future Beatles release?

If you are searching for any of the titles noted above try to check Amazon, eBay, Abe Books. There are also book search services on the Internet! Happy hunting!

BUZZ

GET OUR FEATURED CAVERN CLUB – THE INSIDE STORY HERE

Cavern Club – The Inside Story

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CAVERN CLUB ARTWORK

The Cavern Club

SIZE: A4

£10.00

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Posted on 10/04/202409/07/2024 by Buzz — Leave a comment

THE CAVERN CLUB – A FEW FAMOUS DENIZENS

Patrick (Paddy) Delaney – The Cavern Club doorman

Pat Delaney’s signature:

Paddy Delaney's Autograph — Paddy Delaney’s Autograph

A story about Mr. Delaney from none other than Bill Harry that was found Online

MerseyCats – The Liverpool R ‘N’ R Childrens Charity-Paddy Delaney on the Door, Ted Knibbs gives it all away

Paddy’s obituary written by Spencer Leigh in 2009

Paddy Delaney: Doorman at the Cavern Club during its Sixties heyday | The Independent | The Independent

A YouTube Interview with Paddy Delaney

The Beatles and the Cavern Club: Interview with Paddy Delaney and George Harrison’s Parents – YouTube

Interview with Paddy Delaney and George Harrison’s Parents

Although Allan Williams did occasionally visit the Cavern, he was a very independent and headstrong individual. He had opened his own club, the Jacaranda, and had his hands in the operation of numerous Liverpool venues. He signed this EP by The Big Three along with Cavern compere Bob Wooler on the back side of the EP. The Big Three were acknowledged as possibly being the best rock musicians in Liverpool even at the time of the Beatles. Their lack of songwriting ability was the apparent drawback to a bigger claim at fame. This perception was passed on to me by none other than Tony Bramwell, a friend of the Fabs!

The signatures of the Beatles first manager along with the Cavern compere:

Signatures of Allan Williams and Bob Wooler

Cavern Owner: Ray McFall

Pictured: Bob Wooler – Cavern compere with the owner of the Cavern – Ray McFall. Wooler appears in the background. Ray McFall was instrumental in achieving the transition from what was viewed as primarily a jazz club, to a rock ‘n’ roll club. Hesitant at first, the success of the Beatles forced his hand as his business instincts directed him to make the change in the focus of the club!

Ray McFall – obituary (telegraph.co.uk)

A Ray McFall signed Cavern contract in 1964 for a group to appear at the Cavern called the “Redcaps” which I purchased from the UK company entitled TRACKS.

You saw the Bob Wooler signature on THE BIG THREE EP above and here is a photo of a book written about Bob Wooler by Spencer Leigh. We all know that Bob literally introduced the Beatles at the Cavern well over 100 times. Bob was beaten up at Paul McCartney’s 21st birthday party by John Lennon when he attempted to make a joke about Lennon’s trip to Spain with Brian Epstein in 1963. A financial settlement was reportedly worked out between John and Bob Wooler.

Thought a great way to end this post is this immortal Granada TV Cavern appearance (colorized) that appears on YouTube with Bob Wooler’s intro of the Beatles! Hope you enjoy!

The Beatles – Some Other Guy (LIVE at The Cavern Club) [*COLORIZED*] – YouTube

The Beatles at The Cavern

Buzz

If You Want To Know More About The Cavern Club

Cavern Club – The Inside Story

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Posted on 28/02/202328/02/2023 by liddypool — Leave a comment

Despair as The Cavern Club Closes

And in The End?

Until that fateful last night on 28th February 1966, no one knew anything was wrong. It was just like any other Sunday night at the Cavern – until Ray McFall arrived and informed the staff that the bailiffs would be there the next morning. He said the club was to stay open all night – with free admission. Young men were furious, girls cried, and by the early hours, patrons had blocked the stairs leading down to the club. No one could get in or out.

When the police arrived, Paddy told the protestors to let them in. The kids were escorted out but they wanted doorman Paddy to be the last one to leave.

Cavern Sound Ltd

The two working directors of Cavern Sound Ltd., Nigel Greenberg and Peter Hepworth, whose recording studio occupied the basement of No. 8 Mathew Street, next door to the Cavern at No. 10, had no idea Ray McFall was about to declare bankruptcy when they locked up the previous Friday. The recording studio could only be accessed through the front door of No. 8, where the Cavern offices were situated.

The Bailiffs

Nigel recalls: “When we arrived for work that Monday we found that bailiffs, acting on behalf of the Official Receiver, were sealing up the front roller shutter to prevent anyone from removing any of Ray McFall’s assets, which were to be sold to pay off his debts.

“I tried to explain to one of the bailiffs that Cavern Sound Ltd. was a completely separate legal entity to the Cavern Club and that none of the studio equipment belonged to Ray, but the bailiff would have none of it and prevented us from entering the building.”

Find out more about Cavern Sound Ltd.

What happened next in Cavern history?

Find out more about the Cavern story in Debbie’s fascinating book

Debbie Greenberg

Cavern Club – The Inside Story

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Posted on 19/04/202219/04/2022 by liddypool — Leave a comment

Debbie at the Fest for Beatles Fans

Fest for Beatles Fans, New Jersey

My first Beatles Fest in Jersey City was memorable for all the right reasons. On arrival at our hotel, we were greeted by a magical view of the night skyline of Manhattan from across the Hudson River.

The Music

It was so good to finally meet all my fellow authors in person and to experience the exciting atmosphere of the Beatles Fest for the first time. There was so much happening every day. Author’s panels, celebrity talks and presentations and of course the one ingredient that brought us all together in the first place, the music.

Terry Crain with Debbie and Nigel — Beatles Bookstore Authors Terry Crain with Debbie and husband Nigel

10 Years at the Cavern

I had been invited to give a presentation relating to my ten years at the Cavern; five years as a member and five years as an owner. The audience were thrilled to learn that I had attended all 292 of The Beatles appearances at the Cavern, so much so that they rose as one and gave me a standing ovation which was very gratifying.

It was great to catch up with Mark Lewisohn again, who has been a good friend of ours for almost forty years.

Liverpool

There were so many fantastic bands appearing that we were spoilt for choice. The spectacular sound of the band LIVERPOOL, and the band that came the closest to transporting me back to hearing The Beatles in the Cavern in the early sixties was The Black Ties. Their sound was raw and loud, and I felt as if I had jumped aboard a time machine and had been dropped back in the Cavern listening to The Beatles when they started to play , “I Saw Her Standing There”.

Cavern Club: The Inside Story

I did well with sales of my book, CAVERN CLUB THE INSIDE STORY and received very positive feedback.

Cavern Club – The Inside Story

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Nigel and I met such lovely like-minded people, experts, authors, and customers. Everybody was happy and the feeling was infectious throughout the venue, there was music everywhere.

I am already looking forward to my next Beatles Fest in Jersey City next year.

Thanks

Huge thanks go to Mark Lapidos, Susan Ratisher Ryan and all the teams of technicians and musicians and everyone that made the weekend so memorable.

Kati, Andy Leigh, Me ,Nigel Greenberg, Simon Weitzman and Nancy Cohen

Posted on 09/02/202208/02/2023 by liddypool — Leave a comment

The Beatles Debut at The Cavern Club: 9th February 1961

Debbie Greenberg, our resident Cavern Club expert, looks back at the very first time The Beatles appeared at the legendary Cavern Club. In an excerpt from her book, Cavern Club: The Inside Story, Debbie discusses The Beatles debut.

“The Cavern’s identity started to change at the start of the decade. Rock ‘n’ roll replaced jazz and the Cavern became the heart that gave Mersey its beat.

Debbie with Paul McCartney at The Cavern

“We watched The Beatles debut at The Cavern lunchtime session on 9th February 1961. We were blown away. The Beatles were different, their music was incredible, their appearance raunchy, their energy infectious. They just oozed excitement.

“Six weeks later on the 23rd March, after a lunchtime session at the Cavern, they jumped on a train at Liverpool’s Lime Street Station on their way to Hamburg for a second time having previously played there in 1960.

We Missed Them

“This time they sped out of our lives for four months. We missed them, but still went down to the Cavern to watch the other groups, like Gerry and the Pacemakers, The Singing Blue Genes, The Remo Four, Kingsize Taylor and the Dominoes and many more.

“They were all fabulous groups but they weren’t The Beatles.

Exactly three years to the day from their debut at The Cavern Club in front of a couple of hundred fans, they appeared in front of 73 million Americans on the Ed Sullivan Show.

What a journey they had made in just three years.

Find out more about the story of The Cavern Club in Debbie’s book, Cavern Club: The Inside Story.

Cavern Club – The Inside Story

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Posted on 15/01/202207/02/2022 by liddypool — Leave a comment

16th January 1957: The Cavern Club Opens in Mathew Street

Alan Sytner Opens the Cavern Club

In 1957 a twenty-one-year-old Liverpool man, Alan Sytner, who had been running a weekly jazz club at several other Liverpool locations, decided he would like to open his own club. He had been impressed by a club he had visited on the Left Bank in Paris called Le Caveau, which was housed in an underground cellar with brick arches.

On his return to Liverpool he sought out similar premises in the city centre and found what he was looking for in Mathew Street, a narrow street with warehouses on one side and the Fruit Exchange on the other. It had previously been used for storage and even as an air raid shelter in Word War II.

1,500 Left Outside!

The cellar was painted, lighting was installed and a stage was built at the far end of the middle one of three tunnels. On Wednesday January 16th 1957 the Cavern Club opened for its first gig, with 600 people crammed inside – and 1,500 left outside. The headline act, the Merseysippi Jazzmen, are still performing today.

Alan Sytner ran the Cavern strictly as a jazz club but starting in 1957 he allowed skiffle groups to play, getting very annoyed if any of them tried to play rock ‘n’ roll. The Quarrymen skiffle group, precursor to the Beatles, first played the Cavern on a date no-one can pinpoint in mid-1957 and again on 7th August 1957, only weeks after John met Paul at the St. Peter’s Church Garden Fete in Woolton Village.

Debbie Greenberg

Get your copy of Debbie’s fascinating book on the story of The Cavern Club

Cavern Club – The Inside Story

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