The Beatles on November 9
The Beatles on November 9th.
As promised, your humble correspondent is going to talk to you about the significance of this peculiar date in Beatles history and folklore. Funny how it kept coming back time and again. And for you numerology enthusiasts, watch how the number 9 or its multples comes back over and over again. It was John's favorite number and he always said it followed him everywhere. Indeed.
First, let us go back in time to December 27, 1960. The place; Litherland Town Hall, a suburb just north of cental Liverpool. The Beatles had wrapped up their first Hamburg tour that Fall rather unceremoniously with George Harrison being deported for being underage. The rest of the pre-Fabs straggled home over the ensuing months and none of them spoke to each other for weeks. Bill Wooler, DJ for the Cavern Club and local impressario booked the Beatles for this fateful gig.
Remember, the Beatles had been forced by the Germans to play extremely long hours, seven nights a week and to "Mak Shau" on stage. Slowly, over the course of their first and perhaps most important Hamburg tour, the Beatles' sound changed to that of what we would now call hard rock. They did what the demanding Germans asked for and stopped the soft sound stylings they had come before. Stuart Sutcliffe stayed behind in Germany. For this fateful gig, Chas Newby was conscripted to play bass.
#9 Alert: December 27; 27 is a multiple of 9. Add up the letters in Chas Newby's name and you get 9.
As author Hunter Davies famously stated, the Litherland Town Hall gig of 1960 was the watershed moment in the Beatles' history for it most likely can be said that that was the very moment Beatlemania started. Many other authors have agreed with this assessment. The Beatles came out and rocked the Liverpool scene like no one else EVER before had done. The crowd went crazy and for the first time, the Beatles saw how good they had become. Bob Wooler concurred. He was shocked. He was fluent with the Beatles as people and as a band and even he could hardly believe his ears and how vastly improved the Beatles were. But it was the unique sound they had. Nobody sounded like them. It was revolutionary.
>November 9, 1961: Brian Epstein (then 27) made the 300 yard trek from his NEMS record shop on Whitechapple Street to the famous Cavern Club to see for himself what the fuss was all about at a Beatles' lunchtime gig. He was stunned. For a upper middle class Jewish boy who preferred Sebelius and Beethoven to rock music, this was revalatory. Epstein would go on to manage the Fabs, get them their first recording contract with George Martin, secure their appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show, book and organize all of their tours, etc. The date and the meeting with Epstein was utterly crucial for the Beatles. Despite all of Epstein's faults and failings, and there were many; his entrance into the lives of the Beatles was one of the most important things to ever happen to them. As Lennon once said, "No Epstein, no Beatles."
Interestingly, that same night, the Beatles would play their final gig at Litherland Town Hall. They played there a total of 36 times including this final appearance. *#9 Alert: add 3 + 6 and you get 9.
>November 9, 1966: John Lennon went to John Dunbar's Indica Art Gallery in London. He was bored which is why he went there and Dunbar introduced him to an unknown Japanese female artist named Yoko Ono on this evening. Lennon was intrigued with her conceptual art. As we all know, Lennon would eventually determine that Ono was indeed his true soul mate and leave his wife and band for her. Her influence on Lennon cannot be underestimated. According to Tony Bramwell in his recent book, "Magical Mystery Tour," he (Bramwell) was running errands for the both of them literally from the first week they met and they were indeed intimate nearly from the day they met. The "offical" story is that Lennon found her goofy and didn't really take her seriously until 1968 where they would finally consumate their love affair on or about May 19. Who knows? But what is known is that Yoko pushed John into conceptual realms and thinking patterns that he most likely would not have ventured without her. Your humble correspondent points no fingers and places no blame here. It was what it was. John was ready for a change and Yoko literally walked into his life. Yoko remains controversial to this day. Back in 1969-70 she was conveniently blamed lock, stock and barrel for the breakup of the Beatles. John's best friend Pete Shotten is on record as saying Yoko was one of the best things to ever happen to John. None other than Paul McCartney agrees with that assessment. Your humble correspondent is still weighing the pros and cons.
Opinion: Lennon's rare creative genius necessitated frequent changes. When the Beatles continued to change; Rubber Soul to Revolver; Revolver to Sgt. Pepper; Pepper to the White Album; it kept Lennon in the band and kept his interest. When the Beatles decided to "Get Back" to basics, it was a huge step in reverse for Lennon. Yoko offered a conceptually limitless avenue of expression be it music, art, happenings, protest, politics, babies, anyting. The Beatles, by comparison, had become akin to an artistic straight jacket to Lennon. Still, John hung in there for "Get Back" (later to be retitled Let It Be) and "Abbey Road." John was still not ready to leave his mates despite all the conflicting feelings, the copywrite debacle, Allen Klein, the Eastmans and everything else that was going on. However, by August 20, 1969 John finally did make up his mind to leave and that was it. Once he left, he was gone for good from the band. Yoko and the flexibility of the Plastic Ono Band was his new love in addition to the protests against the Vietnam war and all the other pressing issue facing the world at the time that John felt needed his urgent attention. Yoko, it can be said, pushed him in his new direction. As John said, he wouldn't be pushed anywhere he didn't want to go anyway. This was recently confirmed by Yoko herself. It was meant to be; a restless, creative genius needed more and vital exposure and that's what Yoko gave him. It was something the Beatles could no longer offer. In the quick, temporary, disposable world of pop art, even the Beatles had their limitations for someone like John Lennon.
>November 9, 1967: The then new and fledgling rock news magazine The Rolling Stone published its first issue on this day. The featured cover photo was of John Lennon dressed up as a British Soldier in the war satire film called "How I Won The War." The picture as well as the magazine would become iconic in the world of rock and entertainment. How ironic that John Lennon was dressed up as a soldier when he would soon become one of the world's most outspoken critics of war.
There you have the November 9th mystique. It is a special date in Beatles folklore as you can see. Next week we'll chat more on George Harrison. Have a great weekend. Come and see BeatleTracks for a special benefit gig at Fitchburg State College on November 13, 2008. We're finally resurrecting our fabled and improved slide show. This you have to see. See you there!!
By John Haberstroh (Bassist for BeatleTracks) Find us at www.beatletracksband.com
As promised, your humble correspondent is going to talk to you about the significance of this peculiar date in Beatles history and folklore. Funny how it kept coming back time and again. And for you numerology enthusiasts, watch how the number 9 or its multples comes back over and over again. It was John's favorite number and he always said it followed him everywhere. Indeed.
First, let us go back in time to December 27, 1960. The place; Litherland Town Hall, a suburb just north of cental Liverpool. The Beatles had wrapped up their first Hamburg tour that Fall rather unceremoniously with George Harrison being deported for being underage. The rest of the pre-Fabs straggled home over the ensuing months and none of them spoke to each other for weeks. Bill Wooler, DJ for the Cavern Club and local impressario booked the Beatles for this fateful gig.
Remember, the Beatles had been forced by the Germans to play extremely long hours, seven nights a week and to "Mak Shau" on stage. Slowly, over the course of their first and perhaps most important Hamburg tour, the Beatles' sound changed to that of what we would now call hard rock. They did what the demanding Germans asked for and stopped the soft sound stylings they had come before. Stuart Sutcliffe stayed behind in Germany. For this fateful gig, Chas Newby was conscripted to play bass.
#9 Alert: December 27; 27 is a multiple of 9. Add up the letters in Chas Newby's name and you get 9.
As author Hunter Davies famously stated, the Litherland Town Hall gig of 1960 was the watershed moment in the Beatles' history for it most likely can be said that that was the very moment Beatlemania started. Many other authors have agreed with this assessment. The Beatles came out and rocked the Liverpool scene like no one else EVER before had done. The crowd went crazy and for the first time, the Beatles saw how good they had become. Bob Wooler concurred. He was shocked. He was fluent with the Beatles as people and as a band and even he could hardly believe his ears and how vastly improved the Beatles were. But it was the unique sound they had. Nobody sounded like them. It was revolutionary.
>November 9, 1961: Brian Epstein (then 27) made the 300 yard trek from his NEMS record shop on Whitechapple Street to the famous Cavern Club to see for himself what the fuss was all about at a Beatles' lunchtime gig. He was stunned. For a upper middle class Jewish boy who preferred Sebelius and Beethoven to rock music, this was revalatory. Epstein would go on to manage the Fabs, get them their first recording contract with George Martin, secure their appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show, book and organize all of their tours, etc. The date and the meeting with Epstein was utterly crucial for the Beatles. Despite all of Epstein's faults and failings, and there were many; his entrance into the lives of the Beatles was one of the most important things to ever happen to them. As Lennon once said, "No Epstein, no Beatles."
Interestingly, that same night, the Beatles would play their final gig at Litherland Town Hall. They played there a total of 36 times including this final appearance. *#9 Alert: add 3 + 6 and you get 9.
>November 9, 1966: John Lennon went to John Dunbar's Indica Art Gallery in London. He was bored which is why he went there and Dunbar introduced him to an unknown Japanese female artist named Yoko Ono on this evening. Lennon was intrigued with her conceptual art. As we all know, Lennon would eventually determine that Ono was indeed his true soul mate and leave his wife and band for her. Her influence on Lennon cannot be underestimated. According to Tony Bramwell in his recent book, "Magical Mystery Tour," he (Bramwell) was running errands for the both of them literally from the first week they met and they were indeed intimate nearly from the day they met. The "offical" story is that Lennon found her goofy and didn't really take her seriously until 1968 where they would finally consumate their love affair on or about May 19. Who knows? But what is known is that Yoko pushed John into conceptual realms and thinking patterns that he most likely would not have ventured without her. Your humble correspondent points no fingers and places no blame here. It was what it was. John was ready for a change and Yoko literally walked into his life. Yoko remains controversial to this day. Back in 1969-70 she was conveniently blamed lock, stock and barrel for the breakup of the Beatles. John's best friend Pete Shotten is on record as saying Yoko was one of the best things to ever happen to John. None other than Paul McCartney agrees with that assessment. Your humble correspondent is still weighing the pros and cons.
Opinion: Lennon's rare creative genius necessitated frequent changes. When the Beatles continued to change; Rubber Soul to Revolver; Revolver to Sgt. Pepper; Pepper to the White Album; it kept Lennon in the band and kept his interest. When the Beatles decided to "Get Back" to basics, it was a huge step in reverse for Lennon. Yoko offered a conceptually limitless avenue of expression be it music, art, happenings, protest, politics, babies, anyting. The Beatles, by comparison, had become akin to an artistic straight jacket to Lennon. Still, John hung in there for "Get Back" (later to be retitled Let It Be) and "Abbey Road." John was still not ready to leave his mates despite all the conflicting feelings, the copywrite debacle, Allen Klein, the Eastmans and everything else that was going on. However, by August 20, 1969 John finally did make up his mind to leave and that was it. Once he left, he was gone for good from the band. Yoko and the flexibility of the Plastic Ono Band was his new love in addition to the protests against the Vietnam war and all the other pressing issue facing the world at the time that John felt needed his urgent attention. Yoko, it can be said, pushed him in his new direction. As John said, he wouldn't be pushed anywhere he didn't want to go anyway. This was recently confirmed by Yoko herself. It was meant to be; a restless, creative genius needed more and vital exposure and that's what Yoko gave him. It was something the Beatles could no longer offer. In the quick, temporary, disposable world of pop art, even the Beatles had their limitations for someone like John Lennon.
>November 9, 1967: The then new and fledgling rock news magazine The Rolling Stone published its first issue on this day. The featured cover photo was of John Lennon dressed up as a British Soldier in the war satire film called "How I Won The War." The picture as well as the magazine would become iconic in the world of rock and entertainment. How ironic that John Lennon was dressed up as a soldier when he would soon become one of the world's most outspoken critics of war.
There you have the November 9th mystique. It is a special date in Beatles folklore as you can see. Next week we'll chat more on George Harrison. Have a great weekend. Come and see BeatleTracks for a special benefit gig at Fitchburg State College on November 13, 2008. We're finally resurrecting our fabled and improved slide show. This you have to see. See you there!!
By John Haberstroh (Bassist for BeatleTracks) Find us at www.beatletracksband.com
November 9, 1966...Paul's death date
Reply to this
November 9, 1966 Paul's death date for all those clue seekers.
Reply to this