Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Paul and the toothpaste....





Source: Beatles Now April/May/June 1982
My first encounter with the Beatles
By disc-jockey Norman Scott

In the early months of 1963, I was working as a disc jockey at Leyton Baths in East London, and indoor swimming pool that had been converted into a dance hall. Every Friday night well-known groups of the time would play there live.
By now the Beatles had already established themselves with “Love me Do” and “Please Please me” and also completed successful tours appearing with Helen Shapiro, Chris Montez and Tommy Roe. Plans were also underway for the group to tour with Roy Orbison and Gerry and the Pacemakers. However despite this, Brian Epstein has insisted that the Beatles would still appear at the remaining outstanding dance hall dates that had been previously made.
So it was that in April 1963 the Beatles appeared at Leyton Baths (also on the bill was Peter Jay and the Jaywalkers). In front of a packed crowd of dancing, screaming fans, the Beatles wore maroon mohair suites with velvet collars and played most of the tracks featured on the “Please Please me” album and gave a preview of their forthcoming single, “From me to you.” After the show I went backstage, complete with camera to congratulate the boys.
I introduced myself and offered to buy them all beers, they accepted and over a few drinks we had a good chat, talking mostly about music and their favorite artists, the Beatles going out of their way to jovial, obliging and friendly. I asked if I could take a photo of them “of course” they replied. “Just a minute” said Paul “I must clean my teeth first.” After a while Paul was ready and John positioned the group for their photo.
“Right” John said to me, “When I say three, we’ll all smile and you take the picture.” John commenced to count “one, two, THREE” John literally yelled THREE making the other Beatles and myself nearly jump out of skins. I wasn’t able to take the picture, but Paul was the worst “casualty,” he had still been holding the open tube of toothpaste and when John had shouted, Paul had squeezed the tube and a long length of toothpaste had shot down Paul’s trouser leg. After much laughter I finally got my photo with Paul keeping his hand over the embarrassing stain on his trousers.
I was to meet the Beatles several times after this, often with amusing consequences which I hope to be able to tell you about in a future edition of “Beatles Now.”

5 comments:

  1. That is such a great story!! I love it!!!

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  2. This story made me laugh so hard!

    Just wanted you to know that I read your blog via googlereader, so I don't really comment, but that I really enjoy it. :-)

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  3. Wow..wonderful! You were right there before things got really manic. What a cherished memory to have (and a FUNNY one, too!) Thanks for this!

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  4. WOW...when you reflect on life, you can proudly say to yourself, I drank with the best band ever to have played music and had such crazy times!! You are lucky..what wonderful memories.

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