The St. Louis AeroVons meet the London Beatles

The AeroVons strike a very familiar pose....

One of the band members with Mal Evans.

The AeroVons with George Harrison

I just recently heard of the group, The AeroVons. Since I am a St. Louis girl, their story interested me and then when I learned of the awesome Beatles connection, I was totally intrigued. So I have looked up their story and music online and was pleasantly pleased by what I heard. This article about the AeroVons was most likely taken from a local teen magazine. I am trying to pinpoint when they visited London, but can't determine the exact date.

The St. Louis Aerovons meet the London Beatles

There are thousands of musical groups all over America. Most of them are just a few teen-age musicians who get together, pick a name, playa few jobs around school, have some fun, and let it go at that. A few of the groups are little more serious about it. They get themselves booked around town, get a reputation, earn a few bucks, maybe even cut a record or at least a demo which they mail off to a record company who generally never reply.

But there is one young group, right here in St. Louis who decided they wanted to go “all the way” and, to them, going all the way meant that they wanted to go personally to England, and they wanted to meet personally the group they rate #1 – The Beatles. Surely hundred of American groups have dreamed of “talking music” with The Beatles and maybe even auditioning for The Beatles, but this St. Louis group did not just DREAM about it--- they did it!

The AeroVons, four St. Louis boys and their manager, flew from St. Louis to New York to London. First they visited all the famous London spots – Trafalgar Square, Piccadilly Circus, London Palladium, Madame Toussau’s Wax Museum, London Tower, Buckingham Palace, London Bridge, Scotland Yard, Big Ben and the House of Parliament. They studied the hippies on Kings Road; they rode the double-decker buses and explored the tubes (subways).

And then “it happened.” The AeroVons met George Harrison of the Beatles and they played at Sybillas, the private discotheque which George Harrison owns in London. They Young Rascals had played there the previous week. Then they played at the famous Hatchett Club where they received a standing ovation! They played also at world famous Radio Caroline, Club Big C, transmitting from the pirate ship Caroline.

Paul McCartney of the Beatles introduced the AeroVons to Jane Asher, The Supremes and Peter Asher of Peter and Gordon, who were at Paul’s private table at the Speakeasy. Then the AeroVons met The BeeGees, The Kings, Michael Caine, Lulu, The Traffic, Pink Floyd and Jimi Hendricks who discussed some technical aspects of guitar-playing with the AeroVons.

But what really turned on the AeroVons the most was the privileges and the thrill of recording a demo at The Beatles’ own recording studio, where George Harrison was workingnon the sound track of a new movie, “Wonder Wall.” Ringo and John were in France when The Aero Vons were in London with George and Paul and the other groups.

Now the AeroVons are home in St. Louis for a month, working hard to complete dozens of new original songs to take back with themwhen they return to England in September, as requested by Mal Evans, General Manager of The Apple, the new recording company owned by The Beatles in London. The Apple is also the Beatles’ new fashion shop, where the St. Louis boys bought Nehru coats, bell bottoms, and ruffly Who shirts. The AeroVons have been issued British work permits to play regular engagements in the top London clubs, then in West Germany on their 3-month tour of appearances and recording dates. Prior to going to England this fall, the group will fulfill the commitments in Florida at Newport, Trader Johns, and The Wreck.

The AeroVons are leader Tom Hartman of Bayless High School in St. Louis County, Bob Frank of Bayless, Mike Lombardo who went to Central High in St. Louis and Bill Lombardo. Their manager, without whom, “nothing would ever have happened for us, “is Mrs. Maurine Hartman.

Prom Magazine is authorized to announce that The Beatles and their recording manager liked the AeroVons, liked their style, liked their sound, liked their songs, and The Beatles have told The Aerovons to come back in the fall, bring more songs, bring more demo’s, and be ready to work. If all goes well, St. Louis could score another teen First – The Aerovons could become the first teen group from anywhere in America to be “signed up” for recording and appearances by – The Beatles!