Johnny Gentle and the Beatles: A Book Review

 

Not too long ago, I posted about the recent death of Johnny Gentle and said how I discovered that his book, Johnny Gentle and the Beatles, which has been out of print for a long time, was available as an ebook.   I warned that I would be reviewing it soon -- and yes -- I have finished the book and am ready to tell you my thoughts. 

I was extremely impressed with this book.   It was very well written and researched.   For a book that is about just a few weeks in the life of The Beatles, it was detailed and interesting.  

Johnny Gentle was an early 1960s "crooner" who was fairly popular in the UK in 1960.  He just never quite made it big.  He had some hit songs, but they never moved up the charts.  He was talented and could sing rock and roll but was pegged as a singer of ballads.  However, teenage girls loved him, and he was very popular in Teenage Magazines.  This was where Johnny Gentle was at the time The Silver Beatles auditioned for Larry Parnes and were hired to tour Scottland for one week as Johnny Gentle's back-up band.  

What I guess I didn't realize (or maybe forgot) was that after Johnny's set with the Beatles backing him, the Beatles went and did their own concert.  It is great to read about the Beatles' setlist and how it changed during the tour and how the reaction to The Beatles just got better and better.  Even without a hit record or any exposure, teenagers who came to hear Johnny Gentle absolutely LOVED the Beatle's music.  

One of my favorite stories in the book told the story of when The Beatles were hungry and went to a beach because they figured they'd find food cheap there.  Some girls who had seen them at the Johnny Gentle concert recognized them and invited them to come to one of their houses for lunch.   So there she had The Beatles in her house eating sandwiches.  I bet that is a story those girls told years later! 

Check out this book if you are someone who doesn't mind reading an ebook.

https://amzn.to/3vjA632

The link above is the Amazon Affiliate link for the book reviewed tonight.  All purchases made using this link earn this site a small percentage of the sale.  Funds earned are used to pay for the annual fees to keep the site online. Thank you for your support. 

Good days at the Ye Crake

 

Hello Madame!

 

Stu in his room

 

On the stairs

 

The Originals

 

A day at the beach

 

April 1961 

Rocking and Rolling at the Casbah Coffee Club

 

February 1961 Casbah Cofee Club in Liverpool 

Stu's birthday!

If Stuart Sutcliffe were still alive, he would have turned 80 years old today.   It is a little difficult to imagine Stu as an older man, isn't it?    If Stu had lived, think of the amazing Beatles album covers we might have gotten?   I am sure that John would have asked his friend to do art for a cover or two as Klaus Voorman did the art for the cover of Revolver.   


It is a wonderful day today to celebrate the life of Stu and his time with The Beatles and friendship with John. 

Goodbye Astrid -- we will never forget you

The beloved Astrid Kirchherr passed away this past Tuesday and the news spread to us all over the weekend.    Astrid is such an important person in the story of the Beatles.   Her influence in their lives when they can to Hamburg in 1960 is insurmountable.   She befriended them during that time and invited them into her home and along with her mother provided a home-cooked meal at a time when they were living off prellies.    Her entire look and lifestyle was something the Beatles wanted to copy.  Of course, the love story of Stu and Astrid is one of the big tragedies of the Beatles story.   Even after the Hamburg days, Astrid continued to be involved in the life of the Beatles.  She joined them in London in 1964 and took a lot of great photos of them in the Green Street apartment and working on a Hard Day's Night.     I've always thought John wrote "Baby's in Black" with Astrid in mind.   They met up with her in 1966 when their tour brought them to Hamburg.    They never ended their friendship with Astrid.

It is so sad that she has passed away.   I heard her speak at a Beatlefest in the 1990s and she was just as lovely as you would have thought.   You could tell by the way she spoke that she had so much love for each member of the Beatles and for Stu even after all the years.

We no longer have Astrid with us, but we, fortunately, have her amazing photographs.   The photos she took of The Beatles in Hamburg are CLASSIC Hamburg era photos.   If it wasn't for Astrid, we would have almost no photos of the guys from this time period.  These photos will be shown to the Beatles fans of every generation and they all will know Astrid's name and how important she was to the Beatles. 

Rest in Peace dear Astrid. 

P.S  Give our love to John, George, Brian and of course Stu

Early in their career

Cool Stu

Remembering Stu today.....

Remembering Stuart

55 years ago today, the Beatles' original bass guitarist, artist, and friend Stuart Sutcliffe died at the age of 21.  

Photo by Sara Schmidt 

Stuart's death is part of the sad tragedy that is woven into the Beatles' story.    And unfortunately, because Stu died at such a young age, we as Beatle fans never really got the chance to know him.  He has always remained sort of a mysterious figure that is overshadowed by his early death.   Sure we know about the love story of Stu and Astrid and that they were engaged to be married, but even that is punctuated by the sad ending that Stu died in Astrid arms before the wedding ever took place. 

And we know that Stu was a talented artist and John met him in Art College.   There are books that tell about his life, and yet I still feel like we lost the chance to truly get to know him.   It is such a shame because I think as Beatle fans we really would have loved him. 

Imagine if Stu had lived.  Would he and John remained friend thoughout Beatlemania?    Would Stu and Astrid go on holidays with John and Cynthia?    Would Stu's art become well known and loved and hanging in some gallery that Yoko was involved in?   Would John have talked Stu into playing bass again on the Live Peace in Toronto gig?   Today would he be a favorite guest at Beatle conventions?   Talking about the old days in Hamburg and selling his art?   

Like so many in the Beatles story, we lost Stu way too soon---way before he could really make the impact that he could have made on this world. 

Stu hanging out on the church

Here is a photo of Stuart Sutcliffe during the time that he was in art college with John. He is hanging on the front of a church in Liverpool. I thought this was such an interesting photo, and it was time to give Stu a little bit of attention around here.

Stuart snapshot

I just thought this was too cool not to share.   It isn't very often that I find a candid photo of Stu.   Most of the Stu photos that are available are posed and very nicely photographed by Astrid.   And while I do enjoy those photos, it is nice to see Stu in a candid shot for a change.  

Beautiful photograph

I am not even going to try to pretend this is a fan photo. I had just never seen it before and thought it was a gorgeous photo of Astrid and Stu.