Fact #102680
When:
Short story:
The Beatles play at The Prince Of Wales Theatre, London, UK, supported by Cliff Bennett And The Rebel Rousers, Kenny Lynch, The Lorne Gibson Trio, The Vernons Girls, The Chants and The Harlems.
Full article:
Cliff Bennett : While we were working at The Star Club in Hamburg with The Beatles, Brian Epstein came over to negotiate more dates for them. He was planning to fly straight back to Liverpool, but Paul said, "No, you gotta watch this band that’s supporting us tonight." After the gig Brian came back and said he was really impressed, and he’d like to take us on for management. I said, 'Sorry, Brian, I’ve got a manager.'
Then in 1964 Brian booked us into the Prince Of Wales in London with The Beatles, and he came into the dressing room and asked us again, so I thought, 'Oh, go on then,' because The Beatles were getting massive.
The hardest thing was telling Doctor Death that I wanted to leave his management. I told him I’d been approached, and I explained he wouldn't be walking away empty-handed because Epstein was prepared to give him 15% of whatever we earned for the duration of the contract, which was eighteen months. Not being a stupid man, he realised that was pretty good offer. Also, we were good friends and he didn't want to get in the way of my career. I found that quite hard to do.
Being with Epstein gave a huge boost to our career. Straight away we started doing much better quality gigs, touring with major acts, like Gerry And The Pacemakers, we did two weeks at Leeds as part of Gerry Marsden’s Christmas Cracker, Cilla Black, The Fourmost, and then we did a six-week tour with The Beatles all round Germany, playing the big sports stadiums.
(Source : interview with Johnny Black, May 2016)
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Then in 1964 Brian booked us into the Prince Of Wales in London with The Beatles, and he came into the dressing room and asked us again, so I thought, 'Oh, go on then,' because The Beatles were getting massive.
The hardest thing was telling Doctor Death that I wanted to leave his management. I told him I’d been approached, and I explained he wouldn't be walking away empty-handed because Epstein was prepared to give him 15% of whatever we earned for the duration of the contract, which was eighteen months. Not being a stupid man, he realised that was pretty good offer. Also, we were good friends and he didn't want to get in the way of my career. I found that quite hard to do.
Being with Epstein gave a huge boost to our career. Straight away we started doing much better quality gigs, touring with major acts, like Gerry And The Pacemakers, we did two weeks at Leeds as part of Gerry Marsden’s Christmas Cracker, Cilla Black, The Fourmost, and then we did a six-week tour with The Beatles all round Germany, playing the big sports stadiums.
(Source : interview with Johnny Black, May 2016)