Liverpool loving

Travelling to Liverpool to visit the birthplace of the Beatles was an absolutely amazing experience.  I was able to explore the Beatles museum, go on the Magical Mystery Tour bus which took us to many infamous Beatles land marks such as Penny Lane and the Cavern Club, and even go inside the houses where Paul McCartney and John Lennon spent their childhood.  It was so interesting to learn about the early lives of the four members of the Beatles and how their friends, family, and other events influenced the most famous band in the whole world.

I started my Liverpool adventure at the Beatles museum.  There I was able to learn all about the early lives of the four Beatles and the other important people and places that were involved in their youth.  One important event that occurred was the day that John Lennon and Paul McCartney first met.  In the museum there was a display of a huge picture of Lennon performing in his first skiffle band, the Quarry Men.  A mutual friend of the two had told Paul about John and the Quarry Men.  Paul being so interested in music as well decided to ride his bike out to see the live performance of the Quarry Men.  This is when the fateful moment occurred and John and Paul met for the first time.  This event was so significant because if Paul had decided not to go see the Quarry Men perform, John and he would have never met and the Beatles would have never formed.

Another display showed the local music store where a few members of the Beatles purchased their first instruments.  What was unique about this store was the fact that one could buy an instrument and pay for it over time.  This was so important because none of the boys of the Beatles were wealthy enough to buy instruments in one full payment.  By paying in increments, the boys were able to purchase musical instruments they could have never have afforded otherwise.

One display in the museum explained the meeting of George Harrison with John Lennon.  Paul and George had become friends when they met on the bus that took them to school.  The bus driver on the Magical Mystery Tour explained that Paul and George started talking about music and found that they both loved rock and roll and playing musical instruments.  So after John and Paul became friends and Paul joined John’s band, Paul decided to introduce George to John and consider him for a spot in the band.  At first John was very hesitant about letting George join the band because George was three years younger, practically a baby to John.  Eventually John agreed to listen to George play the guitar, and when he did John immediately changed his mind about George.  George could play the guitar better than John could!

When I went to visit John Lennon’s childhood home, Mendips, I learned much about Lennon’s youth.  One tragic event that occurred seemed to scar John for life.  John’s mother Julia was absent for most of John’s youth.  He was essentially abandoned by Julia and raised by his aunt and uncle.  As John got older, he and Julia began to see each other more frequently and eventually began to heal their broken relationship.  Julia was the one to help John learn how to play the banjo and also encouraged him to follow his dreams of becoming a musician.  Without her, John might have given up on music as his aunt Mimi thoroughly discouraged his musical dreams.  One day when John was in his teens and his and Julia’s relationship was at an all time high, she was struck by a car while trying to cross the road.  John was completely devastated by this event.  He mentioned that it was like losing his mother not once but twice; once when he was young and she left him and then when she died.  This tragedy did however bring some good as the bond between John and Paul was strengthened because Paul had lost his mother as well.

On the Magical Mystery Tour I learned more about how Ringo Starr became the drummer for the Beatles.  Originally Pete Best played the drums in the band.  Pete’s personality was not really clicking with his other band mates who were a bit more wild and crazy.  He had a different sense of humour than the other three and didn’t seem as if he was ready for the rock and roll life style.  Also, it was rumoured that Ringo was quite the ladies’ man and could help the other band members meet a lot of girls.  The rest is history as Beatles manager Brian Epstein called Pete to his office and told him he was out of the band.  The museum had newspaper clipping announcing the firing of Pete and the uproar from the fans loyal to him.  Whether it was right or wrong to fire Pete, the Beatles as we all know them were complete.

The Cavern Club was one of the most important places to the development of the Beatles.  It was there that the Beatles performed frequently and became extremely popular in Liverpool.  If there had been no Cavern Club Brian Epstein would have never discovered the Beatles!  I really enjoyed seeing the replica of the club in the museum and the remake of the bar and club itself because of its importance to the formation of the Beatles.

I had such a great time in Liverpool learning about the four men who became a phenomenon.  My favorite part of the trip was being invited on the stage of the new Cavern Club to sing “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds”.  It was like a dream come true for me.  I felt like a had become a part of the Cavern club legacy and joined the ranks of all the bands who had performed there previously.  I will never forget my experience in Liverpool and hope that everyone has the opportunity to do the same.