Allan Williams

[AllTogetherNow]

He was very nice to me when I met him at Liverpool convention. I remember him telling me proudly that his Beatles book was one of the few to come out when John was still alive and that John read it.

Yea Right Ha
AW said same thing to me when he signed it at Alexandra Plc 1976 (apart from the part about deceased)

Seasonal Greetings

ATN

[Lord Reith]

I love The Man Who Gave The Beatles Away! I read it as a library book when I was about ten and found a copy many years later. It's factually dubious but very, very funny if you like that sort of earthy humour. Williams says he spoke his recollections into a tape recorder and William Marshall turned it into a book. I would love to hear those tapes if they exist. John loved it too, but Paul described it as "fiction'. Much of it is clearly contrived by Marshall but it does perfectly capture the seediness of those times, as well as the out-and-out danger. As Lewisohn says, "Liverpool in those days was no place for the faint hearted" and this book captures that in a way I've never seen since.

In a drunken conversation with a fan in a pub caught on tape, the guy compliments him with "You gave us the Star Club tapes!" Williams, partly in a jokey way but also with a touch of pride in his voice, shoots back, "And I gave yer the fuckin' Beatles!!"

[20YearsAgo]

I loved "The Man Who Gave the Beatles Away." My high school library had a copy of it. It might've been the second Beatles book I ever read.

So much of the Beatles journey revolved around good fortune and luck. The Beatles were "lucky" Williams was able to send them to Hamburg so they could develop as a band. If that hadn't happened, they would've sputtered out and disbanded at some early point. They were also "lucky" that Williams allowed them separated from him because there's no way he would've been able to break them into the big time like Mister Epstein did.

[AllTogetherNow]

Got lucky

yea some 4 lads did
but 2 who dont...

was Pete Best and poor Allan who had to meddle his book among other things all his life.


Seasonal greetings

ATN

[Lord Reith]

I loved "The Man Who Gave the Beatles Away." My high school library had a copy of it. It might've been the second Beatles book I ever read.

So much of the Beatles journey revolved around good fortune and luck. The Beatles were "lucky" Williams was able to send them to Hamburg so they could develop as a band. If that hadn't happened, they would've sputtered out and disbanded at some early point. They were also "lucky" that Williams allowed them separated from him because there's no way he would've been able to break them into the big time like Mister Epstein did.

Yeah, Allan couldn't have broken them. They definitely needed Brian for that.

As usual, the entire outcome of their career hinged on the exact right people coming along at the right time. No Allan, no Brian, no Ringo, no George Martin and the outcome would have been very different or non-existent. God smiled upon them for sure.

[Albert Grove]

He was very nice to me when I met him at Liverpool convention. I remember him telling me proudly that his Beatles book was one of the few to come out when John was still alive and that John read it.

Yea Right Ha
AW said same thing to me when he signed it at Alexandra Plc 1976 (apart from the part about deceased)

Seasonal Greetings

ATN

I was there too (and also at the Norwich Aug 76 convention). If you have photographs these would be most welcome. Nobody seems to remember those very early conventions. At that time AW was very much in Hamburg Tapes mode. Played excerpts during his lectures.
At Alexandra Plc local TV and/or BBC London covered the 2 day event including talks with all participants. Wonder what happened to the footage.

[IFeelFine]

I met him at a couple of Liverpool Beatle conventions over the years.
He seemed nice enough, no sign of any bitterness at what might have been, but he did appear permanently pissed (drunk for US members).

[AllTogetherNow]

[/quote]
I was there too (and also at the Norwich Aug 76 convention). If you have photographs these would be most welcome. Nobody seems to remember those very early conventions. At that time AW was very much in Hamburg Tapes mode. Played excerpts during his lectures.
At Alexandra Plc local TV and/or BBC London covered the 2 day event including talks with all participants. Wonder what happened to the footage.
[/quote]

Hi

Do You remember George black outfit the one he was wearing in HELP being auctioneed?
The offer was going at £20 and Alan coming from the bar shouting Mention the Reef Georgi left in the inner pocket.
Aw certainly did his best to sell thoose bums:)

Unfortunately I have no photographs of this occasion hovewer I have oix from AR during session in summer of 69. One at late eve coovering Paul & Linda first time around, heavenly pregnant with Mary and many more.

When waiting in AR during the week I was invited by Pauls next door for tea a charming Lady, but reclained du to having promised my parents not to go with strangers.

She confessed in me that she heard that he was in a band said to be famous and she believed his girlfriend was to be having a baby shortly...
Thoose were the days

Season Greetings

ATN

[Lon Chaney III]

Talking about Alan Williams and his book (which I managed to get off of ebay a while ago), reminds me of Tommy Moore. Their drummer drama is all about Pete Best but I've never been able to forget this (what I read back then may be not completely factually correct). When Tommy Moore was their drummer, he was decent enough although a few years older than the rest of them. He didn't show up for a gig one night so they went round to his house to get him. His missus said that they could f*ck off because he's working not wasting time with you. He worked night shifts at Garston Bottle Works. 'Garston Bottle Works', can you imagine what a place like that must have like. Tommy Moore's missus fucks them off and poor old Tommy just faded away.

I think that this is the only known picture of Moore playing with them.

[AllTogetherNow]

Talking about Alan Williams and his book (which I managed to get off of ebay a while ago), reminds me of Tommy Moore. Their drummer drama is all about Pete Best but I've never been able to forget this (what I read back then may be not completely factually correct). When Tommy Moore was their drummer, he was decent enough although a few years older than the rest of them. He didn't show up for a gig one night so they went round to his house to get him. His missus said that they could f*ck off because he's working not wasting time with you. He worked night shifts at Garston Bottle Works. 'Garston Bottle Works', can you imagine what a place like that must have like. Tommy Moore's missus fucks them off and poor old Tommy just faded away.

I think that this is the only known picture of Moore playing with them.

Guess we did NOT hear MORE of him....

at least I did not

Season Greetings to All

ATN
PS May I ask if your book was a paperback or a hard copy DS I happen to have both as I bought one before Alan signed his DS