John Lennon meets Paul McCartney (55 years ago today!)

beatlesbible ^ | July 6, 2012

[yorkie]

On the afternoon of 6 July 1957 the Quarrymen skiffle group played at the garden fete of St Peter's Church, Woolton, Liverpool.

The performance took place on a stage in a field behind the church. In the band were John Lennon (vocals, guitar), Eric Griffiths (guitar), Colin Hanton (drums), Rod Davies (banjo), Pete Shotton (washboard) and Len Garry (tea chest bass).

The group arrived on the back of a lorry. As well as music, there were craft and cake stalls, games of hoop-la, police dog demonstrations and the traditional crowning of the Rose Queen. The fete was a highlight of the year for the residents of the sleepy Liverpool district.

The entertainment began at two p.m. with the opening procession[snip]

That evening the group were due to play again, minus Colin Hanton, this time at the Grand Dance in the church hall on the other side of the road. They were due on stage at 8pm, and admission to the show, in which the Quarrymen alternated on stage with the George Edwards Band, was two shillings.

While setting up their equipment to play, the Quarrymen's sometime tea-chest bass player, Ivan Vaughan, introduced the band to one of his classmates from Liverpool Institute, the 15-year-old Paul McCartney.

This historic occasion was the first time McCartney met John Lennon, a year his senior. McCartney wore a white jacket with silver flecks, and a pair of black drainpipe trousers.

The pair chatted for a few minutes, and McCartney showed Lennon how to tune a guitar - the instruments owned by Lennon and Griffiths were in G banjo tuning. McCartney then sang Eddie Cochran's Twenty Flight Rock and Gene Vincent's Be-Bop-A-Lula, along with a medley of songs by Little Richard.

[yorkie]

Can you believe it? Over a half century ago.......

[yorkie]

~ping~

[InvisibleChurch]

LAST KNOWN PHOTOGRAPH OF LENNON AND MCCARTNEY, 1974

Taken by John Lennon’s girlfriend May Pang at the Louis B. Meyer/Peter Lawford Santa Monica house Lennon was renting around March 1974.

““It was during the Harry Nilsson sessions. He had popped in (the studio) the night before. . . . The next day, Paul came over with Linda and kids in tow. Everybody’s just hanging out at the Santa Monica beach house. Everyone’s just talking, just relaxing.”

““All of a sudden I looked up and said, “Paul?” John turned around and said, “Oh, hello, Paul.” It was like they’d seen each other just the night before. John hadn’t seen him in a couple of years at that point. Then Paul’s heading to the drums; he just went to Ringo’s drum kit and started to jam. Stevie Wonder happened to drop by. Stevie’s on the electric piano, Linda’s on the Hammond B3. . . . Everybody was just hanging out and jamming.”

Harry Nilsson, Paul McCartney, John Lennon, Linda McCartney

John Lennon, Keith Moon, Paul McCartney, Linda McCartney

retronaut

[freepertoo]

No, I can’t believe it! My heavens...so glad this pair got together. They wrote some of the most beautiful music together (even though they really rarely wrote together. As Paul explained it, one of them would listen to the other’s song and add “a bit.” Some of those “bits” made for wonderful melodic and lyrical surprises).

[Cowgirl of Justice]

Be that as it may, I will never listen to a Beatles song again. Not too long ago, PM made a snarky comment about President George Bush, something really nasty.

I have absolutely no compassion for the man. Just one more person removed from my listening or viewing pleasure.

[Tijeras_Slim]

Paul: “Your second wife sings like a cat in a blender.”

John: Your second wife doesn’t have a leg to stand on.”

[chessplayer]

And the legend began. I’ll always equate good times with the Beatles!

[oldteen]

That was a few years ago! ;)

[Uncle Slayton]

Were the Beatles that band that Paul McCartney was in before Wings?

[Gay State Conservative]

A few years ago we did a three or four hour “Beatles Tour” in Liverpool.Saw Strawberry Fields,Penny Lane,John Lennon's house,the Cavern Club among other things.Great stuff! Saw Abbey Road too and did the zebra crossing.

[Boogieman]

The recordings from that last jam session.

John Lennon - Vocals, Guitar
Paul McCartney - Backing Vocals, Drums
Stevie Wonder - Backing Vocals, Electric Piano
Linda McCartney - Organ
Harry Nilsson - Backing Vocals
Jesse Ed Davis - Guitar
Ed Freeman - Bass
Bobby Keys - Saxophone

A Toot and a Snore in '74 - Part 1

[Boogieman]

Oops, that was the full version, not just part 1.

[Revolting cat!]

Most recent pix of the two.

[yawningotter]

Best meeting in rock history: “John, meet Paul.”
Worst meeting in rock history: “John, meet Yoko.”

[KevinDavis]

I saw this special about the Beatles, I kinda took it with a grain of salt... John’s girlfriend at the time, May Pang, said there was talk of the Beatles getting back together.. Then John went back to Yoko Ono.. Again I take it with a grain of salt.

[Revolting cat!]

I tell ya, if Lennon hadn’t met McCartney, Elvis would still be making those wonderful movies of his, Hal Wallis producing.

[jy8z]

Saw Abbey Road too and did the zebra crossing.

I visited that same place and have pics to prove it...

[Revolting cat!]

That’s my VW Bug in the pic, parked illegally, by the way.

[Mountain Bike Vomit Carnage]

[Gay State Conservative]

I visited that same place and have pics to prove it...

Great one!