Little Richard’s back!

Mike McCartney: “As it was 2001, I thought it was time to give my 1960s prints a new lease of life, so I took up an offer from Curwen Press (which works with the Royal Academy) to be the first photographer to try out a brand new, lithographic, continuous tone printing process (which they had invented). The first ones were Me in mirror and Ro sew but then we produced two rock ‘n roll versions, for all you rockers out there. This lithographic image, Little Richard’s back!, was taken at the Tower Ballroom. It came about after I set up my camera behind Richard, and asked for a little help from Ringo. He misheard my instructions to press the cable release, so when I said: ‘Now!’
He replied: ‘What?’
‘NOW!’ I said (too late). Hence Little Richard’s back!”

Tower Ballroom in New Brighton on 12 October 1962. Scanned from “Mike McCartney’s Liverpool Life”

Ringo and George at the Tower Ballroom, Autumn 1961. Ringo hadn’t joined the Beatles yet, he was still drumming for Rory Storm and the Hurricanes who were on the same bill as the Beatles that night.  Scan from 16 Magazine, Feb 1965.

21 June 1962, Tower Ballroom, New Brighton

Not my scans but I just wanted to post them, because whenever I look at pictures of Rory Storm and the Hurricanes in action I just think I would have been such a fan of them. I’d have gone to every gig. 

Just look at Johnny Guitar in that first one! I’d have been such a front-row fangirl.

Paul with Faron Ruffley of Faron’s Flamingoes at the Tower Ballroom in Brighton, Autumn 1961 (date unknown but it’s the same day as the previous Ringo picture). I’m not sure who the girl is. I don’t recognise her.

Ringo at the Tower Ballroom in Brighton in the autumn of 1961. The Hurricanes were on the same bill as the Beatles that day.

Although rock and roll sales were in a slump in America in 1962, Penniman’s records were still selling well in England. From April to May of that year, The Beatles, then still an obscure band, co-resided with Penniman at the Star Club in Hamburg, Germany, during which time he advised them on the proper technique for performing his songs. Included in this instruction was teaching Paul McCartney his “woo holler.” British promoter Don Arden then booked Penniman for an October 1962 tour of Great Britain, with the Beatles as an opening act. Penniman thought he was going to perform gospel music, but Arden had promoted the concert as a rock and roll show. On the first night of the tour he began performing gospel music, but gave in to the pressure and began performing his secular hits. He walked off to a standing ovation. The frenzied crowd reaction was to be repeated wherever he appeared.

10 November 1961, Rory Storm and the Hurricanes at the Tower Ballroom in New Brighton.

At the Tower Ballroom, New Brighton. December 8, 1961