Friday, March 11, 2011

A Sam Leach Innovation

March 11-12,1961

John Lennon once said that Sam Leach was the pulse of Merseybeat, what he did others copied.  Today provides a shining example of that.

Sam has been organizing shows at the Liverpool Jazz Club, popularly know as the Iron Door.  Tonight, he tries something new and audacious, something that he will soon become well known for around Merseybeat circles.  He books 12 bands in order to put on a show that runs for 12 hours.  With a showman's panache, he bills it as a "Rock Around the Clock" show, running from 8 pm on Saturday to 8 am Sunday.  Appearing with the Beatles are Gerry and the Pacemakers, Rory Storm and the Hurricanes (featuring Ringo Starr on drums), Kingsize Taylor and the Dominoes and many others.  Something like 2000 people rotate in and out of the club to catch at least some of the festivities.

Here's a picture of Rory Storm and some of the Hurricanes taken at the Iron Door.  Do you recognize the drummer?  He looks as if he's been playing the entire 12 hours!

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