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Rory, whose real name was Alan Caldwell, led a band called the
Raving Texans. Ritchie decided to join them and made his debut with
the group on 25 March 1959 at the Mardi Gras in Mount Pleasant.
The group then had various name changes until they settled on Rory
Storm &C the Hurricanes. The line-up of the group was Rory Storm
(vocals), Johnny Byrne (rhythm guitar), Charles O'Brien (lead
guitar), Wally Eymond (bass guitar/vocals) and Ritchie Starkey
(drums). It remained that way until August 1962, when Ritchie became
a member of the Beatles.
Despite changing the name from the Raving Texans, Rory was obviously
still fond of a Western theme - at the time there were numerous
Western series on television. He decided to call Byrne Johnny
Guitar, after the title of the 1954 Joan Crawford Western; Ritchie
became Ringo Starr; and Charles was renamed �� after �� Hardin, star
of the Bronco series. Rory also thought that Lou Walters was a more
suitable name for Wally.
The group also changed from a skiffle band to a rock 'n' roll, band
which caused problems at the Cavern Club, where rock 'n' roll was
banned. In January 1960 the group were still including a number of
skiffle songs in their repertoire and appeared at the Cavern on a
bill with the Cy Laurie Jazz Band on Sunday 2 January, and the
following Saturday were appearing there again supporting the Saints
Jazz Band and Terry Lightfoot's New Orleans Jazz Band.
On Sunday January 10 Ray McFall began his Liverpool Jazz Festival in
an attempt to put Liverpool and jazz on the map. During that week
top trad bands such as that of Acker Bilk appeared, together with
modern jazz outfits, country-music bands and skiffle groups. When
Rory Storm &c the Hurricanes appeared again on Sunday 17 January, on
a bill with Micky Ashman's Jazz Band and the Swinging Bluegenes,
they began their set with 'Cumberland Gap'. Then they decided to
switch to a rock-'n'-roll set and played 'Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin'
On'. The jazz fans became furious and started pelting the group with
copper coins. The Hurricanes continued the show but were drowned out
by a booing audience. When they came off stage, a furious McFall
fined them six shillings (30 pence) for daring to play rock-'n'-roll
music. The group were able to collect all the coins from the stage,
which more than compensated for the fine.
The group appeared at the Liverpool Stadium on 3 May 1960 on a bill
with Gene Vincent. This was the show that aroused Larry Parnes's
interest in Liverpool groups and led to the Wyvern Club auditions.
In the audience were John Lennon, Stuart Sutcliffe and Pete Best.
Best remembered being particularly impressed by the showmanship
displayed by Rory Storm and the group.
The auditions at the Wyvern Club were set up ostensibly for Parnes
to find a Liverpool band to back Billy Fury. The Hurricanes didn't
audition because they already had a lead singer, Rory Storm,
although Rory turned up at the auditions, not to perform, but just
to have his photo taken with Billy Fury! It would have been
interesting if the Hurricanes had auditioned because Ringo had been
in the same class as Billy Fury at St Silas's.
In May the group were offered a summer season at Butlin's in
Pwllheli in the Rock 'n' Calypso Ballroom, from July to September.
Despite the Butlin's offer of £25 each per week, some members of
the
group had to consider the risks they were taking in becoming fully
professional. Ritchie was the most reluctant member: he was an
apprentice at Henry Hunt's, making school climbing frames at the
time. He didn't want to go to Butlin's, but Rory decided to persuade
him.
It was during this period that Rory insisted that Ringo have his own
five-minute spot, 'Starrtime', during which he sang numbers such as
the Shirelles' 'Boys' and 'Alley Oop'.
At Butlin's, the act began to shape up far more professionally and
they were playing for sixteen hours a week.
There was a write-up on Ritchie's appearance with the group
published in the South Liverpool Weekly News on 25 August 1960.
Under the heading Richard realises a boyhood ambition, it read:
Richard Starkey always wanted to be a drummer. From when he was a
small boy he was always tapping his fingers.
He has been in hospital twice, and has had 12 operations, several of
them major ones.
When he came out last time after two years spent mostly in bed, he
looked around for something to do - and started his fingers tapping
again.
So he saved up and spent £10 on a second hand drum kit and set
about
teaching himself to play.
After two months' hard practice he joined a group. And now, with a
new drum kit costing £125, he is entertaining hundreds of
teenagers
at a Pwllheli (North Wales) holiday camp as a member of Rory Storm's
Hurricanes.
All five of them Liverpool lads are packing the camp's rock and
calypso ballroom each evening for three-hour jive sessions.
Working a 16 hour week they spend their spare time joining in all
the fun of the camp, swimming, sport and sunbathing.
'It's was good as a holiday - and we get paid for it,' said
20-years-old Richard - he lives in Admiral Grove, Dingle - during a
break in the rock session.
His suntanned face broke into a smile as he added: 'It's fabulous.'
Richard - he plays under the name Ringo Starr - is the second
ex-pupil of St. Silas C. of E. School, Dingle, to make a
professional career in rock and roll.
The first - Ronnie Wycherley, now carving a niche for himself as
Billy Fury.
It is the group's biggest contract so far: before they filled dates
at Liverpool jazz clubs and had a spot in a rock show at Liverpool
Stadium in May, which starred Gene Vincent and was to have featured
Eddie Cochran. But he was killed a few days before.
Led by ex-cotton sampleman Rory Storm (his real name is Alan
Caldwell) whose home is at 54 Broadgreen Road, Stoneycroft, the
group has been playing together for just 10 months.
The other members - Lou Walters, 22 (bass guitar and vocal), ��
Brian, 19 (lead guitarist), Johnny Guitar, 20 (rhythm guitar and
vocal), and Richard, all belonged to other groups before that.
When they finish their 13-week engagement at Pwllheli in a few days,
the lads plan a holiday in London.
And later they hope to go on the Continent to seek dates there.
Said Richard: 'There is too much competition here. Rock and roll is
beginning to wane.'
He added: 'But I like the life. I certainly don't want to give it
up.'
A local coffee-bar owner, Allan Williams, had taken a group called
Derry Wilkie &£ the Seniors down to the 2 I's coffee bar in Soho,
where they were allowed to play. They were spotted by the Hamburg
club owner Bruno Koschmeider, who earlier that year had visited the
2 I's and booked some local musicians, who were to form a group and
call themselves the Jets, for his club, the Kaiserkeller. He was now
seeking a group to replace them and was impressed by the Seniors
and, in particular, the dynamism of their lead singer, Derry Wilkie.