Audition for Larry Parnes

On this day, London-based music promoter Larry Parnes and rock and roll star Billy Fury travelled to Liverpool to audition local groups to back Billy Fury on an upcoming tour of northern England and Scotland. The audition took place at the Wyvern Social Club, recently acquired by Allan Williams and soon to be refurbished and renamed the Blue Angel. At the time, Allan Williams had become the new manager of The Beatles.

A number of Liverpool acts took part in the auditions, including Cass and the Cassanovas, Derry and the Seniors, Gerry and the Pacemakers, Cliff Roberts and the Rockers, and The Beatles, featuring Paul McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison and Stuart Sutcliffe.

At this stage of their career, The Beatles were still experimenting with variations of their name and had not yet settled on “The Beatles.” During a break in the audition, Brian Cassar, from Cass and the Cassanovas, reportedly told them their name was crap and, seeing John Lennon as the leader, suggested “Long John and the Silver Beetles” (although recollections differ as to the exact suggestions made that day). The group retained the name “Silver Beatles” (or “Silver Beetles”) following this audition, until July 1960.

At the time, The Beatles had no regular drummer. Prior to the audition, Allan Williams — acting on a recommendation from Brian Cassar — approached Tommy Moore, who agreed to join them and met the band for the first time that day. However, due to work commitments, Moore arrived late, after the group had already begun their set. Johnny Hutchinson of Cass and the Cassanovas, despite reportedly disliking the band, stepped in to play drums, providing a basic backing beat.

Still inexperienced on bass guitar, Stuart Sutcliffe turned his back to the audience during the performance to conceal his limitations, as evidenced by photographs taken on this day by Cheniston Roland.

Cass and the Cassanovas won the audition and were selected to tour with Billy Fury. Although The Silver Beetles were unsuccessful, Allan Williams — following discussions with Larry Parnes, who needed a backing group for Johnny Gentle at the last minute — contacted them a few days later. On May 18, he booked the band for a week-long tour of Scotland with Gentle, which began two days later.

In May, Larry Parnes came to town, auditioning. He was the big London agent. His acts nearly always had a violent surname. There was Ronnie Wycherley who became Billy Fury; and a less furious guy you have yet to meet. A sweet Liverpool guy – the first local man who made it, in our eyes. Marty Wilde was also in Larry’s stable; he had another tempestuous surname. But Larry Parnes had some new singers and was looking for backing groups, and someone had told him there were a few groups around in Liverpool. So he came up to the Blue Angel. Billy Fury came with him. Allan Williams ran the Blue Angel and the Jacaranda. He was the little local manager (little in height, that is – a little Welshman with a little high voice – a smashing bloke and a great motivator, thought we used to take the mickey out of him). He held the auditions in conjunction with Larry Parnes. All the groups in Liverpool were there and we were one of the bands.

Paul McCartney – From “The Beatles Anthology” book, 2000

They were going to use the Blue Angel, which in those days was called the Wyvern Social Club, to audition back-up bands for Larry Parnes’s acts. Beforehand we went out and bought some string shoes with little white bits on top. We were very poor and never had any matching clothes, but we tried to put together a uniform – black shirts and these shoes. When we arrived at the club our drummer hadn’t shown up, so Johnny Hutchinson, the drummer with Cass and the Cassanovas, sat in with us. I don’t think we played particularly well or particularly badly.

George Harrison – From “The Beatles Anthology” book, 2000

We just had a stand-in drummer for the day. And Stu couldn’t play bass, so he had to turn his back.

John Lennon – From “The Beatles Anthology” book, 2000

We had to tell Stuart to turn the other way: ‘Do a moody – do a big Elvis pose.’ If anyone had been taking notice they would have seen that when we were all in A, Stu would be in another key. But he soon caught up and we passed that audition to go on tour – not with a furious name at all like the other acts, but with a guy called Johnny Gentle.

Paul McCartney – From “The Beatles Anthology” book, 2000

It was a bit of a shambles. Larry Parnes didn’t stand up saying that we were great or anything like that. It felt pretty dismal. But a few days later we got the call to go out with Johnny Gentle. They were probably thinking. ‘Oh well, they’re mugs. We’ll send a band that doesn’t need paying.’

George Harrison – From “The Beatles Anthology” book, 2000

In 2026, the collage used for some editions of “The Boys Of Dungeon Lane” included a photograph of The Silver Beatles taken by Cheniston Roland on this day.

Staff

Musicians

Visitors

Going further

• http://www.beatlesbible.com/1960/05/10/live-blue-angel-liverpool-audition-for-larry-parnes/