Fundraising single to help campaign for Brian Epstein statue

www.liverpoolecho.co.uk
Fundraising single to help campaign for Brian Epstein statue
Stars sign up to help reach £70,000 target
By Eleanor Barlow
7 Jan 2014


Beatles manager Brian Epstein pictured in January 1964

Campaigners hoping to erect a statue in honour of Beatles manager Brian Epstein are recruiting a host of Merseyside celebrities to help.

Bob Pitt, a presenter on community radio station Mersey Radio, has written a song celebrating the life of the man credited with discovering the Beatles.

He said he has already enlisted the help of stars including Brian Nash from Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Gary Christian and Mike McCartney to record the song, with proceeds going towards the £70,000 needed to build the statue.

Bob said: “I was on the radio show interviewing Sam Leach, who got The Beatles their early gigs before Brian Epstein, and afterwards he asked me if I could help out.

“I decided to write a song celebrating Brian’s life and see if we could get the great and the good to sing it.

“Then it started to take on a life of its own.”


Beatles manager Brian Epstein

Bob said other celebrities who have agreed to take part include comedian Crissy Rock, Billy Kinsley from The Merseybeats, Stan Boardman and Liverpool’s hairdresser to the stars, Herbert Howe.

Bob added: “We’ve had quite a few names come on board but we’d love to get even more.

“We want as many big names as possible.”

And he said he’s even hoping to get Ringo Starr on board.

He said: “I’ve been speaking to Billy J Kramer, who is friends with Ringo, and he’s going to ask him if he’ll be involved. I think it would be a great way for him to get back in the good books in Liverpool.”


The Beatles pictured with manager Brian Epstein in August 1964

But Bob said he is keeping the song under wraps until it is released.

He said: “After I’d written it, I sent it to Billy Kinsley to listen to and he gave it the thumbs up and came on board to help me with it.

“We’re not even revealing what the title of the song is at the moment but we’re hoping to have it released by March.”

The proceeds from the record will go towards building the statue, which would be put in front of Epstein’s former home, now a hotel, on Anfield Road.

For more information on the campaign, please pay a visit to  www.statue4eppy.com