How The Beatles found their drummer at Butlin's

The first picture of The Beatles with Ringo, taken August 22, 1962.

www.bbc.com

How The Beatles found their drummer at Butlin's

Karl Bird

In Skegness

BBC

October 17  2026

Ringo Starr joined The Beatles in 1962 while he was playing Butlin's in Skegness

Michael Ochs Archive

A Lincolnshire holiday camp played a little-known but crucial part in the birth of The Beatles.

A young, bearded Ringo Starr was playing drums with Rory Storm and the Hurricanes at the Butlins in Skegness in the summer 1962 when Paul McCartney and John Lennon arrived to try and recruit him to the band.

Bobby Thomson, who was bassist in the Hurricanes, recalls the duo arriving early one morning after driving all night from Liverpool.

"I think that was the whole idea, to invite him to join the Beatles," he said.

"Because I was with Ringo they didn't come out with it. They could have, it wouldn't have bothered me."

He said that a few weeks later in mid August the band were having breakfast when an announcement over the speaker system asked Starr to report to reception.

He asked Thomson to come with him and the pair arrived to find a phone call from Beatles manager Brian Epstein asking if Starr would like to join the group.

Bobby Thompson (second left) played bass for Rory Storm and the Hurricanes alongside a young Ringo Starr (far right)

Keystone via Getty Images

Starr later recalled the conversation in an interview. "The boys would like you to join The Beatles. What do you say?

"I said, 'no, I'd love to, when?' And he said, 'oh, tonight'. I said, 'I can't', this was Wednesday, 'I can't come tonight. I'm in a band, I'll come Saturday'."

Thomson said that during the call with Epstein the drummer was told to lose his facial hair.

"He didn't want to shave his beard off," Thomson said laughing.

"So the beard came off and he got the haircut to match."

Madeline Morrison, who worked as a Redcoat at the Clacton camp, said people were surprised when the rumours of Starr joining The Beatles soon started to spread throughout Butlin's.

"Rory Storm was a big, big name," she said.

"I've got playbills where Rory Storm and the Hurricanes were above The Beatles."

She added people said he had been taken to the hairdresser: "He's got the Beatle haircut, he's joining them.

"You know, all this sort of stuff would jump round all the camps because we were all villages."

After Starr's departure Rory Storm and the Hurricanes recruited another drummer for the remaining two weeks of the summer season.

A letter from Ringo Starr mentioning him playing at Skegness and joining the Beatles was auctioned in 2024

Peter Nicholls via Getty

Another celebrity whose career began as a Butlin's Redcoat remembered occasionally sitting in on the drums for Starr.

Think of a Number TV presenter Johnny Ball said he would often play the first part of the Hurricanes' Sunday night performances.

"He [Starr] could flinch an extra hour on his day off if I stood in for him and played his first half of the gig," he said.

Soon after Starr joined the Fab Four, they had a UK hit with their first single Love Me Do and went on to make musical history around the globe.

Thomson described his former bandmate as "a smashing bloke"

"His personality and everything was spot on," he said.

Thomson added that in joining the Beatles "He actually made the whole team, the full set".

"We just knew that they were going to be absolutely huge."

"You were waiting for the talent to take the world over, which they did the following year."

Starr's only return to Lincolnshire with his new group would be their performance at the ABC cinema in Lincoln in November 1963.

Photographer Ken James remembered the experience as "absolute bedlam".

"The fans were screaming it was unbelievable," he said.

"The second they came on they were screaming, quite hysterical some of them."

The Beatles at ABC, November 1963

Former Beatles tourist attraction put up for sale

www.bbc.com

Former Beatles tourist attraction put up for sale

David Humphreys

Local Democracy Reporting Service

October 16  2026

The building features a large mural of Paul McCartney and John Lennon

BBC

A community tourist attraction celebrating the Beatles has been put up for sale after closing its doors.

The Penny Lane Community Trust in Liverpool shut on New Year's Eve after struggling with rising costs and declining visitor numbers.

Former Lord Mayor and Penny Lane councillor, Richard Kemp, said: "It is disgraceful that this has taken so long and it will be well over a year before a successful bidder can start to use the building for the local community."

Liverpool City Council said it was "working with the liquidators and their representatives to explore future options for the building and secure the best possible outcome for the local community".

The site became a popular stop for tourists visiting Penny Lane and nearby Strawberry Fields, housing a visitor centre filled with Beatles memorabilia.

The successful bidder must demonstrate financial viability and compliance with the building's permitted use.

The council owns the freehold of the Penny Lane Development Centre site, of which a lease was granted to Penny Lane Development Trust.

The property is held under a 99-year lease, granted by the council in 2009 at a peppercorn rent of £1 a year.

The Penny Lane Development Trust community and Beatles visitor center in Liverpool.

Credit : Julia Kilian/picture alliance via Getty

The Local Democracy Reporting Service said the development trust behind the site went into liquidation, with a voluntary liquidator appointed in January.

The trust was established in 2003 to help save nearby fields from a housing development and went on to open its community centre and Beatles visitor centre in 2010.

The building featured a large mural of Paul McCartney and John Lennon on its exterior and became a regular destination for tour guides bringing visitors to Penny Lane.

Its grounds included a Beatles-themed garden with a yellow submarine donated by the Cavern Club and the former gates from the Mather Avenue fire station.

Before the closure was announced, the trust's senior charity officer, Julia Gornell, said increased utility costs and falling footfall had placed a "huge toll" on the charity's "already limited resources".

'Think big'

According to details published by JPS Chartered Surveyors, the building is being marketed to charities and community organisations only.

Kemp said he hoped local people, businesses and organisations would work together on ambitious proposals for the site's future.

A stock image depicts a sign for the Penny Lane in Liverpool.

Credit : Julia Kilian/picture alliance via Getty

He said: "I would be pleased to engage with local people and companies on the options. I hope that we can think big on this.

"These developments have a brilliant potential for attracting tourists into the Beatles Homeland Quarter, which will benefit the city and help raise money for good local projects, which will benefit Penny Lane area residents."

Any sale of the remaining leasehold must be approved by Liverpool City Council, which owns the freehold.

A council spokesperson said: "As this is an ongoing legal and property matter, it would not be appropriate to comment further at this stage."

The nearby gates of Strawberry Field in Liverpool.

Credit : PAUL ELLIS/AFP via Getty

Black Friday RSD – A Beatles Title Joins the List

beatlesblogger.com

Black Friday RSD – A Beatles Title Joins the List

by BeatlesBlogger

Posted on October 16, 2026

When the Record Store Day Black Friday list was first published a week ago it was slim pickings for actual Beatle content.

Today that has changed with the late addition of a unique coloured vinyl of the US version of Rubber Soul.

From the US RSD website: Available as a standalone vinyl LP for the first time since it was originally issued by Capitol Records in 1965 comes this limited-edition gold vinyl edition of the original Rubber Soul (US Album), exclusively released for RSD Black Friday 2026.

The audio has been sourced from the original 1965 US production master referencing the contemporary mastering notes of the time. The vinyl lacquers are cut by Kevin Reeves at Nashville’s East Iris Studios. Pressed on a 180g heavyweight gold LP and housed in a poly-lined inner bag within a single outer sleeve that replicates the original US Album release.

It’s quite nice that this has been chosen for RSD as the album in this form was previously only available (on black vinyl) if you purchased the 2026 5LP box set SDE of Rubber Soul.

recordstoreday.com

THE BEATLES

Rubber Soul

DETAILS

Event: BLACK FRIDAY 2026

Release Date: 11/27/2026

Format: LP

Label: Capitol/UMe

Quantity: 15000

Release type: RSD Exclusive Release

MORE INFO

Available as a standalone vinyl LP for the first time since it was originally issued by Capitol Records in 1965 comes this limited-edition gold vinyl edition of the original Rubber Soul (US Album), exclusively released for RSD Black Friday 2026.

The audio has been sourced from the original 1965 US production master referencing the contemporary mastering notes of the time. The vinyl lacquers are cut by Kevin Reeves at Nashville's East Iris Studios. Pressed on a 180g heavyweight gold LP and housed in a poly-lined inner bag within a single outer sleeve that replicates the original US Album release.

As had occurred with all The Beatles' albums released in the US, the track listing is different from its UK counterpart. For this Capitol release, "Drive My Car", "Nowhere Man", "What Goes On" and "If I Needed Someone" were sidelined from the sequence of the UK LP and two tracks, yet to be issued in America at the time, were added in from the UK Help! album. "I've Just Seen A Face" opened side one and "It's Only Love" was placed at the start of the second side.

US album Tracklist

Side A    

A1. I’ve Just Seen A Face

A2. Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)    

A3. You Won't See Me    

A4. Think For Yourself

A5. The Word

A6. Michelle    

Side B

B1. It’s Only Love    

B2. Girl    

B3. I’m Looking Through You

B4. In My Life    

B5. Wait    

B6. Run For Your Life

Amy Poehler Just Conducted One of the Best Paul McCartney Interviews Maybe Ever

consequence.net

Amy Poehler Just Conducted One of the Best Paul McCartney Interviews Maybe Ever

Macca discussed his relationship with The Beatles, his personal life, and more during a funny and surprisingly emotional interview

Alex Young

October 13, 2026

Amy Poehler / Paul McCartney (YouTube)

Paul McCartney has given countless interviews over his legendary career, but there’s a reason fans are raving about his appearance on the latest episode of Good Hang with Amy Poehler. Throughout their hour-plus conversation, McCartney is remarkably relaxed and unguarded, clearly charmed by Poehler, whose infectious personality is matched by her thoughtful, well-prepared interview style. The result is one of McCartney’s most candid and revealing Q&As in years, touching on everything from The Beatles and his relationship with music, to his personal life and breakfast routine.

At one point, McCartney tears up while reflecting on his late wife, Linda. At another, he breaks into a mock TikTok dance while impersonating modern music. As a bonus, the episode also features an appearance by McCartney’s daughter, Stella, who has her own unique wit and offers a rare glimpse into their father-daughter relationship and what it was like growing up a McCartney.

Below you can find some of the big takeaways, but the full episode is really worth a watch.

He Became Emotional Discussing His Late Wife Linda

“If you were at a dinner party and someone was eating meat, Linda would give them trouble: ‘Do you know what you’re eating?'”

“She had this Disney-esque view of animals. If we saw a frog in the garden, she’d pick it up, and the way she’d hold it, she wouldn’t hurt it. She’d say, ‘Mummy loves it,’ even to a frog.”

His Current Relationship with John, George, and Ringo

“I’m a fan. The more we go on, I’m a bigger fan. I’m a Beatles fan. I’ll hear something we did and I’ll remember writing it with John, and think, ‘Wow, I was really lucky to sit down and write with someone and he happens to be John Lennon.’ And I think the same for him with me.”

“I’ve become more a fan the more I think about them.”

McCartney’s Pre-Show Ritual

“I get up and have my breakfast. It’s really boring, it’s always the same: a bit of cereal, not too much. Berries, five raspberries, got to be five. A handful of blueberries tucked in, and a strawberry which I cut up… Add a few pecans and raisins.”

“In the morning, just water, no caffeine. I’m not a big coffee person; I’m English! Maybe one coffee in the middle of the day.”

On Modern Music

“Billie Eilish is cool, but I don’t think I’d want to have written her songs. A lot of songs these days are breakup songs, and I’m married!”

“Back in the day, I used to wish I’d written Billy Joel’s ‘Just the Way You Are.’ I always thought that was the kind of song I felt I could have written.”

“Nowadays, some of [the popular songs] are very banal… And then you’ve got to do the [TikTok dance with it].”

Note: McCartney actually impersonates a TikTok dance

He’d Still Like to Collaborate with Dylan, but He’s Still Too Intimidated by Him

“I’m too nervous to ring him up!”

He Listens to The Beatles Channel in His Car

“They have a Beatles channel on Sirius… and my driver knows to have it on. It’s a good channel.”

“He turned one [song] up because I couldn’t remember what the title was. I thought, ‘What’s this one?’ And when it played, I couldn’t even remember the song! It had just come and gone so fast. But a lot of them, like ‘Mull of Kintyre,’ I have very strong memories of.”

He’s Concerned About How He Is Portrayed in Film, Including in Sam Mendes’ Upcoming Beatles’ Biopics

“[The Beatles] were all the same height, and Ringo was a bit smaller. If you look at photos, we’re all the same height!”

“Sam Taylor-Johnson did a film called Nowhere Boy, and the John character, who she later married, is bigger than me in the film. My character is kind of wimpy, smaller than John, and John knocks me to the floor! I said, ‘Sam, this is not true!’ And her only explanation was, ‘This is a movie; it’s not a documentary.’

“And guess what? [Paul Mescal, who plays McCartney] is smaller than the guy who plays John [in the Beatles biopics]! I said to [director] Sam [Mendes], ‘I’ve got just one thing I need to say to you: Paul’s a bit small.’

“Sam sent me a still from the filming where they’re crossing the Abbey Road crossing, and the Paul character is markedly smaller. So I texted him, ‘Don’t do this! You said you wouldn’t do it.” He said, ‘No, it’s okay, it’s just the stride pattern.’ And then he sent me another one where they were equal!”

Rapid Fire Answers

Best decade for music? The ’60s

If you were an animal, what would you be? A horse

Favorite song you’ve written? “Here, There and Everywhere”

Nancy’s favorite song of yours? “Days We Left Behind”

Last concert you went to? Brandi Carlile

More Limited (and hard to get) Harrison/Dark Horse

beatlesblogger.com

More Limited (and hard to get) Harrison/Dark Horse

by BeatlesBlogger

Posted on October 12, 2026

Dark Horse Records has announced just what will be on sale at its pop-up Friar Park x Niwaki x Dark Horse in Tokyo this week (October 14-15).

To celebrate the launch of the Friar Park x Niwaki collection on October 12, a two-day-only pop-up will be held at Light Box Studio in Tokyo. This pop-up store will feature the limited edition collection of Friar Park x Niwaki Japanese garden tools, workwear and accessories, along with a selection of rare out-of-print titles and collectibles from Dark Horse Records:

There are two pop-up store exclusive colour vinyls: Extra Texture in blue, and The Radha Krsna Temple in “fire red” which look interesting, plus Living in the Material World on purple vinyl – previously only available as a George Harrison Store exclusive when the 50th anniversary editions of that album came out in 2024.

The others are re-issues of all six Record Store Day Zoetrope vinyls released so far, plus ‘Be Here Now’ a fairly rare 12″ single that came out for Record Store Day 2025. This has George performing the song on one side and Beck giving his interpretation on the other.

And Dark Horse has just posted a second list of titles that will be available at the pop-up – this time the focus being on Joe Strummer:

Its our understanding that these Strummer and the George Harrison LPs will also be available at a second, limited-time pop-up store in Tokyo. It will be on the 6th floor of Tower Records, Shibuya from October 20 to 26.

Tower Records will be the main launch site for 13 titles (11 from George Harrison and 2 from the Traveling Wilburys) which are newly remastered and being released as limited SHM-CD/mini-LP editions. In addition, three of George’s LPs — All Things Must Pass, Living in the Material World and Cloud Nine — will be released simultaneously on the super-high-end “100% Pure” 45rpm vinyl format. Not only that, Dhani Harrison will be at Tower Records Shibuya on 20 October to give a talk, meet fans and sign CDs and an exclusive Japanese red vinyl edition of Dragonflies, the album he recently released with Nigel Godrich.

Oh to be in Tokyo and have the ability to drop into either the Light Box Studio or Tower Records Shibuya.

Is anyone planning on going?

www.darkhorserecords.com

Dark Horse Records Announces Japan Pop-Ups & Exclusive Collaborations

Dark Horse Records is heading to Japan this October to celebrate the Year of the Horse with a host of special events, pop-ups and collaborations around Tokyo.

FRIAR PARK X NIWAKI X DARK HORSE RECORDS

OCTOBER 14-15

11:00 AM TO 6:00 PM 

@ LIGHT BOX STUDIO, 5-16-7 MINAMIAOYAMA, MINATO-KU, TOKYO 107-0062, JAPAN

  

To celebrate the launch of the Friar Park x Niwaki collection on October 12, a two-day-only pop-up will be held at Light Box Studio in Tokyo on October 14 and 15. The pop-up will feature the limited edition collection of Friar Park x Niwaki Japanese garden tools, workwear and accessories, along with rare out-of-print titles and collectibles from Dark Horse Records.

FENDER × DARK HORSE RECORDS

OCTOBER 16

@ FENDER FLAGSHIP TOKYO & FENDER CAFÉ, THE ICE CUBES BUILDING (B1F–3F), 1-8-10 JINGUMAE, SHIBUYA-KU, TOKYO 150-0001, JAPAN

Dark Horse Records and Fender Music Corporation Japan will come together in Tokyo for a special collaboration celebrating the creative legacy of George Harrison and the enduring spirit of Dark Horse Records through music, fashion, tea and art. Beginning October 16, the collaboration will come to life through a special pop-up at Fender Flagship Tokyo, Fender Café experiences in Harajuku and Shimokitazawa, a Japan-exclusive F Is For Fender capsule collection, alongside a limited editioncollection of Stratocaster guitars in special colorways inspired by George Harrison and the world of Dark Horse Records. Together, the collection and experiences celebrate George’s enduring influence across music, design, style and culture — with more to be revealed this October.

TOWER RECORDS SHIBUYA X DARK HORSE RECORDS “JAPAN COLLECTION”

OCTOBER 20-26

@ TOWER RECORDS SHIBUYA, 1-22-14 JINNAN, SHIBUYA-KU, TOKYO 150-0041, JAPAN

Alongside a very special "Dark Horse Records Japan Collection" campaign of newly packaged George Harrison and Harrison-related titles made exclusively for the Japanese market, a limited- time pop-up store will also be held on the 6th floor of TowerRecords Shibuya from October 20. This Japan-exclusive project features 13 titles from George Harrison and the Traveling Wilburys that have been newly remastered and will be released in a limited SHM-CD / paper- sleeve (mini-LP) edition. In addition, three of George's landmark albums — All Things Must Pass, Living in the Material World and Cloud Nine — will be released simultaneously on the super-high-end "100% Pure LP" vinyl format that has been attracting attention both in Japan and abroad. Customers who purchase eligible titles in-store will receive an original Dark Horse Records Japan Collection campaign sticker on a first-come, first-served basis!

Two VERY Limited George Harrison 7″ Singles

beatlesblogger.com

Two VERY Limited George Harrison 7″ Singles

by BeatlesBlogger

Posted on October 10, 2026

This month two very hard-to-get George Harrison 7″ singles hit the market. You’ll need deep pockets to get hold of both of them.

The first is part of a Harrison Estate collaboration with Niwaki, purveyors of high-quality Japanese gardening tools, clothing and other equipment. The collab is called Friar Park x Niwaki and it feeds into a Japan-focused series of events, initially in Tokyo, in the lead-up to the release of a new series of eleven George Harrison titles as Japanese SHM-CDs later in the month. These will be accompanied by three limited edition Harrison LPs also in Japan (All Things Must Pass 1500 copies, Living In The Material World and Cloud Nine 1000 copies), each on 45rpm high quality audiophile vinyl. Not only that, there’s two Traveling Wilbury SHM-CDs to be released as well.

But back to the limited edition 7″ singles….

There’s going to be a Tokyo Friar Park x Niwaki event on 14 and 15 October which will launch a limited edition collection created with Dhani Harrison and inspired by the gardens of Friar Park.

Part of that will include a Friar Park x Niwaki Collectors Edition tool bag, and in it will be a George Harrison 7″ single containing two songs inspired by Friar Park: ‘The Ballad of Sir Frankie Crisp (Let It Roll)’ b/w ‘Crackerbox Palace’. Its on the Dark Horse label and sits in the tool bag in a unique picture cover:

Now, that tool bag will set you back around £666 or US$882 (and for us here in Australia, about $1,264)! It’s not clear if the single will be sold separately, but the marketing info suggests it will be at the event in Tokyo: “In addition to the tools and workwear of the Friar Park x Niwaki collection, there will also be a selection of highly collectable rare and limited edition vinyl available.” It looks like the collection will be for sale at the Niwaki store in London – but pre-sales are already sold out. There’s no indication that the 7″ is being sold separately in London. It might be, but you can’t order it online, at least not yet.

The other collectable 7″ single out this month we’ve already told you about. Its the previously unreleased George Harrison track called ‘Apres Moi’. It comes exclusively in the deluxe edition of his book of photographs, The Third Eye. The deluxe edition is £500 and US$500 (and an eye-watering $1,400 here in Australia).

I mean, the book and package looks great but it makes this record unobtainable for the majority of us mere mortals.

Black Friday RSD – Pretty Quiet Unless You Collect Dark Horse

beatlesblogger.com

Black Friday RSD – Pretty Quiet Unless You Collect Dark Horse

by BeatlesBlogger

Posted on October 7, 2026

The lists for US and UK Black Friday Record Store Day have been published and it is pretty quiet on the Beatle and solo fronts:

The Beatles – nothing to see here. (Understandable with the Rubber Soul SDE plus it’s many associated releases only just out).

John Lennon – nothing to see here.

Paul McCartney – nothing to see here. (Again, understandable with The Boys of Dungeon Lane Special Edition coming on 2LP and CD on December 9).

Ringo Starr – nothing to see here.

The only Beatle-related action comes from Dark Horse Records. They’re continuing the quest to slowly release the whole of the George Harrison back-catalogue as Zoetrope picture discs. The next two installments will be Thirty Three and 1/3 from 1976:

And from 1979, Harrison’s self-titled George Harrison LP:

Both are limited editions and come in numbered die-cut jackets. They should also include inserts with cover art and credits and a small Zoetrope viewing instruction sheet. Both are limited to 2900 copies in the US, and probably the same again for the ROW.

Dark Horse is soon to re-issue the Traveling Wilbury back-catalogue, first as SHM-CD’s in Japan on 21 October, and then on black vinyl on 23 October worldwide. For RSD Black Friday they’ll issue the group’s second album, Traveling Wilburys Vol.3, as a picture disc.

Dark Horse says “…this is the perfect companion piece to the 2018 picture disc release of ‘Vol. 1’.” The picture disc will be available exclusively for RSD Black Friday only at participating stores. 2,500 copies in the US.

[BTW, that Japan re-issue campaign will be associated with a whole lot of activations and collaborations in Tokyo. Check out the Dark Horse news page for more.]

As has been the case for the last few Record Store Days, Dark Horse has been working its way through the Yusuf/Cat Stevens back-catalogue too. This time it’ll be Majikat Earth Tour 1976.

This is a double LP on black vinyl and comes in a lenticular cover. Just 1,050 copies for the US (UK figures unknown) so this will be harder to get.

And that’s about it this time around.

Those of you who collect Dhani Harrison will be interested to pick up an LP by his band, thenewno2.

For RSD Black Friday he’s put together the band’s first two EPs, ep001 & ep002, collected on a smokey clear colour LP. Newly remastered and available on vinyl for the first time ever, this limited edition release sees their debut EP on side 1, and sophomore EP on side 2.

Record Store Day Black Friday is on Friday, 27 November.

See the full US list  here .

See the list for the UK  here .