Rory Storm
Rory Storm was an English musician and vocalist. Born in Liverpool, Storm was the singer and leader of Rory Storm and the Hurricanes, a Liverpudlian band who were contemporaries of the Beatles in the late 1950s and early 1960s.
The Hurricanes were one of the most popular acts on the Liverpool and Hamburg club scenes during their existence, although their attempt at a recording career was not successful. They released only two singles during their early 1960s heyday, and none of their material made the charts. Their second and final single was a version of the West Side Story song "America", and was produced by the Beatles' manager Brian Epstein.
Early years
Rory Storm was the stage name of Alan Caldwell, born 7 January 1938, in Oakhill Park Estate, Stoneycroft, Liverpool to Violet and Ernest "Ernie" George W Caldwell. His father was a window cleaner by profession, and a part-time porter at the Broadgreen Hospital, often singing songs to patients. Storm had one sister, Iris Caldwell, who dated George Harrison when she was 12, and Paul McCartney, when she was 17. Iris later married Shane Fenton, later known as Alvin Stardust. Apart from music, Storm was interested in sports, particularly athletics; he ran for an amateur team in Liverpool, the Pembroke Harriers, and set the Pembroke Athletics and Cycle Club steeplechase record. Instead of being driven home after concerts in Liverpool, Storm preferred to run home.Storm played football regularly and was a good skater and swimmer. Liverpool F.C. used to train at Melwood and he went to watch them in training, later putting up a large photo of himself training with the team on his wall at home. He was the captain of Mersey Beat magazine's football team, called the Mersey Beat XI. Storm was born with a stutter, which surprisingly did not affect his singing. Because of Storm's stammer, his friends never allowed him to tell a joke or to order a round of drinks, as it could take a long time. He became a cotton salesman before forming a skiffle group.
Music
Storm's first name for a group was "Dracula & the Werewolves", but he then settled on "Al Caldwell's Texans". Still known as Alan Caldwell, Storm opened the Morgue Skiffle Club in the cellar of a large Victorian house, "Balgownie", at 25 Oakhill Park, Broadgreen, on 13 March 1958. The cellar consisted of two rooms, painted black and connected by a long corridor, with skeletons painted on the walls and one blue light. Groups played on Tuesdays and Thursdays for up to 100 people starting at 7:30 pm, including Storm's group and the Quarrymen. After complaints about the noise, the police closed down the club on 1 April 1958, but Storm reopened it on 22 April 1958. It was in the Morgue Skiffle Club that George Harrison auditioned for the Quarrymen, playing "Guitar Boogie Shuffle" by Bert Weedon before being admitted as a member of the band. Paul McCartney has stated that George Harrison auditioned for John Lennon on the top of a bus by playing "Raunchy". Harrison later asked Storm if he could join his group, but Storm's mother refused to allow it, as she thought Harrison was too young.Storm went to London on 11 April 1958 to participate in a cross-country running competition. During his stay, he took part in a jam session at Chas McDevitt's Skiffle Cellar, which resulted in an appearance on 30 April 1958 on Radio Luxembourg's Skiffle club programme, playing "Midnight Special". In 1959, Storm's group consisted of himself, Paul Murphy, and Johnny Byrne all performing on guitar and vocals, Reg Hale and Jeff Truman. "Spud" Ward, a former member of the Swinging Blue Jeans, later played bass guitar. Storm met Ringo Starr at a talent contest called "6.5 Special". Starr had previously played with the Eddie Clayton Skiffle Group and was then drumming with a group called "Darktown Skiffle". Starr's first concert with Storm was on 25 March 1959, at the Mardi Gras in Mount Pleasant, Liverpool.
Rory Storm and the Hurricanes
Storm changed the name of his group to "Al Storm and the Hurricanes", then "Jett Storm and the Hurricanes", and finally to "Rory Storm and the Hurricanes". Storm and the Hurricanes entered "Search for Stars", a competition managed by Carrol Levis, at the Liverpool Empire Theatre on 11 October 1959, reaching second place ahead of 150 acts. The line-up of the Hurricanes finally solidified with Storm, Guitar, and Starr. They were joined by Walter "Wally" Eymond, who went by "Lu Walters" on-stage, and Charles "Chaz" O'Brien, who went by "Ty O'Brien" on-stage The group played at the Cavern Club with the Cy Laurie Jazz Band on Sunday 3 January 1960, and a week later supported the Saints Jazz Band and Terry Lightfoot's New Orleans Jazz Band. Playing rock 'n' roll music was a problem at the Cavern Club, as it was not accepted by the customers or management. When Storm and the Hurricanes performed there on 17 January 1960, with Micky Ashman's Jazz Band and the Swinging Blue Jeans, their first song was "Cumberland Gap" by Lonnie Donegan. Then they played "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin On" by Jerry Lee Lewis. The jazz and skiffle audience were outraged, booed and threw copper coins at the group. The Cavern's manager Ray McFall, fined them six shillings, but the coins collected from the stage floor were worth more than the fine.Storm and the Hurricanes performed at the Liverpool Stadium on 3 May 1960, on the same bill as Gene Vincent. Larry Parnes became interested in the Hurricanes, and invited them to audition at the Wyvern Club as a backing group for Billy Fury. Storm turned up at the audition, but only so he could have his picture taken with Fury. In July 1960, the group secured a residency at Butlins holiday camp in Pwllheli for £25 each per week. Starr was not sure about giving up his job as an apprentice at Henry Hunt's, where he made climbing frames for schools, until Storm put forward the idea of "Starr-time" with Starr singing songs like "Boys" by the Shirelles. Starr finally agreed when Storm told him about how many women would be "available". It was during this season that Starr changed his name to "Ringo".
Hamburg
After playing for more than 16 hours per week, the group were contacted by Allan Williams, who wanted them to go to Hamburg. Derry and the Seniors were successful there, and Williams wanted an additional group. As Storm and the group were committed to Butlins, they turned Williams' offer down, so Williams sent the Beatles to Hamburg instead. After the summer season ended in early October 1960, Storm and the Hurricanes were free to travel to Hamburg, replacing Derry and the Seniors at the Kaiserkeller. They arrived in Hamburg on 1 October 1960, having negotiated to be paid more than the Seniors or the Beatles. They played five or six 90-minute sets every day, alternating with the Beatles. Storm and the Hurricanes were later presented with a special certificate by Bruno Koschmider for their performances.The stage of the Kaiserkeller was made of planks of wood balanced on the top of beer crates, so the two groups made a bet to see to who would be the first to break it. After punishing the stage for days, a slight crack appeared, and when Storm jumped off the top of the upright piano, during a performance of "Blue Suede Shoes", it finally broke. Guitar remembered that as Storm hit the stage, it cracked loudly and formed a V-shape around Storm. He disappeared into it, and all the amplifiers and Starr's cymbals slid into the hole. Koschmider was furious and had to replace the live music with a jukebox. Both groups went across the road to Harold's Cafe for breakfast but were followed by Koschmider's doormen with coshes, who beat the musicians as punishment.
During their eight-week residency, Williams arranged a recording session at the Akoustik Studio, which was a small booth on the fifth floor of 57 Kirchenallee on Saturday, 18 October 1960. Williams asked John Lennon, Paul McCartney and Harrison from the Beatles to play and sing harmonies for Walters on the recording. Pete Best was in town buying drumsticks, so Starr played drums, which was the first time that the classic Beatles line-up of Lennon, McCartney, Harrison and Starr recorded together. They recorded three songs: "Fever", "September Song", and "Summertime". However, the fate of the recordings is uncertain and they have not been discovered to this day.
Liverpool
Storm and the Hurricanes were the headlining group at the first "Beat Night" in the Orrell Park Ballroom in March 1961. They were also invited for a season at the Butlins camp in Pwllheli North Wales. Sam Leach arranged a series of dance nights at the Palais Ballroom in Aldershot, starting on 9 December 1961. The first Saturday featured the Beatles, but as the local newspaper forgot to run the advertisement, only 18 people turned up. The second Saturday was arranged for Rory Storm and the Hurricanes to perform, and as it was advertised this time, 210 people paid to get in. Leach's idea was to attract London agents to watch the series of concerts, but when he realised they would never travel out of London, he abandoned the idea.Starr considered leaving Storm at that time to join Derry and the Seniors but accepted a job with Tony Sheridan at the Top Ten Club on 30 December 1961, as Sheridan's offer of more money, a flat, and a car was too good to refuse. Starr's stay with Sheridan was short-lived, as he found Sheridan's habit of changing the set list without telling his backing group beforehand frustrating, so he rejoined the Hurricanes. On 5 February 1962, Best fell ill and the Beatles had to play a lunchtime concert at the Cavern and an evening concert at the Kingsway club in Southport. As the Hurricanes had no concert that day, Starr played with them live on stage for the first time.
During a Hurricanes' residency at Butlins, Lennon and McCartney drove from Liverpool to Pwllheli North Wales on 15 August 1962 to ask Starr to join the Beatles. Shortly before, Starr had agreed to join Kingsize Taylor in Hamburg, as Taylor was offering £20 a week, but Lennon and McCartney offered £25 a week, which Starr accepted. Lennon and McCartney offered Storm to swap drummers but Best who was distraught after just being kicked out of the Beatles rejected the idea. According to Epstein in his autobiography, Storm was "One of the liveliest and most likeable young men on the scene... was very annoyed when Ringo left, and he complained to me. I apologised, and Rory, with immense good humour, said, 'Okay. Forget it. The best of luck to the lot of you.'" The Hurricanes then became known for having a succession of drummers, including Gibson Kemp, Brian Johnson, Keef Hartley, Ian Broad and Trevor Morais, who all stayed with the group for a short period before leaving.
Despite Starr joining the Beatles, both groups would perform on the same bill during 1962 and at many concerts thereafter. In 1962, both groups performed together at St Patrick's Night Rock Gala, Queen's Hall, and with Little Richard at the Tower Ballroom. In 1963, Storm and the Hurricanes were filmed as part of the "Beat City" documentary, which was broadcast by Associated-Rediffusion Television.