From Beatlemania to Activism: The Life and Legacy of John Lennon Part 2

The Quarrymen Years

In the wake of his mother's passing, Lennon found himself engulfed in profound grief and simmering anger. Struggling to cope with the emotional turmoil, he turned to alcohol and violence, seeking solace in destructive habits that often intensified his pain. Despite the turmoil, his mother's memory became a wellspring of creative inspiration for him. This influence would manifest in his music, most notably in the poignant 1968 Beatles song "Julia," a heartfelt tribute that reflects his enduring love and longing for her. Through the art of songwriting, Lennon transformed his sorrow into a powerful expression of remembrance, allowing his mother's spirit to guide his creativity even in the darkest times.

Quarrymen_In_Rosebery_Street

John Lennon formed his first band, The Quarrymen, in 1956 with his school friends. The band took its name from a song about their Quarry Bank High School. The original lineup included John Lennon and Eric Griffiths on guitar, Pete Shotton playing the washboard, and Bill Smith on tea-chest bass. In the following year, the band underwent several lineup changes. By 1957, they had established a stable lineup consisting of John Lennon, Eric Griffiths, Pete Shotton, Len Garry, Colin Hanton, and Rod Davis. At that time, their manager, Nigel Walley, promoted the group and secured them a paid gig at The Cavern Club in Liverpool during the spring of 1957.

The Quarrymen, 6 July 1957 at St. Peter's Church in Liverpool: Eric Griffiths, Colin Hanton, Rod Davis, John Lennon, Pete Shotton and Len Garry.

In the summer of 1957, at a garden fête hosted by St. Peter's Church in the Woolton neighbourhood of Liverpool, John Lennon and Paul McCartney crossed paths for the first time. Unbeknownst to them, this serendipitous meeting would spark a chain of events that would revolutionize popular music. Paul McCartney, invited by a mutual friend named Ivan Vaughan, was introduced to Lennon during a pause in the band's performance. McCartney showcased his guitar talents and impressed Lennon with his rendition of Eddie Cochran's "Twenty Flight Rock." Shortly thereafter, Lennon invited McCartney to join The Quarrymen, and McCartney happily accepted.

his photo of John, Paul & the Quarrymen playing at New Clubmoor Hall in late 1957, was taken by Lesley Kearney.

Paul McCartney debuted with the Quarrymen on October 18, 1957, at a Conservative Club event in Liverpool. He and Lennon wore cream-coloured sports jackets funded by the group, while the other members wore white shirts with tassels and black bootlace ties. McCartney often practised the lead guitar intro to "Raunchy," which annoyed the others. During the autumn of 1957, the Quarrymen played limited gigs, focusing on covers of rock and roll songs and moving away from skiffle. Their sound relied more on the harmonies of Lennon and McCartney, who were both inspired by Buddy Holly and began writing their songs, marking the start of their collaboration.

The group was looking for another guitarist to fit their new rock-centered vibe, so McCartney suggested his school buddy George Harrison. Harrison first caught a glimpse of the band in action on February 6, 1958, at Wilson Hall, where McCartney introduced him to Lennon. He later auditioned to join The Quarrymen in March at Rory Storm's Morgue Skiffle Club, playing “Guitar Boogie Shuffle.” Lennon thought Harrison, who had just turned 15, was a bit too young to be part of the band, but McCartney set up another meeting on the upper deck of a Liverpool bus, where Harrison played “Raunchy” for Lennon. After a lot of pushing from McCartney, Lennon finally agreed to let Harrison join as the lead guitarist. With Harrison on board, the Quarrymen moved even further away from skiffle, which also meant the end of Lennon using banjo chords. Around that time, John Duff Lowe, another school friend of McCartney’s, came in on piano.

snapped at a McCartney family wedding reception in Liverpool, where the boys had been invited to perform. Titled John, Paul, George and Dennis (a nod to family friend Dennis Littler, seen on the right), the portrait is part of Mike McCartney’s Early Liverpool print portfolio.

With Harrison joining the Quarrymen, the band had four guitarists. Lennon and McCartney suggested that Griffiths get a bass guitar, but he declined due to cost. They convinced the manager, Nigel Walley, to let Griffiths go, which Walley later regretted. Around the same time, Len Garry fell seriously ill, spending seven months in the hospital and never returning to the band. This left Colin Hanton as the last original member of Lennon's Quarry Bank classmates. In March, McCartney purchased an Elpico amplifier, and he and Harrison upgraded their guitars with pickups, marking the Quarrymen's first electric sound.

Percy Phillips ran a studio called Phillips' Sound Recording Services at 38 Kensington, Liverpool, which was squeezed between a kitchen and a front room that doubled as an electrical goods shop. The actors from the Liverpool Playhouse often stayed in the room above the studio, and Phillips would ask them to record monologues and poems. Just after his 60th birthday, Harrison heard about the studio from Johnny Byrne, a guitarist from the Raving Texans, who had recorded a version of "Butterfly" there on June 22, 1957. The Quarrymen decided to book a session on July 12, 1958, recording directly onto a disc to avoid extra costs associated with tape. They set up a single microphone in the centre of the room, and Lennon suggested using a scarf over the snare drum to help lower its volume. They kicked things off with "Despite All the Danger," a McCartney original (which was credited to McCartney/Harrison), followed by Buddy Holly's "That'll Be the Day," with Lennon on lead vocals for both tracks. After finishing up, Phillips handed them a fragile 78rpm record to share among the band, allowing each member to keep it for a week or so or lend it to friends. Unfortunately, it was lost until Lowe found it again in 1981 and sold it to McCartney for an undisclosed amount. These recordings eventually made their way onto the Beatles' Anthology 1 album.

After that recording session, Hanton ended up clashing with the rest of the group and quitting. Lowe also lost touch with the band after leaving Liverpool Institute, leaving just Lennon, McCartney, and Harrison as a trio of guitarists. The group mostly took a back seat over the summer as Lennon took a job at a restaurant at Liverpool Airport. Meanwhile, McCartney and Harrison went on a hitchhiking holiday in Wales, jamming with a local skiffle group named The Vikings. Although Lennon, McCartney, and Harrison remained incredibly close, they only managed to perform a few times in the remaining months of 1958. When asked why they didn't have a drummer or bassist, they would say, "The rhythm's in the guitars."

In the fall of 1958, nearly a year and a half after their first Star Search, the group got another shot to audition for Carroll Levis. For this audition, they changed their name to Johnny and the Moondogs. They managed to get through the first round of the competition in Liverpool and were invited to the finals in Manchester. They performed Buddy Holly's "Think It Over," which got a good reception but had to leave before the results were announced.

After that, they rebranded to Japage 3 (pronounced "Jaypage"), a mix of letters from each member's name: John, Paul, and George. Lennon had a friend named Derek Hodkin from art school who had a tape recorder, and he encouraged him to record the group (with McCartney's brother Mike on drums). They also managed to get Hodkin to be their manager, though gigs became scarce. Harrison played rhythm guitar for the Les Stewart Quartet, who had a regular club gig. Japage 3 was done by May, but the three still hung out, and Lennon and McCartney kept writing songs together.

The Casbah Coffee Club 2024. The Casbah Coffee Club, in West Derby, Liverpool, saw 13 performances by John Lennon's first band the Quarrymen and more than 40 by The Beatles.

In the summer of 1959, Mona Best decided to open a club in her cellar and asked the Les Stewart Quartet to help convert it into a residency. However, Harrison and fellow guitarist Ken Brown missed a show, leading to their dismissal and the loss of the residency. This put Mona in a tough spot, but Harrison devised a plan: he asked Lennon and McCartney to join in, and they returned to being the Quarrymen. After helping Mona finish the cellar, the new lineup of the Quarrymen (Lennon, McCartney, Harrison, and Brown) officially opened the Casbah Coffee Club on August 29, 1959. The opening night saw around 300 local teens show up, but it got pretty stuffy without air conditioning and everyone dancing. Fortunately, they had Brown's three-input amplifier and McCartney's Elpico, which meant all four guitarists could plug in and perform.

The group kept their residency at the Casbah going for four months into 1960, and they picked up some extra gigs now and then. In January, though, Brown got sick and couldn't perform. Best wanted the Quarrymen to continue paying him, but Lennon, McCartney, and Harrison weren't on board. Because of this disagreement, they lost their residency at the Casbah, and Brown left the band. Not long after, Lennon persuaded his art school buddy, Stuart Sutcliffe, to buy a bass guitar and join in. They didn't have any bookings, but they started practicing hard so Sutcliffe could get the hang of his new instrument.

As I wrap up this chapter of John Lennon's early years, I hope you've found the journey as fascinating as I have. Next, in my series exploring the life of John Lennon, I will dive into his transformative years with The Beatles, where his musical genius truly shone and changed the landscape of popular music forever. I'm committed to bringing you high-quality content, delving deep into his life and legacy. Don't forget to follow me on social media for the latest updates and insights! I welcome your thoughts and discussions, so please feel free to reach out. Your engagement means a lot to me!