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Bill Harry founds Mersey Beat

At Liverpool College of Art in 1958, Bill Harry introduced Stuart Sutcliffe to his new friend, Mr. John Lennon. That singular act led
to Stuart joining The Beatles.
Bill was asked what first attracted him to Stuart and John at the Liverpool College of Art.

“I was in separate classes to Stuart and John, but people with extraordinary talent were talked about. I had heard all about Stu and
so with him and his flat-mate Rod Murray, we would sit for hours in our local pub Ye Cracke and talk about culture, art, poetry, writing
and films. For banned books, we had books sent from City Lights Bookshop in San Francisco and Olympic Press Books in Paris.

“I remember this guy walking into the canteen at the Art College and seeing his scruffy clothes and a smart DA (duck’s arse) haircut
and he really stood out. But then I looked around the room to seethe rest of the students smartly dressed in their duffel coats and
I realised they were all conforming to society’s idea of a student.

John was the rebel and I had to know more about him.

This is an excerpt - read the whole interview in the book.


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