My history and life as a Beatles fan started about 45 years ago. I was 14 years old.
I had always been fond of music, since my mother had been singing around the house every day since my birth. In 1963, I noticed that there was a "nice change" in music styles; pop music was beginning to conquer the world.
I heard The Beatles on a Danish radio station we used to have on in those days, but at that time I didn't pay too much attention to them. I just thought they were OK. Then, in the winter between 1963-1964 - one sunny and not TOO cold Sunday - I was skating with friends, and a schoolmate's sister came with a battery driven record player and a bunch of records. She was a Cliff Richard fan, so we started with those hits, but then somebody put on "Twist and Shout." I can't really today explain what happened to me at that moment, but I sat down in the snow and asked them to play it over and over, until the batteries were totally drained!
Ever since then, I have been a Beatles fan. I have many other favorite groups from the Sixties, but no-one has ever matched The Beatles.
Through the years, I listened to Radio Caroline, Radio Luxembourg, and the BBC. I collected many, many records, pictures, and magazines. Of course, that inspired me to start a band, and I taught myself to play guitar. After my "injection" of "Twist and Shout," I returned the shiny, new cornet that I was playing in the Salvation Army Band, said "thanks, but no thanks," and instead located my mother's old, unused guitar. With Beatle-inspired fervor, I started to work my way through chords and strings.
The years went by. I finished school, went to sea, took my apprenticeship examination as a welder in 1974, married on John Lennon's birthday (October 9) in 1976, and eventually had a son and a daughter. In 1982, I became a Draftsman/Piping Designer, and that's my present occupation today - working with layout design on Land Plants and Platforms in the Oil & Gas Industry.
It was really after my children had grown and left home that my in-depth interest in the Beatles took off. In 1991, I became a member of the Varige Men's Club, founded in 1972 by some good friends, and its purpose was friendship, enjoying good food and drinks, and playing Beatles music and other Sixties favorites. Since we all had been hobby musicians since the Sixties, and still had our instruments, it is just natural that these nights end in a great jam session.
So as a result of this, we have recorded two albums - mostly covers of old tunes; however, I composed a Tribute Song to my heroes, The Beatles, which we feature on the first album.
For some reason, I never got around to visiting the famous "Beatle places," or going to their solo concerts, even though I had talked about it for a long time. But when Paul McCartney came to Norway, I decided to attend his concert, and that was the beginning, the inspiration.
In 2001, I finally made a lifelong dream come true by going to Liverpool for The Beatles Festival in August. I visited The Jacaranda, and was introduced to a guy that used to follow The Beatles around to their early appearances around Liverpool. His name is Bernie Evans. Through him, I also met Allan Williams a couple of years later. From then on, the last weekend in August has been my Golden Moment in the spirit of The Beatles.
In 2004, I returned to Liverpool and visited both John's and Paul's childhood homes - Mendips and Forthlin Road. (It is still a bit emotional to think about those visits. I felt I was so close to them there, and thought it was hard to leave when the visit was over.) Back at the Adelphi Hotel for the Beatles Convention, I was privileged to meet John Lennon's half-sister, Ingrid Pedersen, (who was adopted by a Norwegian family). She was just about to leave the Adelphi when I came into the room. But graciously, she stopped and posed for a photo with me.
Later that day, The Quarrymen were signing CDs and pictures, and I got to enjoy a nice chat with them. I invited them all for a drink and developed a friendship with Eric Griffiths, who sadly passed away 29 January 2005.
The last big event for me that weekend was meeting Pete Best for the first time. I had gotten his autograph after his concert on Strand Stage, and when he left the area, I ran around the barricades and asked him for a picture. As you can see, he said, "Yes."
In 2005, I returned to Liverpool for The Beatles Festival. One of the events I was most looking forward to was the Strawberry Fields Party. Just the idea of entering those famous gates really thrilled me. It was a great event; there was food, drink, and bands playing. What an amazing day!
But that's not all! The Beatles Festival 2006 was sky-high with excitement!
There were two great concerts in The Empire Theatre: on Saturday The Boom Orchestra, The Quarrymen, Tony Sheridan, Kingsize Taylor and Donovan performed and on Monday, I saw The Undertakers w/ Jackie Lomax, The Merseybeats, The Searchers, The Swinging Blue Jeans, and Beryl Marsden. After the concerts we watched the backdoor and waited for the artists to come out so that we could get autographs and pictures. Voila!
On Sunday at the Convention Day at the Adelphi, and the day after I had visited The Casbah Coffee Club for the first time, I reunited with Pete Best and was also thrilled to meet Ken Brown (who played with John, Paul and George on the opening night of Casbah Coffee Club, 29 August 1959, in the Rainbow Room.)
At that same convention, I heard a rumor that Michael McCartney would be on hand to sign his latest book. I was waiting at the appointed place at 1 p.m., and sure enough, there was Michael, in a very upbeat and joking mood. (He told a story to everyone present about the cruel, Norwegian Vikings when he heard where I came from, then he signed my book, and we were photographed together. A few tears of joy had to be wiped away afterwards!)
Later that year, in November 2006, a local Beatles cover band (and a good one) Det Betales, held a Beatles Memory Night Concert in my hometown, and their special guest performer there was Tony Sheridan. My friend - the leader of Det Betales - asked me if I could help him out: he needed somebody to meet the ferry from Germany and greet/escort Tony Sheridan and his wife. My answer? Of course I could! I took a day off from work, smiling all the while and thinking how many people would give anything to be in my shoes. Tony and I made a connection right away, and I was his host the two days he stayed in my hometown.
In 2007, radio station NRK1 in Norway, decided that they would like to find out who was Norway's Biggest Beatles fan, and they asked listeners to tell if they knew of one. If you thought you were "the one," the radio station invited you to give them a call. After a great deal of pressure from friends, I did so! Just a few days later, I was interviewed by NRK1, and I was "in the contest." I would have to wait until the end of April to discover whom the station thought was Norway's Biggest Beatles Fan. Long story short. . . I won, and the winner's prize was the opportunity to go to Liverpool with the radio station for a direct broadcast to Norway on 6 July - the very day of the first meeting between John and Paul at St. Peter's Church Feté in Woolton (fifty years earlier).
For the broadcast, I invited both Rod Davis and Colin Hanton from the Quarrymen to come to the studio to take part in the interview, and they did. Then that evening, we all went to the party at St. Peter's Church. Ken Bloom (The First Featured "Meet the Beatles Fans" honoree on this website) was there, but we didn't bump into each other for some reason. How surprised I was to find myself in one of his pictures on this website! (Ken and I actually had a quick talk while we were entering the National Trust bus to visit Mendips and Forthlin Road the day before.)
In August 2007, it was back to Liverpool for another five exciting days in that fantastic city! I went to a VIP Party with The Overtures in Adelphi Hotel, and the Denny Laine concert (ex Moody Blues and ex Wings) in Cavern Club Back. There was also a great concert in The Empire with Gerry and The Pacemakers, The Fourmost, and Karl Terry and the Cruisers.
Beatles Week 2008 - During this weekend I also had the honor to meet Mr. Victor Spinetti, and (for a second time), the author Philip Norman. And I met Julia Baird again and bought her latest book.
Through the years, I have formed a close friendship with Sam Leach, and I always make a point to visit with him when I am in Liverpool. In September 2008, I met him in The Grapes. He brought along Karl Terry and Mike Rudd (The Cruisers' bass player), and we had a fantastic time!
On New Year's Eve this year, 31st of December, I will turn 60 years old. But I certainly don't feel it. My enthusiasm for The Beatles is keeping me "young." Even after 45 years of being a fan, I am still as devoted (perhaps more so) than I was as a teenager, and now I have so many friends in Liverpool, that a new dimension has been added! Scousers are such great people! I have formed great friendships with the custodians at Mendips (Mr. & Mrs. Colin Hall) and at Forthlin Road (John Halliday). I have even been inside Ringo's home in 10 Admiral Grove.
But there is still much more to see!
So, Beatles fans, all over the world, I hope to meet you one
day! I look forward to a good time together, chatting and remembering
all the years of pleasure these four lads from Liverpool have
given us.
