JOE FLANNERY

History and music of Liverpool
Post Reply
User avatar
hamilton_square
Member
Posts: 352
Joined: Wed Jan 31, 2007 8:26 am

JOE FLANNERY

Post by hamilton_square »

In the last few days I’ve been reading up on the recollections of one JOE FLANNERY.

Would be big band singer with the Joe Loss Orchestra, Joe Flannery was the elder brother and appointed manager of Peter Flannery (aka Lee Curtis) and his group the Detours, later known as the All Stars. And quite honestly, back then a combination that didn’t press any particular buttons for me. While essentially a solo performer, somebody once said of Lee Curtis, he was too late for Elvis and too early for Tom Jones.

Nevertheless, in THIS INTERVIEW recently reproduced on the pages of Bill Harry’s Mersey Beat site, I was interested to read about aspects of the personal relationship between that of the Irish Catholic, Joe Flannery and the Jewish upper-middle class, Brian Epstein.

The final page of the interview recalls the time when the Beatles (with Pete Best) and Lee Curtis and the then Detours performed on the same bill at the Iron Door Club (or as Joe Flannery calls it, the Liverpool Jazz Society) during an unspecified date early 1962 on what was possibly thought to have been a Sam Leach Promotion. By which time the Beatles were officially being managed by Brian Epstein having previously signed a contractual obligation with him on the 24th January 1962.

The story goes that shortly prior to performing that night the Detours discovered that one of their amps wasn’t working and were frantically chasing around trying to borrow one. Joe Flannery spots Brian Epstein floating around the club and asks him if there was any chance the Beatles could help out with loan of an amp. Epstein tells Flannery “follow me and let’s go and ask the boys”. Up the Iron Door’s winding wooden staircase they both go to what Flannery laughing describes as “the dressing rooms”. Flannery explains the problem to “the boys” and can they possibly help out. John Lennon looks at Brian Epstein and gets an OK nod … problem solved.

Coincidently, some six months later, following the well-documented sacking of drummer Pete Best by Brian Epstein on the 16th August it was Joe and Peter Flannery who persuaded Best to become one of the All Stars. The other three members being Frank Bowen (lead guitar), Tony Waddington (rhythm guitar) and Wayne Bickerton (bass guitar). I understand that Beryl Marsden was also recruited to help out with the vocals but apparently that arrangement didn’t last long.

In later years, former school mates, Tony Waddington and Wayne Bickerton would go on to write such 1970s UK top ten hit singles as Sugar Baby Love (Rubettes) and Sugar Candy Kisses (Mac and Katie Kissoon). Which in due course won them an Ivor Novello Award as British Songwriters of the Year.

Lee Curtis and the All Stars stayed together long enough to cut a couple of forgettable singles on Decca Records. However, their live recorded performance of Skinnie Minnie taken from the 1963 album At the Cavern makes for slightly better listening.



I’m led to believe that at the time the group wasn’t exactly a happy place to be around. Resulting gossip suggests that ‘artistic tensions’ between the Brothers Flannery and the formidable Mrs Mona Best, Pete’s mother being a likely root cause.

Things eventually came to head when the All Stars jettisoned their front man and for a short while were known as the Original All Stars before becoming the Pete Best Four and finally the Pete Best Combo. In the process relocating to the United States in an effort to cash in on the Beatles led ‘British Invasion’ but meeting with little success.

Undeterred, Lee Curtis soldiered on with a new All Star line up that saw numerous changes in personnel as they toured extensively throughout Germany for several years. However, things came to an abrupt halt for Lee Curtis around Christmas 1967. When as passenger, the car he was travelling in was involved in major road traffic accident somewhere in Germany that put the singer in hospital.
User avatar
13_temple_street
RRF Consultant
Posts: 373
Joined: Mon Sep 11, 2006 8:59 am
Contact:

Re: JOE FLANNERY

Post by 13_temple_street »

BEATLES FAREWELL PARTY.
MARCH 15TH 1962
Attachments
beatles party.png
User avatar
hamilton_square
Member
Posts: 352
Joined: Wed Jan 31, 2007 8:26 am

Re: JOE FLANNERY

Post by hamilton_square »

Geoff, many thanks for the appropriate Iron Door performance info. Always good to have collaborating evidence to support personal recollections when they would otherwise be at the mercy of time.

I also understand that in 1981, Joe Flannery was instrumental in setting up the small independent MAYFIELD RECORDS on Merseyside. However, these days I gather it is known ostensibly as a niche label for reissuing previously recorded material by local artists.
User avatar
13_temple_street
RRF Consultant
Posts: 373
Joined: Mon Sep 11, 2006 8:59 am
Contact:

Re: JOE FLANNERY

Post by 13_temple_street »

Quote:- Epstein tells Flannery..."Follow me and lets go and ask the boys"...Up the Iron Doors winding wooden stairs they both go.....They have now reached the coffee bar area I suspect the boys are sitting around the corner in their favourite booth.
Attachments
STORYVILLE COFFEE BAR
STORYVILLE COFFEE BAR
Post Reply

Return to “Liverpool Project: by Admin”