It was when I suggested to John that they come to London that I asked him his group's name. When he told me, I asked him how he spelt it. He said they got the idea from the nickname for the Volkswagen car (Beetle). I said since they like the "Beat" way of life, were "Beat" musicians and would be backing me as a "Beat" poet, I suggested to him why not spell the name with an "A"?
I don't know whether John had already considered that spelling but it was my encouragement that made him choose it permanently. His often-quoted story of the name being given to him by a "man on a flaming pie" is a jocular reference to the evening I cooked a frozen chicken pie and mushrooms for dinner for the boys -- and girls -- in the flat and managed to burn the pie.
(NOTE: Lennon is quoted as having said that "Beetles" came more from an effort to imitate Buddy Holly and the Crickets and personally I think that is more likely than the VW explanation, but it is interesting how Royston's story ties into the famous Mersey Beat "man on a flaming pie" quote.)
http://roystonellisbeatpoet.blogspot.co ... -then.html
http://roystonellis.com/beatles.php
