Why did Searchers Keep Tito Burns?

[scouser]

Tito Burns also represented our group, The Undertakers. The problem was that you needed a London agent to do any business "down south". Our managers were quite capable of taking care of local bookings, in Liverpool, but London was a whole different thing. Tito Burns, we were told, was well known and quite respected in that he could deliver venues.

[admin]

Thanks Chris. Was he able to deliver as you were lead to believe he could? Also, is Tito Burns still around the London area?

[scouser]

Yes, he did keep us quite busy when he was involved in a tour for us. I seem to remember that there was a lot of politics happening in the Liverpool/London agency thing. I am not that Tito Burns is around (anywhere) anymore!

[admin]

I have read with interest this somewhat amusing story involving Tito Burns which I consider gives some insight into his character. It comes from the 1969 Hit Parader magazine. It would seem that he was more flamboyant in those days than I had imagined.

Quote:Chas Chandler: "The first night we knew we had to pull something sensational to get a good press reaction and so the guitar that burst into flames [apparently during "Purple Haze"] was contrived. Of course, we all maintained it was an accident and Jimi even wore a bandage the second house to make it look good. In fact we soaked it in petrol and deliberately set light to it - the organizers were running around in circles trying to find the culprit and examine the guitar which had mysteriously disappeared. I distinctly remember [theatre agent] Tito Burns waving a fist at me and shouting, 'You can't get away with things like this, Chas - if we find that guitar I'll have you prosecuted.' Underneath his overcoat I could make out the charred end of an electric guitar" (Hit Parader, June 1969, p. 26). Tito Burns then walked out the stage door with the guitar.