Rory Upsets Jazz Fans
When Rory Storm and the Hurricanes played at Liverpool’s 1st jazz festival their rock’n’roll songs received a very poor reception – Rory upsets jazz fans.
Podcast
Rory Upsets Jazz Fans
To hear the show LIVE…
First broadcast on The Mop Tops & The King radio show
during the week: 5 to 11 May 2023
Syndicated on over 100 radio stations around the world
weekly schedule – times and stations
Rory Upsets Jazz Fans
Alan Caldwell formed the Raving Texans as a skiffle group in Liverpool, in mid-1957.
By the time drummer Ritchie Starkey joined in early 1959, they were a beat group.
In the summer of 1959, they changed their name to Al Storm and the Hurricanes. Shortly afterwards they became Rory Storm and the Hurricanes.
They also decided that they would adopt stage names. Alan Caldwell became Rory Storm and Ritchie Starkey became Ringo Starr because he wore several rings.
Johnny Byrne Johnny Guitar
Ritchie Starkey Ringo Starr
Walter Eymond Lu “Wally” Walters
Charlie O’Brien Ty Brien – sometimes Ty Brian
Alan Caldwell Rory Storm
Rory Storm took his name after Rory Blackwell, the pioneering London rocker who encouraged him when they played at Butlins Pwllheli.
They became the most popular band in Liverpool.
The Cavern Opened
Alan Sytner opened the Cavern Club as a jazz club on 16 January 1957
Ray McFall took over ownership on 3 October 1959.
Liverpool’s First Jazz Festival
Rory Storm and the Hurricanes played an unwelcome rock’n’roll set during their appearance at Liverpool’s first jazz festival, held at the Cavern on 17 January 1960.
Their set opened with Maggie Mae and Hi-Lili Hi-lo, which were quite acceptable skiffle songs for the jazz audience. However, the group decided to play rock’n’roll and treated the audience to renditions of Great Balls of Fire, Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On and Brand New Cadillac.
The unappreciative jazz audience took a very dim view of this change of direction. Not only did they show their contempt for the band with boos, they also threw penny coins at the hapless musicians. A pre-decimal UK penny was quite large and hurt when it made contact.
The band later collected up the pennies on the stage. The story goes that the coins added up to more than their fee for the gig. Which was just as well because Ray McFall was annoyed with the unexpected rock’n’roll and docked their fee.
By mid-1960, skiffle groups were morphing into beat groups. In Liverpool this was the genesis of Merseybeat.
First Beat Night at the Cavern
Ray McFall recognised the changing music scene. He invited Rory Storm and the Hurricanes back to the Cavern to headline the First Beat Night at the Cavern, on 25 May 1960.
Radio Show – Mop Tops & The King
Author of the book Rock’n’Roll Unravelled, Derek Shelmerdine, is a fortnightly guest on The Mop Tops & The King. In short, host Steve Chelmsford’s radio show is all about the music and the times of The Beatles and Elvis Presley. Check out the MTK network of nearly 100 radio stations carrying the show around the world.
