Tony Sheridan and the Beat Brothers
A look at what guitarist Tony Sheridan was up to before he met the Beatles and their recordings together in Hamburg – Tony Sheridan and the Beat Brothers.
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Tony Sheridan and the Beat Brothers
Tony Sheridan was born Anthony Esmond Sheridan McGinnity, in Norwich, on 21 May 1940. He is one of only two people to be awarded a record label credit with the Beatles. That other accolade goes to Billy Preston on Get Back.
In 1958 he played at the 2i’s skiffle coffee bar in London’s Soho. One of the up-and-coming stars he backed was Cliff Richard. Moreover, when Cliff put his own band together, it’s widely reported that Tony Sheridan was his first choice for lead guitarist. Although, Hank Marvin secured the gig in The Drifters, later renamed to The Shadows.
Around this time Tony Sheridan was also an original member of seminal British rockers Vince Taylor and the Playboys. The Playboys also featured two future Shadows, Brian Bennett and Brian “Licorice” Locking. Vince Taylor was one of the inspirations for David Bowie’s alter ego, Ziggy Stardust
In 1960 the Tony Sheridan Trio appeared in Eddie Cochran’s ill-fated UK tour. Eddie Cochran died on 17 April 1960, at the age of 21. Gene Vincent and Eddie Cochran had just completed their British tour with a week-long residency at the Bristol Hippodrome. Eddie Cochran died in a car crash on the way to the airport to fly home.
In the summer of 1960 Tony Sheridan and the Jets played at the Kaiserkeller in Hamburg. They were certainly amongst the first British bands to play in Hamburg. Some sources say they were the first to play in the German city.
The Beat Brothers
The Beatles opened their first Hamburg residency on 17 August 1960. They were in Hamburg until December. It was during this time that Tony Sheridan met The Beatles.
The Beatles started their second Hamburg residency on 1 April 1961. It was during this time that they recorded with Tony Sheridan, as the Beat Brothers.
Tony Sheridan and the Beatles recorded at the Friedrich Ebert Halle in Hamburg, on 22 June 1961. Bert Kaempfert produced the session.
The Beatles, John, Paul, George and drummer Pete Best, backed Tony Sheridan on My Bonnie and The Saints. They were both traditional songs, arranged by Sheridan. Originally released as a single by Polydor in Germany and credited to Tony Sheridan and the Beat Brothers. The name change came about because “Beatles” sounded too much like “peedles”. This being a German slang word for penis.
In January 1962 the single was released in the UK. Their own debut single, Love Me Do, followed ten months later, released on 5 October.
Released as an album in Germany on 5 June 1962, My Bonnie also had an artist credit as Tony Sheridan and the Beat Brothers. The songs recorded at this session are on a number of albums, with various combinations of tracks.
Some of the tracks found their way onto the album The Beatles First. This included two Beatles songs performed without Tony Sheridan.
Ain’t She Sweet, with John taking the lead vocal. Jack Yellen and Milton Ager wrote the song in 1927. It became a Tin Pan Alley standard. Ben Bernie had a hit with it in 1927.
The other song, Cry for a Shadow, was a Harrison and Lennon penned instrumental, released as a American B-side by MGM in 1964.
