8 April 1963
At 6.40 this morning (some sources say 7.45), Cynthia Lennon gave birth to her and John's first child. John Charles Julian Lennon, weighing 6 lb. 11 oz., was born at Sefton General Hospital, Smithdown Road, Liverpool. As he was busy touring, John didn't show up to meet his son until 11 April, the night before the group played at the Cavern.
Concert:
Swimming Baths, High Road Leyton, Leyton, London
"My first encounter with the Beatles
By disc-jockey Norman Scott
In the early months of 1963, I was working as a disc jockey at Leyton Baths in East London, an indoor swimming pool that had been converted into a dance hall. Every Friday night well-known groups of the time would play there live.
By now the Beatles had already established themselves with "Love Me Do" and "Please Please Me" and also completed successful tours appearing with Helen Shapiro, Chris Montez and Tommy Roe. Plans were also underway for the group to tour with Roy Orbison and Gerry and the Pacemakers. However despite this, Brian Epstein had insisted that the Beatles would still appear at the remaining outstanding dance hall dates that had been previously made.
So it was that in April 1963 the Beatles appeared at Leyton Baths (also on the bill was Peter Jay and the Jaywalkers). In front of a packed crowd of dancing, screaming fans, the Beatles wore maroon mohair suites with velvet collars and played most of the tracks featured on the "Please Please Me" album and gave a preview of their forthcoming single, "From Me To You." After the show I went backstage, complete with camera to congratulate the boys.
I introduced myself and offered to buy them all beers, they accepted and over a few drinks we had a good chat, talking mostly about music and their favorite artists, the Beatles going out of their way to be jovial, obliging and friendly. I asked if I could take a photo of them "of course" they replied. "Just a minute" said Paul "I must clean my teeth first." After a while Paul was ready and John positioned the group for their photo.
"Right" John said to me, "When I say three, we'll all smile and you take the picture." John commenced to count "one, two, THREE" John literally yelled THREE making the other Beatles and myself nearly jump out of skins. I wasn't able to take the picture, but Paul was the worst "casualty," he had still been holding the open tube of toothpaste and when John had shouted, Paul had squeezed the tube and a long length of toothpaste had shot down Paul's trouser leg. After much laughter I finally got my photo with Paul keeping his hand over the embarrassing stain on his trousers."
Source: Beatles Now, April/May/June 1982
One night in April, most likely this evening, The Beatles attended a party at the home of Shadows' guitarist Bruce Welch in North Harrow and met Cliff Richard.
"To celebrate the success of Cliff's "Summer Holiday" and The Shadows' "Foot Tapper" both being at No.1 in March, Bruce Welch threw a party with Cliff, the Shadows, The Vernons Girls and the Beatles. The Beatles played their 'new' single "From Me To You", while the Shads played "Atlantis", followed by Cliff and Shads singing "Please Please Me". This turned into a friendly impromptu battle of the bands. The Beatles did a Shadows impression complete with wildly exaggerated leg-kicking cross-over step. Cliff, the Shads and the Beatles all joined in singing and playing rhythm and blues. The Beatles sang the Chiffons' "He's So Fine", the Isley Brothers' "Shout" and some Ray Charles classics."
Source: http://www.cliffchartsite.co.uk/cliff1.html
Cliff Richard recalled:
"My guitarist Bruce Welch had a party at his house one night and when we got there, we were all on the same label, E.M.I. He said "The new band is here." So, I met them all and talked for a while. John was always very interesting 'cause he was sort of off the wall. I found him difficult at first and then I realized he said things that probably he didn't mean. They were just meant to shock a little. Anyway, we talked for a while and then we were in the kitchen and they were saying OK, we've had a couple of hits. They'd had "Love Me Do", which was a start but nothing much. Then they had "Please Please Me" and they weren't sure whether the next record was gonna be a hit. We sat there and they grabbed one of our guitars and played "From Me To You". We thought this was gonna be one heck of a competition. It was obvious to us that this was gonna be a hit."
Source: http://www.classicbands.com/CliffRichardInterview.html
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