With all the spare time I have as an EPIK teacher you get to read about a lot of different sorts of things on the internet. Today, being the first day of the school year, they naturally cancelled all classes so I was able to mindlessly explore the internet.

I stumbled across the history of Alan Williams, the famous "man who gave away the Beatles." He was their first manager and helped them develop as performers and musicians as he got them underway during their, now famous times, in Hamberg, Germany. In 1961, there was a large falling out between Williams and the Beatles (McCartney, Harrison, Lennon, Best, Stucliffe) over his 10% commision.

The Beatles were later picked up by Brian Epstein. Apparently before Epstein signed the Beatles up, Williams warned Epstein that the Beatles would backstab him and they are no good boys...and I think you all know the story from there.

So, jump forward to Spring 2007, and I was touring around Europe and ended up in Liverpool. I was out at a very small bar one night with some hostel friends, and as we were sitting enjoying ourselves, a seemingly angry and stalking man walked in and it seemed like all the locals knew him. He talked to us breifly asking why we were in Liverpool, and we said that we were Beatles fans etc, and he seemed pretty annoyed with that fact. We heard whispers around the bar that he was a part of the group at one point, but thought it was all crazy. And that he was just a bitter, grumpy, old man.

Now here we are in Spring 2010, and after finding a picture of him, I can confirm that it was indeed Allan Williams that I met on that night a few years ago.

I'm sure most people don't care, but as a big Beatles fan, finding this out is pretty awesome...its a shame I didn't ask for his picture.


Hanging with John outside the Cavern Club, Spring 2007