In 1962 I bought a camera for £25 from local promoter Albert Kinder. I asked Les Chadwick of Peter Kaye what setting I should have for taking photographs by natural light instead of using flash - and then began taking photographs at the Blue Angel. I also took outside sessions photographing a number of artists including the Kirbys, the Chants, the Kinsleys, the Nocturnes, the Dominoes, Dave Berry and the Four Pennies.

I took in excess of 500 photographs and here is a short selection of some of the photographs taken at the Blue Angel club:

Click selection below for full-size image

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Photograph Descriptions

• blue1: Billy Kinsley was currently a member of the Merseybeats and is pictured at the Angel door.
• blue2: Billy Hatton is a member of the Fourmost and is seen with Ida Holly, who John Lennon met at the Blue and began dating.
• blue3: Virginia is pictured at the downstairs bar with Billy Hatton.
• blue4: Alan Harding of the Chants is seen in the telephone booth while two girls make a phone call.
• blue5: Dinah is Virginia's sister.
• blue6: Chick Graham, who took over as lead singer in the Coasters, replacing Billy Kramer, was only 14 and small in stature. His girlfriend, held up by Chick, was also small in stature!
• blue7: Stu James aka Stu Slater is seen at the Angel door, with Bill Collins in the background. Bill, then a road manager, later managed the Iveys/Badfinger and died in 2002.
• blue8: Wayne Bickerton and Tony Waddington were two important Mersey musicians, appearing in several bands before becoming hit songwriters and managers in London.
• blue9: Allan Williams kitted the Angel waitresses in various outfits ranging from sailor suits to fishnet stockings - here are two members of his staff.
• blue10: This was a fun pic of two members of the Nocturnes, who were resident band at the Blue at the time, with Cilla Black's best mate Pat Davis.
• blue11: Beryl Marsden was my favourite local female singer and I asked John Lennon to provide her with a song, but Brian Epstein vetoed it.
• blue12: The final photo is of musician Paul Pilnick, who appeared with several local bands, with a girl friend.

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