Tim
A former seaman who was torpedoed during the war and who spent years as a prisoner of the Germans has written a number for a Toxteth group called the Jackals.

He is Tim McCoy and he wrote the number with the aid of an old shipmate called Tom Murray, a guitar and a tape recorder.

Tim didn't know what to do with his number till he was passing a youth club in Park Place. He heard a group playing, looked in and offered them the title he's written and now they feature it in their act.

And the title: 'The Sailor At the Cavern', and it is about a seaman who jumps his ship in Liverpool, goes to the 'Cave' and meets all the people who are just not around any more.

Chick
Chick Graham was looking very pleased with himself last week when he told me about his next record.

It is to be cut on May 28, though as usual no titles can be released at this stage.

But Chick was particularly pleased about the success of 'I Know', which he tells me is No. 40 in the World Fair charts.

Angel
Among the people at headquarters, otherwise the Blue Angel, last week were the Scaffold, together with one of their friends.

This was the father of Mike McGear of the Scaffold and therefore the father of Mike's brother, Paul McCartney.

Mr. McCartney was saying that despite all the success his lad had enjoyed he was having a very hard time of it now.

"All the fans," declared Mr. McCartney, "who follow him around simply will not give the boys a minute's rest.

Hair
Two of the best known folk in the Pool were being ignored by their best friends last week.

They were comedian Jimmy Tarbuck and 'laughing boy' Johnny Guitar of the Hurricanes - and the reason was easy to see.

Jimmy has had a haircut which left him looking rather like a monk with no hole in the middle - while Johnny looked almost human.

Seriously though, despite all the wisecracking, both boys looked very smart.

We still love you both.

Redcaps
The Redcaps from Birmingham, whose disc 'Funny Things' was out last week, made a big hit in Liverpool.

At the Cavern lunchtime session they did so well that they had to be almost forced off stage at 2pm - and nearly missed a Press Reception being held for them.

Then, although they should have had the night off, they played the Cavern again that evening as Bob Wooler had been let down by another group.

They were made honorary members of the Cavern Club - and remarked with glee that he Cavern badges had been made in Birmingham.

Incidentally the last group to hold a Press Reception at the Blue Angel were the Four Pennies.

Could be significant or something.

Editor's Note: Bob went on to become one of the major disc jockeys at BBC Radio Merseyside. Sadly he has passed on, like nearly all the other Mersey Beat columnists: Bob Wooler, Bernard Falk and Geoff Leack. Their work will live on as I continue to include it on the Mersey Beat site.

Regarding the item on Tim McCoy, his song was actually recorded by Paul Brady & the Ranchers at the Cavern's own recording studio Cavern Sound. With a name change to 'An American Sailor At The Cavern', it was issued on Cavern Sound IMSTL2 in March 1964. the flipside 'Sidetracked' was penned by Bob Wooler.

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