A Moral
One experience which many a pop singer must have gone through happened to me just the other week. I have only been in the pop 'lark' about six months, but our group have been quite successful. Thus, I had always considered myself quite competent and able to deal with any embarrassing situation which might arise.

We were on the second verse of 'Around And Around' and my voice came loud and clear over the mike. Then, quite suddenly, the quiet hum of the mike ceased. Amplification gone. (Oh, for a warning red light, I told myself).

I continued for some time just to make sure, gave our rhythm guitarist a despairing glance and laughed uneasily at our bass guitarist.

Much clutching and clumsy maneuvering saw another mike dragged across the stage - the guitars were still playing - and, if a little crestfallen, I was all sent to continue the song.

But to the delight of one or two characters at the front I found that not only had I forgotten the words to the song - which are remarkably simple anyway - but I had forgotten what song we were singing.

I limped lamely on for four more bars before the words came slowly back.

To prove to the audience - some of which were in convulsions of laughter - that it was just a misfortune, we did the number twice more at intervals during the remainder of the evening. For the rest of the numbers we received a good hand.

There is one undoubted moral to this tale. Always try and obtain reliable equipment because some audiences can be very sceptical, no matter how unfortunate the circumstances.

I. Myerscough, the Delegates, Leyland.

Congratulations
We would like to congratulate you on the forthcoming 100th edition of Mersey Beat.

Since we first formed a group we have been keen readers of Mersey Beat and can't tell you how much we appreciate your interest in our career, especially at the beginning when we were struggling to become known.

This is where your paper differs so much from other papers, you do try to help everybody to find their niche in show business and give encouragement to up-and-coming groups.

Mersey Beat is a most interesting paper for national and local news, and long may it continue, and we would like to wish you every success in the future and best wishes to you and your staff.

Steve, Eddie, Ray, Tex, Clive, the Dennisons

P.S. Would you be so kind as to thank everybody for the kind thoughts and birthday cards received by Clive on his birthday recently. He was very surprised and pleased to know so many people were thinking about him.

Editor's Note: I always encouraged groups to write me letters whenever they travelled, and Paul McCartney was the first one to write to me regularly. I published many of the letters from the group members because it gave readers something of the flavour of what life was like as a musician.

Yes, this was our 100th issue and the Beatles also sent us a greeting. Notice that Paul has written 'the late Paul McCartney' - and this was well before the 'Paul is dead' rumours!

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