Forgotten Footnotes
In which I wonder why no-one talks about Simone or Davy.
September 12th, 1962 saw The Beatles play their 100th evening performance at Liverpool’s Cavern Club, and joining them on stage at one point in the evening was a sixteen-year-old singer from nearby Manchester called Simone Jackson.
When researching Simone for the most recent edition of The Forgotten Beatles podcast series I came across one entry online that described her as a “footnote in Beatles history.” Unfortunately, that seems to be the case, for information on her and her career is almost non-existent, and what little there is always points back to that evening at The Cavern.
She rarely gets a mention in even the most comprehensive Beatles books. She isn’t even mentioned in Tune In, Mark Lewisohn’s mammoth volume on the early days of The Beatles, nor is she in Bob Sptiz’s extensive The Beatles biography. The only books in my library that do mention her are Lewisohn’s Beatles Chronicle, and Spencer Leigh’s excellent oral history of The Cavern, but even then it’s just her name and the fact that she was backed by The Beatles.
This publicity shot of her seems to be the only photo in circulation.
This is a shame as the three singles she recorded for Pye Records are a lot of fun. - I wish we knew more about her.
While we know a bit more about soul singer Davy Jones, also covered in the latest podcast episode, he is likewise almost completely ignored by the various Beatles histories. Why is that?
In his case we have photographs of his two performances, at The Cavern (see below) and at the Tower Ballroom (above), where he was backed by The Beatles.
And as you can see from the promotional poster for the Tower Ballroom gig he was considered a headline act at the time.
Jones seems to have had a long and lucrative career in Europe recording in Germany, Holland, and France after his time in the UK, but like Simone Jackson he remains little more than a forgotten footnote in Beatles history.
Alan
If you’re reading this and haven’t subscribed yet, remember it’s now a completely FREE way to get updates on various Before They Were Beatles projects in your email once a month. So just click on the button below to join our growing community.
Podcast Updates
The latest Forgotten Beatles episode is now live and can be found on your favorite podcast platform, or directly right HERE.
This month the spotlight falls on singers Simone Jackson and Davy Jones.
Beatles Books From My Shelves
“The Cavern: The Most Famous Club In The World” by Spencer Leigh
One of the most read and referenced books on my Beatles shelves. This is an excellent oral history of the day-to-day happenings at the famous venue on Matthew Street.
Organized by its different periods of ownership it tells the story of the club from its opening in 1957 and through its various struggles and changes right up to 2007.
Perhaps the most interesting part for Beatles aficionados is the main body of the book covering the periods 1957 to 1966 when the Fab Four rose to dominance in those dank cellars.
What really makes the book more than a listing of who played when are the excellent snippets from over 250 interviews that give each date context and provide a fascinating insight into the growing Mersey Beat scene.
If you have any interest in the early days of The Beatles and the Liverpool music scene, then this is a must-have.
The Beatles in Comics
Summer Love #46 (1965) and #47 (1966)
Charlton Comics
These two issues from Charlton Comic’s romance title Summer Love are great examples of the rush to leverage Beatlemania and to appeal to their large audience of female fans.
Summer Love #46 (October 1965)
Cover by Pat Masulli and Dick Giordano.
A girl's obsession with The Beatles (especially Ringo) gets out of hand, but the handsome reporter she meets at JFK Airport offers to help.
Summer Love #47 (October 1966)
Cover by Pat Masulli and Dick Giordano.
A Beatles poster persuades a couple that rock n roll and love do mix.
A special reprint edition of Summer Love was issued in December 2002 containing both Beatles-related strips.
Rock out to our BTWB Playlists
If you would like to listen to full versions of the songs mentioned in either the main Before They Were Beatles podcast, or the new Forgotten Beatles series you can now find them on my new YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/@AlanPorterWriter
Or you can check out the Before They Were Beatles playlist on Spotify at
What Else Is Alan Working On?
For more information on what else I have going on with writing, podcasting, and general slice-of-life stuff, check out my regular FREE weekly CAN’T SEE THE FOREST newsletter -
And if you enjoyed this month’s newsletter please feel free to share.
See you next time.
Alan J. Porter
The Before They Were Beatles newsletter is a production of Megrin Entertainment, a division of 4Js Group LLC.