It Was 55 Years Ago Today…

Sure, it’s a tired conversational device to say, “Wow, it’s hard to believe it’s been X years since Y happened.” But when it’s true, it’s true. In today’s case, X = 55 years and Y = the day a sixteen year old John Lennon and a just-fifteen Paul McCartney met at St. Peter’s Church Hall fête in Woolton, Liverpool. John’s band The Quarrymen were the featured act that day, and Paul met a slightly drunk Lennon that afternoon. Not long thereafter, Paul would join The Quarrymen, an embryonic version of The Beatles that also included George Harrison among its members. It’s no overstatement to claim that the July 6 1957 meeting of Lennon and McCartney set in motion a sequence of events that would change the world.

And that fact remains true whether you are – as I am – a lifelong Beatles fanatic, a casual fan (should such animal exist) or – by some misguided upbringing – someone who fails to give The Beatles their due as the most important musical group in the history of, well, music.

Because The Beatles formed such an early part of my own musical journey – the first 45rpm single I ever bought was “Lady Madonna” b/w “The Inner Light,” the first vinyl LP I ever got (as a gift) was Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, one of the first cassette albums I got was The Beatles 1962-1966, and I remember clearly when “Hey Jude” was in the Top 40 – I have written about the group and its members a number of times.

This day in history is as good a time as any to take a quick look back at some of these:

There are many others, but those ought to keep interested parties busy on this day worth noting.

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About the Author

Bill Kopp

With a background in marketing and advertising, Bill Kopp got his professional start writing for Trouser Press. After a stint as Editor-in-chief for a national music magazine, Bill launched Musoscribe in 2009, and has published new content every business day since then (and every single day since 2018). The 4500-plus interviews, essays, and reviews on Musoscribe reflect Bill's keen interest in American musical forms, most notably rock, jazz, and soul. His work features a special emphasis on reissues and vinyl. Bill's work also appears in many other outlets both online and in print. He regularly hosts lecture/discussions on artists and albums of historical importance (including monthly events Music to Your Ears and Music Movie Mondays), and is a frequent guest on music-focused radio programs and podcasts. In Spring 2023 he taught a history of Rock 'n' Roll at UNC Asheville's College for Seniors. He also researches and authors liner notes for album reissues -- more than 30 to date -- and co-produced a reissue of jazz legend Julian "Cannonball" Adderley's final album. His first book, Reinventing Pink Floyd: From Syd Barrett to The Dark Side of the Moon was published by Rowman & Littlefield in 2018, and in paperback in 2019. His second book, Disturbing the Peace: 415 Records and the Rise of New Wave, was published in 2021 by HoZac Books. His third book, What's the Big Idea: Great Concept Albums will be published in 2024. Read even more about him here.