TRAVELLING with THE BEATLES :: HELEN SHAPIRO

 

"During the sound checks in Bradford, Helen was introduced to the Beatles' bass player, Paul. 

'I made some comment about liking "Love Me Do" and he introduced me to the rest of the guys who were really happy because this was their first major concert tour. They'd performed in clubs and ballrooms in Hamburg and Liverpool but never done anything like the pop package and were eager to be onstage." 

At this point, one of them mentioned that they had written a song called 'Misery' for Helen, but it had been turned down on her behalf by Norrie Paramor. Helen apologised, saying she hadn't known about it. (...) 

Her management encouraged Helen to travel by herself in a special limousine, to reflect her star status, but she preferred sitting in the coach with the supporting acts. 'I wouldn't have missed it for the world, especially while the Beatles were with us.' Together on the coach, the Beatles would bring out their guitars, and Helen would sing a song like 'The Locomotion.' 

She remembered how Paul would practise writing his autograph over and over again, and then ask her what she thought of it. On one of these coach rides John and Paul hit upon the idea of running up to the microphone together and singing 'Whoooo!', a routine that within a matter of weeks would be setting off explosions of ecstasy among their fans. 

One night Helen let the Beatles into her changing room so they could watch themselves on television for the first time. John was surprised by the way he looked, particularly the odd, jockey-like stance he adopted onstage. They kept nudging one another and commenting. 'Eh, look at that.' 'You look awful.'"

"'One day, reading a music paper on the tour coach, she saw the headline "Is Helen Shapiro a "Has-Been" at 16?" 'I felt just as if somebody had punched me in the stomach." In the seat behind her, John, six years her senior, noticed that she was upset. They had always had a good relationship: like many girls her age, she had a crush on him. He in turn was uncharacteristically protective of her, treating her, in Helen's words, 'like some kind of kid sister.' 'What’s up, Helly?' She showed him the offending headline. John sought to reassure her. 'You don't want to be bothered with that rubbish. You are all right. You will be going on for years.'"

ㅡ From the book "One, Two, Three, Four: The Beatles In Time" by Craig Brown.