Bev Bevan, later a founding member of the Move and the Electric Light Orchestra, says a chance meeting with the Beatles years earlier provided a huge ego boost when Paul McCartney praised his drumming.
Appearing as part of Denny Laine and the Diplomats — a largely forgotten EMI Records act that ended up seeding more famous bands like the Move, the Moody Blues and the Electric Light Orchestra — Bevan had an opportunity to open for the Fabs in 1963 at the UK’s Plaza Ballroom in Old Hill.
Though they were still months away from debuting in America, already the Beatles were huge stars in their native country: “It was the height of Beatlemania,” Bevan says in the attached video. “They’re hanging from the rafters, most of them of screaming ‘get off!’ to us, because they wanted the Beatles on.”
Laine and Co. began working through their song list and, as it concluded, Bevan says something remarkable happened.
“Towards the end of our set, I noticed that the Beatles had arrived at the backdoor — and they were watching us,” Bevan says. “We finished our set, and the curtains closed. Paul McCartney came over to me, and I’m just this kid from Birmingham. He says: ‘That drum solo, in five-four time? That’s great. Our drummer could never do that.’”
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