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John Lennon’s “Marsy” – Part 2

In August and September of 2024, I visited with talented Merseyside singer Beryl Marsden – to talk about the honor of opening for The Beatles on their 1965 Homeland Tour. We also discussed Beryl’s role in the band Shotgun Express, and how John Lennon “sent for her” to sing on one of his most famous solo creations, “Instant Karma.” Here’s that conversation.

Jude Southerland Kessler: Beryl, last time we chatted, we’d just begun talking about December 1965 when The Beatles specifically requested you as one of their opening acts for the Homeland Tour of Scotland, Wales, and England. We talked about the horrible weather. But there were other conditions that made this trek uncomfortable for John, Paul, George, and Ringo. Tell us about these situations.

Beryl Marsden: Well, most of all, The Beatles were getting things thrown at them by the fans. You know, I remember George, early on, saying something about him likin’ jelly babies. And then, he just got bombarded with stuff! Do you know what I mean? I’m thinking he said jelly babies, which are soft, and then, the Americans – who didn’t know the difference between jelly babies and jelly beans – they started throwing hard rock jelly beans at the stage. Yeah. And then everyone started throwing things…like shoes and lipstick cases and programs.

Kessler: Yeah, it became really dangerous. In Chicago, for example, at the 1964 concert, someone threw a raw steak on stage, and at another concert in ’64, someone threw a can of fruit cocktail on the boards. In San Francisco, 1965, the fans were hurling folding chairs. With all this going on, did you get the feeling that The Beatles knew this was it for them…that they were not going to tour England again?

Marsden: Yeah, and not just the U.K., y’ know, but anywhere ever again! Y’ know, because I think it was too scary for them. And I think they thought, “Why are we going on tour when we’re just getting screamed at and having things thrown at us? You know, that’s pointless!” So yeah, you could see that. Yeah, definitely.

I remember standing in the stage wings in Birmingham and watching them dodging these things being thrown at them…and I remember feeling really sorry for them. It wasn’t just annoying. It was dangerous.

Kessler: Now, as I understand it, there were items stolen from the dressing rooms as well. You had something special stolen from your dressing room at the Empire in Liverpool, didn’t you?

Marsden: That’s right. A red velvet. My favorite top, which I actually designed myself and had it made for the tour. And the guys – The Beatles – thought it was a great top. It was red velvet…and like a high collar…not buttoned-up, but kind of nice, with like billowy sleeves. And nice cuffs. It was made by a tailor named Alfie Myers. He made a few things for me. He had a shop in Wardour Street, London.

But the theft happened at the Empire Theatre in Liverpool – I think because some of our family was there, and we had a lot of people in the Green Room. So, everyone mulling around and chatting. I don’t know why we didn’t end the tour in Liverpool, to be honest with you! But it was kind of in the middle of the tour, right before we went off to Manchester. And yeah, when I came back from that “meet ’n greet,” or whatever you want to call it – with everyone buzzing around – the velvet top was gone.

And I mean, I didn’t know what to do! I didn’t report it to the police. There was no point, y’ know. It was just gone. Yeah. I should have put it out in the press. We’d see it on social media now.

Kessler: That same night in London – because I’m sure it was in the newspapers that Pattie Boyd was in Liverpool with George’s parents, seeing The Beatles in the Empire – someone broke into her flat in London. And thieves stole George’s gold record for A Hard Day’s Night right off Pattie’s wall.

Beryl: Isn’t that terrible? You know, it was probably in the news! Yeah. They read that Pattie was going up to Liverpool for the show, and they thought, “Yeah, y’ know, we’ll break in.” With the disappearance of my top, I have no idea who could have taken it. And to be honest, yeah, I was a bit sad about that…because it was my favorite.

Kessler: Well, the 1965 Homeland Tour lasted from 3 December to 12 December 1965 – two shows a night. And during the tour, Steve Aldo and you had performed the song “Strong Love” together, and he also backed you when you sang your hit song, “I Know (You Don’t Love Me No More).” After the Homeland tour, did you and Steve continue to perform together or did you go your separate ways?

Marsden: So basically, yeah. The Gunnel Brothers [Richard and John Gunnel] – who, you know, had a few sort-of bands and had the Flamingo Club – they approached Tony Stratton Smith to propose forming a band together with Rod Stewart as lead vocalist, Peter Bardens on keyboards, Mick Fleetwood on drums, Peter Green on guitar, Dave Ambrose on bass, and me, as lead female vocalist. This was their plan…to put this band together. So, y’ know, Tony said, “I think it’d be a good thing for you, Beryl.”

I’m still in touch with Mick Fleetwood, y’ know. I saw him a couple of weeks ago. Anyway, Mick Fleetwood came down to the Pickwick Club with George because George knew those guys.  That night Mick came down to the Pickwick with George, Pattie Boyd, and Pattie’s sister, Jenny Boyd. Jenny and I became great friends; we lived together for a while. And then, later, Brian Epstein came down as well. And Brian said, “I want to take these guys and make them into stars.”

Well, when Epstein said that, y’ know, Tony Stratton Smith let them go, which is a shame because I don’t think they got what they needed to make it. Their records…well, the songs that were picked for them, they weren’t great, y’ know?

And in May of 1966, Tony said to me, “I think this band with Mick Fleetwood could be a good thing for you, Beryl.” And I said, “Yeah, okay, let’s do it.”

And it was a great band, Shotgun Express. I mean, that was a powerhouse group! And yeah, what a lot of egos as well! But it was an incredible band, as you can imagine, but short-lived because we all had different preferences musically. Peter – Peter Green – wanted to play blues, y’ know. So, he left to join John Mayall’s band, the Bluesbreakers.

And eventually, Rod Stewart left, so we got another guitarist in. But after that, we could just feel that it was over. Mick and I were quite close and I said, “Mick, I think we’ve done our bit with the Shotgun really, y’ know.” And he agreed.

But while we were together, it was great. We gigged a lot. We gigged nearly six nights, sometimes seven nights a week for the year – over a year – that we were together. But then, when Rod left and we got another guitarist in, that was it.

At that point, Peter wanted Mick to come and join him in John Mayall’s band. But Mick didn’t want to do that…he wanted to form another band entirely, but he didn’t want it to be called “Peter Green’s band” or anything like that, y’ know. So, they went on to form Fleetwood Mac. And I went on to sing with a group called She Trinity.

Kessler: In Martin Creasy’s book Beatlemania! The Real Story of The UK Tours, 1963-1965, he says that Brian Epstein had his eye on you during the 1965 Homeland Tour, and wanted to recruit you for NEMS. But John Lennon remarked, “Beryl Marsden would never kowtow to the NEMperor. Other people may kowtow to him, but not Beryl.”

Marsden: No, me working for Brian would not have worked out. And y’ know even earlier than the 1965 Tour with The Beatles, Bob Wooler came to see me with Brian. Yeah. I think it happened when the Undertakers had gone off to Germany, and I was doing something solo. I can’t remember if I was working with Derry Wilkie or whether it was with Farron, I can’t remember. I just remember Bob Wooler coming to the ballroom in Chester that we used to play at. And Brian was with him, and I thought, “What’s Brian Epstein doing here with Bob?” So, there was interest way back then, but soon after that night, I buggered off to Germany, and I never made the connection with Brian…not the way that Cilla Black did.

I didn’t know Cilla that well. She was like 19. I was only 15. That was a big age gap in those days. So, we didn’t become mates because I wasn’t hanging around Liverpool that much back then. But I think she’s very talented, and I think she’s also a great personality for the TV,  which is not my bag, y’ know…not my thing.

Bottom line, I knew that if you signed with NEMS, you had to do as you’re told with Brian. So, from the suit of me bein’ a bit of a rebel, it just wouldn’t have worked. John was right. It wouldn’t have been for me.

Kessler: So, let’s fast forward. It’s now 1970, and The Beatles are going their separate ways. John is in the studio recording one of his most powerful solo offerings, and you are invited to sing on this track. Tell us that story.

Marsden: So, yeah, I sang on the chorus of “Instant Karma” when John was recording that in Abbey Road.

And the funny thing, y’ know, was we were singing, “We all shine on like the moon and the stars and the sun.” So, we were talking about this incredible energy of the universe, and at that time, a lot of us were all kind of on a spiritual journey. I eventually became a Buddhist near the end of 1977, beginning of ’78.

In the late Sixties, early Seventies, there were so many people searching for something more. Like John who thought that if he got to “the toppermost of the poppermost,” that he would be happy. And then he got there, and you’ve witnessed it for yourself, Jude. It was terrifying.

And yeah, so we were all looking, searching for answers, which I’m sure a lot of human beings do, not just because we were in music. But anyway, that’s what John’s song was about.

So, how it happened…I was with a group of friends in the Speakeasy Club in London. And Billy Preston was working with John over in Abbey Road, and John sent him out to the Speakeasy because he knew that a couple of us hang around there.

So, Preston came up to the bar and said, “Hey, Beryl, John sent me down. Do you fancy coming and doing some vocals on this song he’s written, y’ know?”

I mean, it was very late at night, so I thought about it for a moment and then, I went, “Oh, yeah, okay.”

So, it was a couple of us, I think, including Alan White. I know Klaus Voormann was there as well. Klaus forgot he was even there. I had to remind him… I said to him, “You were on the chorus.” And he said, “Was I?” I said, “Yeah. Really funny, isn’t it?” So, yeah. Being part of that song was a fun thing to do. We went with Billy Preston to Abbey Road, and John was there, and we sang on the song. Mad, isn’t it? Exciting! Yeah, yeah, it was.

Kessler: Well, Beryl you have done so much, and you’re still busy performing. I know you have a Facebook page. What’s coming up for you?

Marsden: Y’ know, I’ve done a couple of gigs this year, in The Cavern and The Beatles Story. And I’m going to Hull at the end of this year to this, I think it’s called “The Non-Stop Christmas Show.” I don’t know if you’ve heard of it. It’s been going quite a long time. So, I’m doing that for the second time, which is fun. I do lots of private parties, too…performing songs like “Boys” and “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow” and y’ know, “Mr. Postman” and songs The Beatles used to do. I still do “Baby, It’s You.” John sang that. I’ve sung that for many years as well, y’ know. That’s in my set.

When people ask me about what I felt was really important in my career or when I’m thinking back, what I achieved, I always think of singing with John on “Instant Karma.” I loved that. But the other thing took place at the Epstein Theatre in 2022. It was called Beryl Marsden: Sixty Years in Music. That show touched my heart so much because the audience was just so…incredible. And I felt so loved and appreciated in my hometown.

Kessler: Well, Beryl, thank you for taking time out to visit with me. You are the consummate performer, and you’re definitely going to be featured in the upcoming book in The John Lennon Series, Some Forever (Shades of Life, Part 2). We go day-by-day through the 1965 U.K. Tour, and you are front and center! And I know our readers at CultureSonar will enjoy learning more about your time with The Beatles! 

-Jude Southerland Kessler

Publicity Photo of Beryl Marsden courtesy of Beryl Marsden

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