HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Rory Storm (born Alan Ernest Caldwell; 7 January 1938 – 28 September 1972) was an English musician and vocalist. Born in
Liverpool Liverpool is a port City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. It is situated on the eastern side of the River Mersey, Mersey Estuary, near the Irish Sea, north-west of London. With a population ...
, Storm was the singer and leader of Rory Storm and the Hurricanes, a Liverpudlian band who were contemporaries of
the Beatles The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960. The core lineup of the band comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are widely regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatle ...
in the late 1950s and early 1960s.
Ringo Starr Sir Richard Starkey (born 7 July 1940), known professionally as Ringo Starr, is an English musician, songwriter and actor who achieved international fame as the drummer for the Beatles. Starr occasionally sang lead vocals with the group, us ...
was the drummer for the Hurricanes before joining the Beatles in August 1962. The Hurricanes were one of the most popular acts on the Liverpool and
Hamburg Hamburg (, ; ), officially the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg,. is the List of cities in Germany by population, second-largest city in Germany after Berlin and List of cities in the European Union by population within city limits, 7th-lar ...
club scenes during their existence, although their attempt at a recording career was not successful. They released only two singles (and one additional compilation track) during their early 1960s heyday, and none of their material made the charts. Their second and final single was a version of the ''
West Side Story ''West Side Story'' is a Musical theatre, musical conceived by Jerome Robbins with music by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and a Book (musical theatre), book by Arthur Laurents. Inspired by William Shakespeare's play ''Romeo an ...
'' song "
America The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
", and was produced by the Beatles' manager
Brian Epstein Brian Samuel Epstein ( ; 19 September 1934 – 27 August 1967) was an English music entrepreneur who managed the Beatles from 1961 until his death in 1967. Epstein was born into a family of successful retailers in Liverpool, who put hi ...
.


Early years

Rory Storm was the stage name of Alan Caldwell, born 7 January 1938, in Oakhill Park Estate, Stoneycroft, Liverpool to Violet (née Disley) and Ernest "Ernie" George W Caldwell. His father was a
window cleaner Window cleaning, or window washing, is the exterior cleaning of architectural glass used for structural, lighting, or decorative purposes. It can be done manually, using a variety of tools for cleaning and access. Technology is also employed and ...
by profession, and a part-time
porter Porter may refer to: Companies * Porter Airlines, Canadian airline based in Toronto * Porter Chemical Company, a defunct U.S. toy manufacturer of chemistry sets * Porter Motor Company, defunct U.S. car manufacturer * H.K. Porter, Inc., a locom ...
at the Broadgreen Hospital, often singing songs to patients. Storm had one sister, Iris Caldwell, who dated
George Harrison George Harrison (25 February 1943 – 29 November 2001) was an English musician, singer and songwriter who achieved international fame as the lead guitarist of the Beatles. Sometimes called "the quiet Beatle", Harrison embraced Culture ...
when she was 12, and
Paul McCartney Sir James Paul McCartney (born 18 June 1942) is an English singer, songwriter and musician who gained global fame with the Beatles, for whom he played bass guitar and the piano, and shared primary songwriting and lead vocal duties with John ...
, when she was 17. Iris later married Shane Fenton, later known as Alvin Stardust. Apart from music, Storm was interested in sports, particularly athletics; he ran for an amateur team in Liverpool, the Pembroke Harriers, and set the Pembroke Athletics and Cycle Club steeplechase record. Instead of being driven home after concerts in Liverpool, Storm preferred to run home. Storm played
football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...
regularly and was a good skater and swimmer (once swimming the 12.5-mile length of
Windermere Windermere (historically Winder Mere) is a ribbon lake in Cumbria, England, and part of the Lake District. It is the largest lake in England by length, area, and volume, but considerably smaller than the List of lakes and lochs of the United Ki ...
).
Liverpool F.C. Liverpool Football Club is a professional Football club (association football), football club based in Liverpool, England. The club competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football league system, English football. Founded in ...
used to train at Melwood and he went to watch them in training, later putting up a large photo of himself training with the team on his wall at home. He was the captain of ''
Mersey Beat ''Mersey Beat'' was a music publication in Liverpool, England in the early 1960s. It was founded by Bill Harry, who was one of John Lennon's classmates at Liverpool Art College. The paper carried news about all the local Liverpool bands, and ...
'' magazine's football team, called the Mersey Beat XI. Storm was born with a
stutter Stuttering, also known as stammering, is a speech disorder characterized externally by involuntary repetitions and prolongations of sounds, syllables, words, or phrases as well as involuntary silent pauses called blocks in which the person who ...
(a
speech impediment Speech disorders, impairments, or impediments, are a type of communication disorder in which normal speech is disrupted. This can mean fluency disorders like stuttering and cluttering. Someone who is unable to speak due to a speech disorder is co ...
), which did not affect his singing. Because of Storm's stammer, his friends never allowed him to tell a joke or to order a round of drinks, as it could take a long time. He became a cotton salesman (as was Paul McCartney's father, Jim) before forming a
skiffle Skiffle is a music genre, genre of folk music with influences from American folk music, blues, Country music, country, Bluegrass music, bluegrass, and jazz, generally performed with a mixture of manufactured and homemade or improvised instruments. ...
group.


Music

Storm's first name for a group was "Dracula & the Werewolves", but he then settled on "Al Caldwell's Texans". Still known as Alan Caldwell, Storm opened the Morgue Skiffle Club in the cellar of a large Victorian house, "Balgownie", at 25 Oakhill Park, Broadgreen, on 13 March 1958. The cellar consisted of two rooms, painted black and connected by a long corridor, with skeletons painted on the walls and one blue light. Groups played on Tuesdays and Thursdays for up to 100 people (above the age of 15) starting at 7:30 pm, including Storm's group (later called "The Raving Texans") and
the Quarrymen The Quarrymen (also written as "the Quarry Men") are a British skiffle and rock and roll group, formed by John Lennon in Liverpool in 1956, which evolved into the Beatles in 1960. Originally consisting of Lennon and several school friends, the ...
(who later became "
the Beatles The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960. The core lineup of the band comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are widely regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatle ...
"). After complaints about the noise, the police closed down the club on 1 April 1958, but Storm reopened it on 22 April 1958. It was in the Morgue Skiffle Club that
George Harrison George Harrison (25 February 1943 – 29 November 2001) was an English musician, singer and songwriter who achieved international fame as the lead guitarist of the Beatles. Sometimes called "the quiet Beatle", Harrison embraced Culture ...
auditioned for the Quarrymen, playing "Guitar Boogie Shuffle" by
Bert Weedon Herbert Maurice William Weedon, OBE (10 May 1920 – 20 April 2012) was an English guitarist whose style of playing was popular and influential during the 1950s and 1960s. He was the first British guitarist to have a hit record in the ...
before being admitted as a member of the band. Paul McCartney has stated that George Harrison auditioned for John Lennon on the top of a bus by playing " Raunchy". Harrison later asked Storm if he could join his group, but Storm's mother refused to allow it, as she thought Harrison was too young. Storm went to
London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...
on 11 April 1958 to participate in a
cross-country running Cross country running is a sport in which teams and individuals run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain such as dirt or grass. The course, typically long, may include surfaces of grass and earth, pass through woodlands and open cou ...
competition. During his stay, he took part in a
jam session A jam session is a relatively informal musical event, process, or activity where musicians, typically instrumentalists, play improvised solos and vamp over tunes, drones, songs, and chord progressions. To "jam" is to improvise music without ...
at
Chas McDevitt Charles James McDevitt (born 4 December 1934) is a Scottish musician who was one of the leading lights of the skiffle genre which was highly influential and popular in the United Kingdom in the mid-to-late 1950s. Biography McDevitt was born in ...
's Skiffle Cellar, which resulted in an appearance on 30 April 1958 on
Radio Luxembourg Radio Luxembourg was a multilingual commercial broadcaster in Luxembourg. It is known in most non-English languages as RTL (for Radio Television Luxembourg). The English-language service of Radio Luxembourg began in 1933 as one of the earlies ...
's Skiffle club programme, playing " Midnight Special". In 1959, Storm's group consisted of himself, Paul Murphy, and Johnny Byrne (stage name "Johnny Guitar") all performing on guitar and vocals, Reg Hale ( washboard) and Jeff Truman (
tea-chest bass A tea chest is a type of wooden case originally produced and used to ship tea to the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand. The conventional tea chest is a case with riveted metal edges, of approximate size . Modern tea chests (202 ...
). "Spud" Ward, a former member of the Swinging Blue Jeans, later played bass guitar. Storm met
Ringo Starr Sir Richard Starkey (born 7 July 1940), known professionally as Ringo Starr, is an English musician, songwriter and actor who achieved international fame as the drummer for the Beatles. Starr occasionally sang lead vocals with the group, us ...
at a talent contest called "6.5 Special". Starr had previously played with the Eddie Clayton Skiffle Group and was then drumming with a group called "Darktown Skiffle". Starr's first concert with Storm was on 25 March 1959, at the Mardi Gras in Mount Pleasant, Liverpool.


Rory Storm and the Hurricanes

Storm changed the name of his group to "Al Storm and the Hurricanes", then "Jett Storm and the Hurricanes", and finally to "Rory Storm and the Hurricanes". Storm and the Hurricanes entered "Search for Stars", a competition managed by Carrol Levis, at the
Liverpool Empire Theatre The Liverpool Empire Theatre is a theatre on the corner of Lime Street in Liverpool, England. The playhouse, which opened in 1925, is the second one to be built on the site. It has the largest two-tier auditorium in the United Kingdom and can ...
on 11 October 1959, reaching second place ahead of 150 acts. The line-up of the Hurricanes finally solidified with Storm (vocals), Guitar (guitar), and Starr (drums). They were joined by Walter "Wally" Eymond (bass guitar), who went by "Lu Walters" on-stage, and Charles "Chaz" O'Brien (guitar), who went by "Ty O'Brien" on-stage The group played at
the Cavern Club The Cavern Club is a music venue on Mathew Street, Liverpool, England. The Cavern Club opened on 16 January 1957 as a jazz club, later becoming a centre of the rock and roll scene in Liverpool in the late 1950s and early 1960s. The club beca ...
with the Cy Laurie Jazz Band on Sunday 3 January 1960, and a week later supported the Saints Jazz Band and Terry Lightfoot's New Orleans Jazz Band. Playing rock 'n' roll music was a problem at
the Cavern Club The Cavern Club is a music venue on Mathew Street, Liverpool, England. The Cavern Club opened on 16 January 1957 as a jazz club, later becoming a centre of the rock and roll scene in Liverpool in the late 1950s and early 1960s. The club beca ...
, as it was not accepted by the customers or management. When Storm and the Hurricanes performed there on 17 January 1960, with Micky Ashman's Jazz Band and the Swinging Blue Jeans, their first song was "Cumberland Gap" (a skiffle song) by
Lonnie Donegan Anthony James "Lonnie" Donegan (29 April 1931 – 3 November 2002) was a British skiffle singer, songwriter and musician, referred to as the " King of Skiffle", who influenced 1960s British pop and rock musicians. Born in Scotland and brought ...
. Then they played " Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin On" by
Jerry Lee Lewis Jerry Lee Lewis (September 29, 1935October 28, 2022) was an American pianist, singer, and songwriter. Nicknamed "The Killer", he was described as "rock 'n' roll's first great wild man". A pioneer of rock and roll and rockabilly music, Lewis m ...
. The
jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...
and skiffle audience were outraged, booed and threw copper coins at the group. The Cavern's manager Ray McFall, fined them six
shillings The shilling is a historical coin, and the name of a unit of modern currencies formerly used in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, other British Commonwealth countries and Ireland, where they were generally equivalent to 12 pence ...
, but the coins collected from the stage floor were worth more than the fine. Storm and the Hurricanes performed at the Liverpool Stadium on 3 May 1960, on the same bill as
Gene Vincent Vincent Eugene Craddock (February 11, 1935 – October 12, 1971), known as Gene Vincent, was an American rock and roll musician who pioneered the style of rockabilly. His 1956 top ten hit with his backing band the Blue Caps, "Be-Bop-a-Lula", is ...
. Larry Parnes became interested in the Hurricanes, and invited them to audition at the Wyvern Club as a backing group for
Billy Fury Ronald Wycherley (17 April 1940 – 28 January 1983), better known by his stage name Billy Fury, was an English musician. An early star of rock and roll, he spent 332 weeks on the UK singles chart. His hit singles include " Wondrous Place", " H ...
. Storm turned up at the audition, but only so he could have his picture taken with Fury. In July 1960, the group secured a residency at
Butlins Butlin's is a chain of large Seaside resort, seaside resorts in the United Kingdom, incorporated as Butlins Skyline Limited. Butlin's was founded by Billy Butlin to provide affordable holidays for ordinary British families. Between 1936 and 1 ...
holiday camp in
Pwllheli Pwllheli ( ; ) is a market town and community on the Llŷn Peninsula (), in Gwynedd, north-west Wales. It had a population of 4,076 in 2011, which declined slightly to 3,947 in 2021; a large proportion (81%) were Welsh language, Welsh speaking. ...
(playing in the Rock 'n' Calypso Ballroom) for £25 each per week (equivalent to £ in ). Starr was not sure about giving up his job as an apprentice at Henry Hunt's, where he made climbing frames for schools, until Storm put forward the idea of "Starr-time" (a solo spot) with Starr singing songs like " Boys" by
the Shirelles The Shirelles were an American girl group formed in Passaic, New Jersey, in 1957. They consisted of schoolmates Shirley Owens (later Shirley Alston Reeves), Doris Coley (later Doris Kenner-Jackson), Addie "Micki" Harris (later Addie Harris McF ...
.”The Beatles Anthology" DVD 1&2 2003 (Episode 1 – 0:31:06) Lennon talking about Starr's 'Starr-Time' and being a professional drummer. Starr finally agreed when Storm told him about how many women would be "available". It was during this season that Starr (who had been known as "Ritchie" until then) changed his name to "Ringo".


Hamburg

After playing for more than 16 hours per week, the group were contacted by Allan Williams, who wanted them to go to
Hamburg Hamburg (, ; ), officially the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg,. is the List of cities in Germany by population, second-largest city in Germany after Berlin and List of cities in the European Union by population within city limits, 7th-lar ...
. Derry and the Seniors were successful there, and Williams wanted an additional group. As Storm and the group were committed to Butlins, they turned Williams' offer down (as did
Gerry and the Pacemakers Gerry and the Pacemakers were an English beat group prominent in the 1960s Merseybeat scene. In common with the Beatles, they came from Liverpool, were managed by Brian Epstein and recorded by George Martin. Their early successes helped make ...
), so Williams sent the Beatles to Hamburg instead. After the summer season ended in early October 1960, Storm and the Hurricanes were free to travel to Hamburg, replacing Derry and the Seniors at the Kaiserkeller. They arrived in Hamburg on 1 October 1960, having negotiated to be paid more than the Seniors or the Beatles. They played five or six 90-minute sets every day, alternating with the Beatles. Storm and the Hurricanes were later presented with a special certificate by
Bruno Koschmider Bruno Koschmider (1926 – 2000) was a German entrepreneur in Hamburg, best known for employing the Beatles in the early 1960s. He controlled various businesses, such as the Bambi Kino, which was a cinema, the Indra club and the Kaiserkeller. P ...
(the owner of the Kaiserkeller) for their performances. The stage of the Kaiserkeller was made of planks of wood balanced on the top of beer crates, so the two groups made a bet to see to who would be the first to break it. After punishing the stage for days, a slight crack appeared, and when Storm jumped off the top of the upright piano, during a performance of "
Blue Suede Shoes "Blue Suede Shoes" is a rock and roll standard (music), standard written and first recorded by American singer, songwriter and guitarist Carl Perkins in 1955. It is considered one of the first rockabilly records, incorporating elements of blues ...
", it finally broke. Guitar remembered that as Storm hit the stage, it cracked loudly and formed a V-shape around Storm. He disappeared into it, and all the amplifiers and Starr's cymbals slid into the hole. Koschmider was furious and had to replace the live music with a jukebox. Both groups went across the road to Harold's Cafe for breakfast but were followed by Koschmider's doormen with coshes, who beat the musicians as punishment. During their eight-week residency, Williams arranged a recording session at the Akoustik Studio, which was a small booth on the fifth floor of 57 Kirchenallee (the Klockmann-House) on Saturday, 18 October 1960. Williams asked
John Lennon John Winston Ono Lennon (born John Winston Lennon; 9 October 19408 December 1980) was an English singer-songwriter, musician and activist. He gained global fame as the founder, co-lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of the Beatles. Lennon's ...
,
Paul McCartney Sir James Paul McCartney (born 18 June 1942) is an English singer, songwriter and musician who gained global fame with the Beatles, for whom he played bass guitar and the piano, and shared primary songwriting and lead vocal duties with John ...
and Harrison from the Beatles to play and sing harmonies for Walters (of the Hurricanes) on the recording.
Pete Best Randolph Peter Best (; born 24 November 1941) is an English retired musician who was the drummer for the Beatles from 1960 to 1962. He was dismissed shortly before the band achieved worldwide fame and is one of several people referred to as a ...
(the Beatles' regular drummer at the time) was in town buying drumsticks, so Starr played drums, which was the first time that the classic Beatles line-up of Lennon, McCartney, Harrison and Starr recorded together. They recorded three songs: "
Fever Fever or pyrexia in humans is a symptom of an anti-infection defense mechanism that appears with Human body temperature, body temperature exceeding the normal range caused by an increase in the body's temperature Human body temperature#Fever, s ...
", " September Song", and " Summertime". However, the fate of the recordings is uncertain and they have not been discovered to this day.


Liverpool

Storm and the Hurricanes were the headlining group at the first "Beat Night" in the Orrell Park Ballroom in March 1961. They were also invited for a season at the Butlins camp in Pwllheli North Wales. Sam Leach (a Liverpool promoter) arranged a series of dance nights at the Palais Ballroom in
Aldershot Aldershot ( ) is a town in the Rushmoor district, Hampshire, England. It lies on heathland in the extreme north-east corner of the county, south-west of London. The town has a population of 37,131, while the Farnborough/Aldershot built-up are ...
, starting on 9 December 1961. The first Saturday featured the Beatles, but as the local newspaper forgot to run the advertisement, only 18 people turned up. The second Saturday was arranged for Rory Storm and the Hurricanes to perform, and as it was advertised this time, 210 people paid to get in. Leach's idea was to attract London agents to watch the series of concerts, but when he realised they would never travel out of London, he abandoned the idea. Starr considered leaving Storm at that time to join Derry and the Seniors but accepted a job with Tony Sheridan at the Top Ten Club on 30 December 1961, as Sheridan's offer of more money, a flat, and a car was too good to refuse. Starr's stay with Sheridan was short-lived, as he found Sheridan's habit of changing the set list without telling his backing group beforehand frustrating, so he rejoined the Hurricanes. On 5 February 1962, Best fell ill and the Beatles had to play a lunchtime concert at the Cavern and an evening concert at the Kingsway club in
Southport Southport is a seaside resort, seaside town in the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton in Merseyside, England. It lies on the West Lancashire Coastal Plain, West Lancashire coastal plain and the east coast of the Irish Sea, approximately north of ...
. As the Hurricanes had no concert that day, Starr played with them live on stage for the first time (although he had recorded with them in Hamburg). During a Hurricanes' residency at Butlins, Lennon and McCartney drove from Liverpool to Pwllheli North Wales on 15 August 1962 to ask Starr to join the Beatles. Shortly before, Starr had agreed to join Kingsize Taylor in Hamburg, as Taylor was offering £20 a week (equivalent to £ in ), but Lennon and McCartney offered £25 a week (equivalent to £ in ), which Starr accepted. Lennon and McCartney offered Storm to swap drummers (with Best replacing Starr) but Best rejected the idea. According to Epstein in his autobiography, Storm was "One of the liveliest and most likeable young men on the scene ... was very annoyed when Ringo left, and he complained to me. I apologised, and Rory, with immense good humour, said, 'Okay. Forget it. The best of luck to the lot of you.'" The Hurricanes then became known for having a succession of drummers, including Gibson Kemp, Brian Johnson, Keef Hartley (August 1963), Ian Broad and Trevor Morais, who all stayed with the group for a short period before leaving. Despite Starr joining the Beatles, both groups would perform on the same bill during 1962 and at many concerts thereafter. In 1962, both groups performed together at St Patrick's Night Rock Gala ( Knotty Ash Village Hall), Queen's Hall (
Widnes Widnes ( ) is an Industrial city, industrial town in the Borough of Halton, Cheshire, England, which at the 2021–2022 United Kingdom censuses, 2021 census had a population of 62,400. Historic counties of England, Historically in Lancashire, ...
), and with
Little Richard Richard Wayne Penniman (December 5, 1932 – May 9, 2020), known professionally as Little Richard, was an American singer, pianist, and songwriter. He was an influential figure in popular music and culture for seven decades. Described as the "Ar ...
at the Tower Ballroom. In 1963, Storm and the Hurricanes were filmed as part of the "Beat City" documentary, which was broadcast by
Associated-Rediffusion Associated-Rediffusion, later Rediffusion London, was the British ITV franchise holder for London and parts of the surrounding counties, on weekdays between 22 September 1955 and 29 July 1968. It was the first ITA franchisee to go on air, ...
Television.


Stage persona and lifestyle

When Storm became a professional singer, he changed his name to Rory Storm by
deed poll A deed poll (plural: deeds poll) is a legal document binding on a single person or several persons acting jointly to express an intention or create an obligation. It is a deed, and not a contract, because it binds only one party. Etymology Th ...
, and changed the name of his family's home in Broadgreen to ''Hurricaneville'' (the house name has often been remembered as ''Stormsville'', even by his sister Iris, but was registered with the Post Office as ''Hurricaneville'' and appeared that way in the telephone directory). Storm was known for the extravagant clothes he wore and the cars he drove, once buying a pink
Vauxhall Cresta The Vauxhall Cresta is a British automobile which was produced by Vauxhall from 1954 to 1972. The Cresta was introduced in 1954 as an upmarket version of the Vauxhall Velox, itself a six-cylinder version of the Vauxhall Wyvern. The Cresta mod ...
for over £800 in cash. A young man was once caught by a porter at
Bootle Bootle (pronounced ) is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton, Merseyside, England, which had a population of 51,394 in 2011; the wider Bootle (UK Parliament constituency), Parliamentary constituency had a population of 98,449. It is pa ...
railway station writing "I love Rory" over the walls, and when questioned, it turned out to be Storm himself. The Hurricanes wore matching suits on stage, but Storm sometimes wore a pink suit and pink tie, and during concerts, he would walk to the piano and comb his blond hair with an oversized comb. Their stage wear changed from sunglasses and palm tree-decorated shirts to red (and blue) suits. Storm also wore an Elvis-style gold lamé suit. When they first appeared at Butlins holiday camp Storm wore a turquoise suit with a gold lamé shirt, while the group wore fluorescent suits. Rod Pont (also known as Steve Day in Steve Day and the Drifters) remembered Storm arriving at the Orrell Park Ballroom for a concert with a
boil A boil, also called a furuncle, is a deep folliculitis, which is an infection of the hair follicle. It is most commonly caused by infection by the bacterium ''Staphylococcus aureus'', resulting in a painful swollen area on the skin caused by ...
on his face. When told about it, Storm pulled out a black velvet hood which had slits for his eyes and mouth, and played the whole concert with the hood on. At one concert at Bankfield House Youth club, Garston, Liverpool, in 1965, the stage lighting failed between sets. Storm was upset until someone walked in with a
torch A torch is a stick with combustible material at one end which can be used as a light source or to set something on fire. Torches have been used throughout history and are still used in processions, symbolic and religious events, and in juggl ...
, which Storm used to finish the concert. He occasionally used a pet monkey in some of the group's performances, as it attracted more people. At a New Brighton swimming baths performance for 1,600 people in 1963, Storm climbed to the top diving board, undressed to a pair of swimming trunks, and then dived into the water at the end of a song. In January 1964, during a performance at the Majestic Ballroom,
Birkenhead Birkenhead () is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral, Merseyside, England. The town is on the Wirral Peninsula, along the west bank of the River Mersey, opposite Liverpool. It lies within the Historic counties of England, historic co ...
, he climbed up one of the columns supporting the balcony but slipped and fell to the floor below, fracturing his leg. At another performance on the New Brighton Pier, Storm made his way onto the Pavilion roof but fell through the glass
skylight A skylight (sometimes called a rooflight) is a light-permitting structure or window, usually made of transparent or translucent glass, that forms all or part of the roof space of a building for daylighting and ventilation purposes. History O ...
. Storm and the Hurricanes received the most votes in the first ''
Mersey Beat ''Mersey Beat'' was a music publication in Liverpool, England in the early 1960s. It was founded by Bill Harry, who was one of John Lennon's classmates at Liverpool Art College. The paper carried news about all the local Liverpool bands, and ...
'' magazine poll, but many votes were disqualified as they had been posted from the same place at the same time and were written in green ink; although never proven, it was thought that Storm had posted the votes. This meant that the Beatles reached the top position, with the Hurricanes coming fourth, even though the Beatles had also been sending in extra votes themselves. Storm was often photographed for the magazine, such as being surrounded by nurses when he left the hospital after breaking a leg during a performance, or playing for the Mersey Beat XI football team.


The Hurricanes' set list

The group's typical 40-minute set list during 1963/1964: * " Brand New Cadillac" – Storm, vocals ( Vince Taylor & the Playboys); * "
Roll Over Beethoven "Roll Over Beethoven" is a 1956 song written by Chuck Berry, originally released on Chess Records, with "Drifting Heart" as the A-side and B-side, B-side. The lyrics of the song mention rock and roll and the desire for rhythm and blues to be a ...
" – Storm, vocals (
Chuck Berry Charles Edward Anderson Berry (October 18, 1926 – March 18, 2017) was an American singer, guitarist and songwriter who pioneered rock and roll. Nicknamed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Father of Rock and Roll", he refined and de ...
); * "I'll Be Your Hero" – Storm, vocals (Vince Taylor & the Playboys); * " Beautiful Dreamer" – Walters, vocals (
Stephen Foster Stephen Collins Foster (July 4, 1826January 13, 1864), known as "the father of American music", was an American composer known primarily for his parlour music, parlour and Folk music, folk music during the Romantic music, Romantic period. He wr ...
, rewritten by
Gerry Goffin Gerald Goffin (February 11, 1939 – June 19, 2014) was an American lyricist. Collaborating initially with his first wife, Carole King, he co-wrote many international pop hits of the early and mid-1960s, including the US No.1 hits " Will You L ...
and Jack Keller and released by
Tony Orlando Michael Anthony Orlando Cassavitis (born April 3, 1944), known professionally as Tony Orlando, is an American Pop music, pop/Rock music, rock singer, songwriter, and music executive whose career spans nearly seven decades. He is best known for h ...
in January 1963); * "Since You Broke My Heart" – Walters/Guitar, vocals (
The Everly Brothers The Everly Brothers were an American rock duo, known for steel-string acoustic guitar playing and close-harmony singing. Consisting of Isaac Donald "Don" Everly and Phillip "Phil" Everly, the duo combined elements of rock and roll, country, ...
); * "
America The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
" – Storm, vocals (
Leonard Bernstein Leonard Bernstein ( ; born Louis Bernstein; August 25, 1918 – October 14, 1990) was an American conductor, composer, pianist, music educator, author, and humanitarian. Considered to be one of the most important conductors of his time, he was th ...
); * "Danny" – Storm, vocals (
Marty Wilde Marty Wilde, (born Reginald Leonard Smith; 15 April 1939) is an English singer and songwriter. He was among the first generation of British pop stars to emulate American rock and roll, scoring several 1950s and 1960s hit singles including " E ...
); * " Green Onions" (instrumental) ( Booker T & the MG's); * " Down the Line" – Storm, vocals (
Jerry Lee Lewis Jerry Lee Lewis (September 29, 1935October 28, 2022) was an American pianist, singer, and songwriter. Nicknamed "The Killer", he was described as "rock 'n' roll's first great wild man". A pioneer of rock and roll and rockabilly music, Lewis m ...
); and * " Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin On" – Storm, vocals (Jerry Lee Lewis). Other songs included in the set were: * "
Fever Fever or pyrexia in humans is a symptom of an anti-infection defense mechanism that appears with Human body temperature, body temperature exceeding the normal range caused by an increase in the body's temperature Human body temperature#Fever, s ...
" – Walters, vocals (written by Eddie Cooley and John Davenport – a pseudonym for
Otis Blackwell Otis Blackwell (February 16, 1931 – May 6, 2002) was an American songwriter whose work influenced rock and roll. His compositions include "Fever" (recorded by Little Willie John), " Great Balls of Fire" and " Breathless" (recorded by Jerry ...
); * " Let It Be Me" – Walters, vocals (The Everly Brothers); * " Summertime" – Walters, vocals (
George Gershwin George Gershwin (; born Jacob Gershwine; September 26, 1898 – July 11, 1937) was an American composer and pianist whose compositions spanned jazz, popular music, popular and classical music. Among his best-known works are the songs "Swan ...
); and * "Dr Feelgood" – Storm, vocals (Dr. Feelgood & The Interns) The Hurricanes recorded songs for Oriole's two ''This is Mersey Beat'' albums but released only two singles: "Dr Feelgood"/"I Can Tell", Oriole (45-CB 1858 12/63) and "America"/"Since You Broke My Heart",
Parlophone Parlophone Records Limited (also known as Parlophone Records and Parlophone) is a record label founded in Germany in 1896 by the Carl Lindström Company as Parlophon. The British branch of the label was founded on 8 August 1923 as the Parloph ...
(R 5197 11/64), which was produced by Epstein at IBC Studios in London. Epstein also sang backing vocals on "America", and Starr added percussion and sang. Storm later asked Epstein to manage the group, but Epstein refused. The Hurricanes later recorded two songs at
Abbey Road Studios Abbey Road Studios (formerly EMI Recording Studios) is a music recording studio at 3 Abbey Road, London, Abbey Road, St John's Wood, City of Westminster, London. It was established in November 1931 by the Gramophone Company, a predecessor of ...
in 1964: "Ubangi Stomp" and "I'll Be There", although they were never released.


Final years and death

In 1967, Storm's guitarist, Ty O'Brien, collapsed in his home and was taken to a hospital where he would die from complications after an
appendicitis Appendicitis is inflammation of the Appendix (anatomy), appendix. Symptoms commonly include right lower abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, fever and anorexia (symptom), decreased appetite. However, approximately 40% of people do not have these t ...
operation at the age of 26. Storm and his guitarist Johnny briefly attempted to revive the band with new members but it ultimately failed and the Hurricanes were permanently disbanded. After his band broke up Storm became a disc jockey, working at the Silver Blades
Ice Rink An ice rink (or ice skating rink) is a frozen body of water or an artificial sheet of ice where people can ice skate or play winter sports. Ice rinks are also used for exhibitions, contests and ice shows. The growth and increasing popularity of ...
in Liverpool, in
Benidorm Benidorm ( , , ) is a municipality in the province of Alicante, Valencian Community, on the Mediterranean coast of Spain. Known as the “New York City, New York of the Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean”, Benidorm has been a tourist destinatio ...
, Spain (he was also a water-skiing instructor there), and in
Jersey Jersey ( ; ), officially the Bailiwick of Jersey, is an autonomous and self-governing island territory of the British Islands. Although as a British Crown Dependency it is not a sovereign state, it has its own distinguishing civil and gov ...
and
Amsterdam Amsterdam ( , ; ; ) is the capital of the Netherlands, capital and Municipalities of the Netherlands, largest city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It has a population of 933,680 in June 2024 within the city proper, 1,457,018 in the City Re ...
. When Storm's father unexpectedly died, he returned from Amsterdam to Liverpool to be with his mother. He developed a chest infection and could not sleep properly, so he took sleeping pills. On 28 September 1972, Storm and his mother were both found dead at Hurricaneville. The postmortem revealed that Storm had alcohol and sleeping pills in his blood (as had his mother), but not enough to cause his death, which was ruled accidental during an autopsy. Although it could not be proven, it is thought that his mother took her own life after finding Storm's body. The funeral for Storm and his mother was at Oakvale Congregational Church, Broadgreen, on 19 October 1972. Mourners sang Storm's favourite song, "
You'll Never Walk Alone "You'll Never Walk Alone" is a show tune from the 1945 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical '' Carousel''. In the second act of the musical, Nettie Fowler, the cousin of the protagonist Julie Jordan, sings "You'll Never Walk Alone" to comfort and e ...
". The two coffins were carried from the hearse to the
cremation Cremation is a method of Disposal of human corpses, final disposition of a corpse through Combustion, burning. Cremation may serve as a funeral or post-funeral rite and as an alternative to burial. In some countries, including India, Nepal, and ...
(at Anfield Crematorium) by former band members. Storm's remains were scattered on section 23 at Anfield Crematorium's Gardens of Remembrance. When Starr was asked why he did not attend, he quipped, "I wasn't there when he was born either." Although Starr had often offered to arrange for Storm to record whenever he wanted to, Storm was not interested in finding new or original material. His sister said: "He tormwas happy to be the King of Liverpool – he was never keen on touring, he didn't want to give up running for the Pembroke Harriers ... and he'd never miss a
Liverpool Liverpool is a port City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. It is situated on the eastern side of the River Mersey, Mersey Estuary, near the Irish Sea, north-west of London. With a population ...
match!" Billy Fury, whom Storm had met at the Wyvern Club auditions, later played the part of a fictional singer called Stormy Tempest (based on Storm), in the film ''
That'll Be the Day "That'll Be the Day" is a song written by Buddy Holly and Jerry Allison. It was first recorded by Buddy Holly and the Three Tunes in 1956 and was re-recorded in 1957 by Holly and his new band, the Crickets. Buddy Holly and the Three Tunes' ver ...
'' (1973), which also starred Starr. In 1987, a musical was staged in Liverpool about Storm and the Hurricanes called ''A Need for Heroes''. After spending several years in the North West Ambulance Service, Johnny Guitar died in Liverpool on 18 August 1999. Lu Walters died on 19 July 2022.


Legacy

Ringo Starr pays tribute to him in his songs " Liverpool 8" on his '' Liverpool 8'' album and "Rory and the Hurricanes" on his '' Postcards from Paradise'' album.


Posthumous release

In September 2012, it was reported that a reel-to-reel tape of a complete concert by Rory Storm and the Hurricanes, from 5 March 1960 at Liverpool's Jive Hive, had been unearthed in the basement of his sister Iris Caldwell's house. The recording was released on CD as ''Rory Storm and the Hurricanes Live at the Jive Hive – March 1960''. The concert had been professionally recorded in mono by radio engineers with a recording microphone added onto Rory Storm's concert mic stand, but only one mic for the entire band. The diary of Storm's guitarist Johnny Guitar reveals that, in the week of the recording, Ringo Starr was ill, and historian
Mark Lewisohn Mark Lewisohn (born 16 June 1958) is an English historian and biographer. Since the 1980s, he has written many reference books about the Beatles and has worked for EMI, MPL Communications and Apple Corps.
has stated that the drumming on the recording is nothing like Starr's. Four home
demos Demos may refer to: Computing * DEMOS, a Soviet Unix-like operating system * DEMOS (ISP), the first internet service provider in the USSR * Demos Commander, an Orthodox File Manager for Unix-like systems * Plural for Demo (computer programming ...
were also included on the CD release.


Discography

(releases by Rory Storm and the Hurricanes)


Singles

* 1963 – "Dr. Feel Good" b/w "I Can Tell", Oriole, CB 1858 * 1964 – "
America The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
" b/w "Since You Broke My Heart",
Parlophone Parlophone Records Limited (also known as Parlophone Records and Parlophone) is a record label founded in Germany in 1896 by the Carl Lindström Company as Parlophon. The British branch of the label was founded on 8 August 1923 as the Parloph ...
, R 5197


Albums

* 2012 – ''Live at the Jive Hive March 1960'', Rockstar Records, RSRCD 033


Compilations

* 1963 – ''This Is Merseybeat, Volume 1'', Oriole, PS 40047 (tracks: "Dr. Feelgood" and " Beautiful Dreamer") * 1963 – ''This Is Merseybeat, Volume 2'', Oriole, PS 40048 (tracks: "I Can Tell") * 1974 – ''Mersey Beat: 1962–64'',
United Artists United Artists (UA) is an American film production and film distribution, distribution company owned by Amazon MGM Studios. In its original operating period, it was founded in February 1919 by Charlie Chaplin, D. W. Griffith, Mary Pickford an ...
, US$305 (tracks: "I Can Tell", "Dr. Feelgood") * 2004 – ''Unearthed Merseybeat, Volume 2'', Viper CD-027 (tracks: " Lend Me Your Comb")


References

* * * * * * * *


Notes


External links


Rory Storm and the Hurricanes at AllMusic

Rory Storm and the Hurricanes at Discogs
{{DEFAULTSORT:Storm, Rory 1938 births 1972 deaths 20th-century English singers 20th-century English male singers English pop singers English male singers Musicians from Liverpool Parlophone artists Oriole Records (UK) artists English rock singers Alcohol-related deaths in England Drug-related deaths in England English expatriates in the Netherlands Rory Storm and the Hurricanes members Burials at Anfield Cemetery