Nems the early years
My first day was helped by the fact everyone was very welcoming, I was given a desk in the general office; suddenly Tony Bramwell arrived back from a holiday and told everyone I had “nicked his plank”!!!! It definitely improved after that. One of my duties was replying to fan mail which was quite an experience, you have to understand, the buzz word for us all should have been naive, the difference between the English and American fans. English girls would write and ask for autographs and American girls, my goodness, could really shock me, how the hell did they know how to do so much.
One day I was given a Dictaphone to type Brian’s letters. It was just before lunch so I went out, on my return a message came back, is she a slow typist? needless to say, they were done in record time. However, I did manage to salvage my reputation. Brian came to the office one night to make some phone calls to his artists, mine was the only address book with all the information, being a good man he made sure I knew.
One of my jobs was to book accommodation for the gigging bands. Depending on status and what they could afford. The booker would hand me their information for the following week, starting at the lower end I had a little book of landladies, poor buggers, most came back with the crabs. Then there was the President Hotel in London. Gerry and Billy J would stay there, one day I announced I was going to change the venue to Billy and the Dakotas, you would have thought world war three had broken out, I was told in no uncertain terms to leave well alone, only to discover later that there was a one legged chamber maid who was very willing and the positions available made it all worthwhile.
The Beatles were booked to play Scotland, so I picked a lovely looking place, then I received a phone call from John, you do realise this is a temperance hotel? I apologised, thought that rule went out with the ark. On their return spoke to John and said I will never make that mistake again. “Oh no Barbara always book us there”, why I said, “the best night ever”. On their return the night porter was on duty, he opened up a huge cupboard full to the brim with booze, they partied all night.
Brian always looked so immaculate, never seemed easy with us girls but always polite, a real gentleman. I realised he was human the day his copy of the NME fell out of his jacket on the way to the loo.
One day I was given a Dictaphone to type Brian’s letters. It was just before lunch so I went out, on my return a message came back, is she a slow typist? needless to say, they were done in record time. However, I did manage to salvage my reputation. Brian came to the office one night to make some phone calls to his artists, mine was the only address book with all the information, being a good man he made sure I knew.
One of my jobs was to book accommodation for the gigging bands. Depending on status and what they could afford. The booker would hand me their information for the following week, starting at the lower end I had a little book of landladies, poor buggers, most came back with the crabs. Then there was the President Hotel in London. Gerry and Billy J would stay there, one day I announced I was going to change the venue to Billy and the Dakotas, you would have thought world war three had broken out, I was told in no uncertain terms to leave well alone, only to discover later that there was a one legged chamber maid who was very willing and the positions available made it all worthwhile.
The Beatles were booked to play Scotland, so I picked a lovely looking place, then I received a phone call from John, you do realise this is a temperance hotel? I apologised, thought that rule went out with the ark. On their return spoke to John and said I will never make that mistake again. “Oh no Barbara always book us there”, why I said, “the best night ever”. On their return the night porter was on duty, he opened up a huge cupboard full to the brim with booze, they partied all night.
Brian always looked so immaculate, never seemed easy with us girls but always polite, a real gentleman. I realised he was human the day his copy of the NME fell out of his jacket on the way to the loo.
Comments
Post a Comment