Spencer Leigh radio documentaries

This collection consists of three radio documentary series by music journalist and broadcaster Spencer Leigh on the music of Liverpool, particularly the Merseybeat era. The documentaries were written by Leigh, who also interviewed hundreds of contributors. They were broadcast on BBC Radio Merseyside between 1981 and 2007. These documentaries form part of a larger collection of Spencer Leigh’s work held at Liverpool Record Office, which also includes extensive notes for each series.

‘Let’s Go Down The Cavern’ was a weekly series of twelve episodes, first broadcast in May 1981 and repeated in 1983. The series looks at the background to Merseybeat from the late 1950s through to the growing scene in Hamburg and the clubs in Liverpool. Interviewees are mostly musicians and a number of demo versions and unreleased recordings are unearthed and played for the first time on radio. Spencer Leigh hosts the series, which is produced by Jenny Collins, and is made up of interviews Leigh recorded on a Uher tape recorder. The tape reels digitised are the ones used for the rebroadcast in 1983.

Spencer Leigh introduces clip of 'Kingsize' Taylor talking about music and records available in Liverpool before introducing Brendan McCormack of Rikki and the Red Streaks on the influence of Chuck Berry

Spencer Leigh introduces clip by Brigitte Maguire who talks about being a teenager in the clubs in Hamburg

Spencer Leigh introduces clip of Bob Wooler describing how he became the DJ at the Cavern and Eddie Parry from the Dennisons, Les Maguire from the Pacemakers and Terry Sylvester from the Escorts and the Hollies give their opinions of him

Cavern Doorman Paddy Delaney recalls Brian Epstein's first visit to the Cavern to see the Beatles then Spencer Leigh introduces a clip of Clive Epstein talking about Brian's ideas of managing and promoting artists

Spencer Leigh introduces the programme looking at differences between Manchester and Liverpool, introduces clips from Allan Clarke from the Hollies, Robin McDonald from the Dakotas and Freddy Quinn from Freddie and the Dreamers

Spencer Leigh introduces the programme on hit records, he introduces clip of Billy J Kramer talking about his records produced by George Martin and written by Lennon and McCartney

Spencer Leigh introduces clip of Eddie Amoo giving his opinion of white Liverpool bands covering songs by black American artists

Spencer Leigh introduces clip of Beryl Marsden talking about getting a permit to perform at the Star Club in Hamburg when she was only 17

Spencer Leigh introduces clips of Billy Hatton describing the coach used by the Fourmost and Geoff Nugent of the Undertakers recalls travelling with their coffin

Spencer Leigh introduces clip of Doorman Paddy Delaney talking about the Beatles last appearance at the Cavern

Spencer Leigh introduces clip of Mike Evans from the Clayton Squares on how they got rid of their bass player

Spencer Leigh introduces clips of Billy J Kramer and Lee Curtis from the All-Stars reflecting on not making it big

1. Spencer Leigh introduces clip of 'Kingsize' Taylor talking about music and records available in Liverpool before introducing Brendan McCormack of Rikki and the Red Streaks on the influence of Chuck Berry

1:35

2. Spencer Leigh introduces clip by Brigitte Maguire who talks about being a teenager in the clubs in Hamburg

1:18

3. Spencer Leigh introduces clip of Bob Wooler describing how he became the DJ at the Cavern and Eddie Parry from the Dennisons, Les Maguire from the Pacemakers and Terry Sylvester from the Escorts and the Hollies give their opinions of him

2:06

4. Cavern Doorman Paddy Delaney recalls Brian Epstein's first visit to the Cavern to see the Beatles then Spencer Leigh introduces a clip of Clive Epstein talking about Brian's ideas of managing and promoting artists

1:56

5. Spencer Leigh introduces the programme looking at differences between Manchester and Liverpool, introduces clips from Allan Clarke from the Hollies, Robin McDonald from the Dakotas and Freddy Quinn from Freddie and the Dreamers

1:42

6. Spencer Leigh introduces the programme on hit records, he introduces clip of Billy J Kramer talking about his records produced by George Martin and written by Lennon and McCartney

1:47

7. Spencer Leigh introduces clip of Eddie Amoo giving his opinion of white Liverpool bands covering songs by black American artists

0:38

8. Spencer Leigh introduces clip of Beryl Marsden talking about getting a permit to perform at the Star Club in Hamburg when she was only 17

0:51

9. Spencer Leigh introduces clips of Billy Hatton describing the coach used by the Fourmost and Geoff Nugent of the Undertakers recalls travelling with their coffin

1:25

10. Spencer Leigh introduces clip of Doorman Paddy Delaney talking about the Beatles last appearance at the Cavern

1:57

11. Spencer Leigh introduces clip of Mike Evans from the Clayton Squares on how they got rid of their bass player

1:43

12. Spencer Leigh introduces clips of Billy J Kramer and Lee Curtis from the All-Stars reflecting on not making it big

1:15

‘Germany Calling’ was an eight-part weekly series exploring in more detail the links between Hamburg and the Beatles. Leigh interviews people from Liverpool and Hamburg, even recording walking around the notorious St. Pauli area at night. This series was first broadcast in May 2002 and produced by Georgina Furnell.

Spencer Leigh introduces clip of musician Ulf Kruger talking about music in Germany in the 1950s

Spencer Leigh and Ulf Kruger tour the St. Pauli area of Hamburg and stop at the location of the Top Ten club where many British bands, including the Beatles played

A look at how Liverpool bands got to Hamburg. Clips of Tony Sheridan being booked to play and Horst Fascher, later a club owner, about the impact of the music

Spencer Leigh introduces clip of Tony Fisher talking about how German bandleader Bert Kaempfert, also an A&R man for Polydor got the Beatles to make recordings for the label

Spencer Leigh names the 4 main clubs in Hamburg and introduces clip from Gunter Zind on the history of the Star Club

Spencer Leigh introduces clips of Horst Fascher and Mike Pender of the Searchers talking about bands having to learn new songs for their long sets

Spencer Leigh introduces a clip of Frank Dostal talking about influences on the Beatles

Spencer Leigh introduces clip of Bill Harry on the scene in Hamburg and in Liverpool

1. Spencer Leigh introduces clip of musician Ulf Kruger talking about music in Germany in the 1950s

1:35

2. Spencer Leigh and Ulf Kruger tour the St. Pauli area of Hamburg and stop at the location of the Top Ten club where many British bands, including the Beatles played

1:08

3. A look at how Liverpool bands got to Hamburg. Clips of Tony Sheridan being booked to play and Horst Fascher, later a club owner, about the impact of the music

1:27

4. Spencer Leigh introduces clip of Tony Fisher talking about how German bandleader Bert Kaempfert, also an A&R man for Polydor got the Beatles to make recordings for the label

1:13

5. Spencer Leigh names the 4 main clubs in Hamburg and introduces clip from Gunter Zind on the history of the Star Club

1:49

6. Spencer Leigh introduces clips of Horst Fascher and Mike Pender of the Searchers talking about bands having to learn new songs for their long sets

1:03

7. Spencer Leigh introduces a clip of Frank Dostal talking about influences on the Beatles

1:33

8. Spencer Leigh introduces clip of Bill Harry on the scene in Hamburg and in Liverpool

1:33

‘Soup & Sweat & Rock & Roll’ was another eight-part weekly series made to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Cavern club in Mathew Street, Liverpool. Looking at the club through the decades, from its beginnings as a jazz club in the fifties, its move across the road in the 1970s, right up to the gigs in recent years. This series was broadcast in May 2007 and produced by Colin Disley.

Focus on the Cavern's first owner Alan Sytner. Spencer Leigh introduces clips from Tony Davis recalling Alan and his father

Spencer Leigh introduces clip from Ray McFall on taking over the Cavern in 1959 and the types of music played

Spencer Leigh introduces clip from Bob Wooler on DJing at the Cavern and getting his records from NEMS, followed by clip of DJ Norman Killen on the influence of Wooler

Spencer Leigh introduces clips from Chris Dreja and Bob Wooler on when the Yardbirds support blues musician Sonny Boy Williams

Spencer Leigh introduces clips from Bob Wooler and Tony Crane on the Beatles last show at the Cavern in 1963

Spencer Leigh introduces clip from Bob Wooler on the sanitation at the Cavern

Spencer Leigh on the closure of the Cavern then introduces clip of Ron Jones who looks back at the lack of interest in Beatles tourism at that time

Spencer Leigh on the Cavern from the 1990s then introduces clips from Bill Heckle and Dave Jones from Cavern City Tours

1. Focus on the Cavern's first owner Alan Sytner. Spencer Leigh introduces clips from Tony Davis recalling Alan and his father

1:50

2. Spencer Leigh introduces clip from Ray McFall on taking over the Cavern in 1959 and the types of music played

1:25

3. Spencer Leigh introduces clip from Bob Wooler on DJing at the Cavern and getting his records from NEMS, followed by clip of DJ Norman Killen on the influence of Wooler

2:03

4. Spencer Leigh introduces clips from Chris Dreja and Bob Wooler on when the Yardbirds support blues musician Sonny Boy Williams

1:37

5. Spencer Leigh introduces clips from Bob Wooler and Tony Crane on the Beatles last show at the Cavern in 1963

2:34

6. Spencer Leigh introduces clip from Bob Wooler on the sanitation at the Cavern

2:24

7. Spencer Leigh on the closure of the Cavern then introduces clip of Ron Jones who looks back at the lack of interest in Beatles tourism at that time

1:43

8. Spencer Leigh on the Cavern from the 1990s then introduces clips from Bill Heckle and Dave Jones from Cavern City Tours

2:17

The full length interviews will be available at Liverpool Record Office in due course.

You can read the full descriptions online at the British Library’s Sound and Moving Image catalogue. The British Library collection reference is UAP023. The local reference is 780 LEI.