JIMMY NICOL (ROOM 209)
JIMMY NICOL (ROOM 209)
Ringo had not been a healthy child and had been hospitalised on occasion. There was huge consternation and worry when Ringo collapsed whilst on a photoshoot in Barnes on the 3rd June 1964. What made it more problematic from a business point of view was that the Fab Four were due to fly out on a world tour the following morning. Initial fears were somewhat allayed with the news that Ringo was suffering from acute tonsillitis and pharyngitis, not life threatening, but the cure included complete rest and recuperation. Bizarrely (this certainly would not happen today) the decision taken was to quickly audition a stand in drummer and take him on tour! George Martin had used Jimmy Nicol before and with one phone call, Jimmy underwent a 2-hour rehearsal at Abbey Road studios and after the audition was finished, he was told to pack his bags for Denmark! After playing in Denmark the band went on to Holland for a series of gigs and then onto Australia via performances in Hong Kong. Still to this day the Beatles believe the Australian reception was as wild as anything they experienced anywhere in the world. 300,000 fans lined the streets of Adelaide, which hadn’t initially been included on the tour but a gig was hastily agreed after a massive petition was organised by an Adelaide radio station. Meanwhile, Ringo was discharged from University College Hospital in London and, accompanied by Brian, flew to Australia. After gigs in Sydney and Adelaide Ringo finally caught up with the band in Melbourne. After a press conference with 5 Beatles (!) Jimmy returned to his hotel suite and without fuss quietly returned home after 12 days of being a Beatle. Jimmy has resisted all the temptation to prosper from his experience. The Beatles later wrote “It’s Getting Better” which was Jimmy’s catch-phrase for the short time he was a BEATLE. All he ever got was £500 fee and a mountain of memories before returning to London as a session musician and later a painter and decorator!
Artwork painted and owned by ©SHANNON
JIMMY NICOL (ROOM 209)
Ringo had not been a healthy child and had been hospitalised on occasion. There was huge consternation and worry when Ringo collapsed whilst on a photoshoot in Barnes on the 3rd June 1964. What made it more problematic from a business point of view was that the Fab Four were due to fly out on a world tour the following morning. Initial fears were somewhat allayed with the news that Ringo was suffering from acute tonsillitis and pharyngitis, not life threatening, but the cure included complete rest and recuperation. Bizarrely (this certainly would not happen today) the decision taken was to quickly audition a stand in drummer and take him on tour! George Martin had used Jimmy Nicol before and with one phone call, Jimmy underwent a 2-hour rehearsal at Abbey Road studios and after the audition was finished, he was told to pack his bags for Denmark! After playing in Denmark the band went on to Holland for a series of gigs and then onto Australia via performances in Hong Kong. Still to this day the Beatles believe the Australian reception was as wild as anything they experienced anywhere in the world. 300,000 fans lined the streets of Adelaide, which hadn’t initially been included on the tour but a gig was hastily agreed after a massive petition was organised by an Adelaide radio station. Meanwhile, Ringo was discharged from University College Hospital in London and, accompanied by Brian, flew to Australia. After gigs in Sydney and Adelaide Ringo finally caught up with the band in Melbourne. After a press conference with 5 Beatles (!) Jimmy returned to his hotel suite and without fuss quietly returned home after 12 days of being a Beatle. Jimmy has resisted all the temptation to prosper from his experience. The Beatles later wrote “It’s Getting Better” which was Jimmy’s catch-phrase for the short time he was a BEATLE. All he ever got was £500 fee and a mountain of memories before returning to London as a session musician and later a painter and decorator!
Artwork painted and owned by ©SHANNON
JIMMY NICOL (ROOM 209)
Ringo had not been a healthy child and had been hospitalised on occasion. There was huge consternation and worry when Ringo collapsed whilst on a photoshoot in Barnes on the 3rd June 1964. What made it more problematic from a business point of view was that the Fab Four were due to fly out on a world tour the following morning. Initial fears were somewhat allayed with the news that Ringo was suffering from acute tonsillitis and pharyngitis, not life threatening, but the cure included complete rest and recuperation. Bizarrely (this certainly would not happen today) the decision taken was to quickly audition a stand in drummer and take him on tour! George Martin had used Jimmy Nicol before and with one phone call, Jimmy underwent a 2-hour rehearsal at Abbey Road studios and after the audition was finished, he was told to pack his bags for Denmark! After playing in Denmark the band went on to Holland for a series of gigs and then onto Australia via performances in Hong Kong. Still to this day the Beatles believe the Australian reception was as wild as anything they experienced anywhere in the world. 300,000 fans lined the streets of Adelaide, which hadn’t initially been included on the tour but a gig was hastily agreed after a massive petition was organised by an Adelaide radio station. Meanwhile, Ringo was discharged from University College Hospital in London and, accompanied by Brian, flew to Australia. After gigs in Sydney and Adelaide Ringo finally caught up with the band in Melbourne. After a press conference with 5 Beatles (!) Jimmy returned to his hotel suite and without fuss quietly returned home after 12 days of being a Beatle. Jimmy has resisted all the temptation to prosper from his experience. The Beatles later wrote “It’s Getting Better” which was Jimmy’s catch-phrase for the short time he was a BEATLE. All he ever got was £500 fee and a mountain of memories before returning to London as a session musician and later a painter and decorator!
Artwork painted and owned by ©SHANNON