A couple of Beatles fans from Liverpool have tried to pinpoint the exact newsagents and chip shop where Paul McCartney had his first encounter with John Lennon. Paul has been very coy about this, and refused to disclose the location when asked by Beatles historian Mark Lewisohn. There were a couple of John-Paul encounters before the famous Woolton village féte July 6, 1957. Paul has recalled seeing John on the bus and then they crossed paths again as Paul was delivering newspapers at a newsagent. He has, when picking up Bono (of U2 fame) from the airport, pointed out the location to him. According to Matt Damon, who was informed about this by Bono himself, Lennon gave McCartney half of his chocolate bar on this occasion.
After having arrived at a plausible address, which is not the one Mark Lewisohn arrived at, but before their theory was published, Paul McCartney published a music video for "Fuh You", which was shot in Liverpool. And lo and behold, the boy in the video is around that location!
Where Paul really met John? |
The new research relies on memories by local residents and the fact that this particular newsagent kept its original name among local customers, decades after it actually had changed names and owners.
Check out the full story over at the excellent blog Beatles Liverpool Locations.