Painting depicting meeting of Lennon & McCartney to hang where they met in Liverpool

[Lucy]

Eric Cash has painted a picture of the meeting between John and Paul that is to hang in the St Peter's Church Hall.

Here it is:

http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q125/LizHob/the-introduction.jpg

For those of us that have done the extra special amazing awesome choice tour thing with the lovely Dave might say "ahhh but hang on, they were sitting ON the stairs!". Ooooh and wasn't Paul without a guitar that day and the fact that he could play someone else's upside down part of what made John see that he was something special?

But a very nice picture.

[oldbeatlechick]

Hahaha! you are right Lucy, they were sitting on the stairs, the artist should have consulted Dave maybe! But a nice picture certainly!

[62hofner]

I am all about historical accuracy in paintings depicting historical events - which the meeting of John and Paul was.

Without the facts being gotten straight before embarking on an artistic work depicting an actual event, the piece is immediately relegated to the category of "a nice painting".

[oldbeatlechick]

You're right of course, there should have been some effort to get it right, one phone call would have done it! That said, it is a nicely painted picture, but spoilt for those "in the know" because of the inaccuracy!

[lennonluvr9]

It is a very well done painting. Much better than I could do. It would have been better if it was more historically accurate, but this is kinda reminding me of the Python sketch involving The Last Supper painting :wink3:

[62hofner]

I read the full article on the work, and apparently the artist DID conduct research and spoke to members of the Quarry Men.

So, I wonder just how he could have gotten it wrong. Did he simply take liberties because he felt the actual scenario would not have looked as nice as this?

[kmac]

First of all... wow! The painting is gorgeous.

I have no issues with the inaccuracies as long as its purpose was to be historically accurate.

If the artist was only re-imagining or drawing inspiration from the events, so as to create a more visually stimulating presentation, then I say no problem.

Aside, I seem to recall that the members of the Quarrymen themselves are not totally in agreement over the details of the famed meeting.

Question though, I wonder why the Church does not mind the inaccuracies and are placing it in the hall?

[Lucy]

I personally don't take issue with the inaccuracies - and yeah, I'm sure if they were highly offensive, the picture would not be going there on the spot where the meeting happened.

[62hofner]

Personally, I am a stickler for the utmost accuracy in paintings depicting actual events. I collect military art prints by today's best contemporary military artists. When they're done as accurately as possible it really shows. I've seen some paintings done by other lesser artists where they have gotten SO many historical details wrong that they're hard for me to even look at them. What's the point if it's not spot-on - or at least not as spot-on as it possibly can be?

The art I collect is from a time where photography was in its infancy (Civil War era), and all the accounts are in written form - all the participants having long since died. But for an event that can be recounted by living persons (and I am sure some of the surviving Quarry Men don't have as clear a recollection as others may - since John and Paul's meeting was probably no big deal to them at the time), historical innacuracy is a no-no for the serious historical art collector.

But, yes... it's a nice painting.

[oldbeatlechick]

It is a very good painting qand if it's good enough for St Peter's it's good enough for me!

[62hofner]

The artist is obviously highly skilled...

Could someone direct me to a source that states what the exact circumstances of the meeting were? I know Paul did not have a guitar with him ("whoops!" #1 on the painting's accuracy). What does the book, "The Day John Met Paul" say about it?

[62hofner]

You're right of course, there should have been some effort to get it right, one phone call would have done it! That said, it is a nicely painted picture, but spoilt for those "in the know" because of the inaccuracy!

Exactly... not everyone is going to be able to tell if it's accurate or not. But those of us who make it our business to know these all-important facts, the buzzer and the red flashing lights go off when we detect errors.

[oldbeatlechick]

The "Dave" that Lucy mentioned is the caretaker of St Peter's hall and was there when Paul met John and he told us the meeting took place on the stairs to the stage!

[62hofner]

The "Dave" that Lucy mentioned is the caretaker of St Peter's hall and was there when Paul met John and he told us the meeting took place on the stairs to the stage!

Ahhhhhhhhhhhh... so it was an actual in-person fact finding instance!

I always thought - from the looks of those famous photos - that the Quarry Men performed out-doors atop some flatbed.

[Jerry]

A very cool painting of a slightly important date in history.

Yeah, they did perform outdoors on a flatbed, but John and Paul met inside the hall in between sets or something like that.

I recently saw another picture from this day, not the usual pictures that have been around for years. The pic and more info is here...
http://www.beatlesource.com/savage/1950s/57.07.06%20fete/57.07.06fete.html

[62hofner]

A very cool painting of a slightly important date in history.

Yeah, they did perform outdoors on a flatbed, but John and Paul met inside the hall in between sets or something like that.

I recently saw another picture from this day, not the usual pictures that have been around for years. The pic and more info is here...
http://www.beatlesource.com/savage/1950s/57.07.06%20fete/57.07.06fete.html

I just found this interesting page.... which not only shows some photos I may or may have never seen before, but an explanation of why they met indoors and not outside near the flatbed stage (see in one of the pics on this page).

http://www.beatlesource.com/savage/1950s/57.07.06%20fete/57.07.06fete.html

LOL! Jerry, I just noticed you posted the same page.

[BeatleJim]

You're right of course, there should have been some effort to get it right, one phone call would have done it! That said, it is a nicely painted picture, but spoilt for those "in the know" because of the inaccuracy!


The artist, on his website, says that he spent a year interviewing many of the people who were in that room including Ivan Vaughn.

http://www.ericcashillustration.com/

Whose story is more accurate, your tour guide or Eric Cash? We'll probably neve know.

[BeatleJim]

I read the full article on the work, and apparently the artist DID conduct research and spoke to members of the Quarry Men.

So, I wonder just how he could have gotten it wrong. Did he simply take liberties because he felt the actual scenario would not have looked as nice as this?

Could it be possible that soem of those tour guides in Liverpool who were not there might not have complete accuracies in their stories?

[62hofner]

Could it be possible that soem of those tour guides in Liverpool who were not there might not have complete accuracies in their stories?

Hmmm... there's a book out there called, "The Day John Met Paul". Wonder if that offers and insights.

What we DO know is that Paul did not have a guitar with him. So, if nothing else, the artist either got that wrong or took some creative license.

[jesgear]

Hmmm... there's a book out there called, "The Day John Met Paul". Wonder if that offers and insights.

What we DO know is that Paul did not have a guitar with him. So, if nothing else, the artist either got that wrong or took some creative license.

Well, the book you mentioned describes Paul as having a guitar with him: page 97, in describing Paul's arrival at the fete, says, "McCartney walks through the field desultorily. He doesn't even notice the guitar strapped on his back; it's like a body part...."
And concerning Paul and John meeting, page 110 says, "....It's a humidity-ravaged evening as occasional Quarry Man Ivan Vaughan guides his guitarist friend Paul McCartney across the street from the field. McCartney leaves his bike by the church hall side wall and Vaughan shoves open the door. Inside is eternity. They breeze through the kitchen and into the back of the auditorium. McCartney, guitar on his back, looks guardedly toward the stage area where several of the Quarry Men are sitting around laughing..."
And page 111 says, "....McCartney and Vaughan reach the section in front of the stage where the Quarry Men have established their folding-chair sanctum..."
And page 112, "....Vaughan and McCartney pull up chairs and join the group. McCartney takes the guitar off his back and puts it on a folding chair..."

[beatlebangs1964]

Nice artwork. John Lennon, then a worldly guy all of 16 and cutting his musical teeth with his very first band!

Definitely a banner day in history!

[62hofner]

Well, the book you mentioned describes Paul as having a guitar with him: page 97, in describing Paul's arrival at the fete, says, "McCartney walks through the field desultorily. He doesn't even notice the guitar strapped on his back; it's like a body part...."
And concerning Paul and John meeting, page 110 says, "....It's a humidity-ravaged evening as occasional Quarry Man Ivan Vaughan guides his guitarist friend Paul McCartney across the street from the field. McCartney leaves his bike by the church hall side wall and Vaughan shoves open the door. Inside is eternity. They breeze through the kitchen and into the back of the auditorium. McCartney, guitar on his back, looks guardedly toward the stage area where several of the Quarry Men are sitting around laughing..."
And page 111 says, "....McCartney and Vaughan reach the section in front of the stage where the Quarry Men have established their folding-chair sanctum..."
And page 112, "....Vaughan and McCartney pull up chairs and join the group. McCartney takes the guitar off his back and puts it on a folding chair..."

Well, I am going to bow out of this thread, as I obviously don't know squat about this historic meeting!

If the artist got it right, then kudos to him!

[Lucy]

Nah well Paul himself has said that he played someone else's guitar that day so I don't think he would have had it on his back. It's either in the anthology or on one of his Parkinson interviews that he says he turned someone's upside down to play after tuning it all perfectly.

The Dave we were talking about was in fact there on the day they met. He was apparently on or around the stairs with them. Maybe they had seats, i dunno! hahahaaa!

[mluque125]

I am very confused, but I have heard before he did not have a guitar...not so sure about the stairs or folding chairs thing. If he got it right kudos to him like hofner said.

[jesgear]

Well, I am going to bow out of this thread, as I obviously don't know squat about this historic meeting!

If the artist got it right, then kudos to him!

Well, who's to say that the author of the book is right; as far as I can see, that's the only source that mentions Paul with a guitar and the band not on the stairs. That book could be the only inspiration for the painting and could be incorrect.

But it's a cool painting nonetheless.

[62hofner]

Such a controversial peice of art!!!

:laugh5:

[oldbeatlechick]

Yeah it's interesting how one painting can generate so much controversy among those passionate about the subject! :rolleyes: :laugh5: