Bill Harry – writer, publisher & PR guru. Interviewed by Richard Oliff Wednesday 7th December 2011. 1530.
Friend of John Lennon, the Beatles & Stuart Sutcliffe. Harry was the founder of Mersey Beat newspaper & was the man that introduced Brian Epstein to the Beatles by taking him to see them at the Cavern.
In this interview with Oliff, Harry puts history in its place by explaining the exact cause of Stuart’s death, refuting the common held belief that he had sustained a head injury as described by the Beatles first manager Alan Williams.
Bill went on to become the personal press agent for the Kinks and the Hollies. Over the succeeding years he became Public Relations manager to over forty major acts including Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, David Bowie, the Beach Boys, Free, Jethro Tull, Ten Years After, Procol Harum, Supertramp, Hot Chocolate, Suzi Quatro, Kim Wilde and Cockney Rebel.
He describes the bond that he and three of his friends (Lennon, Sutcliffe & Rod Murray) had as they vowed to change the world (as 'The decenter's): John with music, Stuart & Rod with their art, & Bill with writing and publishing, at a little ‘watering-hole’, a pub called ‘Ye Cracke’ in Rice Street off Hope Street, Liverpool. He also talks of his love for science fiction - 'A Knight of St. Anthony' - and the musicals.