Making their NME Chart debut with "Love Me Do" this week are The Beatles, a vocal-instrumental group who hail from Liverpool, the birthplace of such stars as Billy Fury, Frankie Vaughan, Norman Vaughan and Ken Dodd. Their own composition, "Love Me Do", is their first debut disc to be released on a British label.
Previously their were with Polydor and had several discs released on the Continent, including one with singer Tony Sheriden, of "Oh Boy!" note.
Why are they called "The Beatles"? The boys laughingly put off this question by saying: "The name came to us in a vision!"
The line-up is John Lennon (harmonica, rhythm gutair and vocal), Paul McCartney (bass gutair, vocal), George Harrison (lead gutair, vocal), and Ringo Starr (drums).
Ringo, who joined the group earlier this year, was in the same class as Billy Fury at Liverpool Dingle Vale Secondary School.
During their brief career, The Beatles have become firm favorites at the Star Club in Hamburg, apart from appearing in shows in Britian with Little Richard, Bruce Channel, Gene Vincent, Acker Bilk, Kenny Ball and Joe Brown. Joe is among their stoutest admirers.
As well as "Love Me Do", the boys have written more than 100 of their own songs. The flipside, "P.S. I Love You", is also one of their compositions.