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Rory Storm (born Alan Ernest Caldwell; 7 January 1938 – 28 September 1972) was an English musician and vocalist. Born in Liverpool, Storm was the singer and leader of Rory Storm and the Hurricanes, a Liverpudlian band who were contemporaries of the Beatles in the late 1950s and early 1960s.
The Hurricanes were one of the most popular acts on the Liverpool and Hamburg club scenes during their existence, although their attempt at a recording career was not successful. They released only two singles (and one additional compilation track) during their early 1960s heyday, and none of their material made the charts. Their second and final single was a version of the West Side Story song "America", and was produced by the Beatles' manager Brian Epstein.
Storm played football regularly and was a good skater and swimmer (once swimming the 12.5-mile length of Windermere). Liverpool F.C. used to train at Melwood and he went to watch them in training, later putting up a large photo of himself training with the team on his wall at home. He was the captain of Mersey Beat magazine's football team, called the Mersey Beat XI. Storm was born with a stutter (a speech impediment), which did not affect his singing. Because of Storm's stammer, his friends never allowed him to tell a joke or to order a round of drinks, as it could take a long time. He became a cotton salesman (as was Paul McCartney's father, Jim) before forming a skiffle group.
Storm went to London on 11 April 1958 to participate in a cross-country running competition. During his stay, he took part in a jam session at Chas McDevitt's Skiffle Cellar, which resulted in an appearance on 30 April 1958 on Radio Luxembourg's Skiffle club programme, playing "Midnight Special". In 1959, Storm's group consisted of himself, Paul Murphy, and Johnny Byrne (stage name "Johnny Guitar") all performing on guitar and vocals, Reg Hale (washboard) and Jeff Truman (tea-chest bass). "Spud" Ward, a former member of the Swinging Blue Jeans, later played bass guitar. Storm met Ringo Starr at a talent contest called "6.5 Special". Starr had previously played with the Eddie Clayton Skiffle Group and was then drumming with a group called "Darktown Skiffle". Starr's first concert with Storm was on 25 March 1959, at the Mardi Gras in Mount Pleasant, Liverpool.
Storm and the Hurricanes performed at the Liverpool Stadium on 3 May 1960, on the same bill as Gene Vincent. Larry Parnes became interested in the Hurricanes, and invited them to audition at the Wyvern Club as a backing group for Billy Fury. Storm turned up at the audition, but only so he could have his picture taken with Fury. In July 1960, the group secured a residency at Butlins holiday camp in Pwllheli (playing in the Rock 'n' Calypso Ballroom) for £25 each per week (equivalent to £ in ). Starr was not sure about giving up his job as an apprentice at Henry Hunt's, where he made climbing frames for schools, until Storm put forward the idea of "Starr-time" (a solo spot) with Starr singing songs like "Boys" by the Shirelles.”The Beatles Anthology" DVD 1&2 2003 (Episode 1 – 0:31:06) John Lennon talking about Starr's 'Starr-Time' and being a professional drummer. Starr finally agreed when Storm told him about how many women would be "available". It was during this season that Starr (who had been known as "Ritchie" until then) changed his name to "Ringo".
The stage of the Kaiserkeller was made of planks of wood balanced on the top of beer crates, so the two groups made a bet to see to who would be the first to break it. After punishing the stage for days, a slight crack appeared, and when Storm jumped off the top of the upright piano, during a performance of "Blue Suede Shoes", it finally broke. Guitar remembered that as Storm hit the stage, it cracked loudly and formed a V-shape around Storm. He disappeared into it, and all the amplifiers and Starr's cymbals slid into the hole. Koschmider was furious and had to replace the live music with a jukebox. Both groups went across the road to Harold's Cafe for breakfast but were followed by Koschmider's doormen with coshes, who beat the musicians as punishment.
During their eight-week residency, Williams arranged a recording session at the Akoustik Studio, which was a small booth on the fifth floor of 57 Kirchenallee (the Klockmann-House) on Saturday, 18 October 1960. Williams asked John Lennon, Paul McCartney and Harrison from the Beatles to play and sing harmonies for Walters (of the Hurricanes) on the recording. Pete Best (the Beatles' regular drummer at the time) was in town buying drumsticks, so Starr played drums, which was the first time that the classic Beatles line-up of Lennon, McCartney, Harrison and Starr recorded together. Lou Walters' recording session Retrieved: 29 January 2007 They recorded three songs: "Fever", "September Song", and "Summertime". However, the fate of the recordings is uncertain and they have not been discovered to this day.
Starr considered leaving Storm at that time to join Derry and the Seniors but accepted a job with Tony Sheridan at the Top Ten Club on 30 December 1961, as Sheridan's offer of more money, a flat, and a car was too good to refuse. Starr's stay with Sheridan was short-lived, as he found Sheridan's habit of changing the set list without telling his backing group beforehand frustrating, so he rejoined the Hurricanes. On 5 February 1962, Best fell ill and the Beatles had to play a lunchtime concert at the Cavern and an evening concert at the Kingsway club in Southport. As the Hurricanes had no concert that day, Starr played with them live on stage for the first time (although he had recorded with them in Hamburg).
During a Hurricanes' residency at Butlins, Lennon and McCartney drove from Liverpool to Pwllheli North Wales on 15 August 1962 to ask Starr to join the Beatles. Shortly before, Starr had agreed to join Kingsize Taylor in Hamburg, as Taylor was offering £20 a week (equivalent to £ in ), but Lennon and McCartney offered £25 a week (equivalent to £ in ), which Starr accepted. Lennon and McCartney offered Storm to swap drummers (with Best replacing Starr) but Best rejected the idea. According to Epstein in his autobiography, Storm was "One of the liveliest and most likeable young men on the scene ... was very annoyed when Ringo left, and he complained to me. I apologised, and Rory, with immense good humour, said, 'Okay. Forget it. The best of luck to the lot of you.'" The Hurricanes then became known for having a succession of drummers, including Paddy Chambers, Brian Johnson, Keef Hartley (August 1963), Ian Broad and Trevor Morais, who all stayed with the group for a short period before leaving.
Despite Starr joining the Beatles, both groups would perform on the same bill during 1962 and at many concerts thereafter. In 1962, both groups performed together at St Patrick's Night Rock Gala (Knotty Ash Village Hall), Queen's Hall (Widnes), and with Little Richard at the Tower Ballroom. In 1963, Storm and the Hurricanes were filmed as part of the "Beat City" documentary, which was broadcast by Associated-Rediffusion Television.
Storm was known for the extravagant clothes he wore and the cars he drove, once buying a pink Vauxhall Cresta for over £800 in cash. A young man was once caught by a porter at Bootle railway station writing "I love Rory" over the walls, and when questioned, it turned out to be Storm himself. The Hurricanes wore matching suits on stage, but Storm sometimes wore a pink suit and pink tie, and during concerts, he would walk to the piano and comb his blond hair with an oversized comb. Their stage wear changed from sunglasses and palm tree-decorated shirts to red (and blue) suits. Storm also wore an Elvis Presley-style gold lamé suit. When they first appeared at Butlins holiday camp Storm wore a turquoise suit with a gold lamé shirt, while the group wore fluorescent suits.
Rod Pont (also known as Steve Day in Steve Day and the Drifters) remembered Storm arriving at the Orrell Park Ballroom for a concert with a boil on his face. When told about it, Storm pulled out a black velvet hood which had slits for his eyes and mouth, and played the whole concert with the hood on. At one concert at Bankfield House Youth club, Garston, Liverpool, in 1965, the stage lighting failed between sets. Storm was upset until someone walked in with a flashlight, which Storm used to finish the concert. He occasionally used a pet monkey in some of the group's performances, as it attracted more people. At a New Brighton swimming baths performance for 1,600 people in 1963, Storm climbed to the top diving board, undressed to a pair of swimming trunks, and then dived into the water at the end of a song. In January 1964, during a performance at the Majestic Ballroom, Birkenhead, he climbed up one of the columns supporting the balcony but slipped and fell to the floor below, fracturing his leg. At another performance on the New Brighton Pier, Storm made his way onto the Pavilion roof but fell through the glass skylight.
Storm and the Hurricanes received the most votes in the first Mersey Beat magazine poll, but many votes were disqualified as they had been posted from the same place at the same time and were written in green ink; although never proven, it was thought that Storm had posted the votes. This meant that the Beatles reached the top position, with the Hurricanes coming fourth, even though the Beatles had also been sending in extra votes themselves. Storm was often photographed for the magazine, such as being surrounded by nurses when he left the hospital after breaking a leg during a performance, or playing for the Mersey Beat XI football team.
Other songs included in the set were:
The Hurricanes recorded songs for Oriole's two This is Mersey Beat albums but released only two singles: "Dr Feelgood"/"I Can Tell", Oriole (45-CB 1858 12/63) and "America"/"Since You Broke My Heart", Parlophone (R 5197 11/64), which was produced by Epstein at IBC Studios in London. Epstein also sang backing vocals on "America", and Starr added percussion and sang. Storm later asked Epstein to manage the group, but Epstein refused. The Hurricanes later recorded two songs at Abbey Road Studios in 1964: "Ubangi Stomp" and "I'll Be There", although they were never released.
The funeral for Storm and his mother was at Oakvale Congregational Church, Broadgreen, on 19 October 1972. Mourners sang Storm's favourite song, "You'll Never Walk Alone". The two coffins were carried from the hearse to the cremation (at Anfield Cemetery) by former band members. Storm's remains were scattered on section 23 at Anfield Crematorium's Gardens of Remembrance. When Starr was asked why he did not attend, he quipped, "I wasn't there when he was born either." Although Starr had often offered to arrange for Storm to record whenever he wanted to, Storm was not interested in finding new or original material. His sister said: "He Storm was happy to be the King of Liverpool – he was never keen on touring, he didn't want to give up running for the Pembroke Harriers ... and he'd never miss a Liverpool match!"
Billy Fury, whom Storm had met at the Wyvern Club auditions, later played the part of a fictional singer called Stormy Tempest (based on Storm), in the film That'll Be the Day (1973), which also starred Starr. In 1987, a musical was staged in Liverpool about Storm and the Hurricanes called A Need for Heroes.
After spending several years in the North West Ambulance Service, Johnny Guitar died in Liverpool on 18 August 1999. Lu Walters died on 19 July 2022."They Also Served: Lu Walters", Mojo 347, October 2022, p.114
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