Frank Allen of the Searchers remembers...

Frank Allen of the Searchers has this to say when asked about if he'd
ever had any memorable encounters with the Beatles:

"SI: Now, not too many people remember these guys, but
there was another Liverpudlian rock band that had a few
hits back in the '60s. Do you have any memories or stories
to share-

FA: - of the Beatles? Yeah, I do, actually.. First time I
met them was Dec. 30, 1962. The rest of the band had met
them way before that, because they all came from Liverpool
and they played, but I was from London so I hadn't met
them up to that point. And it was in the Star Club in
Hamburg, it was the time they recorded the famous Hamburg
tapes. In fact, I was called as a witness during their
court case a few years back, 'cause I was there on the
night. I don't know what help I was, but I gave evidence
the same day that George [Harrison] gave his. But I
remember that night, I'd seen their show for the very
first time, really, really liked it. I was coming back
into the dressing room and John Lennon was coming out. I
introduced myself. I said, "Hi, I'm Frank from the Rebel
Rousers. I saw the show last night and I thought it was
really, really great," and that you got your new single
coming out, and I hope you do really well with it. And he
said to me, "Ah, Frank. Yes, I loved your show as well.
I've been talking to people in the club and it seems that
next to Cliff, in the band, you're the most popular
member. I can't think why, your harmonies are [expletive]
ridiculous."

SI: That's classic John.

FA: I just stood there gobsmacked. I didn't know if I was
being insulted or I'd missed some joke along the way.
Course I've got used to it, that kind of thing, you know,
but, again, I just wished him all the best, and we shook
hands and said cheerio. I saw him lots of occasions after
that, though."
**********

Me:
Lennon sure could be abrasive at times!
He was probably high on various things at that time, and half out of
his head, anyway, when he said that.
It also may have been true.

The whole article was talking about how the Searchers were this great
early Liverpudlian band who were the first to feature the 12 string
guitar, and so on. I thought it was mostly rubbish. The Searchers only
had a couple good songs in my opinion and are hardly a blip on the
British Invasion radar screen.