Mersey Beat - Bob Wooler

Frederick James Wooler was born in Kirkdale, Liverpool on the 19th of January 1926. While he was living in Garston and working as a railway clerk, he became involved in managing a skiffle group of his fellow workers, called 'The Kingstrums', for whom he also wrote several songs. Incidentally, in 1963, his composition 'I Know' provided the B-side to 'Billy J Kramer and The Dakotas' recording of the Lennon/McCartney composition, 'I'll Keep You Satisfied'
He entered 'The Kingstrums' into a talent contest at the Gateacre Labour Club but the competition was won by a group called 'The Mars Bars', who later became 'Gerry and the Pacemakers'. 'The Kingstrums' disbanded in 1958 and Bob decided against continuing with his job at the docks telling his colleagues 'this is not my station in life.' His experience of the music scene had convinced him to be a compere as he felt that it wasn't quite right seeing a group ambling on stage without a proper introduction. By the beginning of the 1960s he was a much sought after DJ and compere because of his knowledge of the local beat scene and was working at many of the clubs and dance halls in Liverpool, including the Holyoake Dance Hall on Smithdown Road near Penny Lane. He apparently bumped into George Harrison and Paul McCartney at a bus stop nearby around this time and offered them a date at the club but they declined as they didn't have a permanent drummer.

Alan Williams then offered him a job as resident DJ at his new Top Ten Club, but the club burned down only days after opening. Bob then took up residency in his most notable role, as compere at the Cavern Club. He had been encouraged to get up on the stage by Johnny Hutch of the 'Big Three' just as the people were going out one day and famously said on the microphone, 'Remember all you cave-dwellers, the Cavern is the best of cellars.' Ray McFall, the owner, came across immediately and offered him the job of compering the lunchtime sessions. Allan Williams had recommended that Bob Wooler become 'The Beatles' manager, an offer that he declined but he was subsequently instrumental in introducing them to their future manager, Brian Epstein. He had met up with them after their first Hamburg trip in 1960 and got them their 'game changing date' at Litherland Town Hall, where he also was a DJ, for a negotiated £6 fee and secured them a number of other gigs with Brian Kelly. He helped spread their name around Liverpool, so when 'The Beatles' went to meet Epstein for the first time, with a view to him becoming their manager, Lennon asked Bob to go along with them.

Bob with John and Paul in 1961

In February 1961 he got 'The Beatles' their first date at the Cavern, before they became the resident band there, and they went on to play regularly there for more than two years. By 1961 he was also regularly contributing a column to the local pop paper, Mersey Beat, writing of 'The Beatles', "I don't think anything like them will happen again". He also ran adverts for The Cavern such as ' Meet the Beat that's reet for the feet' and 'The venue with the menu with the mostest'.
He was renowned for sometimes renaming groups, he called Brian Epstein 'Nemperor', and seemed to have a quip for any occasion with his voice captured on a live EP by the 'Big Three' saying "We've got the hi-fi high & the lights down low, so here we go, with the 'Big Three Show'. His voice was also captured on the only live footage of 'The Beatles' ever shot at The Cavern by Granada TV on the 22nd of August 1962, when they were performing 'Some Other Guy'.
Bob also managed several groups such as 'Earl Preston', 'The Fixx' and 'The Clayton Squares'. The informality between group members and most of the local entrepreneurs was common at the time, although these casual friendships could be fractured as easily as they were made as when an incensed drunk John Lennon and Wooler had a fight at McCartney's 2lst birthday party when the DJ joked about a holiday to Spain that Lennon had just taken with Brian Epstein. John later apologised for beating him up.

He remained at the Cavern until 1967 and died at the age of 76 at the Royal Liverpool Hospital, on the 8th of February 2002, following a long illness.

see also - http://www.thefootballvoice.com/2017/04/mersey-beat-neil-aspinall.html