Mersey Beat - Joe Flannery

Joe Flannery

Joe Flannery was born in Liverpool in 1932 and his dad was a joiner who supplied high class Queen Anne-type furniture to Harry Epstein, the father of Brian, who ran a furniture business on Walton Road, Liverpool. Raised in the Scotland Road area of Liverpool, Joe Flannery has been described as the 'Secret Beatle', who became an integral part of 'The Beatles' management team during their rise to fame in the early 1960s. He was a music promoter, singer, one-time Adelphi waiter, National Serviceman, 'Beatles’ gig booker and childhood playmate of Brian Epstein. It was through their parents business connection that Joe and Brian Epstein first became acquainted and they remained friends although their paths went separate ways for a time.

Joe was a singer with the Joe Loss orchestra for a short time and put a band together for his younger brother, Pete, who took the name Lee Curtis to perform with 'The Detours' for a short while before he became 'Lee Curtis and the All Stars'. Joe originally got them gigs at local factory's sports and social clubs before branching out into the city of Liverpool. It was while watching them at the Iron Door, where he had booked them for a Sunday night gig, that he met up with Brian again, It was also where he first met 'The Beatles' when, with Brian's permission, he asked if his son's group could borrow an amp.
With Brian's inexperience of group management, Joe's knowledge of the club circuit was invaluable to him and he booked 'The Beatles' in venues on Brian's behalf. One such occasion was in The Cabaret Club, which would host some of the biggest stars, the likes of Frank Sinatra and Shirley Bassey. Joe approached the Cabaret Club and got them a booking with Brian asking him 'Can I say that I got this?' As a friend Joe would say 'Yes, of course'. This would happen quite a few times as Brian had asked Joe if he would go round the clubs taking bookings for 'The Beatles' on his behalf. A split of duties had occurred because Brian was very well spoken and didn't think it would suit if he was going round taking the bookings. So Brian handled the contacts and business side of things and Joe the bookings with the two meeting up regularly to share notes. Joe had a flat at Gardner Road near Green Lane and it was usually an open house for 'The Beatles' amongst others, with John Lennon in particular relaxing there quite often.

Joe with partner Kenny Meek

 

In the mid-1960s, Joe, who had his own stable of artistes including Beryl Marsden, 'The Liver Birds', 'The Nocturns' and others, moved to Hamburg with full time partner Kenny Meek to help book bands into the legendary Star Club, such as 'The Animals' and 'The Pretty Things' who were an unexpected hit. About a year later after 'The Animals' had split up Chas Chandler called him from New York and asked for his help to promote a new find – Jimi Hendrix. Joe was still in contact with Brian as he had become the main part of the stage management team at The Star Club and would book bands under his newly named agency Carlton Brooke Management. Brian was eager for them at the time to combine their music business interests as Lee Curtis and his band were extremely popular. Joe resisted these requests as his only aim was to support his brother, although in hindsight his brother may have done even better under the Brian Epstein umbrella.
Also at the time Joe was involved in franchising the Star Club all over Germany. His task was to go out to cities, like Cologne, arranging franchised clubs to take over the name. If they signed up and agreed to take bands they would get a neon sign of the Star Club logo for their club as the Star Club was known all over Germany. Joe would attend each opening with a band from Hamburg and make sure they got a good night's work. When the Star Club went to Holland it was reported people were fighting to get the name over their door. Lee Curtis with the help of Joe had built up a strong following in Germany due to their residency at The Star Club and following the controversial sacking of Pete Best, Epstein secretly arranged with Joe for Pete Best to join Lee Curtis and The All Stars who later broke away from Lee Curtis to become Pete Best & the All Stars.

Joe with a picture of himself and Brian Epstein 'The Untouchables'

 

Towards the end of 1967, Lee was a passenger in a car which crashed while he was on the way to a performance in Germany, and he suffered head injuries. After a few further performances, he decided to leave the music business and returned home to Liverpool.
see also  - ( http://www.thefootballvoice.com/2016/02/lee-curtis-all-stars.html )

Joe has written his own account of those early years :-

see also :- http://www.thefootballvoice.com/2017/05/mersey-beat-sam-leach.html