An exciting behind the scenes look at story of Grapefruit – the fabulous Beatles and wannabe Apple stars This booklet is taken from my upcoming autoautobiography and is designed to accompany the EP Grapefruit Segments which you can enjoy alongside reading here about my life in the ‘fast lane’ of the London music scene of the late 1960s. The chapter headings are also the names of tracks from the EP and are loosely connected to the content. I hope you enjoy the adventure! – J.P. tremoloes and had the full Fender our new member, a second singer rig and a Klemt Echolette (amazing named Kenny Roe, and if we weren’t sound) and Colin Hare who went working I’d get the phone call. onto play and write with Honeybus, Kenny liked to hang out in clubs a fantastic 60s band, famous for I and was a sensible gambler, in other Can’t Let Maggie Go amongst others. words he took a set amount he In fact I think I took his place… was willing to lose and after that he stopped, so he told me anyhow. We After about a year working in regularly went to the Cromwellian Fenchurch St. London all day, then Club in Kensington, which had going off to gigs at the weekend, gambling and bars and a disco, sort (sometimes getting back at 4am of all in one setup. Kenny also had Monday morning, then getting up a mini, in which he’d pick me up – for after 3 hours sleep and going very trendy at the time. to work) Geoff rang me up saying would I come to an audition for Apart from the Crom we’d probably Tony Rivers & the Castaways with me on the right, Tony Rivers and the Castaways. Now go on to the Speakeasy, or Pete Swettenham behind me & Geoff on the other side this was THE big local professional Revelation Club. Kenny would go group. Working regularly up and off and meet friends and so would down the country with a London I. Luigi was the Chef and I always fresh agent and a charismatic lead enjoyed the food down there, singer, who loved harmonies. So strong memory of petit pois and off I went to audition, more than a rich gravy. Of course the cliental little nervous, where at one stage was a potpourri of 60’s superstars Tony said Ok John just sing along – regularly bumping into (literally) tarting with piano lessons at eight Speeding through some years saw with what we’re doing, so I did. many famous people including Syears old, by twelve I’d got to me leaving school and getting the Afterwards he asked me how I knew David Bowi, Jimi Hendrix, Rod the Can-Can when Dave Brubeck only possible proper job available to sing 6th’s and 9th’s. Truth is I Stewart, Long John Baldry etc. etc. appeared with Take Five, I loved it for a 1, O-Level student… in a didn’t have a clue I just thought they and wanted to play it. So after four bank. Pretty bad I know, I probably sounded nice. Apparently it was GRAPEFRUIT years of lessons, as my classically would’ve got my Music O-Level if I’d enough and I had the opportunity Trk 3. The Best and Worst of Times orientated piano teacher didn’t ‘do’ have been interested in what Elgar and went professional in music, jazz I was off! I was also playing had for breakfast!! Passed the theory, goodbye bank! So, one night in the Speakeasy, guitar and singing in a band called failed the history... But my Mum was sitting up at the bar, I got chatting the Sugarbeats by this time, made pleased cos I was wearing a suit My life with Tony Rivers and the to a rather eccentric Liverpudlian up of school mates, Pete (Rhythm and commuting up to London every Castaways, was up and down the called Terry Doran. He said he was gtr) and Geoff Swettenham (drums), day (we lived in South Hornchurch M1 which might have been the only the director of Apple publishing Kenny Gold (Lead singer) and Bob nr Dagenham), to the Bank in motorway at the time and we relied which I’d never heard of and which Mannering (Bass). I played lead Fenchurch street. I’d also moved on heavily on the Blue Boar (Watford sounded like a fruit stall!! It’d just guitar and sang harmonies. We were to Dave and the Strollers another gap) as many did, for sustenance started and he was looking for songs. definitely a Beatles-based band local band but with some heavy (more on this in the autobiography). We had an hilarious night together although we did do other people’s hitters, such as Steve Scott who During this time I started clubbing as I was as insane as he was, and at stuff too. had been with Brian Poole and the in the west end, largely due to the end he gave me a card and said ©1968 Rex Features to call. Terry liked my idea but not my songs, so he then played me some I got on with my life with the of the songs written by one of his Castaways and in truth I’d forgotten already signed writers called George’ about the incident. But after some Alexander,(also known as Alexander time he came back to mind and Young, elder brother of George I dug out the card and made an Young founder of the EasyBeats as appointment, just to see if I could get well as Malcolm and Angus Young, some songs published and placed. founding members of the Australian Wending my way from Elm Park up hard rock band AC/DC). George to Baker St. in London and finding was then a songwriter Terry Doran the Apple building I entered his already had on his books, who office to discover it was blinding the story goes was snapped up by white, completely white, I mean John Lennon because of a song everything, The desk, the carpet, the called Lullaby for a Lazy Day – a lampshades and curtains, all white. very Beatlesque tune – and to be honest I could see that these songs So we sat in his totally (did I say were crafted pieces and very good. white) office, got chatting and I Terry asked if I had any musician eventually played him my tunes. mates who might be interested, so Sadly the tunes died a death, but we of course I suggested that I could got talking and I found myself telling ask my old friends Geoff and him about what I perceived as a gap Pete from TR and C’s if they’d be in the market now the Beatles had interested. They were cautious at ‘gone Heavy’. I strongly felt that a first, it probably all sounded a bit far new group of young clean shaven, fetched to be honest, but they agreed enthusiastic lads doing new music to a meeting. but with a distinct Beatles style could pick up what the Beatles had Before this happened George and I dropped. I was still a fan of the four had a meeting. George apart from mop-tops and their music of that being a writer was an ex Saxophone time, (still am) and like many I loved player with Bobby Patrick’s Big their harmonies, their melodies, their Six, playing, in Hamburg when the heart and their fun, and strongly Beatles were there. I thought he believed others did too. looked very old, (through the eyes of youth) but he wrote the songs and In retrospect it was indeed a could play bass and Terry wanted great idea, proven out by The him in. The Idea for the band was Monkees who with shrewd business becoming a reality. management and fantastic songs, were able to achieve huge success We all met up at the Apple later on, but we were first. building in Baker St.in the now famous white office and after some Taken at the Hanover Grand launch party. Me having banter with Paul! discussion and question fielding, what a nice, gentle chap he drunk the room was spinning out of everyone confirmed they were in. was, this became unintentionally control and it was so hot, trying to We obviously had to call the band advantageous later on. sleep that night!!! … Nightmare … something, and in fact the name came later on. Terry was previously It’s worth saying that George, We did several BBC Radio recording involved with Brian Epstein running and Geoff, Pete and I had sessions, up at Delaware road, a car company, (the man from the come from different musical London. These were made famous motor trade?) “Bridor Cars” and backgrounds. Whereas George because all the bands used to do turns out to be big buddy’s with was an accomplished musician, them and the recordings were John Lennon and in conversation used to the ‘what key’s it in?… pretty good, we did some with the asked him for a name for the band after 4…’ approach, we although Castaways. I’ve heard Geoff say he so John in usual pragmatic style said good, worked best by working out thinks these Grapefruit recordings “Grapefruit” not least because his between us what we were gonna do are better than the records we did wife Yoko was releasing a book by before hand. So for me there was as they didn’t have all the “Nuts” the same name! always going to be a problem… squeezed out of them (technical Term).