Во время ремонта станции в Ливерпуле найдена афиша Битлз 1962 года

Brian Epstein booked Little Richard for a NEMS Enterprises. presentation, Little Richard At The Tower. This was for a spectacular show at the Tower Ballroom, New Brighton, on 12 October 1962. It was a five-and-a-half-hour show, with entrance costing only ten shillings and sixpence (52.5p) with a support bill comprising the Beatles, Billy Kramer with the Coasters, the Dakotas with Pete MacLaine, the Four Jays, Lee Curtis & the All Stars, the Merseybeats, Rory Storm & the Hurricanes and the Undertakers. Little Richard also appeared at the Cavern that day when the Beatles appeared at a lunchtime session. Backstage at the Tower, Bill Harry had commissioned photographer Les Chadwick to cover the event on behalf of Mersey Beat and arranged a photograph of Richard and the Beatles together.

In an interview for Mersey Beat at the time. Little Richard said, 'Man, those Beatles are fabulous. If I hadn't seen them I'd never have dreamed they were white. They have a real authentic Negro sound.'

Epstein also booked Little Richard to top the bill at Liverpool's Empire Theatre later that month on 28 October. He tried to include Sam Cooke on the programme, but the singer was unavailable, so Craig Douglas was second on the bill and during his spot he was backed by the Beatles. Jet Harris, Kenny Lynch and Sounds Incorporated were also on the bill and the Beatles had their own spot.

In the book The Life And Times Of Little Richard (Charles Wood, Harmony Books, 1984), Richard claims that after the Beatles came off stage at the Empire, Brian Epstein approached him and said, 'Richard, I'll give you fifty per cent of the Beatles.' Richard commented, 'I couldn't accept 'cos I never thought they would make it.'

Richard also said that he developed a close relationship with Paul, 'but me and John couldn't make it. John had a nasty personality.' With Paul the obvious Richard enthusiast, the two were bound to get on together and Richard said, 'Paul is like my blood brother. I believe if I was hungry, Paul would feed me. We're that tight. Paul is a humanitarian.'

When Apple Records was launched and George Harrison began producing other acts, he said, 'Little Richard, that's who I'd love to record. He's a fantastic character with a fantastic voice - and whether he's singing rock or gospel, he's still great.'

By Bill Harry