British Music Experience - Liverpool

Ddigger

I did try the search function first...

British Music Experience in Liverpool - is it worth a visit?  Any tips on what to definitely see or skip?

Going to be in Liverpool with the family for a couple of days.  11yo is a massive Beatles fan (plays an Epiphone Casino Coupe) and we'll be doing the Beatles tour.

Missus came across this place by accident and I had never heard about it.

Thanks.

Musicwolf

We did it a couple of years ago.  It was faily interesting.

What I enjoyed more was The Beatles Experience (at The Albert Dock).  I thought that it would be just for Japanese tourists, but it was very interesting and, despite thinking that I had good Beatles knowledge, I learned a few things.

Musicwolf

Ddigger said:

11yo is a massive Beatles fan (plays an Epiphone Casino Coupe) and we'll be doing the Beatles tour.

They'll love it because, as we all know, everybody in Liverpool knew The Beatles growing up (even the ones who weren't born then).  Also a well known fact that all Scousers are natural comedians.  Oh how our sides ache when they regale us with their humorous observations.

sticker

If you can , go to the Casbah Club . It’s exactly how it was when the Quarrymen/Beatles played there . Including the ceiling that John and Paul helped paint, johns name carved in the wall (twice) and Cynthia’s portrait of Johns silhouette. It’s where it all began. A Beatles fan must see ! 

Ddigger

sticker said:

If you can , go to the Casbah Club . It’s exactly how it was when the Quarrymen/Beatles played there.

Thanks, will look that up.

Wasn't aware of that, but I know who The Quarrymen are.

Had to watch Get Back with the boy last year (we did it 45min bites).  Some parts of it were almost magical.

tony99

I sometimes see a replica of John's psychedelic roller down by the waterfront, I know you can hire a tour in that too but it's probably a bit pricey. Looks superb though.

littlegreenman

Musicwolf said:

Ddigger said:

11yo is a massive Beatles fan (plays an Epiphone Casino Coupe) and we'll be doing the Beatles tour.

They'll love it because, as we all know, everybody in Liverpool knew The Beatles growing up (even the ones who weren't born then).  Also a well known fact that all Scousers are natural comedians.  Oh how our sides ache when they regale us with their humorous observations.

They'd split up before I was born, but I do know a few people with actual connections. A certain Mr McCartney paid for his cousins kid, who I knew growing up, to travel the world after being diagnosed with ocular dystrophy so he could see the world before he lost his sight! The tales from that trip would rival anything from any rock biography.

I'm  a boring, sombre Scouser. Most of us are. The chirpy Scousers are mostly twats 

breakstuff

I visited it last month and really enjoyed it. The only downside was that it only has a really small area covering punk and metal, but then it's not really something that Liverpool is really known for I suppose.

Incidentally, there's an area with several instruments connected to headphones that you can sit and play. The Les Paul Classic they have there is one of the best feeling guitars I've ever played. It fit me like a glove. Would love to have gone home with it  

lustycourtier

Its decent enough. The Cavern, Jacaranda and Casbah are a must too. Theres also Museum at the pierhead (where BME is) that has lots of related liverpool music stuff, Bunnymen, The Farm, OMC, HMHB, Ian Prowse/McNabb etc. 

EricTheWeary

breakstuff said:

I visited it last month and really enjoyed it. The only downside was that it only has a really small area covering punk and metal, but then it's not really something that Liverpool is really known for I suppose.

I don't know a lot about it but Eric's in Liverpool was one of the great punk and post punk venues (although in a different couple of buildings I believe) and hosted an actual early Sex Pistols gig (as so many of them got cancelled). Enshrined in the album Upstairs at Eric's by Yazoo although I guess that's more of the post punk/synthy generation which Liverpool produced a lot of. 

bloodandtears

If you can catch the tribute act "Beatles Complete" at the Cavern on a Thursday.. well worth it..

richardhomer

Worth going - some nice guitars on display and lots of hand written lyrics, etc. Liverpool is fantastic.

Musicwolf

Our son has just entered his final year at Liverpool John Moores, so he knows the city pretty well by now.  We're down the road in St Helens, so we're also not unfamiliar with the place (I've gigged at the new Cavern Club many times).

Last Christmas someone bought our son this treasure hunt.  The three of us finally got around to doing it and, to my surprise, it was really good.  Searching for clues makes you look at the city in a different way and it took us down some less familiar routes (we also stumbled across somewhere new for lunch). 

tony99

EricTheWeary said:

breakstuff said:

I visited it last month and really enjoyed it. The only downside was that it only has a really small area covering punk and metal, but then it's not really something that Liverpool is really known for I suppose.

I don't know a lot about it but Eric's in Liverpool was one of the great punk and post punk venues (although in a different couple of buildings I believe) and hosted an actual early Sex Pistols gig (as so many of them got cancelled). Enshrined in the album Upstairs at Eric's by Yazoo although I guess that's more of the post punk/synthy generation which Liverpool produced a lot of. 

The Empire was one that had loads of big rock names on though - some of the bands that played there, unbelievable.

EricTheWeary

tony99 said:

EricTheWeary said:

breakstuff said:

I visited it last month and really enjoyed it. The only downside was that it only has a really small area covering punk and metal, but then it's not really something that Liverpool is really known for I suppose.

I don't know a lot about it but Eric's in Liverpool was one of the great punk and post punk venues (although in a different couple of buildings I believe) and hosted an actual early Sex Pistols gig (as so many of them got cancelled). Enshrined in the album Upstairs at Eric's by Yazoo although I guess that's more of the post punk/synthy generation which Liverpool produced a lot of. 

The Empire was one that had loads of big rock names on though - some of the bands that played there, unbelievable.

When I was reading Sounds in the late 70s/early 80s there were certain places that seemed to get loads of bands and seemed quite exotic. Like Eric's and The Marquee and Leicester DeMontford Hall. 

Kittyfrisk

Be careful taking rides on the open air bike tours.
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DPlQuUZjEx-/?igsh=MTB1bDV2ZDljZDFvaw==

Brio

I'm from Merseyside and have realised I've not been back for over 20 years. I'll have to change that.
My 'connection' to the Beatles was the guy who played the organ at my Dad's funeral was an old workmate of his who played piano at the Cavern and used to help handle bookings, so he knew the bands and they knew him. It was all through the glory years. 
We moved south in 63 but I think George (Carter? I cant remember, its been a long time) didn't move down until the late 60s.

lustycourtier

tony99 said:

EricTheWeary said:

breakstuff said:

I visited it last month and really enjoyed it. The only downside was that it only has a really small area covering punk and metal, but then it's not really something that Liverpool is really known for I suppose.

I don't know a lot about it but Eric's in Liverpool was one of the great punk and post punk venues (although in a different couple of buildings I believe) and hosted an actual early Sex Pistols gig (as so many of them got cancelled). Enshrined in the album Upstairs at Eric's by Yazoo although I guess that's more of the post punk/synthy generation which Liverpool produced a lot of. 

The Empire was one that had loads of big rock names on though - some of the bands that played there, unbelievable.

Ellesmere Port Civic Hall was same (15 mins from Liverpool City Centre). Hendrix, Floyd etc. 

JAYJO

I saw The Skids in Erics. It changed names to Bradys 1980 for a while. Hosted U2 siousie and the banshees,The Stranglers,I think velvet underground,Dead Kennedys,

littlegreenman

Mate's dad saw Hendrix and Led Zep at the Royal Court! 

I can only claim The Cult, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Henry Rollins and EMF as a spritely 55 years old, lol.

Hawkwind at The Empire.

Various iterations of Gong in Sloanes before it became the Krazy House and latterly K/K2.

Pete Best in Litherland Town Hall in about '97, the police shut it down at 10:30 due to the noise!

Lost count of the number of there or thereabouts Goth acts I saw in Planet X over the years, was always too pissed to remember who they were 

 

Ddigger

Thanks for the tips everyone.

We did the Beatles Experience, went to the Cavern for a drink during the day when they let children in, some Greek restaurant for lunch (v.good it was) and then finished it off with the British Music Experience.

Some really cool stuff at the British Music Experience (Marc Bolan's SG Custom - can't say I ever seen a photo of him with it, but WTH).  The Union Jack Oasis Epiphone wasn't there as it is on tour with our kids...

Had a go on all the instruments (11yo is grade two drums as well as being a guitar player).  The LP Classic was a really solid guitar, but some twat had broken the high E string.  I have to say, the strings were a bit light and the action too low for me, but I did like it and the fretboard inlays were a normal colour.  I don't need any more LPs, but I have always fancied the Classics.