HARD DAYS NIGHT

I know this website is about music but you know I’m a multi faceted type of guy and my love of music is almost equalled by love of literature.

My image is of a hard drinking, hard living rock n roll monster …. and well that is all true. But when I occasionally stop partying I love nothing more than burying myself within the pages of a good book. And in recent years there’s been more great books about music than you can shake a very large stick at.

The University of Liverpool (of which I’m a proud alumni) is hosting its usual Liverpool Literary Festival in October. It features some Liverpool literary legends in the shape of Roger McGough and the wonderful human being and writer that is Frank Cottrell Boyce.

There’s a fascinating looking event with Samira Ahmed. Broadcaster Samira has written a book about A Hard Day’s Nightand shows brilliantly how the film captures the indelible image of the Fab Four.

Samira will be in conversation with the University’s own brilliant Holly Tessler, who I’ve been fortunate to work with in recent years as a member of The Beatles Legacy Group.

But not only will you get a chance to hear what is sure be a fascinating conversation you will also have the chance to see a screening of the wonderful film itself A Hard Day’s Night. It’s a film I watch any chance it can and for me it captures the band at their very best. Still young, handsome, incredibly funny and still able to enjoy the ride on the way to becoming the biggest band in the world. They are defiantly Liverpudlian throughout and as a kid watching it I loved that these funny people came from my city.

They all come across as natural actors alongside their professional screen colleagues and of course the music is just sublime.

Samira’s book reveals how The Beatle’s first film changed both the band themselves and pop music’s relationship with the big screen.

It’s sure to be a wonderful night.

Kev McManus