Casbah Coffee Club facts for kids
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| Location | 8 Hayman's Green, West Derby, Liverpool, England |
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| Owner | Mona Best |
| Capacity | 300 |
| Opened | 29 August 1959 |
| Closed | 24 June 1962 |
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Listed Building – Grade II
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| Official name: Casbah Club | |
| Designated: | 15 September 2006 |
| Reference #: | 1391759 |
The Casbah Coffee Club, also known as the Casbah Club, was a famous rock and roll music place in Liverpool, England. It was open from 1959 to 1962. Mona Best, who was the mother of Pete Best (an early drummer for The Beatles), started the club. It was in the cellar of her family home.
Mona wanted the Casbah to be a club just for her sons, Pete and Rory, and their friends. They could meet there and listen to popular music. Mona got the idea after seeing a TV show about another music club in London.
The band The Quarrymen—which included John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ken Brown—came to the club to book their first show. Mona agreed, but she needed to finish painting the club first. All four boys helped Mona paint the walls with cool designs like spiders, dragons, rainbows, and stars. Cynthia Powell, who later married John Lennon, also painted a picture of John on the wall. You can still see it today!
The Quarrymen often played at the Casbah. Other places, like The Cavern Club, only allowed jazz music back then. The cellar, with its original paintings, still exists and looks much like it did.
In 2006, a special announcement was made. Culture Minister David Lammy said that the Casbah Club would become a Grade II listed building. This means it is an important historical place. It also got a blue plaque, which is a sign that marks famous buildings. This happened after English Heritage suggested it. The Casbah Club is now a place tourists can visit in Liverpool. You can also visit the former homes of Paul McCartney and John Lennon.
The Casbah Club's Story
Mona Best and her family moved to Liverpool in 1945. In 1954, they found a big old house at 8 Hayman's Green. This house was different from others in Liverpool. It was set back from the road and had 15 bedrooms. The cellar, which is a basement, was used to store coal.
Starting the Club
Mona got the idea for the club from a TV show about a coffee bar in London. She decided to open her own club in her cellar on 29 August 1959. It was a place for her sons, their friends, and other young people to enjoy music. Unlike other clubs like The Cavern, the Casbah played popular music.
Mona charged a small fee for yearly membership. This was to keep out any troublemakers. She sold soft drinks, snacks, cakes, and coffee. She even had an espresso machine, which was very new then. Music was played on a small record player.
For the opening night, Mona had booked a band called the Les Stewart Quartet. But they cancelled because two band members had a fight. George Harrison then said his friends in The Quarrymen could play instead. John Lennon, Paul McCartney, and George Harrison went to the club to arrange the show. Mona agreed, but she needed help painting. All four boys helped paint the walls with spiders, dragons, rainbows, and stars. John Lennon was short-sighted and accidentally used the wrong type of paint, which took a long time to dry. Cynthia Powell, who later became John's wife, painted a picture of him on the wall.
The Quarrymen played seven Saturday night shows at the Casbah. They started on 29 August 1959. The band had Lennon, McCartney, Harrison, and Ken Brown, but no drummer. They only had one microphone connected to a small sound system. About 300 teenagers came to the first show. It got very hot because there was no air-conditioning and everyone was dancing.
After the first night's success, Mona gave The Quarrymen a regular spot. She paid the whole group £3 a night. Every Saturday, long lines of people waited outside. Mona also charged a small fee to get in, which helped her financially. Later, Lennon convinced Mona to let another guitar player, Harry, play a short set. This was mainly so The Quarrymen could use his powerful amplifier.
Pete Best, Mona's son, wanted to be in a band. So, Mona bought him a drum kit. Pete then started his own band called The Black Jacks. They also played at the Casbah. Ken Brown joined The Black Jacks after leaving The Quarrymen. Brown left The Quarrymen because he was sick with the flu one Saturday night. Mona told him to rest upstairs. When Mona came to pay the band, the other members wanted Brown's share of the money. Mona refused, so The Quarrymen got angry and stopped playing at the Casbah.
Other famous artists and groups also played at the Casbah. These included Cilla Black, Rory Storm and the Hurricanes, The Searchers, and Gerry & The Pacemakers. The Black Jacks became the main band at the Casbah. The Quarrymen sometimes played there again and often visited. It was at the Casbah Club that Lennon and McCartney convinced Stuart Sutcliffe to buy a special bass guitar. He bought it with money he won in an art show. Even though the club had over a thousand members, Mona closed it on 24 June 1962. The Beatles were the last group to perform there.
Why the Casbah Club is Important
In 2006, the Casbah Club was given a special status as a Grade II listed building. This means it is protected because of its history. It also received a blue plaque. The club is now open for visitors. You can also visit the former homes of Paul McCartney and John Lennon nearby.
Paul McCartney said, "I think it's a good idea to let people know about the Casbah. They know about The Cavern, but the Casbah was where it all started. We even helped paint it. We thought of it as our own club."
Bob Hawkins from English Heritage said the Casbah Club rooms are very important. They show how The Beatles started, became popular, and influenced music around the world. The club still looks much like it did when it closed in 1962. You can still see the wall and ceiling paintings by the original band members. There are also old musical instruments, amplifiers, and chairs from the 1960s. He said there is no other place like it in Liverpool or anywhere else.
See also
In Spanish: The Casbah Coffee Club para niños
