Will we ever know the truth behind the greatest Beatles myth?

Will we ever know the truth behind the Beatles’ myth that is Raymond Jones – sadly I think not, and here’s why.

For 34 years, this legendary character failed to materialize after being instrumental in the signing of the biggest music group to have ever walked the planet – The Beatles.

Apparently, in 1961 a young leather-clad man walked into NEMS music store in Liverpool and asked the owner for a record by Tony Sheridan and the Beatles – the owner obliged by ordering the said record and the leather-clad man collected it a week later – never to be seen or heard of again…. until 1995 that is.

Alistair Taylor claimed, 34 years later, that he had made up the above event and that he was in fact ‘Raymond Jones’. Alistair was Brian’s Epstein's assistant at the music store and was aware that there had been several enquiries about the record but no firm orders. Brian refused to stock a box of records unless there was a solid request – convinced he could sell a whole box of these records, Alistair entered a fictional name in the order book – Raymond Jones. Why Alistair chose this particular name he never said (maybe he had spoken to a Ray Jones earlier that particular day, for example. the future member of 60’s band The Dakotas)

However several people doubt Alistair’s account and claim he made up the story to gain 15 minutes of fame. They also cite the surfacing of the ‘real’ Raymond Jones a further 7 years after Taylor’s initial claim.

This ‘real’ Raymond Jones gave an interview in 2002 stating he only came forward after being annoyed by Alistair Taylor’s claims… hmm, alarm bells begin to ring as seven years is a very long time to be annoyed before taking action in anyone’s ‘book’!

Apparently, it was this Raymond Jones who went into NEMS and spoke to Brian Epstein who gladly ordered the copy of ‘My Bonnie’ – the Beatles record in question.

According to his interview on a Beatles-related website (www.beatlesbible.com) this Jones was a big fan of the Mersey music scene and a regular visitor to the lunchtime band sessions at The Cavern (a stone’s throw from Brian Epstein’s famous record store).

After seeing the Beatles perform live several times and becoming a fan, Jones went along to NEMS to enquire about the record. Despite being ‘on the music scene’ this Raymond Jones apparently had no idea who Brian Epstein was. By this time Brian was also a regular columnist for Mersey Beat music magazine.

There appear to be a few other anomalies contained within Jones' interview. He also claims he met with Brian just prior to him writing his autobiography ‘A Cellar Full of Noise’. Later, a neighbour of Jones wrote to Mr Epstein (why she wrote, Jones doesn’t know) Epstein replied asking for the young man’s address so he could send him a signed copy of his book. The item apparently arrived a week or so later.

When asked if he still had the signed copy of Epstein’s book and his copy of “My Bonnie” (the Beatles highly-prized debut single), Jones admitted he has no idea what happened to them.  

So nobody knows where they are now… however, Jones still has the letter that Epstein sent to his neighbour – the same neighbour he failed to ask why she contacted Brian in the first place… Personally, I’d have kept the letter with the book.

One thing I would put money on is that this Raymond Jones does still have his signed copy of Spencer Leigh’s ‘Best of Fellas’ – the book that ‘reveals’ his side of the story.

Going back to the subject of grabbing 15 minutes of fame, I’m not that sure Alistair Taylor can be guilty of this. This is the man who accompanied Brian Epstein to that famous lunchtime Cavern visit (fact), it is Taylor’s signature that features on the very first Beatles’ management contract – not Brian’s (fact), it was Taylor who arranged all manner of purchases for the Beatles (including buying Dorinish Island for John Lennon - fact), it was Taylor who was one of the first on the scene after Epstein passed away (fact) and it was Taylor who then went on to become General manager of Apple (fact). The list goes on.

In 1995 when Alistair Taylor ‘revealed’ Raymond Jones didn’t exist he was already a much sought-after speaker on the Beatles convention circuit – across Europe and America. I’m not sure what he had to gain by ‘inventing’ the Jones’ story – financially or publicity-wise. I can understand why he wanted to debunk certain myths – especially as according to the definitive Beatles Anthology - Alistair Taylor does not exist! His name doesn’t appear once.

Along with Taylor and the above Raymond Jones, others have also come forward, claiming to be the namesake that catalyzed the Beatles revolution.

One thing is for certain though, if Taylor did make up the name ‘Raymond Jones’ some 52 years ago, for the sake of another rainforest not being felled, thank heavens he didn’t go with ‘John Smith’.