West Abbey Road: A Beatles Christmas brings some Christmas cheer to the Sapphire Room on December 8, when they present their 4thAnnual Christmas Concert. Abbey Road, of course, may be a street in London, but in the Treasure Valley, West Abbey Road is keeping the music of the Beatles alive. The band members—Brown Lemon, Paul McCartwright, Ringo Starz and Harrison Gorge—have been long considered one of the top tribute bands dedicated to the music and legacy of the Beatles. For West Abbey Road, the Beatles were not just a band, but a part of musical history; and for several of the members, even a part of their own history.
West Abbey Road has been very popular at bringing the sound of the Beatles to events in the Boise area, even performing at several of the Idaho British Car Club’s Field Meets/All British Car Shows. The Boise Beat sat down recently to talk with Ringo Starz (Frank Beale, drums and vocals) and Harrison Gorge (Doug Davis, keyboards, guitar and vocals). They, along with Brown Lemon (Darin Gere, guitar and vocals) and Paul McCartwright (bass and vocals), bring the Beatles’ songs to life, giving many a chance to experience the songs live in a way they might not have had a chance to do back in the Beatles’ heyday.
Q: When did you first start enjoying the Beatles?
A: (D) I enjoyed them the minute I saw them on the Ed Sullivan Show, in spite of all the comments that my dad was making about their appearance back then in the 60’s. I started playing a lot of their music immediately, so I’ve been a fan ever since.
(F) Like Doug, when they first landed and first started playing, of course with the long hair and the Beatle boots, all that; I was just completely taken in by it. Then in 1966 when I saw them live, I decided that I really wanted to find out what this was all about, so I’ve been a fan for however long that is. I’ve never stopped loving their music; and I now have the distinct privilege of playing in a Beatles tribute band.
Q: This month is the 50thAnniversary of the Beatle’s White Album. Why is that important so many years later?
A: (F) It seems that everything the Beatles did was significant. They went through a lot of changes as far as their composition and their music was concerned. I think the White Album, in my opinion, really defined the Beatles as everybody expected. It really reinforced and defined the Beatles as a group that changed the whole aspect of music; and the White Album I think was the pinnacle of all of their writing through Paul McCartney, John Lennon and even George Harrison. I think it was the pinnacle of everything they’d done up to that time, so the 50thAnniversary was significant, as was the 50thAnniversary of when the Beatles invaded the U.S.
(D) They’ve just been the leaders in many of the musical ideas that have ever come onto existence. They’ve paved the way for other musicians and have been so prolific that they need to be recognized; and the 50thAnniversary says volumes for their success and their influence on the music industry.
Q: It’s one thing to do a musical tribute with songs by bands that people are somewhat familiar with. With the people, the Beatles songs have played such a role in people’s lives, so does that make it a lot more difficult?
A: (F) No, I don’t think it does. We find, when we put on our show, that people find themselves going back—in fact, one of our lines is “We’re not really the Beatles as you can see, but we’re going to pretend to be the Beatles and give you the best show we can, but we want you to pretend like you’re seventeen and go back to that time!“. One of our goals is, for three hours, to get people away from any trouble or anything that is going on, because they will sing almost all the lyrics with us. In fact, at one show that we did, there was a gentleman that brought a Beatles lyric book. When we would start to play a song, he would flip that book to the page and sing along with us. This was at the Sapphire Room, some time ago. We feel like the music that we do has a direct connection with people that lived in the Beatles’ era.
(D) What helped us decide to do a Beatles tribute band was the fact that the Beatles’ music is identifiable with every one; and everyone has a special memory that’s tied to a Beatles song. We do our very best to duplicate that song in every way we can, from the solos to the voicing and harmonies. When we get the people involved in it, it makes it fun for us and fun for them. That’s very rewarding.
(F) I know that a lot of times in the band, we say “West Abbey Road, A Beatles Tribute Band”. To me, there is a definite difference between a tribute band snd a cover band. This is my opinion and my definition, but West Abbey Road, as a tribute band—if we just played the music and did it our own way—I don’t know if anyone can actually duplicate the Beatles’ music as the did it; I think that’s impossible. But we as a tribute band; and in tribute to the Beatles, try and do our music as close to the way that they did it. We don’t try to put in our own rendition of that particular song, we try and do it true, as much as we can to the way the Beatles did it. In cover bands, they put in their own style. People often have said, West Abbey Road, a Beatles cover band. I guess we are, but I think we go the extra mile by trying to play the music as it was done, to the best of our ability. The three guys, Doug, Darin and Brad, their harmonies are so incredible and so close to what the Beatles did—I think that really helps to sell the group. We try to be a true tribute to the Beatles and not just cover their music.
Q: You have a major show coming up at the Sapphire Room in Boise on December 8.….
A: (F) This is going to be our 4thAnnual Christmas Show. We don’t play a lot of Christmas music, but we have some surprises and some gifts to hand out. For this particular show, what we’re doing—we are adding some new material to the show. It will be some music from after the Beatles—for example, after a Beat;es song we are going to play a tune from Paul McCartney and Wings. Then we’ll play a song from John Lennon that was after the Beatles and George Harrison too. The guys are going to try to let me sing one by Ringo, an after the Beatles thing. We’re going to add those to the show and we’re going to do some fun things with 60’s TV shows and tie that in.
(D) One of our goals is to always do a little different show every time we perform some place, so that the people that are our following can show up and always have something new to listen to.That’s one of our goals and that’s why we practice as much as we do to bring in new material. It makes it more fun for our our people and more fun for us, even though it is more challenging. This Christmas Show—the Beatles didn’t do a lot of Christmas music, obviously, but we try to bring in the holidays with any tricks that we can to incorporate Christmas.
(F) The Beatles used to do every Christmas, a Christmas recording for their fan club. They would always do a special recording that was never published, but would be sent to all their fan club members every Christmas. We’re not quite that far yet!
Q: What made you want to recreate the music of the Beatles?
A: (F) Back in August of 1966, I had the privilege of seeing the Beatles live. Being a drummer in bands throughout junior high school, high school, college and into my later years, I’ve always loved the Beatles’ music. Six or seven years ago, some musicians decided they wanted to try a Beatles thing, so we got together and played around with it a little bit. Then we changed members, we picked up doug Davis, have regrouped several times and found people that really want to play the Beatles music just because it’s fun and it’s iconic. We dress up, we wear the wigs, we wear the suits. We make an attempt to speak with a British accent and give the people that are there for the show a full-on Beatles tribute.
Q: What is the background of the members of West Abbey Road?
A: (F) I started taking private lessons on the drums in Spokane from one of Stan Kenton’s old drummers. I just really got turned on to playing, that was back when I really didn’t have a drum set, it was just the basics. As time went on, I just continued to love playing the drums. I studied privately for twelve years and played in bands throughout that time. It has just been a part of me—I am 69 years old and I started when I was 8, so that’s 61 years of playing music. Being able to work with such musicians as in West Abbey Road such as Doug Davis, who is an unbelievably accomplished keyboardist. Darin Gere, our lead guitarist, has played all over the world with some big names and in California. Our bass player Brad, we call him ‘The Kid”, is a self-taught musician. He can play drums, guitar, bass and keyboards. It’s just the thrill of playing with great musicians and emulating the Beatles’ music.
(D) I know that Darin Gere started out as a little kid because his dad said “you’re going to learn to play guitar”. I have never played with a guitarist as good as Darin, he can play anything at any speed in any key; he is absolutely incredible! Brad, even though he is self-taught, understands music and music theory, so he is incredible on bass. Frank is just incredible as a spokesperson for the band as well as on the drums. I started organ lessons at age six. I’ve been playing in bands ever since I was a sophomore in high school back in 1966. I’m so old, the Dead Sea wasn’t even sick yet when I was born! I love playing in bands—it’s very gratifying to do so because you have fun and then the people have fun; and when they have fun you have fun and it’s very rewarding.
Q: Is there a certain Beatles song that really has a lot of meaning to you?
A: (F) That’s great question! Most of them bring back a lot of memories of high school and friends and bands; so I can’t think of any one song that has specific meaning. With all their songs, I can tell you, where I was, what I was doing and those kind of things, but not one specific one.
(D) That is an extremely difficult question, because I have so many favorites. The list is incredible, especially since they were so prolific. It is funny you should ask, because a lot of the time we’ll say “for our next show, we’ll add in some new songs and take other ones out”; and then we ‘ll sit there and say”No, we can’t take that one out….the people love that one…..and then with another one…..we need to keep that one in there”, so it is really difficult, since so many songs mean so many things to so many people, ourselves included.
Q: Thanks so much and we’re looking forward to seeing West Abbey Road at the Sapphire Room!
The music of the Beatles has achieved a timeless quality, with many of their compositions considered not only classics of the rock era but some of the best music ever written. West Abbey Road has succeeded in bringing the group’s music to life in a way that most were unable to ever enjoy in reality. Adding in some Christmas Cheer too; and West Abbey Road: A Beatles Christmas at the Sapphire Room should be a wonderful way to not only ring in the holidays but also to enjoy songs that mean a lot to many generations now, performed by a group that really knows how to bring these songs to life.
West Abbey Road: A Beatles Christmas
Saturday, December 8, 2018 (doors open at 6:30pm, show at 7:30pm)
Sapphire Room
Riverside Hotel
2900 W. Chinden Blvd.
Boise, ID 83714
(208) 343-1871
Show tickets and info website
West Abbey Road Facebook Page
Photos by Pam Davis, courtesy of West Abbey Road
