OK, so this post isn’t exactly about new music or a timely event, but hey, I’m on vacation…and I just experienced a major part of rock history. My wife Leah and I took a private tour of Liverpool with a heavy emphasis on The Beatles’ history. Our guide was Phil Hughes (pictured left with his van), a native Liverpudlian who’s certified to give tours in all of Northwest England, fluent in German and Danish (along with English, of course) and a couple years ago served as Keith Richards’ driver when The Rolling Stones played Manchester. You can find out more about him and his tours at tourliverpool.co.uk.

Phil drove us around town in his van that seats around 8 during peak season, but in November, the two of us got Phil to ourselves. Liverpool’s a lot bigger than I imagined and has a rich and significant history as a port. Of course, it’s also the place where all the members of the most influential and important band in rock history were born. We saw the childhood homes of John (see left), Paul, George and Ringo, as well as their schools and places where they hung out.

The most exciting part of the tour was visiting St. Peter’s Church, where John and Paul met for the first time (see left). In 1957, Paul went to see John’s skiffle band, The Quarry Men, play. Paul was impressed with the show, the two were introduced on the spot, Paul showed off his guitar skills to John, and Paul was eventually asked to join the group. By May 1960, they were The Beatles, played Liverpool’s Cavern Club nearly 300 times (see below) and changed the face of music.

If you’re planning a trip to the UK and have even a mild interest in The Beatles (and Liverpool’s place in history over the last millennium), I highly recommend visiting Liverpool (the town has a lot to offer) and taking Phil Hughes’ tour. For two people (the private tour), it was 65 pounds total. With a larger group, it’s around 13 pounds each.