October 5th, 1989, the song
"Amame" (Spanish version of 'Love Me Do', an original theme by The Beatles) is broadcast for the
first time on Venezuela's radio stations, performed by the Venezuelan new band " Los Buitres" (Los
Beat3 since 1998). The great success of this single made them rush back into the studio to record 12 Beatles
themes in Spanish (all in just one day!).
Los Beat3 drummer,
Alejandro, remembers: "We started at 9 am and left after midnight". Two years passed and they cut
their second Beatles homage record, also in Spanish.
In 1999, the band
travelled for 17 hours, to participate in the Beatle Week 'Yellow Submarine' Festival: 5 hours from Caracas
to Houston, Texas; 2 hours in transit; 6 hours from Houston, USA to London; 1 hour wait for the train from
Gatwick to Liverpool, then a 3 hour ride, to arrive and play at the Cavern Club back stage, just 4 months
before McCartney's Run Devil Run performance there. Axel made this comment: "When we were playing, lots
of people put drinks by our sides, we didn't know why. We are thirsty, ok, but we cannot possibly drink all
these beers and drinks. Please, stop, stop. I thought they were crazy! When we were about to finish, a man
came with more drinks. I asked him the meaning of all that and he explained to us that it was a way to greet
us and congratulate us for our performance. Woooh! That man was no other than Bill Heckle, the one to
'blame' for the realization of our dream". "It is like being in a movie," said Alejandro
(drums). After playing for more than an hour, very excited people came to congratulate the band. There were
beautiful comments from the public: "We hadn't felt like this since the Beatles left the Cavern!"
"This is magic!"
Some people were moved to
tears by emotion. We really believe God made our dream come true. We couldn't believe so much joy; we kept
saying, "don't exaggerate!" Ever since that day, Liverpool became our home away from home and we
fell in love with that wonderful city that gave all its magic to The Beatles, and still had some left for
us. Thank you, Liverpool!
With the expectations of
seeing our friends and fans again, we went back to Liverpool in August 2000. 'Back home' (Liverpool), the
son of our friend Dave Jones (one of the Cavern directors), picked us up at the Manchester airport, in a
mini Magical Mystery Bus and from there we went straight to play at the Cavern Pub. In there lies the
"crème de la crème" of the Beatles history (like the original Quarrymen). It was fantastic. The
rattle, sweat and heat always present, as usual, in the Beat3 performances. Everybody let's dance!
Another incredible moment
was the concert at the Royal Court. Right after they played, they received hundreds of compliments from the
audience and even the manager of the "Beats" from Argentina, came to the Venezuelan's dressing
room to congratulate them. For us Latin Americans, being recognized and appreciated by an Argentinean, is
something out of this world! Some Liverpudlian's made this comment: "Watching The Beats is like
watching a Beatles replica, a 'Beatlemania show', remember? Listening to the Fab Faux is like listening to a
Beatles record. But, when Los Beat3 are on stage, you can almost feel like the Beatles are there." Our
friend Eileen Wood, who lives very close to Pete Best, invited us to have dinner at her home and she told us
that she always went to the Cavern at lunch time, to see her friends Paul, John and George with Pete and
then with Ringo "and sincerely, you sound much better live than they did." "What?"
replied the Beat3, "What are you saying? Are you crazy? How dare you!?" Carlitos (bass and vocals)
tried to explain that: "In those times they didn't have either the equipment or the sound system
quality of today. The Fab Four have no comparisons, of course not."
Once again, for the third
year in a row, in 2001 Los Beat3 are invited to Liverpool, this time for the opening ceremony of the
festival, at Liverpool Town Hall with the Lord Mayor himself as host. This place has an enormous
significance, since The Beatles performed there right after their triumphant return to Liverpool when
"A Hard Day's Night" was premiered. And now, to reach the top of a dream, they have been hired to
cut a record in Abbey Road studios. "Before, we were happy just to be able to cross Abbey Road and take
the usual tourist photo, while the London drivers stopped their cars to let us cross. "Move,
move", we shouted, "you are ruining the picture". Then, more daring, we wrote on the white,
always repainted wall of the EMI studios. Later, gathering courage, we had our picture taken by the front
steps, little by little coming closer to the main entrance, almost inside it. Now, we're no longer outside.
We are in and the next pictures will be inside the studio, recording one of our own themes!
Can you believe it? To
quote The Beatles, "Tomorrow never knows"!
About
Los Beat3 song (This is love) in “Why don´T we do it in Abbey Road?” album by Cavern Records 2002
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