Sixties City presents a wide-ranging series of articles on all aspects of the Sixties, penned by the creator of the iconic 60s music paper  Mersey Beat

Alan Price


I wouldn’t want to die now because I think I’ve got a lot to do…there’s been a lot of death in my family over the last couple of years…the thing that hurt most was when my old lady passed away last New Year’s Eve…I was right there ‘til the end and felt so helpless…I suppose it’s the ultimate experience. I think I’m a difficult person to get to know and it’s very hard for any girl to put up with me, never mind love me…I think love is habit, laziness – that’s about it.

I think to have religion is a great thing because you’ve got set rules laid down for you…it’s much harder to break your own rules and live by them…I’d love to believe in Christ, Buddha or any religion – but common-sense dictates that the only life we have is when you’re born ‘til the time you kick it…I’ve studied religious knowledge at Grammar School and that was when I really questioned it all…I think there’s a lot that we don’t understand and if there’s something else after death I’ll be very grateful to think it’s not all finished then.

I can’t stand putting my destiny in other people’s hands…people who fly planes or drive cars or trains – that’s something you have no control over and that’s the only thing that frightens me*.

Show biz has been very good to me…I’ve met a lot of people and seen a lot of things, that’s a good point…but I’m a great believer in ‘ignorance is bliss’ and some of the things I’ve come across have confused me…but I’m starting to get it together ‘cause I’m happier now than I’ve ever been in my whole life…I don’t think it’s a rat race…I think it’s the most rewarding thing for me to be involved with, with limited abilities.

It's terrible not being able to help people who are unhappy because I know what it does to me when I’m brought down – there’s only one person can help me and that’s me, so that’s why I feel for other people. As for War – I’m the opposite to Chas – I don’t think there’s going to be a Third World War…I think Cuba was the nearest we’ve ever been to it…as far as War goes, I’m the eternal optimist.
Alan Price


Sixties City Note: As he travelled the world performing his hits he was gripped with the constant fear of flying and revealed that he had to have a shot of vodka before he could even step on a plane. “I once did a tour of 70 cities so that meant 70 vodkas!” said Alan. In more recent times Alan has also talked about how his plane phobia grounded plans for a reunion with former Animals’ lead singer Eric Burdon who invited Alan to New Orleans to take part in a benefit following the floods which devastated the southern American state. The rock legends would have got together for a nostalgic rendition of 'The House of the Rising Sun' but Alan said: “I couldn’t go because I just hate flying.” This fear is said to be one of the major reasons Alan left The Animals in 1965. After leaving the Animals, Price went on to have success on his own with his own band The Alan Price Set and later as a duo with Georgie Fame.



Mersey Beat Magazine Bill Harry attended the Liverpool College of Art with Stuart Sutcliffe and John Lennon and made the arrangements for Brian Epstein to visit The Cavern, where he saw The Beatles for the first time. Bill was a member of 'The Dissenters' and the founder and editor of 'Mersey Beat', the iconic weekly music newspaper that documented the early Sixties music scene in the Liverpool area and is possibly best known for being the first periodical to feature a local band called 'The Beatles'. He has worked as a high powered publicist, doing PR for acts such as Suzi Quatro, Free, The Arrows and Hot Chocolate and has managed press campaigns for record labels such as CBS, EMI, Polydor. Bill is the critically acclaimed author of a large number of books about The Beatles and the 60s era including 'The Beatles Who's Who', 'The Best Years of the Beatles' and the Fab Four's 'Encyclopedia' series. He has appeared on 'Good Morning America' and has received a Gold Award from the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors.


Article Text Bill Harry       Original Graphics SixtiesCity      Other individual owner copyrights may apply to Photographic Images

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