Tim Hudson - From the Beatles to Botham: And All the B...s... In Between

George Timothy Hudson, born 11 February 1940, in a suburb of Manchester, should, by all the rules of inheritance, have lived a righteous and unblemished life as a cotton merchant: middle-class, respectable and respected.

Instead he became cricketer (for Lancashire and Surrey second elevens) leading DJ in Hollywood, rock and roll promoter, discoverer of The Moody Blues, launcher (in California) of Flower Power, Los Angeles property owner, builder, renovator, innovator and restaurateur, the intended spouse of Dean Martins daughter, husband of four, lover of many, Ian Bothams friend and business adviser, owner of a Cheshire mansion and of a private adjoining cricket pitch: a man constantly effervescent with plans and projects.

He has been both penniless and rich, not once, but several times. He has suffered the slings of outrageous fortune but invariably volleyed them back.

Men invariably do not take to him easily; women have been known to take to him too easily. He has the raffish air of a latter-day Errol Flynn (in whose house he once lived).

His cotton merchant stepfather told him not to run with too fast a crowd. Hudson ran with the fastest. His stepfather said a man should appear in newspapers only three times in his life: when he was born, when he married and when he died. Hudson has figured in headlines all his life.

He is the black sheep who ended up richer than the white, flew the skull and cross-bones flag at his Cheshire home together with that of the Republic of California, entertains a stream of diverse visitors, and goes back to California (where he has two homes) with his New Yorker wife, Maxi, when the weather turns cold. A Californian showbiz agent described him Hollywoods untold legend, thus missing the chance of telling it. Now, Hudson has written his own book From The Beatles to Botham to show how the legend unfolds.

Many of those who come to my door are clear-headed on arrival, but confused upon exit particularly those who have to write about my life .

Nothing connects, you see. My life seems logical enough to me in its progression from Lancashire textiles to cricket, to rock and roll, to DJ, to property, back to DJ, to real estate, back to cricket, back to textiles, back to Lancashire (the club) and Cheshire (the county), taking in along the way four wives, cannabis, LSD, mescaline, a couple of homes in California and a couple of homes in Britain. It is totally baffling to everyone else .

To compound the confusion, I have been young tycoon, sartorial Beatle, Errol Flynn, honest craftsman, squire, poet, hippie, lover and guru. Compressed in the fashion of newspapers this makes little sense; it is as if they write about a dozen different people. And since they are confused, viewers and readers are also confused. I hope I am now dispelling the mystery with some success .

Tim Hudson

This book is dedicated to my wives,
lovers and friends, but above all
to Maxi the one who made it happen.

FROM THE BEATLES TO BOTHAM

and all the b... s... in between

Tim Hudson

Foreword by John Bellany, A.R.A.

RETRO CLASSICS

is a collection of facsimile reproductions
of popular bestsellers from the 1980s and 1990s

From The Beatles to Botham was first published in hardback in 1990
by Lennard Books Ltd

Re-issued in 2014 as a Retro Classic
by G2 Rights

Copyright Timothy Hudson 1990

ISBN 978-1-78281-096-4

Designed by Pocknell & Co
Jacket Illustration by Peter Sutton
Cover design by Pocknell & Co

This book is a facsimile reproduction of the first edition of From The Beatles to Botham No attempt has been made to alter any of the wording with the benefit of hindsight, or to update the book in any way.

Around the year 1959 a curious ritual was to be observed at Prestbury railway station in Cheshire, that area of the county known to newspapers then, and now, however erroneously, as the stockbroker belt of Manchester.

Henry B. Hudson, my stepfather, and I would be off to our work at the cotton firm of Richard Hudson and Sons Ltd in the citys Newton Street. I was 19, fresh out of public school. I always walked three paces behind, and invariably referred to him as Sir.

Morning, Mr Hudson [this to my stepfather]. Those geraniums were marvellous at the show. I dont think you should have taken second place.

I to my third-class compartment to read Swanton in the Daily Telegraph, he to his first-class compartment to read the Daily Mail.

At the office Morning, Mr Henry. Morning, Mr Timothy. Morning, Beckers. Desks with stools all the way along. Big invoice books. Scratchy dip pens. Deference, pride, service, quality and arrogance all had a home here. Thank you for your letter of the 3rd inst... We [never I] thank you for your business. Yours faithfully, Henry B. Hudson.

For him, I was to send out countless invoices in countless brown manilla envelopes, the envelopes embossed in small type with the name of the firm. Our forte was shirtings, interlinings and bra fabrics. Scratch, scratch, dip, dip, and home to that merchant-class house with its conservatory, lawn at the front, swishing drive, and two and a half acres of garden.

1940

THE BEGINNING OF THE BRAVE NEW WORLD

THE FABULOUS FORTIES

MUSIC

When You Wish Upon A Star... Pinocchio. Beat Me Daddy Eight to the Bar... Andrews Sisters. Well Meet Again... Vera Lynn. Fantasia... I still play the soundtrack. Sinatra joined the Benny Goodman Orchestra.

MOVIES

Castle on the Hudson... John Garfield (died, too much booze and drugs). Best movie... Rebecca with James Stewart. Grapes of Wrath... Henry Fonda.

EVENTS

Germany invades Denmark.

1941

SONGS

American Patrol... Glenn Miller. The White Cliffs of Dover... Vera Lynn. Silent Night... Bing Crosby. Lili Marlene... Marlene Dietrich.

MOVIES

How Green Was My Valley. High Sierra. The Sea Wolf. Sgt York.

EVENTS

Hello Pearl Harbor and the Japanese... Good Morning. Joe Dimaggio... Where Are You... Superman. Joe Louis... The Brown Bomber... Bang Bang, Shot You Right Down.

1942

SONGS

Chattanooga Choo Choo... Glenn Miller. Yi Yi Yi Yi (I Like You Very Much)... Carmen Miranda.

MOVIES

Casablanca. They Died With Their Boots On... Errol Flynn. Yankee Doodle Dandy. Mrs Miniver... Greer Garson... She always reminded me of my Aunt Molly... even when I met the great lady.

1943

SONGS

Coming In On A Wing And A Prayer... Anne Shelton. People Will Say Were In Love... Oklahoma... The first original cast album. Besame Mucho. Jingle Bells... Andrews Sisters... Bing Crosby. Pistol Packin Mama.

MOVIES

For Whom The Bell Tolls. The Outlaw... the bra 38DD... the wire job... the first sexy picture I remember.

EVENTS

Dont forget the Blonde Bombshell herself... the one inside all the American guys lockers... Betty Grable.

1944

SONGS

Swinging On A Star... Bing Crosby. Begin The Beguine... Youll Never Know... Dick Haymes... didnt he marry Rita Hayworth? Into Each Life Some Rain Must Fall... Ella... the lady... werent The Inkspots in here somewhere?