New York, NY (Top40 Charts/ Shore Fire Media) ROYSTON ELLIS blasted into Britain's literary world as the ultimate teenage rebel poet with his first books, JIVING TO GYP (1959) and RAVE (1960). Ellis created "rocketry", reciting his poems to rock n' roll. In Liverpool, he was backed by a scruffy young beat combo called The Beetles — John Lennon, Paul McCartney,
George Harrison and Stu Sutcliffe.
It was Ellis who suggested they change the spelling of their band name to the Beatles, and who later became the inspiration for their hit record Paperback Writer. In 1960 he caused a nationwide controversy with his remarks on teenage lifestyle in the television program Living For Kicks. (1960)
He was backed on television and on stage by Cliff Richard's original group, the Shadows, and by Jimmy Page, later of the Yardbirds, and subsequently, Led Zeppelin.
Ellis left England to roam the world in 1963, but not before a photograph was snapped saying farewell to his Liverpool friends, who had now replaced their hair oil and leather for mod haircuts and collarless suits. Royston recently unearthed this photograph, which started people asking about the fellow with the beard. Now, the story can be told. Mr. Ellis has written an informative introduction to GONE MAN SQUARED, describing the post-war British teen angst scene that spawned poetry and rock n' roll, and specifically, Royston's own "rocketry".
Jimmy Page honors Royston with a flashback foreword that goes back over fifty years to when he was a young guitarist backing the bearded Beat poet.
Royston Ellis went on to write novels, histories, and more poetry. He finally settled in Asia, where he resides today, active with his pen and still, his "rocketry".
Out of print for over fifty years, his first two books JIVING TO GYP (1959) and RAVE (1960) are included here in GONE MAN SQUARED in entirety, with select early works, many previously unpublished. His introduction provides a rare glimpse into the early days of British beat poetry and music.
