We Had a Neil Aspinall

Neil Aspinall, a road manager and later head of The Beatles’ Apple Corp., died a couple of days ago at 66. he was around when the Pete Best Beatles were taking the bus to gigs and he was the one who bought a van to take them around. A childhood friend of McCartney and Harrison he was still road manger through the Beatlemania years and helped them through the times after Brian Epstein died in 1967. In addition he was instrumental in bringing the old Beatles catalogue to date by digitizing them and thus preserving them. In all, he was a good friend who kept them together and got them to their gigs.

We had a Neil Aspinall. His name was, and is, Arnold Scheffer. His nickname was “Ziff,” named after Arnold Ziffel, the pig on “Green Acres.” He was the driver and van provider during my first days in a band. His dad owned the bakery so we would load our gear in the bakery van and head to places unknown, or barely known. Ziff was in it for the excitement, girls and notoriety. But like Aspinall, in ways, he would make sure that we got to the gigs on time.

There were other things he did:

• Put tin foil in the fuse box so we could play our last set (not recommended)
• Run around buying or borrowing extension cords when there was only two plugs in the hall.
• Chatted up the girls while we were on stage.
• Arranged for parties after the gig.
• Took money at the door for our dances.
• Drove whomever need to go – to the hospital.
• Critiqued our songs

In all Ziff was a good friend who liked u music and the aura around the band. So goodbye to Neil and Ziff, wherever you are, thanks!