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The story of the Liverpool men who imported music and fashions that became the basis of Merseybeat is the subject of a new documentary film.

Liverpool鈥檚 Cunard Yanks, features five men who worked as merchant seaman sailing听 from Liverpool to New York and back on the Cunard line.

The merchant seaman would bring back the latest music and fashion from New York and are often credited with returning from the US with the rock and roll music that influenced The Beatles.

The Cunard Yanks today

鈥淚t鈥檚 a hidden history that in a way is hidden no more,鈥� says producer and director Mike Morris.

鈥淭he Beatles themselves, in their Anthology acknowledged as Ringo Starr said, that Liverpool was all about the sea.鈥�

Super-Information Highway

One of the five men featured in the film, Ivan Haywood, sold a black Gretsch guitar to a young George Harrison which he had bought in New York in 1957.

The men sailed to New York

Mike Morris believes that the Cunard Yanks story is highly significant in Liverpool鈥檚 musical development, 鈥淚f you look at the significance of these guys sailing to New York on the liners, it was really like the first super-information highway.鈥�

鈥淭he music wasn鈥檛 available, the clothes were of a completely different style and quality. The real significance lies in the link through to the Mersey Sound and The Beatles. And why Liverpool as a port was different to any other place and the country at that stage.

The one hour documentary, Liverpool鈥檚 Cunard Yanks, narrated by Paul Gambiccini premiered at the Liverpool Philharmonic on 21 June, 2007.

The film was made by Souled Out Films with the support of the Liverpool Culture Company.