Posts
Brian Epstein was a fan of the Beatles who eventually became their manager. He served in this capacity from January 24,'62 till his death on August 27,'67 of a drug overdose. Brian also managed other acts (i.e.: Gerry and the Pacemakers, Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas, Cilla Black, and the Remo Four), but the Beatles were by far his most famous band.
In this article we will be exploring the impact that Brian Epstein had on the development of the Beatles. Long attributed to the success of the Beatles in the early years, Paul McCartney is said to have uttered the words, "If anyone was the Fifth Beatle, it was Brian".
September','34 in the port city of Liverpool, England...that's when Brian Samuel Epstein entered into the world. He told his father that he wanted to be a dress designer when he hit 16, but his father was having nothing of it. Mortified at this suggestion of a career, he ordered the young Brian to report to the family's furniture store for work. Brian really didn't want a career in furniture sales, but he did show up at the store none-the-less.
It is commonly believed that Brian first heard of the Beatles via the issues of the Mersey Beat, and on the various Beatles posters that were displayed all around Liverpool at the time. He actually went to hear them play at the Cavern Club in Liverpool on November 9,'61. He was immediately taken by their unique sound, and the sense of humor that they exhibited on stage. Everything started to develop from this one meeting, and on January 24,'62 the Beatles signed Brian to a 5-year management contract.
Although this was the first time Brian had ventured into the arena of "artist management", he made his impact known early in not only their dress code, but the attitude that they displayed on stage. It was Brian who encouraged the group to wear suits. He stopped them from smoking, swearing, drinking, or eating onstage. Do you happen to remember the synchronized bow at the end of the Beatles performances? It was Brian who suggested that particular formality.
Brian often went to London with the hope of securing a recording contract for the Beatles. This was to prove to be a tougher job than he at first realized. Rejected by many of the major record labels of the time (i.e.: Philips, Oriole, Decca, Columbia, and Pye), he eventually worked his way over to EMI. When George Martin (who was the manager of their Parlophone label) listened to Brian describe the group, he signed the Beatles without even hearing them play. George was to later say that it was Brian's enthusiasm for the Beatles that eventually won them a recording deal. Such was Brian's belief in his new group.
As we mentioned previously, Brian died of a drug overdose on August 27,'67. The Beatles did not attend his funeral as they wanted to give his family privacy. They felt that they would only have drawn the media and fans. Here's a bit of trivia... Years later, in 2008, the first contract that the Beatles signed with Brian was auctioned off for 240,000 pounds...
In this article we will be exploring the impact that Brian Epstein had on the development of the Beatles. Long attributed to the success of the Beatles in the early years, Paul McCartney is said to have uttered the words, "If anyone was the Fifth Beatle, it was Brian".
September','34 in the port city of Liverpool, England...that's when Brian Samuel Epstein entered into the world. He told his father that he wanted to be a dress designer when he hit 16, but his father was having nothing of it. Mortified at this suggestion of a career, he ordered the young Brian to report to the family's furniture store for work. Brian really didn't want a career in furniture sales, but he did show up at the store none-the-less.
It is commonly believed that Brian first heard of the Beatles via the issues of the Mersey Beat, and on the various Beatles posters that were displayed all around Liverpool at the time. He actually went to hear them play at the Cavern Club in Liverpool on November 9,'61. He was immediately taken by their unique sound, and the sense of humor that they exhibited on stage. Everything started to develop from this one meeting, and on January 24,'62 the Beatles signed Brian to a 5-year management contract.
Although this was the first time Brian had ventured into the arena of "artist management", he made his impact known early in not only their dress code, but the attitude that they displayed on stage. It was Brian who encouraged the group to wear suits. He stopped them from smoking, swearing, drinking, or eating onstage. Do you happen to remember the synchronized bow at the end of the Beatles performances? It was Brian who suggested that particular formality.
Brian often went to London with the hope of securing a recording contract for the Beatles. This was to prove to be a tougher job than he at first realized. Rejected by many of the major record labels of the time (i.e.: Philips, Oriole, Decca, Columbia, and Pye), he eventually worked his way over to EMI. When George Martin (who was the manager of their Parlophone label) listened to Brian describe the group, he signed the Beatles without even hearing them play. George was to later say that it was Brian's enthusiasm for the Beatles that eventually won them a recording deal. Such was Brian's belief in his new group.
As we mentioned previously, Brian died of a drug overdose on August 27,'67. The Beatles did not attend his funeral as they wanted to give his family privacy. They felt that they would only have drawn the media and fans. Here's a bit of trivia... Years later, in 2008, the first contract that the Beatles signed with Brian was auctioned off for 240,000 pounds...
About the Author:
Want to find out more about the Beatles, then visit Brian Nestle's site on the classic Beatles Let It Be Album.
No comments:
Post a Comment