Tamara's Beatles Page

It All started in Liverpool with John Lennon forming a group called 'The Quarrymen' in March 1957. Once they performed at a local church gathering, where John first met Paul McCartney. Paul showed off by playing some popular tunes on his guitar and knowing all the lyrics to them, and then by being able to tune John's guitar (something John couldn't do at that time). Being the leader of the group, John was afraid Paul would start taking over, so at first he didn't want to accept him. But Paul was brilliant, and John realized that it'd be better for the group to have Paul in it, so he took him. Paul blended in perfectly well and fast, and soon he became good friends with John. With the band members changing as fast as the name of the band, later on George Harrison joined in. He could play the guitar and was Paul's good friend, which seemed to be enough for him to join. In 1960, John's close friend Stuart Sutcliffe joined the band on bass though he didn't know how to play the instrument (he learned later on). It was John who suggested the name The Beatles. With the name all set and Pete Best playing the drums, Beatles departed for Hamburg, Germany. They became rather popular there playing some stuff at Bruno Koschminder's Indra Club. At that time, Lennon and McCartney's musical collaboration began to take place. On December 1960, their trip ended with George being departed from Germany (with the rest of the group losing their work permits) for being underage (he was 17, you couldn't perform unless you were 18).Back in Liverpool, The Beatles found their 'home' at the Cavern Club, where most of their performances took place at that time. One day, (Stu Sutcliffe already left the band in Germany to remain there and pursue a painting career) Brian Epstein, an owner of a local music store, walked into the Cavern Club. He became interested in the Beatles and decided to become their manager (which was probably the best decision of his life). On January 1, 1962 the band auditioned for Decca Records, but was rejected and told that "guitar groups are on the way out" (that was the biggest mistake Decca have ever done). But in May The Beatles found George Martin from EMI, and after auditioning for EMI parlophone The Beatles signed a recording contract on May 9. Martin didn't think Pete Best was good enough, so he replaced him with Ringo Starr, who was a well-known local drummer. By the end of 1962 The Beatles' first single 'love me do' was a top 20 hit in England and the group appeared regurarly on the BBC.

Next year, 'please please me' stayed at No. 1 in England for 30 weeks! (Screaming fans jammed each live performance, and that was the start of 'Beatlemania') Guys' mop top/ beatle haircut was tortured by critics and imitated by fans. In USA, Capitol Records (first refusing to) got the rights to all Beatles recordings (and of course, so did the British EMI). The Beatles first appeared on the Ed Sullivan show, which spread Beatlemania to USA. They had long hair; they played instruments, sang, and wrote their songs all at the same time; they were young and good-looking; they were new and different from others....they were FABULOUS!!! And that is why millions of teenagers went nuts all over the world about them! From their early days, John and Paul decided to share the credit for all the songs written by them. They made an awesome song-writing team, later on they even wrote songs for other bands. Beatlemania went on and on for a very long time. Every new record, every album became a new hit and the old ones were not forgotten (and still aren't). On August 27, 1967 Brian Epstein died of an overdose of the drug Carbitrol. Which in my opinion was the beginning of the break-up. Brian was always the one to say 'guys, stop fighting', he was holding them together. In 1968, The Beatles formed their own corporation and record label, Apple. Soon they started recording songs for the While Album but artistic defferences resulted in some of them storming out of the session. The While Album sold more copies than any other Beatles Album, so their differences are wonderful for the songs. But they are four different people with different music tastes, so without someone to hold them together the break up was coming up. Each one of them was working on a solo project. In 1969 it was Paul who always argued with his mates, so he decided to leave the group. In order to do so, he had to sue his former band members and go through a bunch of other formalities. After the break up each ex. Beatle had good solo albums. Even now, neither The Beatles nor their music are not and can't be forgotten. They revolutionized the music basically single-handed and opened up the way for other musicians. They showed people it was ok and even great to be different...they were GREAT!!!!

The Top 10 List The Other Beatles Hate you
(no offense to Ringo or Yoko)
10. Whenever you start speaking they say "Let it Be, Bonehead"
9. You're making less money from the reunion than Pete Best
8. You find out you were the inspiration for "Nowhere Man"
7. If you didn't see it in the TV Guide you wouldn't have known about a reunion
6. The only way you can get their attention is by eating Christmas ornaments
5. After you spent the week on working on the Painting of the cover for a new album, they decide to go with "The White Album"
4. They make you sit in the back of the Air Force One
3. When they hear you play, they say "Wow, you're even worse than Ringo"
2. They won't stop singing "We hate you- yeah, yeah yeah"
1. They are always trying to hook you up with Yoko

Here are some interesting facts/rumors (who knows which it could be?):
1. While in Hamburg, Germany Paul was arrested for arson! He (With Pete Best, i think) lit a condom on fire inside a cinema on a wall (How is that possible?), which blackened the wall...
2. When Paul was 15, he went hitch hiking with John and George. While standing beside the road, thumbing a ride they got picked up by a huge lorry. John and George pushed ahead and Paul ended up sitting on a part of the engine inside the cab. A few miled down the road Paul noticed it was getting really hot. The others picked on him about having a rash. A couple of minutes later he mentioned it again. Paul glanced down to see his pants on fire! He started to strip while John and George made comments about him running around stark naked to cool off. Paul told them he was on fire and in seconds they had the jeans off of him and the fire put out. It seems that Paul was sitting on a battery which had a short in it...
(this story is fron an old magazine All about the beatles_Published by YOPU press, Inc. in 1964)
3. Norwegian Wood is about an actual affair John had (he changed some parts so his wife Cynithia wouldn't get suspicious)
4. The Beatles were high as hell during the filming of the movie "Help" in case you didn't know.... The director of the movie had a lot of trouble with controlling them

5. Paul lost his innocence at the early age of 15. A girl asked him if he wanted to go babysitting (which basically meant that the parents would be out)...well, you can use your imagination on what happened after they put the kids to sleep...
6. In the song "I Will" Paul doesn't play the bass... he SINGS the bass notes!!! You can't really tell unless you pay a lot of attention! (Paul confirmed this in one of the Anthologies)
7. John's first wife Cynthia was a year older than him, and Yoko was 8 years older than him!!!! (fact)
8. Paul's middle name is.... Paul! His REAL first name is James (Paul McCartney), just like his father's! Except his dad went with "Jim"

Some funky Beatle Sounds:

John found America
Q: How did you find America?
J: Turned left at Greenland
George, do it again
Paul in a high voice: He wants us to do it again, George... OK
John: With the ciggie in the mouth
John about Beatles
(contains language not appropriate for children)
From the movie "Help"
Scotland Yard guy: Red...Red?
Ringo: They have to paint me red before they chop me. It's a different religion from ours...i think
Sir Paul McCartney
Paul: I'm Sir Paul McCartney, on your knees!
"The Shower Song"
Paul singing "Oh Darling" without instrumental guidance...need i say more?
From "Hard Day's Night"
(the movie)
Lost George in the shop
"Talk to 200 People at Once"
John about the fans
(from an interview)

....more to come

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Alan Lowells Beatles Page