The Beatles were a revolution in many ways and their music has changed the world forever. The original founder and lead man of this incredible talented group was my favorite lead singer/composer John Lennon.
The Beatles musical group came originally from Liverpool starring John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Star. The group remains one of the most popular bands in all of history recording only twelve albums before breaking up in 1970. The original members stretch back to early 1957 when John Lennon formed the Quarrymen and invited Paul McCartney to join his band. Paul brought his younger friend George Harrison who could read music but John and Paul could not. Ringo Star replaced Pete Best as the Beatles drummer in the summer of 1962. Stu Sutcliffe played Bass but he returned to his first love, art and had met a woman in Germany but latter died of a brain hemorrhage. In 1960 the Silver Beatles played in dirty clubs with filthy living conditions in Hamburg Germany. They thought of making it big but the money never materialized and their stay abruptly ended when George (then 17) was deported for being under age.
At the end of 1961, Brian Epstein took interest in the Beatles and went to see them for himself. At The Cavern Brian was amazed by their charisma and by January 1962 he became their manager putting the members in suits while keeping their long hair which gave them a very different look from any other group around.
After many failed attempts at different recording studios they were finally able to land a session with Parlophone. The Beatles asked Brian Epstein to perform the task of firing Pete Best the drummer at the time since he did not have the talent required of the group. Ringo Star (Richard Starkey) was asked to join the band and the boys insisted for all future recordings or performances that he would be their drummer. The Beatlemania craze was in full gear and they went on to conquer Great Britain.
By the end of 1962 the Beatles had broke through the UK charts with their debut single Love Me Do and a contract was signed leading to the formation of Northern Songs. The Beatles appeared on UK television on February 13 1963 promoting their single Please Please Me seen by six million viewers.
This was a break through in their career having strong harmonies and infectious group beat signaling the overthrow of the past solo singers. The Beatles continued to progress artistically and commercially with each next hit. They took America by storm when they appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show on February 9 1964. It was the highest rated show in television history to that date. Beatlemania had reached a level of popularity breaking all Billboard records and had established itself in the industry showing that their pop music could and should be considered seriously.
Lennon and McCartney made revolutionary changes in the music publishing industry by favoring their own material in order to earn themselves composer's royalties and even encouraged other groups to do so. They provided the Rolling Stones with their second single, I Wanna Be Your Man in the meantime encouraging Mick and Keith to start writing their own songs to benefit from royalties
By 1966, The Beatles were performing increasingly complex arrangements before somewhat uncontrollable screaming fans and the novelty of fandom became somewhat strenuous to the members of the band. After playing live in August of 1966 at Candlestick Park in San Francisco, California the members agreed to stop touring. The Beatles retreated into the studio without the restriction of performing live. While the Fab four where in India seeking enlightenment one year latter Brain Epstein was found dead at his home. The band continued to progress with McCartney stepping up to take over the management role but each member had begun to go in different directions.
The Beatles embraced the elements of their generation about youth culture, pop fashion with refreshing and interesting collages. They stumbled through 1970 with the film Let It Be showing Harrison and Lennon clearly unhappy about McCartney's attitude towards the band. It was the final anti-climax before the inevitable yet unexpected dissolution of the Beatles. Since the split of the band there have been some important Master volumes released showing the quality of the songs to be never outdated.
The Beatles' music creatively stimulated people and changed the way we lived and thought. To date they have sold over one Billion units throughout the world and have become the most successful, influential musical act of all time.
The legendary John Lennon was shot after a recording session by a deranged fan at the entrance of the Dakota building where he lived in New York City the 8th of December 1980.
Phil Claeys is a singer/guitarist One Man Band Retro Show Lennon look & sound alike.
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