by Larry Kane
What is “forever”? Is it the span of a single lifetime, or even the next century and beyond?
For a while, “forever” was the sum of eight years, 1961 to 1969, when most of the music was created. What we forget is that before the eight years, there was a period of time when dreams were brought to reality by hard work, luck, some really fine people, and the fortunes of fate, with some betrayal thrown in. We also often fail to recognize that much of that music began in scenes of squalor, even depravity, when frankly few noticed or cared, except the hometown believers, the silent champions of the boys. And even among them, who knew it would last this long, except for Brian Epstein, Freda Kelly, and a few others?
In our lives, with the instant fads and fading celebrity, with the one-hit-wonder musicians, and with many pretenders to the throne, fifty years is truly as close to forever as anyone could imagine.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
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INDEX
Abbey Road Studios, 281–282, 334
Abner, Ewart, 336
Adelphi Hotel, 80, 179, 218
Albert, Marsha, 340
All-Starr Band, 9, 11, 15
American invasion, 368–370
Anarchy, 166–167, 206
Anderson, Jim, 117
Ankrah, Joe, 79–82, 197(quote), 198–199, 218, 250, 365(quote), 371, 374
Anti-Semitism, 237
Apple Corps, 350
Appleby, Ron, 254
Art and artists. See Kirchherr, Astrid; Sutcliffe, Stuart
As Time Goes By (Taylor), 350–351
Ashton, William Howard, 26–27, 153
Aspinall, Neil, 309–311, 368, 371
Barrow and, 345–346
Beatles’ sex lives, 360–361
Bramwell and, 312
death of, 261–262
Decca Records disaster, 265, 268
Mal Evans and, 317
Mona Best and, 249, 256
Pete’s ouster, 257–258
roadie, 309–310
Roag and, 251
Royal Command Performance, 361–362
the Casbah, 247
work ethic, 335
Atom beat, 244, 251
Baby boom. See Bu
lge generation
Bach, Barbara, 262
“Bad to Me,” 49–50
Bailey Rae, Corrine, 1212
Baird, Julia (John’s sister), 30(quote), 41–45, 47, 200, 329–330
Beatlemania, 364
John and Paul’s first concert, 86
John and Paul’s first meeting, 83–84
John and Stu Sutcliffe, 164
John’s genius, 48
memories of George, 126
on Cynthia Lennon, 48–49
Banned songs, 32
Barber, Adrian, 172
Barrow, Tony, 16, 229–230, 309(quote), 329(quote), 342(quote), 366–367
Beatlemania, 363
Beatles’ sex lives, 360
Decca Records audition, 264–266
Epstein and, 224(quote), 241–242, 343–344
Epstein’s death, 231
film techniques, 344–345
Live at the London Palladium, 358
“Love Me Do,” 283
on Freda Kelly, 299, 302
Paul and, 64, 69(quote)
personality of, 345–346
promoting the group, 280
public relations, 280, 342–344, 356–357
Royal CommandPerformance, 342(quote), 362
stress of popularity, 346
supporting role, 348–349
Beach Boys, 349
Beat culture, 115, 121
Beatlefan magazine, 165
Beatlemania, 358, 362–364
The Beatles Anthology, 189, 211, 245–246, 258
The Beatles: The True Beginnings (Best), 251
“Be-Bop-A-Lula,” 180
Bedford, Dave, 260–261
“Being a Short Diversion on the Dubious
Origins of Beatles (Translated from the John Lennon),” 110, 118
Best, Mona (mother), 15, 26–29, 368
Aspinall and, 249
Beatlemania, 364
Beatles’ autobiography, 111
John and, 252
Pete’s departure, 255, 257–259
the Casbah, 146, 246–249
the Cavern, 200–201
the makeover, 322
Best, Pete, 15, 26, 85, 145(quote), 368
American music, 60
Aspinall’s death, 262
attack on, 353
Beatles’ autobiography, 111
Bill Harry and, 118
childhood and education, 25, 27–29
departure, 246, 254–263
Ellis’s memories of, 134
fans’ attack on, 253–254
Fascher’s friendship with the boys, 171, 178
haircut, 187
Hamburg, 137(quote), 140–141, 145–146, 179, 249
Leach and Williams, 210
Litherland concert, 151, 153–154
musical talent and popularity, 245–246, 250–253, 259–260
Neil Aspinall and, 310
Paris trip, 187–188
Paul and, 79, 208
Ringo and, 274
Roag’s protection of, 251
sex appeal, 250–251
the Casbah, 248–249
the Cavern, 200
Best, Rory, 251, 255, 258
Best, Vincent Roag, 249, 251, 253–254, 256, 258–259, 262, 311, 368
Big Three, 203, 214–216, 277, 286, 288–289, 292–293, 374
Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas, 27, 61–62, 261, 273, 354. See also Kramer, Billy J.
Binnick, Bernie, 337
Biondi, Dick, 337
Birth of the Beatles (Rose), 165
Black, Cilla, 227
Blackjacks, 246
Blavat, Jerry, 337
Bonis, Bob, 102
Boxing Day, 1960, 149–150
Boyd, Pattie, 134
Brainwashed (album), 129
Bramwell, Tony, 16, 33, 145(quote), 311–315, 329(quote), 330, 366, 368
background, childhood, and education, 72–73
Beatles’ sex lives, 360
Decca Records audition, 279
Epstein and, 238, 242
equipment episodes, 309–310
George’s conflict with Paul, 146–147
George’s sensitivity and kindness, 130, 134
hunger for pop music, 58–59
John and Paul’s meeting, 83
Litherland concert, 149–152, 154
Live at the London Palladium, 359
McCartney family, 74
Parlophone sessions, 281
Pete Best, 245(quote), 257
Stu Sutcliffe and John, 163
Teddy Boys, 204(quote), 206
the Casbah, 247
the makeover, 325–326
the poll, 212(quote), 213–214
work ethic, 335
Bridges, Lloyd, 338
British Invasion, 367
Brocken, Michael, 101, 155–156, 219(quote), 220, 259
Brown, Ken, 246, 249
Bulge generation, 57–62, 123
Burroughs, Barbara, 207
Byrds, 349
Byrne, “Johnny Guitar,” 274
Caldwell, Allan, 96, 246, 274. See also
Rory Storm and the Hurricanes; Storm, Rory
Cameo-Parkway Records, 336–337
Campbell, Frank, 207
“Can’t Buy Me Love,” 87
Capitol Records, 335–340, 369–370
Carter, Chris, 264(quote), 268, 332, 332(quote)
Casanova Club, 103, 165, 207–208
Casbah, 29, 111, 146, 246–249, 252–253, 368
Cash, Johnny, 60
Cavern, 55, 80, 120, 122, 152, 178, 191, 197(quote), 198–203, 216, 235, 249–252, 292–293, 300, 316, 319
The Cavern (Leigh), 199
CBS Evening News with Walter Cronkite, 340, 345, 366
A Cellarful of Noise (Epstein), 120, 202–203, 231, 323
Chants. See Joe Ankrah and the Chants
Clapton, Eric, 134, 359
Clark, Dick, 336–337
Clemons, Clarence, 10
Cliff Richard and the Shadows, 154
Coleman, Ray, 61
Coleman, Syd, 280, 282
Conventions, 223
Costello, Elvis, 12
Cox, Anthony, 368
Crane, Tony, 240, 245(quote), 262, 290, 292–293. See also Merseybeats
Cronkite, Walter, 366–367
“Cry for a Shadow,” 131
Curtis, Lee, 213
Daily Express, 353–354
Daily Mail, 362
Daily Mirror, 362
Daltry, Roger, 289
Dancing, 100–103, 176
Danko, Rick, 10
Davies, Hunter, 168, 249, 373
Davis, Rod, 33–34, 36–37, 53–54, 68, 85–88, 132, 261, 279(quote), 330, 369
Decca Records, 212, 214, 241, 264–268, 310, 336, 345–346
Delaney, Pat, 198, 254
Dexter, Dave, 336–338
Dietrich, Marlene, 361
Dixon, Jeanne, 128
Dixon, Rick, 261
“Do You Want to Know a Secret,” 49
Dr. John, 10
“Does Your Chewing Gum Lose Its Flavor (On the Bedpost Overnight),” 53
Dolina, Alejandro, 92
Domino, Fats, 60
Donegan, Lonny, 31–32, 53–57, 76, 154, 173, 272
“Don’t Bother Me,” 131
Drummed Out (Leigh), 261
Dykins, Jackie (John’s sister), 41–43, 45, 49
Dykins, John, 41–42
Ed Sullivan Show, 305, 369
Elizabeth (Queen Mother), 362
Elizabeth II, 74, 362
Ellis, Ron, 60–64, 76–77, 129, 134, 154–155, 158(quote), 168–169, 190(quote), 192, 273
Ellis, Royston, 99, 115
EMI Records, 266, 280–281
Empire Theater, Liverpool, 54, 76, 101, 239–240, 270, 297
Ennis, Ray, 200
Epstein, Brian, 19, 225–226, 369
ambition, 240–241
American music, 57–58
r /> American promotion, 339
American radio coverage, 338
American recording contracts, 340
Aspinall and, 312
autobiography, 352
background and education, 233–234
Barrow’s account of, 241–242
Barrow’s conflict of interest, 343
Beatles’ sexual exploits, 360
Bill Harry and, 105
Billy Kramer and, 50
Brian Epstein and, 62
business acumen, 238–239
character and personality of, 226–228
concert tour, 362–363
contribution to the Beatles’ success, 231–232
death of, 231–233, 239
Decca Records audition, 264–268, 279
Derek Taylor and, 354, 357
discovery of the Beatles, 233–235, 237–238
Fascher’s first meeting with the boys, 178–179
film techniques, 344–345
Freda Kelly and, 239, 299–301, 303
hair, 187
Hamburg Star Club, 170
John’s attack on Wooler, 222
John’s relationship with, 97–98, 228–230, 240–241
Louise Harrison and, 304–305
Mal Evans and, 319
Manchester Playhouse, 253
Mersey Beat, 109–110, 113, 119–121
Merseybeats, 293
Mona Best and, 248
Paul’s relationship with, 64, 78, 334–335
Pete’s departure, 256–260
power of words, 344
promoting the group, 280
replacing Leach, 208–210, 236
Rory Storm and, 193
Royal Command Performance, 361–362
the Cavern, 202–203, 224(quote)
the makeover, 322–327
Tower Ballroom, 218
Watson’s memories of, 251
Wooler and, 220, 222
Epstein, David, 47
Evans, Malcolm, 275, 316–321
Beatlemania, 364
George’s kindnesses, 134
Paris tour, 369
Paul’s business sense, 63–64
Paul’s treatment of Derek Taylor, 350–351
Pete Best’s departure, 256
Royal Command Performance, 361–362
Sweden episode, 360
work ethic, 335
Everton F.C., 21
The Exciters, 81–82
Fallows, Colin, 107–108, 160, 182–184
Fascher, Fred, 180
Fascher, Horst “The Enforcer,” 138, 170(quote), 175(quote), 181, 279(quote), 283, 334, 369