Brian Epstein talking about Paul’s bad temper, and beginning by a great anecdote
“ I don’t have a favorite Beatle, they understand it today, even if it wasn’t always the case. A manager who cares for a group of four very close members must try to be as fair and careful as a father is with his four children.
One evening, while we had been working together for a short time, this aspect was reminded to me with violence:
In 1962, the Beatles had a van where they stored their equipment and which was used from time to time to go to their concerts.
I preferred, when I could, to pick them up from their homes and drive them myself.
That night, I called John first, then George and finally Paul, Pete Best used the van.
George gets out of the car and knocks on Paul McCartney’s door, on the little Allerton street where he lived.
He knocks several times but Paul still doesn’t come. After a while, Paul answers and asks him to tell me that he is not ready. It took him a few more minutes.
George comes back to the car and tells me what Paul said. I told him that he should have been ready, that I told him that we would come by at eight o'clock and that it was after eight o'clock.
George goes back to Paul’s house, comes back a minute later, without Paul.
I told him to tell Paul that we are going to have a drink at the Beehive and that he would just have to take the bus to the city centre, the train to Birkenhead and another bus to the Technical College.
It was very important because we were finally making money, and the Technical College was a good contract, in a good venue and crowned a series of three successful concerts for Liverpool University.
Also, we had another concert scheduled later that night at the New Brighton Tower.
We went to the Beehive Pub, where one of the Beatles called Paul back. I think it was John. He came back to us and told us that Paul no longer wanted to come and that he was very annoyed to have to take a train and a bus. I was worried, angry, and disappointed. I could already see myself telling Paul that I wouldn’t bother taking care of the Beatles anymore if that’s how they behaved in the future. I went into my office at the Nems to call Paul, and the other Beatles went home.I talk to his father, a kind and charming man, who tells me that Paul is upset and is not able to handle the concert. Paul finally calmed down, the other Beatles got together, and rushed to the New Brighton Tower to do the concert and catch up with the university concert.
This is the one and only time one of the Beatles has refused to play and it couldn’t happen again today. […] Paul is versatile, moody and difficult to manage, but I know him as well as he knows me.
This means that we either make concessions or fight each other.
He is very strong not to hear what he doesn’t want to hear and when he doesn’t want to hear, he closes up, sits on a chair, crosses his legs and pretends to read the newspaper with a deliberately impassive look.
Paul is endowed with an immense talent, he hides a great inner tenderness and a formidable sensitivity under angry outside. In my opinion, it is the one that most appeals to strangers, autograph hunters, fans and even other artists. He has a beautiful smile and a formidable enthusiasm that he uses, not to be laughed at, but because he knows that these are assets that can make people around him happy.
Paul is a true world star, with a melodic sense and a more harmonious voice than John’s, which makes him more commercially acceptable. Moreover, and this is essential to me, he shows great loyalty to the Beatles and their organization. Therefore, I do not take into account his mood swings and hold him in high esteem. I would not want to lose his friendship under any circumstances.”
From Brian Epstein’s A Cellarful of Noise, 1964.
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