beahhtles

i love the beatles 🪲

[angrymantheater]

yeah so basically what they say about the hours and times is correct and now i would literally die for lennstein

[ashslio]

George Martin in Miami, 1964

[ashslio]

Brian Epstein interviewed by Ray Coleman (MELODY MAKER) on the 16th of January, 1965.

After a Beatles concert in Bradford last October, Brian Epstein was mobbed by hundreds of autograph-hunters. That incident finally established that the 30-year-old ex-public schoolboy had not only become one of the world's most successful show business managers. He had also arrived as a star—a sort of pop Columbus who had discovered Liverpool's teeming talent.

Before Bradford and since, Epstein has been bathing in unprecedented glory as the Goldfinger of international pop music of the 1960s. He is a supermanager whose every move has been charted by rivals.

The Beatles have topped the world for two years. Other Epstein artists have enjoyed enormous success.

Is everything in the Epstein empire as rosy as 1965 scuttles along with the air thick and talk of “new sounds” dominating the pop scene? Can Epstein and his team maintain their grip? Are the Beatles slipping? What are the prospects for Cilla Black, Gerry and the Pacemakers, Billy J. Kramer and others in the highly competitive pop field?

Epstein answered this week. It was somehow typical of him, reflecting his professional pace, that he called the interview for breakfast-time at his fifth-floor luxury Knightsbridge flat.

His apartment is adorned with spectacular pictures of the stars he steered to fame. The stereogram boomed out tracks from Cilla Black’s new LP and potential new singles for Michael Haslam, Gerry, and Cliff Bennett. “Corridors of Power” occupied a prominent position in the bookcase.

Epstein was served with grapefruit, toast, and tea. He was dressed impeccably and was as alert as if he was prepared for a mid-afternoon crisis conference. He answered questions thoughtfully and meticulously.

DO YOU THINK THE BEAT MUSIC BOOM IS SLIDING OR IS THE TREND TO GROUPS AS STRONG AS EVER?

The theory that beat music is dead is nonsense. How can anyone say it is dead when you consider the current number one record? But I am replying to your question generally. If we can prove that having such success as, say, this time last year will it is obvious the theme of groups will be so many of these around, successfully. Some will stay, and some will find other fields. The ones that are going to filter out are the ones inspired by the Beatles—by that, I mean Beatles copyists. And that is not meant nastily. It is flattering to the Beatles that they have had copyists. But remember a solo artist is not necessarily non-beat. Georgie Fame is recognised as a soloist, but he performs beat. So does Cliff Bennett.

HAVE THE BEATLES PASSED THEIR PEAK AS POP STARS?

No. They are unique because they will continue to make brilliant records, one hopes. And I don’t think their style will ever go out because they have a personal style and sound that is well recognised and which will be acceptable for as long as they want to make records.

BUT HOW LONG DO YOU CONSIDER THEY CAN KEEP UP THIS PACE AT THE TOP IN THE POP WORLD?

I think they will maintain strong teenage appeal for two or three years. After that, maybe they will become really established film stars. They have the talent to make brilliant films. They are unique in this respect: they are capable of making films, they have a long way to go in films, and I see their future in films being quite remarkable—something very few people expected.

DO YOU KNOW OF ANY TENSION OR WORRY BY THE BEATLES ABOUT THEIR FUTURE?

I think they would only get restless if their work, and interest in their work, was not allowed to develop properly. They’re as much pleasure-loving as anyone else. At the same time, like anybody else they have no desire to give up and do nothing simply because they have made some money. They want to carry on creating for a long, long time.

DO YOU TALK TO THE BEATLES ABOUT THE LONG-TERM FUTURE?

Of course. They are worried no more and no less than anyone else. I hope they never get to the stage where they think they are slipping. The last month or so has been marvellous for them—topping the single and LP charts in Britain and America. Can you call that slipping? As I said, the Beatles are sensible people and I am convinced of their great future in films.

WHAT ABOUT YOUR OTHER ARTISTS? WOULD YOU AGREE THAT CILLA BLACK, GERRY, AND PARTICULARLY BILLY J. KRAMER HAVE LOST POPULARITY IN RECENT MONTHS?

Before I do anything else, I want to prove my faith in these people. I am absolutely certain that Gerry has a marvellous career ahead. About this I have no doubts whatever. He’s enjoying a lot of success right now. He’s not short of work. I’ve just had offers for him from Iceland and Toronto! Gerry is a very popular artist and will remain so.

As for Cilla—if anyone talks to me of her being on the wane, well, there will be very few doubts, if any, very soon. It has not been a calculated move to have Cilla without a record out for five months. It happened for a variety of reasons. Her new record is coming out just at the right time, with public interest in Cilla just right, and she is going to make the top ten.

AND BILLY J. AND THE OTHER ARTISTS?

Well, both Cilla and the Fourmost look back on their Palladium season as time well spent. It was tremendously rewarding for them, and they got wonderful experience. Billy J.? He has a very good record coming out, and I think he will develop as a good singer. I did not want to get him mixed up with the Christmas record releases.

BUT WITH NEWCOMERS GETTING BUILT UP, HAVEN’T SOME OF YOUR ARTISTS WORRIED ABOUT THEMSELVES?

Yes, I’m sure some of them have been worried. But they have seen others come all the time—this is the sort of thing that happens in pop music—and the main thing is that all my artists have continued to work.

WHAT ABOUT SOUNDS INCORPORATED AND THE FOURMOST?

Their future is assured in the same way that dance bands were assured—they are musicians and performers. It is not always necessary for artists like these to be stars throughout their lives. The goal is to keep them working successfully, and that is what they are doing. We have big hopes for Cliff Bennett.

AFTER THE BEATLES, WHO IS THE BIGGEST MONEY-EARNER ON YOUR BOOKS?

Without question, over the period, more money has been earned by Gerry than anyone else apart from the Beatles. I think Cilla is going to earn a tremendous amount of money. But Gerry has had tremendous fees—and maintained them.

ARE THE BEATLES MILLIONAIRES?

I am not going to answer that.

ARE YOU A MILLIONAIRE?

No, I refuse to answer that question.

THEN HAS YOUR FEE FOR HANDLING THE BEATLES AND THE OTHER ARTISTS RISEN AS THEIR EARNINGS HAVE RISEN?

Yes, but there are all sorts of variations because we are involved in different things. It is a facet of our organisation that any artist who works in a show promoted by an associate company of NEMS does not pay commission to the promoter at that time because the promoter is virtually me! So at the moment I am receiving hardly any commission at all.

IS THE FIELD STILL WIDE OPEN FOR MANAGERS WHO THINK THEY HAVE GREAT DISCOVERIES, OR IS THE MANAGERIAL SCENE NOW ALL SEWN-UP—A CLOSED SHOP?

It’s all very well for me to talk, but I was breaking into this business with what became the world’s most successful artists—the Beatles. I had a really great act and I was sure of it. For all I know, another manager trying to break in might also have a great act, right now, but he might not be so sure of it, and might not be so sure of himself. I think the position now is virtually what it was when I came in. It must depend on the person, and what he is trying to push, and his determination. I am sure there is always room for something good.

DO YOU LEAD A MORE LEISURELY LIFE NOW YOU HAVE SUCCEEDED WITH YOUR EMPIRE?

No. I still have to spend a lot of time keeping my eye on everything. But my organisation is much better.

IT HAS BEEN SAID YOU DON’T LIKE DELEGATING AUTHORITY.

I couldn’t, but I’ve had to. There are so many things I like to do personally, and so many shows and recording sessions I want to attend. I want to see people as often as I can, it’s a morale booster to the artists when their manager shows he cares enough to travel, and I do. I have to delegate more now, but I admit it did not come naturally.

DO YOUR ARTISTS LOOK ON YOU AS A POP KING—A HERO?

I hope not. People like Gerry and his group—I know them so well, and I’ve travelled all over the place with them, that I hope we’re friends as well as in business together. The same goes for the Beatles. I think we know each other too well by now for that sort of atmosphere.

YOU HAVE HAD ENORMOUS PERSONAL PUBLICITY. HAVE YOU AT ANY STAGE CONSIDERED THAT YOU WERE PERSONALLY OVER-PUBLICISED?

My personal publicity has worried me very considerably from time to time. Towards the end of last year I vowed I wouldn’t do any more British TV appearances—and I haven’t. I’m fed up of interviews and being asked the same old questions, which are not interesting. Yes, my personal publicity has disturbed me. But there has never been an utterance of criticism from any of my artists—except in fun. I don’t think there is any resentment because they all realise I push them first. If I’ve been able to use personal publicity to their advantage, I have always done so. I have been most concerned about all this but I don’t think I need be any longer.

[ashslio]

Brian photographed by David Bailey on the 21th of January, 1965.

-> on the same day, the pictures from John and Paul were photographed that day as well. It is said that there was a tension between the two as the photos were taken. (but not shown bc I care more about Brian)

[ashslio]

Brian Epstein with Gerry and the Pacemakers

—> location/date: ??

(He looks incredibly fine)

[modrockmocker]

Why did they make Brian into a giga chad 😭

[ashslio]

he looks shit, the only good thing are the glasses and that is all

[ashslio]

Brian with his ‘lil brother, Clive Epstein (who was [22 months= 1 year and 10 months] younger.) I have no idea who the other people are. Maybe friends, maybe family?

Year is also unknown but Brian looks terribly young so it’s definitely in his teens.

[ashslio]

A commentary self-tape by Brian himself that he recorded in 1966. You can find it back in the book: All You Need Is Love by Peter Brown and Steven Gaines.

>

I don't think that you'll get any one of them or me to categorically state that they will never appear in public again. Not because of the financial aspect, but because it would be very difficult to progress from those sorts of tours. And in any case, this is my personal point of view, how creatively satisfactory for them are those tours, except in terms of finance. And they don't really think too much about that. They leave that to me anyway, but one understands it very well.

So there's no reason why they shouldn't appear in public again, but I don't think that it will be in the concept that we've known previously.

[ Well, I think,] but one thing that, the thing that upset John most about that was that the interview, the initial interview, was done in his own home with Maureen Cleave, who we've known. We've known her in England, too, very well. We like her very much. We all like her very much. And you know, he sald these things, and she was right to report them. But I think that what upset John more than anything else was the hundreds of people were hurt by that.

And I think that Johns, very sympathetic person, Incredibly sympathetic. And the last thing that he would want to do would be to hurt anybody's inner feelings, however much he may feel, feel sort of but this is a basic thing with John not to go and hurt other people, not to go and smash other pea ple out. Yes. And (Maureen Cleave] was upset herself. I could imagine I mean, she was calling when I flew over here to see what, what was what, before they came, she was on the phone over a few seconds, say-ing, what could I do?

But if the Beatles have taught— -and they've taught me many things— and one of the biggest hang-ups that I ever had personally was to categorize people, and they do not categorize people or things on music. You know, there, there's, there's nothing which has-there are some things which are trite and lousy, but one doesn't necessarily have to categorize them. I mean, the Monkees, who are enormous here, are enormous in England, good luck. Great. I think them, you know, I love their records and we met them in England and they're nice guys.

So you don't categorize them as, as being, you know, when they first erupted in England, there was quite a lot of knocking in the press, which was, I suppose, to sort of say, well, here we are a great British people with our beautiful Beatles. Well, we are, you know, we do have our beautiful Beatles, but there's nothing the matter with the Monkees.

And the Monkees are giving a great boost to the industry and the kids and everybody, and everyone’s buying their records. And there’s nothing the matter with that all.

[ashslio]

George, Patty, Brian and his parents in Saville, Spain; photo posted by his cousin

[ashslio]

He looks VERY forced but also very adorable 🤗

-> I can’t remember where I got this from. I’m assuming it’s from facebook but I’m not sure!!! I’ll try to search for it and will update it as soon as I know the source.

[ashslio]

I love his side-profile. Though it’s a tiny bit blurry…

-> 15th of August, 1966 — The Beatles performing at Shea Stadium.

[ashslio]

In 1966, Robert Stigwood merged Brian’s agency at NEMS Enterprises with his own, which was an offer by Brian himself.

Lots of his staff were shocked and even angry; Stigwood’s way of working was the complete opposite of Brian’s. The tension around Brian’s staff, Robert Stigwood’s staff and the man himself grew within weeks.

They were angry at Stigwood, annoyed at Brian for even doing such a thing— and on top of that, Brian kept showing up late, cancelling meetings and have a rude attitude towards some of his staff workers.

Eventually, Brian started noticing what the impact was of this bold move of his— this is a quote from Ray Coleman’s book:

>

Brian had been offered representation of the Bee Gees early in 1967, but had felt too beleaguered by problems to concentrate on launching the act that would eventually score resounding successes as singers and songwriters. The group was passed to Stigwood, who saw their potential and, to the intense annoyance of Epstein, said of them:

“They'll be bigger than the Beatles.” Inside NEMS, a power-play began, caused by Brian's frequent absence. Stigwood began to push Geoffrey Ellis aside in all decisions; when Brian heard of that he was displeased.

Like Brian, Stigwood laid grandiose plans for his operations.

Launching the Bee Gees with an enormous press party in New York, he asked Nat Weiss to rent a yacht and stage a glamorous all-day event.

“Who are you going to charge it to?”asked Weiss. Bill it to my personal account, Stigwood replied. Epstein phoned Weiss from London that night. He had heard of the extravagant shindig. “Who is paying for this?” he asked tartly. “Oh, Robert told me to charge it to his personal account,” Weiss answered. “Those were his words.”

There was a silence before Epstein spoke icily.

“Number one, he works for me,” Brian began. “You're my partner. Number two, you're going to have to pay for this. Number three, Robert owes me £10,000 on a personal loan already. Number four, when the Bee Gees have come to America and earned a million dollars, then they can take a yachting trip.” Then he hung up.

Brian always admired many artists other than those he managed or discovered, particularly Cream and Georgie Fame. But he resented Stigwood's hustle with the Bee Gees. “He liked their music, and liked them personally,”says Weiss, “but when Robert described them as the next Beatles, Brian was furious.”

[ashslio]

Nat Weiss on Brian’s increased use of drugs, barbiturates in this case.

>

Back in his Waldorf Towers suite, Brian faced an angry nat weiss when he began taking barbiturates. “Don't take those things,” Nat urged him again, seeing the path down which Epstein was going and knowing the aggression that built up when he over-indulged.

When he took too many he became really very nasty and very aggressive, says Weiss. When his assistant Peter Brown returned after spending money to an extent Epstein did not approve, Brian rounded on him. Brian took the change, threw it in Peter's face, and said: “You're fired, Peter.”

“And I want you to go back to London immediately. Economy class.” Next day, Weiss interceded and cooled down the row. The outburst had been caused by Brian's ingestion of drugs. Weiss wrestled him to the foor in the hotel suite, forcing a bottle out of his hand, throwing the pills out of the window.

^

-> quoted from Ray Coleman’s book: The Man Who Made The Beatles. This is a MUST read, I’ll be sharing more quotes from this book!!!

[beatle-stories333]

[ashslio]

Paddy, Klaus, and Gibson (the band) were originally signed to Tony Stratton-Smith who had great faith in the group's potential, but the Beatles recommended them to Brian Epstein, who bought out Stratton-Smith's contract in 1965, then took over as manager and virtually ruined their career. They disbanded in May 1966.

Paddy was to recall this episode of his career when he discussed it with Ray Coleman for the book 'Brian Epstein: The Man Who Made The Beatles. Paddy Gibson said of Brian:

“I basically don't think he gave the band anything in management. I don't think he had a clue. But it was obvious after a while that he was getting emotionally very hung up on me and I tried my best to cope with it.”

“I actually ended up in bed with him one day but after about five minutes I said: 'Brian, I just can't handle this' and I got up and walked out.”

“We got £50 a week from NEMS as a retainer whether we worked or not. And that's all we ever got because we never worked. It was a joke as far as the business was concerned.”

[ashslio]

The gambler attacks again (he won five times!!)

-> Las Vegas, 1964

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He looks so proud 🥹🥹

-> I’m assuming this is at some signing contract with Billy J Kramers and the Dakotas— I’m NOT sure