A History of the Beatles
A History of the BeatlesProbably the most popular, influential and enduring rock
group of all time, the Beatles almost single-handedly reshaped
rock 'n' roll from a genre of throwaway singles by faceless stars to
an artistic medium with memorable images and idols. The Beatles
placed the emphasis on a group, rather than a single individual,
like Frank Sinatra or Elvis. They also set an example for all rock n
roll bands to follow with their strong sense of self-determination,
going against their record company and management on many
issues, even refusing to tour at the height of their popularity. Of
course, their countless hit singles have become modern-day folk
songs, covered by hundreds of individuals and groups and inspiring
countless more, and have sold more copies than those of any other
band in history.
The roots of the Beatles date back to Liverpool, England
in the late 1950s. Inspired by the growing skiffle craze, John
Lennon bought a guitar in March 1957 and formed a skiffle group
called the Quarrymen, named after his high school, Quarry Bank.
The lineup changed frequently, but by October 1959 it consisted of
Lennon, his younger classmate Paul McCartney, George Harrison
and drummer Colin Hanton. By March of 1960, Lennon's art school
classmate Stuart Sutcliffe joined the band on bass and suggested
the name the Beetles, a play on Buddy Holly's group the Crickets.
By that summer they were the Silver Beatles, settling on the
Beatles in August. That month the Beatles left for Hamburg, West
Germany, with their new drummer Pete Best, to try to establish
themselves in Europe. The band became a popular local act,
performing at various clubs until they were expelled from the
country in November because George Harrison was underage.
The Beatles returned to Germany in early 1961 to record as a
backup band for singer Tony Sheridan; these sessions were later
released during the mid-'60s as "new" Beatles material, taking
advantage of unsuspecting fans. Meanwhile Sutcliffe had left the
band to pursue his art career and relationship with German
photographer Astrid Kircherr. Paul took over on bass. Ironically,
Stu died of a brain hemorrhage the following year, right before the
Beatle�s third Hamburg visit.
Throughout 1961 the Beatles played clubs in Britain,
becoming an underground sensation; they were particularly
famous at the Cavern Club in Liverpool. Though they played mostly
covers, Lennon and McCartney began writing original songs
together, agreeing to forever share songwriting credits, even
though they only co-wrote a handful of tunes during their entire
career as the Beatles. By the end of the year, Liverpool record
store owner Brian Epstein had become the band's manager, and
quickly began trying to find them a record contract. On January 1,
1962 the Beatles auditioned for Decca Records, performing 12
covers and three originals for A&R assistant Mike Smith. The group
was rejected, however, and told that "guitar groups are on the way
out." Undaunted, Epstein got the group an audition at Parlophone,
an...
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