The Beatles' Biography

The Beatles


The Beatles were a British pop/rock band which remained active through the 60's though the legal disputes continued until 1975. They were a band which worked and experimented with different kinds of music, including skiffle, 50's rock & roll, pop, psychedelic rock and even indian classical music.

Formed in Liverpool, the band initially consisted of John Lennon, Paul McCartney,George Harrison, Stuart Stutcliffe and Pete Best, but in 1961 Stutcliffe left the group and the following year Pete Best was replaced by Ringo Starr.


1 Formation and early years (1957–1962)


When John Lennon was 16 he formed a skiffle group called the Quarrymen (that was in March 1957). Paul McCartney, who was 15, joined as a guitarist after he and John met that July. When Paul invitedGeorge Harrison, who was 14, to watch the group in February he joined as lead guitarist. By 1960, Lennon's school friends had left the group, he had begun studies at the Liverpool College of Art and the three guitarists were playing rock and roll whenever they could get a drummer. Lennon's classmate Stu Stutcliffe joined on bass in January. Sutcliffe suggested changing the band name to "TheBeetles" as a tribute to Buddy Holly and The Crickets, and they became "The Beatals" for the first few months of the year. After trying other names including "Johnny and the Moondogs", "Long John and The Beetles" and "The Silver Beatles", the band finally became "The Beatles" in August. The lack of a permanent drummer became a problem when the group's unofficial manager, Allan Williams, arranged aresident band booking for them in Hamburg, Germany. Before the end of August they auditioned and hired Pete Best.

During the next two years, the group were resident for further periods in Hamburg. In early 1961 Stutckliffe decided to leave the group and resume his art studies in Germany, then, McCartney took up the bass. German producer Bert Kaempfert contracted the group to act as Tony Sheridan'sbacking band on a series of recordings. Credited to "Tony Sheridan & The Beat Brothers", the single “My Bonnie”, recorded in June and released four months later, reached number 32 on the Musikmarkt chart. The Beatles were also becoming more popular back home in Liverpool. During one of the band's frequent appearances there at the Cavern Club, they encountered Brian Epstein, a local record storeowner and music columnist. When the band appointed Epstein manager in January 1962, Kaempfert agreed to release them from the German record contract. After Decca Records rejected the band, George Martin signed the group to EMI's Parlophone label.


The band had their first recording session under Martin's direction at EMI's Abbey Road Studios in London in June 1962. Martin complained to Epsteinabout Best's drumming and suggested the band use a session drummer in the studio. Instead, Best was replaced by Ringo Starr. Martin still hired session drummer Andy White for one session. White played on the single "Love Me Do" and "P.S. I Love You". Released in October, "Love Me Do" was a top twenty UK hit, peaking at number seventeen on the chart.

By December 1962 it had become the pattern thatall four members contributed vocals, although Starr's restricted range meant he rarely sang lead. Lennon and McCartney had established a songwriting partnership; as the band's success grew, their celebrated collaboration limited Harrison's opportunities as a lead vocalist. Epstein, sensing their commercial potential, encouraged the group to adopt a professional attitude to performing. Lennonsaid, "We used to dress how we liked, on and off stage. He'd tell us that jeans were not particularly smart and could we possibly manage to wear proper trousers, but he didn't want us suddenly looking square. He'd let us have our own sense of individuality ... it was a choice of making it or still eating chicken on stage."


2 Beatlemania and touring years (1963–1966)


UK Popularity, Please...