A Businessman Who Had A Dream
This story started in a gloomy (or maybe sunny) morning of October 1961, when a young lady who’s name was never known entered a small music records shop at Whitechapel, Liverpool, England, and asked the owner Mr Brian Epstein for a record of the band, which had accompanied Tony Sheridan at his latest rock and roll event in Hamburg. The lady didn’t remember the exact name of the band, it sounded like The Butterflies or The Bugs or The Beetles or something like that. Mr Brian Epstein didn’t have such a record, so the lady left.
That would be the end of the story if Mr Brian Epstein had been a usual businessman. However Mr Brian Epstein was A Businessman Who Had A Dream. His dream was to promote a rock music band and to lead it to the worldwide popularity. His icon was Sam Phillips, an American producer from Memphis, who had made rise the stars of Elvis Presley and Jerry Lee Lewis. That’s why Mr Brian Epstein was monitoring the appearance of new rock and roll bands in England. So he decided to learn more about that band with an insect name.
Mr Brian Epstein found soon that Tony Sheridan at his latest concert in Hamburg had been accompanied by the band named The Beatles (not Beetles). He found that The Beatles were five young men, namely John Lennon (guitar), Steward “Steve” Sutcliffe (guitar), George Harrison (guitar), Paul McCartney (bas) and Peter “Pit” Best (drums). They played both popular rock and roll hits and their original songs written by John and Paul. They were eccentric enough to attract the attention of the public and talented enough to keep it. But the most important thing he found was that The Beatles were living in his native Liverpool and working in “The Cavern” night club located at a neighbouring street. That was the reason for Mr Brian Epstein to have a personal look at The Beatles.
Mr Brian Epstein visited “The Cavern” and licked The Beatles. After the show he proposed them his collaboration in recording a disk. The Beatles liked the idea and showed Mr Brian Epstein some thirty songs John and Paul had written by the date, including two newest ones: “Please Please Me” and “Love Me Do”. Mr Brian Epstein said the songs were good but not enough. As a music records seller he knew that not many people would buy a disk with absolutely unknown songs performed by an absolutely unknown band, a British band indeed. He found British pop music a bit old fashioned and ridiculous in comparing with American one. He agreed to make “Please Please Me” and “Love Me Do” the front songs of the disk but stressed the need to add some worldwide known American hits. The Beatles agreed.
Mr Brian Epstein spent almost all his savings on organising a recording session at EMI studio in London. However that very day the session was checked John Lennon informed Mr Brian Epstein that Pit Best, the drummer, had just refused to participate at the recording session and left the band because he didn’t believe in their prospects. It was a shock for Mr Brian Epstein, but he wouldn’t stop. He decided to contract a drummer for one session directly at the EMI studio, he had a little money for it.
However the fortune played on Mr Brian Epstein’s side that day. On their way to Liverpool Railway Central to move to London Mr Brian Epstein and The Beatles met by chance Richard Starkey, a young drummer musician nicknamed Ringo Starr who was looking for job at the moment. Ringo was a longtime buddy of John Lennon so he agreed to participate in the recording session without any payment in advance with the one condition: Mr Brian Epstein would buy him a ticket to London and back.
The recording session took place successfully the 11 of September of 1962. The disk labelled “Please Please Me by The Beatles. Produced by Brian Epstein” was released the 22 of March of 1963.
Everyone knows the rest of the story. The next day Mr Brian Epstein, John Lennon, George Harrison, Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr woke up rich and famous.
That would be the end of the story if Mr Brian Epstein had been a usual businessman. However Mr Brian Epstein was A Businessman Who Had A Dream. His dream was to promote a rock music band and to lead it to the worldwide popularity. His icon was Sam Phillips, an American producer from Memphis, who had made rise the stars of Elvis Presley and Jerry Lee Lewis. That’s why Mr Brian Epstein was monitoring the appearance of new rock and roll bands in England. So he decided to learn more about that band with an insect name.
Mr Brian Epstein found soon that Tony Sheridan at his latest concert in Hamburg had been accompanied by the band named The Beatles (not Beetles). He found that The Beatles were five young men, namely John Lennon (guitar), Steward “Steve” Sutcliffe (guitar), George Harrison (guitar), Paul McCartney (bas) and Peter “Pit” Best (drums). They played both popular rock and roll hits and their original songs written by John and Paul. They were eccentric enough to attract the attention of the public and talented enough to keep it. But the most important thing he found was that The Beatles were living in his native Liverpool and working in “The Cavern” night club located at a neighbouring street. That was the reason for Mr Brian Epstein to have a personal look at The Beatles.
Mr Brian Epstein visited “The Cavern” and licked The Beatles. After the show he proposed them his collaboration in recording a disk. The Beatles liked the idea and showed Mr Brian Epstein some thirty songs John and Paul had written by the date, including two newest ones: “Please Please Me” and “Love Me Do”. Mr Brian Epstein said the songs were good but not enough. As a music records seller he knew that not many people would buy a disk with absolutely unknown songs performed by an absolutely unknown band, a British band indeed. He found British pop music a bit old fashioned and ridiculous in comparing with American one. He agreed to make “Please Please Me” and “Love Me Do” the front songs of the disk but stressed the need to add some worldwide known American hits. The Beatles agreed.
Mr Brian Epstein spent almost all his savings on organising a recording session at EMI studio in London. However that very day the session was checked John Lennon informed Mr Brian Epstein that Pit Best, the drummer, had just refused to participate at the recording session and left the band because he didn’t believe in their prospects. It was a shock for Mr Brian Epstein, but he wouldn’t stop. He decided to contract a drummer for one session directly at the EMI studio, he had a little money for it.
However the fortune played on Mr Brian Epstein’s side that day. On their way to Liverpool Railway Central to move to London Mr Brian Epstein and The Beatles met by chance Richard Starkey, a young drummer musician nicknamed Ringo Starr who was looking for job at the moment. Ringo was a longtime buddy of John Lennon so he agreed to participate in the recording session without any payment in advance with the one condition: Mr Brian Epstein would buy him a ticket to London and back.
The recording session took place successfully the 11 of September of 1962. The disk labelled “Please Please Me by The Beatles. Produced by Brian Epstein” was released the 22 of March of 1963.
Everyone knows the rest of the story. The next day Mr Brian Epstein, John Lennon, George Harrison, Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr woke up rich and famous.