There has never been a group of musicians like The Beatles either before their tenure as recording musicians. And for almost 50 years countless fledgling bands have been compared to the “early Beatles” and then were watched by fans and promoters alike, like millions of ornithologists waiting for an egg to hatch. However, you can’t synthesize a phenomenon and that was what happened with the rise of the Beatles.
Here are some reasons for their sudden impact on the world:
1. Upbringing
- With the exception of Ringo the Fab Four came from a dirt-poor existence. (In fact it’s funny that the Rolling Stones should be classed as “bad boys” because they were middle-class, southern kids while Liverpool was a rough place.) However, Ringo was in and out of hospitals until his teens.
- John Lennon was raised by his Aunt Mimi with no father figure and haunted by both the abandonment by his mother and then her death.
- Paul McCartney lost his mother as well. His father was a big band trumpet player and there was always music in the house.
- George Harrison’s first home had an outdoor toilet and no heating.
2. Role Models
Buddy Holly, Little Richard, Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley and Jerry Lee Lewis. George idolized Chet Atkins which accounted for his “country edge” while most of the guitar players in England listened to blues. Ringo learned drums during the “skiffle craze.”
2. Economic Situation in England
After World War II Great Britain has an enormous war debt and the population was rationed from the start of the war well into the 1950′s. Few people had real money to buy items like records or televisions so they entertained themselves. In Liverpool in 1960 there were over 100 bands.
3. Technology (electric guitars and basses and studio)
The Beatles rode the wave of studio technology that, although was invented well before them, they used to great advantage. However, the limited capacity of technology on the live stage led to them giving up live concerts because the sound was s o bad.
4. Advances in Media (Television and Radio)
Not only were there technological advances in recording but also in radio and television. In the early 1960′s households in Great Britain were getting televisions and the U.S. television market was booming with signature shows like The Ed Sullivan Show. Shows like Top of the Pops in England made them a household name in that area and Ed Sullivan gave them a world stage. Also, the new portable record players meant that you could take the Beatles to the beach.
5. Brian Epstein Eccentricities and Fanatacism
All the tell-all books say that Epstein was infatuated with John Lennon. His Jewish upbringing in a culture that all but despised Jews, as well as his close relationship with mother – Queenie, made him a very insecure person and “clingy.” However, he still had money and gumption and was fiercely loyal to “my boys” when others would have given up (And his focus also bordered on naivety when it came to business resulting in the loss of millions of dollars in revenue.).
6. The Production Genius of George Martin
One story about Paul was that he and George Martin went to hear the London Philharmonic’s presentation of Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto. He was so impressed with the small D trumpet that he asked George Martin to put a a solo in his new song. (Penny Lane features a D trumpet) Martin took a rough quartet and mad them into recording artists. He was patient and had an ear for presenting greatness. His skills grew with each Beatle album.
7. Ringo Starr
One of the most under-recognized talents in a rookie band was Ringo. While John and Paul were learning to play their instruments he was already a seasoned performer with top Liverpool groups like Rory Storm and the Hurricanes. As London jazz drummer Charlie Watts later did for the fledgling Rolling Stones, Ringo provided a steady meter. And although later Paul did not feel that Ringo was good enough for rhythms that he wanted in his songs Ringo provided the glue that made them famous in the first place.
8. John F. Kennedy’s Death
Three months before The Beatles landed in the U.S. President John F. Kennedy was assassinated. Being the first president to identify with the post-war “baby boom” generation his death left a huge hole in their lives and a long period of mourning. The Beatles’s music and appearance in the United States ended this dark period and resulted, for many, in an emotional outpouring.
9. Drugs
It is no secret that The Beatles immortalized drugs in many of their songs. Marijuana got them out of their Beatlemania era into more reflective songwriting and LSD helped them push the envelope into Sergeant Pepper. Unfortunately heroine made John and Yoko twin basket cases for a few years and many critics say it stifled what could have been a great era of songwriting.
10. Mechandising
Although Brian Epstein missed the boat in cashing in on merchandizing (His deals made millions for middle-men and very little for himself or The Beatles) the flood of items like Beatle wigs, bubble gun cards, lunch boxes, jewelry, harmonicas, etc. helped sell records and spread their popularity.
They were also able to maintain their stardom by continually evolving and changing. I’d also add sheer luck to the list, George, Paul, and John all met early (it’s a nice little story of how they ran into each other).
Hi Anil,
Your absolutely right. That’s why I only had 10. There are so many other chance encounters and flukes to go long with them.
Yes it is often a lot of different reasons for such a big success. Thank god the reasons where there.