The Legendary Band: The Beatles

Four men, one legendary band. The Beatles are one of the most influential bands in rock and roll history. They stretched music to its boundaries, experimenting with it throughout their ten years of existence, and twelve albums. The Beatles are a band from Liverpool England, but they began their journey to fame as the Quarrymen in 1956. With name changes such as Johnny, the Moondogs and The Silver Beatles, the group adopted the name The Beatles in 1960's. The band was established by John Lennon, and later added was Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. Other original members were Pete Best, and Stuart Sutcliffe. However, Best and Sutcliffe were not marked as one of the Fab Four. With trial and fail, The Beatles became a hard-working

music group that was very popular and their influence on music and popular culture still reverberates today.
The Beatles did not immediately jump in fame. They toured Liverpool and the surrounding towns trying to build a fanbase. Eventually they made their way Hamburg where there fame was jump started. Upon returning to Liverpool, they had discovered this fame. Brian Epstein, a record store owner in Liverpool, had an interest in the music they were creating. He went to watch them perform one night. When they played, Brian was shocked from the unique music the unkempt looking boys were making. This inspired Brian to become their manager. He searched and got the boys a few auditions. However, they were unfruitful. Epstein continued lobbying for the band until he finally found an audition with George Martin at Parlophone records. Martin loved their sound. He cleaned them up, put them in tailored suits, which was Brian Epsteins idea. The only part of the band he did not seem to like was their drummer, Pete Best. Epstein was asked to replace Pete before the deal would be complete. Richard Starkey, also known as Ringo Starr, would take his place, completing the band. The Beatles were ready.
Through the winter and spring of 1963, the Beatles continued their rise to fame in England by producing recordings of a whole new genre of which they could call their own.

They played classic American rock and roll on a multiple British Broadcasting Corporation radio programs. In these months, fascination with the Beatles had risen. Later that year, The Beatles made a couple of appearances on British television, creating a new word for the phenomenon: Beatlemania. (“Beatlemania in the 1960’s”) In early 1964, after many appearances on American television, the same sensation arose in the United States and generated the famed British Invasion of Beatles imitators from the United Kingdom. The Beatles in that same year, arrived in New York on the fourth of February. It was the first time they had ever been in the United States. There was a mere 3,000 fans waiting for them when they first stepped off their plane onto the American soil. Only two days after landing, they appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show with an estimated 73 million people watching on television. This was about forty percent of the U.S. population that tuned in to watch The Beatles performance. Sullivan had booked the Beatles for two more appearances within that same month. The boys had their first show in the United States on February 11 at the Coliseum in Washington, D.C. A mere 20,000 fans attended. The next day, they gave two back-to-back performances at New York’s Carnegie Hall. The police had to be contacted

and they were forced to close off the streets around the music hall because of fans frenzy. On February 22, the Beatles returned to England.
The Beatles’ first American tour left a major imprint on the nation. Their singles and albums sold millions of records, and in April 1964 all five best-selling U.S. singles were Beatles songs. (Trust). Later in that month of fame, they returned to the United States for their second tour and played to sold-out arenas across the country. After The Beatles United States tour, they gave up touring. In 1970, The Beatles broke up, leaving the world with twelve albums and 30 Top 10 U.S. singles. Although they had stopped touring and were broken up, their music remained with people for decades. The next few years, all four Beatles pursued solo careers becoming quite successful on their own. McCartney did not want to drop out of the public eye. He was the first to pursue his own solo career. He later married Linda Eastman. John Lennon, who had released his own solo album, was shot to death by an insane fan outside his apartment building in 1980. Ringo Starr created his first album, Sentimental Journey which did exceptionally well. George Harrison, also known as “the quiet Beatle”, immediately created a band of his own with Ringo Starr, and guitarist Eric Clapton. Harrison later died of throat cancer. (“George Harrison Biography”) The only two Beatles left today are Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr.
The Beatles are one of the most influential bands of all time.

While they had a heavy impact on people in the 1960’s, they still continue to influence people and impact them today with their original style and sound. The Beatles brought a new music to people of all ages. They took everything amazing about Rock and Roll and made it their own with their style. They were extremely talented with raving success with musical talent that was a pure phenomenon. The Beatles were not just another band, but they became the start of a whole new generation of music. This music was full of energy, with rapid changes and growth that kept people interested. They were one of the few artists that were the best and most popular at what they were doing. With success unmatched by anyone, The Beatles, as John Lennon would say were “more popular than Jesus”. They will always be remembered as one of the biggest success stories in

America.