Comments on: Decca, EMI, and Ed Sullivan: The Beatles Seize February

By: Gordon Thompson

Gordon Thompson — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 18:48:23 +0000

Mike, thanks for the correction on Southport. I inadvertently upgraded its municipal status. As for Ringo, I didn’t mean to suggest that he joined the Beatles in February; only that he deputized for Pete Best on that night. And I think all George Martin indicated was that he intended to replace Pete Best on the recording session; but that they could keep him for their live shows. That would have been standard practice.

Stephen, thanks for the insight on your godfather’s mindset. Very informative.

Gordon

By: Stephen Evans

Stephen Evans — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 21:43:13 +0000

S Beecher-Stevens was my godfather. I would like to put on record that he thought the Beatles were excellent and wantedn to sihn them. Sir Edward Lewis chairman of Decca thought otherwise. This upset my godfather and led to his forced early retirement from Decca. Decca had the Rolling Stones of course. My uncle never forgave Lewis.

By: MikeC

MikeC — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 22:30:14 +0000

Two points:

Southport is not a city but a town, 16 miles to the north of Liverpool.

Ringo Starr did not join the Beatles until after they had signed with Parlophone. It was George Martin who urged them to dump Pete Best as drummer.

By: Gordon

Gordon — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 15:11:41 +0000

I don’t know that we need to think of the Beatles as “classical,” although I recognize a cross plug when I see one.

If anything, the Beatles were anti-classical in the sense that they represented a movement in Britain to undermine class hierarchy. (What else can “classical music” refer to if not the class that traditionally patronized it?)

And when Chuck Berry commands Beethoven to “roll over” and “tell Tchaikovsky the news,” I think he meant in their graves. Rock and the under-privileged now ruled.

Thanks for the comments.

Gordon

By: Mr Moonlight

Mr Moonlight — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 13:34:37 +0000

Since those fateful days the Beatles have become As classical as Beethoven and boy did they teach Tchaikovsky some blues? If you love the Fab Four as much as I do? Tune in to beatlesradio.com for Beatles music 24/7. Thanks Mr moonlight.