Comments on: Brian Epstein transforms the Beatles, December 1961 http://blog.oup.com/2011/12/beatles-dec61/ Academic insights for the thinking world. Fri, 17 May 2013 12:26:42 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.2 By: Gordon http://blog.oup.com/2011/12/beatles-dec61/#comment-246849 Gordon Wed, 11 Jan 2012 16:08:26 +0000 http://blog.oup.com/?p=20243#comment-246849 Thanks for the comments and memories, Bill. Epstein was a complicated man. Thanks for the comments and memories, Bill. Epstein was a complicated man.

]]> By: Bill Covington http://blog.oup.com/2011/12/beatles-dec61/#comment-246597 Bill Covington Sun, 08 Jan 2012 16:53:28 +0000 http://blog.oup.com/?p=20243#comment-246597 When Brian signed THE RUSTIKS to his management stable he immediately set about the task of refitting the band with suitable non-offense attire. Brian did this with all his bands and solo acts. Brian realized that major national success for a band that came from the North West of England ( THE BEATLES ) meant a total re-branding of them and what Brian did regarding their image was to sanitize them to the extent that The Beatles and all who were signed to him were suited and washed to represent his credo of a corporate identity. Another point I wish to make is this, Brian's notion of what would be considered acceptable to the British public was not confined to image alone. Brian was anxious to direct the musical content that his bands and solo acts recorded. That aspect of his vision was very difficult to realize with Lennon & McCartney, especially so with John lennon, but with THE RUSTIKS Brian definitely directed the way in which he wanted them to travel musically, and it was oppressive and controlling, in the same way being told what to wear on stage and which songs to perform was oppressive. I recall Brian literally wincing at the volume of my drumming when he watched us performing at a gathering of the Jewish community in Finchley. I was told by the other members of the band, 'You're too loud, Brian doesn't like it!' To which I replied, 'This is supposed to be Rock and Roll! I'm not in it to be quiet!' When Brian signed THE RUSTIKS to his management stable he immediately set about the task of refitting the band with suitable non-offense attire. Brian did this with all his bands and solo acts. Brian realized that major national success for a band that came from the North West of England ( THE BEATLES ) meant a total re-branding of them and what Brian did regarding their image was to sanitize them to the extent that The Beatles and all who were signed to him were suited and washed to represent his credo of a corporate identity. Another point I wish to make is this, Brian’s notion of what would be considered acceptable to the British public was not confined to image alone. Brian was anxious to direct the musical content that his bands and solo acts recorded. That aspect of his vision was very difficult to realize with Lennon & McCartney, especially so with John lennon, but with THE RUSTIKS Brian definitely directed the way in which he wanted them to travel musically, and it was oppressive and controlling, in the same way being told what to wear on stage and which songs to perform was oppressive. I recall Brian literally wincing at the volume of my drumming when he watched us performing at a gathering of the Jewish community in Finchley. I was told by the other members of the band, ‘You’re too loud, Brian doesn’t like it!’ To which I replied, ‘This is supposed to be Rock and Roll! I’m not in it to be quiet!’

]]> By: Brian O'Connell http://blog.oup.com/2011/12/beatles-dec61/#comment-243828 Brian O'Connell Fri, 16 Dec 2011 11:11:44 +0000 http://blog.oup.com/?p=20243#comment-243828 Here is my poem about 'Eppy' Eppy-Taph Brian Epstein was a friend of mine Yeah, yeah, yeah they all say that It's true! I can tell you about the time when he lent me his favourite cravat Brian Epstein was a friend of mine Yeah, yeah, they all say that Hello Brian. Is it really forty years since you went away? Standing here by your graveside, wondering what to say I can still see you smiling when I asked for a record to play There in NEMS in the listening booth where I first heard three chords and the truth And instead of forty years it seems like yesterday Brian O'Connell (c) 2007 Here is my poem about ‘Eppy’

Eppy-Taph

Brian Epstein was a friend of mine
Yeah, yeah, yeah they all say that
It’s true! I can tell you about the time
when he lent me his favourite cravat
Brian Epstein was a friend of mine
Yeah, yeah, they all say that

Hello Brian. Is it really forty years since you went away?
Standing here by your graveside, wondering what to say
I can still see you smiling when I asked for a record to play
There in NEMS in the listening booth where I first heard three chords and the truth
And instead of forty years it seems like yesterday

Brian O’Connell (c) 2007

]]> By: James Aulds http://blog.oup.com/2011/12/beatles-dec61/#comment-243718 James Aulds Thu, 15 Dec 2011 21:53:28 +0000 http://blog.oup.com/?p=20243#comment-243718 Interesting article. Eppy did all of us a favor to clean up and introduce the world to his artists. His artists in turn faced a dilema of touring burnout in only a few short years due to female histeria. Interesting article. Eppy did all of us a favor to clean up and introduce the world to his artists. His artists in turn faced a dilema of touring burnout in only a few short years due to female histeria.

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