Reading the 20th Century discussion

A new thread in honour of the latest Backlisted Podcast - and given that Susan is such a passionate fan....

What are your favourite books about The Beatles?

Need inspiration?

Try this...

https://www.backlisted.fm/episodes/99...

In a live recording from the 2019 Port Eliot Festival, John and Andy are joined by the grand old men of music writing, David Hepworth and Mark Ellen. David Hepworth was born on July 27th 1950. Since this makes him twelve when the Beatles first came along and still an attractively boyish nineteen when they broke up, this, as far as pop music is concerned, is the winning ticket in the lottery of life. After a career which involved school teaching and spells inside the music business he began writing for the music papers in the 70s. During the 80s and 90s he was editorial director of the publisher of such music magazines as Smash Hits, Q and MOJO while also doing his time as a presenter of BBC TV's Whistle Test. During Live Aid he was sworn at by Bob Geldof in front of earth's largest TV audience. His books include 1971: Never A Dull Moment and A Fabulous Creation: How The LP Saved Our Lives. Mark Ellen spent his teenage years sitting in fields at the feet of hairy rock voyagers like Atomic Rooster and began writing for the NME in the late ‘70s. He was an editor-in-chief at the publishers EMAP, helped launch MOJO, edited Smash Hits, Q, Select and The Word, worked for BBC television and radio and for VH1, and now writes and witters about a range of stuff but mainly music. His 2014 memoir of his life in music, Rock Stars Stole My Life!, is now considered a classic of the genre. The pair are co-hosts of the A Word in Your Ear podcast, one of the original inspirations for Backlisted.

Books mentioned:

The Beatles - The Beatles Anthology
Michael Braun - Love Me Do: The Beatles’ Progress
Ian McDonald - Revolution in the Head
Joe Orton - Head to Toe & Up Against It
David Hepworth - 1971: Never A Dull Moment; A Fabulous Creation: How The LP Saved Our Lives
Mark Ellen - Rock Stars Stole My Life
Barry Miles - The Zapple Diaries: The Rise and Fall of The Last Beatles Label
Derek Taylor - As Time Goes By
Nick Cohen - Awopbopaloobop Alopbamboom : Pop from the Beginning

Podcast available at all your favourite providers

The best one I have read is....


Revolution In The Head: The Beatles Records and the Sixties by Ian Macdonald

...closely followed by....

You Never Give Me Your Money: The Beatles After the Breakup by Peter Doggett

I should add I've not read that many books about the Fabs though

Tune In by Mark Lewisohn Hands down. Extended version. And I've read just about every book on the Beatles there is. So excited to see him talk, next month, about "Abbey Road."

I will listen to Backlisted, thanks, Nigeyb. Hepworth is a good writer and I enjoy his books.

Thanks Susan - that's quite an accolade


Susan wrote: "I will listen to Backlisted, thanks, Nigeyb. Hepworth is a good writer and I enjoy his books"

I've listened and I loved it. As a big fan, I suspect you'll really enjoy it - then again perhaps not?

The Beatles are lucky to have Mark Lewisohn. He is really committed to telling the Beatles story properly, giving all of the members of the band their due and understands the band dynamics.

There are a lot of authors now releasing books about various aspects of the Beatles story, which have really just used his research.

One of the first books I read, though, which I really enjoyed was:

The Man Who Gave the Beatles Away which was quite fictional in places, but very funny, and helped lots of the myths which circulated about the band in Hamburg for many years. Allan Williams was quite a character and Lewisohn wrote a lovely obituary piece for him.

He often argued with Bob Wooler (Cavern DJ) at Beatles conventions and there was a wonderful interview, which ended in farce on Pebble Mill once, faithfully recorded in: The Best of Fellas: The Story of Bob Wooler - Liverpool's First D.J., the Man Who Introduced "The Beatles": The Story of Bob Wooler - ... ... D.J., the Man Who Introduced The Beatles

https://www.facebook.com/marklewisohn...

A Hand in Our Lives - Mark Lewisohn (the piece about Allan Williams, for anyone interested).

Mark L does indeed sound like the perfect Fabs chronicler. I've heard him interviewed on the Word podcast and he's a very passionate and erudite person

Susan, have you read....

Love Me Do!: Beatles Progress by Michael Braun?

It was David Hepworth's choice of Beatle book. It sounds fascinating. DH said he thought it is currently out of print.

The discussion about it really piqued my interest

The GR blurb...

The year is 1963 and "Love Me Do" is the Beatles' first number one hit, closely followed by "Please Please Me". John, Paul, George and Ringo celebrate their new found success with a hectic six-week tour, briefly interrupted by an historic live appearance at the "Royal Variety Performance" at the London Palladium. This is the beginning of "Beatlemania" and American writer, Mike Braun, is there to chronicle events and watch as the drama unfolds. A year later, The Beatles are the world's biggest pop group. This book details what really happened in those first magic weeks.

The World's Great Drummers tip their hi-hat to Ringo.

https://youtu.be/wJTjjAXDZSY

If The Beatles had added another s on their name, they wouldn't have needed a drummer.

Love Me Do!: Beatles Progress is available on kindle, Nigeyb. I have an original, paperback version, but it is, wonderfully, back in print. John Lennon liked it and it is a good portrait of early Beatlemania.

I have read all the books mentioned in the podcast, except for the Joe Orton one. Barry Miles wrote a wonderful biography of Paul McCartney Paul McCartney: Many Years from Now and also I loved his autobiography In The Sixties

A recent book I enjoyed was Dreaming the Beatles: The Love Story of One Band and the Whole World

The Beatles books I have are, Shout! The True Story, by Philip Norman, and The Penguin John Lennon: John Lennon In His Own Words,
and The Concise Beatles Complete, which has the words and music to every song. 'Easy-to-read arrangements, full lyrics and guitar chords.'

I haven't listened to all of the podcast yet, Nigeyb, but Jessica Mitford sung, "Maxwell's Silver Hammer"?! I would have sworn that was a man...

Thanks Nigeyb, I've downloaded it to listen to later. My favourite book about The Beatles is still the first one I ever came across

The copy I read belonged to my sister and I loved just looking at the pictures and sighing over Stuart Sutcliffe.

That was the first biography I read too, Ruth. There's a good podcast on BBC4:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b018...

Susan wrote: "That was the first biography I read too, Ruth. There's a good podcast on BBC4:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b018..."

Thanks Susan - that looks good.

Shout,the Beatles in Their Generation
Read a long time ago,but remember it as being fairly interesting.

Ooh, contentious choice, Wsm. Beatles fans were amazed when Norman wrote a biography of Paul, after some very unsympathetic previous writing. Admittedly, I think the first edition of "Shout!" was published in 1981. However, I still feel that his decision to do a biography of Paul was to try to rid himself of his anti-Paul stance, unpopular on the convention circuit...

Susan,I wasn't aware that it's a contentious book.Yes,it was the first edition from the 1980s,which I read,long ago.I'm not much of a Beatles fan,actually.Still,I was interested enough to read it,particularly the part about John Lennon's assassination.

Many Beatles fans are not a fan of Norman, but I think he wrote the book the public wanted at that time.

I just started The Beatles Are Here!: 50 Years after the Band Arrived in America, Writers, Musicians Other Fans Remember. A lot of fun so far.

Very excited to see that Craig Brown, author of Ma’am Darling: 99 Glimpses of Princess Margaret has a book about the Fabs coming out next year!

One Two Three Four: The Beatles in Time
Due out in April.

From the award-winning author of Ma’am Darling: 99 Glimpses of Princess Margaret comes a fascinating, hilarious, kaleidoscopic biography of the Fab Four.

On April 10th 2020, it will be exactly 50 years since Paul McCartney announced the break-up of the Beatles. At that point, we will be at the same distance in time from 1970 as 1970 was from 1920, the year Al Jolson's ‘Swanee’ was the bestselling record and Gustav Holst composed The Planets.

The Beatles continue to occupy a position unique in popular culture. They have entered people's minds in a way that did not occur before, and has not occurred since. Their influence extended way beyond the realm of music to fashion, politics, class, religion and ethics. Countless books have doggedly catalogued the minutiae of The Beatles. If you want to know the make of George Harrison's first car you will always be able to find the answer (a second hand, two-door, blue Ford Anglia 105E Deluxe, purchased from Brian Epstein's friend Terry Doran, who worked at a dealership in Warrington). Before she met John Lennon, who was the only Beatle Yoko Ono could name, and why? Ringo. Because ‘ringo’ means ‘apple’ in Japanese. All very interesting, but there is, as yet, no book about The Beatles that combines the intriguing minutiae of their day-to-day lives with broader questions about their effect – complicated and fascinating – on the world around them, their contemporaries, and generations to come.

Until now.

Craig Brown's Beatlemania is a unique, kaleidoscopic examination of The Beatles phenomenon – part biography, part anthropology, part memoir, by turns humorous and serious, elegiac and speculative. It follows the unique “exploded biography” form of his internationally bestselling, Ma'am Darling: 99 Glimpses of Princess Margaret.

Pre-ordered and much anticipated...

Sounds very promising - thanks Susan

Ma'am Darling was my book of the year, when it came out. I have high hopes.

David Bedford has made one of his books available free, for a short time:

Hi everyone,
If you are stuck at home and looking for something to read, then I have made my Kindle book Free - FOR 5 DAYS ONLY. This is a crime "faction" book, based on a fictional detective in Liverpool in 1960, but The Beatles feature in it too! Meet Inspector Rocke: That'll Be The Day.... That I Die!" Enjoy with my compliments!

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Inspector-Ro...

Stay safe.

David

So saddened this morning to hear of the death of Astrid Kirchherr. So important in Beatles history.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainm...

Very sad news


RIP Astrid Kirchherr

She actually died last Tuesday - Mark Lewisohn corrected his original tweet. I was lucky enough to meet her a couple of times and see her speak, as well as visit one of her photo exhibitions many years ago. Such a lovely and sweet lady and her photo's were amazing. The Beatles were so lucky that they had her to document that Hamburg period. She photographed them like they were the stars she believed they would become...

And, from memory, she invented the Beatles cut too? Didn't she convince George to ditch the quiff and then, once he'd succumbed, the others followed quickly recognising it as far more modern and contemporary? Or am I confusing her with another Hamburg woman from around the same time. Actually I think I might be. As I type I'm getting a memory of Pete's girlfriend being responsible. I'm off for a run now so will come back to this. I'm hoping Susan will have put me straight in about an hour's time ;-)

Whilst running I remembered it was Stuart Sutcliffe who changed his hair, at least I think so, and it was he who was going out with Astrid Kirchherr. I'll google it all later.

Yes, she cut Stuart Sucliffe's hair and George's. It was Jurgen Vollmer who cut the hair of John and Paul, when they were on a trip to Paris and, of course, once they made the change, everyone else could do so - except for Pete, who to be fair, didn't have the type of hair which would have easily gone into a moptop. George had, initially, swept his back up again, after being teased.

It is the fortieth anniversary of John's death this year, so lots of books appearing. I have started the first that has been published:

John Lennon, 1980: The Last Days in the Life

Others on the horizon are:
Who Killed John Lennon?

The Last Days of John Lennon

If there are any worth reading, or definitely avoided, I will post; should anyone be interested.

Not a book, but a radio show for John's 80th birthday:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000...

Sean will be interviewing Paul and Elton John.

Susan wrote: "Not a book, but a radio show for John's 80th birthday:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000...

Sean will be interviewing Paul and Elton John."

Thank you Susan, I'll look forward to hearing that. I see Julian Lennon will also be on the programmes.

Yes, that was a surprise, but a nice one.

I have finished John Lennon 1980: The Last Days in the Life
My review if anyone is interested: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

https://www.bbc.com/mediacentre/2020/...

The gorgeous Idris Elba to interview my fave Beatle over Christmas. What's not to like?!

I am reading...


The Last Days of John Lennon

by

James Patterson

Lots of one star reviews for this one however I am quite enjoying it

The title is misleading as there are two concurrent narratives:

Key points in the rise of The Beatles (e.g. Paul and John meeting, Hamburg, replacing Pete Best with Ringo, Brian Epstein becoming manager, first EMI recording session etc.)

Mark Chapman arriving in New York to kill John Lennon, where he stayed, what he did, and why he felt betrayed by Lennon

I assume the two narrative threads will converge at the end of the book

The Beatles stuff is very familiar but it's done well and gives a sense of their unstoppable momentum

I don't really get all the hate however I suppose he doesn't appear to have done much, if any, new research, so is probably relying on existing sources.

I'll report back

The blurb...

The greatest true-crime story in music history, as only James Patterson can tell it.

With the Beatles, John Lennon surpasses his youthful dreams, achieving a level of superstardom that defies classification. “We were the best bloody band there was,” he says. “There was nobody to touch us.” Nobody except the original nowhere man, Mark David Chapman. Chapman once worshipped his idols from afar—but now harbors grudges against those, like Lennon, whom he feels betrayed him. He’s convinced Lennon has misled fans with his message of hope and peace. And Chapman’s not staying away any longer.

By the summer of 1980, Lennon is recording new music for the first time in years, energized and ready for it to be “(Just Like) Starting Over.” He can’t wait to show the world what he will do.

Neither can Chapman, who quits his security job and boards a flight to New York, a handgun and bullets stowed in his luggage.

The greatest true-crime story in music history, as only James Patterson can tell it. Enriched by exclusive interviews with Lennon’s friends and associates, including Paul McCartney, The Last Days of John Lennon is the thrilling true story of two men who changed history: One whose indelible songs enliven our world to this day—and the other who ended the beautiful music with five pulls of a trigger.

I haven't read that one, Nigeyb. Perhaps people just question James Patterson's huge output and whether it is ghostwritten?
John Lennon 1980: The Last Days in the Life had a lot of new information. I would have to read the Patterson to compare, but let me know how you get on.

I've finished...


The Last Days of John Lennon

by

James Patterson

I enjoyed it

Review here

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

4/5

Interesting review, Nigeyb. I think that most Beatles fans are aware when there is no new research and that may be the problem. Kenneth Womack had found lots of 'new' people to interview - especially people living in the Dakota at the time, or who had visited. Rehashing the Beatles story may be interesting for those less familiar with their biography, but is often seen as padding for fans. I probably will get to it at some point - it lurks on my kindle - but I definitely turned to the Womack book first.

Very good points Susan. I think I'd advise giving it a miss unless you're happy to read a story you already know.


I didn't really know much about John's post-Beatles life, except in very broad brush strokes, so found a bit more detail helpful. I might go on and read a more exhaustive biography.

One curious consequence is that it inspired me to delve more deeply into Paul's post-Beatles career. I've been enjoying his output from 71-75. Band On The Run is an old favourite but I've also been enjoying the much maligned Wild Life. Ram is also an absolute gem. Will be diving into Red Rose Speedway today. He really is one heck of a tunesmith (controversial I know ;-))

Not at all. By FAR my favourite Beatle, as you know. I adore Wild Life and Ram. Let me know how you get on with Red Rose Speedway.

I really like Ram and also McCartney, his first solo album.

Not a book today, but a book of stamps! Just say that there is a new set of stamps out to celebrate Paul:

https://news.sky.com/story/new-stamps...

Just pre-ordered them through Royal Mail and very nice they are too!

Lovely Susan - aren't stamps wonderful? Royal Mail really do come up with some great subjects, themes and designs

Good to see Paul, rather than Beatles....

Yes, it is. Paul is certainly worthy of having his own collection.

I'm poised to start listening to....


One Two Three Four: The Beatles in Time (2020) by Craig Brown

Looking forward to it

Winner of The Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-Fiction (2020)

From the award-winning author of Ma’am Darling: 99 Glimpses of Princess Margaret comes a fascinating, hilarious, kaleidoscopic biography of the Fab Four.

On April 10th 2020, it will be exactly 50 years since Paul McCartney announced the break-up of the Beatles. At that point, we will be at the same distance in time from 1970 as 1970 was from 1920, the year Al Jolson's ‘Swanee’ was the bestselling record and Gustav Holst composed The Planets.

The Beatles continue to occupy a position unique in popular culture. They have entered people's minds in a way that did not occur before, and has not occurred since. Their influence extended way beyond the realm of music to fashion, politics, class, religion and ethics. Countless books have doggedly catalogued the minutiae of The Beatles. If you want to know the make of George Harrison's first car you will always be able to find the answer (a second hand, two-door, blue Ford Anglia 105E Deluxe, purchased from Brian Epstein's friend Terry Doran, who worked at a dealership in Warrington). Before she met John Lennon, who was the only Beatle Yoko Ono could name, and why? Ringo. Because ‘ringo’ means ‘apple’ in Japanese. All very interesting, but there is, as yet, no book about The Beatles that combines the intriguing minutiae of their day-to-day lives with broader questions about their effect – complicated and fascinating – on the world around them, their contemporaries, and generations to come.

Until now.

Craig Brown's 1-2-3-4: The Beatles in Time is a unique, kaleidoscopic examination of The Beatles phenomenon – part biography, part anthropology, part memoir, by turns humorous and serious, elegiac and speculative. It follows the unique “exploded biography” form of his internationally bestselling, Ma'am Darling: 99 Glimpses of Princess Margaret

Enjoy, Nigeyb. He has culled a lot of stories from other books - not always from reliable authors, so take it with a pinch of salt, but I suppose the same was true of the Princess Margaret one, only I never knew much about her. In this one, I had all of the books and recognised where he had taken things from...

Thanks Susan - sounds as though my relative ignorance will be an asset.


The bizarre National Trust visits alone are already worth the price of admission.