INTRODUCTION:

The Beatles first began under the name of 'The Quarrymen', a skiffle group fronted by a young John Lennon. 'The Quarrymen' embraced the new tamed English version of rock 'n' roll, which for a short time would wash over English teenagers like a plague. Soon, everyone was in a skiffle band. But the 'Quarrymen' were raw, too raw infact, and their 'music' was often created with the use of kitchen washboards and tea chests. However, living by a port John Lennon wanted to play rock 'n' roll, after hearing American rock 'n' roll records brought over from the states by sailors. He soon began to push his band towards a more rock 'n' roll style, to play songs such as 'Blue Suede Shoes' and other songs by similar artists like his idol Elvis.
When Paul McCartney met John Lennon it was at a Church fete in July 1957. Paul was impressed with the band and went to introduce himself. John was impressed with Paul's knowledge of how to tune a guitar. Paul was quickly asked to join the band. Paul introduced John to a friend of his, a boy two years younger than John by the name of George Harrison. George's father used to drive the bus which took Paul and George to school, and they had quickly struck up a solid friendship over the love of guitars. John was dubious about using George in the band, as George was younger and seemed far too clingy. However, a friendship was formed. Eventually, out of sheer annoyance and the fact that John was impressed by what a good guitar player George was, George joined the 'Quarrymen'.

A successful businessman Brian Epstein who owned a flourishing record shop was interested in locating the record 'My Bonnie' featuring the The Beat Brothers, and when he secured the single he wanted to know the band. The Beatles, who had changed their name from Johnny and the Moondogs, then the Silver Beatles and finally the Beatles, who were playing daily at the now famous Cavern Club. Brian went to watch them play and was erupted by their pure energy and raw music as well as the bands persona and looks (he was homosexual, later rumours would spark that Brian and John were more than manager and band member, these were never confirmed and denied by John.) He immediately signed them up so he could be their manager. Eventually, after little success Brian took them to a small novelty song company named Parlophone Records, a small company off EMI. The producer, George Martin met the group and agreed to produce their records. However, Pete was not a suitable drummer for the group, and so when the deal was secure Pete was sacked, and the Beatles employed renowned drummer Ringo Starr (Richard Starkey). Brian polished the groups image and George made the records.
The bands first hit was in 1962 was 'Love Me Do', a quirky catchy pop tune which peaked at number 17 in the charts. In 1963 they recorded their album 'Please Please Me' in just 11 hours, and then followed it with the single 'Please Please Me'. The album and single reached number 1.
By 1964, the group had conquered England and Europe, and they dared to do what no other group had successfully done-conquer America. The single 'I Want To Hold Your Hand' burst to the top spot of the American charts. They began to tour, but Beatlemania had gripped the world and their music was barely audible over the thousands and thousands of screaming fans. The band were eventually reduced to playing in large football stadiums to up to twenty thousand fans, their music unbearable; and so they sometimes stopped playing and simply mimed. They were puppets on strings.
By 1966 The Beatles were increasingly depressed and frustrated. The hoards of screaming fans made their concerts into 20-30 minute sets, their life revolved around a mix of shows and hotel rooms, and though they were enjoying money, fame and women, their life was becoming claustrophobic. Their last live concert was held in Candlestick park 1966, touring with their most recent album 'Rubber Soul'.

When the Beatle's began their albums were raw with pop classics, mostly by timeless Lennon/McCartney combinations and cover versions of old rock 'n' roll numbers. By that time the bands format was formally set, John did rhythm guitar and lead vocals, Paul did bass and shared lead vocals with John, George did lead guitar and sang occasionally, and Ringo played drums. However, when George began coming into his own in song writing terms, his first own song being 'If I Needed Someone' he was becoming increasingly annoyed that Lennon/McCartney would only allow him one or two cuts per record. By the early days Lennon/McCartney and George Martin didn't value him as an accomplished songwriter, and allowed him one or two songs per album to appease him.

The public was astounded when one Beatle decided to break away from the number one pop formula they had always adopted. That said Beatle was Paul McCartney, and with the classical orientated song 'Yesterday' changed the course of material the Beatles were able to achieve. George Martin, an accomplished classical musician employed the help of an orchestra in order to record the song. 'Yesterday' has been heralded as one of the greatest songs of the 20th century, and the ongoing song writing battle between Paul and John would soon begin to heat up, especially as each became more absorbed with their own music.

Once the band began to take LSD and other mind altering chemicals and began recording in the studio, what came out was a never achieved before sound. Their songs were often enchanting, haunting and a trip in themselves, increasingly strange formulae was being employed in achieving the out the world sounds of Sgt Pepper. George Martin said when they recorded 'Being For The Benefit of Mr Kite' he asked a technician to cut up pieces of fairground music in roughly foot long strips, throw them up in the air and then attach them together again in any order. The album seemed to grow by itself, and it received rave reviews on it's release.

By the time 1868 came around the band besides Paul were desperate to branch out from their Beatles image and record by themselves in their own new way. However, they still recorded The White Album, the first double album ever to reach number one and the Beatle's album with the most Harrison cuts on it, Let It Be and Abbey Road. By now they had left the flower power psychedelic of Sgt Pepper, and wanted to record new and raw again. What followed were a series of songs about old times, new times, and time in-between. Styles of song were becoming distinctive between each member. Even though Let It Be was not the last record to be recorded it was the last to be released. It showed that their was no room in the 70's for the Beatles, and that their grip as a group had well and truly slipped. George Martin often reported on reflection of the Beatle's last years that one side of a record was for Paul and that the other was for John, with George wedged between., Ringo was never into song writing much. The last wells of Beatles music had dried up, but the members were dripping to make it on their own.

The first film the Beatle's recorded was 'A Hard Day's Night'. It showed a few dizzy days in the Beatle's hectic lives, scripted of course. Despite not being trained actors the film received excellent reviews, showing that the Beatles were witty, charming and multi talented. The film was suggested by Brian Epstein in order to cash in on the Beatle's at their peek and give them something to fall back on should their music become undesirable to the public. Ringo did go on to act, and John acted in 'How I Won the War'.
The second film the Beatles starred in was 'Help!' in 1965. This picked up from straight where 'A Hard Day's Night' left off, but sadly didn't show it's predecessor's energy despite the exotic locations. This may have being to due to the relative feeling that the Beatle's were bored with Beatlemania, and spent much time off set smoking soft drugs such as hash.
The third film, 'Yellow Submarine' was to complete a three-film contract with Brian Epstein had arranged for the band. Peeved at the idea of returning on screen the Beatle's decided on an animation of themselves to be created. They had little to no involvement with the film, they didn't even voice act for themselves. The film was fairly successful.
The 'Magical Mystery Tour' was an idea suggested by Paul, in which the band and entourage of wives, friends and family hop on board a big bus with some circus 'freaks' and go across the country and film all the interesting things which happened. Sadly nothing did, and had Brian Epstein being alive it is almost certain he would have objected to the idea in the first place. The hour long TV special was slaughtered by the critics which showed the Beatles were not untouchable. What followed was 'Let It Be', a film which showed the Beatles at their last ebb. It was shown only in the UK as an hour long special

In the Beatle's pre-famous days, leather and cowboy boots were the order of the day. This completed with the traditional quiff of the Teddy boy style, showed teenage rebellion at it's best. When Brian Epstein signed the boys he changed their image to fit in with their new tight sound. Their hair was cut in a shorter version on the now famous Beatle's mop-top, and their old leathers changed for collarless tailored suits. When the Beatles entered their Sgt Pepper stage they were wearing psychedelic flared suits, army style jackets, and identical moustaches. There was a sense of freedom and unreal ness about their new image which favoured the times. After they had outgrown that look they outgrew their hair and beards and became fully fledged hippies. They wore Indian style clothes away on their meditation and relaxation trips, and jeans, shirts and cowboy garb in their final days. However, Ringo was notorious in his love for suits.