Read the relationship between the members of the Beatles. The Beatles

50 years ago, on October 5, 1962, the Beatles' first record, Love Me Do, went on sale.

The Beatles ("The Beatles") are a British rock group that contributed huge contribution in the development and popularization of both rock music and rock culture in general. The ensemble became one of the brightest phenomena of world culture in the 60s of the 20th century.

On June 20, 2004, as part of the European tour 04 Summer Tour, Paul McCartney's only concert took place in St. Petersburg on Palace Square.

On April 4, 2009, a concert took place in New York former members The Beatles Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr A. The concert featured both solo songs by musicians and several Beatles hits. The money from their joint concert went to promote spiritual values ​​among young people.

IN last time they performed together at the 2002 George Harrison Tribute Concert.

In February 2012, it became known that the houses in Liverpool where members of the legendary group The Beatles John Lennon and Paul McCartney spent their childhood. The organization for the preservation of historical monuments, landmarks and scenic spots previously carried out restoration of both buildings so that they looked the same as when the musicians were children.

Since 2001, according to the decision of UNESCO, January 16 is celebrated annually as World Beatles Day. Music lovers in various countries the world honors the best band of the bygone 20th century.

In the USSR, from 1964 to 1992, the Krugozor magazine and the Melodiya Company released recordings in the form of flexible gramophone records, including music by Western musicians; during 1974, five Beatles records were released.

The material was prepared based on information from RIA Novosti and open sources

The Beatles made a great contribution to the development of rock music and became a striking phenomenon of world culture in the sixties of the twentieth century. In this article we will learn not only the history of the emergence of the Beatles. The biography of each participant after the collapse of the legendary team will also be considered.

Beginning (1956-1960)

When did the Beatles originate? The biography has been of interest to several generations of fans. The history of the group can begin with the formation of the musical tastes of the participants.

In the spring of 1956, the leader of the future star team, John Lennon, heard one of Elvis Presley's songs for the first time. And this song, Heartbreak Hotel, turned the young man’s whole life upside down. Lennon played banjo and harmonica, but new music forced him to take up the guitar.

Biography of the Beatles in Russian usually begins with the first group organized by Lennon. Co school friends he created the Quarrymen team, named after their educational institution. The teenagers played skiffle, a form of amateur British rock and roll.

At one of the band's performances, Lennon met Paul McCartney, who surprised the guy with his knowledge of the chords of the latest songs and high musical development. And in the spring of 1958, George Harrison, Paul's friend, joined them. The trio became the backbone of the group. They were invited to play at parties and weddings, but it never came to real concerts.

Inspired by the example of rock and roll pioneers, Eddie Cochran and Paul and John decided to write their own songs and play guitars. They wrote the texts together and gave them dual authorship.

In 1959, the group appeared new member- Stuart Sutcliffe, Lennon's friend. was almost formed: Sutcliffe (bass guitar), Harrison (lead guitar), McCartney (vocals, guitar, piano), Lennon (vocals, rhythm guitar). The only thing missing was a drummer.

Name

It is difficult to tell briefly about the Beatles; even the history of the emergence of such a simple and short name groups. When the team began to integrate into concert life hometown, they needed a new name, because they no longer had anything to do with the school. In addition, the group began performing at various talent competitions.

For example, in a 1959 television competition, the team performed under the name Johnny and the Moondogs. Moon Dogs"). And the name The Beatles appeared a few months later, at the beginning of 1960. Who exactly invented it is unknown, most likely Sutcliffe and Lennon, who wanted to take a word that had several meanings.

When pronounced, the name sounds like beetles, that is, beetles. And when writing, the root beat is visible - like beat music, fashion direction rock and roll, which originated in the 1960s. However, the promoters believed that this name was not catchy and too short, so on the posters the guys were called Long John and the Silver Beetles (“Long John and the Silver Beetles”).

Hamburg (1960-1962)

The musicians' skills grew, but they remained just one of many musical groups in their hometown. Biography of the Beatles, summary which you started reading continues with the team moving to Hamburg.

The young musicians benefited from the fact that numerous Hamburg clubs needed English-language bands, and several teams from Liverpool had proven themselves well. In the summer of 1960, the Beatles received an invitation to come to Hamburg. This was already serious work, so the quartet had to urgently look for a drummer. This is how Pete Best appeared in the group.

The first concert took place the next day after arrival. For several months the musicians honed their skills in Hamburg clubs. They had to play music for a long time different styles and directions - rock and roll, blues, rhythm and blues, singing pop and folk songs. We can say that it was largely thanks to the experience gained in Hamburg that the Beatles came into being. The biography of the team was experiencing its dawn.

In just two years, the Beatles gave about 800 concerts in Hamburg and raised their skills from amateur to professional. The Beatles did not perform their own songs, concentrating on compositions by famous artists.

In Hamburg, the musicians met students from a local art college. One of the students, Astrid Kircher, began dating Sutcliffe and actively participating in the life of the group. This girl offered the guys new hairstyles - hair combed over the forehead and ears, and later characteristic jackets without lapels and collars.

The Beatles, who returned to Liverpool, were no longer amateurs, they became on par with the most popular groups. It was then that they met Ringo Starr, the drummer of a rival band.

After returning to Hamburg, the group's first professional recording took place. The musicians accompanied rock and roll singer Tony Sheridan. The quartet also recorded several own songs. This time their name was The Beat Brothers, not The Beatles.

Sutcliffe’s short biography continued with his exit from the team. At the end of the tour, he refused to return to Liverpool, choosing to stay with his girlfriend in Hamburg. A year later, Sutcliffe died of a cerebral hemorrhage.

First success (1962-1963)

The group returned to England and began performing in Liverpool clubs. On July 27, 1961, the first significant concert took place in the hall, which became a major success. In November, the group got a manager - Brian Epstein.

He met with a major label producer who expressed interest in the group. He was not entirely satisfied with the demo recordings, but the young people charmed him live. The first contract was signed.

However, both the producer and the band's manager were unhappy with Pete Best. They believed that he did not live up to the general level, in addition, the musician refused to do a signature hairstyle, to support general style team and often conflicted with other participants. Despite the fact that Best was popular with fans, it was decided to replace him. Ringo Starr took over as drummer.

Ironically, it was with this drummer that the group recorded an amateur record at their own expense in Hamburg. While walking around the city, the guys met Ringo (Pete Best was not with them) and went into one of the street studios to record a few songs just for fun.

In September 1962, the group recorded their first single, Love Me Do, which became very popular. The manager’s cunning also played a big role here - Epstein bought ten thousand records with his own money, which increased sales and aroused interest.

In October, the first television performance took place - a broadcast of one of the concerts in Manchester. Soon the second single Please Please Me was recorded, and in February 1963, an album of the same name was recorded in 13 hours, which included cover versions of popular songs and their own compositions. In November of the same year, sales of the second album With The Beatles began.

Thus began the period of wild popularity that the Beatles experienced. Biography, Short story beginning team, ended. The story of the legendary group begins.

The birthday of the term “Beatlemania” is considered to be October 13, 1963. In London, at the Palladium, a concert of the group took place, which was broadcast throughout the country. But thousands of fans chose to gather around the concert hall in the hope of seeing the musicians. The Beatles had to make their way to the car with the help of the police.

The height of Beatlemania (1963-1964)

In Britain, the quartet was wildly popular, but the group’s singles were not released in America, as they usually English groups were not particularly successful. The manager managed to sign a contract with a small company, but the records were not noticed.

How did the Beatles get onto the big American stage? A (short) biography of the band says that everything changed when a music critic from a famous newspaper listened to the single “I Want To Hold Your Hand,” already very popular in England, and called the musicians “the greatest composers since Beethoven.” The following month the group reached the top of the charts.

Beatlemania has crossed the ocean. On the band's first visit to America, the musicians were greeted at the airport by several thousand fans. The Beatles gave 3 big concerts and appeared on a TV show. All of America was watching them.

In March 1964, the quartet began creating a new album, A Hard Day's Night, and the album of the same name musical film. And the single “Can’t Buy Me Love/You Can’t Do That,” which appeared this month, set a world record for the number of advance requests.

On August 19, 1964, a full-fledged tour of North America began. The group gave 31 concerts in 24 cities. Initially, it was planned to visit 23 cities, but the owner of a basketball club from Kazakhstan City offered the musicians 150 thousand dollars for a half-hour concert (usually the ensemble received 25-30 thousand).

Touring was difficult for the musicians. It was as if they were in a prison, completely isolated from outside world. The places where the Beatles stayed were besieged by crowds of fans around the clock in the hope of seeing their idols.

The concert venues were huge and the equipment was of poor quality. The musicians did not hear each other or even themselves, they often got confused, but the audience did not hear this and saw practically nothing, since the stage was installed very far away for safety reasons. They had to perform according to a clear program; there was no question of any improvisation or experimentation on stage.

Yesterday and the Lost Records (1964-1965)

After returning to London, work began on the album Beatles For Sale, which included borrowed and own songs. A week after its release, it rocketed to the top of the charts.

In July 1965, the second film Help! was released, and in August an album with the same name was released. It was this album that included the most famous song of the group Yesterday, which became a classic of popular music. Today, more than two thousand interpretations of this composition are known.

The author of the famous melody was Paul McCartney. He composed the music at the beginning of the year, the words appeared later. He called the composition Scrambled Egg, because when composing it, he sang Scrambled egg, how I love a scrambled egg... (“Scrambled eggs, how I love scrambled eggs”). The song was recorded to the accompaniment of a string quartet, with only Paul participating from the group members.

During the second American tour, which started in August, an event occurred that still haunts music lovers around the world. What did the Beatles do? The biography briefly describes that the musicians visited Elvis Presley himself. The stars not only talked, but also played several songs together, which were recorded on a tape recorder.

The recordings were never released and music agents around the world have been unable to locate them. The value of these recordings is impossible to estimate today.

New Directions (1965-1966)

In 1965 at big stage Many groups came out that competed with the Beatles. The band began creating a new album, Rubber Soul. This record marked new era in rock music. Elements of surrealism and mysticism for which the Beatles are known began to appear in the songs.

The biography (short) tells that at the same time scandals began to arise around the musicians. In July 1966, the group members refused an official reception, which caused a conflict with the First Lady. The Filipinos, outraged by this fact, almost tore the musicians apart; they had to literally run away. The tour manager was severely beaten, the quartet was pushed and almost pushed towards the plane.

The second big scandal erupted when John Lennon said in an interview that Christianity is dying, and the Beatles are more popular today than Jesus. Protests swept across the United States, and the band's records were burned. The team leader, under pressure, apologized for his words.

Despite the troubles, Revolver was released in 1966, one of the band's best albums. Its distinctive feature is that the musical compositions were complex and did not involve live performance. The Beatles were now a studio band. Exhausted from touring, the musicians abandoned concert activities. The last concerts took place this year. Music critics they called the album brilliant and were sure that the quartet would never be able to create anything as perfect.

However, in early 1967 the single Strawberry Fields Forever/Penny Lane was recorded. The recording of this record lasted 129 days (compare with the 13-hour recording of the first album), the studio worked literally around the clock. The single was extremely complex musically and had a simple resounding success, was at the top of the charts for 88 weeks.

White Album (1967-1968)

The Beatles' performance was broadcast throughout the world. It could be seen by 400 million people. A TV version of the song All You Need Is Love was recorded. After this triumph, the team's affairs began to decline. The death of the “fifth Beatle,” the band’s manager Brian Epstein, as a result of an overdose of sleeping pills, played a role in this. He was only 32. Epstein was an important member of the Beatles. The biography of the group after his death underwent serious changes.

For the first time the group received first negative reviews, regarding the new film Magical Mystery Tour. Many complaints were caused by the fact that the tape was released only in color, while most people only had black and white TVs. The soundtrack was released as a mini-album.

In 1968, Apple was responsible for the release of albums, as announced by the Beatles, whose biography continued. In January 1969, the cartoon "Yellow Submarine" and its soundtrack were released. In August - the single Hey Jude, one of the best in the history of the group. And in 1968 the famous album The The Beatles, better known as the white album. It received this name because its cover was snow-white, with a simple imprint of the title. The fans received it well, but the critics no longer shared the enthusiasm.

This record marked the beginning of the group's breakup. Ringo Starr left the band for some time, several songs were recorded without him. McCartney performed the drums. Harrison has been busy with solo work. The situation became tense because of Yoko Ono, who was constantly present in the studio and rather irritated the band members.

Breakup (1969-1970)

At the beginning of 1969, the musicians had many plans. They were going to release an album, a film about their studio work, and a book. Paul McCartney composed the song “Get Back,” which gave the name to the entire project. The Beatles, whose biography began so casually, was approaching collapse.

The band members wanted to show the atmosphere of fun and ease that reigned at the performances in Hamburg, but this did not work. Many songs were recorded, but only five were selected, and a lot of video material was filmed. The last recording was supposed to be filming an impromptu concert on the roof of a recording studio. He was interrupted by the police, who were called by local residents. This concert became last performance groups.

On February 3, 1969, the team got a new manager, Allen Klein. McCartney was strongly opposed, as he believed that the best candidate for the role would be his future father-in-law, John Eastman. Paul began legal proceedings against the remaining members of the group. Thus, the Beatles, whose biography is described in this article, began to experience a serious conflict.

Work on the ambitious project was abandoned, but the group nevertheless released the album Abbey Road, which included George Harrison's brilliant composition Something. The musician worked on it for a long time, recording about 40 ready-made versions. The song is put on a par with Yesterday.

On January 8, 1970, the last album, Let It Be, was released, American producer Phil Spector reworking material from the failed Get Back project. On May 20, a documentary was released about the group, which by the time of the premiere had already broken up. This is how the biography of the Beatles ended. In Russian, the title of the film sounds like “Let it be so.”

After the breakup. John Lennon

The era of the Beatles is over. The biography of the participants continues with solo projects. At the time of the group's breakup, all members were already engaged in independent work. In 1968, two years before the breakup, John Lennon released a joint album with his wife Yoko Ono. It was recorded in one night and did not contain music, but a set of various sounds, noises, and screams. On the cover the couple appeared naked. In 1969, two more records of the same plan and a concert recording followed. From 70 to 75, 4 were released music album. After this, the musician stopped appearing in public, devoting himself to raising his son.

Lennon's last album, Double Fantasy, was released in 1980 and was well received by critics. A few weeks after the album's release, on December 8, 1980, John Lennon was shot several times in the back. In 1984, the musician's posthumous album Milk and Honey was released.

After the breakup. Paul McCartney

After McCartney left the Beatles, the musician's biography took on a new twist. The break with the group was hard on McCartney. At first he retired to a remote farm, where he suffered from depression, but in March 1970 he returned with material for McCartney's solo album, and soon released a second, Ram.

However, without the group, Paul felt insecure. He organized the Wings team, which included his wife Linda. The group existed until 1980 and released 7 albums. As part of his solo career, the musician released 19 albums, the last of which was released in 2013.

After the breakup. George Harrison

George Harrison, even before the breakup of the Beatles, released 2 solo albums - Wonderwall Music in 1968 and Electronic Sound in 1969. These records were experimental and did not have much success. The third album, All Things Must Pass, included compositions written during the Beatles period and rejected by other band members. This is the musician's most successful solo album.

For the whole solo career, after Harrison left the Beatles, the musician’s biography was enriched with 12 albums and more than 20 singles. He was actively involved in charity work and made significant contributions to the popularization of Indian music and converted to Hinduism himself. Harrison died in 2001, on November 29.

After the breakup. Ringo Star

Ringo's solo album, which he began working on while still a member of the Beatles, was released in 1970, but was considered a failure. However, he subsequently released more successful albums, largely thanks to his collaboration with George Harrison. In total, the musician released 18 studio albums, as well as several live recordings and compilations. Latest album released in 2015.

…is there anyone going to listen to my story
All about the girl who came to stay?
She's the kind of girl
you want so much it makes you sorry
Still you don"t regret a single day…

The band consisted of: John Lennon (rhythm guitar, piano, vocals), Paul McCartney (bass guitar, piano, vocals), Ringo Starr (drums, vocals), George Harrison (lead guitar, vocals). IN different time The Beatles' work included Pete Best (drums, vocals) and Stuart Sutcliffe (bass guitar, vocals), Jimmy Nicol (drums). Let's tell you more about the history of the Beatles and each of the musicians individually:

John Lennon

John Lennon was born to the roar of exploding bombs and the roar of planes bombing Liverpool. Some time after the boy was born, his father, who served on a merchant ship, disappeared during one of his voyages. My mother was sorely short of money, so she had to get married again. After this, John found himself in the care of his aunt, Mimi Stanley, who lived in a nearby area

James Paul McCartney was born on April 18, 1942 in one of the Liverpool districts - Anfield. His parents moved around a lot, and eventually settled in the Speck area, not far from the house where Lennon lived. Paul's father changed many professions, but was never able to achieve success anywhere. In the 30s, he devoted almost all his free time to music, performing on dance floors and in bars with his ensemble. His wife Mary had to take all the care of the family. She worked as a nurse at a local hospital, earning money for the whole family. Paul's character was the complete opposite of John. He was just as independent, but achieved what he wanted using calmer methods.

George Harrison

George Harrison was born in Liverpool on February 25, 1943. George's father, Harold, was a sailor, but to be closer to his family, he decided to change his profession and retrained as a bus driver. Mother was a saleswoman in a store. From George's birth until 1950, the Harrison family lived in the Wavertree area of ​​Liverpool in a small house with a toilet in the yard. In 1950, due to high rents, the family moved to another part of the city, Speck, where Lennon and McCartney already lived. Thus began the birth of the great Beatles. John Lennon once heard Elvis' song "All Shook Up", it changed all his ideas about music, and since then the idea of ​​​​creating his own group has not left him. And the guys decided to start their own group, at first just for fun

Ringo Starr

As a child, Ringo was very sickly, he did not even manage to finish school. At the age of 15, he got a job as a steward on a ferry that ran between Liverpool and Wales. Like many of his peers, he was interested in new American music, but did not even dream of a career as a musician. The guys met Ringo much later, when they had already gained some fame

From simple entertainment, the music turned into something more serious, the group conquered local pubs and clubs, it was necessary to move on. This path was thorny and difficult, but thanks to their perseverance the guys made it to the pinnacle of glory. Let's talk about the formation of the Beatles in more detail. For a long time No one took their music seriously. When the Beatles' music was rejected by most European record companies, they managed to secure a contract with Parlophone. In June 1962, producer George Martin listened to the group and signed a one-month contract with The Beatles. On September 11, 1962, the Beatles recorded their first “forty-five,” which included “Love Me Do” and “P.S. I.” Love You", which in October of the same year conquered the national Top 20 hit parade. At the beginning of 1963, the song "Please Please Me" took 2nd place in the UK hit parade, and on February 11, 1963, the debut album by The Beatles. When the group's third single, "From Me To You", reached number one on the charts. music industry Great Britain has added a new term: Merseybeat, that is, “rhythms from the banks of the River Mersey.” Because most of the groups that worked then in a style similar to The Beatles - Gerry And The Pacemakers, Billy J. Kramer And The Dakotas and The Searchers - came from Liverpool, a city located on the Mersey River. In the summer of 1963, The Beatles were supposed to open Roy Orbison's British concerts, but were rated much higher than the American - during that period the phenomenon called "Beatlemania" was born. At the end of their first European tour in October 1963, the Beatles and their manager Epstein moved to London. Pursued by crowds of fans, The Beatles go out in public only accompanied by security. At the end of October of the same year, the single "She Loves You" became the most circulated recording in the history of the UK gramophone industry, and in November 1963, The Beatles performed in front of the Queen. Thus began the era of the Beatles

The premiere of the first film with the participation of The Beatles ("Hard Day"s Night, directed by Richard Lester) took place in the United States in August 1964 - the first week of the show exceeded all expectations, bringing in $1.3 million. Everyone who could make money from the group was released Beatles wigs, Beatles-style clothes were made, Beatle dolls were produced - in general, everything that could be attached to the magic word “Beatles” became a cornucopia. But due to Epstein’s financial inexperience, the musicians received practically nothing. with total exploitation of their image.

By 1965, Lennon and McCartney were no longer writing songs together, although under the terms of the contract, a song by either of them was considered a joint work. In 1965, The Beatles visited Europe for concerts. North America, Australia and the Middle East. At the end of 1967, the single "Hello Goodbye" took first place in the UK and US charts - at the same time, the first Apple Records boutique selling The Beatles paraphernalia opened in London. Paul McCartney planned to call the network of such stores a “model of Eurocommunism,” but the business quickly fell apart and the store had to be closed in July 1968.

The decline of Beatlemania should most likely be considered July 1968, when fans of the group staged mass marches for the last time. This happened after the premiere of the cartoon "Yellow Submarine" German artist Heinz Edelmann, where four new Beatles compositions were presented. In August 1968, the single "Hey Jude" (written by Paul McCartney) was released. By the end of 1968, the single had sold over six million copies and is still considered one of the most commercial recordings in the world. In July-August 1969 Beatles year recorded the album "Abbey Road", which included one of the most replicated songs of our time, "Something" (written by George Harrison). Abbey Road turned out to be the Beatles' most successful album.

By that time, the contradictions in the group were already irreversible, and in September 1969, John Lennon said: “I’m leaving the group, I’ve had enough. Give me a divorce,” but he was persuaded not to leave publicly until all common controversial issues were resolved. Already on April 17, 1970, Paul McCartney's first solo album was released and on the same day the musicians officially announced the breakup of The Beatles.

Death of John Lennon

Particular attention should be paid to the death of John Lennon. On December 8, at about 11 pm, Lennon and his wife Yoko Ono were returning home from the recording studio. Right at the entrance unknown man called out famous singer. As soon as John turned, a shot was heard, followed by a second, third, fourth... Frightened Yoko screamed shrilly, and her husband, bleeding, miraculously managed to get to the entrance

John Lennon with his wife Yoko Ono

“I was shot,” John said, choking on blood. The security guard immediately called the police, who arrived in less than two minutes. The policeman laid the wounded man on back seat car and rushed at top speed to the nearest hospital. The journey took only a few minutes, but John could not be saved... A twenty-five-year-old killer named Mark Chapman did not even flee the crime scene. While waiting for the police to arrive, he calmly read his favorite book, The Catcher in the Rye. Lennon's murder shook the whole world. The next day, radio stations constantly played songs performed by him. More than a quarter of a million condolences were sent to the address where the famous musician lived. Within two months, two million Beatles records were sold in England alone. The people were indignant, comparing this murder with the death of President John Kennedy in 1963 - again in America, a killer managed to shoot a world-famous person without hindrance. Lennon was not just a talented and famous musician. He, like John Kennedy, became a kind of icon for his contemporaries, and fate dealt with him just as cruelly...

Interesting facts from the history of the Beatles:

• The Beatles first met Queen Elizabeth II during their performance at the Royal Variety Show in 1963. This concert was broadcast on television, with an audience of 40% of viewers.

• Two years later, the musicians received the Order of the British Empire from the hands of the Queen, which caused a huge scandal: many holders of the Order, awarded for great services to the country, considered themselves insulted and began to return their awards.

• This prestigious award later provoked another high-profile scandal: shortly before the collapse of the Fab Four, Lennon committed his most controversial act - he returned the order to the Queen. In an accompanying note, he wrote: “I am returning your order as a sign of protest against the war in Vietnam and Biafra, and also in honor of the fact that my song “Withdrawal” failed in the hit parade.” This was considered an insult to Her Majesty.

There is a prejudice among neophyte Beatlemaniacs that “it’s all Yoko Ono’s fault.” But, in fact, the collapse of the most famous group in history is natural and understandable if you analyze the processes in the music market of the 1960s and the relationships between the group members immediately before the collapse.

"Famous Four" ( English Fab Four) from the very beginning of its journey could have become another mediocre musical ensemble of teenagers, creating covers of hits of American stars of the rock and roll and country scenes. Imagine five Liverpool youths (John Lennon, Stuart Suttcliffe, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Pete Best) who returned from the sex capital of Europe - Hamburg, and who lived in bitter glory as leaders in the bars of the "red light streets" and personal buffoons of the mafia. And then they, in the Liverpool club Cavern, where they constantly performed, met the charismatic manager Brian Epstein. On short terms with London recording studios, they get some studio time at Parlophone, an EMI Records subsidiary. Next they were given George Martin, who was an expert academic music and a maestro of recording engineering. That is, the significance of these two figures for the Beatles is undeniable. Brian Epstein was very close to John Lennon, and George Martin is unofficially called the “fifth Beatle.” But this is only the prehistory of the beginning of the collapse of the great group.

After unexpected success, The Beatles become popular in America, and the British Invasion of America begins. But the hysteria of frantic fans, tireless tours around the world and constant harassment of journalists do not please the band's frontman John Lennon. He begins to have a personal crisis and depression. The title track of the fifth album Help! already speaks of a cry for help from a person who does not know what to do with his life. And after the release of two landmark albums in the group’s work, Rubber Soul and Revolver, it became clear that new notes were appearing in the group, “notes of growing up.” In Norwegian Wood and In My Life, Lennon foreshadowed the emergence of psychedelic music, and Harrison's experiments with the sitar made it clear that the Beatles and Indian culture were closer than they seemed. Since 1967, Lennon began to get involved in drugs, and the leading role in the group passed to Paul McCartney. The creation of the two albums Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (which was recognized as number one on the list of the 500 greatest albums in the history of music by the rock publication Rolling Stone) and the Magical Mystery Tour announced a transition to a new type of music and experiments with psychedelic motifs. John Lennon is increasingly moving away from others group members.

On August 27, 1967, Brian Epstein died, which was a heavy blow for all members of the group. Finding themselves face to face with organizational and financial problems, the contradictions between them only intensified. All songs were primarily created by McCartney, and the rest had to be approved by the McCartney-Martin tandem. Since Harrison became very interested in Indian culture, Lennon had problems in his marriage with Cynthia, the group decided to go to India to visit their spiritual guru, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. But when they flew back in March 1968, everyone was disappointed with the trip, especially Lennon (read: Sexy Sadie song). The loss of moral leaders, personal problems in his marriage, and Lennon's isolation from his own son Julian drove him into deep stress. Meeting the Japanese avant-garde artist Yoko Ono opened a new stage in his life. Cynthia, seeing her husband in bed with another woman, decides to divorce him.

Then, tired of the atmosphere at the sessions, engineer Geoff Emerick refuses to work with the group, and George Martin takes a vacation. Lennon ignored recording sessions for songs by other members of the group, and Ringo Starr even announced his departure from the group in August 1968, but soon returned. 1969 was marked by constant bickering between the band members and the recording of material for Abbey Road and Let It Be. The strong differences between the styles and methods of creating compositions and Paul's attempts to keep the others from breaking up by any means led Lennon to the final decision to leave The Beatles in January 1970. Although the media announced the termination of The Beatles' activities already in April.

If you try to structure the reasons for the breakup of The Beatles, you can come up with the following list:

• John Lennon's addiction to drugs and his personal crisis, which affected the atmosphere in the group;
• the death of Brian Epstein, the ideologue and PR manager for The Beatles we know, and George Martin's refusal to produce;
• personal grievances and conflicts between musicians isolation from each other and differences in musical style; for example, Let It Be producer Phil Spector got along great with Lennon, while McCartney was tearing his hair out because of the orchestral string accompaniment in the composition The Long and Winding Road; Moreover, Lennon constantly brought Ono to the sessions, although the group, at the beginning of their journey, agreed not to bring their girlfriends and wives to rehearsals and sessions;
• the market did not accept the musical experiments of Lennon and Harrison, so there was a decline in interest in The Beatles

Personally, for example, I lamented the breakup of The Beatles when I first began to get involved in their work. But later I came to the conclusion that this was natural and it could not have been any other way.

The most popular musical group of all time is The Beatles. Today it seems like The Beatles have always been around. Their unusual style cannot be confused with any other group. You may not love them or listen to them, but you cannot not know them.

The Guinness Book of Records claims that worldwide famous song Yesterday had the largest number of cover versions in the history of recording. And how many times it has been performed since it was written is difficult to calculate. None of the compiled lists of “songs of all times” is complete without compositions by The Beatles. In addition, every second musician admits that his work was influenced by the Fab Four and their songs. Imagine music world It’s impossible without the Beatles.

And if you remember all the awards and titles received by the group over almost 10 years of existence, the list will be long and impressive. However, The Beatles are not the first and not the best. They are unique. In this article we will tell the history of the creation of The Beatles and how the Fab Four went to success.

Simple courtyard music

The story of the Beatles began at a time when England was literally gripped by an epidemic of the creation of musical groups. At the end of the 50s, the most popular and popular trend was skiffle - a bizarre combination of jazz, English folk and American country. In order to get into the group, you had to play banjo, guitar or harmonica. Well, or at least - to washboard, which often replaced drums for musicians. he could do all this. However, his real idol was the Great Elvis, and it was the king of rock and roll who inspired the “troubled teenager” to study music. So in 1956, John and his school friends created their first brainchild - The Quarrymen. Of course, they also played skiffle. And then at one of the parties, friends introduced them to Paul McCartney. This left-handed guy not only played rock and roll guitar well, but he also knew how to tune it! And he, like Lennon, tried to compose.

Two weeks later, a new acquaintance was invited to the group, and he agreed. Thus was born the unsurpassed author duo Lennon - McCartney, who were destined to shock the world. However, this happened a little later. Despite the fact that one was a bully and the other a “model boy,” they got along well and spent a lot of time together. And soon they were joined by Paul’s friend, George Harrison, who did more than just play the guitar. He played it very well. Meanwhile, the “school ensemble” is a thing of the past, and the time has come to choose a future life path. All three chose music without a doubt. And they began to look for a new name and a drummer, without whom this group it couldn't be.

Looking for gold

We were looking for a name for a long time. It even happened that it changed the very next evening. It was difficult to please the producers: sometimes it turned out too long (for example, “Johnny and the Moon Dogs”), sometimes too short - “Rainbows”. And in 1960, they finally find the final option: The Beatles. At the same time, a fourth member appeared in the group. It was Stuart Sutcliffe. By the way, he had no intention of being a musician, but he not only had to buy a bass guitar, but also learn to play it.

The group performed quite successfully in Liverpool, toured the United Kingdom a little, but so far there was no sign of world fame. The first “foreign trip” was an invitation to go to Hamburg, where English rock and roll was in great demand. To do this, we urgently had to find a drummer. This is how Pete Best joined the Beatles. The first tour took place in truly extreme conditions: long hours of work, domestic instability and, in the end, deportation from the country.

But despite this, a year later The Beatles went to Hamburg again. This time everything was much better, but they returned to their homeland as a quartet - Sutcliffe, for personal reasons, chose to stay in Germany. The next “forge of skill” for the musicians was the Liverpool club Cavern, on the stage of which they performed 262 times in two years (1961–1963).

Meanwhile, The Beatles' popularity grew. However, during this period the group performed mainly other people’s hits, from rock and roll to folk songs, and the joint work of John and Paul was still piling up on the table. The situation changed only when the group finally got its own producer - Brian Epstein.

Beatlemania as an epidemic

Before meeting The Beatles, Epstein sold records. But one day, becoming interested in a new group, he suddenly decided to start promoting it. It was love at first sight. However, the owners of record labels did not share the producer’s hopes for the success of his Liverpool protégés. And yet, in 1962, EMI agreed to sign a contract with The Beatles on the condition that they release at least four singles. The serious level of studio work forced the group to change their drummer. This is how Ringo Starr entered the history of the Beatles and will remain forever.

A year later, the group released their debut album “Please Please Me” (1963). The material was recorded in the studio almost in one day, and in the list of tracks, along with “other people’s” hits, there were songs signed “Lennon - McCartney”. By the way, the agreement on double signatures for the created songs was adopted at the very beginning of the collaboration and lasted until the collapse of the group, despite the fact that latest songs Lennon and McCartney no longer co-wrote.

In 1963, the Beatles released their second album, “With the Beatles,” and found themselves at the epicenter of fame. Again performing on radio and TV, touring and working in the studio. The British Isles were gripped by Beatlemania. gossips began to be called nothing less than “national hysteria.” Crowds of fans scored concert halls, stadiums and even streets adjacent to the performance site. Those who did not have the opportunity to attend the group’s performance were willing to stand for hours just to catch a glimpse of their idols.

At concerts there was sometimes such noise that the musicians could not hear themselves. But it turned out to be impossible to curb this barrage. All we had to do was wait for the wave to subside on its own. In 1964, the “epidemic” spread overseas - The Beatles conquered America.

The next two years passed in a very intense rhythm - a busy touring schedule, releasing albums (from 1964 to 1966, as many as 5 were recorded!), filming and searching for new forms and sounds. At a certain point, it became clear that this could not continue and something needed to be changed.

Family album

The group's image was thought out impeccably: costumes, hairstyles, temperament and habits - the ideal embodied. And of course, thousands of women around the world went crazy for these guys! On stage, in photographs, in films - always together. Meanwhile their personal life was hidden from the eyes of fans as much as possible. However, there was no reason for scandals or speculation here; rather, everything looked like a quiet feat. It’s quite difficult to imagine that with the crazy amount of work the “bitnoe” had enough time for their family.

John Lennon was the first of the quartet to marry. This happened in 1962, and in April 1963 his son Julian was born. However, this marriage, alas, ended in divorce in 1968. By this time, Lennon was madly in love with the extravagant Japanese woman Yoko Ono, who was destined to become the most famous of the Beatles' wives (in some way she influenced the history of the development of the Beatles).

They got married in 1969, and 6 years later their son Sean was born. For the sake of his upbringing, John left the stage for 5 years, but, however, that’s another story - after The Beatles.

The second “married idol” was Ringo Starr. His marriage to Maureen Cox was a happy one. She bore him three children, but here, unfortunately, there was a divorce 10 years later. The drummer's second attempt to find love was also unsuccessful.

George Harrison and Pattie Boyd became husband and wife in January 1966. Here, at first, everything was fine, too, but this couple was destined to separate. In 1974, Patti left her husband for his friend - no less famous musician Eric Clapton. George married again in 1979, to his secretary Olivia Aries, and this marriage turned out to be happy.

When Paul McCartney and Jane Asher finally announced their engagement to the world in 1967, no one imagined that six months later the engagement would be called off by the groom. However, a year later Paul married an American woman, Linda Eastman, with whom he lived happily ever after until death separated them in 1999.

By the way, biographers write that Linda, like Yoko, was not loved by the rest of the Beatles. And all because these women considered it possible to interfere in the affairs of the group, which, according to the musicians, should not have been done at all.

A walk to the movies

The first live-action film starring The Beatles was shot in just 8 weeks and was called A Hard Day's Night (1964). In essence, the legendary four did not have to invent or play anything - the plot of the film looks like “a spied episode from life.” A tour, going on stage, annoying fans, a little humor and a little philosophy - everything is like in life. However, the film was a success and was even nominated for an Oscar twice.

On next year it was decided to repeat the experiment, and the second film with the participation of superstars was released - “Help!” (1965). As with the first film, an album of the same name, the soundtrack, was almost immediately released in the same year. The Beatles' third experiment in cinema was hand-drawn - the legendary four became the heroes of the kind, albeit somewhat psychedelic cartoon Yellow Submarine (1968). And by tradition, the soundtrack was released as a separate album, albeit a year later.

And in the history of the Beatles there was such a thing that they tried to make films on their own, and this is how the film “The Magical Mystery Journey” (1967) appeared. But it did not gain much success with the audience, nor with critics.

Hard day's Night

Album “Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, released in 1967, is considered by critics to be the pinnacle of creativity in the history of The Beatles. By this point, the group, tired of concerts and touring, completely switched to studio work - the last “live” concert in England was played in April 1966. A crisis was brewing in the group. The Beatles wanted individual projects, a search for new things and, most likely, a break from the burden of fame. The first blow was the sudden death of Brian Epstein in August 1967. It turned out to be impossible to find an equivalent replacement for him, and the group’s affairs were getting worse. However, with their combined efforts, the group still managed to record three more albums: “The White Album” (1968), “Abbey Road” (1968) and “Let it be” (1970).

In April 1970, McCartney released his first solo album and immediately after that he gave an interview that actually became a manifesto about the end of the history of The Beatles. And almost 10 years later, the musicians again began to think about reviving their famous group. However, this was not destined to happen - on December 8, 1980, an American psycho shot and killed John Lennon. Along with him, the hope that the Beatles’ story would continue and the band would sing on the same stage again died. The greatest group of all time has become a legend. None of those who tried to repeat their success succeeded in doing this.

Secret dossier: the story of the Russian spill of the Beatles

The Beatles were banned from entering the USSR. But their fiery songs even leaked behind the Iron Curtain.” The Beatles were listened to at night, recorded on X-ray film and reel-to-reel tape recorders. English was taught from their texts. And at the very beginning of the 80s, in one St. Petersburg university (LGITMiK), a “group of comrades” suddenly arose that wanted to be like The Beatles. By the fall of 1982, they decided on a name - “Secret”, and began to look for a drummer (a small but interesting coincidence). The group's birthday is considered to be April 20, 1983. Then the “main composition” was determined - Maxim Leonidov, Nikolai Fomenko, Andrey Zabludovsky and Alexey Murashov. Just like the Beatles, everyone in the group sings except the drummer.

The development of the beat quartet took place in the Soviet flavor - at that time, most informal musicians, in addition to studying music, certainly had to study or work. So, Leonidov and Fomenko were closely involved in educational performances, Murashov studied at the geology department, and Zabludovsky worked at a factory. There was immediately room for a feat - the aspiring rockers rehearsed in the morning from 7 to 9 and at lunchtime. In the summer of 1993, “Secret” joined the Leningrad rock club, and... everything was postponed because half of the group was being drafted into the army. Success came to the group itself - in the form of Leonidov’s invitation to LenTV as the host of the “Disks Are Spinning” program. At this time, a whole “pack” of hits was written: “Sarah Baraboo”, “Your Dad Was Right”. "My love is on the fifth floor." Of course, they immediately try to call the team “Soviet battles,” but this label contains only part of the truth. The group is not a copy of the famous The Beatles. This is not blind imitation or plagiarism. What “The Secret” does on stage is rather a subtle stylization of the Fab Four, elegant acting. Yes, there is something in common, and the songs written on the same “eternal themes” are just as simple and melodic. But still, the beat quartet “Secret” achieves success not thanks to this “common with the greats.” They, like the Beatles, are independent and very recognizable.

1985 was a fruitful year for the group. In the summer, as part of the Festival of Youth and Students, a concert of “The Secret” took place, and it suddenly became clear that the group was terribly popular. Almost immediately after this, the beat quartet took part in the filming of the first Soviet video film, “How to Become a Star,” and by the fall there was an unprecedented surge in concert activity. In 1986, fans of the beat quartet were among the first in the country to create an official fan club. For the next five years, the group is at the peak of its popularity - the albums are recorded: “The Secret” (1987) - the disc became double platinum!; “Leningrad Time” (1989), “Orchestra on the Road” (1991). In 1990, the composition of the quartet experienced changes - Maxim Leonidov left for Israel. But for some time the group does not give up its positions. However, it gradually changes under the influence of time and circumstances. And at the same time the “Beatles game” comes to naught. However, even if the group has changed or ceased to exist, the songs written and sung always remain. They are unchanged, and the romantic atmosphere of the 60s is perfectly preserved in them.

• They say that John Lennon saw the future name in a dream. It was as if a man appeared to him, engulfed in flames, and ordered him to change the letters in the name - The Beetles ("Beetles"), so that it became The Beatles.
• There is quite large group fans who believe that Paul McCartney died in a car accident in November 1966. And the person who pretends to be a Beatle is his double. Proof of their correctness takes up more than one page of text - amateur mystics analyze in detail the words, songs and album covers and point to countless “secret signs” indicating that at the time of the albums Paul was no longer alive, and The Beatles are carefully hidden. Sir McCartney himself refuses to comment on this grandiose hoax.
• In 2008, Israeli authorities admitted that they did not allow The Beatles into the country in the 60s, fearing their “corrupting influence on youth.”
• In June 1965, The Beatles were awarded the Order of the British Empire "for their contribution to the development of British culture and its popularization throughout the world." No musician had ever received such a high award before, and this caused a scandal. Many of the gentlemen wished to return their award so as not to “stand on the same level as pop idols.” After 4 years, Lennon returned his order in protest against British policies during the Vietnam War.
• took place on August 22, 1969 in Tittenhurst Park, on the site of John Lennon's estate.