The Beatles

As you might have guessed, Liverpool is the city of the Beatles. You’re going to hear their songs, see their museum, come across countless references to their past, so while you’re admiring all four of them, immortalized in bronze, let’s do a quick biographical rundown to revisit this incredible global phenomenon that was the Beatles era. 8 years of career, 12 albums, over 200 songs mostly written by the Lennon/McCartney duo, and just as many hits, which sold to hundreds of millions of copies. A success in the history of the record industry still unmatched today. Record sales figures are always subject to controversy, but according to the Guinness World Records, only 4 artists have surpassed 335 million sales worldwide. The Beatles, followed by Michael Jackson, Elvis Presley, and Madonna. And so, it all starts here, in Liverpool. And that’s not without reason. This city, open to the Atlantic, received American influences, especially rock ‘n’ roll and African-American blues, before anywhere else. So, here’s where John Lennon, in 1957, at 16 years old, formed his first band called the Quarrymen. In July, during a concert in a church, he met Paul McCartney who joined the band as a guitarist. George Harrison , a friend of Paul’s joined the band the following year. They performed with or without drummers in the clubs of Liverpool and then in Hamburg, which like their hometown, was a port area offering a new connection to the rest of the world at a time when globalization was not what we know today. There too, American music arrived faster than elsewhere in Europe, notably due to the presence of GIs, American soldiers who remained there after World War II. In short, Hamburg was the city that saw the band refine it’s skills and begin to gain recognition as well as their final line up. Indeed, it was there that they lost Stuart Sutcliffe, to his love affair with a German photographer, leading McCartney to become the band’s bassist, as no one else wanted the job. It’s also there that they met Ringo Starr, who performed with his own “made in Liverpool” band. And last but not least Hamburg saw the sinning of their very first contract with Polydor, backing the singer Tony Sheridan. By the time they returned from Germany, the Beatles had acquired the maturity and technique they lacked, and they were spotted by Brian Epstein, who became their manager. In 1961, while they were performing for a Christmas show and their drummer was sick, they asked their friend Ringo Starr to replace him. It was love at first artistic sight and an obvious choice. Ringo became the official drummer of The Beatles, and the legendary band was definitely formed. Epstein did his best to get them contracts and was even rejected by the artistic director Dick Rowe, who of course regretted it, and became known in the industry as “The man who turned down the Beatles.” Yep, it happens. Then comes the Beatlemania, a wave that started in Liverpool and would invade the world and overwhelm the music scene. Success after success, crowds going wild, teenage girls in a frenzy, record stores besieged, you get the picture. You probably know most of the rest of their story. 1969, tension rises, disagreements abound, and the members each announce they want to leave the band. Then comes a farewell album, Abbey Road, with that iconic photo of the four boys on the crosswalk in front of the studio. No name on the album. After all, they were the most famous group in the world.