Brian Epstein was a fan of the Beatles who eventually became their manager. He served in this capacity from January 24,’62 till his death on August 27,’67 of a drug overdose. Brian also managed other acts (i.e.: Gerry and the Pacemakers, Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas, Cilla Black, and the Remo Four), but the Beatles were by far his most famous band.
What was the impact of Brian Epstein on the development of the Beatles? He has long been attributed to the success of the Beatles (especially in the early years). Paul McCartney is said to have uttered, “If anyone was the Fifth Beatle, it was Brian”.
Brian Samuel Epstein was born on September’,’34 in the port city of Liverpool, England. At the young age of 16 he expressed his desire to become a dress designer, but that didn’t sit well with his father. His father, mortified at this suggestion, ordered him to “report for duty” at the family’s furniture shop. This was certainly not Brian’s idea of a meaningful career, but he did comply with the demand.
It is thought that the first time Brian heard of the Beatles was via the issues of the Mersey Beat, and on the numerous posters of them that were displayed around Liverpool at the time. On November 9,’61 he went past “heard of them” to “heard them” perform at the Cavern Club. He was immediately impressed with their unique sound and their sense of “on stage” humor, and everything steamrolled started from there. On January 24,’62 the Beatles signed a 5-year contract for Brian to manage them.
Although this was the first time Brian had ventured into the arena of “artist management”, he made his impact known early in not only their dress code, but the attitude that they displayed on stage. It was Brian who encouraged the group to wear suits. He stopped them from smoking, swearing, drinking, or eating onstage. Do you happen to remember the synchronized bow at the end of the Beatles performances? It was Brian who suggested that particular formality.
Brian often went to London with the hope of securing a recording contract for the Beatles. This was to prove to be a tougher job than he at first realized. Rejected by many of the major record labels of the time (i.e.: Philips, Oriole, Decca, Columbia, and Pye), he eventually worked his way over to EMI. When George Martin (who was the manager of their Parlophone label) listened to Brian describe the group, he signed the Beatles without even hearing them play. George was to later say that it was Brian’s enthusiasm for the Beatles that eventually won them a recording deal. Such was Brian’s belief in his new group.
On August 27,’67 Brian died of a drug overdose, and the Beatles started to enter uncharted waters. Brian had orchestrated their rise to fame, and now they were left without him. They did not attend his funeral as they felt it would have only drawn fans and the media. It’s interesting to note that years later, in 2008, the first contract that the Beatles signed with Brian was auctioned off for 240,000 pounds…
Learn more about the Beatles. Stop by Brian Nestle’s site where you can find out all about their Let It Be song.
