The most famous entity to turn down the Beatles was Decca Records in 1962, whose executives famously believed "guitar groups are on the way out" and instead signed Brian Poole and the Tremeloes, a decision considered one of the biggest blunders in music history. A&R man Dick Rowe, who made the call, later regretted it, especially after signing The Rolling Stones.
Many have speculated about who made the decision to reject the Beatles. While various accounts of the audition have been published, most agree that it was either Dick Rowe or Mike Smith.
🎙 Frank Zappa on The Beatles — Unfiltered “I didn't hate them. I actually like two or three of their songs. I just thought they were ridiculous.
The Beatles didn't attend Brian Epstein's funeral at his family's request to prevent a media circus, as their presence would have turned the solemn event into a chaotic spectacle of fans and press, overshadowing the family's grief. They were devastated by his death but chose to honor him privately, later attending a memorial service at the New London Synagogue where they could express their respect more appropriately.
Pete Best - the forgotten Beatle
He played drums with The Beatles for two years before he was thrown out of the band, never to have contact with them again. After the initial shock, Pete Best built a quiet, normal life for himself. He initially took a break from music, but came back in 1988 with a band of his own.
Despite being the favorite of one in four, Lennon is also the least favorite Beatle of nearly half (49%) of people who say they are "not a fan" of at least one of the band members.
John Lennon refused to sing lead vocals on his own song, "Good Night," a tender lullaby written for his son Julian, ultimately giving the part to Ringo Starr because he felt it wasn't his style and might be too "soft" for his public image, despite singing it beautifully during teaching sessions, as noted by Paul McCartney, and Far Out Magazine,.
George Harrison's last words to Ringo Starr, as recounted by Ringo in the documentary George Harrison: Living in the Material World, were a poignant offer of support: "Do you want me to come with you?" when Ringo was leaving to see his daughter in Boston, who had a brain tumor. Despite being very ill himself, Harrison's concern for his friend's family demonstrated his incredible spirit, even as he was lying down, unable to move.
While all the Beatles had friction with {!nav}Yoko Ono's constant presence, especially {!nav}Paul McCartney and {!nav}George Harrison, George was arguably the most openly critical, feeling she disrupted the band's sacred studio space, with Paul later admitting discomfort and Ringo trying to keep peace but feeling Yoko was possessive and isolating John.
The saddest Beatles songs often focus on loneliness, loss, and despair, with frequent mentions including "Eleanor Rigby," about isolated lives; "Yesterday," a classic lament for lost love; "The Long and Winding Road," reflecting on endings; and "Julia," a deeply personal tribute to Lennon's mother, while "Help!" is a desperate cry for support hidden in a pop song. Other contenders are "For No One," depicting a fading relationship, and "She's Leaving Home," capturing family heartbreak.
Jagger watched it all unfold from his spot with the Stones. "The Beatles were so big that it's hard for people not alive at the time to realize just how big they were. There isn't a real comparison with anyone now," he said.
1: Jimi Hendrix
Not only did Jimi Hendrix expand the sonic possibilities of what a guitar could do, but he also found uncharted places that a guitar could take you to.
During the peak of the Beatlemania and prior to marrying Linda, McCartney was the one with the fame of being a "woman's man". However, after the split of the Beatles, Harrison is thought to have been a womaniser.
John Lennon's last words to Paul McCartney, spoken during a phone call a couple of months before Lennon's murder in 1980, were reportedly, "Think about me every now and then, my old friend". These poignant words, echoing their deep bond, later resonated profoundly with Paul after Carl Perkins wrote the song "My Old Friend" using a similar phrase, bringing McCartney to tears as he recognized John's message.
On 10 April, having been among the recipients of the Q&A, Don Short of The Daily Mirror reported on McCartney's departure from the Beatles under the front-page headline "Paul Quits The Beatles". McCartney's bandmates viewed his announcement as a betrayal, particularly since he had used it to promote his solo album.
According to Stanley, the band provided a sense of liberation for fans of both sexes, in that "The boys could make as much noise as possible; the girls had something with dirt under its fingernails they could scream at." The Beatles began their third nationwide tour on 18 May, the bill this time headed by Roy Orbison.
John's indiscretions were ignored by Cynthia. His anger was forgiven. His focus on his career rather than his marriage was never even considered a problem to his adoring wife. Cynthia wanted the best for John, always.
"Bands I hated" - Paul McCartney
John Lennon's last words to Yoko Ono were, "No, let's go home because I want to see Sean before he goes to sleep," as they returned to The Dakota after a recording session on December 8, 1980, revealing his deep desire for family time before his tragic murder just moments later.
Held at London's Royal Albert Hall, the momentous evening featured George's songs, and music he loved, performed by artists including Eric Clapton, Joe Brown, Dhani Harrison, Jools Holland, Jeff Lynne, Paul McCartney, Monty Python, Tom Petty, Billy Preston, Ravi & Anoushka Shankar, Ringo Starr and more.
Paul's last words to Linda: "You're up on your beautiful Appaloosa stallion. It's a fine spring day. We're riding through the woods. The bluebells are all out, and the sky is clear-blue".
“Wah-Wah” (1970) "Wah-Wah" is a song by English rock musician George Harrison from his 1970 triple album All Things Must Pass. Harrison wrote the song following his temporary departure from the Beatles in January 1969, during the troubled Get Back sessions that resulted in their Let It Be album and film.
According to his death certificate, Lennon was pronounced dead on arrival at 11:15 p.m., but the time of 11:07 p.m. has also been reported. Witnesses noted that the Beatles song "All My Loving" came over the hospital's sound system at the moment Lennon was pronounced dead.
The Animals frontman Eric Burdon claimed that he inspired the line "I am the eggman" after telling John Lennon about a sensual experience he had with his girlfriend involving a raw egg.
Chuck Berry's publisher sued John Lennon for copyright infringement over Lennon's song "Come Together," claiming it copied Berry's 1956 song "You Can't Catch Me," specifically the lyric "Here come old flat-top" and melodic similarities. Lennon settled out of court by agreeing to record three songs from Berry's publisher's catalog, including "You Can't Catch Me," on his album Rock 'n' Roll.