With the Beatles [Paperback]

Alistair Taylor (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 2003

Look at the first contract with Beatles’ manager Brian Epstein, and you will see only one other name—Alistair Taylor's. By the band’s side from the very beginning, he beheld the inception and growth of the most extraordinary musical phenomenon of the last century. But he was also there when things started to go wrong—when George Harrison quit the band at the height of their success and when it all started to spiral out of control. And he reveals for the first time exactly what caused their break-up. As Brian Epstein’s right-hand man, Alistair Taylor was with the charismatic manager when he first saw The Beatles perform at The Cavern. Taylor later became the band’s ever-present Mr. Fix-it. He bought islands, handled paternity cases, and became a close and trusted friend. It was he who found Epstein’s body after his suicide and, in the reorganization that followed, Taylor went on to become General Manager of Apple, The Beatles’ record company.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Look at the first contract with Beatles’ manager Brian Epstein, and you will see only one other name—Alistair Taylor’s. By the band’s side from the very beginning, he beheld the inception and growth of the most extraordinary musical phenomenon of the last century. He witnessed the fun, the high life, the adulation, and the music. But he was also there when things started to go wrong: when George Harrison quit the band at the height of their success and when it all started to spiral out of control. And he reveals for the first time exactly what caused their break–up. Filled with many rare photos, this is a must for fans. As Brian Epstein’s right–hand man, Alistair Taylor was with the charismatic manager when he first saw The Beatles perform at The Cavern; he later became the band’s trusted, ever–present friend. It was he who found Epstein’s body after his suicide and, in the reorganization that followed, Taylor went on to become Manager of Apple, The Beatles’ record company.

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: John Blake (May 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 190403473X
• ISBN-13: 978-1904034735
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,266,159 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Many great stories, April 30, 2004

By 

kennedy19 "kennedy19" (wakefield, ma USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: With the Beatles (Paperback)

Alistair Taylor was Brian Epstein's personal assistant and the "Mr. Fix-it" to the Beatles in the sixties. In this long overdue memoir, Mr. Taylor takes us briskly through the Beatles story firsthand, from Taylor's accompanying Epstein to see the Beatles for the first time at the Cavern, to his final ignominious sacking at the hands of Allen Klein. Anyone who has an interest in picking this book up will probably already have a pretty good understanding of the Beatles' history, so it won't matter that the book is cursory in describing the chronological details of that story. Instead, this book is best read for its many anecdotes, which give us insight into the personalities involved, especially Brian, John, and Paul. Taylor himself comes off as a likeable, loyal fellow and while he is honest, he does not dish nasty dirt the way Peter Brown did in his book "The Love You Make." Taylor also takes time to clear up certain myths, among them the idea that there ever was a "Raymond Jones" who came looking for the Beatles' German single "My Bonnie" at Brian Epstein's shop. (Taylor made the name up when he placed the order himself.)Taylor also cannot hide his disappointment with the Beatles, whom he served so loyally, when they did nothing to prevent his firing in the end. (Indeed, they don't even mention Taylor in "the Beatles Anthology," though they do reprint the famous photo ad he appeared in for Apple records.)
So, while this book is rather a jumpy hodge-podge of anecdotes, it will give you a new admiration for Brian Epstein, an appreciation of the mirthful madness of working with the Beatles, and some understanding of why they inspired such loyalty in the first place. Recommended for fans.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Beatles from the Inside, May 6, 2004

By 

John Lee (Oklahoma City, OK, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: With the Beatles (Paperback)

Just when you thought you had read everything there was to know about the Beatles, another book comes along! But this one is unlike the others in that it is told from a different angle. Alistair Taylor was in a unique position and this book shows it. I am glad to add it to my collection of books about the Beatles.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars With the Beatles - Reveiw, April 2, 2006

A Kid's Review

This review is from: With the Beatles (Paperback)

Amazing, I adored this book. It's so hard to pick faults with it. I'm twelve years old, and I could read this book perfectly, it's not some long drawn out book by some professor somewhere who never even met them. He was /there./

I would definety reccomend this book to you.