Not since John Toland's biography of Adolf Hitler have I come across such a comprehensive, revealing and engrossing work as this. This plays out like a made-for-TV movie series. The author provides us with glimpses of John Lennon and Paul Mc Cartney's childhood, guiding us along the path that sculpted these lads for future greatness. We follow them through their teen years and garage bands to the British blues era of the Fifties that produced some of the legends of rock and roll. Spitz takes us through the ups and downs until the Silver Beetles recruited wunderkind George Harrison and dropped Pete Best in favor of Ringo Starr. The Beatles hit the underground rock scene with a vengeance, and soon a new legend was born.
The behind-the-scene narrative is what adds an unforgettable flavor to this work. The amphetamine-fueled band toured Germany for months, playing nightly for hours on end while honing their live show to a razor's edge. Upon discovery by Brian Epstein, they were more than ready to take the journey to America and rewrite rock history. They became icons overnight, worshiped by screaming teens at every live appearance. Ironically it put an end to their live performances as it was impossible for them to hear themselves onstage. They went on to set new industry standards for record sales and earn every award in the music business. It was the simmering rivalry between Lennon and Mc Cartney that finally caused the band to dissolve.
This is not only an indispensable collector's item for Beatles fans and rock lovers, but a worthy guide for any young musician seeking guidance towards a music career. Bob Spitz's work is one you won't do without.
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