Beatles Biography - Beatles Art

The Beatles - Biography
1957 - 59	Shortcuts: 1957 \| 1960 \| 1963 \| 1967 \| 1971 \| 1980 \| 1990
Mar 1957	John Lennon forms a skiffle group with his friend Pete Shotton, The Black Jacks. A week later they change their name to The Quarry Men, after their school, Quarry Bank High School. John plays guitar and sings. Pete plays washboard. First new member is Bill Smith on tea-chest bass. Other early members include Rod Davis (banjo), Eric Griffiths (guitar), Len Garry, Ivan Vaughan, Nigel Whalley (all bass) and Colin Hanton (drums).
24 May 1957	The Quarrymen play their first gig at an Empire Day street party in Rose Street.
6 Jul 1957	John Lennon meets Paul McCartney after the Quarry Men's appearance at the summer fete of St Peter's Parish Church, Woolton. Paul is asked to join the group a couple of weeks later.
7 Aug 1957	The Quarry Men make their debut at The Cavern, though Paul misses the gig as he is away at Scout camp.
18 Oct 1957	Paul's first appearance with the Quarry Men at the Conservative Club, New Clubmoor Hall, Liverpool.
Jan 1958	The regular band line up in early 1958 is John, Paul, Len Garry, Eric Griffiths, Colin Hanton and occasionally John 'Duff' Lowe (piano).
Feb 1958	George Harrison is invited to join the Quarry Men after being introduced to John by George's school friend Paul.
Summer 1958	The Quarry Men - John, Paul, George, Colin Hanton and 'Duff' Lowe record a demo disk at Phillips Sound Recording Service, Kensington, Liverpool - a small studio in the living room of a terraced house home.
29 Aug 1959	After a long period of largely inactivity, The Quarry Men begin a residency at The Casbah Coffee Club, West Derby, Liverpool. The line-up is John, Paul, George and George's Les Stewart Quartet compatriot Ken Brown (bass).
Oct 1959	Ken Brown leaves the group after an argument over wages. The three remaining Quarry Men change their name to Johnny & The Moondogs for an audition for Carroll Levis' TV Star Search.

1960 - 62	Shortcuts: 1957 \| 1960 \| 1963 \| 1967 \| 1971 \| 1980 \| 1990
Jan 1960	John persuades his art school friend Stuart Sutcliffe (b 23 June 1940, Edinburgh)to buy a bass guitar and join The Moondogs. A painting by Stuart has recently been bought by John Moores himself at the prestigious John Moores Exhibition at The Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool.
23,24 Apr 1960	John and Paul perform as The Nerk Twins at Paul's cousin Bett Robbins' pub, The Fox And Hounds, in Caversham in Berkshire.
May 1960	Allan Williams, owner of the Jacaranda Coffee Bar, Slater Street, Liverpool begins managing the group. He finds the group a drummer, Tommy Moore. John and Stuart come up with a new name for the group.
10 May 1960	The Silver Beatles audition for Larry Parnes at Wyvern Social Club with Johnny 'Hutch' Hutchinson on drums as Moore arrives late.
20 - 28 May 1960	The Silver Beetles back Johnny Gentle on a Scottish tour.
Jun 1960	Tommy Moore leaves the group to return to fork-lift truck driving. The group are now called The Silver Beatles.
12 Aug 1960	Pete Best (b 24 January 1941, Madras, India) is auditioned as the group's new drummer after the group have been offered an engagement in Hamburg by Allan Williams on the condition they find a drummer.
17 Aug - 3 Oct 1960	The Beatles play an arduous residency at The Indra Club, Grosse Freiheit, Hamburg. They are on stage for over 200 hours over 48 days.
4 Oct - 30 Nov 1960	After complaints about noise, owner Bruno Koschmider moves the Beatles to the larger Kaiserkeller, where they alternate with Rory Storm & The Hurricanes, whose drummer is Ringo Starr.
15 Oct 1960	John, Paul and George record Summertime at a small studio, Akustik, behind Hamburg's main railway station with two of Rory Storm and The Hurricanes - singer/bassist Lou Walters (real name Walter Eymond) and Ringo.
21 Nov 1960	George is deported from Germany for being too young to work in nightclubs. He is 17.
1 Dec 1960	Paul and Pete arrive back in England after a bitter Koschmider has them arrested and deported for alleged arson, after the Beatles attempt to move to a better club, The Top Ten.
10 Dec 1960	John returns home alone by train. Stuart remains in Hamburg with new love Astrid Kirchherr.
17 - 31 Dec 1960	Back in Liverpool, The Beatles play 4 gigs with Chas Newby on bass guitar, including a triumphant gig at Litherland Town Hall on December 27.
Jan 1961	Paul takes over on bass guitar.
9 Feb 1961	First gig as The Beatles at The Cavern Club, Liverpool.
1 Apr - 1 Jul 1961	Over 500 hours on stage over 92 nights at the Top Ten Club, Reeperbahn 136, Hamburg.
22 Jun 1961	The Beatles - John, Paul, George and Pete - back Tony Sheridan on a recording for German producer and orchestra leader Bert Kaempfert on the stage of an infant school hall, during which they also do two of their own recordings, Ain't She Sweet and Cry For A Shadow.
9 Nov 1961	Brian Epstein (b 19 September 1934, Liverpool) sees the Beatles for the first time, with his assistant, Alastair Taylor, at The Cavern Club.
15 Dec 1961	The Beatles sign a management contract with Brian Epstein.
1 Jan 1962	Unsuccessful audition for Decca Records at their studios in West Hampstead, North London.
1 Feb 1962	Brian Epstein's first booking for the Beatles at The Thistle Cafe, West Kirby, Wirral, home of fine art.
5 Feb 1962	Ringo Starr sits in for Pete Best who is ill, on 2 gigs.
7 Mar 1962	The Beatles record their first 3 songs for the BBC at the Playhouse Theatre, Manchester for the radio show Teenagers Turn - Here We Go.
10 Apr 1962	In Hamburg, Stuart Sutcliffe dies of a brain haemorrhage aged 22.
13 Apr - 31 May 1962	A seven week season at The Star-Club, Grosse-Freiheit, Hamburg. 172 hours on stage over 48 nights.
9 May 1962	After hearing the Decca audition tapes, George Martin of EMI offers The Beatles a recording contract during a meeting with Brian Epstein at Abbey Road. Before EMI's official signature on the contract however, an audition would be required at Abbey Road.
6 Jun 1962	The Beatles record four songs at Abbey Road produced by Ron Richards. George Martin attends the latter part of the session and orders the EMI contract to be finalised. He does not like Pete Best's drumming however.
16 Aug 1962	Pete Best is fired from the group in a meeting with Brian Epstein. None of the other band members attend. In disgust, Neil Aspinall, who is a close friend of Pete's and lives in his house, almost quits as the Beatles roadie, but is persuaded to change his mind by Pete.
18 Aug 1962	Ringo Starr joins the Beatles. His first gig is at Hulme Hall, Port Sunlight, Wirral.
22 Aug 1962	Granada Television film the group playing Some Other Guy and Kansas City/Hey Hey Hey Hey live at the Cavern.
4 Sep 1962	They record Love Me Do at EMI with Ringo on drums.
11 Sep 1962	Love Me Do is re-recorded using session drummer Andy White. This was the version released as their first single, although early pressings featured the version with Ringo on drums.
1 - 14 Nov 1962	Two weeks at the Star-Club in Hamburg sharing the bill with Little Richard.
18 - 31 Dec 1962	The last residency in Hamburg, at the Star-Club.

1963 - 66	Shortcuts: 1957 \| 1960 \| 1963 \| 1967 \| 1971 \| 1980 \| 1990
2 - 8 Jan 1963	First tour proper, of Scotland.
2 Feb - 3 Mar 1963	First nationwide tour - starting bottom of a six act bill headed by Helen Shapiro.
11 Feb 1963	10 new songs are recorded at Abbey Road studios, London. Together with both sides of their first two singles they complete the Beatles first album, Please Please Me.
9 - 31 Mar 1963	Second package tour of the UK, headlined by Tommy Roe and Chris Montez.
18 May - 9 Jun 1963	Third package tour headlined initially by Roy Orbison, before The Beatles assume top billing.
24 May 1963	The first of their BBC Light Programme radio series Pop Go The Beatles is recorded at Aeolian Hall, London.
1 Aug 1963	The first issue of the still-running fanzine The Beatles Book is published.
3 Aug 1963	Last of almost 300 appearances at The Cavern Club.
11 Aug 1963	Cavern Club doorman Mal Evans' first day as full-time roadie and bodyguard.
14 Oct 1963	The term 'Beatlemania' is coined by the morning papers in response to the reaction to the Beatles' previous nights performance on Sunday Night At The London Palladium.
4 Nov 1963	The Beatles appear for the only time on the Royal Variety Performance at the Prince of Wales Theatre, London.
24 Dec 1963 - 11 Jan 1964	The first Beatles Christmas Show at The Astoria Cinema, Finsbury Park, London - a mix of sketches and music compered by Rolf Harris and featuring other artists including Cilla Black.
16 Jan - 4 Feb 1964	A three week residency in Paris at the Olympia Theatre.
9 Feb 1964	Their first appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show, is broadcast live from Studio 50 in New York City to record viewing figures for the time.
11 Feb 1964	First live show in the USA at Washington Coliseum.
2 Mar 1964	Filming begins on their first film, A Hard Day's Night, at Paddington Station, London. The film is directed by Richard Lester and written by Alun Owen.
4 - 13 Jun 1964	Jimmy Nicol stands in for Ringo, who has tonsillitis and pharyngitis, at gigs in Denmark, Holland and Australia.
6 Jul 1964	The premiere of A Hard Day's Night at The London Pavilion.
19 Aug - 20 Sep 1964	First full American tour - 25 dates.
1 Oct 1964	The first day at work of the Beatles new chauffeur Alf Bicknell, who will be their driver until they stop touring in 1966.
9 Oct - 10 Nov 1964	British tour dates.
24 Dec 1964 - 16 Jan 1965	Another Beatles Christmas Show at the Hammersmith Odeon, London. Also featuring The Yardbirds amongst others.
23 Feb 1965	Filming starts on second movie in the Bahamas. The working title is Eight Arms To Hold You.
20 Jun - 3 Jul 1965	European Tour.
29 Jul 1965	Royal premiere of second film, now retitled Help!
14 - 31 Aug 1965	American Tour.
15 Aug 1965	Shea Stadium concert is filmed and later released as documentary film.
27 Aug 1965	The Beatles meet Elvis Presley for the only time, at Elvis' house on Perugia Way in Bel Air.
25 Sep 1965	US cartoon series The Beatles is broadcast for the first time. Al Brodax directs and Paul Frees and Lance Percival 'play' the Beatles.
26 Oct 1965	The Beatles are invested with MBE's at Buckingham Palace.
3 - 12 Dec 1965	Last British Tour.
5 Dec 1965	Last gig in Liverpool at The Liverpool Empire.
1 May 1966	Last live appearance in the UK at the NME Poll Winners concert at Empire Pool, Wembley, London.
24 - 26 Jun 1966	German tour.
30 Jun - 2 Jul 1966	Live Appearances at The Nippon Budokan Hall in Japan.
4 Jul 1966	Beatles 'snub' Imelda Marcos in the Philippines by failing to turn up to a lunch party they knew nothing of. Their security is withdrawn and they and their helpers are attacked, jostled and insulted at the airport as they try to make their escape.
12 - 29 Aug 1966	American Tour to the backdrop of a furore created by extremist Christians, indignant at John's "Beatles bigger than Jesus" quote.
29 Aug 1966	The Beatles play their last gig, at Candlestick Park in San Francisco.

1967 - 70	Shortcuts: 1957 \| 1960 \| 1963 \| 1967 \| 1971 \| 1980 \| 1990
5 Jan 1967	The group, led by Paul, record a 13 minute tape of sound effects and random bursts of music for the Carnival Of Light Rave to be held at the Roundhouse in London.
27 Jan 1967	Nine year recording contract is signed with EMI.
19 Apr 1967	The Beatles become a legal partnership for 10 years with the formation of The Beatles & Company.
25 Jun 1967	In studio 1 at Abbey Road studios, All You Need Is Love is performed live on the BBC's Our World - The first live world-wide satellite linkup.
24 Jul 1967	A full-page advertisement in The Times headed "The law against marijuana is immoral in principal and unworkable in practice" is signed by 65 prominent names included all four Beatles and Brian Epstein.
24 Aug 1967	John, Paul and George attend a lecture given by the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi at the London Hilton with their respective partners.
25 Aug 1967	The Beatles and partners travel to Bangor to attend the Maharishi's teaching seminar.
27 Aug 1967	Brian Epstein is discovered dead in his London home.
11 Sep 1967	Filming starts on their self-directed film Magical Mystery Tour.
29 Sep 1967	John and George are guests on David Frost's TV show The Frost Programme to discuss transcendental meditation. A follow-up appearance is made on October 4.
7 Dec 1967	Apple Boutique is opened in London.
26 Dec 1967	First showing of film Magical Mystery Tour is on BBC in black & white.
16 Feb 1968	John, George, Cynthia Lennon and Pattie Harrison arrive at Rishikesh in India to study Transcendental Meditation under the Maharishi.
19 Feb 1968	Paul, Ringo, Jane Asher and Maureen Starkey fly to India.
1 Mar 1968	Unhappy Ringo and Maureen leave Rishikesh.
26 Mar 1968	Paul and Jane leave Rishikesh.
12 Apr 1968	John, George, Cynthia and Pattie leave Rishikesh after lascivious rumours start circulating about the Maharishi.
11 May 1968	In New York, John and Paul launch Apple in the US.
30 May 1968	Work commences on the 'White Album', The Beatles.
17 Jul 1968	The premiere of the animated feature Yellow Submarine at the London Pavilion.
30 Jul 1968	The Apple boutique is closed down. Clothes are given away the following day.
11 Aug 1968	Apple records is officially launched with 'National Apple Week'.
22 Aug 1968	Tension in the studio reaches a head when Ringo quits the band. In his absence John, Paul and George continue work on the White Album.
3 Sep 1968	Ringo rejoins the band. His drums have been smothered in flowers as a welcome back gesture from Mal Evans.
4 Sep 1968	Promotional films are made for Hey Jude and Revolution at Twickenham Film Studios. David Frost records introductions to create the illusion that the Beatles are appearing live on his show.
30 Sep 1968	William Heinemann Ltd. publish Hunter Davies' official biography The Beatles.
2 Jan 1969	Filming starts on Get Back project at Twickenham Studios. The Beatles are to be filmed rehearsing new material, culminating in a live appearance at a yet unspecified venue. The live show will be new album.
10 Jan 1969	George leaves band during bad tempered sessions at Twickenham after arguments with John and Paul.
15 Jan 1969	George makes up differences with John during a five hour meeting. He demands shelving of rehearsals and live performance idea Twickenham however before rejoining band.
22 Jan 1969	Work begins at Apple Studios on recording Get Back album. Keyboard player Billy Preston is recruited by George to help out on the sessions and the atmosphere improves.
28 Jan 1969	John makes Allen Klein his personal adviser on the spot after a meeting in the Dorchester Hotel, London.
30 Jan 1969	The Beatles perform live on the Apple rooftop in Savile Row, with Billy Preston, for around 40 minutes.
31 Jan 1969	The last day of filming on the Get Back project.
3 Feb 1969	Allen Klein is appointed the Beatles' business manager.
4 Feb 1969	Linda Eastman's father and brother, Eastman and Eastman, are appointed as Apple's General Council to watch over Allen Klein's activities. Paul does not agree with Allen Klein's appointment.
21 Mar 1969	Allen Klein is appointed business manager of Apple.
28 Mar 1969	It is reported that Dick James had sold his shares in Northern Songs, John and Paul's publishing company, to ATV without first offering them to the Beatles.
8 May 1969	John, George and Ringo sign a management contract with Allen Klein. The following day his ABKCO Industries was officially appointed business manager of the Beatles companies, but Paul refuses to sign contract, opposed to Klein's appointment.
19 May 1969	ATV gains control of Northern Songs Ltd. after a prolonged battle.
20 Aug 1969	The last time that all four Beatles are together in Abbey Road is to listen to a playback of the Abbey Road LP.
22 Aug 1969	The last Beatles photo session, at John's new home Tittenhurst Park.
20 Sep 1969	At a business meeting John announces that he is leaving the Beatles. It is not announced for business reasons.
16 Dec 1969	John and George appear on stage together as part of John & Yoko's supergroup at the Peace For Christmas concert at the Lyceum Ballroom, Covent Garden, London in aid of UNICEF.
3 Jan 1970	Paul, George and Ringo record George's I Me Mine for the Let It Be soundtrack album, the last group recording before the split.
23 Mar 1970	Phil Spector starts production work on Let It Be album at John's request.
10 Apr 1970	Paul announces that he has left the Beatles in a press release to coincide with the release of his first solo album.
20 May 1970	Film Let It Be is finally premiered in Liverpool and London, but none of the Beatles attend.
9 Oct 1970	On his 30th birthday, John is presented by George and Ringo with their special recording, It's Johnny's Birthday, recorded during sessions for George's album All Things Must Pass.
15 Nov 1970	Paul files lawsuit against John, George, Ringo and Apple to dissolve The Beatles.
31 Dec 1970	Paul files a suit against John, George, Ringo and Apple in London's High Court, seeking to dissolve the Beatles partnership. He requests a receiver to be appointed for Apple and Allen Klein is formally charged with mismanagement.
1971 - 79	Shortcuts: 1957 \| 1960 \| 1963 \| 1967 \| 1971 \| 1980 \| 1990
19 Jan 1971	The Beatles & Company court case commences in London High Court.
19 Feb - 12 Mar 1971	The court rules in favour of Paul in The Beatles High Court Case trial. After the verdict it is reported that John, George and Ringo drive to Paul's home where they put two bricks through his windows.
13 Mar 1973	John, George and Ringo record I'm The Greatest for Ringo's forthcoming album.
31 Mar 1973	Allen Klein's management contract with John, George and Ringo expires. It is not renewed.
2 Apr 1973	'Red' and 'Blue' compilations, The Beatles 1962-66 and The Beatles 1967-70 are released to combat bootleg compilation Alpha Omega, on Apple.
16 Apr 1973	Paul guests on Ringo's track Six O'clock for his Ringo album.
13 Nov 1973	Ringo album is released featuring all four Beatles on various tracks.
31 Mar 1974	John and Paul jam at John's rented Santa Monica beach house with other musicians.
Aug 1974	John writes and helps record title track for next Ringo album, Goodnight Vienna.
27 Dec 1974	At Disneyworld, where he is spending the day with girlfriend May Pang and son Julian, John is the last Beatles to sign the papers officially dissolving the Beatles' partnership.
9 Jan 1975	The Beatles & Company partnership is formally dissolved in a private hearing at London's High Court. It will take effect on April 9.
2 May 1975	The Apple basement recording studios at Savile Row are closed down.
4 Jan 1976	Long term friend and roadie, Mal Evans is shot dead by police in his Los Angeles motel apartment.
26 Jan 1976	The Beatles 9 year contract with EMI expires.
2 May 1977	Live recordings of the Beatles live at the Star-Club in Hamburg on New Years Eve 1962 are released for the first time.
19 May 1979	Paul, George and Ringo jam with several others at Eric Clapton's marriage to Pattie Boyd.

1980 - 89	Shortcuts: 1957 \| 1960 \| 1963 \| 1967 \| 1971 \| 1980 \| 1990
19 - 25 Nov 1980	Ringo and George work on Ringo's solo album at Friar Park including the track which will later become George's All Those Years Ago (which will also feature Paul and Linda).
29 Aug 1981	In Liverpool, The first annual Mersey Beatle Extravaganza takes place at the Adelphi Hotel.
8 May - 30 Sep 1984	The Art of The Beatles exhibition runs in London.
10 Aug 1985	Michael Jackson buys ATV Music for $47.5million, including Northern Songs.
26 Feb 1987	The release of the first four Beatles albums on CD with shoddy re-designing of the original sleeves to fit CD format in nasty jewel cases. Further issues follow on 30 April , 1 June, 24 August, 21 September, 19 October.
8 Mar 1988	Beatles songs not yet available on CD are compiled onto 2 CDs released today - Past Masters 1 and 2.
8 Nov 1989	The Beatles' lawsuit against EMI/Capitol over unpaid royalties, which has been going on for over 20 years, is settled. The Beatles are also given full control over the use of their EMI recordings and the final say in future packaging of releases.
1990 -	Shortcuts: 1957 \| 1960 \| 1963 \| 1967 \| 1971 \| 1980 \| 1990
Jan 1992	Work on the Beatles documentary film The Long And Winding Road, off and on for the last 22 years, begins in earnest directed by Geoff Wonfor. It will be renamed Anthology in November.
11 Feb 1994	The first reunion recordings take place at Paul's Mill Studios in Sussex. Paul, George and Ringo, with Jeff Lynne producing, work on John's demo of Free As A Bird. Sessions continue to the end of the month with work also on John's tracks Now And Then and Grow Old With Me.
22 Jun 1994	More work on Now And Then at Mill Studios.
23 Jun 1994	At George's Friar Park studio, Paul, George and Ringo are filmed and recorded performing acoustic versions of rock'n'roll standards and Beatles songs.
6 & 7 Feb 1995	Work on John's Real Love by Paul, George and Ringo with Jeff Lynne at Mill Studios. They also work on Now And Then.
20 & 21 Mar 1995	More group work at The Mill Studios on Now And Then, but it remains unfinished.
15 & 16 May 1995	Real Love is completed at The Mill. They also attempt unsuccessfully to record a new McCartney/Harrison number, All For Love.
22 May 1995	George Martin begins work on the Anthology CDs with some help from Paul, George and Ringo.
19 Nov 1995	The Beatles Anthology TV series premieres on ABC in America, after which Free As A Bird is also revealed for the first time.
21 Nov 1995	Anthology 1 album is released for which Pete Best receives for the first time a large royalty cheque in seven figures for the 10 tracks on which he appears.
4 Dec 1995	First comeback singe, Free As A Bird, is released.
7 Oct 1996	8 Video Anthology set is released.
Sep 1997	Beatles aide and long time confidante Derek Taylor dies of throat cancer during his editing of the Anthology book.
24 Nov 1998	30th anniversary version of the White Album is released with a CD-size reproduction of the original packaging.
30 Aug 1999	World-wide relaunch of Yellow Submarine.
5 Oct 2000	Anthology book is published by Cassell.