Meet the Beatles : A Cultural History of the Band That Shook Youth, Gender, and the World

John, Paul, George, Ringo--the band that inspired and changed popular culture forever. In this revealing and provocative new account, Steven D. Stark puts their impact into unique perspective by revealing both the personal details and the larger events that made them into the twentieth century's greatest cultural force. "They were magic," said their producer George Martin, and most of us would agree. But the band has become so shrouded in cultural mythology that it is difficult today to really understand how or why. This book explains that why--unpacking the legendary band's aura and examining the ways in which the Beatles' own lives were inextricably tied to the cultural, youth, and gender revolutions they helped create and lead during the 1960s. Based on extensive research and more than a hundred new interviews, Meet the Beatles offers a compelling fresh interpretation of their story, beginning with their childhoods in England and the profound effect on their outlook and music caused by the deaths of Paul's and John's mothers when they were young. It documents their subsequent special bond with women--from their teenage fans to the mothers of their friends to close partners Linda and Yoko. It illustrates the central importance of drugs, both for them and the youthful counterculture they led; why their unusual hairstyles set off a cultural revolution; how the band came to create a new vision of the role of women; and the unique conditions that allowed these four to conquer America faster than any other cultural phenomenon in history. It explains why the group's popularity has never faded--even now, more than four decades after they first hit the charts. From Liverpool and Hamburg to Ed Sullivan and Shea Stadium, it's all here--from the improbable decision to fire their original drummer and bring Ringo into the band to why they broke up and who was responsible. After reading Meet the Beatles, you'll never think about the Beatles or listen to their songs the same way again. Live the magic once more. Here they are -- John, Paul, George, Ringo -- the band that inspired and changed popular culture forever. In this revealing and provocative new account, Steven D. Stark puts their impact into unique perspective by revealing both the personal details and the larger events that made them into the twentieth century's greatest cultural force."They were magic," said their producer George Martin, and most of us would agree. But the band has become so shrouded in cultural mythology that it is difficult today to really understand how or why. This book explains that why -- unpacking the legendary band's aura and examining the ways in which the Beatles' own lives were inextricably tied to the cultural, youth, and gender revolutions they helped create and lead during the 1960s.Based on extensive research and more than a hundred new interviews, Meet the Beatles offers a compelling fresh interpretation of their story, beginning with their childhoods in England and the profound effect on their outlook and music caused by the deaths of Paul's and John's mothers when they were young. It documents their subsequent special bond with women -- from their teenage fans to the mothers of their friends to close partners Linda and Yoko. It illustrates the central importance of drugs, both for them and the youthful counterculture they led; why their unusual hairstyles set off a cultural revolution; how the band came to create a new vision of the role of women; and the unique conditions that allowed these four to conquer America faster than any other cultural phenomenon in history. It explains why the group's popularity has never faded -- even now, more than four decades after they first hit the charts.From Liverpool and Hamburg to Ed Sullivan and Shea Stadium, it's all here -- from the improbable decision to fire their original drummer and bring Ringo into the band to why they broke up and who was responsible. After reading Meet the Beatles, you'll never think about the Beatles or listen to their songs the same way again. Live the magic once more. Rob Sheffield, the Rolling Stone columnist and bestselling author of Love Is a Mix Tape, offers an entertaining, unconventional look at the most popular band in history, the Beatles, exploring what they mean today and why they still matter so intensely to a generation that has never known a world without them.Meet the Beatles is not another biography of the Beatles, or a song-by-song analysis of the best of John and Paul. It isn't another exposé about how they broke up. It isn't a history of their gigs or their gear. It is a collection of essays telling the story of what this ubiquitous band means to a generation who grew up with the Beatles music on their parents'stereos and their faces on T-shirts. What do the Beatles mean today? Why are they more famous and beloved now than ever? And why do they still matter so much to us, nearly fifty years after they broke up?As he did in his previous books, Love is a Mix Tape, Talking to Girls About Duran Duran, and Turn Around Bright Eyes, Sheffield focuses on the emotional connections we make to music. This time, he focuses on the biggest pop culture phenomenon of all time—The Beatles. In his singular voice, he explores what the Beatles mean today, to fans who have learned to love them on their own terms and not just for the sake of nostalgia. Meet the Beatles tells the story of how four lads from Liverpool became the world's biggest pop group, then broke up—but then somehow just kept getting bigger. At this point, their music doesn't belong to the past—it belongs to right now. This book is a celebration of that music, showing why the Beatles remain the world's favorite thing—and how they invented the future we're all living in today.

the Beatles Have Profoundly Touched The Lives Of Millions. But Have You Ever Wondered Why? Why Did They Become The Most Powerful Artists In History And One Of The Twentieth Century's Major Symbols Of Cultural Transformation? meet The Beatles Answers Those Questions And More As It Examines The Ways The Lives Of John, Paul, George, And Ringo Were Inextricably Tied To The Cultural Revolutions Their Music Helped Inspire. From Their Long Hair And Interest In India To Their Drug Use And Admiration For Strong Women, The Beatles Changed The Way We Look, The Way We Feel, And Even The Way We Think. This Is The Book For Those Who Have Always Been Infatuated With The Beatles, As Well As Those Who Want To Learn For The First Time What It All Really Meant.

the Washington Post - Joseph Rosen

an Acclaimed Pop Culture Commentator For Npr And Cnn, Stark Has Produced A Volume Worthy Of His Subjects, Treating The Band With The Seriousness That A Phenomenon Of Its Magnitude Warrants. Thus Highbrow Literary Allusions (keats, Wordsworth, Paglia) Find Easy Companionship Alongside Quotations From Rock Periodicals Such As Mersey Beat And Crawdaddy. Stark Also Spent Considerable Time In Liverpool And Conducted More Than 100 Interviews With Figures Ranging From Yoko Ono To Screaming Fans Relegated To The Upper Tiers Of Shea Stadium (both Surviving Beatles Declined To Be Interviewed).

The band that changed popular culture forever has become so shrouded in cultural mythology that it is difficult today to really understand how or why. Stark puts their impact into perspective by revealing both the personal details and the larger events, examining the ways in which the Beatles' own lives were inextricably tied to the cultural, youth, and gender revolutions they helped create and lead during the 1960s. Based on more than a hundred new interviews, this book offers a fresh interpretation of their story, beginning with their childhoods in England and the effect of the deaths of Paul's and John's mothers when they were young. It documents their special bond with women; the central importance of drugs, both for them and the counterculture they led; why their hairstyles set off a revolution; and the conditions that allowed these four to conquer America.--From publisher description