The Birth of The Beatles and Beatlemania

Liverpool Becomes a Music Haven

Post-war prosperity meant that many people could buy electric guitars and other instruments for the first time. Cheap, new recording technology made it possible for these musicians to record their music cheaply. Liverpool became a haven for a new type of music called "Beatlemania." The Beatles John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr all grew up in Liverpool. By 1957, they were signed to EMI records and ready to take on the world.

The Birth of Mersey Beat

At the end of 1956, a group of Liverpool DJs called Radio Luxembourg began broadcasting a show called "The Teenagers' Turn." The show was specifically designed for teenagers who wanted to hear music that wasn't available on the BBC. Over time, the DJs played more and more rock 'n' roll songs, until they eventually dropped all their old timey tunes and started playing only rock 'n' roll. Thus, The Beatles were born. They found themselves on their way to becoming the most famous band in the world, and they had done it all without even releasing an album.

July 1961: The Cavern Club Begins its Run

It's hard to pinpoint the exact moment that The Beatles emerged as a cultural force. But one of the first places to see the signs of Beatlemania was Liverpool's Cavern Club. Starting in July 1961, The Beatles began playing at the Cavern on a regular basis. The Cavern Club was one of the few clubs in London where musicians could play original music. But the lads from Liverpool were still just another band on a circuit of English pub rock venues. It took their appearance on BBC for them to become national news.

February 1962: Hamburg and the Debut of the Beatles

By the end of 1961, the Beatles had already played 300 gigs. In February 1962, they went to Hamburg and became an international sensation. Their manager, Brian Epstein, convinced them that they could be a huge success in America. Armed with this knowledge, the band returned to England for a break in April 1962. Meanwhile, Epstein negotiated their first record contract with EMI Records’ parent company, EMI Music Publishing in London. This was not an easy task as many were skeptical about the group's talent and potential for success. But Epstein convinced them that his intuition told him that The Beatles would become internationally famous and he was willing to go on a 10 year contract if it meant that there was some chance of getting them a record deal within this timeframe.

The Beatles REVOLVER Special Editions

April 1962: Ringo joins and Beatlemania Begins

The Beatles were just becoming a sensation with their first single, "Love Me Do," when Ringo Starr joined the band. They changed their name from The Beatals to The Beatles and went on to release "Please Please Me" in 1963. This was the beginning of Beatlemania. After releasing their second album, With The Beatles, Ringo's drumming became an integral part of the band's sound. He played on many songs including classics such as "Can't Buy Me Love" and "I Want To Hold Your Hand." Ringo Starr also contributed in other ways to the band: he helped write a few songs including "Don't Pass Me By" and "With A Little Help From My Friends."

Conclusion

The Beatles are arguably the most famous band in the world. They are credited with changing the way people listened to and consumed music, and they transformed social attitudes in many ways. The Beatles and their impact on popular culture is still felt more than 50 years later. The Beatles story is one of a group of young men who came together and changed not just the world of music but the world itself. It is a story that has been told and retold in books, TV shows, and movies, but it all began on an evening in 1960 when John Lennon met Paul McCartney. It was the first time that Lennon had heard McCartney's guitar playing, and it was this chance meeting that would start the musical journey that would change the world.