Reading: Beatlemania

The four Beatles – John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Georges Harrison and Ringo Starr – were all born in Liverpool. John, Paul and Georges knew each other at school and played together in a band called The Quarrymen in 1959. They were in their late teens. Ringo Starr didn’t join the group until 1962, after Stuart Sutcliffe, “the fifth Beatle”, died. John, Georges and Paul played rhythm, lead and bass guitars. Ringo played the drums. The Beatles started their carrer at the Cavern Club in Liverpol. They first appeared there without Ringo on 21st February 1961. On 9th November Brian Epstein, a local record shop owner, saw the Beatles at a lunchtime session. He met them and a month later he became their manager. Brian Epstein gave the Beatles a new image – the famous Beatles suits and Beatles haircut. In 1963 the group had their first Number 1 hit record in the UK charts with their single, Please Please Me. They gave their first US concert on 11th February 1964. By April 1964 The Beatles were top of the UK singles and album charts and they held the top five places in the US charts. The next two years were the high point of Beatlemania. Girls screamed and wept when they went to Beatles’ concerts. Everybody bought their records. By 1966 The Beatles had eight more number 1 hit singles and five Number 1 albums.