If it wasn’t for Brian's careful
management and salesmanship of The Beatles over six years they probably
wouldn’t be known in the way we know them now. He was the one and only “fifth
Beatle” and when he died John Lennon said not lightly, “He was one of us.” Though
he was at the cultural centre of the world for about three years he was dead
aged 32.
Each time I’ve visited the sprawling cemetery in
Everton the gate to the Jewish section has been locked with a chunky padlock.
Thankfully there’s a way in from the main part of the cemetery - a crumbling
stone wall is testimony to Beatles geeks eager to find Brian’s final resting
place. I had a stroll around and even took some footage. As with most Jewish
cemeteries the headstones are similar, black, white, grey, the same proportions,
quite humble, densely packed together. The same names abound - Goldberg,
Steinberg and Bachman.
Brian was an exemplary businessman and the
Beatles knew he wouldn’t rip them off. His start in life was messy though.
Though he was from an affluent family he was expelled from two schools for
laziness and wanted to be a dress designer. His father strongly opposed this
and instructed his lad to "report for duty" at the family's furniture
shop. He did but in December 1952 Brian was conscripted to do national service
and went to London. Afterwards he wanted to be an actor and attended RADA but
quit when he realised he was born for business.
Returning to Liverpool he worked his way up the
family shop business as it expanded. He became a director of NEMS (North End
Music Stores) which sold musical instruments and then records. He was glad to
get out of childhood as it had been quite an unhappy. In the thirties and
forties he hadn’t fitted in, was homosexual, had been lonely and found friends
where he could.
He found the Beatles when he was looking for
something though he didn’t know what it was - probably love. He’d made the
record shop the best in the north of England and was looking for something to
purchase onto. He’d seen The Beatles in issues of Mersey Beat and posters but
one dinner time in November 1961 the 27-year-old walked along the front at Albert
Dock on a foggy day and descended the steps to the Cavern Club. Though The Beatles
were raw (and dressed in leather) their music had edge. After the gig Brian
called into the dressing room ("as big as a broom cupboard") to chat
to the lads and arranged a meeting. A contract was drawn up but because they
were under 21 Paul, George and Best had to have the legal consent of their
parents to enter into a contract. Brian was always closet to John, probably
because he fancied him.
He had no experience of managing groups and his
charming and smarming the publicity wheel yielded no advancement initially. His
group had no hits and no record contract. He travelled to record companies in
London many times but Columbia, Pye, Philips, Oriole and Decca all said no. EMI
said yes and a 9-year deal was signed. At this point The Beatles were still
performing in Hamburg and weren’t known outside Merseyside.
Brian influenced change in The Beatle’s lives.
His impeccable manner, dress sense and perfect diction effected them (his mum
was nicknamed “Queenie” as she spoke like the Queen.) His persuasion or their
need to get bigger than Liverpool compelled The Beatles to improve: jeans and
leather jackets were replaced with suits, songs were played in a order, they
stopped smoking/drinking/eating on stage and ended each performance with a
synchronised bow. In June 1962 The Beatles went to Abbey Road Studios for first
recording session and you know the rest of their story.
If happiness is measured in commercial success
Brian must have been jubilant as this impresario was at the pinnacle of the
British music scene for about four years managing Gerry And The Pacemakers,
Cilla Black, Billy Kramer, The Moody Blues. Privately he never found peace. It
wasn’t widely known until his death that he was homosexual (isn’t it obvious
looking his face and hair?) Homosexuals still had meaning long-term partners
but Brian never found anyone special one and revelled in “rough trade” - short
seedy brief encounters in subterranean places with men from the underbelly of
life. He got beaten up a few times, manhandled, blackmailed, had his
possessions stolen. Behind the cultivated life he revelled in illegal drugs and
gambled recklessly in casinos.
I had a stroll around the small cemetery and had
a coffee and a bit of chocolate. Brian’s mum, dad and brother are also buried
here. The Beatles didn’t come to the funeral as they were frightened hoards of
fans would turn up. Apparently George Harrison had given someone attending the
funeral a chrysanthemum but flowers don't feature in Jewish funerals (it was thrown
in the grave as council workers started shovelling dirt onto the coffin.) The Rabbi
who administrated mustn’t have been straight-laced as he said Brian was "a
symbol of the malaise of our generation".