There were many important people to The Beatles. Their friends and families go without being said. However, other essential people ensured the Fab Four were safe and cared for in their day-to-day lives. Here are the top 10 people crucial to The Beatles’ success and well-being.
10. Brian Epstein
Brian Epstein was The Beatles’ manager. He heard about them after a customer asked if he had a copy of The Beatles’ German single at his family’s record store. He learned they were from Liverpool and saw them play at The Cavern Club. Epstein didn’t always make the best financial decisions for the band, but he was like their father figure. He helped them the most, and when he unexpectedly died in 1967, they were left struggling to keep themselves afloat. John Lennon once said going somewhere without Epstein was like going somewhere without your pants on.
9. Derek Taylor
Derek Taylor was The Beatles’ press officer. He attended all their press conferences and was their first line of support in all matters concerning the media, whether TV appearances or interviews. Like Epstein, Taylor is often considered the “fifth Beatle.” He was always there behind the scenes.
8. Mal Evans
Mal Evans started as a bouncer at The Cavern Club, but Epstein later hired him as The Beatles’ road manager. He became one of the band’s good friends. Evans got them through Beatlemania safely and hung out in the recording studio when the group stopped touring. He liked whacking the anvil for “Maxwell’s Silver Hammer” and even helped the band sign their many autographs and fan mail.
7. Neil Aspinall
Neil Aspinall was another roadie that worked with Evans. He knew The Beatles from the start of their careers and even earlier. Aspinall went to school with Paul McCartney and George Harrison. Eventually, Aspinall turned into a personal assistant to the band. Later, he became the head of Apple Corps. Like Taylor and Evans, Aspinall was a good friend who was always there for the band.
6. George Martin
George Martin was often considered the fifth Beatle more than anyone else. He was more than their producer. He taught them many things about music and suggested things they didn’t even know they wanted. For example, the string section in “Eleanor Rigby.” Martin was vital to The Beatles’ success.
5. Geoff Emerick
Geoff Emerick worked closely with Martin in the recording studio. During The Beatles’ early career, he was an assistant engineer next to Norman Smith. However, he became the band’s sound engineer for their albums Revolver, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, and Abbey Road. His friendship with the band soured during the recording of The White Album. Emerick suddenly quit due to rising tensions within the band.
4. Alan Williams
Alan Williams was a businessman and promoter. He was The Beatles’ original booking agent and first manager. He organized their first residency in Hamburg, Germany, and personally drove them. Williams gave the band hope in their early days. Without their residency, the group might not have become as seasoned of performers.
3. Astrid Kirchherr
Astrid Kirchher was one of The Beatles’ first friends in Hamburg. She was essential during their time abroad. They lived horribly, but the photographer took them in and mothered them a bit. She fed them and gave them a place to stay. She was amazed by their talent and took some of the first photos of them.
2. Klaus Voormann
Klaus Voormann was Astrid’s boyfriend and another friend of The Beatles during their stay in Germany. The artist and bassist made sure they were taken care of too. He suggested they get their famous mop-top haircuts. Later, he designed the album cover for The Beatles’ Revolver. Voormann appeared in some of The Beatles’ solo works. He and the band stayed life-long friends.
1. Glyn Johns
Glyn Johns was The Beatles’ recording engineer and producer during the Let It Be sessions, which were some of the most trying times for the band. However, he seemed chill throughout the whole process. He compiled many different versions of the album, but The Beatles rejected them all. They handed over the project to Phil Spector, but Johns’ input on the album was vital.
Many important people helped The Beatles in their day-to-day lives. However, the people on this list were essential and stayed an integral part of the band’s life. They helped shape The Beatles and made them what they were.
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