Marketing Beatles for Sale

While the Beatles and George Martin honed their music in the studio, the business of the Beatles became progressively complicated. The Beatles eventually realized that these powers were manipulating them and their image, but for years, they would be at the mercy of others. Of course, this was not a new story. Other artists rising out of the working poor had surrendered their lives for others to exploit. The model was Elvis. Tom Parker had found ways to develop the rock singer from appearances at county fairs and honky tonks to Hollywood movies. His charge had little idea of where the money went. All he knew was that he had more than he had ever had and that he could afford almost anything he wanted. In the United Kingdom, Tommy Steele and Cliff Richard took similar routes.

Now, the Beatles came along. Some things would be different, but many would be the same. While their first film tried to reflect their lives, the second could have been a film by Cliff Richard and the Shadows with its exotic locales, costumes, and shallow attempts at humor. The Beatles had little or no control over the films in which they appeared. Gradually, they would attempt to change this situation, with inevitable consequences.

Albums and Singles

Management

Selling America

Beatlemania	Schedule	Lennon and McCartney
	7-feb-12