The Beatles are considered as the most influential band of the 60's. They definitely changed the face of rock and roll and music for all generations.
It all started in 1956 when John Lennon met Paul McCartney at a local church where John Lennon was performing with a band called the Quarrymen. Paul became a member in late 1957.
The group went through several names before becoming The Beatles. Some of the band names included Johnny and the Moondogs, The Silver Beetles, The Beatals, The Silver Beatles, and eventually The Beatles.
The band not only went through several name changes, but also band members. Stuart Sutcliffe was their bass player and John Lennon's closest friend. Pete Best was another band member who played the drums before Ringo Starr. Sutcliffe died April 10, 1962 in Hamburg, Germany of a brain hemorrhage and Pete Best was released from the band as the drummer for no real reason and replaced by Ringo Starr.
In 1960, The Beatles went to Hamburg, Germany to play. Thinking they would become famous and make a lot of money, they instead ended up playing in dirty night clubs. They played long hours and slept behind a movie screen in a theatre. Throughout their stay in Germany they gained a lot of knowledge of performing. It was during the end of their stay in Hamburg that they would meet Ringo Starr. Their stay in Germany ended abruptly when George, then 17, was deported for being under age.
1961 was the year that Brian Epstein was so impressed with their sound and the ever growing number of fans, that he approached The Beatles with a management offer. He became their first manager.
Love Me Do was the Beatles first single, released in October of 1962. The Beatles first album, Please Please Me was released in the UK in 1963. In November of 1963 I Want to Hold Your Hand became a number one hit in America.
The album, Meet The Beatles was released in the United States in January 1964 and went to #1 on the record charts. On February 7th, 1964 The Beatles made their first trip to the U.S. and their famous appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show. The following year, they made their second trip to the U.S. and played to a sold out Shea Stadium in New York City on August 7th. To the American teens their long hair, collarless suits, and Beatle boots were irresistible. Beatlemania became a phenomenon officially taking over the world in 1964.
After a year or more of relentless touring and chaos, The Beatles decided to stop touring. There was internal conflict with the band in 1969 and the band officially broke up in 1970. Mark David Chapman tragically murdered John Lennon on December 8th, 1980. This put an end to the hope that The Beatles might reunite. The second Beatle was taken away from us on November 29th, 2001, when George Harrison died of cancer. Today, The Beatles are legend world-wide and their music will always be remembered and loved for many generations to come.