Log In
Register
5.56am
19 August 2013
Offline
It’s the 27th of August, the anniversary of Brian’s death.
In my personal opinion (and Paul McCartney ‘s) he was the fifth Beatle, who helped the Beatles gain fame and recognition.
RIP Eppy!
Note by Ahhh Girl 30 June 2014: This thread started with the title RIP Brian Epstein. Since it grew into an appreciation thread, I tweaked the title.
The following people thank Eppyisonlysleeping for this post:
Cousin Mark
7.52am
16 July 2013
Offline He was the right person for them at the right time. Although he may have had his limitations as a manager, mainly due to lack of experience, he genuinely loved them, worked hard for them and wanted the best for them. I think they knew that and, sub-consciously, used that love and support to form the solid base on which they built their incredible success.
A gentle, sad, complex man.
"Try to realise it's all within yourself - no-one else can make you change"
9.00am
3 May 2012
Offline He had his faults as a manager, but he recognised talent when he ssw it and he worked very hard to help get the Beatles where they got.
RIP Brian
Moving along in our God given ways, safety is sat by the fire/Sanctuary from these feverish smiles, left with a mark on the door.
(Passover - I. Curtis)
2.20pm
16 August 2012
Offline I always wonder how different their career trajectory would have been had he not died…
I suspect that the boys would have “released” him anyway, or perhaps would have changed his position to one of financial management. Which probably would have been for the best…
E is for 'Ergent'.
3.51pm
Reviewers
Moderators
1 May 2011
Offline At times he is given too hard an appraisal for the business deals secured etc. An essential part of the story, I doubt the band would have gotten into London and then the World without his devotion to their cause, belief in their talent, determination to get a record deal, and polite professional manner. The artists he managed outside the Beatles and the success they had is quite something as well and often overlooked.
"I told you everything I could about me, Told you everything I could" ('Before Believing' - Emmylou Harris)
5.18pm
9 July 2013
Offline Indeed, RIP, Brian. It is fascinating to poder how their career would have been different had he lived. I believe he might have reigned in on some of their creativity just to keep them “commercial”, or at least what Brian would have seen as “commercial.” I think he’s have been okay with the no tour thing at least for awhile. I have no idea how he would have reacted to Yoko! (Or how she would have interacted with him). That would have been worth seeing! If memory serves (and it often doesn’t), I think Brian’s contract was due to be renegotiated near the time of his death. He was afraid they would not re-sign him, and under what terms. That was allegedly part of the reason his drug use was so out-of-hand. He was a dear, sweet man. Definitely the fifth Beatle. And no one did or could fill his shoes.
The following people thank mccartneyalarm for this post:
Oudis"And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make."
6.34pm
Reviewers
14 April 2010
Offline Missing Brian today…
Much has been made about his mis-management in certain areas – I’ve done it myself. But after reading more about him, I and others may have been a bit unfair. In most areas that could have been handled better (merchandising royalties, etc…), we tend to forget one thing. This was uncharted territory. Nobody had ever been this big before. Nobody ever had this type of demand. Nobody had ever had so many ridiculous items with their brand on it before. Anybody ever see a can of Elvis hairspray? Not me.
I have definitely softened my stance on his “mistakes”.
RIP, Brian Samuel Epstein. Thanks for everything.
To the fountain of perpetual mirth, let it roll for all its worth. And all the children boogie.
6.52pm
Reviewers
Moderators
1 May 2011
Offline At one point there was Beatle Breath on sale! What’s far more insane is that people bought!! It’s probably worth a bit now if you had and then sold an unopened can.
So we blame Brian and the Beatles ultimately for the mountains of plastic tat that is out there for sale for every two-bit group that exists.
"I told you everything I could about me, Told you everything I could" ('Before Believing' - Emmylou Harris)
7.05pm
14 February 2013
Offline Rest in Peace, Brian.
He had his faults, like every other human on earth, but I think he was the “right man” for the Beatles without a doubt.
Thank you, Brian!
"....take a sad song & make it Meilleur"....
7.40pm
8 August 2013
Offline I’ve always thought that if anyone could have been considered the fifth Beatle, it was Brian. If it wasn’t for his dedication they may never have climbed to the heights they did and may have given up after being knocked back a few times. Brian had complete faith in them and truly loved them. Rest in Peace Brian.
8.59pm
Reviewers
14 April 2010
Offline Hannah said
I’ve always thought that if anyone could have been considered the fifth Beatle, it was Brian.
I used to go back and forth between Brian and George Martin in terms of the Fifth Beatle tag. I decided they are 5a and 5b, in no particualr order.
To the fountain of perpetual mirth, let it roll for all its worth. And all the children boogie.
10.31pm
Reviewers
17 December 2012
Offline
To post something on the anniversary, let me say I agree with mmm and Zig up above – Brian was not a bad manager so far as business affairs go, just a manager attempting to make sense of opportunities and deals that did not exist before them. There’s no point saying he got this or that wrong, because he had nothing to base it on. The only bad deal he ever did was the film deal. The rest were just blunders that were made because nobody knew.
Would they ever have parted ways with him? No. Had he lived, they would have resigned with him without a doubt. Whatever his fears, they were loyal. You need only look at when Klein started his reign of terror at Apple, John walked up to him and said, “Hands off Neil and Mal, they’re ours”. They would have been as loyal to Brian, as they knew he had given them everything.
Would he have interfered with their musical output, as mccartneyalarm suggests? No way on earth. There was the infamous moment when he made a suggestion in the studio, and John met him with a dead eye and said, “We do the music, Brian! Stick to your percentages!” The last time they let him have a say on the music side was the Decca audition, and that didn’t work out too well for them.
Brian was the perfect manager for them because he loved them, and they loved him. The interesting question is whether he could have found a different path through their last years that would not have seen them split.
All hail Brian! The man who brought the world The Beatles, and gave The Beatles the world.
The following people thank Ron Nasty for this post:
Shamrock Womlbs"I only said we were bigger than Rod... and now there's all this!" Ron Nasty
To @ Ron Nasty it's @ mja6758
The Beatles Bible 2020 non-Canon Poll Part One: 1958-1963 and Part Two: 1964-August 1966
10.33pm
8 August 2013
Offline Yes you’re right Zig, George also deserves credit for not only the incredible work he did on they’re music but also for being a total gentleman and someone who the Beatles all respected and admired.
3.17am
6 December 2012
Offline
RIP, Brian. I’d say something else, but everything has already been said.
Also known as Egg-Rock, Egg-Roll, E-George, Eggy, Ravioli, Eggroll Eggrolli...
~witty quote~
8.29am
8 November 2012
Offline This interview was posted on FB. Haven’t had a chance to watch yet, but people say it’s a good one.
RIP, Brian.
parlance
4.41pm
9 July 2013
Offline A great tribute to Eppy from all of you! How do you think Brian would have gotten along with Yoko, and Yoko with him?
"And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make."
6.23pm
8 August 2013
Offline All these speculations about what might have happened had Brian not died are very interesting! Regarding the Yoko thing, I’ve got a gut instinct that they wouldn’t have gotten along. I think Brian had a bit of a thing for John and basically idolised him. He could deal with Cynthia because she wasn’t a threat and pretty much stayed in the background as the perfect Beatle wife. Yoko on the other hand…. just imagine the frustration he would have felt about John and Yoko’s naked album cover and all the controversies he was engaging himself in!
It’s also fascinating to speculate on whether the Beatles would have broken up when they did had Brian still been there. I reckon they would have broken up much later. John himself even said (i think it was a quote from Anthology) that when Brian died he thought “we’ve f***ing had it now”. Business wise everything started to fall apart which of course affected their relationships with each other. John and Paul primarily fell out over Alan Klein (not the only reason but a major factor). With Brian there it most likely would have been a different story. Paul wouldn’t have had to sue his mates.
6.51pm
1 December 2009
Offline
Brian was a gentleman – I can’t imagine him treating Yoko with anything but friendly respect, same way I’d imagine him behaving toward the other Beatle wives. Of course I’d have to assume he’d have much more contact with Yoko than with Cynthia/Mo/Patti, since none of those three were permanently attached to their husbands’ sides.
Likewise, I don’t see why Yoko would treat Brian differently from the way she treated John’s other close associates (i.e. bandmates) – fairly cordial but somewhat cold and remote.
GEORGE: In fact, The Detroit Sound. JOHN: In fact, yes. GEORGE: In fact, yeah. Tamla-Motown artists are our favorites. The Miracles. JOHN: We like Marvin Gaye. GEORGE: The Impressions PAUL & GEORGE: Mary Wells. GEORGE: The Exciters. RINGO: Chuck Jackson. JOHN: To name but eighty.
9.32pm
9 July 2013
Offline I agree that Brian would have treated Yoko with the utmost of respect (although, I am sure he would have vented about her to anyone who would listen!) I think Yoko would have treated him coldly in the early days of her relationship with John, but in the later years, there might have been more fireworks as she was on a real crusade for power. I don’t know if Brian would still have been a player at that point (if the boys would have let him go…they were pretty loyal though, so I doubt that is a possibility) but if he was alive when the Beatles broke up…the possible scenarios of what could have or would have been are staggering! Would John have kept Brian as HIS manager for his solo work? Would Brian have agreed to include Yoko and her recordings with John’s? Would Brian have tried to be a peace-maker with the boys when they had all had enough of each other? It would have been wonderful to have the answers to those questions!
"And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make."
9.37pm
1 December 2009
Offline Brian wasn’t Yoko’s manager and wouldn’t have been able to do anything for her even if she was on a “crusade for power”, as you say! And he had no say whatsoever in the band’s recordings, much less Yoko’s with or without John.
GEORGE: In fact, The Detroit Sound. JOHN: In fact, yes. GEORGE: In fact, yeah. Tamla-Motown artists are our favorites. The Miracles. JOHN: We like Marvin Gaye. GEORGE: The Impressions PAUL & GEORGE: Mary Wells. GEORGE: The Exciters. RINGO: Chuck Jackson. JOHN: To name but eighty.
1 Guest(s)