*Please register for either the in-person (this page) or the Zoom course. Kindly note that due to limited space, those registered for Zoom will not be able to drop in to the Halpern Room.
Do you remember where you were the first time you heard the Beatles? I do, and so does every rock musician of the last 50 years. The four young lads from Liverpool had a freshness and energy that we had never heard before, alive with the perfect sound for the times. The Beatles were creative, talented and funny musicians. Add George Martin to give them a little help with the music and Brian Epstein to show them to the world, and you have Beatlemania. We’ll take a look at how it all came to be: the music, the business, the people and the times.
Week 1: Liverpool and the Merseyside
Liverpool is one of the great seaports of the world. It has its own culture, its own language and its own sense of humour, and its own rough side. It’s where John, Paul, George and Ringo grew up and developed their irreverent sense of humour, their quick wit and their unique personalities. We’ll look at how Liverpool and Merseyside shaped these four lads.
Week 2: A Hard Days Night
The story goes that John met Paul, and then they met Geoge and much later they all met Ringo, but it’s not as simple as that. To be successful, first you need talent, secondly you need lots of talent, then you need perseverance and as the song goes, “You gotta pay your dues if you wanna sing the blues.” We’ll look at how the Beatles became a strong musical unit, able and ready for fame and success.
Week 3: With a Little Help From My Friends
John, Paul, George and Ringo were diamonds in the rough. They’d worked the clubs of Germany and Liverpool playing eight-hour nights, learned their trade, but something more was needed. Enter Brian Epstein, the savvy music store owner whose commitment and business skills helped them, and George Martin, the elegant producer with experience and musical education. We’ll look at how they moved to the next level in their careers.
Week 4: All You Need Is Love
Well, what was it all about? Their sound, the hype, the season, the individuals, their humour? Or all of it? Paul the song-writing genius, John the angry artist, George the introspective musician, and Ringo who, well, just played the drums—each of them brought their own unique character and music style, which when enhanced by George Martin’s production skills, made them the best-selling band in history.
Week 5: Baby You're a Rich Man
We’ll look at the Beatles conquering the world and becoming the most recognised and loved musicians on earth. They toured relentlessly, produced 13 albums, and wrote 237 original songs in only ten short years. Their music crossed cultural, language and generational divides and took them far from the docks of Liverpool.
Week 6 -....And in the End.......
No one expected it to last, least of all the Beatles themselves. But no one wanted it to end. The Beatles phenomenon will probably never happen again, but their legacy lives: the millions of musicians, singers, bands, song-writers and producers who have been inspired by them to continue creating original music.
This course is open to non-members.
Member registration opens on Thursday, January 9 at 10 am.
Non-member registration opens on Thursday, January 16 by phone only.