A Cellarful of Noise

HALP! :)

Fri, 18 Jul 2008 07:18:27 GMT

I stumbled across this picture somewhere, and I can't figure out if it's Brian in the picture with John, or someone else who sits incredibly effeminently and stares at John as if he is the greatest thing since sliced bread..... hopefully someone knows.... I am not sure. I look at it once and think, "Oh, that's definitely Brian, just looking bulkier and his hair's not done" and then other times, I am just like, "WTF? That doesn't look a thing LIKE Eppy!" And I just flip-flop back and forth, fighting with it... hoping one of you guys can SOLVE MY SORROWS and bring peace to my heart.. lol. Thanks for any help you can provide, I very much appreciate it!

Brian Epstein's London

Sun, 06 Jul 2008 19:36:11 GMT

On Friday I went on a Brian-centric tour around London, and I thought that some of you might be interested in seeing the resulting pictures! Due to their size I posted them in four parts.

Abbey Road
Whaddon House
Chapel Street
Offices and theatres

"Any member of the Jewish community" (Newspaper clippings 4)

Tue, 17 Jun 2008 15:16:07 GMT

"Epstein Withdraws From Passion Play Following Censure"
New York Times, November 21, 1966.

The Board of Deputies of British Jews adopted a resolution strongly condemning "any member of the Jewish community who in any way and for any consideration" is associated with the proposed production in Britain of the Oberammergau Passion Play.

Tonight, on the heels of this condemnation by the authoritative organization of British Jewry, a statement came from NEMS Enterprises, Ltd., that it was no longer acting as the agent for the production of an adaptation of the play in Britain and the United States.

The entrepreneurs Philip Solomons, Vic Lewis and Brian Epstein, who are all Jewish, are connected with NEMS Enterprises. Mr Epstein, manager of the Beatles, said tonight that he would withdraw totally. Under no circumstances, he said, would he or his organization wish to give offense to Jewish communities here or elsewhere in the world.

...

The resolution of the Board of Deputies of British Jews followed a call by the American Jewish Congress on Thursday for a world boycott of the Passion Play.

Tue, 17 Jun 2008 02:33:52 GMT

So as you may or may not know, I started a Beatle Slash RP,
thebeatleworld

We're still looking for members, and I'd love for you to join :]

We have a George, Paul, John, Ringo, and a Pattie so far. But I really, really, really, want a Brian! Oh, it'd be so fun :DD

So if you want to be Brian [or any other Beatle-related person] you can email me at andsoshewrites@yahoo.com or you can send me an instant message on AIM at jamespmacca.

For more information go here.

Obituaries (Newspaper clippings part 3)

Mon, 16 Jun 2008 20:52:34 GMT

From the New York Times, August 28, 1967:

"One did everything. One worked very hard. One shouted from the rooftops about the group when there was no enthusiasm for groups. People thought you were mad, but you went on shouting."

In these words, Mr. Epstein explained once to a reporter how he had helped the Beatles rise from relative obscurity to world fame.

The brash, pink-cheeked, energetic young man was in many respects as much a gee-whiz success story as the Beatles themselves.

From the Times, August 28, 1967:

Brian Epstein was essentially a gentleman businessman, a gentle amateur among the Tin Pan Alley wheeler-dealers. He was in no sense a ruthless businessman, as many have imagined. He relied on his word rather than the contracts. For example, he himself never signed the contract which made him manager of the Beatles. He felt their mutual regard for each other was enough.

Perhaps now and again he worked on intuition and feeling, a quality he shared with the Beatles, which made it difficult for outsiders to follow his mind exactly. But in all his dealings he was completely honest and trustworthy. By his presence and success in the pop world he not only transformed its power and stature, he made it more respectable.

Despite the fact that the Beatles stopped touring last year and in some senses began to go the wrong way--John Lennon acting in a film, Paul McCartney writing the music for a film--he and the Beatles were as close as they had ever been. He shared all the developments in their interests and in their music.

It was a friendship based not just on his being their manager. He was part of them. He believed in their talent, that it was something absolutely unique of its kind, and their success gave him constant pleasure, as did the success of all his artists. He had a great zest for life, he lived in style and with style, but yet he remained natural and unaffected by his power and by his fame in a world where such fame tends to turn heads.

"But did he earn his reputation?" (Newspaper clippings part 2)

Mon, 16 Jun 2008 20:15:11 GMT

"Beatles-Epstein Tie A Mutual Discovery"
By Derek Taylor
Washington Post, September 4, 1967.

It wasn't so much a case of Brian Epstein discovering the Beatles as of the Beatles discovering Brian Epstein... Paul McCartney told me a year ago, "You know, it was really us who found him." He didn't intend to diminish the skillful, tactful manipulations of Epstein as dedicated Beatles-protector, guide and negotiator, but rather to show that things are not always what they seem.

Myth has it that the Beatles were struggling and unknown in Liverpool, and Epstein was the eagle-eyed talent scout. The truth is that when the five met, the Beatles were much mismanaged local heroes already discovered by a number of opportunities and by the youth of two seaports in two nations. But nobody at all had discovered Brian Epstein, least of all Epstein himself.

...

Brian was a difficult man to befriend for, unless he chose to be otherwise, he came across with little warmth or charm, though if he felt secure enough not to be harmed, compromised or cheated, he had an abundance of goodwill, charisma and much humour besides.

...

[1964] was the flowering of Epstein, who became a man able to live with himself, able to enjoy the fulfillment of an ego battered and confused in childhood.

How did he gain the acclaim which--in normal showbiz terms--was disproportionate to the role as manager (no matter how successful the performer) and how did he earn his fame?

It's easy to explain how he gained the acclaim, for all of us who were involved with the Beatles received some adulation no matter how random the reason. The Beatles became so massively famous that the urge to touch them, the desire to possess some tiny fragment of them, extended beyond the Beatles to those who, by dint of employment (whether as publicist, chauffeur, cook or chambermaid) were near to them.

But did he earn his reputation and if so, how?

"A disc of real merit" (Newspaper clippings part 1)

Mon, 16 Jun 2008 19:56:29 GMT

A letter to the Times, July 20 1966.

"Sir--, Reading a column about the pop world (July 16) in a newspaper like yours is almost as pleasant an experience as going to a recording studio and seeing a record being made by a talented pop artist. It is so realistic and far away from the ephemeral 'fave rave' world which pop tends to savour.

It is, however, my experience, contrary to the general belief which even injected itself into your column, that it is not entirely true that singles only become favourites through highly commercialized exposure to the public. I believe that a disc of real merit, and here I mean, of course, one that genuinely appeals to the public buying such discs, will become a hit through just the minimum of plays on either the recognized or pirate wavelengths. And it is not difficult to obtain play for a disc of such merit even without the pressure of interested parties.

Possibly, this sounds somewhat puristic and, in any event when I am concerned with a record my organization will pull out all the stops in order to promote. And such promotion will undoubtedly contribute to the artist generally. However, hit for hit, that is my belief.

Yours faithfully,

Brian Epstein

Hille House, 9 Stafford Street, W.1., July 18."

Newspaper clippings

Sun, 15 Jun 2008 21:34:38 GMT

I've been trawling around in the archives of the Times (London) and the New York Times and found some interesting Brian-ish snippets here and there. Obituaries, of course; an account of the abortive involvement by Nems in a staging of the Oberammergau Passion Play in Britain; and most interestingly a rather mean-spirited article written by Derek Taylor soon after Brian's death.

I was thinking that I could post some of the highlights, but I want to check first whether anyone is interested before I do all that typing...

The Fifth Beatle movie

Fri, 06 Jun 2008 23:14:59 GMT

Well, I know I'm new to the fandom, but even so I'm excited about this movie that we've been promised. I've been pondering my wish list, so I thought I would share with you my ideas about what I'd like to see and what I wouldn't like to see.

I want an actor who can capture equally the charm and style of Brian Epstein along with his insecurities and vulnerabilities. He has to have the confidence necessary to draw the Beatles along to stardom and yet that diffidence that is so clear in his interviews. It's a tall order. eppylover's post about John Simm has definitely convinced me that he would be a good choice, but I would be equally happy to see a young unknown actor. My emphasis is definitely on "young," because I think that's an important part of the Brian Epstein puzzle. A manager in his mid-to-late thirties talking about "the boys" would seem like... just not the right dynamic. So, not too old and also not too skinny, if you please.

I want a movie that is balanced, not in the sense of being an objective documentary, but in the sense of providing a picture of its main character as a well-rounded person. It would be easy to make a movie that was either a hagiography or a gossipy hatchet-job. The interesting thing about Brian Epstein is that many of the things that made him great were also the things that made him miserable in the end. Somehow that needs to come across.

I *don't* want a movie that simply hits all of the highlights of his life. Too many biopics are merely a recitation of the "greatest hits" of their subject's life, and they end up being completely shapeless and pointless as a result. Obviously there are scenes that I'd like to see (getting high with the Beatles and Dylan; getting thrown off the plane in Manila; things like that), but I'd be happy to sacrifice them if it meant that the movie would make more of an artistic whole as a result. Focus is needed as well as a recognition of the complexities of the man's life. Oddly, though, it is often easier to get across a subtle message by focusing down on a few things rather than by shallowly touching on everything.

Anyway, those are my thoughts, for what they're worth. I have this terrible habit of trying to write screenplays in my head, so you never know, you may hear more from me yet.

"Birth of the Beatles"

Mon, 02 Jun 2008 21:00:55 GMT

Recently I've been watching some of "Birth of the Beatles" online (as much as Yahoo Video offers, anyway), and I was wondering what people thought of the portrayal of Brian Epstein in that. I certainly think it could be argued that they played him a little over-the-top. He came across as very highly strung, although I gather that the man himself was highly strung at times.

On the whole I felt that though the portrayal was exaggerated, he still came across as a very sympathetic character within the movie. And I suppose that is the important thing.

Do you agree? Disagree? I'd love to hear opinions, as I'm very interested in the way that historical characters are depicted in films.

Who the heck are those guys, anyway?!

Sun, 23 Mar 2008 01:02:50 GMT

[ THIS ] is not Gerry & The Pacemakers!

Heh.
I've gotten poohed at one too many times for
trying to point out errors to eBay sellers.

EDIT ~ Somebody named "Wendy" informed him of his mistake ~ however, he still persists in believing the bloke in the middle is "a very young Gerry Marsden."

UMMM...NOT.

ABOVE: Screencap from the 1995 UK Ch4 documentary
"All You Need Is Cash"
about the Beatles' finances (NOT the Rutles 1976 film)

BELOW: As originally captured, before changing tints

As you can probably tell, I love his right profile.

Who in Eppy's life would YOU like to see played in the Brian Epstein movie?

Tue, 04 Mar 2008 17:33:02 GMT

In this board of the forum,
regarding characters who might be in The Fifth Beatle movie
(other than Brian and The Beatles themselves)
I submitted this guesslist off the top of my head
(since even I am not privy to the details) ~~

*Early Days*

Harry and Queenie
Clive Epstein
Joe Flannery
Sam Leach
Vera Brown
Bob Wooler
Allan Williams
Sonia Seligson
... (stagename: Stevens)
Rita Harris
Alistair Taylor
Cilla Black
Gerry Marsden

*Beatlemania Days*

Cyn, Mo, Pattie, Jane
Neil Aspinall
Mal Evans
Alf Bicknell
Derek Taylor
Ed Sullivan
Tony Bramwell
Tony Barrow
Brian Sommerville
Murray the K
Larry Kane
Dizz Gillespie
Nat Weiss

*Brian's Last Year*

Alma Cogan
Lionel Bart
Clive's wife Barbara
... and baby Joanna
Dr Norman Cowan
Joanne (Newfield) Petersen
Peter Brown
Geoffrey Ellis
the "rent boys"
... who showed up too late
Bryan Barrett
Dr John Gallway
Jimi Hendrix

Jonathan (with the movie) posted a little teaser for your response!
Unless dealing with this would make you think too much.... ;P
Here it is:

Hi everybody,

Good to see some new members signing up for the boards.

I'd be happy to drop some clues on some other characters that are in the script, but I'd love to see everybody else's thoughts first.

Who would you like to see in Brian's story? Who do you think deserves to be there?

~Jonathan

The Eppylover is burning with curiosity now!

John Simm as Brian in The Fifth Beatle movie?

Sat, 23 Feb 2008 00:57:02 GMT

For those of you who don't subscribe to my eppylover journal,
here's a cross-post which is very FBM-related:

Look at this [ interview video ] which also includes a clip of his performance in Life On Mars ~

We're following the action at The Fifth Beatle Discussion Forum

October 20 in Brian History ~ Eppy The Producer ~ also, a rare vid

Sun, 21 Oct 2007 23:32:06 GMT

INCREDIBLY, BRIAN'S NOT IN IT!
Please sign the petition for him!
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
Signatures = 28,626
We need 100,000!
Details at~ www.brianepstein.com

I'll bet you didn't know that Bri produced a record for a group other than his Boys, a group he didn't even manage himself! Apparently this was also his only attempt at producing a record.

## OCT 20
1964 - Before his clients, The Beatles, give two performances at the Caird Hall, Dundee, England, their manager, Brian Epstein, produces his first recording session.

IBC Studios, London

The session, held at IBC Studios, London, England, is for Rory Storm and the Hurricanes, whose drummer had been Ringo Starr before he joined The Beatles (Ringo is at this session but doesn't play on it). Rory (aka Alan Caldwell)'s sister Iris had been George Harrison's first girlfriend when they were 14. The group recorded the tracks "America" from the U.S. musical "West Side Story" (which would be the A-Side of the group's only released single), a cover of The Everly Brothers' "Since You Broke My Heart" (which would be the single's flip side), as well as "Ubangi Stomp" and "I'll Be There".

Caird Hall, Dundee, UKTHE BEATLES - DUNDEE - 1964

Rare footage of The Beatles on stage in Dundee's Caird Hall on 20th October 1964.

The full Beatles show consisted of many other acts on the night, all of which can be seen here.

They are, The Rustiks, Michael Haslam, Sounds Incorporated, Mary Wells, The Remo Four, Tommy Quickly.

With compére Bob Bain introducing the Fab Four. Images by The Scotsman Publications & Scottish-screen Archive.

Just click here: http://www.veoh.com/videos/v1099481qTYkmcHK

Spread the Eppy Love
~*~ ♥ ~*~
Add Brian Epstein to your list of
LiveJournal Interests

40 Years Ago Today in Brian Epstein History ~ Memorial Service

Thu, 18 Oct 2007 03:11:41 GMT

INCREDIBLY, BRIAN'S NOT IN IT!
Please sign the petition for him!
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
Signatures = 28,612
We need 100,000!
Details at~ www.brianepstein.com

~*~*~ Crossposticated In Other Places~*~*~ ~~ WARNING ~~ HUGE, HUGE PICSPAM UNDER CUT! ~~

CLICK TO READ PROGRAM

Since I was so deathly ill on August 27 this year, on the day I should have been memorializing him...

ON OCTOBER 17th...

In 1967The Beatles attended a memorial service
for Brian Epstein at the New London Synagogue.
...

Rare articles from magazines in Spanish:

Some more photos of articles from the press media:

*** Here's the newspaper page that I own ~ I'll have it framed someday ***

Seems to me the quotes from his own Boys sound like brain-dead Maharishi-puppets.
All this unbelievably stupid "he's not really dead" garbage they were spoonfed.
Cilla sounds more on the mark here:

Brian's grave was photographed personally by Katie Hickox this year,
August 27, 2007, the 40th anniversary of Brian's death.

Click to read
My memorial service post in the mrbrianepstein Community two years ago today (Oct 17, 2005)

Liverpool remembers Brian Epstein

Sun, 02 Sep 2007 21:16:30 GMT

~*~*~ Crossposticated In Other Places~*~*~ FROM: What Goes On.com

Liverpool remembers Brian Epstein
WHAT GOES ON BEATLES NEWS EXCLUSIVE
by Katie Hickox

Brian Epstein, the Beatles manager who brought the Beatles out of Liverpool and engineered their success, was remembered yesterday throughout the city of Liverpool on the 40th anniversary of his death, August 27, 1967.

Last night's Liverpool Beatles Week concert at the Empire theater featured some original Merseybeat bands from the late fifties and sixties and the concert was dedicated to the memory of Brian Epstein. Brian had helped launched Gerry & The Pacemakers and was well known by local Liverpool groups. Other bands that played were Karl Terry, The Undertakers, The Searchers and The Fourmost.

A special memorial ceremony to remember Brian was held at the Jewish Cemetary on Long Lane, Fazakerley, Liverpool, where Brian's gravesite is located. It is a mystery as to who brought the beautiful flowers that are shown in this picture.

The Beatles Story in its gift shop throughout the day displayed "40 Years Ago, Brian Epstein died, August 27th, 1967. Remember Brian" on its large plasma display screen above the cashiers. Additionally the Beatles Story displayed new items for the new Brian Epstein 40th anniversary memorial exhibition that opened up on Sunday.

Published August 29, 2007

Eppylover Note:
The above-mentioned new Eppy items on display were donated by the same nice lady who wrote the above article, Katie Hickox!

She most graciously emailed to me a peek at some of them, as displayed at Beatles Story:

She also took the photo of Brian's grave with the flowers.

THANK YOU, KATIE!

Another article on the exhibition, by the Liverpool Echo

Eppylover thought:
Know how I often sadly remark that Brian's Boys never did a Concert For Eppy?

Well, Gerry Marsden and the Merseybeat Bands beat them to it ~ and, (as noted in Katie's article), performed at the Empire in Liverpool on August 27, 2007 in a show called Dedicated To The Memory of Brian

As my flisters are well aware, the eppylover is old, blunt and curmudgeonly ~ I tend to spout my opinionated views quite often. In that vein, at the risk of pissing off fans who think The Beatles are above all castigation, Brian's number-one Boys should hang their heads in shame. It should have been his dear Beatles, or at least one or two of them, doing this concert ~ and they had years and years worth of opportunity to get a gig together. Instead, it was finally left to the second-string Boys. *sigh*

Corinne, one of the members of BeatleLinks Fab Forum, username oldbeatlechick,, from Southampton, UK, posts:

"I attended this show and what a show it was, Brian would have been so proud of his performers, they really did his memory proud..."

Thanks, Gerry. You were one of Brian's most loyal confidantes, and you are truly top of the pops! Rock on!

In one of the published articles on this year's tributes to Brian, Rex Makin stated:

"There has been agitation for a memorial to Brian in Liverpool. I don't think that is necessary. His memorial is in the universal success of The Beatles."

I disagree. He may still be well-known in England, but so many people in the US don't even know who he was, even Beatle fans. Several flisters of mine can back me up on this. And really, Brian himself was the type who would be thrilled by the attention ~ on the inside, that is ~ because he usually showed a shy reticence to adulation. But you know he'd love it nevertheless.

Criteria for receiving a blue plaque on a former residence of an honoured person:
In order to be eligible for an English Heritage blue plaque, a figure must have been dead for twenty years or have passed the centenary of their birth, whichever is the earlier.

Nominated figures must also meet the following criteria: be considered eminent by a majority of members of their own profession; have made an outstanding contribution to human welfare or happiness; have resided in a locality for a significant period, in time or importance, within their life and work; be recognisable to the well-informed passer-by, or deserve national recognition.

In cases of foreigners and overseas visitors, candidates should be of international reputation or significant standing in their own country.

It should also be noted that: EH plaques can only be erected on the actual building inhabited by a figure, not the site where the building once stood; buildings marked with plaques should be visible from the public highway; unless a case is deemed exceptional, a single person may not be commemorated with more than two plaques nationwide; proposals are be considered for the commemoration of sites of special historical interest.
[ Source ]

IT'S A DISGRACE
Katie feels it's a disgrace that the City of Liverpool has never erected a plaque in front of Brian's childhood home at 197 Queens Drive in the Childwall area of Liverpool, even though at least three have been put up for John Lennon in different sites. Brian truly deserves, for once, to be honoured ahead of a Beatle or two.

Martin Lewis feels it's a disgrace that so many other, almost anonymous non-performers have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (See my old post on that travesty), and Brian has been cluelessly omitted.

Christine agrees with all of the above, and also feels it's a disgrace that Brian has never been posthumously knighted ~ well, at least received a posthumous MBE. He more than deserved one when his Boys received theirs!

How many more times can I say the word disgrace?

Can you think of any other ways Brian Epstein can be remembered and assured his place in history as an equal alongside The Beatles? Thank you!

Online news video

Sat, 27 Jan 2007 03:34:00 GMT

♥ Crossposticaterated ♥

Click this link, and then type epstein into the
Video Search box in their upper right-hand corner.

You will see an advert first.

NOTE ~~ If the link to that particular clip isn't available anymore, you can maybe use [ this link ] ~ it should open in your default media player, and a short advert will play before the news feature starts.

I'm thinking it's gonna start getting busy real soon on our board, The Fifth Beatle Movie Forum.

All Eppy lovers and everyone who cares about seeing this movie get made is encouraged to sign up (free)
and join in! Our input gives the moviemakers some input for the film, and gives us the occasional larfs ta boot.

This will be our forum, Eppy lovers. Let's make it happen! :D

Just a pic or two and a pet peeve

Sat, 20 Jan 2007 05:43:26 GMT

Y'know, what REALLY burns my butt big-time are flipped pics.
Such as

THIS ONE keeps appearing in beatlepics.
His part is on the wrong side, the color balance is pure shit,
and he looks so creepy I want to .... augghhh!

THIS is the best I could do with that one,

considering I don't have Photoshop (and Google's free photoshopping program
is much too intrusive and cumbersome for me, so I uninstalled it) ~

~ but for the past few years I've been using a free thing created by a Bosnian fella.
It's called Irfan View and I'm relatively happy with it, considering.

I was bored & created some Eppystuff. =]

Sun, 14 Jan 2007 17:16:57 GMT

Oh, goody! I only made two-icons & a banner....

I don't have many Eppy pictures.... I'm sorry... =[

if the banner doesn't show up, i'm sorry. I dunno what's wrong with it...

yeah, it's not working. Just go here: http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r66/_dollfacexx/Eppy/eppyloverbanner.jpg

Re-Living August 27, 1967 on December 24, 2006

Mon, 08 Jan 2007 13:06:07 GMT

Just in case you aren't a member of
my Eppy Log Community,
I've finally taken a deep breath and posted
a recent, very personal Brian-y experience ~~

eppylog10197.html ~
Xmas Eve at Ma's house sent me back in time with a jolt...

Join The Eppy Log Community

lalalala, Eppy!

Fri, 05 Jan 2007 23:43:14 GMT

Well, I've decided to post something! Because, something NEEDS to be posted! And, you know, I SUCK at image ready & icon-making... but I TRIED. And I even made some things for Eppylover, because I love her so! =)

The Icon:

The random banner:

[resize it if you have to.don'tcare. ]

For our favourite eppylover, christine:

My Favourite Brian pic:

Yesterday was Brian Epstein's 72nd birthday... and Talk Like A Pirate Day!!!

Wed, 20 Sep 2006 15:18:10 GMT

~*~*~ Crossposticated In Other Places~*~*~

Celebrate with an
ICON-SPAM!

I would have posted this here yesterday,
but these damn housewifely duties screw up life!

Yarrrrr!!!

Brian Epstein September 19, 1934 - August 27, 1967

Sun, 27 Aug 2006 23:24:59 GMT

Click for huge Eppylover-created wallpaper
Click on below thumbnails for larger pics

Memorial posts at eppylover the_fifthbeatle and eppylog

Sat, 19 Aug 2006 23:18:02 GMT

Teasers:

(3) The Beatles
(2) Brian Epstein
(1) George Harrison
(2) John Lennon
(4) Miscellaneous
(3) The Monkees
(2) Monty Python and the Holy Grail
(5) Paul McCartney
(5) Ringo Starr
(2) Rolling Stones
(6) Sean Lennon
(8) Sex and the City
(2) Twiggy

!!RULES!!
+ Credit me if you use any of my icons
+ Comment and let me know which one(s) you are taking
+ Do not claim my icons as your own.

X-posted everywhere.

(Follow the fake cut!)

An unmistakably lustful gaze...

Sun, 02 Jul 2006 02:57:28 GMT

Signatures = 25,923
www.brianepstein.com

This is the only frame in the entire comic where Brian is wearing a flamboyant scarf.
And, "coincidentally," the only frame where he's staring INTENTLY at John.
Mr. Comic Book Artist = smartass?

CLICK PIC TO GO TO THE SPAM
THAT THIS COMIC FRAME COMES FROM.
WARNING: MANY EXTREMELY LARGE IMAGES!

Oh, and yes, for some inexplicable reason, Brian is shown in
the entire comic book as having RED HAIR. WTF?!
Hahaaa!!!