Alistair Taylor
Encyclopedia
James Alistair Taylor was the English personal assistant of Brian Epstein
who accompanied him to the Cavern Club when he first saw The Beatles
play on 9 November 1961. Taylor later became General Manager
of Apple Corps
for a short period.
, Taylor did his National Service in the Royal Air Force and worked in a series of jobs as : mover, timber importer and docker in the Liverpool Docks.
The opportunity of his life appears the day he had a job interview
with Brian Epstein
for a salesman job at NEMS. Brian liked him so much that he decided to offer him a job as his personal assistant in the shop.
to order Tony Sheridan
’s album
, because he thought NEMS was losing sales by not stocking the disc:
This interview suggests he was lying though http://www.beatlesbible.com/features/raymond-jones-interview/
play on 9 November 1961. During the show Taylor met The Beatles
, and his opinion was "..these four horrible young men on stage, dressed in black leather trousers, black jackets, smoking, drinking and making noise. .", but also said "...they were charismatic and exciting" and "I thought they were sensational"
As Brian Epstein’s personal assistant, Taylor witnessed crucial moments in the Beatles career and was present at the signing of the first contract with Brian (which Taylor signed as "In the presence of:").
In 1962, Taylor worked for Pye Records for 15 months, and moved to London (before the Beatles) due to his wife's asthma.
The Beatles
named him Mr. Fixit for his ability to find solutions to all the boys' needs. For example:
In December 1967, shortly after the death of Brian Epstein
on 27 August 1967, Lennon asked Taylor to work as General Manager for Apple
.
It was during this period that Taylor appeared in the famous advertisement to promote Apple asking for new artists. Designed by Paul, it showed Taylor disguised as a one-man band, and claimed : "This man has talent. .."
The disguise was rented in Soho
and Taylor was singing "When Irish Eyes Are Smiling
" when the shot was made. The publication in the New Musical Express and Rolling Stone
, brought an avalanche of applicants.
Taylor can be heard on "Revolution 9
" apologising to George Martin
and beseeching forgiveness for not bringing him a bottle of claret
.
During the rooftop Get Back
concert, on 30 January 1969, Alistair was among the people in the street. When Allen Klein
arrived at Apple on 3 February, Alistair was sacked along with 16 staff members during one of the first purges by Klein at Apple (8 May). The Beatles did not tell him why.
The couple ran a tea-room in nearby Lea and Alistair later worked in a factory and in a hotel before his retirement. He has enjoyed participating in Beatles' fan conventions around the world and he regularly appeared on radio both in the UK and the US.
In the mid 1990s, Taylor created Mellor Beach Leisure Ltd. Taylor served as the "business development director", promoting a new musical act called SMOKE which featured Matt McKenzie
(drums & backing vocals), Jo Wadeson (bass guitar & lead vocals) and Sam Genders (guitar & backing vocals). The company folded after the band broke up.
In 1998 he appeared in a documentary that was part of the British TV series Arena
, in the episode : The Brian Epstein Story: The Sun Will Shine Tomorrow : Part 1
Tapes from a 1996 interview were used in a BBC documentary "I Was There When The Beatles Played The Cavern" in 2011.
Taylor died in his sleep in Chesterfield, Derbyshire, on 9 June 2004, after a short bronchial illness.
His wife, Lesley, died in October 2004 following the onset of cancer. The couple had been married since 1959.
Taylor collaborated in his official biography :
An updated version of Hello Goodbye (entitled FROM CAVERN TO ROOFTOP) will be published in May by Yesterday Once More.
Alistair also narrated "A Beatles Liverpool Guide - Walk and Drive".
Brian Epstein
Brian Samuel Epstein , was an English music entrepreneur, and is best known for being the manager of The Beatles up until his death. He also managed several other musical artists such as Gerry & the Pacemakers, Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas, Cilla Black, The Remo Four & The Cyrkle...
who accompanied him to the Cavern Club when he first saw The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
play on 9 November 1961. Taylor later became General Manager
General manager
General manager is a descriptive term for certain executives in a business operation. It is also a formal title held by some business executives, most commonly in the hospitality industry.-Generic usage:...
of Apple Corps
Apple Corps
Apple Corps Ltd. is a multi-armed multimedia corporation founded in January 1968 by the members of The Beatles to replace their earlier company and to form a conglomerate. Its name is a pun. Its chief division is Apple Records, which was launched in the same year...
for a short period.
Biography
Born in RuncornRuncorn
Runcorn is an industrial town and cargo port within the borough of Halton in the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. In 2009, its population was estimated to be 61,500. The town is on the southern bank of the River Mersey where the estuary narrows to form Runcorn Gap. Directly to the north...
, Taylor did his National Service in the Royal Air Force and worked in a series of jobs as : mover, timber importer and docker in the Liverpool Docks.
The opportunity of his life appears the day he had a job interview
Job interview
A job interview is a process in which a potential employee is evaluated by an employer for prospective employment in their company, organization, or firm. During this process, the employer hopes to determine whether or not the applicant is suitable for the job.-Role:A job interview typically...
with Brian Epstein
Brian Epstein
Brian Samuel Epstein , was an English music entrepreneur, and is best known for being the manager of The Beatles up until his death. He also managed several other musical artists such as Gerry & the Pacemakers, Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas, Cilla Black, The Remo Four & The Cyrkle...
for a salesman job at NEMS. Brian liked him so much that he decided to offer him a job as his personal assistant in the shop.
At NEMS
Taylor invented the name of Raymond JonesRaymond Jones
Raymond Jones is a television composer who is best known for his work on Doctor Who.Jones's work on Doctor Who was during William Hartnell's era as the First Doctor in The Romans , in 1965, but he also composed for three episodes of BBC television's Wodehouse Playhouse in 1975.-External links:...
to order Tony Sheridan
Tony Sheridan
Tony Sheridan , is an English rock and roll singer-songwriter and guitarist...
’s album
My Bonnie
My Bonnie is the name of a 1961 single, a 1962 album and a 1963 EP by Tony Sheridan and The Beat Brothers, better known as The Beatles.-History:...
, because he thought NEMS was losing sales by not stocking the disc:
This interview suggests he was lying though http://www.beatlesbible.com/features/raymond-jones-interview/
The Cavern
Taylor accompanied Epstein to the Cavern Club when he first saw The BeatlesThe Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
play on 9 November 1961. During the show Taylor met The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
, and his opinion was "..these four horrible young men on stage, dressed in black leather trousers, black jackets, smoking, drinking and making noise. .", but also said "...they were charismatic and exciting" and "I thought they were sensational"
As Brian Epstein’s personal assistant, Taylor witnessed crucial moments in the Beatles career and was present at the signing of the first contract with Brian (which Taylor signed as "In the presence of:").
In 1962, Taylor worked for Pye Records for 15 months, and moved to London (before the Beatles) due to his wife's asthma.
Mr. Fixit
In 1963 Taylor returned to NEMS to work as general manager for £1,000 per annum.The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
named him Mr. Fixit for his ability to find solutions to all the boys' needs. For example:
- Buying cigarettes
- Hiring limousines
- Devising escapes from Beatles' fans after their performances
- Organizing holiday trips
- Acting as consultant to John for the purchase of DorinishDorinishDorinish is an uninhabited island in Clew Bay in County Mayo, Ireland. It has colloquially been known as "Beatle Island" after Beatle John Lennon purchased the island in 1967 for £1,700. Previously used by sailing ships for its stones, the island became a place of peace for Lennon and his family...
Island (IrelandIrelandIreland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
) for £1,550. - Being the middle-man in the purchase of High Park, the Scottish farm, for PaulPaul McCartneySir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
, JaneJane AsherJane Asher is an English actress. She has also developed a second career as a cake decorator and cake shop proprietor.-Early life:...
, and MarthaMartha My Dear"Martha My Dear" is a Beatles song written by Paul McCartney , which first appeared on the double album The Beatles . McCartney is the only Beatle to appear on this track.-Style and form:... - Renting the Magical Mystery TourMagical Mystery Tour (film)Magical Mystery Tour is an hour-long British television film starring The Beatles that originally aired on BBC1 on 26 December 1967...
bus - Resolving the copyright issues around the photographs of famous faces on Peter BlakePeter Blake (artist)Sir Peter Thomas Blake, KBE, CBE, RDI, RA is an English pop artist, best known for his design of the sleeve for the Beatles' album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. He lives in Chiswick, London, UK.-Career:...
's cover for Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. - Arrange the money exchange of the unsuccessful buying of the Greek island of Leslo (July 1967).
Inside Apple
Brian Epstein
Brian Samuel Epstein , was an English music entrepreneur, and is best known for being the manager of The Beatles up until his death. He also managed several other musical artists such as Gerry & the Pacemakers, Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas, Cilla Black, The Remo Four & The Cyrkle...
on 27 August 1967, Lennon asked Taylor to work as General Manager for Apple
Apple Corps
Apple Corps Ltd. is a multi-armed multimedia corporation founded in January 1968 by the members of The Beatles to replace their earlier company and to form a conglomerate. Its name is a pun. Its chief division is Apple Records, which was launched in the same year...
.
It was during this period that Taylor appeared in the famous advertisement to promote Apple asking for new artists. Designed by Paul, it showed Taylor disguised as a one-man band, and claimed : "This man has talent. .."
The disguise was rented in Soho
Soho
Soho is an area of the City of Westminster and part of the West End of London. Long established as an entertainment district, for much of the 20th century Soho had a reputation for sex shops as well as night life and film industry. Since the early 1980s, the area has undergone considerable...
and Taylor was singing "When Irish Eyes Are Smiling
When Irish Eyes Are Smiling
"When Irish Eyes Are Smiling" is a lighthearted song in tribute to Ireland. Its lyrics were written by Chauncey Olcott and George Graff, Jr., set to music composed by Ernest Ball, for Olcott's production of The Isle O' Dreams, and Olcott sang the song in the show...
" when the shot was made. The publication in the New Musical Express and Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
, brought an avalanche of applicants.
Taylor can be heard on "Revolution 9
Revolution 9
"Revolution 9" is a recorded composition that appeared on The Beatles' 1968 self-titled LP release . The sound collage, credited to Lennon–McCartney, was created primarily by John Lennon with assistance from George Harrison and Yoko Ono. Lennon said he was trying to paint a picture of a revolution...
" apologising to George Martin
George Martin
Sir George Henry Martin CBE is an English record producer, arranger, composer and musician. He is sometimes referred to as "the Fifth Beatle"— a title that he often describes as "nonsense," but the fact remains that he served as producer on all but one of The Beatles' original albums...
and beseeching forgiveness for not bringing him a bottle of claret
Claret
Claret is a name primarily used in British English for red wine from the Bordeaux region of France.-Usage:Claret derives from the French clairet, a now uncommon dark rosé and the most common wine exported from Bordeaux until the 18th century...
.
During the rooftop Get Back
Get Back
"Get Back" is a song by The Beatles, composed by Paul McCartney and frequently attributed to Lennon–McCartney. The song was originally released as a single on 11 April 1969, and credited to "The Beatles with Billy Preston." A different mix of the song later became the closing track of Let It Be ,...
concert, on 30 January 1969, Alistair was among the people in the street. When Allen Klein
Allen Klein
Allen Klein was an American businessman, talent agent and record label executive. His clients included The Beatles and The Rolling Stones.- The accountant :...
arrived at Apple on 3 February, Alistair was sacked along with 16 staff members during one of the first purges by Klein at Apple (8 May). The Beatles did not tell him why.
After the Beatles
Taylor was recruited by Dick James after leaving Apple. At the time James was launching a new singer who he felt was a major talent. That singer was Elton John and Taylor worked to promote the singers first two albums. He moved into record producing for a short time but, along with his wife, Lesley, he felt it was time for a change. In 1973 the couple moved to Darley Dale in Derbyshire and bought a two hundred year old cottage. It was to be their home for the next 30 plus years.The couple ran a tea-room in nearby Lea and Alistair later worked in a factory and in a hotel before his retirement. He has enjoyed participating in Beatles' fan conventions around the world and he regularly appeared on radio both in the UK and the US.
In the mid 1990s, Taylor created Mellor Beach Leisure Ltd. Taylor served as the "business development director", promoting a new musical act called SMOKE which featured Matt McKenzie
Matt McKenzie
Matt McKenzie is an actor best known for his voicework in games and movies. He is the voice of Auron in the RPG games Final Fantasy X, Final Fantasy X-2, and Kingdom Hearts II...
(drums & backing vocals), Jo Wadeson (bass guitar & lead vocals) and Sam Genders (guitar & backing vocals). The company folded after the band broke up.
In 1998 he appeared in a documentary that was part of the British TV series Arena
Arena (TV series)
Arena is a British television documentary series, made and broadcast by the BBC. It has run since 1 October 1975, and over five hundred episodes have been made. Arena covers all manner of subjects, from profiles of notable people such as Bob Dylan to the Ford Cortina car...
, in the episode : The Brian Epstein Story: The Sun Will Shine Tomorrow : Part 1
Tapes from a 1996 interview were used in a BBC documentary "I Was There When The Beatles Played The Cavern" in 2011.
Taylor died in his sleep in Chesterfield, Derbyshire, on 9 June 2004, after a short bronchial illness.
His wife, Lesley, died in October 2004 following the onset of cancer. The couple had been married since 1959.
Artistic work
Books
He was the author of :- Yesterday: The Beatles Remembered with Martin Robers , Pan Macmillan (April 7, 1988), ISBN 0-283-99621-8
- Yesterday: My Life With the Beatles (a reedition of the last) Movie Publisher Services (July, 1991) ISBN 1-55698-292-5
- A Secret History, an Inside Account of The Beatles' Rise and Fall, published in 2003. Blake (December 2001) ISBN 1-903402-24-7
- With the Beatles (a reedition of the last) John Blake Publishing, Limited (1 September 2003) ISBN 1-904034-73-X
Taylor collaborated in his official biography :
- Hello Goodbye: The Story of Mr. Fixit by George Gunby, Yesterday Once More (2001) ISBN 0-9542120-0-2
An updated version of Hello Goodbye (entitled FROM CAVERN TO ROOFTOP) will be published in May by Yesterday Once More.
Theatre
- "From Cavern to Rooftop" in which he spoke about his memories with interludes of Beatles music.
Tapes
He made a series of six audio tapes with the titles of: "From Cavern to Rooftop" ; "From Strawberry Fields to Magical Mystery Tour" ; "Remembering Brian" ;"Inside Apple" ; "John" and "Paul". These are available as CDs from Yesterday Once More.Alistair also narrated "A Beatles Liverpool Guide - Walk and Drive".