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Oral presentation by Dimitrios Groumpos and Paraskevi Tsiataki
! Short biographical notes
John Lennon- born in October 1940. Founder of the band. Murdered in
December 1980.
Sir Paul McCartney- born in June 1942. The most successful musician and
composer in popular music history. Knighted by the Queen in 1997.
George Harrison- born in February 1943. Lead guitarist and the youngest
member of the band. Died of cancer in 2001.
Ringo Starr (real name Richard Starkey)- born in July 1940. Drummer and the
least visible member of the band.
! History of the band
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1957 Lennon forms “The Quarrymen”
same year McCartney and Harrison join in
several name changes (Johnny and The Moondogs,
Long John and The Beatles, The Silver Beetles)
1960 the band decides to change their name to “The
Beatles”
1961 Brian Epstein becomes the band’s manager
1962 first record contract, Ringo Starr joins the band
1964 first commercial breakthrough in the US. The
“Beatlemania” begins
1965 The Beatles gain the title of “Member of the
British Empire”
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1967 they become the first band globally transmitted on
television, Epstein dies at the age of 32
The Beatles found “Apple Corps”
1969 recording of “Abbey Road”, their last album, end
of the same year they give their last performance on
stage on top of Apple building
1970 breakup of the band, each Beatle starts solo career
1980 John Lennon murdered by David Chapman
! The Beatles and their musical influence
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Their music was an inspiration for many artists of their
generation and for generations that followed
Experimented with various recording techniques
Introduced Eastern music to the Western audience
! The Beatles and fashion
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Started off dressed as classic rockers
Introduced mop-top haircut and collarless suits
Their look was adopted by numerous bands in the 60’s
! The Beatles and religion
• Expressed their views on religion through their lyrics
• Lennon’s famous “we’re more popular than Jesus”
quote and the reactions that followed
• The Beatles and Eastern religions
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! The Beatles on film
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A Hard Day’s Night (1964)
Help! (1965)
Magical Mystery Tour (1967)
Yellow Submarine (1968)
Let It Be (1970)
! Meaning of some of the Beatles’ lyrics
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“Girl”, the Beatles talk about Christianity
“Nowhere Man”, criticism of society
“Taxman”, criticism on the British tax system
John Lennon’s “Imagine”, an ideal society
! Influence on individuals
• Charles Manson
• Mark David Chapman (John Lennon’s murderer)
Online Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Beatles
http://beatles.nondot.org/
http://www.fashionfollower.com/beatles.asp
http://www.beatlesagain.com/bapology.html
http://www.unt.edu/honors/eaglefeather/2006_Issue/murphy2.shtml
http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/manson/mansonbeatles.html
http://www.vh1.com/artists/az/beatles/bio.jhtml
http://www.beatles.gr/
http://www.newsoftheodd.com/article1012.html