You may have noticed that I have been sharing stories from the UK in 1963 this week. That is because I have been reading a book, Shake It Up Baby! The Rise of Beatlemania and the Mayhem of 1963 by Ken McNab has really got me interested in the Beatles in 1963.
I really appreciated the layout of this book. It starts with the Beatles in January 1963, returning from their last time in Hamburg, and ends with December 1963, right on the verge of taking over the world. Each chapter represents a month of 1963 and goes into details of concerts, holidays, recording sessions, and basically anything John, Paul, George, or Ringo did during that month.
I think that, as an American, I never really grasped just how popular the Beatles were in the UK in 1963. Fans were going insane for the Beatles early in 1963. Riots in the streets, nonstop screaming, fainting, and rushing the stage were common during the year. However, it was still easier to get close to the four guys, and many fans had an opportunity to meet the lads or get close to them.
Brian Epstein is featured throughout the book as well, and it is fascinating to see how much he fought for the Beatles, how honest and loyal he was, and also to see him walking right into terrible business choices yet realizing that he was doing what he thought at the time was in the Beatles' best interest.
McNab didn't interview many people featured in the book himself. Most of the stories he included were ones that I remember sharing either on this site or reading online and in newspapers. It would have been great to read a few "new" stories from 1963, but nonetheless, it is great to have all of the stories together in one volume.
This is an excellent book and well-written. If you would like to learn more about the Beatles in 1963 and their tours of the UK that year, then this is the book for you. McNab has really done a great job discussing any rumors that have come up over the years. It is one that you will want to add to your Beatles book library.
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