SAVING THE BEATLES

BLOOMBERG-BUSINESSWEEK(2010) LINDGREN 6/11/ 78-79

(abridged)

By the mid 60's, the Beatles, Beach Boys, and Rolling Stones were the top Pop Rock Caucasian bands. The Beach Boys flamed out when their most critically acclaimed PET SOUNDS sold poorly. However, over the years the album has gone double platinum when it was rediscovered.

By 68' they had their last big hits, but prospered all over the world save the states. Three albums are in the Billboard Top 500 come from the mid 60's to the early 70's. If they wanted to continue they had to work. That meant big stadiums in England and high schools in the USA. After

ENDLESS SUMMER and SPIRIT OF AMERICA, they pretty much stuck to songs that made folks happy. They have close to 90 top 100 hits and the # 1 Band rating compared to other Yankee bands in the USA with 100 million records sold.

In 1970, they were dead here in the states. Further, the Beatles broke up! There are many theories about the Beatles and mainly the blame is on Yoko Ono. Like the Beach Boys,  they had Apple Records and thus made more money than an act with "sponsors" like lawyers, accountants,

record owners, managers and other psychopaths who would try to steal them blind. The Beach Boys had Brother Records which was less successful but kept them going...barely. The Beatles had their own label and they all had lots of money.

The Rolling Stones which struggled in the states at first playing to empty big stadiums,  by 70' were very popular. They were also broke.

They were robbed blind by other thieves in the recording business. If you want to say something good about capitalism and there are good things about it, don't look at the recording industry. They are sharks in suits.

So Mick Jagger who had some schooling at the London School of Economics, took over and fired almost everyone except the band.

Under new management, they turned a corner to be either in the best band in the world or the second best compared to the Beatles. The third is the Beach Boys who play to capacity crowds for the last 50 years.

The author of this business magazine's point is the Beach Boys and Stones did not have an option to break up. The Beatles were more financially comfortable to stop the music. The other players were important in the decision, but money made the biggest decision for them.

Incidentally, McCartney as a single act has sold more albums than

Lennon followed by Harrison and then Starkey (Ringo Starr.) Starr has the most albums produced and all were top talents.

Today, the Beach Boys are in 3 groups, but one makes the biggest sales.

However, there is 50 year reunion sometime this year. Their last non-rerelease  album of rarities and originals was a CD branded as THE BOYS OF SUMMER. It is a cult classic and an insert in the professional periodical

ENDLESS SUMMER QUARTERLY. There may be other re-releases to come. THE BOYS

OF SUMMER may be the last original new record.

McCartney also fills stadiums and recently  played at the White House.

Starr plays his hits as well as Beatle songs and his band is filled with other former stars and their music is also played. You get a very good show with him.

The Rolling Stones are still playing to capacity crowds in large stadiums.

The Stones have one member who retired and one who died. The Beach Boys have lost two brothers who were part of the band from the very beginning. The Beatles have lost two major members. Lennon is thought to be the alpha male of the group, but was also the most

controversial and Harrison is thought to have been the most spiritual.

The end story is the Beatles could afford to break up to the chagrin of millions of fans.