Was Brian Epstein a good manager?
-
While he brought the band from Liverpool to a global phenomenon, he has also been criticized for structuring poor licensing deals for the lads. Most likely, the Beatles were not going to renew him as manager. Also, Lennon has spoken harshly of him in public.
-
If it weren't for Brian Epstein, The Beatles would have never been heard outside of Liverpool and Hamburg, or on a record. So yeah, he was a good manager. In retrospect maybe not a good businessman, but definitely a good manager. He made The Beatles "bigger than Elvis".
-
beatlesfanrandy:
If it weren't for Brian Epstein, The Beatles would have never been heard outside of Liverpool and Hamburg, or on a record. So yeah, he was a good manager. In retrospect maybe not a good businessman, but definitely a good manager. He made The Beatles "bigger than Elvis".
Yeah, he really "dropped the ball" with their merchandising deal, unfortunately, but I agree, without Brian promoting them, they would have gone nowhere fast! -
Problem with the merchandising deal was that there had never really been anything like the Beatles before. Apart from maybe Elvis. Everybody who followed learned from Brian's mistake. Only thing he could have done differently would have been to ask advice from Elvis management. At the time the Beatles were thought to be just the new craze that would last a few months and certainly no more than a year. We now know different.
-
I actually think that Brian just didn't have a clue how much money could be made from merchandising, regardless if the Beatles lasted a year or 10 years. He really should have sought someone's advice before signing that Seltaeb deal. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seltaeb
-
beatlesfanrandy:
If it weren't for Brian Epstein, The Beatles would have never been heard outside of Liverpool and Hamburg, or on a record. So yeah, he was a good manager. In retrospect maybe not a good businessman, but definitely a good manager. He made The Beatles "bigger than Elvis".
Well said, agree totally.
-
By today's standards? No. The Beatles today could get an A-list corporate manager who would get them buckets of money and turn them into the next corporate rock product.
-
Eppy was fabulous
Not perfect in all his business dealings, for them, but that whole super group phenomenon was just beginning. (The Fabs were the first, and best !) There was no blueprint. He sure outperformed Allan Williams 
-
In regards to the merchandising contract, since it did benefit the vendors financially more than the Beatles or himself, it ended up working in their favor. He created a very motivated sales force out there making money for themselves by promoting the Beatles and Brian didn't have to oversee them. So, by so many others getting a piece of the pie, that was one of the factors that contributed early on to their fame.
-
most agree he did make the Beatles bigger than Elvis I would be interested in what the other acts he managed think of him could not find any comments from others like Cilla Black anyway I think he was the perfect manager for the Beatles
-
IMO, Brian deserves at least some of the blame with regards to the disastrous L&M's publishing rights & Northern songs. They trusted him & he ended up finding Dick Lester, who structured a 50% share for Lester, 40% (split between L&M), and 10% Brian. What a horrible deal for L&M & it would get worse as Lester sold his shares behind L&M's back.
-
JoeySmith:
IMO, Brian deserves at least some of the blame with regards to the disastrous L&M's publishing rights & Northern songs. They trusted him & he ended up finding **** Lester, who structured a 50% share for Lester, 40% (split between L&M), and 10% Brian. What a horrible deal for L&M & it would get worse as Lester sold his shares behind L&M's back.
Boggles the mind, doesn't it?
-
Fan4-45years:
JoeySmith:
IMO, Brian deserves at least some of the blame with regards to the disastrous L&M's publishing rights & Northern songs. They trusted him & he ended up finding **** Lester, who structured a 50% share for Lester, 40% (split between L&M), and 10% Brian. What a horrible deal for L&M & it would get worse as Lester sold his shares behind L&M's back.
Boggles the mind, doesn't it?
read some where Northern songs had 50% in Harrisongs so when George wrote a song he was still tied in in around about way to Lennon - McCartney
