I enjoy the way it is possible for one set of facts to produce such contrary opinions. I've done this for this reason only (ie fun). I like to think that nothing I say can actually be disproven. (this is brief and rushed by the way.)
"The story begins with the meeting of two men who changed the way that popular music was made. Brian Epstein and George Martin were of similar age, attitude and ambition. Both believed that the route to their success was through rock and roll. And both were certain they new how to achieve it.
Epstein had already signed the struggling Beatles, whose only success in five years had been to win a poll in a local paper. Epstein exerted an iron grip and demanded and got a complete change in appearance and behaviour - any member that resisted or no longer fitted was simply and unceromoniouisly dumped. The rest went and did as they were told.
Epstein had the image sorted, now Martin set to work on the music. He too was definately the man in charge, and had no qualms about sidelining any member who he thought was not up to scratch. It was he who chose the singles and constructed a long chain of successful album and single releases. One of his greatest achievements was to nuture the bands unrealised songwriting talent. He would construct now legandry productions around their half thought out ideas and unrelated snippets, using a whole arsenal of studio effects and gimmickry to produce classic arrangements. He would speed songs up, slow them down, splice them together and turn them backwards.
While Martin made the music Epstein oversaw a long run of hugely successful films and tours (more proof of Epstein's determination and power that one tour included a brief period with a stand in) , culminating in his managing them through the difficult transition to a studio band and with Martin producing what is often considered the greatest album of all time.
Epstein's death signalled the beginning of a slow descent into chaos. Without his controlling hand poorly recieved film projects, a disastrous businesss venture, drug busts, arguements and an ultimately dispiriting trip to Inia followed. Only in the studio did the magic stay and Martin continued to produce a string of hits. The one session he was not involved in provided hours of material that, at first considered unreleasable, went through many hands before it was released to general dissapointment.
When Martin and the band parted company in 1970 the dream really was finally over."
