It seems that Eric Krasker's excellent book about the Beatles before they became famous, only available in French until now, may shortly be coming out in English.
A special Xmas gift for the serious fan?
Who was Raymond Jones?How many sets were played on the Star Club recording?Did Stu Sutcliffe die from a blow to the head from Lennon?Why did they really get rid of Pete Best?
A thorough historic research on all these questions and more.
Believe me it's a real treat.

Excellent. Where did you find this out?

I've just been talking to Eric on a French site.

REALLY looking forward to this!!! Thanks Zipp

I was thinking of you when I posted this T.E.!

Yeah - we had a really good discussion about the supposed Star Club set-list sometime back didn't we

Any idea when this book might be out?

Supposed to be November/December but don't hold your breath!
What's a few months when you've beeen waiting for four years?

Really looking forward to that.

Me too. It's a period I've only really become interested in recently.

I read that the English version is about to be released? Can anyone confirm that?

bump

Well Bobber (and everyone else interested in early Beatles) I'm afraid the book will now be coming out at the end of 2008.
Eric sent me a message on April 2nd to explain why the date had been put back. Basically he wants to get as much new information into the book as possible.
So there'll be new info concerning Stuart Sutcliffe, the first Hamburg visit in 1960 (thanks to two German Beatles specialists, Thorsten Knublauch and Axel Korinth) and the latest Star Club recordings news.
So just a few more months to wait but for an improved book.
Roll on October!

Thanks for the update, zipp.

Great news!

Any more news on this?

Beginning of 2009.
Promise.
Cross my heart and hope to die.
Eric had to incorporate the Purple Chick double CD info and the Fuego vs. Apple saga.
He wants it to be as accurate and up to date as possible.
It's also got a new title : The Beatles 1960-1962, Fact and Fiction.

Thanks.  

This is the sort of book I look forward to. I'm fed up of books which are just done to cash in on the name, like the one I bought yesterday 'John Lennon:' The Illustrated Biography.' This is another use of all the Daily Mail photos, which have already been packaged before into several other books of different titles, different sizes, but the same photos. This time, when I bought it, I went to photo credits which stated that all the photos were copyright the Associated Newspapers Archive 'except those listed on page 224.' I noticed Mike McCartney's pic of George, John and Paul in the Forthlin Road back yard by Mike McCartney, Harry Watmough's pic of Pete, George and John, edited from a pic of all four, a Dick Matthews Cavern pic, a pic from a Granada Show wjhch is attributed to them being in Germany and a Les Chadwick shot at the Liverpool docks that I commissioned for Mersey Beat. So I went to page 224 to see if the acknowledgements were correct - but there was no 224. The inside cover was 223 and there was only a photo on the back cover.
There waa also a 'Chronology' which read: 1961: 9 May Brian Epstein secures a contract for the Beatles with Parlophone, a subsidiary of EMI. 4 June. Brian and the Beatles are signed to EMI, recording their first session at Abbey Road Studios, two days later.
Obviously, I didn't bother reading any more.

Quoted from Bill Harry

I'm fed up of books which are just done to cash in on the name, like the one I bought yesterday 'John Lennon:' The Illustrated Biography.' This is another use of all the Daily Mail photos, which have already been packaged before into several other books of different titles, different sizes, but the same photos.

The shops are full of this sort of thing, and have been since I was a kid. My guess is that these books are  commissioned by publishers who know there's a quick profit to be made by bunging together another collection of stock photos with a brief narrative patched together from old newspaper cuttings. They stay on the shelves for a few months before being dumped on the discount tables, where they're usually picked up by people looking for fast and cheap gifts, before being finally sent on to their eternal resting places under the bottom shelves at used book stores by their recipients after the briefest of looks.

Quite true!

Anyway I'll tell Eric Krasker of your interest. I'm sure it'll please him and help him get through this difficult period of revision since he's trying to make sure the English version of his book is as good as, or maybe even better than,  the French version.

It sounds like a very promising read. Looking forward to it.  

Ditto. I see you're in contact with Eric, zipp?

Quoted from Bobber

Ditto. I see you're in contact with Eric, zipp?

Yeah. Once the book comes out maybe I could even help you ask him any questions you have.
He mailed me tonight to say how pleased he was that people were so interested in the book's publication.
He even gave me a publication date but I'll give you that when it's totally definite. But it's programmed for early 2009. Early as in before Spring.

If you go to my site http://www.merseybeat.co.uk and click on 'Editorial' at the top, you will see several editorial sections on the left hand side. Scroll down to 'Rock Books.' This is a section where I give authors a forum to air their views and write about their books in order to give the reader an insight into the work from the author's point of view, rather than a critics. Eric is welcome to promote his book in this section of the site.

Thanks for that Bill. I'll let Eric know.

Here's an article about Eric from today's Telegraph:


How Fab Five let me become a paperback writer

A French police officer has become an internationally-renowned authority on the Beatles thanks to his nation's official policy of encouraging bigger families.

Eric Krasker, 45, is the father of five children aged eight to 19. He has finally resumed his duties as a lieutenant - the equivalent of a British inspector - after a series of sabbaticals covering 12 of his 18 years in the Police Nationale.

He devoted his time off to researching the history of the band. His return to work in April coincided with the publication of a second book, La France et Les Beatles, the first of two volumes dealing with their French links.

A previous work exploring the Beatles' early German period is to be published in English in the New Year.

It is full of previously unpublished documents, rare photographs and obscure details obtained from record companies and private sources.

Lt Krasker was born in Paris as John, Paul, George and their pre-Ringo partners Stuart Sutcliffe and Pete Best, were still playing the clubs of Hamburg. After becoming a devoted fan, he decided to turn his passion into a parallel career in 1993 when his wife, Brigitte, was pregnant with their fourth child, Heather, now 12.

The French benefits system, aimed at helping "les familles nombreuses" allowed him as a father of three to take immediate leave until Heather's third birthday. This was extended by a further three years by the arrival of Heather's sister, Prudence.

Even when Prudence reached three, her father was able to stay off work until she was eight by forfeiting his £300 a month paternity allowance. The family lived on Mrs Krasker's salary as a philosophy researcher.

Despite being absent from police work for two thirds of his career, Lt Krasker has not found his progress impeded. He qualifies for promotion to capitaine - or chief inspector - next year.

All French families with three or more children qualify for generous provisions. Though the birth rate is high by American and European standards, the state is anxious to boost fertility.

"I'd had a few articles on the Beatles published by specialist magazines abroad, but my work was unknown in France," said Lt Krasker, sporting a decidedly 1960s look with tinted spectacles and a badge of a George Harrison Gretsch guitar on the lapel of his collarless jacket.

"It was obvious I had to stop work and I was lucky to have the chance. Others take the time off and do nothing but I really wanted to produce something which combined my two passions - history and music."

The officer had by then met two of the Beatles, Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr.

Sir Paul took to calling him "my policeman friend" whenever their paths crossed again after an initial encounter in 1989 led to an hour-long conversation in a chauffeur-driven car from Le Bourget airport into Paris.

Lt Krasker first became aware of the Beatles as a small child and in unpromising circumstances. He vividly recalls his father, a professional accordionist, lamenting the arrival of the four, long-haired Englishmen, whose impact on France was about to slash his earning power.

"By the end of the 1960s, he was ready to admit that they were talented and even played Beatles songs in his own band," he said.

Eric Krasker took gradually to the group's music. At 10, he heard Here Comes the Sun and thought it "a revelation … bright and full of energy and hope. You hear it at 8am and know the day will be fantastic. That's the difference; other groups could be a pleasure, the Beatles brought happiness."

His previous work has brought him several accolades, including a glowing review in a Beatles magazine.

Lt Krasker's one failure has been in trying to pass on his own Beatlemania to his wife.

"Actually," she said, "I always preferred the Rolling Stones."