The Fifth Beatle
Brian Samuel Epstein (1934-1967) was born in Liverpool, England to a Jewish family of Russian and Lithuanian heritage. His father had expanded the family furniture store to sell musical instruments, and it was here that Paul McCartney’s father bought a piano for his son. Brian Epstein was expected to go into the family business, too, but convinced his parents to allow him to go to acting school in London. He didn’t like it, and returned to Liverpool to run the family’s new NEMS music store. Epstein worked hard to make it the most successful music store in Northern England. He soon became familiar with a new local band, The Beatles (all of whom bought music at his store), and for his 21st birthday booked a party at The Cavern Club where they played. He immediately fell in love with the group, and considered managing them, even though his assistant thought they were “absolutely awful”. Nonetheless, Epstein returned regularly to the club over the next three weeks to watch the band, before proposing to become their manager. He drew up a five-year contract—technically for their parents since The Beatles were all under 21 and needed consent. Epstein got to work right away, transforming their image from a “scruffy crowd in leather” who cursed, drank, and smoked on stage, to wearing suits and presenting a “fresh” vibe. (John Lennon didn’t want to wear a suit but then said he would “wear a bloody balloon if somebody’s going to pay me.”) For nearly a year, the band made no money and Epstein paid for all of their expenses. Over that time, Epstein met with executives from Columbia Records, EMI, and several other big labels, all of whom rejected The Beatles. Eventually, Epstein threatened to stop selling EMI records at his stores, so EMI agreed to a cheap, “nothing to lose” recording contract through their smaller Parlophone label. The Beatles began recording in June of 1962, and the rest is history. Epstein guided the group and took care of them, kept them focused, set up the branding that launched “Beatlemania”, and ultimately made the Beatles the best-selling and most influential music band in history. In turn, the band loved and trusted their manager, and never even read the contracts he brought them to sign. (“We had complete faith in him when he was running us,” said Lennon.) Epstein was the best man at both Lennon’s and Ringo Starr’s weddings. (Contrary to popular belief, the latter is not Jewish.) Epstein worked round-the-clock, and soon became dependent on both stimulants and sedatives. In 1967, days after sitting shiva for his father, he took a large dose of sedatives which, though normal for him, mixed fatally with the large amount of alcohol he had drunk. His death was officially ruled an accident, and biographers have since refuted rumours of suicide. Whatever the case, The Beatles were devastated by the loss of their manager, and never recovered. The band soon fell apart. Paul McCartney would later describe Epstein as “The Fifth Beatle”. The Bee Gees wrote the song ‘In the Summer of His Years’ as a tribute to Epstein, who played a small but critical role in their success as well.
Words of the Week
If the Jew did not exist, the antisemite would invent him.
– Jean-Paul Sartre
Brian Samuel Epstein (1934-1967) alikuwa mwanamuziki wa kwanza wa Beatles kuzaliwa katika Liverpool, Uingereza, katika familia ya Kiyahudi ya urithi wa Kirusi na Kilithuania. Baba yake alikuwa amepanua duka la fanicha la familia ili kuuza vyombo vya muziki, na hapa ndipo baba ya Paul McCartney alipomnunulia mwanawe piano. Brian Epstein, ambaye alikuwa na umri wa miaka 17, aliamua kujiunga na biashara ya familia, lakini aliwashawishi wazazi wake kumruhusu kwenda shule ya uigizaji huko London. Yeye hakuwa na kama hayo, na akarudi Liverpool kuendesha familia mpya NEMS duka la muziki. Epstein alifanya kazi kwa bidii ili kuifanya iwe duka la muziki lenye mafanikio zaidi kaskazini mwa Uingereza. Baada ya muda mfupi, alijua bendi mpya ya eneo hilo, The Beatles (watu wote walionunua muziki katika duka lake), na kwa siku yake ya kuzaliwa ya 21 aliandaa sherehe katika klabu ya Cavern Club ambapo walicheza. Mara moja alipenda kikundi hicho, na akafikiria kuisimamia, ingawa msaidizi wake alidhani walikuwa "kijinga kabisa". Hata hivyo, Epstein alirudi mara kwa mara kwenye klabu hiyo kwa wiki tatu zilizofuata ili kuitazama bendi hiyo, kabla ya kupendekeza kuwa meneja wao. Mkataba wa miaka mitano uliwekwa kwa ajili ya wazazi wa The Beatles, ambao walikuwa chini ya umri wa miaka 21. Epstein alianza kufanya kazi mara moja, akibadilisha picha yao kutoka kwa "umati wa watu wenye ngozi" ambao waliulaani, kunywa, na kuvuta sigara jukwaani, kuvaa suti na kuwasilisha hali ya "mchanga". (John Lennon hakutaka kuvaa suti lakini kisha alisema angevaa puto la damu ikiwa mtu fulani atanilipa. Kwa karibu mwaka, bendi haikupata pesa na Epstein alilipa gharama zao zote. Katika kipindi hicho, Epstein alikutana na watendaji kutoka Columbia Records, EMI, na lebo nyingine kadhaa kubwa, ambao wote walikataa The Beatles. Mwishowe, Epstein alitisha kuacha kuuza rekodi za EMI katika maduka yake, kwa hivyo EMI ilikubali mkataba wa rekodi ya bei nafuu, "hakuna chochote cha kupoteza" kupitia lebo yao ndogo ya Parlophone. The Beatles walianza kurekodi mnamo Juni 1962, na wengine ni historia. Epstein aliwaongoza na kuwatunza, akawaweka wakizingatia, akaanzisha chapa ambayo ilianzisha Beatlemania, na hatimaye kuwafanya Beatles kuwa bendi ya muziki inayouzwa zaidi na yenye ushawishi zaidi katika historia. Kwa upande mwingine, bendi hiyo ilimpenda na kumwamini meneja wao, na haikusoma hata mikataba aliyowaleta kutia sahihi. "Tulikuwa na imani kamili katika yeye wakati alikuwa kuendesha sisi", alisema Lennon. Epstein alikuwa mtu bora katika ndoa zote mbili za Lennon na Ringo Starr. (Kinyume na itikadi ya kawaida, huyu wa mwisho si Myahudi.) Epstein alifanya kazi siku nzima, na punde si punde akawa mraibu wa dawa za kuamsha na za kutuliza. Baada ya siku kadhaa ya shiva kwa ajili ya baba yake, alichukua kipimo kikubwa cha dawa za kutuliza, ambazo, ingawa ni za kawaida kwake, zilichanganyika na kiasi kikubwa cha pombe alivyokuwa amelewa. Kifo chake kilitangazwa rasmi kuwa ni aksidenti, na tangu wakati huo waandishi wa masimulizi ya maisha yake wamekanusha uvumi wa kujiua. Kwa vyovyote vile, The Beatles walivunjika moyo sana kwa sababu ya kupoteza meneja wao, na hawakuweza kamwe kupona. Punde si punde bendi hiyo ilivunjika. Paul McCartney baadaye angeelezea Epstein kama "The Fifth Beatle". The Bee Gees waliandika wimbo "In the Summer of His Years" kama heshima kwa Epstein, ambaye alicheza jukumu dogo lakini muhimu katika mafanikio yao pia. Maneno ya Wiki Kama Myahudi hakungekuwepo, mpinga-Yahudi angemtengeneza.  Jean-Paul Sartre