50 years ago today, on November 9th 1961, NEMS record store manager Brian Epstein went to check out a popular local band at a club just down the street from his shop. Struck by their music and personal charm, he set out on a mission to manage the band to success. This famous meeting between Epstein and The Beatles was not the only time that the number 9 was significant to the band's founder, John Lennon. Lennon was born on Oct 9th (as was his son, Sean). Lennon met Yoko Ono at an Art gallery on November 9th, 1966. The first issue of Rolling Stone was printed with a November 9, 1967 date- Lennon was their first cover image. John Lennon composed the songs One After 909, Revolution No. 9, and #9 Dream (which appeared on his 9th solo LP, Walls and Bridges). When he passed away, it was December 9th in his hometown of Liverpool. When The Beatles catalog was finally digitally remastered, it was released on September 9th, 2009 (09.09.09). Read Mersey Beat founder Bill Harry's letter to the Examiner about Epstein's meeting with The Beatles here.
Below is an interview with Brian Epstein about his first encounter with The Beatles on November 9th, 1961, followed by the band playing One After 909 during the rooftop concert scene in Let It Be (released in 1970, 9 years after Epstein met them at the Cavern Club). The Let It Be film may be scheduled for DVD/Blu-ray release in 2013. It's interesting to see how much the culture, and The Beatles themselves, changed in those nine years.
There is new documentary film in the works about Beatles secretary Freda Kelly. The film reached its initial pledge amount today, November 9th. You can learn about it (and contribute to the project on Kickstarter) here. John Lennon portrait by Richard Avedon from MOMA here.
