By: Madeline Duggins, Grant Plunkett, and Ethan Eubank

The Beatles

What was the inspiration for naming the band “The Beatles”?

The inspiration for the Beatles came from Buddy Holly & the Crickets. The Beatles liked the double meaning of the sport and the insect, so they came up with the Beatles which does not have a double meaning.

Buddy Holly and the Crickets got their inspiration from the Spiders. It was Buddy’s favorite rhythm and blues group. When they were coming up with names they started flipping through an insect book for ideas.

Before coming up with the Beatles they had used many other names such as : the Quarry Men, Johnny and the Moon Dogs, Rainbows, Nurk Twins, & the British Everly Brothers.

How was the band formed?

On July 6, 1957, Paul McCartney met John Lennon at a church festival where Lennon was performing. At the time, Lennon was 16 and McCartney was 15. They talked about music and Lennon decided to make him part of The Quarrymen.

Paul McCartney later met George Harrison at the Liverpool Institute and they became friends through their taste in music. George found out about The Quarrymen and asked to join the band (playing lead quitar,) but John denied him because he was so young. A few months later, after he filled in for The Quarrymen’s sick guitarist, he was accepted as a full member.

Ringo met the Beatles in Hamburg in October 1960. At the time he was with a band, but often stepped in when the Beatles drummer Pete Best wasn’t available. When the Beatles producer, George Martin, demanded that Best be replaced, the band demanded Ringo. After Love Me Do, Ringo played on all the Beatles recordings.

How did Paul & Ringo cope with the death of George & John?

Paul McCartney said that George Harrison’s death “was a drag”.

Ringo and George were best friends so George’s death was very hard on Ringo also. Because of this bond, Ringo got with John and they put on a tribute show in honor of George.

John Lennon’s death didn’t effect Ringo as much as it did Paul and George. Paul and John formed the band, so after John’s death the band felt barren and wasn’t the same.

Why did Mark D. Chapman kill John Lennon?

At around 10:50 pm on December 8,1980, John Lennon and his wife Yoko Ono were returning to their New York apartment when Mark David Chapman yelled out “Mr. Lennon” and shot John in the back 4 times.

Earlier that evening, John had signed a copy of Double Fantasy for Chapman.

Chapman remained at the scene reading J.D. Salinger’s novel The Catcher in the Rye until police found and arrested him. He continuously said that the novel was his statement.

Hours before his murder, John was being interviewed and told RKO radio that he felt he could go anywhere in New York and be safe. While still a Beatle, Lennon was asked how he thought he would die and he responded with “I’ll probably be popped of by some loony.” Chapman’s legal team put forth the idea that he was in a delusional and mentally ill state when he killed John. He was sentenced with 20 years to life with a requirement that mental health treatment be provided.

Bibliography:

"The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame + Museum." The Beatles Biography. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 May 2013.

"Beatle People." The Beatles Bible. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 May 2013.

Bibliography:

""IF ANYONE WAS THE FIFTH BEATLE, IT WAS BRIAN."" The Fifth Beatle The Story Comments. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 May 2013

Chris. "McCartney Reacts to Lennon's Death." : McCartney Reacts to Lennon's Death. N.p., 9 Sept. 2008. Web. 01 May 2013.

Venezia, Mike. The Beatles. New York: Children's, 1997. Print.

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