Author:Andrew Darlington
Subtitled ‘Days In The Life of The Beatles Spin Doctor’, this is the first biography of arguably one of the most enigmatic and important figures working behind the scenes of the music business in the sixties and seventies. Despite the claim above, Taylor’s career was much more than simply ‘spin doctor’ (even though that term hadn’t yet come into being) for the band, as he remained a friend and confidante of the individual members right up to his premature death in 1997. His methods as a press officer, initially for the band as Brian Epstein’s PA and then ultimately for Apple Corps, were well ahead of their time, and he also took his skills over the Atlantic in the mid sixties working for the likes of The Byrds and The Beach Boys as well as co-creating the Monterey Pop Festival. A colourful character who was at the heart of what was going on in the music scene of that crucial era, this comprehensive detailed book provides an interesting and very readable look back at his life and times.
Length of Read:Medium
Might appeal to people who enjoyed…
The Beatles, the sixties music scene.
One thing you’ve learned
There’s always another book waiting to be written on some aspect of The Beatles and their legacy, although to be fair this book does go way beyond that.
I remember his death quite vividly because a work colleague and close friend at the time told me his mum was good friends with Derek Taylor’s wife. She went to the funeral in Suffolk and met George Harrison there.
The Beatles, The Byrds, The Beach Boys (he was integral in the perception of Brian Wilson as a songwriter rather than one of the members of a surf group), and Monterey.
So that’s the greatest group, the greatest festival, and the greatest American group (either one).
I remember reading lots of Derek Taylor’s articles in the 60’s music press, l think I also have one of his books and will no doubt buy this.
As @deramdaze says D.T. was at the centre of all things Beatles/Beach Boys/Byrds, three of the bands I loved, still do. He was a positive influence in those 60’s Golden Years.
Without those 3 Bs, there would be little vocal music today, perhaps with the addition of a 4th B of Buffalo Springfield. Within the template of the blues, bluegrass and bebop, sprinkle in dashes of those 4 and most modern songs evolve. (And yes, I will accept the additional B of Bleep and Booster to encompass the advent of synthesisers…….)
This looks cheap and tatty – surely the great Derek Taylor deserves better? , and the withering and dreadfully dated words ‘Spin Doctor’ alone suggest the author is pretty clueless so I don’t intend to read this – and if Bargepole has he isn’t giving much away in the this review 😉 – hopefully the Nothing Is Real Podcasters will read it so we don’t have to!