Brian Epstein became The Beatles' manager in early 1962, and helped the band become a global phenomenon before he died of a drug overdose at the age of 32.
Keystone Press/Alamy Stock PhotoThe Beatles’ manager Brian Epstein at a stadium concert.
The Beatles are widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential bands of all time. As pioneering musicians, their influence can still be felt in modern-day songwriting. Likewise, the undeniable craze of Beatlemania all but guaranteed that The Beatles, regardless of their music, would be talked about for decades after they split up.
But while The Beatles were undoubtedly talented, they did not become international superstars through talent alone. Their early success was helped, in large part, by their manager, a man named Brian Epstein.
Epstein first discovered The Beatles at the Cavern Club in Liverpool in 1961. Over the course of the next several years, he helped shape The Beatles into what they would ultimately become: one of the most popular, influential, and beloved bands in the world. The feat was even more remarkable given that Epstein lacked experience in band management — he just had a keen eye for talent and a natural intuition for good business.
Unfortunately, Epstein’s time with The Beatles was cut short by his untimely death. Struggling to sleep on August 27, 1967, Epstein took what would have been a normal dose of the sedative Carbrital. However, since he had been drinking alcohol on that fateful night, the dosage proved to be fatal.
Still, Epstein’s influence on The Beatles lives on to this day.
Brian Epstein Before The Beatles
Born on Sept. 19, 1934, into a prosperous Jewish family in Liverpool, England, Brian Epstein was the elder son of Harry and Malka “Queenie” Epstein. His family owned a successful furniture business, and they eventually began to sell records at the North End Music Store (NEMS).
It was through NEMS that Epstein found his niche. After years of struggling with traditional schooling and dabbling in the arts, Epstein transformed NEMS into a thriving business, showcasing what would prove to be a clear knack for understanding popular music and a talent for management.
Keystone Press/Alamy Stock PhotoBrian Epstein reading a newspaper.
Despite his budding success in his career, however, Epstein was struggling in his personal life. As a gay man living in England at a time when homosexuality was illegal, he risked significant prejudices and legal troubles if he was too open about his sexual orientation. For the most part, he kept this aspect of himself hidden from the public eye — perhaps contributing to some of the inner turmoil that he struggled with in his final years.
Fortunately for Epstein, his luck was about to change. According to Moment, that happened on Nov. 9, 1961 — when Brian Epstein first heard The Beatles.
How Brian Epstein Became The Beatles’ Manager
Keystone Press/Alamy Stock PhotoThe “Silver Beatles” (from left: bassist Stuart Sutcliffe, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, temporary drummer Johnny Hutch, and George Harrison) performing in Liverpool. 1960.
Brian Epstein was working at NEMS when a customer requested the single “My Bonnie” by a band called The Beatles. Epstein had never heard of the band, nor could he find any record of the single from any British label.
A few days later, a group of girls requested the same record. A quick bit of research showed Epstein that the single had been released by a German label — despite the band also being from his home city of Liverpool.
Michael Ochs Archives/Getty ImagesThe Beatles performing at the Cavern Club. Circa 1962.
As luck would have it, they were playing at the Cavern Club near Epstein’s store, so he went to go see the band. At the time, the band was comprised of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Pete Best, and Epstein found himself enthralled by their music and stage presence.
“They smoked as they played, and they ate, and pretended to hit each other,” he said. “But they gave a captivating and honest show and they had very considerable magnetism. I loved their ad libs and was fascinated by this, to me, new music with its pounding bass beat and vast engulfing sound.”
During a break, Epstein visited the band backstage. They recognized him from his record shop, and so he invited them to stop by for a “chat” on December 3rd. When they arrived, he told them matter-of-factly, “Quite simply, you need a manager. Would you like me to do it?”
The Beatles were excited about the idea, and soon afterward, the band officially signed a contract to let Epstein manage them. Thus began the process of turning The Beatles into, well, The Beatles.
Transforming The Beatles Into Superstars
At first, Brian Epstein had a hard time selling The Beatles to any major labels in London. He knew he had just signed a once-in-a-lifetime talent, but for some reason, no one else could see the same potential he saw.
“John and I used to wait at Lime Street Station in a little coffee bar called the Punch and Judy,” Paul McCartney recalled. “We used to wait for Brian arriving back from London, and when he’d come in we’d take a look at his face to see if the news was good or bad, and it was bad. It was always bad.”
Michael Ochs Archive/Getty ImagesThe Beatles with Brian Epstein.
Epstein’s parents, though supportive, worried that he was wasting time trying to land The Beatles a deal. He was still managing his business at NEMS, too, and the stress seemed to take a toll. According to his friend and business associate Peter Brown, “This is when [Epstein] started taking amphetamines.”
Meanwhile, Epstein retooled The Beatles’ image. Gone were the leather jackets and scruffy hairstyles they had been rocking at the Cavern Club. In their place were finely tailored suits and sleeker haircuts. Epstein also convinced them to stop smoking and swearing so much, especially onstage, so they could appeal to a wider audience. But Epstein never tried to change the music — it was part of what drew him to The Beatles in the first place.
Then, finally, Epstein was introduced to George Martin of Parlophone, which was part of EMI Company. Martin helped The Beatles refine their sound and suggested that they find a better drummer, leading to the ousting of Pete Best and the introduction of Ringo Starr to the band.
Keystone Press/Alamy Stock PhotoBrian Epstein with Ringo Starr during a break from recording.
Now, the “Fab Four” had truly come together.
In 1963, The Beatles landed their first single to hit number one on the U.K. charts, “Please Please Me,” and the rest was history. Looking back, according to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, many would go as far as to dub Epstein “the fifth Beatle,” due to how pivotal his role in the band’s success was.
Tragically, Epstein wouldn’t be around to see all of the band’s success.
Brian Epstein’s Tragic Death At Just 32 Years Old
Chronicle/Alamy Stock PhotoFollowing The Beatles’ final concert appearance at Candlestick Park in 1966, Brian Epstein began to worry about his future as the band’s manager.
The Beatles played their final paid concert at San Francisco’s Candlestick Park in August 1966, and although they would later go on to perform their famous show from the top of the Apple building in London in 1969, many thought that the 1966 performance would spell the end of the band. Fans were naturally distraught about this — and so was Brian Epstein.
While friends of Epstein’s and the general public seemed to agree that he had enough talent to continue on without The Beatles, he often expressed doubt about this. At an especially low point in September 1966, he even attempted suicide. Though Epstein later recovered in the hospital, he continued to struggle with his mental state. To make matters worse, his ongoing drug use had begun to cause issues with his sleeping, leading to insomnia. To try and make himself sleep, he began taking the drug Carbrital.
On August 27, 1967, Epstein took six Carbritals — a normal dose, had they not been mixed with alcohol. The combination caused Epstein to accidentally overdose, and he was soon found dead in his London home. (Some later theorized that his death was no accident, especially considering his earlier suicide attempt.) At the time, The Beatles were in Wales.
When they learned that Epstein had died, they too felt that something was coming to an end, even though they didn’t split up quite yet. John Lennon later told Rolling Stone, “I knew that we were in trouble then. I didn’t really have any misconceptions about our ability to do anything other than play music and I was scared. I thought, ‘We’ve f**kin’ had it.'”
Keystone Press/Alamy Stock PhotoBrian Epstein with The Beatles, during a break in filming for a television show.
The band managed themselves between Epstein’s death and their breakup in 1970, but it was clear that something more than a manager had been lost. Paul McCartney himself said, “If anyone was the fifth Beatle, it was Brian.”
In the years since then, Epstein’s life has been cataloged and written about countless times, solidifying his place in music history. Truly, without Brian Epstein, there may very well have never been The Beatles.
After learning about The Beatles’ manager Brian Epstein, read about Cynthia Lennon and her tumultuous marriage to John. Then, read about the bizarre conspiracy theory of Paul McCartney’s supposed death.
