Tony Barrow
Encyclopedia
Tony Barrow is an English press officer who worked with The Beatles
between 1962 and 1968. He coined the phrase "The Fab Four", first using it in an early press release.
and Paul McCartney
were putting together their earliest group in one part of the city, Tony Barrow was presenting jazz bands and skiffle
/folk groups at local dance halls and clubs across town in the north Merseyside
suburb of Crosby
.
Educated locally at Merchant Taylors School
he then studied languages at Durham University
. In 1954, when he was still a 17-year-old sixth form schoolboy, he landed his first regular freelance writing job as pop/rock record reviewer for the Liverpool Echo
, the largest-selling provincial evening newspaper in the UK.
At the beginning of the Sixties, while The Beatles
paid their dues in the Hamburg clubs, Barrow moved from Crosby to London to work for the Decca Record Company
where he wrote the liner notes that appeared on the back of LP album covers. From his new London base he continued to contribute his weekly record column to the Liverpool Echo and when Liverpool record retailer Brian Epstein
signed The Beatles
to a management deal at the end of 1961 he contacted Barrow for professional advice. This led to an informal arrangement whereby Barrow became The Beatles
' part-time press/publicity consultant which involved promoting the launch of the new EMI
band from behind a desk at rival London record company Decca. His earliest task for Epstein was to co-ordinate a media publicity campaign to surround the release of the group's first UK single, "Love Me Do
", on EMI's Parlophone
label in October 1962. He was paid a one-off freelance fee of around 50 US dollars to compile The Beatles' initial press kit.
When Epstein promised to double his Decca salary, Barrow left the record company to join Epstein's new artists' management company, NEMS Enterprises, on a full-time basis in May 1963. Barrow opened Epstein's first London office and as head of the Press and Public Relations Division, began to promote the careers of not only The Fab Four but also Epstein's other artists from Cilla Black
to Gerry & The Pacemakers
, from Billy J Kramer With The Dakotas
to The Fourmost
. In view of his previous employment as a liner-note writer with Decca, it was taken for granted that he would do the same job for The Beatles
and Epstein's other acts.
It was Barrow's idea to give out Beatles Christmas greetings to their fan club members. Barrow thought this goodwill gesture might limit the damage done to the group's reputation by delays in replying to an ever-increasing volume of fan mail. The Beatles were three weeks behind in answering membership applications. At the time he said facetiously that he thought of how the Queen
always sent out yuletide greetings to her subject every year on UK radio and TV and he decided that The Beatles should "follow her fine example but in their own way". All members of the group's official fan club would receive an exclusive flexi-disc carrying messages from John, Paul, George and Ringo. What started as a one-off damage limitation job grew into an eagerly anticipated annual event.
In 1965 and 1966 Tony Barrow travelled around the globe with John Lennon
, Paul McCartney
, George Harrison
and Ringo Starr
on The Beatles' biggest, most lucrative and most dangerous international concert tours, conducting their massive daily press conferences wherever they were on the road, accompanying them on their very private "summit of the giants" meeting with Elvis Presley
at his home in Bel Air, California
, and setting up The Fab Four's media interviews and photo shoots when they returned home. One of Barrow's final tasks as The Beatles
' Press Officer was to compile and edit the strip-cartoon story booklet which was part of the "Magical Mystery Tour
" recording package at the end of 1967.
When The Beatles
set up their own self-management operation, Apple Corps, in 1968, the year after Brian Epstein's death, Barrow's job as The Fab Four's publicist came to its natural end. He left NEMS Enterprises to set up his own independent show business PR consultancy, Tony Barrow international. Headquartered in London's Mayfair district, TBI and its sister company, Tony Barrow Management, represented many of Britain's top entertainers and recording stars in the Seventies (including The Kinks
, The Bay City Rollers, The New Seekers
, Bob Monkhouse
) and an equally awesome list of bill-topping American artists (including David Cassidy
, Gladys Knight
, David Soul
, The Monkees
, Tony Bennett
, The Jackson Five, Andy Williams
, Neil Sedaka
) for their European tours.
In 1980, partly because he disliked the unsavory images portrayed by the era's new wave of punk bands
, Tony Barrow quit the PR business to return to freelance journalism
, writing various books including a highly successful career guide, "Inside The Music Business" (co-authored with Julian Newby) and "John, Paul, George, Ringo & Me", his memoirs of the Sixties.
By 2007, he had become the last surviving professional writer from The Fab Four's original inner circle of business aides and associates and was continuing to take on selected writing and broadcasting assignments including (inevitably) some directly linked to his uniquely memorable years with The Beatles
.
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
between 1962 and 1968. He coined the phrase "The Fab Four", first using it in an early press release.
Life
While in the late Fifties when teenagers John LennonJohn Lennon
John Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
and Paul McCartney
Paul McCartney
Sir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
were putting together their earliest group in one part of the city, Tony Barrow was presenting jazz bands and skiffle
Skiffle
Skiffle is a type of popular music with jazz, blues, folk, roots and country influences, usually using homemade or improvised instruments. Originating as a term in the United States in the first half of the twentieth century, it became popular again in the UK in the 1950s, where it was mainly...
/folk groups at local dance halls and clubs across town in the north Merseyside
Merseyside
Merseyside is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 1,365,900. It encompasses the metropolitan area centred on both banks of the lower reaches of the Mersey Estuary, and comprises five metropolitan boroughs: Knowsley, St Helens, Sefton, Wirral, and the city of Liverpool...
suburb of Crosby
Crosby, Merseyside
Crosby is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton, in Merseyside, England. Historically part of Lancashire it is situated north of Bootle, south of Southport, Formby and west of Netherton-History:...
.
Educated locally at Merchant Taylors School
Merchant Taylors' School, Crosby
Merchant Taylors' School, Crosby is a British independent school for day pupils, located in Great Crosby on Merseyside....
he then studied languages at Durham University
Durham University
The University of Durham, commonly known as Durham University, is a university in Durham, England. It was founded by Act of Parliament in 1832 and granted a Royal Charter in 1837...
. In 1954, when he was still a 17-year-old sixth form schoolboy, he landed his first regular freelance writing job as pop/rock record reviewer for the Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
The Liverpool Echo is a newspaper published by Trinity Mirror in Liverpool, Merseyside, England. It is published Monday to Saturday, and is Liverpool's evening newspaper while its sister paper, the Liverpool Daily Post, is the morning paper...
, the largest-selling provincial evening newspaper in the UK.
At the beginning of the Sixties, while The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
paid their dues in the Hamburg clubs, Barrow moved from Crosby to London to work for the Decca Record Company
Decca Records
Decca Records began as a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934; however, owing to World War II, the link with the British company was broken for several decades....
where he wrote the liner notes that appeared on the back of LP album covers. From his new London base he continued to contribute his weekly record column to the Liverpool Echo and when Liverpool record retailer Brian Epstein
Brian Epstein
Brian Samuel Epstein , was an English music entrepreneur, and is best known for being the manager of The Beatles up until his death. He also managed several other musical artists such as Gerry & the Pacemakers, Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas, Cilla Black, The Remo Four & The Cyrkle...
signed The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
to a management deal at the end of 1961 he contacted Barrow for professional advice. This led to an informal arrangement whereby Barrow became The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
' part-time press/publicity consultant which involved promoting the launch of the new EMI
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
band from behind a desk at rival London record company Decca. His earliest task for Epstein was to co-ordinate a media publicity campaign to surround the release of the group's first UK single, "Love Me Do
Love Me Do
"Love Me Do" is The Beatles' first single, backed by "P.S. I Love You" and released on 5 October 1962. When the single was originally released in the United Kingdom, it peaked at number seventeen; in 1982 it was re-issued and reached number four...
", on EMI's Parlophone
Parlophone
Parlophone is a record label that was founded in Germany in 1896 by the Carl Lindström Company as Parlophon. The British branch was formed in 1923 as "Parlophone" which developed a reputation in the 1920s as a leading jazz label. It was acquired in 1927 by the Columbia Graphophone Company which...
label in October 1962. He was paid a one-off freelance fee of around 50 US dollars to compile The Beatles' initial press kit.
When Epstein promised to double his Decca salary, Barrow left the record company to join Epstein's new artists' management company, NEMS Enterprises, on a full-time basis in May 1963. Barrow opened Epstein's first London office and as head of the Press and Public Relations Division, began to promote the careers of not only The Fab Four but also Epstein's other artists from Cilla Black
Cilla Black
Cilla Black OBE is an English singer, actress, entertainer and media personality, who has been consistently popular as a light entertainment figure since 1963. She is most famous for her singles Anyone Who Had A Heart, You're My World, and Alfie...
to Gerry & The Pacemakers
Gerry & the Pacemakers
Gerry and the Pacemakers were a British beat music group prominent during the 1960s. In common with The Beatles, they came from Liverpool, were managed by Brian Epstein and recorded by George Martin. They are most remembered for being the first act to reach number one in the UK Singles Chart with...
, from Billy J Kramer With The Dakotas
Billy J. Kramer
Billy J. Kramer is a British Invasion/Merseybeat singer. In the 1960s he was managed by Brian Epstein, who also managed The Beatles, and he recorded several original Lennon and McCartney compositions.-Early life and career:He grew up as the youngest of seven siblings and attended the St George of...
to The Fourmost
The Fourmost
The Fourmost were an English Merseybeat band that recorded in the 1960s. Their biggest UK hit single was "A Little Loving" in 1964.-Biography:...
. In view of his previous employment as a liner-note writer with Decca, it was taken for granted that he would do the same job for The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
and Epstein's other acts.
It was Barrow's idea to give out Beatles Christmas greetings to their fan club members. Barrow thought this goodwill gesture might limit the damage done to the group's reputation by delays in replying to an ever-increasing volume of fan mail. The Beatles were three weeks behind in answering membership applications. At the time he said facetiously that he thought of how the Queen
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
always sent out yuletide greetings to her subject every year on UK radio and TV and he decided that The Beatles should "follow her fine example but in their own way". All members of the group's official fan club would receive an exclusive flexi-disc carrying messages from John, Paul, George and Ringo. What started as a one-off damage limitation job grew into an eagerly anticipated annual event.
In 1965 and 1966 Tony Barrow travelled around the globe with John Lennon
John Lennon
John Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
, Paul McCartney
Paul McCartney
Sir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
, George Harrison
George Harrison
George Harrison, MBE was an English musician, guitarist, singer-songwriter, actor and film producer who achieved international fame as lead guitarist of The Beatles. Often referred to as "the quiet Beatle", Harrison became over time an admirer of Indian mysticism, and introduced it to the other...
and Ringo Starr
Ringo Starr
Richard Starkey, MBE better known by his stage name Ringo Starr, is an English musician and actor who gained worldwide fame as the drummer for The Beatles. When the band formed in 1960, Starr was a member of another Liverpool band, Rory Storm and the Hurricanes. He became The Beatles' drummer in...
on The Beatles' biggest, most lucrative and most dangerous international concert tours, conducting their massive daily press conferences wherever they were on the road, accompanying them on their very private "summit of the giants" meeting with Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
at his home in Bel Air, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, and setting up The Fab Four's media interviews and photo shoots when they returned home. One of Barrow's final tasks as The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
' Press Officer was to compile and edit the strip-cartoon story booklet which was part of the "Magical Mystery Tour
Magical Mystery Tour (album)
The soundtrack was far more favourably received than the film. It was nominated for a Grammy Award for best album in 1968 and reached number 1 in the US for eight weeks...
" recording package at the end of 1967.
When The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
set up their own self-management operation, Apple Corps, in 1968, the year after Brian Epstein's death, Barrow's job as The Fab Four's publicist came to its natural end. He left NEMS Enterprises to set up his own independent show business PR consultancy, Tony Barrow international. Headquartered in London's Mayfair district, TBI and its sister company, Tony Barrow Management, represented many of Britain's top entertainers and recording stars in the Seventies (including The Kinks
The Kinks
The Kinks were an English rock band formed in Muswell Hill, North London, by brothers Ray and Dave Davies in 1964. Categorised in the United States as a British Invasion band, The Kinks are recognised as one of the most important and influential rock acts of the era. Their music was influenced by a...
, The Bay City Rollers, The New Seekers
The New Seekers
The New Seekers are a British-based pop group, formed in 1969 by Keith Potger after the break-up of his group, The Seekers. The idea was that the New Seekers would appeal to the same market as the original Seekers, but their music had rock as well as folk influences...
, Bob Monkhouse
Bob Monkhouse
Robert Alan "Bob" Monkhouse, OBE was an English entertainer. He was a successful comedy writer, comedian and actor and was also well known on British television as a presenter and game show host...
) and an equally awesome list of bill-topping American artists (including David Cassidy
David Cassidy
David Bruce Cassidy is an American actor, singer, songwriter and guitarist. He is best known for his role as the character of Keith Partridge in the 1970s musical/sitcom The Partridge Family. He was one of pop culture's most celebrated teen idols, enjoying a successful pop career in the 1970s, and...
, Gladys Knight
Gladys Knight
Gladys Maria Knight , known as the "Empress of Soul", is an American singer-songwriter, actress, businesswoman, humanitarian, and author...
, David Soul
David Soul
David Soul is an American-British actor and singer, best known for his role as Detective Kenneth "Hutch" Hutchinson in the television programme Starsky and Hutch . He gained British citizenship in 2004.-Early life:...
, The Monkees
The Monkees
The Monkees are an American pop rock group. Assembled in Los Angeles in 1966 by Robert "Bob" Rafelson and Bert Schneider for the American television series The Monkees, which aired from 1966 to 1968, the musical acting quartet was composed of Americans Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith and Peter Tork,...
, Tony Bennett
Tony Bennett
Tony Bennett is an American singer of popular music, standards, show tunes, and jazz....
, The Jackson Five, Andy Williams
Andy Williams
Howard Andrew "Andy" Williams is an American singer who has recorded 18 Gold- and three Platinum-certified albums. He hosted The Andy Williams Show, a TV variety show, from 1962 to 1971, as well as numerous television specials, and owns his own theater, the Moon River Theatre in Branson, Missouri,...
, Neil Sedaka
Neil Sedaka
Neil Sedaka is an American pop/rock singer, pianist, and composer. His career has spanned nearly 55 years, during which time he has sold millions of records as an artist and has written or co-written over 500 songs for himself and other artists, collaborating mostly with lyricists Howard...
) for their European tours.
In 1980, partly because he disliked the unsavory images portrayed by the era's new wave of punk bands
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
, Tony Barrow quit the PR business to return to freelance journalism
Journalism
Journalism is the practice of investigation and reporting of events, issues and trends to a broad audience in a timely fashion. Though there are many variations of journalism, the ideal is to inform the intended audience. Along with covering organizations and institutions such as government and...
, writing various books including a highly successful career guide, "Inside The Music Business" (co-authored with Julian Newby) and "John, Paul, George, Ringo & Me", his memoirs of the Sixties.
By 2007, he had become the last surviving professional writer from The Fab Four's original inner circle of business aides and associates and was continuing to take on selected writing and broadcasting assignments including (inevitably) some directly linked to his uniquely memorable years with The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
.
Books
- The Making Of The Beatles' Magical Mystery Tour (1999) ISBN 0711975752
- John, Paul, George, Ringo and Me: The Real Beatles Story (2006) ISBN 1560258829