On the back of the single success of ‘Love me Do’ and ‘Please Please Me’, the boys were rushed into Abbey Road studio 2 for a 12 hour session producing their first album.  And what a record it was, 14 songs lasting just 32 minutes, which made you want to flip it over on the Dansette turntable and play it again.  I was too young to have a record player, but a friend George Maycock let me tape it on reel to reel I got for Christmas in ’64.  The disc went straight to number one, and ‘Beatlemania’ was created.  No way of choosing best songs – but the closer by a hoarse John ‘Twist and Shout’ still brings me out in goose pimples.

In all the group recorded 11 albums in just 6 years, plus numerous Eps, and music for the films ‘Yellow Submarine’ and ‘Magical Mystery Tour.  It all ended in 1969, though the announcement was held back until 1970.  At the time we were all sad, but in a way this was by far for the best.  We have those recordings forever, and they came in with a bang and saved maybe their best recording ‘Abbey Road’ for their swansong. 

There has been far too much written about them, and still being written even now – but the best is just to put the records on and return (with us now) to those days of yesteryear.