Brian Epstein

Brian Epstein

Brian Samuel Epstein ( /ˈɛpstaɪn/; 19 September 1934 – 27 August 1967), was an English music entrepreneur, best known for being the manager of the Beatles until his death in 1967. He had also served as manager for Cilla Black, Gerry & the Pacemakers, Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas, the Remo Four, and the Cyrkle. After attending boarding schools, being in the army, and training to be an actor at RADA, he returned to Liverpool to join the Epstein family business, which later led to him naming his own company NEMS Enterprises; an acronym for North End Music Stores, which his family owned.

In 1962, Epstein paid for the Beatles to record a demonstration tape at Decca's London studios, but Decca declined to sign the group to a contract. After then approaching nearly all of the major recording companies in London and being rejected, Epstein met a record producer, George Martin, who offered a contract on behalf of EMI's small Parlophone label. When Beatlemania swept the UK in 1963, Epstein allowed a significant business opportunity to pass when he was besieged by offers from merchandisers, as he had already given away 90% of the merchandising rights to Stramsact in the UK, and Seltaeb (Beatles spelt backwards), in the US.

Epstein developed a drug dependence, but publicly supported the campaign for legalising cannabis, whilst unsuccessfully attempting rehabilitation in the same year. His love of gambling also took a heavy financial toll. Epstein's homosexuality was a secret that had to be avoided throughout his public life, as it was not decriminalised in England and Wales until the year of his death of an accidental drug overdose at his home in London.

The Beatles' early success has been attributed to his management and sense of style. Paul McCartney said of him: "If anyone was the Fifth Beatle, it was Brian."