Book Review: Shout by Phillip Norman

July 2001

Nevertheless, Shout is a highly detailed account of the Beatles story with a strong emphasis on the early years. Pete Best's sacking doesn't appear until half way through the book. From a personal perspective it is these early years that are the most interesting. Writing today when a manufactured band is increasingly the norm, it is certainly refreshing to remember how the Beatles served their apprenticeships. Perhaps this is what has helped to make their music so durable. How many Popstars will be able to say that in 40 years time?

Until the publication of Anthology, this was the most definitive Beatles biography available. It goes beyond John, Paul, George and Ringo to include Pete, Stu Sutcliffe and Brian Epstein, key figures who are vitally important to the story. 

As for the Paul issue, my personal impression is that he was the only one who was driving the group. John was the under the spell and had largely lost interest while George was tired of being marginalised, particularly in the songwriting department. Paul was the one who wanted to continue to push the band forward and the evidence of this is audible in the songs where there appears to have been a shift from John towards Paul, especially after Sergeant Pepper.

One down-side of the book is that it does not contain any direct interviews with the band members themselves. However, this may be excused by the fact that there is so much material available that Norman has done a good job of sifting and analysing the evidence. 

The allegations about Paul may have been viewed differently had the book not been published just after John's death

mp, June 2001

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First published in 1981 by Hamish Hamilton

ISBN: 0-684-8306-71

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