There are numerous books about The Beatles with more being published all the time. While there is still a thirst for knowledge about the greatest group the world has ever seen or heard, is there really anything that has not been written about the Fab Four? Apparently not. Mark Lewisohn has been working on creating the ultimate Beatles resource. Tune In is the first book of three which is the definitive Beatles history. It is the result of many years of painstaking research which is clearly evident in not only the detail but also the extensive checking of sources and new interviews.

Tune In covers the Beatles story up to the end of 1962. Their lives growing up in Liverpool are covered in great detail and it is easy to see just how this background translated into their later work and their whole attitude. This is also an interesting insight into Liverpool after the war and during the 1950s when things were changing fast and the Beatles were emerging from different backgrounds. It must have been a very exciting time for a music lover when suddenly a new style of music emerged from America, the likes of Elvis Presley, Little Richard and Jerry Lee Lewis. This was game-changing for young, music-mad boys who tried to learn the new tunes for their cheap guitars and who crowded into the listening booths of the music stores like NEMS trying to write down the lyrics.

The Beatles story is an evolution as the members learned their trade, often without any drummer or without a bassist. Many other groups were being formed across Merseyside, indeed across the UK, at the time so what is it that made the Beatles different and, ultimately the greatest band of all time? Many factors came together from enthusiasm and natural musical ability to the fact that they started writing their own songs and they covered a very broad repertoire. They also had an attitude problem which can be taken in a positive way. They liked to be in control and would not suffer fools. Then there was their personalities. When George Martin finally signed the Beatles for Parlophone, having turned them down previously, one thing that attracted him was their Merseyside humour. This was not a musical act or a group of guys who played this songs. This was really a group. Much has been discussed about how and why Ringo replaced Pete Best in the band. Martin had decided that Best was not a good enough drummer to record and even brought in a session drummer Andy White on the first single as he was not too hot on Ringo either. However, John, Paul and George were already looking to move Pete out and Ringo in. Pete did not fit in with the band in the way that John, Paul and George were a tightly-knit outfit, not only in musical terms but also in their attitude to life. During their trips to Hamburg the three guitar players lived the Hamburg life unlike Pete who had a quieter approach.

The Beatles were also rule breakers. They were a guitar/vocal group when the record market was solo artists and instrumental groups. They had started to write their own songs. The dressed differently; first the leather outfits and then the suits. They had almost become arrogant to the extent that some promoters refused to book them. Also, they were highly focused, This was what they wanted to do. There was little prevaricating about what they wanted as a career. They wanted to be musicians against their families' better judgements and they were single-minded in their pursuit of their dream. All of this happened within a context of dramatic changes in British lifestyle.

This is a "don't put down" book. Even for someone who has read many books about the Beatles, the level of detail and the engagement the author generates makes Tune In a must-read for Beatles fans and all lovers of music. The reasons for the Beatles tremendous success become clear even before Love Me Do has left the record pressing plant. The success factors are already in place and, even when viewed with 50 years of hindsight, the way in which the Beatles were about to change the world are truly astounding. It is unlikely that any phenomenon like the Beatles could ever happen again as the combination of factors driving the Beatles and the macro-environment were so powerful.

A commendable piece of work, a great read and looking forward to the second volume.