A Cellarful of Noise Quotes

“Sir Thomas Beecham once said this at the Liverpool Philharmonic Hall when I was there as a boy. He said ‘I’m often asked why operas survive generation after generation—La Bohème and things like that. And I always reply. ‘They survive because they consist of bloody good tunes’.”
― Brian Epstein, A Cellarful of Noise: The man who made the Beatles

“When I was six, Hitler, who had become rather a nuisance, launched a sustained attempt to destroy Liverpool, and though we lived several miles from the vulnerable docks target, our Childwall suburb became too close for comfort and safety.”
― Brian Epstein, A Cellarful of Noise: The man who made the Beatles

“I think the sun will shine tomorrow.”
― Brian Epstein, A Cellarful of Noise: The Autobiography of the Man Who Made the Beatles With a New Companion Narrative

“WHATEVER happens tomorrow, one thing is certain; it must not be allowed to look after itself.”
― Brian Epstein, A Cellarful of Noise: The man who made the Beatles

“John… Paul… George. And Ringo. Collectively the four most famous names in the world. Extraordinary young men who have directly altered the lives of hundreds, even thousands of people. Who have affected the entire balance of the entertainment industry, who have kicked up so much dust that in all our lifetimes, it will not completely settle.”
― Brian Epstein, A Cellarful of Noise: The Autobiography of the Man Who Made the Beatles With a New Companion Narrative

“I am always being asked: ‘What are the Beatles really like?’ I never know quite what to say because they are what they are and anyone who has ever seen or heard them either in person, or on radio or screen has, basically, as much chance as I have of knowing what they are like. I believe and I must say it, that they are quite magnificent human beings, utterly honest, often irritating but splendid citizens shining in a very ordinary, not very pleasing world.”
― Brian Epstein, A Cellarful of Noise: The Autobiography of the Man Who Made the Beatles With a New Companion Narrative

“Ringo’s hair is an occupational hazard.”
― Brian Epstein, A Cellarful of Noise: The man who made the Beatles

“You must be out of your mind. These boys are going to explode. I am completely confident that one day they will be bigger than Elvis Presley.”
― Brian Epstein, A Cellarful of Noise: The man who made the Beatles

“Not to mince words Mr. Epstein, we don’t like your boys’ sound. Groups of guitarists are on the way out.”
― Brian Epstein, A Cellarful of Noise: The man who made the Beatles

“The Dutch police, in their enthusiasm to protect the four long-haired young men, did everything on a majestic scale. Even on a run to the country, masses of jack-booted, helmet-clad officers on motor cycles and side-cars flanked the Beatles’ car, telephoning constantly to a central control point while, at front and rear, police cars with sirens and blue lights shrieked and flashed warnings. It would probably have been much more effective to drive them quietly in one private car—though not nearly so exhilarating.”
― Brian Epstein, A Cellarful of Noise: The man who made the Beatles

“In England the driver is always the same, a huge man called Bill Corbett, who knows the problems, chief of which is the ability to speed fast enough to frighten fans out of the way, but not so fast that they get run over.”
― Brian Epstein, A Cellarful of Noise: The man who made the Beatles

“But there was a rumour—which lingered until it became acceptable currency—that I had bought the disc in bulk to get it into the charts. Possible though this would have been—had I the money, which I hadn’t—I did no such thing, nor ever have. The Beatles, then as now, progressed and succeeded on natural impetus, without benefit of stunt or back-door tricks and I would like to make this quite clear.”
― Brian Epstein, A Cellarful of Noise: The man who made the Beatles

“Why had I not signed it? I believe it was because even though I knew I would keep the contract in every clause, I had not 100 per cent faith in myself to help the Beatles adequately. In other words, I wanted to free the Beatles of their obligations if I felt they would be better off.”
― Brian Epstein, A Cellarful of Noise: The man who made the Beatles

“The contract had been drawn up by people who knew more about a fast buck than does a slow doe. I thought it an inhuman document providing simply for the enslavement of any artiste eager and gullible enough to place his name over a stamp. Its like is still around and there are several artistes, some of them quite well-known, bound by this form of contract. I am not permitted to name them but they and their owners know who are they.”
― Brian Epstein, A Cellarful of Noise: The man who made the Beatles

“Basic training was at Aldershot and if there is a more depressing place than this in all Europe, then I would not be interested to know of it.”
― Brian Epstein, A Cellarful of Noise: The man who made the Beatles

“I began to feel a little more at evens with the world and I made friends with a little horse called ‘Amber’, who got on very well with Jews.”
― Brian Epstein, A Cellarful of Noise: The man who made the Beatles

“My parents were sent for and unfolded before them were my failings, itemized one by one in that catalogue-of-crime manner which comes so naturally to schoolmasters.”
― Brian Epstein, A Cellarful of Noise: The man who made the Beatles

“Always America seemed too big, too vast, too remote and too American. I remember the night we heard about the number one position in Cashbox I said to John Lennon ‘There can be nothing more important than this,’ adding a tentative ‘Can there?”
― Brian Epstein, A Cellarful of Noise: The man who made the Beatles

“So much has been said that is exaggerated, inaccurate, extravagant and open to misinterpretation that I thought that a detailed account could only help and, I hope, prove of considerable public interest.”
― Brian Epstein, A Cellarful of Noise: The man who made the Beatles