Getting better all the time

Apparently during a tour in 1965, journalist Larry Kane asked The Beatles’ manager Brian Epstein, how long he thought they’d last, he replied: ‘I tell you, Larry, there is no other band, there will never be any band like them ever, for eternity. They are the best, I say to you Larry, here in 1965 that the children of 2000 will be listening to the Beatles.’

It was quite an exaggerated claim, though this week, 56 years later and 52 years since the Fab Four split, they’re still making headlines with the UK release of Get Back, a three-part documentary on Disney+ (other streaming platforms are available) produced and directed by Peter Jackson.

Created from over 200 hours of digitally restored and remastered footage and audio shot for the 1970 documentary Let It Be, this hotly anticipated documentary about a documentary, proves that Epstein knew what he was talking about, especially about the children of 2000.

Both my daughters are Beatles fans and when youngsters ask me who my favourite band is, I never try to be down with the kids and always say ‘The Beatles’ and get responses such as ‘Oh yeah, my Gran, Grandad, Mum, Dad, like them.

‘They were pretty good weren’t they?’ is heartening to hear and although I know that they are far from their current favourite band, the legacy of John, Paul, George and Ringo lives on.

I’ve been a lifelong Beatles fan.

My first ever single was Twist and Shout. I never saw them live, even when they came to Slough twice in 1963, as I was only four, but their music has been a constant part of my life and always will be and I hope that Get Back will once again prove to generations of all ages that they never went away.