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As the first insider Beatles tell-all (not counting Francie Schwartz’s Body Count – because why would I) – 1983’s The Love You Make, a collaboration between Brian Epstein’s protege Peter Brown and today’s guest, shocked fans with what was perceived as an airing of dirty laundry. Drug use, infidelity, betrayal, wife-swapping, and overall bad behavior was chronicled in detail, and Brown’s insider status gave credence to the reporting.
But many Beatle historians recognize the inaccuracies and questionable decision making, rendering what was once a best-selling book into something with considerably less esteem, to put it one way. But the original interviews with an array of insiders, many of them now dead, has arrived as a sort of unfiltered access to the source material. All You Need is Love is out now, and presents many witnesses, sum of questionable veracity, but with little comment, allowing the reader to judge their truthfulness for themselves.
Read it here – Erin Weber’s review of the earlier book (and Steven’s response in the comments):
Awesome interview, Robert! All of your questions for Steven Gaines were spot-on! This episode is so full of new and fascinating information that I had to listen to it twice (so far). I also appreciated that you linked to Erin Weber’s prior book review, as well as Gaines’ response, as a preclude to the episode. To then learn about the history and publishing “politics” behind the 1983 book really puts a lot of the material in a whole new light!
Not sure i trust Steven Gaines, especially UCLA not wanting the tapes, sounds like money!
Dan Richter = Heroin enabler, why not talk to him?