The Beatles’ first contract with manager Brian Epstein is expected to sell for about £300,000 at auction.
Paul McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison and their first drummer Pete Best signed the document on 24 January 1962, before achieving worldwide fame.
“[Epstein] stopped them eating on stage,” Gabriel Heaton, a specialist at the Sotheby’s auction house, said.
“He made sure they played the songs properly and coherently, and he got them bowing at the end of a set.”
The document, said to have been signed by the band in the front room of Best’s mother’s house, was the first of two contracts drawn up between Epstein and The Beatles.
It gave Epstein responsibility for finding the band work, and managing their schedule and publicity.
He was also to oversee “all matters concerning clothes, make-up and the presentation and construction of the artists’ acts and also on all music to be performed”.
Mr Heaton said: “He was just blown away by the passion, the energy, the charisma, the raw sexuality on stage.
“They had the stage energy but he instilled a sense of professionalism in them.”
The band’s previous manager, Allan Williams, had warned Epstein “they’ll let you down”.
Brian Epstein
- The Liverpool-born manager was in charge of the record section of his family’s shop, North End Music Stores, when he first saw The Beatles at the city’s Cavern Club
- After signing the band, he changed their image from leather jackets and jeans to suit and ties
- Epstein managed other Merseyside acts, including Cilla Black, and Gerry and The Pacemakers
- He died in 1967, aged 32, following a drug overdose – the inquest ruled it as an accidental death
However, Epstein did not sign the contract himself, saying “even though I knew I would keep the contract in every clause, I had not 100% faith in myself to help The Beatles adequately”.
“I wanted to free The Beatles of their obligations if I felt they would be better off,” he said.
The contract outlines that Epstein’s fee would be 10%, rising to 15% if their earnings should exceed £120 a week – McCartney had negotiated the maximum limit down from 20%.
Following Best’s departure from the band, another contract was signed on 1 October 1962 with Ringo Starr as drummer – and Epstein’s cut at a higher percentage.
The original contract, from the collection of Epstein’s publisher Ernest Hecht, is being auctioned for the first time next month.
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- The Beatles - Beatles For Sale - 1 Box - EX - UK - vinyl LP - £95.00, $118.75, €111.15 (New Item) (arrived 03-May-2024 18:28)on May 5, 2024 at 5:07 pm
THE BEATLES Beatles For Sale (Rare 1969 UK issue of the 1964 14-track stereo LP on the short-lived one EMI box logo label, complete with red toned advert inner. This label design was used very briefly in 1969 only, between the Apple label & the standard two EMI box logo. Few LPs were pressed with this label & very few have survived this well. Comes housed in a front laminated gatefold picture sleeve with internal flipbacks & company catalogue inner. The sleeve has some wear evidentto the edges and corners, whilst the vinyl is clean with just a few general light signs of play, in Excellent condition PCS3062)
- The Beatles - The Blue Album 1967-1970 (2023 Edition) - Blue Vinyl - Sealed - UK - 3-LP vinyl set - £69.99, $87.49, €81.89 (New Item) (arrived 30-Apr-2024 10:35)on May 5, 2024 at 5:07 pm
THE BEATLES The Blue Album 1967-1970 (50th Anniversary 2023 UK/EU 37-track 180-gram Blue Vinyl triple album 3-LP, the landmark compilation album now expanded with 9 additional tracks, all halfspeed mastered and featuring some new mixesby Giles Martin. Including Blackbird, Glass Onion and the new song, Now And Then. Gatefold picture sleeve with new liner notes insert, hype sticker & factory sealed. Recommended)
- The Beatles - Abbey Road - Pathé - EX - UK - vinyl LP - £50.00, $62.50, €58.50 (New Item) (arrived 29-Apr-2024 10:18)on May 5, 2024 at 5:07 pm
THE BEATLES Abbey Road (Rare 1973 16-track LP on Apple, pressed under contract by Pathe Marconi in France. The Apple labels state both 'Mfd In UK' & 'Made In France By Pathe Marconi', due to the EMI pressing plant in Hayes, UK undergoing refurbishment at the time. Comes housed in the UK printed fully laminated picture sleeve. The sleeve is Excellent with little shelf wear whilst the vinyl is clean & in Excellent condition with minimal play PCS7088) #Top 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time
- The Beatles - At The Hollywood Bowl + Inner - EX - UK - vinyl LP - £18.00, $22.50, €21.06 (New Item) (arrived 29-Apr-2024 10:43)on May 5, 2024 at 5:07 pm
THE BEATLES At The Hollywood Bowl (1977 UK 13-track LP, recorded by George Martin at their concerts in 1964 & 1965, gatefold picture sleeve with illustrated round-cornered 'Beatles Collection' inner. The sleeve has some indentations and mild creasing to the front whilst the vinyl shows little sign of play EMTV4)
- The Beatles - Help! - Two Box - Gram - UK - vinyl LP - £35.00, $43.75, €40.95 (New Item) (arrived 29-Apr-2024 10:45)on May 5, 2024 at 5:07 pm
THE BEATLES Help! (1970 UK stereo issue of the 1965 14-track LP on the two boxed EMI logo label with 'Gramophone Co' perimeter text, front laminated picture sleeve. The sleeve shows just a little light shelfwear and the vinyl remains in superbcondition with few signs of play PCS3071) #Top 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time
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