Brian Epstein lives!

Exactly the point of this AH. Also with Brian Epstein still around it is unlikely that the magical mystery tour film would be the disater it was in otl. If Epsteined lived I see the Beatles possibly plus some additional member (Brian Jones, Eric Clapton, Billy Preston) Lasting until 1973. Band On The Run would probably be the last Beatle album. In this world its Harrison's departure that ends the Beatles. I cannot see "Dark Horse" being a Beatles album as George's whole point that year was that he wasn't "Beatle-George" But the rest of the band would be on much better terms-making a reunion much more likely then in OTL
 
As to those rumours the only ones that I heard was that he did that in Spain. I havn't heard a mention of that continuing afterward
 
Here's a more interesting twist - have Joe Orton survive too. He was asked by Epstein to write "Help!" and Orton was desperate to fill the play with his style of innuendo but Epstein didn't like it. Still, I'm sure that the two of them could have worked something out, they were both pragmatic people and Orton's star was definitely on the rise.
 
I'm going to start this timeline tell me what you think :D
August 8th 1967 Kenneth Halliwell commits suicide by putting his head in a gas oven. He had become increasingly depressed due boyfriend Joe Orton's success. Orton calls Beatle manager Brian Epstein asking if the meeting scheduled for the next day can be rescheduled to give Orton time to mourn over the death. Epstein agrees
August 24 1967 Peter Brown arrives at Epstein's country home with Geofrey Elis. At one point in their disussions with Epstein, Brian declares that he is going back to London, but Peter Brown talks him out of it.
August 27 1967 Peter Brown finds to his horror that he cannot wake Brian up. He calls for an ambulance. Luckily Eptein is revived. It is later revealed that had Brown waited ten minutes longer, Eptein would have died in the ambulance. Brown calls the Beatles in Bangor to inform them of what has happened. They decide to cut short their meeting with the maharishi to visit Brian in the hospital.
August 28 1967 The Beatles visit Brian Epstein in a London hospital. Epstein tells them that he worries that the group really has no need for him anymore since the band gave up touring a year ealier. Lennon responds "what do ya mean Eppy?, hell, without you the band would be finished."
August 29th 1967 Calmed by Lennon's assertion the day before Epstein calls McCartney to discuss the upcoming Magical Mystery Tour project. Brian tells Paul that he feels a Beatles written/directed special would be a mistake. He tells Paul that the band should hire a writer to flesh out the Beatles ideas. After much discussion Paul agrees. The filming is delayed until October while Brian looks for a writer. Meanwhile the Beatles spend there time recording the songs they hope to appear in the special
September 15th 1967 The long delayed meeting between Joe Orton and The Beatles finally occurs. Paul tells Orton that he fears "Up Against it" is "too gay" and asks if he would mind toning it down. After much discussion Orton agrees
October 5-Nov 3 1967 The Beatles film Magical Mystery Tour.
November 5 1967 playwrite Joe Orton delivers his rewrite of Up Against it to the Beatles it is quickly approved. Epstein begins looking for a possible director.
Feb. 1968 The Beatles record the Lady Maddona single and several other songs as per OTL
March 15th 1968 Magical Mystery Tour is shown on British television
April-May 1968 The Beatles are with the Maharishi in India and they write an extraoridinary amount of songs as per OTL
June 1 The Beatles discuss their upcoming album with Epstein and George Martin. The Band wants to release a double album Martin and Epstein talk the Beatles out of it. They instead decide to record most of the songs written in India, but only initially release a single album. The remaining songs will either be scrapped, appear as singles or B sides. or be saved for a later album
August 27th A year after Brian Epstein had narrowly escaped death the Beatles release an album entitled "The Beatles" due to its all white cover the album becomes known as the white album The track list is Side one "Back In The USSR" "Dear Prudence" "Glass Onion" "Rocky Racoon" "The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill" "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" "Happiness Is a Warm Gun" "I Will" Side Two "Birthday" "Mother Natures Son" "I'm So Tired" "Yer Blues" "Blackbird" "Sexy Sadie" "Helter Skelter" "Julia"
The album is backed by two singles "Hey Jude/Revolution and "Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da/Piggies The Beatles spend the next few months recording the remaining songs.
October 1 1968 Sessions for the new Beatles Album "Get Back" Begin
October 31st 1968 As publicity for there upcoming album the Beatles perfom a rooftop concert. George Martin will use many of the takes to create Get Back this is the last session for that album
November 5 1968 Filming Begins on "Up Against It"
December 11 1968 John Lennon takes a day off from the filming of "Up Against it" To perform with the supergroup "Dirty Mac" on the Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus. After perfoming with Clapton he asks him if after having performed 2 Beatle songs (Yer Blues and doing the solo for "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" if he would be interested in joining the group. Clapton tells Lennon he'll have to speak to his friend, George Harrison First
December 15th 1968 Get Back is released with the single "Long Winding Road/Savoy Truffle"
January 18th 1969 Filming is wrapped up on "Up Against It" after much thought Eric Clapton telephones Brian Epstein to tell him that he has accepted the Beatles offer to join the group, He asks Brian to bring him "All that legal stuff
January 20th 1969 In a press conference Eric Clapton announces he has joined the Beatles. When asked what he plans to do in the group he replies "I think I'll play a little guitar, mate"
March 3 1969 Up against It premieres. All five Beatles attend
 
Good start - Epstein did manage other bands, any mention of how they are going to fare? His talents were definitely in the live, theatrical - when the Beatles stopped touring, they began to go off the rails. But he still has Cilla Black, Gerry and the Pacemakers et al under his belt drawing the crowds.
 
Yes this is all very good, the only query I would have is that Eric was more drawn to Blues and the music of the East coast. His collaborations with George were more on the technical guitar level than as Beatle music.
 
okay since I'm going to get a lot of questins about this I'll explain why I have Eric Clapton joining the Beatles.
1. He had already performed on the song "While My Guitair Gently Weeps"
2. He performed a lot on Beatle solo records. He played on All things Must Pass Plastic Ono Band and also performed with Lennon at live peace in toronto. As well as being a member of the Dirty Mac
3 Clapton was at the time (Clapton had yet to fall for Patti Harrison) great friends with George. He may have been willing to join a group with his friend
4. George was moving towards more of a slide guitair style at the time and I feel the Beatles would need a a non slide guitarist to back them up.
5. Fatigue. By this time the Beatles were sick of each other. They needed fresh blood. In OTL they briefly got Billy Preston In most AH's that involve a longer lasting Beatles they end up with Brian Jones but by this time he was spent. So I don't see him fullfilling the new Beatle role.
6 In the aftermath of Cream I think Clapton wanted to be in a group in which he would not be the central attraction. In OTL he got this wish when he performed with Delaney and Bonny
And in answer to your statments Ijofa, the Beatles will go on tour in 1969 around July

Hope this answers your questions
 
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Personally I think putting another creative genius into the already unstable relationship between John and Paul would have caused a more rapid onset of critical mass.
 
How much more rapid could it have been with Clapton in the group? although the Beatles "officially" broke up in 1970 Lennon had left the group by September of 1969 so you could say they broke up then. Anyway Clapton is not going to stay in the group very long anyway. (His Heroin addiction will force him to leave by 1972 at the latest)
 
How much more rapid could it have been with Clapton in the group? although the Beatles "officially" broke up in 1970 Lennon had left the group by September of 1969 so you could say they broke up then. Anyway Clapton is not going to stay in the group very long anyway. (His Heroin addiction will force him to leave by 1972 at the latest)

Interesting, so how will he progress then in relation to his work during rehabilitation with Ron Wood and Pete Townsend?
 
Is your new Beatles timeline with Emperor Norton I gonna be a remake of this, like Roguebeaver's The Impossible Dream was a remake of Flight of Fate?
 
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