SongLink
International is proud to be the title sponsor of the Heritage
Foundation's Blue Plaque for Brian Epstein which will be unveiled at 12
noon on Sunday 29th June, at Sutherland House, 5/6 Argyll Street, London
W1 next door to the London Palladium.
Epstein's company NEMS
Enterprises occupied offices on the fifth floor of the building from the
height of Beatlemania in 1964 until shortly after his tragic death in
August 1967, aged just 32. Epstein would have turned 80 on September
19th this year, and was recently posthumously inducted into the USA's
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. A bio-pic of his life is also currently in
development.
David Stark, founder and editor of SongLink, the
global song-plugging resource said, "As a lifelong Beatles fan I'm
delighted to be involved with this official commemoration of Britain's
most famous music manager. Epstein's signing of the Fab Four in 1962
developed into the greatest story in music and showbiz history, thanks
to his belief and vision that the group could conquer the world, but
even he couldn't have foreseen to what extent that would become true.
Sadly Brian only lived to enjoy five years of their phenomenal success
from 1963-67, but it's important that we recognise his outstanding
contribution to the music industry and popular culture in his short but
highly influential life."
VIP guests at the unveiling ceremony will
include Geoffrey Ellis, Liverpool friend of Epstein and MD of NEMS
Enterprises (later a PRS director) who worked at Argyll Street from
1964-67; Tony Bramwell (ex-NEMS & later head of Apple Records);
Beatles author Mark Lewisohn; actor Andrew Lancel who stars in the
upcoming play "Epstein - The Man Who made The Beatles"; Martin Lewis who
secured Epstein's induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame; Rod
Davis of The Quarrymen (the band that became The Beatles); Adam Ant and
other celebrities. The event will be hosted by actress Vicki Michelle,
President of the Heritage Foundation, and followed by a sold-out tribute
lunch at the Marriott Regents Park with live music by the Trembling
Wilburys, Dave Berry & others. In addition, messages of goodwill to
be read out on the day are being received from Sir Paul McCartney, Ringo
Starr, Cilla Black, Sir George Martin and others associated with
Epstein.
David Stark added, "It's totally fitting that Brian Epstein
should be honoured in his 80th birthday year, and at one of the most
prestigious show business locations in the world - right next door to
the London Palladium, where his clients The Beatles, Cilla, Gerry and
Billy J. Kramer all performed. I'm delighted that the current owners and
managing agents of Sutherland House have given permission and their
blessing for the plaque to be erected, and am sure it will give pleasure
and be of enormous interest to the hundreds of tourists and music
aficionados who pass by the site each day, not realising that this was
the place where so much of the Fab Four's busy day-to-day schedule was
meticulously planned by Brian and his staff. The Heritage Foundation and
I are proud to honour the man who paved the way for so many others in
the music business, and who is still recognised as being one of the most
visionary, hard-working and totally honest managers of all time, without whom The Beatles phenomenon might never have happened."
Links:
The Heritage
Foundationhttp://www.theheritagefoundation.co.uk/events/Epstein - The
Playhttp://epsteintheplay.com/Brian Epstein
websitehttp://www.brianepstein.com/
The Guardian is doing a story about people who appeared in the background of famous photographs, and the reporter is trying to trace people from the background of two specific photographs concerning The Beatles for an article series
called 'That's Me in the Picture'. 
