In the space of just seven years, the Beatles released twelve landmark albums and 22 groundbreaking singles – a total of 208 songs that would influence artists and musicians for decades to come.



And the Band Begins to Play is the definitive guide to the complete catalogue of songs recorded and released by the Beatles between their first EMI session in 1962 and their break-up in 1970. Each track is fully analysed, giving: the story behind, and background to the composition

a musical analysis, with scored examples

a description of the recording process

details of the studio techniques used

the track's instrumentation and details of any overdubs

any production innovations

recording anomalies of the released track The appendices include detailed listings concerning all the Beatles' recordings, including: a complete UK and US discography

a chronology of all recordings, including the nominal key signature, period over which the recording took place and key facts about each song

the dates and take numbers of all recordings

the UK and US chart achievements of all releases

calendars of recording sessions and concert appearances Unquestionably, the Beatles remain the key band of the rock era. And the Band Begins to Play tells the story of their unique musical legacy.



To find out how to order your copy of And the Band Begins to Play , click here.



Now available -

The Songs the Beatles Played:

An Expanded Compendium











612 pages, including scores

large format: 8.5 x 11 in (21.6 x 28 cm)

ISBN 978-94-91868-00-9 (softback)

ISBN 978-94-91868-01-6 (hardback)



Download a sample pdf of the songs, and the appendices.



The book is also available as a 12-volume series of e-books. Find out more from Smashwords.



