# The Beatles

The Beatles in 1964.
**The Beatles** wis an Inglis pop rock baund frae Liverpuil that's members wis John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, an Ringo Starr. They are ane o the maist commercially successfu an weel-respectit baunds in the history o popular muisic.

In the Unitit Kinrick, The Beatles releasit mair nor fowerty different singles, albums, an EPs that won til nummer ane. This commercial success wis repeatit in monny ither kintras: thair record company, EMI, estimatit that by 1985 they had selt ower ane billyon discs an tapes warldwide. The Beatles is the best-sellin muisical act o aw time in the Unitit States, gaun by the Recordin Industry Association o Americae.

In 2004, Rolling Stone magazine rankit The Beatles nummer ane in its list o The 100 Greatest Airtists O Aw Time. Gaun by the selsame magazine, their innovative muisic an cultural impact helpit define the 1960s, an their influence on pop cultur is aye evident the day.

The Beatles led the mid-1960s muisical "*British Invasion*" in the Unitit States. Awtho their ineetial muisical style wis ruitit in 1950s rock an rowe an hame-grown skiffle, the group explorit genres reenging frae Tin Pan Alley tae psychadelic rock. Thair claes, styles, an statements made thaim trend-setters, while their growin social awaurness shaws their influence extendit in tae the social an cultural revolutions o the 1962

## 1957–60: Formation

In Mairch 1957, while gaun tae Quarry Bank Grammar School in Liverpool, John Lennon formed a skiffle group cawed The Quarrymen. Lennon an The Quarrymen met guitarist Paul McCartney at the Woolton Garden Fête, hauden at Saunt Peters Kirk on the 6t Juily 1957, an eikit him tae the group a few days efter. On 6t Februar 1958, the young guitarist George Harrison wis invitit tae watch the group (that played unnerr sindry different names) perform at Wilson Haw, Garstoun, Liverpuil. McCartney haed become acquent wi Harrison on the mornin schuil bus hurl tae the Liverpuil Institute, as they baith dwalt in Speak. At McCartneys insistance, Harrison jyned the Quarrymen as lead guitarist efter a rehersal in Mairch 1958, owercomin Lennon's ineetial reluctance acause o Harrison's young age. New members conteenad tae jyne an lea' the line-up durin that period, an in Januar 1960 Lennon's airt schuil freend Stuart Sutcliffe jyned on bass. Lennon an McCartney baith played rythm guitar an the group haed a heich turnower o drummers.

The Quarrymen gaed throu a progression o names — "Johnny And The Moondogs", "Long John And The Beatles", "The Silver Beatles" (derived frae Larry Parness suggeestion o "Long John And The Silver Beetles") — afore settlin o "The Beatles" in August 1960. Thare's mony theories as tae the oreegin o the name an its unuisual spellin. It is for ordinar creedit tae Lennon, wha said that the name wis a combination wird-play on the insect clocks (Inglis: "beetles") (as a referece tae Buddy Holly's baund, The Crickets) an the wird "beat". Cynthia Lennon suggeestit that Lennon cleckit the name for The Beatles at a "brainstorming session ower a beer-soakit teeple in the Renshaw Haw baur." Lennon, wha wis weel-kent for giein multiple versions o the same story, jokit in a 1961 Mersey Beat magazine airticle that "It cam in a veesion – a man kythed on a bleizin pie an said tae them, 'Frae this day on ye're the Beatles".

## Personal life

* Paul McCartney's dochter Stella McCartney hae gone on tae have a successfu career as a weel-respectit claes designer.
* John Lennon's sons Sean Lennon an Julian Lennon hae gone on tae have successfu muisical careers. Sean ha been involved in a number o weel-respectit baunds: Cibo Mato, an Dopo Yume.