| The Beatles began in obscurity. Four young, working-class boys from Liverpool, England, got together thanks to a series of coincidences and the love and corralling of a producer named Brian Epstein. Through dint, perseverance, charisma, and loads of musical talent, the Beatles forged what became the quintessential rock band. Indeed, nothing in the history of rock-and-roll can compare to the phenomenon of Beatlemania. After the release of the Beatles' 1962 hit, "Love Me Do," and the incorporation of Ringo Starr as the main drummer, the Beatles quickly became a European sensation. Yet nothing could prepare the world for the group's arrival in New York's John F. Kennedy airport in 1964. Teenage girls literally fainted during their sold-out performances, and John Lennon famously suggested that the group was more famous than even Jesus. In the early days of their success, the Beatles carried a lighthearted and fun image, mirroring the good-natured spirit of the times. They even made two movies, Help and A Hard Day's Night, which further saturated the media with their images. At the height of their success, though, in-fighting between John Lennon and Paul McCartney led to musical and political turmoil for the group. Experimenting with hallucinogenics and embracing the psychotropism of the late 1960s and early 1970s did nothing to ease the disharmony. Particularly because of John's relationship with the quirky Yoko Ono, Paul and John locked horns again and again. Despite the discontent that marred their end, few deny that the Beatles were one of the most--if not the most--important rock groups of all-time.
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