Publishers Weekly
09/23/2019
In conversational prose, record producer Asher, who met the Beatles in 1963 and became the first head of A&R for Apple records, romps through the Beatles’ song catalogue with glee and an insider’s knowledge about the music and its times. Each section includes popular Beatles songs as well as other topics associated with a particular letter that come to Asher’s mind. The T section opens, for example, with reflections on “Ticket to Ride” and “Taxman,” written by George Harrison, who was lamenting the outrageous tax rates in Britain at the time; Asher then meditates on time signatures, using “Happiness Is a Warm Gun” to demonstrate ways in which the Beatles changed signatures within the same song. Under D, Asher considers drums and Ringo Starr’s drumming—in which the fills were quite specific, with each beat placed in the right spot—as he reflects on “A Day in the Life.” He recalls hearing Paul and John playing piano in his basement one day and being asked his thoughts on a song they had just written—“I Want to Hold Your Hand.” Asher’s inviting prose and knack for storytelling provide an entertaining tour of the Beatles’ music. (Nov.)
From the Publisher
Who better than Peter to tell us these stories? Who else can offer a loving, smart and funny, firsthand look at the defining cultural event of our time? He was there. With his eyes and ears open, an indelible feature of the landscape—musically, professionally, and personally. Enjoy the book.” —James Taylor
“Peter Asher’s fascinating insights, passion, charm, command of the English language, and musical expertise make his Beatles shows on SiriusXM the best. It is a pleasure to read this book and feel the same way.” —Jerry Seinfeld
“At last, I finally understand the alphabet! I also love this book: secret Beatles knowledge from one of the closest insiders.” —Steve Martin
“Fascinating and intriguing. I thought I knew all about the Beatles, but The Beatles from A to Zed is full of surprises. It reminded me of great tunes I had almost forgotten, and it led me to some wonderful tracks I’d never heard before. I read and listened simultaneously and had a great time.” —Ken Follett
“I love Peter’s music comments and the way he winds the stories into the songs. His voice is so authentically present that it’s like having a conversation with him. I want to listen to all these songs again with this book on my lap.” —Linda Ronstadt
“Asher . . . romps through the Beatles’ song catalogue with glee and an insider’s knowledge about the music and its times. . . . [His] inviting prose and knack for storytelling provide an entertaining tour of the Beatles’ music.” —Publishers Weekly
“Asher . . . includes plenty of stories that only he knows and that, in turn, personalizes his alphabetical romp. A fun, lighthearted book from one Beatles fan to many others.” —Booklist
“[Asher] excels at excavating details and connections that sparkle and entertain.” —The Washington Post
"Breezy and fun . . . combining insider tidbits with fresh and insightful looks at the Fab Four." —Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Kirkus Reviews
2019-08-19
A lively firsthand recollection of the Fab Four.
British singer, musician, record producer, and host of SiriusXM's radio program From Me to You, Asher makes his book debut with a bright, rambling memoir about his long association with the Beatles, which began in 1963 when Paul McCartney, who was dating Asher's sister, moved into his house. At the time, Asher was half of the duo Peter & Gordon, performing in pubs, clubs, and coffeehouses, and soon under contract with the prestigious EMI Records. Asher eventually quit performing to become head of A&R for Apple Records, where he managed such artists as James Taylor, Linda Ronstadt, Cher, and Diana Ross. The author's self-described "personal and at times idiosyncratic" take on Beatles music, which follows their playlist alphabetically, is bursting with anecdotes about each song's composition and the circumstances of recording it. He opines on the songs' structure, content, effect, and quality, and he digresses about anyone and everyone associated with the Beatles—collectively and individually—as well as performers connected to his career as a record producer. Reading this memoir is like listening to an entertaining, though nonstop, monologue from someone reprising a golden time, blithely jumping from one memory to another as new thoughts and stories pop into his mind. Halfway through his "alphabetically inspired yet meandering pace," Asher arrives at the letter L, which gives him a chance to comment on "Love Me Do," the Beatles' first single, and also on Sean Lennon and Julian Lennon, whose musicianship Asher much admires. "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds," writes the author, was inspired by Julian's childhood drawing of his friend Lucy, "against a sparkly sky"—and not, as some have speculated, about LSD. The letter Q gives Asher pause: He writes about "Queenie Eye," a solo McCartney song, and expounds on the Quarrymen, string quartets, and what he deems is the quietest Beatles song ("Blackbird").
A gift for Beatles fan.
