Beatles ’66: The Revolutionary Year

Fifty years ago, in 1966, the Beatles did something that would forever change the way recording artists approach their work: they decided to quit touring and devote their creative energies to pushing musical and technical boundaries in the studio. In this detailed look at that pivotal year, music journalist Turner (The Beatles: The Stories Behind the Songs, 1962–1966) chronicles the personal and artistic struggles of the Beatles as they transitioned from a pop group playing to throngs of screaming teenage girls to four young men wrestling with their individual artistic impulses and personal growth. The summer tour of 1966 finally pushed the band to quit the road and hit the studio. The band was arguably hitting its creative peak, breaking new—if risky—musical ground. When John Lennon played “Tomorrow Never Knows” for Bob Dylan, Dylan famously replied: “Oh, I get it. You don’t want to be cute any more.” “Paperback Writer,” “Taxman,” and “Strawberry Fields” were a far cry from “I Wanna Hold Your Hand.” And after years of being locked up in hotel rooms, the Beatles happily pursued cultural interests and experimenting with drugs. Going month by month, Turner aims to “slow things down”—and at times, the book moves a bit too slowly. Pacing aside, Turner succeeds in creating an illuminating portrait of the Beatles, both as a band and as individual artists. (Nov.)