Artificial Paradise: The Dark Side of the Beatles' Utopian Dream

358 Pages·2005·1.44 MB·English

by  Kevin Courrier

ARTIFICIAL
PARADISE
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ARTIFICIAL
PARADISE
The Dark Side of the Beatles’
Utopian Dream
Kevin Courrier
LibraryofCongressCataloging-in-PublicationData
Courrier,Kevin,1954–
Artificialparadise:thedarksideoftheBeatles’utopiandream/KevinCourrier.
p.cm.
Includesbibliographicalreferencesandindex.
ISBN978–0–313–34586–9(alk.paper)
1. Beatles.2. Rockmusicians—England—Biography.3. Rockmusic—1961–1970—History
andcriticism. I.Title.
ML421.B4C68 2009
782.42166092’2—dc22 2008032632
BritishLibraryCataloguinginPublicationDataisavailable.
Copyright©2009byKevinCourrier
Allrightsreserved.Noportionofthisbookmaybe
reproduced,byanyprocessortechnique,withoutthe
expresswrittenconsentofthepublisher.
LibraryofCongressCatalogCardNumber:2008032632
ISBN:978–0–313–34586–9
Firstpublishedin2009
PraegerPublishers,88PostRoadWest,Westport,CT06881
AnimprintofGreenwoodPublishingGroup,Inc.
www.praeger.com
PrintedintheUnitedStatesofAmerica
Thepaperusedinthisbookcomplieswiththe
PermanentPaperStandardissuedbytheNational
InformationStandardsOrganization(Z39.48–1984).
10987654321
ForDonandSheilaCourrierforhavingtheforesighttobuymearecord
playerearlyinmylife
&
RogerCormierandWalterKnoxingratitudefortheyearsofsharedmusic
andcamaraderie.
Legendsarebornoutoftheneedtodeciphertheindecipherable.Memories
mustmakedowiththefireoftheirdelirium,withtheirdrift.Amoment
stoppedwouldburnlikeaframeoffilmblockedbeforethefireof
theprojector.
ChrisMarker,SansSoleil
CONTENTS
Acknowledgments ix
Introduction:StepInsideLove xi
Prologue:NowhereLand xxix
Chapter1:OnceThereWasaWay 1
Chapter2:LikeDreamersDo 30
Chapter3:HurricaneofLove 66
Chapter4:YouWon’tSeeMe 101
Chapter5:LetMeTakeYouDown 129
Chapter6:FixingaHole 159
Chapter7:TurnMeOn,DeadMan 188
Chapter8:ComeTogether 236
Epilogue:DreamsWithinaDream 257
Notes 281
Index 297
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The idea forArtificial Paradise came about a few years ago over a dinner
conversationamongsomeclosefriendsabouttheBeatles.Theconversation
that night had rippled with friendly intensity. As we argued about the
group’s merit,ithadmewonderinghowa bandover30years gone could
continuetosparkdebateasifthey’djustbrokenupyesterday.Threebooks
madeitpossibleformetoexpandtheideasinmyownwork.DevinMcKin-
ney’sMagicCirclesopeneduptheterritory,whileIanMacDonald’sRevolu-
tion in the Headprovided astute comments on the Beatles’music and the
zeitgeist of their time. Steve Turner’s AHard Day’s Write wasinvaluable
forcollatingthebackgroundtothewritingoftheirsongs.
Itookthisprojecttoanumberofpublisherswhodidn’tseetheworthinit.
So I was deeply fortunate that Daniel Harmon at Greenwood Publishing
Groupdid.AndI’dfirstliketothankhimforhissupport—andfornotcol-
lapsingfromaheartattackwhenhesawthebook’slength.I’dalsoliketo
thank Kelly Fisher Lowe for recommending the publishing house. Special
thanksalsogoestoErinFleckwhoprovidedthedoorwhichIgladlyopened
totheconceptofNowhereLand.Therewereanumberofreaderswhomade
my job easier (and less lonely). First and foremost, I’d like to express my
sheergratitudetomyfriendandCBCcolleagueGreigDymond,whocares
asmuchabouttheBeatlesasIdo.Hisinvaluablesupportandinsightfulsug-
gestions,whichgrewoutofmanyyearsofdiscussingthegroup,madehima
worthycollaboratoronthisproject.SteveVinebergprovidedthekindoffor-
ensics appraisal that always keeps you sharp and never lets your work go
soft.It’soneofmanyreasonswhyhe’ssuchavaluedfriend.NaomiBoxer
kept me on my game anddid whatdeeply cherished comrades always do:
She gave unconditional support of both the work and myself—no matter
how tired or grumpy I became. David Churchill is one of my oldest and
closest friends for a damn good reason. He’s always there with the right
questions,thebestanswers,andthebiggestheart.SpecialthanksgotoSusan