NEW BEATLES BOOK: "IT'S ALL TOO MUCH" - Adventures of a Teenage Beatles Fan in the '60s and Beyond

'IT’S ALL TOO MUCH' is the long-awaited memoir by music industry veteran David Stark — aka the “Zelig of Rock” — who grew up in north-west London during the 1960s as a dedicated Beatles fan, and was lucky enough to meet his musical heroes on various memorable occasions. From gate-crashing the Yellow Submarine film premiere in 1968 (aged just fifteen) and ending up sitting directly behind the group, to meeting John, Paul, George and Ringo individually in some extraordinary circumstances, David has some highly entertaining stories about his many Beatles encounters which have never been told before (see below).

However, David’s stories don’t end with the '60s, as he continued to encounter all the individual Beatles into the 1970s and beyond, culminating in 2006 when Sir Paul McCartney inducted him as a ’Companion of LIPA’ at the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts for his work with songwriter students. He also knew the late Sir George Martin, who has his own chapter in the book, as does John Lennon’s legendary Aunt Mimi, whom David visited and became friends with just months after Lennon’s senseless murder in 1980. The book's publication date of December 8th also marks the 40th anniversary of the tragedy.

Based in Belsize Park, north-west London, David is the founder and publisher of SongLink International, the online resource which has helped songwriters and composers to get their songs and music placed with recording artists around the world, as well as in Films, TV and advertising campaigns. David launched SongLink as a monthly magazine in 1993, before it went online in 2009 to even more success. Recent projects SongLink has helped with include the new albums by Sir Cliff Richard and Dame Shirley Bassey among others.

David is also a lifelong drummer, who plays with the Trembling Wilburys tribute band, while in 2013 he also played drums for pre-Beatles group The Quarrymen on one occasion. In 2014 he was responsible for a Blue Plaque dedicated to the late Brian Epstein, located at the old NEMS offices next to the London Palladium; and in 2019 was one of a small committee who successfully achieved the placement of a Blue Plaque at 3 Savile Row, to mark the Beatles’ final live appearance on the roof of their Apple building in January 1969.

All these stories and many more are included in 'IT'S ALL TOO MUCH', along with numerous photographs from David’s personal collection and other sources. There has never been a Beatles book quite this one, with so many extraordinary first-hand experiences all told with a great sense of humour. In addition, David is also the writer and composer of a tribute song to the Beatles, titled ‘Gold Songs’ by FAB GEAR, with the lyrics published at the end of the book. A video of the song is also up on YouTube – search on Fab Gear– Gold Songs

IT'S ALL TO MUCH

Adventures of a Teenage Beatles Fan in the '60s & Beyond by DAVID STARK

Forewords by authors Richard Buskin and Lesley-Ann Jones

Paperback, price £14.99 GBP / $19.99 USD

Over 100 photographs, colour & B/W

Published by This Day In Music Books www.thisdayinmusicbooks.com

Audiobook, price $9.99 available at https://awesound.com/audiobook/itsalltoomuch.net

SOME KEY EVENTS IN 'IT'S ALL TOO MUCH' :

January 1965: 12-year old David sees The Beatles in concert for the one and only time, at Hammersmith Odeon when his parents take him and his brother to 'Another Christmas Show'.

April 1966: David (13) is told off by John Lennon for parking his bicycle up against the gates at EMI Studios in Abbey Road, when Lennon's Rolls Royce is trying to get in.

January 1967: David (14) attends his first major rock concert, at the Saville Theatre, starring The Who supported by the Jimi Hendrix Experience. All the Beatles are there too.

July 1968: David (15) gate-crashes the world premiere of the 'Yellow Submarine' film, spending three hours on the roof of the London Pavilion cinema, before getting in and ending up sitting directly behind Paul McCartney and all the Beatles, thanks to Keith Richards' help.

October 1968: David sees John & Yoko arriving at Marylebone Magistrates Court for their infamous drug bust, and is photographed right behind them in a much-used press shot.

December 1968: David wins tickets to the legendary 'Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus' film shoot at TV studios in Wembley. The show also features John Lennon, Eric Clapton, Keith Richards and Mitch Mitchell playing in rock's first super-group, the 'Dirty Mac'.

January 1969: David wins tickets to the Beatles' TV show which never happened, as the group decided to famously play on the roof of the Apple building in Savile Row instead.

June 1969: David (16) received a hand-written letter from John Lennon, after his letter praising John& Yoko's album 'Life With the Lions' was published in pop paper Disc.

December 1969: David (17) meets John & Yoko after gatecrashing the premiere of The Magic Christian film starring Peter Sellers and Ringo. He also admits to the couple that he'd never actually heard the afore-mentioned album he'd written about, which they loved.

May 1970: David is officially invited by Apple to the Let It Be film premiere at the London Pavilion, but none of the Beatles attend as they'd just broken up.

October 1970: David and a pal go to find Ringo's house in Hampstead, to invite him out for a Saturday-evening pint. Sadly, Ringo turns down them down as he has friends over, including Eric Clapton.

July 1971: David (18) meets John Lennon for the last time, at a signing session for Yoko's 'Grapefruit' book at Selfridges. A few weeks later the couple move to New York.

November 1974: Now working at Decca Records, David introduces his mother to George Harrison, who's sitting behind them at the Royal Albert Hall for a concert by Ravi Shankar.

September 1981: David visits John Lennon's Aunt Mimi in Dorset, nine months after John's senseless murder. She tells him that John had come back to England to visit her in secret, which has never been probed.

July 2006: David is inducted as a 'Companion of LIPA' by Sir Paul McCartney, for his work with songwriter students at the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts.

PLUS many more stories of David’s amazing encounters with the individual Beatles, along with his experiences at various Fab Four-related media launches; awards ceremonies; soundchecks and shows; fan conventions; Blue Plaque unveilings and other events.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Originally from Stanmore and Edgware in north London, David Stark started work after leaving school for Premier Drums, before joining Dick James Music, Decca Records and MAM Records as international press officer. He later moved over to the press side of the business, working for Billboard/Music & Media and editing such magazines as Sound Engineer & Producer, before launching his own magazine in 1993, SongLink International for songwriters and music publishers, which he still publishes today b as an online resource by subscription only. SongLink has helped many songwriters get their songs placed worldwide. He is the recipient of a prestigious BASCA Gold Badge Award for services to the music industry, and was inducted as a Companion of LIPA by Sir Paul McCartney in 2006. He has also adjudicated at many song contests around the world; was co-founder of the Unisong International Contest; has won the Nordoff Robbins Music Industry Pop Quiz three times in the past few years with his team the SongLink Saboteurs, and is regarded by many as one of the best-connected people in the music industry.

Also by David Stark

'Inspirations - Original Lyrics and the Stories Behind the Greatest Songs' (with Michael Randolfi and Mike Read, 1999).


Attached Media