A Beatle Fan Story (a true story)

The first time I saw The Beatles LIVE was in Vancouver B.C. during their first tour. They were sorta "banned" from Oregon/Washington cause they were going to corrupt the daughters of America, ( the mind set in those days) like Elvis shaking his hips which caused the well known fury. Seems pretty tame compared to today. HA! So, we commuted to Canada to see them the first time. You just can't imagine how powerful this was! I saw things there I've never seen since in terms of how the show was run, security, what people did to get a look at them, and the reception the audience gave them (10 ft. pile of presents stacked up in front of the stage etc..of items like hand sewn pillows, carvings, and paintings that took a great amount of time) and I've worked hundreds of live music shows over the years since. Saw them again in Portland, Oregon (1966) where I live. It's like photos or a movie in my mind of the experiences. I sometimes laugh at what people say today regarding the Beatles influences on the music industry, artists, lifestyles, and alike. Most of what I hear is just scraping the surface of the real impact those 4 boys had. We lived on everything they said and did, not only in the music, fashions, and hairstyles etc.. but, political and social views as well. Not too many folks know they were / still are, the "total package" of everything musicians strive to achieve today, whether they realize it or not. How much money alone can be directly attributed to the spin off of their impact must be in the trillions! All the musicians who picked up a guitar cause of the girls going nuts over these guys, recording studios, instruments and equipment, venues created, fashions, it just goes on forever. When John said they were as popular as Jesus, some of us knew exactly what he meant, and the bozos that didn't started the backlash of negative media, which couldn't and didn't last! I am a musician, own a sound company now, and am involved around the Portland area with other music related endeavors. Most of the musicians I meet or know currently, were directly influenced from the fab four as to have "no choice" not to do what they are doing in music. Most are all doing music cause of the Beatles in some way or another. The ones that aren't, want to be. There is a doctor in town that has Beatles items on his reception area walls that is impressive. I have only Ringo Starr's drumsticks from the Seattle show a friend of mine gave me knowing what the band means to me. I hang them proudly in my music studio as all my other collectibles came up missing during a move we made when I was young. I had tons of original stuff and was devastated to find them gone. I have a wealth of memories and with all the attention given the Beatles now, due to the Beatles 1 album etc.

--Rex Johnston

A John Lennon Story

Fan Fiction @ beatlefans.com