Sid Bernstein remembers (5/13/01) The title of Sid Bernstein's book says it all. "Not Just the Beatles..." is an autobiography where his involvement with the Beatles plays just a part. Besides discussing how he brought the Beatles first to Carnegie Hall, then later to Shea Stadium, Bernstein tells how he got started in show business, his early work with rock acts (including a run-in with Allen Klein), plus working with such diverse acts as the Stones, the Young Rascals, ABBA, Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett. One of the most fascinating part of the book is how he manages to get some extra seats to the sold-out Carnegie Hall show -- he got a seating area set up on the stage where the Beatles performed, a practice almost unheard of today. Through it all, Bernstein's narrative is that of a gentle, mild-mannered man determined to do right by those he associates with. Despite some glaring proofreading mistakes, this is a fun read, giving a view of a bygone day when the human touch, not corporations, predominated in show business.
This news item brought to you by Abbeyrd's Beatles Page