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A Magical Mystery Tour from the ultimate Beatles insider

By Paul Collins - Guest Columnist | Apr 27, 2020

Across more than five timeworn decades, Peter Asher has enjoyed a luminous career, and has basked in the warm glow of the international spotlight. In addition to being a winner of multiple Grammy Awards, he is a noted singer, musician, writer, manager (He has managed the career of James Taylor and Linda Ronstadt), record producer, and national broadcaster on Sirius XM with his show, “From me to You.” Sirius was actually the launch pad where he originated the A to Zed format. When all is said and done, in the grand design, Peter Asher has now eclipsed his past successes by being recognized as the ultimate Beatles insider. Multiple generations know him as the brother of British actress, Jane Asher, who in the swinging 60’s was Paul McCartney’s girlfriend. Paul actually lived in Asher’s parent’s home in London for a couple of years when he and Jane were a couple.

Working a killer schedule, he somehow still finds time to tour, playing musical gigs around the country. For those who have not seen one of Asher’s live shows, I can tell you that it is definitely worth the price of admission and then some. He regales his audience with wonderful nostalgic stories of when McCartney lived in his house, and how he actually gave Asher a song he’d written called “World Without Love.” The song shot up like a rocket to the top of the pop charts across the world in 1964. That McCartney-written song that John Lennon didn’t think was quite right for the Beatles launched the career of Peter and Gordon, the English duo that Asher was half of at the start of the fabled British Invasion. McCartney would go on the bring Asher into the Beatles inner circle when he offered him a key creative position in their Apple Record label launched in 1968.

Now, a half a century down the road, Asher has added book writer to his long and impressive resume. There is probably nobody on the planet who is more qualified to take readers on an alphabetical magical mystery tour through the pages the songbook written by and recorded by the most famous band the world has ever known. Peter Asher was there. He had a front row seat from which to watch it all unfold. For me, “The Beatles from A to Zed” was an enthralling read that found me flying through the pages and devouring his credible insider’s take on each and every one of the songs from the Beatles storied catalogue.

For those who may not yet have had the opportunity to listen to Asher’s radio show, there is a decidedly posh and very British tone in his voice that is offset by a warm, down to Earth, and human quality that lights up and warms the dark corners. Asher’s that guy who, if you’re an avid Beatles fan like this writer is, you’d love to sit down and have a drink with. A setting where one would be quite content to just sit there quietly listening to what he might have to offer. Asked about why he decided to write this book at this time, Asher says, “The book was not my idea actually. After I did the A to Zed episodes in my radio show (“From Me to You“) the publisher, Henry Holt, came to me with an idea of turning those shows into the chapters of a book.”

Starting with “All my Loving,” and going straight though to Zed, or Zee as we call the last letter of the alphabet, Asher takes the reader on a fascinating journey through the stuff that dreams are made of by exploring and sharing details that are intermingled with his personal memories. When all is said and done, not only does he explain those little things about each song that draw readers in, he truly excels at painting a new and fresh face on the most timeless and well known band in music history. From the first page to the last passage, what may be the strongest component within its pages, is that never at any time does “The Beatles A to Zed” leave the reader bored. It’s an amazingly interesting offering, and a feast for those who love the music of the Beatles.

There are but a handful of people across this world who ever had, or ever will have, the chance to actually see inside the Beatles inner sanctum. Across the decades, they have built a formidable wall around their private world; a wall that the rest of us will never breach. That wall simply doesn’t exist for Peter Asher, and it never did. Asked if he keeps in touch with the two surviving Beatles; Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, he says, “I do see Paul and Ringo from time to time – Ringo more often since he spends a lot of time in L.A.”

What “The Beatles A to Zed” left me with was a palpable sense that the author has crafted it in a way that makes the finished product quite different, unique, and a great deal more interesting than efforts from other authors who have not had that coveted insider’s view of the closely guard private realm of the Beatles. “The Beatle A to Zed” is mandatory reading for all those who love the Beatles and their lasting legacy.

The Beatles From A to Zed

By Peter Asher

Publisher: Henry Holt and Company

Hardcover: $27

Pages: 246

Paul Collins is a freelance writer from Southborough, Massachusetts.

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