Beatles book released by University of Winchester academics

University of Winchester visiting lecturer and former John Lennon impersonator, Daniel Ash, and Dr Glenn Fosbraey, an associate dean, have combined their knowledge of the band to release the book, Exploring Personality and Performance in The Beatles.

Co-author Daniel Ash in John Lennon mode (Image: University of Winchester)

Mr Ash is a former member of the Silver Beatles, a Beatles tribute band, and has drawn on his own experiences of being a tribute act to contribute to the book.

He said: "The Beatles have been an obsession for me since about the age of five. My love of their music then went hand-in-hand with me learning to play the guitar and keyboards."

The 34-year-old said that taking over as Lennon in the Silver Beatles strengthened his relationship with the music and also gave him the chance to create an alternative reality.

He said: "We are playing music that was never performed live - it's adding to the fiction."

Mr Ash said that while performing songs that were never played outside the studio may be moving into the realms of fantasy, many tribute bands go to extraordinary lengths to stay true to life.

Authors Daniel and Glenn with their new book (Image: University of Winchester)

He said: "It's not just about reproducing the sound, it's about staying in character between the songs, talking like the Beatles, and interacting as they would have done."

While Mr Ash's half of the book examines being a Beatle, albeit a bogus one, Dr Fosbraey delves into the clues to the characters of John, Paul, George, and Ringo, which can be derived from interviews, articles, and sleeve notes, and looks at the way their personalities were sold to the public.

Dr Fosbraey said: "As fellow Beatles obsessives, Daniel and I have spent hours retracing the footsteps of The Fabs, fanboying in London, Liverpool, Hamburg, and Rishikesh.

"The next logical step was to channel our obsession into this book, where we explore some of the reasons why the world remains fascinated with John, Paul, George, and Ringo over 50 years since they broke up."

Dr Fosbraey was also thrilled to meet Giles Martin, the son of The Beatles' producer George, at a recent graduation ceremony for University of Winchester students held in the city’s cathedral.

He said: "Giles Martin is Beatles royalty, which means he’s music royalty. It’s a real privilege to be able to welcome him into the Winchester Uni family."