Sid and the Epsteins

[christine~]

In the article linked below,
Sid Bernstein says:

“I saw a little piece in one of the newspapers, about one inch wide, one inch in length, about three kids from Liverpool starting a little commotion — in Liverpool. I read the paper every week, and the stories got bigger and bigger and bigger, and I said, ‘I gotta get ‘em.’ That’s when I called Brian.”

Epstein refused Bernstein’s solicitations at first, noting that the Beatles had yet to receive any American airplay. “Brian says, ‘Why do we want to commit suicide? We don’t have any airplay in America.’

I’d never even heard their music.
I said, ‘They’re not committing suicide.’
A lot of BS later, I got ’em.”

Bernstein set up that first Carnegie Hall concert and the Shea Stadium performance, and true to his fashion, extended his friendship network to those outside the band.

He became very close with Clive Epstein, Brian’s older brother.
“We became best of friends. Class guy, very British, very Yiddish, and a lovely human being.”

Clive Epstein died in a skiing accident in 1988. “I lost a great friend,” Bernstein said. “He has two girls. I want my guys to marry one of them.”

Cover story from the New Jersey Jewish Standard, July 17, 2009 (25 Tammuz 5769)

www.jstandard.com/index.php/content/item/sid_bernstein/9076