Artificial Paradise: The Dark Side of the "Beatles'" Utopian Dream

On February 11, 1963, the Beatles recorded "There's a Place," a dazzling, unheralded song, which was included on their electrifying debut album, "Please Please Me". This piece firmly laid the foundation on which a huge utopian dream of the '60s would be built. Within that dream, however, also lay the seeds of a darker, dystopian vision that would emerge out of the very counterculture that the Beatles and their music helped create. While their music attracted adoring fans, it also enticed the murderous ambitions of Charles Manson; and though the Beatles may have inspired others to create new bands, their own failed hopes ultimately led to their break-up. The disillusionment with the '60s, and the hopes associated with the group, would many years later culminate in the assassination of John Lennon and the attempted slaying of George Harrison by deranged and obsessive fans. In "Artificial Paradise", author Kevin Courrier examines how the Fab Four, through their astonishing music and comically rebellious personalities, created the promise of an inclusive culture built on the principles of pleasure and fulfillment. By taking us through their richly inventive catalogue, Courrier illustrates how the Beatles' startling impact on popular culture built a bond with audiences that was so strong, people today continue to either nostalgically cling to it, or struggle (often violently) to escape its influence.