Literary Las Vegas: Ronald Getz & Kenneth Getz

MGM human resources professional Ronald Getz and his brother Kenneth Getz, an associate professor at Tufts University, teamed to write “Equal to the Love You Make: A Celebration of the Breadth and Depth of the Beatles Brand.” From movies and music to memorabilia, the authors look at the legendary band’s lingering influence in pop culture and its impact on the economy.

Excerpt:

To our knowledge, this is the first time the comprehensive value and characteristics of all things Beatles has ever been estimated and cataloged. Although John, Paul, George, and Ringo broke up more than 45 years ago, the Beatles brand generates an estimated half a billion dollars ($US) annually. The Beatles are arguably one of the greatest, most productive, and enduring brands of all time.

In his 2014 book The Beatles Lyrics, Hunter Davies hit the nail on the head: “The farther we get from them, the bigger [the Beatles] become. Their influence and our interest in them seems to grow all the time.”

Each generation has its own connection to the Beatles, their music, and their messages. The historical context, socio-political conditions, and prevailing musical genres of the time may change, but each generation embraces the Beatles as their own.