Rating: 
Summary: Thoroughly enjoyable, touching at times
Review: A very good autobiography of the Beatles' producer. The title is misleading since he didn't really "create" the band, and he doesn't claim this in the book. It is just the title, probably added by the marketing people. But yes, he was responsible for the "Beatles sound" and he can take all credit for the daring experiments in several albums. He changed he way music is recorded. The book does NOT focus only on the Beatles, it gives an overview of his entire career and of all musicians he worked with (you'd be surprised). It focuses on his day-to-day work in the studios and as he writes about that, he explains in detail the changes in studio technology, in a tone suitable for non-techies, while keeping enough useful information for studio junkies. It is also the best account I've read of the relationship between band and producer. If you don't know what a music producer does, you should read this book. It doesn't have any gossip on anybody's private lives so don't buy it for that. He is a professional and a gentleman. He is interested in music and how it is made. The book is full of great insights (e.g. he doesn't mind the then new technology of automatic voice tuners because, paraphrasing, a record is a work of fiction, in the same way a James Bond movie is not 'real' so what matters is the end product), and in the last chapter on future technologies (this was written in 1979, on the eve of digital recording) it is touching to see how open he is to the new ideas coming just around the corner, including the CD. My only complaint is that some minor bits are just not that interesting (e.g. a story about a card he got from Sophia Loren). But this is a minor flaw and doesn't happen frequently in the book. Overall... A great music lesson. From a great master.
Rating:
Summary: Thoroughly enjoyable, touching at times
Review: A very good autobiography of the Beatles' producer. The title is misleading since he didn't really "create" the band, and he doesn't claim this in the book. It is just the title, probably added by the marketing people. But yes, he was responsible for the "Beatles sound" and he can take all credit for the daring experiments in several albums. He changed he way music is recorded. The book does NOT focus only on the Beatles, it gives an overview of his entire career and of all musicians he worked with (you'd be surprised). It focuses on his day-to-day work in the studios and as he writes about that, he explains in detail the changes in studio technology, in a tone suitable for non-techies, while keeping enough useful information for studio junkies. It is also the best account I've read of the relationship between band and producer. If you don't know what a music producer does, you should read this book. It doesn't have any gossip on anybody's private lives so don't buy it for that. He is a professional and a gentleman. He is interested in music and how it is made. The book is full of great insights (e.g. he doesn't mind the then new technology of automatic voice tuners because, paraphrasing, a record is a work of fiction, in the same way a James Bond movie is not 'real' so what matters is the end product), and in the last chapter on future technologies (this was written in 1979, on the eve of digital recording) it is touching to see how open he is to the new ideas coming just around the corner, including the CD. My only complaint is that some minor bits are just not that interesting (e.g. a story about a card he got from Sophia Loren). But this is a minor flaw and doesn't happen frequently in the book. Overall... A great music lesson. From a great master.
Rating: 
Summary: entertaining and informative
Review: First, let me say that I absolutely love the Beatles and am a huge fan and admirer of George Martin - that's why I bought this book. However, it has been a huge disappointment for me. It manages to take a fascinating subject and make it boring. It didn't really reveal any new Beatles facts and is not very fun at all to read. This story has been told better in a million other places. Also, it's old - the copyright date for this version is 1995 but that's for the paperback version - it really came out in the late 70s. Sorry George, you're great, but this book was a big letdown. P.S. What's with the terrible grammar in the title? Who came up with that?
Rating: 
Summary: a big letdown
Review: First, let me say that I absolutely love the Beatles and am a huge fan and admirer of George Martin - that's why I bought this book. However, it has been a huge disappointment for me. It manages to take a fascinating subject and make it boring. It didn't really reveal any new Beatles facts and is not very fun at all to read. This story has been told better in a million other places. Also, it's old - the copyright date for this version is 1995 but that's for the paperback version - it really came out in the late 70s. Sorry George, you're great, but this book was a big letdown. P.S. What's with the terrible grammar in the title? Who came up with that?
Rating:
Summary: A MUST ! ...for all music lovers and history students.
Review: For every music lover, its history is part of the pleasure. As we'll enter soon in the 21st Century, one must absolutely read the story of the man who, with The Beatles, changed the second half of the 20th century in helping them composed the most important opus of its time. This is a book about music, about people making music, this is a book about Sir George Martin, a humble man, a musician who was able to recognize that those youngs guys from Liverpool would, with a little help, change the course of music history and rise popular music to a higher livel, equal to the one normally reserved to the so-called "serious music". His life, his love, his work... Our pleasure. And my greatest honour was to have my personal copy of this book autographed by Sir George Martin himself at EMI Abbey Road Studios in London...
Rating:
Summary: The Fifth Beatle
Review: George Martin was the producer of the greatest pop group in history. His contributions to shaping the sound of the Beatles can not be minimalized. A breezy and interesting book by a person who was with them during their entire recording career. I would recommend this book to any Beatle fan.
Rating:
Summary: Interesting all-around
Review: George Martin's autobiography is highly readable and interesting for any fan of popular music. It should be noted that this book is not an in-depth discussion of how Beatles records were made, but more of an overview of Martin's larger career (yes, he did do many other things besides produce the Beatles!), and a rumination on the astonishing changes in recording technology which have taken place in so short a time over the course of Martin's career. Special chapters discuss such specifics as the acoustics of studios, the changing role of record producers, and methods of writing film scores, all in a clear way that the average reader can understand without being very technical. I was struck by the breadth of Martin's sonic understanding, his appreciation of many kinds of music, and his down-to-earth approach to everything. Along the way we are treated to anecdotes about his personal life, his work with comedians such as Peter Sellers, his financial struggles with EMI and his own company, AIR, etc. The Beatles are mostly discussed in a chapter on "Sgt. Pepper," though his recent book "The Making of Sgt. Pepper" is an even more illuminating tract on that subject.
"All You Need is Ears" first came out in the late 1970s and may seem a bit dated now, were it not for the fact that Martin predicted most of the technological advances that have happened since, including the rise of digital recording and compact discs.
Fans interested only in the Beatles should also look elsewhere, but anyone interested in a larger view of various aspects of the recording industry will be fascinated.
Rating:
Summary: entertaining and informative
Review: In defense of "All You Need is Ears": 1) This is George Martin's autobiography. It doesn't purport to be a book ABOUT The Beatles, and it is unfair and foolish to fault it on this account. 2) The Beatles broke up thirty years ago. Get over it. There are no "new Beatles facts" to be had. If you're bored with old recordings and old "Beatles facts" just move on. Pick some other rock group--or something. 3) The subject-verb disagreement in the title is unfortunate, in my opinion, but hardly inexplicable. Someone thought it a selling point to preserve as much of the John Lennon song ("All You Need is Love") it refers to as possible.
Rating:
Summary: You gotta love this guy!
Review: Not for everyone. But perfect for those who love to really LISTEN to music, analyzing, disecting what they're hearing. If you're a musician, especially involved in recording even at home, you will cherish the insights and philosophies of this great man. It's the next best thing to having George Martin standing right beside you in your studio! Musicians who are Beatle fans can't miss out on this gem! George is a musical genius, who also happens to be sweet and compassionate to those around him. Insightful, delightful, and fun.
Rating:
Summary: You gotta love this guy!
Review: Not for everyone. But perfect for those who love to really LISTEN to music, analyzing, disecting what they're hearing. If you're a musician, especially involved in recording even at home, you will cherish the insights and philosophies of this great man. It's the next best thing to having George Martin standing right beside you in your studio! Musicians who are Beatle fans can't miss out on this gem! George is a musical genius, who also happens to be sweet and compassionate to those around him. Insightful, delightful, and fun.
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