Liverpool Fantasy

Rating:
Summary: In the long tradition of great Irish writers ...
Review: I have read Liverpool Fantasy by Larry Kirwan and found it profound, provocative, and entertaining. Those who are giving it bad reviews, may need to take a course in UK vernacular, then give it a re-read. I have my own website that reviews first time authors called the People's Underground Xchange and have made this book my Book of the Month for August 2003. Check out my website....!! As for Larry, I hope he is encouraged to write more and add his name to the list of some of the great prose pontificators of Irish descent. As Jonathan Swift would say, here's "A Modest Proposal," read Liverpool Fantasy not once, but twice.

Rating:
Summary: "Writing Wrongs"
Review: If Larry Kirwan had decided to write a book that was just a socio-political-rock'n'roll soap opera about an unknown Liverpool based band,and the trivialities of re-grouping after 25 years,this story probably would've worked. But instead,he had to make that band The Beatles,which,let's face it,will sell more books.

But the major stumbling block in this idea,seems to be that the authors Beatle knowledge was cribbed from "The Cliff Notes Version of The Cliff Notes Version of Beatles For Dummies",and a handful of Beatles airport interviews.

When I first heard about this book,I was enthuised by the premise, "What if The Beatles,on the verge of being kissed by fame itself,suddenly broke up,and never were. And then,tried to re-group 25 years later.?" Good idea,badly presented.

The author worries more about presenting us with the political backgrounds of Liverpool,then the Beatles themselves. The Tory's have now been overturned by the fascist group "The Front",whom intend to take over power in Britains Parliment by raising up an army of unthinking sheep in the lower class regions of England.( Oh,and John & Ringo still live in Liverpool. )

In this re-write of history,some things work,most don't. The Brits all talk like a poorly written Hollywood film,and the Americans all talk like a bad U.K. soap opera interpretation of Americans.( No one wins. ). Paul McCartney is now a burnt out Las Vegas lounge lizard "Paul Montana" with a string of hits and just as many ex-wives.John Lennon is nothing more than a drunken unemployed bum.George Harrison is now a Catholic Priest. Ringo is a drunkard Teddy Boy,whom still plays drums occaisionally,sitting in with Gerry & The Pacemakers.John,Paul & George all suffer,for reasons unnamed,moments of delusion,paranoia,and schizophrenia.( George to the point of paralizing catatonia.)

Paul...sort of works. You could see him that way.But I'd've used an actual Hamburg alias,"Paul Ramone". Why? Because that name inspires The Ramones,and the author could also blame Paul for the Punk Invasion. ( Reality check: Joey Ramone actually was inspired by that name.).It would also have been better to have had Paul married to Jane Asher,who would now be a famous B-Movie actress that supports him. If the author wanted to have John as a drunken womanizer,why not leave his artistic side intact and make him a Liverpudlian Picasso? ( Rather than take away his creative side completely.). Ringo works,for the most part. But associating him with hair salons ( run by wife Maureen ),is a rip off of Rutle proportions! George as priest is a tired joke,so much so that Mad Magazine did it in the early 1970's. George's background dictates several directions,his first job was as an electricions apprentice,his dad was a bus driver,and he always had a keen interest in motorsports. So how do you write George? Either as a hardware store owner,or a burntout mechanic whom now drives a Liverpool bus.( Throw in George's love of formula one racing,make him responsible for a famous racer's death,and he's forced back home.)( Reference George's "Faster" song.) See,how easy this is? And those were off the top of my head!

Numerous Beatle Associates are left in the lurch. If Paul must have a roadie/body gaurd,why not the always dependable Mal Evans?Brian Epstein,in this story,continues as Paul's manager,but we never know what exactly happened to him. George Martin,spotter of talent,manages to let all 4 Beatles get away?? Pete Best,makes an obvious appearance as the Ghost of Beatles past,for about four pages,then fades off into the fog.And on the political end,why not have Hamburg days friends Klaus Voorman & Astrid K. visiting in Liverpool and comparing The Front to Nazism? ( Since it's already implied in the story.)

Apparently history radically changes too,due to The Beatles not becoming famous. Spiro Agnew is the U.S. president,and Queen Diana rules Britain.Although none of this is ever given background,or fleshed out,thus making the passing references irrelevant to the story.

The biggest mis-step,is the easiest idea the author had. If the Beatles didn't make it,and yet the world was still watching Liverpool....why not have EVERY band,but the Beatles, hit the big time? Imagine that Liverpool? Imagine John,Ringo,Paul & George having to live in a world they created,but were the black sheep in. The Pete Best Combo are world famous,with a string of hits ripped off from McCartney & Lennon.Cilla Black is the Liverpool Cher. Gerry & The Pacemakers spawn The Monkees! Now that,would be a tale to tell!

But those are my thoughts. As a Beatle fan,I was underwhelmed by it all.

Rating:
Summary: Tragical Mystery Tour
Review: If your idea of a good time is reducing the members of the Beatles to unsavory characatures of themselves, you might want to give this book a read, but frankly, I don't see the point. George as a burned out priest, Paul as a fading lounge lizard, Ringo as a foppish womanizer, and John as an embittered drunk, are pretty simplified exaggerations of their more public peccadillos...but again...to what end? Kirwan does take the fantasy one more step; that without the influence of the Beatles, a fascist government begins to rise in Britain. So there you have it, that's the book in a nutshell. There aren't any great insights in this book, it just seems like the author had a brief brain-wave, (what if the Beatles never made it big?) and developed a book around it.

I can't help but wonder what the author's next BIG IDEA will be; what if Liz Taylor never made it? Would she be slinging hash in a greasy spoon? What if Elvis never made it? Would he be selling used cars in Memphis? Reflecting on those questions probably aren't even worth the time it took to write them.

All the grime and despair of failure are covered pretty thoroughly in this depressing book. And if you think there will be a moment of salvation at the end, you'll be disappointed, as I was in this pointless book.

Rating:
Summary: A fascinating nightmare
Review: Larry Kirwan knows his way through the minds of the Beatles. Anyone with doubts shoud read this and then read Hunter Davies' or another of the multitude of available texts or biographies of the group. The voices are as much representative of the alternate John, Paul, George, and Ringo as they are indicative of Kirwan's skills as an author.
The idea of this world struck home-(one of my earliest memories is my dad telling me that one day I would realize and appreciate the importance of Sgt. Peppers'--he was right, of course). While causing a mixture of other emotions-maybe without the enormous success of the Beatles John Lennon and George Harrison would still be with us. Would the trade off be worth the loss? Is it really possible four individuals can make that much of a difference to society? These questions are present within the story-but the reader is left to his or her own devices when it comes to making decisions.
Liverpool Fantasy is just that. A fantasy. Although not a very comforting one. Larry Kirwan is a story teller who has often told stories that lead the listener (or reader) to learn more about a known subject-and this book continues that tradition.
A good inspiration for a fresh listen to your Beatles collection-which comes as a rare and welcome event.

Rating:
Summary: Disappointing Fantasy
Review: Like most Beatlefans, I approached this book looking for a fun tale on what "might have happened" if the bubble never hit. However to me the only consistency was that Lennon was always going to be attracted to Asian women, George will still find fault in religion, Ringo stands by his friends, and Paul will always be the star. However, there was too much drivel and too little fun. Suprisingly to me the best characters I found were the Beatle wives, namely Maureen & Cynthia.

Rating:
Summary: What If The Beatles Never Made It Big?
Review: No, Larry Kirwan's just released first novel, Liverpool Fantasy, isn't James Joyce, and it isn't intended to be, but as Kirwan wished for in a Black 47 song it appears that the bandleader and songwriter has finally gotten laid on Joyce's grave, hoping the author's genius would rub off on him. But Kirwan doesn't need Joyce's genius because his talents as a writer of fiction are apparent in their own right.

Liverpool Fantasy is an adaptation of Kirwan's stage play of the same name. The book answers an intriguing question: How would The Beatles lives turned out if they never made it, never turned popular music, a decade, and the world upside down? It is something I frankly never thought about until I first heard about Kirwan's play three years ago. But those thoughts have obviously crossed his fertile mind and I am glad they did.

The book begins at Abbey Road studios in 1962 when John Lennon walks out of a Beatles recording session over a dispute with the record company. George Harrison and Ringo Starr walk out with him, thereby ending The Beatles forever.

Flash ahead twenty-five years. World famous Las Vegas singer Paul Montana, formerly Paul McCartney, whose long TV and singing careers have hit the skids, pines for the old days with his former mates and he returns to Liverpool for a reunion. Montana finds that John has lived for many years on the dole, George has become a Catholic Priest and Ringo's real first wife, Maureen Cox, supports him. Many real life characters from The Beatles Liverpool days have supporting and cameo roles. We are introduced to numerous fictitious friends, lovers, acquaintances and business associates the former band members met throughout the last quarter century.

The story seems so real at times that I forgot the book was not a true account of the lives of these four men, but a fictionalized what-might-have-been. Even though Kirwan's non-fab four have very different lives from the ones they really lived, The Beatles personalities make their alternate existences seem vividly possible, perhaps even probable. Kirwan's knowledge of his subjects, his familiarity with English culture and society, and his usage of Liverpudlian dialect make the book seem very real.

Of course I?m glad things didn't turn out Kirwan?s way for either the mop tops or us. I would hate to live in a musical world where we had to listen to Montana croon in casinos in lieu of McCartney screaming "Long Tall Sally," Harrison playing magnificent weeping slide guitar, and Lennon revealing his deepest thoughts in songs like "In My Life." But after reading Liverpool Fantasy you easily can imagine there?s no Beatles. It's easy if you try.

Rating:
Summary: Entertaining and thought-provoking "what if."
Review: The Beatles changed the world. Where other societies owe great changes to political leaders, scientists, or philosophers the West was changed completely both culturally and politically by the Fab Four from Liverpool, England. No work of fiction or non-fiction brings this truth more to light than Larry Kirwan's wildly entertaining novel "Liverpool Fantasy."

The story is set in 1987, twenty-five years after the Beatles broke-up prior to the release of their groundbreaking single "Please Please Me." The four, never achieving their "fab" status, have taken different paths following the break-up: Paul the Vegas lounge superstar, John the local town [clown], Ringo still backing bands in his native Liverpool and George the Catholic priest recovering from a nervous breakdown.
We follow the four as they get back together for the first time in twenty-five years.

Kirwan's vivid language and descriptions bring the story alive. The excitement I felt when "seeing" the Beatles perform on stage (in 1987 no less!) was palpable. The story is at once humorous and heart-breaking while all the while making the reader anxious to turn the next page.

As thought provoking as it is entertaining, Kirwan delves into all of the possibilities of this "what if" alternate world politically, socially, and culturally. Throughout this sort of magical mystery tour, we come to a new understanding of these four individuals' personas, and a deeper appreciation of just how much of an impact The Beatles have had on everything since.

Rating:
Summary: Too Many Inconsistencies
Review: The premise of this book is on the surface an interesting one; what if the The Beatles, instead of becoming "The Beatles" had taken a different path and folded on the verge of becoming famous? In this alternate universe, they still go through with their Hamburg and Cavern periods; they get a recording contract and release "Love Me Do". Instead of following up with "Please, Please Me", their first No.1 and break through hit, the record company insists on releasing "Till Their Was You ". Lennon, Harrison and Starr walk out in protest. Paul goes on to fame anyway as Paul Montana, a Las Vegas headliner. John, George and Ringo stay in Liverpool as frustrated has-beens.

There is precious little in this book about the music and what they might have done musically. John and Ringo occasionally sit in with Gerry and The Pacemakers and only play "Love Me Do". Harrison gives up music altogether and becomes a Catholic priest (???), hiding from the world behind a veil of spiritualism. Somehow I doubt that these talented individuals would not have somehow surfaced in other forms, even if they had not become "The Beatles".

The book focuses a lot on John, Paul, George and Ringo's fictionalized human frailties. John is the outspoken frustrated misunderstood genius, Paul is in a perpetual conflict about "selling out", and Ringo is the average guy living off his wife and George is the weak-minded renunciate who suffers from repeated nervous breakdowns. There is an ongoing plot that puts them in ongoing conflicts with the Nazi-like, skinhead National Front and this is the focus of this book.

I found that this book, while admittedly a fantasy that purports to create fictional characters from "known traits" (volumes have been written about them), very inconsistent with what is known about them. For example, George Harrison's spiritual leanings are well known, however, I think that he was very much "not in this world, while being in it". This is a man who risked his personal fortune to produce highly experimental films and who by all accounts faced his own death with dignity and courage, I don't get the feeling that his spiritualism was a cover for weak mindedness as this book seemingly implies. I have also never read anything to suggest that he was interested in Catholicism and yet here he is a priest? I also think that it take liberties with the living. I wonder how Julian Lennon feels about being portrayed as a skinhead-like racist, deliberately rebelling against his father's values...has Julian ever expressed sympathy for that kind of a cause or for that matter has he ever publicly voiced extremist views...not to my knowledge!

I have read many fine alternative histories, such as what; if the South had won the American Civil War and what if the Germany had won WWII. They tend to focus on how the world would be different I was hoping that this book would take on questions like: what if the Beatles had not been around to influence the Byrds who were well known Beatle fanatics? Would they have electrified Bob Dylan's "Mr. Tambourine Man' (Rodger McGuinn went out and bought an electric twelve string after seeing George play one in a "Hard Day's Night").... would Dylan who was in turn influenced by the Byrds (and the Beatles) have changed his writing style and gone electric or would he have retreated into obscurity at the end of the mid sixties folk craze?
Ultimately this is a book about the author's bizarre fantasy, which has little or nothing to do with The Beatles, except to exploit their name.

Rating:
Summary: Too Many Inconsistencies
Review: The premise of this book is on the surface an interesting one; what if the The Beatles, instead of becoming "The Beatles" had taken a different path and folded on the verge of becoming famous? In this alternate universe, they still go through with their Hamburg and Cavern periods; they get a recording contract and release "Love Me Do". Instead of following up with "Please, Please Me", their first No.1 and break through hit, the record company insists on releasing "Till Their Was You ". Lennon, Harrison and Starr walk out in protest. Paul goes on to fame anyway as Paul Montana, a Las Vegas headliner. John, George and Ringo stay in Liverpool as frustrated has-beens.

There is precious little in this book about the music and what they might have done musically. John and Ringo occasionally sit in with Gerry and The Pacemakers and only play "Love Me Do". Harrison gives up music altogether and becomes a Catholic priest (???), hiding from the world behind a veil of spiritualism. Somehow I doubt that these talented individuals would not have somehow surfaced in other forms, even if they had not become "The Beatles".

The book focuses a lot on John, Paul, George and Ringo's fictionalized human frailties. John is the outspoken frustrated misunderstood genius, Paul is in a perpetual conflict about "selling out", and Ringo is the average guy living off his wife and George is the weak-minded renunciate who suffers from repeated nervous breakdowns. There is an ongoing plot that puts them in ongoing conflicts with the Nazi-like, skinhead National Front and this is the focus of this book.

I found that this book, while admittedly a fantasy that purports to create fictional characters from "known traits" (volumes have been written about them), very inconsistent with what is known about them. For example, George Harrison's spiritual leanings are well known, however, I think that he was very much "not in this world, while being in it". This is a man who risked his personal fortune to produce highly experimental films and who by all accounts faced his own death with dignity and courage, I don't get the feeling that his spiritualism was a cover for weak mindedness as this book seemingly implies. I have also never read anything to suggest that he was interested in Catholicism and yet here he is a priest? I also think that it take liberties with the living. I wonder how Julian Lennon feels about being portrayed as a skinhead-like racist, deliberately rebelling against his father's values...has Julian ever expressed sympathy for that kind of a cause or for that matter has he ever publicly voiced extremist views...not to my knowledge!

I have read many fine alternative histories, such as what; if the South had won the American Civil War and what if the Germany had won WWII. They tend to focus on how the world would be different I was hoping that this book would take on questions like: what if the Beatles had not been around to influence the Byrds who were well known Beatle fanatics? Would they have electrified Bob Dylan's "Mr. Tambourine Man' (Rodger McGuinn went out and bought an electric twelve string after seeing George play one in a "Hard Day's Night").... would Dylan who was in turn influenced by the Byrds (and the Beatles) have changed his writing style and gone electric or would he have retreated into obscurity at the end of the mid sixties folk craze?
Ultimately this is a book about the author's bizarre fantasy, which has little or nothing to do with The Beatles, except to exploit their name.

Rating:
Summary: what is this?
Review: This book doesn't even deserve 1 star.
I realize this is just a fantasy-type what-if book, but it was just plain poorly written. I really tried to read this book and had high hopes for it, but couldn't last past chapter 4. It's boring. The author should stick to his band and leave book writing to others.

Don't even bother buying this book, it's a real stinker.