Living the Beatles Legend

The first full-length biography of Mal Evans, the Beatles’ beloved roadie, assistant, confidant and friend

A towering figure in horn-rimmed glasses, Malcolm ‘Mal’ Evans was an invaluable member of the Beatles’ inner circle. Serving as their long-time roadie, personal assistant and protector, he was a sometime lyricist, occasional performer and regular fixer at the height of the group’s fame and beyond.

But Mal’s dedication to his beloved ‘boys’ and his own desire for stardom took its toll, leading to the dissolution of his marriage and his untimely death in January 1976.

Until now, Mal’s extraordinary life has remained shrouded in mystery. Drawing on hundreds of exclusive interviews and with full access to Mal’s unpublished archives – including his personal diaries, manuscripts and memorabilia – renowned Beatles scholar Kenneth Womack paints the first complete portrait of this complicated figure at the heart of the Beatles’ story.

Living the Beatles Legend is a fascinating but ultimately tragic tale about life at the edges of superstardom.

Reviews

'Exhaustively detailed … captures Beatlemania up close' Observer

‘A meticulously researched job in not only piecing together the roadie’s viewpoint of the Beatles’ story, but also in depicting the tragedy of a man who was so in love with the group he destroyed his own life’ Daily Mail Book of the Week

‘Womack has woven a portrait full of complex threads that lead everywhere and, near the end of Evans’ life, nowhere … This book is just amazing’ Q

‘A celebration – not just of Evans, but of all the unsung supporting characters who make creative life possible … It removes the cloud of mythology that often shrouds the Beatles’ story and reminds us that their superstardom was by no means predestined’ Guardian

‘A Holy Grail for fans’ People

About the author

Kenneth Womack is one of the world’s foremost writers and thinkers about the Beatles. He is a Professor of English and Popular Music at Monmouth University in New Jersey, the Music Culture critic for Salon and a contributor to publications such as the Guardian, the Independent, Slate, Billboard, Time and Variety and NBC News. He is the author of several highly regarded books about the band, most recently, Solid State: The Story of Abbey Road and the End of the Beatles and John Lennon 1980: The Last Days in the Life. www.kennethwomack.com