Who Could Ask for More? Reclaiming The Beatles is an ambitious project, written by a writer well-versed in the field of popular culture and media. According to Chris Gregory, the purpose of the book is "…to 'reclaim' The Beatles from the aura of idealised nostalgia now promoted around the notion of 'The Sixties' by certain sections of the media." Gregory goes on to describe The Beatles' "…art as essentially subversive; a soundtrack to the sexual, social and cultural 'revolutions' of their time." Although I was annoyed at certain passages, I found most of the book to be a thought provoking, provocative look at the Beatles and their work.

I am not entirely convinced that Gregory’s main purpose is a necessary one. As an example of the nostalgia industry he hopes to rescue the Beatles from, he cites the vision of Elvis Presley as a fat, Vegas lounge act instead of the sneering, gyrating rebel that he was in the beginning of his career. I do not think that serious music lovers or anyone from our generation -- those of us who were children of the 1960s -- will remember the Beatles as anything less than musical visionaries who revolutionized the music industry and provided the soundtrack to a major portion of our lives. I cannot see a downfall for the Beatles akin to that of Elvis because that is not the direction in which they were headed when they split up, nor is it where they went even in their solo careers.

Sure, “The Sixties” were groovy, a la Austin Powers, but history shows us how they were also tumultuous, unsettled and revolutionary times. The Beatles’ music epitomizes the spirit and history of this era. It is undeniable that their music changed from innocent sounding pop hits of the early sixties, through psychedelic and mystical songs, and ultimately back to pure rock and roll. Their music matured as they matured; it evolved as they did, touched by their personal lives and world events, and influenced by the sights and sounds of their lives. The Beatles did not write in a vacuum, so it is inevitable that their songs reflected their own realities.

The author takes us through the history of the Beatles, beginning with their days in Germany and at the Cavern, through the end at Abbey Road. He colors the journey with fanciful sections of what I can only describe as fan fiction, which, with apologies to the author, I absolutely hated. I have a general dislike for fan fiction anyway, but here it seems almost sacrilegious to put words into the mouths of our icons or to assume to know what they were feeling or thinking at any given time.

Some of these fictionalized segments served to illustrate the main point of what the author was trying to say. For instance, Gregory wrote about what he felt it must have been like when the Beatles met Bob Dylan and then goes on to point out instances where Dylan’s influence can clearly be heard in particular Lennon/McCartney songs. But in other instances, he writes fictional accounts of things in ways that were uncomfortable to read, like a marital spat between John and Cynthia, or John’s obsessive thoughts about Yoko before he was divorced. He even begins the book with a story of John Lennon being caned in his early school years for drawing nonsense figures in class. Did it ever actually happen? Maybe. Did it illustrate a tendency of John Lennon to be subversive and combative and set us up for further instances of his contrary nature with authorities and ultimately with the band? Yes. But it was also uncomfortable to read that the teacher “holds up the cane, stroking it lovingly” or how John “fights back the tears… carefully and meticulously plotting his revenge…” To me, that is way too much information.