McCartney Times

Terry Crain – whose fascination with The Beatles began on February 9, 1964, when he watched the group’s historic first appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show. That moment sparked a lifelong interest in The Beatles and the popular culture surrounding the British Invasion. Over the decades, his interest developed into detailed archival research into the business, licensing and collectibles that accompanied the group’s phenomenal rise in America.

He is perhaps best known for NEMS and the Business of Selling Beatles Merchandise in the U.S. 1964–1966, an extensively illustrated study of the roughly 150 officially licensed Beatles products and promotions marketed in America during the height of Beatlemania. The book examines everything from dolls, toys and games to clothing, jewelry, wigs and other memorabilia, while also exploring how Brian Epstein’s NEMS organization handled the complicated business of Beatles licensing. The second edition contains hundreds of photographs and illustrations.

Crain followed this with the ambitious Copyrighting The Beatles, a three-volume research project documenting more than 900 Beatles and Beatles-related copyrights from the mid-1960s.

His research uncovered an extraordinary range of material, including toys, games, artwork, photographs, cartoons, sculptures, sheet music, television material and hundreds of novelty recordings inspired by the group.

In 2026, Crain expanded his research with Beatles Novelty Songs (1964–1966), a massive, graphically illustrated study devoted to nearly 500 novelty songs inspired by The Beatles. The approximately 650-page book investigates the performers, musicians, stories and musical styles behind these often forgotten recordings, which ranged from rock and country to jazz, polka, surf, ska, bluegrass, folk and spoken word.

Before becoming a full-time researcher and author, Crain spent more than 35 years in education, including more than three decades at John A. Logan College in Illinois, where he served as Dean for Student Services. His background as an educator is reflected in the meticulous research and accessible storytelling of his Beatles work.

Over the years, Crain has interviewed or encountered numerous figures connected with The Beatles and 1960s popular music, including Klaus Voormann, Astrid Kirchherr, Pattie Boyd, Louise Harrison, Billy Preston, Victor Spinetti, Tony Barrow, Alistair Taylor, Robert Freeman, Pete Best, Donovan, Gerry Marsden, Denny Laine, Joey Molland, Peter Noone, Ronnie Spector, Alan Parsons and members of The Quarrymen, among many others.

Crain also co-hosts Beatles-related interview programs and manages several online communities devoted to Beatles memorabilia and 1960s music. Through his faBgear activities, he continues to research, document and preserve the fascinating artifacts and stories that demonstrate just how deeply Beatlemania penetrated everyday life and popular culture.

In short: Terry Crain has carved out a distinctive place among Beatles historians by researching the things that existed beyond the records and concerts: the toys, souvenirs, copyrights, novelty songs and cultural ephemera that helped turn four musicians from Liverpool into a worldwide phenomenon.

The newest book in the wild and wacky Beatles genre is “Beatles Novelty Songs (1964-1966).” Songwriters wrote about 500 Beatles novelty songs between 1964 and 1966. Every subject, every situation, every holiday, every heartfelt longing, and every social issue seemed to be covered by these wonderful songs. Even though they weren’t dotting the charts, their power was unquestionable. Fact-filled and graphically rich, the 650+-page, 2″ thick, 5-pound book chronologically lists each song with added information about who recorded them, who the musicians were, and other fun facts.

Since The Beatles were rock and roll, you’d think all the novelty songs were in that music genre. But you would be wrong. There were Beatles novelty records in the genres of American folk, British folk, foxtrot, jive, samba, bluegrass, doo-wop, country, rock & roll, big band, blues, jazz, orchestral, spoken-word, surf, ska, and polka! The book lists songs from the U.S., Germany, South Africa, England, Belgium, Jamaica, Canada, Scotland, New Zealand, Trinidad & Tobago and more. The roots and branches of Beatles Novelty Songs family tree are amazing, so enjoy our latest book! It’s a festive confetti of great Beatles Novelty songs!

Learn more and shop at https://fabgear.company

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