Voting Station

Tony Barrow

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Promoter

The Resume

    (May 11, 1936-May 14, 2016)
    Born in Crosby, England, United Kingdom
    Press agent for the Beatles (1962-68)
    Formed Tony Barrow International (1968)
    Promoted the Kinks, Bay City Rollers and New Seekers
    Handled publicity for European tours by American acts, including the Jackson Five, Gladys Knight, Tony Bennett, Neil Sedaka, Andy Williams, David Cassidy and David Soul
    Wrote ‘Inside the Music Business’ and ‘John, Paul, George, Ringo & Me’

Why he might be annoying:

    He was working at Decca Records when he first began handling publicity for the Beatles, who recorded for rival label EMI.
    He had a volatile relationship with Beatles manager Brian Epstein, who fired him over a dozen times (and immediately rehired him each time).
    He ghostwrote magazine articles that appeared under the band members’ names.
    When John Lennon beat up Bob Wooler (for implying that Lennon and manager Epstein had slept together during a recent vacation in Spain), he quickly released to the press a story about the pair’s reconciliation, in which Lennon’s apology, Wooler’s acceptance, and every other quote were invented by Barrow.

Why he might not be annoying:

    He and his wife Corinne were married for 53 years.
    He began writing a record review column for the Liverpool Echo while still in high school.
    Based on his experience at the Echo, he made sure the Beatles were available for regional newspapers as well as the large London dailies.
    He coined the Beatles’ nickname ‘the Fab Four.’
    He avoided taking too much credit for the group’s success: ‘It was the Beatles who made themselves big, by virtue of their personalities and their great records.’

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2023, Out of 1 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 1 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 5 Votes: 80.0% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 4 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 6 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 2 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 1 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 17 Votes: 41.18% Annoying