As time goes by, successes of the past, particularly groundbreaking ones, often come to seem inevitable. The more comprehensively a band reshapes the world, the more difficult it is to imagine what the world looked like before it was so dramatically remade.

So the question arises from our contemporary perspective: Who could not have foreseen the earth-shattering potential of the early Beatles? It was all right there, after all: their obvious musical genius; those harmonies, original songs, and impeccable taste in covers; their raw rock & roll energy combined with irresistible pop charm.

Not to mention their good looks, intelligence, youth, ambition, and a fierce work ethic. Who couldn’t have known that the Beatles were destined to conquer and transform the world? The answer to that question, of course, is just about everybody, with one notable exception: Brian Epstein.