The Conspiracy Behind the Beatles The legendary band known as the Beatles got their start in 1957 as a skiffle band in Liverpool, England, playing in cellars and dive bars. Popular locally, they were discovered by record store owner Brian Epstein. (Celsi, 8) When the band became popular in the eyes of the world, the fab four members included John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr. As the Beatles became more popular, they also became more influential. Their style as well as their music effected both their era and generation. The famous mop top hairc