Everyone knows that The Beatles inspired just about every music act in the 1960s – and forever afterwards! Rivals Of The Beatles tells the fascinating stories of some of the other groups of The Beatles’ era, and how they were affected, influenced or even helped by The Beatles. With Martin Orkin’s help, we are looking at The Beatles in a new way – through the prism of these other bands!

In his acclaimed self-published book, Martin discusses 20 great groups who competed with The Beatles, or whom the Fab Four inspired. Brilliant acts like The Rolling Stones, The Beach Boys, The Byrds, The Kinks, The Dave Clark Five and The Monkees. Read the full TRUE story of these superb bands and their fabulous music, and how their destinies intertwined with the greatest group of them all!

Here are a few of the many amazing facts to discover in Rivals Of The Beatles:

• How The Rolling Stones were helped on their way to stardom by a Beatles song that John and Paul thought so little of, they gave it to Ringo to sing on one of their albums!
• How during 1966/67 The Beatles and The Beach Boys were locked in a deadly battle to establish which of them was the greatest, most creative band on the planet. The Beatles won – and Beach Boys leader, Brian Wilson suffered a nervous breakdown as a result of his struggle to keep up!
• How Gerry & The Pacemakers got their break with a song The Beatles had rejected!
• How we would probably have never heard of The Byrds and The Monkees – but for The Beatles!

Rivals Of The Beatles is a glossy hardcover book with over 800 exciting pages. The pages are sewn-in, not glued, so that no pages should ever fall out. This is a book to enjoy reading and also a reference work; a book to keep – and to treasure!

Rivals Of The Beatles was first published in April 2021, in a numbered limited edition. It ultimately sold out and was reprinted in July 2024 due to popular demand, and kind support from Roger Willems and Phil Stratford of Penn Elcom. Praise for Rivals Of The Beatles came from many sources including:

• The British Beatles Fan Club, who said: “If you love the Beatles and 60s music, you will love this book.”
• Andrew Darlington in RNR Magazine, who described the book as: “A compulsive page-turner.”
• Juliette of Leo’s Den Music wrote: “I am mightily impressed. This book oozes quality, and highlights the care put into it. From what I have read so far, it is totally worth it and more in entertainment value.”
• John Bezzini, noted American authority on The Beatles commented: “This book perfectly captures the synergistic relationship between The Beatles and many of their contemporaries/rivals!”