Fifty Years Adrift (In an Open Necked Shirt) Derek Taylor (Author), George Harrison (Editor, Contributor), Roy Williams (Contributor); Genesis Publications Limited(1984); Signed by George Harrison, Derek Taylor, Larry Smith (End Pages); 1st/1st; VG/G; Limited:154/2000; Large Quarto(approx 5lbs), Slipcased, AEG; Not Ex-Library, Not a Reproduction, Not Print on Demand; HB- Gilt-ruled 3/4 brown calf w/brown cloth, stamped gilt w/red fill device on front, gilt facsimile of Derek Taylor’s signature stamped on back, leather slightly scuffed w/shallow scratches, very minimal edgewear/bumping; Spine- 5 gilt ruled bands gilt devices, gilt lettering over red calf paste-down, very shallow scratches, very minimal edgewear/bumping; Slipcase- Brown paper covered boards, cream w/brown lettered label(edges heavily chipped), two very small divots + two larger divots on front(one app ½”D) w/white board showing; 541pp- Filled w/beautiful b+w illustrations(app 163) mainly created by Roy Williams, facsimiles of concert posters, tickets, contracts, letters etc printed in color and b+w, 72pp of glossy print photos in color and b+w, full-color facsimile of Monterey Pop Festival bookmark, tipped-in reproduction of ticket to the Beatles July, 1968 concert at the London Pavilion, tissue protected color frontis, and so much more, pages clean, flat, all edges gilt. 60W
Written by Beatles’ publicist, Derek Taylor, with the forward, annotations + editing by George Harrison, the afterward by Harry Nilsson, ‘Fifty Years Adrift’ was described as being ‘probably the best Beatles related volume ever.’ It’s so much more. From the choice of publisher, Genesis Pub (founded in 1974 by Brian Roylance, specializing in fine binding and printing), to the layout paste-up (by Taylor assisted by Brian Roylance creator of many of the beautiful engraving-type illustrations) ‘Fifty Years Adrift’ is clearly a labor of love.
Taylor was one of the few insiders trusted by all four Beatles, a key participant in the historic 1967 Monterey Pop Festival’s production team and good friend to music genius Brian Wilson. His position as publicist and friend for the Beatles placed him at the center of some of music’s most revolutionary events. But it is his enthusiasm for the subject, his witty and detailed recollections and beautifully articulated writing that makes this book not simply lovely to behold but so much fun to read. A must have for any Beatles fan.