Biography

Derek Taylor (7 May 1932 - 8 September 1997) was an English journalist, writer and publicist. He is best known for his work as press officer for The Beatles and The Beach Boys, creating campaign tag-lines such as "The Beatles Are Coming" and "Brian Wilson Is a Genius".

He started his career as a local journalist in Liverpool aged 17 working for the Hoylake and West Kirby Advertiser followed by the Liverpool Daily Post and Echo before becoming a North England-based writer for national British newspapers that included the News Chronicle, the Sunday Dispatch and the Sunday Express. He also served as a regular columnist and theatre critic for the Daily Express from 1952. The term "pocket symphony" is generally attributed to Taylor for his description of the Beach Boys' 1966 single "Good Vibrations".

A trusted confidant of the Beatles, Taylor remained particularly close to George Harrison long after the band's break-up and maintained a friendship with John Lennon until the latter's death in 1980. In addition to working as editor on Harrison's 1980 autobiography, "I, Me, Mine", Taylor authored books such as "As Time Goes By", "The Making of Raiders of The Lost Ark", "Fifty Years Adrift (In An Open Necked Shirt)" and "It Was Twenty Years Ago Today".
- IMDb mini biography by: Beatlessss-fan

Became The Beatles' press agent at the request of Brian Epstein; left in late 1964, after helping Epstein with his autobiography "A Cellarful of Noise" (he interviewed Epstein over a weekend at a posh resort, with a tape recorder; the tapes became the basis for the book, refined later by Taylor).

Reportedly was an early convert to LSD, and was once reprimanded for holding a press conference at Apple while using the drug.

First met The Beatles in his early days as a newspaper reporter, when he was sent to review them in concert and expected to bring back a negative story. He praised them instead, winning the favor of both the band and their manager Brian Epstein. Later, George Harrison was asked to lend his name to a regular newspaper column, with Taylor ghostwriting it for him; Harrison's critique of the first one turned it into a collaborative effort between the two.

Moved to America (with his wife and children) after leaving The Beatles in 1964, and opened a press office in Los Angeles, representing The Byrds and The Beach Boys, among others (he first pinned the "genius" label on Brian Wilson, which Wilson's been trying to live down, or up to, ever since). Eventually tired of the L.A./Hollywood scene, and returned to England when The Beatles asked him to become the publicist for their company, Apple Corps.

George Harrison's song, "Blue Jay Way", was written one night when he was visiting Los Angeles (staying in a rented house on Blue Jay Way), waiting for Taylor and his wife (still living in California) to come over; it was foggy out, and they'd gotten lost en route.