The White Book: The Beatles, the Bands, the Biz: An Insider's Look at an Era

by Ken Mansfield

Through exclusive photos and personal stories, former US manager of Apple Records and Grammy Award winning producer Ken Mansfield offers a compelling memoir that delves into his life in the 1960s and '70s and his unique partnership with the Beatles and other musicians who orbited their world. As observer, friend, and colleague, Mansfield sat in their recording sessions, partied in their swimming pools, took their irate calls, and publicized their successes. Entertaining, historically accurate, and illuminating a side of the Fab Four known only to a few like Mansfield, The White Book shines fresh light on the true characters behind the cultural phenomena that revolutionized a generation. As the former Head of Apple Records International, Jack Oliver, has said of Ken, "He is one of the few insiders left that bore witness to the highs and lows of those insane days when we ruled the world." "Ken has a unique gift. He can take you in the room and have you sit with the folk he knows and make you one of the gang, part of the plan. and considering these folk include the Beatles, Dolly Parton, Waylon Jennings, the Beach Boys, Roy Orbison, David Cassidy and a whole host more that is some doing. I really enjoyed sitting in on his world and I respect the affection he has for our game, and what he brought to it, will get you." ANDREW LOOG OLDHAM
Rolling Stones Manager and Producer "Ken Mansfield brings us a new and closely personal perspective not only on the Beatles, but on a whole cast of musical characters from Brian Wilson to Don Ho. An observant and perceptive man in the centre of the storm; a contradictory man, both ambitious and spiritual, but at the heart of the record industry during its most exciting years and enjoying every minute of it. I lived through those years with Ken and we became friends. It is a pleasure to experience so much of it all again through the accuracy of his story telling and the clarity of his memory." PETER ASHER
Peter and Gordon/A&R Chief Apple Records/Producer-Manager (James Taylor, Linda Ronstadt, Carole King et al) "Journalism is normally a very inexact science. Many of the countless books about the Beatles have been written by researchers-not by people who were actually there. Everyone has experienced reading a book or article where one's own inside knowledge about a particular person or event shows up inaccuracies on the part of the writer that totally distort the truth. This book is an exception-I know because I was there for some of it myself. Ken Mansfield and I unknowingly shared the experience of the famous Apple rooftop session where I was nervously adjusting mikes and cables for the sound recording of that unforgettable day. Ken was not only working for the Beatles through their heyday, he was also their trusted friend. There is no one better equipped to tell the Beatles' story-truthfully-and more importantly-factually, from the inside." ALAN PARSONS
Engineer to the Beatles/Pink Floyd, Multi Platinum Producer, Alan Parsons Project "Unlike many people claiming a Beatles connection, Ken Mansfield doesn't have an agenda or try to elevate his role or importance. Ken comes across as a man who knows how lucky he was to be where he was and enjoys sharing his stories with us. Ken was there and that is why The White Book is informative, fresh and entertaining without being ego-driven." BRUCE SPIZER
Author, Beatle Historian

Genres: Music, Biography

248 pages, Paperback

First published October 30, 2007

About the author

Ken Mansfield is the former manager of the Beatles’ Apple Record Company and an award-winning producer. Ken is an ordained minister and public speaker who appears at churches and colleges across the nation.

Reviews

[Daniel Fazzina · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is not only absolutely fascinating, it is extremely well written. Ken Mansfield is a master wordsmith in addition to a former record executive that happened to have worked very closely with the Beatles. His insider perspective on one of the world's most popular and influential bands is truly unique. A very enjoyable read. I had an opportunity to have Ken Mansfield as a guest on my radio show, "Divine Intervention." He was able to tell his story of coming to faith in Christ, his miraculous healing from cancer, and his story about working with the Beatles. He was a great interview, and very interesting.

You can listen to the interview here:

http://divineintervention.typepad.com...

[Kal Smagh · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was drawn to Ken Mansfield's book by the title, and how he played off of the White Album. What I found inside did not disappoint. Ken writes as a record company executive supporting the Beatles in American markets, as well as a friend, especially to George Harrison. As a Beatles fan I learned what I was hoping...the Beatles were fun, and funny, and larger than life...as well as down to earth nice people. Ken Mansfield captures this essence well in personal stories you will enjoy.

[Shelley · Rating 2 out of 5]

For the ardent Beatles fan, The White Book is replete with stories, remembrances and photos one won't find anywhere else. On the down side, the author is a bit of a cornball windbag. First warning sign was closing his introduction with:

Ken Mansfield
Author
Hopeless Romantic
Three Chords and an Attitude

Ick. It gets worse. Reminisces such as his description of the feeling in the air just before the Beatles played their infamous last live show on The Roof ("it was special, a gathering of rock-and-roll angels expecting to fly"); or his summation on the connections of lifelong friendships as "being racked up together for the long run on the snooker table of preordained existence" will have you reaching for a barf bag.

Ken Mansfield's affection and respect for The Beatles is unquestionable, and it's nice to hear his positive side of the Apple experience which is usually portrayed as a naïve disaster. And kudos to the author for calling out Peter Brown's (another Apple insider) trashy bio "The Love You Make".

I started off excited to find a Beatles book I hadn't been aware of previously. But for my taste, the flowery writing style ended up bogging the book down until I couldn't wait to be finished.

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not really a book about the Beatles at all, unless you count the way he cheesily works their song titles into each chapter. In fact, I'm surprised at how little he actually remembers about the Beatles.

[Glen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a lovely book in many ways by someone whose forte is not, alas, writing. That said, he manages to weave together enough anecdotes, photographs, memories, etc., both funny and poignant, that both the die-hard Beatles fan and the nascent curious will find things to linger over and perhaps even cherish. Mansfield is a long-time recording industry insider who worked with and around the Beatles at Capitol Records and at Apple, though he may be better known for his later work with the "Outlaw Country" talent crop out of Nashville, most notably Jessie Coulter and Waylon Jennings. His voice is sometimes a little sappy, and the "wow, I can't believe I got to do all this stuff" schtick wears a little thin at times, but overall he comes across as a fellow who is grateful for his life and wants to write down and share as much of it as he can while there is still time. He also tends to follow the tenet that if you can't say anything nice about someone, don't say anything, so most of the name-dropping (and there is a lot of it) is either neutral or in the form of praise and admiration. His closest relationships among the Fab Four are clearly with George and Ringo, next with Paul, and least with John, though one of the book's most moving moments is his recounting of an encounter with Julian Lennon while he was working set-up for one of his shows in Nashville during the nadir of his (Mansfield's) career, roughly four years after John's murder. Another tear-jerking moment is his recounting of his last conversation with Mal Evans, sometime Beatles manager and confidante, before his life was ended in a hail of confusion and LAPD bullets on the night Mansfield was accepting Jessie Coulter's Grammy for Record of the Year for the mammoth country crossover hit "I'm Not Lisa". Two of his most winning depictions are of Roy Orbison (has anyone ever said anything bad about that man?) and the irrepressible Harry Nilsson. Enjoy!

[Kevin A. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ken Mansfield was a bizzer, and while he was only US manager of Apple Records for about 18 months, he was in the room for a very interesting time. He offers an affectionate take on the Beatles, particularly Ringo and George, with whom he had a closer relationship. (Paul was his initial entee into the group; John he never seemed to particularly click with.) He also palled around with Harry Nilsson and Mal Evans, so he has plenty of stories to tell. (Including his bacchanalian adventures with Andy Williams!)

The book is structured around specific topics, conversational threads really, which can jumble up the chronology. And there are some links that don’t quite connect, I’m guessing because his editor had him cut the stuff not connected to the Beatles. So we never really find out about his year at MGM Records or much details about his time at Barnaby. And other events get mentioned repeatedly. He has written other books, so he might cover that material elsewhere. (Wives and children make brief appearances with no further context offered as well. Although we hear as lot about Ken Mansfield, in some ways he remains an enigma.)

Still, these are good stories worthy of sharing and entertainingly told, so on that level the book delivers on its promise.

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books about the Beatles I've ever read.

[Aaron Badgley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I always enjoy Mansfield's book. It is like he is having a conversation with you about his career, The Beatles and the music industry as it was. Great photos too!

[maria hates her life · Rating 5 out of 5]

Now, I’ve read the reviews for this book and all I have to say on them is that: you all just sound miserable.

The main complaint is that this book is too sugary sweet and sentimental which like—

I had no issue with that, I loved it even, I love the Beatles and obviously Ken does as well.

He muses on his experiences managing Apple and being a friend of the Beatles, especially detailing his relationship with George, the quiet Beatle.

That was my favorite part, George was described as such a gentle and spiritual soul that it just depresses me that the world lost him to such a terrible thing as cancer.


All in all, I loved it and thought it was adorable and the rest of you can SHUT THE FUCK UP!!!

edit: just found out Ken died in 2022 at 85, sad :(((

[Brianna · Rating 2 out of 5]

As a Beatles fan, I liked this more than 2 stars, but as a book I had to rate it lower. It's a not particularly well-written (conversational style) account of a records exec who was Apple Records man in the States. Basically includes details of every encounter Ken had with one of the band members. A book only a Beatles fan could love. ...Thankfully for the author, there are a lot of us

[Randy Patterson]

Phenomenal read! Ken tells his fascinating stories from a perspective of objectivity, humility, and even awe. Every Beatles fan will want to own and read this book. Mansfield gives a perspective not quite given in other books.

[Paul Herpich · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyed this book even though it was anecdotal. The stories were interesting and showed a different side of the people involved. He showed the good and the bad throughout without favoring one or the other. All in all an informative read if not a scholarly one.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beatles fans will love it, like everything else from the cottage industry. But it's a little too much "look at me, I knew the Beatles once."

[Brad · Rating 4 out of 5]

Autobiography from a former executive with Apple Records. Details great history of the beatles. Pretty clean and interesting perspectives. Great read while on vacation.

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting book about Ken Mansfield's career in music. Focuses on his business relationship and friendship with the Beatles especially Ringo and George. It is an interesting read.

[David Schroeder · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ken Mansfield is one of the most fascinating Christians who witnessed one of the most spectacular music events in history.

[RK Byers · Rating 3 out of 5]

not enough Beatles.