Remembering When One of The Beatles' Associates Failed Them When They Needed Him

The argument about who the “Fifth Beatle” might have been is a bit of a pointless one. No one was on a par with the contributions made by the four members themselves. But it’s intriguing to look back at the group’s history and note some of the fascinating characters who were a part, however tangential, of their story.

For instance, there was Alexis Mardas, aka Magic Alex, who briefly popped up in the group’s orbit in the late 60s. Alas, when the group needed Mardas to step up with his supposed technical expertise in 1969, things didn’t go as planned.
The Magic Man

A native of Greece, Alexis Mardas first started making the rounds of British pop stars when he became acquainted with Brian Jones of The Rolling Stones. In 1966, he met John Lennon when both men were frequenting the Indica book shop in London. Soon, Mardas joined Lennon’s entourage.

Mardas often boasted of his undiscovered technological innovations, many of which drew the wonder of Lennon. Some of his promised (but never quite realized) innovations included a house that hovered above the ground and music speakers embedded in wallpaper.

Unfortunately, Mardas also seemed to be a magnet for controversy within the group. He gossiped to John Lennon about Maharishi Mahesh Yogi’s supposed flirting with female members of the retreat The Beatles took to India, causing Lennon to sour on the guru. And Lennon’s first wife Cynthia also accused Mardas of untoward behavior at the end of her marriage to John.

Source: americansongwriter.com/Jim Beviglia

Read More<<<