Former Ottawa music journalist Sandy Gardiner. The album Beatlemania! is the first Beatles LP released in Canada and not only is Gardiner responsible for a quotation on the album, he's also responsible for the name of the LP.

A native of Glasgow, Scotland, Gardiner was a music writer for six years in the United Kingdom and later, was an editor and entertainment writer for the Ottawa Journal which folded in 1980.

In 1963, while at the Journal, Gardiner visited Britain and wrote an article which suggested a Liverpool foursome named The Beatles was poised to take the world by storm. He called the phenomenon `Beatlemania.'

His story was spotted by Capitol Records and the company used his term as the title of the first Beatles album sold in Canada. First released in Britain as `With The Beatles,' the LP was titled `Beatlemania!' when it hit Canadian record stores.

A few lines from Gardiner's article, along with his name, are on the front cover of the album, alongside quotations from Time and Newsweek magazines.

Gardiner's contribution reads: "A new disease is sweeping through Britain... and doctors are powerless to stop it...it's Beatlemania! This Liverpool group play to packed houses wherever they go..."

Before he gave up newspaper work Gardiner interviewed members of the Beatles six times. He also managed a number of Ottawa rock and roll bands, including The Esquires, The Townsmen and The Staccatos, who later became The Five Man Electrical Band.

Since 1980, Gardiner has handled public affairs for British Airways and when last heard from was the airline's American public affairs manager and based in New York City.