Beatles News

“Ladies and gentlemen, the Beatles!”

With those words, Ed Sullivan introduced America to four lads from Liverpool who would go on to become one the most popular musical acts in history. The date was Feb. 9, 1964, and for the Beatles it was the first of four appearances on the Ed Sullivan Show.

In celebration of that iconic moment, the Robert Kidd Gallery in Birmingham is displaying a rare collection of color photographs taken of the Beatles during their fourth and final appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show.

The six photographs capture the Beatles as they rehearse and perform on the Ed Sullivan Show on Aug. 14, 1965, right before the band played at Shea Stadium to kick off its North American tour.

“The pictures are amazingly clear and crisp,” gallery director Gerard Marti said. “It’s like being there.”

The Beatles appearance happened to coincide with the final black and white episode of the Ed Sullivan Show. At the end of the evening, Sullivan broke the news that his show would begin broadcasting in color the following week.

“This is very first time these photographs are being displayed in this form and medium,” Marti said. &ldquo details

The Bootleg Beatles have been fab for nearly 40 years which is four times as long as the original Fab Four.

The tribute act which was born in 1980 have brought countless pleasure to fans both young and old during the years by giving them as taste of what it must have been like to see The Beatles play live.

It is one of these ticks of time where you get a tribute act which far exceeds the original. Much like Dad's Army went on longer than the Seoncd World War and MASH lasted longer than the Korean War. 

For the Bootles Beatles it has been an astonishing ride. One of those enjoying this magical mystery tour is Adam Hastings who plays John Lennon in the show. He said: "I have been in the group for five year and it is fun being a Bootleg Beatle. "I first became aware of The Beatles when I was seven when my dad was teaching my sister how to play bass to A Hard Day's Night.

"I bought my first Beatles LP when I was 13-years-old and got Sgt Pepper from Woolworth's. I always bought an LP in the summer to remind me of my summer holidays. "Since then I have always loved them. "Playing John is an act so when I go home I can and do switch off.

"What I have to do for the show is what how he acted, details

The legacy of The Beatles adds nearly £82m to the Liverpool economy each year, new research has suggested.

The band's impact also supports 2,335 jobs in the city, claims the report commissioned by Liverpool City Council. Professor Simeon Yates, who was lead author, said the city needed to "maintain standards" to boost tourism.

Councillor Richard Kemp, whose ward includes Penny Lane - made famous in a Beatles' song - called for tourism to "percolate" from the city centre.

His ward also includes St Barnabas Church, where the band used to perform, Quarry Bank School - which John Lennon attended - and Dovedale School, also attended by Lennon and his band mate George Harrison.

Spreading tourism would "decrease congestion in town", said Mr Kemp, who added the Allerton Road area - near Penny Lane, where Lennon would meet band mate Paul McCartney to catch the bus to the city centre - could be developed as the "Beatles Homeland Quarter".

The report said the Beatles-related economy was growing by up to 15% a year and that the band's songs were becoming increasingly popular in Brazil and China alongside the more established fan bases in Europe and the US. The research, produced by Liverpool Jo details

"Hey Jude," one of the Beatles' most famous songs, is an uplifting ballad that's inspired the masses for decades. The song, written by Paul McCartney and also credited to John Lennon for some contributions, has been long-used as a generally encouraging message, and it was specifically inspired as an empathetic message to Lennon's son during a tough time for him.

McCartney originally wrote a rough version of the song, called "Hey Jules," to cheer up Lennon's then five-year old son, Julian, during his parents' divorce, and it eventually became "Hey Jude."

"I was going out in my car, just vaguely singing this song," McCartney told Rolling Stone, "and it was like, 'Hey, Jules...' And then I just thought a better name was Jude. A bit more country and western for me." He said the song's intro was "a hopeful message for Julian: 'Come on, man, your parents got divorced. I know you're not happy, but you'll be OK.'"

McCartney wrote "Hey Jude" at a tumultuous time in his own life as well. The song was written while the band was doing studio sessions for the White Album, according to Rolling Stone, when the band members were notoriously feuding. At the same time, he and his then girlfriend, actress Jane Asher, were details

Although Abbey Road was an immediate commercial success and reached number one in the UK and US, it received mixed reviews, with some critics describing its music as inauthentic and bemoaning the production’s artificial effects. Many critics now view the album as the Beatles’ best and rank it as one of the greatest albums of all time.

Front cover

1. The title

The original title for the album “Everest” (after a brand of cigarettes smoked by Geoff Emerick, one of the engineers). The packets had a silhouette of Mount Everest on them and The Beatles liked the imagery. However, the idea was dropped as none of The Beatles wanted to travel to Nepal for a cover shoot.

2. Suggestion for the cover shot

Initially, the band intended to take a private plane over to the foothills of Mount Everest to shoot the cover photograph. But as they became ever more impatient to finish the album, Paul McCartney suggested they just go outside, take the photo there and name the album after the street.

Source: The Vintage News

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Former Beatle Sir Paul McCartney has backed the Independent’s Give to GOSH appeal with a heartfelt tribute to the generosity of reader and the great work of the hospital’s staff and volunteers. The endorsement from the former member of the Fab Four comes at the start of the final week of the appeal for Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH), which has already smashed all previous records for our seasonal appeal by raising more than £3m.

In a video message he has updated his 1967 hit “When I’m Sixty-Four” in honour of Great Ormond Street Hospital.

He said: “This is Paul McCartney here and this is a message on behalf of the Great Ormond Street Hospital. I want to thank everybody who has donated to their latest campaign and has given money to keep this great hospital and the great work it does going.”

Sir Paul has a long history of supporting GOSH, including a paying surprise visit to the wards, performing karaoke sessions with patients and attending the hospital's annual Christmas party for patients.

GOSH chaplain and Beatles fan Jim Linthicum said: “Sir Paul McCartney is a genius as a musician and I have so much respect for him. He transcends the details

Music students from Weston-super-Mare were given the opportunity to perform at one of the world’s most famous recording studios – London’s Abbey Road.

The students, who all study at Weston College, even got the chance to use the ‘John Lennon microphone’ during the project.

The pupils, who are in the second year of their music degrees at the college, were told to write a composition for brass instruments. It had initially seemed a daunting prospect, as some students had no experience of writing music.

Student Grace Luren at first thought she could not do it. But the project gave the students the opportunity to work alongside National Youth Jazz Orchestra (NYCO). Grace said: “I couldn’t turn down the opportunity to work with musicians of that calibre. “I’m a singer, and cannot read music, so I thought I would embody a brass instrument. “So I sang it all and pretended to be a trumpet.”

With the help of computer programmes, Grace was able to use her voice to compose music the brass players could play to. Paul Raymond, who teaches the course, said: “Grace showed parts of it to the people who would play them, and the first thing th details

He is rarely seen in public with both daughters simultaneously. But Sir Paul McCartney changed all that when he stepped out with daughters Mary and Stella on Friday evening in central London. The Liverpudlian star, 73, looked delighted to join his glamorous offspring at the BAFTA screening of new film This Beautiful Fantastic. 

Cutting a dapper figure, the Beatles star had clearly dressed to impress for the occasion. Stepping out in a navy blue, pin-striped suit, he matched the ensemble with a classic white shirt and a pair of leather-effect shoes. Sporting brown hair, he looked considerably younger than his years.

Not to be out-done, Mary was also out in force - wearing a conservative, yet trendy, look. This consisted of a pair of fitted, black trousers with a square-neck blouse and a silk jacket, complete with baseball collars and equinn detailing. Scooping her hair up into a classy bun, she struck a dramatic resemblance to her famous father. 

Source: Daily Mail

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All You Need Is Love proves all you need for a terrific night out is a rocking good live band, the sublime talents of the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, the comfort and acoustics of the Adelaide Festival Centre and the song writing genius of the greatest band there ever was.

Throw in the considerable singing prowess of four guys clearly enjoying a musical “bromance” and it’s hard to go wrong.

Featuring a catalogue of 30 Beatles songs primarily from their psychedelic period – that have captivated more than one generation – it is all aboard the ‘Mystery Tour’ through to a rousing hand waving encore of Hey Jude.

Ciaran Gribbin, an Irishman brought to Australia to front INXS five years ago, was the standout vocalist in the first half engaging the pack audience with some Irish charm and singing the pants off I Am The Walrus.

Darren Percival and Jackson Thomas, both runners-up in series of The Voice Australia, showed they will be remembered for more that reality TV appearances.

Percival was at his best with Fool On The Hill and Something while Jackson has a sublime voice and handled the tricky Let It Be with star quality.

By: Craig Cook

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FOUNDER OF 2016 RECORDING ACADEMY LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD RECIPIENTS EARTH, WIND & FIRE DIES AT 74

Maurice White, founder of 2016 Recording Academy Lifetime Achievement Award recipients Earth, Wind & Fire, died Feb. 3 following a lengthy battle with Parkinson's disease. He was 74.

White founded Earth, Wind & Fire in Chicago in 1969 and shared lead vocal duties with Philip Bailey. He served as the supergroup's principal songwriter and producer for classic albums such as 1971's Earth, Wind & Fire, 1975's That's The Way Of The World and 1976's Spirit. White also co-wrote many Earth, Wind & Fire classics, including "September," "Shining Star" and "Let's Groove."

White earned seven GRAMMY wins, including the group's first career win for Best R&B Vocal Performance By A Duo, Group Or Chorus for "Shining Star" for 1975. He won a GRAMMY for Best Arrangement Accompanying Vocal(s) for 1978 for Earth, Wind & Fire's cover of the Beatles' "Got To Get You Into My Life." Earth, Wind & Fire were recently announced as 2016 recipients of The Recording Academy Lifetime Achievement Award. A special ceremony and concert celebrating this year's Special Merit Award recipients will be held in t details