Beatles News

In September 1974 George Harrison’s record label, Dark Horse Records, released its first two singles. The first was Ravi Shankar’s ‘I Am Missing You’. Produced and arranged by Harrison, it is a rare Shankar composition in a Western pop style. The other single to come out that same day was Splinter’s ‘Costafine Town’, which went top 10 in Australia and South Africa and made the UK top twenty.

Two years later, with his contractual obligations to other labels at an end, and with the winding down of Apple Records, George signed to his own label. In the intervening years there had been other Dark Horse Records releases by Stairsteps, Jiva, Henry McCullough (following his departure from Wings), and a band called Attitudes. First brought together on Harrison’s 1975 album Extra Texture (Read All About It), Attitudes included keyboard player David Foster, who also played on George’s debut for Dark Horse, Thirty Three & 1/3.

George’s seventh solo studio album was recorded at his home, Friar Park, between the end of May and mid September 1976, and was released two months later on 19th November. Shortly after beginning to make this record, George contracted hep details

In the early evening of Thursday, November 24, 1966, four young men — the oldest 26, the youngest 23 — arrived at a north London recording studio to start work on a song one of them had written in Spain weeks before.

Cars ferried three of them from Georgian and mock Tudor mansions in Surrey — London’s so-called stockbroker belt — while the fourth journeyed from just around the St John’s Wood corner.

These wartime boys of Liverpool’s working classes had come a long way. On that same day in 1962 their primitive debut single was heading towards No 17 on the British charts before its modest run lost momentum. That same night they completed a two-hour set at the Royal Lido Ballroom in Prestatyn, north Wales, earning £30, but the cook threw in a plate of jam sandwiches.

By the time John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr assembled at Abbey Road’s Studio Two at 7.30pm, they were the four most famous young men on the planet.

What the Beatles had done in that room in the intervening period changed popular music, and then popular culture, reshaping the century in ways that reverberate still. When things were tough for the band, as t details

"Strawberry Fields Forever" represents one of the most daunting achievements of the Beatles' career, and a landmark in 20th-century music as a whole, but what if someone was to say there exists a "Strawberry Fields" recording that surpasses the single released in February 1967? A fatuous claim? Or a gateway to the most revealing of all Beatles recordings?

John Lennon, the song's author, esteemed "Strawberry Fields Forever" in a way he did few of his own compositions. "It's real, you know," he remarked in 1970. "It's about me, and I don't know anything else really. The only true songs I ever wrote were 'Help!' and 'Strawberry Fields Forever.'"

The writing of the latter commenced in September 1966 while Lennon was in Spain for the filming of Richard Lester's How I Won the War. The Beatles may have sensed they had reached a middle-aged point of their career, hence an impetus to look back to childhood, as Lennon now was, Strawberry Fields itself being the Salvation Army children's home where he'd play as a boy, despite his Aunt Mimi's warnings that the grounds were dangerous.

Lennon, ever a collector of found sounds, was now finding himself in song, and elected to document the process, beginning with those e details

Not many people can say they bought The Beatles supper from a chippy on Heavitree Road, before learning a powerful life lesson from John Lennon. But Exeter rocker Paul Walters, 66, can. 

Paul, managing director of Guildhall Shopping Centre's Gourmet Kitchens and Velvet Touch guitarist, has shared memories of his jaw dropping backstage meeting with the Fab Four. 

It follows this month's anniversary of a sell-out 1963 gig at the city's now demolished ABC Cinema. The encounter between his 15-year-old self and Liverpool's finest at their second ABC gig, in 1964, was not by chance alone. Paul's father, Ken, owned a popular hairdresser which, he claims, was the first business to set up shop in the original Princesshay shopping centre, and the last to leave. A regular customer of his father Ken was Bob Parker, boss of the ABC, who was looking for people to police the second Beatles gig at the city centre venue. 

Paul didn't have to be asked twice, already a huge fan at the time. Paul remembered: "The Beatles were late to the gig because they were watching a Liverpool FC game on telly at the Rougemont Hotel; they were in high spirits following a victory. "As part of the job I ended up getting them details

ROCKERS of a bygone era will be in seventh heaven as Beatles memorabilia and a rare guitar go under the hammer on Saturday.

Stacey’s Auctioneers in Rayleigh is holding a “Rock & Retro” day which will see four authenticated Beatles autographs obtained in May, 1963 after the Fab Four’s gig at the old Odeon in Southend, go under the hammer.

They are estimated to fetch up to £500, but could go for a lot more as the Liverpool band’s memorabilia, especially signed items, has rocketed in value in recent years, particularly since the deaths of John Lennon and George Harrison.

A Beatles “Another Christmas Record” flexi disc is among the lots, along with a signed Beatles postcard by John Lennon’s Aunt Mimi, who brought him up after the death of his mother Julia, with printed signatures of the Beatles to the front.

There is also another postcard signed by Louise Harrison, George’s mother.

Stacey’s auctioneer and valuer Rob Smee said: “We have various signed pictures of the Beatles, some are authenticated and some not.

“The Beatles signed a lot of stuff themselves, particularly in the early days, but there were details

Paul McCartney fans will get a glimpse into his early love life as pictures of the star taken by his first wife Linda have emerged.

A woman whose dad ran the world-famous Cavern Club 50 years ago has uncovered the snaps she says were taken weeks after the pair got together.

Debbie Greenberg's dad, the late Alf Geoghegan, ran the club from 1966 to 1971.The pictures were published for the first time in her new book: Cavern Club: The Inside Story.

Sir McCartney arrived at the club with his new lover and told Mr Geoghegan if he could show her "where it all began", Debbie said.

The giddy owner rushed out to buy a camera to take pictures of the famous duo while they looked around. But when he returned, Linda insisted she took the photos.

"Paul turned up at the club on October 25th 1968 and told my dad that his new girlfriend Linda was in the car and asked if he could bring her inside to show her where it all began," Debbie said. "He said he would be back in an hour after he had delivered a record player, so dad rushed out to buy a camera so he could take some photos when Paul returned.

By: Sean Morrison

Source: The Mirror

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The son of late Beatles legend George Harrison has reportedly issued divorce proceedings against his wife of four years.

Entertainment news website TMZ claim singer-songwriter Dhani Harrison, 38, has cited irreconcilable differences as a motive for his separation from model turned psychologist Solveig 'Sola' Karadottir.

The musician, Harrison's only child with second wife Olivia Arias, is understood to have filed a petition to end their marriage in Los Angeles a week ago. 

TMZ also claim the cost of spousal support and legal fees will be dictated by a prenuptial agreement entered by both parties prior to their marriage. 

Dhani married Solveig, the daughter of deCODE Genetics co-founder Kári Stefánsson, at the Harrison's Friar Park estate in Henley-on-Thames in June 2012. Guests at the low-key ceremony included Hollywood star Tom Hanks, British actor Clive Owen and his father's two surviving bandmates, Ringo Starr and Sir Paul McCartney. 

Solveig also wore an embroidered bridal gown designed by McCartney's fashion designer daughter, Stella. The statuesque former model walked down the aisle to Led Zeppelin track The Rain Song before exchanging vows with Dhani in details

An angry letter from John Lennon to Paul and his then-wife Linda McCartney following the breakup of The Beatles has sold at auction for just under $30,000.

Boston-based RR Auctions estimated the letter would fetch at least $20,000 when they announced the listing recently. And today they've revealed it sold for $29,843.

The two-page typed letter with hand-written annotations by Lennon shows the extent of his bitterness after the break-up of the Beatles.

The draft letter is believed to date from 1971 and was said to be a response to criticism that Lennon had received from Linda about his decision to not publicly announce his departure from the band.

It reads: “I was reading your letter and wondering what middle aged cranky Beatle fan wrote it.

“I resisted looking at the last page to find out. I kept thinking who is it, Queenie? Stuart’s mother? Clive Epstein’s wife? Alan Williams? What the hell – it’s Linda! Who do you think we/you are?

"Linda, if you don’t care what I say shut up! Let Paul write or whatever.”

Other items included in the sale were a Led Zeppelin debut album inscribed to the founding member of the James Gang whi details

“Brian was a flawed and imperfect hero, but he was a hero all the same.... So like all worthy heroes, why shouldn’t Brian Epstein have a life in comics?”

So said Vivek J. Tiwary in an essay at the back of “The Fifth Beatle: The Brian Epstein Story,” a graphic novel he wrote that has arrived in paperback. Despite the darkness at the heart of the story — Epstein had a number of problems, including the drug addictions that ended his life at 32 — the book is an ebullient, colorful biography, and the quote represents it quite well.

Epstein, for those not up on their Beatle history, was the first to recognize the band’s potential. He managed and guided them to international success, virtually created Beatlemania and in the process creating a new model for the music industry. Without him, the band might have ended in obscurity, playing in low-rent Hamburg nightclubs to the last.

Or not. But this isn’t a book about the Beatles — it is definitely Epstein’s story. Yes, the Beatles are somewhat overpowering, but they and all the other legendary figures in the swirl of the British Invasion remain supporting characters. But the spotlight remains firmly details

The Beatles' Grammy nomination for their 1965 song "Help!" will be auctioned by Nate D. Sanders Auctions on November 17. Interested bidders may participate in the auction online.

The Beatles received 27 Grammy nominations throughout their amazing career. The Grammy nomination being auctioned is for 'Best Contemporary (R&R) Performance - Group (Vocal or Instrumental)." The paper nomination, featuring an image of the iconic Grammy award screened in the background, is lacquered onto a wooden plaque.

The 1965 song "Help!" served as the title song for the Beatles' album and movie "Help!" John Lennon wrote the lyrics to the song to describe the stress the band was experiencing from its tremendous fame. The song was credited to John Lennon and Paul McCartney. "Help!" became the number one single in the United States and United Kingdom. Rolling Stone rated "Help!" as the 29th greatest single of all-time. Richard Lester directed the film "Help!" which netted over $12 million at the box office. Auction owner Nate Sanders stated, "This is rare item and a tribute to the greatest bands of all-time."

Bidding begins at $7,500.

Source: Broadway World

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