FEW people can claim to know as much about The Beatles as Ainsdale author Spencer Leigh. His On The Beat music programme has been a fixture on BBC Radio Merseyside since 1985 and over that time, he’s conducted more interviews about the Fab Four – all captured on tape – than anyone in the world.
Before the Beatles took America by storm, Paul, John, Ringo and George were featured on BBC radio programs 53 times. Those Beatles performances, recorded between 1962 and 1965, have now been released. Jeffrey Brown talks to Kevin Howlett of BBC about his laborious search for many of these live, early, pre-Beatlemania recordings.
Pattie Boyd shot to international fame when she married George Harrison in the 1960s. Although Boyd had sparked interest and admiration during her modeling heyday in the early 60s it was her marriage to the “quiet” member of the Beatles that generated the most headlines and controversy.
A REDRUTH man who was one of Britain’s last telegram boys is recording the story of his life, with fond memories of special deliveries to the rich and famous – including Beatle George Harrison. Long before emails, texting and mobile phones, and with many people still without a land-line telephone, the telegram was a much-used means of conveying urgent and important messages.
The mayor of Liverpool, Joe Anderson, has branded Boris Johnson a "fool" over comments the Mayor of London made about The Beatles. Mayor of London Boris Johnson claimed that it was the capital, not Liverpool, that propelled The Beatles to international fame and success during a controversial speech given in December at the London School of Economics.
Ringo Starr said he hoped to power down the All-Starr Band caravan for a bit in 2013, taking a rare summer off. But he ended up touring from February through March and then from October through November anyway.
Fifty years ago, the Beatles landed in the U.S., generating the biggest explosion rock & roll has ever seen. In the new issue of Rolling Stone (on stands Friday, January 3rd), contributing editor Mikal Gilmore examines just how the Fab Four arrived in the States facing media disdain and a clueless record label in the wake of the devastating assassination of John F. Kennedy — and still managed to conquer America.
Before the throngs of screaming fans, before selling billions of records, before creating chart-topping hit after hit, before becoming musical icons and before they were known as the Beatles, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr “were just boys” who faced many blunders and pitfalls on their journey to superstardom.
Christmas has just come and gone, so obviously that means that Valentine's Day is right around the corner (for retailers, at least). Starbucks is readying the release of its Sweetheart 2014 compilation, the latest in the coffee chain's series of love-inspired cover songs.
According to the Beatles memorabilia dealer who sold the album, this is; "One of the most historic signed records there is! A fully signed 1962 first issue "Love Me Do / P.S. I Love You" 45 signed by all four Beatles on the a side of the record!
