Beatles News

Left-handed guitarists have never had it easy, especially in the early years of the instrument's U.S. popularity. Reportedly, Jimi Hendrix’s father forced him to play right-handed when he was a youngster out of belief that left-handedness was a sign of the devil. Jimi accommodated his dad when he was around and then flipped the guitar for left-handed playing when he was gone.

Paul McCartney had it somewhat easier. A southpaw, his dad didn't force him to play right handed, but like other lefty guitarists he had to tweak his Zenith acoustic guitar by switching the string order and making homemade fixes to the nut. Even so, over time he managed to learn how to play guitar right-handed given that much of the time he was among right-handed guitarists with no suitable instrument in sight.

“I can play right-handed guitar a bit, just enough for at parties,” he confirmed to Guitar Player in 1990. “Hopefully, by that point everyone is drunk when I pick it up, because otherwise they're going to catch me. But I could do that."

He explained that it would have made little sense to ask if he could re-string someone's guitar. "And at a party, you only want to play it for 15 or 30 minutes or so, a details

Fans of The Beatles never imagined they'd see the day when the group released their final song, let alone earn a couple of Grammy nominations for it.

However, while it's incredible that the over 60-year-old band is seeing a resurgence of love and recognition for their last tune, Now and Then, some fans can't help but notice that not all of its band members are being honored technically.

Deceased Beatles John Lennon and George Harrison are not listed on the band's Grammy nomination for Now and Then, despite being featured on the track.

Paul McCartney roasts Bruce Springsteen as he quips he's 'never worked a day in his life'
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The Beatles' Now and Then, is up for Record of the Year and Best Rock Performance, but only the two living Beatles — Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr — are nominated for those awards.

Lennon, who died in 1980, and Harrison, who died in 2001, are not eligible due to Grammy rules for “new recordings” and cannot earn an award for “material that has been recorded within five years of the release date.”

So, if The Beatles win in either category, details

The record of the year category for the 2025 Grammys is full of zesty pop hits from young female acts such as Chappell Roan, Charli XCX and Sabrina Carpenter.

There’s also Kendrick Lamar’s operatically vicious “Not Like Us” and some poignant, expansive work from Beyoncé (“Texas Hold ’Em”) and Billie Eilish (“Birds of a Feather”).

Then there’s the Beatles’ “Now and Then”. The quartet is back on the Grammy leaderboard a full six decades after winning their first statuette.

“Now and Then”, salvaged from a famously muddy demo from John Lennon, was made possible with the AI-driven, instrument-isolating mix technology first showcased in the documentary series The Beatles: Get Back.

Not even the deaths of Lennon and George Harrison could stand in the way of the most tantalising prospect in rock – a new and final Beatles single, featuring all four members together.

The Recording Academy lauded the single with record and rock performance nominations. The music industry saw the achievements of “Now and Then” as a major feat of production technology and songcraft.

But the academ details

When news broke of Marianne Faithfull's death on Thursday (January 30), those close to the beloved singer took to social media to pay tribute. Paul McCartney mourned the death of his "life-long friend" in an Instagram post. What sad news that Marianne Faithfull has passed away," he captioned an old photo of himself and Faithfull. "She came into my life in the Sixties and was a beautiful, sweet 17 year old who radiated innocent joy. Then through the years I was lucky enough to run into her and to become a life-long friend."

"It’s very sad to think that I won’t be meeting her again but my memories of our encounters over the years will always bring me joy," McCartney reflected. "May god bless you Marianne and guide you in the next steps of your journey."

Mick Jagger, who dated Faithfull from 1966-1970, also shared an emotional tribute. "I am so saddened to hear of the death of Marianne Faithfull. She was so much part of my life for so long," he captioned an Instagram post showcasing photos of himself and Faithfull. "She was a wonderful friend, a beautiful singer and a great actress. She will always be remembered."

Faithfull was one of the most popular female artists in the British Invasion and i details

You don’t amass worldwide fame and not fall victim to a little conjecture. The Beatles certainly were on the bad end of a few rumors. Check out three of the strangest, below.   3 of the Strangest Rumors About the Beatles....

1. Paul is Dead

We have to start this list at the natural point: Paul is Dead. It’s one of the most famous rumors about the Fab Four–and possibly the most unbelievable. As the story goes, Paul McCartney died and was replaced by a convincing double. Theorists have pointed to the album cover for Abbey Road–in which the band members’ clothing is reminiscent of a burial–and backwards messages to support their claims. McCartney has denied this rumor, of course. But, then again, can you expect a body double to just come out and tell us the truth…Guess we can’t completely file this one under debunked.

2. John Lennon and the Devil

Countless rock stars have been accused of having a commune with the Devil. That idea was also leveled at John Lennon once upon a time. Those that believe this rumor think Lennon bargained his soul with Satan to garner fame on an unprecedented level. As a result of this, he suffered his t details

During the 1970s, John Lennon’s final decade, the former Beatles star lived in the US and focused on his solo career.

Now, for the first time, his only full-length concert after leaving the Fab Four has seen its film footage restored.

Announced today by Dogwoof: “One to One: John and Yoko delivers an immersive cinematic experience that brings to life electrifying, never-before-seen material and newly restored footage of Lennon's only full-length, post-Beatles concert.

“With mind-blowing remastered audio overseen by their son, Sean Ono Lennon, the film is both compelling and bittersweet, challenging pre-existing notions of the iconic couple.

“On August 30, 1972, in New York City, John Lennon played his only full-length show after leaving The Beatles, the One to One benefit concert at Madison Square Garden, a rollicking, dazzling performance from him and Yoko Ono.”

Source: express.co.uk/George Simpson

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Babygirl star Harris Dickinson responds to rumors he will play John Lennon in the four planned Beatles biopic movies. The Fab Four are finally getting the musical biopic treatment, as Sam Mendes and Sony are developing a quartet of Beatles movies, each centered on a different member of the chart-topping group. Barry Keoghan has already been confirmed as Ringo Starr, but the other three Beatles are yet to be officially cast, as the rumor mill keeps churning out potential names.

Lennon is arguably the prize Beatles catch from an acting standpoint, and last summer it was rumored that Babygirl’s Dickinson would be the one to nab that particular role, but the star is staying mum about whether the rumor has any substance. Dickinson just addressed his name being connected to Mendes’ four-film biopic, and gave only a brief response (via THR):

“OK, my comment is that I think it would be a brilliant opportunity to play John Lennon, and to work with Sam and everyone else mentioned. Yeah, I don’t know. It would be splendid.”

Banshees of Inisherin star Keoghan was confirmed last year to be cast as Starr after the Beatles drummer let the secret out of the bag. The other three main roles r details

With the Super Bowl just around the corner, Paul McCartney, who headlined the halftime show in 2005, has shared his thoughts on what he calls American football, and it turns out he’s a fan.

In a new Q&A on his website, the rocker was asked how he first got into watching the sport, and it seems his wife Linda is responsible.

“Well, being married to Linda meant I was in America quite a bit. We spent a lot of time there with her family and American Football was always on the television,” he explains. “I would watch it with everyone but not really know what was going on!”

McCartney says he didn’t understand the game until Linda clued him in to keep his eye on the quarterback, telling him, “All the action comes from him.”

“So, once I had that clue, I found it much easier to follow,” he says.

“I watched a lot of it and grew to really like it, because it’s quite a complicated and strategic game – and obviously very athletic,” Sir Paul says, joking, “In Britain we used to laugh at it, saying, ‘They wear all those pads and protective gear. We don’t, we’ve got rugby, a proper sport!"&rdqu details

The Beatles could finally win Record of the Year at the Grammys for "Now and Then," breaking a ... [+] historic losing streak that's continued for decades.

For the first time in almost 30 years, The Beatles are nominated for a Grammy. Two of them, actually. Throughout that time, projects attached to the rockers have been up for, and even won trophies, but the group itself wasn’t actually in the running for a prize. Now, the Fab Four may be headed for another win, and the musicians have another chance to fix a black spot on an otherwise sterling legacy.

The Beatles hold the record for the most nominations among groups in the Record of the Year category. That field is considered, perhaps only countered by Album of the Year, as the top honor at music’s biggest night. The pop and rock legends have competed for the honor five times now, including this ceremony, but so far, the band has always been beaten.

Throughout the years, The Beatles landed in the Record of the Year vertical with all of the following hits: “I Want to Hold Your Hand” (lost to "The Girl from Ipanema" by Stan Getz and Astrud Gilberto), “Yesterday” (lost to "A Taste of Honey" by Herb Alpert and the Tijuan details

A lock of hair cut from the head of an unwitting Paul McCartney outside a BBC studio is for sale at a British collectibles company.

Paul Fraser Collectibles are listing the dark-brown hank of Beatle hair that fan Martha snipped outside a recording, probably for the BBC show Saturday Club, in 1965 or 1966.  Martha’s confession recalls a time when fans could get relatively close to the Liverpool band and other stars of an exploding British beat scene.

Paul McCartney’s hair is for sale alongside his signature. Image courtesy Paul Fraser Collectibles.

With most of the band in her autograph book, Martha and a friend went one step further to show their admiration for the Fab Four.

“At school we made plans to cut a piece of Paul’s hair (back then it was a ‘normal’ thing to do) and went prepared with scissors. When the Beatles left the studio we mobbed them with a crowd of other fans and just grabbed Paul’s hair and cut!  “Sounds a dreadful thing now,” she says.  They even wrote via the band’s fan club offering an apology but never heard back.

60 years later that girlish enthusiasm has produced a valuable artefact of the m details

Despite having starred in a Pizza Hut commercial back in 1995, Ringo Starr has admitted he's never before been able to enjoy a piece of pizza.  Famed Beatles drummer and one-time Pizza Hut spokesperson Ringo Starr has admitted he’s never eaten pizza before.

The veteran musician made the somewhat surprising confession while appearing on Jimmy Kimmel Live! to promote his 21st studio album, Look Up. As part of his chat, Kimmel asked Starr to set some rumors about himself straight. First on the list was the claim that Starr had never eaten pizza.  “I’ve never had a pizza,” Starr confirmed, as the audience expressed their shock at the news. “Or a curry.”

“I’m allergic to several items,” Starr continued. “With pizza, you don’t know what you’re putting in it half the time. Or the curry. So I’m strict with myself since it makes me ill immediately.”

“I used to think you had the greatest life, and now I realize mine is better,” Kimmel joked in response. Added Starr: “Yours is better because you’ve had a pizza.”

Starr’s need to abstain from pizza also goes hand-in-hand with his details

George Harrison’s legendary diary entry from the day he left The Beatles has seen the guitarist dubbed an “icon”.

Studio session tensions bubbled over for Harrison during the Get Back rehearsals, prompting him to briefly quit the band. Ringo Starr had previously departed the band towards the end of The White Album recording but rejoined a short while later. Starr had felt he “wasn’t playing great” and that he was “an outsider” but after a holiday to Sardinia, he rejoined the band. Harrison’s departure from the Get Back sessions lasted five days and has since been immortalised in a diary entry.

January 10, 1969 saw Harrison write in his diary he had “left The Beatles”. The full entry reads: “Got up, went to Twickenham. Rehearsed until lunchtime – left The Beatles – went home.” One fan dubbed Harrison an “icon” for his diary entry and departing from The Beatles while another said it was a “dark day” for fans of the Fab Four. Harrison’s rather stoic attitude to The Beatles has been celebrated by fans in a Reddit thread, who shared similar stories about the Something and All Things Must Pass songwr details

The Beatles ended their historic run as a band on Jan. 30, 1969. On that date in history, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr gathered on the rooftop of the Apple Corps. headquarters for their last-ever live performance. Billy Preston, often dubbed the “Fifth Beatle,” played electric piano during the set.

Five stories atop central London, the band played their final show for a project originally titled Get Back. The Beatles hoped that the project, as the title suggested, would help them return to their roots.

However, the resulting film and album, which were later renamed Let It Be, became the band’s final project together when they were released in May 1970.  Rolling Stone reported that the rooftop concert wasn’t always planned for that location. A cruise ship, the Sahara desert, the Giza pyramids, and a 2,000-year-old Roman amphitheater were first considered. Ultimately, the rooftop was chosen, though whether Lennon or Starr suggested it first is widely debated.

The Day of The Beatles’ Rooftop Concert

Knowing he was going to witness something special, director Michael Lindsay-Hogg, who previously worked with The Beatles on &ldqu details

An extremely rare, eight-inch acetate record with Connecticut ties featuring several iconic songs from “The Beatles” has been rediscovered after six decades, according to Nate D. Sanders, who will auction off the item on Thursday.

Issued in the 1960s by Capital Records, the acetate includes songs such as “Can’t Buy Me Love” and “You Can’t Do That.”

The record’s journey traces back 61 years, when local teenager Cherie Pinsky won it through a drawing contest hosted by WPOP radio in Hartford. Pinsky secured the priceless piece of memorabilia after her drawing of “The Beatles” won the radio station’s contest.

According to Nate D. Sanders, an industry leader in documents and autographs, the acetate is in remarkably good condition. While it bears several surface scratches and still as Pinsky’s name on each side of the label, the item is still housed in its original sleeve.

The acetate was released in limited quantity at the height of Beatlemania in 1964 and is identified on its label as Master X44914 and X44913. Only a handful of these items are known to exist, making the acetate a remarkable relic of music history.

N details

Out of all of The Beatles’ albums, the cover of Abbey Road from 1969 is by far the most memorable. In fact, the iconic cover photo has impacted pop culture in a number of surprising ways. So, what’s the story behind it?

The photo on the cover of Abbey Road shows John Lennon, Ringo Starr, Paul McCartney, and George Harrison walking along a crosswalk outside of EMI studios in London, England, on Abbey Road. The band had recorded the majority of their career recording there, so it was only fitting to make the scene part of the album.

The photo is a fascinating piece compositionally. Paul McCartney is shoeless, everyone is wearing a designer suit except for a denim-clad George Harrison, and the vibe is just unreal.

Surprisingly, the photo wasn’t the result of a tireless photo shoot that was aiming for perfection. Rather, the shot was snapped during a few-minute break on August 8, 1969.

That very day, the band was recording the songs “Oh! Darling”, “The End”, and “I Want You (She’s So Heavy)” in the nearby studio. During a break in between sessions, the Fab Four walked outside to be photographed by Iain Macmillan. He only took six photos in t details