I never really was familiar with the original Beatles US album releases. I just knew they were different. I had seen some of the covers and just assumed they were some weird compilation albums.

I started getting into music as a teen from junior high through college 1979-1989 and my first Beatles pruchases were the so called red and blue compilation albums. A great introduction that covered the big hits across their entire history. Later I got 1 and Past Masters and Anthology even later. But I never bothered with the original albums much.

Then I got streaming and just assumed the albums as presented on apple music was what everyone knew. It was only later that I found out that those were the UK versions of those albums (with the exception of Magical Mystery Tour). But anyway I learned what their catalogue was from those albums.

So this is kind of a shock to me to see graphically how those albums were compiled and I did a deep dive into some of why.

I'l follow up with more but basically:
- the Beatles first couple of singles flopped in the US and EMI licensed away the Beatles rights to the songs on their first UK record to Vee-Jay records which was struggling financially, faced bankruptcy and details

The Beatles' vast back catalogue of songs came together in many different ways. The vast majority were written by Paul McCartney and John Lennon and in the early days they would sit together at Paul's childhood home on Forthlin Road in Allerton and write in tandem.

However, as artistic differences within the band emerged in the later years, John and Paul would increasingly do their own thing - writing alone before bringing a piece of work to the other for tweaks and changes. Every song the two wrote for the band had a joint writing composition credit - even through sometimes they were completely independent efforts.

‌And in some cases, the two would write their own full sections and combine them into one song. This was the case with 'A Day in the Life', which featured on the seminal 1967 album 'Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band'.

‌John wrote the first half of the track in January 1967, inspired by a number of articles he had read in newspapers. He then played Paul the song and Paul then added the middle-eight section, which drew on his Liverpool upbringing.

Lyrically, John drew on the news of the death of the Guinness brewery heir Tara Brown and a Daily Mail report about potholes in details

A book of Beatles -era photographs taken by George Harrison, many of them never published, will be released next year.

Random House announced Thursday that ''The Third Eye,'' which includes more than 250 black and white and color images, is scheduled for Fall 2026. Harrison's widow, Olivia Harrison, compiled and curated the book, which covers the years 1963-69 and includes photos of the Beatles everywhere from their native Liverpool to India to Shea Stadium.

''I want to show people, from George's unique photographic perspective during the Beatles' early years, the moments when the whole of your life is ahead of you with unknowable possibilities," Olivia Harrison said of her late husband, who died in 2001, in a statement released by Random House.

"His images in ‘The Third Eye' capture that spirit.''

The Harrison book features essays by Olivia Harrison and by two celebrated literary authors: Irish novelist Colm Tóibín (a former chancellor of the University of Liverpool) wrote the introduction, and American short story writer George Saunders contributed an epilogue. ''The Third Eye'' also includes George Harrison's words alongside his pictures.

Fellow Beatles Paul McCartn details

While giving an interview to Playboy in 1980, John Lennon shut down criticisms that Yoko Ono was “controlling” him. It had been a long-standing rumor from critics who felt that Ono’s influence had broken up The Beatles, and Lennon and Ono were often frustrated with the negativity and insult.

Lennon began by sharing his disdain for how they were portrayed in the media. They had stopped giving interviews for a period of time, but he found that they were still constantly reported on.

“The gossip items never stopped,” he said. “We never stopped being in the press, but there seemed to be more written about us when we weren’t talking to the press than when we were.”

Some of that publicity centered on Ono’s influence over Lennon. However, the two rejected the gossip, finding it insulting, hurtful, and just plain ridiculous. When asked about the negative press, John Lennon shared some vulnerable truths.

“We are both sensitive people and we were hurt a lot by it,” he admitted. “I mean, we couldn’t understand it. When you’re in love, when somebody says something like, ‘How can you be with that woman?’ you say, & details

Stranger Things actor Joseph Quinn has opened up about getting to play rock legend George Harrison in director Sam Mendes’ upcoming films about The Beatles.

According to The Standard, Quinn spoke to the PA news agency on the red carpet for the U.K. premiere of his film The Fantastic Four: First Steps. He said being in the Beatles film is something he never could have dreamed of.

“It feels exciting, it feels a little daunting,” Quinn shared. “I’m definitely inspired by the three men that I’m working with, and Sam, who’s directing it.”

Quinn’s co-stars include Harris Dickinson as John Lennon, Paul Mescal as Paul McCartney and Barry Keoghan as Ringo Starr.

“We’ve been doing a few weeks of rehearsals that I’ve really been enjoying,” he added. “It’s beyond my wildest dreams. I can’t believe I’m able to participate in a film and a project like this.”

Mendes’ Beatles films, titled The Beatles – A Four-Film Cinematic Event, will be released in April 2028. Each film will be told from a different band member’s point of view.

The Sony films will mark the first time Ap details

Some of the best stories, both fiction and non-fiction, often end abruptly on a cliffhanger and or in a big ball of fire. Endings such as these aren’t necessarily cathartic, as they are not fully fleshed out. However, what they are is mystical and mythical, as they incite the question of “What if?” This is the exact type of story The Beatles‘ breakup equates to, as their legendary legacy only grew with their razor-sharp split. They didn’t trickle into old age and maybe a mediocre career. No, they soared off into the sunset like a phoenix, and the myth surrounding them benefited from it, and John Lennon agrees.

Many of the finest bands have shot themself in the foot by holding on for too long. In reality, they should have called it quits in their prime, as their legacy has been tarnished by beating a dead horse for too long. The Beatles, seemingly not on purpose, did not do this in the slightest. Did they have a lot more years left in them upon their breakup? Certainly, however, what would they have become? Quite possibly an animatronic four-piece band regurgitating their biggest hits, as we’ve seen so many classic bands become. That being so, we Beatles fans should be grateful for the details

Between November 1966 and March 1967 the Beatles recorded Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band at the Abbey Road studios. This album, which sold one and a half million copies in its first two weeks of release in the United States, became an electronic bible for the emerging drug generation, then the editor of International Times, London’s first underground newspaper, and currently the editor of London’s Time Out magazine, went to the recording sessions at the invitation of Paul McCartney. In the following behind-the-scenes account he tells you what it was like to be there.

I remember it well. “The Return of the Son of Monster Magnet,” the last track on the Mothers of Invention’s Freak Out album, came to an end and Paul McCartney strolled across his huge living room to take the record off. In one corner a BBC color-TV monitor was mistimed to give a flickering abstract pattern; two René Magritte paintings glowed on the wall in the pale afternoon winter sun; and Martha, Paul’s Old English sheepdog, lay content in front of a crackling log fire. I sat by the French windows enjoying a cup of tea. Paul returned and picked up the conversation where we’d left off. &ldqu details

Ringo Starr celebrated his 85th birthday in Beverly Hills Monday with his annual Peace & Love event, but the big day was also marked in a very special way in his home city of Liverpool, England.

According to the U.K.’s The Independent, the city where The Beatles were founded unveiled the “Peace and Love Sculpture” in honor of Ringo. The silver statue, revealed by the city’s Beatles Story museum, features a hand making the peace sign and was created using a casting of Starr’s right hand. A similar statue is currently on display in Beverly Hills.

The unveiling was attended by locals, as well as students from Ringo’s primary school, St. Silas CE.

Ringo is known for spreading peace and love. In fact, on every birthday he asks fans to spread the message at 12 p.m. PT. This year the message was shared in over 38 countries and was also beamed from mission control in Houston to the International Space Station.

Source: everettpost.com/ABC News

When Carl Perkins joined Paul McCartney in the studio, the plan was to work on one of McCartney's songs for his upcoming album. The Beatles covered several of his songs, so McCartney was very excited about the collaboration. However, while he was working with the former Beatle, he decided to show him a song he'd been working on to get his input. Little did he know, he was about to trigger an incredibly painful memory. The song was "My Old Friend," and one particular line absolutely devastated the bassist.

When Perkins sang the line, “Think about me every now and then, old friend,” McCartney couldn't handle it and broke down in tears, immediately stepping out of the room. Perkins was bewildered and worried he'd done something wrong, but Linda McCartney quickly reassured him and explained what had happened. Years later, Perkins cleared the mystery in an interview.

"Paul was crying, tears were rolling down his pretty cheeks, and Linda said, 'Carl, thank you so much.' I said, 'Linda, I'm sorry. I didn’t mean to make you cry.' She said, 'But he’s crying, and he needed to. He hasn’t been able to really break down since that happened to John.'" 

Paul McCartney believes this on details

The Beatles were not always proud of the work they produced. In particular, John Lennon was happy to take aim at some of the band's output he wasn't fond of.

He shared his disdain for the 1967 album 'Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band' and Paul McCartney's work on the 'Let it Be' single and the closing medley on 'Abbey Road'. It wasn't just Paul's work that John criticised. He notably said he wished he had not written 'It's Only Love'. About it, he said: "That's the one song I really hate of mine. Terrible lyrics."

‌And as The Beatles rose to fame, they had to work on more than just music. John did not particularly love having to star in films and admitted he didn't enjoy working on the film 'Help!'. The 1965 film followed the success of their 1964 movie debut 'A Hard Day's Night' but it was widely viewed not to have hit the heights of its predecessor. ‌

A New York Times review of the film said: "It's a fiasco of farcical whimseys that are thrown together in this film – a clutter of mechanical gimmicks and madcap chases... Funny? Exciting? Different?

"Well, there's nothing in "Help!" to compare with that wild ballet of The Beatles racing across a playground in 'A Hard Day's details

After The Beatles broke up in 1970, all four of them launched their solo careers. George Harrison, Ringo Starr, and Paul McCartney all tried out different sounds. However, towards the start, you could still hear elements of The Beatles in their music. However, that was not the case for John Lennon, as he seemingly plagued every part of The Beatles’ influence and sound out of his very being. As a result, he created works that many people, particularly Beatles fanatics, weren’t fans of. Including John Lennon’s contemporary, Paul Simon.

John Lennon and Paul Simon never really saw eye to eye. Concerning his favorite member of The Beatles, Simon divulged that it was Paul McCartney. In addition to declaring his favorite member of the Beatles, another moment that planted a wedge between the two musicians was when they clashed in the studio during one of their collaborations.

Needless to say, Simon and Lennon were not fans of one another. And that frustration was not just a personal one, as Paul Simon was also not a fan of John Lennon’s work following The Beatles’ breakup. Paul Simon Said Lennon Never Did Anything “Interesting or Innovative”

As stated previously, Le details

John Lennon gave one of his final interviews to Playboy in September 1980, where he spoke about making new music with his wife Yoko Ono, along with many other aspects of their life together. Some interesting moments include the fact that he had settled into being a house-husband. This involved spending his days baking bread and taking care of his son, Sean.

By this time, word had spread that Lennon and Ono were making music again after retreating from the public eye in 1975. When asked what he’d been up to, Lennon shared surprisingly freely.

“I’ve been baking bread and looking after the baby,” he said. When asked what else he’d been doing, he replied, “That’s like what everyone else who has asked me that question over the last few years says. ‘But what else have you been doing?’ To which I say, ‘Are you kidding?’”

Lennon continued, “Because bread and babies, as every housewife knows, is a full-time job. After I made the loaves, I felt like I had conquered something. But as I watched the bread being eaten, I thought, Well, Jesus, don’t I get a gold record or knighted or nothing?”
John Lennon Revealed That He Owe details

The connection between rock ‘n’ roll and backward messaging has been discussed ad nauseam. Countless rockers have been accused of hiding little tidbits in their recordings, hoping to catch the ear of particularly observant fans. While not all the theories these “backward messages” have sparked have stood the test of time, there is one that we can’t seem to shake: the notion that John Lennon admitted to Paul McCartney’s death and replacement by a clone on “Strawberry Fields Forever.”

The “Paul is Dead” theory is another highly debated topic. While McCartney himself has denied the rumors for decades now, the “proof” is irrefutable in some fans’ minds. One piece of evidence is Lennon’s mumbled lyric at the end of “Strawberry Fields Forever.”
John Lennon’s Mumbled Lyric at the End of “Strawberry Fields Forever” That Fed Into the “Paul Is Dead” Conspiracy

“I am alive and well and concerned about the rumors of my death,” McCartney once said, nodding to the “Paul is Dead” theory. “But if I were dead, I would be the last to know.”

The “Paul i details

While many joined McCartney in wishing the drummer a happy birthday, others were stunned to learn his real name.

One fan commented: "HIS NAME IS RICHARD?" with another responding: "Lol his real name is Richard Starkey." Another sarcastically commented: "Beatles 'Fan'" while someone else explained: "Yes. Ringo is a nickname because he wore a lot of rings."

Another shared: "This is so cute. I love their friendship," with a sixth commenting: "Happy birthday Ringo!!!!" "Happy birthday dear Ringo," another wrote. One more added: "Ugh you two are the best happy birthday Ringo." (sic)

Other areas of social media are also awash with Beatles fans sending birthday messages to the iconic musicians. McCartney often sparks frenzy among fans with his posts, and in February was branded "crazy" after announcing he'd be surprising fans in New York with an unscheduled gig.

The Liverpudlian announced the impromptu gig on Wednesday, February 12, and tickets sold out in just 30 minutes.

In the end, 575 lucky fans were treated to an intimate performance by the music legend, with the singer addressing the spontaneous nature of the show. "So, here we are. Some little gig. New York. Why not?" details

The Beatles' "biggest fear" was being asked to read music.

The Love Me Do hitmakers may have written and performed some of the biggest songs in the world, but all four members - Sir Paul McCartney, Sir Ringo Starr, and the late George Harrison and John Lennon - were afraid their shortcomings would be revealed if they had to carry out tests to be part of a musicians' union.

Ringo told the New York Times newspaper: “The biggest fear, a long time ago, was that the union was going to make us all read music. Because none of us — John, Paul, George and Ringo — none of us read music. I thought, well, I’ll go play tambourine then.”

Ringo was the last member of the group to start writing songs, but his efforts often reduced his bandmates to laughter with his unintentional mimicry.

He said: “It’s hard to come to the front when you’ve got John and Paul.

“I’d say, ‘I’ve got this song.’ And halfway through they’d all be laying on the floor laughing, because I wasn’t writing new songs. I was writing new words to old songs.”

Paul confirmed: “We’d say, 'Yeah, that’s a great one. That& details

Indeed, Ringo didn’t have a flashy style. His drumming in the band was the perfect backdrop for the sweet melodies that John Lennon, Paul McCartney, and George Harrison were putting forward. Ringo’s talent lies in complementing the parts of the song that were at the focus, which were more often than not lyrics that told a story. The narrative focus meant the rhythm could sit tightly as a supporting figure, giving melodies the perfect platform to shine, which they wouldn’t have done had they been overshadowed. This isn’t to say that this was a default for Ringo. The drummer showed incredible flair in his creative decision for the beat of “Come Together.” Ringo played a drum line that was very unusual for the time, quickly making the song a revolutionary anthem. He treated the drum kit almost as a melodic instrument throughout the verses, filling the sonic field in a way that had never been done before.

Ringo’s other contribution, “Don’t Pass Me By”, sounds lighthearted and cheeky, almost circus-like, in its musicality. But the song is anything but that. Ringo sings in worry about losing the one he loves in a series of events, singing “Don’t pass me b details

Every great band has an early era. For The Beatles, the most famous rock band of the 20th century, those early years involved a little band called The Quarrymen. This skiffle group was formed by John Lennon in 1956. Paul McCartney would join shortly after meeting John Lennon on July 6, 1957. The Quarrymen, in just a few short years, would evolve into The Beatles.

John Lennon and Paul McCartney first met on this day in 1957, when they were both music-loving teenagers in Liverpool, England. According to lore, the two future superstars met for the very first time at an auditorium at a local church. Just seven years later, they would form the final lineup of The Beatles with George Harrison and Ringo Starr.

It was inevitable. The two future famous songwriters lived in the same town and ran in similar circles. However, on a warm Saturday that fell on July 6, a mutual friend of theirs chose to introduce the two to each other. John Lennon and Paul McCartney’s First Meeting Was About as Casual as You Could Get.

Lennon and McCartney had a lot in common from the start. They lived in different neighborhoods and attended different primary schools, but they were close in age (just two years apart) and love details

Despite what the media said about it (for better or worse), the Beatles weren’t exactly the soothsayers or cultural gurus-slash-corrupters they were often painted to be—in fact, John Lennon was the first to admit that he didn’t truly understand what he was singing about in one of the Fab Four’s most iconic anthems that seemingly wrapped up the band’s ethos in five short words.

“All you need is love,” the Beatles repeated emphatically in their 1967 non-album single. The song became the foundation for the flower power, “peace and love” movement of the late 1960s. But it wasn’t until 1969 that Lennon realized he actually had no idea what he had been talking about. Yet.  The Beatles released “All You Need Is Love” as the A-side to “Baby, You’re a Rich Man” in 1967. The song was part of a massive global television link and served as an affable contribution to the multi-satellite production. How could one argue with the song? All you need is love, love, love is all you need. Songwriting credit went to both John Lennon and Paul McCartney. But years later, Lennon would admit that, in hindsight, he realized he didn’t actuall details

Complete normalcy and greatness rarely ever walk hand in hand. Rather, the finest minds to grace any field typically have something “off” about them. “Off” given that they see something we don’t, and consequently, their perspective influences their “abnormal” actions. One exceptional talent and thinker who certainly falls under this category is Bob Dylan.

Many famous artists have attested to Bob Dylan’s eccentric personality. David Crosby once stated that Dylan was as “crazy as a f—ing fruit fly,” per the LA Times. Furthermore, Dolly Parton also attested to that fact, as she told the Daily Mail, “I love his music but he’s a weird buckaroo.”

Given those testimonies, it seems some of the music industry’s biggest acts share a mutual perception about Bob Dylan. One other person who agreed with that notion was Dylan’s friend and collaborator, George Harrison.  Harrison Admired Bob Dylan’s Eccentric Personality.

Bob Dylan and George Harrison climbed to the top at the same time, but in different genres of music. However, by the end of the 80s, their paths converged as the infamous supergroup, the Trav details

Years after the first three members of the Beatles bonded over their love of rock ‘n’ roll, the addition of the final Fab Four member would introduce the Liverpudlians to a new type of music they had previously overlooked: country. John Lennon, Paul McCartney, and George Harrison spent their earliest years together trying to emulate the sounds of Elvis Presley and Chuck Berry.

But when Sir Richard Starkey, known professionally as Ringo Starr, entered the picture in 1962, the band began diving into a different style of popular American music with a little less electric guitar and a lot more twang. Paul McCartney famously played American rock ‘n’ roller Eddie Cochran’s “Twenty Flight Rock” during his impromptu “audition” for John Lennon. George Harrison played “Raunchy,” an instrumental by another rock icon from the States, Bill Justis. Together, all three Liverpudlian musicians pored over records by Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly, and Chuck Berry. They might have gotten their start playing skiffle, but their hearts belonged to rock ‘n’ roll.

When Ringo Starr first joined the Beatles in 1962, he brought along a different musical backgro details

Ringo Starr has strong opinions about how he’ll be portrayed in the four upcoming Beatles biopics. The musician, 84, told The New York Times on Wednesday, July 2, that he spent two days with the director, Sam Mendes, and offered “extensive notes” on the script.

Starr noted that he had feedback surrounding his first wife, Maureen Starkey Tigrett, explaining that the original script didn’t necessarily showcase how they acted in reality. "He had a writer — very good writer, great reputation, and he wrote it great, but it had nothing to do with Maureen and I," Starr told the outlet. "That’s not how we were. I’d say, 'We would never do that.'"

The former couple married in 1965 and had three children together — Zak, 59, Jason, 57, and Lee, 54, — before divorcing in 1975.

According to The New York Times, Starr is now content with the way he’ll be portrayed on screen after going through the script line by line and sharing his feedback with Mendes. In March, it was officially confirmed that actors Paul Mescal, Barry Keoghan, Harris Dickinson and Joseph Quinn are on board to portray the four members of The Beatles in Mendes’ quartet o details

There was shock when legendary music producer George Martin – known as the 'Fifth Beatle' – died in 2016 and left just £1million in his will.

His eldest daughter Alexis Stratfold said at the time that it was a 'joke' for her to get £68,000 in a bequest (alongside his chauffeur and secretary) when her father's wealth had been estimated at between £250-400 million.  But she was lucky. Her brother Greg – Martin's eldest son – was cut out altogether.

And it can be revealed that Greg is consulting lawyers because he believes his half-brother Giles may have benefited from a house and a £3.5million legacy. These, Greg claims, were separate from the will and were 'always meant to be his'.  Alexis and Greg are George Martin's children by his first wife, Sheena Chisholm. But their father left her for Judy Lockhart-Smith, a secretary at the Beatles label Parlophone, in 1962, and they had two children: Giles and Lucie.

The older children were largely excluded from Martin's successful later life. Alexis was bitterly hurt when invitations to their father's memorial did not include their names. Greg did not even attend. The actor, writer and produ details

There are 17 ticket stubs going under the hammer at Richard Winterton auctioneers. Ticket stubs for 1960s gigs by The Beatles that cost pennies at the time are among a collection expected to fetch up to £500 at auction.

The 17-stub archive includes two for The Beatles and Roy Orbison at Birmingham Town Hall in June 1963, costing fans eight shillings and sixpence. The Liverpool band was originally second on the bill, but were bumped up to co-headline as Beatlemania grew and ended up closing the set.

Richard Winterton Auctioneers described the "rare and nostalgic collection", which spans performances between 1962 and 1964, as a "wonderful piece of music history".

Of the 17 tickets, 16 are for performances in Birmingham and also include The Beatles' first outing at the city's Odeon, on 11 October 1964. There are additional stubs for The Cliff Richard Show at the Hippodrome, The Searchers at the Odeon, and Brenda Lee at the Town Hall.

One stub reveals the owner snagged a balcony seat for an unnamed performance, at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon, for just 7 shillings.

In addition, there is a complete ticket for Jazz 1963 at Birmingham Town Hall, prese details

Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr’s friendship has survived decades. The only surviving members of The Beatles, the two men, now both well into their 80s, have a special bond.

“With John [Lennon] and George [Harrison] not here, I think we realize nothing lasts forever,” McCartney told The New York Times of himself and Starr.

The Beatles and their fans certainly know that to be true. Lennon was assassinated in 1980 when he was 40. Harrison died in 2001 after a cancer battle. He was 58. With those tragedies in mind, McCartney said, he and Starr “grasp onto what we have now because we realize that it’s very special.” “It’s something hardly anyone else has. In fact, in our case, it’s something no one else has,” he continued. “There’s only me and Ringo, and we’re the only people who can share those memories.”

When McCartney, Lennon, and Harrison crossed paths with Starr in 1962 and invited him to join their group, it was a consequential move.

“He was a fantastic drummer,” McCartney recalled. “We asked him if he would be in our band, and luckily for us he agreed.” Starr wasn’t t details

They had the whole music world waiting for what they’d do next. Yet amidst those myriad expectations, it’s safe to say that The Beatles’ release of the single “Strawberry Fields Forever”/”Penny Lane” in 1967 was something that no one saw, or heard, coming.

These two songs represented just how far the band was pushing the limits in the studio, since they no longer had to worry about touring. And it was just the first taste of the incredible music that the group was about to foist upon the world in that magical year.

The Beatles’ momentous decision to quit touring shook up their fandom. Was it a sign that they were considering breaking up? Even George Harrison wondered about their future as the band left their final gig in San Francisco in August 1966.

Once the shock of the decision wore off, and they had taken some time away, The Beatles filed back into Abbey Road studios in November 1966 to get back to work. They had some vague ideas about what they wanted to do once they started. And they had written a few songs that they wanted to try.

There was some talk about doing an album where all the songs would be based on the childhood experiences of the g details