Beatles News

Paul McCartney reached the realm of billionaire status Monday after Forbes valued his net worth at a colossal US$1.4 billion (NZ$2.5 billion) – making him the world’s third-richest musician.

McCartney’s wealth ranks behind his friend Taylor Swift (US$2 billion or NZ$3.58 billion), with whom he performed The Beatles’ first US number 1 ‘I Want To Hold Your Hand’ during the pop performer’s star-studded wedding to Travis Kelce at Madison Square Garden in July.

Jay-Z topped Forbes’ revered chart at US$2.8 billion ($NZ5 billion).

Forbes credits McCartney’s ascension to the number three spot to a lifetime of prolific song writing, a series of savvy business moves and an impressive art collection.

But the 84-year-old rocker’s beginnings were humble, growing up in a working class household in Liverpool, northwest England.

Despite The Beatles’ phenomenal success, the Fab Four saw little of the cash their hard work generated at the height of Beatlemania – Forbes reported that their initial record deal provided them with less than a penny per album sold.

“No matter how successful we made the company, we didn’t details

During the mid-to-late 1970s, Manhattan's Dakota apartment complex was a massive hub for famous musicians and creatives. The building was legendary for attracting top-tier artistic talent because of its thick, nearly soundproof walls, high ceilings, and strict privacy.

In 1975, Roberta Flack and John Lennon (along with Yoko Ono) moved across the hall from each other.
Their friendship began before they became neighbors

Flack and Lennon had already crossed paths professionally in 1972, when Flack performed at Lennon and Ono's One to One concerts at Madison Square Garden, which raised money for children with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

But living so close to one another would help them form a decades-long, close-knit bond. Sean Lennon (John and Yoko Ono's son) even recalled knowing her as "Aunt Roberta." Because the apartments shared walls, Flack could hear Sean practicing music, and she encouraged him as he learned to play.  Years later, Flack sang "Imagine".

This bit of context makes her 1992 cover of "Imagine" even more moving. More than a decade after Lennon's tragic death, Flack performed the iconic song at the Earth Voice Concert in Tokyo, an event created to r details

LA’s world-famous Troubadour will be recognized by the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as a landmark in music history Wednesday, hours before hosting a tribute to incoming inductee Gram Parsons.

To mark the occasion, The California Post looks back at the night Beatle John Lennon got kicked out of the hotspot as told in the book, “The Beatles in Los Angeles.”

Lennon’s inner demons and rage shook the Sunset Strip on the evening of March 12, 1974.
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“He was a bad drunk, if he had two or three or four drinks those inner demons would manifest themselves, a kind of rage would permeate the air,” Lennon’s longtime publicist Elliott Mintz revealed.

“He liked Brandy Alexanders, that was his drink when he drank,” Mintz explained.

Lennon was deep into what’s been called his “Lost Weekend” during which he had left his wife, Yoko Ono, at her suggestion.

“This was his chance to be ‘Bachelor John’ since his first marriage,” Mintz said.

John Lennon, May Pang, and Harry Nilsson sitting together at a club with other people, drinks on the table i details

A rare Cavern Club membership card signed 21 times by The Beatles before they were famous has been put up for sale for nearly £25,000.

The 1961 Liverpool club booklet was signed by John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and original drummer Pete Best.

The signatures date from when the band were aged between 18 and 20, and before Best was dropped and replaced by Ringo Starr.

The card has been uncovered by rock and pop memorabilia specialists Fab Four Memorabilia, and has been listed for sale with a price tag of £24,950.

The membership card was sent in 1961 or early 1962 to a teenage girl living in Endwell, New York by a pen pal in Liverpool.

Lennon signed his name twice, adding "again" above his second signature,

McCartney also signed twice, writing "once again" beneath his name.

Harrison also added his signature, while Best signed the booklet 16 times, with one inscription marking "the final time".

Alfie Evans, of Fab Four Memorabilia, said: "It's the only one in the world.

"Anything signed by The Beatles multiple times is very unusual."

He added: "The girl explained to Pete that he was her favourite and so he signed it 16 times. details

In January 1970, George Harrison walked through a vast, decaying house on a hill above Henley-on-Thames, in Oxfordshire. Grass was growing through the floorboards. Outside, the gardens had disappeared under brambles and overgrown yew.

Harrison was 27 and still a Beatle, though the band was weeks away from breaking up. He bought the place anyway. It would become his home, his recording studio and his life’s great project for the next three decades.
The eccentric lawyer who built it

Friar Park was the creation of Sir Frank Crisp, a wealthy London lawyer and passionate amateur gardener. In 1889, he bought land on the edge of Henley and built a sprawling Gothic Revival mansion, finished in the mid-1890s, with towers, spires and well over 100 rooms.

The house was striking, but the grounds were the real spectacle. Crisp filled them with surprises: caves, underground passages, a subterranean boating lake, grottoes lit to look magical, and a huge alpine rock garden topped by a model of the Matterhorn, built with thousands of tons of stone.

Crisp also had a sense of humor. He loved garden gnomes and placed many of them around the grounds. Stepping stones were hidden just beneath the surface of details

The late Beatles member John Lennon was a father to two kids, Julian and Sean Lennon. He welcomed his younger son, Julian, in 1963 with his first wife, Cynthia Lennon. He then welcomed son Sean in 1975 with second his second wife, Yoko Ono.

While rockstars can certainly become overnight sensations these days, no stardom was quite as memorable as The Beatles craze in the 1960s. Together, the foursome comprised of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr made music, rock, and British history.

But while their songs like “Here Comes the Sun” and “Let It Be” will live on, the members’ legacy also lives on through their kids. That’s especially the case for John, who was tragically shot and killed on December 8, 1980. He was only 40 years old at the time.

John was a father to two children, Julian Lennon, who was born in 1963 to John and his first wife Cynthia Lennon, and Sean Lennon, born in 1975 to him and his second wife, Yoko Ono. While having very different relationships with their father, both children have carried on with the family name and followed in their dad’s famous musical footsteps.

When asked about being the “custod details

Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr are set for a rare onstage reunion in 2027 for Joe Walsh‘s VetsAid music festival. The two Beatles will join Eagles’ guitarist Joe Walsh for a special performance at his VetsAid music festival at Las Vegas’ MGM Grand Garden Arena on Jan. 29.

McCartney and Starr last performed together during Macca’s final Got Back concert in December 2024 in London. Starr appeared for that show’s finale and provided drums for “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” and “Helter Skelter.”

“Give it up. I’m off now, but I’ve had a great night,” Starr said at the time. “It’s fantastic, playing with me old mate, but there comes a time when we’ve got to go home. All that remains to be said, I’ll see you next time.” That next time appears to be here.

“Having spent the past two years at the Sphere and working with the hardworking people of Las Vegas, I want to show them my gratitude and respect,” Walsh said in a statement. “This city has taken such good care of me and my family that it would be my privilege to give back to the large veteran community here and to their f details

When we imagine The Beatles in 1964, we typically think of four suit-clad lads from Liverpool named John, Paul, George and Ringo. And while this would normally be correct under normal circumstances, that’s not the lineup the United States Beatle-lovers were dancing along to in the spring of that year. This particular lineup consisted of John, Paul, and George, of course, but it also featured Andy White.

White was a prolific session drummer whom many will recognize, even if not by name. That’s because White performed on some of the most iconic pop cuts of the early 1960s, including The Beatles’ early 60s hit song, “Love Me Do”. White was also the drummer on this single’s B-side, “P.S. I Love You”. At the time of the recording session at EMI, Ringo Starr’s position in the group was less permanent.

A version of “Love Me Do” existed with Pete Best, the band’s original drummer, behind the kit. Starr also recorded a version. Neither of these takes was deemed suitable by producer George Martin, thus, White was called in to get the job done.
Andy White Played Drums on Several Iconic Pop Hits

Andy White was only “in” The Beat details

In the mid-1980s, Michael Jackson and I were hanging out, and he asked me for career advice. I said, “Okay, three things: First of all, get yourself a really good manager. You’re really hot now, there’s going to be a lot of money coming in, and you really need someone to help you manage it. Second, think about getting into videos.” (Shortly after that, he did “Thriller,” so I thought that was cool, he took my advice.) Then I said, “And finally, be careful about your songs—own your work—and get into song publishing.” And he said, “Oh, I’m going to get yours!” I kind of laughed; I didn’t think he was serious. But he was.

It all goes back to the very beginning of the Beatles, when we signed the music publishing contract. We didn’t care what it was: We were just like any other writers; we wanted to get published. It turned out to be basically a slave contract; no matter how successful we made the company, we didn’t get a raise. After John died, I talked to Sir Lew Grade, who owned Northern Songs, the company that held our publishing rights. I said, “Lew, if you’re ever going to sell Northern Songs, you’ve got to details

Anna Sawai is "so terrified" of one thing regarding the upcoming, highly-anticipated biopic about The Beatles.

The Shogun actress will portray Yoko Ono opposite Harris Dickinson as John Lennon in director Sir Sam Mendes' upcoming four-film biopic series.

She feels honoured to be cast as the visual artist but she's wary of accidentally letting slip any secrets about the project.

Anna told Sunday Times Style magazine, “I’m so terrified to spill anything that’s not out there yet. The Beatles have been a part of my life for the longest time — it’s kind of mind-blowing I’m in a film about them.”

Referencing a Japanese term, manzoku, which means fulfilment, she added, “Playing [Yoko] will be very, very manzoku — satisfying — if I can do it right.”

Over the years, Yoko has been vilified for her alleged role in splitting up The Beatles, and Anna admitted speaking to the artist's son, Sean Lennon, for insight, as well as doing her own research, has made the project a "little bit more personal" for her after growing to understand the racism and misogyny that followed her.

She said, “I already had an idea of it [but now] details

Paul McCartney will release The Boys of Dungeon Lane Special Edition on 9 December 2026. The physical edition adds four recordings to the album, including a new mix involving Ringo Starr. The Boys of Dungeon Lane expands with four McCartney recordings.

The Special Edition adds the tracks City Fox, One Night Stand and Chelsea Boots, plus a new version of Home To Us. The revised duet changes the arrangement of the vocal parts performed by McCartney and Starr.

The physical release is scheduled for 9 December 2026 on CD and 2LP. The artist’s official release notice lists a limited orange-and-blue marble vinyl edition with a zoetrope etching. A German release report also places the CD and double-vinyl editions on that date.
Paul McCartney connects the new edition with Liverpool.

McCartney is a Liverpool-born singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist whose career includes The Beatles, Wings and extensive solo work. Britannica’s career overview describes his work with The Beatles, the formation of Wings and his continuing solo career.

The expanded release extends a project rooted in McCartney’s memories of Liverpool. Its material looks towards childhood, early musical expe details

These three songs all reference The Beatles in some way. Those creative choices speak to the band’s legacy. Moreover, they help spread it. Not that this band needed any help being remembered, but every reference adds a little more prestige. These tracks make clever nods to the famous band. In return, that gives the lyrics a universality that appeals to listeners of all genres.
“Be My Yoko Ono” by Barenaked Ladies

Though not as well-known as their name-making “One Week”, this Barenaked Ladies song is beloved by fans the world over. It clearly nods to The Beatles and John Lennon’s most famous relationship. “If there’s someone you can just shove out / Well, you do so / You can be my Yoko Ono / You can follow me wherever I go,” the lyrics read.

This song points to how culturally iconic Lennon and Yoko Ono’s relationship was. We all have a picture in our minds of that pairing and what they represented to the world, especially during The Beatles’ tenure. This song uses their pop culture identity, amplifying it further.
“Black Beatles” by Rae Sremmurd Feat. Gucci Mane

This song uses The Beatles’ iconography. By positio details

While he is most celebrated as one half of the greatest songwriting duo known to man, John Lennon’s talent as an independent lyricist is just as impressive – even before the dissolution of The Beatles. Throughout his life, he wrote prolifically. Not just songs, but poetry and prose and political essays. He existed in a constant state of creation.
John Lennon and Paul McCartney smiling Image via Instagram/@paulmccartney
5 “Revolution” (1968)

The Beatles made three versions of “Revolution”: the fast-paced, hard rock single version was first released in August 1968. The slower, bluesy version is titled “Revolution 1” and an abstract, artistic iteration called “Revolution 9” appear on The Beatles’ self-titled album, more commonly known as “The White Album.” The single version is by far the best known and the most fitting for commercial reception and radio play.
4 “Come Together” (1969)

“Come Together” is the opening track on Abbey Road, one of their most popular records. It reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 after the album’s release in 1969. The song was inspired by nonviolent protest details

Very few musicians get the chance to record a James Bond theme. Paul McCartney actually turned down the opportunity once. But when he accepted on the second ask, he went all-in on a massive recording.

McCartney found a comfort zone in working with one of his closest collaborators from his Beatle days. The resulting song, “Live And Let Die”, ranks extremely high in most listings of Bond themes. Macca and Martin.

Paul McCartney was first approached to do a theme song for Diamonds Are Forever, the James Bond film released in 1971. As that was a busy year for him with the formation of his new band Wings, he politely declined.

But things lined up nicely for him to tackle the job on Live And Let Die, the next Bond film. For one, it was scheduled to arrive in theaters in 1973 around the same time that McCartney was releasing Red Rose Speedway, his second album with Wings. It would offer him and his fledgling band an excellent promotional tool.

On top of that, it gave McCartney the chance to work again with George Martin, who produced the vast majority of The Beatles’ musical output. When John Barry, who normally handled the score for Bond films, was unable to take the job on Live details

The ECHO has taken a look at Peter Asher's life as a new documentary on his career arrived in UK cinemas

Peter Asher has lived one of the great showbiz stories. The child star turned pop star turned record producer was at the centre of pop culture through the latter half of the 20th century.

His remarkable life story has been told in a new documentary titled Peter Asher: Everywhere Man. Filmmakers Dan Geller and Dayna Goldfine brought the movie to Liverpool for a special screening at FACT Picturehouse on Sunday (November 1). The San Francisco couple insisted on a screening in Liverpool as Peter's contribution to the Beatles story means he is a vital part of the city's history.

Dan told the ECHO: "It's amazing to do this. There's such a connection because so much of Peter's earlier life and the propulsion behind his career comes out of the Beatles, Paul and Apple Corps." You can read the full feature interview with the directors here.

Peter was a close confidant to all the Fab Four as Paul McCartney lived in his family house after he first moved to London at the start of Beatlemania. Sir Paul was in a high profile relationship with Peter's sister, Jane Asher, and it was during this time when he br details