Beatles News

The world's largest and longest-running Beatles festival returns to Liverpool this month.

International Beatleweek will see Fab Four fans from around 40 countries worldwide, including Brazil, Russia, the US, Spain, and the Netherlands, converge on Merseyside for the seven-day event, organised by Cavern City Tours.

Live music will be on all day everyday at the historic Cavern Club and Cavern Pub with 70 bands from over 20 countries taking the stage. The festival will run from August 23 to 29.

International Beatleweek is an annual celebration in Liverpool of John, Paul, George, and Ringo and their rise to being the world's most commercially successful band. Events will be staged across the city including at the Philharmonic Hall, Adelphi Hotel, and the Yoko Ono Lennon Centre.

Highlights include the annual Beatles Convention which has taken place since 1981 and will be at the Adelphi Hotel Hotel on Sunday, August 27. On Monday, there will be an 80th birthday tribute to George Harrison and a celebration of fifty years of Paul McCartney's classic album, Band On The Run.

While you can buy individual tickets to events, packages are also available that include accommodation in hotels across the c details

The Beatles are one of the biggest bands in the world, and whether you’re young or old, you’ve probably heard multiple songs of theirs such as Hey Jude. We’re going to test your knowledge and tell you some of The Beatles facts: do you really know the iconic band? When you think of The Beatles, you don’t think of failure or rejection, but they had quite a bit of that in the early days. In particular, Decca Records, a British label, had rejected them in 1962 saying that the guitars that they were using weren’t going to be popular for much longer. Decca passed on them and chose to sign Brian Poole featuring the Tremeloes instead.

Source: Florence Howard/musicgrotto.com

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Frank Sinatra called 'Something, The Beatles' iconic ballad, "one of the best love songs I believe to be written in the past fifty or a hundred years.". It's widely regarded as one of The Beatles' most beautiful songs.

'Something' featured on The Beatles' 1969 penultimate album Abbey Road, and has captured the imaginations of listeners ever since.

Famously written by George Harrison, he usually had to tussle with John Lennon and Paul McCartney to get his songs included in the band's albums.

Outstanding songs like 'While My Guitar Gently Weeps' and 'Something' couldn't be ignored, because of their sheer quality, becoming fan favourites and instant classics.

Given its romantic nature, it was often thought that Harrison wrote the song about his then-wife Pattie Boyd.

Source: Thomas Curtis-Horsfall/goldradiouk.com

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The Beatles sparked public outrage when they received MBEs. Here's what former recipients had to say about it when they sent theirs back.

In 1965, all four members of The Beatles received MBEs, or Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire medals. The honor surprised them, but it outraged some members of the public. People were sharply divided on whether The Beatles deserved the award. Former MBE recipients didn’t know what to make of it, either. Some were so upset that they sent their MBEs back in disgust.

When The Beatles received MBEs, people couldn’t believe the musicians got the honor. Papers and media outlets debated whether or not they deserved them, with many outlets covering the story with scorn. Many previous MBE recipients felt the same way. George Read, a member of the Coast Guard, wrote a letter to the palace.

Source: Emma McKee/cheatsheet.com

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In The Beatles' early career, George Harrison didn't think about writing songs. His bandmates Paul McCartney and John Lennon had that covered. However, eventually, George felt he could write hits that were just as good. He didn't get much encouragement from his bandmates, but once he started writing tunes, he couldn't stop. Whether George could get his songs on The Beatles' albums was a different story.

22. 'Don't Bother Me' – With The Beatles

After realizing he could write songs like John and Paul, George wrote "Don't Bother Me" as an experiment to see if he actually could. It was his first song, so it wasn't the best. George even said it wasn't, but at least he proved he could be just as good as his bandmates.
21. 'You Like Me Too Much' – Help!

"You Like Me Too Much" is one of George's most forgotten Beatles songs. The verses seem like one long run-on sentence and sound as if it's a mouthful to sing. It's melodyless until the brief chorus, which sounds much like the first verse of "I Don't Want To Spoil The Party."
20. 'I Need You' – Help!

"I Need You" is an unimaginative love song. In the mountain of Beatles love songs, it's indistinguishable and unoriginal. G details

The Beatles have a back catalogue like no other. Their biggest hits have become part of our collective DNA, while many of their lesser-known have influenced countless musicians from every genre down the decades.

Yet even The Beatles have songs that have been overlooked, dismissed or just overshadowed by their more famous counterparts. Some of those date from their earlier days, when the speed of their rise tended to obscure the majesty of some of the tracks that only appeared on their album. Others date from the period after they stopped touring to pour every ounce of their creative energy into the studio.

These under-appreciated gems range from bristling rockers to downbeat ballads, shapeshifting rock operas to pure pop gems. Here they are, the 20 Beatles songs that deserve way more love than they get.

Source: Rob Hughes/loudersound.com

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John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr are four of the most famous musicians to ever live. But how did these Beatles members ever come together in the first place?

The Beatles were one of the most iconic rock bands of all time. They created chaos at their shows because their fans were so obsessed. They sold millions of records, quickly becoming the most famous band in the world during their decade-long stint in the 1960s. And, like many other rock stars, they had their share of falling outs with one another.

These days, only two Beatles remain alive: Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr. But the legacy the The Beatles as a group have left behind is one that modern music will never forget. With that said, how did these ultra-famous Beatles members ever come together in the first place?

Source: Julia Mullaney/cheatsheet.com

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The latest title in a notable series on The Beatles’ recorded output is coming from author Bruce Spizer. The Beatles Please Please Me to With The Beatles, the author’s 15th title on the band, arrives October 17, 2023, via 498 Productions. The 9″ x 9″ hardcover book, matching the other books in Spizer’s acclaimed Beatles album series, is 272 pages and contains over 290 color and original black and white images. It’s available to pre-order in the U.S. here and the U.K. here, or via the Amazon links below.

From the announcement: Please Please Me and With The Beatles, along with their associated singles, introduced the Beatles first to England and then to several countries across the world, including Canada and the United States. Although often overlooked due to the excellence of the group’s later albums, these early albums contain the exciting songs that fueled Beatlemania. These albums showcased the songwriting talents of John Lennon and Paul McCartney, as well as incredible cover versions of songs from the group’s stage show. Had the Beatles not evolved and matured, the group would still be well respected for the quality of the recordings on these two albums. In addition to details

Paul McCartney and John Lennon held a great deal of respect for one another. This didn't extend to everyone else who worked with The Beatles.

Paul McCartney and John Lennon worked closely together for years. While they had two other bandmates, multiple sound engineers, a manager, and a producer to assist them, they primarily relied on one another. While producer George Martin had a say over how their albums sounded, they reportedly never treated him with the same respect they showed one another. According to a Beatles audio engineer.

In the early 1960s, Lennon and McCartney had a close working relationship. As the decade wore on, they wrote songs separately, but they were one another’s primary ally for years.

“During playbacks, John and Paul would often huddle together and discuss whether a take was good enough; they’d talk about what they were hearing and what they wanted to fix or do differently,” engineer Geoff Emerick recalled in his book Here, There and Everywhere: My Life Recording the Music of the Beatles. “John wasn’t casual about making records, not in the early years, anyway. Still, it was Paul who was always striving to get things the best that they could po details

John Lennon said working with The Beatles was torturous. He shared what it was like to be a member of the famous band.

John Lennon was vocally frustrated with The Beatles, decrying his bandmates and the albums they made together. At the start of the 1960s, they worked closely and excitedly together. By the second half of the decade, though, the four Beatles were no longer as eager to collaborate. According to Lennon, working on albums became torturous.

Shortly after The Beatles finished recording Let It Be, Lennon spoke about the slog of working with his bandmates.

“We were going through hell,” he told The Village Voice (via Gold Radio UK). “We often do. It’s torture every time we produce anything.”

While they were the most popular band of the era, Lennon said that there was no magic in what they did. It was all hard, painful work, particularly as they worked on their final albums.

Source: Emma McKee/cheatsheet.com

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What Did John Lennon Play in the Beatles?

The Beatles, undoubtedly one of the most influential bands in the history of music, comprised four exceptionally talented musicians. John Lennon, the co-founder and lead vocalist of the band, played a crucial role in shaping their unique sound. While primarily known for his incredible songwriting and singing abilities, Lennon also played a variety of instruments during his time with the Beatles. Let’s explore the instruments he contributed to the iconic band’s music.

1. Rhythm Guitar: Lennon was the mastermind behind the band’s signature rhythm guitar parts. His playing style, characterized by a mix of chords and innovative strumming techniques, added depth and texture to the Beatles’ sound.

2. Lead Guitar: Though George Harrison was primarily responsible for lead guitar duties, Lennon also played lead guitar on occasion. His contributions can be heard in songs like “Ticket to Ride,” “Helter Skelter,” and “Get Back.”

Source: jstationx.com

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Producer George Martin hated The Beatles' "Love Me Do." In addition, he wasn't a big fan of some of the band's early covers of classic songs.

Producer George Martin hated The Beatles‘ “Love Me Do.” In addition, he wasn’t a big fan of some of the band’s early covers. Notably, John Lennon had quite a bit to say about “Love Me Do.”

During a 1995 interview with The Christian Science Monitor, Martin discussed hearing The Beatles’ demo tape. It included covers of “Over the Rainbow” and “Your Feet’s Too Big,” as well as the original compositions “Love Me Do” and “P.S. I Love You.” “Pretty rotten songs, really and they still are,” he opined. “You could hear a certain vitality there, but it was pretty rough. Most people who [first] heard The Beatles thought they weren’t much use.”

Martin’s take on “Love Me Do” and “P.S. I Love You” is all wrong. Neither of the songs are among The Beatles’ best or most revolutionary songs. However, as bubblegum pop songs, they accomplish everything they set out to do. “Love Me Do” is especially appealing details

Not all rock stars get along, and that's definitely the case with Phils Collins and Paul McCartney. The Genesis frontman never forgot how the Beatle treated him when they first met and has often talked about it publicly. But what does Paul think of his fellow musician's comments toward him?

In 2016, Collins told the Sunday Times that he met Paul when the pair performed at Queen Elizabeth II’s Golden Jubilee in 2002. Paul came to the event with his then-wife, Heather Mills.

Collins had a first edition of The Beatles by Hunter Davis, an authorized biography, and asked Paul to autograph it. The "Band on the Run" singer replied, "Oh, Heather, our little Phil's a bit of a Beatles fan." Hearing that, Collins said he thought, "You f**k, you f**k." He never forgot it.

Paul might not have meant to sting or act condescendingly toward Collins with his quip. Maybe he meant to poke fun at the drummer harmlessly. However, Paul was one of Collins' heroes. So, the encounter hurt.

Source: msn.com

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John Lennon said The Beatles' "I Want You (She's So Heavy)" features a "fantastic machine” that George Harrison could have taken a lifetime to master. John Lennon said The Beatles’ “I Want You (She’s So Heavy)” features an instrument he couldn’t “face.”
He was asked about the band’s post-Abbey Road musical direction. Abbey Road was a hit in the United Kingdom during the 1960s and again during the 1980s.

John Lennon said The Beatles’ “I Want You (She’s So Heavy)” features a “fantastic machine.” In addition, the instrument appears on other songs from Abbey Road. John felt George Harrison could have taken a lifetime to master the machine.
The Moog synthesizer is an early synthesizer invented by engineer Robert Moog. The Beatles helped popularize the instrument by using it on Abbey Road. The book Lennon on Lennon: Conversations With John Lennon features an interview from 1969. In it, John explained why the band used a Moog.

Source: Matthew Trzcinski/cheatsheet.com

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Tributes have flooded in today for Sir Michael Parkinson who has died aged 88.

Born in Yorkshire in 1935, the broadcasting legend's career spanned decades and he became known for interviewing the biggest stars on his chat show. At the height of his fame, millions of people tuned in every week to see Parky – as he was affectionately known – tease revelations out of the stars that shared his studio.

This morning, a statement from Sir Michael's family confirmed he died after a brief illness. It reads: "After a brief illness Sir Michael Parkinson died peacefully at home last night in the company of his family. The family request that they are given privacy and time to grieve."

Source: Jess Molyneux/liverpoolecho.co.uk

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