Beatles News

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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What Instrument Did Ringo Starr Play?

Richard Starkey, popularly known as Ringo Starr, is a celebrated English musician, singer, and songwriter. He gained worldwide fame as the drummer for the iconic rock band, The Beatles. Ringo Starr played drums and percussion instruments, contributing his unique style and rhythm to the band’s music. His distinctive drumming technique and charismatic personality became an integral part of the Beatles’ identity.

1. Was Ringo Starr the original drummer for The Beatles?
Yes, Ringo Starr joined The Beatles in August 1962, replacing the band’s original drummer, Pete Best.

2. How did Ringo Starr develop his drumming skills?
Ringo Starr was self-taught and developed his drumming skills through practice and experimentation. He learned from observing other drummers and honed his style by playing in various bands before joining The Beatles.

3. What made Ringo Starr’s drumming style unique?
Ringo Starr’s drumming style was characterized by simplicity, precision, and creative fills. He had a natural ability to provide a solid foundation for the band’s songs while adding subtle nuances that enhanced the overall musical exp details

This makes absolutely no sense to me. Ringo Starr just celebrated his 83rd birthday? Not possible. I was just a flighty 14-year-old when my bedroom walls were covered in The Beatles posters and my dresser had all kinds of Ringo dolls on top. So, by now you might have guessed that Ringo was my favorite Beatle. Well, I must confess that this is not really the case. Problem was that by the time I made up my mind who to choose, all my other friends had picked Paul, John and George — in that order — before me and I didn’t want to be the one that went along with the pack. So Ringo won by default, you might say.

Source: Ellyn Laub/sun-sentinel.com

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Even the Beatles have some less-than-memorable tunes. No band is safe from the occasional flop. Even Paul McCartney has gone on record saying he dislikes a number of Beatles songs. Find five of his least favorites below.
1. “She Said She Said”

McCartney’s dislike of “She Said She Said” stems more from the making of the track than it does from the song itself. When they got into the studio to record “She Said She Said,” McCartney got into a row with the other members and ultimately decided not to play bass on the track.

“I think we had a barney or something, and I said, ‘Oh, fuck you!'” McCartney explained. “And they said, ‘Well, we’ll do it.’ I think George played bass.”

Though no one knows for sure, the argument is said to have been started by John Lennon, who poked fun at McCartney for not dropping acid at a recent party. Whatever the cause, it’s the only song on Revolver to not feature McCartney.

Source: Alex Hopper/americansongwriter.com

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Paul McCartney infuriated John Lennon while working on 'The White Album.' An audio engineer thought he was doing it on purpose.

Recording The White Album brought the simmering problems between Paul McCartney and John Lennon to the surface. They bickered in the studio, made their dislike of each other’s songs clear, and even stormed out of recording sessions. Lennon made his hatred of McCartney’s song “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da” clear, mainly because McCartney was a perfectionist with it. An audio engineer working with the band wondered if McCartney purposely tried to irritate his bandmate.

According to engineer Geoff Emerick in his book Here, There and Everywhere: My Life Recording the Music of the Beatles, Lennon “openly and vocally detested” “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da.” He rolled his eyes every time they rehearsed it, which was often. McCartney repeatedly made the band play the song in order to get it right. Each time, Lennon grew more frustrated.

Source: Emma McKee/cheatsheet.com

Antiques Roadshow left guests gasping on Sunday's episode as they learnt the value of an incredible piece of John Lennon memorabilia.

During the latest episode, one guest discovered how much money a house number of The Beatles star's childhood home was worth by expert Raj Bisram. The guest said: "This is the number to John Lennon's childhood home", which left Raj, as well as the audience, speechless as they shouted "Wow".

Explaining how he acquired the memorabilia, the guest said: "In 1965 when John Lennon's family decided to sell their home, a couple bought it and moved in for just a couple of months. They sold it and moved on. Then the next couple who bought it, they didn't tell them that it was John Lennon's house, so they moved in.

Source: Olivia Wheeler/irishmirror.ie

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Dolly Parton was able to reunite Beatles Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr for her upcoming Rockstar album, and we’re finally going to get to hear it.

Dolly announced on X, formerly known as Twitter, that she’s releasing her cover of The Beatles “Let It Be” on Friday, August 18. Not only does the song feature Paul and Ringo, but it also has Mick Fleetwood and Peter Frampton.

Dolly shares, “This song is really special to me.”

Source: kslx.com

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Ringo Starr revealed what it was like to watch footage of himself and George Harrison composing The Beatles' "Octopus's Garden" together.

The Beatles‘ “Octopus’s Garden” is one of the most famous songs Ringo Starr wrote. George Harrison helped him write the track. Despite this, George said the tune was entirely Ringo’s.

During a 2023 interview with Vulture, Ringo was asked what it was like for him to view the scene in the documentary The Beatles: Get Back where George helps him write “Octopus’s Garden.” “It’s emotional for me to watch,” he revealed. “The first time I watched that scene … well, I can play any song you’d like as long as it’s in C on the piano. Keep that in mind.”

Ringo gave fans more insight into the way the tune came together. “I got a few of those verses, and when I went back to the studio — because it was in C — George was sitting there and took an interest,” he said. “He said, ‘F flat, D minor,’ whatever. Nowhere I could go. I don’t know these chords. I’m a 12-bar guy. And then, he gets up, and you see that footage you’ve experienc details

Ringo Starr enjoys playing a cover more than any of The Beatles' original songs. Paul McCartney said the Fab Four never thought about the implications of the tune's lyrics.

Ringo Starr played a girl group song with a band that was a contemporary of The Beatles.
The Beatles put their own spin on the song.
That cover appeared on the group’s album, Please Please Me, which was a hit in the United Kingdom.

Many of The Beatles‘ songs were covers. Ringo Starr enjoys playing one of those covers more than any of The Beatles’ original songs. During an interview, Paul McCartney said the Fab Four never thought about the implications of the tune’s lyrics that much.
During a 2023 interview with Vulture, Ringo was asked which song he enjoyed performing live the most. “‘Boys,'” he said. “I’ve been doing it forever and it’s a girl’s song. A wonderful girl group called The Shirelles did the original.” The Shirelles were an American group most known for the Carole King-penned hit “Will You Love Me Tomorrow.”

Source: Matthew Trzcinski/cheatsheet.com

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In the wake of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young‘s 1970 No. 1 album Déjà Vu, all the members were pursuing solo projects. Graham Nash released his debut, Songs for Beginners, by 1971, while Stephen Stills was on his third release, and Neil Young was in between After the Gold Rush and Harvest.David Crosby was also working on his 1971 solo debut, If I Could Only Remember My Name, which included singles “Music is Love” and “Orleans,” along with a song he wrote and recorded earlier called “Laughing.”

The idea around “Laughing” came after George Harrison told Crosby about the guru Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, who The Beatles had spent time with while studying transcendental meditation in 1968. Though Harrison believed in the guru, the other Beatles were a bit skeptical of their newfound sage.

“I was very taken with George,” said Crosby in 2022. “I liked him a lot. He was very friendly to me. He invited me over to his house. We had dinner together. We talked a lot. Paul [McCartney] was very friendly to me, John [Lennon] was very friendly to me, Ringo [Starr] was very friendly to me, but the one that I had the relationship with was George.&r details

A unique, myth-busting outtake photo from The Beatles Sgt Pepper's cover shoot is set to fetch thousands when it goes up for auction this week.

The picture shows The Fab Four in their colourful outfits as they posed for the most famous album sleeve of all time in 1967.

But auctioneers claim it dispels a long-held rumour that McCartney didn't pose with the group on the day, due to a falling-out with the rest of the band.

The back of the album featured Macca with his back turned, prompting speculation among fans that it wasn't actually him.

Experts claimed he had fallen out with the band and did not want to join the others for the group photo for the front of Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.

They said he may have posed alone and was later added in. However, auctioneers say this image proves he was there.

Source: Paul James/independent.co.uk

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Paul McCartney’s 1970 solo debut marked the start of a nearly 30-year collaboration with his wife Linda. Shortly after the Beatles‘ demise, McCartney followed up McCartney, which featured Linda, with his second album Ram in 1971. That same year, they expanded their musical partnership into Wings with Linda on keyboards, former Moody Blues guitarist Denny Laine, drummer Denny Seiwell, and a collection of musicians.

Wings released seven albums from Wild Life in 1971 to Back to the Egg in 1979. Together, Paul and Linda co-wrote the majority of Wings tracks, including “Live and Let Die,” which would be used as the theme song of the 1973 James Bond film of the same name, along with more collaborations on Paul’s subsequent solo albums. They even co-penned “Six O’Clock” for Ringo Starr‘s 1973 solo album Ringo.

Following McCartney’s Thriller collaboration with Michael Jackson on “The Girl Is Mine,” Paul’s fourth solo album, Pipes of Peace, included two more collaborations with Jackson — “Say Say Say,” featuring Linda on backing vocals, and “The Man.”

Source: Tina Benitez-Eves/americansongwriter.com

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Ringo Starr was "stoned" when he had the idea for The Beatles' "Octopus's Garden." He revealed he was on a famous comedian's boat when he thought up the track.

Ringo Starr said he was “stoned” when he had the idea for The Beatles’ “Octopus’s Garden.” He revealed he was on a famous comedian’s boat when he thought up the track. In addition, Ringo felt the tune could just as easily have been about “happy-go-lucky sharks.”

During a 2023 interview with Vulture, Ringo discussed the origin of “Octopus’s Garden.” “I’d actually left the band and gone to Sardinia for a holiday in 1968, and Peter Sellers’ boat just happened to be there,” he recalled. For context, Sellers was a comic actor most known for portraying Inspector Clouseau in the Pink Panther films from the 1960s and 1970s. “[Ringo’s then-wife] Maureen [Cox] and I and the kids went on his boat, and the captain was talking to me. I’m afraid we were smoking a bit of dope in those days — a bit of grass.

“So it was all so nice and beautiful, and he told me the story about how octopuses have their own special gardens under the sea,&rdqu details

In an inflammatory 1964 essay on the “menace of Beatlism”, the historian and commentator Paul Johnson described the fans who screamed themselves into hysteria as “the least fortunate of their generation, the dull, the idle, the failures”.

He wasn’t alone. A newly revealed letter from George Harrison’s mum shows that she was similarly horrified.

“Last Wednesday I went to Manchester and I was really disgusted at the way the so-called fans just screamed right through the whole of the Beatles act,” Louise Harrison wrote.

“Nobody with any sense would pay and queue for a ticket just to stand on a seat and scream and not hear one sound from the stage. I was really ashamed I was a female.”

Source: Mark Brown/theguardian.com

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