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At the ripe age of 81, legendary musician Paul McCartney continues to captivate audiences around the world. From his days as a member of the Beatles to his successful solo career, McCartney’s exceptional contributions to the music industry have earned him admiration across generations. McCartney’s undeniable influence on popular culture is evident in his extensive discography, which spans several decades and includes countless hits.

His melodic genius, combined with thought-provoking lyrics, has transported many a-listener to a different time and place. As one of the most successful songwriters in history, McCartney’s songs have touched the hearts of millions, leaving a searing mark on the world of music. So, it’s only fitting that we take a look at his life, career, and all-around achievements.

Source: Ima Whyte/tvovermind.com

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When most people think of Paul McCartney, The Beatles usually come to mind. But the British rock star is also a classical composer.

McCartney recorded and released a live classical album titled "Liverpool Oratorio" in 1991 to commemorate the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra's 150th anniversary. And a first-ever operatic staging of the uplifting epic, inspired by the musician's early life, will premiere at Cincinnati Opera's 2024 Summer Festival, organizers announced Wednesday.

According to a press release, the piece tells the story of a young man named Shanty, who was born and raised in Liverpool during World War II. The work follows his life's journey and explores themes of childhood, school days, love, war and reconciliation.

"I am writing to express my wholehearted support for this project. I believe that Cincinnati Opera is uniquely positioned to bring this work to life in a new way, and I have no doubt that your production will be an inspiring experience for all who see it. … I look forward to its premiere next summer," McCartney said in a letter to the company.

Source: cincinnati.com

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The Beatles at their peak were practically unstoppable. Beatlemania swept the world, smashing chart records to pieces. Yet the band were often their worst critics – and John Lennon called one of their biggest hits “lousy”.

On the surface, ‘Eight Days A Week’ is a fun pop song, with some neat moments of invention. A global hit in 1964, it appeared on the ‘Beatles for Sale’ album, melding together some Fab Four harmonies with an inventive fade-in intro.

Part of George Harrison’s blossoming as a guitarist, the central vocals are augmented by his Rickenbacker guitar lines, adapting a folk-rock sensibility to that trademark Lennon & McCartney songwriting.

Source: clashmusic.com

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Julian Lennon has opened up about his “love-hate” relationship with The Beatles‘ classic track ‘Hey Jude’.

The musician and son of late Beatles icon John Lennon talked about the song – which remains one of the Fab Four’s biggest hits – during a recent appearance on the Club Random With Bill Maher podcast.

“I have a love-hate [relationship] with it, I have to say,” Julian explained (via Loudwire).

“I’ve probably heard that song and heard renditions of [it] more than most people alive. And even my dear friends send me babies in nappies playing guitars [and] singing ‘Hey Jude’, which I really don’t need.”

He continued: “I’m thankful for the song without question. But … the other real thing is that people don’t really understand that [the track is] a stark and dark reminder of actually what happened.

“The fact that dad walked out, walked away – left mum and I. That was a point of complete change and complete disruption and complete darkness and sadness. I mean, I was only 3, but I recognised that something was up, you know?”

Source: Tom Skinner/nme details

There's no telling what longtime Beatles fans will squirrel away in old suitcases and shoe boxes, but once they're ready to part with these treasured items, they're always sure to fetch a pretty price.

Currently up for bid is an Epiphone guitar string -- one string -- believed to have been used by Paul McCartney during the 1965 recording sessions of The Beatles' sixth studio album, Rubber Soul.

Included with the guitar string listing, hosted by Special Auction Services, are two letters of provenance from Beatles Book Magazine Editor Johnny Dean -- one promising him a piece of Beatles equipment, and another that accompanied the guitar string -- the latter of which says, "This guitar string came from Paul's acoustic Epiphone and was given to me by him after the Beatles last Recording Session" -- dated February 17, 1966.

Source: Joe Cingrana, Audacy

 

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Paul McCartney stands as more than just a musical icon; he is a figure of enduring cultural relevance who has consistently utilized his platform for activism. Best known as a founding member of the Beatles and widely admired for an illustrious post-Fab solo career, McCartney’s influence goes beyond chart-topping hits and sold-out arenas.

His commitment to raising awareness about social and environmental issues is deeply woven into the fabric of his decades-long musical catalog.Throughout his extensive discography, McCartney has ventured into complex realms that range from freedom and peace to racial equality, animal rights, and political justice. While his melodies are always undeniably catchy, they often carry messages that are weighty and compelling, extending his advocacy beyond interviews and speeches to resonate powerfully within his soulful songs.

Source: Matthew Kayser/americansongwriter.com

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Ringo Starr says he’s “ready to rock.”

The perpetually youthful 83-year-old Beatles legend definitely looks the part. A constellation of blue stars decorate his denim jacket, the focal point of Starr’s all-black ensemble. With shades shrouding his eyes, the world’s most famous drummer looks remarkably fit, likely due to his vegetarian diet and appetite for exercise.

And rock he will. Ringo Starr and His All Starr Band have started the fall leg of a 2023 tour with more than 40 shows across the country. That includes a Sept. 27 stop at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta.

Source: By Jon Waterhouse – For the AJC

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A very special collection of six Beatles-related cassettes are up for auction including an unreleased John Lennon and Yoko Ono album titled One From The Nursery, Sgt. Pepper rehearsals, an unreleased George Harrison album with the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band, animal sounds, and various interviews and conversations. One tape features more than 100 minutes of Yoko's Primal Scream therapy!

According to TMZ, "the legendary tapes were obtained by a memorabilia collector named Phil from Charlotte, and he tells us he got the recordings 5 years ago from a man in India, who says he first secured them from Derek Taylor … the group's former press officer who was often dubbed the 'Fifth Beatle.'"

The auction listing estimates a $300-$500,000 hammer price but I bet it goes way higher.

Source: David Pescovitz/boingboing.net

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Julian Lennon has a lot he wants to hear from Paul McCartney about his legendary father, John. If only he and the Beatles’ bassist could find the time to chat.

Lennon’s first son was only 17 when his father died in 1980. Julian says he has good memories of his father, but he wants more, something he says McCartney, 81, has promised.

Lennon, speaking with Bill Maher in a sit-down for the comedian’s podcast, “Club Random,” said he’s only really been in a similar situation with McCartney once, when they ran into each other in a London airport last year.

“He was in Heathrow Airport sitting on his own just chatting away with earpods in, some conversation,” Lennon told Maher of a meeting Lennon memorialized on social media (see the post below). “And a friend of a friend said, ‘Your Uncle Paul’s outside,’ and I said, ‘What?’ So I sneak outside and come up behind him and say, ‘Hey, Paul.’ He almost had a heart attack, of course. And we sat there chatting away for a little bit.”

Source: Jeremy Bailey/yahoo.com

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Paul McCartney is inarguably one of the most famous musicians in the world. Best known for his work with the Beatles, McCartney is a skilled singer and musician and an extremely accomplished composer. His career has spanned an astonishing eight decades and taken many forms, from member of the Beatles to solo artist to frontman of Wings. It’s hard to choose the best moments of such a momentous career, but these five events were significant milestones in the life of perhaps the world’s most beloved musician.
1. Meeting John Lennon, 1957

Paul McCartney and John Lennon met at a church garden party in July 1957. Lennon’s band, The Quarrymen, was set to perform two sets that day. Before their second set, the band’s bass player introduced Lennon to a former classmate, Paul McCartney. McCartney and Lennon, who were just 15 and 16 at the time, chatted for a while, with Lennon showing him how to tune his guitar. McCartney played a few songs backstage, impressing Lennon with his talent. Similarly, McCartney was impressed by Lennon’s performance, and particularly his ability to improvise lyrics. The members of The Quarrymen decided to invite McCartney to join the band.

Source: Savannah Dan details

While fans eagerly await the arrival of their upcoming record, The Rolling Stones are already in a major creative swing. According to a new interview the band just took part in, the legendary rockers are hard at work on a follow-up, even before the world has heard their forthcoming set.

In a recent conversation with The New York Times NYT 0.0%, the band's frontman, Mick Jagger, hinted at the band's prolific future. The rocker assuaged worried fans by saying that he didn’t believe that their upcoming project, titled Hackney Diamonds, will be “the last Rolling Stones album.”

The singer and lyricist went on to state that “We’ve got almost three-quarters through the next one,” meaning they’re already nearing completing another album.

Jagger didn’t provide any further details about their next project, and there is no timeline for when fans might get to hear something from this album, or even when The Rolling Stones will be able to finish it.

Source: Hugh McIntyre/forbes.com

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Devotees of The Beatles may soon have a chance to own an extraordinary piece of music history, though it’s going to cost them quite a bit of money.

Currently up for auction on Gotta Have Rock and Roll are a series of six tapes named The Beatles Derek Taylor Never-Before-Heard Collection of Lost Beatles Recordings, and they contain a treasure trove of songs, rehearsals and more that fans of the legendary rock band are sure to salivate over.

Tape number one includes unheard rehearsals for the Sgt. Pepper album, recorded from Kenwood in late '66 and early '67. The tape also features plenty of other odd recordings, including animal sounds the band used.

Source: Hugh McIntyre/forbes.com

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For a moment in 1964, Cleveland became the center of Beatlemania.

Why it matters: The Fab Four's concert on Sept. 15, 1964, at Public Hall sparked two days of fan frenzy unlike anything Northeast Ohio had ever seen.

Flashback: Following their groundbreaking appearances on "The Ed Sullivan Show" in February 1964, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr embarked on their first North American Tour that August.

Zoom in: The night before the Cleveland gig, fans broke through a police barricade outside the Sheraton Cleveland Hotel where The Beatles were staying.

Source: Troy Smith/axios.com

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Fans of The Beatles could have some incredibly rare recordings in their collections ... if they have half a million to drop in an upcoming auction for the private tracks.

The big-ticket item is a collection of never-before-heard recordings from the iconic group, including band rehearsals at John Lennon's Kenwood home and even pieces of unreleased albums, all on 6 tapes. It's all expected to grab anywhere from $300,000 to $500,000.
The legendary tapes were obtained by a memorabilia collector named Phil from Charlotte, and he tells us he got the recordings 5 years ago from a man in India, who says he first secured them from Derek Taylor ... the group's former press officer who was often dubbed the "Fifth Beatle."We're told Phil listened through all of it only once, so he wouldn't damage the tapes, but there are a ton of Beatles gems throughout -- including rehearsals for Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, which has things like animal sounds for "Good Morning Good Morning" and even John and Paul McCartney complaining about the heat.

Source: tmz.com

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Musician to Discuss Beatles' 'Abby Road' - Tuesday, September 19, 2023

Dulais Rhys, a professional musician and faculty member with the Amabile School of Music in San Francisco, will lead a discussion about the Beatles’ final album, “Abby Road,” at 7 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 10 at the Livermore Civic Center Library, 1188 S. Livermore Ave.

The presentation is free and open to the public.

“Abby Road” was the iconic rock band’s 11th studio album. Released in 1969, it reached No. 1 on the pop charts in both England and the U.S.

Although the album was a commercial success, it initially received mixed reviews from the critics. Today, however, it is considered one of the Fab Four’s best albums. In particular, two songs written by George Harrison, “Something” and “Here Comes the Sun,” are considered among the best he ever wrote for the group.

The album cover, showing the group walking in step across the street outside Abby Road Studios in London, is one of the most recognizable and most often imitated covers in history.

Source: independentnews.com

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