In 1969, The Beatles attended a Christmas party at Apple Corps. The previous year, George Harrison had invited the Hells Angels to a party that quickly devolved into chaos. At the 1969 party, audio engineer Geoff Emerick worried the night would end in horrible tragedy. The studio was under construction, and as the night wore on, he became increasingly — and rightfully — concerned that the floor would collapse under the partygoers.
At the end of 1969, Apple Corps was under construction. The corporation hosted the Christmas party just after the demolition phase of the project, much to Emerick’s concern.
“The most memorable thing about the 1969 Christmas bash was that it nearly marked the end of Apple … literally,” Emerick wrote in his book Here, There and Everywhere: My Life Recording the Music of the Beatles. “The demolition phase of the studio project had been completed by then, although the construction had not yet begun. As you gazed out the window from the second floor, where the party was being held, you looked straight down into this pit, this great gaping hole where the basement had once been.”
Source: Emma McKee/cheatsheet.com
Sir Paul McCartney has shared what The Beatles didn't realise about Elvis Presley at first.
Glastonbury: Paul McCartney virtually duets with John Lennon
Growing up in later 1950s Liverpool, The Beatles were profoundly influenced by Elvis Presley.
John Lennon was taken aback by Heartbreak Hotel and famously said: “Before Elvis there was nothing.”
Little did the Fab Four know that just over a decade later and The King would be covering their tracks at his live shows.
In fact, the five men who make up the two most successful music acts in history met only once back in 1965, when Elvis invited The Beatles to hang out at his LA home.
Source: George Simpson/express.co.uk
detailsThe full conversation is also now available to rent for streaming, until October 1.
Another short excerpt from actor Stanley Tucci’s interview with Paul McCartney, filmed at the National Portrait Gallery in London in June, can now be seen at Paul’s official YouTube channel. The full conversation is also now available to rent, until October 1.
Shop the best of Paul McCartney’s discography on vinyl and more.
The interview took place to publicize the Gallery’s exhibit Paul McCartney, Photographs 1963–64: Eyes of the Storm, and the accompanying photographic book 1964: Eyes of the Storm. Both contain the images that he took with his own camera between December 1963 and February 1964, during the period in which The Beatles grew from UK stars into a global sensation.
Source: Paul Sexton/udiscovermusic.com
detailsA JOHN Lennon plaque is to be erected in Edinburgh where his aunt lived to mark his many summers spent in Scotland’s capital.
The plaque is set to be placed at the foot of Ormidale Terrace in the Murrayfield area, where the Beatles star regularly spent time with his aunt and cousin until the age of 17.
Lennon is said to have penned the song Rain, the B-side to 1966’s Paperback Writer, in the cupboard under the stairs at his aunt's house.
The plaque is set to be unveiled with an event in Roseburn Park featuring Beatles music, with organisers looking into securing a tribute band.
Source: Steph Brawn/thenational.scot
detailsSir Paul McCartney is said to have been addicted to playing classic arcade shoot-’em-up games before he recorded his hits.
The 81-year-old Beatles icon’s love of being a joystick warrior ahead of studio sessions has been revealed by Echo and the Bunnymen guitarist Will Sergeant.
Paul’s fellow Liverpudlian Will, 65, said in his new book ‘Echoes: A Memoir Continued’ about meeting Sir Paul at London’s Air Studios: “While we’re hanging around in the games room, Paul McCartney pops in and says, ‘So you are the Bunnymen from Liverpool, are ya? Nice to meet you.
“We look on with broad smiles. ‘My God, Paul knows our name and seems to know who we are.’”
Will added: “He sticks around for a brew ands I play a video game with him. It’s either ‘Asteroids’ or ‘Tank Commander’, one of the latest video game crazes.
“Paul was a lovely fellow, still down to earth and quite prepared to be friendly to us young upstarts.”
Source: By Celebretainment/independentnews.com
Despite their legendary rivalry, The Beatles helped The Rolling Stones break into the mainstream by writing them a hit single in 1963.
It's one of the all-time great rivalries.
Pepsi versus Coca-Cola, Muhammad Ali versus Joe Frazier, Tom versus Jerry, Mods versus Rockers, Sherlock Holmes versus Professor Moriarty, Bette Davis versus Joan Crawford, Elton John versus, well everyone else.
Above is just a small handful of some of the most notorious rivalries within the pantheon of popular culture. Pick your side.
One of the most famous conflicts throughout the past century, however, has undoubtedly been between The Beatles and The Rolling Stones.
Both era-defining bands spearheaded the British Invasion during the 1960s and dominated charts around the world.
Source: Thomas Curtis-Horsfall/goldradiouk.com
detailsThere is one song from The Beatles that is as beautiful as it is lucrative.
The Beatles' iconic songs are a major part of their legacy and have been the driving force behind their success. One song alone has made the group tens of millions of dollars.
The Beatles are the most iconic music act in history, with record-breaking album sales and an indelible mark on the industry. Their innovative approach to music revolutionized the music industry.
The Beatles' catalog is extremely valuable, potentially worth $2 billion. Their music continues to generate significant royalties, showcasing the lasting power and influence of the band.
The Beatles are as big and as good as it gets in the music world, and they're still relevant decades after disbanding. Though they had their problems, some of which were recently brought to light in a documentary, the band went down as legends, and even forged great solo careers.
Source: Anthony Spencer/thethings.com
detailsA Beatles engineer thought Ringo Starr shone in 'A Hard Day's Night.' He didn't think Starr came off this way in real life.
In 1964, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr starred in the Beatles’ movie A Hard Day’s Night. They enjoyed the experience, and their fans loved the film. The people who knew The Beatles also enjoyed their viewing experiences. Audio engineer Geoff Emerick, who worked extensively with the band, said it showed him a different side of the musicians. In particular, he appreciated the fact that the typically reserved Starr came across well.
When Emerick saw A Hard Day’s Night, he had some issues with the music but no complaints about The Beatles’ performances. He also appreciated the fact that he had the insider knowledge to recognize that their onscreen personas did not match their real personalities.
“The Beatles themselves were portrayed as four stereotypes in the movie, and I remember sitting there thinking to myself, ‘They’re not really like that’ — though I was probably the only one in the theater who knew that,” he wrote in his book Here, There and Everywhere: My Life Recording the Music of the B details
The Beatles rolled their eyes at news Brian Epstein thought would thrill them. Here's how he reacted to their lack of interest.
In 1967, Brian Epstein rushed into the studio to give The Beatles what he saw as thrilling news. He’d booked them a spot on a television program that would reach televisions around the world. Epstein saw this as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity; for the first time ever, a satellite would transmit a program worldwide. The Beatles didn’t think this was nearly as monumental as Epstein did. Their lack of interest nearly drove him to tears.
While The Beatles were putting the finishing touches on Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, Epstein rushed into the studio with exciting news. He didn’t often visit them during recording sessions, so everyone in the room eagerly awaited his announcement.
Source: Emma McKee/cheatsheet.com
detailsDhani Harrison, son of The Beatles’ star George Harrison, tells a wonderful story in the Martin Scorsese documentary, "George Harrison: Living in the Material World," that speaks to the modesty of his famous father. Dhani said he couldn’t understand why kids at school chased after him singing "Yellow Submarine." "It just seemed surreal. Why are they singing that song to me?" he wondered. Then, he discovered the answer. "I came home, and I freaked out on my dad: ‘Why didn’t you tell me you were in The Beatles?' And he said, ‘Oh, sorry. Probably should have told you that.’
While many rock stars—like many business leaders—can be arrogant, self-centered and full of themselves, Harrison was renowned for being sincere, humble, kind and collaborative. These attributes are often exhibited by the best corporative executives, which defies the conventional wisdom that top leaders need to be forceful, charismatic individuals who thrive in the limelight. It’s something I’ve observed working with companies across the country, and it’s an observation that’s backed by several university studies.
Source: Jason Richmond/forbes.com
Every band has a unique story behind their name, and the Beatles are no exception. Before they became the iconic rock and roll sensation we know today, they were just a group of musicians striving for success. Just like any other band, the Beatles also tried to find the perfect name for their act.
One theory surrounding the origin of the band’s name takes us back to a moment in their early days, when Stuart Sutcliffe, a close friend of John Lennon from their art school days, entered the picture. Stuart, who had recently sold one of his paintings and acquired a bass guitar with the proceeds, became a member of the act in January 1960.
It was during this time that Sutcliffe proposed changing the band’s name to ‘Beatals,’ drawing inspiration from his admiration for Buddy Holly and the Crickets. While ‘Beatals’ was a step in the right direction, it wasn’t the final iteration of their name.
Source: Bihter Sevinc/rockcelebrities.net
detailsWe have more than covered the Beatles’ vast catalog, including their top hits and their deep cuts. While it’s their music that ultimately made them the legends we know them as today, there were many aspects to their monumental rise to fame that cannot be overlooked–namely, their movies.
While their music got people grooving, their movies gave fans access to who they were as people. The Fab Four were goofy, buoyant, and jokesters. Each of their feature films helped to highlight that fact.
In the list below, we’re looking at the four main feature films from the Beatles’ career. We’ve ranked them from worst to best, taking into account their status in the fandom and their critical reception. See what movie we placed at No. 1 below.
Source: Alex Hopper/americansongwriter.com
details“Carnival of Light” is one Beatles song that’s unlikely to see the light of day. Recorded on January 5, 1967, during the band’s sessions for “Penny Lane”—initially intended for Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band—the 14-minute, avant-garde “Carnival of Light” was commissioned for The Million Volt Light and Sound Rave. The event was held at the Roundhouse Theatre in London from January 28 through February 4, 1967.
An early progenitor of noise rock, and one of the more experimental pieces by the Beatles, “Carnival of Light” was written by McCartney and recorded by the Beatles at Abbey Road Studios. Filled with gargled sounds and vocals, including random bursts of Are you all right? and Barcelona, the track is pressed by heavy organs, echos, and distorted guitars.
“I said all I want you to do is just wander around all the stuff, bang it, shout, play it, it doesn’t need to make any sense,” said McCartney of his instructions to the band while recording the song. “Hit a drum, then wander on to the piano, hit a few notes. Just wander around. So that’s what we did and then put a bit of an echo on it. It’s details
We take a historical look into times when the record industry gave birth to the most expensive albums ever. Will we ever see recording budgets like these again?
As online audience retention has become the new metric for success in entertainment, recording budgets these days are only a fraction of what they once were.
We’re taking a look back at some of the extravagant album productions of all time and uncovering some of the reasons the recording process took so long.
Terms like “Suffering for your art” and “Labour of love” do come to mind, but we’ll let you decide whether these gargantuan recording budgets were justified or not.
5. The Beatles – Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967)
Even though The Beatles didn’t live the most exulted lifestyles during recording when compared with their modern pop equivalents, Sgt Pepper’s was still an indulgent production in time and money.
The Fab Four and George Martin used over 700 hours of studio time to create what is commonly referred to as a masterpiece of recorded music.
Source: Stefan Wyeth/gearnews.com
The Beatles were extremely protective of their snacks, but they often ate others' food. Engineers took to hiding their food from the band,
The Beatles stocked up on snacks in the studio. According to Beatles audio engineer Geoff Emerick, the band members were very protective of their food. If anyone touched their snacks, they exploded with frustration. This trait didn’t stop them from taking other people’s food, though.
According to Emerick, The Beatles didn’t want anyone eating their snacks. They didn’t see a problem with eating other people’s food, though.
“Food was always very proprietary among The Beatles,” Emerick wrote in his book Here, There and Everywhere: My Life Recording the Music of the Beatles. “Mal [Evans] would get everybody his own thing, and there was no sharing, no eating family style; no one was allowed to try anyone else’s food. That principle applied to us, too — we knew never to help ourselves to any snacks they laid out in the studio. But in their minds, the reverse was not true: anything they found in the control room was fair game as far as The Beatles were concerned.”
Source: Emma McKee/cheatsheet.com
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