Beatles News

Beatles fans, get your credit cards ready: On May 26, the Fab Four is unleashing a lavish revamp of 1967’s “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” in honor of the landmark album’s 50th anniversary. Among the notable features of the reissue are outtakes and alternate versions of songs from the vaults — including the “Pepper”-era double-A-side single “Penny Lane” and “Strawberry Fields Forever” — and a new stereo mix of the record that producers claim buffs up the painstaking vibe of the original mono mix.

“They were trying to create this immersive world that the stereo didn’t have,” Giles Martin, the man responsible for the new stereo mix (and, incidentally, the son of the late Beatles producer George Martin), recently told Rolling Stone about the original mono mixing sessions. “Nobody paid much attention to the stereo mix. What we did [today] was work out what they were doing in the mono mix and apply it to stereo.”

It’s a no-brainer that the Beatles team would choose to release a deluxe reissue of “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.” The LP has sold over 11 million copies in th details

Unseen footage of the Beatles on the set of their 1965 movie Help! will soon go on sale after the 8mm film was unearthed after 50 years in storage.

Actor Leo McKern, who played the evil swami Clang in the Beatles' second feature-length film, shot the 8mm film while on the set of Help! The Beatles appear in 10 minutes of the footage, which has an asking price of approximately $45,000.

"This is footage taken in 1965 of people who at the time were the most famous people on earth at the pinnacle of their collective career," books dealer Neil Pearson, who is selling the footage, told Reuters.

McKern reportedly filmed the Beatles during the Help! "snow scenes" in the Austrian Alps, with the group tobogganing and messing around with their stunt doubles on set.

There is also footage of candid behind-the-scenes moments between band members, including Paul McCartney smoking a cigarette and taking photographs.

The 8mm reel contains footage of McKern playing with his then-10-year-old daughter Abigail on the Help! set, as well as the Beatles' then-wives and girlfriends on set, the Guardian reports. Leo McKern died in 2002. The "snow scenes" footage remained in the family's garage until Pearson unearth details

Last year, Stella McCartney launched her first millennial fragrance POP, a fresh and feminine scent that champions the notes of tuberose and sandalwood.

It was deemed more than just a fragrance, as the brand wanted to push a message across to the younger generation: ‘It is about a mindset rather than an individual woman,' they declared. 'Bold. Authentic. Irreverent.’

The campaign was equally impactful with millennial stars including Madonna’s daughter Lourdes Leon, the musician Grimes, animal activist Kenya Kiniski Jones, and actress and campaigner Amandla Stenberg taking centre stage. In an era where designer perfumes are declining in favour of niche fragrance houses, it was a clever move for McCartney to delve into a younger market, which amounts to over 13.8 million potential customers.

It was clearly a success though as today, McCartney is unveiling a sequel scent, POP Bluebell, from £44. The fragrance promises to be delicate yet distinctive with the British bluebell note bringing a depth and personality to the collection.

“As human beings, we’re always changing, and POP is evolving with its wearers," the British designer explained. "I really love these gir details

Paul and Linda McCartney weren’t the only ones John Lennon had harsh words for in letter form.

An angry letter that Lennon wrote concerning the distribution of his and Yoko Ono’s experimental album “Unfinished Music No. 1: Two Virgins” is being auctioned off by Boston-based RR Auction.

In the handwritten piece of correspondence, addressed to Martin George of Rock Ink & Roll Ink, the rock icon expresses frustration with difficulty in getting the 1968 record out to the masses.

“Yoko and I got Two Virgins out in spite of being past owners of Apple [the Beatles’ record label]. We made it in May and they f–ked us about till November! Then E.M.I. (who have the real control) wrote warning letters to all their puppets around the world telling them not handle it in any way,” the letter reads.

The album was the first music released by Lennon following the breakup of the Beatles. E.M.I., Apple’s parent company, refused to distribute it due to the fully nude photo of John and Yoko that adorned its front and back.

By: Bryan Hood

Source: Page Six

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A collection of sixties memorabilia is being sold off by Welsh singer Mary Hopkin - one of the first artists to be signed to The Beatles’ Apple label.

The Pontardawe -born star, who shot to fame with 1968 UK number one single Those Were The Days, is auctioning off a collection of clothes she wore at the height of her fame, including designer stage dresses when she sang with the stars - and a rare Beatles poster from the cusp of the Fab Four’s superstardom.

The poster is advertising the Beatles’ August 1963 gig at The Pier Pavilion in Llandudno, North Wales, and is expected to auction for £400 to £800.

The same month the band went straight to number one with their second hit, “She Loves You”, marking the eruption of Beatlemania across the world.

The small concert in the north Welsh seaside town was priced at 4/6d, 6/6d and 8/6d, and was part of the Beatles’ tour of smaller venues around the UK. Auctioneer Ben Rogers Jones said: “It was right that the poster should be delivered to our auction rooms in Colwyn Bay, only three miles from the venue where The Beatles played that night.

Source: Wales Online

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The timing could not be better for the WAVE 3 News Abbey Road on the River to pay homage to the iconic and acclaimed album Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. The album was released by The Beatles 50 years ago in 1967, and is set for the much anticipated re-release on May 26, which coincides with the five-day festival, coming up May 25-29, 2017.

Sgt. Pepper, regarded as one of the first concept albums, is known for being one of the most influential and innovative albums of all time. It won four Grammy’s, and included hits like “Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds,” “With a Little Help From My Friends,” and “A Day in the Life.”

The new, remixed special anniversary edition of the Sgt. Pepper album includes previously unreleased takes from their recording sessions.

More than 15 events will celebrate the groundbreaking album throughout the weekend, including 9 concerts, a presentation by internationally recognized Beatles expert Scott Freiman, and a “Pepper at 50” panel discussion with author Bruce Spizer, Beatle best friend and long-time aide Tony Bramwell, and “Beatle Brunch” Radio Host Joe Johnson.

On Saturday, May 27 at 11:45 p. details

They might've come from Liverpool, but The Beatles certainly left their mark all over London. Here are some of our favourite London locations connected to the band: take a trip around the sights, and indulge in your very own Magical Mystery Tour of the capital.

1. Dodge the cars at Abbey Road Studios and crossing

Start your day at what's probably the most famous London Beatles landmark: Abbey Road.

The Fab Four didn't just record their Abbey Road album here; this was the location the band recorded nearly all their albums and singles from 1962 to 1970 at this famous address.
Take care if you stop for photos on that iconic pelican crossing: cars don't like stopping for the inevitable hoards of tourists all doing exactly the same thing...

2. Sample the delights at the Beatles Coffee Shop

If you've successfully swerved the traffic in the name of Instagram perfection, celebrate with a cup of coffee from The Beatles Coffee Shop at St John's Wood station.

By: Zoe Craig

Source: Londonist

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A new letter reveals the reason why the BBC banned The Beatles' psychedelic masterpiece 'A Day In The Life'.
The Fab Four will issue an expanded version of 'Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band' shortly, casting new light on one of the most vital documents of the psychedelic era.
Much mythology has crowded around the album, so it's always nice to uncover a fresh artefact, a new shard of light on such a vaunted release.
The Beatles official Facebook page shared a remarkable letter from the BBC, detailing its reasons for banning 'A Day In The Life'.
It explains: "We cannot avoid coming to the conclusion that the words "I'd love to turn you on", followed by that mounting montage of sound, could have a rather sinister meaning".
The letter continues: "The recording may have been made in innocence and good faith, but we must take account of the interpretation many young people would inevitably put upon it. "Turned on" is a phrase which can be used in many different circumstances, but it is currently much in-vogue in the jargon of drug addicts".

By: Robin Murray

Source: Clash Music

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If the Kennedy Center Honors is the venue’s biggest end-of-the-year party, the annual Spring Gala gives it a run for its money for live music.

Last year, a star-studded lineup of musicians — Leslie Odom Jr., Babyface, Valerie Simpson, Mary Wilson and BJ The Chicago Kid — turned out to salute the iconic music of the late Marvin Gaye.

On Monday night, this year’s ceremony delivered “Come Together: A Celebration of John Lennon,” saluting the genius behind so many Beatles hits, as well as a solo career that was tragically cut short.

“You’re wondering if we’re going to get to your favorite John Lennon song: ‘Norwegian Wood,’ ‘Strawberry Fields Forever,’ ‘Power to the People,’ ‘Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds,’ ‘Dear Prudence’? Sorry, we’re not doing any of those. Get over it,” emcee David Duchovny joked. “We would’ve loved to have played them all, but if you wanted to spend that much time sitting in a seat at the Kennedy Center, you’d be over in the Opera House watching ‘Madame Butterfly.’ … Your [butt] thanks us!”

The event kicked off w details

Turner prize-winning artist Jeremy Deller is to stage a haunting tribute to the Beatles’ manager, Brian Epstein, in the run-up to events in Liverpool marking 50 years since the release of the band’s groundbreaking album, Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.

The artist, who created the centenary commemoration of the lost soldiers of the Battle of the Somme last year and a controversial re-enactment of the Battle of Orgreave, has designed a series of posters that will go up around the city later this month. They will bear powerful slogans about Epstein’s devotion to the Beatles, some associating his sacrifices with those of a religious martyr.

“Rock music is a belief system, in a way, and Brian Epstein dedicated everything to the Beatles and to their success. His main concern was their well-being,” said Deller. “In terms of its characters and stories, the way we feel about rock’n’roll music since the Beatles is like religion, or at least an alternative belief system.”

When the city’s mayor, Joe Anderson, announced a carnival of arts that will begin on 25 May, the Merseyside statue of the band members – John Lennon, George Harrison, Pa details

It was 36 years ago today (May 7th, 1981) that George Harrison released his tribute to John Lennon, called "All Those Years Ago." The song is notable for being the first record since the Beatles' 1970 breakup to feature all three surviving group members, George Harrison, Paul McCartney, and Ringo Starr.

According to several sources, the song was originally taped the year before for inclusion on Ringo's 1981 Stop And Smell The Roses album. Harrison had written the song with different lyrics for him to sing, with the song's basic track featuring himself on guitar and Ringo on drums. The song was left off the album, and after Lennon's murder in 1980, Harrison revamped the song into a tribute to his late bandmate.

In early 1981, Harrison, Paul and Linda McCartney, and Wings co-founder Denny Laine recorded the song's distinctive backing vocals at Harrison's home studio Friar Park. The vocal sessions were supervised by legendary Beatles producer George Martin and engineer Geoff Emerick, who at the time were recording with McCartney for hisTug Of War album.

Denny Laine who had known the Beatles intimately since touring with them in the mid-'60s while still in the Moody Blues, says that there was no difference b details

We were genuinely excited as we made our way into Tokyo Dome, a 55,000-seat baseball stadium, to see Paul McCartney’s “One on One” tour. That feeling waned a bit as a helpful Japanese ticket attendant led us to our seats… up higher and higher… past the Sherpas and centerfield bleachers… to a pair of seats resting three rows from the top. Oh, well. At least we were facing center stage. And we were there to see Paul McCartney

. An actual Beatle! A bucket list perennial, now safely checked off. Buying tickets from Viagogo — a reliable online vendor — doesn’t guarantee you the best choice of seats, and we just snagged the first ones we found and could afford (somewhere in the neighborhood of $140). We could only drool and imagine how much the front-section seats fetched.

A shuffle of remixed Beatles/Wings/Macca songs played over the loudspeakers before the show started, and it was an opportunity to watch the baseball stadium fill up, leaving only a handful of empty seats. There for a three-night stand, McCartney, at age 74, shows no signs of letting up. When he bounded onstage, amid the opening guitar chime of A Hard Day’s Night, there was that thrill th details

Tom Murray is not surprised to see his photographs turning up on the internet but they are not usually connected with major drugs dealers.

Bury St Edmunds town councillor Tom was a photographer with the Sunday Times Magazine in the 1960s, photographing many stars and top people, including The Beatles.

It seems a collectors set of his 1968 Mad Day Out colour prints of the fab four had appealed to an Irish drug dealer, who had been arrested with 60kg of cocaine so the pictures were auctioned last week in Belfast with other illgotten gains including luxury cars, Rolex watches, horses and Gucci shoes.

Tom said: “I don’t know whether to be flattered or what! He obviously had good taste. He had a complete artist’s proof set, number 11 of 19.”

Tom says individual prints like this have gone for £3,000 to £8,000 but the auction raised about £10,000 for the set of 23. “If someone was clever they should have bought the whole set – you’d never get a set for that now.”

Source: Bury Free Press

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1989 was the year classic rock surged back into the international mainstream.

It was a year that saw Lou Reed release his best album of the ’80s with New York, the Grateful Dead craft their final studio recording with Jerry Garcia with the better-than-you-remember Built to Last, Tom Petty go solo with Full Moon Fever, Billy Joel dropping his final classic LP with Storm Front, Neil Young returning to Reprise with Freedom, Rush bringing back the guitars on their Atlantic Records debut Presto and the Rolling Stones reclaiming their stake as the World’s Greatest Rock ‘n’ Roll Band with the exceptionally underrated Steel Wheels and its subsequent world tour. And, of course, Cycles by the Doobie Brothers.

However, perhaps the greatest record to emerge from the world of AOR in 1989 was Paul McCartney’s Flowers in the Dirt, the latest Macca LP to receive the deluxe-edition treatment as part of the Paul McCartney Archive Collection.
An album that impressively reclaims the artistic credibility that was nearly derailed by his creative output in the mid-’80s, McCartney’s eighth studio album is an absolute pleasure to rediscover today.

During the summer it was released, details

In 1971, early one morning on a Steinway piano on his resplendent Berkshire estate, John Lennon reflected on the seismic uprising of a peaceful counterculture, of united students and workers, which could have scared a thousand kings by reviving the egalitarian ideals of the 1871 Paris commune.

Against this raw new zeitgeist, and against the backdrop of uprising in America, he sung, famously, to the times: “imagine all the people... living life in peace.” Of all the memorable, piquant and mordant comments he made, that one is the one which has most transcended time; everybody is touched by those words with their beauty time can not erase with the bludgeon of her years. They are words worthy of being spelled across the stars.

Moreover, as a form of acknowledgement of the critical influence of the radicals on the febrile atmosphere of protest worldwide, he hailed, in the song’s middle eighth, with an equally breathtaking lyricism: “you may say I’m a dreamer... but I’m not the only one,” paying heed to a fresh generation of activists who had proclaimed an era of permanent struggle, a species of rebellion in which intellectual renegades like John and themselves saw possibilit details