Beatles News

From November 2014

Last week marked 36 years since the release of the Beatles' 'White Album', a record dogged by rumours of containing subliminal messages that, when played backwards, seemed to suggest Paul McCartney was dead. The cult of myths surrounding the Fab Four goes far beyond 'Paul Is Dead' conspiracy theories, however. Here's that and 14 other strange, suspicious tales about the Beatles blown open...

Paul Is Dead: Rumours Macca was killed in a '67 car crash and replaced with a lookalike had already been doing the rounds before audio of Lennon seeming to say "Paul is dead man, miss him miss him" on 'I'm So Tired' sent the myth into overdrive.

The truth: If true, his imposter at least has Macca's sense of humour - in 1993, he released a live LP cheekily titled 'Paul is Live'.

All the Beatles died and were replaced: See that white VW on the 'Abbey Road' sleeve? Its license plate, '28IF', was interpreted by a legion of paranoid Beatles fans as an allusion to John's age - he'd have been 28 if he'd have lived to the album's release date.

The truth: The group laughed off the suggestion. But then, if they were doubles, they would, wouldn't they?The man in the background of the 'Abbey Ro details

"Sometimes you open your mouth and you don't know what you are going to say, and whatever comes out is the starting point. If that happens and you are lucky, it can usually be turned into a song. This song is a prayer and personal statement between me, the Lord, and whoever likes it." Said George about one of his most popular songs, ‘Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth)’ that is both the opening track and the lead single from his 1973 album, Living in the Material World.

George had been busy working on the release of the Concert for Bangladesh album and film and so he did not start work on his follow up to All Things Must Pass until midway through 1972. Initially George had intended to work with Phil Spector but his unreliability added to the delays until finally Harrison decided to press ahead and produce the record himself.

Whereas his previous album had featured a large cast of musicians it was a much smaller group that George assembled to record ‘Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth)’ in the autumn of 1972. Aside from George’s wonderful slide guitar playing that he added early in 1973 it’s pianist Nicky Hopkins that shines on the recording. The rest of the musicians on th details

Paul McCartney has announced a charity single 'Love Song to the Earth', a track written to raise climate change awareness and pull in funds for Friends of the Earth and the UN Foundation.

The single aims to influence the United Nations Climate Change conference which takes place in Paris this December.

Written by Toby Gad, Natasha Bedingfield, John Shanks and Sean Paul, the four-minute track stars Jon Bon Jovi, Sheryl Crow, Nicole Scherzinger and Leona Lewis alongside more than a dozen other artists, and is available to download on iTunes now. It will be released more widely on September 11. There is also a website dedicated to the song and explaining its motivation and message.

On the accompanying site, the song is described as "a song with the power to fight climate change and maybe change the world."

"Some of the world’s biggest names in music have joined voices to inspire real action on climate change, and to support the United Nations’ call for a meaningful, universal climate agreement in Paris this December," the site states.

"Every time the song is purchased, streamed, or shared, the royalties go directly towards the efforts of Friends of the Earth to keep fossil fuels details

I love the Beatles, and like many Beatles fans, I think The White Album is one of their great masterpieces. And one of the best songs on The White Album is, without question, “Dear Prudence.”

But did you know that the song was influenced by the music of the Gypsies, Transcendental Meditation, and the daughter (and sister) of Hollywood celebrities?

“Dear Prudence” was written in early 1968, when the Beatles were in India, while John and George were studying Transcendental Meditation with the Maharishi Mahesh Yoga. It was written for a woman named Prudence Farrow (Mia Farrow’s sister) who was there meditating as well, and became so immersed in her meditation practice that she rarely left her room. Hence John Lennon wrote a playful song for her, where he sings, “Dear Prudence, won’t you come out to play?” The music was inspired, at least in part, by a Gypsy style of guitar picking that John learned from the folk-rock musician Donovan, also studying with the Maharishi.

While on the surface the song could be seen as a playful rebuke to excessive spirituality — Prudence, don’t waste your time meditating, come out to play! — at its heart “D details

The contract that launched the most successful pop partnership of all time – bringing together the Beatles and manager Brian Epstein – is expected to make up to £500,000 when it is auctioned.

It is the only contract signed by Epstein and the 'Fab Four' line-up of John Lennon, George Harrison, Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr.

The document was signed on October 1, 1962, just days before the release of The Beatles' first single, Love Me Do.

It goes under the hammer at Sotheby's Rock & Pop sale on September 29.

Gabriel Heaton, Sotheby's specialist in books and manuscripts, said: 'Without this contract, and the relationship it represents, it seems inconceivable that the Beatles could have achieved all that they did: it took more than inspired musicianship and song-writing to remake popular music.

'The presentation, direction, and internal harmony of the Beatles all owed a huge amount to Brian Epstein. He was, as Paul McCartney has acknowledged, the Fifth Beatle.'

Prior to this contract, the band, which then included Pete Best as drummer instead of Ringo Starr, had signed a contract with Epstein. 

Source: The Daily Mail

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The Fab Four of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr are perhaps the most influential rock band of the 20th Century (if not all time). Though only active for a decade from 1960-1970, they have nonetheless had the greatest impact, even beyond contemporaries such as the Rolling Stones and the Who that continue to tour as a group to this day. Even so, remaining members McCartney and Starr have shown no signs of slowing down themselves. So from music to movies and all manner of culture in-between, there are some pretty interesting facts about The Beatles that you may not know.

Back in the USSR

The Soviet Union had a pretty strict ban on Western music, which included all rock n’ roll and definitely included The Beatles. Trying to get vinyl on the black market was difficult and also illegal. However, in the 1950s, a resourceful loophole focused on imprinting the music onto x-ray scans either purchased or picked up from a hospital dumpster. The practice was called “music on the bones” and demand for The Beatles created a spike in this process.

First Time on TV

Though Ed Sullivan was the band’s first live television performance in the US, it wasn’t th details

Have you ever heard an old song that made you realize so much of the music you listen to today is just a descendant of that track? Every song you’ve ever loved has some kind of link back to another song, even though the connection might be nearly untraceable at first.

Long-lost relatives of music from the past, calling back to their ancestors.

Perhaps, even, praying to the music gods who came before.

Recognizing this can be a lot of fun, especially when nearly all of those origin stories come from The Beatles.

Unbelievably, I didn’t really listen to the Beatles until last year.

Back in college, I had a professor (and College Bowl coach) who challenged me to listen to the Beatles (shoutout to Dr. Kenyon!). But I was in my “musically rebellious” phase, where I would only listen to what I had discovered because I was a pain. Every kid goes through that phase at one point.

(Really though, maybe it’s more than one point…I know I’ve gone through quite a few phases like that.)

So I waited, and I stalled.

Once, oh, a decade had passed, I thought I’d give it a shot. Using the power of the Internet, I was soon on my magical mu details

Dealers and auctioneers usually speak in careful, measured language when talking about their wares, but the wealth of evidence proving that John Lennon not only owned but favored this 1962 Gibson J-160E has loosed Darren Julien’s tongue.

“If you’re looking for a Holy Grail Beatles instrument, this is as close as you’re going to get,” says Julien, president and CEO of the Beverly Hills, Calif., auction house Julien’s Auctions, which will offer the guitar (estimated at $600,000 to $800,000) at its Icons and Idols Rock N Roll auction on November 7.

“I think it’s going to break a world record,” says Julien. “It’s almost the most important guitar, period. Bob Dylan’s guitar and Eric Clapton’s Blackie sold for almost $1 million, and they’re not as important as this guitar.”

Instruments played by Lennon rarely appear on the market, and few can match the historic importance of this one.

Lennon ordered the guitar through a Liverpool music store in 1962 for less than $300, along with an identical guitar that went to George Harrison (and is now owned by Harrison’s widow Olivia).

Photo-matching and other d details

In early February, a half century after The Beatles created a frenzy upon North American shores, Love Me Do became the top-selling CD at Walmart stores in Canada.

The reason why might be partly tied to Canadian copyright law. Until recently, sound recordings were only protected for 50 years. As a result, early '60s recordings by The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Beach Boys and others have fallen into the public domain up north to go alongside works like Ian Fleming's James Bond character that have also become subject to a lesser copyright term.

Taking advantage of this fact is a company called Stargrove Entertainment, which began producing CDs full of public domain recordings and then selling them at retailers like Walmart for five bucks each. The cheap Beatles albums introduced to the Canadian market earlier this year were a hit.

But what happened next, according to Stargrove's 408-page filing on Tuesday with the Canadian Competition Tribunal (read in full below), was interference by vertically integrated music giants, Universal and Sony.

Although the recordings were free to be exploited by anybody, a Beatles album embodies compositions necessitating the clearance of publishing rights. This u details

The rise of social media has led to a proliferation of posted personal photos, and the usual comments that appear below, including occasional observations that show a lack of understanding about the story behind the snapshot.

Now imagine being famous, very famous, and having countless people interpret your experience, even though you and your bandmates are the only ones who truly know all the details. Yes, we did say "bandmates" and yes, we are referring to Ringo Starr, who is pictured above, and who just happens to be a Beatle and a most excellent photographer.

Mr. Starr and his trusty Pentax captured many behind-the-scenes snaps of The Fab Four, and friends, and his travels over the years, and he'll appear for one night only at the El Rey Theatre to chat about his passion and new book, which is called "PHOTOGRAPH."

The moderated on-stage conversation will burble with anecdotes, memories, and such, and "rare and unseen photographs drawn from his personal archives" will give Mr. Starr a few fun and surely emotion-filled prompts for starting another lively tale from his past.

Genesis Publications will release "PHOTOGRAPH" on Tuesday, Sept. 22. Look for it in bookstores from here to every other Bea details

He's enjoying a break from his epic Out There world tour, which he recently added new US dates to.

And Paul McCartney had the perfect summer retreat, heading off the the Hamptons with his wife Nancy Shevell and family.

The 73-year-old stripped off to enjoy the East coast sunshine during a sailing trip, while Nancy, 55, kept busy at the gym.

The Beatles star showed off his sailing skills as he hit the water near his home in the exclusive holiday spot.

Sir Paul went shirtless, stripping down to a pair of checked shorts for his relaxing afternoon. A baseball cap kept him cool in the sweltering temperatures as he made the most of some solo time. 

Nancy meanwhile was spotted in her workout gear during the break, looking svelte in leggings and a bright green vest and coordinating Nike trainers. The businesswoman met up with her husband after her gym session, with the pair heading to Serafina in East Hampton for a spot of lunch with Nancy's son Arlen Blakeman.

The Hamptons holiday was a real family affair for Nancy and Paul. As well as sailing, Paul was also spotted getting a workout in as he went cycling with his son James, 37. 

By: Joanna Crawley

Source: Daily details

A Devonshire lady, who once threw a bouquet at Paul McCartney and whose husband has been described as a look-alike John Lennon, is selling some rare Beatles memorabilia. The lady, who does not wish to be named, has been a fan of the Fab Four since her teenage years. At Plymouth Auction Rooms next month she will release a fascinating selection of transparency images from the film Help!, a complete set of autographs, and a copy of The Saints – an early recording credited to Tony Sheridan and the Beatles.

“I saw the Beatles twice at the ABC Exeter when I was at school,” she says. “The first time I was at the back. The second time I was down at the front and threw a bunch of flowers at Paul McCartney because he was my favourite.” Since those teenage days she has changed allegiance and now says John Lennon is her favourite – with people having commentated that her husband bears a resemblance to the world-famous Liverpuddlian.

When she was a teenager she acquired the autographs at an auction raising money for a special baby care unit. John Lennon’s signature is even dated 1963. The lady’s father then gave her the collection of publicity images which are from the Beatles& details

Aspiring midland’s musicians became rock royalty for the day as they caught the John Lennon Educational tour bus on the final leg of its Irish tour.

Mullingar Youth Café hosted the bus for the day, which was last in Ireland in 2013.

The musicians from the Edenderry Rockers and Mullingar Music Jam are part of a performance music education initiative called Music Generation Offaly/Westmeath.

No ordinary coach, the facilities on the bus are world class and allowed the attendees to learn and participate in all aspects of music production for song writing and recording to producing a music video.

The song and the video made on the day now go into post production with senior producer Brian who is based is the US. 

With access to every part of the bus, including state of the art production facilities, instruments and expertise of the team, the young musicians were delighted with the sheer level of participation and input.

“We've had a super cool day here in Mullingar. The group got on really well and we've enjoyed working with them," said a member of the crew, which included engineers Alex, who acted as record producer for the day, Henrik and Hans and driver Scott details

Fabulous works of art by or inspired by the Beatles and their followers will be a major attraction at The Cheshire Decorative Antiques & Art Fair at Tatton Park, Knutsford, from 18th - 20th September 2015.

Going on sale will be original prints by John Lennon, featuring characters from his books, the prints signed by Yoko Ono, original drawings by Klaus Voorman, who played guitar with the group during their Hamburg period, and an inspired watercolour composed around the song ‘Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds’ for a Beatles project by the contemporary artist Angel Dominguez.

The Lennon prints and the original drawings by Klaus Voorman (b.1938), will be shown by Keith Denny of Balmain Fine Art from Cleveland. Voorman was trained as a graphic artist in Berlin and worked as a commercial artist, graphic designer and illustrator. He designed the cover art for the Beatles’ LP ‘Revolver’, for which he won a Grammy award, and went on to design cover works for Wet Wet Wet and the Bee Gees. As a musician, he worked with John Lennon’s Plastic Ono Band, Manfred Mann, Lous Reed, Carly Simon, Cat Stevens, Harry Nilsson and many others.The Voorman drawings will be priced at £200 each. details

Award-winning Great Museums® Television's newest documentary, "Sound Tracks: The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame & Museum," begins airing nationally on public television in September 2015. Narrated by musician/actor Steven Van Zandt, lead guitarist for Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band, the one-hour HD film showcases the world's only museum devoted to the story of American culture through the lens of rock and roll.

To coincide with the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame's 20th anniversary, the documentary features interviews, histories and anecdotes by artists and rock pioneers. Graham Nash, (Crosby, Stills & Nash; The Hollies); Mickey Hart (The Grateful Dead); Ann Wilson (Heart); and Darryl McDaniels (Run-DMC) lend musical and cultural commentary. Seymour Stein, founder of Sire Records; and Jann Wenner, Founder of Rolling Stone magazine and Co-founder of the Rock Hall provide insight into the story told by the museum.

Sound Tracks showcases the vitality of the Rock Hall, starting with the glistening prism of I.M. Pei's building on the shores of Cleveland's Lake Erie. "Within these walls lie the artifacts and stories of rock and roll, which is the most accessible art form of our time," explains Greg Harris, P details