Beatles News

The new documentary One to One: John & Yoko is ostensibly about John Lennon and Yoko Ono‘s move to New York City in the ’70s and their 1972 One to One concerts, which were Lennon’s only post-Beatles full-length performances. But according to People, the doc also shows Ono airing her grievances about how she was treated because of her relationship with Lennon.

In one portion of the film, People reports, Ono is seen giving a speech at the First International Feminist Conference in 1973, where she told the crowd that after she and Lennon got together, “the whole society started to attack me, and the whole society wished me dead.”

In another part of the documentary, Ono says that because she was made a scapegoat for the breakup of The Beatles, she received letters while pregnant that read, “I wish you and your baby would die,” and was even sent a voodoo doll stuck with pins.

According to People, in the film Ono also expresses disappointment over the fact that, she claims, George Harrison, Ringo Starr and Paul McCartney never “set the record straight” about the fact that she wasn’t the reason the band broke up.

Source: wdrv.com

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Plenty of Beatles songs never made it to the stage. Whether it’s because the band retired from touring before the song could get a proper performance or some other reason, plenty of fan favorites never got to be experienced live in concert.

One such song is the 1968 track “Good Night” from the band’s self-titled album, also known as the White Album. “Good Night” is one of the Fab Four’s most famous closers. It is the last song on that very album and one of very few that features Ringo Starr as the lead singer. In fact, he’s the only Beatle featured on the song, period. Starr sings his heart out against an orchestral arrangement conducted by the famed English composer George Martin.  So, is there a deeper reason as to why The Beatles never performed this incredible closing song live?

The answer to this question is pretty simple: They had retired from touring long before the song was released. Specifically, the Fab Four quit touring in 1966.  However, there is another question worth posing: Why didn’t Starr perform the song live throughout his solo career?

“Good Night” wasn’t written by Starr. It was originally wr details

Paul McCartney wanted the Beatles to star in an anti-Vietnam War film at the height of their fame, a new book has revealed.

Philosopher Bertrand Russell had pleaded with the singer and bass guitarist “to do something positive” with the Fab Four’s global following and make a political movie a year after the band’s second big screen outing Help.

But the secret 1966 film project was shelved after thriller writer Len Deighton failed to convince Sir Paul, now 82, that remaking the First World War musical Oh! What a Lovely War was the right vehicle for his stand against US intervention in South East Asia.

In Deighton’s 1966 script, the Fab Four would have played members of the doomed Smith family, who feature in the musical and unwittingly volunteer for the hell of the trenches. By then the Beatles had made two films, A Hard Day’s Night in 1964 and Help in 1965. So the third film would have been at the height of Beatlemania.

Writing in his new book, With The Beatles, Patrick Humphries reveals the idea was born in the summer of 1966 when McCartney met 94-year-old anti-war activist Russell in London.

“Russell had tried to convince Paul to do something pos details

The Beatles quit touring for good in 1966, and many of the songs from later releases never got a proper Fab Four performance. That being said, each respective member of The Beatles went on to perform a number of those post-Beatles songs during their solo runs. But surprisingly, there’s one hit track that never got a performance; not even from the man who wrote it.

That song would be “Martha My Dear” from the band’s 1968 self-titled album. The track was written by Paul McCartney and is a heartfelt tribute to his beloved sheepdog, Martha. Some have interpreted the song as a reference to his public breakup with Jane Asher, notably with the lyrics “Don’t forget me”. The lyrics “Help yourself to a bit of what is all around you” is seen as a dig at a potential alleged affair Asher had while McCartney was traveling with The Old Vic Theatre.

However, McCartney has never verified these claims. He’s also never performed the song live.  Why Paul McCartney Never Performed “Martha My Dear” Live?

“Martha My Dear” is a major fan-favorite among Beatles superfans and casual listeners alike. The band’s contemporaries and other a details

John Lennon and Yoko Ono's move to New York City in the early 1970s is the subject of the new documentary One to One: John & Yoko
The film will explore the backlash Ono faced from Beatles fans upon entering into a relationship with Lennon
"Society suddenly treated me as a woman who belonged to a man who is one of the most powerful people in our generation," she says in the documentary.  A new documentary is revisiting the difficult road Yoko Ono faced when she fell in love with John Lennon in the late 1960s.

One to One: John & Yoko focuses on never-before-seen material of the high-profile couple as they uproot their life in England to move to New York City in 1971, where a changing American culture collides with the pair’s desire to do good in the world.

In one moving section of the film, Ono gives a speech at the First International Feminist Conference, which took place in 1973. During the emotional address, Ono, then 40, detailed the harsh way she was treated by society after she first started dating Lennon and how a constant barrage of criticism chipped away at her self-confidence.

When Ono and the former Beatle first met in 1966, she was already established as a success details

George Harrison gained a reputation as being a seeker of sorts, constantly searching for insight about the way to live his life under the strange circumstances of being a worldwide celebrity. As it happens, he was also actively researching the proper way to leave this life.

The song “Art of Dying,” which was released on Harrison’s incredible triple album All Things Must Pass in 1971, expresses some of the former Beatle’s ideas on the subject, many of which were sourced from his study of Indian religious beliefs. It’s an incredibly nimble lyric that elucidates a weighty subject with smarts and feeling.
A Song Years in the Making

Many of the songs that appeared on All Things Must Pass were begun when Harrison was still a member of The Beatles. In the case of “Art of Dying,” he had begun writing it all the way back in 1966, some five years before he’d get a chance to release it once he had gone solo. Early versions of the song even contained references to Beatles’ manager Brian Epstein.

The title of “Art of Dying” is telling, because that’s essentially what Harrison is trying to communicate to his audience. As he explained in his b details

The band performed two sold-out shows on Sept. 3, 1964. Now, the fairgrounds are bringing the magic back with a tribute band, an art installation, and more.  The Beatles toured the United States and Canada between August 19 and September 20, 1964.

What was life like in 1964? College students from across the US traveled to Mississippi to participate in Freedom Summer, the Ford Mustang debuted, Muhammad Ali became the world heavyweight champion... and The Beatles played at the Indiana State Fair.

In honor of the 60th anniversary of the two sold-out shows played on Sept. 3, 1964, the fairgrounds are celebrating all things Fab Four once more. The festivities on Tuesday, Sept. 3 include:

The unveiling of an art installation
A listening session of the original audio from the 1964 performance
A live performance of the original setlist by cover band 1964 The Tribute
An encore performance of The Beatles’ greatest hits
Merchandise + themed food and beverage options, such as “Hard Day’s Flight” “and “Yellow Submarine Sandwich”

Tickets are still available for $5, the same price thousands of screaming fans originally paid to see the band & details

Ann Arbor wasn’t immune to the fanatical craze sweeping the nation 60 years ago when the Beatles arrived in the United States.

With the British Invasion underway, Beatlemania struck Tree Town in 1964.

That was on full display that August as hundreds of enthusiastic teenagers lined up along State Street outside the State Theatre downtown for tickets to see the Beatles’ first feature film, “A Hard Day’s Night.”

“I love the Beatles” was among messages in the crowd, along with posters of the rockers from Liverpool, England, known for hits such as “She Loves You” and “I Want to Hold Your Hand.”
Beatlemania in Ann Arbor

Enthusiastic teenagers line up along State Street outside the State Theatre in downtown Ann Arbor for tickets to see the Beatles film "A Hard Day's Night" in August 1964.Duane Scheel | Ann Arbor News archives courtesy of OldNews.AADL.org

Ann Arbor News reporter Dave Bishop and photographer Duane Scheel were there to document the excited scene as tickets went on sale two weeks ahead of the movie’s Sept. 3 opening at the theater. The crowd filled the sidewalk down to Washington Street and was estimated to details

In interviews Paul McCartney gave during the promotion of his album Band on the Run, he stated that “Jet” was the name of a black Labrador puppy. In later years, he told the story of how it was the name of a Shetland pony he owned. Both stories could be true, but either way, it doesn’t make a difference to the meaning of the song “Jet’s” lyrics. McCartney also talks about his father-in-law in relation to the words. David Bowie’s “Suffragette City” played a role as well. Dress it all up with a cool saxophone riff and some fist-pumping, arena-rock hooks and you’ve got one of McCartney’s most memorable singles. Let’s take a look at the story behind “Jet” by Paul McCartney & Wings.

Jet, Jet
Jet, I can almost remember their funny faces
That time, you told them you were going to be marrying soon
And Jet, I thought the only lonely place was on the moon
Jet the Puppy

McCartney wasn’t sure there was a single on his 1973 album Band on the Run. Al Coury, head of marketing at Capitol Records, convinced him to edit “Jet” down to a length more condusive to FM radio play. In 1973, McCartney told author details

Already one of history's greatest rock bands, The Beatles were even more than the sum of their parts. In the wake of the band's legendary 1960s run came a number of high-profile solo releases from each individual member. That includes Ringo, whose eponymous 1973 album peaked at #2 on the U.S. charts and yielded two #1 singles … with a little help from his friends, of course.

What's no less striking than the substantial output of each respective Beatle is the evolution of their signature sounds and styles. From George Harrison's idiosyncratic slide guitar to John Lennon's raw candor, certain albums were nearly as groundbreaking as the group efforts that preceded them. Acclaimed releases such as "All Things Must Pass" and "Plastic Ono Band" also helped redefine the personas of their creators.

Then there's Paul McCartney, or Macca, which is his English nickname, who arguably carried the torch of Beatles-style melodies into each of the subsequent decades. At the same time, he tirelessly explored an assortment of production styles and peripheral genres, including classical and electronic. As a solo artist or with Wings, Macca has released over 20 top 10 singles to date, putting his post-Beatles career in the s details

When John Lennon and Pete Shotton began a skiffle group at Quarry Bank High School in Liverpool, England, they had no idea what the future had in store. As other schoolmates joined, they performed at friend’s parties, school dances, and local cinemas. Their earliest material consisted of songs by skiffle inspiration Lonnie Donegan, R&B giant Fats Domino, and rock ‘n’ roller Elvis Presley. When Paul McCartney and, later, George Harrison joined the band, they continued to perform hits by established acts such as The Everly Brothers, Carl Perkins, and Duane Eddy.

As the band evolved, other members had disagreements or changed schools, causing them to leave the group. This resulted in a trio of guitarists. Lennon, McCartney, and Harrison did not have a drummer or a bassist, causing them to explain to potential employers, “The rhythm’s in the guitars.” They continued to perform rock ‘n’ roll and R&B but began composing their own songs. By the time drummer Pete Best joined and Lennon convinced Stuart Sutcliffe to purchase a bass guitar, they had gone through several names. As a quintet, they took on a new moniker. The Beatles split time between Liverpool and Hamburg, Wes details

I learned about the Beatles in the spring of 1980 from my older brother Craig. I was only a kid, but I started listening obsessively to their music and reading everything I could get my hands on about the band.

But 1980 was a bad year to become a Beatles fan: John Lennon was murdered in December of that same year.

I’m still a massive fan — so much so that my husband Michael and I recently went to Liverpool, England, to see the hometown of the band’s four famous members: Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Richard Starkey (who is better known by his stage name, Ringo Starr).

There are lots of reasons why I love the Beatles:

I agree with the critical consensus that they’re the best rock band ever. They also created the idea of the modern rock band, pioneering “concept albums,” and distinctive covers, and lyric sheets, and stadium tours, and all kinds of studio and musical innovations, and on and on and on.

They turned pop music into an art form. Virtually every one of their 213+ songs includes something unique and interesting — like those fantastic staccato violin chords in “Eleanor Rigby,” or the delightful lyrics to “Ob- details

On This Day, Aug. 29, 1966 …

The Beatles played what would be their last-ever full public concert, at San Francisco’s Candlestick Park.

The band played an 11-song set, which didn’t include any songs from their recently released album, Revolver.

The public was unaware that it would be the band’s final concert, although The Beatles themselves knew and brought a camera onstage to capture the moment.

The Beatles’ final public performance of any kind was their iconic “rooftop concert” in London in January 1969. That concert was recorded for the documentary Let It Be, which was rereleased on Disney+ in May and was also part of the 2021 Disney+ documentary The Beatles: Get Back.

Source: ABC News

Artie Kornfeld is a music business legend. Perhaps best known, alongside his friend/partner Michael Lang, as one of the founders of 1969's legendary Woodstock festival, Kornfield is also an accomplished songwriter (his songs have been recorded by Cher, The Bangles, Dusty Springfield and many more), a musician, a hugely successful A&R executive, and the former Vice President of Rock Music at Capitol Records. Over the years, he was responsible for either signing or promoting artists such as Pink Floyd, Kiss, Neil Young, Aerosmith, Tom Petty, Blondie, Bruce Springsteen and more... a decent CV, we're sure you'll agree.

He also has the distinction - if that's the appropriate word - of once being pissed on by former Beatle John Lennon.

Kornfeld shares this story in a wide-ranging with new interview with Goldmine.

“I was at [New York recording studio] the Hit Factory, and my engineer, Shelly Yakus, and I were there with my musician pals, Hugh McCracken and David Sanborn and all my friends, and all of a sudden it's like three in the morning,” the 81-year-old industry veteran recalls. “So I said, Guys, let's take a break for a half hour. And I ran into the bathroom like crazy and put four li details

Ask Ringo Starr about his decades-long love affair with Ludwig drums. Go ahead; we did. You’re guaranteed to smile.

What’s more, the Beatles drummer also gave two thumbs up (and playfully stuck out his tongue) when The Charlotte Observer asked about his instruments made in North Carolina — and nowhere else — for 40 years now.

So may we introduce to you the Beatle we’ve pursued for all these years, as he finally tells the Observer exactly what those drums mean to him.

Starr, now 84, also took questions from other U.S. and international reporters during a 50-minute Zoom press conference earlier this year from his home studio in L.A. The occasion was the kick-off of his latest All-Starr Band tour and on the heels of his new album, “Crooked Boy.” (That tour and Starr’s drums don’t have Charlotte on the itinerary.)

A relaxed, joking Starr was dressed all in black, with a small chain and silver peace sign pendant around his neck. During the Q & A, where his publicity team read him reporters’ questions, Starr also discussed his old mates, AI and keeping the vibes positive.  Ringo Starr answered a Charlotte Observer question about his l details