A rare Cartier silver engraved box commissioned by John Lennon and Yoko Ono for their close friends is set to go on sale as a piece of music history.

The pair’s “Double Fantasy” box was crafted as a Christmas gift which Ono personally gave to the Beatles star’s bank manager at the Bank of Tokyo shortly after his death in December 1980. The cedar-encased box includes original accessories such as a blue pouch, outer case and paper wrapping, and reads inside “Double Fantasy Christmas 1980, NYC, John & Yoko”.

It is believed that only 12 of these exclusive boxes were ever made, making this piece an exceedingly rare find

The piece is to be auctioned at Catherine Southon Auctioneers & Valuers, in Kent, on May 15, with an estimated value of £3,000 to £5,000.

A spokesperson said: “It is believed that only 12 of these exclusive boxes were ever made, making this piece an exceedingly rare find. “Despite Lennon’s untimely demise, Yoko Ono fulfilled his wishes by distributing the gifts after Christmas, ensuring that his spirit of generosity and love continued to resonate.

“This unique example, bestowed upon the bank manager at the Bank of Tokyo, carries with it a heartfelt connection to the legendary musician and his enduring legacy.”

Source: Anahita Hossein-Pour/standard.co.uk

Read More<<<

John Lennon could have made it easy on himself with his first solo album by sticking close to what he had done with The Beatles. Instead, he delivered a searing opus called John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band that stunned fans with its confessional intimacy and unpretty musical presentation.

Behind the Meaning of “Purple Rain” by Prince

This was not in any way some kind of premeditated move by Lennon, but rather a case of him releasing this music because he had to do it if he wanted to retain his sanity. Let’s take a look back at the circumstances surrounding this fierce, brave LP.

The rest of the world knew about The Beatles’ breakup in spring of 1970, but the group themselves found out in late ’69 when John Lennon announced at a meeting he was flying the coop. When that reality started to set in during the early part of 1970, Lennon was in a somewhat raw state. He was still struggling to kick his addictions, while also processing what his life would be outside the cocoon of the Fab Four.

Around that time, he was sent a book by Dr. Arthur Janov, who was gaining notoriety for a new kind of therapy known as “primal scream.” It intrigued Lennon and wife Yoko Ono so much that the duo had Janov visit them in England. They also traveled to Los Angeles for sessions with Janov there.

Source: Jim Beviglia/americansongwriter.com

Read More<<<

When it comes to popular music, there is one fact more than any other that is universally agreed upon and that’s that the British-born band The Beatles is rock music’s best ever. Pop stars, innovators, masterful songwriters—the Mop Tops, Fab Four or whatever else you want to call them are just the cream of the musical crop.

Behind the Meaning of “Purple Rain” by Prince

One of the reasons why this is so is because the band, despite being together for just a decade, boast some of the most memorable musical compositions of all time. While not every song garnered them an A+ grade, many do. And some songs from the band can even be thought of as eternal. Here below, are three songs from the Beatles that fit the criteria, three that are simply forever.

“Hey Jude”

Released in 1968, this standalone single was written by frontman Paul McCartney, inspired by John Lennon’s son Julian in the wake of the split between Lennon and Julian’s mother when Lennon then began dating Yoko Ono. The Billboard 100 No. 1 hit was the first single released on the band’s Apple Records label. It’s a song of encouragement, to see the silver lining, to let the bad out and let the good in. It’s words of wisdom from McCartney, an uncle figure in Julian’s life. It’s a song that when performed can get an arena of fans singing in unison together. It’s also a song that once the first few words are sung, everyone knows the words. Sings Paul,

Hey Jude, don’t make it bad.
Take a sad song and make it better.
Remember to let her into your heart,
Then you can start to make it better.

Source:Jacob Uitti/americansongwriter.comRead more<<<

In the latest episode of iHeartPodcast series McCartney: A Life In Lyrics, The Beatles' grand finale to the Abbey Road album is under the microscope with the songwriter and host, poet Paul Muldoon. The closing medley of the 1969 album's mini-suite with Golden Slumbers, Carry That Weight and The End of captured the ambition and inventiveness of the band, but Paul McCartney's songwriting is its centre. And he explained the roots of Golden Slumbers especially actually go back to discovering a piece of sheet music his step-sister Ruth had.

"I always look in a piano bench seat because people always have sheet music in there – they always used to, definitely," remembered McCartney in the podcast interview. "Now, sometimes they can be empty, but I always look to see. This time it was either in the piano seat or it might have been up on the music stand, it was this song Golden Slumbers."

The original Golden Slumbers is a Victorian lullaby by Peter Warlock in 1918, written to accompany a 17th poem called Cradle Song by Thomas Dekker from the 1603 comedy Patient Grissel. Dekker's poem would directly inspire McCartney.

"Golden slumbers fill your eyes / Smiles await you when you rise / Sleep, pretty baby, do not cry / And I will sing a lullaby – that chorus that I've used was literally the lyrics to an old Victorian song," admitted McCartney.

Source: Rob Laing/musicradar.com

Read More<<<

A Japanese tea service bought by George Harrison when Beatlemania confined him to a hotel room has gone on display. It is one of three bought by Harrison when the band was on tour in Japan in 1966.

Roag Best, who runs the Liverpool Beatles Museum, said: "Beatlemania had truly hit Japan [and] they couldn't go out." The tea service is on display at the museum, in Liverpool's Mathew Street. Mr Best, the half-brother of the band's original drummer Pete Best, and son of tour manager Neil Aspinall, said: "The Beatles had gone to play the Budokan.

"They played five shows in a three-day period and were playing to in excess of 10,000 people a show." He said his and John Lennon had had to leave their Tokyo hotel in disguise, and Paul McCartney had done the same. But Ringo Starr and Harrison stayed confined to their rooms.

"They liked buying stuff when they were touring but because they couldn't go out they were having people bringing their wares up to their rooms to sell," Mr Best said."George bought three really ornate Japanese tea services, which he then had shipped back to England."He kept one and gave my dad the choice of the other two, then the third he gave to his mother."

The crockery made its way back to Liverpool and was put in a display cabinet in the house of Mr Best's mother Mona Best, who owned the Casbah Club in West Derby.

Source: Paul Burnell,PA News

Read More<<<

The rest of the world may have moved onto the eight-generation Chevrolet Corvette, but don’t tell that to Paul McCartney.

The Beatles founder was recently spotted out and about in Southern California in his trusted C5 ‘Vette. It’s no shock that the rock legend drives a sports car, but it is surprising to learn that he’s still driving one that is over 20 years old.

Video of the moment was posted to TikTok late last week by an account named truecelebritypop (via Road & Track). In the clip, McCartney can be seen exiting the parking lot of a recording studio in Hollywood while driving his C5 convertible. Ever the crowd pleaser, the rocker pauses briefly to wave to the gathered crowd before looking both ways, taking a right, and speeding off on his way.

If you’re a fan of Macca, chances are you know he’s a bit of a car buff. That’ll happen when you spend six-plus decades touring the world as one of its most successful (and well-renumerated) musicians of all time. At various times, his collection has included Aston Martins, Lamborghinis, and Rolls-Royces. It makes sense that he’d own a Corvette—it is the American sports car after all—but the C5 is a bit of an oddball choice to hold onto if money is no option. Only a true contrarian would pick it as their favorite ‘Vette.

Source: Bryan Hood/yahoo.com

Read More<<<