Our culture lionizes independent thinkers and creators, from Beethoven to Einstein to Musk. Eccentric, driven, working alone in their garrets and labs, they are struck by inspiration and change the world – call it the cult of genius.

Get Back, filmmaker Peter Jackson’s new three-part, eight-hour documentary series about the Beatles, reminds us that the process of creation is often a more complicated affair, involving not a single prodigy but a group of individuals labouring together, elevating each other – and, if they are both talented and lucky, producing something great.

Source: Marcus Gee/theglobeandmail.com

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George Harrison of The Beatles felt listeners could learn a lot about Cat Stevens (also known as Yusuf and Yusuf Islam) from his songs. George had a very strong opinion on Stevens as a musician. During an interview, he revealed what he thought about Stevens taking a long break between albums.

George responded enthusiastically to Stevens “Yeah, I like Cat Stevens a lot — actually before, earlier when you asked me who I like, Cat Stevens has been a consistent person that I’ve enjoyed,” he said. “I’ve always liked his voice, he’s got a lovely voice, and he always seems to have style, class, you know? Good melodies, good production.”

George then commented on Stevens’ life. “And also, I think in his life he’s been through a lot of heavy ups and downs, and I don’t blame him for taking two years to make a record,” George said, laughing. “You know, I like him a lot.”

Source: cheatsheet.com

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English actress Hayley Mills joined host Kenneth Womack to talk about being born into a show business family, having a Beatle take her on a date, writing her new memoir and more on "Everything Fab Four," a podcast co-produced by me and Womack (a music scholar who also writes about pop music for Salon) and distributed by Salon.

Multiple award-winner Mills, whose father is legendary actor Sir John Mills and mother novelist-playwright Mary Hayley Bell, got her start in acting at the age of 12 in the British crime drama "Tiger Bay." Hailed as a child screen prodigy, Mills went on to star in six Disney films in six years including "Pollyanna" and "The Parent Trap," making her a breakout star in the early 1960s – not unlike the Beatles.

Source: salon.com

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Peter Jackson's documentary series "The Beatles: Get Back" premiered on Disney+ over Thanksgiving weekend. The three-episode special, which ran 470 minutes, was culled from over 60 hours of original studio footage and 150 hours of audio recordings.

To preserve continuity, streamline themes, and get the final running time under eight hours, the following moments were edited out:

Day 1: Paul shows up to Twickenham Studios with 11 new songs, plus a formula for a future unknown pandemic vaccine he jotted down in the cab on the way over.

Day 2: Peter Sellers drops by Twickenham to say hello to Ringo, his co-star in the upcoming film, "The Magic Christian." The visit is cut short when Yoko Ono asks Sellers if he'll call her estranged husband's divorce lawyer and threaten him using the Clouseau voice.

Source: salon.com

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I’m desperate to hang out some more with the Beatles, and I know I’m not alone in feeling this. I miss Paul, John, George and Ringo. I feel like we had such a great Thanksgiving weekend together—them making iconic songs, sipping tea and mildly bickering, and me on the couch, lying in the darkness, microwaved leftovers on my chest.

Source: Jason Gay/wsj.com

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The widow and son of former Beatle John Lennon have given away 50 rare records of Happy Xmas (War is Over) to charities and record shops so they can raise funds.

Yoko Ono and Sean Ono Lennon said they wanted to "spread Christmas cheer".

A note attached to the gifts urged the charities to use the limited edition 12-inch vinyl acetates to "sell, auction [and] raise money".

Liverpool-based The Brain Charity said it was "hugely moved" by the gesture.

"We feel absolutely bowled over by this astonishingly generous surprise Christmas gift," Chief Executive Nanette Mellor said.

The one-sided 12" acetate featuring John and Yoko was hand-cut on the lathe at the legendary Abbey Road Studios.

Each edition is stickered and numbered out of 50 and includes a machine printed signature from Yoko, making them collectable.

Source: BBC News

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