Beatles News
If there was ever going to be a forensic review of the recorded Beatles music by yours truly, then now is the time. Why? Because the catalog has been going through a remix/ remastering period that began in earnest in 2006 with the Cirque du Soleil reconfiguration for the Las Vegas Love show, and then with the audacious reissue of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band in 2017 and continuing through with The Beatles (aka the “White Album”) in 2018, Abbey Road in 2019 and a reissue to coincide with Peter Jackson’s reedited Let It Be movie, Get Back.
It should be noted that Let It Be was also totally remixed in 2003 as Let It Be...Naked. This was due to Paul McCartney’s particular distaste of Phil Spector’s over-production of the original studio album, which was officially the last Beatles studio album released but was actually recorded before Abbey Road.
Source: Goldmine Contributors
Two of The Beatles - Paul McCartney and George Harrison - went to school together, while John Lennon went to the art college next door. (Meanwhile, Ringo Starr joined the band many years later once the band had been formed).
But the foundations of the Fab Four were never too far from one another.
McCartney once looked back fondly on his troubled childhood in an interview in the 1980s. He recalled about how his teacher would beat him and Harrison when they were naughty. But one day their perspective of the punishment changed.
McCartney explained he did "occasionally" get caned while he was in school. Eventually, his friends were punished as well just for knowing him.
"They used to cane us," McCartney recalled. "Six of the best kinda thing. But, erm, I remember this time George got caned, George Harrison, because we were mates at school."
Source: Callum Crumlish/express.co.uk
The George Harrison Rocky Stratocaster features an alder body hand-painted with a replica of Harrison’s famous psychedelic brushstrokes. Every detail is captured, from the artwork on the pickguard and plastic parts to a replica decal on the back of headstock from Grimstone’s - the original music store where the guitar was purchased.
Source: premierguitar.com
We had 10 years of The Beatles. From 1960 to 1970, the four musicians released 13 studio albums, and they gained so much international popularity that the band stopped performing live for fans in 1966.
With this unimaginable amount of fame and scrutiny, the band succumbed to bitter disagreements and disputes amongst themselves. Ultimately, Lennon was the first to leave the band on September 20, 1969, and The Beatles officially announced their breakup in 1970. And, to add insult to injury, the legendary former songwriting partners, John Lennon and Paul McCartney, were in the throes of a heated feud at the time of the band breakup.
Source: americansongwriter.com
In the 1960s The Beatles and The Rolling Stones were two sides of the same coin.
The Fab Four were building their fanbase out of Liverpool, while often visiting London to perform and enjoying residency slots in Germany.
At the same time, The Rolling Stones were breaking moulds with their rambunctious and energetic performances - with Jagger at the forefront of it all.
And although their public "rivalry" was played up in the press for a bit of fun, Jagger was a little frustrated with The Beatles' success.
Jagger confessed as much in 1988 when he inducted the Fab Four into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
He said to the audience: "We were doin’ Chuck Berry songs and blues and things, and we thought that we were totally unique animals. And then we heard there was a group from Liverpool, and they had long hair, scruffy clothes."
Source: Callum Crumlish/express.co.uk
Yoko Ono made a cover for John Lennon’s album Some Time in New York City that John called “beautiful.”
Part of the cover was censored.
John compared the reaction Some Time in New York City received to the reaction a Beatles album received.
Yoko Ono designed the cover for John Lennon‘s album Some Time in New York City. John felt an image of two politicians that Yoko made for the album was “beautiful.” Despite this, the album cover got censored, which upset the former Beatle.
The book All We Are Saying: The Last Major Interview with John Lennon and Yoko Ono contains a 1980 interview. During the interview, John was asked about Some Time in New York City. “You see how they banned the picture here,” John said. The “Imagine” singer pointed to a copy of the album that had a gold seal pasted on the side.
Source: cheatsheet.com
As reflected in The Beatles’ “The Ballad of John and Yoko,” John Lennon and Yoko Ono wanted to get married quickly — even if Ono’s visa meant they had limited options. After trying a cruise and embassies, these two improved a wedding plan in 1969. Aside from writing and recording original music, Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr developed close relationships (and even married). Lennon first met the peace activist and musician Yoko Ono in 1966.
The two became inseparable, even if some of the other Beatles weren’t supportive initially.
“You can quote Paul, it’s probably in the papers, he said it many times at first he hated Yoko, and then he got to like her,” Lennon said during an interview with Rolling Stone. “But it’s too late for me. I’m for Yoko… Ringo was all right, so was Maureen, but the other two really gave it to us.”
Source: cheatsheet.com
A 102-year-old from Liverpool has auctioned off a Paul McCartney autograph and donated the proceeds to the NSPCC.
Leslie Bolt got the autograph through his work with a youth club in Liverpool in the early 1960s, before The Beatles had gained international success.
He was given the autograph by Paul’s brother Mike McCartney, who was a regular at the youth club at the time. Even though this was before Beatlemania, Mike had confidence his big brother was destined for stardom.
Mike, who is known professionally for photography and artwork as Mike McGear, gave Mr Bolt the autograph on an aeroplane food menu, telling him: “Look after this, it could be worth something in the future.”
Source: theguideliverpool.com
George Harrison didn’t let fame change him. He might have sprung on impressive cars and sprawling homes, but he was still an ordinary guy who wanted privacy and normalcy. However, fans didn’t always let him have those things. He couldn’t even reveal his favorite food.
When The Beatles became famous, everything came to them faster. Mostly, they did what other famous people did, spend. Although he had some trepidation about his stardom, George spent money how he pleased.
In Here Comes The Sun: The Spiritual And Musical Journey Of George Harrison, Joshua M. Greene writes that George bought expensive shoes, tailored shirts, and fancy cars.
Source: cheatsheet.com
George Harrison and his wife, Olivia, survived a home invasion in 1999. George confronted the attacker and received multiple stab wounds. Then, Olivia jumped on the assailant’s back and hit him with a fire poker. She saved her husband’s life.
Later, when they were recovering from what happened, George joked that his wife was like Western epic director Sam Peckinpah. He wished they’d filmed the attack.
George Harrison and his wife, Olivia, in London, 1990.
On Dec. 30, 1999, Michael Abram, a 33-year-old Liverpudlian, broke into the Harrisons’ home, Friar Park, near Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire.
In Martin Scorsese’s George Harrison: Living in the Material World, Olivia said, “This guy was saying, ‘Get down here, get down here.'” So, George confronted the attacker.
Source: cheatsheet.com
