Beatles News
In hindsight, it's incredible that Paul McCartney actually finished his third solo album, "Tug of War." He was in the middle of recording it at the George Martin-founded AIR Studios London in December 1980 when his former Beatles bandmate John Lennon was killed in New York City. After (understandably) taking a recording break, he finished "Tug of War" in 1981, moving locations to AIR Studios Montserrat for more privacy.
Surprisingly, McCartney ended up heading to the studio in London in the direct aftermath of the terrible news about Lennon's death. That day, he worked on "Rainclouds," which ended up as the b-side of "Ebony And Ivory." The December session wasn't necessarily productive, although it provided a refuge from press and offered familiarity at a time of great grief.
For McCartney, recording music had long represented solace in times of great turmoil.
Source: Annie Zaleski/salon.com
According to Ringo Starr, Paul McCartney was more than just a great songwriter. The Beatles’ drummer mentioned that he could watch McCartney play the piano for an hour, saying that his bandmate was “great” at the instrument.
As one of the biggest rock bands of all time, The Beatles were a four-piece band from England comprised of John Lennon, McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr.
McCartney appeared as a songwriter, vocalist, bass player, and even pianist for this band. His piano-playing skills were highlighted in behind-the-scenes footage released on Disney’s streaming platform.
Source: cheatsheet.com
Paul McCartney recalled writing Beatles songs with John Lennon in his bedroom. At the time, Paul didn’t analyze the meaning of one of The Beatles’ songs. Subsequently, Paul wondered if John may have written the song about his mother.In the 1997 book Paul McCartney: Many Years From Now, Paul said he and John used to spend time together in John’s bedroom. They used to listen to Chuck Berry, Fats Domino, and Jerry Lee Lewis songs together. Paul said these memories make him nostalgic.“It’s a lovely thought to think of a friend’s bedroom then,” Paul said. “A young boy’s bedroom is such a comfortable place, like my son’s bedroom is now; he’s got all his stuff that he needs: a candle, guitar, a book.”
Source: cheatsheet.com
John Lennon had an interesting time during The Beatles‘ trip to India in 1968, but he missed Yoko Ono. Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, the leader of the Transcendental Meditation movement, invited the group to his annual retreat reserved for Westerners at his ashram in Rishikesh.
When John wasn’t meditating for days on end, writing countless songs, and taking helicopter rides with Maharishi, hoping he’d slip him “the answer,” John was constantly going to and from the post office hoping to find the latest letter from Yoko Ono.
It’s a good thing John decided not to bring his wife, Cynthia, and Yoko.
Source: cheatsheet.com
Paul McCartney revealed John Lennon created the intro of The Beatles’ “I Feel Fine” by accident when he hit something with his guitar.
Paul explained why the guitar was named after The Everly Brothers.“I Feel Fine” became an international hit.
The Beatles‘ classic hit “I Feel Fine” opens with an unusual sound. In a book, Paul McCartney revealed John Lennon created that sound by accident when his guitar hit something. Subsequently, The Beatles had a strong reaction to the sound. In the 1997 book Paul McCartney: Many Years From Now, Paul recalled John used a “semi-acoustic Gibson guitar.” “John and George both had them; we used to call them ‘Everly Brothers’ because they were very similar to the ones The Everly Brothers had used and we liked the Everlys a lot,” Paul recalled.
Source: cheatsheet.com
Paul McCartney said Ringo Starr inspired the title of The Beatles’ movie A Hard Day’s Night.
The title of the film was chosen for a specific reason. The film’s title song became a huge hit.
Ringo Starr said something after a concert that blew Paul McCartney and John Lennon away. Subsequently, his words inspired The Beatles’ movie A Hard Day’s Night and its title song. The song became a chart phenomenon.In the 1997 book Paul McCartney: Many Years From Now, Paul discussed Ringo. “Ringo would do these little malapropisms, he would say things slightly wrong, like people do, but his were always wonderful, very lyrical, very Lewis Carroll, lovely,” Paul said. “They were sort of magic even though he was just getting it wrong.”
Source: cheatsheet.com
After The Beatles broke up, George Harrison and Paul McCartney didn’t have the best relationship. None of The Beatles did, except Ringo Starr, who played drums on many of his ex-bandmates’ albums. However, George and Paul’s relationship improved after John Lennon died in 1980.
At a 1984 press conference, George revealed that he’d been in touch with Paul and was complimentary of his work. Well, as complimentary as George could be. He still had some opinions about Paul’s latest cinematic failure.
Paul McCartney and George Harrison at a press conference with the rest of The Beatles in 1964.
Source: cheatsheet.com
Paul McCartney said fans often think the songs John Lennon wrote for The Beatles were “abrasive.” Despite this, he said one of The Beatles’ songs showed off John’s tender side. John said the song in question was the predecessor of “In My Life.”
In the 1997 book Paul McCartney: Many Years From Now, Paul discussed John as a songwriter. “People forget that John wrote some pretty nice ballads,” he opined. “People tend to think of him as an acerbic wit and aggressive and abrasive, but he did have a very warm side to him really which he didn’t like to show too much in case he got rejected.”
Paul said he co-wrote one of The Beatles’ early ballads with John. “We wrote ‘If I Fell’ together but with the emphasis on John because he sang it,” Paul recalled. “It was a nice harmony number, very much a ballad.”
Source: cheatsheet.com
The Beatles went through several names before landing on the one that would grant them iconic status. From the Black Jacks to the Quarry Men, several versions of the name came before the band. So, why The Beatles? Why name a band after a much-despised little creature? While its origins are much argued about among Beatles fans, the theories have led to the same result: The Beatles were just feeling “pun-ny.” While there are many theories about the name’s origins, it has been widely accepted that the name came from Lennon’s first wife, Cynthia. She claimed the band had come up with the name during a drunken “brainstorming session,” inspired by Buddy Holly’s band The Crickets. Former member Stuart Sutcliffe is then to have thought of the name The Beatles.
Source: americansongwriter.com
Julian Lennon made headlines over the past few weeks for making a big move for Ukraine after performing his father John Lennon's iconic song "Imagine" for the first time. More recently, the musician spoke out about why he's afraid to do it.
Speaking to Consequence, the singer clarified that the cover was a one-time thing, saying he doesn't have a "hankering for anything else."
"I have a hankering to get on with my own life and my own work," he added.
After his cover made rounds online, many people have been requesting him to sing the song again, but he said he already did his part and he's moving forward with his work and life.
Speaking about why he was "fearful" of covering the song, the 59-year-old musician revealed he felt the day would come, and he had "great anxiety" about it.
Source: Mike Stevenson/musictimes.com
