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When The Beatles first arrived in America, the band was playing songs that didn’t require much in the way of interpretation. In “I Want to Hold Your Hand,” the band’s first No. 1 Billboard hit, you got almost the entire message in the song’s title.

Later on, as John Lennon and Paul McCartney explored new ideas, the lyrics became richer and, in the case of a track like “Eleanor Rigby,” significantly darker. But you still got a great deal of optimism and innocence in Beatles songs, especially in ones written by Paul.

That continued through Magical Mystery Tour, the band’s 1967 follow-up to Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. On that album, Paul countered the haunting “Blue Jay Way” (a George Harrison song) and John’s “Strawberry Fields Forever” with “Hello Goodbye” and “Penny Lane.” If you sing “Penny Lane” to yourself, you likely recall the parts about the shiny fire engine, cheerful barber, and pretty nurse selling poppies from a tray. But Paul also included a vulgar lyric for the old gang in Liverpool in the song’s second half.

Source: cheatsheet.com

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Celebrating Ringo Starr on his birthday 08 July, 2019 - 0 Comments

The public celebration that has turned into an annual tradition marking Ringo Starr’s birthday stands for the former Beatle as a testament to the truth behind the words another rock star once sang, “From small things, mama, big things one day come.”

The epicenter of the 11th edition of Starr’s “Peace and Love” gathering on Sunday, the drummer’s 79th birthday, was Hollywood, where Starr held court on the sidewalk outside the Capitol Records Tower in front of several hundred fans who filled a section of Vine Street that was closed for the event.

He was surrounded onstage by a raft of family members and rock-star friends including his wife, actress Barbara Bach, filmmakers David Lynch and Peter Jackson, superstar producer-musicians T Bone Burnett and Don Was, keyboardists Edgar Winter, Gary Wright and Heartbreakers member Benmont Tench, guitarist Nils Lofgren, percussionist Sheila E., comedian Richard Lewis, actor Ed Begley Jr., ace studio drummer Jim Keltner, musician, producer, record executive and radio show host Peter Asher, “Breakfast With the Beatles” radio show host Chris Carter and other current and former members of Starr’s All-Starr Band.

Source: Randy Lewis/latimes.com

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I was considered really, really weird for liking the Beatles as a high schooler some 20 years ago, right up until it seemed like everybody liked them. It was music that was given to me through my father, who owned every album and gleefully exposed me to the movie Yellow Submarine at an age where it made even less sense than it’s supposed to. The Beatles were a band that had lore behind them, whose every offhand comment to the press, major concert and infamous interpersonal feud had been breathlessly catalogued.Everybody, at some point, comes to the Beatles, if not to worship them then to scoff about how enjoying their music is so basic (or convincingly point out they cribbed from other artists). The very premise of director Danny Boyle’s Yesterday seems to prove that everyone has an opinion on the Beatles, and that we all want to gawk at what sort of world it would be without the lads from Liverpool. (For one thing, one that also wouldn’t have Oasis.) It’s plainly unthinkable, and like a mob of screaming teens chasing after history’s biggest boy band, we’re enthralled. What’s interesting about this equal parts weird and hilarious thought experiment is that it’s completely removed from the Boomer nostalgia that defines Beatles mythologizing. The Beatles, Boyle is saying, belong to everybody.

Source: Kenneth Lowe/pastemagazine.com

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n 1962, The Beatles came to an early crossroads. As the band geared up for a big recording date with producer George Martin, they had a problem on drums. The problem was, Martin wouldn’t use drummer Pete Best on the records because he wasn’t good enough.

Martin, thinking Best was around for his looks rather than his musical skills, figured he’d use a session drummer for recordings while The Beatles would keep Best for live shows. But that didn’t happen. The band’s manager promptly fired Best and brought Ringo Starr aboard.

At the time, Ringo was no stranger to anyone. He’d sat in for Best on occasion and had established his reputation in Liverpool playing behind Rory Storm. Paul McCartney said he and his bandmates considered Ringo the top drummer in town.

Source: cheatsheet.com

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With new Beatles movie 'Yesterday' in the cinemas, the Fab Four will no doubt be winning over some new fans this month.

But for Brian Mcintyre, it's been a near 50-year love affair - and he has the collection to prove it.

The 67-year-old mega-fan, of North Sheilds, has been buying Beatles memorabilia since he first fell in love with the band as a child after a family trauma.

He said: "I heard their first single 'Love Me Do' on the radio when I was 10 years old and I've loved them ever since.

"That was around when my dad died and I think it helped me grieve during a difficult time when my mam was raising five kids.

"Everyone in the house liked them but no one as much as me.

Source: Chronicle Live

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He had a boyish smile, a rebellious hairstyle, and a lilting Liverpudlian accent. His genius extended beyond music, to wordplay and visual arts. While he excited and inspired teens, he frightened parents and pastors, and was a target of the Nixon-era FBI. Who was this British phenom? Well, that would be the inimitable John Lennon.

Transcript provided by YouTube:

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He had a boyish smile, a rebellious hairstyle, and a lilting Liverpudlian accent.
00:05
His genius extended beyond music, to wordplay and visual arts.
00:09
While he excited and inspired teens, he frightened parents and pastors, and was a target of the

Source: goodmenproject.com

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Everyone’s favorite knight of the realm will observe turning 79 on July 7 by inviting the world to come together in a moment of peace, love and unity. Starr himself will be in front of the famous Capitol Records Tower in Los Angeles, but don’t feel like you have to make the trip. All he asks is for everyone — everywhere — to think, say, or post “#PeaceandLove” at noon their local time, thus creating a wave of positivity that will travel across the globe.

The annual celebration began in 2008, when an interviewer casually asked Starr what he wanted for his birthday. The answer, of course, was “Peace and Love.” Since then, the idea has flourished into an international event, earning sponsors including Starbucks, Life Is Good, SiriusXM and The David Lynch Foundation, an organization that teaches meditation to at-risk individuals.

Source: Jordan Runtagh/people.com

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It’s been over 55 years since The Beatles first came crashing into America and nearly half-a-century since the band split up. Yet in all that time, no one has come close to topping or even matching the band’s success.

Sure, you’ll hear about the occasional Beatles milestone that today’s recording artist might surpass. When Drake logged more top-10 Billboard hits than the Fab Four, that generated headlines for a few days. However, Drake hasn’t even reached double digits when it comes to No. 1 hits.

After all, if you’re talking about the big milestones in the music business, you have to start with chart-toppers. On that front, The Beatles continue to rule the industry all-time with 20 No. 1 singles (on the Billboard Hot 100) and 19 No. 1 albums (on the Billboard 200).

Looking at the field, there’s one contender who has a shot at the group’s Hot 100 milestone but little chance of anyone passing the Fab Four for the most No. 1 albums.

Source: cheatsheet.com

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If you want to compare the work of John Lennon and Paul McCartney in The Beatles, you’ll find an almost even level of success. One or the other wrote and sang on the majority of songs released by the Fab Four from 1963-70. (Paul had a slight edge when it came to the No. 1 tracks.)

But their approach to writing and recording could hardly be more different. By the mid-’60s, John took a sharp turn toward the experimental and psychedelic while Paul continued recording his “silly love songs” and tracks John referred to as “granny music.”

They also went about their business in the studio very differently. While Paul could be methodical and obsessive — at times, to the annoyance of John and everyone else — he thought in very concrete terms about what he wanted.

Source: cheatsheet.com

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Celine Dion's George Martin tribute 06 July, 2019 - 0 Comments

Celine Dion paid tribute to Sir George Martin at her London concert on Friday (05.07.19).

The 51-year-old star kicked off the Barclaycard presents British Summer Time Festival in Hyde Park and used the gig to remember the English record producer – known as "the fifth Beatle" – who she worked with on her 'Let's Talk About Love' album.

She said: "Many years ago, I had the honour and the privilege of working with the late great Sir George Martin, your very own Sir George Martin and he produced 'The Reason' for me. I wanted to mention his name before I sing this song because meeting with him and working with him, singing for him was more than a privilege, it was a true honour and I wanted to say a few words about him. So thank you so much."

And the star spoke about her involvement with 2018's 'Deadpool 2', when she recorded 'Ashes' for the soundtrack, although she joked that she originally hoped to star in it and win a Best Actress Oscar.

Source: list.co.uk

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