Beatles News
On many albums, The Beatles presented a highly polished sound. A great example is “Yesterday,” the track from Help! that became the band’s most popular song of all time. With a string section behind him, Paul McCartney’s classic tune sounds perfect from a production standpoint.
While they’d drop all formalities for rocking tracks like “I’ve Got a Feeling” and “I Dig a Pony,” The Beatles would always mix in heavily produced songs, sometimes with guest musicians. That was only possible with someone able to read and write music for string players hired for the job.
However, The Beatles weren’t handling that part of the recording process. They might be able to sing or suggest what they wanted, but it was up to producer George Martin to put it on the page. (The medley on Abbey Road is a good example of Martin’s handiwork.)
Source: cheatsheet.com
Celebrated designer Stella McCartney may have grown up with one of music’s most iconic figures as her father, but she still had to pinch pennies.
“I’ve grown up in a family that doesn’t chuck stuff away,” McCartney (the daughter of Beatles legend Paul McCartney and famed photographer Linda McCartney) told PorterEdit. “And it sounds silly, but I didn’t have a huge amount of money as a kid.”
Continued the 47-year-old fashion favorite: “My mum and dad were really clever; I went to a comprehensive [school] and I wasn’t given a load of cash, so I would go to vintage and secondhand shops and markets to buy clothes. I think that’s kind of the future, and I would encourage kids to rent clothes and buy secondhand because you don’t have to always go for that quick fix. It’s way more exciting and cooler.”Her parents’ eco-friendly lifestyle clearly rubbed off on McCartney, herself a lifelong vegetarian and staunch supporter of animal rights. The designer’s collections are famously free of leather, skin, fur and feathers, and even her wools and silks are sustainably sourced and cruelty-free.
Source; By Elana Fishman/pagesix.com
Sherry Lynn, of Studio City, poses with "Peace and Love" outside the Capitol Records tower in 2017. The work was initially rejected by a Beverly Hills panel for not meeting "Fine Art criteria." (Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times)
When Ringo Starr decided to live full time in Beverly Hills, he planned to honor his adoptive hometown with an extravagant gift — an 800-pound polished steel monument of his hand making a peace sign.
The city politely declined.
“The commission thanks Mr. Starr for his generous offer but unfortunately the donation did not meet the Fine Art criteria,” the city’s now-disbanded Fine Art Commission wrote after it voted unanimously to reject the Beatle’s gift in September 2017.
“They said, sorry Sir Ringo, thanks for your proposal, but you’re not an artist, and the work is not art,” said sculptor Jeremy Morrelli, who helped Starr produce the version of the statue intended for City Hall. “They produced a definition of art which is extraordinary. They would have rejected Van Gogh or Picasso on those grounds.”
Source: Sonja Sharp/latimes.com
It’s not often you can own a home where the likes of Paul McCartney and David Bowie have set foot, let alone one where they actually made music, all for a price tag of under a million dollars. But that’s exactly what you’ll get with a West Hollywood loft currently on the market for $999,999. In the condominium’s past life (in the 1970s) it was the location of Cherokee Studios, where Michael Jackson, Paul McCartney, Tom Petty, David Bowie, Frank Sinatra, and more all recorded albums, and which Beatles producer George Martin dubbed the best studio in America.
Now an apartment complex called the Lofts at Cherokee Studios, the building has been transformed into a green living space with numerous high-end amenities and details. The listed unit in particular is a modern two-story condo with a giant open living space complete with 16-foot ceilings. The living and dining areas flow into the chef’s kitchen, which features a Caesarstone kitchen island, bar-style seating, a Bertazzoni oven, built-in microwave, and stainless-steel appliances. And the entire space opens on to a private balcony.
Source: Condé Nast/architecturaldigest.com
If you thought a thin-skinned U.S. president trying to deport people he doesn’t like is a new development … well, have we got a story for you. In fact, it’s another reminder why people keep comparing the White House’s current occupant to that great bastion of corruption, Richard Nixon.
This tale revolves around John Lennon, who by 1970 had kicked off his solo career and a year later moved to New York with his wife, Yoko Ono. By then, John and Yoko had become famous for their bed-ins and anti-war stance with tracks like “Give Peace a Chance.”
According to files that have been released since, the FBI became very interested in Lennon when he began using his influence on U.S. political matters in 1971. After his protest song “John Sinclair” led to the release of a man convicted for marijuana possession, Nixon turned up the scrutiny.
Source: cheatsheet.com
On July 7th, 2008, Ringo Starr invited fans to join him on the streets on Los Angeles to celebrate his birthday with a simple direction: Say the words “peace and love” when the clock hit noon. He’s been doing it ever since, and the gathering has spread to more than 20 countries around the world and on social media, to “create a wave of Peace & Love across the planet.”
Starr will return to the Capitol Records Tower in L.A. on his birthday this year for an event that will also include appearances by wife Barbara Starkey, plus Ringo’s All Star Band alum Sheila E., Edgar Winter, Nils Lofgren, Jim Keltner, and Starr’s friends such as Ed Begley Jr., Richard Lewis, T-Bone Burnett, Benmont Tench, and Life is Good founders Bert and John Jacobs. There will also be performances by Ben Kyle (from Minneapolis group Romantica), Sara Watkins and Southern California rock band the Jacks.
Source: Patrick Doyle/rollingstone.com
Paul McCartney gets a bad rap. Sure, he's a beloved pop icon with more platinum records than ordinary folks have missing right socks. But for so long, McCartney's been pigeonholed as the "cute Beatle," supposedly with none of John Lennon’s edge, George Harrison’s groovy vibes, or Ringo Starr's, uh, Ringo-ness. But bounce around McCartney's massive discography, and it's easy to see he's far more complicated, with each project spotlighting a different aspect of his creative persona. Here are a few such "faces," those bits of Sir Paul that portray him not just as the beloved Beatle but a genuine musical chameleon.
Source: Chris Coplan/phoenixnewtimes.com
The “George Comes to Benton – 1963” mural is an one-of-a-kind piece of art created by California artist John Cerney. Beatles fans from across the country who traveled Interstate 57 through southern Illinois on their way to and from the total solar eclipse of 2017 had a chance to see the original work the week of its construction. Now a tourism site, Cerney and the City of Benton, published a postcard of the picturesque attraction which gives a brief description of how the project unfolded.
The postcard reads as follows:
“George Comes to Benton- 1963” – This mural installation, painted in 2017, commemorates the first visit by a Beatle to America. Several months ahead of the British rock group’s big splash on US soil in early 1964, George Harrison and his brother Peter came to Benton, Illinois to visit their sister Louise and her family. The Beatles were unknown to Americans, despite being at the top of the charts in England, and George was able to remain anonymous during his two week stay. He played with a local band, bought a guitar in a neighboring town, and mostly hung out as a tourist. The Beatles were about to explode on the world stage, and for years to come, folks in Southern Illinois would recall the police young man with long hair and a funny accent. Created by California artist John Cerney, the 16-foot-tall mural is located along Interstate 57 in Benton, Illinois.
Source: The City of Benton
As the longest touring Beatles tribute band running, Rain has not only kept the music of the Fab Four alive since 1975, but it’s also introduced countless people to the Beatles legacy and stirred up plenty of memories in fans of all ages.
The show doesn’t just play the iconic music; the band dresses up like the Beatles and pays homage to the different eras in which they performed.
Comprised of Paul Curatolo (Paul McCartney), Steve Landes (John Lennon), Alastar McNeil (George Harrison) and Aaron Chiazza (Ringo Starr), the band acts as the legendary foursome with a note-for-note theatrical event, wearing spot-on costumes and utilizing multimedia content to bring the music of the Beatles to life.
“I like to call it the Beatles anthology in concert form,” Curatolo said. “It’s a walk through their entire story through their music, stories, interviews and most iconic moments. It’s also a rock concert.”
Source: Keith Loria / Special to the Fairfax County Times
Drake ties The Beatles for the second-most top 10s in the Billboard Hot 100's 60-year history, 34 each, as Chris Brown's "No Guidance," featuring Drake, debuts at No. 9 (on the chart dated June 22).
Only Madonna boasts more Hot 100 top 10s than Drake and The Beatles, with 38. (Reflecting the collaborative nature of hip-hop, "No Guidance" is Drake's 12th top 10 as a featured artist. Madonna and The Beatles sport lead credit on all their top 10s.)
Here's an updated look at the acts with the most top 10s since the Hot 100 began on Aug. 4, 1958.
Source: Gary Trust/billboard.com
