Beatles News
It’s not everyday that a major music icon asks you for advice. However, that did happen to Art Garfunkel when John Lennon asked him for advice on a pretty serious matter. As the story goes, the fate of one of music’s most beloved partnerships–Lennon and Paul McCartney–was left up to the advice of Garfunkel. He humbly accepted the challenge. Learn more about Garfunkel and Lennon’s conversation, below.
According to Garfunkel, Lennon pulled him aside amidst a get together with the former Beatle, Yoko Ono, and David Bowie. Despite having his partner and a longtime friend there, Lennon opted to ask Garfunkel–whom he had only met that day–for advice.
“I have my great memory of John Lennon when I met him that one night with Yoko Ono and David Bowie,” Garfunkel once explained. “It was the mid-70s, and we were coming back from some show we mutually did. So, we go back to the Dakota [John’s apartment], Bowie was with us. And John pulls me to the bedroom.”
Apparently, Lennon was in talks with McCartney about getting back together. According to Garfunkel, Lennon seemed very serious about the proposition. Before he jumped back into things again, he wanted to get the perspective of someone who had reunited with their own Paul–Simon that is.
“Arty you worked with your Paul [Simon] recently, I’m getting calls from New Orleans that my Paul [McCartney] wants to work with me,” Lennon reportedly told Garfunkel. “I’m thinking about it and I don’t know. How did it go when you worked with Paul [Simon]?”
Though the question held a lot of weight, Garfunkel opted to answer on behalf of Beatles fans everywhere: “Do it.”
“Remember that there was a music blend that was a great kick,” Garfunkel issued as advice. “If you can, return to the fun of that sound and the musical happenings with your old buddy and ignore the strands of the complications and history.”
History reminds us that reunion never happened formally. Nevertheless, we thank Garfunkel for trying to get the ball rolling. Revisit Simon and Garfunkel’s reunion concert in Central Park, below.
Source: Alex Hopper/americansongwriter.com
Rumors of who will play the Beatles immediately began popping up as soon as it was announced that Sam Mendes was set to direct a Sony Pictures four-part biopic series about the Fab Four.
As of Wednesday, Paul Mescal is attached to the movies, likely as Paul McCartney, and Barry Keoghan will portray Ringo Starr (according to Starr himself). Charlie Rowe is rumored to take on George Harrison, while Harris Dickinson is said to be attached as John Lennon.
However, Dickinson played coy when I asked him about the casting Wednesday night at the premiere of his new erotic thriller “Babygirl.”
“It would be amazing to do that,” he said, smiling. “I think the idea of Sam teaming up to do something like that would be incredibly exciting. Obviously, John Lennon is a very complex role, a pretty formidable force to try to do. It would be cool.”
When I asked if he’s signed on for the project, Dickinson laughed and said “we’ll see,” before being ushered to his next interview on the carpet.
Source:Marc Malkin/ variety.com
In photos obtained by OK!, the former Beatles member could be seen greeting fans outside of the Ritz hotel in Madrid, Spain, on Monday, December 9.McCartney, who was wearing hearing aids at the time, appeared in great spirits as he happily made himself visible to a crowd of supporters. For the occasion, he stayed warm with a stylish flannel jacket. His gray facial hair formed a light mustache and scruff around his jawline.After greeting fans, he headed into a black vehicle outside of the lavish property, where he had been staying with his daughter Mary, 55, during the latest stop of his Got Back Tour.
Paul had back-to-back shows at the WiZink Center in Madrid on Monday and Tuesday, December 10. His tour — which began in April 2022 — is scheduled to end on Thursday, December 19, at The O2 in London, England.
Being spotted with hearing aids in his ears isn't new for the "Here Comes the Sun" singer, as he's been wearing the assisted device for years due to problems resulting from performing on stages worldwide for more than six decades and counting.
Source: MSN
The incredible true story behind The Beatles’ rise to fame will be the subject of four upcoming biopics, each told from a different band member’s perspective.
More than 50 years since they went their separate ways, the films will mark the first time that the legendary band has sanctioned the use of their music for a scripted film.
The biopics will each tell the childhoods of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr, and are thought to intersect at major moments – iconic performances and splits, for example. From casting rumours to plot details, here is everything we know about the four upcoming films so far. Who has been cast in The Beatles biopics?
So far, numerous actors have been linked to the project, and while no official announcements have been made, those with knowledge of the biopics have teased who may be playing who.
In November, Ringo Starr seemed to confirm rumours that the Irish actor Barry Keoghan will play him in the films.
“I believe he's somewhere taking drum lessons,” he said on Entertainment Tonight. “I hope not too many.”
Elsewhere, Ridley Scott hinted that Paul Mescal will also have a role in the upcoming films.
During an on-stage conversation with the Oppenheimer director Christopher Nolan after a screening of Gladiator II in Los Angeles, Nolan asked Scott whether Mescal will star in Scott’s next project.
“Maybe,” Scott replied. “Paul is actually stacked up, doing the Beatles next. So I may have to let him go.”
Mescal has been rumoured to play McCartney. Elsewhere, the Neverland actor Charlie Rowe has been touted for George Harrison, while Babygirl star Harris Dickinson has been linked to Lennon. What will be the plot of The Beatles biopics?
While no writer has been announced for the films, it is thought each movie will follow each bandmember from their humble beginnings in Liverpool to the end of their lives (or the present day, when it comes to McCartney and Starr).
The films will likely intersect during major points in the group’s history, such as their appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show, their press conference at JFK airport, and their rooftop concert in London. Who will direct The Beatles biopics?
Source: Kimberley Bond/harpersbazaar.com
John Lennon, an iconic figure in the music world and a driving force behind The Beatles, continues to be remembered with reverence and sorrow 44 years after his untimely death. A celebrated singer-songwriter, musician, and activist, Lennon rose to global fame as The Beatles's co-lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist. Alongside Paul McCartney, he forged what is widely regarded as the most successful songwriting partnership in music history.
On December 8, 1980, Lennon’s life was tragically cut short outside his New York City residence, the Dakota. His killer, Mark David Chapman, gunned him down in a meticulously planned attack that sent shockwaves across the globe. Four bullets struck Lennon as he entered the apartment building and he succumbed to his injuries on the way to the hospital. His death marked a devastating loss to the music industry and his millions of fans worldwide.
According to reports by Radar Online, Mark David Chapman, who was just 25 years old at the time of the assassination, was later diagnosed as borderline psychotic. During his trial, it was revealed that he had spent months planning the killing. Convicted of second-degree murder, Chapman was sentenced to 20 years to life in prison, claim reports. Over the years, he has been denied parole multiple times, including for the 12th time in 2024.
In a parole hearing held in 2020, Chapman reportedly provided chilling insights into his motives for the murder. He admitted that he had killed Lennon not out of any animosity toward the man himself but purely for his fame. According to Chapman, the act was driven by selfishness and a misguided desire for personal glory. Reflecting on his crime, Chapman expressed deep remorse, acknowledging the pain he caused Lennon’s widow, Yoko Ono, and stating that he deserved the death penalty for his actions.
Source: economictimes.indiatimes.com
The best artists and songwriters can transcend their public image with their music, letting us know their true inner workings beyond the fame and fortune. John Lennon was one of the first songwriters to reveal his true feelings in that way.
John Lennon Starred in ‘How I Won the War’ & Ended Up Writing “Strawberry Fields Forever”
On the 1964 Beatles song “I’m a Loser,” Lennon told his listeners of his insecurity and lack of self-esteem. Listening to it, it’s understandable if you forget for a few minutes that you’re being addressed by a guy who was one of the most famous human beings in the world at the time.
Beatles for Sale is an album that doesn’t get its fair share of praise, at least when compared to the rest of The Beatles’ catalog. The timing of it, right between two highly hyped movie albums (A Hard Day’s Night and Help!) might have something to do with its relative anonymity. The fact there were no singles released from it also kept it somewhat in the background for years.
Listening to it now, you can hear how John Lennon and Paul McCartney were branching out a bit, both in terms of their stylistic choices and the topics about which they were writing. They were starting to write in a more confessional manner, instead of simply sticking to the familiar pop-song approach.
The influence of Bob Dylan had a lot to do with that in Lennon’s case, as he admitted in several interviews “I’m a Loser” was spurred on by hearing Dylan’s work. But Lennon was also subtly disclosing his inner pain and torment in songs like this, so subtly that even his bandmates didn’t notice at the time, as Paul McCartney explained in an interview with author Barry Miles:
“Looking back on it I think songs like ‘I’m A Loser’ and ‘Nowhere Man’ were John’s cries for help. We used to listen to quite a lot of country and western songs and they are all about sadness and ‘I lost my truck’ so it was quite acceptable to sing ‘I’m a loser.’ You didn’t really think about it at the time, it’s only later you think, God! I think it was pretty brave of John.”
Source: Jim Beviglia/americansongwriter.com
Fans can really take ideas and run with them. It only takes one person to submit an interesting take on a song and soon the rest of its listeners will get on board with it. One particularly interesting case of that happening is Paul McCartney’s “Wonderful Christmastime.” This holiday anthem has a dark twist, according to some fans. Learn more about the creepy theory behind this track–and what McCartney’s take on it is–below.
The mood is right
The spirit’s up
We’re here tonight
And that’s enough
Simply having a wonderful Christmastime
Simply having a wonderful Christmastime
If you take this song at face value, it’s relatively simple. McCartney seems to be reveling in some festive fun. However, some fans have read something far more sinister between the lines. As the theory goes, the verses see McCartney and his fellow partygoers practicing dark magic while the chorus is their cover up scheme. In that context, the group attempts to act nonchalant when someone walks in, pretending to simply be having a wonderful Christmastime.
McCartney was once asked about this phenomenon. In response, he let the theorists down easy with a playful answer.
“Oh yeah,” McCartney once said. “Well, thank goodness they found me out. This is completely true and in actual fact I am the head wizard of a Liverpool coven. (Paul laughs) Either that… or it’s complete nonsense. And you know it’s the latter!”
Source: Alex Hopper/americansongwriter.com
Guests in attendance at the gala event included a who’s who of London music royalty, including David Gilmour, Bob Geldof, Jools Holland, Jimmy Page and Ronnie Wood among others, who were treated to a first listen of Starr’s new country LP.
Produced by the legendary T Bone Burnett, Starr’s Look Up is his first country release in more than 5 decades, following his second solo album, Beacoup of Blues, which he released in 1970.
“I’ve always loved country music. And when I asked T Bone to write me a song, I didn’t even think at the time that it would be a country song – but of course it was, and it was so beautiful.” Ringo said of the new album. “I had been making EPs at the time and so I thought we would do a country EP -but when he brought me nine songs I knew we had to make an album! And I am so glad we did. I want to thank, and send Peace & Love, to T Bone and all the great musicians who helped make this record. It was a joy making it and I hope it is a joy to listen to.”
Starr will be bringing this new music to Nashville when he headlines the famed Ryman Auditorium on January 14 and 15, 2025 with additional U.S. dates planned for June 2024.
Source: celebrityaccess.com
The actor is rumored to be playing Paul McCartney in Sam Mendes' four films
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 20: Paul Mescal attends the "Gladiator II" New York Special Screening hosted by GQ and Paramount Pictures at The Whitby Hotel on November 20, 2024, in New York, New York. (Photo by John Nacion/Getty Images for Paramount Pictures)
Paul Mescal. John Nacion/Getty Images for Paramount Pictures
Ridley Scott may have inadvertently revealed some major casting news during a Q&A with Christopher Nolan last night in Los Angeles.
During a conversation with Christopher Nolan that followed a screening of Gladiator II at the Directors Guild of America, Scott confirmed his next project will be thriller The Dog Stars. When Nolan asked if Paul Mescal will star in the film, Scott initially said yes before correcting himself that Mescal’s schedule may prevent them from reuniting.
“Maybe,” Scott said, via The Hollywood Reporter. “Paul is actually stacked up, doing the Beatles next. So I may have to let him go.”
Mescal has been rumored to be part of Sam Mendes’ forthcoming Beatles films, which will focus on each of the Fab Four, Paul McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr. Mescal is reportedly set to play McCartney, although neither Sony Pictures nor Mendes has confirmed that.
Last month, Entertainment Tonight asked Mescal how it would feel to play McCartney. “It would be an incredible story to be attached to,” Mescal said. “The fact that Sam Mendes is attached to direct, like truly, it would be a dream come true.” But when asked if he was in fact playing the Beatle, Mescal replied, “No, no, no — we’re not going there.”
Starr also recently let some casting news slip. The drummer seemingly confirmed that Barry Keoghan would be playing him, telling Entertainment Tonight, “I think he’s great, I believe he’s somewhere taking drum lessons. I hope not too many.” Starr’s remark, in late November, gave some validity to the Keoghan rumors, but another source told Rolling Stone that there still were no deals with any actors.
Reflecting the Beatles’ massive influence, Sony Pictures has elected to produce four different films to zoom in on each member of the band, rather than go the more typical biopic route. Mendes, the director behind American Beauty as well as the Bond films Skyfall and Spectre, was tapped to direct all four flicks. They’re expected to arrive in theaters in 2027.
“I’m honored to be telling the story of the greatest rock band of all time, and excited to challenge the notion of what constitutes a trip to the movies,” Mendes said in a statement back in February.
Source: Emily Zemler/Rolling Stone
Paul McCartney has backed calls for laws to stop mass copyright theft by companies building generative artificial intelligence, warning AI “could just take over”.
The former Beatle said it would be “a very sad thing indeed” if young composers and writers could not protect their intellectual property from the rise of algorithmic models, which so far have learned by digesting mountains of copyrighted material.
He spoke out amid growing concern that the rise of AI is threatening income streams for music, news and book publishers. Next week the UK parliament will debate amendments to the data bill that could allow creators to decide whether or not their copyrighted work can be used to train generative AI models.
The amendments, championed by Beeban Kidron, would require operators of internet bots that copy content to train generative AI models to comply with copyright laws.
Source: Robert Booth/theguardian.com
